Book Review
Slap Shot Surprise is a deliciously humorous, heartwarming and hopeful romance! Melanie Harlow shines in this charming fifth installment in the Cherry Tree Harbor series and it was so easy to fall in love with Joe and Mabel. Harlow swiftly hooks the reader from page one and keeps them enchanted to the end. Harlow's writing is extremely engageable, her tone is familiar and conversational, and her characters feel like friends. Harlow is one of those contemporary authors I know I will get lost in her pages and devour her story in one sitting and Slap Shot Surprise was exactly that!
Joe and Mabel are two opposites attracted characters and their romance is gentle and beautiful and I adored every moment of their love story. This hockey and small town mash up is picture perfect and the gentle and beautiful way this one night stand, accidental pregnancy romance builds left me with a smile on my face and warmth in my heart. Mabel and Joe together have a sizzling chemistry, they are both strong supporters and advocators for the other, and watching them easily fall in love is something that dreams are made of. Harlow has a way of using intimacy to her advantage, showing moments of growth and trust in the couple, and Joe and Mabel absolutely sizzle together. Joe, while he claims he does not want a serious relationship, becomes the perfect partner for Mabel and even though they are not always in the same room and much of this novel they are apart, Harlow creates a beautiful intimacy between them that is wholeheartedly believable. Joe romances Mabel through the way he cares for her and their growing child, he shows her he trusts her and supports her dreams. Mabel is also a strong advocate for Joe, learning what he loves most and embracing who he is because of this. These two are not alone in their journey, they are both surrounded by large and loving family and friends who are perfect support systems and soft places to land.
Absolutely do yourself a favor and pick up this beautiful romance by Melanie Harlow, it is sure to charm any lover of her works as well as anyone looking to get lost in the pages of a gentle romance. This novel is easily read as a standalone and it is the perfect time of year to pick up this cozy, hockey, opposites attract, surprise pregnancy romance!
Thank you so much to Melanie Harlow and her team for an eARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
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