Soooo good!
Read this if you like…

Romcoms
Closed door
Giggle and kick your feet moments
Single mom
Cinnamon roll hero

This is a very good, very sweet, very enjoyable read when you want a feel-good book. Evie and her baby move to North Carolina to pursue a work opportunity, important since Evie’s ex divorced her while she was still pregnant. Getting help moving her stuff into a rental house from her best friend’s older brother becomes complicated as Josie’s with the rental push Evie and Alec together, and they try to navigate turning an old family friendship into something more. The fact that Alec is a famous hockey player dealing with his own challenges adds another dimension to this sweet, no spice story. The characters are fully drawn and book never becomes formulaic. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. All views are entirely my own and offered voluntarily.

5⭐️s Yup. I knew I’d love it. There always manages to be depth and just utter sweet moments in Jenny’s books. Never disappoints. Alec with his alpha vine was great and Evie was so strong for going through so much. The twins!! Such good moments with them too. Juno has my heart too. 💜

Synopsis:
When Evie moves South to the same mountain town where her childhood crush plays pro-hockey, she arms herself with all the reasons why she can’t fall for him again.

Number one: Alec is her best friend’s much older brother.
Number two: She’s recently divorced and does not need another man in her life. At least not anytime soon.
Number three: With a four-month-old daughter, she has zero time for dating.

Trouble is, Evie doesn’t know another soul in North Carolina, so when her rental floods before she’s even moved in, her only option is to crash with Alec for a few weeks. When she protests, he insists it’s what he’d do for his sister, and that’s basically what she is to him.

But all these years later, the unexpected chemistry between them definitely says otherwise. A new relationship is risky when Evie is still licking her wounds from her divorce, and she has no idea if Alec has any desire to be a dad. His sister already warned he isn’t the type to settle down.

But she can’t make herself care about any of that. Not until she’s already fallen, and it might be too late to save herself from another heartbreak.

Thank you so much to @jennyproctorbooks and @netgalley for the advanced reader copy. I’m so grateful.

When I first read the blurb about was the book was about I was automatically intrigued. Hockey Romance, Age gap, Best friends brother tropes to name a few are top tier for me. You have grumpy defense man Alec who was just doing his sister a favor and helping her best friend Evie move in. Life happens and Evie ends up spending a couple of weeks in Alec's home. Evie has had a crush on Alec since before High School. The way he calls her "nerd" right off the bat just lets you know how the dynamic was for the both of them growing up. Evie is moving to North Carolina for an apprenticeship and is coming out of a marriage. With no support system it was so nice to see Alec and also his Apies teammates step up to the plate. When Alec Met Evie was a cute romcom that taught you that sometimes the most unexpected happy things occur when you least expect them and sometimes pining over your best friends brother can be rewarded when you really need them in life.

Jenny Proctor does it again with another excellent addition to the Appies series. As always, funny, heartwarming, and sweet. And I’m surprised but she has managed to jump Alec to my second favorite Appie. And despite how cute and wholesome it was, it still managed to make me cry.

Full endorsement of all things Appie, but give this one a go if you’re looking for:

-hockey romance
-best friend’s older brother
-single mom
-small town
-hockey player x luthier/violinist 🏒& 🎻

5 stars as always! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book. This series. I'm so sad to (maybe) see it come to an end. I have loved my time with the Appies. I don't watch hockey but I sure have loved This fictional hockey team.
Alec & Evie were great together. If course, not everything is perfect but they learn how to manage it together. Alec, Evie & Juno - perfect family.

When Alec Met Evie is book six in the amazing Appies series by Jenny Proctor.
I love these books so much! Like they are just the best!
Sweet, funny, it will pull at your heartstrings… just perfection. Great writing, great cast of characters!
WAME is an interesting hockey romance! Very entertaining!

