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Never Trust A Hockey Player
They say hockey players always protect their own. But my pack proved that was a lie.
After spending my heat completely alone, resulting in a near death experience and a hospital stay, I knew I had to cut my pack out of my life.
One phone call to my brother and I find myself back in my hometown. The local hockey princess has officially returned. Surrounded by my family's hockey legacy, I fall easily back into that life.
A job with the Westgrave Wardens, my brother’s team, seems like exactly what I need to get back on my feet.
The only issue is that I swore off ever trusting a hockey player again… and five of the men that make up the Westgrave Wardens starting lineup are trying to prove that they deserve a chance.
Everything seems perfect… until the media learns that I walked away from my pack. Gossip quickly turns vicious and the Wardens band around me to shield me from the worst of it.
But when their team comes under fire, I know it’s time to fight.
I’m an omega who survived being forgotten and I won’t let anyone steal my voice again. I tell the truth and watch my exes fall from grace, begging me for forgiveness.
Too bad I’m not the forgiving type.
Never Trust A Hockey Player is a standalone MFMMMM why choose omegaverse. Despite how the story starts, the men in Lana’s pack are sweet and possessive and aren’t afraid to make things right.
After spending my heat completely alone, resulting in a near death experience and a hospital stay, I knew I had to cut my pack out of my life.
One phone call to my brother and I find myself back in my hometown. The local hockey princess has officially returned. Surrounded by my family's hockey legacy, I fall easily back into that life.
A job with the Westgrave Wardens, my brother’s team, seems like exactly what I need to get back on my feet.
The only issue is that I swore off ever trusting a hockey player again… and five of the men that make up the Westgrave Wardens starting lineup are trying to prove that they deserve a chance.
Everything seems perfect… until the media learns that I walked away from my pack. Gossip quickly turns vicious and the Wardens band around me to shield me from the worst of it.
But when their team comes under fire, I know it’s time to fight.
I’m an omega who survived being forgotten and I won’t let anyone steal my voice again. I tell the truth and watch my exes fall from grace, begging me for forgiveness.
Too bad I’m not the forgiving type.
Never Trust A Hockey Player is a standalone MFMMMM why choose omegaverse. Despite how the story starts, the men in Lana’s pack are sweet and possessive and aren’t afraid to make things right.
366 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 20, 2026
87 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Jarica James
136 books694 followersJarica is an American author. She prefers writing paranormal and fantasy books. When she isn't writing she is playing her xbox with her husband and fellow nerd. She has two crazy boys who make writing a challenge, but one she gladly accepts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
February 23, 2026
2.5 stars. Really wanted to give this a solid 2 stars, but went with 3 as a baseline because it's not horrible. Really it's not horrible. It just wasn't...complete in the way I've come to expect from this author.
First I'm listing the continuity errors I remember just for my own sake later.
Biggest one:
The pack and her brother told the FMC they told the team what her exes had done to her and swore them to secrecy, and that the whole team would help get back at the exes during the next game. But then a few chapters later the team has no idea what's going on when they face her exes' team and is angry at the MMCs for targeting the other pack so much that it looked bad on their team. This anger goes on for much of the book until the team discovers why they did it. Except according to the text, they already knew.
In one scene she jumps into an MMC's arms and wraps her legs around his waist, and then a few seconds later he leads her to the stairs and picks her up...but had never put her down.
She says randomly at one point that the grouchy, rude MMC had told her what his issue with omegas was and they'd come to an understanding with each other. Well I the reader would like to know wtf that was because it didn't happen on page. We still have no idea how or why he overcame his issues and to us, it seems like he just changes his mind one day. Edit: to be clear, even him telling her WHY he had an issue with omegas is done off page so that we still don't know what his issue was by the end of the book.
She feels her bond with her exes break as she lays dying, but then it takes most of the book for the bond to fade until she finally lets it go herself.
The book said that omegas have heats every 3 months, but then the FMC, who has regular heats, said hers happen "twice a year like clockwork".
Not an error but it annoyed me:
Her parents are horrible people who neglect their children but we're supposed to like them and be grateful for their help the first time we ever met them...in a book with a storyline that started with alphas neglecting their omega.
My main issue aside from that is:
This story lacks the intimacy and sweetness of the author's previous books, mainly because we don't see most of it on page. It mostly happens off page and then we may or may not hear about it on page. This is very insta-lovey on all fronts. The FMC even mentions this a time or two. We don't see and experience them falling in love, they just happen to love each other by the time her scent changes enough for them to realize they're mates.
This is especially frustrating to me because we have one alpha who lost "the love of [his] life" who just accepts this new woman and falls for her...but we don't hear anything about his feelings changing towards her on page until her scent changes and he's all in. It all reads of more of a biological connection to me than anything emotional. I hate the love after loss trope and this is just another reason why.
‼️ SPOILERS
Also why tf did the FMC wait so long to set the record straight? The media found out she was with another pack and instead of the cheating allegations I expected, they jump to thinking that the delta in her old pack must have abused her, so she's unsafe with the two deltas in her new pack. I get that this was an organization twisting the narrative, but first: HOW TF DO YOU MAKE THAT LEAP, and second: WHY DID SHE NOT PROTECT HER DELTAS?!
It started off as a smaller thing and built into a huge thing over a month or two. In that time she was fine with her deltas having to hide their identities just to get into the arena for practices? Having to be escorted in and out of games? Body guards having to be hired for the team? Of their careers being on the line? She was fine with news outlets camping outside their home and them having to finally move?
Alllllll she had to do was tell them the truth, but she was more worried about protecting her exes' careers even after they neglected her for 4 years. It was far too late by the time she told the truth, and then the story doesn't even tell us how the public responded to that. Her telling her truth at that point did NOTHING because it had already gotten so far out of hand that they were being pressured to stop allowing deltas in the league. I can't with dumbass decisions like that.
First I'm listing the continuity errors I remember just for my own sake later.
Biggest one:
The pack and her brother told the FMC they told the team what her exes had done to her and swore them to secrecy, and that the whole team would help get back at the exes during the next game. But then a few chapters later the team has no idea what's going on when they face her exes' team and is angry at the MMCs for targeting the other pack so much that it looked bad on their team. This anger goes on for much of the book until the team discovers why they did it. Except according to the text, they already knew.
In one scene she jumps into an MMC's arms and wraps her legs around his waist, and then a few seconds later he leads her to the stairs and picks her up...but had never put her down.
She says randomly at one point that the grouchy, rude MMC had told her what his issue with omegas was and they'd come to an understanding with each other. Well I the reader would like to know wtf that was because it didn't happen on page. We still have no idea how or why he overcame his issues and to us, it seems like he just changes his mind one day. Edit: to be clear, even him telling her WHY he had an issue with omegas is done off page so that we still don't know what his issue was by the end of the book.
She feels her bond with her exes break as she lays dying, but then it takes most of the book for the bond to fade until she finally lets it go herself.
The book said that omegas have heats every 3 months, but then the FMC, who has regular heats, said hers happen "twice a year like clockwork".
Not an error but it annoyed me:
Her parents are horrible people who neglect their children but we're supposed to like them and be grateful for their help the first time we ever met them...in a book with a storyline that started with alphas neglecting their omega.
My main issue aside from that is:
This story lacks the intimacy and sweetness of the author's previous books, mainly because we don't see most of it on page. It mostly happens off page and then we may or may not hear about it on page. This is very insta-lovey on all fronts. The FMC even mentions this a time or two. We don't see and experience them falling in love, they just happen to love each other by the time her scent changes enough for them to realize they're mates.
