It's always fun to go back and read how an author started out. Elle Kennedy just shines through and through. Her books are sporty, spicy and enjoyable. Revisiting body check was nostalgic but some new upgrades too. Thanks NetGalley!

This was the perfect fast easy romcom with a side of spice for the sports romance fan. This was a typical Elle Kennedy book. Super cute, super spicy, and a great storyline. Her characters always have a lot of depth to them which makes them easier to like. I highly recommend checking this one out!

A special thank you to NetGalley, Elle Kennedy, and Harlequin-Romance for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A perfect fun, quick, heated sports romance. The spice level is off the charts. I absolutely loved the epilogue!

Rating: ★★★★★

"Body Check" by Elle Kennedy is an exhilarating and captivating romance novel that scores a perfect five-star rating. This book skillfully combines the thrill of professional hockey with a sizzling romance that will leave readers breathless.

The story follows Brody and Hayden, two characters with undeniable chemistry and strong personalities. Brody is a talented and charming hockey player with a larger-than-life presence, while Hayden is a determined and passionate individual with a fiercely independent spirit. Their dynamic relationship keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, as their love story unfolds with passion, humor, and heartfelt moments.

Elle Kennedy's writing is sharp, engaging, and refreshingly honest. Her deep understanding of the sports world adds an authentic layer to the story, making the hockey scenes exciting and vivid. The romance between Brody and Hayden is intense and well-paced, with both characters undergoing personal growth as their relationship develops.

What sets "Body Check" apart is its balance of romance and real-world challenges. The book touches on important themes such as career ambitions, personal sacrifices, and the pursuit of dreams. The characters' struggles and triumphs make the story relatable and emotionally resonant.

In conclusion, "Body Check" is a must-read for fans of sports romance and Elle Kennedy's captivating storytelling. It's a thrilling, heartwarming, and steamy novel that will leave readers eager for more. A definite five-star read!

My first Elle Kennedy book and it was SPICCCCCYYYY. I loved it. It was the perfect balance of romance and spice with the added bonus of sports [romance]. As a huge hockey fan it’s interesting to see how authors portray hockey players in spicy novels. Elle did it RIGHT.

From page one I was HOOKED. Starting a story with “I really need to get laid,” absolutely sets the tone and vibe of the story. For me that’s a big green flag! The story is incredibly fast paced and I loved following Hayden and Brody’s relationship throughout the book. I also found myself very invested in her relationship with her father. It was a side plot I wasn’t expecting.

Knowing Elle Kennedy released this book almost 20 years ago and reading it as if it were another one of today’s spicy novels really alludes to Elle’s talent as a writer for me as my guest of hers.

Thanks so much NetGalley and Harlequin for the eARC!

Hayden decides to do something out of the ordinary for herself and ends up picking a man up in a bar. Brody takes her up on her offer to have a one night stand and the two of them end up back at her place. The night is amazing, but Hayden isn't looking to have a long-term relationship. Brody on the other hand is looking for someone to settle down with and thinks Hayden might be right for him.

Besides the love story in the book, there's a mystery as to whether or not Hayden's father bribed the players on his hockey team to lose some games. One of his players is Brody. I enjoyed that part giving a little more meat to the story and not just the heat and fluff. Interesting to think this is actually the first book Kennedy actually wrote but only brought it forward now.

Overall it was a good story with lots of twists, heat and love!

Thank you, Harlequin - Romance and Net Galley, for the early re-release copy!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Elle Kennedy delivers a winning goal with "Body Check," a steamy and captivating sports romance that hits all the right marks for fans of the genre. Set against the high-stakes world of professional hockey, this novel scores big with its sizzling chemistry, compelling characters, and pulse-pounding romance.

At the story's center is Corey Callahan, a fiercely independent sports reporter determined to prove herself in a male-dominated industry. When she's assigned to shadow the talented and enigmatic hockey star Reed Olson, sparks fly as they navigate the highs and lows of the game and their burgeoning attraction.

