Take a photo of a barcode or cover
emilyreadstoomuch's Reviews (787)
This absolutely blew me away!!! 4.5 stars rounded up.
It's no secret to anyone who pays any attention to me in this little corner of the internet that I am a HUGE fan of MM hockey romances. They're utterly addicting, and I don't know how to stop reading them. I don't want to stop reading them, so I'm not going to stop reading them!!!!!! Call that what you want.
The downside to this very specific taste in books is that I often run into stories that are repetitive, tired, and feel like they're trying to mimic while simultaneously one-upping each other. It's exhausting sometimes. Rough life, I know. Prove It is not one of those stories.
Hockey rivals to lovers? CE Ricci did it in Iced Out. Hockey rivals to lovers featuring a feud wholly created and exacerbated by the media? Rachel Reid PERFECTED it in Heated Rivalry. However, Noah and Alex's relationship in Prove It subverts the MM hockey romance ultra-niche subgenre as a whole.
Summary
Noah Anderson's father has been pushing him to be the next Wayne Gretzky for as long as Noah can remember. Expecting him to go first in this year's draft is only the foundation of what should be an illustrious NHL career. The only thing standing in his way is Alex Valencia, the American player the media has been pitting Noah against since he first started making waves in the hockey community. Noah hates that he's no longer the clear first draft pick, that his dad won't stop talking about Alex, and that he's attracted to the single person on this Earth that he absolutely should not, can not, will not want.
Alex Valencia can't help it if Noah's dad wants him to view Alex as the enemy. What he can do, though, is make Noah like him. Maybe. Through sheer force of will, Alex starts to lower Noah's defenses, and the two form an unlikely friendship. Against Noah's better judgement, he starts to open up to Alex and his USA Hockey friend group. He just hopes he can keep his stupid, unrequited, potentially career-ending feelings for his straight rival a secret.
My Thoughts
If this book was a song, it would be Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls. This was unlike anything else I've ever read before. It has the sweetness of a Mazey Eddings book, the banter of Abby Jimenez's characters, and Mariana Zapata's slow burning angst that made me want to scream, "JUST KISS ALREADY!!!!!!" about 400 times.
I loved watching Alex explore his sexuality through conversations with his friends, his sisters, and in his inner monologue. I loved how supportive everyone was in his life, and that his struggling to come to terms with it were due to his lack of trust in his own judgement rather than internalized homophobia or fear of rejection from his peers. It was a nice contrast to Noah's own journey with knowing and accepting that he's gay while being unable to express or celebrate it. The juxtaposition highlights Alex's refreshingly different situation, and also proves to Noah that he deserves to have a similar support network.
Noah is such a cutie pie, and I just want to pinch his cheeks. I wish I was his older sister so I could show him that who he is isn't inherently bad or wrong. I loved his friendship with Millie and was so happy that he had her through the rougher parts of his childhood. Fuck his dad. Like seriously.
I wish we got a little more closure with his dad. I would've loved for Noah to have a big "fuck you" moment with him. I also wish we got even the tiniest little smidge of an epilogue. Those are the only reasons I took off half a star.
Also, it's not too heavy on the technical aspects of the game, so readers with limited knowledge of hockey can still enjoy this!!
Thank you BookSirens and Stephanie Hoyt for providing me with an advanced reader's copy!!!!!! I'm so grateful that I got to read this.
It's no secret to anyone who pays any attention to me in this little corner of the internet that I am a HUGE fan of MM hockey romances. They're utterly addicting, and I don't know how to stop reading them. I don't want to stop reading them, so I'm not going to stop reading them!!!!!! Call that what you want.
The downside to this very specific taste in books is that I often run into stories that are repetitive, tired, and feel like they're trying to mimic while simultaneously one-upping each other. It's exhausting sometimes. Rough life, I know. Prove It is not one of those stories.
Hockey rivals to lovers? CE Ricci did it in Iced Out. Hockey rivals to lovers featuring a feud wholly created and exacerbated by the media? Rachel Reid PERFECTED it in Heated Rivalry. However, Noah and Alex's relationship in Prove It subverts the MM hockey romance ultra-niche subgenre as a whole.
Summary
Noah Anderson's father has been pushing him to be the next Wayne Gretzky for as long as Noah can remember. Expecting him to go first in this year's draft is only the foundation of what should be an illustrious NHL career. The only thing standing in his way is Alex Valencia, the American player the media has been pitting Noah against since he first started making waves in the hockey community. Noah hates that he's no longer the clear first draft pick, that his dad won't stop talking about Alex, and that he's attracted to the single person on this Earth that he absolutely should not, can not, will not want.
Alex Valencia can't help it if Noah's dad wants him to view Alex as the enemy. What he can do, though, is make Noah like him. Maybe. Through sheer force of will, Alex starts to lower Noah's defenses, and the two form an unlikely friendship. Against Noah's better judgement, he starts to open up to Alex and his USA Hockey friend group. He just hopes he can keep his stupid, unrequited, potentially career-ending feelings for his straight rival a secret.
My Thoughts
If this book was a song, it would be Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls. This was unlike anything else I've ever read before. It has the sweetness of a Mazey Eddings book, the banter of Abby Jimenez's characters, and Mariana Zapata's slow burning angst that made me want to scream, "JUST KISS ALREADY!!!!!!" about 400 times.
I loved watching Alex explore his sexuality through conversations with his friends, his sisters, and in his inner monologue. I loved how supportive everyone was in his life, and that his struggling to come to terms with it were due to his lack of trust in his own judgement rather than internalized homophobia or fear of rejection from his peers. It was a nice contrast to Noah's own journey with knowing and accepting that he's gay while being unable to express or celebrate it. The juxtaposition highlights Alex's refreshingly different situation, and also proves to Noah that he deserves to have a similar support network.
