Slap Shot

D.C. Stars #3

by Chelsea Curto

Hudson Hayes, star defenseman for the DC Stars, needs help. He’s been looking for a private chef for months but keeps coming up short. With the NHL season starting and no prospects in sight, he’s close to giving up.

Madeline Galloway needs a job. Recently let go from her executive chef position in Las Vegas, she’s desperate as can be when she reaches out to an old acquaintance about a possible job opportunity…. in DC.

After hitting it off with her prospective employer, the blond hockey star who seems to have a heart of gold, she and her daughter, Lucy, make the move east.

The rules were simple: no personal relationships. No falling for the romantic guy who always made her smile, even if they were living together and spending all their free time with each other.

But after a kiss on New Year’s Eve, everything changes. The lines blur. Being Hudson’s friend—and only his friend—is the last thing on her mind.

And when Hudson learns American Sign Language for her daughter? It might be a slap shot to the heart.

Slap Shot is a spicy slow burn friends to lovers, private chef x hockey player romance with forced proximity and a man who if he wanted to, he would.

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Hockey, Sports, Friends To Lovers, Hockey Romance, Forced Proximity

530 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 14, 2025

About the author

Chelsea is a flight attendant and romance author who writes fun, fresh and flirty love stories with plenty of spice. When she's not making fictional characters banter for twenty chapters before they finally kiss or serving chicken or pasta on an airplane, you can find her trying to pet as many dogs as she can.


COME SAY HI!

Instagram: www.instagram.com/authorchelseacurto

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Newsletter: https://authorchelseacurto.myflodesk....

Website: www.authorchelseacurto.com

Reviews

[Larissa Cambusano · Rating 4 out of 5]

BE GENTLE WHEN YOU KILL ME GALLOWAY!!!!!!

GOOOODBYEEEEEEE

[Yana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ So like Hudson is my fav one now 💁🏼‍♀️

[Emmy Rosam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh to be a single mother chef who catches the attention of a golden retriever millionaire hockey player who is obsessed with her 3

Chelsea Curto continuing to write my favourite hockey series ever. The way she writes her FMCs, female friendships and found family is truly some of the best I’ve ever read.

[Marianna Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so wholesome I was not expecting to love it as much as I did but I giggled the whole time. I love this series so much! If you like hockey romance this is a must!!

[ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

favourite of the series so far!!! this was so fun and hudson is so sweet

[madi [semi-ia] · Rating 5 out of 5]

⋆˙⟡ — 4.75 stars
ugh i love these characters 😩 rtc!!

𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ rereading this with my fav girls aislinn & har ♡ i love you both soooo much!! i can’t wait to yap about mads and hudson with you 🤭💌

[har ౨ৎ [hiatus till 30th oct] · Rating 5 out of 5]

┆ ⤿ 💌 ⌗ started: september 3rd, finished: september 16th

5 stars 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹
⤿ review with SOME spoilers ⋆

“when i'm with you, i'm the most sure i've ever been about anything in my entire life”

tropes:
.ᐟ friends to lovers
.ᐟ found family
.ᐟ slow burn
.ᐟ forced proximity

spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️


‧₊˚ ┊read this with my favourite girls aislinn & madi 🤍 i love you both so so much and i'm geniunely so happy we got to read hudson's story!! i’m so excited for hat trick hehe 💋💐💗

‧₊˚ ┊summary and thoughts 💌

slap shot follows hudson hayes and madeline galloway. hudson may be a fierce hockey player on the ice, but off it, he has a golden heart and treats everyone with respect. his softer side shines through, especially when he hires madeline, a talented chef, to be his personal chef. madeline is not only gifted in the kitchen but also a devoted single mom to lucy, her deaf daughter, ensuring she experiences the world to the fullest. at its core, this story is a reminder that when you’re raised with kindness and respect, you carry those values forward in how you love and treat others.

wow! i didn't think i would love this book so much to the fact that i would CRY non stop! i loved hudson so much and how much he treated madeline with respect. he was literally the perfect golden boy that could ever exist. and the way he spoke about his mother melted my heart, there's actually no words. and madeline?! she's the sweetest and hardest-working mother! the way she would do anything for lucy was the sweetest thing ever, and she made sure lucy didn't feel bad about herself and her disability. because! lucy is no different to anyone else and neither is she a "burden". i loved this book so much that there's no complaints!

‧₊˚ ┊madeline galloway 🧑‍🍳

the best day - taylor swift

madeline is a single mother to lucy, who was born with hearing difficulties. lucy's dad, madeline's ex, left after learning of her deafness, it became just the two of them against the world. but wow, okay, madeline was nothing short of extraordinary. she poured every ounce of her love, strength, and resilience into raising lucy, making sure her daughter never felt limited, only empowered. she built a world where lucy’s deafness wasn’t a barrier, but a beautiful part of who she is, and through it all, madeline never let go of her own dreams, carrying herself with grace, determination, and an undeniable spark.

i'm so glad she met piper, who was able to help her out in dc and get her job. she really belonged with the dc stars boys and the girls. they all really treated her the way she deserved. she really found her family and was able to have some time for herself too!

