Review: Just One of the Boys by Leah and Kate Rooper

Posted October 13, 2017 by Lillian in Reviews / 0 Comments

I received this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Review: Just One of the Boys by Leah and Kate RooperJust One of the Boys by Leah and Kate Rooper
Published by Entangled: Teen on 2017-10-02
Length: 220 pages
Reviewing eARC from Netgalley
Rating:
Reading Challenges: 2017 New Release Challenge

Alice Bell has one goal: to play for the elite junior hockey team the Chicago Falcons. But when she’s passed over at tryouts for being a girl, she’ll do anything to make her dream a reality…even disguising herself as her twin brother. With her amazing skills on the ice, Alice is sure she’ll fit in easily. That is, until she starts falling for one of her teammates…

Hayden Tremblay, star of the Falcons, can’t keep himself out of the penalty box. Constantly living in the shadow of his older brother, Hayden’s losing his passion for hockey. But when he gets shown up on the ice by the Falcons’ new rookie, Hayden’s determined to teach the kid a thing or two. Little does he guess that “Al’s” surprises on the ice are just the beginning...

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush title proves that wonderful things can happen when you’re brave enough to go after your dream. Dream hockey player, that is! Warning--a few locker room scenes are included...

Ok…so here’s the deal. I’m the first one to admit that I don’t like YA contemporary. It’s not my favorite thing to read. HOWEVER every now and then a book crosses my radar that makes me question my dislike. Just One of the Boys by Leah and Kate Rooper is one of those books. It’s such a fun, cute read. Filled with humor, some steamy/angsty scenes, and a cast of characters that tug your heartstrings, Just One of the Boys is one of my favorite reads this year!

Alice Bell, or just Al to her teammates, has moved to the city of Chicago with her mom and twin brother and is so excited to be trying out for a Junior League hockey team. Al lives and breathes hockey, but when the coach passes her over for her brother simply because she’s a girl, she’s a little depressed and a lot angry. I can’t say I blame her there. Then her brother is injured and to keep his spot on the team, Al steps in and pretends to be him. Personally I found this aspect of the story slightly cliche. However it works and makes for a funny read. Al is a stubborn girl and looks enough like her brother to pass off being him. But their plan isn’t flawless. Neither Al nor her brother counted on Al’s attraction to the team’s star player.

Hayden Tremblay is the younger brother to a star NHL player and lives in his shadow. He’s angry and bitter most of the time but he has reason to be. He lost his parents in a car accident not even a year ago. Hayden tugs at my heartstrings almost immediately. He’s a lost boy in a man’s body. Losing a parent is like loosing part of your foundation, but Hayden lost both on one night. It’s like he’s a house built on sand. Hockey is all he has. He lets his aggression out on the ice and keeps himself closed off to everyone. Yet the new rookie breaches his walls and he finds himself with a new friend who understands him better than his own brother.

The story really revolves around Al and Hayden with the chapters alternating POV (which I loved!). It is about the relationship that builds between them and also Al’s deception. The characters are so well written that I fell right into their story and read it in one sitting. I loved reading the growth of the characters as Hayden learned to open up and Al learned that maybe their is more to life than just hockey. And if you are worried about the hockey, don’t be. I don’t watch hockey but found the way it was written into the story exciting. I couldn’t bring myself to set the book down once I started!

Overall, I really loved this book! It’s a sweet, funny read. Al is a fantastic character, even if a bit oblivious as her brother points out numerous times. If you enjoy contemporary YA romance, I highly recommend you grab a copy of this book. It does not disappoint!

About Leah and Kate Rooper

Leah and Kate Rooper are sisters from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Growing up beside the Pacific Ocean and inside a temperate rainforest fed their sense of adventure as children, and nourished a curiosity for strange and distant lands. They fed this curiosity with books - lots and lots of books. After experiencing the magic of Middle-earth, they began creating their own worlds. When they're not writing, Leah and Kate spend their time blogging and vlogging about their travel adventures and their writing journey.


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