I have been so remiss in not getting this review up sooner! Because this book is wonderful, Eli is delightful, Bailey is cute, and you will love Doris. Who is Doris, you ask? Well, maybe you should read and find out. ;)

I always love a cheerful hero, and Eli fully delivers on that. But I love that he isn’t just a boundless ball of energy, but a magnifier of all emotions. I am a huge fan of male heroes who aren’t afraid to feel their feelings. The fact that he cares so much about his mom, and that he thought about his future wedding makes him that much better. (Authors: can I respectfully request more of this brand of male in your books? Please and thanks you!) His relationship with his mother is sweet, and his friendship with his teammates is perfect.

Bailey is so cute. My heart just broke for her and her situation, and I loved the Found family component of this book. Yay for Maggie!

The entire story is so much fun and I was completely hooked The second I started reading. This series just keeps better and better, Sons I cannot wait for more! (Also, I really hope we see more of Bailey’s friends, and Eli’s sister, because they’re all too cute and so fun!)

And because I just must include a list of all the things I love in Emma’s books, here it is:

Animal shelter and dogs who need hugs
Special birthday
Doris
Dolly Parton wigs
Beth
Eli’s smile
The candy bouquet
The pink sticky notes (again! Adorable)
Bodyguarding
Van
The “proposal”
Bathroom kissing scenes (Emma has proven they can be sooo good. Twice.)
Dress buttons
Muumuus
Mother-son nicknames
The lightbulbs! Hahaha!!
Annie
The wedding plans. Every single part of this. Eli is too cute.
The Appies!

Seriously adorable book. Just read it. It’s practically guaranteed to bring happiness, y’all. Can’t beat that.

4.5 stars ( )

“Bailey is the kind of perfect I could get used to. A permanent fixture. The kind I’d fight to keep.”

So excited to return to Harvest Hollow for another Appies Hockey romance. I loved this book so much! It’s one of the absolute best, heartfelt marriage of convenience romcoms I’ve read. Eli & Bailey are the cutest couple. I adored Eli’s golden retriever personality and Bailey’s shyness (until you get to know her). I also enjoyed the mutual pining, lots of humor (“Awkward together!”), a sweet, closed door romance, and great friendships!

Eli is a Canadian playing for the American Harvest Hollow Appies hockey team. When his visa comes due, he must marry or return to Canada. The only woman he’s interested in is the cute, shy animal shelter worker whom he delights in trying to get to blush. But, he doesn’t just want a fake marriage with her, he wants the real thing. Can he convince her to marry him and make it real?

Bailey has a lot on her plate. With her parents’ death and her grandmother needing long term care, her dream of becoming a vet seems nearly impossible. When the handsome hockey player who often comes to see the dogs at the shelter proposes to her, it seems like a dream come true. Not only because it’d help her financially, but because she’s fallen in love with the kind, caring guy. Will it be sweet torture though knowing she’s in love with him and he’s doing this for a visa and his chronically ill mom?

This seriously is one of my favorite Emma St. Clair romcoms. She’s developed something so special with this group of Appies hockey players. I loved seeing familiar characters along with getting to know Eli, Bailey, & Eli’s mom and sister. I loved the chronic illness rep in Eli’s mom and seeing him care for his mother in such a tender way. I also loved Eli’s & Bailey’s wedding and what follows.

Highly recommend to romcom and sports romance fans! If you love cute dogs, sports romances, swoon worthy, sizzling kisses, close proximity, and funny, relatable, awkward moments, this is a must read! Though Just Don’t Fall (part of the Sweater Weather series) is really the first book in the Appies Hockey Romance series, you don’t have to read it in order to read A Groom of One’s Own, though I highly recommend it.

I can’t wait to read the next book in the series! I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author but also purchased a copy through Kindle Unlimited. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. ( )

A new sweet hockey romcom from Emma St. Clair, A Groom of One's Own is technically the third book featuring players from the Appies, a minor league hockey team in Harvest Hollow, North Carolina. I fell in love with Eli in this book - he was just the right blend of sweet, earnest, awkward, and protective. A perfect book boyfriend (or maybe book husband lol). I also really loved Bailey and related to her shyness with new people. The way they came together and complemented each other so well was wonderful. As a bonus, the side characters brought additional richness to the story, from Eli's family to his hockey team mates. This book is funny and sweet and well worth reading (maybe multiple times!). ( )