‧₊˚ ┊hudson hayes 🏒

ordinary - alex warren

hudson completely stole my heart. on the ice, he’s fierce, determined, and unstoppable, but off the ice, he’s the most gentle, loving soul. i adored how he carried himself with such quiet strength, always treating people with kindness and respect. the way he showed up for madeline and lucy, learning and loving with so much patience, made him one of the most endearing male leads I’ve read in a long time. he proved that real strength isn’t just about being powerful in the game, but about being tender, selfless, and knowing how to love with your whole heart. here's some of the things he did that just made me cry:

- he bought flowers for madeline when she was having a rough day, because his father used to buy it for his mother
- he took in madeline and lucy in his house just so madeline didn't need to spend money and her time looking for an apartment
- he helped with cleaning whenever he was at home, and made it his rule
- learnt ASL for lucy, just so she can feel included in conversations. he made sure to practice it everytime he had free time
- made sure that madeline had her space when she needed it
- helped with those who weren't as lucky as him
- always remembered his mother no matter what. and always spoke highly of her
- didn't force madeline to be in a relationship, and waited for her to feel comfortable
- always made sure that lucy was included in every event and conversation

p.s. i started tearing up while typing this up

‧₊˚ ┊madeline + hudson ⋆˚࿔

tip toe - hybs

madeline and hudson together were everything i love in a romance. madeline, with her strength, resilience, and the way she loves lucy so fiercely, balanced so beautifully with hudson’s golden heart and unwavering gentleness. the chemistry between them built so naturally, slow glances, late-night conversations, little acts of care that grew into something undeniable. i loved how hudson didn’t just fall for madeline, but for lucy too, showing up in ways that proved love is patient, selfless, and kind. their story felt like watching two worlds collide in the most tender way, a reminder that when the right people find each other, love feels like home.


‧₊˚ ┊dc stars ⋆˚࿔

oh my god, i always love reading about them. the boys are really the sweetest people. they treated lucy with so much respect and were so gentle with her! and can we talk about how down bad maverick is for emmy? and i'll never get sick of reading about it!

‧₊˚ ┊piper + maven + lexi + emmy ⋆˚࿔

my favourite four girls! i love how much they were including madeline and made her so welcomed and loved. i'm so glad she found them and knew that she could always lean on them! and piper was genuinely the sweetest soul for helping out madeline. i'm so excited to read about all five of them in hat trick!!!

‧₊˚ ┊quotes ⋆˚࿔

“Of course I mean it. I’d go to war for your daughter. For you, too.” “Why?” she whispers, and I think of a hundred ways I can answer that question. Because I’m attracted to you. Because I’m determined to show you there are good men out there. Because it’s the bare minimum of what you deserve. Because I’m fucking falling in love with you, and I’d let you break my heart if that’s what you wanted. “Because y’all are mine.” I tuck a loose piece of hair behind her ear. “And I protect what’s mine.”

“I love you, Mama. To the stars, the heavens, and beyond.”

“Hello, Lucy,” I speak and sign. Her mouth pops open and she scoots closer to me, looking at my hands then up at me. Madeline gasps, but I don’t let myself get distracted. “My name is Hudson. I have two dogs, Gus and Millie. My favorite food is a cheeseburger, and I play hockey.”

“You’re going to be the death of me, Madeline. Please be gentle when you kill me.”

“This way I get to see the parts of yourself you say you don’t love. The cellulite, the stretch marks. You don’t have to like them, Maddie, but I’m fucking obsessed with them. I’ll worship them for both of us.”

“It’s not the length of time that determines your happiness. It’s the person,”

[maelyn ! · Rating 3 out of 5]

ᝰ.ᐟ 🔒⋆. 𐙚 ˚ ┊3.5 ⭑.ᐟ
― read 3/8/25 - 3/12/25


yours truly, maelyn ‧₊˚┊I have missed these characters way too much. Madeline and Hudson were amazing characters, and I love a slow burn couple. they were by far one of the most healthiest couples i’ve read. their relationship started off of trust and respect, which I admire, if you love a good hockey romance series, this one’s for you. I never realized how underrated this series is, but I love how the men actually yearn for their woman. whenever I see a Chelsea Curtis book, I know the man is going to be obsessed. there are intimate scenes in this book.

⋆˙⟡ ✔️ ─ .✦〰️⊹₊ ݁.୨୧‧₊˚➰ .𖥔 ݁ ˖

introducing….

₊ ⊹⏲️│ Madeline Galloway ┊Madeline is a single mother who’s trying to meet ends meet with working her job, and taking care of her daughter, Lucy. now, I normally don’t like the single parent trope..but i loved Madeline. I say this about literally every fmc. she’s the strongest mother I know, and truly shows the difficulties of motherhood. it’s nice that this book sheds spotlight on asl representation, since I hardly ever see it in books.



🏒₊˚ │ Hudson Hayes ┊I don’t care about the morally gray mmc, I only care about my golden retriever boys. okay look, that’s not entirely true. morally gray mmc’s are great, but they can be redundant. Hudson was the clear definition of a golden retriever. what I truly loved about his character is he’s the type of guy who loves too “deeply.” which, this generation barely sees anymore. he knows how to truly treat a woman, and isn’t afraid to show his vulnerability. if he wanted too, he would ladies. he’s shown loyalty to his teammates and Madeline, no matter what.