Wow, 5 stars all the way! If you ever want to see a woman completely swooning over a man, just let him sing a sweet lullaby to a baby, make the world's best coffee, and anticipate your needs before you even voice them! WOW, Alec is amazing! Add in being the team captain and stepping up to help the twins adjust on the Appies team (or as Theo likes to call it, Apples, lol), and man, Alec is one dream man of an MMC! LOL! In this story, Evie is coming to NC for a dream job, but as she’s new in town, her best friend Megan has her big brother Alec step in to help her move. What they don’t anticipate is a pipe bursting in Evie's rental, leaving her and her daughter Juno with nowhere to go. Being the amazing man he is, Alec offers his home. He claims he is not a baby person, but Juno instantly wins him over, just like Evie does. She is no longer just Megan's best friend; she is a gorgeous woman and a wonderful mom. Between helping Evie, juggling his injury, and being team captain, his hands are full. As his past injury becomes a bigger issue, he is faced with some tough choices. With Evie's stay at his home coming to an end, real feelings begin to develop. With an age gap of 9 years, a baby, and an ex-husband in the mix, can Evie and Alec take a chance on loving each other?

This book gave me all the feels, not just because of the romance, but also Alec's commitment to helping with Juno and the tough decisions he faces regarding his injury and the mental impact of that. The twins and their struggles, especially with Theo, add so much depth to the story. There was so much going on, but I did not want it to end. When you read this book, make sure to take advantage of the bonus epilogue=perfection!

Things I loved:
- Forced proximity and the age gap
- Alec singing to Juno
- Alec anticipating Evie's needs
- The text messages
- That FIRST KISS...
- And SO much more! But I am NOT giving anything else away, lol. You HAVE to read this!

I received a complimentary copy; this review reflects my honest opinion.

There are no words.

I thought Felix would be hard to beat, enter Nathan, I thought Nathan would be hard to beat and enter Alec. I have LOVED the Appies series and while Nathan's book was a direct attack on my feelings as an adult child of an alcoholic Alec and his steadiness touched my soul. This precious captain who went out of his way for his team for 5 previous books - my heart cant take it.

I loved every single minute of this book and think it was a great way to send off the Appies (but selfishly hope there is more to come some day!) and I have come to love Jenny and Emma as authors and look forward to everything they publish.

PLEASE grab this book/series.

Alec es el capitán de los Appies y está pasando por una etapa desconcertante de su vida. Sabe que está envejeciendo y que su lesión en la rodilla está afectando su forma de jugar. Además, ve a sus mejores amigos seguir adelante con sus vidas fuera del deporte; tienen novias y ya no pasan tanto tiempo con él, mientras que él se siente estancado. Su vida se ha vuelto monótona hasta que su hermana le pide que ayude a mudarse a la casa de su mejor amiga, Evie, quien acaba de tener un bebé y ahora es mamá soltera. Pronto, Evie y la pequeña Juno le enseñan que hay más en la vida que solo el hockey.



No puedo creer que sea el último libro. Disfruté mucho toda la serie, ojalá vuelva a unirse para escribir juntas y obviamente estaré al tanto de sus futuros lanzamientos por separado.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the cutest cozy hockey romance. I absolutely adore Alec & Evie. I mean…who doesn’t love a best friend’s brother trope?

I’ve read quite a few of the books in this series, and they always leave me feeling warm + fuzzy.

One of my favorite things about this story was the diversity of characters; conversations around bodies, our abilities, and mental health. Romance with depth is my go-to & I’m so grateful for the opportunity to read this in advance of its release.

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC

It’s funny. Some of the tropes in this one are my least favorite. But they work. Kudos to Jenny Proctor for making tropes that I dislike become likable. As one of the older members of the team, Captain Alec is reaching that time where he needs to start thinking about what comes after hockey. That’s something he’d really like to avoid. Between helping Evie with her infant daughter and taking on homesick twin 18-year-old recruits, he does find his path. Evie has to learn to accept her new mom life with all its chaos, while learning a new career, and getting over a narcissistic ex-husband. This book is the official end of the series (although there’s certainly room for some spinoffs), and there is a beautiful part near the end where our six main players get to reflect on their friendship and sort of say goodbye. It’s good writing and good closure for us, the readers.

