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Vancouver Storm #4
Gloves Off
The only way to receive her inheritance? Marry the NHL's grumpiest enforcer, a brutally handsome jerk, and the last man she'd ever fall for, from the viral TikTok author of Behind the Net.
In public, Georgia Greene and Alexei Volkov act as besotted newlyweds, but in private, they’re at each other’s throats. He’s competitive, arrogant, and surly. The guy’s never cracked a smile in his life. He’s jealous of her colleague, glares at her high heels, and insists he’s not attracted to her. He’s only marrying her for citizenship.
Fighting with Alexei is more fun than Georgia expected, though, and beneath his grouchy exterior, Alexei is surprisingly caring, protective, and generous.
He cuddles with her bunnies and worries about her safety. He sends her flowers with secret meanings and spends way too much money on her. He makes her sleep in his bed and calls her his wife.
For a guy who said he’d never love her, Alexei’s doing a great impression of it… and now Georgia is wondering if this marriage is fake after all.
In public, Georgia Greene and Alexei Volkov act as besotted newlyweds, but in private, they’re at each other’s throats. He’s competitive, arrogant, and surly. The guy’s never cracked a smile in his life. He’s jealous of her colleague, glares at her high heels, and insists he’s not attracted to her. He’s only marrying her for citizenship.
Fighting with Alexei is more fun than Georgia expected, though, and beneath his grouchy exterior, Alexei is surprisingly caring, protective, and generous.
He cuddles with her bunnies and worries about her safety. He sends her flowers with secret meanings and spends way too much money on her. He makes her sleep in his bed and calls her his wife.
For a guy who said he’d never love her, Alexei’s doing a great impression of it… and now Georgia is wondering if this marriage is fake after all.
464 pages, Paperback
First published June 17, 2025
7585 people are currently reading
93377 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Archer
14 books12.6k followersStephanie writes spicy, hilarious rom-coms. Her books feature sharp banter, stubborn women, lots of laughs, and guaranteed HEA’s. She lives in Vancouver, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,424 reviews
July 2, 2025
Coming back to give this 5 stars because yeah. HOCKEY ROMANCE PERFECTIONNNNNNN!!!! Oh my god I absolutely devoured this! Alexei and Georgia have my whole heart god I couldn’t put this down!!
No like I can’t get over how good this was!!! HE GAVE HER FLOWERS EVERY SINGLE DAY AND BOUGHT HER A BOOK ALL ABOUT FLOWERS AND THEIR DIFFERENT MEANINGS IMMA CRY!!!!!
The my wife moments?! The marriage of convenience TENSIONNNNNN!! The hate spicy scenes, the banter, the chemistry, ALEXEIIIIII???!!! No don’t even start. I’m so sad this is over. Hands down the best in the series! God I need the next book more than I need air!
- hockey player x doctor
- MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCEEEE
- dislike to lovers
- banterrrrrr
- age gap
- forced proximity
- grumpy sunshine(ish)
No like I can’t get over how good this was!!! HE GAVE HER FLOWERS EVERY SINGLE DAY AND BOUGHT HER A BOOK ALL ABOUT FLOWERS AND THEIR DIFFERENT MEANINGS IMMA CRY!!!!!
The my wife moments?! The marriage of convenience TENSIONNNNNN!! The hate spicy scenes, the banter, the chemistry, ALEXEIIIIII???!!! No don’t even start. I’m so sad this is over. Hands down the best in the series! God I need the next book more than I need air!
- hockey player x doctor
- MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCEEEE
- dislike to lovers
- banterrrrrr
- age gap
- forced proximity
- grumpy sunshine(ish)
July 30, 2025
I love this series!!!!! Stephanie Archer knows how to deliver a flirty, fast paced, FUN hockey romance
Alexei & Georgia were made for each other & their bickering banter fueled such good tension!!! His emotional and soft side was so nice to see & Georgia was such a STRONG FMC!!!! I can’t wait for the next one 🕺🏻
Alexei & Georgia were made for each other & their bickering banter fueled such good tension!!! His emotional and soft side was so nice to see & Georgia was such a STRONG FMC!!!! I can’t wait for the next one 🕺🏻
June 23, 2025
chef's kiss muahhhhh
September 25, 2025
“𝘐’𝘮 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳.”
This isn't a bad rating at all considering this book broke my one star streak. Plus I rarely read sports romance, so the fact that I ended up enjoying this was a total surprise to me as well. Also, this review is unbiased since I haven't read the other books of this series.
Firstly, let's talk about the characters because they were so damn likeable.
𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗮 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 - She's definitely one of my fav fmcs. I truly adored how confident, bold and independent she was. We love a career driven woman after all. She always knew how to get on the mmc's nerves and for some reason, that just made her even more cute. Her personality, fashion choices and her selfless nature truly amused me. The fact that she chose to marry only for the sake of getting her inheritance in order to fund the athlete recovery program, shows selflessness is a quality not everyone could master.
𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗶 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝗸𝗼𝘃 - I really liked him after the first 25% of the book and the things he did for her. He cooked for her, further, he coached her soccer team when she wasn't available even though he hates soccer, he sent her different flowers everyday at her workplace, with hidden meanings. He also started spending more time with her pets even though he clearly despises them. Need I say more? I loved how he was so madly and deeply obsessed with her.
𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘀 the fact that, even though I enjoyed this book, I can't ignore how basic it was. Nothing special. It's a good thing I haven't read many sports romances because if I did, I fear I would rate this low. Like there wasn't any drama at all, just two people trying not to fall for each other, and that bored me at times.
This might totally be a me thing, but I always want the couples to go through some obstacles that threaten their relation and still make out of it together. It just makes me root for them even more. But none of that happens here. So this novel, despite its binge-worthiness, is still very basic in many aspects.
Nonetheless, this book indeed has the perfect combination of sports romance, marriage of convenience and enemies to lovers. One of the few books that does justice to the said tropes. Would recommend!
This isn't a bad rating at all considering this book broke my one star streak. Plus I rarely read sports romance, so the fact that I ended up enjoying this was a total surprise to me as well. Also, this review is unbiased since I haven't read the other books of this series.
Firstly, let's talk about the characters because they were so damn likeable.
𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗮 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 - She's definitely one of my fav fmcs. I truly adored how confident, bold and independent she was. We love a career driven woman after all. She always knew how to get on the mmc's nerves and for some reason, that just made her even more cute. Her personality, fashion choices and her selfless nature truly amused me. The fact that she chose to marry only for the sake of getting her inheritance in order to fund the athlete recovery program, shows selflessness is a quality not everyone could master.
𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗶 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝗸𝗼𝘃 - I really liked him after the first 25% of the book and the things he did for her. He cooked for her, further, he coached her soccer team when she wasn't available even though he hates soccer, he sent her different flowers everyday at her workplace, with hidden meanings. He also started spending more time with her pets even though he clearly despises them. Need I say more? I loved how he was so madly and deeply obsessed with her.
𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘀 the fact that, even though I enjoyed this book, I can't ignore how basic it was. Nothing special. It's a good thing I haven't read many sports romances because if I did, I fear I would rate this low. Like there wasn't any drama at all, just two people trying not to fall for each other, and that bored me at times.
This might totally be a me thing, but I always want the couples to go through some obstacles that threaten their relation and still make out of it together. It just makes me root for them even more. But none of that happens here. So this novel, despite its binge-worthiness, is still very basic in many aspects.
Nonetheless, this book indeed has the perfect combination of sports romance, marriage of convenience and enemies to lovers. One of the few books that does justice to the said tropes. Would recommend!
May 22, 2025
thank you so much to stephanie and her team for providing this arc!!
i think i am going to settle on a 3.25⭐️ for this one - the first three books in this series are some of my favourite books of all time so i was really excited for this instalment. it ended up falling a teeny bit flat for me sadly, so i figured the best way to share my thoughts are some lists of things i loved and some things i didn’t like quite as much:
things i enjoyed:
- stephanie’s writing - her books are always so compulsively readable and this one was no exception
- the second half of this book was WONDERFUL - the chemistry really started to kick in and we saw alexei’s soft side which i loved
- all of the side characters
- the rookie specifically!!!!! really hope we get a book for him
things i didn’t love quite as much:
- the first half of this book fell really flat for me. i felt no chemistry and i was really disengaged with the story
- at its crux this is a grumpy/sunshine book, but alexei’s version of grump in the first half of this book was just mean!!! there were multiple occasions where i had to put the book down because what he was doing/saying was aggravating me so much. he felt like a totally different person in the second half (which i ended up loving!!)
overall, this was a super quick read with a cast of characters that i adore. however, the first and second half of this book were so drastically different to me that i struggled to decide on a rating. if the whole book had had the same vibe as the second half, this would have been a solid 4/4.5.
i think i am going to settle on a 3.25⭐️ for this one - the first three books in this series are some of my favourite books of all time so i was really excited for this instalment. it ended up falling a teeny bit flat for me sadly, so i figured the best way to share my thoughts are some lists of things i loved and some things i didn’t like quite as much:
things i enjoyed:
- stephanie’s writing - her books are always so compulsively readable and this one was no exception
- the second half of this book was WONDERFUL - the chemistry really started to kick in and we saw alexei’s soft side which i loved
- all of the side characters
- the rookie specifically!!!!! really hope we get a book for him
things i didn’t love quite as much:
- the first half of this book fell really flat for me. i felt no chemistry and i was really disengaged with the story
- at its crux this is a grumpy/sunshine book, but alexei’s version of grump in the first half of this book was just mean!!! there were multiple occasions where i had to put the book down because what he was doing/saying was aggravating me so much. he felt like a totally different person in the second half (which i ended up loving!!)
overall, this was a super quick read with a cast of characters that i adore. however, the first and second half of this book were so drastically different to me that i struggled to decide on a rating. if the whole book had had the same vibe as the second half, this would have been a solid 4/4.5.
June 17, 2025
"𝒀𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒂 𝒃𝒂𝒅 𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒓." "𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒎𝒆."
OMFG. What a book 😭🔥 I am SO IMPRESSED. The author wrote two characters who truly hate each other but have no other solution to their problems… except MARRYING EACH OTHER?! Like pls if you love enemies to lovers AND marriage of convenience 💍 PICK. THIS. BOOK. UPPPP!!!
What I loved most about this book is the dual POV! Both of them have these wildly wrong assumptions about each other, and once they get married? Ohhhh boyyyyy the truth starts to unravel and it’s pure perfection 😮💨 I was living for everything the snarky comments, the “wait a minute… he kind of cute” moments, and THEN the “we gotta play the part, kiss me” 😩💋 AHHHHH screams internally and externally.
Alexei is the ultimate grump all he cares about is hockey 🏒 and has zero time for anything else. A fake marriage to the person he hates most isn’t supposed to change that… until 👀 he starts getting to know her (cue the forced proximity in the BEST POSSIBLE WAY) And our fiery Georgia?? She needs this marriage for her research and little does she know... she’s about to gain her top supporter 😭💘 THEY. ARE. PERFECT. PERIOD.
I want to read like 14 more of these immediately 📚💞
The author absolutely knew how to make me swoon. And please… the way “my wife” was used? I MELTED. Every. Single. Time 😭💗 Didn’t disappoint for a second. 5 stars!!! I ATE IT UP.
Marriage of convenience is my favorite trope and then you sprinkle in enemies to lovers um excuse me!?! Perfection did I say that already? Probably.
tropes
💞 marriage of convenience
💞 hockey romance
💞 forced proximity
💞 grumpy and grumpy (that's my pov)
💞 enemies to lovers
💞 dual pov
Thank you so much Dell Romance for my eARC 💖
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅
enemies to lovers and hockey romance say less I can't freaking waittttt to read this one
Thank you Dell Romance for this opportunity!
OMFG. What a book 😭🔥 I am SO IMPRESSED. The author wrote two characters who truly hate each other but have no other solution to their problems… except MARRYING EACH OTHER?! Like pls if you love enemies to lovers AND marriage of convenience 💍 PICK. THIS. BOOK. UPPPP!!!
What I loved most about this book is the dual POV! Both of them have these wildly wrong assumptions about each other, and once they get married? Ohhhh boyyyyy the truth starts to unravel and it’s pure perfection 😮💨 I was living for everything the snarky comments, the “wait a minute… he kind of cute” moments, and THEN the “we gotta play the part, kiss me” 😩💋 AHHHHH screams internally and externally.
Alexei is the ultimate grump all he cares about is hockey 🏒 and has zero time for anything else. A fake marriage to the person he hates most isn’t supposed to change that… until 👀 he starts getting to know her (cue the forced proximity in the BEST POSSIBLE WAY) And our fiery Georgia?? She needs this marriage for her research and little does she know... she’s about to gain her top supporter 😭💘 THEY. ARE. PERFECT. PERIOD.
