I love these authors and their books BUT I was on the struggle bus with this one. I never connected to the characters. I don't know what it was. There was no chemistry for me sadly. I know others will love it.

I was going to DNF after the first chapter but all the reviews said that it got better and Blake got less cringey. They lied and I really wish I hadn't persevered. The dialogue is so cringey and Blake speaks like a teenage boy. The words Cheezus, samesies, J Babe, Blakes snake, and make riley smiley are repeated constantly. As for the plot, nothing really happens and then it ends abruptly. I still wasn't convinced Jess had found her thing that she was passionate about. I didn't feel much chemistry between them either. It's such a shame because I normally love Elle Kennedy's books.

I enjoyed the read and it was a quick read, but it did feel very surface level. I couldn't fully connect with Jess, Blake or their relationship... I love a good "golden retriever" MMC, but Blake was over the top that felt a little airheaded and needy. If the plot would have been a little deeper, I don't think I would have minded as much.

This romance novel enchants with its heartfelt narrative and compelling characters, immersing readers in a tale of love and connection. The author's vivid descriptions and emotional depth create a captivating and immersive experience. With its tender moments and unexpected turns, this book is a delightful read for any fan of the genre.

Good Boy by Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen was a fun, light, romantic comedy. As someone very familiar with the work of Elle Kennedy, this is exactly what I expect from her.

A secretive romance, some steamy scenes, and a lot of love makes this a fantastic quick read.

I was a little disappointed with the abrupt ending, but I'd love to know how Jess and Blake's relationship progresses.

This book unfortunately wasn’t for me.

I tried to so hard to like the MCs, but Jess was too whiney, and Blake was the embodiment of a dumb jock.

The premise of the story itself has a lot of potential. But I didn’t feel that there was much of a plot. Jess had money trouble and confidence trouble, neither really caused a major issue, and nothing happened to resolve either. Blake was pursuing Jess, and had no concept of boundaries or consent! And eventually he got her without the need of a serious conversation or even the grand gesture that was mentioned in the book. Their relationship didn’t have to go through anything that tests it or enforces it. The book ended so abruptly it gave me whiplash!

Also Blakes lingo annoyed me endlessly! And there really aren’t dogs in the book! Between the title, the cover, and the charity event, I was expecting a dog to appear and stick around for half the book, not just a passing plot line towards the end.

This was my first book by Sarina Bowen but I’ve read multiple books by Elle Kennedy Elle Kennedy and I think this is my new favorite book of her. I loved everything about Blake and Jess. I recognized myself so much in Jess but I’m glad that everything turned out well for her. I was a bit suspicious about Blake at the beginning but after all I really liked him and he is just perfect for Jess. I can’t wait to read the other books in this series! This book made me laugh, cry and giggle at the same time and I highly recommend it to everyone! 🥺

Thank you so much Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for this arc 🫶🏻

I was so stoked to revisit Good Boy with this ARC, especially since it’s one of my all-time faves.
Blake Riley, the ultimate cinnamon roll with a golden retriever vibe, is back and ready to win over Jess Canning, the ultimate black cat who’s all sass and resistance.
The chemistry between these two is electric, and their banter? Hilarious.
Blake was a standout side character in the Him/Us/Epic series, and here, he’s all about proving he’s more than just a flirty manchild. Watching him break down Jess’s walls while navigating wedding chaos and proving he's a “good boy” with a complex side is a total delight.
Plus, getting glimpses of Jamie and Wes from the previous series adds an extra layer of fun. This rom-com hits all the right notes for a perfect, laugh-out-loud read.
This book is a must-read for anyone who loves a good romantic comedy with heart and humor!
5⭐️
Thank you NetGalley, Bloom Books, Elle Kennedy, and Sarina Bowen for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The characters were sympathetic and the dialogue and humor kept the story moving along. I know this is a genre that sells well, but frankly the volume and explicitness of the sexual encounters took away from the story. I understand that I am making a minority report, but I would not recommend this book because of the sexual content.

