Tied Up In You by Erin Fletcher

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

Title: Tied Up In You
Author: Erin Fletcher
Series: All Laced Up #2
Published by: Entangled: Crush
Release Date: July 10, 2017
Format: Kindle Book
Pages: 209
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Sports Romance, Young Adult
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2022 Backlist Reader Challenge, Lenoreo's 2022 COYER Summer, Lenoreo's 2022 Diversity Reading Challenge, Lenoreo's 2022 Finishing the Series Challenge
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ iBooks ✩ Book Depository
My rating:

Blurb:

Everyone says hotshot goalie Luke Jackson is God’s gift to girls, but the only girl he wants is his best friend, Malina Hall. He’s always known how brilliant she is, but now that he’s “accidentally” kissed her, he can’t stop thinking about her…or wanting to kiss her again.

Problem is, things have been a little…awkward since the kiss. Because she likes him, too? Hopefully, but even if she did, their futures—and the ridiculous schedules that come with them—are in the way. And now one of his teammates is showing interest, and the guy has more in common with Malina than Jackson ever will.

As her best friend, Jackson should get out of the way. But if there’s one thing he’s learned from hockey, it’s that you have to go for what you want, even if it means falling flat on your face. And he’s definitely falling for Malina.

Disclaimer: This book contains a hot hockey player who goes after what he wants, a super-hot, super-distracting shirtless workout, and the kind of best friends to lovers romance every girl in the friend zone has dreamed of.

My Review:

3 stars — Huh.  I remember loving the first book, but this one felt like it was missing something.  I almost DNF’d it because it just wasn’t pulling me in, but I really wanted to finish another series for my challenge, and it was only 200 pages…

Honestly, the characters had some great moments/qualities, but not as many as I’d like.  I really loved the way Malina’s Tutu adored (and fed) Jackson.  I loved Jackson’s teasing nature.  And I loved what Malina’s relationship with her grandma brought out in her.

But other than that?  I only partially understood/bought the pushing each other away after the “accidental” kiss.  I’m not sure I was a fan of the volatile nature of their relationship when they got together…I guess it’s supposed to show passion?  Pent up lust?  I don’t know, but the yelling and meanness wasn’t what I was expecting from a friends to lovers story.  Not that I couldn’t see 2 teenagers behaving that way, just…I don’t know, I just wasn’t as excited about it.  I enjoyed them as friends, and occasionally after they got over the initial hump there were some cute moments, but maybe just not enough?  It almost felt more enemies to lovers at times…

The other thing that I was on the fence about was each of their parents.  They were probably more realistic, but I guess they felt a bit…harsher than I was expecting.  Like, in a loving way, but…

So yeah.  It was okay, but it wasn’t quite the reading hangover cure I was looking for.