4.5 ⭐️

Absolutely Not in Love is the final book in the new and innovative Sweater Weather series- standalone closed-door romances by different authors, all located in the autumn-tastic Harvest Hollow. It tells the story of Gracie, a cellist who’s a bit love-shy and completely hockey-player averse, thanks to her complicated past with the sport, its fans, and its players (emphasis on ‘player’). She lives in a loft next door to Felix, a hockey player who’s been a bright spot in other books in this series, and who proves in this one just what a star he is- and just how much more than “just another hockey player” he truly is. Watching Felix and Gracie dance around each other and then finally get to know and fall for each other was sheer delight- but, Gracie, fair warning, you’ve got competition for Felix- if you didn’t fall for him you’d have me and likely everyone else who reads this book claiming him as their “book boyfriend”- because he truly is the swoon-worthy best.

Featured tropes:

-Forced proximity
-Cinnamon roll MMC
-Smalltown 
-Closed door romance
-Hockey romance
-Classical music
-He falls first 
-Book nerds  

The perfect end to the Harvest Hollow series.

Thank you Jenny Proctor, JPC Publishing, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

Absolutely Not In Love was a very delightful, sweet story.

Felix is a hockey player for the Appies, a minor league team. Gracie is a cellist and a music teacher. They are neighbours, but Gracie tries to avoid any contact with Felix because she despise hockey and hockey players. When a pipe broke into her apartment she accepts to share Felix's flat. Living together they know each other better, they discover some of their hidden qualities, and they start to like each other more and more as the days go by.

I've adored the characters, but I would have liked some more in depth about about them and their back stories. Still they are lovely and enjoyable, and Felix courting is endearing.

I recommend to read it if you like a nicely written slow burn, and if you're looking for an easy, quick read.

Warm and cozy hockey romance starring a cellist and a cinnamon roll goalie? Yes please. This story was very cute. Felix is everything 💕

Very cute hockey romance! Definitely some cliche dialogue but overall a sweet and swoon worthy rom com that fits in perfectly with the sweater weather series! Would recommend!

A fun read, the story of Felix and Gracie. Neighbours but not friends. Can be convince her not all hockey players are the same. I liked how it is told from both points of view. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'Absolutely Not in Love' by Jenny Proctor.

Jenny Proctor could write a shopping list and I'd thank her. A hockey romance, 'Absolutely Not in Love' is such a good book to sink your teeth into and honestly I didn't even realise it was over until I was sulking that I had no more left of the story. The way Proctor writes just hooks you in and you just fall in love. Beautiful.

It was such a simple but delightful read. Felix and Gracie's relationship progressed naturally with a bit of forced proximity. Their story is what I would imagine every average person wants in life - find a good partner that shares the same interests, cares and supports you.
Felix is a strong contender to be your next book boyfriend. He is just so sweet, caring and thoughtful while also being insanely attractive. As someone who has struggled with social anxiety for most of my life I really appreciated the represantation and seen so much of myself in Felix.
The confrontation Gracie had with her mother made me tear up. It was such a good chapter with a great build up that made you really feel for the character.
I liked that their story was not all sunshine and roses, the conflict was so important, I'm so glad it didn't come out of nowhere, rather the issue has been foreshadowed a couple times already, so it felt really natural.
Overall, I think this book is very much worth reading.

This was a fun and generally light-hearted read. I’m glad we got spent time with Felix! I love the mutual ground they find in music. ❤️ I’ve been wondering about his character since the first in the series.

As a note of awareness, this is a closed-door romcom but there is implied pre-marital activity at the end. This may not be a deal breaker for some, but I feel it’s important to note.

This was my first hockey Romance book and safe to say it was amazing. Both main characters were likeable and you fell in love with Felix immediately. I’m for sure going to read the other books in this series.

A woman who hates hockey players falls for a hockey player. This story has been written before and despite knowing absolutely zero about hockey, I usually find myself reading them.

The story itself is fairly predictable for this sort of trope. Enough said there. I think the big difference is the characterization. The hero, Felix, is not the cocky, confident hockey player seen in most stories. He deals with anxiety and likes to be alone. Not in a broody way, though. He likes to read and enjoys classical music. Of course, he’s a trust fund baby that no one knows about. Felix is polite and kind and way too much of a people pleaser. He is just a bit too perfect. There is an author I used to read who could never resist making her heroines perfect…this is the same.

Gracie is not perfect. Gracie is a whiner who wants things her own way. In one particular scene, when Felix performs an act of kindness for a young teen, it inconveniences Gracie and she is sure to let him know about it because she should have come first in her eyes. This was a scene that made me cringe. The same goes for Gracie’s brother- to read things from her perspective, I thought he was going to be a narcissistic jerk. Instead, he was an upstanding guy.

