Good Boy
by Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen

“𝘛𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘵 𝘶𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘍𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘺, 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

I loved this super cute book by Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen! I loved watching the relationship develop between Blake and Jessie!

Blake was the cutest and has the biggest heart ever. He was so adorable, goofy and fun! I loved seeing him fall in love!

Jessie really had low self confidence in the beginning of the book but I was so happy to see her start to be more sure of herself! She is really caring and she really started to be more herself once she falls in love with Blake!

The side characters were amazing in this book as well and I really loved Mama Riley! This was a cute, easy to read book with the perfect amount of spice!

Jess can't afford to fail. Blake can't afford to let his chance with her slip away.
This enemies to lovers sports romance is book 1 in the WAGs series, and I have thoroughly enjoyed this duet's other series, but the level of immaturity was so annoying in this book. Does Blake really like Jess or does he only want to sleep with her? Every other thought he has is about sex. Where is the red flag guy? To me, there is something very red flagish about a guy who's sole purpose is to annoy a girl and make her mad because he thinks she's cute when she's mad... I didn't like him at all. He was too cocky and persistant. No means no dude. And I don't think I will ever understand in an enemies to lovers why the two main characters sleep together while they still very much hate each other, or one of them hates the other. And Jess was a bit boring, lacking a lot of self-confidence. I would've prefered to read characters that were less unidimentional. I have read many great reviews about this, so it's safe to say this was simply not for me.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Human fragility and second-guessing get a firm boost of confidence in this bit of flirtatious, spirited fun.

Blake was maybe just the tiniest smidge immature, but he was also charming and endearing and there’s no way to not like this happy, hunky man. Exactly what Jess needed to bring balance to her anxiety and insecurities. But Blake’s happy-go-lucky surface was hiding plenty of pain and Jess was just the right person to give him a new outlook on life.

I am just such a sucker for this playful writing style, with the sexually charged banter, sneakily incorporating amazing character development. It is the kind of book that will have you glued to the pages until the very end and leave you wishing there was more.

This is a re-issue with a shiny new cover. I can highly recommend this series and the related series, Him, if you like a bit of snarky back-and-forth with your steamy romance.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. When you read this book, you should automatically be issued a fan and a privacy screen so those around you are not privy to every blush-worthy scene! Wowza! Nursing student Jess and professional hockey player Blake had a quick romantic run in and a few months later run into each other at a wedding. As much as they both try to deny their pull of attraction, eventually that gets worn down after pretending to date. Initially I was going to label this as a good summer read but now my suggestion is to definitely wait until it's winter because this will warm you right up!

THIS WAS SO CUTE!!!
First- the pun with WAGs and dogs- perfection. Second- hot hockey players with dogs?!? Even more perfection.
Third- the hockey player in this book is a complete golden retriever and it’s the sweetest seeing that from both POVs.
Somehow these cutesy hockey books also never fail to throw in some heavy themes too for a nice balance of a great read.

When I can't fight my yawns today there will be three people to blame, Jess, Riley, and myself. I immediately fell into #GoodBoy and didn't want to help myself out. You've got sports, you've got friends to lovers, you've got a fake romance... really you just have all the ingredients for the perfect read from #sarinabowen and #ellekennedy. I think my only gripe is that now I NEED to add the other WAGS books to my #tbr and bump so many others away from the top! I will definitely be finishing this series!

It was an okay read for me. It’s your classic sweet love story with a healthy dose of smut—definitely not lacking in the steamy department! But I have to say, this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

Let’s start with the good stuff: it’s a hockey romance, and I have to admit, I loved the enthusiasm and energy that came with it. The hockey scenes and the sports vibes really added some fun to the story and gave it an extra layer of excitement.

Now, onto the main characters. The boy was sweet, definitely had his moments, but his over-the-top clingy personality left me a little uncomfortable. It was like he was smothering her with affection, and instead of backing off, he practically accosted her into the relationship. It felt more pushy than romantic at times.

What really surprised me was how the girl responded. Instead of getting offended by his actions, she just went along with it and got, well, the action! It was a bit of a head-scratcher for me, but hey, to each their own!

Overall, Good Boy is a light read with plenty of steam, but the dynamics between the characters didn’t fully click for me. If you’re in the mood for some fluffy romance with a lot of heat and a splash of hockey excitement, it might be worth a shot, but don’t expect too much depth.

Thank you NetGalley, Bloom Books, Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen for access to Good Boy.

Good Boy tells the story of Jess and Blake. Jess feels like the only one in her family who hasn’t got her life together. After organizing a beautiful family wedding for her littler brother that has a hockey player filled guest list, Jess needs to break the news to her family that she’s making her another career change. With high nerves of the news and the event, the last person she wants to see is Blake. Blake is her brother’s soon-to-be-husband’s best friend and hockey mate. Of course he’d be at the wedding. What she doesn’t need is a reminder of the last time they were together and the explicit acts that she is trying to not think about. Blake on the other hand can’t get enough of Jess. He doesn’t date, he isn’t interested in dating, so why is Jess taking up so much of his thoughts?

