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Healing in Cincy #3
Let It Be Me
Sarah
When my ex called me hard to love, I vowed to never love again.
Until him.
The hockey player with a bad reputation ended up needing a new publicist.
And my one night stand.
Now I’m set to be his babysitter for as long as it takes for his team to not consider trading him.
But when we’re pictured together on a lunch date, that happens to make him look better in the eyes of his team and fans, I stupidly propose a deal he can’t pass up.
Riley
All it took was one photo. One photo of me to jeoprodize my spot on the team.
Until her.
The publicist with a knack for being the best in the country.
And my one night stand.
I’ve never been one to bow down to those with authority and I won’t start now.
Even when she’s set to be my babysitter.
But one kiss leads to more before I’m tumbling down the road of no turning back. We said it was for my career. Only, that wouldn’t be the last lie we told.
*Note that this is book 3 in an interconnected series, previous storylines are mentioned throughout this book along with the other couples. To avoid confusion, it is suggested to read the previous books before diving into this one.
When my ex called me hard to love, I vowed to never love again.
Until him.
The hockey player with a bad reputation ended up needing a new publicist.
And my one night stand.
Now I’m set to be his babysitter for as long as it takes for his team to not consider trading him.
But when we’re pictured together on a lunch date, that happens to make him look better in the eyes of his team and fans, I stupidly propose a deal he can’t pass up.
Riley
All it took was one photo. One photo of me to jeoprodize my spot on the team.
Until her.
The publicist with a knack for being the best in the country.
And my one night stand.
I’ve never been one to bow down to those with authority and I won’t start now.
Even when she’s set to be my babysitter.
But one kiss leads to more before I’m tumbling down the road of no turning back. We said it was for my career. Only, that wouldn’t be the last lie we told.
*Note that this is book 3 in an interconnected series, previous storylines are mentioned throughout this book along with the other couples. To avoid confusion, it is suggested to read the previous books before diving into this one.
364 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 4, 2025
9 people are currently reading
150 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
April 2, 2025
3.5 star
Thank you Elleese Black for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review.
I have been following the Healing in Cincy series from the start of her debut novel and it has been an overall solid series to read.
This book is a sweet read. Riley and Sarah unexpectedly hooked up via a 1 nightstand and fast forward to re-meeting a year later when Riley desperately needs a publicist to save his image. Not surprisingly they were photographed together and to save Riley’s image further, they decided to fake date their way through and not surprisingly fall for each other.
If you are looking for a green flag man, I present to you Riley! From the get-go, he is in it for the long haul and there was no fake-ness in the way he treats Sarah. You could tell how much he cares for her. The support he gives her is just amazing! Scarred from the cheating ex, Sarah has closed herself off to love and wants nothing to do with it but little by little she starts falling for Riley especially with the wholesome support he gives her.
Their relationship is one of support and growth where they start taking care of one another and always supporting each other when needed and THE COMMUNICATION is so green!
If you are looking for a romance book where both characters lift each other up and support each other tremendously, this book is for you!
If I have to nitpick a little, there was a scene where Sarah goes into a manic episode where she felt like Riley brushed her off - that scene was never really explored and there was no further depth added to it which I felt was a miss!
Tropes:
Hockey player x publicist
Reverse Age gap (23 & 29)
Sports romance
Spicy
Mental Health rep
No 3rd act breakup
Cats!
Thank you Elleese Black for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review.
I have been following the Healing in Cincy series from the start of her debut novel and it has been an overall solid series to read.
This book is a sweet read. Riley and Sarah unexpectedly hooked up via a 1 nightstand and fast forward to re-meeting a year later when Riley desperately needs a publicist to save his image. Not surprisingly they were photographed together and to save Riley’s image further, they decided to fake date their way through and not surprisingly fall for each other.
If you are looking for a green flag man, I present to you Riley! From the get-go, he is in it for the long haul and there was no fake-ness in the way he treats Sarah. You could tell how much he cares for her. The support he gives her is just amazing! Scarred from the cheating ex, Sarah has closed herself off to love and wants nothing to do with it but little by little she starts falling for Riley especially with the wholesome support he gives her.
Their relationship is one of support and growth where they start taking care of one another and always supporting each other when needed and THE COMMUNICATION is so green!
If you are looking for a romance book where both characters lift each other up and support each other tremendously, this book is for you!
If I have to nitpick a little, there was a scene where Sarah goes into a manic episode where she felt like Riley brushed her off - that scene was never really explored and there was no further depth added to it which I felt was a miss!
Tropes:
Hockey player x publicist
Reverse Age gap (23 & 29)
Sports romance
Spicy
Mental Health rep
No 3rd act breakup
Cats!
March 24, 2025
Let it Be Me is book 3 in a series, but I jumped in cold and I LOVED it. Having said that, you may want to read books 1 & 2 from the series if you don't want spoilers on other characters!
Here is why this book earned 5 STARS from me and has me already looking forward to book 4...
Riley: He's a young athlete with so much going for him, except his reputation. He won me over with his two cats and introverted personality (I connected with how he feels in a crowd immediately), but he really made me fall in love because of his back story and how he used a painful past to work for a beautiful future. This is a MMC you won't soon forget and you'll definitely be rooting for!
Sarah: She is a successful woman in a male-dominated field, and she knows what she has to offer. I appreciated her dedication to her friends and the ways she held boundaries for herself, even with people who assumed they deserved access. You'll find yourself loving her independence and hoping for her happiness!
I also appreciated how the other characters were seamlessly woven together with Riley and Sarah's story, and the mental health representation was handled with care and grace. This was also the first time I chose to listen to the playlist shared by the author while reading, and I am convinced that had a deeply emotional impact on my experience with the story. I will definitely be doing that again when a playlist is offered!
Be sure to read books 1 & 2 before this gem releases on April 4th! You won't regret it, I promise!!!
Here is why this book earned 5 STARS from me and has me already looking forward to book 4...
Riley: He's a young athlete with so much going for him, except his reputation. He won me over with his two cats and introverted personality (I connected with how he feels in a crowd immediately), but he really made me fall in love because of his back story and how he used a painful past to work for a beautiful future. This is a MMC you won't soon forget and you'll definitely be rooting for!
Sarah: She is a successful woman in a male-dominated field, and she knows what she has to offer. I appreciated her dedication to her friends and the ways she held boundaries for herself, even with people who assumed they deserved access. You'll find yourself loving her independence and hoping for her happiness!
I also appreciated how the other characters were seamlessly woven together with Riley and Sarah's story, and the mental health representation was handled with care and grace. This was also the first time I chose to listen to the playlist shared by the author while reading, and I am convinced that had a deeply emotional impact on my experience with the story. I will definitely be doing that again when a playlist is offered!
Be sure to read books 1 & 2 before this gem releases on April 4th! You won't regret it, I promise!!!
March 29, 2025
Hockey Romance with reverse age gap, fake dating, and golden retriever MMC, yes please!
These characters had SO much depth with backstories of family issues and realistic friendships, they felt well rounded and genuine. This was not an instalove situation, more of a red string theory plot which I loved. The FMC has sworn off love and is a strong, badass woman in a heavily male line of work. I appreciated that not for one moment was the MMC threatened or bothered by her career instead always supportive. And he falls first! I would have liked to see a bit more open, raw communication between the MCs. There were times they weren’t totally open with each other and it wasn’t addressed. Besides that, the twists and turns of their healing and growing had me binging this book in 2 days.
The spice is spicy, generously sprinkled throughout and so well written!
This was my first of this author’s work and I will be going back to read the first books in this series.
Check your triggers for tropes you may not be ok with and while it can be a stand-alone, I think these are best read in order as I was missing some information (this did not impact my review).
