A fake dating romance. Lucy agrees to fake date Kellen, her brothers team mate, to get her ex off her back and help Kellen at work. She is supposed to be leaving the club try soon, so what will happen when real feelings get involved?

This was a really fun hockey romance. I really loved the dog in this story and I wish that more romance books had animals in them.

This was such a sweet story and definitely exceeded my expectations. Who doesn’t love a fake dating hockey romance with a cute dog?! I had a lovely time reading it over the weekend and recommended it to my friends too

This book had me laughing and kicking my feet! I had such a good time! It was sweet and had great tension and I loved every second reading this! The FMC was quirky and fun and really relatable and kind of reminded of Jess from New girl and I loved that!

- Funny locker room scene
- Brother's teammate
- Single dad
- Hockey Romance
- Dog with multiple names
- Fake Dating

Thank you to Chrissy Hopewell and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to Christy Hopewell,Fox Hollow Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC. My review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed Just One Season. It is a fake romance trope. It follows Lucy and Kellen and a cast of characters who bring a lot of humor to the story. Add an adorable child and dog, and it just gets even more entertaining. This book is a great weekend read!

Just One Season is a hockey and faking dating romance story that really hits the spot. There was so much to enjoy about this book, from the father/daughter relationship between Kellen and Ava to the fake dating committee to the ever changing name of Lucys dog.

To describe this book in one word, it would have to be sweet. The growing attraction between Kellen and Lucy is done in a way that is completely realistic and I loved the fact that the relationship between Kellen and his daughter’s mother was amicable as I don’t think I’ve seen that too much. There are lots of moments that made me giggle like a child and the banter was top notched.

I mean, another fake relationship story? Who would’ve thought I’d be into that? (Obviously, I’m joking—because who doesn’t love a good fake dating trope?) Just One Season by Chrissy Hopewell completely won me over! Lucy and Kellen’s love story is so sweet, and the fake dating setup is packed with humor, heart, and some seriously great chemistry. Watching their relationship unfold was such a treat.

Kellen, a single dad trying to juggle his career and personal life, is surprisingly easy to root for. His determination to stay close to his daughter while dealing with all the drama around him made him super relatable. And Lucy, who’s trying to move on from her past, was equally lovable. Their connection felt real, even when their relationship was supposed to be fake!

The little moments, like Lucy coaching Kellen’s daughter’s soccer team, brought some lightness to the story. But there’s plenty of emotional depth too, as they both wrestle with their feelings and what the future holds.

The ending leaves things open for more, and I’m totally here for it—bring on the stories of Lucy’s friends, January and Raleigh, as well as her brother Atticus, Bri, and Savannah. Chrissy Hopewell has created a world with characters you want more of, and I’m not complaining!

If you’re into sports romance with charm, humor, and a healthy dose of heart, Just One Season is definitely worth reading.

Chrissy Hopewell delivers a heartwarming and hilarious romance in Just One Season, a feel-good read packed with charm, wit, and undeniable chemistry.
The story follows Lucy and Kellen, whose relationship is full of electric tension, swoon-worthy moments, and the kind of emotional depth that keeps readers fully invested. Hopewell masterfully balances humor and heart, making every interaction between the two feel authentic and engaging. The supporting characters, including Kellen’s utterly endearing daughter and the delightful “dog of many names,” add an extra layer of warmth and fun.
With its engaging writing, laugh-out-loud moments, and a romance that tugs at the heartstrings, Just One Season is the perfect read for rom-com lovers. Hopewell has proven herself as a must-watch voice in the genre, and fans will be eagerly awaiting what she writes next.

I wanted to LOVE this book but, instead, I just sorta liked it. I've read so many hockey romances from the likes of Stephanie Archer and Emily Rath that this one just didn't quite live up to expectations. I think the premise that Kellen needed to fake date Lucy in order to get the hockey owner off his back about potentially being traded because his wife talks to him seemed... weird. I realize these are novels and things are fake but, my lord, this felt so far fetched and unbelievable.

What to expect:
- fake dating
- text chain of a "fake dating committee" which is hilarious
- MCs are in their 30s (hallelujah!)
- single dad
- dual POV
- brother's teammate
- hockey romance
- workplace romance

One thing to note is that I LOVED how the author wrote the relationship between the baby mama and Kellen. It was so healthy and so inspiring and so unlike anything else I had ever read. Kudos to the author for that!

It's a solid 4 stars for me. Steamy scenes were good and the chemistry was nice between the MCs. It's just the plot that I didn't quite enjoy - there were so many other ways the author could've used fake dating but they didn't.

Thanks to NetGalley and the published for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the ARC!!!
I adored this book!! It is the cutest little hockey romance ever. If you don’t like hockey players that won’t last long because you will fall in love with Kellan Bassey!!
I loved this book so much that I couldn’t put it down - I finished it in two days!
If you’re looking for a cute little romance novel with an empowering FMC and a protective MMC then this is the book for you! Don’t knock a hockey romance till you try it.

PS shoutout to Chrissy for showing how one can have a healthy relationship with their baby momma while falling head over heels for a new woman who never loses sight of the importance of his daughter.

PPS this book is officially out now so be sure to read it!!!!

Kellen was photographed talking to the team owner's wife and he's afraid he's about to be traded now that the hockey gossip blogs have taken the innocent conversation out of context. So he asks Lucy to pose as his girlfriend to convince everyone there is nothing going on. After all, Lucy is only around for just one season on the way to her dream job abroad.

Read if you like:
-Fake Dating

Just One Season was just alright. Enjoyable but nothing to really set is apart from the sea of other fake dating hockey romances out there.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

3.5 ⭐️ I love a the fake dating trope, always and always will be one of my favorites. This was a nice quick read staring Lucy and Kellen - Lucy who wants to escape her old life (cheating ex, controlling father), Kellen who desperately wants to keep his position on the hockey team (boss who thinks he has the hots for his wife). I loved the banter between our two main characters. Definitely kept me interested and engaged throughout the whole story!

Just One Season is a slow read. The story begins with Lucy getting over a bad breakup and moving closer to her younger brother, who is a professional hockey player. Lucy is starting a tempopary job with her brother's hockey team. Through her brother, she meets Kellan. Kellan is a single father and that has become friendly with the owner's wife but the hockey team owner has the wrong impression of Kellan. Kellan and lucy decide to fake date. It helps the hockey team owner see that Kellan isn't interested in his wife. For Lucy, it gets her dad and ex off her back. Along the way, Kellan and Lucy start to develop real feelings for each other and have to nagivate their futures.

I’m always up for a single dad story, and the hockey player angle makes Kellen’s even better. Focused on remaining in Fort Collins with his team and preventing a trade that would impact his daughter, his life changes when Lucy becomes the team’s temporary PR representative.

Things are a bit of a mess for Lucy right now. The constant letdowns from the men in her life—all except her brother, Atticus—have led her to seek employment with the Blizzard while she waits to hear about her application for a public relations position in London. In Colorado, her job with her brother’s team and her possession of her ex’s unwanted puppy were both supposed to be temporary, after her departure from Washington, DC.

Her likeable nature and relatable struggles with frustration and life make her easy to connect with. Kellen’s enthusiasm for the fake-girlfriend idea was great, and the group texts (with her friends and his teammates) were hilarious.

This couple was endearing, and their fiery chemistry kept me hooked. I loved their HEA; the grand gesture, a heartfelt and dramatic display of affection, was the perfect ending. I recommend this author and her creative stories. I cannot wait for the next new release.

Thank u NetGalley this ARC read!!

2.75🌟

i usually love a fake dating and/or hockey romance but this one did not hit like i wanted. it was a fun quick read but it felt like something was missing & i wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style. also i went to colorado state & having the setting of this book be in my college town kinda ruined the vibe of getting lost in a book if that makes sense lol! *but that’s a personal thing nothing against the book!*

I haven't read Chrissy Hopewell, and i wasn't disappointed!

I'm a sucker for a good Hockey Romance!
Lucy & Kellen are both so sweet. I hated Lucy's father, and Kellen was just such a sweet man.

Sometimes I feel like the fake dating troupes don't give the leads enough time to really fall in love, but the timeline of the relationship was perfect for me! It was the perfect mix of serious and humor!

Thank you NetGalley & the publishers for the ARC read!

Great book! I love a fake dating, single dad romance. A hockey player and a PR manager are set to fake date and of course we enter the ride of falling in love. Enter in kiddo and it makes for a sweet story! I was laughing and cheering this couple on! I am looking forward to more from Chrissy Hopewell!

ha, great book. loved it.
and yes it had all the tropes we love. but for me this one hit different. and that because of some of the differences. for one we dont have the evil ex suddenly coming to break the pair up. no no in this one we have two ex's who have formed a brilliant co parenting relationship. we never see this and for me this automatically upped the stars hugely. and although this was about a sports team. its not all jock and bro accented. it felt nicer. kinder. more real for those of us that dont just want cave men!
we also have a great cast of main and side characters. all add to the loveliness of the book.
our two main characters come together with their own baggage. each need to heal .but for the moment all they need is to be seen as dating. and so of course its agreed. what could go wrong. well, nothing really because they fall in love. and it is lovely to read their forming love. although i do always panic towards the end as i wonder what will be the final hurdle my now cherished couple will no doubt have to face. but this is the life of a reader of romance,eh...

4 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and Chrissy Hopewell for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts! I struggled to get through about the first 20ish% of the book but I pushed through and I am glad I did! Kellen is a single father but I loved reading about two parents coparenting, who get along and root for each other to succeed. The side character were a great addition to the book and I found myself enjoying reading about them when they appeared!



Tropes:
- Fake Dating
- Single Dad
- Found Family
- Brothers Teammate

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC. Just One Season by Chrissy Hopewell is a heartfelt and touching romance that explores themes of love, second chances, and personal growth. The story follows two characters as they navigate their evolving relationship over the course of a season, filled with emotional highs and lows. Hopewell’s writing is warm and engaging, making it easy to connect with the characters and their journey. The pacing is steady, and the romance feels genuine and real. Overall, Just One Season is a sweet and uplifting read for fans of heartwarming romance.