I love a good hockey romance! I loved Brody's character and found him to be a great male lead. At times the female character was a bit annoying, but I enjoyed her overall. I get it that the characters must have flaws but Hayden not recognizing the amazing thing she has with Brody until the end definitely had me shaking my head! The side story with her father and the investigation definitely gave the story more tension. Also poor stupid Doug!

"Body Check" by Elle Kennedy is a pulse-pounding, adrenaline-fueled romance that will leave you breathless and begging for more. With its irresistible blend of passion, drama, and sizzling chemistry, this book is an absolute must-read for fans of sports romance and heartfelt storytelling.

Hayden Houston is at the heart of the story, a woman determined to carve out her own path after a lifetime spent in the shadow of her hockey coach father. But when she meets Brody Croft, the magnetic hockey star with a reputation as bold as his plays on the ice, Hayden's world is turned upside down in the best possible way.

From their electric first meeting to the explosive chemistry that ignites between them, Hayden and Brody's romance leaps off the page, drawing readers into a whirlwind of emotions and steamy encounters. Elle Kennedy expertly captures the intensity of their connection, leaving readers rooting for them to overcome every obstacle in their path.

But "Body Check" is more than just a steamy romance—it's a gripping tale of loyalty, family, and self-discovery. As Hayden and Brody navigate the challenges of their budding relationship, they must confront their fears and insecurities, all while facing external pressures that threaten to tear them apart. From game-fixing scandals to conflicting loyalties, Kennedy keeps readers on the edge, eagerly turning pages to see how it unfolds.

What sets "Body Check" apart is its nuanced portrayal of its characters and their relationships. Hayden and Brody are more than just archetypes—they're complex, multidimensional individuals with flaws and vulnerabilities that make them utterly relatable. As they navigate the highs and lows of love and ambition, readers can't help but become invested in their journey, rooting for them to find their happily ever after against all odds.

first, let me say that i freaking love elle kennedy. second, let me say that i am a huge fan of hockey romances. therefore, if elle writes a hockey romance, i'm 100% going to read it. body check was elle's first ever hockey romance book and she recently revised/expanded it. i loved it then and i especially love it now! hayden and brody's story is so fun. i cannot express how much i enjoyed getting to revisit this book and the characters.

thank you so much to netgalley and harlequin romance for sending me an arc! <3

I will always love Elle Kennedy, especially her hockey romances!

This was a quick, easy and spicy romance with the perfect balance of spice, romance and plot. The character were all great and I fekt myself constantly smiling from all of the interactions from Hayden and Brody.

Hayden is a studious professor that is on a break from her boring and spiceless relationship. On a whim she decides to have a one night stand, and thus enters Brody. Hayden has no idea that the hot man that she is about to take home with her for the night is not only a professional hockey player, but plays for her dad's team. After one of the most mindblowing nights of Hayden's life, she tries to live up to the one night stand promise and never see Brody again, but as fate would have it, that is just not possible.

For Brody, meeting Hayden for the first time was like love at first sight. He is sick of hookups and wants a genuine connections. Enter Hayden, the one girl who not only does not know who he is but also only wants a meaningless hookup. Brody basically spends the entirety of this book convincing Hayden to given the relationship a chance. He is thoughtful, kind, and oh so sexy.

This would not be an Elle Kennedy book without some drama that threatens to tear these two apart. The issue is not that her dad is technically Brody's boss, but that her father and the team is under criminal investigations for bribes. They decide to keep the relationship a secret until inevitably they end up on the internet with Brody being accused of accepting bribes, which is not true. It is during there brief 3 day break up that they realize they love each other and of course process their feelings. They live happily ever after with a sweet epilogue showing us that a year later they are married, moved to the West Coast, and are expecting.

This book was so sweet and I really enjoyed it. If you are looking for a quick and spicy hockey romance then I definitely recommend this one!

