What do you think?
Rate this book
Seattle Scorpions #1
Boarded Hearts
My whole life I’ve come out on top.
One of the finest players ever to grace the NHL? Check.
Most prolific playboy with an enviable reputation between the sheets? Check.
Award for the cockiest athlete in America? Also check, and well deserved I’d say.
So why does my life feel anything but the perfect image I project?
And why won’t the one woman who came crashing into my life and knocked me on my six-foot four ass take me seriously?
She doesn’t even recognize me, let alone worship the ground I walk on.
I’m in uncharted territory, tearing up my rule book and unearthing buried demons in my pursuit of her affection.
I always get what I want in life but apparently Felicity Thompson didn’t get the memo. I want her in my bed, but all she offers me is her witty British tongue and no-nonsense attitude.
It isn’t supposed to be this way. She’s supposed to unravel for me. Yet the harder I pursue her, the more my own layers peel away.
Felicity Thompson is fast becoming not just what I want but the very woman I need in my life, and I’m terrified to admit that when it truly matters, I might not be coming out on top after all.
One of the finest players ever to grace the NHL? Check.
Most prolific playboy with an enviable reputation between the sheets? Check.
Award for the cockiest athlete in America? Also check, and well deserved I’d say.
So why does my life feel anything but the perfect image I project?
And why won’t the one woman who came crashing into my life and knocked me on my six-foot four ass take me seriously?
She doesn’t even recognize me, let alone worship the ground I walk on.
I’m in uncharted territory, tearing up my rule book and unearthing buried demons in my pursuit of her affection.
I always get what I want in life but apparently Felicity Thompson didn’t get the memo. I want her in my bed, but all she offers me is her witty British tongue and no-nonsense attitude.
It isn’t supposed to be this way. She’s supposed to unravel for me. Yet the harder I pursue her, the more my own layers peel away.
Felicity Thompson is fast becoming not just what I want but the very woman I need in my life, and I’m terrified to admit that when it truly matters, I might not be coming out on top after all.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 9, 2024
About the author
Ruth Stilling
2 books46 followersRuth Stilling is a lover of all things escapism and can be mostly found with her head buried in a spicy book, writing her latest romance novel or out in the open air and nature, away from the bustle of life. As clumsy as she is crazy, Ruth enjoys creating relatable, loveable, swoon-worthy and strong willed main characters who find their happy ending. That said, she prides herself on taking her readers on emotional rollercoasters and always recommends reading her books with tissues on hand to wipe away the tears of joy, laughter and sometimes heartache.
Ruth lives in Derbyshire, England with her own personal book boyfriend (lucky girl), her six year old son and her two feisty chihuahuas.
Keep up to date with Ruth's latest content and exciting projects by following her on social media: @authorruthstilling
Ruth lives in Derbyshire, England with her own personal book boyfriend (lucky girl), her six year old son and her two feisty chihuahuas.
Keep up to date with Ruth's latest content and exciting projects by following her on social media: @authorruthstilling
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
May 3, 2024
4.75/5✨️ 2.5🌶
I'm obsessed with this book. It had me so dang emotional! Such a refreshing hockey romance!
Loved Jon and Felicity
Full RTC.
I'm obsessed with this book. It had me so dang emotional! Such a refreshing hockey romance!
Loved Jon and Felicity
Full RTC.
April 20, 2024
Oh. My. Jon. 😭
This book is STUNNING. 🥹 Jon? Felicity? Adam? Ugh.
I cannot believe this is Ruth’s debut novel. It reads like a NYT best seller by a veteran author. I absolutely could not put this book down. Everything about it was perfect.
The character development? The plot? The HEA?
PERFECT. 💖
This book is STUNNING. 🥹 Jon? Felicity? Adam? Ugh.
I cannot believe this is Ruth’s debut novel. It reads like a NYT best seller by a veteran author. I absolutely could not put this book down. Everything about it was perfect.
The character development? The plot? The HEA?
PERFECT. 💖
March 25, 2024
How this is a debut novel, I will never understand! Ruth knocked it out of the park with Boarded Hearts (I’m mixing my sports metaphors here but the statement stands).
The novel follows playboy hockey superstar Jon Morgan who, at 34, is starting to question what he really wants out of life and if what he’s been doing is going to take him there. When he meets recently divorced Felicity, she about knocks him on his ass - quite literally. Their meet cute is adorable!
Felicity has finally found her way out of a loveless marriage to a controlling narcissist, and she’s ready to spread her wings. The last thing she wants is another relationship, but Jon is nothing like the man she is used to. Instead, she finds someone who sees all her good, all her strength, and wants her to be able to use those wings to fly like the angel she is in his mind.
Jon is truly the next book boyfriend to add to your roster - supportive, patient, protective, swoony, sexy (the spice is 😮💨). Also, his relationship with his family is one of my favorite parts of the book. Felicity is quick witted and so easy to relate to. I love that we are getting MCs that are a little older (34/39) and in a unique time in their lives.
Ruth also does a fabulous job of setting up future books in the series! Jon’s teammates and Felicity’s best friend definitely all need books because I loved them all. I’m so excited to see where this series goes next!
The novel follows playboy hockey superstar Jon Morgan who, at 34, is starting to question what he really wants out of life and if what he’s been doing is going to take him there. When he meets recently divorced Felicity, she about knocks him on his ass - quite literally. Their meet cute is adorable!
Felicity has finally found her way out of a loveless marriage to a controlling narcissist, and she’s ready to spread her wings. The last thing she wants is another relationship, but Jon is nothing like the man she is used to. Instead, she finds someone who sees all her good, all her strength, and wants her to be able to use those wings to fly like the angel she is in his mind.
Jon is truly the next book boyfriend to add to your roster - supportive, patient, protective, swoony, sexy (the spice is 😮💨). Also, his relationship with his family is one of my favorite parts of the book. Felicity is quick witted and so easy to relate to. I love that we are getting MCs that are a little older (34/39) and in a unique time in their lives.
Ruth also does a fabulous job of setting up future books in the series! Jon’s teammates and Felicity’s best friend definitely all need books because I loved them all. I’m so excited to see where this series goes next!
April 28, 2024
✨ARC review✨
Omg wow just wow 🤩🩷🥰
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
i’m a sucker for hockey romance, but oh my goodness this book I could not put it down and the characters are so lovable and relatable. I absolutely loved it. 🥰 i’m so excited for the next book to see the Zack story and how it will turn out.🤭
Some of the things that he does for her literally make my heart melt. I have no other words he is honestly to sweet🥺🩷
I loved how it had me in all my feelings. I was giggling blushing kicking my feet almost crying. I absolutely loved it and you need to read this book.🩷🏒⛸️🧊
Here is some of my favourite quotes.☁️🏒⛸️🧊🩷
“You aren’t just everything I want, felicity; you’re everything I need.”
“You’re it for me , Angel.Beyond you,there’s nothing else.”
“She’s shone her light into the darkest parts of my life and brings me peace.”
“I’d burn the f***ing world before I let anything happen to you.”
Omg wow just wow 🤩🩷🥰
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
i’m a sucker for hockey romance, but oh my goodness this book I could not put it down and the characters are so lovable and relatable. I absolutely loved it. 🥰 i’m so excited for the next book to see the Zack story and how it will turn out.🤭
Some of the things that he does for her literally make my heart melt. I have no other words he is honestly to sweet🥺🩷
I loved how it had me in all my feelings. I was giggling blushing kicking my feet almost crying. I absolutely loved it and you need to read this book.🩷🏒⛸️🧊
Here is some of my favourite quotes.☁️🏒⛸️🧊🩷
“You aren’t just everything I want, felicity; you’re everything I need.”
“You’re it for me , Angel.Beyond you,there’s nothing else.”
“She’s shone her light into the darkest parts of my life and brings me peace.”
“I’d burn the f***ing world before I let anything happen to you.”
April 12, 2024
Why can’t I give this more than five stars, because that is what this story deserves!!! Legit infinity stars! ♾️⭐️ How is this Ruth’s debut novel? This is incredible. The characters are phenomenal! The story is soooo heartfelt and beautifully written. Wow, absolutely amazing!!!!
🏒Hockey Romance
💖Incredible FMC
🏒Reformed Playboy
💖Single Mom
🏒He Falls First, & Hard
💖Reverse Age Gap
🏒Mental Health Rep
Felicity sweet, strong, incredible Felicity! You are soooo relatable! There were moments I felt myself nodding along with everything you were saying. Everything you are put through you stomp over and persevere!!!
Jon, you wonderful, fantastic, incredible character! Everything you did, everything you are, is absolutely amazing. Reformed Playboy, so hot! Protective, yesss please! An incredible brother, son, teammate, partner and man! I love you fiercely! You had me wanting to read so fast to see what you would do next. And yet, I didn’t want the book to end because of your amazingness!!! I love you, you spicy mmc!
Again Ruth are you real? I am still so blown away that this was your first book! You deserve all the praise and high fives for how incredible this book is. I am sooooo excited to see what is next! But mostly, thank you for bearing your soul to us in this story. It is the perfect amount of spice, humor, heartfelt, and soooo much love! Jon & Felicity are perfection! ♾️⭐️
🏒Hockey Romance
💖Incredible FMC
🏒Reformed Playboy
💖Single Mom
🏒He Falls First, & Hard
💖Reverse Age Gap
🏒Mental Health Rep
Felicity sweet, strong, incredible Felicity! You are soooo relatable! There were moments I felt myself nodding along with everything you were saying. Everything you are put through you stomp over and persevere!!!
Jon, you wonderful, fantastic, incredible character! Everything you did, everything you are, is absolutely amazing. Reformed Playboy, so hot! Protective, yesss please! An incredible brother, son, teammate, partner and man! I love you fiercely! You had me wanting to read so fast to see what you would do next. And yet, I didn’t want the book to end because of your amazingness!!! I love you, you spicy mmc!
