Was first introduced to the Appies through Sweater weather multi-author series. That was fun so I was happy there is a spin-off series. This was a fun, light read. As with all modern marriage of convienence reads there is a bit of suspending belief going on. However, if the author is good the reader can say anyway: okay, I'll buy it! That's what happened here for sure. (this author has another book in her Love cliche series with this trope. That was another fun read.) I enjoyed all the characters, the comraderie with the team, the cinnamon roll hero. Eli was a unique in a wonderful way. I thought while this might be a familiar or popular trope how the story unfolded made the read feel fresh and new.
I loved: the witt and internal dialogue, imagery, easy natural dialogue, sweet and endearing moments between the couple.
I liked the side characters and thought they added nicely to the story. Annie I was on the fence about. She did add humor but I was also put off by her lack of boundaries. That one is probably just more of a your own Pov.
Content fyi info.- closed door, no fade out intimacy but some innuendo or light non-crude joking about sleeping together before the I do's and after, kissing only described.
*thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for an advanced digital copy of the book. Opinon is 100% my own.

This was an entertaining friends to lovers, marriage of convenience sports romance!

Eli is a Canadian hockey player on a US team. He and his mom have been in the US for a few years now, and his visa is about to expire. He either has to go back to Canada for several months and risk his spot on the team, or get married to a US citizen. That seems unlikely given that he doesn’t have a girlfriend.

Bailey works at an animal rescue and wants to become a vet. Eli often comes into the shelter to spend time with the animals and see Bailey. Eli really likes her, and asks her if she’d marry him for his visa, and she agrees.

They spend a lot of time together learning about each other and have to prove to people that their marriage is real, and after a while they start to fall in love.

I love these characters! Eli loves his mom and dogs, he’s a marshmallow in a hockey player’s body. Bailey is more vulnerable than she appears, and they fit together perfectly. 4 stars.

Thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was such a cute hockey romance!!! If you love a fast pace, swoony love story this is the book for you. Marriage of convenience will always be one of my favorite tropes and this book does it justice. I loved both of the main characters so much. They are likable and draw you in. The plot kept me entertained and I didn’t want to put it down.

I’m full of heart eyes and tears and laughter and so disappointed that it’s over! I want more time with these wonderful imaginary people!

I loved everything about this book, but I especially loved Maggie. Reading her story made me feel seen and understood and important.

Having an invisible chronic illness sometimes leaves me feeling a little useless and invisible. I can’t even begin to tell you how much this meant to me. And you nailed it Emma St. Claire!

I’m so excited more Appies stories are coming! I can’t get enough of these guys and their families. Such a fun, fabulous series!

Title: A Groom Of One’s Own By Emma St.Clair


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars

I received this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.

In "A Groom of One's Own," Eli Hopkins, a successful hockey player, faces a potential career setback due to visa paperwork errors. To avoid deportation, he needs to find someone to marry him within thirty days. With the perfect woman in mind, he sets out to win her over, hoping for a real marriage rather than just a legal arrangement.

Bailey McKinney, dedicated to her work at the animal shelter, finds herself drawn to the charismatic Eli when he visits the shelter. Despite her huge crush on the hockey player, she agrees to his proposal to help him and his mother. As their relationship progresses, Bailey begins to question whether her feelings for Eli are purely altruistic or if they are evolving into something deeper. Emma St. Clair expertly weaves a tale filled with heartwarming scenes and clever dialogue, making it an engaging read for fans of sports romance.

This closed-door marriage of convenience romcom blends heart and humor, offering a sizzling but spice-free read that will appeal to fans of sports romance looking for a lighter touch.

Oh, Eli! Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for this fantastic romance - book 3 in the Appies series. This marriage of inconvenience story is so heartwarming and inspiring. I love all the supporting characters from the hockey team to Eli’s Mom’s bookclub - I want to be a member. I can’t wait for the next installment.

I’m in my Hockey Romance Era and this was chef’s kiss 💋

Things I loved:
🏒 Golden Retriever MMC (who also loved dogs?!)
🏒 The wedding scene 🥹
🏒 “I AM HIS WIFE!” 🗡️

The character development of shy, sweet Bailey was top tier. She got her found family with the Appies <3 and I am literally so happy for a fictional character

Eli is also the definition of a book boyfriend. A lot of his POV had me smiling because he is such a cheese ball in the best way possible.

This book is part of a series, and can be read as a standalone. But i really recommend reading Logan and Felix’s stories first to give you a greater appreciation for their characters. This is a really good series to binge, and it looks like Nathan’s story is coming up next but i am definitely waiting for Van’s 😏



Thank you NetGalley, Victory Editing Co-Op and Emma St. Clair for this e-ARC

SO GOOD!