Thank you to Harlequin Books and Elle Kennedy for an e-ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was really excited to read one of Elle Kennedy's first books, and have been a fan of her hockey series from the beginning. Her previous hockey romance works take place in college, and this one was a more mature version with a different type of drama. I didn't really like Hayden as the main character. She was reluctant to be in a relationship or even involved with Brody for about 80% of the book. It felt like it was taking way to much effort for Hayden to like Brody, when he falls really fast for her. Also her main conflict was her situationship she was on a break from, it did not really add any substance to the story. She was indifferent really, so it was strange that she felt some sort of loyalty to a guy who barely was mentioned. I was also kind of annoyed/confused why Hayden had no interest or knowledge for hockey at all. She was raised with it all around her, and she knows absolutely nothing? I did not find it very believable, and this story took playing hard to get a little too much. This was a good quick read and I always enjoy Elle Kennedy, you can tell how her writing has grown a lot. I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin, and to the author for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Hockey romance is such a hit-or-miss genre for me. I love the sport, but the books can easily come across as too cheesy, and can be full of toxic masculinity, which I find really gross, but this one was really cute! I love when the male main character falls faster and harder, and Brody definitely fell HARD. This man was wracking his brain, doing the absolute MOST trying to get Hayden to give him the time of day. I thought the book was overall really sweet, and it kept me entertained. I’d definitely give the author’s other, more recent books a shot!

Elle Kennedy is one of my favorite authors, if she writes something I'm definitely reading it.

I always head into her Hockey Romances expecting a bingeable love story filled with bits of humor, off the charts chemistry and memorable characters -- "Body Check" definitely provided all of that!

I can't wait to pick up a copy on July 2, 2024, I love the new cover and and of the enhancements this book has received!

Thank you Elle Kennedy, Net Galley and Harlequin Romance- Harlequin Feature for providing me with a copy of this book!

Solid sports (hockey) romance novel. Great chemistry between the FMC and MMC. The plot was a bit much, but it was fun. Perfect beach read book.

I received an ARC from netgalley and the publisher.

Hayden Houston is looking for a one-night stand when she meets Brody Craft in a bar. They have an amazing night together but Brody wants more than one night. Their chemistry is off the charts but Hayden is trying to navigate her life without hockey. Her dad owns the team that Brody plays for which makes thins complicated but these two are magnetic and can't keep their hands off each other. Body Check is full of steamy moments, scandals and romance.

I wanted to love BODY CHECK, but something about the dynamic between Hayden and Brody just didn’t click for me. That said, I can still see this story appealing to plenty of readers. It’s fun and full of smutty scenes — and when it comes to a book billed as a “spicy hockey romance,” what more can you ask for?

This was SO cute! Besides being drawn to the romance, I was thoroughly enthralled with the subplot, and kind of wished for a little more of it, especially with the stepmom and her POV.
I wanted a hockey romance and I got one. Spicy scenes were well done, romantic scenes were also well done. 10/10 would read again.

Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

This is the spiciest romance I’ve read in a while. Great read! The only problem I had with it was how abruptly I felt like it ended. I wanted a little more!!

Hayden: Having that fling while she and her boyfriend were on a break… no. The way she drug out that relationship and that poor man, my god. She really needed to ger her head out of her ass about how good her and Brody were together and just accept her fate. Took her way too long.

Brody: The way he reacted to the news article and gossip about him and Hayden at the end there really pissed me off. The third act break up was really not my vibe because of it. Other than that fatal flaw, I loved how adamant Brody was about wanting Hayden from the moment they met.

Some of my favorite moments and quotes:

B: “For you, I’d wait forever. In fact, I’d do just about anything you asked.” His gaze softened. “I love you that much, Mrs. Croft.”

3.5 stars

Elle Kennedy is no doubt the queen of hockey romances. This one was exactly what it said it was. It was labeled as a spicy romcom and it delivered on that. It was super cute and there lots of spicy moments as well. The characters were likable and had a lot of chemistry. This was really there type of book where you get a story, plot, and characters with a lot of depth so don’t go into it expecting that. But it was really good at what it was meant to be. A short, spicy, enjoyable read.

When I requested this book from NetGalley, I had no idea it was a older book with a new cover release. Either way, this book sucked me in. It was spicy but it also had a plot. I loved the characters and found their chemistry to be great. I would definitely recommend this read especially if you like Elle's newer sports series.

I was given an Advanced Reader Copy by NetGalley for an honest review.

It was a quick read that checked all the sports rom com boxes: funny, sweet and spiiiicy!

The spice started pretty much from the start, which I LOVED! Brody was a hot hunky hockey player and Hayden was a good girl professor just looking for a one night stand, but despite trying her best to deny it, the two of them were undeniably perfect for each other!

