After an unpleasant job at the DA's office Summer is looking forward to her new role with the Appies. It has nothing to do with the attraction she felt to Nathan when she met him once at Harvest Hollow. Really. And when he's the first person she meets and he accuses her of stealing his parking spot, it's clear that any attraction was one-sided. Nathan is good at being the team grump, and is quite happy in the role. But when the idea of taming the grump takes off on the team's social media and women start throwing themselves at him, it's quite a different story! Fortunately, Summer helps him out by taking the role of pretend girlfriend, to get them off his back. Unfortunately, that makes it all the harder to fight the attraction he feels towards her - and since he's determined not to marry, at least until he finishes playing hockey, fighting it is a necessity. Can Summer convince him that history doesn't need to repeat itself?

A thoroughly enjoyable read, with plenty of good clean fun but also characters you'll really care about, touching moments and friends worth having as secondary characters. Of course, there's also the bonus that some of the secondary characters have their own stories, so you can see more of the group. At the same time, each is a standalone story. which is good - I don't like cliffhangers. In this case, we get to go 'behind the scenes' of Nathan, and find that he's really not so much a grump underneath - which is nice. We also get to see the joys of social media, which always reminds me why I choose to stay away... :-) All in all, an enjoyable, well written story, and a great addition to the Appies collection. 4.5 stars.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

I absolutely loved this book! This was just what I wanted in a romance book. If you are looking for a clean hockey romance. This book is for you. The romance and plot was perfectly done!

Very sweet, fake dating, two POVs, hockey romance. It’s not a super spicy book. More pinning than anything but absolutely adorable. I want to read more from the author because it seems like there are a lot of cameos from other books. Adding them all to my TBR pile!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher.

4.5/5

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I’m a sucker for hockey romance and this was right up my alley! I was drawn in quick and couldn’t put the book down.

Grumpy x Sunshine is Nathan and Summer to T. And could Summer have a more perfect name to be the sunshine (I mean come on!). There’s other tropes as well like fake dating and forced proximity. If you’re a fan of romance and sports romance I think you’ll enjoy this book!

AHHHH this book!!!
I am a sucker for a hockey romance, and I have read a couple of other books by this author, I have read Felix and Gracie's story as well as Piper and Logan's. This book was amazing, I genuinely loved it so much, I love Summer and Nathan, they are so cute together. There was fake dating involved and that is one of my favourite tropes. I love how much he so obviously cared about her, even if he didn't want to admit it. I love this team, it feels like a found family between the main guys on the hockey team. I definitely recommend this book especially if you love a good hockey romance or a quick easy read.

I have also read Absolutely not in Love and How to Kiss a Movie Star by this author so it was cool to see the characters from those mentioned. I will definitely be reading more of her books!!


I want to thank netgalley and the author for this ARC

This book was such a joy!!!!!! I loved the characters and the romance. I was worried about reading this book after not liking absolutely not in love, but this book was good. I Absolutely loved it!!!!

This book had me hooked from the start. Nathan Sanders has a reputation as the brooding grumpy center for the minor league hockey team the Aggies. Summer Callahan is the confident lawyer who starts her new job with the Aggies and is determined not to be intimidated by Nathan's hard exterior. Both have histories that include hurt, betrayal, and strong family ties. Nathan and Summer embark on a fake dating relationship to squash a trending hashtag that isn't exactly the family friendly image the Aggies are known for. During this time period, Summer knows there is more underneath the grumpy exterior and is willing to take the risk of falling head over heels in love with Nathan--knowing he may not be able to reciprocate. Nathan is not sure about much, but he knows he can't love hockey and have a family.

I love the family ties and the brotherhood that is shown in the book. The hockey team embraces Summer, and she is one of them immediately. While this was the first book, I read that involved the Aggies family, I did not feel like I couldn't follow along with Nathan and Summer's story. It definitely made me immediately put the other books on my TBR list! "Nathan's the grump, Van is the flirt, Alec is the ego, Felix is the bookwork, Eli is the golden retriever" AND now I need more. If you enjoy reading dual POV's and grumpy sunshine tropes, this is one you won't want to miss out on. It's swoon worthy, funny, respect, and learning how to see things from a different perspective.

