The Golden Goal
by Annah Conwell
Narrated by Kim Churchill; Oliver Clarke

I received an ARC of this audiobook through Netgalley.

Shaw is in love with Sutton, his best friend’s sister, and has been since before college. He is an incredible NHL hockey player at the top of his game. He has loyal friends and teammates. His life looks great on paper, but it’s missing a key ingredient: Sutton.

Sutton is a strong-willed woman who knows what she likes and what she doesn’t. And, to be clear, she does not date hockey players. She dated a really good hockey player for 4 years in college, and then he dumped her like yesterday’s news. Now that she’s starting a brand new job as a physical therapist for a hockey team, Shaw’s hockey team, she is going to have to fend off many advances from hockey players. She grew up with Shawn, and he has been her rival for most of her life.

Can Shaw win the heart of the hardened Sutton? Listen to find out!

This is a great book. It’s a great friends/rivals/frenemies-to-lovers book. I definitely recommend the listen. The narrators are great!

The Golden Goal by Annah Conwell was given to me as audiobook ARC by NetGalley and the publishers for an honest review. The book was narrated by Kim Churchill and Oliver Clarke.

This books is the story of Shaw, a professional hockey player, and Sutton, his best friend's little sister and someone who he has always had a frenemy relationship with - even though he's been in like, then love with her forever.

Sutton is the new physical therapist for Shaw's team and he hopes that he'll finally be able to convey to her his true feelings, but it seems that whenever they are near each other, his snarky little kid side comes out and she really has no use for him.

I didn't like that aspect of the book - it's like elementary school antics - but they worked it out and the book was enjoyable listening to that happen.

The narrators did a great job and made the characters believable and likeable.

4/5 stars

Tropes:
- Brother's best friend
- He falls first
- Rivals to lovers
- Forced proximity
- No third-act breakup
- He cares for her when sick

I thought this book was really cute! I got an audiobook ARC and thought the narrators did an excellent job bringing these characters to life. This book follows two rivals who have known each other for years. Shaw is a hockey player and Sutton is his team's new physical therapist. At first, they are at each other's throats, but their feelings for each other change as the story progresses.

I enjoyed the natural progression of Shaw and Sutton's love story. I also liked that they never lost their banter. With rivals to lovers' books, most go from hating to loving each other quickly. This book didn't have that issue. Shaw and Sutton teased each other to the last page of this book. Even though they had more cute moments toward the end, they had their rival banter throughout.

First book by this author and I am excited for more. Cute no spice romance. Loved the story, characters and the anticipation for book 2

I'm always a sucker for a good "he falls first" and brother's best friend romance and this book hit both of those notes so wonderfully.
I've been wanting to read Annah Conwell for a long time and was super grateful for the opportunity to read this book by way of the audiobook version. Kim Churchill and Oliver Clarke did a great job as the narrators for Sutton and Shaw. I put this one on to listen and finished it in one day. It was easy to listen to and follow along, not to mention it was the kind of romance that is just a sweet escape and easy to fall into. I loved Shaw's devotion and all the things he had been doing and did behind the scenes for Sutton who thought of him as her enemy. Their dynamic was really fun and I loved the way Shaw was connected to Sutton's family as well as the hockey/work place connections. When Shaw cares for Sutton and when Sutton starts to really see Shaw, I melted. I thought it delivered the swoon while also staying clean (no language or heavy innuendo). I recommend it and will be reading more by this author.
I received an advance listening copy of this book from Netgalley and Dreamscape Media. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved the frenemies chemistry between Sutton and Shaw! A he fell first, brothers bestfriend, enemies to more story. No swearing, very limited alcohol consumed. There is fun and flirty banter throughout the book.
Way to write a lol clean hockey romance! Full of tension, witty banter, and action-packed hockey scenes. I loved this new addition and can't wait for the rest of the series.

Quick Summary: A happily ever after romance

My Review: The Golden Goal by Annah Conwell is book #1 in the More Than A Game series.

About the Book: Shaw Daniels is in love with his best friend's sister. Too bad she doesn't know it. Secretly, he has been carrying a torch for her for years. Now that she is his team's PT, will he throw caution to the wind and let her know of his true feelings?

About the Narration: This story was narrated by Kim Churchill and Oliver Clarke. They did a sensational job. I enjoyed the listening experience immensely.

My Final Say: I loved this story. I loved Shaw and Sutton. I loved the hockey players. I loved the taste of what's to come in the bonus epilogue. This series is off to a wonderful start, and I'm glad about it.

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status: Clean
Level: 💖
Audiobook: Yes
Narration: +

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Dreamscape Media), and to NetGalley. Thank you for providing access to an ALC of this title in exchange for an honest review. I very much look forward to becoming better acquainted with this writer. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity you granted.

