Same Time Next Year by Tessa Bailey on December 1, 2023
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, Fiction / Romance / New Adult, Fiction / Romance / Sports
Pages: 144
Format: eBook
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“I’ll do whatever it takes to make you realize I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying right here. I’ll make you feel secure until you realize it’s only ever going to be you.”
Adored by all, Britta is an ambitious waitress working at Sluggers. The popular bar holds a special place in her heart and is a regular hangout for the Bridgeport Bandits, the local hockey club. With a half brother on the team, Britta has a strict no dating policy for hockey boys. But she does have a soft spot for one particular player. A beast on the ice, Sumner Mayfield is on the brink of breaking into the NHL. But time’s running out. With his work visa about to expire, Sumner’s only chance to stay in Bridgeport is to marry an American, and get a green card. Otherwise, it’s back to Canada for the defenseman. On New Year’s Eve, the team begs Britta to marry Sumner that very night. Sum is embarrassed yet hopeful, he’s desperately in love. But Britta balks at first. Until something about Sumner’s soulful brown eyes and ripped physique makes her reconsider…
A very cute story with a lot of cute moments. The descriptions were pretty good, many parts were touching, and the plot was interesting. The problems were the characters, the dialogue, some scenarios, and the pacing. The main characters were interesting, but definitely lacking depth and chemistry. They’re love felt rushed and forced. I understand this is a short story, but I’ve read plenty that were able to keep it all balanced. I love a good Tessa Bailey smut, but this one fell short for me.
I gave this Novella a 3.5 stars. I don’t know if I would have gotten this book if it hadn’t been free on Prime. The story has some spicy scenes, but it feels clichéd and lacks any real emotion. The book is a quick read, but it did not meet my expectations and seemed like it was written to meet a quota or deadline. Overall, it was disappointing without much heart or depth.