Those Three Little Words

WOW! I wasn't sure that I was going to like this smooth-talking player at the start, but I was feeling the swoons in such a MAJOR way by the end. This book is a JOURNEY; a slow tearing down of walls and insecurities. MQ carefully navigates the complexities of a hero who honestly doesn't know what love feels like. I really, really LOVED Eli by the end of this book, and he undergoes an incredible transformation along the way. It's heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure, with tense and steamy moments paired with humor and tons of forced proximity. I adored the awkward roommates/parents-to-be dynamic, and this felt so very unique. I've never read a romance quite like it, and that is always a win for me. The more I read, the more I loved it, and I was caught up in my swoony feelings by the end.The story follows Eli, a pro hockey player who has earned his reputation as a one night stand kind of guy. The thought of commitment and relationships terrifies him, so Eli does everything he can to avoid them. Except... there's one girl he could see himself wanting for more than a night. Unfortunately, she's his best friend/teammate's very off-limits sister, Penny. When Eli and Penny run into each other at a bar on his birthday, Eli decides to be impulsive and give in to the feeling. No one was ever supposed to know that they shared one steamy night together, but when Penny announces that she's pregnant, it's a game-changer. Strong-armed into moving in with Penny and taking care of every pregnant craving, Eli's life undergoes a major overhaul. And... he doesn't hate it.This easily has more steamy scenes than any book I've read this year, but it's a slow burn at the heart of it - certainly a slow emotional burn. The sexual tension is ratcheted up to new heights, and I loved seeing Eli change and grow throughout the course of the book. He fights his feelings the whole way through, and it should've been too much. But I just loved him. Give the man a hug, he is starving for affection - playboys always seem to fall the hardest, and that is definitely the case here. The situation perfectly suited his backstory, and I loved how the forced proximity required these two to fight through so many situations where they would've otherwise given up. It actually felt like one of MQ's least angsty books as I was reading it, but looking back, the angst is just scattered in a different way. It's one of those books that takes a little while to settle into, but it gets deeper and richer as the story progresses. One of my new favorites from MQ, and that's saying a lot.Audio note: DUET narration alert! The audio is fantastic, a definite enhancement to an already great story. I loved getting both voices in every chapter, which lended itself perfectly to a story where both characters are in nearly every scene together. While dual narration is fine, duet narration is my favorite and something I seek out in my audiobooks. Here's hoping we get more of them from MQ. Combine that with two excellent narrators, and you're in for a good time. And this will keep you busy for awhile! The runtime is over 14 hours, so it's not a story you'll get through in a workday... nor is it really appropriate for the office, lol. There's a LOT of heat in the back half, so I can't recommend this as a workday listen, but maybe you could listen to the first half in public? Maaaybe. Regardless, it's still one of the best audiobooks I've listened to this year, made even better by one of the best stories I've read in awhile.

Book 2 in the Vancouver Agitators SeriesEli Hornsby is a Smokin' Hot & Incredibly Sexy Defenseman (the best in the league) for the Vancouver Agitators. A known Playboy throughout the league. He's a good time, one & done, no strings attached kind of man. An extrovert. The life of the party.Raised in an environment where love & affection were seriously lacking, after the death of his single Mom, I can see why Eli is apprehensive towards relationships & commitment.Penny Lawes is the sister of Agitators Goalie, Pacey Lawes. An extremely beautiful yet shy, extremely awkward & quirky social media influencer for the team. An introvert. She is definitely not what you'd picture with Hornsby but he was instantly attracted to her upon first meeting.Honestly, it took me awhile to get into this one. Some things just didn't sit well with me, and for the first time, I actually considered not finishing a book. But I couldn't find it in me to walk away from Hornsby. I had to find out what happened to him.First, her reaction to the pregnancy was quite childish. I mean, seriously? You're going to hide it? Come on... and she should have respected Eli enough to have the conversation with him and only him first, instead of blindsiding him in front of her brother & friend. And the things she did & said throughout? Wow. I'm surprised he stuck around. The fact that he did shows exactly the kind of man he is. Loving, caring & extremely protective.And Pacey? Well, Pacey needed to chill. I get being upset, but last time I checked Eli & Penny are two consenting adults. He has ZERO say. None. Nada. Zilch. It took some time for him to come around and look what happened in the process with Winnie. That's some karma right there! Glad they worked that out...Anyway, I stuck with it. I'm glad I did. This was a super, super slow burn. We're talking about 70% into the book before the steam happened (other than the snippets of his birthday night when baby was conceived), and that's ok. It was more building the foundation and strengthening the bond. These two have some insane, intense chemistry 🔥The journey was worth the wait. My heart broke for Eli, for many reasons. Nobody gave him the credit he deserved, but he proved everyone wrong, including himself. He's worth so much more & deserved so much more.Ultimately these two figured it out & got their HEA.

Definitely a great winter read! These two main characters bring such an interesting spin on dating life that it brings out their crazy and it is hilarious, sad, and heartwarming all at the same time. Add a bit of spice and everything turns out nice.

There were so many funny moments in this book. This author does a phenomenal job creating quirky, relatable characters. I absolutely loved watching these two fall in love while their baby grew.

It's a long book, filled with funny moments. I wish there were more. I started skipping paragraphs because I was over them

This was a fun read. I loved the banter and humor in this book. Eli and Penny had such a fun dynamic and I loved watching them go from strangers living together to in love. Eli was exactly as I expected him to be. The kindest, most caring, understanding and protective man regardless of Penny’s moods and moments. She was the perfect comfort for him and knew just how to show him how worthy he was of love in his life.I normally despise surprise pregnancies in books, but the way this was done was so fun and enjoyable to read. I laughed many times throughout and didn’t want it to end. I love this series more with every book.

This book was a roller coaster ride for sure. I laughed so hard at some of the situations Eli and Penny find themselves in. A one time, one night stand accidentally results in Penny getting pregnant. That’s already going to be a lot, but throw in that the soon to be dad, Eli is her brother’s Hockey team mate and one of his Best friends and you’ve got massive drama. This is a great Rom-Com with lots of heart. I cried, I laughed and I couldn’t put it down! I’m enjoying this series so much and the Hockey “family” of guys are simply fantastic. I love the dialogue between the characters and how you really feel like you know these people.

Not me bawling my eyes out at the end of this book. Meghan, you nailed those pregnancy hormones haha Penny was exactly like me when I was pregnant with my daughter funny enough her nickname is Penny.... what a great book. I laughed out loud often.

Amei mesmo, eu ri, chorei e me emocionei com esse livro, fazia tanto tempo que não lia um livro tão real assim, onde vc se identifica com os personagens, vê seus erros e inseguranças neles. Sem planos, sem twists estranhos , mas uma conexão de vida real mesmo. Adorei

This is a really well written woman meets guy novel, the characters are well developed, they feel like real people, not just card board cut outs like most chick novels. I felt invested in them.

Ce livre est en un mot incroyable. Je suis passé par plein de sentiments, la joie, la tristesse, même l’énervement parfois avec les personnages. Meghan Quinn est une autrice vraiment fantastique. Le spice ( ou les scènes de « smut ») sont vraiment génial et marche avec l’histoire. C’est un vraiment roman du genre Young adult avec des scènes chaude mais avec une vrai histoire étonnante et des personnages attachants qui nous tiennent en haleine jusqu’à la toute fin du livre. J’en voulais plus et je me suis donc mise a lire tous ses livres!

So many laughs, ugly cries.. rollercoaster of emotions reading this one..Meghan Quinn you are simply awesome! Thank you so much for giving us Eli and Penny..