Sutton and Shaw have always had a bit of a love/hate relationship going. She hates how much he gets under her skin but loves pushing his buttons. These two have been rivals for as long as they can remember, and now they have to work together. Sutton says she doesn't date hockey boys, but is Shaw more than that?

Read if you like:
-Brother's Best Friend
-Childhood Rivals to Lovers
-Workplace Romance

I wanted to like this, but it feel a little flat. Characters that just didn't quite jump off the page and scenarios that felt like a check list for a romance novel rather than organic. It was enjoyable, but not a book that had me hooked.

I absolutely loved The Golden Goal, by Annah Conwell. I received a free copy of the audio book and fell in love with these characters. Shaw is a professional hockey player that has been in love with his best friend's sister since they were in high school! Sutton is said sister and hasn't a clue and thinks he hates her as much as she hates him! As much as Shaw loves Sutton, he cannot be nice to her and continues to tease her throughout this book. While we really buy into the love that Shaw has for Sutton, it is much harder to believe it is totally reciprocated because for her it is fast. Other than that, I really enjoyed this and felt the narration was well done.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media & NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

First in a new series, clean romance

Sutton has landed her dream job- a physical therapist for a professional hockey team. Too bad it is the team that Shaw plays for. Shaw is her twin brother's best friend and her arch nemesis. They have been rivals all of their lives. But Shaw has a secret- he has been in love with Sutton for as long as he can remember. He hopes he can show her, or better yet, tell her, but as soon as she is near, the snarky, competitive kid comes out.

I found this to be a cute, light read. I liked both Sutton and Shaw. Especially Shaw. Who doesn't like when the guy falls first? And it wasn't too sporty if sports aren't your thing.

The audiobook is narrated by Kim Churchill and Oliver Clarke. I liked Sutton's chapters, but was not a fan of Shaw's. Nothing specific- more of a tone thing and personal preference.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

✨️💚✨️Audio Book Review✨️💚✨️

Book: The Golden Goal
Author: Annah Conwell
Rating: 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This book was so dang cute!

You know I love me a good hockey sports romance, throw in brother’s best friend, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, he falls first .... I'm so sold, give me 20! 💸

I love shaw so so so much and he's definitely going on my book boyfriend list. He is worthy.

The banter is amazing and I devoured it all in one day!

You get:
• Dual POV
• Sports Romance (Hockey)
• Brother's Best Friend
• Enemies To Lovers
• Nurse/Player
• He Falls First
• It's Always Been You

I highly suggest you pick this one up! Available through ebook, paperback, and audiobook (July 30th)!

100% recommend!!! I listened to it in one sitting because I just couldn’t press pause! It was soooooooo amazing! Absolutely loved this enemies to lovers sports romance! All I need and want! So fun, cute and easy to listen to!
Narrators were perfect! Loved every characters! I need more!!!

3.5 stars

Dislike to lovers (her)
All the pining (him)
Professional hockey player x team PT
Brothers best friend
Are we fighting or flirting

The MMC is adorable - if not at times so much of a simp it's borderline pathetic. He has been in love with his best friend's twin sister for years and loves to driver her crazy and get competitive with him.

The FMC hates her brother's best friend. He turns everything into a competition and drives her crazy. When she gets her dream job of being a physiotherapist for a hockey team at only 23-years-old, she is annoyed it's for the team her brother's best friend plays for. Little does she know, he's the reason she got the job. It struck me a strange that it never came up that he's the one who got her the job. I thought that was something that would be a point of conflict between the characters, but she just... never found out?

I'll be honest, sometimes I struggle with the fact that there is no issue for the team doctors/PTs for sports teams to be dating the athletes they're treating in romance books. Like that should be a big no-no ethically to be dating a patient, no? And at one point the FMC straight up says "I'm not aware of there being rules against dating players" like that would likely be the first think you're told when you get hired to a team 😅 but maybe that's just me.

Plus, I think that adds more excitement to the relationship because it's forbidden and one could lose their job or get in trouble, but the one they love is worth the risk! But nope. It's just widely accepted without anyone batting an eye.

There was a heavy focus on how attractive the MCs were to each other. I would have liked to learn more about what else they liked about each other. At times the characters felt kind of shallow and I would have loved some more character development from them - more so the FMC.

The narrators were really good. They really delivered on portraying these characters in a way that made be believe in what the characters were feeling.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC.

