The Boyfriend Goal by Lauren Blakely

Narrated by Erin Mallon and Connor Crais

First Standalone in a Related Series

I don’t know how Lauren Blakely does it. She writes more books than anyone I know, and every single one is a hit. I took a little break to explore other authors, but coming back to her stories reminded me why she’s been a favorite of mine for almost 10 years. The Boyfriend Goal by Lauren Blakely kicks off a new hockey romance series, and while it stands alone just fine, I’m already eager for the next book.

The story follows Josie, a librarian who just lost her beloved aunt. With library jobs being so rare, she’s lucky to snag a three-month gig in San Francisco, where her brother plays hockey. But things start off with a bang when she gets locked out of her friend’s place in her pajamas.

While trying to get back inside, she runs into Wesley, a hot and super nice guy who steps in to help — and their instant spark leads to a one-night fling. They agree to keep it to that one night, no last names, no numbers, but they both kind of regret that part as soon as they part ways.

When Josie’s housing falls through, her brother, the team captain, asks around for a spare room, and guess who offers one? Yep, Wesley! Now they’re living together, trying to fight their crazy attraction, and dealing with the fact that her brother is his captain. But, of course, they can’t stay away from each other.

“I don’t feel like a dirty secret.,” she says, curling a fist around my shirt. “But you should keep fucking me dirty in secret.”

Josie is also working through a bucket list her aunt left her, and Wesley is right there with her, being sweet and supportive. I loved how he’s dyslexic but totally gets the value of a library. Plus, he’s the perfect mix of dirty and demanding, steamy and sweet — an absolute dream guy!

Likes:

I loved both main characters.
The perfect amount of hot sex to story.
Made me smile and feel good.
Just enough angst.
Likable side characters.
The dyslexia.
How the value of libraries is depicted.

Dislikes:

There are so many hockey romances, I’m not sure this stood out as memorable.

The Narration:

Erin Mallon is my favorite. She and Connor Crais were explosive in this duet narration. Lauren writes her books knowing the narrators in advance and writes FOR them, making the narration so much better. I always love a Lauren Blakely audiobook.

The Down & Dirty:

Lauren Blakely never disappoints. I’m not a hockey romance lover, but I knew Lauren would make me love any romance she writes, and of course, I was correct. The librarian and a hockey player worked so well together, and I loved how his dyslexia just tied it together beautifully. I loved The Boyfriend Goal by Lauren Blakely, and I can’t wait for the next in the series, The Romance Line.