Mabel makes the decision to leave her emotionally abusive boyfriend and needs a place to crash temporarily as she gets her life back. She moves in with her brother, who is also playing temporary host to his best friend, Ben. Mabel had a crush on Ben when they were teens and those feelings come roaring back as she falls for the man he's become. Ben asks for her help becoming more social and outgoing so he can show the team he has what it takes to be captain both on and off the ice and finds that she's perfect for him.

Read if you like:
-Hockey Romance
-Brother's Best Friend
-Slow Burn
-Sweet, Quiet MMC with a Dirty Mouth
-Temporary Roommates

I really enjoyed Crossing the Line! It was so nice to see both Mabel and Ben open up to each other as they slowly fell in love. They were each protective and supportive of the other. And Ben has a surprisingly dirty mouth, but it's always the quiet one ;)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Summary:
Crossing the Line by Kelly Jamieson is a heartfelt and spicy hockey romance that brings together a shy, introverted hero and a bold, extroverted heroine in a story about love, healing, and finding the courage to be yourself. Featuring tropes like brothers-best-friend, friends-to-lovers, and a touch of emotional abuse recovery, this is a fun and moving pick for romance lovers.

Full Review:
As a mood reader, I often crave different kinds of stories depending on the week. This week, I wanted something light, romantic, and a little spicy—and Crossing the Line absolutely delivered. This book is everything I love in a sports romance: a sweet yet steamy storyline, hockey hunks, and relatable characters with depth and charm.

The standout element for me was the dynamic between the shy, socially awkward hero and the bold, sunshine heroine. Watching the heroine encourage him to step out of his comfort zone while still respecting who he truly is was beautiful. The underlying message of the story—that you don’t have to change to be accepted, and that imperfection is part of what makes us unique—really resonated with me.

Jamieson also strikes a good balance between lighthearted fun and deeper emotional moments. While the story is mostly an easy and enjoyable read, it touches on heavier themes like emotional abuse, adding complexity and depth to the characters.

For fans of Icebreaker, this book is a fantastic addition to the hockey romance genre. It’s the perfect palette cleanser after heavier reads or fantasy series—a no-brainer, feel-good romance that I devoured in no time. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a cozy, uplifting escape!

Tropes & Themes:
• Brothers-best-friend
• Friends-to-lovers
• Hockey romance
• Emotional healing
Available 12-01-2025❤️

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC.

Not terrible enough to dnf, but not that great either.
Not all of it was bad, I related a lot to Ben and his social anxiety. However, the writing was super juvenile for most of the book. Somehow, these two went to high school together, and she didn't know he had a brother and sister?
The use of words like rizz, banging, boiking, and gah had me thinking this author must be young. Investigating further, she's not, so it's even more bizarre.
Also, there needs to be a huge trigger warning for the death of a baby! I was not prepared for that situation at all.

I was a bit disappointed with this book. I felt it was quite slow and a little bit lacking in energy.
The characters were a bit wishy washy and their stories did not really pick up for a long time. I didn’t feel any consistent great chemistry between Ben and Mabel. There was potential but it just never came through strongly enough for me.
I’ve enjoyed lots of books by this author before but unfortunately this one was not for me.
2.5 stars

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and Kelly Jamieson for sending me an ARC of this new hockey romance!

If you like a brothers best friend trope, this book is for you! I will never say no to a hockey romance, let alone a brothers best friend story line!

This is my first time reading a book by Kelly Jamieson and I was not disappointed!! This book was very well written, with a few spicy scenes🌶️ I would recommend you read the trigger warnings before reading this book as there are a few chapters that talk about some pretty heavy topics.

However, this was a very good book. The perfect quick and easy read romance! I would recommend this to anyone who likes ice hockey boys, forced proximity and brothers best friend trope! 🩵

Really enjoyed this. Mabel and Ben couldn't be more different. Opposites really do attract Great start to this brand new world. Looking forward to reading the next one in the series

A smutty hockey romance. The story has duel povs as we read the story of these two characters trying to navigate life after leaving an abusive relationship and the other trying to learn to come out of their shell to advance in their career. *Trigger warning, loss of a child. Alludes to abuse

This was a cute, quick read, great for sports romance fans.

