I heard that Romancing the Grump is part of a series, but I haven’t read any other books from it. After finishing it, I get why the author went with “Grump” for the title, but I didn’t really see Nathan as much of a grump, you know? And the chemistry between Summer and Nathan just didn’t hit me like I hoped. I was expecting more tension, but it was still a cute story with no spice. So, if you’re after a romance without all the steamy stuff, this is the one. But I was hoping for a bit more sizzle between Nathan and Summer. Something was missing there. Building that up a bit more would’ve been awesome.

I really loved all the hockey references in this book! I’m not a big hockey fan at all (I barely know the teams), but actually getting the vibe of the sport from the book was pretty cool. The author did an awesome job incorporating more of that aspect. Perhaps, this aspect helped make up for the lack of spice.

I really loved the whole “fake dating” thing in this, but honestly, I felt like Summer and Nathan needed more spark. It just didn’t click for me, and I was completely surprised when Summer ended up falling head over heels for Nathan. Like, what? What did I miss?

So, picture this: they are in the dark pantry, and I’m thinking, “Yes, this is it! The moment we’ve been waiting for.” But nope, it’s just a tiny moment. A quick touch on the elbow, maybe the waist…and then, nothing more. The slow burn was seriously slow burning!

Despite this, overall, I’d say this book deserves a solid three stars. It’s a cute and light story, after all.

Contemporary sports romance dual point of view closed door slow burn grumpy sunshine fake dating.
Sweet low angst book.

Romancing the Grump was perfect. Summer and Nathan's story was sweet, loving and absolutely romantic! It was everything one might want in a romcom! We were able to watch then become friends and then fall in love. Perfect continuation to the Appies series (which may be the only hockey team I pull for!) Jenny Proctor this was great. I can't wait to see what is next.
Content warning- there are a couple of curse words but not many. Just an FYI for readers.

4.5 Stars

Summer Callahan takes a job working as legal counsel for the Appies in hopes of a fresh start. She is immediately drawn to Nathan Sanders, the grumpiest member of the team. Despite Summer's attempts to flirt, Nathan has sworn off of relationships due to the demands of his hockey career. But when the social media frenzy surrounding his brooding pictures starts to get out of hand, it's suggested that he pretend to have a girlfriend to get the fans to cool down. Summer agrees to play the part, but she knows she's in trouble when it doesn't feel like acting at all.

I previously read A Groom of One's Own and loved it so I was delighted to get the chance to pick up Romancing the Grump. This is a sweet hockey rom com featuring grumpy x sunshine and fake dating tropes, which are some of my favorites to read. I was very much in the mood for a quick read with a happy ending and this absolutely delivered. I can't wait to read more in the Appies universe!

It was definitely a bit of a slower burn than I usually go for, but Nathan and Summer have such electric chemistry, and I loved the will-they/won’t-they vibe they had the entire time! Definitely one of my favourite sweet romances. (And Nathan Sanders? Totally made me swoon like a teenage girl.

This was my first Jenny Proctor book and I enjoyed it very much. I need to go read the rest of the Appies books.
This was a cute and fun grumpy/sunshine fake dating hockey romance. I thought they rushed to I love you and marriage but hey, it works for some.

🏒 Dive into Heartwarming Hockey Romance: "Romancing the Grump" by Jenny Proctor 🌟

💫 Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 Stars)

🏒 The Lowdown: Nathan Sanders, the grouchiest player on the Appies minor league hockey team, meets his match in Summer Callahan, a sunshine-filled ray of light. Despite Nathan's gruff exterior, Summer is determined to melt the ice around his heart. But when a fake relationship threatens to tear them apart, will their love prevail?

💖 Why You'll Love It: "Romancing the Grump" is a delightful blend of heart, humor, and hockey romance. With endearing characters, a swoon-worthy romance, and a touch of fake dating, this closed-door rom-com is perfect for fans of sweet and steamy sports romance.

