Book Review - The Cruelest Kind of Hate by Celeste Briars

The Cruelest Kind of Hate by Celeste Briars

I found this book while looking for more hockey romances. If you don't already know, I've been on a bit of a hockey romance kick lately. I didn't really know what to expect going into this book, especially since I found it through TikTok and it was just released on 03/07, but I'm glad I read it. 

Calista Cadwell is a dance instructor whose life is totally crazy. Her mother has a terminal illness and Calista is forced to become her little brother's guardian. But one day when she's picking up her brother from hockey practice, she meets Gage Arlington. Gage is a renowned goalie who was just injured and needs someone to help rehabilitate his hip so that he can get back on the ice. So Gage enlists Calista's help, and they strike a deal: Calista will help rehab Gage, and in return, Gage will train Calista's brother for hockey. But as time progresses, their business deal starts to become more...

I thought this book was pretty good. The characters were, for the most part, likeable. One thing that I disliked was that Calista was such a mean person at the beginning of this story. She would be 100% in the wrong but defend her position. It was just so unlikable. I thought Gage was sweet. He was really sweet toward Calista and her brother. The way he took her brother under his wing and cared for him was so admirable. One criticism about their relationship was that it went from dislike to love almost immediately, it was a bit too much.

The story was cute. It felt slow but also too fast, but it was still enjoyable. My favorite part about this book was the found family trope. I thought this trope was just very well portrayed, and felt so realistic. Overall, a cute easy hockey romance read.