I want to read like 14 more of these immediately 📚💞
The author absolutely knew how to make me swoon. And please… the way “my wife” was used? I MELTED. Every. Single. Time 😭💗 Didn’t disappoint for a second. 5 stars!!! I ATE IT UP.
Marriage of convenience is my favorite trope and then you sprinkle in enemies to lovers um excuse me!?! Perfection did I say that already? Probably.
tropes
💞 marriage of convenience
💞 hockey romance
💞 forced proximity
💞 grumpy and grumpy (that's my pov)
💞 enemies to lovers
💞 dual pov
Thank you so much Dell Romance for my eARC 💖
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅
enemies to lovers and hockey romance say less I can't freaking waittttt to read this one
Thank you Dell Romance for this opportunity!
June 19, 2025
🏒 4.25 stars — Gloves Off by Stephanie Archer 🌹
Vancouver Storm #4
Marriage of convenience? Check. Grumpy Russian hockey husband? Check. A fake relationship that turns into stolen glances, soft moments, and a full-on heart attack of emotions? Yeah. I devoured this.
This book gave exactly what it promised: sparks, steam, and a slow-burn that gets under your skin before you even realize you’re smiling at your screen like an idiot. Alexei Volkov might be gruff, cold, and stubborn—but the man is obsessed and it’s delicious.
Let’s talk vibe.
This book opens with snark, enemies-to-lovers jabs, and a whole lot of tension. At first, Alexei’s “grump” was too sharp, almost off-putting. He made comments that felt like they crossed a line and made me pause. But the more the story peeled him open, the more I understood him. And oof. I was sold. Georgia? She’s sunshine with bite. Brilliant, ambitious, and never afraid to push back. She had just enough chaos to balance his brooding. Their dynamic felt real—messy but magnetic.
What made this book WORK:
🏒 The slow shift from enemies to something softer. You feel the tension evolve.
🌹 The gestures. Flowers with secret meanings. Soft touches. Thoughtful actions.
🏒 The fake wife moments. Especially when they start feeling too real.
🌹 That emotional vulnerability. Watching Alexei unravel and choose Georgia was chef’s kiss.
🏒 No third act breakup. THANK YOU. These two actually communicated like adults when it counted.
What didn’t fully hit:
✧ The first half lacked chemistry at times.
✧ Alexei’s grumpiness occasionally dipped into mean territory.
✧ Some early dialogue felt repetitive or too harsh before the emotional payoff landed.
But once the ice cracked? It really cracked. And what emerged was this gentle, layered love story dressed up in banter, jealousy, and a ridiculous amount of sexual tension.
Read this if you love:
🌹 Marriage of Convenience
🏒 Enemies to Lovers with actual teeth
🌹 Soft Russian men who cook and call you “my wife”
🏒 Fake dating that turns into “I’d retire for you” realness
🌹 Characters who fall HARD, even when they try not to
Final Thoughts:
This isn’t just a spicy hockey romance—it’s about earning love. About unlearning old patterns and learning how to choose someone every single day. Georgia and Alexei were messy, flawed, and utterly meant for each other.
It’s sharp, sweet, and lowkey soul-hugging. I’d marry this grump too tbh.
━━━━━━━━━━━⊱♡⊰━━━━━━━━━━
Okay but... marriage of convenience + hockey + grumpy russian husband?? this is my roman empire.
i already know alexei is gonna have me kicking my feet the minute he calls her “my wife” with that ice-cold attitude and warm secret heart. the enemies-to-lovers tension is about to be spicy spicy and i’m so here for it.
tropes i’m living for:
🏒 Pro Hockey Vibes
🌹 Marriage of Convenience
🏒 Enemies to Lovers
🌹 Grumpy x Sunshine
🏒 Secret Acts of Love
🌹 Spicy Heat
Vancouver Storm #4
Marriage of convenience? Check. Grumpy Russian hockey husband? Check. A fake relationship that turns into stolen glances, soft moments, and a full-on heart attack of emotions? Yeah. I devoured this.
This book gave exactly what it promised: sparks, steam, and a slow-burn that gets under your skin before you even realize you’re smiling at your screen like an idiot. Alexei Volkov might be gruff, cold, and stubborn—but the man is obsessed and it’s delicious.
Let’s talk vibe.
This book opens with snark, enemies-to-lovers jabs, and a whole lot of tension. At first, Alexei’s “grump” was too sharp, almost off-putting. He made comments that felt like they crossed a line and made me pause. But the more the story peeled him open, the more I understood him. And oof. I was sold. Georgia? She’s sunshine with bite. Brilliant, ambitious, and never afraid to push back. She had just enough chaos to balance his brooding. Their dynamic felt real—messy but magnetic.
What made this book WORK:
🏒 The slow shift from enemies to something softer. You feel the tension evolve.
🌹 The gestures. Flowers with secret meanings. Soft touches. Thoughtful actions.
🏒 The fake wife moments. Especially when they start feeling too real.
🌹 That emotional vulnerability. Watching Alexei unravel and choose Georgia was chef’s kiss.
🏒 No third act breakup. THANK YOU. These two actually communicated like adults when it counted.
What didn’t fully hit:
✧ The first half lacked chemistry at times.
✧ Alexei’s grumpiness occasionally dipped into mean territory.
✧ Some early dialogue felt repetitive or too harsh before the emotional payoff landed.
But once the ice cracked? It really cracked. And what emerged was this gentle, layered love story dressed up in banter, jealousy, and a ridiculous amount of sexual tension.
Read this if you love:
🌹 Marriage of Convenience
🏒 Enemies to Lovers with actual teeth
🌹 Soft Russian men who cook and call you “my wife”
🏒 Fake dating that turns into “I’d retire for you” realness
🌹 Characters who fall HARD, even when they try not to
Final Thoughts:
This isn’t just a spicy hockey romance—it’s about earning love. About unlearning old patterns and learning how to choose someone every single day. Georgia and Alexei were messy, flawed, and utterly meant for each other.
It’s sharp, sweet, and lowkey soul-hugging. I’d marry this grump too tbh.
━━━━━━━━━━━⊱♡⊰━━━━━━━━━━
Okay but... marriage of convenience + hockey + grumpy russian husband?? this is my roman empire.
i already know alexei is gonna have me kicking my feet the minute he calls her “my wife” with that ice-cold attitude and warm secret heart. the enemies-to-lovers tension is about to be spicy spicy and i’m so here for it.
tropes i’m living for:
🏒 Pro Hockey Vibes
🌹 Marriage of Convenience
🏒 Enemies to Lovers
🌹 Grumpy x Sunshine
🏒 Secret Acts of Love
🌹 Spicy Heat
August 28, 2025
3 stars ✧
⟡ surprisingly, i really had a fun time with this book. prior to reading this, i had a bad inkling because the first 2 books in this series, behind the net and the fake out have both been 1 star for me. so needless to say, i didn’t have high expectations. hyped books in the past have always let me down, so this was a pleasant surprise. this book is the perfect palette cleanser - fun, easy to read, and an amazing time.
gloves off follows georgia greene, our determined and headstrong fmc and our grumpy & closed off mmc, alexei volkov. the two of them agree to enter an arranged marriage - alexei for him & his family’s citizenship, and georgia to receive her inheritance for a greater cause. they start off heavily disliking each other - always throwing sharp insults at each other - but gradually, we see them figuring out they have more in common than they think and slowly developing a risky friendship to eventually, a never-ending relationship.
♯ georgia greene. so many fmc’s are marketed as “strong” and/or “independent” but turn out to be absolutely pathetic. however, miss greene delivered what she was supposed to deliver in here 🤭 she stood her ground even when she was falling for alexei - consistently repeating that she’ll never throw away her life & career for a man. i just loved that. she made it so clear to alexei that if he couldn’t accept that, she didn’t want him. her witty and headstrong attitude really made me enjoy their relationship and this book, in general.
♯ alexei volkov. this man was a doormat for georgia. oh my gosh the way he bent and bowed to every one of her wants and needs 😩 he made me become so invested in this book - every word that came out of his mouth was a word that i ate up. sure, he definitely was a bit mean in the beginning, but when he realized where he messed up, this man was begging for her forgiveness and that was it for me 🤚🏻 there is nothing better than a man who is closed off to everyone except his partner 🙂↕️🧎🏻♀️➡️
my favorite things this man did for her:
- drove through a snowstorm for her
- got a tattoo for her
- sends her flowers everyday with a different meaning
꒱ ┊my biggest problem with this book was the insta love/lust. right from the start, we see alexei lusting over georgia, although apparently he hates her. insta love is in my top 3 least favorite tropes, and unfortunately, like all of archer’s other books, it was weaved in here too. also the nickname!! omg. “hellfire” are we serious right now? pls, this is almost as bad as songbird. (actually nothing can beat songbird)
overall, if you want a fun and easy book (with extremely short chapters) to make your heart have palpitations, this book is perfect for you. i was in a bit of a slump before this, but thanks to miss ann liang and miss stephanie archer, i might(?!?) be out of it(?!?) *cue me knocking on wood*
⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡
𓏲⋆. pre-read ✧ 🏒
finally getting around to this book after seeing the insane amount of hype 😀 hopefully this one won't be anything remotely like the first two books!
i’ll beg for you, hellfire, i don’t care anymore. you own me.
⟡ surprisingly, i really had a fun time with this book. prior to reading this, i had a bad inkling because the first 2 books in this series, behind the net and the fake out have both been 1 star for me. so needless to say, i didn’t have high expectations. hyped books in the past have always let me down, so this was a pleasant surprise. this book is the perfect palette cleanser - fun, easy to read, and an amazing time.
gloves off follows georgia greene, our determined and headstrong fmc and our grumpy & closed off mmc, alexei volkov. the two of them agree to enter an arranged marriage - alexei for him & his family’s citizenship, and georgia to receive her inheritance for a greater cause. they start off heavily disliking each other - always throwing sharp insults at each other - but gradually, we see them figuring out they have more in common than they think and slowly developing a risky friendship to eventually, a never-ending relationship.
♯ georgia greene. so many fmc’s are marketed as “strong” and/or “independent” but turn out to be absolutely pathetic. however, miss greene delivered what she was supposed to deliver in here 🤭 she stood her ground even when she was falling for alexei - consistently repeating that she’ll never throw away her life & career for a man. i just loved that. she made it so clear to alexei that if he couldn’t accept that, she didn’t want him. her witty and headstrong attitude really made me enjoy their relationship and this book, in general.
♯ alexei volkov. this man was a doormat for georgia. oh my gosh the way he bent and bowed to every one of her wants and needs 😩 he made me become so invested in this book - every word that came out of his mouth was a word that i ate up. sure, he definitely was a bit mean in the beginning, but when he realized where he messed up, this man was begging for her forgiveness and that was it for me 🤚🏻 there is nothing better than a man who is closed off to everyone except his partner 🙂↕️🧎🏻♀️➡️
my favorite things this man did for her:
- drove through a snowstorm for her
- got a tattoo for her
- sends her flowers everyday with a different meaning
꒱ ┊my biggest problem with this book was the insta love/lust. right from the start, we see alexei lusting over georgia, although apparently he hates her. insta love is in my top 3 least favorite tropes, and unfortunately, like all of archer’s other books, it was weaved in here too. also the nickname!! omg. “hellfire” are we serious right now? pls, this is almost as bad as songbird. (actually nothing can beat songbird)
overall, if you want a fun and easy book (with extremely short chapters) to make your heart have palpitations, this book is perfect for you. i was in a bit of a slump before this, but thanks to miss ann liang and miss stephanie archer, i might(?!?) be out of it(?!?) *cue me knocking on wood*
⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡
𓏲⋆. pre-read ✧ 🏒
finally getting around to this book after seeing the insane amount of hype 😀 hopefully this one won't be anything remotely like the first two books!
June 18, 2025
i’m obsessed.
my wife count: 80 times🤰🤰🤰🤰🫦🫦🫦🫦🫦🪭🪭🪭🪭😋😋😋😋😋💖💖💖
his.heart.rate.picks.up.whenever.he’s.around.her.
HIS HEART RATE PICKS UP WHENEVER HE’S AROUND HER‼️
it was literally the most adorable thing i’ve seen in my life. his watch kept beeping whenever she was around because his heart rate went crazy😭😭😭😭 PLEASE I NEED HIM
he.sent.her.a.different.flower.every.day.for.months.
HE SENT HER A DIFFERENT FLOWER EVERY DAY FOR MONTHS‼️
all flowers had a different meaning, frustration, love, friendship…
HE CONFESSED HIS FEELINGS FOR HER EVERY DAY
he.retired.because.seeing.him.get.hurt.makes.her.sad.