Blake and Jess have extensive chemistry, funny banter, and show the importance of vulnerability. Good Boy is a spicy Hockey Romance with golden retriever energy.

Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy have tapped into the ever-popular world of hockey romances with Good Boy, delivering a fizzy, sweet treat that is sure to charm fans of the genre. As someone who doesn’t usually gravitate toward hockey romances, I was initially dubious, particularly about Blake, the male lead. But I have to admit, the strong writing kept me hooked, even as I hesitated in the early chapters.

The title Good Boy is a fitting nod to Blake’s golden retriever-like energy. Like any good boy, he ultimately won me over with his unflagging positivity and loyalty. If I were to place this on a “divorce tier list,” I’d bet on Jess and Blake going all the way. Jess, the female lead, embodies a familiar trope in contemporary romance—she’s grappling with a crisis of confidence. However, Blake’s unwavering support helps her navigate through it, offering a heartwarming dynamic.

Overall, I enjoyed Good Boy. Despite my initial reservations, it’s a delightful read that offers exactly what it promises: a light, engaging romance with a lot of heart.

Reread August 2024
This book was just as wonderful the second time around! I love Jess and Blake so much! An adorkable golden retriever cinnamon roll hero - SOLD! I have missed Blakey’s jokes and antics. This was such a great feel good, low angst romcom (Yay for no third act break up!) If you want to laugh and smile, don’t miss this book!

*****
Original review from June 2017

Cheezus I loved this book! The hilarious and witty banter, the playful innuendo and flirting, and of course the smoking sexy times made for the perfect book! Good Boy is the first book in the new WAGs series. It features characters from other books by the writing duo of Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy, but can be read as a standalone.

Blake is a character that you will find immensely amusing and loveable, or extremely annoying and immature. I clearly found him adorable.

He comes across as a cocky and wisecracking jock, but underneath, he's a loyal, protective, and huggable teddy bear. His inner monologue was some of the funniest I have ever read and I had a perpetual grin on my face reading this book. Jess is also an amazing heroine who really grows through the course of the book. Her struggle with her confidence and her drive to go after her dreams was realistic and heartfelt. Haven't we all felt a little lost and less than at one point or another? The chemistry between Blake and Jess was amazing and I loved how they each kept each other in check and could be both playful and serious with each other. They may not have started their relationship in the most conventional way, but I loved how it all unfolded. Another thing that made this book really enjoyable were the awesome secondary characters (Wesmie!) and that there wasn't any unnecessary additional drama. Truly a fantastic read, and I can't wait for the next book, Stay!

Good Boy by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy is an equally humorous & emotional spicy hockey romance.

If you’ve read the Him series by these authors, you will be excited to see cameos & more from them. However, you can easily read this as a standalone.

Good Boy is great for fans of…
🏒 Hockey Romance
🏒 Brother’s Husband’s Best Friend x Best Friend’s Sister in Law

This is a book that starts with ridiculous antics & humor but evolves to something that is much deeper & surprisingly emotional. This is a hero that is bold & boisterous that loves to push the heroine’s buttons but give them a chance & watch their friendship simmer until the love boils over.

These authors continue to write entertaining stories & excellent hockey romances. It you are looking for a place to start, Good Boy is a great way to score a chance at your heart & skate your way through these author’s work!

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Bloom Books for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

This was a cute book! The MMC was the definition of golden retriever! Which isn’t my favorite kind of MMC! I did love Jessie though! 3.5 stars! I will def continue the series and read the next book 🤩

Thanks NETGALLEY for the ARC

Thank you NetGalley, sourcebooks Bloom Books and Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute story but with some problematic behavior. I enjoyed the main female character but struggled with the main male character, Blake. He was a thoughtful guy in the end but total d-bag energy and vocabulary. I just could not handle all the terms and abbreviations he uses. And he was so forward and sexual when Jess wasn’t receptive it was inappropriate. I don’t think we should be showing this behavior as acceptable let alone leading to a successful relationship.

I loved the close family vibes and that the WAGs were a positive, welcoming community to Jess and Jamie.

This was a quick, easy read.

What a fun read! As a giant Wesmie stan, I was so excited to read more in this universe. Good Boy was hilarious and heartwarming. I really loved reading it so much!

We know that Jess and Blake had a fling during the Him/Us/Epic trilogy. At the start of this book, they are helping other with Wesmie's wedding activities. However, their opposite personalities and snarky banter let to some hilarious moments.

