Stephanie Archer has been a long time favourite of mine and Gloves Off is by far one of her best.

It shines in a world of hockey romances and really stands out as a top tier. I loved that as much as it was fun and funny it was equally heartfelt and emotional.

Archer’s dialogue and character development are always impressive and the banter in Gloves Off is proof of that!

I’m also a sucker for a big quiet grumpy man <3

It’s the kind of romance that has it all: strong characters, witty banter, slow-burn tension, and an ending that leaves you swooning.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First of all this book had be hooked from the first page. The perfect marriage of convenience plus hockey romance! I haven’t read the first 3 books of this series but I will be ASAP! I and such a sucker for hockey romance and marriage if convenience it isn’t even funny!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Um about to change my name, go to medical school, and move to Canada so I can find my own Alexei.

This was the easiest 5 stars ever. My GOD. There’s just something about people who hate each other and get fake married that really gets my blood pumping!!!!

Alexei is easily the hottest man on earth. Hockey player? Big muscles? Broody? Reading at bedtime? Slurry little glasses? Dominating on the ice and in the bedroom? Sign me the fuck up. God. And the flowers!? 😭 Don’t even fucking get me started. Never have I loved a microtrope more.

Georgia was so fucking funny I was laughing out loud so many times. Her little quips and comebacks to Alexei had me DYING!!!! She’s so smart, so sassy, so independent. I love her so much and I’d love to be her best friend. Can we talk about the shoe collection??????? I think I have the same fetish as Volkov because every time she put on a pair of fuck me heels, I was drooling.

This book was everything I expected, wants, and MORE. Easily the best of the series and I’m so sad that I finished it. I wish I could go back and reread it for the first time again 😩

Thank you so much to Dell for the ARC of this book!!!! I can’t wait for book 5!!!!!!!!!

I've really been enjoying Stephanie Archers books lately and this was another great one.I hope she keeps writing them.

I’ve loved all of Stephanie Archer’s Vancouver Storm series and Gloves Off was no exception! Alexei and Georgia’s insistence that they hated each other was extremely amusing. I loved the interactions with the characters from the previous books. Bonus points from hilariously named pet rabbits 😂

I absolutely love Stephanie Archer. I think her books are so sweet and romantic with just the right amount of angst. This was another fabulous read - my only note is the misunderstanding of her financial situation/upbringing went on a bit long and there was so much hatred that was repeated constantly throughout the first few chapters and made the pacing feel a bit off. Otherwise, I felt like this was an update on a Susan Elizabeth Phillips sports rom-com. It was such a sweet, fun romance - I can't wait to see more from her. This series has been equal parts spicy and delightful.

An absolute DELIGHT. The chemistry jumped off the page, with feuding that was really foreplay, bickering that felt more like banter, and characters who revealed different sides of themselves one layer at a time. I love a good marriage of convenience romance, and this was the best kind - complete with a hero who was smitten with his wife before he even knew what was happening. The spice was smokin’, but I adored the fact that they built such a strong emotional connection as well, breaking down walls and getting to know each other in a truly meaningful way. The evolution of their relationship showcases the strength and complexity of the writing, and I was fully engaged the entire time. This is one I won’t forget anytime soon. I loved it!

The story follows Alexei, an aging hockey player who is one injury away from retirement and quite possibly deportation. He’s been pushing through pain and injuries for years, but the situation is starting to feel precarious. So when Alexei discovers that the woman he loves to hate - the bane of his existence - is in need of a temporary husband in order to receive an inheritance, a brief marriage seems like the obvious answer. Alexei and Georgia loathe each other, so there is no chance of feelings getting involved, and they both have something to gain from the arrangement. But moving in together as man and wife reveals some serious flaws in the plan. They’ve never spent any time together, and much of their hatred is rooted in assumptions during brief interactions. As Alexei gets to know Georgia better, he soon realizes he’s in over his head.

I’ve been meaning to try out Archer’s work for a while now and this blurb had me intrigued, so I dove into this with high hopes and zero expectations. It wasted no time hooking me in, and I soon found myself bingeing it at an alarming rate. Alexei and Georgia are FIRE together, both hard-headed and determined. They truly did feel hate for each other, which took its time before slowly simmering into love. They were frustrated with the way they were drawn together, and that ramped up the tension and made the spice hot AF. Somewhere along the way, Alexei fell HARD for his wife, leading to SO MANY swoonworthy moments. The story put me through my paces emotionally and kept me turning the pages. I’m definitely going to have to check out the rest of the series now - the stories are clearly better together, but this was an absolute win on its own. So, so good.

this was my first book from stephanie archer and while jumping into an interconnected standalone could’ve been a bad idea, i really wanted to get a feel for her writing four books in and i’m not certain if they had better buildup throughout the series but im left feeling a little dejected. the tropes weren’t utilized to their best potential i feel and that left me with a bit of a disconnect between our characters, particularly when it came to their romantic development. i WILL however be reading the rest of the series as i’ve heard great things!!

