I recieved a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I wasnt sure about this book. I know hockey romances have become a thing but I haven't really ready any but I gave this a try and I liked it. This is a slow, low angst romance. It is clean with no real conflict at any point.
Grace hates hockey since her family is obsessed with it especially since her childhood revolved around it since her brother was a player. Grace prefers her cello. But her neighbor who happens to be a hockey player, avid reader, and lover of classical music might just change her mind about not dating hockey players.
While not my usual type of book it was a 4 stars quick read low stakes romance.

Gracie has one rule about dating. No honey players! Then she meets Felix, a widowed hockey playing father of one of the girls she teaches ballet to. Such a cute closed door romance! The characters were so lovable.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was a fun and quick read! I liked that she was the opposite of a puck bunny, actively looking to not date a hockey player. This book explores the fact that hockey players are more than just athletes, they are people with interests and thoughts beyond the sport. This enemies to lovers book had me continuously flipping the pages and devouring the book!

This was a cute, clean hockey romance. I enjoyed getting to know the characters but found some of it unbelievable, mostly Gracie’s aversion to hockey players, particularly since her brother was a hockey player. Other than that, I loved that she played the cello and that it was an integral part of the plot. Recommended for a quick, satisfying clean read.

I’ve read several of Jenny Proctor’s books at this point, and this one just might be my favorite. It’s a hockey romance, but also a clean romance for those of you that prefer a little bit less spice. It has such cute fall vibes with forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and just a cute romance story. This is part of a larger Sweater Weather series by various authors but also shows hints of having its own series based off some other hockey players too! 4.25⭐️, 0.5🌶

this book was so sexy yet sweet at the same time. It was so fun to read. I've always liked hockey romances and this was no exception.

There were some parts that were a big laggy ig but overall it was a sweet read perfect for a windown from a hectic day.

Closed door hockey romance. The plot flowed well enough and I enjoyed the book on a surface level. I didn't like that Felix continually referenced his social anxiety yet didn't ever struggle with it. Therapy can do wonders but for me this didn't track. I also found it a little too convenient that both main characters were major cello nerds. I would definitely read more books by the author.

I realy liked the leads and this series broadly, but the end felt sort of rushed for me and i'm not sure why!

I would like to thank netgalley and JPC Publishing for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book, especially the anxiety rep.

In Absolutely Not in Love, we meet Appies NHL feeder team goalie Felix pining for his neighbor, cellist and music teacher, Gracie. But fed up during her childhood of her parents caring more about her brother's hockey games than her music and a cheating hockey-playing ex-boyfriend have sworn Gracie off hockey players for good. Of course, until she meets Felix. His undeniable attractiveness, love for music and books, and kindness shine through and she debates giving him a chance. Eventually, a broken pipe in Gracie's apartment pushes these two closer together.

We're first introduced to Felix in Emma St. Clair's Sweater Weather starter, Just Don't Fall. After reading that book I was BEGGING for more books on all the Appies players, so I was so glad to see the conclusion to the collection to give us Felix's story. This was also my first Jenny Proctor book! I had heard so many good things, but it was great to finally see them for myself. Ultimately, I really enjoyed this book. I adore hockey romances, whether sweet or spicy, and this closed door take on it was as touching as it was tension-filled. I will definitely be reading more of Proctor's work and am still holding out hope for a series!

Thanks to the author for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

Absolutely Not in Love by Jenny Proctor was another fabulous read in the Sweater Weather series. I am not a hocky fan but still loved the story. We met Felix in the previous book and I was thrilled that he got his own story. How can you not love a hockey player that loves to read and names his library, Ivy. He was the perfect boyfriend material even if Gracie was fighting it.
Gracie was a relatable character. She has her reasons for not wanting to date a hockey player between her family’s obsession and her ex-boyfriends poor decisions.
The author created fun situations to put them in. This is a closed door, sweet romcom with tension and sizzle. It was perfect.

This book was super cute! A nerdy bookish hockey player who’s also the sweetest person ever sign me up. A cute small town romance, good characters, I love it.
Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

What a fun end to the Sweater Weather series!

I was ready for Felix's story since we got a glimpse of him in Logan's story by Emma St. Clair, Just Don't Fall. I'm so happy Jenny got to round out this story AND that it was a hockey story!

I loved that Felix had so much depth. I feel like a lot of hockey romances these days are just about HOCKEY playing, and not about all the nights, weekdays, weekends, time at home spent with others, etc. Gracie got to see Felix in all of these normal moments with a really sweet hockey goalie, and a lot of the story took place away from hockey, because Gracie is so anti-hockey and Felix is so pro-Gracie. There was a lot of talk about music and books and cooking. There were family struggles that were hard for both main characters. And yet, there was so much care between the two, and the way Felix just wanted to care for Gracie and his choices revolved around that made me like him that much more.

Other things I liked: glimpses of other Sweater Weather couples/characters, talk about mental health/therapy, family time and family growth, sharing of hopes and dreams, supportive main characters, and grand gestures.