╰┈➤ “All the boys are the team are amazing, but there’s something special about Hudson. It’s like he really wants to know you. Once you’re close with him, he has your back. He’ll do anything for you, no questions asked.”



୨୧ │ hockey boys ┊i’ve fell in love with the hockey team ever since maverick and Emmy’s book. their adorable book clubs, and their deep talks made me love them eve more. I especially love that all these boys are getting individual books.

╰┈➤ The depths of hell CAN get even lower. I had no idea. — the group chat !!

⋆˙⟡🎬 ─ .✦🕷️⊹₊ ݁.୨୧‧₊˚ ♟️ .𖥔 ݁ ˖

DISCLAIMER ┊this review is just my personal opinion !

quotes :


“Maybe not everyone finds that great love, and I’m one of the unlucky ones.”

She holds up her hand, lifting her pinky. “Promise?” I bend so our eyes meet, then I hook my pinky around hers. “Promise.” — pinky promises over anything

I know Madeline would be happy to teach me, but she’s always doing things for other people. She deserves to have someone show up and do something for her. Not because she asked, but because they want to. And I want to. — if he truly wanted to, he would.

Who gives a shit if she doesn’t want to get married? Look at me! I was so against monogamy, and now I’m wondering how I can order a fucking casket that fits two people so I can hold Emmy’s hand when we’re dead. Marriage isn’t the only path for relationships. You don’t need a piece of paper to love her, do you?” — maverick miller you have DONE it again

[Seeraaa ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"𝑇ℎ��𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑎 𝑙𝑜𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑒𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝐼’𝑚 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒’𝑠 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝐻𝑢𝑑𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝐻𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑠."





🚨 𝑊𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘:
Do not read it on an empty stomach! 🍫🍿
This book is 100% the reason I took so long to finish — I had to get up and grab a snack at every stage 😅
Thank God I’m one of those people who eats without gaining weight 😌

𝐵𝑜𝑚𝑏𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑥 𝑘𝑛𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑔𝑖𝑟𝑙 💚 

💭 𝑀𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠:
This was the book I was most excited for in the DC Stars series — and I’m so glad I enjoyed it!
It’s full of emotions, warmth, and those little moments that make you smile.

But I have to say something…
Does the author have a secret contract to include “the ex shows up and gets put in his place by a DC Stars guy” in every single book? 😏
I’m kind of over it now. That storyline has happened in 3 out of 3 books 🙂🙂

👥 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠: 
👱🏼 𝐻𝑢𝑑𝑠𝑜𝑛:
I’ve loved Hudson since book one, and knowing he was the lead in this one made me super excited.
Hudson  = sweet, mature, gentle — and when he loves, he does it with his whole heart.
I loved his friendship with Maverick the most — they just get each other without needing to speak.
And the team? Always fun! Their group chat scenes are hilarious.
Ethan and Grant crack me up every time — just when you think they’ve matured, they go and do something childish again 😂
And for once, Liam didn’t leave the group chat... I guess he’s finally accepted his fate 😭

🤱🏽 𝑀𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒:
She’s truly such a good mom.
I admired how careful she was — always making sure everything is right for her daughter, and doing whatever it takes to make her feel like she’s never lacking anything.
Seeing her find real friendships around her made me so happy — she deserves that and more 💕

💞 𝐻𝑢𝑑𝑠𝑜𝑛 & 𝑀𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒’𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝:
I loved how it developed gradually.
It didn’t feel rushed, and that gave their story such a sense of realism and maturity.

👧🏽 𝐿𝑢𝑐𝑦:
One of my favorite characters — full of energy, dreamy and strong.
She added so much sweetness to the book.
That’s how you raise a child with special needs — with love, support, and letting them live.
Her scenes with the dogs, Gus and Millie, made me imagine a house full of laughter.

🧏🏻‍♀️ 𝐹𝑎𝑣𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡:
Hudson learning sign language. 😭
That was such a beautiful moment — it hit me hard.
And when he showed up in Lucy’s class? I MELTED 💘
I’m seriously considering learning sign language this summer because of this scene.

⭐ 𝑂𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙: 
The only reason I’m giving it 4 stars is that I felt it lacked stronger dramatic events...
Not every book needs to recycle the “ex shows up again” plot. I wish we got something a bit more fresh and original.


This is the book I’ve been looking forward to the most in the series. Please be as good as I need you to be! 💚🏒

[naz · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝑪𝒂𝒏 𝑰⁠—” “𝑨𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕.” 𝑯𝒖𝒅𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒄𝒖𝒑𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒔𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆, 𝑰 𝒂𝒍𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒊𝒕. “𝑰’𝒎 𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒚.”

You want a book that will make you giggle, tear up, and be head over heels for the man in question — and love hockey romance?? THIS IS the book for you!!! 😭💓🏒⭐

AGHHH since this is book 3, I’m just going to say that if you haven’t started this series please do so!!!!! This hockey sports romance is so freaking good, following each team member of the D.C. Stars! This one follows Hudson, who needs a balanced diet but doesn’t have time to cook… what better way to introduce our GIIIIRL Madeline, a single mom in need of a new job after being let go that all she wants is to provide for Lucy.🥹

The banter and swoonyness of this book is unmatched!! I loved how Hudson was so kind on so many levels, and don’t even get me started on his relationship with Madeline’s daughter, Lucy, who is deaf… MY HEARTTTT 😭💞 I am literally at his mercy.