Again Ruth are you real? I am still so blown away that this was your first book! You deserve all the praise and high fives for how incredible this book is. I am sooooo excited to see what is next! But mostly, thank you for bearing your soul to us in this story. It is the perfect amount of spice, humor, heartfelt, and soooo much love! Jon & Felicity are perfection! ♾️⭐️
May 2, 2024
Ruth Stilling's Boarded Hearts is the sort of novel that grabs you by the heartstrings and doesn't easily let go! It's got everything a good sports romance should have: a charming leading man, a fiercely independent leading lady, and a backdrop of high-energy hockey that gives the whole thing a thrilling edge!
.
In this attractive debut, we're catapulted to the glamorous world of professional hockey, where Jon Morgan, the NHL's most charming playboy, meets Felicity Thompson, an inspiring single mother! It's the traditional story of opposites attracting, but with a unique twist!
.
Ruth Stilling's style is both playful and passionate, that has gripped me into the thoughts and emotions of her characters! Jon is used to women falling at his feet, but Felicity's strong sense of self and reluctance to be just another notch on his bedpost test him in ways he never expected. Their conversation is smart and fast-paced, keeping the plot current and intriguing from beginning to end!
.
I was especially attracted to Ruth Stilling's exploration of heavier subjects while maintaining the book's lighthearted tone! As Felicity deals with life as a single mother and Jon battles his mental health issues, we witness sincere and supportive individuals. The story's rhythm flows easily with just the proper amount of spice to keep things intriguing without resorting to needless drama!
.
Boarded Hearts is a must-read for fans of sports romance and anybody looking for a touching novel with well-developed characters. If you're looking for a romance with comedy, spice, and heart, this is the book for you! I rate this 10/10 and definitely in my top reads of sports romance books of the Year!
.
In this attractive debut, we're catapulted to the glamorous world of professional hockey, where Jon Morgan, the NHL's most charming playboy, meets Felicity Thompson, an inspiring single mother! It's the traditional story of opposites attracting, but with a unique twist!
.
Ruth Stilling's style is both playful and passionate, that has gripped me into the thoughts and emotions of her characters! Jon is used to women falling at his feet, but Felicity's strong sense of self and reluctance to be just another notch on his bedpost test him in ways he never expected. Their conversation is smart and fast-paced, keeping the plot current and intriguing from beginning to end!
.
I was especially attracted to Ruth Stilling's exploration of heavier subjects while maintaining the book's lighthearted tone! As Felicity deals with life as a single mother and Jon battles his mental health issues, we witness sincere and supportive individuals. The story's rhythm flows easily with just the proper amount of spice to keep things intriguing without resorting to needless drama!
.
Boarded Hearts is a must-read for fans of sports romance and anybody looking for a touching novel with well-developed characters. If you're looking for a romance with comedy, spice, and heart, this is the book for you! I rate this 10/10 and definitely in my top reads of sports romance books of the Year!
May 4, 2024
- Divorced Mom
- NHL Player
- Boy obsessed
- He Falls First
- Reformed Playboy
- Anxiety Rep
Let me start off by saying, welcome to my never ending harem of book boyfriend’s Jon Morgan.
I love a good he falls first/boy obsessed hockey player and Jon is most certainly that. He is also caring, supportive, protective, sexy, has a super loving relationship with his family, and he spoils her in and out of the bedroom…I mean come on…could he get anymore perfect!?
I really liked the fact that Jon and Felicity were both older (he is 34 and she is 39). It was just nice to read about a couple who wasn’t in college for a change.
I still can’t believe this is the author’s debut novel. It was so good I didn’t want to put it down. I am most definitely looking forward to reading more about the Seattle Scorpions in the future!
- NHL Player
- Boy obsessed
- He Falls First
- Reformed Playboy
- Anxiety Rep
Let me start off by saying, welcome to my never ending harem of book boyfriend’s Jon Morgan.
I love a good he falls first/boy obsessed hockey player and Jon is most certainly that. He is also caring, supportive, protective, sexy, has a super loving relationship with his family, and he spoils her in and out of the bedroom…I mean come on…could he get anymore perfect!?
I really liked the fact that Jon and Felicity were both older (he is 34 and she is 39). It was just nice to read about a couple who wasn’t in college for a change.
I still can’t believe this is the author’s debut novel. It was so good I didn’t want to put it down. I am most definitely looking forward to reading more about the Seattle Scorpions in the future!
April 22, 2024
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes
-Hockey
-Reformed Playboy
-Single Mom
-Mental Health Rep
-Reverse Age Gap
-He falls First and HARD
Let’s talk about how this is a debut novel????? Like are we kidding? The actual pure talent that this book is. It is so amazing!!
JON MORGAN🧎🏻♀️🧎🏻♀️🧎🏻♀️🧎🏻♀️🧎🏻♀️
The perfect book doesn’t exist? Then how do you explain this one??
No but honestly this book is everything I thought it would be and more!!!
Felicity and Jon had so much chemistry that my Kindle almost caught fire. The way that they had me in a whole chokehold is wild!!
The way that Jon loves Felicity so incredibly gently but also so loud will be the standard at which I hold all men to
The side characters were absolute perfection, and I cannot wait for their books to be released!!
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes
-Hockey
-Reformed Playboy
-Single Mom
-Mental Health Rep
-Reverse Age Gap
-He falls First and HARD
Let’s talk about how this is a debut novel????? Like are we kidding? The actual pure talent that this book is. It is so amazing!!
JON MORGAN🧎🏻♀️🧎🏻♀️🧎🏻♀️🧎🏻♀️🧎🏻♀️
The perfect book doesn’t exist? Then how do you explain this one??
No but honestly this book is everything I thought it would be and more!!!
Felicity and Jon had so much chemistry that my Kindle almost caught fire. The way that they had me in a whole chokehold is wild!!
The way that Jon loves Felicity so incredibly gently but also so loud will be the standard at which I hold all men to
The side characters were absolute perfection, and I cannot wait for their books to be released!!
April 9, 2024
Did I ever think a book would change my life?
Honestly no. I didn't think one book would bring me friends I hope to stay a lifetime. But maybe it was luck. And a whole lot of talent.
Meeting Ruth Stilling and hearing about her book "Boarded Hearts" was by complete coincidence. Usual scrolling through reels and explore pages on Instagram. But the first time I saw her reels, I knew in my gut that this book was special. I didn't need to know much, I just knew it was different. Memorable. That started my friendship with Ruth (Ruthie I know you are reading this and I LOVE YOU) and I couldn't be more grateful to Jon Morgan and Felicity Thompson for bringing me this beautiful soul.
Boarded Hearts follows a newly divorced mother of two, living in Seattle who stumbles upon the reformed playboy Jon Morgan, a legendary hockey player for the Seattle Scorpions. It's instant chemistry but Felicity isn't ready to open her heart to someone new. And though Jon Morgan has his own inner demons to face, he isn't afraid to put himself out there again and again to break down these walls.
There are so many pieces that I will hold onto from BH. Characters who have helped heal parts of my own heart, that remind me of people in my own life. The layers Ruthie built into this world are truly astonishing and it's unlike any other book I've picked up to date. Be prepared for the ride of a lifetime, it's coming soon and I promise it's worth the wait.
Honestly no. I didn't think one book would bring me friends I hope to stay a lifetime. But maybe it was luck. And a whole lot of talent.
Meeting Ruth Stilling and hearing about her book "Boarded Hearts" was by complete coincidence. Usual scrolling through reels and explore pages on Instagram. But the first time I saw her reels, I knew in my gut that this book was special. I didn't need to know much, I just knew it was different. Memorable. That started my friendship with Ruth (Ruthie I know you are reading this and I LOVE YOU) and I couldn't be more grateful to Jon Morgan and Felicity Thompson for bringing me this beautiful soul.
Boarded Hearts follows a newly divorced mother of two, living in Seattle who stumbles upon the reformed playboy Jon Morgan, a legendary hockey player for the Seattle Scorpions. It's instant chemistry but Felicity isn't ready to open her heart to someone new. And though Jon Morgan has his own inner demons to face, he isn't afraid to put himself out there again and again to break down these walls.
There are so many pieces that I will hold onto from BH. Characters who have helped heal parts of my own heart, that remind me of people in my own life. The layers Ruthie built into this world are truly astonishing and it's unlike any other book I've picked up to date. Be prepared for the ride of a lifetime, it's coming soon and I promise it's worth the wait.
April 23, 2024
I don't know whether to love or hate the fact that this book dropped into my Kindle at 1am, but three hours later I had already plowed through just about half the book. At 4am I had to force myself to put this book down. It had me so engage from the very first page and I finished this book in less than 24 hours. What does that tell you? That it's riveting, that's what.
This is the story of Felicity, a 39-year-old newly divorced mother of two almost adult children. She's British and new-ishly moved to Seattle where she's finding her own, as a single woman. To say that her marriage wasn't the greatest is putting it nicely, but she's loving her newfound freedom and discovering who she is again while building up her self-belief and confidence. She's beautiful, both inside and out. She's smart and funny and oh-so kind. Felicity is the best friend we all want to have.
Enter Jon. Jon is the GOAT in the NHL where he plays for the Seattle Scorpions. Jon is known as the bad boy, playboy of the NHL with a different woman on his arm and warming his bed every night. And that's how he wants it. This way he doesn't have to get close to anyone. He's got rules, too, to keep himself safe and to keep women away who might be after him, his fame and riches for all of the wrong reasons. This has worked for Jon, but now as he's staring back at his 32 years of life, it's just not doing it for him anymore. He's battled some mental health issues and as he's faced with the soon-to-be end of his career, he's starting to examine his life differently.
Enter the cutest meet cute I've read in a long time. A literal collision between Felicity and Jon, where Felicity makes an impact on Jon like no one ever has. And Jon's reaction? Omg I'm squealing just thinking about it!
What follows is the sweetest, sexiest and most compelling love story. But it's not all rainbows and unicorns. No, no. Ruth Stilling actually makes this feel like a story that could happen IRL. There is real life mixed in with the fame and fortune, and it's not all just fantasy and HEA.