"How are you not going to fall for him for real? she asks. "The internet can't stop talking about how perfect you two are".

I want to thank Netgalley and the author, Jenny Proctor and team, for allowing me to receive a copy of this book for an honest review.

I devoured this book! Started it on Saturday and read over 300 pages and finished it on Sunday morning. I absolutely loved this story - a clean hockey romance. I loved grumpy Nathan and sunshiny Summer. I loved that you could see the instant connection they had throughout their "fake" dating. I absolutely loved the change Nathan went through to finally realize that he is worth loving.
Also, make sure you subscribe to the author's website so you can get the bonus epilogue. It's so good - I cried!
Absolutely love Jenny Proctor. I can never put her books down. They are excellent pallet cleansers too.

Thank you JPC Publishing and Jenny Proctor for sending me an eARC of Romancing through Grump in exchange for my honest feedback.

I really really loved this. It’s the perfect grumpy sunshine dynamic that I love in a book. Also, fake dating is one of my favorite tropes. I did not know that it was a clean romance until about half way through and I was missing the spice factor but not every book needs to be super spicy. I really enjoyed this and could not put it down.

BOOK REVIEW

Romancing the Grump by @jennyproctorbooks

The Appies are an AHL Team with popularity comparable to an NHL Team. When Summer Callahan joins the legal team for the Appies she's immediately thrown into the chaos surrounding the team. Nathan Sanders is the team's grumpiest player and wants nothing to do with serious relationships. Once a few hashtags and fans get out of hand, he is forced to take on a fake girlfriend to calm things down. Summer and Nathan slowly develop a solid friendship and soon the hockey player that never smiles, finds himself doing it just for Summer. Eventually they both find themselves unable to decipher what is real and what is just for the cameras.

This was my first book reading about this team and I'm super excited to read more! I usually don't read books without spice, but I found I really enjoyed reading about this couple building a solid foundation of friendship first. There are a lot of sweet gestures and the characters working through their emotions so that made up for it for me.

Tropes:
-Grumpy x Sunshine
-Fake Dating
-Hockey Romance
-Forced Proximity

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Jenny Proctor and Team for letting me review this ARC! It is out everywhere on Kindle Unlimited and I highly recommend it if you're interested in Hockey/Sports Romances but not sure where to start!!

Hockey romance with fake dating and grumpy + sunshine.

Pros:
- The two main characters are likable, intelligent, driven, and relatable.
- The relationship depth is believable and relatable - coworkers to friends to lovers.
- The scene where she takes care of him when he's sick is absolute perfection - it's the reality of intimacy.
- The friendships that both Nathan and Summer have with their friends is so perfect.
- The supportive family relationships are written so well - especially Nathan's mom - who he loves but gets frustrated with.

Cons:
- The main conflict of the story is much to easily resolved. The resolution 1/3 of a chapter and one conversation with his mother. After a lifetime of feeling one way, Nathan should have had to do more soul searching and work.

Overall, it is a really great story. A sweet and swoony romcom with great tropes and real intimacy without spice.

⭐️ 3.75 stars!

• grumpy x sunshine
• hockey romance
• fake dating
• forced proximity
• found family

I loved the dynamics between Nathan and Summer and their interactions, from the first moment to the last.
There’s was nothing short of the cute and funny moments between them

The banter between the main characters and the side characters were some of the moments I loved the most about the book.

This was a fun, easy and quick read that was nothing short of enjoyable.

Thank you NetGallery and Victory Editing for a copy of this E-Book in exchange for my honest review.

Another great addition to the Allies Hockey series! It has all the grumpy + sunshine vibes and the forced proximity of working together. Overall, an enjoyable and lighthearted read.

Y'all...I've read some really great books so far this year, but this one topples them all. This was my first Jenny Proctor read after trying to get around to one of hers for a WHILE. I certainly won't be waiting much longer before diving into her backlog and then eagerly awaiting her Summer 2024 release.

I also just have to gush about how stinkin' much I adore the Appies universe. Emma and Jenny are both AMAZING storytellers and they've done an exceptional job creating this world. I took a while to finish this one because I honestly just didn't want it to end. I adore the Appies themselves, the women they've found love with, and the precious town of Harvest Hollow. I get so absolutely lost in these books and I so wish the characters could be my friends in real life. This series is absolutely going to be a top recommendation from me from now on!

Nathan...This guy is hands down one of my favorite MMCs of all time. I love a good grump and Jenny just made Nathan absolute perfection. He is so swoony and that man bun...😍 I lived for Nathan thinking he could prevent himself from falling for Summer and then him realizing the absolute futility of that plan. He is without a doubt a first-rate book boyfriend!

Summer...I loved her boldness and absolute inability to stop talking. This girl made me laugh so many times...and not just with her bad dad hockey jokes. I really respect the confidence she exuded time and again and how fiercely she loved her family and friends. Her sunshine is such a good balance to Nathan's broodiness.

Things I loved...getting to spend more time with the other Appies (Emma and Jenny have done an excellent job with connecting their books), Summer's moxie as an attorney, the banter and text conversations between Summer and Nathan (truly top-notch), several specific scenes (shower, bar, party), Summer and Nathan's closeness to their families, and just so much more.

I literally had the goofiest grin on my face as I finished this book and then smiled for the next two hours straight. I know the book hangover from this one is going to be intense!

Thank you to Netgalley, the Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op, and Jenny Proctor for a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️

This book was adorable. I’ll def be going back to read the first one in the series. My only complaint is… “perfect for fans of sport romance who want a little less heat” I mean wtf who falls into that category? Is that a really thing?! Give me spice and this could have been 5 stars.

If you loved Icebreaker like I did you will probably love this book as well!
I really enjoyed the story of Summer and Nathan and how they found each other. The tension in this book was AMAZING and I definately had my moments I laughed out loud for real. For anyone who is into funny romance books, this is a great shot, bonus if you're into sports romance.

Meet Nathan Sanders the king of grumpiness and Summer Callahan the ray of sunshine determined to melt his icy exterior. With witty banter hotter than a winning goal and heartwarming moments sweeter than victory Jenny Proctor serves up a romcom that's as addictive as your favorite game-day snack. So grab your popcorn, settle in and get ready for a love story that'll leave you cheering for more. Perfect for fans of sports romance craving a dose of feel-good fun, Romancing the Grump scores big on heart and humor.
Thank you to Jenny proctor and net galley for an ARC of this book!
Ive posted this review on my Goodreads!

4⭐️ just kissing 🌶
THE VIBES WERE IMMACULATE. This was the booking needed at just the right time. I think I finished this book in a little under 5 hours which I didn't think a could even read that fast anymore but I couldn't put it down. I loved the dynamic between Nathan and Summer and how determined she was to wear him down. I think my new favourite microtrope is when the ultra grump smiles for the first time and it lights up the world. It was really steamy and the tension was fab and it didn't feel like the spice was missing. I loved the tension of the fake dating after the friendship was established. The side character shenanigans were fabulous and hilarious and the found family always hits the spot.

NATHAN FREAKING SANDERS 😭🥰

This was one of my favorite books in the series so far, which really surprised me. Nathan was never likable in the other books. He was just…. There.

But when you actually got to be inside his head and hear more about his life, it became easier and easier to appreciate him.

Summer, on the other hand, was immediately likable. Her character was exciting and the way that she protected and cared for Nathan (and him for her) was everything.

I loved everything about their love story.

This is my honest review. Thank you to both NetGalley and Jenny Proctor for this ARC

I have read a lot of hockey romances over the last year and I can safely say this is one of my favourites, Romancing the grump is definitely in the top 6. I don’t want to give to much away but I knew very early on that I was going to love this book in the end even with it being a “closed door” romance. Closed door romances aren’t normally my fave but this one was written perfectly. This was also my first Jenny Proctor books and I can’t wait to read more.
100% recommend this book to everyone!