Noah is such a cutie pie, and I just want to pinch his cheeks. I wish I was his older sister so I could show him that who he is isn't inherently bad or wrong. I loved his friendship with Millie and was so happy that he had her through the rougher parts of his childhood. Fuck his dad. Like seriously.
I wish we got a little more closure with his dad. I would've loved for Noah to have a big "fuck you" moment with him. I also wish we got even the tiniest little smidge of an epilogue. Those are the only reasons I took off half a star.
Also, it's not too heavy on the technical aspects of the game, so readers with limited knowledge of hockey can still enjoy this!!
Thank you BookSirens and Stephanie Hoyt for providing me with an advanced reader's copy!!!!!! I'm so grateful that I got to read this.
“You’re reading porn in public? You’re disgraceful!”
“It’s not porn. It’s a romance book that happens to have a little bit of sex in it.”
“Anything you read, I’ll do to you when we get home.”
♡Synopsis♡
Anastasia Allen has just one thing on her mind: figure skating. Every aspect of her life is meticulously set up to ensure she makes it to the Olympics in 2 years. She has the perfect skating partner, an amazing best friend, great grades, a good relationship with her parents, and a standing dick appointment every Tuesday with the captain of the UCMH basketball team. She’s on track to achieve all of her goals, but, when she finds out that she’ll have to split rink time with raucous hockey players, all of her plans fall through the ice.“You are the most annoying man I’ve ever met”
“I don’t care what you call me as long as I’m at the top of the list.”
Nathan Hawkins is captain of the UCMH hockey team. He’s already set to join the NHL once he graduates, so he just wants to make it through his senior year without any hiccups and use this last shot to win the NCAA championship title. But when an act of revenge lands his team in the figure skating rink, he finds himself toe to toe with the beautiful, but feisty, Anastasia. And he just can’t seem to get on her good side.“Looking at her makes me want to be the funniest guy in the room, so I can be the one to make her laugh. But I’m going to have to settle for her not scowling at me for now.”
All Stassie wants is for this nightmare to be over, but it becomes harder and harder for her to deny the attraction between her and Nate. Can these two overcome their differences and learn to work together?
♡My Thoughts♡
This book. This fucking book. I don’t even know where to begin. I fell in love with Stassie and Nate very quickly. Their dynamic is so, so funny. I can’t tell you how many times I wrote ‘lol’ in the margins while annotating. Hannah Grace is hilarious. She knows how to write a good bit of dialogue. And a sex scene. Don’t even get me started on the scene in Nate’s bedroom during Robbie’s birthday party, my god. I wasn’t bored while reading this book for even a second!!!
Stassie is me and I am Stassie. I was so pleasantly surprised by the incredible eating disorder representation in this book. I have struggled with several EDs since I was in middle school. I still struggle with it. It’s an uphill battle every single day, and the author perfectly conveyed all of the negative thoughts and anxiety that circulate in your head while dealing with disordered eating habits. It felt so nice to be properly represented in something that has been such a source of shame in my life. To feel so deeply connected to a character that I have fallen in love with for other, wonderful qualities. To clearly see that her eating disorder does not define her but is an integral piece of learning to love herself wholly. I also love the reverse grumpy x sunshine trope. If there were a romance book written about me, it would definitely include that trope, so it’s always fun to read books like this and draw parallels to my own love life.
Nate is now #1 on my book-boyfriends list. I loved loved LOVED reading his point of view. Where are the men like him!!!! Where!! I’ve always felt that I need a partner that balances out my crazy and it was so nice to read about that dynamic between Nate and Stassie. He’s so gentle with her but doesn’t treat her like she’s about to break. He respects her and supports her while also allowing her to be her own person. It’s so refreshing to read about such a perfectly imperfect hero.
There were a lot of side characters. It honestly was a little overwhelming at first, but I caught on quickly. Henry and JJ are fucking EVERYTHING to me, like I don’t know how to put it into words. I loved Lola so much. I see a lot of her in my best friend. She’s unwaveringly loyal to and supportive of Stassie. We didn’t see as much of her toward the end, but I definitely felt the love between them. I adore her and Robbie together, even though Robbie wasn’t my favorite of Nate’s friends.
I will never not recommend this book to anyone and everyone who will listen to me. I was recommending it before I even finished it. I was so sad to say goodbye to them, and I already can’t wait to read it again.
♡The Playlist♡
♪ Perfect Places – Lorde
♪ My Kind of Woman – Mac DeMarco
♪ Rewrite The Stars – Zac Efron & Zendaya
♪ Clair De Lune – Claude Debussy
♪ Kiss Me – Vitamin String Quartet
♪ Fuck it I love you – Lana Del Rey
♪ True Love – Hovvdy
♪ Angels Like You – Miley Cyrus
♪ Champagne Problems – Taylor Swift
♪ People Watching – Conan Gray
♡Representation♡
➜ Adopted main character
➜ Pansexual, South Asian side character
➜ Disabled side character (wheelchair)
➜ Side character with 2 moms
this is a very difficult book to rate. somehow it was both very shitty and amazing at the same time. it wasn’t well written, but the story made me sob. it felt like a bunch of information was just being thrown at you, but it felt like delving into my own memories even though i’ve never experienced something quite that horrible.
i don’t know how to feel about either of the main characters, or really even the secondary ones. i enjoyed this? i think?
i don’t know how to feel about either of the main characters, or really even the secondary ones. i enjoyed this? i think?
UGHHHHDBXKDICUR THIS WAS SO GOOD wish we got more of a look into their childhood relationship but whatev