Entertaining plot and side characters that kept me engaged the whole time. I’m thinking Darcy needs her own book, STAT!

I LOVE an EK hockey book, so I was so excited to get this arc! Body Check is technically Elle’s first hockey book, but it has been revamped and is getting re-released in July this year!

Hayden is back in town to help her dad, who is going through a nasty divorce. Due to her dad’s career of become a hockey coach and team owner, Hayden wants nothing to do with the sport— so when she sets her eyes on the attractive guy at the bar, she doesn’t realize that Brody Croft isn’t just a typical guy— he’s a professional hockey player, who just so happens to be on her dad’s team.

It was so fun to go back and see Elle’s first hockey book! I truly enjoyed it- he falls first, a secret relationship (or is it a relationship 👀👀), and again, hockey— some of my favorite tropes in a book!!

If you are a fan of any of Elle’s other books, or you love a good hockey romance, I highly recommend picking this on up when it comes out this summer!! Thank you to @netgalley and Harlequin Romance for the ARC!!

Elle Kennedy has done it again and written an amazing book! You will not want to put this down! It has everything you need, hockey, romance, friendship, and spice!!!

This story is about Hayden and Brody’. Hayden is on a break and looking to hookup with someone fun for one night. That’s when she spots Brody at a bar and approaches him for a one night stand! The chemistry between them is off the charts and Brody’s insists they see each other again but Hayden is hesitant because of her relationship with Doug, who she hasn’t crossed the intimacy bridge with yet!

What happens next?? Read this hot, hours romance to find out!!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review this book!!

Body Check by Elle Kennedy is a reworked version of the novel that was previously published (as mentioned in her Author’s Note). I have not read the original novel. And don’t need to, because this version was so much fun. Hayden is an art history professor in Chicago to support her father (who owns the local hockey team) through his divorce. She is also on a break from her very nice but not ready for intimacy boyfriend. She sees Brody in a bar and plays so pool and invites him back to her hotel. Wild smexy things happen. Brody wants to see her again, but she declines. And then the next day, they are introduced by her father, because of course Brody is a hockey player. There is all kinds of scandal to get through. But despite the rom com tone, the characters are pretty well rounded. Hayden’s stepmother (who is of course 2 years older than Hayden) could have been just a generic gold digger. But the author makes space in the story to let that character have human foibles. It adds so much to the story. Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for the opportunity to read an ARC. I obviously need to check out some of Elle Kennedy’s other work. 🌶️🌶️🌶️

It’s CRAZY to think that this is Elle Kennedys first contemporary && hockey romance she wrote: because it was SO good! But are we really surprised?? Because Off Campus is still to this day one of my FAVORITE hockey romance series - she’s the QUEEN of writing sports romance books!

I won’t lie, at first Hayden REALLY irked me - she was SO stubborn keeping Brody at arms length, but I get it. Not only did she want to play it safe, which she was so used to with Doug, but her relationship with her father clearly had closed her off to ANY feelings of love.

I truly enjoyed this book, because while it was spicy & romantic, which we LOVE, it also had a REALLY good plot with the scandal.

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Elle Kennedy for allowing me to read an arc of this book before its rerelease with the adorable new cover in July! 🩵

The next move’s yours, Hayden. You want me, come and get me.

If she doesn’t I will! 🙋🏻‍♀️ this book was so fun and just a easy to read hockey romance. I am such a fan of the genre and such a fan of Elle that I knew I would love this book! I loved the relationship between Brody and Hayden, they were coming at it from two different directions. She wanted a one night stand even though she really wanted stability. He was done with one night stands but changed his mind to have her. Then she….yeah let’s just say she flips the script on him and he has to chase her. Which I love always.

“Let me hear that noise,” he said as he kissed her neck. She knew the noise he meant. His favorite noise, as he always maintained. The one she supposedly made when she came. And Brody Croft was stupidly skilled at drawing it out of her.

The spice was spicy. The banter was cute and funny. Darcy was hilarious and I loved her so much! While this was a romance there was a bit of other stuff going on and it kept the story moving at a good pace and the plot had me unable to put this book down! Oh and for those of you that know….Brody gives me Garrett Graham and Dean DiLaurentis vibes.