Felicity is finding herself again after having decided to leave a marriage of almost 20 years with a controlling and somewhat narcissistic spouse, and Ruth mixes in mom-guilt and trying to balance life when married and with children. And then once those children are leaving the coop, as in Felicity's case, and at the same time she becomes single... wow, what a complete change of life and focus and priority. It gives me anxiety to think about if I were in her shoes... but how Felicity handles it is incredible. A further testament to this beautiful character.
Meanwhile, Jon is battling looking back at his life, professional and private. He's facing the possible end of his NHL career - he's still considered possibly the best player in the league, but at age 32 he knows he's nearing the end. And what does he have to show for it? But further, he is examining his self-worth. Ruth shares with us how incredible Jon is though - the moments with his family and his best friend, Zach... how he cares for them? Omg, this man is incredible! But then how he is with Felicity, I mean, can we swoon any harder? I don't think so! But before I get to their relationship, the mental health component that Ruth weaves into this story... I just... it feels do darn real. It isn't glossing over the hard stuff. It isn't romanticizing it. She actually "talks" about it and does so in an ultimately positive way, I found. She also has the various characters address mental health and it gives different takes and viewpoints, which I also found to be very helpful. But Jon's mental health and how it plays into the story, it honestly just makes it even more compelling and it makes Jon more relatable as a character. It reminds us that no one is immune, that even the rich and famous have problems.
Now. Now!! Can I talk about the love story of Jon and Felicity? Because ohmygawd! This is a "he falls first, and hard" and I looooove that trope! It's also a reverse age gap. Yummy! And here we've got a very famous, younger, pro-athlete pursuing the older, divorced, single mom. I mean, throw me some dipping bread for this trope soup because yummy!!!! I flipping LOVE how Jon pursues her, and how they build each other up - how they help the other realize their self worth and how beautiful they are as a person. It's just... it's everything. I can't even talk about it - I can't give anything away about it because it needs to be experienced. But hot-dawgggg, the chemistry between these two, the mouth on Jon, his commanding bedroom presence.... fan me off please.
This was a first-time read of Ruth Stilling for me, but I am so glad I'm here! I loved this story so hard. It had me totally enamored from the first page. Ruth's writing style is a bit different from what I've been reading lately and it was truly refreshing. But her story is truly compelling and fast-paced and beautiful and delicious! Completely, 100% recommend!
This is the story of Felicity, a 39-year-old newly divorced mother of two almost adult children. She's British and new-ishly moved to Seattle where she's finding her own, as a single woman. To say that her marriage wasn't the greatest is putting it nicely, but she's loving her newfound freedom and discovering who she is again while building up her self-belief and confidence. She's beautiful, both inside and out. She's smart and funny and oh-so kind. Felicity is the best friend we all want to have.
Enter Jon. Jon is the GOAT in the NHL where he plays for the Seattle Scorpions. Jon is known as the bad boy, playboy of the NHL with a different woman on his arm and warming his bed every night. And that's how he wants it. This way he doesn't have to get close to anyone. He's got rules, too, to keep himself safe and to keep women away who might be after him, his fame and riches for all of the wrong reasons. This has worked for Jon, but now as he's staring back at his 32 years of life, it's just not doing it for him anymore. He's battled some mental health issues and as he's faced with the soon-to-be end of his career, he's starting to examine his life differently.
Enter the cutest meet cute I've read in a long time. A literal collision between Felicity and Jon, where Felicity makes an impact on Jon like no one ever has. And Jon's reaction? Omg I'm squealing just thinking about it!
What follows is the sweetest, sexiest and most compelling love story. But it's not all rainbows and unicorns. No, no. Ruth Stilling actually makes this feel like a story that could happen IRL. There is real life mixed in with the fame and fortune, and it's not all just fantasy and HEA.
Felicity is finding herself again after having decided to leave a marriage of almost 20 years with a controlling and somewhat narcissistic spouse, and Ruth mixes in mom-guilt and trying to balance life when married and with children. And then once those children are leaving the coop, as in Felicity's case, and at the same time she becomes single... wow, what a complete change of life and focus and priority. It gives me anxiety to think about if I were in her shoes... but how Felicity handles it is incredible. A further testament to this beautiful character.
Meanwhile, Jon is battling looking back at his life, professional and private. He's facing the possible end of his NHL career - he's still considered possibly the best player in the league, but at age 32 he knows he's nearing the end. And what does he have to show for it? But further, he is examining his self-worth. Ruth shares with us how incredible Jon is though - the moments with his family and his best friend, Zach... how he cares for them? Omg, this man is incredible! But then how he is with Felicity, I mean, can we swoon any harder? I don't think so! But before I get to their relationship, the mental health component that Ruth weaves into this story... I just... it feels do darn real. It isn't glossing over the hard stuff. It isn't romanticizing it. She actually "talks" about it and does so in an ultimately positive way, I found. She also has the various characters address mental health and it gives different takes and viewpoints, which I also found to be very helpful. But Jon's mental health and how it plays into the story, it honestly just makes it even more compelling and it makes Jon more relatable as a character. It reminds us that no one is immune, that even the rich and famous have problems.
Now. Now!! Can I talk about the love story of Jon and Felicity? Because ohmygawd! This is a "he falls first, and hard" and I looooove that trope! It's also a reverse age gap. Yummy! And here we've got a very famous, younger, pro-athlete pursuing the older, divorced, single mom. I mean, throw me some dipping bread for this trope soup because yummy!!!! I flipping LOVE how Jon pursues her, and how they build each other up - how they help the other realize their self worth and how beautiful they are as a person. It's just... it's everything. I can't even talk about it - I can't give anything away about it because it needs to be experienced. But hot-dawgggg, the chemistry between these two, the mouth on Jon, his commanding bedroom presence.... fan me off please.
This was a first-time read of Ruth Stilling for me, but I am so glad I'm here! I loved this story so hard. It had me totally enamored from the first page. Ruth's writing style is a bit different from what I've been reading lately and it was truly refreshing. But her story is truly compelling and fast-paced and beautiful and delicious! Completely, 100% recommend!
May 3, 2024
4🌟 2🌶️
Jon Morgan… a man who will respect you in public, but completely disrespect you in private, if you know what I mean 🥵🥵🥵 the mouth on that man had me PANTING 😮����
This was such a solid debut!! I really loved it. I loved Jon and Felicity’s “friends” (contrary to what Jon thought😉) to lovers story. Jon was all about her from day one, just immediately obsessed with her. And I loved that he gave Felicity the space she needed to get to know him and trust him after everything she’d been through. They developed a really beautiful connection. While things between them, emotionally, was on a low simmer, the chemistry between them was sizzlin and boiling over! Have mercy, they were so hot together. 🥵 I’ve already mentioned his mouth, but I feel as though it needs mentioned again, because he said some dirty and nasty and filthy things to her and my mind refuses to be over it 🫠 ugh, everyone needs a Jon Morgan in their lives. 🫶🏼
I will say the one thing that could’ve used some more fleshing out was the ending. It was good, but I do feel like he should’ve done more to earn forgiveness from Felicity. I’m an absolute sucker for groveling, and I just feel like that would’ve been a prime opportunity to have him grovel a little more.
But seriously, other than that, this book was amazing! I highly, highly recommend this if you love the below tropes:
🏒 hockey romance
💘 friends to lovers
🏒 he falls first and HARD
💘 reverse age gap
🏒 reformed playboy
💘 single mom
🏒 no third act break up
💘 mental health rep
Jon Morgan… a man who will respect you in public, but completely disrespect you in private, if you know what I mean 🥵🥵🥵 the mouth on that man had me PANTING 😮����
This was such a solid debut!! I really loved it. I loved Jon and Felicity’s “friends” (contrary to what Jon thought😉) to lovers story. Jon was all about her from day one, just immediately obsessed with her. And I loved that he gave Felicity the space she needed to get to know him and trust him after everything she’d been through. They developed a really beautiful connection. While things between them, emotionally, was on a low simmer, the chemistry between them was sizzlin and boiling over! Have mercy, they were so hot together. 🥵 I’ve already mentioned his mouth, but I feel as though it needs mentioned again, because he said some dirty and nasty and filthy things to her and my mind refuses to be over it 🫠 ugh, everyone needs a Jon Morgan in their lives. 🫶🏼
I will say the one thing that could’ve used some more fleshing out was the ending. It was good, but I do feel like he should’ve done more to earn forgiveness from Felicity. I’m an absolute sucker for groveling, and I just feel like that would’ve been a prime opportunity to have him grovel a little more.
But seriously, other than that, this book was amazing! I highly, highly recommend this if you love the below tropes:
🏒 hockey romance
💘 friends to lovers
🏒 he falls first and HARD
💘 reverse age gap
🏒 reformed playboy
💘 single mom
🏒 no third act break up
💘 mental health rep
April 27, 2024
Boarded Hearts by Ruth Stilling
We all know I love a hockey romance right? Well Ruth did not mess around with this one.
I was so grateful to get an ARC copy of this from ruth and wordsmith. I may or may not have harassed Ruth relentlessly throughout this entire process 🤔
From perfectly described game plays to make my heart happy and see the game in my head, to the beautifully written battles that Jon faces in his mind, she does it all and she does it well.
I also have to shout at this point about Ruth being British because she's put here playing with the big boys from overseas with this series. I loved everything about this book. I love the relationship between Jon and Felicity, their growing feelings and how they both deal, and not deal, with certain things they come up against.
Elliott can go suck it. Adam is a babe. And as for Zach... bring it on baby, we're ready for you!
This book represents so much more than just a hockey romance. It touches on autism in a way that doesn't override the main characters and hammers home the importance of mental health and how everyone has demons they're fighting, just some are darker than others.
We all know I love a hockey romance right? Well Ruth did not mess around with this one.
I was so grateful to get an ARC copy of this from ruth and wordsmith. I may or may not have harassed Ruth relentlessly throughout this entire process 🤔
From perfectly described game plays to make my heart happy and see the game in my head, to the beautifully written battles that Jon faces in his mind, she does it all and she does it well.