I loved everything about this book and I would 100% recommend it if you’re looking for a sweet/swoony romcom with realistic characters and a good storyline. their feelings definitely developed quickly, but the progression still felt natural 🫶🏼

This is a great example of when the marriage of convenience trope is done right. It was such a cute, heart-warming read by Emma St. Clair. It's a sweet, silly romance between Eli and Bailey, who get married due to Eli's visa expiring.

I haven't read anything previously published by Emma so I went into this book not really knowing her writing style, but after a few chapters I found myself really enjoying the ride it took me on. We don't really see a lot of the actual marriage between Eli and Bailey - it's more the build up.

I really enjoyed it, the only reason it wasn't a five star read for me is that I felt it didn't leave a big impression on me after reading.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

Emma St. Clair has done it again! She writes the perfect amount of sweet with no need for heat just pure romance. This book can totally be read as a standalone, but anyone who previously read the Sweater Weather series will recognize some side characters in this book.

This is a fake marriage to get a green card situation. But, oh, my! There is so much more to the story. Eli (total book boyfriend!) is a hockey player who discovers he needs a wife ASAP or he will be deported back to Canada. Enter shy girl, Bailey, who Eli has been crushing on who works at the animal shelter where he goes to hang out with the dogs (and Bailey.) Bailey's parents are deceased and her only relative is a grandmother who has dementia (and was quite hateful even before in life!) she is paying the bills for her care. She also plans on veterinary school soon. It's this dire need of money (and her reciprocal crush) that she agrees to a fake marriage proposal. The whole story was just filled with so much cuteness and heartfelt emotions. It is quickly apparent that there is nothing fake about this relationship even if it takes a while to get the courage to verbalize their feelings. Watching our couple become something real felt organic even though the feelings came about pretty quick. The side characters from the teammates, friends, book club, Eli's mom and sister were epic! Bailey went from having a limited support system to having a full big circle of people. Eli and Bailey may be "awkward together' (sweet swoon!) but there was nothing awkward about this romance. I am still smiling! Looking forward to the next book...

5 stars

All...the....feels...ahhh!! I just finished it and I'm sad, I don't want it to end! I love harvest hills, it feels like home. I love all of the previous characters that pop in. And I LOVE Bailey and Eli. Wonderful story, wonderful writing, wonderful sums it up. Highly highly recommend for a great romantic escape!

First of alL, thank You Netgalley for the ARC granted to me =) I really Really REALLY love Sports romances and I liked my previous experiences with som of the author's titles. This one is wonderful, I loved Bailey and Eli, they're a great bond and now I am looking forward to read the next appie's guys stories. More than approved!

Cue the Permagrin with this one!!! Seriously I couldn't stop grinning the whole time. I can't get enough of these Appies!!! If you like hockey romances, or if you've never read one (time to get on that), this is one that sweet and clean romance fans are going to LOVE!!! I'm so excited to read Jenny Proctor's book in this new series and see more of these Appie hockey players!

If you're not aware this series was born from the Sweater Weather books that both Emma St. Clair and Jenny Proctor wrote for the Sweater Weather series. Go read those too! I can't say enough good about them. Permagrin all around with these fantastic reads! And you get to see some favorites from those books in this one. Pink sticky notes everyone!!!! Hahaha!!! IYKYK! ;-)

I was a goner when I started this one. Seriously Eli is just a big ol' gooey cinnamon roll of a main male character. If you haven't heard that term yet, now you have. The basic idea of it is that they are sweet and yummy and perfection because... Well, Cinnamon Rolls y'all!!!

Eli finds himself in a marriage of convenience with the girl he's been falling in love with for a long time. And how it all comes about was super cute. Bailey is just lovely! And man, my heart went out to her for her struggles. Especially with her grandma. I might have gotten a little teary eyed a few times. You'll see why when you read it. But Eli is just the bestest! And they are really too cute for words.

Eli's mom cracks me up! She's a hoot! And so are her book club friends! Hahahaha!!! I'm sitting here giggling over them now that I'm thinking about them and their antics again. Yep, you're going to love them and all of the other characters in this book.

I think I just need to go back and read this one again. So many wonderful scenes. This is one where my whole book is close to being highlighted because of the great scenes, lines, jokes, banter, sweet moments...EVERYTHING!!!

Ok, just stop reading my review and go read it for yourself. Move it up to the top of your list. Or better yet, drop everything and pick it up now! You don't have to have read the Sweater Weather books to enjoy this one. But you will probably want to once you start meeting these Appie hockey players! Just sayin'! ;-)

Content: Clean. It is a marriage of convenience story. There are sweet kisses and the characters sleep in the same bed. The marital scene is closed door/fade to black and was very cleanly written.

I received a copy from the publisher, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

Meet my new book boyfriend!

If you're looking for a feel-good romance, this one's for you!

It's just so wonderful, so cute, so cozy. It feels like being wrapped in a warm blanket. All good vibes.