Sweet Story! Loved Mabel & Ben’s love story! These two are made for each other. Im looking forward to more stories in the series!

This book started off great! It was silly and flirty and sexy and then wait a second?? What the heck? I was thrown off by a particular event in this book and I felt it was totally unnecessary to include. The event does not involve the main characters directly but it does effect them and while I guess I can somewhat see why the author added it, I was not a fan and feel like it could have been left out. I will say that overall I did really enjoy this book and I liked Ben and Mabel individually and as a couple. I liked how they were both accepting of each other 100% without judgement and they were both very supportive.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought that this one was just okay. It was your average romance. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. I felt bad for the MMC with all the anxiety he had going on in his life and I liked how the FMC helped him through it. I thought the spice was a little bit cringey. Overall, 3 star read for me. Thank you so much to NetGalley for my ARC!

This book had so much potential.. it just fell flat for me. I felt like I was reading a bunch of sentences, not a cohesive story. I loved the concept and if I could look past the writing I’m sure I would have loved the book.

Personally this was not for me, but I’m sure it would be great for someone else.

Crossing the line is the first book I’ve read by author Kelly Jamieson. It is about a hockey player, Ben, who ends up falling for his teammate/best friend’s sister, Mabel. Ben is a shy introverted guy while Mabel is the quirky, fun loving librarian. They both have their own challenges they are going through when they run into each other.

Just a heads up, it gets a bit spicy. Also TW for child loss. Personally, I thought that part of the storyline was unnecessary.

Overall, this was an easy, quick read that will keep you entertained. Thank you Boldwood Books for providing this book via NetGalley in the exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Sometimes you give something a try and hope that it will be different...only to find that little has changed. This is me and the brother's best friend trope. The way that this trope generally plays out in hockey (or sports) romances rarely deviates from a set form: hockey teammates, who purportedly care about and respect one another on and off the ice, are divided when the sister of one of the players begins dating or sleeping with their sibling's best friend. It usually involves a lot of "locker room talk," "bad boy/player," or "modern profligate rake" to emphasize the reasons why the brother's best friends is unsuitable for the female main character in question. These double standards and internalized patriarchy are tired, and also generally serve to infantilize the female main character and create unnecessary plot tension. All of these aspects were present in Crossing the Line by Kelly Jamieson, and sadly this book just did not work for me. As a hockey romance, it really didn't work for me. Too much junk food eating and beer drinking and quite frankly very little ice time.

The story centers Mabel Smits, a quirky, effervescent, and oddball librarian, who has recently left her relationship of several years (he was a narcissist and emotionally manipulative) and her steady job at the local, small town library. Now she is starting over in New York City - Hoboken, actually - trying to find a new job and temporarily living with her professional hockey playing brother, Marek Smits. Her brother also happens to be playing host to his best friend, Ben Antonov, so apartment space is limited and awkward runs ins are unavoidable. I liked how Ben and Mabel initially partnered to build Ben's extrovert skill set. That aspect of their relationship was very thoughtful, clearly communicating some of the challenges faced by introverts in an extroverted world.

There were some minor aspects that felt unnecessary: Taylor Swift and Bridgerton references, using the word "rizz," I'm not like other girls, and inventing the word "crappleberries."

Kelly Jamieson's new book, Crossing the Line, is the spicy love story of Mabel and Ben. Mabel breaks up with her boyfriend and finds herself living on her brother's couch and her brother's best friend, Ben, also happens to be staying with him. Introvert Ben needs help coming out of his shell and Mabel is just the woman to help him do it.

Forced proximity. Grumpy/ Sunshine

Thank you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Another good best friend's sister book.

Mabel relocates to live with her brother, unaware that Ben, her teenage crush and her brother's best friend, is also residing there. She assists Ben in overcoming his shyness and becoming more sociable. As they spend more time together, they discover their mutual affection. Fresh from a breakup, Mabel hesitates to trust Ben, taking time to follow her instincts regarding him. Alongside a group of charming and humorous hockey friends, this story will leave you enamored with Ben and cheering for Mabel to embrace her best life.