HE RETIRED BECAUSE SEEING HIM GET HURT MAKES HER SAD‼️
this is how you write enemies to lovers x marriage of convenience.
PLUS seeing my babies???? rory, piper, hazel, james my LOVES i missed them. i can’t wait for next book🥹🥹🥹
i need to see alexei as dad in next book🪭
“I can’t close my eyes around you, Georgia.”
Her mouth curves, eyes sparkling. “Because you can’t trust me?”
“Because I don’t want to miss a second of this.”
anyways, that’s all. it would be cool if you guys read this.
~~~~
stephanie never let me down so far so i have high hopes!💜
thanks to publisher for the arc!!🧘🏼♀️
my wife count: 80 times🤰🤰🤰🤰🫦🫦🫦🫦🫦🪭🪭🪭🪭😋😋😋😋😋💖💖💖
his.heart.rate.picks.up.whenever.he’s.around.her.
HIS HEART RATE PICKS UP WHENEVER HE’S AROUND HER‼️
it was literally the most adorable thing i’ve seen in my life. his watch kept beeping whenever she was around because his heart rate went crazy😭😭😭😭 PLEASE I NEED HIM
he.sent.her.a.different.flower.every.day.for.months.
HE SENT HER A DIFFERENT FLOWER EVERY DAY FOR MONTHS‼️
all flowers had a different meaning, frustration, love, friendship…
HE CONFESSED HIS FEELINGS FOR HER EVERY DAY
he.retired.because.seeing.him.get.hurt.makes.her.sad.
HE RETIRED BECAUSE SEEING HIM GET HURT MAKES HER SAD‼️
this is how you write enemies to lovers x marriage of convenience.
PLUS seeing my babies???? rory, piper, hazel, james my LOVES i missed them. i can’t wait for next book🥹🥹🥹
i need to see alexei as dad in next book🪭
“I can’t close my eyes around you, Georgia.”
Her mouth curves, eyes sparkling. “Because you can’t trust me?”
“Because I don’t want to miss a second of this.”
anyways, that’s all. it would be cool if you guys read this.
~~~~
stephanie never let me down so far so i have high hopes!💜
thanks to publisher for the arc!!🧘🏼♀️
June 23, 2025
ummmmm, I'm a little confused about how to rate this, so I'll say 2.75 for now and I rounded up because I liked the second half!!
I won't bother with a disclaimer in this review because I continued to get hate for my opinion when I did and even if I didn't, but I've had it. Try. Me.
Anyways, onto the review. This was one of my most anticipated books for this year. I know I've said for a lot of books that have released, but it's true, I've anticipated each of them by literally counting down the days. If I had a calendar, I would have circled the date in red and crossed each day leading up to it. However, some of this ended up being underwhelming for me. With that I have to also say that a lot of people liked this, so I know I'm part of the minority and if this is on your tbr, still consider reading it!!
I'll start with the plot and the tropes. I honestly thought that the plot was really predictable and I figured out the entire storyline in the first 5 chapters. By the that point, I was waiting for the plot twists to start unfolding as I predict them. I also have to say that the plot dragged a little bit because I felt like the first half went in circles.
The banter, at least for a part of it, was frustrating to say the least. This had the enemies to lovers vibes so I did expect there to be banter; I love reading it because it's supposed to give tension and angst, but these two just went back and forth for like the first half of the book. It became kind of repetitive after a while, especially when these characters throw the same insults to each other, over and over. And they had this weird sexual energy between them, maybe it was supposed to be sexual tension, but I couldn't feel any real tension between them. Love is a kind of far-fetched, because it's a little hard to believe that these two can co-exist especially going off their personalities in the first half.
I've never had a good rapport with grumpyxsunshine, so this might be a minority opinion, but Alexei is not grumpy, because acting like a jerk is not really grumpy in my opinion. And Georgia was literally not sunshine, which I didn't mind (I actually was happy) because sunshine females get on my nerves. They both had exes so they didn't have a great record with the idea of marriage hence their marriage of convenience and maybe even their dynamic.
The nicknames. Oh, God! If I got a penny for every time she called him "Volkov" and he called her "the doctor", I would have been a millionaire by this point. Even the "my wife" moments were alright. I wasn't completely on my knees for it.
Alexei was alright. He didn't completely blow me away like I had thought. Maybe, I went in with high expectations, but he was simply a jerk in the first half. I liked his character development into the second half, but it felt too sudden. I wish there was more insight into how he transforms as a character because it would have provided more for his character. Alexei's personality in the first half was literally where he was basically a jerk, but in the second half he became so sweet, like a model husband. I would have liked it more if the switch was eased into so it didn't seem too sudden. And the same goes for Georgia as well. I wasn't completely in love with her like I had thought. I thought she was kind of annoying in the first half. I wish there was a little bit more about him misunderstanding her and how it affected her because it's still a little confusing. Even her personality switches from the first half to the second and I wish there was more ease in the transition.
Overall, yeah, I liked this book, but I wasn't in love with it. I still have the first two books in this series to read and I will read them at one point. Other than the drag and the repetitive banter, this was an easy to read book.
---------
pre-read: ahhhh, this finally came out!! I've been desperately waiting for it!! 🪷
---------
marriage of convenience, you say? don't tell me anything else. I'm convinced!
the "my wife" moments are going to be EVERYTHING!!!! the reason why I love this trope so much!!
I won't bother with a disclaimer in this review because I continued to get hate for my opinion when I did and even if I didn't, but I've had it. Try. Me.
Anyways, onto the review. This was one of my most anticipated books for this year. I know I've said for a lot of books that have released, but it's true, I've anticipated each of them by literally counting down the days. If I had a calendar, I would have circled the date in red and crossed each day leading up to it. However, some of this ended up being underwhelming for me. With that I have to also say that a lot of people liked this, so I know I'm part of the minority and if this is on your tbr, still consider reading it!!
I'll start with the plot and the tropes. I honestly thought that the plot was really predictable and I figured out the entire storyline in the first 5 chapters. By the that point, I was waiting for the plot twists to start unfolding as I predict them. I also have to say that the plot dragged a little bit because I felt like the first half went in circles.
The banter, at least for a part of it, was frustrating to say the least. This had the enemies to lovers vibes so I did expect there to be banter; I love reading it because it's supposed to give tension and angst, but these two just went back and forth for like the first half of the book. It became kind of repetitive after a while, especially when these characters throw the same insults to each other, over and over. And they had this weird sexual energy between them, maybe it was supposed to be sexual tension, but I couldn't feel any real tension between them. Love is a kind of far-fetched, because it's a little hard to believe that these two can co-exist especially going off their personalities in the first half.
I've never had a good rapport with grumpyxsunshine, so this might be a minority opinion, but Alexei is not grumpy, because acting like a jerk is not really grumpy in my opinion. And Georgia was literally not sunshine, which I didn't mind (I actually was happy) because sunshine females get on my nerves. They both had exes so they didn't have a great record with the idea of marriage hence their marriage of convenience and maybe even their dynamic.
The nicknames. Oh, God! If I got a penny for every time she called him "Volkov" and he called her "the doctor", I would have been a millionaire by this point. Even the "my wife" moments were alright. I wasn't completely on my knees for it.
Alexei was alright. He didn't completely blow me away like I had thought. Maybe, I went in with high expectations, but he was simply a jerk in the first half. I liked his character development into the second half, but it felt too sudden. I wish there was more insight into how he transforms as a character because it would have provided more for his character. Alexei's personality in the first half was literally where he was basically a jerk, but in the second half he became so sweet, like a model husband. I would have liked it more if the switch was eased into so it didn't seem too sudden. And the same goes for Georgia as well. I wasn't completely in love with her like I had thought. I thought she was kind of annoying in the first half. I wish there was a little bit more about him misunderstanding her and how it affected her because it's still a little confusing. Even her personality switches from the first half to the second and I wish there was more ease in the transition.
Overall, yeah, I liked this book, but I wasn't in love with it. I still have the first two books in this series to read and I will read them at one point. Other than the drag and the repetitive banter, this was an easy to read book.
---------
pre-read: ahhhh, this finally came out!! I've been desperately waiting for it!! 🪷
---------
marriage of convenience, you say? don't tell me anything else. I'm convinced!
the "my wife" moments are going to be EVERYTHING!!!! the reason why I love this trope so much!!
September 2, 2025
➳ 6 ☆
AHHHH. another absolute banger. i have had next to no luck finding amazing books this year, but i am so glad i found this series. i didn't love every book in this universe, BUT i do appreciate all of them, now that we see all characters making appearances. this book took the world by storm and everyone—i mean everyone—was raving about it. i loved everything about this book, the characters, and the romance. this was such a fun pallet cleanser series, and i can't wait for the final book.
tropes — 💜☂️🔮🪻🍇
☆ marriage of convenience
★ dual point of view
✮ interconnected stand-alone
☆ found family
★ dislike to lovers
✮ sports romance
☆ forced proximity
★ i love everyone but you
✮ slow burn
i didn't know about these tropes before i picked this one up, so i just went with the flow. we are introduced to our main characters early on in the series, but there was always a vague ambiguity to them. because of this, i didn't have any expectations before i started reading but i couldn't be happier with the results. this book is more than just your typical enemies to lovers' romance—there are so many layers to their story. this story follows our main characters, georgia, who is the team doctor & alexei, the hockey player on the team. the dynamic between this couple was so different compared to the other characters in this series. from the jump, i knew this book was going to be different—better than the others—and i was correct. i do have to give props to my twinnie, iqra. she NEVER fails me, ever. everybody, go read this.
👠 ── georgia
she is the moment. i am a georgia stan first, human second. she is such a vibrant character and matched alexei's energy perfectly. unlike the other women in this series, georgia isn't as cookie cutter and has a lot of edges. this is why she is my favorite, though. she is such a fierce, loyal, and ambitious woman who is unapologetically herself. usually when authors write doctors in books, i clock out because it is the goofiest, most insulting, jejune embarrassment i've ever read. however, stephanie archer understood the assignment. yes, there are aspects to this book that is unrealistic, but there is also balance which made this ENTERTAINING. her personality and her wit don't magically go away when she's around certain people and especially doesn't leave once she's gotten with alexei. this is a rarity in sports romances these days—specifically when it comes to older characters. every single red-head FMC is a fucking baddie. they always end up being my favorite. we stan the gingers in this household.
🏒 ── alexei
russians are hot as fuck, i don't make the rules. goddamn. this man is everything. on the surface, alexei gets along with everyone except georgia. this is the dynamic we are introduced to from the start, only we don't know why they hate each other. alexei is unlike the other MMCs in this series. for one, he is not your cardboard cutout brooding hero who wants to control and dominate everyone. he is actually really soft and makes A LOT of mistakes. his way of approaching life is actually extremely human and realistic. he’s actually desperately yearning for connection and cares very deeply even though he doesn't know how to show it. his arrogance and facade weren't annoying since we as readers understand his reason for being this way. his charm and personality never changed but rather evolved into a better version of himself for his friends, family, and georgia. SMASH.
why this book worked so well is because these characters are equals. at no point did i feel one character was taking over the story. georgia and alexei are two sides of the same coin and both of them are able to shine and stand out throughout the story. their banter and their rivalry is very real for a contemporary sports romance. they don't just hate each other for no reason that is later played off. they DEEPLY misunderstand each other's character which leads to realistic miscommunication and resentment. i do feel like we could've done without some of the blaring instant lust and obsessiveness, but since this is a fictional story, it didn't bother me as much. i switched between the physical and the audiobook. the audiobook was 10 out of 10—no notes.
i wanted something fun, entertaining, and romantic and got exactly that. i can't wait for the next book.
AHHHH. another absolute banger. i have had next to no luck finding amazing books this year, but i am so glad i found this series. i didn't love every book in this universe, BUT i do appreciate all of them, now that we see all characters making appearances. this book took the world by storm and everyone—i mean everyone—was raving about it. i loved everything about this book, the characters, and the romance. this was such a fun pallet cleanser series, and i can't wait for the final book.
tropes — 💜☂️🔮🪻🍇
☆ marriage of convenience
★ dual point of view
✮ interconnected stand-alone
☆ found family
★ dislike to lovers
✮ sports romance
☆ forced proximity
★ i love everyone but you
✮ slow burn
i didn't know about these tropes before i picked this one up, so i just went with the flow. we are introduced to our main characters early on in the series, but there was always a vague ambiguity to them. because of this, i didn't have any expectations before i started reading but i couldn't be happier with the results. this book is more than just your typical enemies to lovers' romance—there are so many layers to their story. this story follows our main characters, georgia, who is the team doctor & alexei, the hockey player on the team. the dynamic between this couple was so different compared to the other characters in this series. from the jump, i knew this book was going to be different—better than the others—and i was correct. i do have to give props to my twinnie, iqra. she NEVER fails me, ever. everybody, go read this.