It's a pleasure to return to Harvest Hollow and with a Hockey Romance as if that were not enough
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Emma St. Clair creates the best cinnamon roll, golden retriever characters and I fall for sweetness every single time
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Eli Hopkins has a successful career as a player for the local hockey team The Appies, he lives a quiet and happy life with his mother and his teammates who are like brothers, until he finds out that he has little time left to sort out the paperwork of his visa or be deported to Canada. The only way to fix this is getting married, the problem is to who.
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Bailey has a lot on her mind, especially with the bills piling up, the only relief is when she gets to work at the animal shelter and get to spend time with them, especially when Eli arrives for his weekly visit. Only This time he has a very strange proposal to make her, one that in her position is very difficult to pass up
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I really enjoyed reading how Bailey and Eli fell in love, but also that incredible team who love and support each other in any situation.
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A sport romance, marriage of convenience between a golden retriever hockey player and a good girl in a beautiful cosy small town
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Thanks to Emma St. Clair and her team for give me a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion

I devoured this book. Seriously I stayed up until 2am reading this because I didn’t want to put it down. The story was so cute. I loved Eli! I thought he was so sweet and adorable and Bailey was the same way! These two were made for each other. I also loved how Bailey and Maggie became so close, I thought that relationship aspect was so well thought out. Overall I would recommend this book especially if you love marriage of convenience, forced proximity, found family, and hockey!

This may be the first time I’ve read a book with a golden retriever MMC and a shy girl. The nice guy and the nice girl, it’s a beautiful thing, yall! Don’t get it twisted though, their personalities are vastly different.

🤵‍♂️MMC plans the wedding. Talk about golden retriever energy!

💓Logan and Parker cameos

I’m excited for Van’s story! He’s more complex than you would think after the first impression. I know his story will be a good one!

CW/TW:
Biblical curse words. Fade to black moment while married. The word, “sex” is mentioned a few times. Parents passing away from car wreck (past), parental abandonment (past), older relative with dementia (present), and parent with chronic illness (present).

Thank you NetGalley, Victory Editing Co-Op and Emma St. Clair for this copy.

Link to IG review: https://www.instagram.com/p/C4ai_paLQ99/?igsh=MTc3YTk0eng3c3U0aQ==

What an absolutely adorable read! Emma St. Clair writes incredible characters that draw you in and keep you riveted to their stories. On the surface, 𝗔 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗢𝗠 𝗢𝗙 𝗢𝗡𝗘'𝗦 𝗢𝗪𝗡 is a fake relationship, sports romance but once you delve deeper it becomes a charming and endearing love story that will melt your heart with its sweetness and humour.

I was immediately drawn to both Eli and Bailey. He’s a great big teddy bear and she is a pocket sized ball of energy and light. Together they were so adorable. Watching them yearn for one another was everything and you just knew that they were going to fall hard and fast for each other. Which they did. In spectacular fashion.

I read this sweet, closed door romance in one sitting and have zero regrets. I’m giving 𝗔 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗢𝗠 𝗢𝗙 𝗢𝗡𝗘'𝗦 𝗢𝗪𝗡 the judy.ann.loves.books stamp of approval, TBR and Enjoy!

Thank you Emma for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!

😍😍😍😍omg the characters in this one are perfect. It is easy to fall in love with both Bailey and Eli right away, but then as you get to know them even more you realize how perfect they are together. I enjoyed the chronic pain representation and thought it was well done. Maggie and Annie was seriously the best side characters. I could read a whole book just about them messing with Eli. I loved the bonds they formed with Bailey. The epilogue was the best way to end this book!!

Please let Annie be a future book!!

"A Groom of One's Own" is an absolute gem in the realm of closed-door marriage of convenience hockey romcoms. Eli Hopkins, a hockey player with the Appies, faces the threat of deportation due to administrative error unless he finds someone to marry within thirty days. Enter Bailey, a shy but determined woman who agrees to the arrangement for financial reasons, but soon finds herself falling for Eli for real.

From the get-go, I was completely smitten with Eli and Bailey's story. Eli is the epitome of a gentle giant, with a heart of gold and a romantic soul. His tender care for his sick mother and his unwavering devotion to Bailey make him utterly swoon-worthy. Bailey, on the other hand, is a wonderfully relatable character with a backbone of steel beneath her shy exterior. Their journey from a fake marriage to genuine affection is both heartwarming and entertaining.

The plot is engaging from start to finish, with plenty of humor and heartfelt moments along the way. Emma St. Clair masterfully weaves in the marriage-of-convenience trope without it feeling cliché, and the chemistry between Eli and Bailey leaps off the page. The supporting cast of characters, including Eli's teammates from the Appies, adds depth and charm to the story.

Overall, "A Groom of One's Own" is a feel-good read that will leave you with a smile on your face. It's a perfect choice for fans of sports romance who prefer a lighter touch of heat. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of Eli and Bailey's journey, and I can't wait to dive into more stories from the Appies series. 10/10 would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.