The Girlfriend Zone by Lauren Blakely | Audiobook Review • Ana's Attic Book Blog

The Girlfriend Zone (Love and Hockey Book 4) by Lauren Blakely

Narrated in duet by Jason Clarke and Samantha Brentmoor

Hockey Romance. Fourth in Series but Easily Stands Alone.

*I was given an early copy to review, but this does not affect my review in any way. There are Amazon affiliate links in this review.

Once again, Lauren Blakely has taken what I assumed was an overused trope and turned it into the perfect romance that made me swoon, smile, sweat, and sigh. I don’t usually seek out hockey romance, but if one of my favorite authors writes it, I’m all in. The Girlfriend Zone by Lauren Blakely delivered everything I hoped for and more. It’s the fourth book in the Love and Hockey Series, and while the romance stands alone beautifully, you’ll get more out of the experience if you read the series in order, since many characters from previous books make appearances.

Miles Falcon is getting a second shot at the NHL after recovering from a torn ACL and being cut from his team. The coach of the Sea Dogs saw something in him and gave him that second chance, and Miles feels he owes everything to him.

Miles’s grandmother owns a coffee shop, and when she sees the way her grandson is looking at the beautiful woman snapping photos for their social media, she decides to play matchmaker. One date later and sparks fly… until they realize she’s the coach’s daughter 😳. Yep, the same coach who saved Miles’s career.

“This is a massive line I can’t cross.”

For a year, they fight their feelings. But when Leighton takes a job photographing the Sea Dogs, keeping their distance becomes a lot harder, especially when memories of their incredible night together keep resurfacing. Things get even more complicated when Miles needs a pet sitter for a group of foster rescues, and Leighton ends up sleeping in his bed while he’s on the road. And yes, there’s a doggie cam 😉

“I’m about as successful in not touching you as I was at not looking at you,” I murmur.
She turns her gaze slightly, her hair falling as she looks at me. “I’ve noticed.”
My touch turns softer now, more teasing as I drag my fingers slowly down her leg once more. “You’re a little irresistible, Leighton.”
“And you really should resist me.”

One of my favorite things about The Girlfriend Zone by Lauren Blakely is just how completely gone Miles is for Leighton. He is obsessed in the best way. From the way he watches her, listens to her, protects her, and wants her, you can feel how deep it runs. He doesn’t just fall, he plummets headfirst into her orbit and never wants to leave.

Leighton has a condition that causes hearing loss and wears hearing aids. I loved this part of the story so much. Knowing that it was inspired by Lauren Blakely’s own experiences made it even more meaningful. She did a beautiful job showing what it’s like to live with an invisible illness that doesn’t define you but still impacts your daily life. It also makes this book stand out as more memorable than most.

Likes:

The first kiss…swooooonnnn…
Miles, and the way he treated her hearing loss.
Miles’s obsession with her, how completely he was all in.
The forbidden, age-gap, coach’s daughter setup added tension and angst.
They built a genuine friendship while pining for each other.
The communication and how he truly listened to her.
The hearing loss representation made the book stand out as more memorable and it was handled beautifully.
PUPPIES!
Amazing chemistry.

Dislikes:

I wish we learned more about her hearing loss. Some treatments, when it started, was she born with it and it got worse? I want more details.

The Narration:

Jason Clarke and Samantha Brentmoor in duet might be my favorite combo. In The Girlfriend Zone, they brought these characters to life in all the right ways. Samantha is easily the best narrator at doing sex scenes too. Lauren writes her books knowing the narrators in advance, and you can hear the difference. The voices are always SO PERFECT for the characters they play.

The Down & Dirty:

I’ve been reading Lauren Blakely for years, and she remains one of my forever faves. I’m not big on hockey romance (former figure skater here, and the smell of a hockey bag still haunts me), but the Love & Hockey series is absolutely one of my favorite series she’s written. The Girlfriend Zone was a fantastic addition, and I adored Miles and Leighton together, especially how Miles showed up for her in every way that mattered. He’s obsessed with her, devoted to her, and completely unable to hide how much she means to him. And that? That’s the good stuff.

The Girlfriend Zone is a total win—flirty, forbidden, and full of heart. Lauren Blakely delivers stellar hearing loss representation wrapped in a swoony hockey romance, all brought to life by Jason Clarke and Samantha Brentmoor’s pitch-perfect narration.