👠 ── georgia
she is the moment. i am a georgia stan first, human second. she is such a vibrant character and matched alexei's energy perfectly. unlike the other women in this series, georgia isn't as cookie cutter and has a lot of edges. this is why she is my favorite, though. she is such a fierce, loyal, and ambitious woman who is unapologetically herself. usually when authors write doctors in books, i clock out because it is the goofiest, most insulting, jejune embarrassment i've ever read. however, stephanie archer understood the assignment. yes, there are aspects to this book that is unrealistic, but there is also balance which made this ENTERTAINING. her personality and her wit don't magically go away when she's around certain people and especially doesn't leave once she's gotten with alexei. this is a rarity in sports romances these days—specifically when it comes to older characters. every single red-head FMC is a fucking baddie. they always end up being my favorite. we stan the gingers in this household.
🏒 ── alexei
russians are hot as fuck, i don't make the rules. goddamn. this man is everything. on the surface, alexei gets along with everyone except georgia. this is the dynamic we are introduced to from the start, only we don't know why they hate each other. alexei is unlike the other MMCs in this series. for one, he is not your cardboard cutout brooding hero who wants to control and dominate everyone. he is actually really soft and makes A LOT of mistakes. his way of approaching life is actually extremely human and realistic. he’s actually desperately yearning for connection and cares very deeply even though he doesn't know how to show it. his arrogance and facade weren't annoying since we as readers understand his reason for being this way. his charm and personality never changed but rather evolved into a better version of himself for his friends, family, and georgia. SMASH.
why this book worked so well is because these characters are equals. at no point did i feel one character was taking over the story. georgia and alexei are two sides of the same coin and both of them are able to shine and stand out throughout the story. their banter and their rivalry is very real for a contemporary sports romance. they don't just hate each other for no reason that is later played off. they DEEPLY misunderstand each other's character which leads to realistic miscommunication and resentment. i do feel like we could've done without some of the blaring instant lust and obsessiveness, but since this is a fictional story, it didn't bother me as much. i switched between the physical and the audiobook. the audiobook was 10 out of 10—no notes.
i wanted something fun, entertaining, and romantic and got exactly that. i can't wait for the next book.
February 12, 2026
y’all gonna have to pry this one outta my cold, limp hand when my time is up because i will never stop reading this book. i (still) wish nothing but a lifetime of tender forehead kisses for stephanie because she did her BIG one with this. the fact that alexei is not real and mine is my villain origin story. sir, come take your rightful seat in my hall of book HUSBANDS. and georgia, the goddess that you ARE! gloves off truly is that girl!!! it’s my favourite in this series, no contest. this was and is and will continue to be an undeniable hit, i fear. you’d think three reads in that i’d be tired of these two, but nope! i’m never getting over them!
it’s no secret that i adore this book. dare i say, it’s a perfect romantic comedy. just perfect. a romance that burns, a romance that will make you laugh, one that’ll have your stomach swooping and you fighting a serious case of giggle-and-your-kick-feet-itis. it’s everything to me, everything.
the stars of this show are BOTH main characters, and their explosive dynamic and undeniable chemistry.
listen, if left unchecked, i could yap about alexei volkov until the second coming. everything about this man was just so ATTRACTIVE - big, brutal, brooding uuuuuurgh. he was so intense, possessive and protective, and the mouth on him…good lawd 🫦. this is a man who knows a thing about gestures. THE FLOWERS!!!!! the shoes 😩 iykyk. my man my man my man! his aura was insane. there will never be another. where’s my 6’5” serious defenseman who doesn’t play about me the way this man did NAWT play about his wife?! georgia is so relatable when she talked about being hung up on him until she’s nothing but a deceased speck of dust floating in space, because…same. what i love most about him is the growth - he slowly starts to acknowledge his shortcomings and where he’s gone wrong, and acts accordingly. every man ever needs to learn to course correct from the blueprint himself!
then there’s my queen, the gorgeous georgia greene - feisty, confident, intelligent, quick-witted and funny as hell. i wanted to be her friend and to worship at her altar simultaneously. and the way she brought this domineering man to his KNEES?! he was so down bad and rightfully so! she had him wrapped around her finger and the pointy end of her best heels, and he was powerless against the force of nature that she is. i adored her characterization - a career woman who cares deeply about her cause, and is unapologetic about her identity and what she wants out of life. she’s not abrasive or sassy for no reason, she just has the most vibrant personality. if you’re not rooting for her, idk what to tell you. she’s an it girl through and through.
together, these two were so charged and incendiary. when i say their chemistry was dizzying - i mean it! their interactions were nothing short of magic. every second of page time between them was intentional and sensational and exceptional - do you see where i’m going with this?
the pace of this romance is just right. yes, there’s some early lust for a hate-to-love trope but i promise you, it actually makes sense in this context and i wouldn’t categorize it as insta per se. at its core, this story is about two people who have known each other from a time that pre-dates the start of the book. they are deeply obsessed with one another but both feel as though they’ve been disrespected in a way that hurts when you understand what drives each of them. they can’t help feeling drawn to one another and have no outlet to channel their passion except to keep at each other’s throats, stemming from actual reasons to begrudge one another. when forced to ally in a mutually-beneficial marriage of convenience scheme, shenanigans ensue. love that. need that. the way they thaw toward one another is organic and so satisfying. you’ll be swooning every step of the way - i know i was.
this all brings me to my next point, something i HAVE to emphasize: yes! give us dislikers-to-lovers where there are actual reasons for (and displays of) the contempt, and make those reasons make contextual sense and have the hate be mutual! i really think this is one of the best “enemies-to-lovers” contemporaries i read in 2025 because of how this aspect was handled - no one-sided beefs (boring and tired), no flimsy rationales. like, i actually understood how and why the misunderstandings between them arose, how those perceptions from the other person would sting given what we come to learn about what motivates these characters, how they see themselves, what they value and the things they’ve each experienced in the past - and i could understand why they wouldn’t get along as a result.
another thing that makes this book stand apart from other romcoms is how the hint of depth to these particular leads is cultivated throughout the narrative and how well alexei and georgia’s personal arcs intersect. it only served to affirm their compatibility outside of just physical attraction, as well as made me actually care about both of them and their convictions and challenges as individuals. they were exceptionally well-matched in every way that mattered. the display of reciprosity in this romance was stellar. too many have one person giving everything but these two actually brought out the best in one another (after the worst 🤭), and the utility they bring to each other’s lives is shown, not just told. this is why this romcom works so well. it’s actually about two people coming together for the better.
do i need to say too much more about this one??? i guess i do. i have nary a negative note. a super-summary, if you will:
💥 fantastic chemistry and tension;
💥 contextually well-paced romantic development;
💥 great banter and barbs, and genuinely funny humour;
💥 impeccable use of all the gratifying aspects and hijinks of a marriage of convenience trope - the forced proximity, one bed, faking it for an audience, deliciously territorial “my wife” plugs (and these hit even more with how much they hated each other at first - omg he loved to say it, i loved to hear it);
💥 dynamic main characters;
💥 delectable and well-timed spice (which was also balanced relative to the plot in terms of frequency and not overdone imo)…
💥 and…just FUN! this book was just so so so much FUN. god - i just enjoyed every single scene! even the deleted ones (i wish the second one made it into the book because it was perfect for their dynamic 🤭). this whole book is hot people doing hot people shit.
the vancouver storm series really has some of the most likable characters i’ve encountered in these kinds of books - i really love the found family in this (and especially, the girl gang moments in this specific book too). i also loved the parents (alexei’s mom is the cutest thing) and the bunnies 😭 yes, i’m counting them as adorable side characters as well.
one last thing about gloves off, but something that i mentioned in my review of the wingman was that while i didn’t mind it, i did think some things were a bit repetitive across the series from the two books i’d completed at that point - like some of the men’s gestures (the lingerie purchases, the jersey gifting etc) but i actually came to appreciate them as they came up in this book again. i started to think of them fondly as parallels and points of connection between the installments in the series, rather than outright repetition due to lack of ideas.
let me stop now before i’m writing essays upon essays about this. really, i never expected to like a hockey romance as much as i’ve loved and taken to this one. i was overwhelmingly but pleasantly surprised by my unexpected-at-the-time feelings for this series overall. and i won’t stop saying it 📢 gloves off is the best one 🤭
this is a variation on my old review from my first read in june 2025, and there was a whole ass overture in here about being excited for jordan and tate’s story based on the crumbs in this one teasing their yet-to-be-released book - just thinking that it would be amazing. i’ve since deleted that part because we all know what happened there 😩
it’s no secret that i adore this book. dare i say, it’s a perfect romantic comedy. just perfect. a romance that burns, a romance that will make you laugh, one that’ll have your stomach swooping and you fighting a serious case of giggle-and-your-kick-feet-itis. it’s everything to me, everything.
the stars of this show are BOTH main characters, and their explosive dynamic and undeniable chemistry.
listen, if left unchecked, i could yap about alexei volkov until the second coming. everything about this man was just so ATTRACTIVE - big, brutal, brooding uuuuuurgh. he was so intense, possessive and protective, and the mouth on him…good lawd 🫦. this is a man who knows a thing about gestures. THE FLOWERS!!!!! the shoes 😩 iykyk. my man my man my man! his aura was insane. there will never be another. where’s my 6’5” serious defenseman who doesn’t play about me the way this man did NAWT play about his wife?! georgia is so relatable when she talked about being hung up on him until she’s nothing but a deceased speck of dust floating in space, because…same. what i love most about him is the growth - he slowly starts to acknowledge his shortcomings and where he’s gone wrong, and acts accordingly. every man ever needs to learn to course correct from the blueprint himself!
then there’s my queen, the gorgeous georgia greene - feisty, confident, intelligent, quick-witted and funny as hell. i wanted to be her friend and to worship at her altar simultaneously. and the way she brought this domineering man to his KNEES?! he was so down bad and rightfully so! she had him wrapped around her finger and the pointy end of her best heels, and he was powerless against the force of nature that she is. i adored her characterization - a career woman who cares deeply about her cause, and is unapologetic about her identity and what she wants out of life. she’s not abrasive or sassy for no reason, she just has the most vibrant personality. if you’re not rooting for her, idk what to tell you. she’s an it girl through and through.
together, these two were so charged and incendiary. when i say their chemistry was dizzying - i mean it! their interactions were nothing short of magic. every second of page time between them was intentional and sensational and exceptional - do you see where i’m going with this?
the pace of this romance is just right. yes, there’s some early lust for a hate-to-love trope but i promise you, it actually makes sense in this context and i wouldn’t categorize it as insta per se. at its core, this story is about two people who have known each other from a time that pre-dates the start of the book. they are deeply obsessed with one another but both feel as though they’ve been disrespected in a way that hurts when you understand what drives each of them. they can’t help feeling drawn to one another and have no outlet to channel their passion except to keep at each other’s throats, stemming from actual reasons to begrudge one another. when forced to ally in a mutually-beneficial marriage of convenience scheme, shenanigans ensue. love that. need that. the way they thaw toward one another is organic and so satisfying. you’ll be swooning every step of the way - i know i was.
this all brings me to my next point, something i HAVE to emphasize: yes! give us dislikers-to-lovers where there are actual reasons for (and displays of) the contempt, and make those reasons make contextual sense and have the hate be mutual! i really think this is one of the best “enemies-to-lovers” contemporaries i read in 2025 because of how this aspect was handled - no one-sided beefs (boring and tired), no flimsy rationales. like, i actually understood how and why the misunderstandings between them arose, how those perceptions from the other person would sting given what we come to learn about what motivates these characters, how they see themselves, what they value and the things they’ve each experienced in the past - and i could understand why they wouldn’t get along as a result.
another thing that makes this book stand apart from other romcoms is how the hint of depth to these particular leads is cultivated throughout the narrative and how well alexei and georgia’s personal arcs intersect. it only served to affirm their compatibility outside of just physical attraction, as well as made me actually care about both of them and their convictions and challenges as individuals. they were exceptionally well-matched in every way that mattered. the display of reciprosity in this romance was stellar. too many have one person giving everything but these two actually brought out the best in one another (after the worst 🤭), and the utility they bring to each other’s lives is shown, not just told. this is why this romcom works so well. it’s actually about two people coming together for the better.
do i need to say too much more about this one??? i guess i do. i have nary a negative note. a super-summary, if you will:
💥 fantastic chemistry and tension;
💥 contextually well-paced romantic development;
💥 great banter and barbs, and genuinely funny humour;
💥 impeccable use of all the gratifying aspects and hijinks of a marriage of convenience trope - the forced proximity, one bed, faking it for an audience, deliciously territorial “my wife” plugs (and these hit even more with how much they hated each other at first - omg he loved to say it, i loved to hear it);
💥 dynamic main characters;
💥 delectable and well-timed spice (which was also balanced relative to the plot in terms of frequency and not overdone imo)…
💥 and…just FUN! this book was just so so so much FUN. god - i just enjoyed every single scene! even the deleted ones (i wish the second one made it into the book because it was perfect for their dynamic 🤭). this whole book is hot people doing hot people shit.
the vancouver storm series really has some of the most likable characters i’ve encountered in these kinds of books - i really love the found family in this (and especially, the girl gang moments in this specific book too). i also loved the parents (alexei’s mom is the cutest thing) and the bunnies 😭 yes, i’m counting them as adorable side characters as well.
one last thing about gloves off, but something that i mentioned in my review of the wingman was that while i didn’t mind it, i did think some things were a bit repetitive across the series from the two books i’d completed at that point - like some of the men’s gestures (the lingerie purchases, the jersey gifting etc) but i actually came to appreciate them as they came up in this book again. i started to think of them fondly as parallels and points of connection between the installments in the series, rather than outright repetition due to lack of ideas.
let me stop now before i’m writing essays upon essays about this. really, i never expected to like a hockey romance as much as i’ve loved and taken to this one. i was overwhelmingly but pleasantly surprised by my unexpected-at-the-time feelings for this series overall. and i won’t stop saying it 📢 gloves off is the best one 🤭
this is a variation on my old review from my first read in june 2025, and there was a whole ass overture in here about being excited for jordan and tate’s story based on the crumbs in this one teasing their yet-to-be-released book - just thinking that it would be amazing. i’ve since deleted that part because we all know what happened there 😩
June 17, 2025
I want to scream cry bang my fists on the wall bc Alexei isn’t real and I can’t follow Georgia on Instagram bc I NEEEEED to see her heels collection.
