Be prepared to fall in love with Sly and Clara, and Katie. This is the first in what promises to be a fantastic series. A big cast of interesting characters, a bit of humor, a lot of heart, and sexy romance make for a story you can't put down. Add in the perfect dose of angst and you will be sad to see the story end. I can't wait for the next one!

A lovely romcom following the story of a single mum and a professional men’s ice hockey player. This is the first book in Stewart’s new Zamboni series featuring the players of the Wilcox Wombats ice hockey team.

Sly returns to his hometown during the off-season, coming face to face with his highschool crush Clara and her daughter. They spend time together, becoming absorbed into each other’s lives and families.

This is a book about family in multiple forms, learning to overcome limiting narratives about yourself, and finding people who see you as you truly are. I really enjoyed ‘The Wedding Winger’: the characters are so likeable and funny. I read it pretty much in one go, completely absorbed in the world, and I finished it with a smile. I will definitely be looking out for the rest of this series.

This was just lovely. A real family showing their love for each other, be that parents and children or the hockey team family. Clara’s job as a zoologist is the best one ever and although Katie is a 5 year old diva, she doesn’t quite steal the show. Some romance which is cute and some sexy time too. Well worth a read,

It had me at the title and that was it for me. I had to read and it was very much enjoyed. I liked this book a lot. Will read more.

I'm here for ALL the dirty candy!

Sly and Clara grew up as next-door neighbors, each with a seemingly unrequited crush on the other, who finally get their chance a decade after their high school years. Clara was Sly's younger math tutor, always thinking the popular athlete was well out of her league. Sly, likewise, felt that Clara was too beautiful and too smart to ever be interested in a dumb jock. A lot of the book focused on Sly's insecurities as he tries to establish a future for himself beyond his natural athletic ability.

I loved how the book was set up in three sections, like three periods of a hockey game, with an "interlude" in between each that gives us insight from the POV of the "matchmaker." I also loved how the girlfriends used a clever code to be able to discuss the romance over the head of the child in the room.

I really enjoyed the family connections, the banter between Sly and Clara, the camaraderie with Sly and his teammates, and I especially appreciated that the five-year-old was portrayed realistically, with age-appropriate attitudes and more depth than the usual perfectly precocious child that I've found in single-parent romances.

The only thing that kept this from being a five-star read was the way Clara compared her intimate relationship with Sly to that with her ex-husband:

"But sex with Zach was never like this. With him it felt like something to be done in the dark, handled and then moved on from. It felt sneaky and a little bit shameful even. This, with Sly, felt more like a destination to be explored, enjoyed."

OK, I get that we want the HEA relationship to be "the best they've ever had" but come on, it's 2023 and Clara is at least 50% responsible for the enjoyment and satisfaction in any relationship. It's not necessary to slam the ex's abilities in bed to convince us she's happier with her HEA mate.
Aside from this, the book was flawless and I enjoyed reading every single page.

I love this author's writing style and am looking forward to reading more in this delightful series. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

In the mood for a sweet and spicy sports romance? Check out THE WEDDING WINGER by Delancey Stewart!

This adorable second chance romance is full of laughs, love and hockey - with a side of some delicious spice! Sly was a complex character with substance, Clara was relatable and real and sweet little Katie was funny and full of spunk.

If you're looking for a light hearted and funny hockey romance, this one is for you

READ FOR:
❤️Second chance romance
👩‍👧Single parent
🏒Sports romance
🔥Spicy
⭐4 stars

Thanks to Victory Editing and NetGalley for the ARC! Opinions are my own

#rochellereadsit

This was a fun blend of a few different tropes: single mom, fake date, forced proximity, tutoring, girl next door, high school crush, and hockey romance.

It did read more Young Adult/New Adult but it could've just been the authors writing style, which was good just not what I'm used to.

Overall would recommend!

I really enjoyed this story. The was background and character development, the story moved along a good clip, and was very interesting. The secondary characters were all very fun and added to the story. Both the hero and heroine were so delightful and there HEA was well earned.

The Wedding Winger is a great single mom, hockey romance. I love when the characters knew each other in high school but reconnect as adults. Clara is a single mom, and gets Sly’s mom to watch her daughter Katie when she has work. Sly’s mom decides to do some matchmaking and convinces Sly to spend the summer at home during the off-season. Sly and Clara connect immediately and I loved their friendship which turned to relationship.

Sly’s relationship with his teammates was amazing and the thing I like most about this series! Sly and Katie are hilarious and I love every scene where they interacted. I can’t wait to continue the series!

Retired himbos make the world go 'round, and Sly is no exception. He likes his life - and his women - simple and easy. Until his mom interferes. The hot next-door neighbor he crushed on in high school is back in town, and his mom is determined to throw them together.

Clara and her little girl, Katie, move into Clara's childhood home after her divorce and the death of her parents. Don't worry - the angst is off-screen, and the reader is left with a thriving little girl who loves glitter and construction equipment and a woman whose life is coming together.

