It’s official: Winter has arrived. The snow is falling, the air is frigid, and hockey season is in full swing. When the winter months roll around, there’s something comforting about reading romance that helps to ease the chill in your bones. And what better type of romance for this cozy season than the insanely popular subgenre of hockey romance.
If you’re not already aware, the category of hockey romance has taken on a life of its own via social media, with new additions to the genre being published every year. Among this years’ abundance of offerings is Helena Hunting’s If You Need Me, the third installment in her Toronto Terror series.
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Having previously penned the entire Pucked series, Hunting is no stranger to steamy hockey romance, and her fictional Toronto Terror team’s shenanigans are a source of swoon-worthy entertainment for all.
Thank you to Good Girls PR and Ink & Cupcakes Ink for a copy of the novel
If You Need Me: Plot & Major Players
As the third installment, If You Need Me brings previous supporting characters Wilhelmina “Hemi” Reddi-Grinst and Dallas Bright to center stage. As PR for the Toronto Terror, Hemi has no choice but to spend her days running into childhood nemesis and star forward for the team Dallas Bright. A years-long grudge has caused Hemi to spend her days cooking up ways to make Dallas’ life as difficult as possible.
But after he steps in to save her in a pinch, Dallas makes a drunken mistake that will force them together in ways he could only have dreamed of. And Hemi is about to realize that maybe her hate for Dallas has been more one-sided than she originally believed. Now they’re stuck posing as a couple, and things are about to get a whole lot hotter between these former enemies.
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With the previous two entries in the Toronto Terror series (If You Hate Me & If You Want Me) having laid the groundwork for the cast of characters and relationships in the series, If You Need Me hops right into the action, which is always appreciated with a fun sports romance read.
Hemi’s strong but sweet personality shines through in the novel, and her character is given the opportunity to tackle genuine childhood trauma, self-esteem issues, and insecurities that make her an incredibly relatable heroine for the story.
Dallas meanwhile gets the opportunity to air all of the feelings he’s had about Hemi for years and has been tamping down for fear of scaring her off. He’s both confident and self-effacing, loyal to the core, and an observant and supportive match for her.
Having previously read the entire Pucked series, it’s safe to say I’m a fan of Hunting’s writing and the banter between her characters, and I’d say that the Terror series feels even more fleshed out than her previous work.
Sports romance is a massive subgenre, and oftentimes one blends into the next. What makes the Toronto Terror stand out is the relationships between the characters and the individuality of each member of the group that we’re introduced to. Add a hefty dash of spice to the mix and you’ve got a recipe for a memorable series that fans of the genre will flock to.
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Final Thoughts
With romance being the juggernaut genre that it is, the holiday season feels like the perfect time to pick up a steamy hockey read for those cold winter nights. If You Need Me packs just the right amount of fun and cozy for the sports romance lovers of the reading world.
If you’re intrigued by Helena Hunting’s other work, be sure to check out the first two entries in the Toronto Terror series. Luckily, we won’t have to wait long! The fourth installment in the series, If You Love Me, is set to be published in March of 2025. More laughs, more love, and more hockey guys to fall for are on their way!
*Disclosure: We only recommend books that we love and would read ourselves. This post contains affiliate links, as we are part of the Amazon Services LCC Associate Program and others, which may earn us a small commission, at no additional cost to you.
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