🌟 Key Tropes: Grumpy x Sunshine, Fake Dating, Hockey Romance, Workplace Romance, Caretaking, Protective Hero, Found Family

📚 Unputdownable Moments:

Nathan's transformation from grump to sweetheart
Summer's unwavering optimism and strength
Heartwarming interactions with the Appies hockey team and Summer's supportive family

📝 Final Thoughts: With its lovable characters, engaging storyline, and charming romance, "Romancing the Grump" is a feel-good read that will leave you smiling. Jenny Proctor delivers a winning combination of humor, heart, and hockey in this delightful rom-com!

🌶️ Heat Level: 🔥 (Closed-door romance with no explicit scenes)

🏒 #RomancingTheGrump #HockeyRomance #JennyProctor #ClosedDoorRomance 🌟

This book made my heart happy and left me with a smile on my face. Romancing the Grump follows Nathan, the grumpiest Appies hockey player, and Summer who has recently been hired as one of the teams lawyers. The two of them agree to fake date in order to help Nathan's publicity and image, Will the fake dating turn into something real? I love that this is a closed door romance book but it still has plenty of chemistry and tension. I love the grumpy/sunshine trope and Jenny Proctor writes it perfectly! I can't wait for the next book in the series!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

Summer has been hired as the new legal counsel for the Appies hockey team. Nathan is a broody grump hockey player whom she met a few months ago, and when she asked him out, he said no, so she figured he was not interested. But now the new social media trend that will hurt the team's and Nathan's image, and with his brother having legal issues, he will need her help.
This grumpy, hockey, fake dating, kinda workplace, clean romance is book 2 in the Appies series. I haven't read book 1, so yu can totally read this as a standalone (although I would be curious to know if the reason for such a crappy hockey team name as "Appies" have been picked...). And this was so good that I will absolutely go back to read book 1 (which was written by a different author) and Jenny Proctor's backlist! The chemistry, the banter and the communication between the two MCs was amazing. I was not a fan of their reason for not thinking they could be together (it felt weak), but Nathan was so perfectly swoony that I just didn't care.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Nathans brooding in the begining of this book was a bit repetitive, however his inner monolog about Summer screamed that she was the only woman to catch his eye, even when he was trying to convince himself he didnt want to date.

Summer was an instant like with her smart mouth and quick wit towards nathan. She was his equal from the very beginning.

This book has highlighted a lot of points about things not being what they appear to be from social media and is a great way to showcase the potential for not always knowing the full story. But it did waffle a lot about being honest with their feelings.

I absolutely love the sister bond that is described in the book and how much her sisters love and care about summers well-being. The character development and struggle with feelings are so relatable.

The epilogue was a bit disappointing. It was nice to see they had a happy ending, but I wish there as hust a little more to it. It was rushed and like a blurb of here is how they lived happily ever after without much thought to maybe focusing on one part of their HEA. Personally, I would have liked to see more on what happened in May as the epilogue.

All in all, I enjoyed the book.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read this book for an honest review on "Romancing the Grump"

Ahhh Hockey Romance!...I love sport romance and this is better because is set in the most beautiful small town, Harvest Hollow...home of the more amazing group of characters created by the most talented close door romance writers you could ever read
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I think this is the second, not third series set in Harvest Hollow and it's amazing, each author writes a different story with characters that also blend so good together in the same town and with each new book, new series my fanaticism continues to grows
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It has all the cozy, heart warming, cute and dreamy vibes of girlmore girls but with many, beautiful characters and this series is entirely around the Appies, the town's hockey team.
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Nathan vowed to never commit to a relationship other than Hockey, after seeing how it consumed his dad's life and dragged his family into the deepest suffering, he is determined not to make the same mistake
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But everything changes when he crosses paths with Summer again, but this time it is not only as a friend of her teammate, but as part of his team's executive team
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Sharing so much time is like playing with fire and makes it difficult to keep his scowl in place
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After having read only one book in the previous series, it already made me want to go back to read the conversations and chats of this team that seem to be more like a big family
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There is a bit of fake relationship/dating but I am more attracted to the grump-sunshine and the good chemistry between their characters and don't make me forget... hockey romance
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Thanks to Jenny Proctor and her team for give me a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion

This is a sweet, closed-door romance that had me binge reading into the middle of the night (or should I say early morning?)

Jenny Proctor just has a way with creating characters that are swoon worthy and unforgettable. I absolutely loved the plot, main characters, and side characters in this novel.