This is especially frustrating to me because we have one alpha who lost "the love of [his] life" who just accepts this new woman and falls for her...but we don't hear anything about his feelings changing towards her on page until her scent changes and he's all in. It all reads of more of a biological connection to me than anything emotional. I hate the love after loss trope and this is just another reason why.
‼️ SPOILERS
Also why tf did the FMC wait so long to set the record straight? The media found out she was with another pack and instead of the cheating allegations I expected, they jump to thinking that the delta in her old pack must have abused her, so she's unsafe with the two deltas in her new pack. I get that this was an organization twisting the narrative, but first: HOW TF DO YOU MAKE THAT LEAP, and second: WHY DID SHE NOT PROTECT HER DELTAS?!
It started off as a smaller thing and built into a huge thing over a month or two. In that time she was fine with her deltas having to hide their identities just to get into the arena for practices? Having to be escorted in and out of games? Body guards having to be hired for the team? Of their careers being on the line? She was fine with news outlets camping outside their home and them having to finally move?
Alllllll she had to do was tell them the truth, but she was more worried about protecting her exes' careers even after they neglected her for 4 years. It was far too late by the time she told the truth, and then the story doesn't even tell us how the public responded to that. Her telling her truth at that point did NOTHING because it had already gotten so far out of hand that they were being pressured to stop allowing deltas in the league. I can't with dumbass decisions like that.
February 22, 2026
Solid plotline with messy detailing
I will say this book is close to being a 4 star read but it falls a little low on my scale.
Lana is a very solid FMC from where the reader comes in. I suspect if the author started the story any earlier in the timeline I would have struggled to like her enough to get into the good part of her character. As it is we start immediately with a strong woman left in a bad situation by the guys meant to love her.
Conrad is the stand out character of the whole book, despite being her brother. He is the support system she needs and is selflessly ready to be there for Lana. Even his one whiney moment of idiocy is quick to resolve and utterly understandable. The boy needs his own book.
The guys are.... Tough. Cade seems like a good guy but we barely dig into his character. Kieran is the most understandable out of the MMCs. His background is clear and reasonable for his current personality, and he's accepting and caring from jump. Mason is also decent but he's a bit of fluff character (just there for a good time) and has a couple moments of inexplicable vulnerability that is out of character. Wilder is similar to Cade - we barely scratch the surface, we know he's shy and nice but not a ton more. Lennon is a trash character. He is aggressively rude bordering on mean from the first time they meet, then suddenly flips personality without clear reason and never really redeems his initial grumpiness.
Unfortunately, the author trends toward messy details. Lana felt her original bond break and then just a couple pages later is wondering if she is experiencing the bond fading. Lennon's personality flip apparently coincided with some discussion Lana had with him but I went back and couldn't find a hint of wth happened in his past to make him a jerk. These inconsistencies are sprinkled throughout the book and annoyed me constantly.
Oh, OH! And the description of her parents as self-centered and barely present is blown out of the water multiple times with her mother constantly reaching out, trying to help, using her contacts etc. Why bother with the absentee parent threads if it's going to be useless and contradicted right away?
The intimacy is not all that impressive. Especially all the blather about deltas. It reads to me as an author trying too hard to stand out in a currently oversaturated genre. Most of the delta plot threads didn't work for me really. It was just shoehorned in and didn't add much value beyond a target for the antagonist portion of the story.
The pacing is good, although the timeline is a little unclear at times. (Is it still March or suddenly June/July? Twice a year like clockwork gets a bit wobbly.) The editing is decent, not perfect and I definitely noticed a few errors but much better than some of her co-authored books. The broad story is good. I do love Conrad's speech to the aha board (we need his energy in real life).
I will say this book is close to being a 4 star read but it falls a little low on my scale.
Lana is a very solid FMC from where the reader comes in. I suspect if the author started the story any earlier in the timeline I would have struggled to like her enough to get into the good part of her character. As it is we start immediately with a strong woman left in a bad situation by the guys meant to love her.
Conrad is the stand out character of the whole book, despite being her brother. He is the support system she needs and is selflessly ready to be there for Lana. Even his one whiney moment of idiocy is quick to resolve and utterly understandable. The boy needs his own book.
The guys are.... Tough. Cade seems like a good guy but we barely dig into his character. Kieran is the most understandable out of the MMCs. His background is clear and reasonable for his current personality, and he's accepting and caring from jump. Mason is also decent but he's a bit of fluff character (just there for a good time) and has a couple moments of inexplicable vulnerability that is out of character. Wilder is similar to Cade - we barely scratch the surface, we know he's shy and nice but not a ton more. Lennon is a trash character. He is aggressively rude bordering on mean from the first time they meet, then suddenly flips personality without clear reason and never really redeems his initial grumpiness.
Unfortunately, the author trends toward messy details. Lana felt her original bond break and then just a couple pages later is wondering if she is experiencing the bond fading. Lennon's personality flip apparently coincided with some discussion Lana had with him but I went back and couldn't find a hint of wth happened in his past to make him a jerk. These inconsistencies are sprinkled throughout the book and annoyed me constantly.
Oh, OH! And the description of her parents as self-centered and barely present is blown out of the water multiple times with her mother constantly reaching out, trying to help, using her contacts etc. Why bother with the absentee parent threads if it's going to be useless and contradicted right away?
The intimacy is not all that impressive. Especially all the blather about deltas. It reads to me as an author trying too hard to stand out in a currently oversaturated genre. Most of the delta plot threads didn't work for me really. It was just shoehorned in and didn't add much value beyond a target for the antagonist portion of the story.
The pacing is good, although the timeline is a little unclear at times. (Is it still March or suddenly June/July? Twice a year like clockwork gets a bit wobbly.) The editing is decent, not perfect and I definitely noticed a few errors but much better than some of her co-authored books. The broad story is good. I do love Conrad's speech to the aha board (we need his energy in real life).
February 22, 2026
This book absolutely owned my heart from start to finish. The emotional depth, the hockey energy, the pack tension, it all blended into a story that felt raw, empowering, and completely unforgettable.
What stood out most was the FMC’s strength. Watching her claw her way back after such a devastating betrayal was nothing short of powerful. A heat spent alone, a near-death experience, and the realization that the pack meant to protect her had failed it would have broken anyone. But not her. Instead of shrinking, she rebuilt. She chose herself. She returned home, stepped back into her hockey legacy, and slowly reclaimed the voice that had been taken from her. That journey of survival → healing → empowerment was beautifully written and deeply satisfying.
Ok….can we talk about the Delta designation?! I loved this addition. It felt fresh, creative, and brought an entirely new layer to pack dynamics. The way Deltas contributed balance, stability, and emotional grounding added complexity that made the relationships feel richer and more nuanced. Their special brand of chaos was fun to watch! It’s the kind of world-building twist that keeps omegaverse feeling exciting and evolving.
The Westgrave Wardens were everything I wanted in a hockey pack….protective without being overbearing, patient without being passive, and determined to earn trust rather than demand it. Their support gave the FMC space to heal while still reminding her she was never alone again, and that slow rebuilding of trust made every interaction hit harder.
But the moment she chose to speak her truth? Chills. Absolute chills. There was something so satisfying about watching her refuse to be silenced, stand firm in her worth, and let consequences fall where they may. This wasn’t just romance this was reclamation.
If you love hockey romance, protective packs, emotional healing arcs, and fiercely resilient heroines who refuse to be forgotten, this one is a must-read. Strong FMC, unique dynamics, and a story that proves survival is only the beginning obsessed doesn’t even begin to cover it.