I also have to shout at this point about Ruth being British because she's put here playing with the big boys from overseas with this series. I loved everything about this book. I love the relationship between Jon and Felicity, their growing feelings and how they both deal, and not deal, with certain things they come up against.
Elliott can go suck it. Adam is a babe. And as for Zach... bring it on baby, we're ready for you!
This book represents so much more than just a hockey romance. It touches on autism in a way that doesn't override the main characters and hammers home the importance of mental health and how everyone has demons they're fighting, just some are darker than others.
May 6, 2024
Amazing debut! I couldn’t put this book down.
And Jon Morgan??? OMG this man has a filthy mouth on him and I’m here for it!
I love the playboy changes his ways trope, he falls hard and fast for Felicity and he pulls out all the stops to win over his dream girl. Felicity is newly divorced and mum of two teenagers, she’s not looking for a new romance but then she bumps into Jon and rest is history.
The chemistry between Felicity and Jon was on point from their first meeting and I love that they are both in their 30’s and it’s not college hockey. The topics covered in this book are very real and heartfelt I can’t recommend this enough.
What to expect:
💖 Reformed Playboy
💖 He Falls First & Hard
💖 Possessive Boy Obsessed
💖 Single Mom
💖 Reverse Age Gap
💖 Touch Her & 💀
💖 Mental Health Rep
💖 Banter and swoon
And Jon Morgan??? OMG this man has a filthy mouth on him and I’m here for it!
I love the playboy changes his ways trope, he falls hard and fast for Felicity and he pulls out all the stops to win over his dream girl. Felicity is newly divorced and mum of two teenagers, she’s not looking for a new romance but then she bumps into Jon and rest is history.
The chemistry between Felicity and Jon was on point from their first meeting and I love that they are both in their 30’s and it’s not college hockey. The topics covered in this book are very real and heartfelt I can’t recommend this enough.
What to expect:
💖 Reformed Playboy
💖 He Falls First & Hard
💖 Possessive Boy Obsessed
💖 Single Mom
💖 Reverse Age Gap
💖 Touch Her & 💀
💖 Mental Health Rep
💖 Banter and swoon
May 2, 2024
"Boarded Hearts" by Ruth Stilling was a captivating read that kept me hooked from start to finish—I couldn't put it down! Professional hockey player Jon and recently divorced mom Felicity's love story, beginning when they literally bump into each other,, was both heartwarming and steamy. Jon's protective and supportive nature made him the ultimate book boyfriend, and his dynamic with Felicity was incredibly endearing. The spicy romance was off the charts, but what truly impressed me was how the book tackled heavy topics like depression, anxiety, and past emotional abuse, seamlessly woven into the storyline. Overall, I can't wait for the series to continue and dive into the other players' escapades!
May 7, 2024
Have you ever read a book that just stuck with you? One that comes back to you in quotes and images and feelings, long after you have turned the last page? Ruth Stilling's Boarded Hearts is that book for me.
In Boarded Hearts we meet playboy professional hockey player Jon Morgan, who, at 34 is starting to question the direction of his life, and is considering whether his lifestyle is really working for him anymore. And we meet Felicity Thompson, a 39 year old single mom to two older teenage children, who has come out of a toxic marriage and is making a new life for herself in Seattle. She did not anticipate that life including a relationship with a younger playboy athlete, but, well, the universe had other plans for her.
From the moment of their absolutely delightful meet cute, Jon is just drawn to Felicity, and she to him, even though she tries to fight it. In Felicity, Jon finds the calm and stable center that he didn't know he needed and didn't realize he was looking for. And in Jon, Felicity finds the supportive partner who loves her exactly as she is - who sees her and understands her right down to the very depths of her soul and wants nothing more than to watch her spread her wings and fly.
Jon is exactly what I needed in a book boyfriend - he is sweet and kind and swoony and oh so hot when the lights go out (and let's be honest, when they stay on too). But it is Felicity that has stuck with me in the months since I read Boarded Hearts. Starting a new life at age 39 is an act of defiance in a world that tells women in their late 30s that their best days are behind them. But Felicity says no thank you to that noise. She reclaims herself in Boarded Hearts, discovering who she is outside of being someone's wife and someone's mom. It takes a lot of courage to do the thing when the world tells you that you can't, or that you're too old to. And her story teaches all of us that not only is life not over at 40, but that our best days are ahead of us. We know more than we did ten years ago, and we can build a brand new life for ourselves with friends that complete us and a love that knocks us off our feet with a man who doesn't want you to be anything other than exactly who you are. We don't often see women in this stage of their lives in romance, and I am so grateful to Ruth for giving us Felicity.
And no review of Boarded Hearts would be complete without talking about the cast of supportive character who orbit Jon and Felicity in their world. Jon's family - particularly his brother Adam - is fabulous, and his teammates make up such a fun and hilarious guy group. But my absolute favorite of them all is Felicity's best friend Kate who is fierce, feisty, and hilarious in her own right, and I desperately hope that she get a book of her own.
I am so honored to have read this incredibly special book, and I am so excited to see what's next for Jon, Felicity, and the world of the Seattle Scorpions.
In Boarded Hearts we meet playboy professional hockey player Jon Morgan, who, at 34 is starting to question the direction of his life, and is considering whether his lifestyle is really working for him anymore. And we meet Felicity Thompson, a 39 year old single mom to two older teenage children, who has come out of a toxic marriage and is making a new life for herself in Seattle. She did not anticipate that life including a relationship with a younger playboy athlete, but, well, the universe had other plans for her.
From the moment of their absolutely delightful meet cute, Jon is just drawn to Felicity, and she to him, even though she tries to fight it. In Felicity, Jon finds the calm and stable center that he didn't know he needed and didn't realize he was looking for. And in Jon, Felicity finds the supportive partner who loves her exactly as she is - who sees her and understands her right down to the very depths of her soul and wants nothing more than to watch her spread her wings and fly.
Jon is exactly what I needed in a book boyfriend - he is sweet and kind and swoony and oh so hot when the lights go out (and let's be honest, when they stay on too). But it is Felicity that has stuck with me in the months since I read Boarded Hearts. Starting a new life at age 39 is an act of defiance in a world that tells women in their late 30s that their best days are behind them. But Felicity says no thank you to that noise. She reclaims herself in Boarded Hearts, discovering who she is outside of being someone's wife and someone's mom. It takes a lot of courage to do the thing when the world tells you that you can't, or that you're too old to. And her story teaches all of us that not only is life not over at 40, but that our best days are ahead of us. We know more than we did ten years ago, and we can build a brand new life for ourselves with friends that complete us and a love that knocks us off our feet with a man who doesn't want you to be anything other than exactly who you are. We don't often see women in this stage of their lives in romance, and I am so grateful to Ruth for giving us Felicity.
And no review of Boarded Hearts would be complete without talking about the cast of supportive character who orbit Jon and Felicity in their world. Jon's family - particularly his brother Adam - is fabulous, and his teammates make up such a fun and hilarious guy group. But my absolute favorite of them all is Felicity's best friend Kate who is fierce, feisty, and hilarious in her own right, and I desperately hope that she get a book of her own.
I am so honored to have read this incredibly special book, and I am so excited to see what's next for Jon, Felicity, and the world of the Seattle Scorpions.
May 6, 2024
REVIEW
cw: mentions of gaslighting, controlling behaviour, anxiety, depression, cancer, grief
Thirty-four-year-old Jon Morgan is the veteran captain of the Seattle Scorpions. He's also a playboy who's never been in a relationship. But when he meets divorcee Felicity, he's immediately obsessed. Englishwoman Felicity has recently divorced from her controlling husband and is living in Seattle. She's approaching forty, with two children in their late teens. The last thing she needs is another relationship. But she can't ignore her attraction to Jon.
I'd seen this on Instagram a lot and was excited when I was offered an ARC. I loved the premise, especially surrounding the older hockey player dynamic. Some parts really worked for me, while others were less well-developed. Firstly, I thought the actual hockey content was well-written. It's a pet peeve of mine when hockey romances have little to no actual hockey content, but I liked the on-ice action as well as the team dynamics, and I thought the set-ups for future books were well-incorporated. I liked Zach, Jon's teammate. He gave good advice (even if he didn't take it himself) and I'm already invested in his story.
I found Jon's instalove obsession with Felicity rather superficial at the beginning, given how little he knew about her. It was giving huge Not Like Other Girls™ vibes, without anything tangible to really back it up, other than she didn't immediately swoon over him. That said, I appreciated that the author took the time to develop their connection and explore Jon's previous lack of commitment. I also appreciated that Jon didn't rush Felicity, and I think the story started to flourish around a third of the way through. Meanwhile, Jon's approaching retirement, and the awareness that, as a pro athlete, there's an expiration date on even the most talented players, was well-written and I really felt for him. I particularly appreciated the commentary on mental health struggles amongst pro athletes, although I wish more time had been dedicated to Jon's specific manifestation. Had that been done, I felt the situation near the end would have been more emotionally impactful. I loved Jon's family, especially his mother and brother, Adam. Adam's autism was well-written, but I would have loved to see more of him, and definitely more interactions between the two brothers.
I liked Felicity, and I empathised with the controlling behaviour she had to deal with in her marriage. Her connection with Jon felt tangible, if a little rushed, but I appreciated that neither made a huge deal about the age gap. I feel the author missed a huge opportunity to give us more emotional depth between Jon and Felicity in many of their conversations, as there was zero mention between them of their future family dynamic: by the end, I still didn't know if Jon and Felicity had ever had a conversation about children. There were also very few on-page parental interactions between Felicity and either of her children. As a mother, that felt like a huge oversight, and I felt that Liam (her daughter's boyfriend) was used more as an excuse not to bother including her in the story. That said, as a UK hockey fan, I found Felicity's son's experience interesting, navigating playing college hockey knowing that everyone around him had years more experience, and I loved his revelation about Jon late in the book.