The end is a sweet HEA for those who, like me, need to know before they invest their time in a book. The two bring out good things in each other, and it makes up for some of the other characterization. Because Gracie is redeemed as a character, it boosted the score to a 4. Read and enjoy.

Thank you to JPC Editing and Jenny Proctor for letting me have an ARC copy of Absolutely Not In Love to review!

I was absolutely over the moon to get a copy of this book to continue reading about my new favourite fictional hockey team hunks of Appies and finish off the Sweater Weather series! While I was sad to read the last book in the series and say goodbye to Harvest Hollow, I think Gracie and Felix’s story was the icing on the cake of this heart-warming, fall-season series.

I devoured this book in one sitting. Jenny Proctor’s writing is descriptive, and vibrant and feels like falling into a big squish chair with a happy sigh. She did an amazing job of staying true to the portrayal of Harvest Hollow and bringing to life the characters from the first book Just Don’t Fall and the Appies team. Rich banter, punchy dialogue, and the wonderful, warm sense of found family.

The plot focuses on a romance overcoming differences, past trauma, and learning to accept yourself to allow others to love you. This only scratches the surface of complicated subplots exploring troubled relationships with parents and siblings, the damage these relationships can inflict on our adult lives, and the growth required as people forgive and reform relationships with those who hurt us. I loved the journey of discovery between Felix and Gracie as they grow towards each other (and their chemistry is off the charts!). Their self-awareness and character agency are gripping as they fall in love and push at their flaws and beliefs that hold them back from coming together.

At first, I didn’t realise the books were written by two different authors as the vibes for the character personalities and setting are so perfectly mirrored for the secondary characters.
Jenny Proctor knows how to write a man who can sweep a reader off their feet. Felix is the complete swoonish package of brains, body, and a beautiful soul. I loved the exploration of Felix’s character, from his social anxiety flaws to his passions off and on the rink. Sometimes hockey romances, make the male protagonist world begin and end with the hockey uniform. I loved he was a bookworm who loved classic music–if he could step off the page he would be my perfect guy!

My heart melted for Gracie and her situation with her family. Being the black sheep in the family can carry a lot of pressure and create distance between those we want to love and accept. Gracie’s inner strength, determination, and ability to follow her dreams alone were endearing and relatable. Under her armour, she was such a caring soul that was a perfect match for Felix.

I’ll be adding a paperback version of this to my shelves for future autumnal cosy evening reads for the future. My only complaint about this book, I wished it had been longer as I didn’t want it to end and I need more of the Appies hockey player romance stories.

Everything changes when Gracie moves in next door to Felix, a hokey player. Gracie is an anti-hockey celoist, and her number one rule is to never fall in love with a hokey player. These individuals have a speculative chemistry that just leaps off the page!
This novel is perfect if you're looking for a quick, heartfelt romance to read. I wish it had been longer and had more moments that would have made me swoon. This books is fast paced. The personalities of the main characters captivate your attention and make you want more.

I'm thankful for Net Galley who allowed me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The book was all in all cute, but despite loving the ones with no third-act breakup, this had an air of fakeness throughout that I couldn't shake off.
Did I like how the relationship progressed? Yes.

Did I love Felix? Yes and no. To me, he was so blatantly a character that it took me out of the book. He didn't feel realistic at all and was way too perfect in everything. He literally didn't have a flaw if we don't count what the author tried to pass off as one: his constant need to please everyone. He always did and said the right thing, and liked the same things as her, to the point where he felt like a prop.

How was Gracie? Just okay, she wasn't special or anything. However, she irritated me to no end when she complained that he didn't keep his promise (no spoiler) for something she asked him to do. For one, he had a pretty important reason for missing her thing, but most of all, she counted on his goodwill when asking for the favor and then had the nerve to accuse him of saying "yes" to everyone. I just wanted to slap her because, guess what, Gracie? You did the same thing!

I didn't hate it, but unfortunately, I didn't like it either.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am very new to the hockey romance genre. This is only my second book here, but it is definitely inspiration to really dedicate myself to this genre. I loved both of the characters and their dynamic was divine. You can expect some excellent chemistry and many swoon worthy moments. This is also the perfect time of year to pick up this book, so buy it NOW.

Felix and Gracie's story was like a hug, all of the cozy weather vibes I love about autumn. They are both the literal sweetest people ever and Felix is the epitome of a cinnamon roll. Felix, the goalie of the minor league team and Gracie, a music teacher extraordinaire and cello musician, are neighbors in a building that Felix happens to own and she is very firm in her opinion to not date a hockey player. When a pipe bursts in her apartment, he invites her to stay and thus the reader embarks on their close proximity to friends to lovers roller coaster with all the longing/will they won't they that you'd expect given their current living arrangements. Also, can we talk about that library for a minute and Felix's reading of romance novels?! ..Did I fall a little bit in love with that library? Yes. Yes I did. Also Gracie's grand gesture?? Tooo perfect!