What stood out most was the FMC’s strength. Watching her claw her way back after such a devastating betrayal was nothing short of powerful. A heat spent alone, a near-death experience, and the realization that the pack meant to protect her had failed it would have broken anyone. But not her. Instead of shrinking, she rebuilt. She chose herself. She returned home, stepped back into her hockey legacy, and slowly reclaimed the voice that had been taken from her. That journey of survival → healing → empowerment was beautifully written and deeply satisfying.
Ok….can we talk about the Delta designation?! I loved this addition. It felt fresh, creative, and brought an entirely new layer to pack dynamics. The way Deltas contributed balance, stability, and emotional grounding added complexity that made the relationships feel richer and more nuanced. Their special brand of chaos was fun to watch! It’s the kind of world-building twist that keeps omegaverse feeling exciting and evolving.
The Westgrave Wardens were everything I wanted in a hockey pack….protective without being overbearing, patient without being passive, and determined to earn trust rather than demand it. Their support gave the FMC space to heal while still reminding her she was never alone again, and that slow rebuilding of trust made every interaction hit harder.
But the moment she chose to speak her truth? Chills. Absolute chills. There was something so satisfying about watching her refuse to be silenced, stand firm in her worth, and let consequences fall where they may. This wasn’t just romance this was reclamation.
If you love hockey romance, protective packs, emotional healing arcs, and fiercely resilient heroines who refuse to be forgotten, this one is a must-read. Strong FMC, unique dynamics, and a story that proves survival is only the beginning obsessed doesn’t even begin to cover it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I love when two of my favorite tropes come together: Hockey romance x Omegaverse!
I loved this book! Lana was such an amazing omega with strength and resilience! Leaving her old pack after being neglected like that only to discover herself again and be supported in the way an omega should! Perfection!
Her brother Conrad is everything an older protective brother should be! I LOVE him and hope he is in the next book with Roxie!
The Rhodes Pack- they were so patient and supportive of Lana. Cade was quiet but steady and assured especially after Lana stands up for him against his father. That scene was 🔥 Kieran the alpha who still struggles with grief from his past love. His and Lana’s relationship and healing together was beautiful! Lennon the gruff delta who has past trauma- I love she gave him sass and didn’t back down, opening up to her was such a huge deal for him. Wilder- the soft spoken, shy but sturdy beta. They share a love of reading and baking. And finally Mason the easy going delta and who brings lightness to the pack. He’s also a shameless flirt and I loved him for it! .
I loved each of their dynamics and what they each brought to the pack. They never rushed or put pressure on Lana. They all helped heal her while also walking she was making them whole.
The chemistry and spice was HOT🔥 The perfect amount! And the Delta knots🥵 that was something new to me!
I loved seeing the Deltas in this story and learning more about their background! You don’t get to see them much in OV so this was really cool! I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait for Roxie’s story! I hope Conrad is in it 👀👀
4.5⭐️
3🌶️
Tropes:
Omegaverse
Hockey Romance
Abandoned Omega Staring Over
Hurt/Comfort
Hockey Player MMCs
No ⚔️Heat, Knotting
Sports Nutritionist FMC
Brothers Best Friends
Mixed Designations
Failed Groveling
Thank you to Peachy Keens and author Jarica James for the eARC. All options are my own.
I loved this book! Lana was such an amazing omega with strength and resilience! Leaving her old pack after being neglected like that only to discover herself again and be supported in the way an omega should! Perfection!
Her brother Conrad is everything an older protective brother should be! I LOVE him and hope he is in the next book with Roxie!
The Rhodes Pack- they were so patient and supportive of Lana. Cade was quiet but steady and assured especially after Lana stands up for him against his father. That scene was 🔥 Kieran the alpha who still struggles with grief from his past love. His and Lana’s relationship and healing together was beautiful! Lennon the gruff delta who has past trauma- I love she gave him sass and didn’t back down, opening up to her was such a huge deal for him. Wilder- the soft spoken, shy but sturdy beta. They share a love of reading and baking. And finally Mason the easy going delta and who brings lightness to the pack. He’s also a shameless flirt and I loved him for it! .
I loved each of their dynamics and what they each brought to the pack. They never rushed or put pressure on Lana. They all helped heal her while also walking she was making them whole.
The chemistry and spice was HOT🔥 The perfect amount! And the Delta knots🥵 that was something new to me!
I loved seeing the Deltas in this story and learning more about their background! You don’t get to see them much in OV so this was really cool! I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait for Roxie’s story! I hope Conrad is in it 👀👀
4.5⭐️
3🌶️
Tropes:
Omegaverse
Hockey Romance
Abandoned Omega Staring Over
Hurt/Comfort
Hockey Player MMCs
No ⚔️Heat, Knotting
Sports Nutritionist FMC
Brothers Best Friends
Mixed Designations
Failed Groveling
Thank you to Peachy Keens and author Jarica James for the eARC. All options are my own.
February 20, 2026
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
You’ll enjoy this book if you like:
🏒 Why Choose (MFMMMM)
🏒 Sports Romance (Hockey)
🏒 Omegaverse
🏒 Sibling’s Best Friend
🏒 Forced Proximity
🏒 Rejected Mates
🏒 Hurt/Comfort
🏒 Found Family
This book was such a fun time. I really enjoyed all the characters and their relationships. I’m excited to see who else gets a story in the Breakouts & Baddies series!
Each of the characters was so unique, I loved all the personalities. Cade the quiet alpha and pack leader, Kieran the sweet alpha still grieving, Wilder the shy beta, Mason the chaotic delta, and Lennon the reserved delta. Of course we have Lana, the FMC, who was such a sweetheart - to those who hadn’t wronged her of course. I really love the way she naturally fell into the pack, growing stronger every day while also unintentionally helping the guys to heal. I could write an essay (but I suppose I’ll settle for a brief spoiler-free summary) on all the little things she did for them that made my heart so incredibly happy.
The cake for Kieran?
The cooking/protein drink for Lennon?
The interaction with Cade’s father?
The bookstore with Wilder?
The mall with Mason?
MY HEART.
I adored this pack. The logic behind the pack already being established prior to their omega’s arrival was such a great touch, and made for the perfect safe space for Lana. And the support in this pack? So incredibly heartwarming. I love how they all held space for one another, understanding what everyone needed. Also the addition of deltas to the usual alpha/beta/omega packs was such a fun concept. I loved the chaotic energy they brought to the table - especially Mason.
I can’t talk about all the great guys in this book without mentioning Lana’s brother, Conrad. I would love to see him get his own book, because that sweet alpha deserves his happily ever after!
Thank you so much to Jarica James and Peachy Keen Author Services for the opportunity to ARC read this book. All thoughts are my own. 💗
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
You’ll enjoy this book if you like:
🏒 Why Choose (MFMMMM)
🏒 Sports Romance (Hockey)
🏒 Omegaverse
🏒 Sibling’s Best Friend
🏒 Forced Proximity
🏒 Rejected Mates
🏒 Hurt/Comfort
🏒 Found Family
This book was such a fun time. I really enjoyed all the characters and their relationships. I’m excited to see who else gets a story in the Breakouts & Baddies series!
Each of the characters was so unique, I loved all the personalities. Cade the quiet alpha and pack leader, Kieran the sweet alpha still grieving, Wilder the shy beta, Mason the chaotic delta, and Lennon the reserved delta. Of course we have Lana, the FMC, who was such a sweetheart - to those who hadn’t wronged her of course. I really love the way she naturally fell into the pack, growing stronger every day while also unintentionally helping the guys to heal. I could write an essay (but I suppose I’ll settle for a brief spoiler-free summary) on all the little things she did for them that made my heart so incredibly happy.
