Book Review: Tempting The Goalie By R.C. Stephens

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✨ Thank you to R.C. Stephens for the ARC! I was so excited to dive into another Riverside U hockey romance, and this one did not disappoint.

⭐ My Thoughts

This book is a friends-to-lovers, fake-dating, hockey romance packed with tension, spice, and the kind of emotional pull that keeps you flipping the pages.

We follow Luc Chabot, Riverside U’s goalie, who has always been the player—cocky, reckless, and allergic to relationships. When a compromising video threatens his future in the NHL, his only hope of saving his reputation is asking his best friend Isabelle “Izzy” Thorne to be his fake girlfriend.

The twist? Izzy has just had her heart broken by her famous hockey-player boyfriend and knows Luc is dangerous territory—because the chemistry between them has always been simmering under the surface. What starts as a fake relationship for the cameras quickly spirals into very real late-night confessions, blurred boundaries, and undeniable passion.

💡 Review

R.C. Stephens did a great job balancing spice with heart here.

  1. Character Growth: Luc could have easily been written as the stereotypical manwhore, but we see his vulnerabilities—his fears about love, his devotion to family, and how deeply he cares for Izzy. Izzy, meanwhile, blossoms from someone settling for “good enough” into a woman who demands passion and honesty.
  2. Tropes I Loved:
  3. Fake dating ➝ real feelings
  4. Best friends to lovers
  5. Sports romance with high stakes (NHL scouts, Frozen Four!)
  6. Found family & sibling dynamics

  8. Spice Factor: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (open-door, playful, and plenty of tension-filled moments leading up to the payoff).

At its core, this book is about taking risks on love, even when it feels scary. It’s messy, emotional, and swoony in all the best ways.

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