I didn't read the other series, and characters make an appearance from them in this book - but I did not find that I was lost or confused at all. I think this is easily standalone. I really enjoyed this. It was just a feel good, fun rom-com. The characters are adorable. I love their dynamic, banter and chemistry. They have their baggage, but they are a team and support one another. This is just a really well done, light-hearted read. I look forward to future books in the WAG series. 

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy

A fun and fluffy hockey romance.

Josie and Blake hooked up in the past. He wants a repeat, but she wants to keep him at an arm's length. Will this goofy, lovable hockey player be able to convince her that he's serious enough for a relationship?

I liked Good Boy but I didn't love it. It was fun but it wasn't what I was expecting/hoping for. It was all very surface level with no real emotional heart. It good palate cleanser but not a life changing book.

I can see how some readers might find it cute how Blake basically pesters Jess all the time, but for me it was a bit of a miss. Just not my cup of tea, alas.

From the start things at steamy and you'll hear no complaints from me. I loved that there was no unnecessary third act breakup. This book was fun, funny, and sweet. I'm familiar with EK's work but S B is a new author for me and this has inspired me to add her to my TBR.

I initially just could not make myself like the MMC, he's a giant man-child. He grew on me, much like he grew on the MFC. I loved the interactions with his family and his amazingly kind heart. I feel for the MFC that can't seem figure out her course in life and the judgement of her family (whether real or perceived).

Really glad I was given and e A R C for this book and happily leaving a very positive review!

From the moment I dove into this story, I was completely immersed in its enchanting atmosphere. The setting was crafted with such attention to detail that it felt almost tangible, creating a vivid backdrop for the romance that unfolded. The chemistry between the characters was undeniably electric, and the romance was handled with a steamy yet tasteful touch that kept me hooked without ever feeling overdone.

I loved how the romance and setting intertwined seamlessly, enhancing each other to create a compelling and unforgettable experience. I found myself eagerly turning pages, unable to get enough of the captivating blend of passion and ambiance. This book is a perfect example of how a well-crafted environment and a steamy romance can come together to create a mesmerizing read. Highly recommended for anyone looking to lose themselves in a beautifully written love story!

Y’all.

I am BEGGING you to go back and edit this so that the male main character is not everything that is wrong with hockey culture. Unsolicited dick pics, not taking no for an answer- in 2024 this is unacceptable. I promise you can write a golden retriever himbo without having him be a walking civil suit.

This was cute. A fast and easy read. I liked that it was a bit of a spin-off of the Him/Us duet. Golden retriever MMCs are my favourite. They’re just so endearing and Blake is definitely a sweetheart. He was a goofy guy and eager to please. Jess is Jamie Canning’s sister and was likable when she was introduced in Us and so I was looking forward to reading more about her here.

This one had a bit of fake dating. A bit of friends with benefits. This wasn’t a complicated book. Not a lot of depth or emotion to it but that’s ok. Just a regular good ol happy ending kind of romance without much drama or third act breakup.

3.5⭐️ rounded up.

If you need a good laugh, Blake is your guy. I knew the kinda fun guy Blake is from meeting him in Him/US. So if you are just meeting him, just know he's a lot. Learning what his ex did made me absolutely irate for him. By far my favorite part was Jessie putting her in her place and standing up for Blake. I love these two together and am glad I have finally read their story.

Another good read by Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen. This was great from page one. They write a fun easy read that even non hockey fans enjoy. I loved the connection between these two characters.

Overall Good Boy was cute, but Blake was so obnoxious and annoying and I genuinely did not like his character at all lol

This was such a cute book! I loved everything about it. the main characters worked so well together.

"Cheezus! Samesies! J-Babe!" These are a few of the most used words in Blake Riley's vocabulary and I loved them all. Once I started Good Boy I could not put it down. And I definitely had a feeling that this was going to be the case because I love both Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen's writing style. It had the perfect amount of humor, witty dialogue and of course sweetness.

If there were a perfect book boyfriend Blake Riley would be right there with the best of them. I will admit that when I first started reading the book I was thinking "Whoa! Blake is a little much to take on," but he grew on me and by the end of the book I absolutely loved him. I loved how much he saw in Jess. Not just that she was sexy, but also that she was caring and compassionate too. Jess doesn't always believe so strongly in herself, but Blake was so good for her. He saw so much positive in her that she had no choice to believe it in herself and that definitely had me swooning.

I'm so excited to read more of the WAG series!

