If You Want Me (The Toronto Terror Series)

I’m especially partial to age-gap tropes in which Hunting challenges to a tee. To take matters further, the heroine’s dad has an exceptionally tight friendship with the hero she’s secretly been crushing on for the longest time. The tension build-up is a killer, making me read If You Want Me so fast that I had to slow down. But then I switched to the audio, meaning I could enjoy the narrators’ cadences at a more agreeable pace. Zachary Webber and Stellar Bloom make swoon-worthy hang-onto-every-word magic together, so if you can, listen to them. 

I’d met the goalie Roman Hammerstein’s daughter, Peggy Aurora, in If You Need Me; however, getting to know her better was an absolute delight. Being career-driven and concerned for her future doesn’t hold her back from the few small pleasures in life. Always willing to please, she looks after the gorgeous hockey player, Hollis’ feline fur babes during his team’s away games. LOL! It wasn’t a case of ‘while the cat’s away’ because they’re noticeably in the foreground but on those lines. If Bloom’s suggestive if not embarrassing tone got me chuckling to myself in chapter one, Webber’s pitch-perfect narrating had me cracking up in chapter three!

I connected with Hollis in leaps and bounds, especially after learning about his own issues. But suddenly, he sees Aurora whom he’s friends with has grown into an amazing and beautiful young woman, so listening to his conflicted feelings aroused my sympathy for this highly respected guy. More than aware that Roman dotes on his daughter; how the team where she’d done an internship successfully and is working hard to get a permanent job with The Toronto Terror admin treat her like their princess, it’s easy to see why he’s in such a dilemma.

As details of Hollis and Aurora’s story were gradually revealed, I often wished I could’ve jumped into the book and had a tête-à-tête with them. You see, Hunting’s storytelling not only evokes all the emotions in this slow-burn romance which happens to be right up my alley but also entwines originality into laugh-your-socks-off moments.

Finding out what the BABrigade was up to, listening to their messages, the quirky banter and feeling like I was with the gals in their spontaneous get-togethers was something else. I loved the family and brotherhood dynamics, team camaraderie and the fun extras Hunting weaved into the story. Enjoy friends-to-lovers, off-limits age-gap romance? Then don’t miss out and get your one-click finger ready!

Aurora has had feelings for Hollis for years however not only is he 12 years older, her father’s best friend and teammate but he has never seen her as more than his best friend’s daughter. While he is on road trips, she cat-sits for him which leads to a revelation that shows him that she is no longer a girl but a woman however it will be up to her to take it to the next step.

When he was injured a year ago Aurora was there for Hollis as he recovered, and a friendship developed. He been denying his feelings for Aurora due to his friendship with her father, but he realizes it is a battle he will not win and now he can’t imagine a future without her, but will it cost him his friendship?

This story had it all from the humorous situations, the witty banter, the angst, the hot chemistry and a love that is undeniable. Not only are Aurora and Hollis great characters but there is a great cast of secondary characters which only makes this series better. The narrators only made the story better as it will bring a smile to your face as well as pull at your heartstrings while making these characters even more relatable.

If You Want Me is the second book in the Toronto Terror series and when you combine two of my favorite things, a book by Helena Hunting and hockey, you can't go wrong. It was an awesome addition to the series!

Hollis Hendrix is a professional hockey player for the Toronto Terror and his best friend is the goalie, Roman Hammerstein. Roman's daughter, Aurora, is at university and recently interned with the Terror and did a fantastic job. Hollis has known Aurora since she was a young girl, but now he's realizing that she isn't the little girl she used to be. She's matured into a beautiful young woman, but one that he sees as off-limits both due to their age difference and the fact that her father is his best friend. Oh, and the one rule Roman has always had for Aurora is no dating hockey players!

While their attraction is obvious when Hollis and Aurora are alone together and it's clear how much they mean to one another, they both do a good job of deflecting when around others. However if they give in, will there be anything that will stop the avalanche of feelings they have both been suppressing?

Often times when it takes a good chunk of a book for a couple to get together, I am frustrated with one or both of the characters by the time we get to them getting together. That was not the case with this one. You could clearly see how difficult it was for both Hollis and Aurora and they both had the best of intentions. I loved Hollis and the man he was. He respected his best friend, but also the woman he was head over heels for. With Aurora, you could feel her frustration because of her Dad and Hollis's friendship and the rule about not dating hockey players, but it was clear she always knew what she wanted.

I loved this book and it's one of my favorite books I've read recently. Definitely one I would highly recommend!

I loved reading this Best Friend’s daughter age gap romance between Hollis (age 32) and his best friend Roman’s daughter Aurora (age 21).

Aurora had a longtime crush on Hollis.

I love how the author has created a very confident female main character in Aurora who is a strong woman who grew up immersed in hockey as she grew up in the NHL and continues her drive to be successful in her career and to go after the man she wants.

It has great spice with a side of anxiety. The author has brought in Aurora’s close female friends when shares her feelings for Hollis.

I love her group of friends and how they care for each other.

There are some very funny moments in this book early on that made me laugh so hard. You'll have to read it to find out what they are!

“You settle my soul, Hollis, Your heart is my home, and I never want to leave it.”