Despite the instalove vibes, there was still a slow-burn to the real intimacy, which I appreciated. Their chemistry sizzled, and I could begin to feel their connection on a deeper level as the story unfolded. I wish we'd had more conversations between each of the characters. I felt the author had all the essential building blocks in place for an engaging story, but, for me, it didn't quite hit all the emotional beats as well as it could have. The final third felt particularly rushed and lacked depth when it mattered. I won't spoil anything, but there were some quite weighty scenes which had HUGE potential. Sadly, they fell a little flat for me, and I would have loved them to have been better developed.
I realise this might seem quite a critical review, but I genuinely think this was a decent debut, and that it had a lot of potential. It just lacked depth in some places. That said, I will still be reading Zach's story, and I look forward to reading even more from this author.
Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
Heat Rating: 🔥🔥.5
*Thanks to the publisher for an ARC. All opinions are my own*
Although I love the cover art, I wouldn't say it represented the characters in the story. Both are in their thirties (which I actually found refreshing), but the artwork suggested these were younger, possibly even college-age.
Favourite Quotes:
How can the woman who sees me as no more than an unreliable playboy be the source of my turmoil yet my antidote all at the same time? She wields the kind of power over me that has the capacity to make or break me at the snap of her fingers, and the truly scary part is, I don’t think she has any idea.
“This isn’t about me owning or trying to tell you what to do. I just want to protect and care for my girlfriend. I’ve spent too long chasing you to blow it. I want to give you everything you deserve.”
* Note to author/editor: I'm not sure saying the FMC listening to Marilyn Manson is the vibe you want to go for in a romance, given his abusive past. For me, it was an immediate turn-off. There are far less problematic but still edgy singers/bands to show the musical differences between the two main characters
cw: mentions of gaslighting, controlling behaviour, anxiety, depression, cancer, grief
Thirty-four-year-old Jon Morgan is the veteran captain of the Seattle Scorpions. He's also a playboy who's never been in a relationship. But when he meets divorcee Felicity, he's immediately obsessed. Englishwoman Felicity has recently divorced from her controlling husband and is living in Seattle. She's approaching forty, with two children in their late teens. The last thing she needs is another relationship. But she can't ignore her attraction to Jon.
I'd seen this on Instagram a lot and was excited when I was offered an ARC. I loved the premise, especially surrounding the older hockey player dynamic. Some parts really worked for me, while others were less well-developed. Firstly, I thought the actual hockey content was well-written. It's a pet peeve of mine when hockey romances have little to no actual hockey content, but I liked the on-ice action as well as the team dynamics, and I thought the set-ups for future books were well-incorporated. I liked Zach, Jon's teammate. He gave good advice (even if he didn't take it himself) and I'm already invested in his story.
I found Jon's instalove obsession with Felicity rather superficial at the beginning, given how little he knew about her. It was giving huge Not Like Other Girls™ vibes, without anything tangible to really back it up, other than she didn't immediately swoon over him. That said, I appreciated that the author took the time to develop their connection and explore Jon's previous lack of commitment. I also appreciated that Jon didn't rush Felicity, and I think the story started to flourish around a third of the way through. Meanwhile, Jon's approaching retirement, and the awareness that, as a pro athlete, there's an expiration date on even the most talented players, was well-written and I really felt for him. I particularly appreciated the commentary on mental health struggles amongst pro athletes, although I wish more time had been dedicated to Jon's specific manifestation. Had that been done, I felt the situation near the end would have been more emotionally impactful. I loved Jon's family, especially his mother and brother, Adam. Adam's autism was well-written, but I would have loved to see more of him, and definitely more interactions between the two brothers.
I liked Felicity, and I empathised with the controlling behaviour she had to deal with in her marriage. Her connection with Jon felt tangible, if a little rushed, but I appreciated that neither made a huge deal about the age gap. I feel the author missed a huge opportunity to give us more emotional depth between Jon and Felicity in many of their conversations, as there was zero mention between them of their future family dynamic: by the end, I still didn't know if Jon and Felicity had ever had a conversation about children. There were also very few on-page parental interactions between Felicity and either of her children. As a mother, that felt like a huge oversight, and I felt that Liam (her daughter's boyfriend) was used more as an excuse not to bother including her in the story. That said, as a UK hockey fan, I found Felicity's son's experience interesting, navigating playing college hockey knowing that everyone around him had years more experience, and I loved his revelation about Jon late in the book.
Despite the instalove vibes, there was still a slow-burn to the real intimacy, which I appreciated. Their chemistry sizzled, and I could begin to feel their connection on a deeper level as the story unfolded. I wish we'd had more conversations between each of the characters. I felt the author had all the essential building blocks in place for an engaging story, but, for me, it didn't quite hit all the emotional beats as well as it could have. The final third felt particularly rushed and lacked depth when it mattered. I won't spoil anything, but there were some quite weighty scenes which had HUGE potential. Sadly, they fell a little flat for me, and I would have loved them to have been better developed.
I realise this might seem quite a critical review, but I genuinely think this was a decent debut, and that it had a lot of potential. It just lacked depth in some places. That said, I will still be reading Zach's story, and I look forward to reading even more from this author.
Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
Heat Rating: 🔥🔥.5
*Thanks to the publisher for an ARC. All opinions are my own*
Although I love the cover art, I wouldn't say it represented the characters in the story. Both are in their thirties (which I actually found refreshing), but the artwork suggested these were younger, possibly even college-age.
Favourite Quotes:
How can the woman who sees me as no more than an unreliable playboy be the source of my turmoil yet my antidote all at the same time? She wields the kind of power over me that has the capacity to make or break me at the snap of her fingers, and the truly scary part is, I don’t think she has any idea.
“This isn’t about me owning or trying to tell you what to do. I just want to protect and care for my girlfriend. I’ve spent too long chasing you to blow it. I want to give you everything you deserve.”
* Note to author/editor: I'm not sure saying the FMC listening to Marilyn Manson is the vibe you want to go for in a romance, given his abusive past. For me, it was an immediate turn-off. There are far less problematic but still edgy singers/bands to show the musical differences between the two main characters
May 8, 2024
Looking for a hockey romance with MCs in their mid to late 30s who are also relatable? Then this is the book for you!
Felicity's life is uprooted from her home country of England where she is now relocated to Seattle Washington, recently divorced from her ex-husband of nearly 20 years and now a single mom of two teenagers. Jon is the hockey captain who has quite the reputation both on and off the ice. He is known for his playboy ways until the day he meets Felicity. Felicity quickly becomes the one woman that Jon wants to exchange his playboy lifestyle for. But Felicity, is on this path of rediscovery, establishing her independence and is not looking for a relationship, let alone a relationship with the hot hockey player with the reputation of having a different woman in his bed each night. So the question is can Jon reform his playboy ways to win Felicity's heart?
📚 Book Tropes:
💖 Hockey Player MMC
💖 Single Mon
💖 Reformed Playboy
💖 Boy Obsessed
💖 Reverse Age Gap
💖 Mental Health Rep
💖 He Falls First and Hard
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️.5
💭 My Thoughts: Besties, what if I told you you could read a book where all of your favorite characteristics of your favorite book boyfriends were all rolled into one? If that’s a book that you would want to read I can’t wait for you to meet John Morgan. Jon Morgan literally embodies all of out favorite book boyfriend characteristics. He's sweet, wants to spoil our girl Felicity, he whispers filthy things and loves to eat ;) but he also has a very protective side as well, especially when it involved Felicity's ex-husband.
I’m not gonna lie, I truly loved this book because of how relatable both of the MCs were. I'm 36 and as much as I love to read about college kids falling in love, it's also nice to read about characters who are in the same phase of life as me struggling to find love or having some of the same life experiences. So with that being said, Boarded Hearts has MCs who are in their mid to late 30s and are experiences struggles that we can all relate to. Felicity is very relatable as she navigates her new life after divorce while seeking independence and finding out who she truly is. It’s also nice to see mental health representation in a male athlete. Jon battles some dark demons and the open conversation around his mental health, how he copes and the struggles he is trying to overcome is a nice element to the story.
At the end of the day. This is a super cute, fun and quick hockey romance read! For being a debut novel by Ruth Stilling, she killed it!
Thank you to Ruth Stilling and Wordsmith Publicity for allowing me to read BOARDED HEARTS as an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts, opinions and review!
Felicity's life is uprooted from her home country of England where she is now relocated to Seattle Washington, recently divorced from her ex-husband of nearly 20 years and now a single mom of two teenagers. Jon is the hockey captain who has quite the reputation both on and off the ice. He is known for his playboy ways until the day he meets Felicity. Felicity quickly becomes the one woman that Jon wants to exchange his playboy lifestyle for. But Felicity, is on this path of rediscovery, establishing her independence and is not looking for a relationship, let alone a relationship with the hot hockey player with the reputation of having a different woman in his bed each night. So the question is can Jon reform his playboy ways to win Felicity's heart?
📚 Book Tropes:
💖 Hockey Player MMC
💖 Single Mon
💖 Reformed Playboy
💖 Boy Obsessed
💖 Reverse Age Gap
💖 Mental Health Rep
💖 He Falls First and Hard
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️.5
💭 My Thoughts: Besties, what if I told you you could read a book where all of your favorite characteristics of your favorite book boyfriends were all rolled into one? If that’s a book that you would want to read I can’t wait for you to meet John Morgan. Jon Morgan literally embodies all of out favorite book boyfriend characteristics. He's sweet, wants to spoil our girl Felicity, he whispers filthy things and loves to eat ;) but he also has a very protective side as well, especially when it involved Felicity's ex-husband.
I’m not gonna lie, I truly loved this book because of how relatable both of the MCs were. I'm 36 and as much as I love to read about college kids falling in love, it's also nice to read about characters who are in the same phase of life as me struggling to find love or having some of the same life experiences. So with that being said, Boarded Hearts has MCs who are in their mid to late 30s and are experiences struggles that we can all relate to. Felicity is very relatable as she navigates her new life after divorce while seeking independence and finding out who she truly is. It’s also nice to see mental health representation in a male athlete. Jon battles some dark demons and the open conversation around his mental health, how he copes and the struggles he is trying to overcome is a nice element to the story.