One of the standout aspects of "Body Check" is the electric chemistry between Corey and Reed. Their banter is witty, their tension palpable, and their connection undeniable, making for a romance that sizzles off the pages. Elle Kennedy excels at building anticipation and heat, keeping readers eagerly turning the pages to see where their relationship will lead.

Beyond the romance, "Body Check" offers an engaging glimpse into the world of professional hockey, complete with thrilling game scenes and behind-the-scenes drama. Elle Kennedy's attention to detail and authentic portrayal of the sport adds depth and richness to the story, immersing readers in the excitement and intensity of the game.

While the focus of the novel is primarily on Corey and Reed's romance, the supporting cast of characters adds depth and dimension to the story. From teammates to rivals to meddling family members, each character brings their own unique dynamics to the narrative, enhancing the overall experience.

"Body Check" is a winning combination of steamy romance and thrilling sports action that is sure to delight fans of the genre. With its compelling characters, sizzling chemistry, and pulse-pounding excitement, it's a must-read for anyone who loves a good love story set against the backdrop of the game.

LOVE Elle Kennedy but third person makes me want to cry and sadly this was third person. Still a beautiful book.

Sport romance, where the thing I least liked was the behavior of the two main characters, for whom the other person suddenly becomes important when they want nothing to do with them. I found that a little sad. But the plot is quite varied and somehow makes up for the fact that Brody and Hayden were not my favorites in the book, I prefer Trudi by far.

Sport romance, dove la cosa che meno mi é piaciuta é il comportamento dei due personaggi principali, per i quali l'altra persona diventa improvvisamente importante quando non vuole avere niente a che fare con loro. L'ho trovata un po' triste come cosa. Peró la trama é piuttosto varia e in qualche modo supplisce al fatto che Brody e Hayden non erano i miei preferiti nel libro, preferisco Trudi di gran lunga.

I received from the PUblisher a complimentary advanced digital review copy in exchange for a honest review.

First of all, love the cover change.
Second of all, love the tropes in this book! Coach's daughter, forbidden romance, sports romance, one-night stand, YES to all!
Third of all, love Elle Kennedy's easy to read writing style - it makes you feel like you aren't reading and what's better than that?
Fourth of all, love the relationship between our FMC Hayden and MMC Brody. I love when there's a bad boy who is just trying to prove themselves as worthy and shows the girl another side to him that no one usually sees.

After reading the Off-Campus series by Elle Kennedy, I was so excited to read more books by her. Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin, and Elle Kennedy for early access to Body Check!

A very sexy, very sweet and surprisingly emotional read!

I loved Hayden and Brody. Their chemistry was instant and I couldn’t get enough of Brody’s teasing arrogance! He is a man who knows who he is, what he wants and he won’t apologize for it, but Hayden makes him work for it and I LOVED it!

I am here for the banter and steamy times! More importantly I am here for the way their arrangement turned into a friendship. How their bond came naturally.

Another Kennedy hit in my eyes!

If there’s one thing Elle Kennedy knows how to do it’s write a hockey romance. The Off Campus Universe is one of my all time favorite series and I loved being back in a hockey universe similar to that. Unlike Off Campus this book takes place in the professional hockey world. You get to see characters with a bit more development and real world situations. I loved both Hayden and Brody in this story. Both of them were likable and had extreme chemistry with each other. I was rooting for their loves story the whole time. This book is very fast paced but that is what kept me engaged the whole time. I flew through the whole book in only a couple of hours. Elle Kennedy will always be an auto buy author for me especially when the story involves hockey.

I don't know if I've ever said this before, but I think the steam overwhelmed the romance for me! I wanted more conversation, more dialogue, more yearning. It felt too easy, which made it feel less rewarding when the steam finally happened. But I did enjoy it and would recommend it to friends.

Throw me in the penalty box because I'm gonna earn a major for any smutty hockey book. I flew threw this book faster than intermission in a tense game. The characters were so likeable and I can't wait to keep raising the Stanley Cup of hockey smut with every future story Elle Kennedy graces us with.

