Hockey Romance plus Grumpy/Sunshine plus Fake Daiting? Sign me up. Immediately.

The Appies have a popularity that rivals that of teams in the NHL. When the hashtag #TameTheBroodingBeast gets out of hand and jeopardizes the team's family friendly social media presence, Social Media Manager Parker convinces Summer to pose as The Brooding Beast's girlfriend. The only problem is Nathan is the grumpiest player on the team. Summer has never seen him smile. But soon he is smiling. Just for her. And the line between for the cameras and for real is blurred.

I absolutely adore the Appies! They are my favorite fictional hockey team. These stories are so sweet and filled with the most delicious tension. They are closed door, but that doesn't mean you won't swoon as you turn the pages. I really liked Summer's story and the way not only Nathan but the whole team supported her against her former boss. A grump that is soft only for her always hits.

My first ARC and I loved it!

Romancing the Grump is the second book in the Appies series, which has one of my favorite tropes in it: fake dating! Nathan, a ice hockey player and the grumpiest of the grumpies, was really sweet and protective. He had feelings for Summer, an attorney working for the Appies, from the beginning but he held his distance for certain reasons. Summer, on the other hand, knew how she felt, she just had to be patient with Nathan to get him to stop holding back and accept his feelings for her. I loved that Summer stood by her feelings from the very first moment. The side character were amazing too. I really recommend this book to everyone who is looking for a fun and fast paced closed door-romance!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Jenny Proctor for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sunshine x Grumpy Ice Hockey Fake Dating Romance - say less!

FMC Summer Callahan start her new job as legal counsel for the Appies minor league hockey team , where she meets Grumpy MMC Nathan Sanders , again. After meeting months previously through their mutual friends, SUmmer is left with the impression that Nathan has no interest in her.

However when we get Nathan POV that is furthest from that truth. As they start working closely together and striking up an unlikely friendship, Summer agrees to help Nathan after a Tiktok hashtag gets out of hand by being his fake girlfriend.

Fake dating isn't as fake as it seems. This sweet slow-burn romance is full of humour and hidden depth but no spice.

Summer has a new job as a legal counsel for the hockey team "The Appies". When she met left defender Bathan for the first time a few months ago she felt very attracted to him but he did not serm to feel the same. Now they work for the same team they get to know each other better and there are still sparks. But Nathan is commited to not having a relationship. Things get even more complicated when Summer and Nathan have to fake a relationship to get overeager female fans off his back.
This is a sweet romance with relatable characters and a believable storyline. I liked Summer from the start but sometimes she was almost too nice. Nathan was more difficult to root for since he was just so stubborn. I loved that the book is told from dual POV. I also enjoyed that the book is losely connected to other books about the Appies and we meet familiar characters again.
If you like sweet sport romances with a grumpy-sunshine trope this book should be on your TBR.

If you love a good hockey romance, this one will not disappoint!

The chemistry between Nathan and Summer is there from the beginning, and instantly, it has you turning through the pages to see how this relationship is going to develop. Nathan is a man of few words. However, he shows strong values and goes out of his way to demonstrate these through his actions. Summer is cute, she realises very early on that she does infact have a crush on Nathan and the playful, cheeky side of her is one that really makes you smile, there is  no surprise that she can bring a smile to Nathan's face.

This book kept my interest through every page, and I found myself smiling and giggling along the way, really connecting with the story and the characters. I have a new love for grumpy/sunshine, and this has been one of my top books read this year!

"I don't know if I truly believe in soulmates, no matter how sure I was, when I first laid eyes on Nathan Sanders, that having him in my life would matter more than anything else."

oh, that was so good. in general, I prefer only a single pov (from the heroine) when it comes to grumpy/sunshine romance. the reason is that going from the male pov ruins the whole grumpy, mysterious persona. I love figuring out what the grump thinks on my own instead of being spoonfed everything. however, nathan is literally so earnest and kind that I loved being inside his head.

I thought this book was different compared to my other fake-dating romance because I thought both summer and nathan were more clear on their boundaries. there was also not a lot of that 'denying feelings because it's just a fake relationship'. summer was honest with herself about her feelings while nathan was slower than her, but it didn't feel annoying.

also, taking care of the sick trope (or whatever you call it) is my jam so I'm glad we got it.

amazon review will be posted on release day!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. Summer's unconditional love for Nathan, and her willingness to give her all to him, even if it meant risking a broken heart, was heartwarming. Witnessing Nathan's struggle to come to terms with what he once thought was impossible, and his eventual acceptance of the truth, was truly rewarding. The side characters were well-developed, and the humorous banter between the boys was a delight. I am eager to read more stories set in this world.