*Contains an audiobook review

This is the first in series of interconnected but standalone sports related romcoms by Annah Conwell. It contains only kissing content. It is exactly what you'd expect to get from her. The main characters have banter and chemistry. It was fun listening to them go back and forth. The reader does not need to enjoy hockey, or even know much about it, to enjoy this book.

I had just finished two grittier historical romances and had some stress in my real life too. This was the perfect listen for me at this time. I knew exactly what I was going to get. Fun, flirting, laughs, love and nothing too stressful or angsty. If you need that time of romance, don't hesitate to choose this book.

I listened to the audio and really enjoyed the dual narrators. The male voice was deep and seemed to fit a hockey player well. I don't recall having heard either of the narrators before, so that was a treat. Sometimes I find the same narrators read different books in the same genre. That can get confusing in my head sometimes. This audiobook was refreshing in that way.

Thanks to Dreamscape Media, Annah Conwell and Netgalley for the advanced audio copy of this book. I am happy to leave an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🏒Hockey Romance
⛸️Brother Best Friends
🏒Rivals/Enemies to Lovers
⛸️Forced Proximity
🏒He Falls First
⛸️Banter
🏒Dual POV

I received an ALC from Dreamscape Media via NetGalley.

The banter in The Golden Goal was so good. I was surprised by how much I found myself laughing while listening to The Golden Goal.

This book has some of my favorites tropes; enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and banter! This is a very fluffy and cute hockey romance.
FMC Sutton and MMC Shaw have been rivals since they were younger and enemies into their young adult years. Sutton lands a physical therapist job for Shaw’s NHL team. Forced to be around each other more than normal, things escalate. Little does Sutton know, Shaw has actually been in love with her.

Perfect fast paced contemporary romance.

The narrators did a beautiful job! Loved both the Female Narrator and the Male Narrator. Would definitely recommend!

Thank you to Dreamscape Media & NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

I did enjoy this short and sweet hockey romance; that was a dual narration audiobook. I’m always a sucker for he falls first & harder, and Shaw was such a Simp for Sutton.

I do feel like most of the book was focused on them arguing with other, and not focused enough on them falling for each other. Although Shaw always liked Sutton when he finally tells Sutton how he’s always felt; it fell unnatural how suddenly she was like all in on him. It just didn’t feel very natural or real, based on their previous relationship of annoyance, for her to so easily jump sides.

It definitely felt like Shaw was always all on in Sutton, but I didn’t get those same feelings from Sutton because it felt rather quick. I guess I would have liked to see this all play out more.

But it was still an enjoyable hockey romance read!

This audio was good. I rated it four stars because it didn’t have any spice. It was still a good story brothers best friend hockey romance. I love anything that has to do with hockey the narrators did a great job telling the story they made you feel what they felt which made it really relatable.

Thank you NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
No Spice
4⭐️ Narrators

I LOVE hockey romances, but I’ve never tried a “clean” hockey romance, so I figured a short audiobook was a good start. And boy it did NOT disappoint.

Is this just like all the brother’s best friend hockey romances? Yes. Did I absolutely devour it? Also yes.

The plot is interesting (predictable, but interesting) There’s no spice, but there’s perfect banter and romance that had me swooning. This is not the kind of book you read for the plot, you’re just here for the romance and it was done really well. The “him taking care of her while she’s sick” trope had me squealing and kicking my feet.

The characters had great chemistry and were very non-toxic. Not just the FMC/MMC, but the FMC’s brother was so understanding and loving to both his best friend AND his little sister. I loved it. There was also no “other woman drama” or a 3rd act breakup, it was all positive all around.

Like I said, I normally don’t read “clean” romances, and I would prefer some spice, but it was absolutely perfect for what it was.

Overall would read the author again. Her work seems perfect for a all around happy and uplifting romance/ a great palate cleanser

This was really a really cute enemies/rivals to lovers, brothers best friend hockey romance. Shaw's POV chapters were so cute with his longing and trying to be better at showing his true feelings. I really believed the romance and enjoyed both characters a lot. I'm quite looking forward to each of his friend's books!

Regarding the narrators for the audiobook, I liked them! Both had good voices for both the MCs with good acting. I would be happy if they continued with this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ALC!

Hockey romance books will always be one of my favorites. The Golden Goal is a great, lighthearted romance book without explicit scenes so everyone can enjoy. Yes, some of the kissing gets a bit intense but this is like a 1 chili pepper or less (imo). While I do typically go for spicier books, sometimes it's nice to just enjoy the story and characters. Shaw is adorably attentive and so sweet with Sutton and he is definitely boyfriend goals. This novel is a fun, heartwarming read with plenty of fun banter between the two MC's.

The audiobook narrators, Kim Churchill; Oliver Clarke did a wonderful job narrating.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for access to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.