Author: Becka Mack
Series: Playing for Keeps Series book #3
Category: Sports Romance
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
"'You know, Rosie. I wasn't having the best day when I ran into you. Or rather, when my dog tackled you to the ground. Maybe he knew what he was doing, though. Because my day got a hundred times better after you fell into it.'" - Adam
Two awkward souls finding their person...count me in!
Rosie and Adam may be the sweetest couple in existence, but throw in a 101 Dalmatians meet-cute and two very adorable dogs and you've got a sugary sweet romance that only gets better the more they let their guard down and fall in love.
"'You're not my first choice, Rosie. You're the only goddamn option.'" - Adam
Although Adam was a serial dater, he was looking for the right woman who wanted him for himself, not his profession. He was on the border of desperation when he met Rosie, convinced that the one for him may not be out there and I understood his hesitation to be completely honest with her from the beginning. Unfortunately, Adam realized too late that a relationship built on half-truths isn't a very steady one. The character really had to look at himself and his own selfish actions before he was able to open up.
"I want something. I want to be needed. Appreciated. Loved. No, I don't just want it. I fucking crave it." - Adam
Rosie was a kindhearted disaster on wheels, with so much on her plate and not enough resources or bandwidth to deal with it all. She really was the perfect person for Adam because she was able to give him the satisfaction of being the center of someone's world and solving all of their problems.
I loved how relatable Rosie was with her insecurities and genuine doubts. She had so many positive affirmations to remind herself of her own worth but the struggle she still had was very real. Rosie's life had not been an easy one, but regardless of the hurdles, she still pushed forward.
"'Beautiful isn't enough Rosie. You're fucking immaculate.'
And here's the most incredible thing: I believed him."
Despite their normally timid behavior when interacting with each other, the spice in this book ramps up. Adam is a secret dirty talker and constantly shows Rosie how much he cherishes and wants her. He is one part awkward man trying to impress and one part ladies man when he throws off his fears of not being good enough.
This is the third book in the series and while it can be read as a stand-alone, there are multiple characters from the first two books in the series that make an appearance. I'll be honest in that I didn't care for either of the other books due to the tropes used (OW drama, reformed manwhore, etc.) but in this book and as reflected in my review, these characters were much more tolerable and downright funny.
Unravel Me has all the angst and highs and lows that make a book great. There was enough humor to break up the drama, and in the end, I was rooting for both Rosie and Adam to find a way past their insecurities and secrets so they could be the family that each of them was desperate to have.
Tropes and Themes: Sports Romance, Hockey Romance, Meet-Cute, Single Mom.
Blurb
Golden boy. Notorious serial dater. The NHL’s most eligible bachelor.
That’s what the headlines say about me, at least. I wish I could say they’re not accurate, but truthfully? I don’t even know who I am anymore.
Between a soul-crushing ex-girlfriend and a never-ending queue of dates gone wrong, one thing has become glaringly obvious: I don’t want to be Adam Lockwood.
So when my dog decides to play matchmaker, taking down a sweet little thing with rose gold waves, brilliant green eyes, and a smile for days, I can’t believe my luck that she doesn’t have a clue who I am. I know I should tell her, but for once in my life someone sees the man behind the goalie mask.
Rosie gives me all of her–her heartache, her laughter, and her son. But me? I’m holding on a little too tightly to the pieces I’m scared to give up, the pieces she might not like.
One small lie becomes a secret hanging above my head, but what if there’s another one hiding right around the corner?
Suddenly, my deepest desire becomes my biggest fear.
I’m terrified she’s going to unravel me.
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