If you’re looking for a quick and spicy read, this one is for you. However, I felt like it was a bit too insta-love. Hayden and Brody went from 0-100 in what seemed like days. Despite having a few meaningful conversations their time together was solely focused on sex. Which don’t get me wrong, I like spice. I just felt like their relationship could have been built up a bit more.

What a delightful read. If you're in the mood for a hot, sports romance (hockey) then this is your read. The good girl professor and the bad boy hockey player with a one-night-stand that turns into something more. Their chemistry of the main characters smolders on the pages. I enjoyed the evolution of the characters to realizing they did need each other and not what they'd had in their pasts.
Now, there's a LOT of smexy in this book. Not for the person not seeking this. I have actually never read this series by the author, although I have enjoyed other series by her.
Now I'm happily going off to check out the rest of this series.

I read the original Body Check YEARS ago, and after reading this extended and updated version I'm thinking I may not have even read it at all. This book was so cute, Brody was book boyfriend perfection, and I felt like it paced really well. The story moved and flowed without getting stagnant or overwhelming. For less than 400 pages, there was a lot going on, but it was organized so well and overlapped perfectly. I really liked the writing style and the amount of content we got for a contemporary romance.

The story was a bit predictable. I think there was supposed to be a bit of shock factor with some of the plot lines, but I kind of had it figured out early on. I wanted a bit more intrigue and wonder as I was reading, but I really did enjoy the story for what it was. I really liked the characters a lot; Brody was swoony and the right amount of vulnerable. Hayden was strong and confident, with a super sweet side that I liked. I also liked how honest she was with herself and with those around her.

Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot. I would definitely recommend it to a cont. romance lover who likes a lower spice level. It would have been perfect with a bit of deliverable shock factor, but was still entertaining without it.

The book was a quick and enjoyable read, but I wished it delved more into the drama rather than focusing solely on its impact on the main characters' relationship. Unfortunately, I couldn't fully invest in Hayden and Brody, making it an okay but forgettable read

I was granted access to a digital ARC of Body Check through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I have read several of Kennedy's works and enjoyed them.

Hayden is a wealthy professor whose father owns a hockey team. She comes home to support him through a divorce and some pretty scandalous accusations. She also ends up hooking up with a man, Brody, who SURPRISE!, is a hockey player on her father's team.

Strengths:
- it was beautifully spicy (I'd expect no less from Kennedy)
- I appreciate that Hayden has her own money (or family money anyway) and an established career as a university professor; so many of these sports romances have dirt poor, student debt, art student/worker woman main characters that end up with an uberwealthy star athlete making professional athlete money and it always feels really unequal

Weaknesses:
- the marketing materials for this, indicate that this is an earlier work for Kennedy: "Elle Kennedy's first hockey romance, Body Check, is now released in an expanded version, with both new and enhanced scenes by the author"
- you can really feel that this is an early piece of writing
- I felt like the dialogue was really awkward and stunted; none of these characters speak like humans and I often found myself skipping past the dialogue because it was so unnatural to read in full
- the characters seem really flat, especially Hayden's father (he felt especially cartoonish)
- none of the other side characters stand out
- the plot is silly and the father's alcoholism is treated totally unrealistically

Opportunities:
- there are many opportunities for revisions here to strengthen some of the characters and humanize the dialogue to bring this work more on par with her ~2020 works (like The Graham Effect was not like this at all...)

Threats:
- it's hard, because this is clearly an early work, so it's come before a lot of other hockey romances and isn't as strong of a work as things that have come after it on the market
- like, if you are a completionist and want to read all of Kennedy, for sure read this

Overall, it was a fun silly read. A perfect way to take a break and escape from the chaos of life. But I won't be purchasing a copy to keep in my collection and re-read.

3/5 stars, closer to a 2/5 than a 4/5.

i love elle and this was a quick easy read. its a short romance with some spice. its got good pacing and perfect for a little weekend read.