Content Notes: NO Spice (just kissing), lots of Swearing, Bullying, LGBTQ content
Book Synopsis: Heart Check
Luke Dawson and Harper Braedon could have been friends. They trade shifts at the same diner, share classes at school, and are driven by their greatest passions: hockey for Dawson and jewelry-making for Harper. But some things aren’t meant to be. Dawson thinks Harper is stuck-up, too good for anything resembling school spirit. Harper thinks Dawson is a self-centered jock, a perfect fit for a hockey team that seems to absorb all the budget away from the arts departments.
When his beloved hockey coach gets fired for misallocation of funds, Dawson is terrified that all his plans for impressing scouts are vanishing before his eyes. A rumor goes around that Harper was the one who got him fired, and suddenly she’s public enemy number one.
But even with their mutual dislike at an all-time high, Harper and Dawson can’t escape splitting shifts forever. Can forced proximity help them find some common ground, or will long-held grudges finally succeed in bringing them both down?
Book Review
I bought Heart Check on a whim. The cover was cute, the synopsis drew me in, and after a quick Google search, I came to the conclusion that it was clean. So I brought it home, admired the cover for far too long, and then started reading.
Overall, this was a very good book. I genuinely enjoyed it and flew through it faster than I expected to. The writing was strong, the pacing was solid, and even as someone who is not a sports fan, I never felt lost or confused by the sports terminology.
The romance was especially well done. Enemies to lovers is one of my favourite tropes, and this book delivered. I mean, this book changed my outlook on hockey boys. The relationship developed naturally, the chemistry was strong, and the romance never went beyond kissing, though it was intense at times. Aside from a few suggestive comments from a bully character, the book was clean in terms of sexual content.
The main drawback for me was the language. There is a fair amount of swearing throughout the book, including frequent use of the f-word. I personally try to avoid books with that level of language, so this significantly affected my overall enjoyment. Readers who are sensitive to swearing will likely find this frustrating, while those who do not mind strong language may not be bothered by it as much.
There are also a small number of LGBTQ characters included. While their roles were fairly minor, I did not feel their inclusion added anything meaningful to the story and that they weren’t really necessary to the plot.
Something I liked was the lessons woven throughout the story. Harper learns to open up and realizes that letting someone in is not a bad thing. She also learns to step outside her own perspective and understand that what she believes to be true may not be the only valid viewpoint.
Dawson also experiences meaningful growth. He learns that change is not always a bad thing and that good can come from difficult situations. He learns to recognize the difference between people who truly have his back and those who do not, and that a rumour is just a rumour.
Overall, Heart Check is a strong and engaging book. I loved the romance, the characters, the storyline, and the ending. Because of the frequent swearing, I would recommend this book for 14+, but only is you don’t mind strong language.
So If you are looking for a cute YA romance with a compelling love interest, solid character development, meaningful lessons, and you don’t mind frequent swearing, this is the book for you!
Happy Reading,
Ava
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