All Poppy wanted was coffee…and then she showed up – the high school mean girl turned town mean girl. Decades of being teased and humiliated by this girl have been too much for Poppy, so she tries to deflect the incoming humiliation by grabbing the arm of the handsome stranger in front of her in the coffee line. All Dallas Burke wanted was to grab a coffee and pretend to be anonymous on the way to practice…and then Poppy showed up and grabbed his arm. Now he’s playing along, pretending to be her boyfriend to make this horrible woman leave her alone. He has to admit, Poppy is gorgeous and has a great personality. Neither Poppy nor Dallas can deny there’s a spark, but neither is ready for a romance. When the white lie turns into a windfall for both of them, they have a choice to make – pretend to date…or do it for real?
Best-seller Courtney Walsh delivers a great hockey romance in My Phony Valentine. Released in 2023, this book is the start of the Holidays with the Harts series. Known for her small-town romances, Walsh bridges the small and big town aspects most sports players contend with while trying to live a “normal” life. All about learning to lean in to what your heart wants, this book is a perfect read to get ready for the Valetine’s holiday!
I give My Phony Valentine 4 out of 5 stars. I loved this book, but it definitely feels like a Hallmark movie – a little unrealistic, lead characters destined for love, and a cute redemption story. I appreciate the realistic view of a professional athlete trying to get away from the fame and just lead a regular life. I also like the honest look at life in a small town – the gossip, the nosy neighbors, and the town traditions. The unrealistic portions of this include being in a small-town coffee shop and stumbling on a man you don’t know, the way the other players’ wives and girlfriends accept Poppy right away, and the will they or won’t they aspect of the romance – it felt like the “won’t they” side was too forced. With that said, this was such an easy read and I can’t wait to read the sequel!
If you have loved Tessa Bailey’s Fangirl Down or Emily Henry’s Book Lovers, you’re going to love this novel! With some mentions of child neglect, a DUI crash, and financial fraud, this may not be the best read for everyone. With romance and light references to sex, I would direct this book to mature readers over 13. If you’re looking for a great read to put you in the mood for Valentine’s Day, this would be a great choice for you!
I chose My Phony Valentine for the Read With Lindsey Reading Challenge prompt “A Sports-Themed Romance”. I’ve had this one on my TBR stack for quite a while and I’m excited to have had the chance to read it! I really enjoyed the sports romance novels I read last year and wanted to include this great genre in this year’s reading challenge so you could enjoy it with me!
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- Current audio book: Meet Me at the Lake, Carley Fortune
- Book I’m most looking forward to: Tom Clancy Line of Demarcation, M.P. Woodward
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