Nathan was grumpy, but not too grumpy. He never says anything mean or disrespectful to anyone. He is genuinely a nice guy who just has Resting Grump Face. I loved him from the moment he told Summer “that’s my parking spot.” It was fate.

Summer has a back bone but she is also willing to go the extra mile for her friends, family, co-workers, and “fake” boyfriend. I was cheering for her the whole time. She deserved a happy ending. I also loved how she put the moves on Nathan first. So cute.

I’m typically a girl who loves a little spice to her novels. However, this novel has so many cute relationship-type scenes between Nathan and Summer (holding hands, her taking care of him when he got sick, him standing up for her) that I really didn’t miss the spice. I didn’t even know it was missing until the second to last chapter.

I enjoyed every moment of this novel. I can’t wait to see what happens next for the Appies!!

*An ARC was received by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a perfectly executed closed-door romance! The tension, the relatable conversations and texts... it was so good! I forgot I was reading. And even with it being closed door the kissing and the chemistry between the characters was excellent! I loved every minute of it!

quick and easy read, very cute and wholesome! definitely laughed out loud at some of the stupid jokes and overall really enjoyed it. definitely a book that’s easy to binge which is always nice

Oh my lanta, the Appies team just keeps getting better and better. I absolutely adored Nathan and Summer. He's so grumpy on the outside, but inside he's truly wishing he could be the man Summer needs. Their chemistry is off the charts and the scene with the pick up truck will make you swoon. He's a natural protector and letting someone else take care of him in hard to do, but Summer beautifully rises to the challenge. A great grumpy/sunshine fake dating story. I can't wait for more Appies books!

Romancing the Grump by Jenny Proctor
Rating: 4/5
Trope: Grumpy/Sunshine, Fake Dating.

Romancing the Grump is book two in The Appies Hockey Romance Series, however it can be read as a standalone novel.

This book tells the story of Nathan Sanders, the grumpiest player on the Appies hockey team, and Summer Callahan, the sunshine to his hard exterior.

Romancing the Grump is a cosy, closed-door, sweet romance, and a super easy read. The author also did a wonderful job of bringing this couple to life.

If you’re a fan of sweet and simple, then this one is definitely for you.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and JPC Publishing for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest and fair review.

Seeking a getaway into a world of charm and budding romance? Dive into Romancing the Grump! 😍 This hockey romcom serves up a delightful concoction of heart, humor, and undeniable sparks.

Summer Callahan's radiant aura collides head-on with Nathan Sanders, the unyielding enigma of the Appies hockey team. ☀️❄️ Yet, when fate orchestrates their convergence through a viral social media twist, a whirlwind of unexpected chemistry ensues.

Initially a facade, their faux romance slowly transcends into genuine emotions as Summer unravels the layers of Nathan's guarded heart. 💖 With each turn of the page, you'll find yourself cheering for this unlikely duo, yearning for their faux relationship to bloom into something real.

Proctor's prose glides effortlessly, mirroring the smooth ice of the rink, while the palpable chemistry between the characters ignites the narrative! 🔥 Fear not, as this romance maintains a PG rating, making it a perfect match for enthusiasts of sports romance seeking a lighter touch.

And the cherry on top? While Romancing the Grump intertwines with the Appies Hockey Romance series, it stands as a beacon of standalone brilliance, beckoning both seasoned readers and newcomers alike to bask in Proctor's captivating realm of romance. 📖💕

Prepare to laugh, swoon, and surrender to the enchanting tale of Nathan and Summer's journey to love! 🥰

#RomancingTheGrump #HockeyRomance #BookReview

so!! good!!! i loveeee grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, and fake dating. this book was written so well and absolutely deserves all the praise it gets.

thank you for the arc!!

Sweet and clean, this was a fun hockey romance. I enjoyed the chemistry and the growth of the characters. And the kissing wasn’t half-bad either. I would read more books from Ms. Proctor in the future!

I literally devoured this book in less than a day and it was so worth it. It is a solid 4.5 stars read for me. The characters are all fun and cute and the story is so adorable yet vulnerable, the perfect balance. The grumpy sunshine trope is always a delight to read and the writing was just so flowy and smooth, it made it all better.