At the end of the day. This is a super cute, fun and quick hockey romance read! For being a debut novel by Ruth Stilling, she killed it!
Thank you to Ruth Stilling and Wordsmith Publicity for allowing me to read BOARDED HEARTS as an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts, opinions and review!
April 30, 2024
Plot ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I cannot believe this was Ruth’s debut novel. The writing was fantastic, the characters captured my heart, and I was totally engrossed in Jon and Felicity’s love story. There wasn’t ANYTHING I didn’t like about this book.
Felicity finally finds it in her to leave her narcissistic husband after years in a loveless marriage and starts to figure out who she is. During this journey she runs into Jon, one of NHL’s notorious playboys. There’s sparks right from the star but Felicity isn’t interested in being a one-night stand or getting involved with another man anytime soon. I loved that Felicity is 39 and has two kids, 18 & 16. It made her character easy to relate to with me being 44 and having two kids who are 20 & 14. It was nice to read a book where the main characters were adults with real life issues.
Jon, our NHL playboy is tired of the rep that he’s got and he’s looking for something more when he runs into Felicity. Or rather she runs right into him almost knocking him over in more ways than one. This was such an adorable meet-cute 💖 Jon does everything he can to show Felicity that he’s in it for more than just a night and he slowly breaks down Felicity’s walls to show her what a real relationship should be like. Jon is a total golden retriever book boyfriend and for someone who’s never done the relationship thing he does a damn good job of it. He’s 100% swoon worthy, I mean the things this mad does for her 🫠 He’s totally supportive, sweet, funny, AND he’s younger at 34. I want to add the love this man has for his family would be enough to make ANYONE fall in love with him!!
I really appreciated the representation of mental health (anxiety) as well as autism and how these things can affect a persons life and family and what they go through. There was so much more to this story than spice, though that was definitely HOT, that it made the char feel totally real and relatable. I cannot wait for book 2 to come out because I also loved all the side/supporting characters and want to know ALL about them too.
I truly want to thank Ruth Stilling for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book, this is my honest review.
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I cannot believe this was Ruth’s debut novel. The writing was fantastic, the characters captured my heart, and I was totally engrossed in Jon and Felicity’s love story. There wasn’t ANYTHING I didn’t like about this book.
Felicity finally finds it in her to leave her narcissistic husband after years in a loveless marriage and starts to figure out who she is. During this journey she runs into Jon, one of NHL’s notorious playboys. There’s sparks right from the star but Felicity isn’t interested in being a one-night stand or getting involved with another man anytime soon. I loved that Felicity is 39 and has two kids, 18 & 16. It made her character easy to relate to with me being 44 and having two kids who are 20 & 14. It was nice to read a book where the main characters were adults with real life issues.
Jon, our NHL playboy is tired of the rep that he’s got and he’s looking for something more when he runs into Felicity. Or rather she runs right into him almost knocking him over in more ways than one. This was such an adorable meet-cute 💖 Jon does everything he can to show Felicity that he’s in it for more than just a night and he slowly breaks down Felicity’s walls to show her what a real relationship should be like. Jon is a total golden retriever book boyfriend and for someone who’s never done the relationship thing he does a damn good job of it. He’s 100% swoon worthy, I mean the things this mad does for her 🫠 He’s totally supportive, sweet, funny, AND he’s younger at 34. I want to add the love this man has for his family would be enough to make ANYONE fall in love with him!!
I really appreciated the representation of mental health (anxiety) as well as autism and how these things can affect a persons life and family and what they go through. There was so much more to this story than spice, though that was definitely HOT, that it made the char feel totally real and relatable. I cannot wait for book 2 to come out because I also loved all the side/supporting characters and want to know ALL about them too.
I truly want to thank Ruth Stilling for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book, this is my honest review.
May 3, 2024
Wow, this might be the best debut novel I’ve ever read! This story was everything you can ever want in a romance novel; swoonworthy book boyfriend, an ex playboy hockey player, perfect HEA & epilogue, and ALL 👏🏽 THE 👏🏽 SPICE 👏🏽.
Tropes include:
-He falls first and harder
-Hockey player
-Single Mom, recently divorced
-Mental health rep
-Spice off the charts 🌶️
This is probably one of my favorite Hockey Romances I’ve ever read! Ruth weaved together the perfect story of a reformed Playboy hockey player who doesn’t do relationships, meeting and falling head over heels for a single Mom who just got divorced and is not looking for a relationship.
Although he falls first & harder, their relationship felt very gradual and realistic as it took time for Felicity to let Jon in. It was so fun watching their relationship develop as Jon continued to show Felicity he would wait for her forever, to be ready to date. I also loved the Mental Health Rep with Jon’s anxiety, it was refreshing to read about something so real and raw.
Overall, I could not love this book or recommend this book more, and I squealed at the end to find out we are getting Zach’s story this summer!! All my Sports Romance girlies you are going to eat this story up!!!
Synopsis:
Jon is the hottest player in the NHL and enjoys taking home a new girl (or girls) to his bed after every game. Felicity is freshly divorced, a Single Mom, and on her own for the first time in a new country after leaving England. What happens when a chance encounter has Felicity and Jon meeting? Well Jon can’t keep his eyes or mind off her and decides he will do whatever it takes to meet and pursue this woman who’s taken his breath away. What ensues is a beautiful story full of growth, strength, family, admiration, and so much love!
Tropes include:
-He falls first and harder
-Hockey player
-Single Mom, recently divorced
-Mental health rep
-Spice off the charts 🌶️
This is probably one of my favorite Hockey Romances I’ve ever read! Ruth weaved together the perfect story of a reformed Playboy hockey player who doesn’t do relationships, meeting and falling head over heels for a single Mom who just got divorced and is not looking for a relationship.
Although he falls first & harder, their relationship felt very gradual and realistic as it took time for Felicity to let Jon in. It was so fun watching their relationship develop as Jon continued to show Felicity he would wait for her forever, to be ready to date. I also loved the Mental Health Rep with Jon’s anxiety, it was refreshing to read about something so real and raw.
Overall, I could not love this book or recommend this book more, and I squealed at the end to find out we are getting Zach’s story this summer!! All my Sports Romance girlies you are going to eat this story up!!!
Synopsis:
Jon is the hottest player in the NHL and enjoys taking home a new girl (or girls) to his bed after every game. Felicity is freshly divorced, a Single Mom, and on her own for the first time in a new country after leaving England. What happens when a chance encounter has Felicity and Jon meeting? Well Jon can’t keep his eyes or mind off her and decides he will do whatever it takes to meet and pursue this woman who’s taken his breath away. What ensues is a beautiful story full of growth, strength, family, admiration, and so much love!
April 30, 2024
A lovely ready and a wonderful debut from Ruth Stilling!
I so appreciated seeing an older heroine at the helm of this romance, both in terms of her general age and for being the older half of the couple.
Our heroine, Felicity, is beginning life anew in many ways, and I thought Stilling did an exemplary job in balancing both the heroine’s previous life experience and navigating new growth and discovery upon this journey.
Jon is a gorgeous hero and multi-faceted co-lead. His character brings to the front mental health rep, which is very well taken care of by the author. I could relate greatly to his struggles. He’s also all green flags, although his communication falters towards the end, for the most part Jon keeps that line open between himself and Felicity. She knows from the start where he stands and his desire to go the distance with her. He isn’t at all deterred by her previous martial status or her teenaged children, instead he takes the time to get to know her as a woman, as a mother, and as a divorcee looking to find her footing in life once more.
While I adored the chemistry between the leads, this romance is insta-love, which I did not expect and have to admit is not of my own personal preference. My engagement waned due to this, but I have no doubt if you enjoy that trope you’ll 100% adore the way the romance is paced.
While insta-love may not be my type of romance, Ruth Stilling’s writing is definitely for me! The way things end for a certain supporting character has him primed to lead the next book in the series. You can most certainly count me in for the ride! 3.5✨
Thank you to Ruth Stilling, Wordsmith Publicity, and BookFunnel for providing me an arc, I leave this honest review voluntarily.
I so appreciated seeing an older heroine at the helm of this romance, both in terms of her general age and for being the older half of the couple.
Our heroine, Felicity, is beginning life anew in many ways, and I thought Stilling did an exemplary job in balancing both the heroine’s previous life experience and navigating new growth and discovery upon this journey.
Jon is a gorgeous hero and multi-faceted co-lead. His character brings to the front mental health rep, which is very well taken care of by the author. I could relate greatly to his struggles. He’s also all green flags, although his communication falters towards the end, for the most part Jon keeps that line open between himself and Felicity. She knows from the start where he stands and his desire to go the distance with her. He isn’t at all deterred by her previous martial status or her teenaged children, instead he takes the time to get to know her as a woman, as a mother, and as a divorcee looking to find her footing in life once more.
While I adored the chemistry between the leads, this romance is insta-love, which I did not expect and have to admit is not of my own personal preference. My engagement waned due to this, but I have no doubt if you enjoy that trope you’ll 100% adore the way the romance is paced.
While insta-love may not be my type of romance, Ruth Stilling’s writing is definitely for me! The way things end for a certain supporting character has him primed to lead the next book in the series. You can most certainly count me in for the ride! 3.5✨
Thank you to Ruth Stilling, Wordsmith Publicity, and BookFunnel for providing me an arc, I leave this honest review voluntarily.
May 3, 2024
#Review: *Boarded hearts* - ARC - Ruth Stilling [18+]
4.3/5✨
3.5/5🌶️
When I saw the cover and the synopsis of this book I just fell in love with them and I knew I needed to read it. It was my first book I've read where the main character is a divorcée 😁.
Felicity has just parted ways with the father of her two kids. They had been together since they were teenagers but things have changed a lot between them over the years. Now she has the chance to rediscover herself and choose the path she wants to follow.
Jon is a famous hockey player and has a couple of issues with the way his life is at that moment - he only has hockey in his plans but he feels that something is missing.