2.5 stars? Good Boy was not for me. I think other readers may think the MMC is goofy and fun with his corny quips but I just found him to be annoying. The relationship development was off for me as well and I didn't really find myself rooting for them to get together. I did like the FMC finding confidence in her new career and standing up to others. Overall, it has some fun/spicy parts but it was lacking in content.

If you like the Off-Campus series, I'd definitely check out the books that Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy co-wrote. There is the WAGs series (two books total) and the characters in these books overlap with the Him series (two books and a novella). I would definitely read Him and Us first as you learn a lot about Jess and Blake, the main characters in Good Boy, in the Him series!

Read this series if you like:
-Hockey romance
-Steamy books
-Short, mindless reads
-LGBTQ+ rep
-Big family vibes
-Canada setting

I adored this book! When I started it, I had no idea it was in the same family of books as Wes & Jamie from Him.
The banter was perfect, the spice was spot on. I will read anything these two write together!

This book was so much fun! It just made me smile. I loved character growth from both Jessica and Blake. Blake came across as a little immature at first but that was just his armour. We saw a lot of adult Blake throughout the story. This book made me laugh. I definitely swooned at what a great hero Blake was. I loved the hockey. The writing was top-notch. This one kept me reading until the end. Huge thanks to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this wonderful book!

Good Boy by Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen is the first book in the WAGs Series. This is Jess and Blake‘s story.
 
Jess is organizing a wedding for her brother and takes it to perfection because she is seen as the family screw-up. Jess is such a good person who is a little lost in life and tries to figure out her path. I really liked seeing this raw and vulnerable characteristic and at the same time she is very loving and strong and that was such a good combination.
 
Blake is a hockey player and on the same team as Jess‘s brother and he is known as a bad boy. Jess has fallen for his charms for one night and while she sees it as a big mistake, Blake actually loved it and wants to win her over now. He is the best man at the wedding and therefore helps out Jess a lot. I really liked seeing what is beyond his facade and he can actually be such a sweet man.
 
The wedding provided a perfect setting for them to cross paths again and Blake provides some much-needed comic relief, and he tries to loosen up the circumstances. Their bickering in the beginning is also top notch because Jess sees him as an annoyance. And Blake must step up his game and he truly does. But at some parts it felt like he was trying too hard. I liked their story, and it definitely made me smile and laugh out loud.
 
Overall, Good Boy is a great romcom that just makes you happy. 4 stars.
 
(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.)

Good Boy was a really fast paced and easy read which I pretty much read in a day! The premise is nothing new but I liked the authors writing and how easy it was to become engrossed in the characters world. I resonated with Jess a lot, being someone who also has no clue what to do with their life, and liked her as our FMC. Blake took me a little while to get into, purely because his language was so juvenile it felt like I was reading about a teenager but that aside, he was a great book boyfriend. Would definitely recommend this to someone looking for a quick and easy romcom!

Good Boy was such a fun, easy read that made me ridiculously happy! I was laughing and smiling my way through. I adored Blake and Jess and loved them getting to their happily ever after. It was so entertaining with great scenes and humor and I had a blast reading it.

I wasn’t so sure about Blake in the beginning since he seemed like such a stereotypical jock player but by the end I loved him. He was a good guy who did incredibly sweet, heartfelt things. I loved really getting to know what a fantastic guy he was. I loved Jess and how hard working she was and all she was doing to figure herself out and follow her true path. I adored them together. I loved Blake’s flirting and innuendos. I loved his unwavering perseverance and positive attitude when it came to Jess. It seemed like a definite case of he-falls-first and it was adorable. I loved Jess fighting her feelings and every time she caved to them. The heat these two generated was awesome and I loved the spicey times added to the mix.

This is one hundred percent a romantic comedy. It was light and playful and moved at a fast pace. It's filled with likable characters and humorous scenes. There's some very mild drama involved but I loved what it added to the story. I loved the dual POVs, the build, and all the fun times happening.