Fake marriage, grumpy-alpha male hotness right here! Hate to love story…and he’s definitely possessive. 🔥 Hockey romance too. Read it, you won’t regret it.

I received this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Volkov & Georgia were so cute. I loved that their love language (like in every other book) was picking fights & bickering 🤣 I think Stephanie did a great job of showing their more personal sides though. Truly showing how compatible they really were. The unexpected friendships 👀 the bunnies 😍

There were so many little pieces that made this story beautiful. As usual our past besties made their appearances & that is truly one of my favorite things when it comes to book series. I’m really hoping we get more books. I’m FERAL with need for a Daddy Ward & Jordan book 🫠🥵

Favorite in the series. By far. I love Alexei and his broody grumpy vibe, Georgia’s lady balls and self love, their parents and friends, but mostly I love their chemistry and how their love story unfolds. *Plot spoiler* I am also obsessed with the fact that there was no third act breakup - I was ready for the demise of the “fake” marriage and was pleasantly surprised that it never came! 10/10. Thank you NetGalley, Ballantine, and Stephanie Archer for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback!

This book was everything I love in a hockey romance. It had characters I loved, enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience and great spice. I actually have not read the other books in this series and now I can’t wait to after reading this one. Definitely one of my favorite hockey romances I’ve read. The story was great and the banter between characters was also so good. Thank you NetGalley and the author for the early copy.

This is a marriage of convenience story that will keep you up all night reading because the writing is that addictive!

Alexei Volkov needs citizenship. Dr. Georgia Greene needs her inheritance. These two coworkers can’t stand each other but they will need to get married so that they can get what they want. This starts off as a fake marriage but will it stay that way?

These two have my heart and I hope everyone will fall in love with them like I did!

ahhh I loved this so much. The banter was great and didn't stop even when they stopped “hating” each other and their love felt so pure I felt it in my soul. You could tell they cared so deeply for each other and the oh crap everyone around us knows its so perfect and their own realizations that they were perfect was masterfully done. I thought her work stuff was really interesting and they had arguments that they worked through and it made their relationship seem so realistic and like it would really last. I love a book where the couple is always challenging each other and this was chefs kiss.

I loved it!

Volkov and Greene are my favourite couple in this series so far.

The way they grow together. Chef’s kiss

I just love them, love everything about this book

Can’t wait to see Volkov evolve in the other book…

Everyone needs to be reading Stephanie Archer, this whole hockey series, but specifically this one. This is her best work and I am giddy thinking about the next book about Coach. The hero here is just the most amazing type of broody, determined man who loves to spoil his women and if you love spoiling then you need to read this series.

absolutely obsessed. gloves off completely devoured me in the best way possible. i went in excited for enemies to lovers + marriage of convenience (aka the holy grail of tropes) and came out with my heart in a puddle, my cheeks sore from smiling, and my soul permanently attached to georgia and alexei.

the banter? iconic. the tension? literally sizzling. the emotional depth that sneaks up on you mid-swoon? devastatingly good. stephanie archer just gets it. she knows exactly how to make you laugh, ache, blush, and then suddenly you’re clutching your chest because the feelings hit out of nowhere. the slow burn is perfectly painful—like you want to scream “just kiss already!” every ten pages, but you also never want it to end.

georgia is sunshine and chaos with the best fashion sense ever, and alexei is pure grumpy walls-up hotness with a secret soft side that made me melt. their dynamic is electric—snarky pranks, emotional landmines, and chemistry that could melt the entire rink. and don’t even get me started on the language of flowers. like, sir. please. my standards are now ruined.

i loved that their relationship stayed playful and teasing even after the feelings hit. the fake marriage never stopped being fun, but watching it evolve into something real was so satisfying. their growth—as individuals and as partners—was written so beautifully. stephanie archer really knows how to write a romance that feels.

also, bunnies named damon and stefan?? elite.

this book had me giggling, kicking my feet, and re-reading my favorite scenes the second i finished. easily a new comfort read. i’m never shutting up about this series. stephanie archer, thank you for ruining me (in the best way). 5/5 stars, no notes.

thank you to netgalley for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Georgia is an NHL doctor, and Alexei is an NHL player. Both can not stand each other. BUT each need each other to get what they want. Georgia, her inheritance, and Alexei need citizenship, so they marry for convenience. How could this end?

Perfect addition to the series! Love a pseudo-enemies to lovers and the miscommunication was the perfect amount. Their connection growing as the impressions they had of one another evolved felt real and earned.