“𝑯𝒆 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒆 𝒂 𝒘𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒖𝒔. 𝑱𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒔 𝑪𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒕. 𝑺𝒉𝒊𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐 𝒊𝒏 𝒑𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒄.”

This book brings not only the romance and the sports, but also a level of vulnerability that hits deep especially when it talks about the struggles of taking care of oneself. I loved every second of it 🥹🫶

If I convinced you to read this one, I really suggest starting with Face Off (book #1) and TRUST ME when I say you will love it so much you won’t wanna stop until you end up with Hudson!!! 💘

I think the best part of this entire series is also the easter eggs you get knowing what's ahead!!! Start now!! Because you won't want to miss the rest of the series.

tropes
💚 hockey sports romance
💚 hockey player x private chef
💚 single mom romance
💚 friends to lovers
💚 forced proximity (they live together)

⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ i need a sloooow burn so hope this delivers ✨🤌

[ʚ turtle ɞ (busy) · Rating 2 out of 5]

October 15, 2025 (2.5/5 ⭐️)

It took me forever to finish this book, but I’m pretty sure I’m in the deepest reading slump of my life right now, so I’ll cut the book some slack. 🧎🏻‍♀️‍➡️

I don’t have a ton to say about it, but here’s the gist: the book wasn’t bad, but 550 pages? Absolutely not necessary. Nothing major really happens for huge chunks of the story, so it felt a little too slow-paced for my liking. And Madeline got on my nerves a few times, so she wasn't exactly helping.

But more importantly, let’s talk about the logic in this book for a second because it was basically nonexistent. Madeline calling up a woman she met once a year ago (who doesn’t even work in the same field, live in the same city, or have any sort of relationship with her) to ask about job openings? 🧍🏻?? Then Hudson letting a woman he literally just met and her kid move in with him?? And she agreed almost immediately? I’m sorry, but how did she even trust him that quickly? They’d known each other for maybe ten seconds. I know it’s fiction, but still, some realism would’ve been nice.

To give it some credit though, it was a decent (and at times even fun) read if you ignore the logic gaps. I just can’t shake the feeling that this series keeps letting me down. I loved the first book so much (it set the bar sky high for me) and every time I pick up a new one, I go in with high hopes and end up a little disappointed by the end.
Riley & Lexi’s book better deliver because I’m fully relying on them to save this series. And thank god the Coach's book is up next, because I’ve been dying for his story since book one.

Lastly, to end this on a positive note, this book also had no third-act breakup (yes, I’m mentioning it again for the third time because it absolutely deserves it). Thank you, Chelsea Curto, for sparing us the unnecessary drama.

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
₊˚⊹⟢ Pre-read:
I loved Hudson in the previous book, so my expectations are pretty high for this one 🙂‍↕️, and I’m kinda counting on it to pull me out of my approaching reading slump 🧍🏻...

[Jen ♥]

Maaan, was this so...uninteresting.

Look, I made it to 55%, and it was giving...nothing. So, I kinda started skimming after that.

There was just no chemistry, at all. I’m not typically into slow burns, but when I give one a try, I usually find myself really enjoying it—especially if there’s that palpable tension and the relationship growth between the MCs makes the wait feel totally worth it. But in here, I was just bored.

I'm totally good with the friendship they're working on; I actually appreciate the effort to get to know each other better. But when they finally felt that attraction (or sort of), I just didn't sense any sparks between them. There's more telling than showing to convey this supposed "attraction", and I'm not having any of that.

Also, idk, maybe it's just me, but I feel like there’s way too much explanation for certain topics in this book. I don't think there's a need for long-winded conversations or monologues to get the point across. I'm going to assume that readers are smart enough to handle straightforward explanations and be fine with it.

Anyway, it’s pretty safe, so safe that there’s not a whole lot happening in the story, just their usual daily stuff and that growing attraction between them. I really don't get why this has to be more than 500 pages, tbh.

When there's no complications and basically easy sailing from start to finish, why prolong it when everything can be covered in a 350+ pages instead?

Ugh, I think I might be outgrowing this author. I used to devour her books and would find myself really enjoying them every time I read them. However, this series just isn't hitting the mark for me. 🫠



PS. There are just some things that I noticed while reading this.

🟢 She likes to have older FMCs in her book, and PERSONALLY, I'm not a fan of reverse age gaps. Sorry, it's a personal ick. I have to delude myself in book 2 and this one that the guys are older so I can get over their age (although it's not really that large). I'm happy for those readers who are okay with this, but like I said it's just not my thing. So to each their own.

🟢 She doesn't have marriage in her books. Look, I read romance for HEA, and my definition of one is the MCs getting married. Having kids is not necessary, but not unwelcome. So spending time with this lengthy book only to find the MCs still as boyfriend/girlfriend in the end is NOT GONNA BE ENOUGH! Like, come on, you can give better than that. If her MCs decide to get married or pregnant, readers will find out about it in the next books instead. Like, why not just write it in their books, right??? Ugh. I'm just realizing that most of her books end in HFN, and I'm getting pissed for some reason.

