I think this book was originally published like over ten years ago? It has the same kinda writing vibe that The Deal has, and that one wasn't my vibe. I think Elle's writing has gotten much better over the years, as many authors do! I think the "new content" and the new cover weren't enough for me to move past the writing. But it's an otherwise easy smutty read!

I found this a disappointing read. I enjoy sports romances and I thought a hockey romance was the perfect read while the NHL playoffs were going on. The book bills itself as a “spicy hockey rom-com.” And I guess that’s accurate. But it felt like that the book was mostly sex scenes with a bit of plot thrown in.There was an intriguing plotline as the heroine, Hayden, has come to Chicago to supposedly help her father who was going through a painful divorce amid accusations that he’d paid bribes to a couple of players to throw games he’d gambled on. Meanwhile, Hayden had had a spicy one-night stand with a star player for her father’s team, Brody Croft.

I was interested in the gambling storyline and what effect such a scandal would have on the team as it competed in the playoffs. There was a bit of that, but it seemed like a sideshow to hot sex scenes between Hayden and Brody.

And I just couldn’t believe that Heyden was a professor of art history at Berkeley. We find out at the end of the book that she hadn’t even completed her PhD. At the most, she was a lecturer. She wouldn’t have been even an adjunct professor without her doctorate. And professor’s jobs in the humanities are really tough to find. Berkeley wouldn’t have needed to settle for someone without a PhD.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

3.5 Stars Body Check by Elle Kennedy was initially published 15 years ago, but it's back with added content and a new cover! If you are looking for a short and spicy sports romance, you'll like this one!

Art history professor Hayden Houston is in Chicago for the summer taking a break from her currently off-again boyfriend and supporting her father, the Chicago Warriors hockey team owner, through his divorce and a team scandal. Since hockey has dominated her life for too long through her father, Hayden wants nothing to do with it. That is, until she hooks up with Brody Croft, who Hayden didn't realize was on the team. Though it was only supposed to be a one night stand, her connection with Brody is everything she's been missing in previous relationships, so they decide to have a fling while she's in the city. Once a playboy, Brody knows a good thing when he sees it and it's his relationship with Hayden. She may only want a fling, but Brody is ready to fight for what he wants--her.

When I picked up this one, I didn't realize how quick of a read it would be and was done in a day. It's a fun read and the chemistry between Hayden and Brody was palpable. There's a little bit of a mystery as to what's going on with the scandal that Hayden's father is involved in and you'll be questioning who else is involved as well. I didn't like that Hayden wasn't all the way broken up with her boyfriend (just on a break) when she started things with Brody. Other than that, this was a fun, short sports romance and worth a read!

3.5⭐️ rounded up.

This was a solid romance book! I liked Brody and Hayden. I was not a fan of the 3rd person POV for this book (just a personal preference lol). The 3rd act conflict kept me engaged. The book did feel a bit long a times. Elle Kennedy’s other hockey books remain my favorite, but this was a fun change up from the briar university world. I liked how this dealt with professional sports instead. There was a good amount of angst that I just ate up!

What's not to love about a hockey romance? This was my first by Elle Kennedy but will definitely not be my last.
I enjoyed this one cover to cover and look forward to more!

Sadly this one didn’t work for me.
I do like spicy romcoms - and this one opens with a bang - and hockey is one of the main kinds of sports romance I like. But I also need a good plot or to at least feel a connection to the characters, and I didn’t feel that here.
I also felt that it looked on the majority of female hockey fans as puck bunnies and as an actual female hockey fan that already feels like she spends enough time defending/proving she isn’t ‘one of those girls’ I’m too tired for this in fiction too.

I wasn’t expecting all the high level spice for some reason, it was great. There was plot and character growth also actual hockey playing. An enjoyable read.

3.5 Rounded Up!

BODY CHECK seemed right up my alley. It's by Elle Kennedy, who I adore. It's also a hockey romance. And everyone who knows me or follows my account knows that I am in my hockey romance era. And while this book was HOT and was a fun read, I had a big problem with the execution of the story.

This hockey romance was really fun and such a great, easy read. It is honestly the perfect beach read. If you are looking for something with spice to take with you on your vacation this is the read for you, especially if you like hockey romance. And, as with all Elle Kennedy books, this one has lots of drama, making it like a soap opera.

Now, for my problems. This book is a redo of her original book, which was published in 2009. With all authors, as they write, their skills grow. This book did not highlight that growth. This was light on plot and there was much more showing than telling. There was too much going on. I think this book, if it really wanted to be redone well, needed to be simplified with an emphasis on deeper character development, more relationship building, and picking one or two things to focus on rather than the many subplots that occur here.