This story felt whole and complete and is the perfect sweet romcom for this spooky season!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for early access to this book. These are my honest thoughts.

A fantastic, romantic story with a side of hockey.
I had previously read Logan and Parker's story so I knew of Felix and his charming neighbour who had captured his attention.
I loved the tropes and how they were woven together close proximity and enemies to lovers.

An amazing book from Jenny Proctor . This is by far my favourite of the series . Gracie hates hockey , but what happens when her neighbor is Felix the hockey goalie player for the Appies . So what if he is the most handsome man she has ever seen , loves classic music and loves to read . Felix is smitten with Gracie and he is trying to win her . When the pipes at her apartment brust and she has to live with him they get really close . Will ahe be able to change her mind and fall in love with an hockey player ?
I loved Felix characher , despite having anxiety he really tries to be around people and he always works and helps . I loved the relationship he had with his grandmother and the way he he honors her memory .
I received this book from netgalley and the publicer as an ARC . Thank you . All thoughts and opinions are my own .

Absolutely Not in Love by Jenny Proctor is the love story of Felix and Gracie. Their love story is a next-door neighbour to lovers, frenemies to lovers and small-town love. Gracie is a middle school teacher and cellist who happens to live next to the Goal of the Appies. Felix has bad social anxiety and just happens to play for one of the biggest minor league teams. He also has Ivy (His beautiful library) which helps him get out of socialising.
I truly loved this book, the characters and the fact their love story is the best. Plus I'm a lover of a teacher and hockey player romance.

I'm usually not one for clean slow burn romances. I like them well enough, as long as the plot keeps me engaged, but they're not my favorite. However, this book was actually really good and kept me up way too late finishing it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ all the way. 👏

I absolutely adored Felix. He was just the perfect character. He was strong and protective, yes. But he was also incredibly vulnerable, suffered from social anxiety his whole life (I can relate), and was such a nice and caring guy. And he loved classical music and could cook! Seriously, he was the best and there honestly wasn't anything I disliked about him. Even the whole inevitable 'breakup' at the end was one that I couldn't really fault him for, although he could have made a better decision and thought about who his loyalty and priorities lied with.

I liked Gracie as well. She was a little too hung up on 'I don't like any hockey players' mantra for a while there and it was a bit annoying when she wouldn't even give Felix a chance. I mean he was literally doing everything right. But forced proximity quickly allowed her to see the great guy he was underneath those goalie hockey pads.

If I had any complaint, it would be that the author didn't really write a true epilogue for us to read with the book. Instead, you have to download it afterwards. That honestly annoys me when an author does it since it's just a marketing ploy to be added to their newsletter list. The only time I'm okay with that is if it's a bonus bonus epilogue way down the road and the existing epilogue was already great enough that I'd be happy with it and the bonus was just me being greedy and wanting more. This time the epilogue included in the book was okay, but it didn't really show future Felix and Gracie like I wanted.

Kudos to mentioning the Hurricanes! As a new Canes fan (I've lived 15-30 mins from their arena for 23 years, but finally went to my first game a few weeks ago lol), I loved that this book took place in the mountains of NC (one of our happy places) and included mentions of our local NHL team. :)

I'll definitely read more from this author and will try to go back and read the previous 6 books in this series.

Upon reading this author's bio and seeing who published her previous books before she turned indie, it seems as though she was a Christian romance author previously, but branched out into contemporary romance/romantic comedies. I honestly wouldn't have guessed that and definitely avoid her former publishing house's type of books, not that there's anything wrong with them, they're just not my cup of tea. So if you're reading this and are on the fence thinking this is going to be a religious romance, just know that at no point did I feel I was reading anything other than a clean contemporary romance.

Gracie grew up in a household where hockey was all. She's a good enough cellist that she's in a symphony and teaches students but her brother's hockey playing meant that her parents were always missing her big days because they were at her brother's practice or games.
Her neighbor Felix? He's a minor league hockey player. Handsome as all get out, a good cook, knows his classical music but Gracie isn't interested. Until her pipes break and she needs a place to stay. As her landlord (did he not tell her that yet?), Felix wants to make sure she has a place to stay. And that time together might mean that Felix finally has a chance to get to know his gorgeous neighbor and she might have a chance to look beyond his sport.

Three and a half stars
This book came out October 12, 2023
ARC kindly provided by JPC Publishing and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

I loved this book so much and it was my first book by this author. I’ve tried a few others in this series but this one by this author was by far the best! Highly encouraged to read such a fun story, with a little bit of spice without being open door! Loved that! I definitely want to read more from this author and will be looking into adding her books to my library for all my closed door fans.

I’m literally obsessed with this book.
I’ve now downloaded the six books before this one. Sweater Weather series is precious.

I’m obsessed with hockey so when I found out about hockey romance, I have obviously been consuming every single one I can find.