Proper rtc
I’m gna write the fattest review just wait 🤚
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
The arc just hit my kindle, no other like mother Stephanie to save me from my slump 💋
***
11/2/2025 — I GOT THE ARC IM LITCH CRYING TEARS OF JOY RN
4/2/2025 — I NEED THIS PLS OMG MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE MY KRYPTONITE 🙏
Proper rtc
I’m gna write the fattest review just wait 🤚
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
The arc just hit my kindle, no other like mother Stephanie to save me from my slump 💋
***
11/2/2025 — I GOT THE ARC IM LITCH CRYING TEARS OF JOY RN
4/2/2025 — I NEED THIS PLS OMG MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE MY KRYPTONITE 🙏
June 10, 2025
every time i think stephanie archer can’t possibly top my favorite books of hers, she raises the bar. georgia and alexei are EXCEPTIONAL!!!
alexei is the most *mature* (oldest) player on the vancouver storm and georgia is the team doctor. they have HATED each other since georgia started working with the team but when alexei’s citizenship application keeps getting delayed and georgia needs to access her inheritance to fund her program for girls, sacrifices must be made and wedding bells must chime.
these two are E N E M I E S. they really hate each other and have valid (so they think) reasons why. this was the most delicious, giggly, swing-my-feet slow burn of their hatred unraveling into passion and then into romance.
stephanie’s banter and antics always have me genuinely laughing out loud and gloves off set the standard even higher. their banter was EVERYTHING and was so entertaining to read from start to finish.
they have the HOTTEST connection. the tension building from the moment georgia moves into his house culminates in a hare bang i still think about two months later.
believe me when i say they are simply everything. georgia feels like she’ll never be able to have everything she wants so she’s settled for what she has and alexei feels like he has everything he’s ever wanted and is terrified of what life looks like when he loses it and the care and reassurance they show each other is soulmate level ok.
as always, i cannot underscore stephanie archer’s praise. i’ve said it before but no one writes praise like her. it’s constant, inside and outside the bedroom, and lives rent free in my head. some of alexei’s lines are BURNED into my memory. if he were real, i’d be the crazy fangirl in the stands telling him to have my babies and sign my boobs and i wear that as a badge of honor.
alexei is the most *mature* (oldest) player on the vancouver storm and georgia is the team doctor. they have HATED each other since georgia started working with the team but when alexei’s citizenship application keeps getting delayed and georgia needs to access her inheritance to fund her program for girls, sacrifices must be made and wedding bells must chime.
these two are E N E M I E S. they really hate each other and have valid (so they think) reasons why. this was the most delicious, giggly, swing-my-feet slow burn of their hatred unraveling into passion and then into romance.
stephanie’s banter and antics always have me genuinely laughing out loud and gloves off set the standard even higher. their banter was EVERYTHING and was so entertaining to read from start to finish.
they have the HOTTEST connection. the tension building from the moment georgia moves into his house culminates in a hare bang i still think about two months later.
believe me when i say they are simply everything. georgia feels like she’ll never be able to have everything she wants so she’s settled for what she has and alexei feels like he has everything he’s ever wanted and is terrified of what life looks like when he loses it and the care and reassurance they show each other is soulmate level ok.
as always, i cannot underscore stephanie archer’s praise. i’ve said it before but no one writes praise like her. it’s constant, inside and outside the bedroom, and lives rent free in my head. some of alexei’s lines are BURNED into my memory. if he were real, i’d be the crazy fangirl in the stands telling him to have my babies and sign my boobs and i wear that as a badge of honor.
Read
September 12, 2025pre-read:
it’s finally time for georgia and alexei’s story! i’m kind of scared because marriage of convenience is such a hit or miss for me but most of the books in these series got me out of a bad slump so maybe this will also turn out to be good!
・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・
georgia and alexei’s story! another marriage of convenience but they hate each other + he calls her his wife!!
it’s finally time for georgia and alexei’s story! i’m kind of scared because marriage of convenience is such a hit or miss for me but most of the books in these series got me out of a bad slump so maybe this will also turn out to be good!
・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・
georgia and alexei’s story! another marriage of convenience but they hate each other + he calls her his wife!!
June 20, 2025
A marriage of convenience, one bed, enemies to lovers, possessive jealous hero, hockey sports romance that has all the tropes and more...
When I first read Stephanie Archer, it was Behind the Net and I knew that I would fall over heels for the rest of the series and her other books. This fourth installment in the Vancouver Storm series is a no brainer a must read of this summer. Not only do we get a jealous possessive hero in the making, but we also get this badass of a heroine that truly strings your heart with her humbled ways about not only her upbringing, but also her future path. Alexei & Georgia are the ultimate current power couple in this series.
Starting off on the wrong foot with ideas towards each other that are the total opposite, Georgia and Alexei throw sparks of chemistry through every page of this book. When life throws them together with a marriage of convenience, they are forced to live together and convene together for the sake of not only Alexei's immigration concern, but also Georgia's inheritance in which she will only be able to recoup once she is married. Alexei slowly begins to truly see the real colors that is Doctor Georgia Greene. She is not the material, high maintenance woman he thought she was. Instead, she is a hard working doctor, who came from nothing and built a reputation for herself. She works at a hospital, and is also the hockey team's doctor. One heck of a badass doctor if you ask me. The same could be said about Alexei and the way Georgia thought of him from the beginning. Not only was she wrong about his grumpy exterior, but she also was wrong about his upbringing all along. Alexei, coming from a family of nothing as well, worked very hard thanks to the support of his mom and dad, whom he truly adores and look up and is now a renown hockey player. One that is close to retirement...
Once the sheets come off, Alexei & Georgia get their emotions entangled as well as their mutual physical attraction. And not only does Alexei burn for this wife, but he truly becomes enamored by her. He cherishes her, takes care of her in ways that she would not expect. In ways that throws her for a loop and gets the walls of her heart broken down;
Sharing a few months together has made Alexei realize the kind of life he wants to continue having with Georgia. The kind of retirement that he had been dreading for so long and is right around the corner but did not expect to change now that Georgia is in his life;
And when time is up, they both strongly and mutually open up about each other's potent feelings of not only love, but respect and admiration. What I love about Stephanie's characters is that they know how to communicate. Even in the toughest times of their relationship, they don't hold things back. For the sake of the angst in a story, they do in the beginning, but at some point her characters learn how to read each other emotionally, & physically.
Here is hoping that we get a story for Coach Ward, and I can only tell who his love interest is going to be. Single father trope in the making as well, which I know will be melting the panties off of plenty of Stephanie's readers.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review...
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When I first read Stephanie Archer, it was Behind the Net and I knew that I would fall over heels for the rest of the series and her other books. This fourth installment in the Vancouver Storm series is a no brainer a must read of this summer. Not only do we get a jealous possessive hero in the making, but we also get this badass of a heroine that truly strings your heart with her humbled ways about not only her upbringing, but also her future path. Alexei & Georgia are the ultimate current power couple in this series.
Starting off on the wrong foot with ideas towards each other that are the total opposite, Georgia and Alexei throw sparks of chemistry through every page of this book. When life throws them together with a marriage of convenience, they are forced to live together and convene together for the sake of not only Alexei's immigration concern, but also Georgia's inheritance in which she will only be able to recoup once she is married. Alexei slowly begins to truly see the real colors that is Doctor Georgia Greene. She is not the material, high maintenance woman he thought she was. Instead, she is a hard working doctor, who came from nothing and built a reputation for herself. She works at a hospital, and is also the hockey team's doctor. One heck of a badass doctor if you ask me. The same could be said about Alexei and the way Georgia thought of him from the beginning. Not only was she wrong about his grumpy exterior, but she also was wrong about his upbringing all along. Alexei, coming from a family of nothing as well, worked very hard thanks to the support of his mom and dad, whom he truly adores and look up and is now a renown hockey player. One that is close to retirement...
Once the sheets come off, Alexei & Georgia get their emotions entangled as well as their mutual physical attraction. And not only does Alexei burn for this wife, but he truly becomes enamored by her. He cherishes her, takes care of her in ways that she would not expect. In ways that throws her for a loop and gets the walls of her heart broken down;
"Oh god. I think I might be developing a crush on my fake husband..."
Sharing a few months together has made Alexei realize the kind of life he wants to continue having with Georgia. The kind of retirement that he had been dreading for so long and is right around the corner but did not expect to change now that Georgia is in his life;
"I like seeing her first thing in the morning with bedhead and a grumpy frown because I work her up. I like having people over to our home for dinner, I like cooking for her, and I definitely like overhearing her friends tease her about our relationship..."
And when time is up, they both strongly and mutually open up about each other's potent feelings of not only love, but respect and admiration. What I love about Stephanie's characters is that they know how to communicate. Even in the toughest times of their relationship, they don't hold things back. For the sake of the angst in a story, they do in the beginning, but at some point her characters learn how to read each other emotionally, & physically.
Here is hoping that we get a story for Coach Ward, and I can only tell who his love interest is going to be. Single father trope in the making as well, which I know will be melting the panties off of plenty of Stephanie's readers.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review...
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February 16, 2026
But alas, I’m in the minority again. I'm simply too critical for my own good.
And so you ask, “Minne dear, are there any books you do like?” I swear there are. They just haven’t been romance novels lately. So, I'll just put myself in time out while you read this.
I really wanted to love this book because it’s one of my friend’s favorites. I think she highlights many of the wonderful things about it that I’m clearly missing here, so please read her review if you’d like another perspective. There’s always more to a book than one opinion.
First of all, I’m glad I finally read my first sports romance. Needless to say, my rating already hints at how I felt about it.
Reading has taught me a few things about myself. When it comes to books outside of fantasy, I tend to be far more critical. Fantasy allows for a bit more leeway since authors are building entirely new systems, laws, and rules. As long as things feel believable and not wildly illogical, I can go along with it. After all, real world leaders are not exactly nailing the law making process either. So, where am I going with this? My first issue with this book.
It begins with the premise, specifically the marriage of convenience trope and the reasoning behind it. I wish more due diligence had been done, because this book is otherwise grounded in reality. If you’re familiar with immigration and naturalization processes, Alexei’s urgent need to get married definitely comes across as hogwash. Still, I set that thought aside because if a story is enjoyable enough, many things can be forgiven.
Anyone who knows me knows I have a strong dislike for excessive swearing in books. I just can’t stand it. There was far more of it here than I would have liked, especially in Alexei’s simple every day talk. I genuinely wished I could read his POV on mute. Unfortunately, that’s not an option. This is one of my least favorite traits in a MMC because, to me, it reads as aggressive and not attractive at all, so I was already struggling with Alexei from the start.
Another thing that bothered me was how hard it was to believe I was reading about adults. I’m not entirely sure how to explain it. The characters often felt like teenagers, or adults with underdeveloped frontal lobes and questionable emotional regulation. The bickering, the antics, the tantrums. It was a lot. I won’t lie though. I did enjoy the push and pull dynamic for the first thirty percent of the book.