I received an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
These characters had SO much depth with backstories of family issues and realistic friendships, they felt well rounded and genuine. This was not an instalove situation, more of a red string theory plot which I loved. The FMC has sworn off love and is a strong, badass woman in a heavily male line of work. I appreciated that not for one moment was the MMC threatened or bothered by her career instead always supportive. And he falls first! I would have liked to see a bit more open, raw communication between the MCs. There were times they weren’t totally open with each other and it wasn’t addressed. Besides that, the twists and turns of their healing and growing had me binging this book in 2 days.
The spice is spicy, generously sprinkled throughout and so well written!
This was my first of this author’s work and I will be going back to read the first books in this series.
Check your triggers for tropes you may not be ok with and while it can be a stand-alone, I think these are best read in order as I was missing some information (this did not impact my review).
I received an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2025
From Hat Trick to Healing to Heartstrings
Dedication: To those who’ve been made to feel hard to love. Go find someone who makes loving you the easiest thing in the world and then yell about it from the rooftop. This one’s for you.
Sarah (FMC): 28 • Publicist • Tortie Cat Behavior • Sassy • Protective • Loyal • Independent •
Riley (MMC): 23 • NHL Player • Golden Retriever Energy • Sunshiny • Certified Cat Daddy •
Tropes:
🏒 Professional Hockey x Publicist
👠 Hockey Romance
🏒 Fake Dating
👠 Age Gap
🏒 ONS to FWB (light)
👠 Boy Obsessed
🏒 Workplace
👠 Animal Sidekicks (🐈🐈⬛)
🏒 Nicknames
👠 Found Family
🏒 Blonde MMC
👠 Food as a Love Language
🏒 No 3rd Act Breakup
Rating: 🐈⬛🐈🐈⬛🐈 (4⭐️)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️ (dirty talk, praise, 👅, cream 🥧, public play, hand necklace, fun on FaceTime, self pleasure)
T/W: infidelity (not MCs, referenced), car accident (in past, referenced), parental loss (in past, referenced), adoption (referenced), infertility (not MCs, referenced), toxic family dynamics (on page)
Let It Be Me is the third book in the Healing in Cincy series, and while it can be read as a standalone, you might appreciate the emotional weight of it all a little more if you’ve read the previous books. (Note to self: go back and binge those.)
This book kicks off with a one night stand that is equal parts steamy and swoony, only for the leads to be thrown back into each other’s lives months later when Sarah—the FMC with a heart in recovery and heels that probably mean business—is assigned as Riley’s new publicist. Yep. That Riley.
Riley is down bad. He’s all in from the jump and never once is threatened by Sarah’s ambition or career. He supports her and hypes her up. Honestly, the bar for fictional men? Riley’s skating circles around it.
Sarah took longer to warm up to, mostly because her walls are titanium-reinforced thanks to crappy parents and a garbage ex, and while I respected her strength, I wish we got to see more moments of raw vulnerability between her and Riley. The lack of deeper communication—especially on things that clearly impacted them—kept me from fully buying into the relationship. We’re told they’re falling, but I didn’t always feel it.
No dramatic miscommunications or third act breakups here, which felt refreshing and grounded. Instead, it’s about two people trying to build something solid amid work stress, grief, found family, and personal growth. I’ll definitely be diving into the earlier books in the series—and possibly making Riley’s chocolate chess pie recipe while I do.
Swoony Line:
“Love with Riley is an adventure that I’m not afraid to take.”
“love your heart, I love your devotion, and most of all I love that you never give up on the people who matter the most to you.”
“I also just love being with you. That’s my most favorite thing,”
I received an ARC copy and wanted to leave an honest review.
Dedication: To those who’ve been made to feel hard to love. Go find someone who makes loving you the easiest thing in the world and then yell about it from the rooftop. This one’s for you.
Sarah (FMC): 28 • Publicist • Tortie Cat Behavior • Sassy • Protective • Loyal • Independent •
Riley (MMC): 23 • NHL Player • Golden Retriever Energy • Sunshiny • Certified Cat Daddy •
Tropes:
🏒 Professional Hockey x Publicist
👠 Hockey Romance
🏒 Fake Dating
👠 Age Gap
🏒 ONS to FWB (light)
👠 Boy Obsessed
🏒 Workplace
👠 Animal Sidekicks (🐈🐈⬛)
🏒 Nicknames
👠 Found Family
🏒 Blonde MMC
👠 Food as a Love Language
🏒 No 3rd Act Breakup
Rating: 🐈⬛🐈🐈⬛🐈 (4⭐️)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️ (dirty talk, praise, 👅, cream 🥧, public play, hand necklace, fun on FaceTime, self pleasure)
T/W: infidelity (not MCs, referenced), car accident (in past, referenced), parental loss (in past, referenced), adoption (referenced), infertility (not MCs, referenced), toxic family dynamics (on page)
Let It Be Me is the third book in the Healing in Cincy series, and while it can be read as a standalone, you might appreciate the emotional weight of it all a little more if you’ve read the previous books. (Note to self: go back and binge those.)
This book kicks off with a one night stand that is equal parts steamy and swoony, only for the leads to be thrown back into each other’s lives months later when Sarah—the FMC with a heart in recovery and heels that probably mean business—is assigned as Riley’s new publicist. Yep. That Riley.
Riley is down bad. He’s all in from the jump and never once is threatened by Sarah’s ambition or career. He supports her and hypes her up. Honestly, the bar for fictional men? Riley’s skating circles around it.
Sarah took longer to warm up to, mostly because her walls are titanium-reinforced thanks to crappy parents and a garbage ex, and while I respected her strength, I wish we got to see more moments of raw vulnerability between her and Riley. The lack of deeper communication—especially on things that clearly impacted them—kept me from fully buying into the relationship. We’re told they’re falling, but I didn’t always feel it.
No dramatic miscommunications or third act breakups here, which felt refreshing and grounded. Instead, it’s about two people trying to build something solid amid work stress, grief, found family, and personal growth. I’ll definitely be diving into the earlier books in the series—and possibly making Riley’s chocolate chess pie recipe while I do.
Swoony Line:
“Love with Riley is an adventure that I’m not afraid to take.”
“love your heart, I love your devotion, and most of all I love that you never give up on the people who matter the most to you.”
“I also just love being with you. That’s my most favorite thing,”
I received an ARC copy and wanted to leave an honest review.
April 3, 2025
Let It Be Me is book 3 in the Healing in Cincy series by Elleese Black, but I jumped into this story cold and I love the universe that's been created here.
Riley is a young hockey player with so much going for him, but his reputation needs some work. In enters Sarah, his new publicist and his former one night stand from months prior. Sarah is a successful woman in a male-dominated profession, knowing what she has to offer professionally; however she is still healing from past emotional scars. When a photo surfaces of them having lunch together, Sarah proposes a fake dating relationship in order to help Riley's image. What they didn't know was the effect that this arrangement built on a lie became something more that both of them needed.
Riley is a green-flag MMC with a backstory filled with personal heartbreak and love, using the pain to work towards a beautiful present and future. I was rooting for him the more that we got to know him. The fact that he falls first is wonderful to watch as he worked to be worthy of Sarah and letting her pick him. Sarah is a dedicated friend and I loved how she has set up boundaries for herself, no matter who they are. There is a kind heart behind her tough exterior as Riley peeled back her walls. Both characters have so much depth and reality to them with their backstories of family issues and realistic friendships, making them so well rounded.
Sarah also has mental health issues that I wish there were more depth shown. Riley does a great job in providing a safe space for her in that moment of self-doubt. Besides that, the twists and turns of healing and growth never felt forced as I read on until their happy ending.
The spice was hot, generously sprinkled throughout the book enough that you never lost track of the main plot. I'll definitely be going back to read the first two books by this author.
Thank you Luna Literary Management for the opportunity to read the ARC of this novel!
Riley is a young hockey player with so much going for him, but his reputation needs some work. In enters Sarah, his new publicist and his former one night stand from months prior. Sarah is a successful woman in a male-dominated profession, knowing what she has to offer professionally; however she is still healing from past emotional scars. When a photo surfaces of them having lunch together, Sarah proposes a fake dating relationship in order to help Riley's image. What they didn't know was the effect that this arrangement built on a lie became something more that both of them needed.
Riley is a green-flag MMC with a backstory filled with personal heartbreak and love, using the pain to work towards a beautiful present and future. I was rooting for him the more that we got to know him. The fact that he falls first is wonderful to watch as he worked to be worthy of Sarah and letting her pick him. Sarah is a dedicated friend and I loved how she has set up boundaries for herself, no matter who they are. There is a kind heart behind her tough exterior as Riley peeled back her walls. Both characters have so much depth and reality to them with their backstories of family issues and realistic friendships, making them so well rounded.
Sarah also has mental health issues that I wish there were more depth shown. Riley does a great job in providing a safe space for her in that moment of self-doubt. Besides that, the twists and turns of healing and growth never felt forced as I read on until their happy ending.
The spice was hot, generously sprinkled throughout the book enough that you never lost track of the main plot. I'll definitely be going back to read the first two books by this author.
Thank you Luna Literary Management for the opportunity to read the ARC of this novel!
April 10, 2025
4.25/4.5 ⭐️
Elleese doesn’t miss for me. I love her writing style, the stories and her characters. I feel like i’m part of the girls when i come back to this series. I adore all of the characters and just truly find some much joy in these books.
Riley and Sara were a joy to read and had struggles that felt really relatable and real. I loved seeing their character growth. I was squealing and kicking my feet when the fake dating contract was proposed because we ALLLLL know what’s going to happen.
My only ‘dislike’ was the entire first 80% of the book had great pacing and a mix of spice and plot, but the last 20% with the exception of the wedding and friend confrontation was just all spice. It felt a bit forced and overdone by the end. The epilogue was sweet, and overall i had a great time!
You’ll find:
-Forced Proximity
-Publicist / Hockey Player
-Fake Dating
Elleese doesn’t miss for me. I love her writing style, the stories and her characters. I feel like i’m part of the girls when i come back to this series. I adore all of the characters and just truly find some much joy in these books.
Riley and Sara were a joy to read and had struggles that felt really relatable and real. I loved seeing their character growth. I was squealing and kicking my feet when the fake dating contract was proposed because we ALLLLL know what’s going to happen.
My only ‘dislike’ was the entire first 80% of the book had great pacing and a mix of spice and plot, but the last 20% with the exception of the wedding and friend confrontation was just all spice. It felt a bit forced and overdone by the end. The epilogue was sweet, and overall i had a great time!
You’ll find:
-Forced Proximity
-Publicist / Hockey Player
-Fake Dating
March 28, 2025
Thank you to Luna Literary Management and Elleese Black for the ARC of Let It Be Me.
I came across Elleese Black on my research for supporting and reading more indie authors when I saw her series called Healing in Cincy. Let It Be Me is the 3rd in the series and is marketed as more of a stand-alone but is interconnected to the other two. This was a great way for me to get into the series and I plan to go back and read the first two. (4th one is on the way this summer.)
Sarah is a sports publicist in her late 20s with recent heartbreak and baggage of hurtful and unsupportive parents and the loss of a good friend. Riley is a professional hockey player in his early 20s with a bit of a reputation in need of repair.
What I appreciated about this book (in addition to the Cincinnati and South Carolina references that are familiar places to me) was the focus on Sarah and Riley as people who have their own lived experiences coming together in a healthy relationship. There was a sweetness to the approach to their story and after a very spicy one night stand in which they meet, the plot really is a slice of life more than a drama of miscommunication and controversy.
Black takes us through time with Sarah and Riley and the relatable obstacle course of life with work demands, friends who need connection, family obligations and navigating a love life. I kept waiting for a shoe to drop as so many romances have these days with a big blow up or break up due to a misunderstanding and I'm relieved to say that never came. The subtleties of revealing our vulnerabilities to another human being being human was where Black focused her energy in the novel and I found it comforting and safe place to spend time away from the craziness that is our world right now. Did I mention that Black has a degree in psychology?
I highly recommend this author and this series for anyone who is looking for a day in the life of a strong female character carrying her backstory into a place of healing and opening herself up to the possibility of a future where she gets the love she deserves with a little spice.
I came across Elleese Black on my research for supporting and reading more indie authors when I saw her series called Healing in Cincy. Let It Be Me is the 3rd in the series and is marketed as more of a stand-alone but is interconnected to the other two. This was a great way for me to get into the series and I plan to go back and read the first two. (4th one is on the way this summer.)
Sarah is a sports publicist in her late 20s with recent heartbreak and baggage of hurtful and unsupportive parents and the loss of a good friend. Riley is a professional hockey player in his early 20s with a bit of a reputation in need of repair.
What I appreciated about this book (in addition to the Cincinnati and South Carolina references that are familiar places to me) was the focus on Sarah and Riley as people who have their own lived experiences coming together in a healthy relationship. There was a sweetness to the approach to their story and after a very spicy one night stand in which they meet, the plot really is a slice of life more than a drama of miscommunication and controversy.
Black takes us through time with Sarah and Riley and the relatable obstacle course of life with work demands, friends who need connection, family obligations and navigating a love life. I kept waiting for a shoe to drop as so many romances have these days with a big blow up or break up due to a misunderstanding and I'm relieved to say that never came. The subtleties of revealing our vulnerabilities to another human being being human was where Black focused her energy in the novel and I found it comforting and safe place to spend time away from the craziness that is our world right now. Did I mention that Black has a degree in psychology?
I highly recommend this author and this series for anyone who is looking for a day in the life of a strong female character carrying her backstory into a place of healing and opening herself up to the possibility of a future where she gets the love she deserves with a little spice.
April 6, 2025
This is book 3 in the Cincy series but it is one that you can definitely read as a stand alone. I have not read any of her books and I can tell you I will be adding her to one of my favorite authors. This book does have a longer than usual timespan but it is worth it. I love how she has put the FMC in an area of employment where it has been mainly men but women have proven they can be above excellent in it. The “reverse” age gap is awesome as well because in my family for generations it is usually older woman/younger man. Finding books in both of these areas is very difficult so when I find one I hold it tight.
Sarah had a great childhood but when she became an adult so many things seemed to change around her, especially her mother. When she found out that not only had her ex been cheating on her for months and the woman was pregnant, Sarah never wanted to love ever again. After a few months of recovery, one night she took a chance and had a one night stand. A night so amazing that even months later she was still remembering it. What she was not expecting though was that she would end up becoming his new PR agent
Riley wasn’t looking for romance at all, he loved his life, playing professional sports, having incredible adopted parents, his 2 cats and a nice place to live in. When an incident occurred he was required to get a new PR agent, he just never imagined it would be the woman from that one night stand months ago who rocked his world in so many ways.
The chemistry between them was amazing from the start, so there was no denying that the one night stand would not be the only time they were together. Sarah and Riley though just had to work through a whole lot of issues that they had in order for this “pretend” relationship to survive. If they could do it, forgetting about the small age gap, the ex constantly reappearing and a meddling mother, then the two of them together would become not just any couple, but this incredible power couple.
Thanks to the author for an ARC in turn for my honest opinion.
Sarah had a great childhood but when she became an adult so many things seemed to change around her, especially her mother. When she found out that not only had her ex been cheating on her for months and the woman was pregnant, Sarah never wanted to love ever again. After a few months of recovery, one night she took a chance and had a one night stand. A night so amazing that even months later she was still remembering it. What she was not expecting though was that she would end up becoming his new PR agent
Riley wasn’t looking for romance at all, he loved his life, playing professional sports, having incredible adopted parents, his 2 cats and a nice place to live in. When an incident occurred he was required to get a new PR agent, he just never imagined it would be the woman from that one night stand months ago who rocked his world in so many ways.
The chemistry between them was amazing from the start, so there was no denying that the one night stand would not be the only time they were together. Sarah and Riley though just had to work through a whole lot of issues that they had in order for this “pretend” relationship to survive. If they could do it, forgetting about the small age gap, the ex constantly reappearing and a meddling mother, then the two of them together would become not just any couple, but this incredible power couple.
Thanks to the author for an ARC in turn for my honest opinion.
April 4, 2025
Elleese Black never fails to send me into an emotional spiral.
With Let It Be Me, it was more of a heart swelling, feet kicking, almost early 2000's finger-twirling around the phone cord, type of spiral.
Riley and Sarah both felt something when they had a one night stand that left them reliving that night over and over again for six months.
Call it fate or whatever you want, but they end up in each other's world once more, when Riley is placed with Sarah as his PR agent.
Of course, with a sizzling past, what could happen next?
Both Riley and Sarah have experienced immense loss, in different ways, but that still altered their way of going through the motions of life.
Riley lost his parents at a young age, but the love that his parents had for one another, and then the love that his godparents turned adoptive parents also shared, made him yearn for something similar.
Sarah, on the other hand, already lived life with so much doubt lingering. From her parents not being happy with her failed relationship with a cheater. The loss of that love, made her weary of ever attempting to open her heart back up.
Despite the many flaws that both Riley and Sarah had, they shared a mutual growth. Learning to love again or even to not be afraid to take chances, even if the age gap is there. The two of them were so sweet. They learned to lean on one another while also breaking down each others walls.
Overall, I Elleese Black really wrote something that was realistic and raw. The push and pull of not knowing if love is worth the risk or if it's best to just keep your head down.
Thank you so much to author Elleese Black for the chance to read this book in advance of the release date. I enjoyed every moment of being able to learn more about Sarah. To see how Kamryn and Emily were doing, and most of all, to see these two wonderful characters flourish in the ebb of unknown territory that comes with wearing your heart out on your sleeve.
With Let It Be Me, it was more of a heart swelling, feet kicking, almost early 2000's finger-twirling around the phone cord, type of spiral.
Riley and Sarah both felt something when they had a one night stand that left them reliving that night over and over again for six months.
Call it fate or whatever you want, but they end up in each other's world once more, when Riley is placed with Sarah as his PR agent.
Of course, with a sizzling past, what could happen next?
Both Riley and Sarah have experienced immense loss, in different ways, but that still altered their way of going through the motions of life.
Riley lost his parents at a young age, but the love that his parents had for one another, and then the love that his godparents turned adoptive parents also shared, made him yearn for something similar.
Sarah, on the other hand, already lived life with so much doubt lingering. From her parents not being happy with her failed relationship with a cheater. The loss of that love, made her weary of ever attempting to open her heart back up.
Despite the many flaws that both Riley and Sarah had, they shared a mutual growth. Learning to love again or even to not be afraid to take chances, even if the age gap is there. The two of them were so sweet. They learned to lean on one another while also breaking down each others walls.
Overall, I Elleese Black really wrote something that was realistic and raw. The push and pull of not knowing if love is worth the risk or if it's best to just keep your head down.
Thank you so much to author Elleese Black for the chance to read this book in advance of the release date. I enjoyed every moment of being able to learn more about Sarah. To see how Kamryn and Emily were doing, and most of all, to see these two wonderful characters flourish in the ebb of unknown territory that comes with wearing your heart out on your sleeve.
March 30, 2025
⭐4.25.5⭐
I think this book was one of the most well written books I have read recently.
This book easily goes into my top 10 for this year. A massive congratulations to the author
this book is going to be such a hit for anyone who loves a good sport romance book.
Riley – our main MMC is a hockey star with a very bad reputation.
Sarah is - our main FMC who is a very good publicist.
Riley and Sarah, were absolutely amazing, they really were the power couple.
I really enjoyed reading about their friendship which turned into this beautiful relationship. Even though this relationship started out as a fake one to help Riley save his image I really think it progressed into something wonderful.
Riley you are amazing, after having 1 night with Sarah you cant get over her. You’re kind compassionate thoughtful and you really know how to love. Even though you went through so much as a child that doesn’t stop you from loving Sarah in such a beautiful way. You’re not what everyone thinks you are, your special and Sarah really brings out the best in you.
And Sarah you’re a total boss bitch; I love how the author portrayed Sarah by showing us the struggles she faced ant they way she overcame this issues. I thought it was lovely how Riley became a part of Sarahs healing journey.
I really admired how Sarah stood up for herself against her family and she really took pride in her work and relationships with both Riley and her friends.
If you're looking for a book with a great plot, steamy scenes, an irresistible golden retriever MMC, and a strong, independent FMC—this is the book for you! I really hope we get to see more of Riley and Sarah in future books. 🏒💙🔥
I think this book was one of the most well written books I have read recently.
This book easily goes into my top 10 for this year. A massive congratulations to the author
this book is going to be such a hit for anyone who loves a good sport romance book.
Riley – our main MMC is a hockey star with a very bad reputation.
Sarah is - our main FMC who is a very good publicist.
Riley and Sarah, were absolutely amazing, they really were the power couple.
I really enjoyed reading about their friendship which turned into this beautiful relationship. Even though this relationship started out as a fake one to help Riley save his image I really think it progressed into something wonderful.
Riley you are amazing, after having 1 night with Sarah you cant get over her. You’re kind compassionate thoughtful and you really know how to love. Even though you went through so much as a child that doesn’t stop you from loving Sarah in such a beautiful way. You’re not what everyone thinks you are, your special and Sarah really brings out the best in you.
And Sarah you’re a total boss bitch; I love how the author portrayed Sarah by showing us the struggles she faced ant they way she overcame this issues. I thought it was lovely how Riley became a part of Sarahs healing journey.
I really admired how Sarah stood up for herself against her family and she really took pride in her work and relationships with both Riley and her friends.
If you're looking for a book with a great plot, steamy scenes, an irresistible golden retriever MMC, and a strong, independent FMC—this is the book for you! I really hope we get to see more of Riley and Sarah in future books. 🏒💙🔥
March 24, 2025
As an avid dark romance reader, this book was a little different than my usual preference, but I throughly enjoyed it. The main character, Riley and Sarah, each had their own obstacles they were trying to overcome in their personal life. This helped me buy-in to their relationship and really cheer for them. Sarah’s issues really hit home for me, as I have been through so much of what she has. At times her struggles felt like reading my life on a page, which did get quite the emotional reaction from me.
My one note would be, I would have liked to see Sarah and Riley have a true, raw, emotional conversation about their communication. There were few times where Riley would think about Sarah not telling him something or communicating something how he thought she should and it was clear that hurt him. For example, when Riley found out Sarah was officiating the wedding from someone else. He wondered why she didn’t tell him, but never went to her about it. As someone who has a lot of the same baggage Sarah has, I can see where she didn’t mean to do this, but Riley deserved to be able to voice his hurt and be heard. I think reading this raw moment would have made the characters relationship feel more real, since relationships are hard. Riley and Sarah did face obstacles together outside of their relationship, but I just felt some deeper conversations could have been had about their relationship. About Sarah and Riley. Not her ex, or her parents, or his parents.
Overall I did enjoy the book and appreciated that not everything was rainbows and butterflies in terms of their individuals pasts. Riley and Sarah’s story was beautiful and magical in all the right ways.
My one note would be, I would have liked to see Sarah and Riley have a true, raw, emotional conversation about their communication. There were few times where Riley would think about Sarah not telling him something or communicating something how he thought she should and it was clear that hurt him. For example, when Riley found out Sarah was officiating the wedding from someone else. He wondered why she didn’t tell him, but never went to her about it. As someone who has a lot of the same baggage Sarah has, I can see where she didn’t mean to do this, but Riley deserved to be able to voice his hurt and be heard. I think reading this raw moment would have made the characters relationship feel more real, since relationships are hard. Riley and Sarah did face obstacles together outside of their relationship, but I just felt some deeper conversations could have been had about their relationship. About Sarah and Riley. Not her ex, or her parents, or his parents.
Overall I did enjoy the book and appreciated that not everything was rainbows and butterflies in terms of their individuals pasts. Riley and Sarah’s story was beautiful and magical in all the right ways.
April 10, 2025
3.25 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you’re a fan of the ONS, forbidden romance or hockey player tropes (or all three!) Let it be Me is the book for you. Book 3 of the Healing in Cincy series, this book follows the story of Rider (aka Theo) and Sarah, who hook up for a steamy one night about a year ago, and fast forward a year, Sarah is tasked with rehabilitating Riley’s image as a partying playboy to ensure his place on his hockey team. Agreeing to keep this purely professional, the chemistry between the two paired with the forbidden element of their relationship makes their sparks jump off the page when they agree to fake date to further aid Riley’s public persona. However, it’s soon evident that it’s going to be easier said than done for them not to repeat the night that got them there in the first place.
I really liked the mental health rep in this book and the incredibly honest and open communication and how vulnerable Riley is in his adoration of Sarah. She’s been hurt before and doesn’t want to open herself up to love, and all Riley wants to do is wait until she can love someone again, and hope that is him.
As a reader though I do feel the book needed a little more tension - everything felt just kind of easy (which is great, don’t get me wrong) but I needed more tension and intrigue for the last 30% or so.
*ARC reader honest review*
Thanks to Elleese Black and Luna Literary for this ARC opportunity!
If you’re a fan of the ONS, forbidden romance or hockey player tropes (or all three!) Let it be Me is the book for you. Book 3 of the Healing in Cincy series, this book follows the story of Rider (aka Theo) and Sarah, who hook up for a steamy one night about a year ago, and fast forward a year, Sarah is tasked with rehabilitating Riley’s image as a partying playboy to ensure his place on his hockey team. Agreeing to keep this purely professional, the chemistry between the two paired with the forbidden element of their relationship makes their sparks jump off the page when they agree to fake date to further aid Riley’s public persona. However, it’s soon evident that it’s going to be easier said than done for them not to repeat the night that got them there in the first place.
I really liked the mental health rep in this book and the incredibly honest and open communication and how vulnerable Riley is in his adoration of Sarah. She’s been hurt before and doesn’t want to open herself up to love, and all Riley wants to do is wait until she can love someone again, and hope that is him.
As a reader though I do feel the book needed a little more tension - everything felt just kind of easy (which is great, don’t get me wrong) but I needed more tension and intrigue for the last 30% or so.
*ARC reader honest review*
Thanks to Elleese Black and Luna Literary for this ARC opportunity!
May 1, 2025
This is the third book in the series, and I’m just getting started. Honestly, it’s right on brand for how I usually approach a series! I often find myself reading the middle or last book first and then going back to the beginning. The vibes have to be right tho! This book features two of my favorite tropes: the fake dating trope and the older woman/younger man dynamic, so it was a no-brainer for me. Riley is a total babe—emotionally mature, supportive, and down bad for Sarah! What more could you want? Sarah is no slouch either! She’s a determined boss babe who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to chase her dreams. Andddd she is a damn good friend. It pays to have loyal people in your life. I absolutely love Sarah and Riley together. Their communication and chemistry are top tier. It was clear from the start that a one-night stand wouldn’t work for them. I absolutely loved the representation of mental health in this book and how it was handled with such care. I also appreciated reading about their personal struggles and family dynamics and how they overcame those challenges. Honestly, this is a pretty easy read. My biggest issue is with the writing—I wish the author had shown more instead of telling. Other than that, it’s a decent read. If you’re a fan of the fake dating trope featuring an older woman and a younger man, complete with a bit of razzle dazzle from a one-night stand, then you should definitely pick this up!
April 11, 2025
Rating: 4 Stars! (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)-
I was so excited to get the chance to read this ARC! I thoroughly enjoyed this installment of the ‘Healing in Cincy’ series.
In ‘Let It Be Me,’ we go on a journey of finding love and healing for the main characters, Sarah and Riley. I loved that each of them had their own respective pasts and traumas highlighted as it allowed for us as readers to see where they were each coming from and how they had come to be these versions of the characters presented on the page.
This story included elements of tropes such as Opposites Attract, Sports Romance, and Fake Dating, with added depth and drama as fueled by the exploration of the characters’ pasts and backgrounds. I appreciated the integration of the secondary characters, especially the cameos from the others in the series, but I honestly loved getting to know Riley’s character the most. He was the perfect depiction of the He Falls First trope and was truly in it and showing up for those that he loved from the very beginning.
I highly recommend that you check this book out and, while it can be read as a standalone, I think that it makes it even more enjoyable if you read the other books in the series first!
Release/Publication Date: April 4, 2025
Author: Elleese Black
Available on Amazon/Kindle Unlimited
I was so excited to get the chance to read this ARC! I thoroughly enjoyed this installment of the ‘Healing in Cincy’ series.
In ‘Let It Be Me,’ we go on a journey of finding love and healing for the main characters, Sarah and Riley. I loved that each of them had their own respective pasts and traumas highlighted as it allowed for us as readers to see where they were each coming from and how they had come to be these versions of the characters presented on the page.
This story included elements of tropes such as Opposites Attract, Sports Romance, and Fake Dating, with added depth and drama as fueled by the exploration of the characters’ pasts and backgrounds. I appreciated the integration of the secondary characters, especially the cameos from the others in the series, but I honestly loved getting to know Riley’s character the most. He was the perfect depiction of the He Falls First trope and was truly in it and showing up for those that he loved from the very beginning.
I highly recommend that you check this book out and, while it can be read as a standalone, I think that it makes it even more enjoyable if you read the other books in the series first!
Release/Publication Date: April 4, 2025
Author: Elleese Black
Available on Amazon/Kindle Unlimited
March 28, 2025
Let It Be Me is the third book in the Healing in Cincy series. I definitely recommend reading it in order because there are certain events that happen in the earlier books and it would give you a better understanding of the friendship/relationships going on.
In this book, we learn more about Sarah who happens to be Kamryn’s college roommate/best friend and she is definitely going through a tough time .. not only is she fighting her way to make a name for herself in a male dominated field but she’s also trying to move on from a heartbreak. As time goes by and she slowly starts to find herself again, her one night stand from a few months ago comes waltzing in her job needing a new publicist aka her. I loved the chemistry between Sarah and Riley - their back and forth flirty banter had me giggling and smiling like a fool. Of course, things weren’t all butterflies and rainbows .. Sarah didn’t have the best relationship with her parents or the most amicable breakup (but that’s not her fault - her ex was a jerk 🙂) which lead to a lot of things she had to work through and Riley was a saint through it all. The compassion, patience, and love that man has for her is something I hope to find one day.
In this book, we learn more about Sarah who happens to be Kamryn’s college roommate/best friend and she is definitely going through a tough time .. not only is she fighting her way to make a name for herself in a male dominated field but she’s also trying to move on from a heartbreak. As time goes by and she slowly starts to find herself again, her one night stand from a few months ago comes waltzing in her job needing a new publicist aka her. I loved the chemistry between Sarah and Riley - their back and forth flirty banter had me giggling and smiling like a fool. Of course, things weren’t all butterflies and rainbows .. Sarah didn’t have the best relationship with her parents or the most amicable breakup (but that’s not her fault - her ex was a jerk 🙂) which lead to a lot of things she had to work through and Riley was a saint through it all. The compassion, patience, and love that man has for her is something I hope to find one day.