The first two books of this series were part of another multi-author series, Sweater Weather, but have since been moved over to make the complete Appies series. The Appies, a minor-league hockey team in North Carolina, are patterned after the Savannah Bananas baseball team in that they do all kinds of fun social media posts, with team members singing, dancing, and doing other stunts. This has brought them a degree of fame, success, and high-dollar contracts that most minor-league teams and players can’t boast. It also keeps the players more dedicated to the team, some even declining to move up to the NHL. For us, as readers, that keeps characters consistently showing up throughout the six-book series. While each of these books can stand alone, if you’re going to read the set (and you should), I think you’ll get a richer experience if you read them in publication order.

In general, the series is wonderfully consistent in its treatment of its recurring characters. With two authors publishing six books over 18 months, continuity errors are definitely possible. I’ve got a really good sense for continuity, and I really didn’t find any problems in that department.
All of the female main characters exist beyond their potential as romantic partners. They have actual lives and interesting careers—public relations, violinist, veterinary student, lawyer, aspiring writer, and an apprentice luthier. They all have opinions about the world and opinions about hockey.

The male main characters have various reasons for their singleness at the beginning of the series. Several have (mostly undeserved) reputations as serial daters. All are dedicated to hockey.

The situations that get the various couples together are varied and interesting. Of course, there is an element of predictability: when there are two POV characters, you know they’ll end up together. The question is: what will happen to them before they get there? Will there be a third-act breakup, or will there be something else that tests the relationship?

All six books have some really beautiful description and great figurative language. In all of them, most of the minor characters have dimension, rather than being cardboard cutouts. I’d say the most stereotypical minor characters are the puck bunnies, particularly in Nathan’s case (Romancing the Grump.)

Possible objectionable material:
Very mild cursing. Various issues such as parental divorce or neglect, alcoholism, death of a parent, chronic illness, infidelity. This is hockey, so there are injuries and the occasional fight. People drink. A minor character gets a tattoo; it’s misspelled and played for humor. This is closed door romance, so we don’t see more than passionate kisses. There is a hint that sex happens.

Who might like these books:
Romance fans, hockey fans, hockey romance fans. Anyone who likes well-written books where characters grow and develop over the course of the story.

This book is also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2025/01/meet-appies.html

This was an enjoyable and easy read. I loved the chemistry between the main characters, and I think I might be a little in love with Alec. While the story slowed down a bit in the middle, it made up for it with a strong, emotional ending. One chapter even brought tears to my eyes. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this new-to-me author. Thank you to Net galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

When Alec Met Evie by Jenny Proctor was the perfect way to spend a bitterly cold day along with a warm afghan and a cat curled on my lap!

I've read all of the Appie books by Jenny Proctor and Emma St. Clair and Alec's book (finally!) and this one did not disappoint. Alec, our team Captain, is at a crossroads, trying to define himself outside of hockey and he's struggling to find out who he is. Enter his sister's friend, Evie, who moves to town with her baby and who suddenly needs a place to stay. Alec offers, she accepts and we begin their story. Evie doesn't need or want a man and Alec is floundering personally. They complement each other and their realization that they are better together is gradual and incredibly sweet.

I'm not going to lie - I'm more of a fan of the spicy books and accidentally download my first Appie book, but was quickly hooked by the guys on the team and their great soon to be partners. Jenny Proctor and Emma St. Clair have seamlessly created this hockey universe and have made their books smoothly segue between each author, so much so, that I have had to check who was writing which book. They are that good writing together.

Each book can be read as a stand-alone, but don't deprive yourself of the full series. The friendships, found families, and chats between the players are epic and a sheer joy.

I was lucky enough to get a copy of this book as an ARC by NetGalley and the Publisher for an honest review. All opinions are my own. (I would have bought this on release day, if I hadn't got a copy of the ARC)

This book was so cute! It had some of my favorite tropes, sister’s best friend and age gap. There was also forced proximity and single mom. Alec was adorable, the way he instantly was attracted to Evie, he basically swallowed his tongue. And then Evie has always had a little crush on Alec bc of course he’s perfect. Juno was the cutest little baby and honestly Alec was so sweet with her, it was fun reading there little moments.

It was great seeing Alec break his walls down and allow himself to feel all the feelings for Evie and i’m so glad Megan was totally for them being together. There was no real conflict which made this a fluffy and quick read.absolutely adored it.

Can I give it 7/5 stars??