Romancing the Grump is the second book in the Appies series, an interconnected stand alone romance. I haven’t read any from this series or the Sweater Weather series I heard it was also somewhat connected too. It was written well to where I could see little things that would of meant more had I read the others, but also not in a way to take away from these characters and this story for someone who doesn’t know the other characters.

I honestly really enjoyed this! It’s also my first time reading anything from Jenny Proctor and I enjoyed her writing style. I also really enjoyed these two characters a lot. I felt like they had some really great chemistry & some really cute and funny banter.

I haven’t read much grumpy x sunshine romances as of yet, but this definitely made me more open to that trope because it was done so well! I really sped through this book and didn’t want to put it down, I just loved reading about these two.

Content : This is a clean closed door romance! This had kissing in it, and 2 slightly intense make out scenes.
This had only a few minor curse words.

Tropes: grumpy x sunshine, fake dating, dual pov, hockey romance

**Thank you so much to Netgalley & Jenny Proctor for allowing me to read & review this on ebook before it came out! All opinions are my own:)

It comes out Tuesday April 23rd, and I would definitely recommend checking it out when it does!

Romancing the Grump by Jenny Proctor is a terrific addition to the Appies series and gives us another couple to root for and love.

Summer is a lawyer who just left her DA position due to harassing behavior by her boss and who, when it was reported, was not given any kind of discipline or rebuke. Through her friend, she's helped land a job as an attorney for the Appies hockey team and on her first day, has a confrontation with Nathan, the team grump, who is famous in addition to his hockey skills, not smiling very often.

Both are smitten with each other, but won't admit it and then are put in a position where they are a pretend couple (my favorite trope) and Summer helps Nathan's brother with a legal situation.

I don't want to spoil it, but it's a great storyline that is easy to fall into.

I'm not gonna lie - I wish there was more spiciness in this series, but the lack of doesn't detract from the story at all and it's another sweet book in the story of the Appie men. Can I hope for Alec next?

Thank you to NetGalley and Jenny Proctor for an ARC of this book in consideration of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to JPC Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC copy. All opinions in this review are my own.

Read if you love tension and yearning yet evenly paced romance. While this is a PG-rated romance, it stills gives a satisfying pay off and swoon worthy moments. I am still gremlin giggling over, "Summer. Let me see my name."

Jenny Proctor writes yet another cozy and sweet romance. I've read 3/4 of her books involving the Appies, and this one is my favorite. The characters are more believable and there are other subplots that kept me engaged. I'm excited to see the author carry on the Appies group. They keep getting better!

Refrain if you want sex (read: closed door romance) and if you are not a fan of pop culture references. This and the other books in the series references Tiktok heavily and even bases the series around the team's popularity on social media. A major plot point seemed inspired by the Seattle Kraken situation, which did not sit well with me.

This comes out April 23, 2024!

I really enjoy Jenny Proctor’s books and this was no exception, I read it in a single day! Romancing the Grump brings us Summer, a sunshine lawyer and Nathan, a grumpy hockey player, who start fake dating when social media causes chaos for the MMC.
The sass from Summer is brilliant and her needling of Nathan is highly entertaining. Nathan has some baggage and his mindset shows just how embedded it is. Summer brings out the best in Nathan but at what cost to her own heart?

“You stole my parking space.”

“Sorry, I don’t speak grunt. Try again?”

“Give me a percentage.”

“Summer. Let me see my name.”

This was so good- it reminds me of the new age Hulu romance movies - a cut above the hallmark ones LOL! Who doesn’t love a grump - and this has all my fav tropes. ONE BED, fake dating and he falls hard. It didn’t have spice (i do like a side of spice with my romances) but it was still a solid read!
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m an Appies fan for life!
This is my second book to read in the series and I’m in love.

She just got hired as a lawyer for the team and he has been designated as the team grump.

Social media is blowing up in not a good way and he needs a girlfriend to help calm the storm. The only problem is he doesn’t date. She volunteers to be the fake girlfriend and you can guess what happens next!

Fake dating and hockey…that’s all you need to know! And it’s a clean romance with only kissing. Good times!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. I totally recommend!