🟢 Idk, but I sense that her fav MMC in this series is Maverick (from Book 1). It was always "Mav this or Mav that", constantly talking about how great he is as a guy, friend, and captain. It seems she's putting in soooo much effort to make this guy seem likable or lovable to the reader. I haven't read the first book, and I have no intention of doing so. No matter how much effort she invests in trying to make him decent, I will never ever like him and his disgusting reputation. I don't believe in "reformed" stuff, and this guy is the epitome of a walking STD. Ewww. But then again, to each their own. If you love book 1, I'm glad for you, but it's a no for me.

🟢 I love that Hudson is a walking green flag, but he seems waaay too perfect. I know this is fiction and all, but it's still okay to write a swoonworthy hero with a little bit of flaws. Even perfection is impossible to attain in fiction. Anyway, I love him. He's the only guy in this series that I ended up enjoying reading. 🥰

[aislinn ౨ৎ]

*ੈ✩‧₊˚--pre read ۶ৎ

I was supposed to br this with har & madi a month ago but I ended up slacking... anyways I started this last night & i’m already obsessed to say the least👀 i love Hudson!!

[aira]

almost done with the previous book, but single parent again omg (no hate to single parents bc I truly respect them, but why does every series have the trope in at least one book) 😳

[⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆ Kim ⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I love you, Madeline Galloway. I've loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. I love how strong you are. How wonderful of a mom you are. I love your sarcasm, but I also love when you slow things down. You make me feel things I've never felt before."

˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖��‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖
Chelsea Curto does it again, and when I mean "it," I mean write an amazing romance novel with lovable characters and a good plot. I didn't even realize Slap Shot was almost 550 pages because it didn't feel that way at all. That's how good it was. I thought Maverick and Emmy and then Liam and Piper were adorable couples, but I think Hudson and Madeline might be my new favorite of the D.C. Stars series.

Normally, I wouldn't list the tropes for any romance book in my review because I feel like any book is more than just its tropes that are sprinkled throughout the story, but if this is what it's going to take to convince SOMEONE out there to read this--especially since this isn't from a "big-name" author-- I'll list them! These are the tropes Chelsea Curto herself said were in the book on her socials:

જ⁀➴ ♡ ASL rep!! (This is the first book I’ve seen with ASL rep!)
જ⁀➴ ♡ Single mom
જ⁀➴ ♡ Professional chef X pro hockey player
જ⁀➴ ♡ Sunshine X Sunshine
જ⁀➴ ♡ Roommate living situation
જ⁀➴ ♡ Green flag MMC
જ⁀➴ ♡ Found family
જ⁀➴ ♡ Slow burn
જ⁀➴ ♡ Thigh tattoo
જ⁀➴ ♡ He learns ASL for her daughter
જ⁀➴ ♡ If he wanted to, he would

Madeline Galloway, an executive chef and single mother in Las Vegas, is suddenly out of a job when her Michelin star restaurant falls under new management and they fire all of the staff. Desperate, she finds an old business card for a connection out in Washington, DC to look for positions there after her job search fails in Vegas. Her job search leads her to Hudson Hayes, a defenseman for the DC Stars NHL team who is in search of a personal chef. When she and Hudson start developing feelings for each other, what can go wrong? Madeline isn't looking for love after her divorce, and Hudson isn't the type of guy to have one-night stands with girls- he's in it for the long run.

So first things first, I mentioned earlier that this is the first book I've read that had ASL rep in it. Lucy, Madeline's six-year-old daughter, is part of the Deaf community and uses ASL to communicate with everyone. I love the care, thought, and effort that Chelsea Curto put into making sure the Deaf community was represented properly by having sensitivity readers and reaching out to people in the community to make sure all of the details were correct! I know she talked extensively about it on her socials leading up to the release of Slap Shot so I just wanted to put that out there.

Getting into the actual plot and characters, I think that Madeline and Hudson had such a wholesome relationship. Their love isn't one that came from lust like Maverick and Emmy's did in Face Off; it starts off very small as they become friends first and they take things slow. It's a slow-burn but I think it was well done considering the timeline of the story; it takes place throughout an entire NHL season. Their relationship started organically and grew into something so pure, wholesome, and gentle. Hudson has a heart of gold and he would do anything for Madeline and Lucy. Like come on, he learns ASL for Lucy so he can communicate with her better and make her feel included, he rescues dogs and adopts them, and lets Madeline and Lucy stay at his place so they don't have to live in a bad area of town. Even the rest of the hockey team loves Lucy; some of them start to learn sign language too! As for Madeline, her feelings and the way she feels about love are extremely cynical but she was hurt badly in the past so I can see why she feels the way she feels. I love how Hudson showed up time and time again to prove to her that there are people out there who will love you for who you are and will celebrate you and make you feel special and wanted.

I also loved the cameos from the other couples and I loved seeing all the Easter eggs throughout the story for the future couples in the D.C. Stars series! This series isn't one of those "oh, we mention them in passing" situations, the main characters in the other stories actually play a role and are actively present in each story in this universe and I love it! It's always nice to read about how the other couples are doing after their book. I loved seeing Maverick and Emmy completely in love (as per usual), Liam's still grumpy but is a complete ray of sunshine for Piper, Ethan's still a big hot dog fan, and based on the other tropes we know for the rest of the series, I have a gut feeling who's going to end up with who next and I can't wait🤭

(Also just as an aside, I would LOVE to beat up Madeline's ex-husband if I had the chance. Pardon my language, but how did this fuckass piece of shit end up with someone as amazing as Madeline in the first place? He deserves a spot in fictional character hell and I am so sorry for Madeline that he ruined her perception on love. I think I hate him as much as I hate Declan Kane.)

