There are only two things I’ve ever truly wanted in my life. To be a goalie in the NHL and JJ Hanson.
In a twisted way, both dreams have come true. Rather than a spot on the roster though, I’m now the first female goalie coach in the NHL. JJ Hanson’s coach, specifically.
Not only is he one of my players—making him totally off limits—he’s also a single dad and still technically married. Oh, and thanks to my father’s meddling, he’s now my roommate, along with his cousin and her three kids, my sister and her four-year-old twins, my cousin, and JJ’s daughter, who I unfortunately adore.
Yup, I’m living with six kids under the age of five, and the only man I’ve ever loved.
There was a time when JJ was my closest friend, and for one perfect moment, he was mine. Now we don’t even talk. JJ is determined to change that, though, and when opportunity strikes and suddenly both of my dreams are within reach, I have to make a decision. Can I step out onto that ice as the first female goalie in the NHL and trust JJ with my heart?
I’ve never been one to walk away from a challenge. Maybe the only way JJ and I can move forward is to go back to the start.
(ARC Read)
Brittanée Nicole took all the yearning, heartbreak, missed timing, and second-chance angst imaginable and somehow turned it into a story that felt painfully real and incredibly hopeful at the same time. JJ and Addie’s relationship wasn’t perfect or easy, and honestly? That’s what made it all so worth it. Their love story was messy, emotional, frustrating, tender, and so deeply rooted in friendship that every single moment between them carried weight.
“Family is not who you are born into; family is who shows up.”
The dual timeline worked so well here because you truly got to see how everything unraveled between them. Watching teenage Addie and JJ fall in love while simultaneously seeing the adults they became years later? Brutal, but it made sense. There’s so much miscommunication and terrible timing that had me wanting to shake both of them at points, but it also made their story feel authentic. These were two people who loved each other fiercely and still managed to hurt each other because life got in the way before they were emotionally ready to handle it.
“I’m sorry if your life with Tabitha didn’t pan out like you hoped, but don’t I deserve to find someone too? Or am I just supposed to sit here and watch from the sidelines again? I already have to do that as your coach. Don’t ask me to do that in any other facet of my life.”
Addie Langfield completely owned this book for me. She’s strong without ever losing her softness, ambitious without apology, and the way she continues pushing forward in such a male-dominated space made me love her even more. Becoming the first female goalie coach in the NHL while coaching the man she’s been in love with for years? The pressure alone would’ve broken most people, but Addie keeps showing up again and again. I loved seeing her fight for herself, even when her heart was still tangled up in JJ.
And JJ Hanson… this man stressed me out and made me swoon at the exact same time. He’s flawed. So flawed. His indecisiveness in the flashbacks hurt my soul sometimes, but the older version of JJ? Completely gone for Addie. The yearning radiating off this man could power a city. He was possessive in that quiet, emotional way that somehow made everything worse and hotter at the same time. The fact that he was the only one allowed to call her Adeline? Yeah. Inject that directly into my veins. But more than anything, I loved how loudly he supported her. Even when her success threatened his own position, he never once tried to dim her shine. He celebrated her talent, defended her against the idiots around him, and loved her in a way that felt deeply selfless.
“But Adeline, that’s mine.” It’s desperately ridiculous to claim a goddamn name. Her name. But I do it anyway.
And when these two finally broke down and gave in to each other? EXPLOSIVE. The slow burn and emotional repression throughout this book made those intimate scenes feel absolutely massive when they finally happened. It never felt like spice just thrown in for shock value either—every moment between them carried years of longing, frustration, heartbreak, friendship, and unresolved feelings. By the time JJ and Addie stopped fighting themselves, it felt inevitable in the most emotionally satisfying way possible.
I slap a hand over my bare cunt. “On your knees.”
Without hesitation, he goes down, hitting the floor with a thud.
I’m giddy with power. Turned on over the control.
Those stunning blue eyes of his lift to mine. “Now what?”
I bite my lip, a thrill zipping up my spine. He’d do anything I ask right now. Anything at all.
“Crawl.”
What made those scenes so good was how emotionally charged they were. JJ wasn’t just physically obsessed with Addie, he was consumed by her. Every touch, every kiss, every moment felt desperate, possessive, relieved, and emotional all at once. This man spent YEARS acting like Addie hung the moon, so naturally the second he finally got her back he completely unraveled. And honestly? The payoff was worth every second of the angst and yearning that came before it.
“Our relationship can’t be defined by any one thing, because you are everything to me. You’re the person I want to spend my time with. Compete with. You make me better. You make me laugh. You make me happier than anything else ever has. You also annoy the hell out of me.”
The family dynamics in this book were everything. The Brownstone chaos with approximately seventeen tiny children running around added so much warmth and humor to an otherwise emotional story. Avery absolutely stole every single scene she was in. Her relationship with Addie melted me completely, and JJ being such a devoted father made his character impossible not to love. The found family aspect of this universe continues to be one of Brittanée Nicole’s greatest strengths. Every cameo felt like coming home.
“Make sure you kick some hockey boy butt tomorrow,” Avery mumbles.
Adeline’s responding laugh is light. “I’ll try.”
“But go easy on my dad.” Another yawn. “He’s not as tough as he looks.”
Also… the hockey? ELITE. There is actual hockey in this hockey romance, and I loved every second of it. Addie stepping onto NHL ice as a goalie coach felt monumental, and Brittanée made those moments feel exciting, emotional, and empowering all at once.
This book hurt. It healed. It made me angry. It made me emotional. It made me feral over tiny little moments and lines of dialogue. And somehow through all the heartbreak, it still felt incredibly hopeful. Paper Rings is full of longing, forgiveness, emotional healing, family chaos, and a love story that never truly let go of either of them.
Five stars isn’t enough. What the duck, Brittanée Nicole.
Release Date: June 2nd, 20206
Thank you to Brittanée Nicole and The Author Agency for the ARC read!