If You Want Me (Toronto Terror, Book 2) Author: Helena Hunting Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Peggy Aurora Hammerstein is the princess of the Toronto Terror. Being the daughter of Roman Hammerstein, the Terror’s goalie, she has spent most of her life around a hockey rink. With the territory comes the protective men. Not only the team but all hockey men are deemed off-limits to her by her dad. His best friend, Hollis Hendrix, has always been there to back him up on this rule, that is until he becomes the hockey player she is interested in. Thirteen years her senior, he always saw Aurora more like a little sister. But she is twenty now and working with the team for her internship has allowed him to see her in a new more mature light…he could never cross that line and risk not only his relationship with Roman but also Roman’s relationship with his daughter so he conceals any feelings for her behind his grumpy demeanor. However, Aurora isn’t going to let him off that easy..see she has learned from the best that when you want something, you go after it.

Hollis is beautifully complex throughout this whole story. His internal and external battles had me screaming at him to follow what he wants and not what he thinks will make those around him happy. He is such a thoughtful soul with it comes to Aurora, always paying attention to even the smallest of details. While he lacks the backbone to go after what he wants, Aurora is there to give him the extra push he needs. Strong, confident, and fed up with hiding from her feelings, she is such an entertaining FMC…always keeping us (and Hollis) guessing what she will get up to next. The tension and history between these two builds throughout the story until it eventually explodes in the best way possible. I laughed, cried, and fell in love with Hollis and Aurora. And not only them, but the backstories throughout this story have me excited to see how the rest of the couples in this series play out.

If you like: Dad’s Best Friend/ Teammate Grumpy/Sunshine Forbidden Love

Reviewed by: Karley🧡

This review was written by members of the Sporty Spice Book Club (sporty.spice.book.club on both Instagram and TikTok).

I am so thankful to had received an ALC and can I just say, the narrators knocked it out of the park! I was soooo amped for this story and it surpassed all my expectations. The pining, UGH! The chemistry, UGH! THAT FIRST KISSSS- UGHHHHH! I am loving the Toronto Terror world and cannot get enough of it. Hollis, omg. This man is sigh, I love him so much. He's everything I love wrapped into one. Sweet, broody, protective and such a tease. And when he calls Aurora princess, ugh my whole heart<3 Aurora is hands down one of my favorites now. I absolutely LOVED Aurora and her dads, Roman, relationship too- added him to my favorite hockey dad list. I felt all the emotions while listening/reading this book. It was cute, emotional and flat out fun to read. I wish I could experience the whole thing again as if it was the first time <3 🩵🩷

I can't wait to see what else this series has in store for us and the BABB<3

Oh man, there were so many likely moments in this book. I really love Hammer's dad. He's such a good dad and I'm crossing my fingers that he gets his own HEA. Hollis and Aurora were a really cute couple once they get there. It takes some time with many hiccups but they are a great couple. It was also really cool how Helena Hunting mentions other characters in her book universe like Kodiak Bowmen, Lavender, Alex Waters and Clover. That was great. Overall, this was a sweet love story that had many similarities to If You Hate Me but more mild. It's less kinky, less dramatic, and less funny. But still very good.

If You Want Me is the second novel in the Toronto Terror hockey romance series from Helena Hunting, and it's an age gap, falling for your father's best friend (or alternatively, falling for your best friend's daughter) romance. Peggy Aurora Hammerstein has had a crush on her father's best friend since she was a teenager, but she never thought it would amount to anything. What she didn't know was that Hollis Hendrix has been looking at her differently ever since she started working at the Terror's front office. He's trying his best to not give in to the temptation that is his best friend's twenty-year-old daughter. Doing so would definitely cause problems, not just for his friendship with Aurora's father, Roman, but within the team as well. Then there's that age gap, even if he is only thirty-three compared to Roman being close to forty, so it's not as if he's old enough to be her father. Yet no matter how much he wants her, Aurora could never be his... Or could she?

I love me a well-written age gap romance; add to that the complication of Hollis being best friends and teammates with Roman, who is Aurora's father. (Yeah, I prefer to call her Aurora than Hammer. Sorry, not sorry.) This wasn't a case of an older man who decided to corrupt a younger woman. If anything, Aurora had close to zero qualms about flirting with him and pushing his buttons whenever she had a chance to. I admired how she didn't shy away from her feelings for Hollis. That being said, I also applauded the fact that Hollis did feel it necessary to pause and think every now and again because his friendship with Roman meant such a great deal to him, as did the blossoming romance with Aurora. At the end of the day, these two were adults who made the decision to pursue something that was more than a momentary thing. Kudos to Helena Hunting for creating a female main character who was as confident and self-assured as Aurora was, but then this is something Hunting is already known for. If You Want Me garners 4.5 stars.

If You Want Me is a fabulous read. I loved this one so much. You will giggle all the way through when it comes to Aurora and Hollis. This is a dad's best friend age gap romance you will not want to miss. Aurora has always been told to stay away from hockey players. But sometimes you cannot help who you fall for. She just wants to keep her dad happy because she has a big fear. You understand it once you get to the root of how she grew up. Hollis never looked at Aurora until he realized that she was now all grown up. Aurora and Hollis fit so well. You feel for Hollis as he struggles with everything. I love Hollis and Aurora so much. I could not put this down. There are so many laugh out loud moments you will just adore. This needs to be one click now.