Sophie Reads YA: August 2025

Stacking the Shelves: August 23rd 2025

10:00

Review: Gloves Off (Vancouver Storm #4) by Stephanie Archer

13:00

Gloves Off
Series: Vancouver Storm #4
Author: Stephanie Archer
Published June 25th 2025 by Orion Publishing

Goodreads Synopsis
The only way to get my inheritance? Marry Alexei Volkov—the grumpiest enforcer in the NHL, a brutally handsome jerk, and the last man I’d ever fall for.

In public, we act as besotted newlyweds, but in private, we’re at each other’s throats. He’s competitive, arrogant, and surly. The guy’s never cracked a smile in his life. He’s jealous of my ex, he glares at my high heels, and insists he’s not attracted to me. He’s only marrying me for citizenship.

Fighting with Alexei is more fun than expected, though, and beneath his grouchy exterior, Alexei is surprisingly caring, protective, and generous.

He cooks for me and worries about my safety.

He sends me flowers with secret meanings and spends way too much money on me.

He makes me sleep in his bed and calls me his wife. For a guy who said he’d never fall in love with me, Alexei’s doing a good impression of it… and now I’m wondering if this marriage is fake after all.
Goodreads

Review
In Gloves Off, enemies Alexei and Georgia soon discover just how thin the line between love and hatred is when they are forced to marry. Alexei Volkov has been one of the greatest hockey players Canada has ever seen, but he's approaching the end of his career, and he still hasn't been able to secure his Canadian citizenship. An off the cuff comment soon leads Alexei to making the one choice he never thought he would - voluntarily marrying Dr Georgia Greene, the woman who has made his life hell for the last few years. For Georgia, she hates Alexei's guts, but she needs to marry in order to gain her inheritance and use the money to save the research programme she leads at the local hospital. And how hard can it be to pretend to be madly in love with the handsome hockey player for a year, max?

I loved the first few books in this series, and the snarky little comments and looks between Alexei and Georgia made me desperate to read their story. I'm a sucker for an enemies to lovers story, and that was done so well in this book. Because of the way they met each other years ago, a bad first impression has tainted their every interaction since. I loved the way that they would pretend to be happily in love with each other one minute, and then make comments about how much they hated each other the next. It was obvious to everyone that they were slowly falling for each other, and I liked how easily it was for their friends to see right through them and call them out on their lies. Both sets of families were so loving and invested in Alexei and Georgia's happiness, and it was wonderful to see them grow closer to each set of in-laws. The rest of the Vancouver Storm gang had really big parts to play in the story, and it's always a joy to see how past couples are still so in love when you have companion series like this one.

Dates Read:
August 15, 2025

Rating
4 Stars

4 Stars

Review: The Wingman (Vancouver Storm #3) by Stephanie Archer

12:00

The Wingman
Series: Vancouver Storm #3
Author: Stephanie Archer
Published September 26th 2024 by Orion

Goodreads Synopsis
The best way to gain confidence after years with the wrong guy? Hayden Owens—the hottest defenseman in pro hockey, my confident best friend, and my new dating coach.

He’ll teach me to be a player, but convinces me to practice with him.

We’ve been friends for years, but our flirting lessons and practice kisses push the bounds of friendship.

We’re roommates, but sleeping in the same bed.

He buys me a toy as a favor… but helps me use it.

All that relationship stuff he’s always avoided? He doesn’t seem to mind it anymore.

Rule number one of being a player is no attachments, but when Hayden sees me picking up other guys, he’s jealous enough that I wonder…

Maybe my wingman's been waiting for me all along.
Goodreads

Review
Best friends Hayden and Darcy are about to push the limits of their friendship when newly single Darcy asks him to be her wingman. She's spent years with the wrong guy, and now she needs to get under someone to get over Kit. But, Darcy doesn't know how, and she needs super confident Hayden to give her advice. Now Hayden will do anything for Darcy, but this may just be a step too far - especially when he's been in love with her all this time.

I don't know how Stephanie does it, but every single book and couple is better than the last. I knew in book 2 that Hayden and Darcy's story would be special, but Darcy was in a happy, committed relationship - how could they be together? Neither gave off vibes that there would be any cheating, so I honestly thought all hope was lost. Thankfully, Darcy and Kit split up, and she moved to Vancouver, closer to her friends, and mainly Hayden. She'd been in a relationship for 8 years, which looked good from the outside, but how she dressed, what her hair was like, what series she liked, was all controlled, or at least questioned. Hayden never made her feel like she needed to be or act a certain way, and he gave her the freedom to explore whatever she wanted, he'll always be at her side. Seeing Hayden's POV and how he had pined for Darcy ever since they met in college, when his reputation was exaggerated and he missed his chance, we saw just how much he truly loved her. Darcy trusted Hayden to be her wingman and help her find happiness, and he definitely did just that!