When Felicity wants to buy some hockey tickets for her son, she literally bumpes into Jon. He is mesmerized by her and from then on he is simply captured by her and tries everything to concur her. But she isn't like other women to just fall immediately to his feet, so he has a pretty hard job to do to steal her heart
I really felt sorry for Felicity when I found out how her ex husband was treating her. It was unfair for her to be locked in that kind of life. I hated him even more than initially when I saw how he was still trying to control her even after the divorce 🥺.
Overall, I was captivated by this book. It was hard to leave it out of my hands 🤭, curious about what Jon is going to do next 😊.
These are the tropes of this book:
🏈#SportsRomance;
🏈#HeFallsFirst;
🏈#HeFallsHarder;
🏈#LoveAtFirstSight;
🏈#SecondChanceAtLove;
🏈#AgeGap;
🏈#Athlete;
🏈#Sports.
4.3/5✨
3.5/5🌶️
When I saw the cover and the synopsis of this book I just fell in love with them and I knew I needed to read it. It was my first book I've read where the main character is a divorcée 😁.
Felicity has just parted ways with the father of her two kids. They had been together since they were teenagers but things have changed a lot between them over the years. Now she has the chance to rediscover herself and choose the path she wants to follow.
Jon is a famous hockey player and has a couple of issues with the way his life is at that moment - he only has hockey in his plans but he feels that something is missing.
When Felicity wants to buy some hockey tickets for her son, she literally bumpes into Jon. He is mesmerized by her and from then on he is simply captured by her and tries everything to concur her. But she isn't like other women to just fall immediately to his feet, so he has a pretty hard job to do to steal her heart
I really felt sorry for Felicity when I found out how her ex husband was treating her. It was unfair for her to be locked in that kind of life. I hated him even more than initially when I saw how he was still trying to control her even after the divorce 🥺.
Overall, I was captivated by this book. It was hard to leave it out of my hands 🤭, curious about what Jon is going to do next 😊.
These are the tropes of this book:
🏈#SportsRomance;
🏈#HeFallsFirst;
🏈#HeFallsHarder;
🏈#LoveAtFirstSight;
🏈#SecondChanceAtLove;
🏈#AgeGap;
🏈#Athlete;
🏈#Sports.
April 27, 2024
What a smashing debut! I enjoyed this fun and flirty novel by Ruth Stilling, living in the PNW for a few hours through Felicity, who I believe would be my kindred spirit if she was here in real life.
I loved the flirty banter between her and Jon. I also really loved how Jon's POV was written as he realized he was falling for this girl. Felicity made him work for it, giving us a great meet cute moment and some top notch early interactions. I was giggling here and there as Jon was sweating it out trying to get her attention and failing. Hard.
I really enjoyed the flow of the story, and while insta-love isn't my favorite, I did like how dedicated Jon was to getting a chance with Felicity because of her sordid past. I liked watching him squirm a bit and watching Felicity gain her confidence and independence even though she was now in a relationship with a super famous athlete. I also loved how Jon embraced her season of life and wasn't bothered by the fact that she had teenage kids to worry about and tend to.
What you get in Boarded Hearts:
Possessive Boy Obsessed
He Falls First & Hard
Reformed Playboy
Single Mom
Reverse Age Gap
Mental Health Rep
Overall, I loved the journeys these characters went on to get through the ugly times. I thought the pace of this book was excellent and the length was perfect, making for a cute little hockey package that was fun and easy to read. I definitely look forward to what's coming next from Ruth Stilling!
I loved the flirty banter between her and Jon. I also really loved how Jon's POV was written as he realized he was falling for this girl. Felicity made him work for it, giving us a great meet cute moment and some top notch early interactions. I was giggling here and there as Jon was sweating it out trying to get her attention and failing. Hard.
I really enjoyed the flow of the story, and while insta-love isn't my favorite, I did like how dedicated Jon was to getting a chance with Felicity because of her sordid past. I liked watching him squirm a bit and watching Felicity gain her confidence and independence even though she was now in a relationship with a super famous athlete. I also loved how Jon embraced her season of life and wasn't bothered by the fact that she had teenage kids to worry about and tend to.
What you get in Boarded Hearts:
Possessive Boy Obsessed
He Falls First & Hard
Reformed Playboy
Single Mom
Reverse Age Gap
Mental Health Rep
Overall, I loved the journeys these characters went on to get through the ugly times. I thought the pace of this book was excellent and the length was perfect, making for a cute little hockey package that was fun and easy to read. I definitely look forward to what's coming next from Ruth Stilling!
April 28, 2024
Well this book was 310 pages of pure adorableness! Honestly, it’s one of the cutest hockey romances I’ve read. 𝘽𝙤𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 is an absolutely delightful read. Hockey romance girlies, and fans of the Playing for Keeps series will adore this book! I am so impressed by the fact that this is the authors debut novel. It’s wonderful. The MMC, Jon Morgan, is the new standard 👏🏼 The man was obsessed and had me swooning throughout the entirety of the book. The way he paid attention to the little details and took care of his people was everything. I also loved the FMC, Felicity. She was such a kind, and loyal character. I loved the way she stuck by the MMC through his dark times. Overall, 𝘽𝙤𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 is a great read. The main characters, and side characters are impossible not to love. PERFECTION 💖 10/10 recommend, friends!
That HEA made my heart happy. I cannot wait for more from this series 💕💖💓
“𝙄'𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛**𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙄 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪."
When Kate said…
"𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲, 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗯𝗼𝘆𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴? 𝗗𝗮𝗺𝗻, 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹." I FELT THAT! Jon Morgan is a book boyfriend dream 💕
Tropes:
🩷 Single Mom
🏒 Hockey Romance
🩵 Reformed Playboy
🧠 Mental Health Rep
❤️🔥 No Third Act Break Up
😍 Boy Obsessed
🧩 Autism Rep
Thank you Ruth Stilling for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and congrats on a fantastic debut novel 🫶🏼
That HEA made my heart happy. I cannot wait for more from this series 💕💖💓
“𝙄'𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛**𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙄 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪."
When Kate said…
"𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲, 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗯𝗼𝘆𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴? 𝗗𝗮𝗺𝗻, 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹." I FELT THAT! Jon Morgan is a book boyfriend dream 💕
Tropes:
🩷 Single Mom
🏒 Hockey Romance
🩵 Reformed Playboy
🧠 Mental Health Rep
❤️🔥 No Third Act Break Up
😍 Boy Obsessed
🧩 Autism Rep
Thank you Ruth Stilling for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and congrats on a fantastic debut novel 🫶🏼
April 26, 2024
I need a 6 star option please!
Full review to come tomorrow 🩷
***********************************************
🏒 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝚋𝚢 @authorruthstilling 🏒
𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 𝟬𝟱/𝟬𝟵
☆☆☆☆☆/𝟱
Imagine you are 39 years old, realizing you have been in your loveless and demeaning marriage just for the sake of your kids who are now 17 and 18 years old. They are now old enough to understand what love is and isn’t. So what do you do? You catch the eyes and heart of the NHLs biggest “playboy” by running into him, like literally running into him face first at the hockey rink. And damn, he’s 🪝-ed immediately.
I absolutely loved being able to read along as Felicity found her confidence and self worth. Ruth Stilljng did a great job showcasing just how deep staying in a loveless relationship/marriage can leave its scars. Add in the mental health rep of Jon’s inner thoughts, and his brother Adam, this book packed an absolute punch of all the things people deal with on a daily basis that sometimes books make us forget exists. This couple faces real issues throughout the entire book and it showcases the good, bad, and ugly parts of starting something new.
I would also like to say, Jon has a 🤌🏻wayyyy🤌🏻 with words and by the end I was definitely shedding happy tears! Oh and ZERO third act breakup! I cannot wait for book two!
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to enjoy Jon and Felicity’s story early! 🫶🏻
Full review to come tomorrow 🩷
***********************************************
🏒 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝚋𝚢 @authorruthstilling 🏒
𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 𝟬𝟱/𝟬𝟵
☆☆☆☆☆/𝟱
Imagine you are 39 years old, realizing you have been in your loveless and demeaning marriage just for the sake of your kids who are now 17 and 18 years old. They are now old enough to understand what love is and isn’t. So what do you do? You catch the eyes and heart of the NHLs biggest “playboy” by running into him, like literally running into him face first at the hockey rink. And damn, he’s 🪝-ed immediately.
I absolutely loved being able to read along as Felicity found her confidence and self worth. Ruth Stilljng did a great job showcasing just how deep staying in a loveless relationship/marriage can leave its scars. Add in the mental health rep of Jon’s inner thoughts, and his brother Adam, this book packed an absolute punch of all the things people deal with on a daily basis that sometimes books make us forget exists. This couple faces real issues throughout the entire book and it showcases the good, bad, and ugly parts of starting something new.
I would also like to say, Jon has a 🤌🏻wayyyy🤌🏻 with words and by the end I was definitely shedding happy tears! Oh and ZERO third act breakup! I cannot wait for book two!
