I didn’t know what to expect from this book because it was my first book by Leah Brunner, so I haven’t read the previous books from the series and I am oftentimes disappointed by books that get extremely hyped. But this one did not disappoint at all!

It was such a sweet love story and even though the beginning of the friendship is a bit unrealistic I really loved seeing Amber and Ford through the years and how their bond and their love for each other grew.
Ford is such a caring and thoughtful guy and I love how he takes care of the people he loves, even if this means potential heartbreak for him. I loved how Amber always appreciated him and that their romantic relationship was first based on an emotional connection that we see in nearly every scene.

I really enjoyed reading both POVs and loved both characters. Leah made it very easy to empathize with them. I had no problem getting into the story nor got I confused by too many characters, even though I haven’t read the prequel and book 1 and 2, but I definitely will catch up on that because Leah did a great job of making them interesting enough for me to want to read their stories too. Started Passion or Penalty right after finishing this one! (But to be honest, I’m pretty sure Ford will be my favorite MC, he seems way more respectful than the other guys…)

Like many others I thought Ford as a MC with high functioning autism was absolutely great and with him we see some character growth when he opens up to his teammates.

“This helps us understand you too, and now when you need space, we’ll get it. And we won’t pester you.”
(Colby)

This is mainly not a critique of the book but of society. I get that it’s great that we are more and more aware of neurodivergent people, their needs and how they process some things differently and it can help to have a name for it. But not everyone whose brain functions differently or who gets overstimulated by certain sensations has an official diagnosis and not everyone wants to have a name, a label even though people like Colby can’t seem to understand, accept or respect people's different needs (like Ford’s need for space) if they don’t have a name for it. We should be considerate with the feelings and needs of other people, no matter if they have a certain diagnosis or not.

I think it’s interesting that all the reviews I read say zero spice because for me (and I have read spicy books and am very happy to have found alternatives without the steam) it wasn’t zero, even though the physical intimacy on scene is limited to kissing, hugging, sharing a bed and a few touches, then fade to black, it is technically steam level 2 at least when I look at different spice or steam level ratings (which means at least one intimate scene behind closed doors). So this is a clean book and it was within my personal comfort zone, especially because Ford and Amber are married, but I’m pretty sure it’s level 2, not 0.

It also includes mild language and innuendo and I personally didn’t like the lingerie shopping scene, where it was quite obvious that Ford is a real gentleman and doesn’t want to think about what his friends bought for their girls, but somehow thinks that makes him… uncool..?

“I’ll be awkward and embarrassed, and then they’ll wonder why I’m so shy about buying lingerie for my wife. [...] A second later, Mitch and Colby join us. I don’t look to see how many bags they’re holding. That’s information I do not need to know.”

Call me a prude, but this made me like Ford even more (and a bit skeptical about his teammates, even though I still want to read their books) and it shouldn’t be embarrassing that he thinks some things should only be shared with your partner and not everyone has to enjoy lingerie shopping in a group. It’s okay that his friends do, but it’s also okay that he doesn’t.

So I repeat myself when I say Ford was just perfect and I loved his connection not only with Amber and Nella, but also with his parents and sisters and I’m pretty sure we’ll see more of at least one of them in a next book. I actually hope we’ll see his whole family again, because they are just lovely!

I really enjoyed this sweet romance. You just have to root for these two, or actually their little family of three and how Ford took care of Nella, looked at her, talked to her was just the cutest!
And since I enjoyed this story so much that it made me jump right into another one of the D.C. Eagles Hockey series even though my TBR for this month is huge and I’m really not into hockey or famous athletes to begin with, I give 4,5 stars, rounded to 5, and recommend this book for everyone who is looking for a sweet, clean and lighthearted romance that makes you smile and feel for the characters.

* Thank you to the author for letting me read an advanced copy of this book. I leave this review voluntarily and the expressed opinions are my own. ( )