This romance novel is a total win! Noel, the history prof with a guarded heart, meets Colby, an NHL superstar, and sparks fly. Despite swearing off athletes, she ropes him into being her dating coach. Cue fake dates turning real and lots of laughs. Colby, the reformed flirt, steals the show with his commitment game. Noel's a spunky character, dealing with trust issues. The whole story is a rollercoaster of feels, with bungee jumps, hockey games, and even a sassy grandma. It's a standalone in a series, but I didn't know that going in – totally worth reading the others! Leah Brunner nails the mix of tough hockey guys with adorable soft sides. Can't wait for the next one!

“I fell in love with her the first time I saw her but she wouldn’t give me the time of day so I offered her to teach her how to flirt…. with another man.”

🎧 Audiobook
🏒 Professional Hockey player
🏰 History teacher
🍂 He falls first
👫 Dual narrators
Opposite attracts

TW. cheating ex

Let’s talk about the narrators first : I was really surprised about the male narrator's voice at first. I needed a few chapters to get used to it, I have to be honest. I’m very difficult with the voices and he has a really deep and raspy voice, like he was pushing it at the maximum. But except the beginning, I’ve really enjoyed them both !

As for the story, it’s the perfect rom-com one. Two people meet, one falls in love, the other is not convinced, and then with a little bit of force-proximity and fate, they slowly fall in love. Noel and Colby are opposite attracts : she loves books and quiet and he’s a NHL player and a womanizer (until he meets her !). What really works is that Noel was hurt in the past and doesn’t want to trust anyone anymore but Colby’s always around with their common friends.

I love how they have very different family dynamics, but they seem to understand each other even more for that. And we, as readers, meet every member of their families. Those part were the best (and funny too)

I actually rate it 3,5 stars… Or 3,75. It’s better than a 3 stars but I didn’t like it enough for a 4 stars..

This was a sweet and fun romance. I loved the frenemies to lovers aspect where Noel hates Colby at sight because he's all flirty and sexy. The Ice Hockey and team aspect is also excellent. The way the author talks about the pressures and time away from loved ones that professional sports people have to deal with was wonderful. No surprises for me, the lack of spice was disappointing but overall the book was a great read, especially if you are in a sports romance phase like me! I listened to this as an audiobook and Neill Thorne could read me a shopping list and it would be sexy!

Big thanks to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Leah Brunner for an early release copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Leah Brunner’s DC Eagles are back with another installment that you are sure to love! This one can be read as a stand-alone but I definitely recommend reading this series is order because all of the characters are amazing and appear in the different books. 🥰

This one follows Noel and Colby, the comes complete hockey, dating coaching 😏 and HE falls first! 🎉 I love how it all played out and I dare you not to fall for Colby yourself!

This one is a closed door romance.

This audio is fantastic. It does a great job telling the story with all the spunk and entertainment that this story deserves!

I enjoyed this closed door hockey romcom. Colby fell in love at first sight with his “Angel” the only problem is the feeling is not mutual. He is determined to get her to give him a chance. Noelle has history with hockey players- bad history, and she is not going to let it repeat itself so she will do anything to stay away from Colby the womanizer. I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrators did a good job. Content- This book is definitely not squeaky clean there is moderate language throughout and plenty of talk about sex but it is definitely still a closed door book.

This is the second book in the series and really cute! I'm really enjoying this series and can't wait for the third one to come out! I loved the characters, their banter, chemistry, and interactions together!

🧙‍♂️🏒Flirtation or Faceoff 🏒🧙‍♂️
By @leah.brunner.writes

Have you ever read a book and loved it so much you don’t know how to put into words how amazing it is and just want to scream and shove a book in everyone’s face so they can feel what you feel?

Oh you haven’t?!? Welp now you have.

Synopsis/Why you should read:

- Pancake House
- Dating Classes
- Book Lovers
- Hobbit References
- Date with a Hockey Player Auction
- Hilarious Grandmas
- Hockey
- Protective Cinnamon Roll Man
- And everything else….. this book is *chefs kiss*

Please READ THIS BOOK! Like swoon level 5000!! Colby is a snack, sweater vests will never be the same, and I now think Gandalf is hot….. yep you heard that right.

So if you love romance books? Cinnamon Roll Flirt with a Tall Studious No Games Female? THEN PLEASE READ THIS! I am dying to talk to other people about it.

The narrators were also to die for!! Thanks so much Leah and Netgalley for the audiobook!

Content Warning: Broken Family, Ex Boyfriends
Romance: Married Closed Door Fade to Black

#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booklife #books #hockeyromance #flirtationorfaceoff #thedceagles

If you like reformed playboy sweet hockey romances, look no further than this book. It’s book 2 (but there is a prequel book) in the DC eagles hockey series and I enjoyed being back in this world listening to this one.

I loved seeing the vulenerable side of Colby when he usually pastes on a smile and makes jokes. I loved seeing how tender hearted he is 🥹

Naomi was resistant to Colby because of a previous relationship. But I liked watching her open up to him and realize that he’s such a great guy. I like that she didn’t hold how he was against him.

I think I know where the next book is going, and I’m excited to read that one! If you like closed door romances, I highly recommend checking this series out.

I did receive an early copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

4.5 ⭐️
I absolutely loved this book! Colby was so sweet and everything he did melted my heart. I mean this man started reading fantasy books and annotated her favorite book. How could you not melt at that. And built her a whole library with a rolling ladder in his house!!! Ahhh a girl can dream. This was the book for girls who love grand gestures and sweet and thoughtful moments. I felt engaged in this book the whole time and could definitely feel the tension between the characters. If you are looking for a new sports or hockey romance, I would definitely recommend this one! The audiobook narration was also fantastic and I loved both of the narrators.

Tropes:
- hockey romance
- closed door
- dating lessons
- dual pov
- famous/rich love interest

This was a fun listen. The characters were delightful, fun and entertaining. Alex Picard and Neill Thorne did a great job with the narration.

I love me a sports romcom and hockey seems to be my latest fascination. This author breathes life into the characters and keeps the reader fully engaged. A bookworm and an athlete? A LOTR fan who converts others? Um yes. Absolutely sign me up. Swoony and romantic with relatable characters and plenty of hot hockey players. The audio is fantastic!!

(More language than I prefer but I’m super conservative about that.)

Thanks so much to Leah Brunner and Dreamscape Media for this ARC. This is a great book and plot is great. I just wasn’t the biggest fan of the narrator’s that were reading the book

Really enjoyed this story and I love the two narrators! They were easy to understand and sped up well. I am a sucker for dual pov and this series from Brunner. Now, I think this was my least favorite in the series just because I didn’t love these characters and connect with them on an emotional level and themes in this book were very similar to another book I read as part of a fall romance series on KU, but it was still a great book’ I love that these are closed door but don’t drop all the chemistry. Its like a little spice without open door, and that is so hard to find!

I really enjoyed this audiobook of Flirtation or Faceoff. I have listened to Leah Brunners other two books and they were great too. I think the narrators are perfecf fits for these characters. They do a phenomenal job making me feel like I’m right there with them. The way they articulate the emotion and excitement in these love stories is just superb. I definitely recommend listening to this series on audio!

The book itself was a reverse grumpy+ sunshine which was fun. Both of the characters had what seemed like some surface level things to work through. The plot was repetitive of a few other books I’ve read but I loved these characters and loved seeing how their story ended.

Rating: 5/5

This was the book I needed to get me out of a reading slump. Right on time!

I had this author's backlist on my TBR for a while and I didn't have a clue it was the same author until I checked on amazon half way through the audio to add this book to my shopping cart.

Flirtation and Faceoff was everything! Amazing plot, Characters, Settings, Pancakes (that I am currently craving right now) and much more.

One of my favorite scenes from this book is towards the end when a situation arise and a way for Noel to improve herself is get books on " learning to trusting your partner when you don't trust your instincts" or the other book " trusting yourself when your instincts have led you astray.." I enjoyed getting to see her search for ways to improve immediately then just saying she will do better.

I can't wait for Remy and Amber's story and to go back and read book 1, the novella from this series and Ms. Leah backlist.

This is a very cute clean romance. The story is adorable and the narrator is very well done. Leah Brunner touches on heartbreak, insecurity, and being true to yourself in a feel good romance

This was a super cute comfort read. It took a while to get hooked in but once I was, I didn’t want to stop listening (audiobook). It’s a very clean romance with an HEA and such a faithful and dedicated MMC that you pretty much didn’t have to worry about any of the conflict because the book is clearly about Noelle overcoming her own brand of crazy and accepting the (completely unbelievable) perfect love offered to her.

What I loved about the book: it’s a fluff read meant only to make you feel swooney and happy. It achieved this entirely.

What I didn’t love: Colby was so perfect that it was obvious he was a man written by a woman who clearly doesn’t live with an average man. And the interaction between the teammate friend group is so completely not like any male bonding I have ever seen. I had to pause reading the book while I was in a fight with my husband because Colby’s perfection was almost annoying. Almost.

The narration was good with one exception. I didn’t care for the voice inflection of the male narrator as he read the parental roles. If the main characters are 30, then the parents probably weren’t too old (maybe 50-65 considering Gram’s 85?). He made most of them sound like 80-something year olds. It was a bit distracting at the moment. Most people of working age don’t sound “old” yet, but that’s my only criticism of the audio.

I’m definitely looking forward to the next book, hopefully about Remy—he seems like a more complex character and that story could be fun.

Binged this one via NetGalley audio. It was cute and sweet. Hockey romance with several laughs and awww moments.

Closed door romance. He falls first and he reads!! Definition of if he wanted to he would. I mean the man reads her favorite book!!! Swoon

This is book two but it can definitely be read as a standalone, I haven’t read book one and I didn’t feel like I missed anything.

They’re older but definitely act younger than they are is my old ick.
I enjoyed that they actually talked and had communication instead of avoiding the problem.
It was a cute pallet cleanser.

He plays on the hockey team & she teaches but likes another professor 😅

I read the first book in this series and after reading this can easily say that I’m a fan of this author. Yet, again she gives us a closed-door romance with situations that leave me thinking I still read a steamy romance.  Perfection!

I love Colby, he may be a reformed playboy but was smitten with Noel the moment he met her.  The unrequited feelings were strong and I loved it!  Noel had no idea. He gets his chance to spend more time with her after her grandmother (who I adored by the way) bids on a night with Colby (for Noel).  An athlete hurt Noel in the past, she only has eyes for a fellow professor.  Under the guise of fake dating, Noel is soon looking forward to spending time with Colby and their fake dates naturally turn into more.

I loved how their relationship developed.  I found myself giddy with anticipation for Noel to realize the effort he put into their “dates” was real.  When the two finally gave real dating a try I was cheering!!  The hockey team and Noel’s friends are a huge part of the story, this is a standalone so it’s not necessary to read the previous book but it gives you another glimpse into the characters.

I was privileged to be able to listen to the audiobook!  Both narrators were smooth and easy to listen to and I found myself not able to turn it off.