The cake for Kieran?
The cooking/protein drink for Lennon?
The interaction with Cade’s father?
The bookstore with Wilder?
The mall with Mason?
MY HEART.
I adored this pack. The logic behind the pack already being established prior to their omega’s arrival was such a great touch, and made for the perfect safe space for Lana. And the support in this pack? So incredibly heartwarming. I love how they all held space for one another, understanding what everyone needed. Also the addition of deltas to the usual alpha/beta/omega packs was such a fun concept. I loved the chaotic energy they brought to the table - especially Mason.
I can’t talk about all the great guys in this book without mentioning Lana’s brother, Conrad. I would love to see him get his own book, because that sweet alpha deserves his happily ever after!
Thank you so much to Jarica James and Peachy Keen Author Services for the opportunity to ARC read this book. All thoughts are my own. 💗
February 21, 2026
⭐️ 4.5/5 (rounded up)
🌶️ 3/5
➕
- The angst in the beginning had me hooked! I love that it wasn’t dragged out throughout the book and There’s so many unique things in this book and it’s so refreshing. I love love love omegaverse and getting new things thrown into the mix of it all has me giddy af.
- Piggybacking, I absolutely adore the addition of Deltas. I really hope to see more of the designation in future books. Lennon and Mason were the best delta boys.😍
- The murder mystery dinner! Omg again with something different and unique, loved!😍
- One of my favorite tropes is Brother’s Best Friend(s) and I especially love it when the brother is all for it. Conrad’s support was everything and he’s the best brother. I hope to see him find love in an upcoming release.🖤
- The spice was nice when it did come around. I think my favorite was the big group scene.🤪
➖
- Some inconsistencies. Cades eyes are described as blue (icy blue or pale blue) but in chapter 15 and 16 his eyes are described as pale green. Same with Kieran, in the beginning he has gray eyes but then has green eyes in chapter 22. These don’t bother me enough to drop a star but just in case Jarica looks at the reviews for fixes I figured I’d mention.🖤
- Lennon didn’t receive his bite back on page.☹️
- I wish there was a bit more backstory to Wilder and details throughout the book about his impaired hearing. And I also wish it went into detail exactly why her ex-pack never came around. It kept brushing around the reason why but never explicitly said they did it for X reason.
Tropes:
Omegaverse
MFMMMM
Alphas, Omegas, Betas, Deltas
Sports - Hockey 🏒
Slow Burn
Brother’s Best Friends (my fav!)
Hurt/Comfort
Forced Proximity
Abandoned Omega
Starting Over FMC
New love after loss (mmc)
🌶️ 3/5
➕
- The angst in the beginning had me hooked! I love that it wasn’t dragged out throughout the book and There’s so many unique things in this book and it’s so refreshing. I love love love omegaverse and getting new things thrown into the mix of it all has me giddy af.
- Piggybacking, I absolutely adore the addition of Deltas. I really hope to see more of the designation in future books. Lennon and Mason were the best delta boys.😍
- The murder mystery dinner! Omg again with something different and unique, loved!😍
- One of my favorite tropes is Brother’s Best Friend(s) and I especially love it when the brother is all for it. Conrad’s support was everything and he’s the best brother. I hope to see him find love in an upcoming release.🖤
- The spice was nice when it did come around. I think my favorite was the big group scene.🤪
➖
- Some inconsistencies. Cades eyes are described as blue (icy blue or pale blue) but in chapter 15 and 16 his eyes are described as pale green. Same with Kieran, in the beginning he has gray eyes but then has green eyes in chapter 22. These don’t bother me enough to drop a star but just in case Jarica looks at the reviews for fixes I figured I’d mention.🖤
- Lennon didn’t receive his bite back on page.☹️
- I wish there was a bit more backstory to Wilder and details throughout the book about his impaired hearing. And I also wish it went into detail exactly why her ex-pack never came around. It kept brushing around the reason why but never explicitly said they did it for X reason.
Tropes:
Omegaverse
MFMMMM
Alphas, Omegas, Betas, Deltas
Sports - Hockey 🏒
Slow Burn
Brother’s Best Friends (my fav!)
Hurt/Comfort
Forced Proximity
Abandoned Omega
Starting Over FMC
New love after loss (mmc)
February 23, 2026
🩵🏒 ARC Review 🏒🩵
Never Trust A Hockey Player by Jarica James
Breakouts and Baddies Book One
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
What To Expect:
🏒 Hockey Romance
🏒 Why Choose Omegaverse
🏒 Hurt/Comfort
🏒 Brother's Best Friends
🏒 Healing From Trauma
🏒 Pack Dynamics
🏒 Knotting, Nesting, Ruts, Heats, Bonding
🏒 Deltas...a fun new designation to add to the omegaverse mix!
Jarica is one of my favorite omegaverse authors and this might be my favorite book she's ever written! I absolutely loved the characters and plot of this one!
Lana, the omega FMC, almost died due to neglect from her previous pack. When her brother finds out and rescues her, he insists that she come live in the hockey house with him and his best friends/teammates. He wants her to have space and time to heal from the trauma she has endured. Of course, he tells his best friends (who happen to be a pack) that she is off limits. What starts out as friendships, becomes something much stronger and they realize she might just be their omega. All five of the MMCs were so different but had such a strong bond. I loved the addition of Deltas to the mix in this one! They were definitely a fun designation to learn about and brought a different dynamic to the pack. The care they showed Lana was so beautiful, especially after the trauma she had gone through with her previous pack. Oh, and did I mention her previous pack is the starting lineup of her new packs rival hockey team? Definitely adds some tension and drama to the mix!
And the spice y'all 🥵🫠 There's just something about the spice in omegaverse romance that hits different 🔥
If you love omegaverse romance, add this to the top of your TBR!
If you are new to or curious about omegaverse, I think this would be a great one to dive into to see if you enjoy it!
Never Trust A Hockey Player by Jarica James
Breakouts and Baddies Book One
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
What To Expect:
🏒 Hockey Romance
🏒 Why Choose Omegaverse
🏒 Hurt/Comfort
🏒 Brother's Best Friends
🏒 Healing From Trauma
🏒 Pack Dynamics
🏒 Knotting, Nesting, Ruts, Heats, Bonding
🏒 Deltas...a fun new designation to add to the omegaverse mix!
Jarica is one of my favorite omegaverse authors and this might be my favorite book she's ever written! I absolutely loved the characters and plot of this one!
Lana, the omega FMC, almost died due to neglect from her previous pack. When her brother finds out and rescues her, he insists that she come live in the hockey house with him and his best friends/teammates. He wants her to have space and time to heal from the trauma she has endured. Of course, he tells his best friends (who happen to be a pack) that she is off limits. What starts out as friendships, becomes something much stronger and they realize she might just be their omega. All five of the MMCs were so different but had such a strong bond. I loved the addition of Deltas to the mix in this one! They were definitely a fun designation to learn about and brought a different dynamic to the pack. The care they showed Lana was so beautiful, especially after the trauma she had gone through with her previous pack. Oh, and did I mention her previous pack is the starting lineup of her new packs rival hockey team? Definitely adds some tension and drama to the mix!
And the spice y'all 🥵🫠 There's just something about the spice in omegaverse romance that hits different 🔥
If you love omegaverse romance, add this to the top of your TBR!
If you are new to or curious about omegaverse, I think this would be a great one to dive into to see if you enjoy it!
February 23, 2026
3.75 stars - spoilers included
I loved this, the characters, the story, the journey that each of them had to go on to get to that final point. And was great to have another book which consists of my top two tropes, omega verse and ice hockey.
Starting with the negatives and the bad side of Lana’s original pack being a bunch of neglectful hockey players. Leaving them after her having to go through her heat alone… being barely alive until her brother saves her (love a good sibling bond in books).
With Conrad then offering Lana a place at the hockey house, where she meets her soon to be future pack, consisting of Lennon and mason, the packs deltas, wilder, the pack beta and Kieran the alpha. Each of the characters comes with their own stories and past, making them into their own individual characters without feeling repetitive.
The development and growth of their story of becoming pack and Lana learning about each of their history’s and how to care for them while also learning that not all hockey player packs are the same as her last one…
There is spice, however it doesn’t occur till around the 50% mark in the book so if that’s all ya looking for this may not be for you, however once it starts it is HOT HOT HOT. Having great abilities to show each different designation showing things in different ways, I have officially fallen in love with the deltas…
This book is full of everything you need for a great hockey omega verse book and more, and I officially need more.
I loved this, the characters, the story, the journey that each of them had to go on to get to that final point. And was great to have another book which consists of my top two tropes, omega verse and ice hockey.
Starting with the negatives and the bad side of Lana’s original pack being a bunch of neglectful hockey players. Leaving them after her having to go through her heat alone… being barely alive until her brother saves her (love a good sibling bond in books).
With Conrad then offering Lana a place at the hockey house, where she meets her soon to be future pack, consisting of Lennon and mason, the packs deltas, wilder, the pack beta and Kieran the alpha. Each of the characters comes with their own stories and past, making them into their own individual characters without feeling repetitive.
The development and growth of their story of becoming pack and Lana learning about each of their history’s and how to care for them while also learning that not all hockey player packs are the same as her last one…
There is spice, however it doesn’t occur till around the 50% mark in the book so if that’s all ya looking for this may not be for you, however once it starts it is HOT HOT HOT. Having great abilities to show each different designation showing things in different ways, I have officially fallen in love with the deltas…
This book is full of everything you need for a great hockey omega verse book and more, and I officially need more.
February 23, 2026
In my opinion, this book can be rated and reviewed in two entirely different ways. If you read it at surface level, perhaps as a fast reader or someone who loves to flow quickly through a lighter story, I really wouldn’t be surprised if you give it a five star rating. It’s a real sweet omegaverse standalone, with protective males, a woman finding her power again, and a nice touch with the delta designation. Add a bit of hockey rivalry to it, and you get a fun and light story with that little touch of darkness to keep things interesting.
However, if you read it a bit more slowly and start to focus on the details, a lot of things start to fall through the cracks. Details that seem to matter are never explained, or they are changed in the middle of the story. If you’re a reader who uses their imagination to “see the scene” as its written, you might realize the actors have suddenly changed positions “off screen”. After a while, it becomes messy, and for those readers a two or three star rating makes total sense.
So… I personally left it at four, because I liked the story and I had fun reading it. I’m a fast reader who sometimes chooses to gloss over pages, and as a result it took me a while to notice the inconsistencies. But even though it didn’t took away a lot of my enjoyment, there were still times it threw me out of the story. And that’s too bad, because with a bit more focus and editing, this could have definitely been a five star standalone.
However, if you read it a bit more slowly and start to focus on the details, a lot of things start to fall through the cracks. Details that seem to matter are never explained, or they are changed in the middle of the story. If you’re a reader who uses their imagination to “see the scene” as its written, you might realize the actors have suddenly changed positions “off screen”. After a while, it becomes messy, and for those readers a two or three star rating makes total sense.
So… I personally left it at four, because I liked the story and I had fun reading it. I’m a fast reader who sometimes chooses to gloss over pages, and as a result it took me a while to notice the inconsistencies. But even though it didn’t took away a lot of my enjoyment, there were still times it threw me out of the story. And that’s too bad, because with a bit more focus and editing, this could have definitely been a five star standalone.
February 21, 2026
Never a trust A Hockey Player - Jarica James
4.75/5✨🌟
* SPOILERS *
Jarica has been on tbr list for author’s I have been wanting to read for quite some time and man, she did not disappoint! Just from the beginning of this book, I was instantly hooked because I knew this book was going to be amazing.
I love me a good why choose but mix it in with omegaverse, I’m definitely going to read it. These guys were so good to her and they would burn the world down for their omega.
Kieran, Lennon, Wilder, Mason and Cade were just everything. Sure, she didn’t want to be with hockey players after the neglect an her almost dying from her first back, but man, these guys flipped the switch on her. I love me a touch starved omega!
There were so many amazing moments but my favorite was when a few of the guys confronted her old pack. They even got a few hits in too! I also loved how they celebrated Gabriella and Lana made a cake. Even though she passed, the were going to celebrate her and that was just amazing.
I think Wilder might be my favorite because I loved how Lana and him connected over boos. I mean, what book girl wouldn’t want that at all. But honestly, I loved all of these guys so much. I did like the twist that the book had as well.
I received a copy of this book and this is my honest review.
4.75/5✨🌟
* SPOILERS *
Jarica has been on tbr list for author’s I have been wanting to read for quite some time and man, she did not disappoint! Just from the beginning of this book, I was instantly hooked because I knew this book was going to be amazing.
I love me a good why choose but mix it in with omegaverse, I’m definitely going to read it. These guys were so good to her and they would burn the world down for their omega.
Kieran, Lennon, Wilder, Mason and Cade were just everything. Sure, she didn’t want to be with hockey players after the neglect an her almost dying from her first back, but man, these guys flipped the switch on her. I love me a touch starved omega!
There were so many amazing moments but my favorite was when a few of the guys confronted her old pack. They even got a few hits in too! I also loved how they celebrated Gabriella and Lana made a cake. Even though she passed, the were going to celebrate her and that was just amazing.
I think Wilder might be my favorite because I loved how Lana and him connected over boos. I mean, what book girl wouldn’t want that at all. But honestly, I loved all of these guys so much. I did like the twist that the book had as well.
I received a copy of this book and this is my honest review.
February 21, 2026
Never Trust A Hockey Player is book one in the Breakouts & Baddies Series. It is a standalone, why choose, omegaverse romance. The story is told in first person with multiple POV.
This was a terrific, emotional, and heartbreaking story that offers broken characters, healing, and a guaranteed HEA. I absolutely loved the addition of Deltas to the story. They added an incredible dynamic to the story.
Lana's faith in her untrustworthy pack leaves her in a vulnerable state and nearly dead. Her brother and his hockey roommates come to the rescue and offer her a place to stay, with them.
The writing, pace, and flow of the story were amazing, as were the characters, storytelling, storyline, plot, character development, relationship development, and world building.
I loved Lana. I loved the strength and resilience that she finds in herself. I also really loved Kieran, Cade, Lennon, Mason, and Wilder. I loved their protectiveness and chemistry with Lana. I adored the relationship with Lana and her brother, Conrad, as well.
If you love a great, omegaverse, hockey romance with lovable and loyal MC's, then I'd definitely recommend this book.
This was a terrific, emotional, and heartbreaking story that offers broken characters, healing, and a guaranteed HEA. I absolutely loved the addition of Deltas to the story. They added an incredible dynamic to the story.
Lana's faith in her untrustworthy pack leaves her in a vulnerable state and nearly dead. Her brother and his hockey roommates come to the rescue and offer her a place to stay, with them.
The writing, pace, and flow of the story were amazing, as were the characters, storytelling, storyline, plot, character development, relationship development, and world building.
