This was a well done hockey romance novel, it had that element that I was looking for from the description and writing style. Kelly Jamieson has a strong writing style and was hooked from the characters and how the romance went. I was glad I got to read this and was wanting to read more. I really enjoyed the characters were written and was glad I read this.

Enjoyable, quick read about a shy hockey player and his roommate/teammate’s sister. Ben is a leader on the ice, but shy and not comfortable speaking up. Mabel is crashing at her brother’s condo after leaving an abusive relationship. Her spark was dulled but she’d working on getting back to her outgoing, personable self. Ben asks Mabel to be his extrovert coach when he has a chance to be team captain. This open door story follows the brother’s best friend trope. It’s a quick and easy read, especially if you like hockey romances.

Thank you Boldwood Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

i've never read anything by this author before but i saw brother's best friend trope and i immediately wanted to read it!

🦇 i was never into hockey romance but i found out with this one that i don't really mind it. sports ain't really my typical go to but in this case it didn't bother me as much.
🦇 i also continue to love brother's best friend trope even though in this one it was done fine. i expected more of a bad boy and self-assured type, but ben was a softie and that was cute. i just prefer banter, humorous and assertive type guys in my books lol.
🦇 i could relate a lot to ben for being socially awkward, you'll never see me do public speaking. 🙅🏻‍♀️
🦇 the characters were alright, i don't think i have a favourite, but more relatable one was definitely ben for being reserved and disliking people.
🦇 the writing style wasn't anything special but it was definitely easy to get into and there were a few great things that the characters talked about which i found interesting. specifically about introverts, vulnerability and the fact that society usually blamed the victims rather than perpetrators.
🦇 the s*x scenes didn't really do much for me, i found it a bit underwhelming, basically like any other typical romance book, i did ship the couple though.
🦇 i also don't like the talk about kids and breastfeeding in general in books and this one had that. also it gets really sad at 70% regarding baby death so trigger warnings for that!
🦇 the brother-sister relationship was also relatable to me since i have a brother that's older than me so i could understand smitty's overprotectiveness of mabel.
🦇 the ending was cute, i didn't expect anything different from what it was and it was fine. it wasn't my favourite book of all time but i'm glad i gave it a shot! i'll also have to check for more hockey romance books lol.

Kelly Jamieson’s latest hockey romance is a delightful blend of sports, sizzling chemistry, and heartfelt character development. Ben, a formidable ice hockey player, is thrown off his game when tasked with stepping up as team captain and navigating his social fears. Mabel, his best friend’s sister, re-enters his life, bringing a mix of unresolved teenage crushes and fresh challenges.

The novel beautifully intertwines Ben’s journey of personal growth with the undeniable chemistry between the leads. Their banter is playful, their connection feels genuine, and the off-limits romance adds an enticing edge to the story. Mabel’s determination to rebuild her life contrasts with Ben’s struggles to lead both on and off the ice, creating a dynamic and relatable interplay.

Fans of hockey romances will appreciate the authentic sports backdrop and the emotional depth of this book. With a smooth plot, likable characters, and plenty of steamy moments, Jamieson delivers a captivating read that fans of the genre will devour in no time!

Cute romance between a strong female lead with a few skeletons in the closest and a shy but big male lead. The spicy sex scene came out of nowhere but was good.

4 stars!

Kelly Jamieson is a new-to-me author. I really like hockey romances, so I eagerly picked up this book. And oh my, what a good book it was! I read it in a couple of evenings - the plot was interesting, the characters were likable, and the story flowed well.

I really liked the characters. The heroine Mabel is an eccentric librarian, the hero Ben is an introverted hockey player. I especially liked what Ben was like: an introvert who found social relationships and being with people and talking to them challenging. The book beautifully described how Mabel supported him with these challenges.

I really liked the book and I will definitely continue to read Kelly Jamieson's books.

WHAT TO EXPECT:
* Big brother’s teammate
* Difficult past
* Dirty talk
* Forbidden love
* Found family
* Forced proximity
* Hea
* Open doors
* Opposites attract
* Point of view: dual 1st person
* Sports romance: hockey

I just finished the BEST hockey book!!

I got to read this thanks to the publisher and author, set to be released in January. This book is a MUST read. It was so well composed and well written. The MFC is a bookish, eccentric girl who is finding herself after being in an abusive relationship (sound like someone you may know? 😉). And she loves hockey and has a book tattoo, I think she may have been based one me 😂 I related SO much to Mabel and I just couldn’t get enough of her character. I loved seeing her relationship with Her brother grow, as well as with Ben.

Her being his “extrovert coach” is absolutely wonderful and made me laugh thinking about how many times I’ve been described as too much to handle or too out there in my life. I loved their relationship, with how pure and appreciative their love is to each other, and even their history.

There was Reference to the meltdown of Jon Tortorella as well as a joke about how goalies are their own kind of weird and they were perfect! At 215 pages it’s a perfect little read.

Out on January 12th, yall will NOT want to miss this! Kelly absolutely outdid herself on this one 😍


Thank you to Net Galley and Boldwood Books, along with Kelly Jamieson for the advanced reading copy in exchange for my review!

#NetGalley #bookreview #CrossingTheLine

Mabel and Ben are so charming !…the way the banter hits all the right spots !!….can’t wait for the next book!

A treat for hockey romance fans. Brother's best friend who was high school crush for quirky librarian on the rebound from an abusive relationship make for a rollercoaster of emotions, finding inner strength, facing demons, and finding who you really are and what you want in life. A lot of subplots and some serious notes, all together an solid read.

Yes! I love when a story catches my attention from the first few pages. Crossing the Line did just that. I liked how Kelly crafted the characters and the storyline very much. I found it hard to put down. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Crossing the Line is about Mabel and Ben. Mabel moved in with her brother and ben after leaving an abusive relationship. Mabel had a massive crush on Ben when they were younger. Mabel and Ben are total opposites. Mabel is an extrovert and ben is an introvert. Ben is trying to become captain of his hockey team but needs to be a little more extrovert. With Mabel's help, ben starts to come out of his comfort zone. Along the way Mabel and Ben form a relationship and learn more about themselves. I hope will more to this series in the future.