This was the best kind of high-energy entertainment and I could not stop reading! I had no idea how much I needed this kind of goodness but I totally did.

definitely what i expected in the best way possible. it is impossible for elle to not write a book you’re immediately transported into, as her writing is so addicting and fast paced. reading a book from her co-written outside of the deal was so interesting to me and i loved it!!

Good Boy is connected to the books, Him and Us by the same authors. I admit, I have not read those books but I can see how it may be advantageous to have read those books to get some background information on both the main and side characters in this book. That being said, I had no issues reading this book and I don't think you need to read those books to enjoy and understand this story. Overall, Good Boy is a fun read. I didn't find it overly humorous but it was entertaining. There were many aspects that I enjoyed, some of the sex scenes were hot, but there were some things that kind of irked me. Blake, the main male character, was appealing in many ways but his juvenile behavior and words were offputting. At times he was an ideal book boyfriend but then he would say something and I would mentally cringe. There are also some potential trigger warnings, this book does mention cancer, terminal illnesses, and miscarriage.

I thought I had read all of Elle Kennedy's hockey romance, and was super excited to see Good Boy with a new cover! I devoured the book in a day, it was such a great light hearted read. First off, Blake Riley might be the definition of golden retriever character, except he is also ADHD and inappropriate. When I read his perspective, it felt like I was on caffeine jitters, and it really embellished his character so well. His nicknames and personality made the book. Jess was a good main character as well, she face adversity and the stress of quarter life crisis. It was nice to read a romance that was not enemies to lovers for once. I look forward to the next in the series! I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book from Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen and I absolutely loved it!! Blake is hilarious, cute like a labrador under steroids, always active, always up to something, and with a dirty mind. I think what surprised me the most about him was his commitment to Jess. Not for one moment he doubted that he wanted her. He was the chaser in the relationship. Also, the angst was definitely low thanks to his attitude towards the whole situation. Jess was a hard nut to crack, but he never gave up and he never saw her rejections or her unwillingness to admit they were together as anything other than a challenge. And this kept the whole book's atmosphere upbeat and light. Jess was a nice surprise too. I wasn't sure I'd like her 100% because I tend not to relate to flighty characters, but in this book we see her both struggling with her indecisive nature and finally taking her life in her own hands and trying to do something with it. The banter between the two of them is priceless and just top-notch fun. Plus, I loved how humbled she was when, after denying her feelings for him, she found out exactly what a wonderful man Blake is. Their feelings grew steadily and not without caution, especially on her side (as I said, Blake is positive about wanting her, and not just in a biblical way. Let's admit it, behind the joker's facade, he's the nicest of nice guys, the type of man you introduce to the family and who hits it off with everyone after two seconds of meeting them).

The plot was quite simple, definitely character driven, but it was just perfect for the couple.
It starts with Jess being supremely annoyed by Blake (and even more at herself for having slept with him and finding him attractive), and with Blake seeing her refusal to admit her desires as a chance to tease her and entice her. Soon their relationship grows, but I wouldn't call it a friends to lovers. More like a friends with benefits to lovers. And I know that lots of you are not fans of this progression, but I can assure you the whole situation reads very little like a friends-with-benefits' one, due to Blake's conviction that they're actually together. Now, I'm not gonna spoiler, but I can tell you that something in his past happened and the way he dealt with it, it truly made the difference between me liking him and me falling in love with him head over heels. It was a revelation that I would had never expected, totally not-cliché, and it showed a mature, selfless, and caring part of him that you need to look beyond the surface to notice. When Jess found out about it, things definitely changed between them, in the best of ways.

Last, but not least, all supporting characters were terrific, from the WAGS, to Wesmie (<3), to Blake's family. Now I can't wait for the next installment in this series to come out, knowing that the Bowen-Kennedy duo is now one of my favorites on the market.