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to enjoy Jon and Felicity’s story early! 🫶🏻
May 5, 2024
ARC Review 💌
🩷Boarded Hearts by Ruth Stilling🩷
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Y’ALL… I just gotta say, this book has been my most anticipated read since the first post @authorruthstilling made for this book.. and it did not disappoint 🤤
👏🏻This👏🏻book👏🏻was👏🏻so👏🏻good👏🏻
I’m honestly sad it’s over, I’ll forever by a @authorruthstilling hype girl and I’m never going to apologise for it 😂
🏒Reformed Playboy
🩷He Falls First & Hard
🏒Possessive Boy Obsessed
🩷Single Mom
🏒Reverse Age Gap
🩷Touch Her & 💀
🏒Mental Health Rep
🩷Banter, Spice & Swoon
This book had me in the feels so hard, I felt so many emotions through these pages and I loved every second of it. The characters were so well developed and just well written in general, I got so lost inside of this universe and I didn’t want to leave🥲
As a side note I am so bloody proud of Ruth, she’s come so far and I’m so so happy she’s gotten so much love & hype for this book, she’s so sweet and kind and deserves every inch of love she has received! I’m so grateful to have been chosen as an ARC reader for book 1 and I’m so ready for everything else you have in store for us 🫶🏻
🩷Boarded Hearts by Ruth Stilling🩷
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Y’ALL… I just gotta say, this book has been my most anticipated read since the first post @authorruthstilling made for this book.. and it did not disappoint 🤤
👏🏻This👏🏻book👏🏻was👏🏻so👏🏻good👏🏻
I’m honestly sad it’s over, I’ll forever by a @authorruthstilling hype girl and I’m never going to apologise for it 😂
🏒Reformed Playboy
🩷He Falls First & Hard
🏒Possessive Boy Obsessed
🩷Single Mom
🏒Reverse Age Gap
🩷Touch Her & 💀
🏒Mental Health Rep
🩷Banter, Spice & Swoon
This book had me in the feels so hard, I felt so many emotions through these pages and I loved every second of it. The characters were so well developed and just well written in general, I got so lost inside of this universe and I didn’t want to leave🥲
As a side note I am so bloody proud of Ruth, she’s come so far and I’m so so happy she’s gotten so much love & hype for this book, she’s so sweet and kind and deserves every inch of love she has received! I’m so grateful to have been chosen as an ARC reader for book 1 and I’m so ready for everything else you have in store for us 🫶🏻
April 26, 2024
I would give this more than 5 stars if I could.
I was so lucky to be given an arc copy of this amazing book and it did not disappoint.
I flew through most of this book just today. I could not put it down.
This debut book by Ruth is so beautifully written. The main story between Jon and Felicity is beautifully written, I love how the background of both characters is so beautifully put together to show how much they have both overcome and how beautiful their relationship becomes through what they have overcome.
This has got to be one of my favourite reads and I must admit the ending had me crying as it was so beautiful and pulled on the heart strings for me.
Thank you @authorruthstilling and @wordsmithpublicity for sharing this book with me.
I was so lucky to be given an arc copy of this amazing book and it did not disappoint.
I flew through most of this book just today. I could not put it down.
This debut book by Ruth is so beautifully written. The main story between Jon and Felicity is beautifully written, I love how the background of both characters is so beautifully put together to show how much they have both overcome and how beautiful their relationship becomes through what they have overcome.
This has got to be one of my favourite reads and I must admit the ending had me crying as it was so beautiful and pulled on the heart strings for me.
Thank you @authorruthstilling and @wordsmithpublicity for sharing this book with me.
May 7, 2024
Tropes:
Pro hockey romance
Single mom
Reformed playboy
He falls first
5⭐
2🌶️
Oh my goodness Jon & Felicity!
Debut novel...My mind is completely blown, congratulations Ruth to such an amazing start to this series!
This was the type of book that I simply just could not put down. Felicity, and Jon were absolutely everything I needed right down to their meet cute where they literally ran into each other. Felicity is fresh off a divorce, and a single mom of two teenagers, and Jon is the playboy NHL captian who has a reputation.
Felicity meets Jon at a time in her life where she isn't ready to date, but Jon is absolutely persistent that she is someone special and different. His playboy ways really do bite him in the ass a few times, but what I loved most about this book was the maturity of these characters. Not too much conflict and no third act breakup but with the real life conflict they already have this book didn't need more to it.
There was so much chemistry and build up between these characters that when they toed that line and finally crossed it I actually cheered with excitement. The spice was delish and I just overall was so smitten with this read.
I cannot wait for what's next. Ruth definitely has built up a great group of friends to continue this series with
Pro hockey romance
Single mom
Reformed playboy
He falls first
5⭐
2🌶️
Oh my goodness Jon & Felicity!
Debut novel...My mind is completely blown, congratulations Ruth to such an amazing start to this series!
This was the type of book that I simply just could not put down. Felicity, and Jon were absolutely everything I needed right down to their meet cute where they literally ran into each other. Felicity is fresh off a divorce, and a single mom of two teenagers, and Jon is the playboy NHL captian who has a reputation.
Felicity meets Jon at a time in her life where she isn't ready to date, but Jon is absolutely persistent that she is someone special and different. His playboy ways really do bite him in the ass a few times, but what I loved most about this book was the maturity of these characters. Not too much conflict and no third act breakup but with the real life conflict they already have this book didn't need more to it.
There was so much chemistry and build up between these characters that when they toed that line and finally crossed it I actually cheered with excitement. The spice was delish and I just overall was so smitten with this read.
I cannot wait for what's next. Ruth definitely has built up a great group of friends to continue this series with
April 27, 2024
*Possible spoilers*
“𝙸𝚜 𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕? 𝙻𝚒𝚔𝚎, 𝚍𝚒𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚌 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚞𝚕𝚊 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚋𝚘𝚢𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚊 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐?" - 𝙺𝚊𝚝𝚎
I ate this up in 2 days! I Love a good sports romance sprinkled with some spice, books that make me happy and smile are the best!
First of all... Hello Jon Morgan 😍🔥
Jon and Felicity are everything you want in this type of book. The way he fell instantly for her and the way Felicity didn't care about his past, was just perfect for their journey. They both deserved so much happiness with each other was routing for them all the way! And I cannot not me mention Adam 🥹 what a sweetheart!
The ending was just perfect, all the fuzzy feels☺️ I need a second book!!
Read if you like;
🩷 He falls first
🏒 Hockey Romance
🩷 Reverse Age Gap
🏒 Mental health rep
🩷 Autism Rep
🏒 Duel POV
This is released on the 9th May, run and add this to your TBR!
“𝙸𝚜 𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕? 𝙻𝚒𝚔𝚎, 𝚍𝚒𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚌 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚞𝚕𝚊 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚋𝚘𝚢𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚊 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐?" - 𝙺𝚊𝚝𝚎
I ate this up in 2 days! I Love a good sports romance sprinkled with some spice, books that make me happy and smile are the best!
First of all... Hello Jon Morgan 😍🔥
Jon and Felicity are everything you want in this type of book. The way he fell instantly for her and the way Felicity didn't care about his past, was just perfect for their journey. They both deserved so much happiness with each other was routing for them all the way! And I cannot not me mention Adam 🥹 what a sweetheart!
The ending was just perfect, all the fuzzy feels☺️ I need a second book!!
Read if you like;
🩷 He falls first
🏒 Hockey Romance
🩷 Reverse Age Gap
🏒 Mental health rep
🩷 Autism Rep
🏒 Duel POV
This is released on the 9th May, run and add this to your TBR!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2024
6/5⭐️
4/5🌶️
Oh my goodness. Wow. This book is going to live in my brain forever! I’m blown away.
Felicity and Jon have a permanent place in my heart. Their story was BEAUTIFUL. Ruth really brought these characters to life and told such an amazing story between them. They have such strong chemistry and I connected to them instantly. The slow burn burnedddddd but god did it burn good🔥 This was spicy, it was emotional, it was relatable, it was perfect!
The autism and sensory processing representation hits close to home with me and truly made me feel like I’m not alone as a parent to a kiddo with these same struggles. I will forever be grateful to Ruth for it. Thank you for the amazing opportunity to be able to read this book! You my dear now have a devoted fan💗
4/5🌶️
Oh my goodness. Wow. This book is going to live in my brain forever! I’m blown away.
Felicity and Jon have a permanent place in my heart. Their story was BEAUTIFUL. Ruth really brought these characters to life and told such an amazing story between them. They have such strong chemistry and I connected to them instantly. The slow burn burnedddddd but god did it burn good🔥 This was spicy, it was emotional, it was relatable, it was perfect!
The autism and sensory processing representation hits close to home with me and truly made me feel like I’m not alone as a parent to a kiddo with these same struggles. I will forever be grateful to Ruth for it. Thank you for the amazing opportunity to be able to read this book! You my dear now have a devoted fan💗
April 24, 2024
2.9 stars, rounded to 3.
This was a very middle of the road, hockey romance book imo. I wasn't in love with it, but I also didn't hate it. I felt a little like I was forcing myself to finish it a tiny bit at the end. but I liked it enough that I will read book 2. We were left with a smal cliffhanger there.
What I liked:
- We love a reformed playboy mmc.
- There's a reverse age gap (she's 39/he's 34). Love that they're both in their thirties. We don't see many sports romances with mc's older than their twenties.
- I always love a hockey romance. I think Jon and Felicity had good chemistry, but it was a little insta-lovey if that's your thing.
- There's low conflict, but it's still an entertaining read.
What I didn't like:
- Some parts of the plot were resolved way too quickly, and didn't make sense.
- The spice was alright, if a little awkward at times. It was weird to me that they went from friends who kiss, to immediately being like "Can I date you? Yes!" And then they're f*cking two seconds later...
- The side plots with Jon's friend's, especially at the end, were weird. The way he acted didn't seem on parr with his character throughout the rest of the book.
- Felicity and Jon acted younger than their ages.
Overall, a decent read. Excited for book 2! We have a potential single dad book? But we don't know if he's the father yet!
This was a very middle of the road, hockey romance book imo. I wasn't in love with it, but I also didn't hate it. I felt a little like I was forcing myself to finish it a tiny bit at the end. but I liked it enough that I will read book 2. We were left with a smal cliffhanger there.
What I liked:
- We love a reformed playboy mmc.
- There's a reverse age gap (she's 39/he's 34). Love that they're both in their thirties. We don't see many sports romances with mc's older than their twenties.
- I always love a hockey romance. I think Jon and Felicity had good chemistry, but it was a little insta-lovey if that's your thing.
- There's low conflict, but it's still an entertaining read.
What I didn't like:
- Some parts of the plot were resolved way too quickly, and didn't make sense.
- The spice was alright, if a little awkward at times. It was weird to me that they went from friends who kiss, to immediately being like "Can I date you? Yes!" And then they're f*cking two seconds later...
- The side plots with Jon's friend's, especially at the end, were weird. The way he acted didn't seem on parr with his character throughout the rest of the book.
- Felicity and Jon acted younger than their ages.
Overall, a decent read. Excited for book 2! We have a potential single dad book? But we don't know if he's the father yet!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews