The Hockey Situation by Lyra parish 

Hating Patterson Cross is easy. 
Keeping my hands off him? Not so much.

He’s my ex-fiancé’s identical twin brother, my father’s star hockey player, and the man I’ve despised for years. That’s three very logical reasons I shouldn’t ask Pattycakes to be my hookup for the season. But I recklessly do it anyway.
To my surprise, my biggest hater says yes.

We agree to keep it secret. Behind closed doors, I’m his. In public, nothing changes. It’s so much harder than it sounds. Because the more time I spend with Patterson, the more I realize hate was never the problem. It was just easier than admitting the truth.

My Review

I’m so thrilled to be reading this as an ARC reader for Lyra Parish and leaving an honest review. I was literally kicking my feet starting this one, I’ve loved a book in this series before even though I haven’t read them all yet.

Patterson is a member of the New York Angels. He’s cocky, annoying, and very used to getting his way, both with bets and with the team. But the coach’s daughter, Kendall, is a completely different challenge. I loved that we get his POV because Patty carries a lot of frustration toward her. Their positions put them into forced proximity and you just know something is going to happen.

Kendall is an artist who has worked hard to be known for more than just being the coach’s daughter. Her new position puts her in constant contact with the team, especially Patterson, who also happens to be her best friend’s brother. They also have history together, but you’ll have to read to find out exactly what.

There’s definitely a forbidden element here, mixed with a serious touch-her-and-die energy. They claim to hate each other but clearly can’t stop thinking about one another. All that built-up tension and sharp banter eventually turns into a benefits situation and it gets steamy. The chemistry is chef’s kiss.

I loved how this story leans into true enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and a messy second chance dynamic. The relationship is a slow burn and complicated, with plenty of sizzling moments, though I found myself enjoying the storyline even more than the spice.

Kendall’s artistry was really interesting and I wish we had gotten even more detail about it, along with Patterson’s hobbies. I especially liked the moments outside the house at the rink, the text conversations, and the small interactions that make you swoon.

Patterson is possessive, jealous, and emotionally overwhelmed, and when he falls, he falls hard. Kendall, on the other hand, is more open with her feelings and not afraid to act on them, as long as she isn’t misunderstood.

The secret and forbidden aspects eventually explode in a dramatic way and I kept wondering how they would handle the fallout. Thankfully they approach it with maturity. The restaurant scene was probably the most memorable moment for me, intense and unforgettable.

Once their relationship becomes public, everything changes and their private world is suddenly exposed. I really enjoyed the writing and the sneak peek into the next book, and now I’m excited for The Royal Situation. I definitely need to go back and read the rest of the interconnected standalones in this series.

This book has feel-good moments, angst-filled tension, and a love that fights the odds. Overall I’m giving it 4 stars because while I love this author’s writing, this one didn’t pull me in quite as strongly as others, and some of the nicknames didn’t quite land for me.

If you would like to read The Hockey Situation by Lyra Parish you can find this book on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn on qualifying purchases.

If you like this book you may also enjoy books in these tags and categories: Hockey, Enemies to Lovers, and Billionaire