But then they got married at about 10%, and I expected the tension to gradually soften as they adjusted to living together. For me, pacing is everything, and I found it frustrating that after so much time spent in close proximity, they still could not manage a proper adult conversation.
Between Georgia and Alexei, I’m not sure who exhausted me more. Since I love men written by women, let’s start with Alexei.
Alexei. Alexei. Alexei. The BANE of my reading experience.
Yes, he had every right to be upset with Georgia. He had every right to dislike her. Sometimes, you can dislike a person for no reason at all. It’s terrible, but it happens. That is not the problem here. What I found distasteful was that a thirty six year old man, in French I would say, à son grand âge (at his BIG age), could not swallow his pride long enough to ask questions or attempt to clear the air, especially when his naturalization application presumably depended on how convincingly they functioned as a couple.
I simply cannot swoon over a man who reminded me of the grumpy babushkas I used to see at Barabashovo Market when I lived in Ukraine. These grandmas were professional bickerers with PhDs in grudges.
The worst part was that every time he behaved like a premium asshole, he insisted, “This isn’t who I am.” He did not understand why Georgia got under his skin. He claimed his mother raised him better. All I wanted to scream was, THEN ACT LIKE IT.
At fifty five percent, they were still bickering. Not disagreeing. Not arguing. Bickering. It was exhausting.
I feel like if you hate someone and new information arises that challenges your assumptions, the normal response would be reflection, adjustment and a bit of cautious observation. Instead, we were dragged through repetitive scenarios that should have clarified their misunderstandings and doused the fire of their antagonism long before they stopped behaving like toddlers.
So, I came to three conclusions.
── .✦ Either they are intentionally written as characters who thrive on toxicity.
── .✦ Or they are simply two deeply immature people who had both the pleasure and misfortune of finding each other.
── .✦ This book is not about enemies-to-lovers, but haters-with-benefits-to-lovers.
Unfortunately, whichever it is, this book just was not for me.
I enjoy an angry MMC, but one who is angry at the world, not constantly at the FMC. Not one who repeatedly takes it out on her. Angry sex can be fun once or twice after a fight. Angry sex all the time was just too much.
By the time Alexei finally came around and started treating Georgia better, I was already past the point of forgiveness.
I liked Georgia overall, but she did not feel entirely adult to me either. Some of her inner monologues made me cringe, though she was otherwise a solid FMC. Confident, capable and strong.
My issues with her mirrored my frustrations with Alexei. Excessive swearing. Not acting her age. And most importantly, NOT DUMPING THAT MISERABLE PIECE OF… PLANT MANURE.
She even tried to help him by posting photos of them on social media to make their relationship look more convincing despite how terribly he treated her. I desperately wished for a moment where she threw him to the curb once and for all. A dramatic, satisfying confrontation where she finally told him she was done. You know, like that iconic scene from A Cinderella Story, where Samantha storms into the men’s locker room and delivers the ultimate breakup speech, making it crystal clear that waiting for him is both useless and disappointing.
Or at the very least. I wish she’d made him grovel. Of course, she couldn’t, because she had her own reasons for entering a marriage of convenience with him.
This might be your cup of tea if you:
── .✦ Love the enemies-to-lovers dynamics
── .✦ Do not mind prolonged conflict
── .✦ Enjoy copious amounts of hate fueled tension and sex
Updates while reading ༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･
Gahhh I hate Alexei right now. I wish Georgia would stomp his arrogant feet with her heels. I just know that the grovel will be good 🤌🏼
💘 Valentine’s reading list 💘
﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌
𑣲 Tourist Season
𑣲 A Portrait of a Scotsman
𑣲 An Academic Affair
𑣲 This Book Made Me Think of You
𑣲 Bull Moon Rising
𑣲 Gloves Off
And so you ask, “Minne dear, are there any books you do like?” I swear there are. They just haven’t been romance novels lately. So, I'll just put myself in time out while you read this.
I really wanted to love this book because it’s one of my friend’s favorites. I think she highlights many of the wonderful things about it that I’m clearly missing here, so please read her review if you’d like another perspective. There’s always more to a book than one opinion.
First of all, I’m glad I finally read my first sports romance. Needless to say, my rating already hints at how I felt about it.
Reading has taught me a few things about myself. When it comes to books outside of fantasy, I tend to be far more critical. Fantasy allows for a bit more leeway since authors are building entirely new systems, laws, and rules. As long as things feel believable and not wildly illogical, I can go along with it. After all, real world leaders are not exactly nailing the law making process either. So, where am I going with this? My first issue with this book.
It begins with the premise, specifically the marriage of convenience trope and the reasoning behind it. I wish more due diligence had been done, because this book is otherwise grounded in reality. If you’re familiar with immigration and naturalization processes, Alexei’s urgent need to get married definitely comes across as hogwash. Still, I set that thought aside because if a story is enjoyable enough, many things can be forgiven.
Anyone who knows me knows I have a strong dislike for excessive swearing in books. I just can’t stand it. There was far more of it here than I would have liked, especially in Alexei’s simple every day talk. I genuinely wished I could read his POV on mute. Unfortunately, that’s not an option. This is one of my least favorite traits in a MMC because, to me, it reads as aggressive and not attractive at all, so I was already struggling with Alexei from the start.
Another thing that bothered me was how hard it was to believe I was reading about adults. I’m not entirely sure how to explain it. The characters often felt like teenagers, or adults with underdeveloped frontal lobes and questionable emotional regulation. The bickering, the antics, the tantrums. It was a lot. I won’t lie though. I did enjoy the push and pull dynamic for the first thirty percent of the book.
But then they got married at about 10%, and I expected the tension to gradually soften as they adjusted to living together. For me, pacing is everything, and I found it frustrating that after so much time spent in close proximity, they still could not manage a proper adult conversation.
Between Georgia and Alexei, I’m not sure who exhausted me more. Since I love men written by women, let’s start with Alexei.
Alexei. Alexei. Alexei. The BANE of my reading experience.
Yes, he had every right to be upset with Georgia. He had every right to dislike her. Sometimes, you can dislike a person for no reason at all. It’s terrible, but it happens. That is not the problem here. What I found distasteful was that a thirty six year old man, in French I would say, à son grand âge (at his BIG age), could not swallow his pride long enough to ask questions or attempt to clear the air, especially when his naturalization application presumably depended on how convincingly they functioned as a couple.
I simply cannot swoon over a man who reminded me of the grumpy babushkas I used to see at Barabashovo Market when I lived in Ukraine. These grandmas were professional bickerers with PhDs in grudges.
The worst part was that every time he behaved like a premium asshole, he insisted, “This isn’t who I am.” He did not understand why Georgia got under his skin. He claimed his mother raised him better. All I wanted to scream was, THEN ACT LIKE IT.
At fifty five percent, they were still bickering. Not disagreeing. Not arguing. Bickering. It was exhausting.
I feel like if you hate someone and new information arises that challenges your assumptions, the normal response would be reflection, adjustment and a bit of cautious observation. Instead, we were dragged through repetitive scenarios that should have clarified their misunderstandings and doused the fire of their antagonism long before they stopped behaving like toddlers.
So, I came to three conclusions.
── .✦ Either they are intentionally written as characters who thrive on toxicity.
── .✦ Or they are simply two deeply immature people who had both the pleasure and misfortune of finding each other.
── .✦ This book is not about enemies-to-lovers, but haters-with-benefits-to-lovers.
Unfortunately, whichever it is, this book just was not for me.
I enjoy an angry MMC, but one who is angry at the world, not constantly at the FMC. Not one who repeatedly takes it out on her. Angry sex can be fun once or twice after a fight. Angry sex all the time was just too much.
By the time Alexei finally came around and started treating Georgia better, I was already past the point of forgiveness.
I liked Georgia overall, but she did not feel entirely adult to me either. Some of her inner monologues made me cringe, though she was otherwise a solid FMC. Confident, capable and strong.
My issues with her mirrored my frustrations with Alexei. Excessive swearing. Not acting her age. And most importantly, NOT DUMPING THAT MISERABLE PIECE OF… PLANT MANURE.
She even tried to help him by posting photos of them on social media to make their relationship look more convincing despite how terribly he treated her. I desperately wished for a moment where she threw him to the curb once and for all. A dramatic, satisfying confrontation where she finally told him she was done. You know, like that iconic scene from A Cinderella Story, where Samantha storms into the men’s locker room and delivers the ultimate breakup speech, making it crystal clear that waiting for him is both useless and disappointing.
Or at the very least. I wish she’d made him grovel. Of course, she couldn’t, because she had her own reasons for entering a marriage of convenience with him.
This might be your cup of tea if you:
── .✦ Love the enemies-to-lovers dynamics
── .✦ Do not mind prolonged conflict
── .✦ Enjoy copious amounts of hate fueled tension and sex
Updates while reading ༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･
Gahhh I hate Alexei right now. I wish Georgia would stomp his arrogant feet with her heels. I just know that the grovel will be good 🤌🏼
💘 Valentine’s reading list 💘
﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌
𑣲 Tourist Season
𑣲 A Portrait of a Scotsman
𑣲 An Academic Affair
𑣲 This Book Made Me Think of You
𑣲 Bull Moon Rising
𑣲 Gloves Off
June 22, 2025
He hated her for existing, judged her, insulted her, and she loved him because he apologized once. Standards are in hell.
August 1, 2025
5 ⭐️ besties, i’m going to beg. PLEASE READ THIS BOOK. i loved every second of gloves off. it has easily become my favourite hockey romance. i thought the fake out would be my favourite in this series but no way, gloves off cannot be beat. i think this might be one of the best marriage of convenience book i’ve ever read?!
i was LIVING for how much these two despised each other. the snark was next level. the banter was out of this world. istg 70% of this book is covered in my highlights because the comebacks were everything. like I WANT TO FRAME THEM AND HANG THEM IN MY ROOM.
the chokehold alexei volkov had on me needs to be studied. MY MAN. if you love a “my wife” moment, you will not be disappointed. this man delivered in spades. alexei started off as a quiet, grumpy jerk but he couldn’t maintain his cool around georgia greene. these two were just straight up fireworks.
georgia was a queen in every sense. a badass doctor with a shoe collection to rival carrie bradshaw. she was fierce, independent, intelligent and kind. the whole damn package! georgia and i need to be best friends. and the way she walked this man like a dog?! she’s my hero.
gloves off was one of my most anticipated releases this year and i’m SO happy it delivered ❤️🔥
i was LIVING for how much these two despised each other. the snark was next level. the banter was out of this world. istg 70% of this book is covered in my highlights because the comebacks were everything. like I WANT TO FRAME THEM AND HANG THEM IN MY ROOM.
the chokehold alexei volkov had on me needs to be studied. MY MAN. if you love a “my wife” moment, you will not be disappointed. this man delivered in spades. alexei started off as a quiet, grumpy jerk but he couldn’t maintain his cool around georgia greene. these two were just straight up fireworks.
georgia was a queen in every sense. a badass doctor with a shoe collection to rival carrie bradshaw. she was fierce, independent, intelligent and kind. the whole damn package! georgia and i need to be best friends. and the way she walked this man like a dog?! she’s my hero.
gloves off was one of my most anticipated releases this year and i’m SO happy it delivered ❤️🔥
June 13, 2025
4.5⭐️
Thank you Stephanie Archer for the ARC.
I was really excited for this book, the fake dating trope is my favorite so I had high expectations, also because of the dynamic between the characters. While the second half of the book was amazing, this first half was ok?
Let me explain, Alexei and Georgia hate each other and argue most of the time, but both characters' words were really mean at the beginning, especially Alexei's, whose comments were borderline sexist. Then, when we get to their own povs, we either know that they don't mean those things or they fantasize about the other in bed; so it kind of pushed me off the narrative and I thought about dnfing.
I knew that the second half was better, so I kept reading, and I loved it. Their development was so good and their new dynamic was heartwarming: Georgia was always caring for Alexei, especially when he got hurt during hockey, but what sold me was him spoiling her with gifts and mostly with flowers, each of them had a different meaning.
At first I couldn't feel the chemistry between them, but at the end it was clear they were made for each other; I also appreciated that there was no third act breakup: they both were reluctant about such a commitment - because of previous relationships - but they worked it out.
So yes, I didn't enjoy much the first half, but the second made up for it.
—
update: i've been selected for the ARC 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
--
alexei🥰🥰🥰 marriage of convenience 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 *kicking my feet rn*
Thank you Stephanie Archer for the ARC.
I was really excited for this book, the fake dating trope is my favorite so I had high expectations, also because of the dynamic between the characters. While the second half of the book was amazing, this first half was ok?