In conclusion, read this book. Enjoy a cutesy, wholesome romance. Support a smaller author. You won't be disappointed.

4 stars

Here are the links to the other books in the series! I don't have formal reviews for either of them because I was busy with pharmacist licensing exams when they were published and I read them almost 6-7 months ago. Just know they both got 4 stars from me and I was shocked to see that I haven't seen a single Chelsea Curto book in any bookstore in my area. That's how much I love her books. Also I swear I'm not part of her street team nor do I work for her lol, I just really like her books and she's one of my favorite indie authors. I wish her all the best and I hope she gets the recognition she deserves!💐

Face Off
Power Play

˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖
Trigger warnings (all are provided at the beginning of the story by Chelsea Curto!): explicit language, alcohol consumption, multiple explicit sex scenes (I'd say a 3.5-4/5 on the scale but obviously the "spice" scale is subjective based on what everyone's personal tastes are), mentions of infertility (not the main characters), divorce, cancer, past pregnancy, physical injuries/fights during a hockey game, parental abandonment, mentions of a past death of a parent

𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: One of my 2025 most anticipated reads was published on Valentine's Day, so happy publishing day to Chelsea Curto and Slap Shot! I'm overdue to read another sports romance so starting this on Valentine's Day couldn't be better timing. I highly recommend Chelsea Curto's books if you're looking for a good sports romance and to support a smaller author!✨🏒⛸️💕

[M T · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Chelsea Curto but these people had no chemistry

[poppi ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5☆

this one is by far my favorite from the series. hudson, i am so obsessed with you.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. . ݁

hudson and madeline are two people who were made for one another, two people who healed each other and found each other at the perfect time. two souls who so badly needed to find their person, their happiness and heal parts of themselves that were broken for so long.

i cannot begin to put into words how much i loved this book. how much this story means to me. how obsessed i am with absolutely every single character from this series. these are some of the most beautiful characters i have had the pleasure of reading about.

——— 𐙚 ‧₊˚ ⋅

hudson has always been precious, from the very first time we met him when he was kicking maverick’s one night stands out of his apartment. but to read about him, to see how deep his grief and his pain runs, and to see him heal these part of himself was everything. nobody deserves to be happy like him. he’s always doing everything for those around him and it felt so good to see him being put first, and seeing him being treated the way he deserves.

He’s magic and stardust and everything I’ve ever dreamed about when I let my cynical heart imagine falling for another man somewhere down the road.

and to see the relationship he’s built with lucy is the most adorable thing in the world. a man who learned sign language to communicate with her, is the greatest man. a man who was raised right. i can’t even tell you how emotional that scene made me. it healed something with me.

and madeline possesses strength i had no idea was possible. to be a single mother right after giving birth and finding out your child is deaf, i cannot imagine how difficult that is. her and lucy are perfect, and i want to fight her ex husband myself because what sort of evil does that to his wife and his daughter?! someone truly evil. to see them both get their happy ending was everything and more.

selfishly hoping they’re somewhere married and having more kids because i know they’d be too cute, and lucy as a sister would be just what the world needs. plus, all the doggies lucy wants.

[Carly · Rating 2 out of 5]

No please let me get this straight:

- girl calls up a RANDOM woman she met ONCE at hockey game a YEAR ago to see if she has any job offerings even though she does not live in the same city and has nothing to do with the restaurant industry

- man is unable to find anyone on planet earth able to be his private chef without sexualizing him?? Despite having a hockey player salary?

- man lets woman AND HER CHILD move in with him after 3 days of meeting??????

I fear this series is tanking for me im upset

[Hope · Rating 2 out of 5]

so much potential but i just couldn't get myself to love it. it's a no fuss hockey player x chef single mom romance with disability rep. I liked H/h and the kid was cute too but there was just something missing. it's super slowww burn, H/h gel together perfectly and H's character is portrayed as this perfect guy with no flaws, almost a little too perfect if you ask me.


they don't have a single disagreement throughout the book and it all felt one dimensional. don't get me wrong i loved that he was such a green flag but it needed something, anything because the entire storyline could be summarised as they met, fell in love, the end.


i think there was an attempt to do something different with h talking about women in men spaces, H being open about his emotions, H and his friends reading romance books and then having a book club to discuss the books and all this ideally should sound cool af but it didn't. there's also so much dialogue that i was bored by the end of it.


safety - very safe, H not a hoe, he has only serious relationships, last one was 2 years before i think, no ons and h was married but he divorces her after their newborn was born deaf and she hasn't been with anyone since him. he appears at the end but goes away quickly. no ow/ om drama. there's some spice on page but i just wasn't a big fan of it either.

[MillennialMomReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to read this early as part of Chelsea Curto’s street team and tore through this book so quick! Slap Shot is Chelsea’s slowest burn yet and it is so worth the wait! Hudson and Madeline will have you swooning, but it’s the relationship between both and Madeline’s daughter Lucy that truly makes this book special. Chelsea excels at writing the DC Stars, a group of unproblematic hockey players who manage to still be interesting without their personal flaws as the focus of the plot. The women in her books have a badass female friend group that you’ll want to be a part of. The writing manages to be heartwarming but not cheesy, and the hockey in it is just right. I can’t wait to read which player is up next in her series!

[KateBush · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was about 200 pages longer than it needed to be.

[🎋ara · Rating 2 out of 5]

…..why do these characters talk like robots?
Why would a random lady she met one night a YEAR ago, a lady she genuinely doesn’t know, just invite her to stay at her home on the other side of the country for her to find a job.
WHY WOULD SHE MOVE HER YOUNG CHILD IN WITH A STRANGE MAN?!
Why would she let this man babysit her child *WHO HE CANNOT COMMUNICATE WITH* with other adult men??

Anyways. These characters talk so fake like forced nice/politeness I cannot. The chemistry was non existent. FMC had the personality of a rock. 🪨

[kelsie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5
loved the first two in the series so it kills me to say this dragged for me tbh :-/ just kinda wanted to get it over with.

[Katie Beasley · Rating 5 out of 5]

GAHHH I KNEW Hudson would be amazing, and I was still unprepared for HOW amazing he would be. Chelsea- GIRL, your MMCs are next level. Hudson feels like the literal definition of a golden retriever. I hated hearing about women who had taken advantage of his position and kind heart. I absolutely LOVED the romantic in him that wanted to find his person. And I LOVED that it ended up being Madeline- someone unexpected. Someone who was his friend first and foremost. Someone who he could be himself around and not feel like he was too much. The build up in this one was next level yall. I don't think anything ended up really going down until like 70%. But you could feel it simmering. Madeline and her daughter, Lucy, were SUCH great characters to add to the already great ones we had! Madeline was such a strong women. Coming out of a terrible relationship where everything shifted so quickly and unexpectedly. A single mom working her butt off to provide for her daughter. Who also happens to be deaf. Madeline put her daughter before her in all things. I loved watching Lucy and Hudson's relationship evolve. This man just had SUCH a big heart and he wanted so desperately to share it. I loved the foundation these two had and then after THE kiss how they both tried to fight things so hard- to no avail. I also loved the realization that just because you have wanted something a certain type of way doesn't mean that you can't adapt- looking at you and your goal of marriage Hudson. These two were just perfect together- no other way to say it.

Hudson has been on the hunt for a relationship for a minute. He has never been a man who can sleep with a woman he is not in a relationship with. Unfortunately for him, he is meeting the wrong women. Women who are in it for his fame and his money. Women who don't really seem to care about whats underneath all of that. So now his main focus has been finding a personal chef. Enter Madeline who is a chef at a high end restaurant in Las Vegas that is going under. A woman who knows nothing about him or hockey. So Hudson finds himself saying yes after tasting her amazing food. Which is how he finds himself now having two new roommates- Madeline and her daughter Lucy. He has wondered if this would all be uncomfortable- living with a basic stranger but there is something about Madeline that makes him feel at ease. He likes having her around. He likes having Lucy around too. He wants to support Madeline how he can. He has found himself looking forward to seeing her when he gets home from a game. He looks forward to spending time with her. The longer she is around the more Hudson's feelings start to shift. Madeline is a beautiful woman. But it is also her heart. She has sacrificed so much for her daughter and her to be able to have a good life. And Hudson wants to support her how he can. Could that be in the role of a boyfriend? Or more? And now they have kissed and it's like his soul has been set aflame. But they have set boundaries. And if those are needed to keep Madeline in his life so be it. But he can't stay away and neither can she. He has never felt like this about someone else. Never felt safe enough to shower them with the love he has. He just hopes Madeline feels the same about him as he does about her. Because she is his end game FULL STOP.

Madeline can't believe what is happening in her life. Her dream job. Her comfortable position has been taken away from her. Completely out of her control. She finds herself reaching for straws to find a new position. Which is how she is in DC for a weekend cooking for a hockey player to see about a personal chef position. She knows there is a good school here for Lucy so she could make this work if he likes her. Him being Hudson Hayes. Star, handsome as all get out, hockey player. After he says yes, Madeline and Lucy relocate and move in with Hudson. How is this her life now? She is being paid more than she was before and has met a new friend group of girlfriends of other players. And the more time she spends around Hudson the closer they get. She LOVES cooking for him. And she finds herself loving his reactions to her cooking. She finds herself thinking things about Hudson that she shouldn't. I mean he is her boss. Nothing could ever happen. He just makes her feel so safe and secure. Which has not been the norm for Madeline. So when they kiss on New Years, it's like her universe is altered. There is a before the kiss and after the kiss. But she has to think about Lucy. She can't lose this job. Boundaries are set in place. No more shenanigans. But then he takes care of her. He does these little things for her that no one has before. And she can't resist it anymore. She wants him. She wants this. She just hopes that her and Lucy are enough for him especially since her wants defer so much from his.