When Sly re-enters her life, she's understandably cautious. She spent years pining over him only to be rebuffed. He was the popular jock every girl wanted, and she was the nerdy girl he couldn't possibly like. Or so she thought...

The Wedding Winger is an adorable second-chance romance full of laughs, family, and a dash of hockey. There were several kinds of love explored:

💜 The love of a mother and child
💜 The love of a father and son
💜 The love of the one who got away
💜 Learning to love yourself after a life of self-doubt

This book had so many wonderful layers and just the right amount of spice. Clara and Sly both fought for their relationship in different ways, and the way he took to Katie will make you swoon!

Thank you, Delancey Stewart and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book!! Sly was a bit of a complex character. What he showed on the outside was a little different than what was on the inside. Clara had had a crush on Sly ever since she was younger and now they had a chance to act upon their feelings. Throw in a cute little five year old and this book was entertaining. I loved it!

Loved it. I just think the idea behind the story is so refreshingly simple, and it's there to be just enough to give a perhaps otherwise more ordinary romance story a twist. That said however, there is nothing ordinary about this author's writing. She is capable to making you fall in love with her characters, to feel for them and to truly experience the journey of their romance along with them.

Player hockey star and his high school crush next door come together in a rollercoaster ride of insecurity, obstacles and family. A bit more than most sports romances with likeable characters and an engaging plot.

Hockey player Sly is returning to his hometown for the summer in order to help his parents. His teenage crush Clara is a single mother living in the house next door. When they keep being thrown together they feel mutual attraction between them. But can this be more than a summer fling? I enjoyed reading this story and I liked the characters but I couldn't always relate to their problems and feelings. Not a must-read for me but still an entertaining book.

I received an ARC via Netgalley.com and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is a cute start to a new Hockey romance series. Sylvester Remington play for the professional Hockey team, the Wilcox Wombats. It’s the off season, and his brother has just become engaged. His brother want him to come home for the engagement party, but has asked (on the behalf of their mother), to not bring home one of his flavor of the week dates. When he arrives home, he finds out that the girl next door that he had a crush on in high school, Clara Connor, is a single mom and has moved back next door. Both Sly and Clara had unrequited crushes on each other, so this is a cute second chance type romance. I loved both Sly and Clara’s relationship and also the cute relationship between Sly and Clara’s daughter Katie. An overall enjoyable read. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley for my honest opinion.

This is a great second change single mom book! I love Clara and Sly...and let not forget wonderful Katie!! I love the side story of what Sly and Clara are doing in their lives. It is sweet to follow their love story to find their HEA. This was such an easy read. I was a refreshing read. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a nice love story with a happy ending.

I have read a number of books by Delancey Stewart and she always comes through with a great story and HEA. This book is Sly and Clara's second chance at love - although they never really too a chance when they were younger. The only thing I didn't really like about this book was how much Clara's daughter got away with. In my opinion, in real life her antics would drive away most men. No way would Sly have fallen in love with that little girl in real life - she was a spoiled brat a number of times! Other than that, this book was great and my dislike of the daughter wasn't enough to drop my opinion of the book by much, so I give this book a happy 5 stars.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. It is my understanding that this is the beginning of a new series. For me, at times I felt that I was missing things that I should have known (like the singing section). I liked the story but there were some odd moments. Sly has some major insecurity about his intellect-to me this was strange. He was getting his MBA-so he made it through college. So what if he had tutors. His relationship with his parents while good was strained. I really liked Clara and Katie was a blast. The main characters are generally all relatable. I did love the Wombat's team dynamics. I am looking forward to reading about Mizzoni! 3.5 rating

Thanks to NetGalley I received an advanced electronic copy of the book to read and provide a review.

This was a really fun time! If you like a light hearted and funny (ridiculous at times) hockey romance with an enemies to lovers trope, this is the book for you. The story was cheesy AF but I enjoyed the writing and the character development. Sly and Clara are ADORABLE. I wasn’t a huge fan of the third act break, but the over-the-top gesture and reunion somehow made up for it.

Plus the Zamboni driver interludes are top notch!

The Wedding Winger, the first book in The Zamboni Diaries by Delancy Stewart, was such a fun and engaging read and a pleasant surprise as this author is new to me…I am quite surprised I haven't encountered her stories before now. And based on the multitude of other series she has written, I have a lot of catching up to do…I've enjoyed this story so much that I'm looking forward to reading her other books.

Sly and Clara’s story is rife with warmth, humor, smoking chemistry, and memorable characters…namely a precocious five-year-old who will melt your heart and have you laughing at the same time…and naturally a sigh-worthy romance. The dialog is smart, paced perfectly to keep the pages turning and the reader captivated and emotionally invested in the outcome of the challenges the couple encounter on the path to their HEA.

Now that I’ve been introduced to the other Wombat players I'm looking forward to reading their stories as the series continues.

This ARC book was complimentary and provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.