Heartbreak Hockey Book 4: Friendzone Hockey by S. Legend

 

Heartbreak Hockey Book 4

Stacey Alderchuck

Protecting you was easy, letting you go is impossible.

I’m supposed to protect you after the most horrific time in your life. To do that I made a No falling in love with you. But I effed up because I’m so damn in love with you that I ache for you without end.

For seven years, I’ve held you when you cried, looked after you, and made damn sure you got back all the confidence stolen from you. It’s just, the whole time, I’ve been pining after you like a lovesick puppy. Pathetic, I know.

I never saw a future where you could be mine, so I gave you no choice but to find someone else. You did and then you asked me to be the best man.

It. Wrecked. Me.

What I should do is let you go. Do what I’ve always done and smile through the pain of wanting you but not being able to have you.

I can’t do it this time, and I hope you’ll forgive me. You belong with me, Dash Nolan. It’s my fault you don’t know that already, so I need to make you see, or else I’m doomed to spend the rest of my life as half a person.

Friendzone Hockey is a friends-to-lovers story with some hurt-comfort, along with other vibes, like; Major Jealousy, Possessiveness Galore, pining for him, it’s always been you, and, as always in this series, Found Family.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218723995-friendzone-hockey

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My Review: 4/5 Stars

Reading this series so far you can’t help but wonder why in the world Dash and Stacey are not together. It is very clear there is something there but how can they not be a couple? How is it Dash is suddenly engaged to someone else? Well, we finally get our answers and we a happy ending for these two. But prepared to work for it. Cause boy does it take these two a while to finally crawl out of the friendzone they put themselves in. So the story flips from past to present. We learn exactly how Dash and Stacey met and get answers to why they are torturing themselves by never being more than friends. Dash went through something pretty traumatic and when he gets out of it and makes it to his dad, he meets Stacey and the whole gang. Bit by bit he is piecing himself back together. But having Stacey in his corner? It makes all the difference. So much so that Stacey realizes he can never be more than a mentor to Dash at this point in their lives. Not when Dash is vulnerable and not in the right headspace. But as the years go by and Dash heals, Dash wants more but Stacey still doesn’t trust that it’s time. And when the time might finally arrive, Stacey is having trouble letting Dash know and then there is Dash’s current boyfriend soon turned fiancé. And in present day, Stacey is trying his best to move on but realizes he can’t until he tells Dash the truth about his feelings. This sparks a whole new issue for Dash as he realizes the man he loved is finally admitting he loves him back. But now what? Oof do these two put you through a lot! A slow burn that I say will be worth it by the end when they finally get their act together. I really enjoyed their story and of course seeing the other characters in the series make their cameos. It’s such a fan cast of characters and the love between Dash and Stacey is just too good! You will be rooting for them since day one and seeing their relationship build over seven years makes it so much sweeter when they finally get together. Great story and can’t wait for the next one!