Reading this book made me so happy. I loved getting to see inside of Hudson's head. He has always seemed like the guy who has the girl friends but not THE girlfriend. Watching him navigate his feelings with Madeline was adorable. He was just ADORABLE. His love language is clearly gifts. What he did for Lucy at the end made me a big old smooshy blob- COME ON PEOPLE. He was just so thoughtful in all things and wanted to help better Madeline and Lucy's lives. On the flip side watching Madeline learn to trust again was an experience. She had been hurt so badly before and had clear boundaries for her relationship goals. When Hudson adjusted his to meet her- also a smooshy blob. I just love these characters and this world do so much! I am PUMPED for the rest of this series. If you haven't picked it up yet, go do it now. Like run and grab these so you can meet the MEN that are the DC stars and the women who make them better LOL.

[Buera · Rating 4 out of 5]

che casi lloro en el subte!!! muy divertido sin pecar de superficial banco

[anslee ♡⋆｡° · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way I’m DEVOURING this series. I literally love everything about it, HUDSON OHHHH MYYYY GOSHHHH. He’s officially ranked #1 so far. Added to my list of favorite book boyfriends. No further comment.

[ashley ౨ৎ (semi - ia) · Rating 5 out of 5]

-ˏˋ₊˚꒰🥅꒱ ⊹ 4.75 stars (rounding to 5) ₊⊹

⟢ “He gives me a wave and flips his hat backward before walking toward us. Jesus Christ. Shit like that should be illegal for men to do in public.”

⌇• i. my thoughts
⤿ ⌇• LONG LIVE SPORTS ROMANCE!!!!!!! brain chemistry altered for the rest of my life, so good!! let's give a round of applause to val for posting a quote on her story and made me want to read this asap!! reading the deal for the first time a few years ago made me think that, wow, maybe sports romance (specifically hockey) is my thing; but nothing has ever topped the feeling of reading that book for the first time... UNTIL THIS!! i have loved every aspectof this book, the side characters, Madeline, Lucy, Hudson??? PERFECT. we follow single mom madeline, with her daughter, Lucy who's born deaf. She is a renowned chef looking for a job opportunity to support their lives. We also have our mmc, Hudson Hayes, defender of the D.C. Stars. He is in search for a new chef that wouldn't cross his boundaries, hence he is a hot, famous, tall, blonde, hockey player. SLOWWWW BURNNNN... definitely became friends (for a long time), then lovers!!!

⌇• ii. characters
⟢ man i'd hire her as my own private chef. she's so strong and she would do anything to protect lucy. their relationship makes me want to cry and hug my mom a little tighter. her efforts, her will and determination to make her child happy is so heartwarming and refreshing to see in a book. i like very few kids in books, but lucy is a sweetheart and didn't take so much of the plot or became an annoying little brat!!! she was the perfect addition to the plot (like adding cute sprinkles to ice cream). i love the both of them, and seeing the relationship grow with the other members of the team was fantastic and so well done.

⊹ Hudson Hayes. * clap clap clap clap, standing ovation, round of applause* so perfect in every way. definition of golden retriever bf. the way he was patient, and communicating with mads due to her past raiseeeedddd the bar. (so bare minimum but in this economy? it's in hell). it was so well done, and seeing him blend and bond so perfectly with lucy was chef's kiss. seeing his pov and going through his thought process shows 'wow men do suck irl, like i physically need to jump into this book.

⌇• iii. overall feelings
⊹ here me out, i don't like slow burns, but this was wayyy tooo good. veryyy well executed and i loverd every piece of it. the .25 off was me being picky because there were some parts that cringed me out (i weirdly don't like modern day references) and they mentioned the 'juno' position so much, it felt so niche. i giggled, laughed, threw my face in a pillow, kicked my feet in the air, hell, i even cried. BECAUSE IT WAS SO GOOD. I FELT EVERY EMOTION POSSIBLE. and hands down already one of my fav books of the year!!

shoutout to the men who are apart of a romance book club to learn more for their significant others, period!!!

⌇• iv. quotes

⟢ “Of course I mean it. I’d go to war for your daughter. For you, too.”

⟢“I didn’t want to inconvenience you. Me It’s not an inconvenience if it’s something I want to do.”

just please read it please,
with love always, ashley 🤍

⌇•⊹⟢ -ˏˋ₊˚꒰ ꒱ ⊹ ₊⊹⤿ – ꒰ ⊹ ࣪ ₊ ꒱ ᝰ.ᐟ ⊹

[barbs‎ ᥫ᭡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 61%

well, it wasn’t insta love, but it was definitely BORING. and why is it so long? for a romance book to be this length, it needs to have an actual plot or something of substance, not just unnecessary filler 😭

this book felt so repetitive, and the dialogue at times was so unrealistic that it took me out of the story repeatedly. the characters also didn’t have any chemistry whatsoever. i was also expecting them not to get together until the end, since all the reviews i checked beforehand said it was a major slow burn, but they get together a little after halfway through, so…? maybe i’m used to mariana zapata’s books, but i wouldn’t count this as a slow burn at all

↳ pre-read: pls don't be insta love, pls don't be insta love...

[ᥫ᭡. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited for this book but it could have been so much shorter and most of the time I was bored.
I didn’t really feel the chemistry between the main characters but I’m excited for the rest of the series.

[mysoulricochet · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love him