This, honestly, is a book you can't take too seriously. If you are interested in a book with a decent story, but it's meant to just be a vibe featuring a good author and hockey romance, this is the book for you. But if want a bit more depth and fleshed out characters in your romance, this might be a pass.

Thank you to Harlequin Romance and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I was underwhelmed by this book. I'm a fan of Kennedy's books and was curious about this title since it's a re-release, however, it wasn't my favorite of hers and isn't one I would recommend to people if they didn't know where to start with her books. I found Brody to be underdeveloped and didn't feel like he had a personality or like I knew him at all. Hayden was annoying and a coward and by the 60%ish mark in the book I was just getting fed up with her. I know this is one of, if not Kennedy's first book, so I know her writing has developed since this was first published, but all around it wasn't anything I'd re-read or suggest to others, particularly in comparison with her other books.

I was in the mood for a really short, hot sports romance, and this one filled the bill perfectly. I had forgotten how hot the Harlequin Blaze books can get, because at times this one bordered on the erotic. It was a pretty steamy read about an Art History professor (Hayden) looking for a 'fling' to spice up her stale love life before she settled down with Mr. Safe and Boring, and a sexy, formerly bad boy hockey star (Brody) who was tired of a life of 'flings' and was now looking for something more fulfilling. There were some tough times in the relationship, including the fact that Hayden's father (who just so happened to be the owner of the team that Brody played for) was implicated in a game fixing scandal, accused of having some players on his team 'throw' the games, and then betting on the outcomes. There were plenty of scorching moments between the H/H as Brody tried to convince Hayden that their relationship was more than a temporary thing based only on sex.

This book was a nice quick sports romance that checked all the boxes for me. I adore a hockey romance especially when the guy is obsessed with the girl. I do like the plot with their relationship but wish the scandal and dynamic with her father were fleshed out a bit more (I understand it’s challenging to do in a short book). adored Brody’s character and thought his personality and actions were well written to match. Overall I really enjoyed the book, I was smiling while reading it and found it quite fun.

2.5 stars
This is the updated edition, I never read the original. While I liked the chemistry between Hayden and Brody, I literally hated the way Hayden and Darcy talked to each other and then the way Brody thought HE could talk about Darcy at the end.
Overall, Body Check was a spicy, quick read but the friendship aspect of it was lacking.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review, all opinions expressed are my own.

Short and spicy hockey romance. 3.25/5 stars

If you’ve read Elle Kennedy before then this is exactly what you’d expect. It’s got the hockey romance and off-limits boss’s daughter tropes which keep it interesting. Definitely a little more graphic than I personally prefer for my romcoms but this book delivered as advertised.

I am a sucker for all things Elle Kennedy, and love a steamy romcom any day. Body Check was exactly what I was looking for. Labelled as a spicy RomCom, that is exactly what it was. Art History Prof Hayden wants a fling with Former Hockey Player Brody before she settles down for good with the boring safe bet. Both get more than they bargained for and "one-night" (of course) turns into "my father is the coach of your hockey team". There's nothing new to be had in this one, no surprises, but for what it is, it is great fun.

🏒 Hockey romance
💋 One Night stand
🏒 Soul mates
💋 Legal troubles


Quotes I loved!

“She loved that Doug was a gentleman but…fuck. Sometimes a girl just needed a man, gentle be damned.”

Her cheeks flushed at his perusal. “Don’t ogle. It’s unbecoming.”
“Ah, I was wondering where Miss Prim and Proper had gone. Hello, Professor, nice to see you again.”
“I am not prim and proper,” she protested. “Not in bed anyway…”

“The earth moves when we’re together and I love it.”

Hayden Houston is the coaches daughter of the Chicago Warriors hockey team. Most people don’t even know that she exists as his life is fully centered around hockey. Hayden is a professor at Berkeley and came home for the summer to help her dad while he’s going through a nasty divorce and serious cheating allegations with bribing players to throw a couple games.

Hayden is currently on a break with a guy named Doug who lets be honest sounds a real bore. They haven’t been intimate and are taking things way too slowly. He’s a safe option but he doesn’t make her heart soar.

Hayden meets up with her bestie Darcy and they go out. Hayden immediately clocks Brody across the bar playing pool and she gets the nerve to finally proposition him. She has no idea who he really is when she takes him back to her suite. She doesn’t normally do one night stands but she needed it.