"Crossing the Line" by Kelly Jamieson is a captivating romance novel that follows Ben, a hockey team captain struggling with public speaking, and Mabel, his best friend's sister who moves into their shared condo. Their complicated history and simmering attraction create a delightful tension as they navigate personal challenges and unexpected feelings.
As a frequent romance novel reader, I found this book impossible to put down. Jamieson's writing style is smooth and engaging, with characters that communicate authentically and develop beautifully. Ben's character arc is particularly compelling - his vulnerability and growth are wonderfully portrayed.
The supporting characters add depth to the story, and the dynamic between Ben and Mabel feels genuine and heartwarming. Their journey from awkward cohabitants to potential lovers is both entertaining and emotionally satisfying.
A standout romance that perfectly balances humor, heart, and heat. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Crossing the Line is a angsty, opposites attract romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. Once I started reading I couldn’t stop and I loved how much Mabel and Ben grew as people by the end of the book!

Mabel is a very outgoing, energetic woman who is quirky in every way possible. Ben is a quiet, reserved man who only lets loose on the ice. These two find themselves leaning on the other when Ben needs Mabel to show him how to be more talkative and in turn Mabel discovers that she needs to take back control of her life after a horrible break up!

I love that there wasn’t over the top drama with this book. Both characters had so much to learn and it was done in a very relatable and understandable way! Mabel going through what she did is expected to be hesitant and I think Kelly did an amazing job highlighting her struggle. She also did so good with Ben’s character and him finding his voice. Absolutely enjoyed this read!

Crossing the Line is a cute, fast-paced hockey romance featuring a brother’s best friend/teammate’s sister trope. The characters are likeable: Mabel is quirky, outgoing, and empathetic, while Ben is reserved, observant, and caring. (Also, a hockey romance where the MMC wasn’t a noted playboy? Sign me up!) The romance is charming — and sometimes pretty steamy. Mabel and Ben are easy to root for as a couple, especially since both characters are supportive, understanding, and genuinely nice. Overall, it’s a heartwarming contemporary sports romance with strong character dynamics, and I’d recommend it to fans of the genre.

I really liked Mabel and Ben! It was refreshing to read about a man who is confident on the rink but is an introvert off the ice. Mabel was the opposite, very outgoing and can talk to anyone. They compliment each other, helping each other with their strengths and weaknesses. Ms Jamieson always delivers in each book that I’ve read!

Overall Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
Spicy Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5

I've missed Kelly's books! And then she comes out swinging with this incredible hockey romance story between Ben and Mabel.

One thing I love about Jamieson's stories is that she doesn't write "funny" characters. Like, that's not their entire personality. Don't get me wrong, I do love those kinds of characters! But when you write the most relatable characters as well as Kelly does I don't need them to be a laugh a minute.

Case in point? Mabel is every woman I know who was diagnosed with ADD/ADHD/Autism late in life. She was me at that age. Floundering. Having it *so together* in one area just to feel like your life is falling apart in every other one. Looking up one day and finding yourself staring back at a narcissist who has convinced you that you have zero worth; that they're your key to success. That..
Whoa. That got real deep, real fast. Sorry.

But that's just it. Mabel is literally me. She's my friends (because we ADD'ers clump up). She's women I know who just want to feel good about themselves while everyone they love looks at them with pity.

And then Ben. Ben is such an incredible character. He's a pullover from the Chicago Aces series and I love seeing him grow and develop. As a character and a player. In this book, his coaches want him to step up, become the leader they see in him. The issue is: he's an introvert. He's a balls-to-the-wall player on the ice, but off it he'd rather keep to himself.

He's also crushing on his best friend's twin sister.

This book isn't just hockey--though Jamieson writes those heart pounding scenes beautifully. It's a look back. It's remembering "the good ole days" of high school when everyone is awkward but only a few realize it. It's relationships upon relationships upon relationships. I love how rich this world is and I cannot wait to read the rest of the guys's stories.

Because, oh yeah, Kelly has definitely set this up to be multiple stand-alones. I'm already so invested in Marek and wondering if I've met his future FMC or if she's waiting in the wings. I want all the guys to have HEA ... and eventually the Stanley!