I loved Lana. I loved the strength and resilience that she finds in herself. I also really loved Kieran, Cade, Lennon, Mason, and Wilder. I loved their protectiveness and chemistry with Lana. I adored the relationship with Lana and her brother, Conrad, as well.
If you love a great, omegaverse, hockey romance with lovable and loyal MC's, then I'd definitely recommend this book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Another great omegaverse book from Jarica.
With one small addition. Deltas. Deltas are rarely featured in omegaverse. More often than not, they're non-existent. Majority of it focus on omegas (obviously) Alphas and Betas. With betas being calming and grounding force between the two. In Jarica's book, deltas are often chaotic and have a den (similar to an omega's nest).
In this book we meet Lana. She just left her former pack after they missed her heat because of hockey and she landed in the hospital as a result. Her brother is a hockey player for a rival team and whisked her away to his house he shares with his teammates so she can rest and recuperate. We meet Cade, Keiran, Wilder, Lennon and Mason. Lennon and Mason are Deltas and Mason is my favorite. He leans into his delta side and Lennon does not.
NO MM in this book, it's all about the omega. And definitely do they take care of her. Goes into building that relationship first before we start getting spicy but the spice was definitely spicing. Absolutely loved this book and I can't wait for the next story.
With one small addition. Deltas. Deltas are rarely featured in omegaverse. More often than not, they're non-existent. Majority of it focus on omegas (obviously) Alphas and Betas. With betas being calming and grounding force between the two. In Jarica's book, deltas are often chaotic and have a den (similar to an omega's nest).
In this book we meet Lana. She just left her former pack after they missed her heat because of hockey and she landed in the hospital as a result. Her brother is a hockey player for a rival team and whisked her away to his house he shares with his teammates so she can rest and recuperate. We meet Cade, Keiran, Wilder, Lennon and Mason. Lennon and Mason are Deltas and Mason is my favorite. He leans into his delta side and Lennon does not.
NO MM in this book, it's all about the omega. And definitely do they take care of her. Goes into building that relationship first before we start getting spicy but the spice was definitely spicing. Absolutely loved this book and I can't wait for the next story.
February 22, 2026
Review:
🏒Never Trust A Hockey Player🏒
Breakouts & Baddies #1
By Jarica James
🏒 Why Choose
🏒 Sports Romance
🏒 Hockey Romance
⭐ 4/5
Lana and her Boys
This story follows Lana and her way to her own personal happy end.
While she had a very bad experience with her old pack, which almost cost Lana her life, she searches for the help and support of her brother.
So when she returns home into her family and their hockey world she gets thrown back into life with hockey players, she has sworn off.
But five of them intend to make her see them. But they worm their way into Lana’s life and her heart. But her past won’t stay there where it belongs. In the past.
Now Lana has to fight back and speak up. For herself and her new pack and the men who made her feel whole again.
Kieran, Lennon, Cade, Wilder and Mason are so different and give Lana everything she needs, when she needs it. Everyone of them fulfills a different need and side and Lana gives exactly what each of them needs.
Great story with great characters and the perfect happy end.
🏒Never Trust A Hockey Player🏒
Breakouts & Baddies #1
By Jarica James
🏒 Why Choose
🏒 Sports Romance
🏒 Hockey Romance
⭐ 4/5
Lana and her Boys
This story follows Lana and her way to her own personal happy end.
While she had a very bad experience with her old pack, which almost cost Lana her life, she searches for the help and support of her brother.
So when she returns home into her family and their hockey world she gets thrown back into life with hockey players, she has sworn off.
But five of them intend to make her see them. But they worm their way into Lana’s life and her heart. But her past won’t stay there where it belongs. In the past.
Now Lana has to fight back and speak up. For herself and her new pack and the men who made her feel whole again.
Kieran, Lennon, Cade, Wilder and Mason are so different and give Lana everything she needs, when she needs it. Everyone of them fulfills a different need and side and Lana gives exactly what each of them needs.
Great story with great characters and the perfect happy end.
February 24, 2026
Eeeeeek!!
This is everything I’ve been hoping for and more!! I’m SO HAPPY someone introduced Deltas into the OV! I’ve been dying for a new designation to present (wink wink) itself! I really hope other authors run with this theme!! Okay, now that I’ve said that, let me address the meat and bones.
This story is impactful. It’s got sweet and spicy moments, and includes trauma without the entire focus being the trauma—like yeah, obviously it had an impact on her, but the story was mostly centered on her learning to let herself love again. It’s a book about healing. Also it has hockey without being caught up in the technical aspects of the game. They are players but they’re MORE than hockey players. They chose her, and they never even wavered. AND I LOVE HER CAREER! And how it compliments both her as a person, and as a designation.
I haven’t read the description for Roxie’s book yet, but I hope I’m not the only one who has crossed fingers that Conrad is one of her alphas!!
This is everything I’ve been hoping for and more!! I’m SO HAPPY someone introduced Deltas into the OV! I’ve been dying for a new designation to present (wink wink) itself! I really hope other authors run with this theme!! Okay, now that I’ve said that, let me address the meat and bones.
This story is impactful. It’s got sweet and spicy moments, and includes trauma without the entire focus being the trauma—like yeah, obviously it had an impact on her, but the story was mostly centered on her learning to let herself love again. It’s a book about healing. Also it has hockey without being caught up in the technical aspects of the game. They are players but they’re MORE than hockey players. They chose her, and they never even wavered. AND I LOVE HER CAREER! And how it compliments both her as a person, and as a designation.
I haven’t read the description for Roxie’s book yet, but I hope I’m not the only one who has crossed fingers that Conrad is one of her alphas!!
February 21, 2026
After being left by her pack, Lana goes to live her brother Conrad at the Westgrave Warden’s hockey house with the team's starting lineup, Cade, Kieran, Wilder, Lennon and Mason.
I loved the characters, I thought Lana was a strong character, who persevered and became a better omega and woman because of her past and the people who surrounded her and supported her through it all. I enjoyed how passionate she is about her job as a sports nutritionist.
I loved Lennon and Mason, the Deltas of the pack, which I thought was an amazing addition of Deltas to have. It gave the spice an extra umph 🥵
I loved all of the guys and their different personalities. I loved their protectiveness and possessiveness and how much they defended Lana.
I have loved every omegaverse of Jarica’s that I’ve read, and I think this is my favorite so far! I enjoyed the banter and the spice was chef’s kiss.
I loved the characters, I thought Lana was a strong character, who persevered and became a better omega and woman because of her past and the people who surrounded her and supported her through it all. I enjoyed how passionate she is about her job as a sports nutritionist.
I loved Lennon and Mason, the Deltas of the pack, which I thought was an amazing addition of Deltas to have. It gave the spice an extra umph 🥵
I loved all of the guys and their different personalities. I loved their protectiveness and possessiveness and how much they defended Lana.
I have loved every omegaverse of Jarica’s that I’ve read, and I think this is my favorite so far! I enjoyed the banter and the spice was chef’s kiss.
February 21, 2026
I love a good hockey romance, add in that it's an omegaverse had me completely sold. Lana is a strong Omega and proves it with how she survives how sh*tty her pack is. Lana is eventually forced after almost dying during her heat to go live with her brother. Conrad is your typical overprotective older brother, doesn't like he wasn't there for his sister, doesn't want to see her get hurt again. Lana and his hockey teammates are great together. I adored the pack that Lana got to be around. Keiran, Lennon, Cade, Wilder, and Mason were all different in many ways but also complimented each other. Cade and Keiran the alphas, Lennon and Mason the deltas and quiet shy Wilder is the beta. I cannot wait to see if Conrad is in Roxie's story. I don't want to give anything away, so this is my spoiler free review. I will say I loved it, enjoyed the chemistry, how the guys were there for Lana, and how Lana was there for Cade.
