There’s no need for Jenny Holiday to say sorry for this Canadian hockey rom-com; it’s actually quite delightful.
I was skeptical coming into Canadian Boyfriend, but the title and adorable cover piqued my interest nonetheless. The concept of a tormented ballerina creating a fake Canadian boyfriend and then running into the now NHL superstar as an adult is cheesy enough to suggest this read will be on the sillier side. The kind of book where the female protagonist speaks in all caps, and raunchy sex scenes brimming with hockey puns are substituted for real chemistry.
But that’s not at all what you will find within the pages of this romantic hockey romp.
Canadian Boyfriend is surprisingly grounded and mature. Its characters are anchored by heavy inner turmoil as they deal with spousal deaths and eating disorders. However, the plot is careful to balance the light, over-the-top goofiness of the premise and the heavy personal shit just enough so our couple doesn’t come off as whiny downers. It’s a read that understands a little gravitas can make the absurdity of the premise easier to get behind.
Aurora Evans is an ex-professional ballerina struggling to reconnect with her love for dance later in adulthood. When the book introduced our couple as a professional ballerina and hockey player, I expected their professions to be blown out of proportion for the sake of the romance. Instead, I was surprised to find candid conversations about the dance world and the pressures on young girls to be the best at all costs. Many of Aurora’s struggles echo my experience with ballet; seeing her find a way to fall back in love with it on her own terms was beautiful.
The most surprising about this read is that it is not a sports romance.
Sure, there are elements of dance and hockey sprinkled throughout, but we spend very little time at the hockey rink with Mike Martin. Instead, the book is focused on a professional athlete’s home life, particularly after a devastating loss to his family. If you came into this book wanting a front-row seat to the fictional world of professional hockey, you will be disappointed. But if you are looking for the kind of romance that will warm you with its gooey charm and entertain using friends with ridiculous accents, then you cannot go wrong with this hockey-adjacent novel.
Also, if you prefer rom-coms light on the smut, Canadian Boyfriend keeps its sex scenes brief with just enough spice to satisfy novices. This book is much more about romantic gestures beyond the covers; confronting her toxic mother, buying her ice cream, you know, hand-in-the-back pocket type stuff.
Sadly, the miscommunication trope rears its ugly head at the end of this tale. Additionally, the timeline of Aurora meeting Mike as a teenager and his wife dying a year before they hooked up can be borderline icky at times. However, these are two people who attend regular therapy sessions and are violently aware of their wrongdoings. And if these two aggressively well-tuned lovers can’t work through their inner monologue, their strong support system of fleshed-out friends and coworkers will gladly help rescue this novel from a disastrous turn.
This rom-com is a sweet treat with twinges of emotion and so much healing. As individuals, you cannot help but adore Mike and Aurora for their healthy, kind outlooks. But when they come together, that is where this premise truly sparkles. It isn’t afraid to get cheesy with the Canadian foreplay either, to which I have to respect the commitment.
Ultimately, this novel is nothing like what you expect it to be but everything you didn’t realize you needed from a hockey rom-com.
Way to give er’ Holiday — the Canadian hockey girlies are proud!
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Want to add this read to your TBR pile? You can find more information and purchase a copy of Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday here!
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