Brody is a professional hockey player for the Chicago Warriors. He is known as a player where the ladies are concerned. He wants a serious relationship and doesn’t want more meaningless one night stands. At the bar he sees Hayden approach him and all bets are out the window. He gladly accepts her invite back to her suite.

They spend the rest of the night with perfect sexual chemistry and he asks for her number the next morning. Of course she says no but he leaves his for her anyway.

When the night is over he asks for her number but she tells him no and that she only wanted one night no strings. He is shocked and says “you want to deprive us of that” while pointing at the bedroom. He chuckles but leaves his number for her incase she changes her mind.

Later that day she attends a game with her father where of course she runs into Brody after the game. They act like they just met and her dad doesn’t know any different. He talks her into having drinks after and she finally agrees.

They can’t keep their hands off each other. They are so hot together. But of course the one time they find what is almost too good to be true they inevitably split for a short time due to the craziness of the investigation. Being connected to Hayden could look bad during this because she might have known about her father’s bad deals.

This story is all about love, loss, and moving forward in life. It was spicy, romantic and funny. I always enjoy Elle’s books and this one did not disappoint.

Thank you to Elle, Harlequin and NG for letting me read this before it’s republished!

I love just about anything Elle Kennedy writes and this quick hockey romance was no exception! This was Kennedy’s first hockey romance and to celebrate, Harlequin is re-releasing it on July 2, 2024 with new and extended scenes from the author! Plus, a fabulous cover that fits in with her other hockey romances. I loved Hayden, but Brody was really where it was at. He was a great character and my only complaint was that I wanted to know him more! The epilogue is always one of my favorite parts of a romance and this one fits the bill! If you love a spicy hockey romance with a good plot, this is the story for you!

Body Check is a spicy sports romance, and also Elle Kennedy's first hockey romance. I personally enjoyed this one! I loved Hayden and Brody's relationship and the turns it took. The chemistry was there, the spice was definitely there, and not to mention the "playing hard to get" factor made everything much better. Both Hayden and Brody have their own battles they're fighting and their own reasons for not jumping to pursue each other. With Hayden already having a complicated relationship with her father and feeling like she has to compete with whatever hockey team he currently owns and now with his newest scandal, forming a connection with star hockey player Brody Croft is the last thing Hayden Houston needs..but she just can't help it.
This spicy rom-com is perfect if you want a quick, fun read, one with steam and banter. The pacing is great and so are the characters and plot. 4 stars!

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin- Romance, and Elle Kennedy for this read!

I enjoyed this read. It was fun and cute, with a good amount of intrigue and mystery. I have liked Elle Kennedys college romance books, but I enjoyed this one better: it was a fun read.

This book was exactly as it was labeled. A spicy rom com. I do think this is one of Elle Kennedys spiciest books that I have read, but it did have its cute moments. I think if you are wanting just an easy read with not a lot of plot but just the cute fluffy romance aspects you will love this book.

This was SUCH a blast of a book! Super quick, fun, fast-paced, spicy and romantic.

Hayden is visiting with her father, who owns a Chicago hockey team, and who is facing an incredibly messy divorce. She has sworn off long-term relationships with bad boys, but especially hockey players, after spending her whole life experiencing the upheaval that often came with her fathers career. She spots Brody in a bar, not knowing that he is the star player on the very same team her father owns, and decides she needs a one-night stand. Brody has always been a one-night fling kind of guy, but he's finally ready to settle down with someone special... someone like Hayden, if only she wasn't the team owners daughter.

I loooove love love a good forbidden love trope, and there are so many things working against these two throughout the book, making for some incredibly fun tension and sneaking around. This is actually by far the spiciest book I've read by Elle Kennedy, and let me tell you.. it is immaculate and starts earlier than it does in a lot of books, but works very well. It also grows very organically, from a one-night stand, to a summer fling, to both of them being sure they can't live without the other.

There are also some serious external conflicts dealt with in this story, specifically Hayden's fathers divorce and all of the allegations that are coming with it. Hayden has to face a really difficult crossroads with her father, questioning whether he is still who she knew as a child, and whether he can be trusted. I thought this was handled really well, and added some drama to the story without feeling contrived or over the top. It also made their forbidden-love all the more believable in its necessity, which always ups the ante for me!

I just really, really enjoyed this, and I think I might dive into a sports romance phase because of it. Its spicy, romantic, and easy to read all in one afternoon if you want to. It has the perfect balance of heartfelt, tension and drama. I'd call it a win literally all around!

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the eArc of this gem!