Must Love Hockey Archives - The Litertarian

Another Kendall Ryan delight today in The Book Club Boyfriend!

The Book Club Boyfriend by Kendall Ryan book cover

Scarlett is a jaded author stuck in a rut, and when she goes on live TV to chat with Chase Remington, a pro hockey player, fans go wild and demand more. Chase leads a book club for the team for good PR, and now Scarlett is roped into participating.

This author is so good at creating tension between characters, and compared to the other title I read of hers this month (Checking It Twice), this one was far less spicy and far more slow burn, which is also really satisfying, just different.

One thing I found a little odd about this one is how far into their relationship we got. I’m wondering if Ms. Ryan was extra attached to these two characters, because they got about a million epilogues 🙂

You can’t really go wrong with Kendall Ryan. If you’re a fan of hockey romance or you like reading characters in the book industry, this one is a no brainer.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: The Book Club Boyfriend (Must Love Hockey #2)
Author:: Kendall Ryan
Genre:: Sports Romance
Publisher:: Dream Press
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 7h 30m
Audiobook Narrator:: Ryan West & CJ Bloom
Published:: November 11th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Checking It Twice | Kendall Ryan (coming soon)
A Beginner’s Guide to Forever | Kendall Ryan
When Alec Met Evie | Jenny Proctor

Friends, I’ve found you a lovely, swoony, holiday romance that will warm you up better than a cup of hot cocoa. It’s Checking It Twice by Kendall Ryan.

Clare works in PR for a hockey team in Dallas, and she’s really good at setting boundaries with those wild boys with her wit and sharp tongue. But as the holidays near, and Clare will be alone, again, it makes her a little reckless.

Checking It Twice by Kendall Ryan Book Cover

Mitchell Drake is heartbroken. Or at least, everyone thinks he is including his immediate family and his entire home town in Minnesota. He can’t seem to make them understand that he’s better off, so he comes up with an unconventional plan, but he can’t do it alone.

Clare would never do something so reckless and deceitful as fake date someone…except when she’s at an emotional rock bottom. But it’s okay, because even though he’s the hottest player on the team, they both understand what this is: temporary. Not real.

If you have ever like the fake dating trope or are a fan of sports romance, this is an automatic win for you. Kendall Ryan has mastered sizzling chemistry, and the character backstory work done here to make these two lovebirds into soulmates is phenomenal.

There was only one thing that kind of nagged at me and that was in the beginning chapters they all kind of ended the exact same way, restating the character’s weakening fortifications. Some of them felt pretty identical, and though it’s a satisfying way to end a chapter, so many in a row that were almost verbatim stood out to me.

Kendall Ryan is a master of her craft, and I can’t wait to read more of her work!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Checking it Twice (Must Love Hockey #3)
Author:: Kendall Ryan
Genre:: Holiday Sports Romance
Publisher:: Dreamscape Media
Length:: 343 pages
Audio Length:: 7h 56m
Audiobook Narrator:: Grayson Owens & Rose Dioro
Published:: November 25th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars