Book Review: Gloves Off by Stephanie Archer

I read a hockey romance after such a long time, and this book reminded me exactly why I love this genre (usually!).

Enemies to lovers? Check.
Marriage of convenience? Check.
Possessive, slightly jealous hero? Check.

Do I even need to say more?

The story works, the writing flows so well, and the characters? Absolutely love love love.

Our MMC, Alexei Volkov is grumpy, arrogant, and completely closed off in the beginning. But when this man falls… he falls. And how! Sending flowers every single day (with meaning!), getting a tattoo, calling her wife like he means it. Sir, you did not have to go this hard, but I’m glad you did. Also, the tiny detail of his heart rate going up whenever she’s near? I melted. Our hockey player really did win me over.

And then we have our FMC, Georgia Greene who is confident, independent, career-driven, and someone who knows exactly what she wants. She’s not your typical sunshine heroine, which I actually loved. She holds her ground, matches Alexei’s energy, and doesn’t lose herself in the relationship. But when she falls, you can feel it just as deeply.

Their dynamic is what makes the book. The banter? So good. The tension? Even better. The emotional moments hit just right, and yes, the spice is very much there and well-balanced with the story.

I especially loved the softer moments between them like the quiet care, the little gestures, the way their relationship slowly shifts from something convenient to something real and undeniable.

Overall, this book just worked for me. It gave me all the tropes I love, delivered on the emotions, and reminded me why hockey romance will always have a special place on my shelf.

A solid 4 out of 5 stars!

Get your copy of this book from here.

With love and lots of stories,
The Reading Lane

Liked this post? Come say hi on Instagram and Goodreads and YouTube— I share recs, rambles, and way too many romance reads.