I may have read the first and last books in thus series consecutively but truly cannot wait for a rainy day to dive into all the books in between! 🥰


Thank you Netgalley and JPC Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my review!

Absolutely Not in Love by Jenny Proctor is part of the multi-author Sweater Weather series. I have been anxiously waiting for Felix’s story and Jenny has delivered! Felix is just a loveable guy. Like, the perfect guy. I won’t list all the reasons, or you’ll lose some of the experience of finding out why for yourself, but trust me, he’s amazing! Gracie thinks so too, with one glaring problem. He is a hockey player, and she has sworn off fating hockey players. It has the enemies to lover’s vibe (even if one sided) with a healthy dose of forced proximity. I love watching their friendship unfold as Gracie gets to know the man under the hockey uniform. Head’s up, It is a closed-door romance, but still has a decent amount of discussion/thoughts about what could happen behind those closed doors (as would be normal for any healthy adult who is attracted to someone, I just didn’t feel like it was necessary to add anything to a clean, closed-door story). I loved how Gracie stood up for herself and Felix was willing to own his issues. They complemented each other very well and I could not have envisioned a better fit for wonderful Felix. I still recommend it as a great story in the series and while other characters are mentioned, there are no spoilers, so feel free to read them in any order.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

Absolutely Not in Love
By: Jenny Proctor
Review Score: 4 Stars

Boogie’s Bulletpoints

-I really enjoyed Gracie’s character development through the story.

-Gracie and Felix are really sweet.

-I loved Felix’s relationship with his grandma.

-I enjoyed the hockey part of the story (even though I do not know that much about the sport).

——

Absolutely Not in Love was kindly provided as an ARC by Netgalley and JPC Publishing. Thank you for allowing me to enjoy this wonderful book!

Release Date: Out Now!

Gracie is a middle school orchestra teacher with a hot neighbor. The only problem? He plays hockey, and, after a life where all her family did was watch/talk about/live/breathe hockey, she doesn’t want to get involved with a hockey player.

Obviously, she starts to fall for him, and has to rethink her feelings on the matter.

This is definitely a quick and easy read, perfect for curling up with a coffee in the fall.

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I absolutely devoured this book in one setting. The self awareness of Felix was by far the most refreshing thing I have read in a long time. Jenny Proctor brings her characters to life in a way that makes you feel like you're in the room with them, watching their playful back and forths. I loved the interwoven (clearly well researched) aspects of both music and hockey, as well as the rich side characters. The dialogue was punchy, and I kicked my feet when Gracie was overheard talking about Felix in her drunken state by his Mum! Adorable. Overall a stunning read, and have since recommended to two of my book clubs.

This was very cute!
I’m a sucker for hockey romance so the trope and the fall inspired cover were what attracted me to this book, having never read this author before. I’d definitely read more of her books. This was closed door but I didn’t feel I was missing anything from the story and really enjoyed it. Nice easy and sweet read.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this story about Gracie and Felix.
Grcie is harboring a lot of resentment and bitterness towards her parents, who always let the hockeygames of her brother go before her music recitals. She plays the cello. So she is adamant that her boyfriend cannot have anything to do with hockey. Enter Felix, her hottie neighbor (hot despite the beard) and goalie for the Appies.
But Felix is more than just a hockey guy. He’s very much into classical music. So even before meeting Gracie he was enjoying listening to her playing the cello on the other side of the wall. Felix suffers from social anxiety and semi-awkwardness, but he’s also incredibly sweet, caring and genuinely wants to make other people happy. So although Gracie made a pact with herself to stay far, far away from everything having to do with hockey, she starts seeing the man behind the job.
The book touches on complicated family dynamics, disappointing your parents by being different, and the hurt and longing that come with that. Gracie and Felix have that in common.
I loved that the relationship between Gracie and Felix evolved very slowly and naturally. It wasn’t rushed but you saw their love grow and them fall in love.
Like Eli said: <i>“Man, you let your nerd flag fly that high and it actually made her like you more?”</i>
The issue with their respective parents could have been explored a bit more, but it didn't detract from the story.
I liked the two of them texting!
And kudos for the writer to keep this a clean story! Extra points.
I am very curious about Logan & Parker’s story (previous book?), Summer & Nathan (upcoming story?) and Summer’s brother-in-law is Flint Hawthorne sounds like a hotshot hunk with a story, too. Jenny Proctor writes so beautifully that you want to know about all of her characters!
The book still needs some editing; the font was italic and the alignment needs to be corrected (and a sent photo is depicted in a text as <1842.jpg>, not as <jpg.1842>) but the story is beautiful. I can honestly recommend it!
Thank you Netgalley and Jenny Proctor Creative for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts and opinions are my own.