Fun and steamy. Jess Canning hooked up with Blake Riley when they were both in the same wedding. They meet again at her brother’s wedding to another player on Blake’s professional hockey team. At first Blake is the kind of guy I loathe. He is cocky, smug, and sure of himself. But underneath is a man who loves hockey and has a heart of gold. Jess has failed to find what interests her and decides to return to school to become a nurse. Tuition is cheaper in Canada where her brother lives as well as Blake.

I enjoyed that the story is told from both POV’s. I laughed hard at some of Blake’s made up quotes. Yes, he is cocky, but he is a professional athlete who can probably have most women he wants. Jess has some underlying insecurities that get propped up with Blake positivity. Things come a little too easily for Blake but he’s had his share or past mistakes too. This is a quick read, with likable (eventually) characters. It gave me a needed break from hours of endless Olympic binge watching. This book was previously published in January 2017 and is getting a new release in August 2024.

I loved this. It was light hearted and fast paced with some lovable characters. I found the MMC, Blake, to be kind of annoying at first, but he was actually really sweet and grew on me. I gave it four stars instead of five because I felt like it wrapped up pretty abruptly. There were also some loose ends with the whole nursing thing and not having any money, but I guess it’s all implied.

All’s well that ends well.

Read this if you:
🐶 love a golden retriever MMC
🐶 enjoy banter between the MMC and FMC
🐶 have ever switched jobs and/or majors

Everything Sarina Bowen and Ellie Kennedy write is amazing. Good Boy is no exception and I loved getting Blake's story after enjoying him in Him and Us.

Blake is a breath of fresh air and one of the best MMC I seen in a while! His totally off the wall comments and endless energy left me completely entertained. Jess is his complete opposite as she struggles with her confidence and finding her path in life. Together they make a perfect opposites attract couple. This book is set in the same world as Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen’s Him series, so expect to see some familiar faces if you have already read those books. This story is a complete standalone though so you can easily read it without having read that series. If you are looking for a great hockey romance read then choose this book!

My Rating: 3⭐
Spice Level: 2🌶

Good Boy is a re-releasing ARC that I was so excited to get because, as many of you have learned, I'm a HARDCORE hockey fan and Elle Kennedy is an iconic sports romance writer. That being said..... this one was not for me. I'M SORRY.

Jess is a funny, and completely relatable, character that I quickly fell in love with. She sees herself as the indecisive family screw-up who's tired of taking handouts. She decides to go to nursing school and finds herself in a new country and constantly running into Blake Riley, neighbour and teammate of her brother-in-law.

Blake's entire POV sounds like you're listening to a drunk fratboy. His thoughts were only ever about one thing (his... blake... snake) and were about as shallow as a puddle. He does have a sweet and protective side to him but it's hard to be affected when it finally comes up because you're too busy reading "cheezus" and "samsies" every 3rd sentence.

The plot as a whole definitely fell a little flat for me. I kept waiting to find out where it was going and it never really led anywhere. I did love seeing Jess going through the ups and downs of first year nursing school, but even then it was only for like... a chapter or two. And also the dog on the cover is weirdly misleading. There's no dog involved in the book like the cover implies. It's just an odd choice.

I really wanted to love the book and I really think it just wasn't for me. Please don't come for me!

ok so the dialogue in this book was not my favorite. The story was well crafted and I actually really enjoyed the romance, but I hesitated to recommend this to my book bestie because the dialogue was almost silly. It's intentional. Blake is meant to be a big squishy goofball, but it made it hard to love him at first.

Good Boy is fast and light and fun and easy to get into. But there isn't as much dog presence as I wanted. And the dialogue was hard to settle into. I will absolutely read the next book. I need to know who gets their HEA.

This is a quick read for hockey romance! I love the banter between Jess and Blake! Blake never did hide his true self which was really nice to see there were many funny moments.

This reminded me a lot of The Score by Elle Kennedy but it just didn’t hit the spot in the same way that one did. It was really lovely to see Jamie and Wes and in general this was a very enjoyable, easy, steamy read that I absolutely flew through. The fact it was such an easy, fun read is the reason I rated it so highly but I know that inevitably this will be a little forgettable for me.

Also, I can definitely pick out the parts written by Elle and the parts that Sarina has written and I enjoyed Elle’s writing much more than Sarina’s, but that’s just personal preference.

I would recommend it if you loved Him and Us by Elle and Sarina or you like a hockey romance with a sassy FMC and a MMC that’s a bit of a himbo.