The Boyfriend Goal

Love and Hockey, Book 1

De: Lauren Blakely

Narrado por: Erin Mallon, Connor Crais

Performed with duet narration by Connor Crais and Erin Mallon!

A forbidden romance with my brother’s hockey teammate wasn’t on my to-do list when I moved across the country…

Neither was getting locked out of a friend’s place wearing next to nothing.

Or spending the night with the sexy stranger who rescues me.

But I’m trying to get out of my comfort zone so getting out of the rest of my clothes with him seems like a good way to start.

In the morning, I learn the filthy-mouthed man with the talented hands is not only the hotshot new hockey player on my brother’s team: he’s also–wait for it–my brand new roommate.

I’m a good student turned good librarian. A rule-follower. I’m not the kind of girl who does complicated flings. So we agree to another rule: friends-only.

It’s not easy though. Wes is bossy, flirty and generous.

He gives me rides to work.

Pitches in at my library’s fundraiser.

Takes care of me when I get hurt.

And looks at me like I’m the only one.

Soon, I’m falling hard for my brother’s teammate.

Especially when Wes comes to my door and tells me exactly how he’d like to break our rules.

Every single one.

©2024 Lauren Blakely Books (P)2024 Lauren Blakely Books

One of the best Blakely books ever

I loved this story! Wesley and Josie were perfect together. It was all at once a funny, at times emotional, spicy and sweet listen. I’m not sure I’ll ever get over chapter 30! Connor Crais needs to come with a warning label! Great book, as expected from Lauren, and a definite recommendation.

Loved!

Good story. Good spice. FANTASTIC narration. Conner Crais voice is so dreamy and sexy. I thoroughly enjoyed this listen! 10/10 would recommend

I'm here for LBs Hockey Era

The Boyfriend Goal

I am here for Lauren Blakely in her hockey era! Her books are normally the perfect mix of RomCom and Spicy, but add hockey into it??? SOLD! I really related to the character of Josie and her personal goal to move out of her comfort zone. I kind of loved that she was a book loving librarian as well. Totally opposite from Wes, the new guy in town and plays on the same NHL team as Josies brother. Their meet cute was so…well just cute. From the moment they met, they had undeniable chemistry. When they found out about the brother of it all, they decide to just be friends, but when does that ever work out? Especially when there is already a spark. He very clearly fell first, and he fell HARD. I loved that he wanted to tell the world and tell her brother, but she was the one who kept insisting they are just friends. While Josie and her bucket list and coming out of her shell becomes the main focus of the book, that does not mean Wes is without his own issues. He is managed by his father that keeps him on an extremely strict diet and exercise plan to keep him in top playing shape. To the point where he feels guilty by eating off his plan, it did not seem healthy even for someone like him. He also admits to having dyslexia a reading disorder, and I commend Lauren for being very careful with how she said and portrayed this in him. I did feel that some things felt very last minute added or rushed. I wanted a little more argument with the brother and push back from the dad.

This story was narrated in duet style by Connor Crais and Erin Mallon. I thought they both did very well not only playing off each other but really bring the important vulnerable parts of the characters to life.

The librarian and the hockey player!

When Josie moves to San Francisco to accept a temporary position as a librarian, she thinks everything is going her way, until it isn’t. Kicked out of her short term rental and desperate for a place to live, she moves into the bedroom under the stairs in Wes, one of her brother’s friends, apartment. And what could go wrong living with a sexy, kind and generous hockey player…?

Love this one!

I loved Wes and Josie! The banter and growth was awesome! Narration was spot on!

Unexpected Roommates Find Their Perfectly Imperfect Match

After binging a stack of holiday novellas, I was craving a good hockey romance to shake things up—and The Boyfriend Goal hit the spot perfectly. Lauren Blakely delivers a fun, emotional, and steamy read that had me hooked from start to finish.

🚨 Light spoilers ahead! If you’d rather dive in spoiler-free, skip to the end for my overall thoughts.

The Setup

Josie moves to San Francisco for a three-month contract helping a local library improve its digital presence. She’s excited to be closer to her brother, a hockey player for the city’s NHL team, but when her rental falls through, she’s in a bind. Her brother enlists a teammate, Wesley, to offer up his spare room.

The twist? Josie and Wesley already met…briefly…when she disappeared after a one-night hookup. Awkward! Determined to keep things platonic, they settle into a roommate routine. But as their chemistry simmers, it’s clear there’s more to their connection than either of them planned.

What Makes This Book Shine
1. An Emotional Core with Depth
While the premise feels lighthearted, Josie’s journey through grief gives this story real emotional weight. After her aunt’s passing, Josie is determined to complete a list of 10 life experiences her aunt cherished. With Wesley’s support, she steps out of her comfort zone and begins to heal. Their growing relationship is beautifully intertwined with this process, making the romance feel meaningful and grounded.

