Sophie Reads YA: June 2025

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June Summary

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june

Stacking the Shelves: June 28th 2025

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4 Stars

ARC Review: Pucking Fate (Shot at Love #2) by L.A. Hart

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Pucking Fate
Series: Shot at Love #2
Author: L.A. Hart
Published May 31st 2025 by Editor's Choice Publishing

Goodreads Synopsis
How do you tame a puckboy?

Maya Lawrence knew that such a feat was impossible. That’s why, when she got pregnant as a teenager and hockey star Christian Riley signed with the pros, she let him go.

Maya gave up on all her dreams to become a single mother. Her parents and Christian abandoned her when she needed them the most, leaving her to turn to her brother Preston to help raise her son Finley.

Christian Riley never blamed Maya for ending things and breaking his heart after how badly he treated her. In fact, while he never got over her, he didn’t expect Maya to ever speak to him again. But when Christian’s rival, Preston, finally breaks the news to him that he has a son, all bets are off.

The last thing Maya wants is the playboy from her past breaking her son’s heart or hers again. That’s why she makes Christian a deal. She’ll give him the summer to spend with Finley as a “family friend” to show her that he’s committed to being a father before letting him have a permanent place in their lives.

Proving to Maya that he can step up to be a father to Finley, and that his puckboy days are behind him, will be the toughest challenge Christian has ever faced.

Fate has finally given him a second chance to take a shot at love, so this time he better not puck around and miss.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via BookSirens. This in no way impacted on my view.

Christian Riley has had the biggest playboy reputation ever since he made it big as a hockey player. So why has he never been able to forget his teenage romance with Maya Lawrence, the younger sister of his former friend and current rival, Preston. After all, that relationship is the very reason why Preston has been out for his blood every time they've played against each other, and now they're team mates. However, Maya has been keeping a big secret since Christian left - she was pregnant, and is now the mother to 5 year old Finley. As soon as Christian discovers he's a father, he'll move heaven and earth to be there for his family, but Maya is not going to make it easy for him.

I loved the redemption arc that Christian has gone through over the course of this series. He was essentially the villain in book 1, and his growth and maturity was game changing. I fully understood why Maya was cagey with him, and why she didn't let him get too close. She's been a single mam for the last 5 years, only having her brother to support her, and she would die for Finley before she lets anyone hurt him. Even so, but she and Christian have never lost their feelings for one another, and there were so many scenes of longing. They fell hard for each other, and their family unit was so strong. A great redemption story.

Dates Read:
June 15-16, 2025

Rating
4 Stars

4 Stars

ARC Review: Revenge Puck (Shot at Love #1) by L.A. Hart

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Revenge Puck
Series: Shot at Love #1
Author: L.A. Hart
Published February 1st 2025 by Editor's Choice Publishing

Goodreads Synopsis
After Elle Townsend is dumped by her hockey star boyfriend Christian Riley on the eve of the championship playoffs, she devises a plan for sweet revenge—a fake romance with Christian's arch-rival.

Preston Lawrence takes his hockey career very seriously because brawling on the ice is the only thing he’s good at. With the championship trophy and his contract extension on the line, he needs to figure out a way to control his temper that always flares and gets him ejected whenever he faces his rival.

So, when a heartbroken blonde asks Preston for a photo with him to try to make Christian jealous, he raises the stakes. Known for avoiding the spotlight, Preston kisses Elle in front of a crowd of sports reporters, certain the video will go viral.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Elle Townsend has been unceremoniously dumped by hockey star Christian Riley, and she is not about to let him get away with it unscathed. Turning up to Christian's next game, she asks his nemesis and rival Preston Lawrence for a photograph, to try and make him jealous. Not expecting Preston to go along with it, when he says he's in, and even gives her a kiss in front of the press, their 'romance' soon goes viral, and what may have started out as revenge soon becomes the making of them both.

I love the fake romance trope, especially when there's an aspect of jealousy mixed in, so this book hit all that for me. Elle and Preston were a wonderful couple, who had great chemistry, and formed a real friendship as well as falling for each other. I liked how we got to know a little more about both the FMC and MMC, but also some of the secondary characters, including the villain of this story, Christian, who will get his redemption in the following book. A real enjoyable read, perfect for sports romance lovers.

Dates Read:
June 12, 2025

Rating
4 Stars