Canadian Boyfriend

By: Jenny Holiday

Narrated by: Joshua Jackson, Emily Ellet

Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

READ BY JOSHUA JACKSON AND EMILY ELLET! Fate brings together a ballet teacher and a hockey player in this big-hearted novel about second chances and taking risks by the bestselling author Entertainment Weekly calls the “master of witty banter.”

Once upon a time teenage Aurora Evans met a hockey player at the Mall of America. He was from Canada. And soon, he was the perfect fake boyfriend, a get-out-of-jail-free card for all kinds of sticky situations. I can't go to prom. I'm going to be visiting my boyfriend in Canada. He was just what she needed to cover her social awkwardness. He never had to know. It wasn't like she was ever going to see him again...

Years later, Aurora is teaching kids’ dance classes and battling panic and eating disorders—souvenirs from her failed ballet career—when pro hockey player Mike Martin walks in with his daughter. Mike’s honesty about his struggles with widowhood helps Aurora confront some of her own demons, and the two forge an unlikely friendship. There’s just one problem: Mike is the boy she spent years pretending was her “Canadian boyfriend.”

The longer she keeps her secret, the more she knows it will shatter the trust between them. But to have the life she wants, she needs to tackle the most important thing of all—believing in herself.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2024 Jenny Holiday (P)2024 Forever

Critic reviews

“A heartwarming, healing, romcom worth staying up late to finish.”—Abby Jimenez, New York Times bestselling author

"Heartwarming, engaging... the witty banter and outrageous situations keep the tone upbeat even as characters face challenging situations."—Library Journal

"Readers looking for emotionally intelligent romance will want to snap this up."—Publishers Weekly

Worth the Listen

I bought this 100% because Joshua Jackson narrates it. He is just so dang easy to listen to. The female narrator was good too.

The story was pretty good, though a little predictable. But still satisfying.

I loved the story and the two narrators

excellent story! it was just joyful to read. the two narrators made it like listening to a movie or show. the story is unique

Excellent narration

I won’t lie, I bought this book because Joshua Jackson was narrating, and who doesn’t want to hear Joshua Jackson narrating a romance novel? The book itself won me over with characters that felt real with real problems and flaws, and a story about finding your way through life’s hardships to find who you were meant to be. Mike Martin’s journey was heartfelt and felt like a real representation of grief, as well as including surprisingly emotionally intelligent breakthroughs that help him grow in empathy, and Aurora’s self discovery was satisfying and relatable. The narration was divine, as expected. Emily Ellet had the challenge of voicing many female characters and managed to make them all feel lived in and unique. And Joshua Jackson has an immense talent for making every thought, feeling, and piece of dialogue for Mike Martin feel natural, like you are really in his head. It cannot be overstated how much he brings to the table with his read. Highly recommend!

Absolutely Adorable!

This was so great! I’m currently in my “Hockey Romance Era” and I loved this! The story is well-developed and sweet. I never felt bored and was SO sad that it ended! I wanted more!

The MMC is amazing and the voice acting by JJ was top notch. It legitimately makes all of the other voice acting I’m used to listening to pale in comparison. I was really impressed. The FMC was great too. I appreciated the banter between the two characters with the dual narration. So perfect.

This isn’t fully closed door, but close, so if you’re looking for spice, this isn’t it. The author does an excellent job at putting that attraction there, but this book is about the relationship, not the sexual tension, which I appreciated. (There is still sex though.)

All in all would highly recommend. So adorable and what a great listen!

A Cute Romance

This story is such a cute romance. Don't get me wrong, there are a couple triggers; there's death of a mother, and the FMC deals with body issues and eating disorder recovery. But overall, I highly recommend this book. At the age of 16, the FMC meets a young hockey player and develops a crush. They don't see each other after that one meeting though. Years later, while teaching dance class, she finds out that that young hockey player is now the father of one of her students. The problem is, he doesn't remember her.

Finding love through grief

There is nothing more beautiful than being able to find love again when you lose your spouse in a tragic accident at a young age. This book had me sobbing the entire time. You can feel every emotion with the characters. I love the ending so much.

This was sweet

I jumped to grab the audiobook once I saw Joshua Jackson was a narrator. He’s definitely a new favorite!

I didn’t always live the fake boyfriend angle, honestly I think it would’ve been good without it, but I still thoroughly enjoyed Aurora and Mike’s story!

Yes to Joshua Jackson!

Overall cute story. But Joshua Jackson’s narration (excuse me, voice) saved this one for me

Joshua Jackson!!!!!!

I'd listen to that man read the phone book!!! The story was so well written and an excellent read. I will be looking for more from this author for sure.

Cute story!

Who do I write a letter to to get Joshua Jackson to narrate more books? This book was cute, typical contemporary romance and a solid 3.5 stars but the narration from Joshua Jackson literally bumps it a whole star. He was just a wonderful voice for Mike Martin and I enjoyed it so much. I liked how earned their love story felt, with the heavy focus on mental health and how to navigate grief and loss, it all aspects, not just the actual loss of a loved one, but loss of innocence/loss of your childhood. Just a sweet book.

This audiobook is also a duet style!!! I wish every romance novel did them like this, it’s so much more enjoyable when the male narrator does all the speaking parts even if it’s not their POV and vice versa. I was so pleasantly surprised when this one started and it was duet style.