March 31, 2025
Rating: 3.5 rounded to 4 stars
First things first, while you can read this book as a standalone (which I did), I'm most sure I would recommend it. There is some backstory to Sarah and her friends that is important and it will definitely make things clearer and therefore the whole read more enjoyable.
Riley was the perfect Golden Retriever MMC who's got a little lost along the way and has a couple of demons in his closet, but overall is caring and surprisingly sweet (to him too, I think). And Sarah is a fierce FMC in a male dominated field. She'd had her heart broken and now has built tall walls around it. So can a fake relationship become more for this two? Can they heal together and open their hearts (Sarah mostly)?
I think this book shows vulnerability very well. And the way it approaches struggles with mental health is also perfectly done - with care and thoughtfulness.
But I wasn't the biggest fan of narration. I just prefer more showing to telling and here it was telling heavy. Which usually works for backstory and inner thought well, but not for so many events too.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
First things first, while you can read this book as a standalone (which I did), I'm most sure I would recommend it. There is some backstory to Sarah and her friends that is important and it will definitely make things clearer and therefore the whole read more enjoyable.
Riley was the perfect Golden Retriever MMC who's got a little lost along the way and has a couple of demons in his closet, but overall is caring and surprisingly sweet (to him too, I think). And Sarah is a fierce FMC in a male dominated field. She'd had her heart broken and now has built tall walls around it. So can a fake relationship become more for this two? Can they heal together and open their hearts (Sarah mostly)?
I think this book shows vulnerability very well. And the way it approaches struggles with mental health is also perfectly done - with care and thoughtfulness.
But I wasn't the biggest fan of narration. I just prefer more showing to telling and here it was telling heavy. Which usually works for backstory and inner thought well, but not for so many events too.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
April 2, 2025
This series has not disappointed! I grabbed my tissues for all and I hope to see more of this series in the future 🥺.
Let it Be Me is the third book to the interconnected series, Healing in Cincy. I do highly recommend reading book one and two to avoid spoilers for other characters, I promise YOU WILL LOVE THEM! 💜💜
FMC Sarah who is an awesome publicist and MMC Riley a hockey player with a bad reputation have a one night stand and you can tell my mans Riley falls for her HARD. He later waltz in into her job in looks for a new publicist😉 I love Sarah and Riley’s relationship throughout this book. Riley quickly realizes he is in trouble as he starts to fall for her (the nickname he gives her🥺)and starts to think their fake dating really isn’t “fake”. The author Elleese Black never fails to bring emotion into these books. I love learning more about Sarah and Rileys back story and the struggles Sarah faces in her life. She is a total badass and I love the way she handles and stands her ground on the situation with her parents and her ex. I like how their relationship doesn’t really have too much set backs and it’s more of them supporting each other, overall such a good book!!🫶🏼🫶🏼
Let it Be Me is the third book to the interconnected series, Healing in Cincy. I do highly recommend reading book one and two to avoid spoilers for other characters, I promise YOU WILL LOVE THEM! 💜💜
FMC Sarah who is an awesome publicist and MMC Riley a hockey player with a bad reputation have a one night stand and you can tell my mans Riley falls for her HARD. He later waltz in into her job in looks for a new publicist😉 I love Sarah and Riley’s relationship throughout this book. Riley quickly realizes he is in trouble as he starts to fall for her (the nickname he gives her🥺)and starts to think their fake dating really isn’t “fake”. The author Elleese Black never fails to bring emotion into these books. I love learning more about Sarah and Rileys back story and the struggles Sarah faces in her life. She is a total badass and I love the way she handles and stands her ground on the situation with her parents and her ex. I like how their relationship doesn’t really have too much set backs and it’s more of them supporting each other, overall such a good book!!🫶🏼🫶🏼
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2025
I read all three books in this series in the last couple of weeks and this is my favourite by far (and I really enjoyed the other two). The book starts out with an insanely hot one-night-stand between Sarah and "Theo" that neither one of them can forget. When they are reunited months later at Sarah's PR firm, with her new client Riley, things are bound to pick up right where they left off. The chemistry between the two of them is amazing, and when they agree to "fake-date" for his career, no one thought that would last for long. My absolute FAVOURITE part of this book is how amazingly the two of them communicate with one another. They both know that they're falling for each other, and they actually talk about it and make a realistic grown-ass decision to pursue their relationship. Both Sarah and Riley have baggage from their past that they bring to the relationship, but they grow and heal TOGETHER as a couple and are all the better for it. I loved them apart and I loved them even more together. I need more books like this in my life!
April 7, 2025
4⭐️ ARC Review
“We stare at each other in the morning light of my kitchen. Blue eyes to blue eyes. Calm to calm. And I realize I’ve never felt more at peace than in this moment with him.”
First I want to say, Sarah Jane and I have so much in common I love her. 😭 Like it’s kind of scary. Elleese, explain yourself lol
I think you’ll love this book if you’re wanting an easy read while still touching on emotional topics. That’s something Elleese does so well, it’s a balance and I think she does it so well. For me, the combination or fake dating + hockey will never get old. Add in boy obsessed and I’m in love.
Riley, is the cutest cat dad and he’s so obsessed with Sarah. His backstory breaks me and it makes me love him that much more.
Read if you love:
🏒 one night stand
🏒 found family
🏒 cat dad
🏒 fiercely independent FMC
I love being on this ARC team, these stories are so special and deserve all the love.
I’m both excited and scared for Jax’s story because I have a feeling it’s going to hurt.
“We stare at each other in the morning light of my kitchen. Blue eyes to blue eyes. Calm to calm. And I realize I’ve never felt more at peace than in this moment with him.”
First I want to say, Sarah Jane and I have so much in common I love her. 😭 Like it’s kind of scary. Elleese, explain yourself lol
I think you’ll love this book if you’re wanting an easy read while still touching on emotional topics. That’s something Elleese does so well, it’s a balance and I think she does it so well. For me, the combination or fake dating + hockey will never get old. Add in boy obsessed and I’m in love.
Riley, is the cutest cat dad and he’s so obsessed with Sarah. His backstory breaks me and it makes me love him that much more.
Read if you love:
🏒 one night stand
🏒 found family
🏒 cat dad
🏒 fiercely independent FMC
I love being on this ARC team, these stories are so special and deserve all the love.
I’m both excited and scared for Jax’s story because I have a feeling it’s going to hurt.
April 8, 2025
*I received this book as ARC from Luna Literary*
Rating: ♥️♥️♥️🩶🩶
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
This is the Book 3 in the series—and yep, I arrived late to the party! 🥹 I got this as an ARC thinking it could work as a standalone… but honestly? Start from book 1 for the full emotional impact! 📚❤️
The beginning? Hooked me FAST! 🎣 I totally related to Sarah—redhead queen ❤️🔥, complicated family dynamics 👨👩👧, career-focused boss babe 💼, and unafraid to chase what she wants 💅🏼 LOVED her energy!
And RILEY?? Ugh, obsessed. ✅ Total green flag king, emotionally mature, dreamy athlete bf 🏒and full-on simp for Sarah 🥺 We LOVE a supportive man!
Their chemistry? Straight-up fire 🔥 The spice? It was GOOD and consistent throughout 🥵—major win right there! Spicy scenes = chef’s kiss
My only meh? Their relationship felt a bit too smooth… not enough internal tension, which made the last 30% drag for me 🥱
Still, a cute and spicy read with lots of heart! Might give it a second shot after finishing the full series! 🥰
Rating: ♥️♥️♥️🩶🩶
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
This is the Book 3 in the series—and yep, I arrived late to the party! 🥹 I got this as an ARC thinking it could work as a standalone… but honestly? Start from book 1 for the full emotional impact! 📚❤️
The beginning? Hooked me FAST! 🎣 I totally related to Sarah—redhead queen ❤️🔥, complicated family dynamics 👨👩👧, career-focused boss babe 💼, and unafraid to chase what she wants 💅🏼 LOVED her energy!
And RILEY?? Ugh, obsessed. ✅ Total green flag king, emotionally mature, dreamy athlete bf 🏒and full-on simp for Sarah 🥺 We LOVE a supportive man!
Their chemistry? Straight-up fire 🔥 The spice? It was GOOD and consistent throughout 🥵—major win right there! Spicy scenes = chef’s kiss
My only meh? Their relationship felt a bit too smooth… not enough internal tension, which made the last 30% drag for me 🥱
Still, a cute and spicy read with lots of heart! Might give it a second shot after finishing the full series! 🥰
April 11, 2025
Riley
• 23, 6'2
• NHL hockey player
• Cat daddy
• Love language physical touch
Sarah
• 28, 5'7
• Publicist
• High functioning depression
• love language physical touch
"Is this where I get on the ground and kiss your feet? Because I have no problem getting on my knees for you."
Sarah was with someone who told her she was hard to love.
Once she left him she vowed to never love again. Riley is a misunderstood wild child who got himself into some trouble and needs a new publicist who is also Sarah's one night stand.
Tloved that the characters of the book came together seamlessly. I loved that the mental health struggles were handled with such care and gentleness. The backgrounds of the characters had so much depth it was insane, I loved the building and understanding of them, with real issues & realistic friendships. I loved the slow burn, the fake dating and the twists and unexpected surprises in the book! I will most definitely be reading book 1&2 and counting down the days for book 4!
• 23, 6'2
• NHL hockey player
• Cat daddy
• Love language physical touch
Sarah
• 28, 5'7
• Publicist
• High functioning depression
• love language physical touch
"Is this where I get on the ground and kiss your feet? Because I have no problem getting on my knees for you."
Sarah was with someone who told her she was hard to love.
Once she left him she vowed to never love again. Riley is a misunderstood wild child who got himself into some trouble and needs a new publicist who is also Sarah's one night stand.
Tloved that the characters of the book came together seamlessly. I loved that the mental health struggles were handled with such care and gentleness. The backgrounds of the characters had so much depth it was insane, I loved the building and understanding of them, with real issues & realistic friendships. I loved the slow burn, the fake dating and the twists and unexpected surprises in the book! I will most definitely be reading book 1&2 and counting down the days for book 4!
March 25, 2025
A heartfelt thank you to Luna Literary Management and Elleese Black for the ARC of Let It Be Me.❤️
Sarah, a fierce sports publicist, has sworn off love after a devastating betrayal. But one night of escape leads her into the arms of a stranger—who later turns out to be the very hockey player she’s forced to represent.
The sizzling tension at the beginning of the story and the undeniable chemistry had me hooked. The writing is immersive, the emotions hit deep, and the tender moments will stay with me for a long time.
Riley's love for holidays, the decorating part, and most importantly, the recipes at the end is impossible not to adore. And the way he holds the heroine through her darkest moments? Heart-melting.
The author has beautifully woven romance with themes of healing, trust, and breaking free from the weight of family expectations.
A must read for romance readers!🥰✨
Sarah, a fierce sports publicist, has sworn off love after a devastating betrayal. But one night of escape leads her into the arms of a stranger—who later turns out to be the very hockey player she’s forced to represent.
The sizzling tension at the beginning of the story and the undeniable chemistry had me hooked. The writing is immersive, the emotions hit deep, and the tender moments will stay with me for a long time.
Riley's love for holidays, the decorating part, and most importantly, the recipes at the end is impossible not to adore. And the way he holds the heroine through her darkest moments? Heart-melting.
The author has beautifully woven romance with themes of healing, trust, and breaking free from the weight of family expectations.
A must read for romance readers!🥰✨
April 15, 2025
4 🌟
3 🌶️
🏒 Fake Dating
🐈⬛ Age Gap
🏒 One Night Stand
🐈⬛ Golden Retriever x Tortie Cat
🏒 Hockey Romance x Publicist
🐈⬛ Workplace Romance
🏒 Boy Obsessed
I’ve been following this series from the start and I’m not disappointed. You won’t regret reading book 1 and 2 before this one! A good swoony, spicy and kicking my feet romance with the perfect fake dating twist.
Riley is everything you want in a golden retriever, introverted caring man. Sarah was closed at first because of her past and childhood but he took her walls down, was so supportive and never felt intimidated by her or her career. Her growth and healing process was beautiful to witness. The story was swoony and steamy. with the right amount of backstories and family drama.
Please check the trigger warnings. I was okay with everything but your mental health is important.
Thank you Luna and Elleese for this arc opportunity! I volunteered to review.
3 🌶️
🏒 Fake Dating
🐈⬛ Age Gap
🏒 One Night Stand
🐈⬛ Golden Retriever x Tortie Cat
🏒 Hockey Romance x Publicist
🐈⬛ Workplace Romance
🏒 Boy Obsessed
I’ve been following this series from the start and I’m not disappointed. You won’t regret reading book 1 and 2 before this one! A good swoony, spicy and kicking my feet romance with the perfect fake dating twist.
Riley is everything you want in a golden retriever, introverted caring man. Sarah was closed at first because of her past and childhood but he took her walls down, was so supportive and never felt intimidated by her or her career. Her growth and healing process was beautiful to witness. The story was swoony and steamy. with the right amount of backstories and family drama.
Please check the trigger warnings. I was okay with everything but your mental health is important.
Thank you Luna and Elleese for this arc opportunity! I volunteered to review.
July 17, 2025
4,75⭐
I received this book for an ARC 4 months ago but life gets away. So now I could say my opinion about this beauty.
First of all i want to thanks about Elleese choosing me to be arc reader to her book🥹🫶🏻
I liked a lot of this book. Sarah and Riley is great protagonists. The tropes in these books was my favorite tropes which was absolute fantastic; fake dating, reverse age gab and hockey romance💞 with good amount of spicy stuff, 3/5🌶️ they were really good written and i enjoyed them a lot. If u know what i am mean. These was also easy to read and plot was engaging. I melt for Sarah and Riley's love story. It was real and relatable. The metal health repsentation was so good and and it made me visible. The way they care and love each others make me want it to myself in the future relationships! The communication is massive green flag! Riley is so good book boyfriend oh my god! I highly recommend this book!! This book is now avaible in KU If you want to know that 😏🤭
I received this book for an ARC 4 months ago but life gets away. So now I could say my opinion about this beauty.
First of all i want to thanks about Elleese choosing me to be arc reader to her book🥹🫶🏻
I liked a lot of this book. Sarah and Riley is great protagonists. The tropes in these books was my favorite tropes which was absolute fantastic; fake dating, reverse age gab and hockey romance💞 with good amount of spicy stuff, 3/5🌶️ they were really good written and i enjoyed them a lot. If u know what i am mean. These was also easy to read and plot was engaging. I melt for Sarah and Riley's love story. It was real and relatable. The metal health repsentation was so good and and it made me visible. The way they care and love each others make me want it to myself in the future relationships! The communication is massive green flag! Riley is so good book boyfriend oh my god! I highly recommend this book!! This book is now avaible in KU If you want to know that 😏🤭
March 30, 2025
Book Three in the series
For me I would recommend reading in order for a better reading experience and you don’t miss out on key parts
Once again this was another amazing story, the way I felt for the characters and the way this has been written is amazing, the care and attention to detail for parts in this story that is relatable has been handle so very well
The characters take you way into their world and my gawd what a journey it has been.