This hit close to home for me, and I loved how Blakely handled grief with authenticity and heart.
2. Chemistry + Spice = Perfection
Let’s talk about the spice—chef’s kiss. It’s steamy, fun, and incredibly well-written. The intimacy feels natural and adds to their bond without overshadowing the story. A definite 5/5 for heat.
3. Refreshing Stakes and Dynamics
Blakely sidesteps the typical possessive sibling trope. While Josie’s brother is initially surprised about her relationship with Wesley, he handles it with maturity, respecting her autonomy. This realistic approach was so refreshing—it felt like a victory for adult communication in romance.
4. Authentic Representation
I also appreciated the thoughtful inclusion of Wesley’s dyslexia. It’s handled with care, adding depth to his character without feeling forced or overly preachy. Representation like this is a win.

Final Thoughts

I went in expecting a light, fluffy read, but The Boyfriend Goal delivered so much more. From the emotional undertones to the sizzling romance, it’s a delightful mix of heart, humor, and heat.

⭐ Spice Rating: 5/5
⭐ Overall Rating: 4.5/5

This book is a must-read for hockey romance fans or anyone craving a sweet, sexy story with depth. I can’t wait to dive into more of Lauren Blakely’s books—and I’m already eyeing the rest of the series!

Perfect For Readers Who:
• Love sports romances
• Enjoy emotionally grounded stories with character growth
• Appreciate a balance of spice and heart
• Want a refreshing take on romantic and familial dynamics

Wesley is the perfect book BF 😍

This book was so cute! 🥰🥰🥰

WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD!

Wesley was the perfect book BF. It made it even better that Connor Crais was the narrator (he can read me my taxes and I would fall in love!). Josie was an amazing FL and I love how she was strong but also wanted to find love and didn’t let stupid things get in the way like other stories. Erin did an amazing job as her voice! Also the focus wasn’t so much on how much money he makes. This story was the perfect one night stand to roomies to lovers without a huge breakup and not a lot of drama. They had such cute dates and a connection through the list. And the spice, duet narration during the spicy scenes were top tier!!! 🔥🔥🔥

I also loved the tie in with the library, love of pets and volunteering, and dyslexia. Done very well and the Dear Listener chapter was great to hear, especially that Lauren Blakey took the time to do extensive research. Can’t wait for the next books!

Chick flick in a book

Cute love story book with a lot of spice! Enjoyed the cast and once again Lauren blakely didn’t disappoint!

Westley & Josie....delicious!

Lauren Blakely's newest Hockey Romance, The Boyfriend Goal is sooo good, I loved it!! Wesley and Josie are fun with s*xy and steamy banter. Wesley is such a dirty talker and a member of the Sea Dogs Hockey team. I think Wesley ranks in Lauren's top 3 of dirtiest talkers. Josie moves to town for a temporary job with the intention of completing a "List" of things to do from her Aunt Greita. Through a string of events Josie needs a place to stay and her brother (member of Sea Dogs) being the helpful brother that he is found a teammate to help Josie out. Here is where the good stuff begins between Josie and Wesley. The Boyfriend Goal has ALL the feels. Will Wesley and Josie find the balance they both want and/or need between both of their work and personal lives? I love Lauren's writing style, always have, because her characters are so real, lovable, a bit stubborn at times, and just downright fun! Lauren is so very talented when it comes to writing steamy between-the-sheets scenes and wow does she bring the steam in The Boyfriend Goal! Erin Mallon and Connor Crais bring Josie and Wesley to life in your ears. Both narrators are so talented when portraying characters they bring all the feels especially those between-the-sheets scenes, 5 jalapenos steamy.

Cute

The lovely @laurenblakelybooks sent me the second book in this series to review as an ARC, so naturally I had to read the first one, The Boyfriend Goal, first. I really enjoyed this story. We know I LOVE a good hockey romance. I will say that this story hardly has any time where the player is actually on the ice. So if that’s something you want, you’ll be disappointed. I didn’t feel like it was missing from the story, I just would have liked to see more of it. But, I appreciated how the characters had to come to terms with themselves and what they wanted out of life. It didn’t feel quite as stereotypical as some other sports romances that I have read. Though the plotline may have been a little bit predictable in the sense of

*SPOILER*
ONS, meeting again, avoid romance, inevitably have romance, inevitably break up, inevitably reunite.
*END SPOILER*

That being said, I thought it was sweet. They were thoughtful. The FMC represented the craziness of assumptions and thoughts that I find myself having. I did think the very ending was a tad bit rushed. Otherwise, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️! I look forward to the next one 😊