Kelly Tanaka and Phil Davidson are best friends.  The kind that have known one another for years.  They go to school together, play on the same hockey team, and hang out all the time.  Until Phil kiss her.....

Kelly and Phil spend some time apart and explore other options and people.  He has many girlfriends and gets a rep for being a player since he cannot have the one he wants.  She ends up dating a guy she would otherwise call a tool.

Phil is still serious about wanting to try dating with Kelly.  They both have separate plans for after high school and the relationship has an end date.  Will that help or hurt the relationship?  Phil and Kelly seem to be able to be friends no matter what.  They can work through just about anything together.

Phil realizes too late he is in love with her.  It kills him not to tell her and now he wants a future he did not know he wanted.  Can he tell her without killing what they have?  Can he let her go when the time comes?

Kelly is just realizing her feelings for Phil when it is time to break up and go to college away from him.  Can she follow through and leave him behind?  Can she leave her heart somewhere she will not be?

Such an amazing story about true friendship and heartwarming love that sneaks up on you!  I love this book and cannot wait to read the rest of the series.  I give this story a 5/5 Kitty's Paws UP!  

***This ARC copy was free from Netgalley.com and its publisher, for review purposes.  

Kelly Tanaka graduates and wants to find a hockey-related job. NHL star, James Frechette and high school boyfriend, Phil Davidson are back in her life, and she needs to make some choices.

Hockey Is My Boyfriend: Part Three was the perfect conclusion to a tremendous series!

I have really enjoyed Kelly’s character throughout this story. We have watched her grow from grade school through after she graduates from college. She is a sweet character and dedicated athlete. I have enjoyed her insights and choices.

It’s hard not to like Phil Davidson. He has known Kelly since they played hockey together as kids. He looks out for her, even when she doesn’t want him to. He truly loves her and is a solid friend/boyfriend.

James Frechette still reminds me of Chicago Blackhawk, Jonathan Towes. So therefore, pretty much perfect. I put him a pedestal in my head, so I was bummed out by the stupid things he does in the story. However, no one is perfect and the things that happen seem very feasible. Needless to say I preferred his positive actions.

The characters in this story are all believable and have their constructive attributes and their flaws. All of them make stupid mistakes along the way creating a credible story. They all grow tremendously through the story.

The plot is realistic and commendable. I like that it is told from the three characters’ point of view. It gives the reader a better insight to the characters’ minds and actions.

I love the amount of hockey scenes in the story. Melanie Ting knows her hockey. The small details, like the differences between how someone tapes a stick, proves her love and knowledge of the sport.

I thought the ending(s) was (were) brilliant. It made me nostalgic for those choose your own adventure books in middle school. Seriously, I love both Phil and James. To pick between the two is not an easy task. I liked seeing the possible outcomes from both sides. It was kind of like seeing what would have happened and what actually occurred. After becoming so invested in the characters, I’m really sad to see this series end. This is a series I will definitely reread.

Complimentary copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

Hockey Is My Boyfriend (Part Two) begins in Kelly Tanaka’s Junior year of college. Her and Phil Davidson are no longer in a committed relationship, and she meets a new guy, James Frechette, at her summer job at a hockey camp.

When I started reading the book, I became a little upset. I love Phil and Kelly together, and she started dating, James. However, the more I read about Jimmy; I began to like him too. How couldn’t I? I’m a huge Chicago Blackhawks fan and Jimmy is a first-round draft pick for the Hawks. His description totally reminded me of the Hawks team captain, Jonathan Toews. My son has two pet ferrets named Kane and Towes, so obviously we are a bit Jonathan Toews bias; therefore, I honestly liked Jimmy. He is a great character. He is driven, talented, and insightful. He could be a bit awkward, but that’s part of his charm.

I should have realized things were not that simple and Phil is not yet out of the picture. In my opinion, Kelly cannot go wrong with either guy, but I think she is more picky, then I am. Both guys have qualities that are important to Kelly and obviously they both have their issues. For example, Jimmy is younger than Kelly. I get it. My husband is three years younger than me. If I had met him at an earlier age, it would have been an issue for me. Jimmy is 18 and Kelly is 20, in college that is a substantial age gap. A few years later, when you're both in your mid-twenties, it’s not as big of a dilemma.

I found Jimmy’s observations about Kelly interesting. Especially that she acted differently depending on which of friends she was hanging out with. I’m not sure if I would have picked up on that on my own, but I would have to agree with him.

Kelly definitely has commitment issue. I’m okay with that, she’s twenty; she has plenty of time to settle down. Concentrating on hockey is a good thing. It keeps you in shape, it’s full of action, and the bond with your team mates is strong. Kelly has made incredible friends through hockey. I think most people that have played hockey do.

I continue to love this story. So many interesting things happened throughout the novel, and all of it seemed realistic. I cannot wait for the next book. If you enjoy contemporary sport romances, I highly recommend this series but start with book one, this series is best read in order and not skipping a book.

Complimentary copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

Kelly Tanaka has a theory, the way a guy plays hockey will determine what kind of boyfriend he will be. She is great at using this philosophy for her girlfriends. The question is now that she is starting to become interested in dating will she be able to figure it out for herself.

I love Kelly. Having been a tomboy, it was easy to relate to her. Her character is really sweet and fun. I like that her team supported her even though she was the only girl. Of course, I think she handled herself well around the guys so it was very believable. I also enjoyed that she was fashion challenged. It made for some good entertainment.

I adore Phil Davidson. He has been a great friend to Kelly as they grew up. Yes, he goes through a bit of a boy slut stage but seriously the girls are throwing themselves at the poor guy. Who could blame him? I felt really bad for him when he was attracted to Kelly, and she had no interest in dating.

I appreciate Kelly’s hockey-boyfriend theory, and I agree with it. It is truly ingenious. I bet it would actually be found valid in a research study.

The story being told in two-person point of view was perfect. I valued reading both Kelly’s and Phil’s side of the story. It made me feel even more invested in both the novel and its characters.

In case it isn’t obvious, I loved Hockey Is My Boyfriend. The story is powerful and well written. The characters are lovable and thoroughly developed. Melanie Ting did an amazing job. I cannot wait for the next book to come out. I want to read it now. I need to know what happens next in college. I’m not sure my heart can handle the wait. If you love sports romances, you won’t want to pass up Hockey Is My Boyfriend.

Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review.