Blake was one of my favorite side characters, and I was so excited to get his perspective. He always had main character energy. He is so sweet and loves his people so fiercely. I love how he decided that Jess was his and how he played the long game to get her. Jess didn't take him seriously at first cause she was so focused on finding herself. In addition to the romance, I really liked Jess's professional journey as well. I loved

Good Boy is the first book in the WAGs series, and I can't wait to see where the series goes next.

This hockey romance has all components of your favorite cozy romance. MMC that’s a closeted golden retriever, best friend’s sister [in-law], banter, duo POVs, and a funny/flirty storyline that’s easy to read.

Overall, this is a classic Elle Kennedy style hockey romance with a cute new cover! This was my first Sarina Bowen book so I’d also be curious to read more of her stuff too.

3.75/5 rounding up to 4.

Thanks NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC!

I was not too fond of the start. Hero was portrayed as a dumb obnoxious jock using abbreviations and words appropriate for a sixteen-year-old boy not a grown-up guy in a successful career. He later redeemed himself and was slightly less obnoxious in the book's second half. But if I judged the book by its beginning I would DNF ages ago.
4 stars.

In Good Boy we get Blake and Jess's story. We meet both characters in “Us”, which is a sequel to “Him”, where we get the story of Jamie and Wes. Blake is Wes's teammate from hockey, and Jess is Jamie's sister. The characters meet each other for the first time in “Us”, when they are charged with taking care of Jamie while he is sick. Oh, and they also hook up during this meeting. However, Good Boy can be read as a standalone, and it is not necessary to have read Him or Us. That being said, I would encourage everybody to read these books anyway (especially Him), just because Wes and Jamie's story is so amazing. (Don't rule it out just because it is a MM-romance.)

Good Boy starts with Jamie and Wes's wedding, which in itself is enough of a reason to read it I think. Jess is planning her brother's wedding and are quickly coming to realize that party planning isn't the right career path for her after all. It doesn't help that Blake, who is Wes's best man, is trying to pick up where they left off in Toronto, and is also interfering with her plans for the perfect wedding. After the wedding, Jess finally breaks it to her family that party planning isn't for her, and that being a nurse is her destiny. This isn't easy, because Jess already feels like a screw up for changing career paths so often.

Jess's new career path takes her to nursing school in Toronto. Naturally, she often runs into Blake, who lives in the same building as Jamie and Wes. Blake wants Jess, and pursues her in classic Blake-style. Jess on the other hand, has no time for Blake, who she considers childish and depthless. However, Jess soon realizes that Blake is more than meets the eye, and that he is a genuinely good guy with an easy smile and a big heart.

GOOD BOY was a quick and engaging read with fun characters and many laugh out loud moments. Some of the dialogue was a little over the top and even cringeworthy at time, but the book was truly entertaining and a fun read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloom Books for the opportunity to read and review GOOD BOY.

3.75🌟

After the first initial 50 pages i really enjoyed this book. It’s sport romance, bridesmaid and best man and hate to lovers.

This book is about jess and blake. Jess is hosting her brother's wedding for an MVP guest list along side blake the guy she hates and just so happens to have a week moment with last spring

At first blake’s character really agitated me but as we go through i really fell in love with him - it definitely doesn’t lie when it says “Beneath the flirty jokes and goofy smile, he's got layers” and he is big golden retriever vibes.

i just wish this book was a bit longer/didn’t have such an abrupt ending to it 😂

Meh. That's how I felt about this book. First, I've been very hit or miss with Elle Kennedy, I also think that I'm into a different story than what she and Sarina Bowen typically write, so my review may be biased based on my reading preferences of late. Also big caveat here, but I have not read the series that introduces us to Blake so maybe that would have helped to give him more appeal. But I had a very hard time with him as a character for about the first 100 pages. I just found him so off putting, and I get that that's part of who he is on the outside. But on the inside, he pretty much acted the same way. I feel like he went out of his way to do stupid and immature things, and he was overly aggressive with Jess sexually. She said no on multiple occasions, but he kept pushing her. And sure, she was saying no but actually wanted him, but with the current climate, it just seems out of place for him to be lauded as a hero in a romance for this pushiness.

Jess is also a bit of a pain at the start. As a parent, I too would be upset with my child for flip flopping between career paths like Jess does. But I also think that Jess posits a lot of her own issues on her parents and family, making them seem to be judging her when they likely aren't.

All in all, the start of the book made it very hard for me to read. But I am not a DNF reader, so I pushed through. And that's what eventually led me to give this book a 3 star instead of the 1 star I had originally thought to give.

The characters do get better. In the case of Blake, it's almost an about face. His stupid and immature stuff gets tempered. In the case of Jess, when she got into school, it just felt like her story came together. Actually, starting her degree basically kick started the whole story in a more positive direction for me. And that's what saved it.

If you like Kennedy and/or Bowen already, you'll probably enjoy this one. If you start it and get annoyed, maybe see if you can stick it out to about the halfway mark. Because it does get better. Like a fine wine I guess?