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Member Reviews
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Thank you to Boldwood Books, NetGalley and Kelly Jamieson for giving me a chance to read this arc early! From the first page, I loved Mabel. She had been through a tough relationship but stuck to her guns and was determined to figure out the next steps for her career and her life. I also loved that she was unique and outgoing. As she and Ben started falling for each other, I quickly realized he was her perfect match. I was so glad that Mabel loved and appreciated Ben as he was. This is one of the best hockey romances I have read.
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Thank you Netgalley, Boldwood Books, and Kelly Jamieson for the chance to read and review this book!
I will always eat up a hockey romance and this was no exception. I also love the brother's best friend trope so I was super excited for this one. I really enjoyed Mabel and Ben as characters and I thought their dynamic worked really well together.
I do wish this book was longer though because it felt a bit rushed. I know Mabel and Ben have history as teenagers but getting to "I love you" after only a couple weeks wasn't super believable to me. I do think their attraction to each other was evident and the spice was decent (although a little cringey) but how quickly they were saying ily to each other was kind of an ick.
It's not my favorite romance book ever but it was decent and a fast read so overall I still enjoyed this. if you're into hockey romance I would recommend it!
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I have always loved Kelly Jamieson’s hockey romances so I was very excited when this came up for request.
I absolutely adored Ben and Mabel’s story! It’s sweet, sexy, and steamy! The title is in the money too! They are amazing characters who are so lovable. Marek and some of the teammates we get interaction with are also wonderful and I hope they get their own books.
I would not really consider this erotica, but there are some explicit sex scenes with some serious dirty talk from Ben. It’s always the quiet ones. It is very sexy! But nothing over the top in my opinion.
Mabel is Ben’s teammate and current roommate Marek’s (aka Smitty) little sister so you know there is going to be a problem when she comes to live with them after a bad break up and there is definitely carefully disguised interest for both Ben and Mabel. They strike up a friendship when she agrees to help him become more extroverted to help him be named team captain. But their friendship slowly gives in to the chemistry and desire they have both been trying to ignore. And that’s when the sparks really fly! And the line is crossed! I love them together and love their journey to HEA, which is not without a few issues that come up but that’s what makes things interesting. I am hoping this is part of a new series because I can definitely get on board with that!
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This had lots of potential for me and ticked all the boxes for what I look for in a sports romance but it just fell very flat.
It didn’t feel like there was a story being told just lots of sentences put down, it was lacking in chemistry for the main two characters and even they were a bit robotic- the whole book almost felt like it was going through the motions without enough emotion in it.
This may just be the writing style that didn’t suit me but unfortunately I just couldn’t get past it to enjoy.
I received this book as an ARC and provide and honest review
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Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book
I love ice hockey books so when I saw this book was an ice hockey I wanted to read it. This is my first time reading a book by Kelly Jamieson and it wasn’t bad. It was entertaining and there was a lot of talk about ice hockey which I absolutely enjoyed.
Before reading please check trigger warnings because there are some very sensitive topics discussed in this book. Even I was getting emotional and apparently love bombing makes me feel iffy but this book didn’t encourage it and showed it’s a bad thing.
I loved Ben. I love how we got to see his character development and that he became more confident in himself and that he didn’t have to change to be loved. This is always a great reminder. Unfortunately I didn’t like Mabel much and I found it hard to read her point of view because she got on my nerves.
This book was easy to read but I felt like it could have been longer because the ending felt rushed and it just felt like there was more to be said in this book.
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In "Crossing The Line" we get a brothers-bestfriend troupe in a hockey-romance with spice. There's banter and many cute moments. And I liked the chemistry between Ben and Mabel.
A fun and esay read (with spice), but don't get me wrong, there's hearteake and emotional moments too.
Post on IG the 10.jan 2025
-hockey-romance
-Brothers best friend
-under one roof
-High Schoole crush
-spice
-helping with social skills
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I really enjoyed this hockey romance. Thank you for the email to go through net galley to read it. I saw a lot of myself in the main MMC Ben. He's quiet and shy and doesn't like being the center of attention and is awkward around those he doesn't know. He falls for his best friends sister and she knows the real him. She sees through those awkward quiet moments and sees that he's really caring and protective. All in all this was a fun read.
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The chemistry between the main characters is magic from the beginning. I personally identified myself with the introspective side of Ben and love all the tips Mabel gave him.
This was my first book from this author and I honestly enjoyed every part of it. Sometimes you just need a sweet story in your life and no more than that. I’m not a fan of hockey and usually I don’t read books about it but still I’m glad I gave this the chance and grateful for to the publisher, author and NetGalley for this ARC.
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Had all my favorite tropes and done well. Wasn’t anything super crazy or dramatic and it was just a nice read.
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I really wanted to love this book but it wasn't a win for me.
Can we talk about the cover... no. Just no. I wouldn't pick that off a shelf and I love a sports romance.
The main character Ben is not quirky in any way. Besides being a bit awkward, due to being an introvert, there wasn't anything that made me want him as my fiction boyfriend. Would have preferred learning more about the other team mates. Also who names a captain of any sport at the end of a season - weird!
The storyline of Mabel and her ex was written well and I appreciated that we were left wondering why Julian was so horrible. It was wrapped up neatly at the end.
There were all the elements I could ask for librarian, hockey and a grumpy lead. Ended up being a deflection off the pipes and not a top shelf goal for me.
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Mable is living with Julien but his control is starting to really get to her. When she chooses to go to celebrate her best friends birthday instead of go to a dinner with Julien, he freaks out and threatens her. Mable tells him she is going to her friends and said the relationship is over.
Mable moves to New York and is going to stay with her twin brother Marek. Mable is surprises Ben is also staying with Marek.
