The Ex Puck Bunny Book Review - No Spoilers
Plot Summary
The Ex Puck Bunny by Ellie Hall is part of the Nebraska Knights Holiday Hockey Romance series, but you can read it on its own. It centers on Heidi, a former hype girl known as a puck bunny, who thought she’d had her happily ever after—until Vegas and a failed marriage changed everything. Now a single mom, she returns to her small-town roots with her daughter in tow. Rumors swirl. Then Grady, her brother’s other best friend and a traded hockey player, re-enters her world. He’s moody, wary, and in need of a social media makeover. Heidi steps in. As they work together, she starts to feel seen. And maybe there’s more than just help growing between them.
Why I Love This Book
I love how it balances sweetness with real emotion. I love that Heidi is a single mom, and I love how Grady’s quiet cinnamon-roll energy grounds her. I love that they don’t fall instantly—it takes time, and it feels honest. I love watching Heidi protect her daughter and finding her own strength again. I love that Grady is gentle, caring, and willing to listen. I love the small-town and hockey charm, the slow-burn romance, and the closed-door sweetness. I love that it’s clean without ever feeling bland. I love that the stakes are emotional and personal, not dramatic, and that it ends with a warm sense of family and hope.
Who Will Like This Book
If you like clean brother’s-best-friend or single-mom romances, sweet hockey settings, slow-burn love stories, or heartwarming, quiet character growth—you’ll like this. It’s gentle and tender, with emotional healing wrapped in holiday and sports vibes.
⚠️ Trigger warning: This book touches on abandonment, emotional hurt, and family grief. It handles these sensitively, but it’s good to know they’re part of the story before reading.
Tagged As
single mom, brother’s best friend, cinnamon roll hero, slow burn, forced proximity, sports romance, hockey romance, clean romance, sweet romance, holiday romance, small town, standalone, indie romance, HEA
Steam Level
The romance is tender and reserved. The focus is on emotional connection and caring, not physical heat.