February 24, 2026
Breakouts and Baddies book 1
Give me an omegaverse and add in hockey players and I'm sold! Immediately yes, no questions asked I knew I had to get my hands on this book and Jarica Jones did not disappoint one bit. She brought all the amazing parts that make up a great why-choose omegaverse along with all the fun sports romance action-packed with delicious tension, emotion, sweetness, spice, and fantastic characters that will live rent-free in my mind. I loved the dynamic in the Westgrave Wardens pack and how things developed with the MCs was perfection. And the Delta designation, so freaking cool!
No complaints, no notes. I absolutely devoured and loved everything about this book.
Tropes:
Omegaverse
Hockey
Why choose
MFMMMM
Brother's best friend
Forced proximity
Hurt/comfort
POV
Check TW
Thank you Peachy Keen and Jarica James for the opportunity to read this book.
Give me an omegaverse and add in hockey players and I'm sold! Immediately yes, no questions asked I knew I had to get my hands on this book and Jarica Jones did not disappoint one bit. She brought all the amazing parts that make up a great why-choose omegaverse along with all the fun sports romance action-packed with delicious tension, emotion, sweetness, spice, and fantastic characters that will live rent-free in my mind. I loved the dynamic in the Westgrave Wardens pack and how things developed with the MCs was perfection. And the Delta designation, so freaking cool!
No complaints, no notes. I absolutely devoured and loved everything about this book.
Tropes:
Omegaverse
Hockey
Why choose
MFMMMM
Brother's best friend
Forced proximity
Hurt/comfort
POV
Check TW
Thank you Peachy Keen and Jarica James for the opportunity to read this book.
February 20, 2026
Okay
I love this author’s other works and I love a good hockey romance. I get the obsession with hockey romances especially currently however this book was not her best. Spoilers. ********
The plot seemed a little awkward with the instant love after two weeks. The forced drama with family. The distance with Lana’s parents alluded to early in the book but then them all of a sudden being a big part of the resolution. And even with all the ‘background’ we got on the pack nothing really connected to me. It just felt like there were opportunities things could have been flushed out better to show deeper connection. I won’t even comment on the unnecessary delta stigmatization and dragging out of that unnecessarily because of a weird unwillingness to not clear things up earlier. There are just so many things that could have been good, better, or unwarranted.
I love this author’s other works and I love a good hockey romance. I get the obsession with hockey romances especially currently however this book was not her best. Spoilers. ********
The plot seemed a little awkward with the instant love after two weeks. The forced drama with family. The distance with Lana’s parents alluded to early in the book but then them all of a sudden being a big part of the resolution. And even with all the ‘background’ we got on the pack nothing really connected to me. It just felt like there were opportunities things could have been flushed out better to show deeper connection. I won’t even comment on the unnecessary delta stigmatization and dragging out of that unnecessarily because of a weird unwillingness to not clear things up earlier. There are just so many things that could have been good, better, or unwarranted.
February 23, 2026
I devoured this book so fast. It’s so good and I loved every minute of it.
Right off the bat, you despise one pack only to fall right for another. Lana was done with her old pack. The last straw was, they left alone for her heat. Moving in with her brother and his teammates seemed like a good way to restart her life. She didn’t count on Kieran, Cade, Lennon, Mason, and Wilder being everything she didn’t know she needed.
I enjoyed Lana’s character. She didn’t let what happened, hold her back. Her strength to come back fighting and find love again was amazing to see.
I absolutely adored this pack. They each gave something unique to the relationship and I liked the dynamic Lana had with each of them. The guys give Lana the support and love she needed to thrive and it was beautiful to see.
Side note: I wish Conrad was my older brother. He was there for Lana when she needed him the most and he was just an amazing side character. I hope he gets his own HEA soon.
RH🚫⚔️
Brother’s Best Friends
Forced Proximity
Hurt/Comfort
Failed Groveling
Right off the bat, you despise one pack only to fall right for another. Lana was done with her old pack. The last straw was, they left alone for her heat. Moving in with her brother and his teammates seemed like a good way to restart her life. She didn’t count on Kieran, Cade, Lennon, Mason, and Wilder being everything she didn’t know she needed.
I enjoyed Lana’s character. She didn’t let what happened, hold her back. Her strength to come back fighting and find love again was amazing to see.
I absolutely adored this pack. They each gave something unique to the relationship and I liked the dynamic Lana had with each of them. The guys give Lana the support and love she needed to thrive and it was beautiful to see.
Side note: I wish Conrad was my older brother. He was there for Lana when she needed him the most and he was just an amazing side character. I hope he gets his own HEA soon.
RH🚫⚔️
Brother’s Best Friends
Forced Proximity
Hurt/Comfort
Failed Groveling
February 24, 2026
Never Trust a Hockey Player is a good read.
Lana, Cade, Kieran, Lennon, Mason, and Wilder were each pretty amazing characters. Lana's strength to build herself up again after going through something terrible was truly incredible. I loved all the support she had the moment her brother Conrad brought her to his home. It was disappointing that her parents were not there for when she truly needed the support. The Rhodes pack stepping up to help before they even met her was heartwarming. Seeing Lana connect with each of them differently was amazing. It is one of my favorite parts of the story throughout the book.
Overall, it was a good read. I do feel some parts could've been better, but the story overall was still enjoyable. The characters were definitely amazing, and I loved the sibling bond between Lana and Conrad.
Lana, Cade, Kieran, Lennon, Mason, and Wilder were each pretty amazing characters. Lana's strength to build herself up again after going through something terrible was truly incredible. I loved all the support she had the moment her brother Conrad brought her to his home. It was disappointing that her parents were not there for when she truly needed the support. The Rhodes pack stepping up to help before they even met her was heartwarming. Seeing Lana connect with each of them differently was amazing. It is one of my favorite parts of the story throughout the book.
Overall, it was a good read. I do feel some parts could've been better, but the story overall was still enjoyable. The characters were definitely amazing, and I loved the sibling bond between Lana and Conrad.
February 22, 2026
all the feels
Jarica James delivers something many of us die-hard romance fans have waited for: an FMC who’s both strong and soft. She takes her own life in her own hands, owns her agency, and stands up for both herself and the people she loves.
She might forgive, but she doesn’t forget. And she doesn’t allow half-hearted, too-little-too-late attempts to make her compromise on her standards or boundaries. There are no second chances for the pack who fails her. (YAY!!)
She owns her own healing, too. Moving on to bigger and better without unnecessary guilt or allowing others’ judgement to derail her.
Oh, and the spice is appropriate, too.
No body betrayal, no “the heat made me cave into them,” no “wtf” was she thinking.
Jarica James delivers something many of us die-hard romance fans have waited for: an FMC who’s both strong and soft. She takes her own life in her own hands, owns her agency, and stands up for both herself and the people she loves.
She might forgive, but she doesn’t forget. And she doesn’t allow half-hearted, too-little-too-late attempts to make her compromise on her standards or boundaries. There are no second chances for the pack who fails her. (YAY!!)
She owns her own healing, too. Moving on to bigger and better without unnecessary guilt or allowing others’ judgement to derail her.
Oh, and the spice is appropriate, too.
No body betrayal, no “the heat made me cave into them,” no “wtf” was she thinking.
