Checking It Twice

Must Love Hockey, Book 3

De: Kendall Ryan

Narrado por: Grayson Owens, Rose Dioro

Fake dating a hockey player for Christmas wasn’t on my bingo card.

Clare Johnson’s job is handling PR for the Dallas Stampede—not getting tangled up with one of the players. But when Mitchell Drake—charming forward, fan favorite, and very off-limits—asks her to pose as his girlfriend for one week in small-town Minnesota, she reluctantly agrees. What’s the worst that could happen?

Mitchell’s had six months to get over his very public broken engagement, and his family is done waiting. The last thing he needs is pitying smiles and whispered gossip. Clare is smart, sharp, and strong enough to hold her own with both fans and family—the perfect fake girlfriend.

But holiday lights and snowy nights have a way of blurring the line between pretend and real. Clare fits too easily into his world—bonding with his grandma, winning at pond hockey, and looking unfairly good in his flannel. The more time they spend together, the less fake it feels.

Full of small-town holiday magic, meddling relatives, and sizzling chemistry, Checking It Twice is a hockey romance about second chances and falling in love when you least expect it. Perfect for fans of fake dating, one-bed tension, forced proximity, and happily-ever-afters wrapped in Christmas lights.

Because sometimes the best gifts aren’t under the tree—they’re standing right in front of you.

©2025 Kendall Ryan (P)2025 Dreamscape Media

Claire-bear and Mitchie

This is a wonderful fake dating turned real story. Mitch is a hockey player and Claire is the PR person fir the team. Mitch asks Claire to go home with him for Christmas so his family won't be after him to date. Mitch and Claire fit together so well but what will happen when they go back to work? I really liked this story and the narration.

Clare and Mitchell

Really good narration.

Mitch and Clare.

Clare is the PR person for Mitch's NHL team. She had one bad relationship with a hockey player, so she's sworn off for the foreseeable future.

Mitch's ex left him for his best friend six months ago. They weren't right for each other, but it still hurts him. He's also been crushing on Clare for a while. When he asks her to be his fake girlfriend when he goes home for the holidays, they get into a little forced proximity, only one TWIN bed kind of thing where they really get to know one another.

Clare doesn't trust her feelings, and Mitch isn't sure he's ready for something as serious as this feels. But don't they deserve to give happiness a shot?

Pretty slow burn, low drama, low angst. I loved Mitch's family and the other hockey guys.

Sweet Scale: 5/5
Spicy Scale: 3/5

A perfect heartfelt holiday romance!

"Checking It Twice" by Kendall Ryan is a cozy holiday romance that blends humor, steamy chemistry, and heartfelt emotion as a strong heroine navigates complicated feelings and family ties during the festive season; well-paced with engaging dialogue and likable, well-developed characters, it’s a charming, feel-good read for fans of contemporary romantic Christmas stories.