I just love these characters…
smart, clever FMC,
Sporty, book boyfriend material MMC
One night stand…
Hockey
Pa (babysitter)
I’ve laughed, so hard, I’ve felt all the emotions
I’ve really enjoyed this story
Highly recommend I personally would start from book one which I’ve done and each and every book has been an easy five ⭐️ read for me
For me I would recommend reading in order for a better reading experience and you don’t miss out on key parts
Once again this was another amazing story, the way I felt for the characters and the way this has been written is amazing, the care and attention to detail for parts in this story that is relatable has been handle so very well
The characters take you way into their world and my gawd what a journey it has been.
I just love these characters…
smart, clever FMC,
Sporty, book boyfriend material MMC
One night stand…
Hockey
Pa (babysitter)
I’ve laughed, so hard, I’ve felt all the emotions
I’ve really enjoyed this story
Highly recommend I personally would start from book one which I’ve done and each and every book has been an easy five ⭐️ read for me
March 31, 2025
𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪
...
I’ve been counting down the days for this book ever since I finished the last one, and let me tell you, Elleese did not disappoint!
After her last breakup, Sarah’s pretty much sworn off love, but then she has a one-night stand with Riley. Fast forward a few months, and BAM! She’s back in his life, now his temporary agent, trying to clean up his reputation.
What really stood out to me was how patient Riley was with Sarah. The dude is younger than her, but he’s got more maturity than half the grown-ups I know. Not once did he make Sarah feel like she wasn’t enough, which is honestly the kind of guy we all need in our lives.
I absolutely loved reading let it be and getting to know Riley and Sarah's story, I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series.
...
𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀:
Age gap
Hockey Romance
Fake dating
Golden retriever MMC
...
I’ve been counting down the days for this book ever since I finished the last one, and let me tell you, Elleese did not disappoint!
After her last breakup, Sarah’s pretty much sworn off love, but then she has a one-night stand with Riley. Fast forward a few months, and BAM! She’s back in his life, now his temporary agent, trying to clean up his reputation.
What really stood out to me was how patient Riley was with Sarah. The dude is younger than her, but he’s got more maturity than half the grown-ups I know. Not once did he make Sarah feel like she wasn’t enough, which is honestly the kind of guy we all need in our lives.
I absolutely loved reading let it be and getting to know Riley and Sarah's story, I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series.
...
𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀:
Age gap
Hockey Romance
Fake dating
Golden retriever MMC
April 9, 2025
Okay first of all… HOW DARE this book be so cute, spicy, funny AND emotional all at once?? I signed up for a casual hockey romance and left with full-blown heart flutters and giggles. 😩💓
Sarah, our Queen of PR with a heart guarded by steel and sass, doesn’t do second chances or feelings. But then Riley a.k.a. the hockey bad boy with way too much charm and zero filter strolls in looking like trouble on ice...and oops, one night stand enters the chat. 🫠💋
But surprise! The next day she’s assigned to fix his reputation.HIM: A total nightmare. HER: Sunshine lollipop. ME: Screaming. Internally. With joy.
The fake dating twist?? The lingering glances?? The “just for the cameras” kisses that were OBVIOUSLY not just for the cameras?? I lived, laughed, simultaneously blushed and kicked my feet.
Sarah, our Queen of PR with a heart guarded by steel and sass, doesn’t do second chances or feelings. But then Riley a.k.a. the hockey bad boy with way too much charm and zero filter strolls in looking like trouble on ice...and oops, one night stand enters the chat. 🫠💋
But surprise! The next day she’s assigned to fix his reputation.HIM: A total nightmare. HER: Sunshine lollipop. ME: Screaming. Internally. With joy.
The fake dating twist?? The lingering glances?? The “just for the cameras” kisses that were OBVIOUSLY not just for the cameras?? I lived, laughed, simultaneously blushed and kicked my feet.
April 15, 2025
Elleese Black has done it again. Each book is better than the last. If she has 100 fans, I am one of them. If she has 50 fans, I am one of them. If she has 10 fans, I am one of them. If she has 0 fans, I am no longer earthside.
I love a good one night stand that turns into more moment. I loved how much Riley cares for Sarah. Riley was truly a walking, green flag. Sarah deserved all the support Riley provided and more. I loved watching her slowly but surely fall for Riley throughout this book.
These characters felt so well rounded and you could truly feel the love Elleese poured into these characters.
Tropes you can expect:
- Hockey player x publicist
- Reverse age gap
-Sports romance
-Mental health rep
I truly loved this book so much and cannot wait to read Elleese's next book. Thank you so much for the early copy/ARC.
I love a good one night stand that turns into more moment. I loved how much Riley cares for Sarah. Riley was truly a walking, green flag. Sarah deserved all the support Riley provided and more. I loved watching her slowly but surely fall for Riley throughout this book.
These characters felt so well rounded and you could truly feel the love Elleese poured into these characters.
Tropes you can expect:
- Hockey player x publicist
- Reverse age gap
-Sports romance
-Mental health rep
I truly loved this book so much and cannot wait to read Elleese's next book. Thank you so much for the early copy/ARC.
April 18, 2025
Thank you so much to Elleese Black and Luna Literacy for a chance to read and review this ARC.
Sarah out FMC is a publicist in male sports and is set up in her career but since a bad breakup and family drama feels as though love and relationships are not worth the risk. Riley is our green flag MMC he is the younger up and coming hockey star in need of a publicist but oh wait, these two already know eachother from a one night stand 6 months ago.
The book is like one solid green flag, Riley and Sarah communicate so well and their relationship doesn’t face any internal struggles. It was interesting to read about their individual struggles/ family dynamics. My only thing if I’m being picky is that it was a really sweet read but it lacked a little drama or tension. Apart from that it was well written and beautiful characters.
Tropes
💕 Fake Dating
🩵Publicists x Player
👩❤️💋👨 She’s Older
🧠 Mental Health Rep
🐈 Cat Daddy
❤️🔥One Night Stand
Sarah out FMC is a publicist in male sports and is set up in her career but since a bad breakup and family drama feels as though love and relationships are not worth the risk. Riley is our green flag MMC he is the younger up and coming hockey star in need of a publicist but oh wait, these two already know eachother from a one night stand 6 months ago.
The book is like one solid green flag, Riley and Sarah communicate so well and their relationship doesn’t face any internal struggles. It was interesting to read about their individual struggles/ family dynamics. My only thing if I’m being picky is that it was a really sweet read but it lacked a little drama or tension. Apart from that it was well written and beautiful characters.
Tropes
💕 Fake Dating
🩵Publicists x Player
👩❤️💋👨 She’s Older
🧠 Mental Health Rep
🐈 Cat Daddy
❤️🔥One Night Stand
April 18, 2025
Sometimes, you really just need a soft and emotional romance to hit the spot. One that's sweet, but not the tooth achingly sugary sweet kind. Sweet in that's relatable, vulnerable, not a huge drama or bombastically over the top. One that's just a day in the life.
There's a lot of fast paced romances out there that feel like you're on a rollercoaster hanging on for dear life, waiting for the next big plunge. This isn't that - this real life, this is learning how to be loved again after a bad breakup.
Yes, there's the tropes we see a lot today - hockey romance, reverse age gap, fake dating, one night, etc. The tropes are there, but they aren't the main elements, the plot doesn't require them to move the storyline along. Sarah and Riley, our MCs, do that all on their own.
You may have to be in a certain mood for that type of romance, but E. Black writes it so well.
There's a lot of fast paced romances out there that feel like you're on a rollercoaster hanging on for dear life, waiting for the next big plunge. This isn't that - this real life, this is learning how to be loved again after a bad breakup.
Yes, there's the tropes we see a lot today - hockey romance, reverse age gap, fake dating, one night, etc. The tropes are there, but they aren't the main elements, the plot doesn't require them to move the storyline along. Sarah and Riley, our MCs, do that all on their own.
You may have to be in a certain mood for that type of romance, but E. Black writes it so well.
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