Let me explain, Alexei and Georgia hate each other and argue most of the time, but both characters' words were really mean at the beginning, especially Alexei's, whose comments were borderline sexist. Then, when we get to their own povs, we either know that they don't mean those things or they fantasize about the other in bed; so it kind of pushed me off the narrative and I thought about dnfing.
I knew that the second half was better, so I kept reading, and I loved it. Their development was so good and their new dynamic was heartwarming: Georgia was always caring for Alexei, especially when he got hurt during hockey, but what sold me was him spoiling her with gifts and mostly with flowers, each of them had a different meaning.
At first I couldn't feel the chemistry between them, but at the end it was clear they were made for each other; I also appreciated that there was no third act breakup: they both were reluctant about such a commitment - because of previous relationships - but they worked it out.
So yes, I didn't enjoy much the first half, but the second made up for it.
—
update: i've been selected for the ARC 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
--
alexei🥰🥰🥰 marriage of convenience 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 *kicking my feet rn*
May 30, 2025
This novel was such a funny and lighthearted read! It is a NHL sports contemporary romance book that was really, really good! This book comes with lovable characters, a great storyline and witty banter between the two main characters. It is an enemies to lovers romance, which is one of my favorite tropes in a book! Even though these two main characters had completely different ways of thinking, they found a way to make it work between them. The character that I liked the most was Alexei Volkov. He came off as a very arrogant, grumpy and rude person. However, as the story develops more, he ends up being the complete opposite! He is actually very sweet snd charming, once you get to know the real him. This book explores the themes of trust, being in love, a marriage of convenience, second chances and overcoming past trauma! There is a miscommunication trope in this one, which is my least favorite trope. However, this author put everything together so well, that the miscommunication trope was not an issue at all for me in this one. This comes with dual points of views, which I loved! Furthermore, you can read this book as a series or as a standalone. It also has some very spicy scenes! If you love sports and romance, you will not want to miss reading this book!
“Gloves Off” is the fourth book in the Vancouver Storm Series! It is about a female doctor named Georgia and a NHL enforcer named Alexei. They get forced into a marriage of convenience with one another, that ultimately leads them into having real feelings for one another. I give this book a rating of 4 out of 5 stars!
Anyone that is a fan of hockey romances would enjoy reading this one! Content warnings include explicit sexual content and misogyny.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Stephanie Archer and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell for this electronic ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is expected to be published on June 17, 2025!
“Gloves Off” is the fourth book in the Vancouver Storm Series! It is about a female doctor named Georgia and a NHL enforcer named Alexei. They get forced into a marriage of convenience with one another, that ultimately leads them into having real feelings for one another. I give this book a rating of 4 out of 5 stars!
Anyone that is a fan of hockey romances would enjoy reading this one! Content warnings include explicit sexual content and misogyny.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Stephanie Archer and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell for this electronic ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is expected to be published on June 17, 2025!
June 30, 2025
4.25 ⭐️
where do i even start... this book was sooo good, like i'm in love 🤭💗 these two were EVERYTHING!! they’re definitely my favs in the series 🫶
georgia... i love her 🥹 she’s so fiery and determined, but also so freaking sweet. her confidence was amazing to read about, and i loved how she never backed down from alexei 😌 she felt so real to me, and i honestly just wanted to be her friend 🫂
alexei… he was everything 😭 listen, this man bought her a different type of flower every. single. day. EVERY SINGLE DAY!! 😍 ur honor i love him 🤭 was he mean at times?? yes, BUT i could see why he was mean to her at times. (their reasons for hating each other was silly) and omg, his heart rate picks up every time she’s around 😻😻 like please, he’s so gone for her
now let's talk about their relationship. they hate each other but had to get married?? sold 😮💨 their dynamic was everything – the tension, the banter, the little moments they tried to hide 😩 it was so good seeing them fall for each other, even when they were both fighting it so hard 😭💕 oh also... he retired bc
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ don’t let me down...
where do i even start... this book was sooo good, like i'm in love 🤭💗 these two were EVERYTHING!! they’re definitely my favs in the series 🫶
georgia... i love her 🥹 she’s so fiery and determined, but also so freaking sweet. her confidence was amazing to read about, and i loved how she never backed down from alexei 😌 she felt so real to me, and i honestly just wanted to be her friend 🫂
alexei… he was everything 😭 listen, this man bought her a different type of flower every. single. day. EVERY SINGLE DAY!! 😍 ur honor i love him 🤭 was he mean at times?? yes, BUT i could see why he was mean to her at times. (their reasons for hating each other was silly) and omg, his heart rate picks up every time she’s around 😻😻 like please, he’s so gone for her
now let's talk about their relationship. they hate each other but had to get married?? sold 😮💨 their dynamic was everything – the tension, the banter, the little moments they tried to hide 😩 it was so good seeing them fall for each other, even when they were both fighting it so hard 😭💕 oh also... he retired bc
₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ don’t let me down...
June 20, 2025
miss archer you dropped this 👑 bcs this is literally a masterpiece!! rtc bcs i need to write a BIG ONEE!!
AHHH IT'S FINALLY HEREE 🤭💜 gonna lock myself in a room until i finish this 😗
AHHH IT'S FINALLY HEREE 🤭💜 gonna lock myself in a room until i finish this 😗
July 14, 2025
- don't worry about the fact that i reread this less than a month after reading it for the first time. this is most definitely my favorite sports romance i've read this year and i just adore this couple. please pick this up if you haven't yet, i'm just so obsessed with georgia and alexei!!! -
MY MAN MY MAN MY MAN !!!!!!!!
“… and i’ll never stop taking care of you” hand mr. alexei volkov over IMMEDIATELY. if anyone would have told me that a book in this series would be a five star, i would’ve laughed in their face. behind the net is one of my mortal enemies so i am sitting here in utter shock over the perfection of this book.
we’ve met both alexei and georgia previously in these books and they are known to not get along. when they both find themselves in need of a fake spouse, they realize they may have to suck it up and by doing so they find love. these are my people and i cannot begin to explain what they mean to me. georgia is a badass bitch with hot ass high heels and i genuinely want to be her, or at least have an ounce of her confidence becuase she’s perfect. like duh alexei has been into her, she’s an angel on earth (on paper). this is a perfect marriage of convenience, up there with play along and if you know me you know that’s high praise.
this relationship was so beautiful to watch unfold because the chemistry was palpable and their connection was so heartfelt. every moment in their relationship felt perfectly timed. we saw both of them overcome the misconceptions they had of eachother, fall in love and build a future, and be the best bunny parents!! also this book should be shown in classes about how to write romance novels with no third act breakup, stephanie archer did the damn thing in these 460 pages!!!
i will be thinking of this story for a long, long time. thinking about getting a physical copy so i can write all over it. i also just want to reread this immediately. now that this blew me away, i’m basically jumping for joy thinking about jordan and tate’s book… HAND IT OVER!!
MY MAN MY MAN MY MAN !!!!!!!!
“… and i’ll never stop taking care of you” hand mr. alexei volkov over IMMEDIATELY. if anyone would have told me that a book in this series would be a five star, i would’ve laughed in their face. behind the net is one of my mortal enemies so i am sitting here in utter shock over the perfection of this book.
we’ve met both alexei and georgia previously in these books and they are known to not get along. when they both find themselves in need of a fake spouse, they realize they may have to suck it up and by doing so they find love. these are my people and i cannot begin to explain what they mean to me. georgia is a badass bitch with hot ass high heels and i genuinely want to be her, or at least have an ounce of her confidence becuase she’s perfect. like duh alexei has been into her, she’s an angel on earth (on paper). this is a perfect marriage of convenience, up there with play along and if you know me you know that’s high praise.
this relationship was so beautiful to watch unfold because the chemistry was palpable and their connection was so heartfelt. every moment in their relationship felt perfectly timed. we saw both of them overcome the misconceptions they had of eachother, fall in love and build a future, and be the best bunny parents!! also this book should be shown in classes about how to write romance novels with no third act breakup, stephanie archer did the damn thing in these 460 pages!!!
i will be thinking of this story for a long, long time. thinking about getting a physical copy so i can write all over it. i also just want to reread this immediately. now that this blew me away, i’m basically jumping for joy thinking about jordan and tate’s book… HAND IT OVER!!
Read
June 19, 2025this was not it 😒🤧
If I had known I’d be stuck with an asshole for more than half of this book, I honestly wouldn’t have picked this up. I used to like the grumpy x sunshine trope, but lately, it feels like some authors have started to equate grumpiness with being a jerk. And Alexei is definitely not a grump; he's just a mean dick. 😒
Tbf, the first half of this story was them consistently trading barbs and insults, but Alexei was the one who did it effortlessly and was always the provocateur. He just can't help being an asshole toward her, and man, did he make me want to jump inside the book and throat punch him. 😤
He treated her like shit for two years because she suggested he retire (this was after a concussion incident). Apparently, in his mind, this means she didn't believe in him. Guess what, jerk, she's a doctor and one that is good at her job. So, she's not just spewing nonsense; she really knows what she's talking about. But who cares about that? She hurt his ego, so…
He also thought she was a spoiled, selfish, and superficial person like his ex. All because of her last name (old money). When, in reality, she has earned everything she owns in life through hard work, and her grandfather's wealth doesn't have anything to do with it.
Okay, tbf—Georgia definitely had her fair share of annoying traits. She has her own prejudices when it comes to Alexei as well. She also compares him to her ex, saying he's controlling and trying to make her feel small. She can't stand him for calling her incompetent all those years ago. But when you look at their back-and-forth, I’d say she’s usually more in control and isn’t really trying to hurt him most of the time. She hates him, but she still manages to be decent-ish when they interact. She only snaps back when he gets under her skin, and mind you, that happens quite a bit. 🤧
Sure, their back-and-forth was fun at first, but after a while, it just got really annoying and exhausting. This is all they did for the first half, and there's no progress between them. Also, this has the cliché of disliking each other, yet there's an obvious attraction brewing between them.
Did he make up for his unjust treatment of her? I mean, maybe in a way??? But it wasn't enough. 🤷♀️
He started to have a 180 around the 65%-ish mark, I think. I'm not sure, but that feels a bit late for me. The flowers he sent? It wasn't all for sweet moments. At first, he did this to share what he was feeling, and most of them were negative emotions. His mom is a florist, so he knows the meaning of these flowers. This actually didn't even make any sense because Georgia has no clue about flowers and their meanings. Thankfully, her MIL sent her a notebook, like a sort of guide about them. The meaning of this action sort of change almost close to the end, when he started to give her flowers because he starting to have sincere feelings for her. But at this point, I just don't care anymore. The gesture was already ruined for me. 😑
He eventually began to care for her. Like getting her a new car since her old one was really on its last leg. He's there to support her coaching and help out whenever he can. Or maybe cooking for her every now and then. Tbh, it's not a big deal when you really think about it. But compared to how he treated her before, I suppose this is a bit of an improvement. 🤷♀️
Also, their romance felt like it came out of nowhere. The only dynamic between them is animosity laced with hidden attraction. Add in the physical aspect because, of course, they hate-fuck. And voila, all of a sudden there's freaking romance. Like, what? how? why? idek.
Anywaaay, this is a long rambling. He's too much of a jerk for me, and I can't look past his initial behavior. Georgia's the only one who made this bearable. I'm sure this will work for someone else.
Book info:
- Sports romance (Hockey)
- Dislike to love
- Grumpy x Sunshine???
- MOC
- No cheating, OM/OW, separation
- No V (no info on their past)
- HEA (they're married, so...)
Note:
- They were both engaged with OP in the past. Alexei's ex didn't show up on their wedding day. And Georgia called off her engagement. These relationships occurred several years ago, and since then, neither of them has dated seriously.
PS. The next book is probably about their coach. So age gap, single dad x team owner's daughter. 🫣
If I had known I’d be stuck with an asshole for more than half of this book, I honestly wouldn’t have picked this up. I used to like the grumpy x sunshine trope, but lately, it feels like some authors have started to equate grumpiness with being a jerk. And Alexei is definitely not a grump; he's just a mean dick. 😒
Tbf, the first half of this story was them consistently trading barbs and insults, but Alexei was the one who did it effortlessly and was always the provocateur. He just can't help being an asshole toward her, and man, did he make me want to jump inside the book and throat punch him. 😤
He treated her like shit for two years because she suggested he retire (this was after a concussion incident). Apparently, in his mind, this means she didn't believe in him. Guess what, jerk, she's a doctor and one that is good at her job. So, she's not just spewing nonsense; she really knows what she's talking about. But who cares about that? She hurt his ego, so…
He also thought she was a spoiled, selfish, and superficial person like his ex. All because of her last name (old money). When, in reality, she has earned everything she owns in life through hard work, and her grandfather's wealth doesn't have anything to do with it.