Jenny Proctor’s books are perfection for me - wholesome, funny, swoon-worthy, endearing, and completely unputdownable! In Romancing the Grump, Summer and Nathan make such a sweet pair. He’s the Appies’ star left defender, and she’s the hockey team’s new lawyer. The attraction is immediate but then circumstances lead them to a fake dating situation with very real feelings. I loved the way they challenged and supported each other and how each of them worked through past wounds before fully committing to each other. This is closed-door romance done right and a must-read!!

Thank you to the author for gifting me with an ARC to review. All opinions are my own. I absolutely loved it!!

I devoured this book. Jenny Proctor is becoming an essential author for me. Her writing convincingly demonstrates that a novel can exude allure without explicit scenes. Neither resembling a bland Hallmark movie nor indulging in gratuitous content, Jenny Proctor appears to have achieved the perfect equilibrium. The chemistry between Summer and Nathan is palpable, immediate, and impossible to overlook. However, the book also delivers humor, intelligence, and gripping storytelling. I harbor more affection for the Appies portrayed in the story than any actual sports team. Although Felix remains my ultimate favorite Appie, Nathan has certainly secured a close second place. This outstanding romantic comedy kept me grinning foolishly throughout. Another commendable aspect of both this book and the series is the emphasis on relationships with friends and family, which are as vital as the central romance. While it can be enjoyed independently, delving into the other books in the Appies series and the How to Kiss a Hawthorne Brother series enhances the experience. Set in the cozy confines of Western North Carolina, this book offers a comforting read. It's worth picking up, particularly if you're craving the following tropes: Grumpy/Sunshine, Hockey Romance, Fake Dating, or Only One Bed scenarios. Reading a Jenny Proctor book feels akin to spending time with a cherished friend, and Romancing the Grump only solidifies this sentiment.

5⭐️
Thank you so much to NetGalley for sending me an arc of this book!

From the beginning, I kinda knew I’d like it because I enjoy hockey romance. But it ended up being much more than that. I loved Summer and Nathan as individuals, as well as their growth together. It was funny, sweet, and I loved all the hockey in it of course. I also loved that this was closed-door because most hockey romances aren’t, and it made it much more enjoyable to me knowing the most they’d do is make out. All in all, I loved this! I’d absolutely recommend it and I can’t wait to read more of this series in the future :)

Romancing the Grump is the second book in the Appies series, which is a spinoff of the Sweater Weather series. While I loved and would recommend all of those previous books, this could definitely be enjoyed as a standalone as well. Fans of those and other Jenny Proctor books will definitely appreciate seeing some familiar characters though!

I am 100% in love with this book!

The only thing I love more than a good grump is a hockey romance... then when you throw in fake dating and a good 'she takes care of him' moment, it's truly just the perfect combination to have me falling! The chemistry between Nathan and Summer is perfectly done. Jenny Proctor certainly DOES get the kisses right--- the perfect amount of sizzle to have you melting, while still keeping that door firmly closed and I absolutely love it! It was balanced perfect with those laugh out loud moments, and I enjoyed it all. These two were the sweetest and I couldn't get enough of them.

Romancing the Grump is a closed-door romance with chemistry-filled kisses, but nothing beyond that. There is some minor language throughout the story.

**I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Such a fun return to the appies universe!! Some feelings at first sight, a little bit coworkers to fake dating to real feelings. Summer and Nathan's story was a cute quick read, the best friend group, and a number of both silly and intentional (meltworthy🥰🫠🥰) moments. I only read a couple of the sweater weather books and I really want to go back and read the rest!! I also can't wait to see the rest of the appies get their happily ever afters!



Thank you Netgalley and JPC Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my review!

Ugh I love these books so much! Seriously I want to be a member of the Appies franchise. Grumpy x sunshine, fake dating, forced proximity, she takes care of him when he’s sick, closed door romance, HEA….literally how could you not love this book!

I love a good fake-dating romance, and I love the Appies, so chances were good that I would love this book, and Jenny Proctor did not disappoint! Nathan is the best kind of marshmallow-y grump, and I love how strong of a heroine Summer is. Their relationship feels very equal, but she in particular had to be the strong one for him in ways that were nice to see. Definitely recommend this book if you’re a fan of fun hockey romances.

Thank you to NetGalley and Jenny Proctor for proving this ARC in exchange for my honest review.