February 22, 2026
This one was amazing for the second chance at love, but my goodness did it start with heartbreak. Lana’s broken bond after her pack all but abandons her has the positive of leading her home to her brother, where she ends up moving in and recuperating with him and his teammates. Lana gets the chance to flourish with the Wardens’ hockey team, providing meals, snacks, and drinks tailored to their needs. In so many ways, she is reclaiming who she was. There is so much to love about not only Lana’s brother but the pack as well. They’re supportive and protective. The addition of the Delta designation made this unique, but I loved that it emphasized embracing who you are. I enjoyed the journey to HEA for this group, and am excited to see what’s next in this series.
February 24, 2026
Good hockey players for the win!!
Rating: 3.75 ⭐️
Spice: 3 🌶️
Read if you like:
Omegaverse
Why Choose
Brothers Best Friends
Hockey Player MMCs
Lana’s story in the beginning was heart breaking. I just wanted to give her a big hug and get her away from her first pack.
I loved seeing her pack rally around her before they knew how much she was going to mean to them.
They love fiercely.
The addition of other designations was so fun as well!! I love when authors add their own twist and this was super easy to pick up on and follow.
I need her brother’s story yesterday!! I want him to find his happily ever after, if anyone deserves it it’s him.
I almost wish the first pack got more payback.
Rating: 3.75 ⭐️
Spice: 3 🌶️
Read if you like:
Omegaverse
Why Choose
Brothers Best Friends
Hockey Player MMCs
Lana’s story in the beginning was heart breaking. I just wanted to give her a big hug and get her away from her first pack.
I loved seeing her pack rally around her before they knew how much she was going to mean to them.
They love fiercely.
The addition of other designations was so fun as well!! I love when authors add their own twist and this was super easy to pick up on and follow.
I need her brother’s story yesterday!! I want him to find his happily ever after, if anyone deserves it it’s him.
I almost wish the first pack got more payback.
February 24, 2026
ARC Review
Never Trust a Hockey Player
By Jarica James
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
This book had me from the first page, I was already crying and heartbroken for Lana.
The way her old pack treated her was so unbelievably wrong. Letting her go through a heat alone and leaving her on he own for months.
I absolutely love Conrad he is a 10/10 brother, and everyone needs one of those.
I'll give it to him though he tried to keep his best friends away from his sister, but there's no stopping a bond that perfect.
This is my first read by Jarica and my first omegaverse with Deltas, and they did not disappoint! I absolutely love Lennon and Mason they are perfect additions to a pack
Kieran and Cade are such amazing Alphas in their own ways, and Wilder holds the pack together as the Beta
Never Trust a Hockey Player
By Jarica James
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
This book had me from the first page, I was already crying and heartbroken for Lana.
The way her old pack treated her was so unbelievably wrong. Letting her go through a heat alone and leaving her on he own for months.
I absolutely love Conrad he is a 10/10 brother, and everyone needs one of those.
I'll give it to him though he tried to keep his best friends away from his sister, but there's no stopping a bond that perfect.
This is my first read by Jarica and my first omegaverse with Deltas, and they did not disappoint! I absolutely love Lennon and Mason they are perfect additions to a pack
Kieran and Cade are such amazing Alphas in their own ways, and Wilder holds the pack together as the Beta
Review of advance copy received from Author
Never Trust a Hockey Player by Jarica James is book 1 in the Breakouts & Baddies series. If you've read Jarica's work before then you already know her Omega stories are a MUST READ! This story was soooo good and I devoured it. The FMC's beginning story had me ready to throw hands with her old packmates. I absolutely love her new pack and the MMCs are PERFECTION. I do love her brother's storyline and I'm secretly hoping his story is next because he is the PERFECT big brother. This story was such a great touch on real life with being forgotten by the one's who claim they love you. I loved reading how it all played out in the end and hope to see an update on this pack soon.
February 20, 2026
Well I just loved the start of this brand new Omegaverse series of interconnected standalones. This book was a fantastic world builder and I just loved Lana and how brave she was. I loved all her guys so much , they were all so yummy and swoony. I also loved that in this series there is more then the usual Alphas , Omegas and Betas there is Deltas aswell and wow do they mix the dynamic up in a good way. Im keeping everything crossed we get to see this pack in future books especially if a certain bestie and cousin get their HEA's which im keeping everything crossed they do. Five Stars that I would highly recommend
February 20, 2026
I love omegaverse, and Jarica writes some of my favourites, and now I have a whole new designation to fall in love with... Deltas!
With the addition of this chaotic designation, it really adds a whole new element to a such a well rounded and dynamic pack. They are almost like a perfect blend of Alpha, Omega and Beta.
Every single one of the men added something special to the pack. Fiercely protective and swoon worthy, and of course we can't forget hockey players!
Not only do we have a pack that would do anything for their omega, but her brother is also freaking perfect. I really hope we get a story for him soon!
Thank you so much to Jarica James and Peachy Keen AS for the ARC.
With the addition of this chaotic designation, it really adds a whole new element to a such a well rounded and dynamic pack. They are almost like a perfect blend of Alpha, Omega and Beta.
Every single one of the men added something special to the pack. Fiercely protective and swoon worthy, and of course we can't forget hockey players!
Not only do we have a pack that would do anything for their omega, but her brother is also freaking perfect. I really hope we get a story for him soon!
Thank you so much to Jarica James and Peachy Keen AS for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I love the addition of deltas in this omegaverse! Like a combination of traits from both omegas and alphas! Adorable! Our FMC in this story has taken some hits. She just separated from a lousy pack of hockey players that left her alone for months, the last straw was them leaving her alone during a heat that nearly killed her. Her big brother brings her home to recover and rebuild but home is a hockey house brimming with a new set of players that smell like hers. Fantastic start to a new hockey omegaverse series! 💜
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review
5/5 ⭐
3/5 🌶️
This was such great OV book. I liked that the spice was a slower burn than some OVs, and that we got to see the pack support Lana while never pressuring her into something she wasn't ready for. I loved the added Delta aspect and thought it brought a fun variation to the standard OV dynamics. The MMCs were easily distinguishable and I loved them all. Conrad was such a great side character and I'm hoping to see more of him and Lana's pack in the next book!
Thank you to Jarica James and the Peachy Keen Team for this ARC copy!
5/5 ⭐
3/5 🌶️
This was such great OV book. I liked that the spice was a slower burn than some OVs, and that we got to see the pack support Lana while never pressuring her into something she wasn't ready for. I loved the added Delta aspect and thought it brought a fun variation to the standard OV dynamics. The MMCs were easily distinguishable and I loved them all. Conrad was such a great side character and I'm hoping to see more of him and Lana's pack in the next book!
Thank you to Jarica James and the Peachy Keen Team for this ARC copy!
February 21, 2026
Story 3.5⭐️ Spice 3🌶️
What happened in Lennon’s past? Is he really blaming his hatred of all Omegas on his mother being a twat? Then the poor guy didn’t even get a bite. Why mention Wilder’s hearing impairment in the beginning, but then never allude to it again? And what does the series name “Breakouts & Baddies” have to do with anything that happens in this book? I have so many questions! These aren’t the only plot holes and mistakes, but merely the tip of the iceberg. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed the story and will continue the series, but it was a frustrating read.
What happened in Lennon’s past? Is he really blaming his hatred of all Omegas on his mother being a twat? Then the poor guy didn’t even get a bite. Why mention Wilder’s hearing impairment in the beginning, but then never allude to it again? And what does the series name “Breakouts & Baddies” have to do with anything that happens in this book? I have so many questions! These aren’t the only plot holes and mistakes, but merely the tip of the iceberg. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed the story and will continue the series, but it was a frustrating read.
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