Mable has the biggest crush in high school with Ben.
Ben is waiting for his new condo so he is staying with Marek. Ben can't believe how pretty Mable is and she is a hoot.
The more time Ben and Mable spend together, the more they bond, which leads to them fooling around.
Marek is upset when he finds out but he understands and proves to Ben and Mable he is on there side.
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I decided to read this book because it’s a brother’s best friend hockey romance, and I’m so glad I did!
Mabel is a sweet librarian who finds herself in a toxic relationship but finally takes a stand and leaves. With nowhere else to go, she shows up on her brother’s doorstep, only to discover that Ben, her brother's best friend and a shy but endearing hockey player, is staying there while waiting for his condo to be ready.
Mabel is quirky and outgoing, the perfect foil to Ben’s introverted nature. She notices his struggle to step into the spotlight as his team pressures him to be more visible, so she offers to coach him on becoming more extroverted. As you can imagine, things heat up from there!
I absolutely loved how Ben wasn’t pushy or overbearing in trying to start a relationship with Mabel. There’s something so refreshing about a shy, introverted male lead. Their relationship felt genuine, and I loved how they brought out the best in each other. It was cute, relatable, and full of sweet moments that made me root for them as a couple.
This was my first book by Kelly Jamieson, and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I’m happy to say I’ll definitely be checking out more of her work in the future.
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Mabel makes the decision to leave her emotionally abusive boyfriend and needs a place to crash temporarily as she gets her life back. She moves in with her brother, who is also playing temporary host to his best friend, Ben. Mabel had a crush on Ben when they were teens and those feelings come roaring back as she falls for the man he's become. Ben asks for her help becoming more social and outgoing so he can show the team he has what it takes to be captain both on and off the ice and finds that she's perfect for him.
Read if you like:
-Hockey Romance
-Brother's Best Friend
-Slow Burn
-Sweet, Quiet MMC with a Dirty Mouth
-Temporary Roommates
I really enjoyed Crossing the Line! It was so nice to see both Mabel and Ben open up to each other as they slowly fell in love. They were each protective and supportive of the other. And Ben has a surprisingly dirty mouth, but it's always the quiet one ;)
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Summary:
Crossing the Line by Kelly Jamieson is a heartfelt and spicy hockey romance that brings together a shy, introverted hero and a bold, extroverted heroine in a story about love, healing, and finding the courage to be yourself. Featuring tropes like brothers-best-friend, friends-to-lovers, and a touch of emotional abuse recovery, this is a fun and moving pick for romance lovers.
Full Review:
As a mood reader, I often crave different kinds of stories depending on the week. This week, I wanted something light, romantic, and a little spicy—and Crossing the Line absolutely delivered. This book is everything I love in a sports romance: a sweet yet steamy storyline, hockey hunks, and relatable characters with depth and charm.
The standout element for me was the dynamic between the shy, socially awkward hero and the bold, sunshine heroine. Watching the heroine encourage him to step out of his comfort zone while still respecting who he truly is was beautiful. The underlying message of the story—that you don’t have to change to be accepted, and that imperfection is part of what makes us unique—really resonated with me.
Jamieson also strikes a good balance between lighthearted fun and deeper emotional moments. While the story is mostly an easy and enjoyable read, it touches on heavier themes like emotional abuse, adding complexity and depth to the characters.
For fans of Icebreaker, this book is a fantastic addition to the hockey romance genre. It’s the perfect palette cleanser after heavier reads or fantasy series—a no-brainer, feel-good romance that I devoured in no time. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a cozy, uplifting escape!
Tropes & Themes:
• Brothers-best-friend
• Friends-to-lovers
• Hockey romance
• Emotional healing
Available 12-01-2025❤️
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC.
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Not terrible enough to dnf, but not that great either.
Not all of it was bad, I related a lot to Ben and his social anxiety. However, the writing was super juvenile for most of the book. Somehow, these two went to high school together, and she didn't know he had a brother and sister?
The use of words like rizz, banging, boiking, and gah had me thinking this author must be young. Investigating further, she's not, so it's even more bizarre.
Also, there needs to be a huge trigger warning for the death of a baby! I was not prepared for that situation at all.
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I was a bit disappointed with this book. I felt it was quite slow and a little bit lacking in energy.
The characters were a bit wishy washy and their stories did not really pick up for a long time. I didn’t feel any consistent great chemistry between Ben and Mabel. There was potential but it just never came through strongly enough for me.
I’ve enjoyed lots of books by this author before but unfortunately this one was not for me.
2.5 stars
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Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and Kelly Jamieson for sending me an ARC of this new hockey romance!
If you like a brothers best friend trope, this book is for you! I will never say no to a hockey romance, let alone a brothers best friend story line!
This is my first time reading a book by Kelly Jamieson and I was not disappointed!! This book was very well written, with a few spicy scenes🌶️ I would recommend you read the trigger warnings before reading this book as there are a few chapters that talk about some pretty heavy topics.
However, this was a very good book. The perfect quick and easy read romance! I would recommend this to anyone who likes ice hockey boys, forced proximity and brothers best friend trope! 🩵
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Really enjoyed this. Mabel and Ben couldn't be more different. Opposites really do attract Great start to this brand new world. Looking forward to reading the next one in the series
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A smutty hockey romance. The story has duel povs as we read the story of these two characters trying to navigate life after leaving an abusive relationship and the other trying to learn to come out of their shell to advance in their career. *Trigger warning, loss of a child. Alludes to abuse
This was a cute, quick read, great for sports romance fans.
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Sweet Story! Loved Mabel & Ben’s love story! These two are made for each other. Im looking forward to more stories in the series!