How can I say goodbye to the Appies? I don't know how to put into words how much joy this series brought me. And to have the captain's book as their final act? Brilliant! But I'll not lie, it had me feeling a little bittersweet.

If by any chance you don't know this series, it is written by the two main legends of closed door romances (and my personal favorite contemporary authors) - Emma St. Clair and Jenny Proctor. They wrote three books each, with the first two being also a part of the Sweater Weather series (you should definitely check it out!!). Each book follows one player of The Appies, an AHL team based in the fictional town of Harvest Hollow, NC. Located in the Appalachians, the city is the embodiment of your cozy autmn small town dreams - but with a famous pro hockey team, of course.

When Alec Met Evie follows the team captain, who after a few lesions needs to start thinking about his life outside of hockey. At the same time, Evie is moving to Harvest Hollow to start an internship after a divorce with her four month old daughter. She doesn't know anyone there, except for Alec, her best friend's older brother. After finding her rental flooded, she accepts the offer to live with him for a few weeks, until the repairs are done. That's the initial premise, but this book is SO MUCH DEEPER than that.

This is not a simple best friend's brother, age gap, single mom, hockey romance. This is a book about a man trying to understand who he is outside the sport he spent his whole life playing, where he is a leader figure and a guide to younger players. This is about a woman who is navigating motherhood alone, going after her dreams and being strong for both herself and her little girl. This is about a team that is the epitome of chosen family. This is about young players going through grief, about messy family dynamics and about finding your purpose in life.

And that's the beauty I have only found in closed door romances. They go so much deeper than the simple attraction and romcom sides of the story. Jenny and Emma manage to write that and balance it with funny moments with such a mastery I have yet to find authors who rival them.

This book has so many laugh out loud moments, like ALL of the Dream Team group chat threads and apples (iykyk), and of course, A TON of swoon worthy scenes. I kid you not, I think this is the most I highlighted a book in quite a long time. I just didn't want it to end.

Since this review is already gigantic, I'll just finish by saying this book - and the whole series - is a five star read. Maybe even more than that. Like a 7/5 stars. I just can't wait to re-read all over again (for a second time haha).

A huge thank you to the Netgalley and publishing team of access to this ARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book and all the opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Single mom, best friend’s brother, hockey romcom. Alec and Evie had great chemistry, and Juno was adorable. The secondary characters were great as always. Favorite Appies book so far!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. When Alec Met Evie is out tomorrow!!! (January 23, 2025)

I’ve so enjoyed the Appies series, and it made me ecstatic that we were finally getting Alec’s book. And it didn’t disappoint. Evie was the perfect match for him, and I love their makeshift family with little Juno. It’s always fun getting back into that world as well with characters from previous books.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

Evie is divorced, with a 4 month old baby her ex-husband has no interest in, traveling states away to apprentice in what she hopes will be a stable career for her. Unfortunately, when she arrives, her rental house is flooded and unliveable. Thankfully, her best friends older brother Alec steps in to offer her a place to stay in his massive home, and Evie tries to stifle the rise of the crush she used to harbor in her teens.

*****

This was such a genuine and well-done novel. I loved that it was a sisters' best friend trope, and instead of being over-protective and demanding as a lot of brothers' best friends tropes can be, she was amazing. Seeing the support, love, and encouragement on her end made the book low-stress and easy to binge.

Watching Alec's character go from indifferent and detached, to engaged and excited about Evie as well as June was so incredibly touching. As well as seeing Evie gain her confidence back and see her ex for who he truly was.

Typical to Jenny Proctor books, there was no spice or eluding to spice on the page, but it didn't take away from the relationship development nor the chemistry. Whether you enjoy on-page romance or not, this one is genuinely so good you won't miss it.

*****

Thank you, NetGalley, Jenny Proctor, and Victoria Editing Co-Op for the digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Alec and Evie were just perfection. I was obssessed with these two from the start and rooting for their HEA! These two were absolutely meant to be together and I love the pacing of this story. You got to see these two reconnect and also got to see them all together since they were temporary roommates. Alec was the absolute sweetest and I loved all the little things he was constantly doing to make Evie and her daughter, Juno feel safe and happy. I am so sad to say goodbye to the Appie's, I have loved every book in this series but I can easily say this one is my favorite!