By now, you guys know that I am a sucker for a good sports romance… And it is another book about a goalie… (There is a special place in my heart for goalies.) So when I learned that Jamie Streicher was the goalie of the team…. I knew I had to read it. Both Jamie Streicher and Pippa Hartley were all googly eyes for each other in high school but too bad neither of them knew it. (It is weird because I understand that as a kid in high school, there are things that you think you know based on what you see, but that doesn’t always mean that is what is actually happening.) Eight years later, when Jamie needs an assistant to help facilitate his life, who should show up but Pippa Hartley…. So how is this going to work out? SPOILERS AHEAD!

This is a grumpy-sunshine + forced proximity romance. That is right up my alley. Jamie Streicher requested a trade to Vancouver so he could be closer to his mother. It is his hometown but his main aim is to help his mother through her depression and panic attacks. (I too would be worried about my mom if I were thousands of miles away.) He doesn’t relationships and prefers to keep things casual but not for the reasons I originally thought…Which I thoroughly enjoyed. (I am glad when I can not predict what is going to happen next.) He has a lot of spinning plates with his new team, getting acclimated with teammates and coaches.. so there is no room for distractions.

Enter Pippa Hartley. Jamie gets in over his head when he finds a malnourished dog and is trying to figure out what to do with her but he doesn’t like the idea of leaving her at the pound. His coach asks if he needs help settling in because what the team can do is provide an assistant. He is at first against getting help from the team but he soon gets overwhelmed and concedes that he needs help. He was not prepared for the assist to be his high school crush.

Pippa is doing her best to get her life back together. She just broke with her long time boyfriend and is trying to land gig to keep her head above water. (Zack, Pippa’s ex, broke up with her on tour. He sent an assistant to send her a text her about being booted from the tour.) She knows that she’s going to be Jamie’s assistant beforehand but that doesn’t help her nerves. She hopes Jamie doesn’t remember her. High school was a while ago and they weren’t even in the same grade. I am wondering why people believe that people won’t remember. There is a lot of people remember. When Jamie opens the door… He is shocked to see her but he allows her to work. Since Jamie is not the best at communicating around Pippa so much of what he is thinking comes off as gruff/grouchiness… He tries to stay away from the house as much as possible. But in the end… He fires her. Not because she is doing a bad job… because he can’t deal with the attraction to Pippa.

Pippa who is reeling from being dumped at the airport through a text… She needs the money. She is living on her sister’s couch and her parents are pressuring her to get a stable job. Pippa is not going to allow Jamie to just fire her. Pippa is using this job as an opportunity to get at the Vancouver Storm offices. She shows back up to Jamie place pointing out that he is being a bit of a jerk and demands her job back which Jamie relents.

Jamie is so much softer than his grumpy exterior lets on, and Pippa has an undeniable talent that just needs a little support. Jamie tries to reel in his grumpiness and show his softer side. So soft that he asks (He really tells her that is what she needs to do.) Pippa to move in with him in his empty bedroom. Jamie really doesn’t take no for an answer. He does so after he learns the way her ex Zack broke up with her.

Jamie and Pippa start helping each other out. Jamie starts encouraging Pippa to play music again and open herself back up. I know that can be hard going… he likens it to playing hockey which I understood. Jamie points out that the best way to get over the fear and anxiety is to get back out on the ice… so to speak… Pippa starts out only playing her guitar for Jamie. Jamie allows himself to relax with his mother.

Speaking of his mother, Jamie’s mother doesn’t think she needs help with her anxiety and depression which sets Jamie on edge. For some reason, he believes that if he uproots his life for her but she lies to him about the anxiety that she is dealing with… and Jamie is at a loss for how to deal with it. Although Pippa doesn’t seem put off by it.

I would give this book a 5/5. It is the first grumpy sunshine that I haven’t felt the grumpy is more asshole. I was pulling for the characters to get together. Their sense of worrying if they had scared the other off but I was here for it. Especially when it was revealed that Pippa was having trouble with the Big O. The story was handled well and I appreciated it.