Dates Read:
January 8-9, 2025

Rating
4 Stars

4 Stars

Review: The Fake Out (Vancouver Storm #2) by Stephanie Archer

11:00

4 Stars

Review: Behind the Net (Vancouver Storm #1) by Stephanie Archer

10:00

Behind The Net
Series: Vancouver Storm #1
Author: Stephanie Archer
Published February 14th 2024 by Orion

Goodreads Synopsis
He's the hot, grumpy goalie I had a crush on in high school... and now I'm his live-in assistant.

After my ex crushed my dreams in the music industry, I’m done with getting my heart broken. Working as an assistant for an NHL player was supposed to be a breeze, but nothing about Jamie Streicher is easy. He’s an intimidatingly hot, grouchy jerk who can't stand me. The guy has a massive ego. Keeping things professional will be no problem, even when he demands I move in with him.

Beneath his surliness, though, Jamie’s surprisingly sweet and protective.

When Jamie learns how bad my ex was in bed, his competitive nature flares, and he encourages and spoils me in every way. The creative spark I used to feel about songwriting? It’s back, and I’m writing music again. Between wearing his jersey at games, rowdy parties with the team, and being brave on stage again, I’m falling for him.

He could break my heart, but it might be worth it.
Goodreads

Review
After realising that her ex was hampering her dreams at making it in the music industry, Pippa decided enough is enough, and she needs to do something radical. However, becoming the live in assistant for Jamie Streicher, the hot NHL player who she had the biggest crush on in school, was not what she expected. Jamie hates that he needs an assistant, and especially not one as beautiful as Pippa. Pushing her away so that she doesn’t get too close, he can’t help but feel protective over her, especially when he hears how awful her ex was. Now all he wants is to be around her, and be a better man for Pippa, because that’s what’s she deserves.

I had binged Stephanie’s other series before starting the Vancouver Storm books, and it was a bit of a shift to move from small town romance to sports romance, but Stephanie did it perfectly. Jamie and Pippa’s romance was peak grumpy/sunshine trope, and the way that Jamie fell, and fell hard, was phenomenal! We got to know some more of the team in this book, and it was great to see how they really care for each other, and want their teammates to be happy. Book 2 looks like it’s going to be fiery, with Pippa’s sister Hazel as the FMC, and I can’t wait for it!

Dates Read:
January 4-5, 2025

Rating
4 Stars

3 Stars

ARC Review: Dangerous Strategy (Shut Up and Drive #1) by B. Randall

10:00

Dangerous Strategy
Series: Shut Up and Drive #1
Author: B. Randall
Published May 26th 2025 by Haunted Hearts Publishing

Goodreads Synopsis
Welcome to the world of Formula 1, a high intensity sport, where drivers’ lives are scrutinized, relationships are tested, and if you don’t perform, you’re out.

Arabella Cedillo just landed her dream job as photographer for her favorite Formula 1 team, Albatross Racing. Suddenly, her quiet life is upended, full of fast-paced race weekends and trips across the globe. But Arabella is keeping a secret. She’s in love with her father’s old rival-turned-best friend, Albatross’s lead driver, Mateo Silva. And now that she’s spending every weekend up close and personal with Mateo, she’s not sure she can keep her feelings a secret anymore.

Mateo Silva used to be a champion. But that was years ago. Now he’s hanging on to his Formula 1 seat as tight as he can, forced to face the fact that he’s not as young as he once was. His team has made it very win a championship this year or kiss a future contract goodbye. The only thing keeping Mateo going every week is the one person who never stops believing in him, his best friend’s daughter.

But his best friend’s daughter is also the one person he shouldn’t be thinking about kissing, the one person he absolutely cannot fall for if he wants to keep his career on track. Mateo has to decide what he wants Formula 1 or Arabella’s heart.
Goodreads

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

Photographer Arabella Cedillo has spent the last 6 years in love with F1 driver, Mateo Silva. There’s just a small problem with that: he’s her father’s best friend, and 17 years older than her. No matter what, she has followed his career religiously, and has now found herself a job as the art director for Albatross Racing, the team Mateo drives for. Spending the next year documenting every minute of Mateo and teammate, Jayce’s, races, Arabella is going to have to keep a hold on her feelings, because surely Mateo won’t reciprocate them?

I haven’t read many F1 romances before, I think this might be the 3rd one, and definitely not one with a forbidden romance with such an age gap as Arabella and Mateo had. I wasn’t sure how I’d like it, but for the majority of the book, that 17 years difference wasn’t so obvious. It was clear that there was a strong connection and chemistry between Arabella and Mateo, and the fact that Mateo hadn’t started to really spend time with Arabella until she was at college, and definitely didn’t have feelings for her until she joined the Albatross team, definitely made it less creepy. I enjoyed the F1 aspect of the story too, even though I’m not a big fan of the sport. It was clear that the author is a big fan, and that she had done a lot of research before writing this book. Having a female F1 driver in Lola, who was not an ememy of Mateo’s, but a friend, was a great addition too.

Dates Read:
August 3rd, 2025

Rating
3 Stars