Okay, tbf—Georgia definitely had her fair share of annoying traits. She has her own prejudices when it comes to Alexei as well. She also compares him to her ex, saying he's controlling and trying to make her feel small. She can't stand him for calling her incompetent all those years ago. But when you look at their back-and-forth, I’d say she’s usually more in control and isn’t really trying to hurt him most of the time. She hates him, but she still manages to be decent-ish when they interact. She only snaps back when he gets under her skin, and mind you, that happens quite a bit. 🤧
Sure, their back-and-forth was fun at first, but after a while, it just got really annoying and exhausting. This is all they did for the first half, and there's no progress between them. Also, this has the cliché of disliking each other, yet there's an obvious attraction brewing between them.
Did he make up for his unjust treatment of her? I mean, maybe in a way??? But it wasn't enough. 🤷♀️
He started to have a 180 around the 65%-ish mark, I think. I'm not sure, but that feels a bit late for me. The flowers he sent? It wasn't all for sweet moments. At first, he did this to share what he was feeling, and most of them were negative emotions. His mom is a florist, so he knows the meaning of these flowers. This actually didn't even make any sense because Georgia has no clue about flowers and their meanings. Thankfully, her MIL sent her a notebook, like a sort of guide about them. The meaning of this action sort of change almost close to the end, when he started to give her flowers because he starting to have sincere feelings for her. But at this point, I just don't care anymore. The gesture was already ruined for me. 😑
He eventually began to care for her. Like getting her a new car since her old one was really on its last leg. He's there to support her coaching and help out whenever he can. Or maybe cooking for her every now and then. Tbh, it's not a big deal when you really think about it. But compared to how he treated her before, I suppose this is a bit of an improvement. 🤷♀️
Also, their romance felt like it came out of nowhere. The only dynamic between them is animosity laced with hidden attraction. Add in the physical aspect because, of course, they hate-fuck. And voila, all of a sudden there's freaking romance. Like, what? how? why? idek.
Anywaaay, this is a long rambling. He's too much of a jerk for me, and I can't look past his initial behavior. Georgia's the only one who made this bearable. I'm sure this will work for someone else.
Book info:
- Sports romance (Hockey)
- Dislike to love
- Grumpy x Sunshine???
- MOC
- No cheating, OM/OW, separation
- No V (no info on their past)
- HEA (they're married, so...)
Note:
- They were both engaged with OP in the past. Alexei's ex didn't show up on their wedding day. And Georgia called off her engagement. These relationships occurred several years ago, and since then, neither of them has dated seriously.
PS. The next book is probably about their coach. So age gap, single dad x team owner's daughter. 🫣
August 11, 2025
“I’ll beg for you, Hellfire, I don’t care anymore. You own me.”
ৎ⋆｡‧📖‧ 4.0★
𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴:
"(dangerous woman - ariana grande)"
0:09 ━●────────── 3:55
ㅤ ㅤ◁ㅤ ❚❚ ㅤ▷
full playlist for georgia & alexeiღ
↬ I think their hate relationship was so extremely weird. Because this wasn't just 'enemies' they were straight up insulting each other and it took me off so bad. I just felt weirded out the whole time.
↬ I did like both characters and half way through the book they learned how to be normal be and even a super cute couple so that's why I still rated it 4 stars, but this could've been an easy 5 star if they would've been nicer to each other in the beginning.
── .✦ pre-read⛸️⭑.ᐟ
⤿ prediction: 4 ★
I love this series it's so cutsie. And when I read the blurb I got so excited so hopefully this will be good !! I also love the cover so much, definitely my favorite of the whole series
June 11, 2025
4.5 When They Despise Each Other ✨'s
Gloves Off is a hate-to-love romance following Alexei, a hockey player for the Vancouver Storm who’s looking to secure his Canadian citizenship, and Georgia, the team's doctor who needs to marry in order to receive her inheritance and keep her lab running. Despite their constant fighting, when Alexei and Georgia realize they could benefit from getting married, the two decide to go through with the union and stay together until their problems work out.
This marriage of convenience setup was so fun and addictive! I loved the sharp and sizzling dynamic between Alexei and Georgia; the two had so much chemistry, and the banter was top notch. Not to mention their constant fighting gave way to some of the best moments as they slowly began to fall for each other without even realizing it. The shift from Alexei outright despising Georgia to realizing how wrong he was about her was executed perfectly. Watching him soften and become completely obsessed with her was incredibly satisfying and added so much sweetness to their romance. Stephanie Archer killed it again with this romance, I swear each book in this series just gets better and better!
~Many thanks to Good Girls PR and Stephanie Archer for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
Gloves Off is a hate-to-love romance following Alexei, a hockey player for the Vancouver Storm who’s looking to secure his Canadian citizenship, and Georgia, the team's doctor who needs to marry in order to receive her inheritance and keep her lab running. Despite their constant fighting, when Alexei and Georgia realize they could benefit from getting married, the two decide to go through with the union and stay together until their problems work out.
This marriage of convenience setup was so fun and addictive! I loved the sharp and sizzling dynamic between Alexei and Georgia; the two had so much chemistry, and the banter was top notch. Not to mention their constant fighting gave way to some of the best moments as they slowly began to fall for each other without even realizing it. The shift from Alexei outright despising Georgia to realizing how wrong he was about her was executed perfectly. Watching him soften and become completely obsessed with her was incredibly satisfying and added so much sweetness to their romance. Stephanie Archer killed it again with this romance, I swear each book in this series just gets better and better!
~Many thanks to Good Girls PR and Stephanie Archer for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
March 14, 2025
4.5 stars bro WHATTT rtc
March 8, 2026
˖ ⁺ ౿ 🏒🌼⋮ 4.25 stars .ᐟ
⤿ no thoughts, just alexei volkov.
⋆˚࿔ my thoughts
okay so, i adored this book and these characters! 🥹 gloves off follows our main characters, georgia and alexei, who reluctantly make a deal to enter into an arranged marriage for both of their benefits. alexei, for his canadian citizenship, and georgia, to receive her inheritance and save the soccer team she coaches.
they begin the book by having a strong dislike for one another, but slowly realize that the other person wasn’t who they thought they were. i thought the enemies-to-lovers was done well in this; their relationship slowly shifts to a friendship and eventually to something more.
⋆˚࿔ characters
🩺 georgia greene
we love a strong and witty fmc, and georgia most definitely delivered! she was so fiery while going tit for tat with alexei. but at the same time she was so compassionate and lovable!
🌼 alexei volkov
this man omg. 🤭 at first glance, he’s grumpy and rude, but once we got to know him more, i fell head over heels for him!! beyond his tough exterior, he’s actually such a sweetheart who cares so much for the ones he loves. one thing i loved about him was once he realized his mistakes, he immediately sought out to right his wrongs. and also the flowers he would send to georgia!!! with secret meanings🧎 gah, one of my favourite things from this book honestly, i found it so sweet and thoughtful. he’s just a big ol’ softie lol
⤷ sooo now i need a russian man who will buy me flowers with hidden meanings and cook for me please
georgia and alexei quickly became my fave couple of this series so fardisregarding the fact i’ve only read a total of two books lol. they are so precious together and compliment each other really well! their chemistry and banter had me giggling. (the scene where alexei got jealous over the bunnies iykyk had me dying omg). + the emotional vulnerability and sacrifices awwwh <3
⋆˚࿔ concluding thoughts
this is my fav from the series so far! i swear i go through these books so quick. please pick it up!
+ i’m so intrigued about ward and jordan, so you will catch me reading the wild card 👀 i also hope that luca gets a book because it was fun having him introduced to us!
⋆˚࿔ quotes
“i never want this to end. there’s no way i’m letting you go. being married to you is everything i never realized i wanted.”
“the first day was sunflowers. adoration. daisies. i love you truly. white lilies. my love is pure.”
“it’s not everything to me. not anymore. you are.”
“i’ll beg for you, hellfire, i don’t care anymore. you own me.”
—
˖ ⁺ ౿ 🏒🏔️ ⋮ pre-read
in honor of canada winning semis... 🤭🇨🇦 YAY! time to continue this series <3 i'm not going in order because idk if the 1st and 3rd books are worth reading (smo lmk), so we're reading this one. i'm actually almost finished but forgot to update lol, but i'm loving this! live laugh love alexei volkov 🙈
⤿ no thoughts, just alexei volkov.
⊹ “ask me what the flowers mean, hellfire.”
“what do they mean?”
“…friendship. joy. loyalty. eternity.”
⋆˚࿔ my thoughts
okay so, i adored this book and these characters! 🥹 gloves off follows our main characters, georgia and alexei, who reluctantly make a deal to enter into an arranged marriage for both of their benefits. alexei, for his canadian citizenship, and georgia, to receive her inheritance and save the soccer team she coaches.
they begin the book by having a strong dislike for one another, but slowly realize that the other person wasn’t who they thought they were. i thought the enemies-to-lovers was done well in this; their relationship slowly shifts to a friendship and eventually to something more.
⋆˚࿔ characters
🩺 georgia greene
we love a strong and witty fmc, and georgia most definitely delivered! she was so fiery while going tit for tat with alexei. but at the same time she was so compassionate and lovable!
🌼 alexei volkov
this man omg. 🤭 at first glance, he’s grumpy and rude, but once we got to know him more, i fell head over heels for him!! beyond his tough exterior, he’s actually such a sweetheart who cares so much for the ones he loves. one thing i loved about him was once he realized his mistakes, he immediately sought out to right his wrongs. and also the flowers he would send to georgia!!! with secret meanings🧎 gah, one of my favourite things from this book honestly, i found it so sweet and thoughtful. he’s just a big ol’ softie lol
⤷ sooo now i need a russian man who will buy me flowers with hidden meanings and cook for me please
georgia and alexei quickly became my fave couple of this series so far
⋆˚࿔ concluding thoughts
this is my fav from the series so far! i swear i go through these books so quick. please pick it up!
+ i’m so intrigued about ward and jordan, so you will catch me reading the wild card 👀 i also hope that luca gets a book because it was fun having him introduced to us!
⋆˚࿔ quotes
“i never want this to end. there’s no way i’m letting you go. being married to you is everything i never realized i wanted.”
“the first day was sunflowers. adoration. daisies. i love you truly. white lilies. my love is pure.”
“it’s not everything to me. not anymore. you are.”
“i’ll beg for you, hellfire, i don’t care anymore. you own me.”
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˖ ⁺ ౿ 🏒🏔️ ⋮ pre-read
in honor of canada winning semis... 🤭🇨🇦 YAY! time to continue this series <3 i'm not going in order because idk if the 1st and 3rd books are worth reading (smo lmk), so we're reading this one. i'm actually almost finished but forgot to update lol, but i'm loving this! live laugh love alexei volkov 🙈
September 7, 2025
Ahhh where to even begin!?! I loved this book so much!!
The bickering between Georgia and Alexei was amazing. It was full of angst and sexual tension. The author really nailed the hate to love dynamic in this book. And Hallelujah the insta-love/insta-lust was nowhere to be found! Mariage of convenience is another one of my favourite tropes and I thought the author did a good job of incorporating it into the story too. I also really liked the motivations behind Georgia and Alexei wanting to get married. It wasn’t for selfish reasons and they were doing it to help those they loved.
Georgia and Alexia were great characters on their own, but their romance shined throughout this book. Their relationship developed so naturally and it was great to see them slowly open up and learn to trust each other. They are without a doubt the best couple of the series and nobody can change my mind. I do wish that we could have gotten more moments of them as an actual couple before the book ended. It really took a while before they confessed their feelings to each other. But that’s the only complaint I’ve got.
All in all, this book had a strong chance of becoming my favourite in the series just from the tropes that were included and that’s exactly what happened🤭
———————
Pre-read: Hoping this redeems book three for me🙏🏻
The bickering between Georgia and Alexei was amazing. It was full of angst and sexual tension. The author really nailed the hate to love dynamic in this book. And Hallelujah the insta-love/insta-lust was nowhere to be found! Mariage of convenience is another one of my favourite tropes and I thought the author did a good job of incorporating it into the story too. I also really liked the motivations behind Georgia and Alexei wanting to get married. It wasn’t for selfish reasons and they were doing it to help those they loved.
Georgia and Alexia were great characters on their own, but their romance shined throughout this book. Their relationship developed so naturally and it was great to see them slowly open up and learn to trust each other. They are without a doubt the best couple of the series and nobody can change my mind. I do wish that we could have gotten more moments of them as an actual couple before the book ended. It really took a while before they confessed their feelings to each other. But that’s the only complaint I’ve got.
All in all, this book had a strong chance of becoming my favourite in the series just from the tropes that were included and that’s exactly what happened🤭
———————
Pre-read: Hoping this redeems book three for me🙏🏻
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