Big Stick by R.C. Stephens

Hockey is my life. And it's a great one. There's an endless line of women, and I get to hang with my best friend Oli. Everything is perfect until she shows up. Oli's twin sister, Flynn... hates my guts. I don't blame her. I'm part of one of the worst nights of her life.

Now she's next door and seeing her every day is killing me slowly. I wonder if we can ever get back to being friends. The way she looks at me sometimes, well, let's just say my hockey stick isn't the only thing that's feeling hard these days.

But if she finds out the secrets I'm keeping, forgiveness will be the last thing on her mind.

Book 1
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Entangled Publishing

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Romance – semi-second chance
Triggers: Click HERE to see Avid Reader’s review on Goodreads for trigger warnings.

This is a sweet second chance story with a lot of baggage. Flynn and Oli are twins who have lost a lot in their lives.

Flynn is a smart woman who really takes no prisoners. She finds herself questioning her choices when her boyfriend of a few years is caught cheating on her. She doesn't have a ton of options, so she finds herself staying with her brother... with her ex-best friend, Myles, right next door.

The history that these three share is an unbreakable one... but it was broken with a tragic accident. While Oli and Myles are playing their hearts out for Chicago in the NHL, Flynn is working hard to make partner. Then there is her best friend, Sloane. Sloane is a hoot and I loved her.

I really liked how this story wove and you got to see both past and present relationships. The twists and turns this story takes you on are emotional. There are times in the story where I just wanted it to be enough pushing and pulling. but in the end, there is a happy ending.

I do hope that Sloane gets a story next, as she was hilarious and I want more of her.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
I am a big hockey romance fan, so was delighted to get to read this story. I wouldn't say that the hockey is the main part of the book, but it acts as a good backdrop for the romance.

Flynn is a lawyer on the up but has made a terrible choice of boyfriend, so ends up staying with her twin brother, Oli, and next door to their childhood best friend, Myles. The two men play top flight hockey together and still have a very close relationship. They also have a huge secret which forced a change in the dynamics between Myles and Flynn that has never been resolved. As Myles falls for Flynn all over again, the tension builds. Whilst we don't know what it is, the hints are there – and maybe for that reason I found the drama at its reveal somewhat over the top. Luckily the situation is short lived, and a renewed sense of rightness develops.

I enjoyed their romance as it was partly the rekindling of an important friendship, giving them a chance to reconnect with that part of their lives, as well as a finally accepting the connection between them. Oli was a good foil and it was lovely how he acknowledged that it was always meant to happen.

There could easily be more from this group of friends, so I do hope we get a book two in the future.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This is a sweet hockey romance. Myles has always been in love with Flynn, one of the twins he grew up with. So when Flynn suddenly reappears in Myles’ adult life, he will do anything to get her to see him the way she used to.

This books ticks so many of my favourite romance boxes. I love hockey romances. And second chance romances. And best friend romances. And funny romances. And stories with siblings. And stories about big secrets. This is kinda a perfect match for me. And it is beautifully written. I love the characters. Flynn starts the book as a hot mess reeling from an embarrassing breakup and her messy moments were funny and relatable enough for me to forgive her for being a beautiful, clever lawyer. Myles’ attempts to win Flynn’s affections are funny and sweet and kinda awkward at times.

There isn’t a whole lot of actual hockey action in the story. The drama is in the relationships between Myles, Oli, and Flynn and the history between them that is slowly unpacked for readers. Despite some heavy topics, this is a relatively light and easy read. I grew annoyed with the usual hockey romance trope where the women are either slutty puck bunnies or serious potential partners – but this is a fun read that doesn’t take itself too seriously.


Lee’Anne – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is a super-hot hockey romance, I loved it!

Myles and Oli have been best friends since childhood and now play hockey together in the NHL. Oli's twin sister, Flynn, was their third musketeer until a terrible accident occurred that Flynn still blames Myles for. Now, Flynn’s down on her luck and has to move in with Oli... next door to Myles. Myles has been in love with Flynn since they were kids but heeding Oli’s warning to leave her alone, he's tried to move on. Now that they're in close proximity though, old feelings pop back up and the two quickly get steamy.

I just really enjoy friend-to-lovers books, this one is done so well. Flynn’s a fierce character and Myles’ humor and good nature is the perfect balance for her character. I really enjoyed the story and I'm excited to see where this author takes the series next!

As far back as R.C. Stephens can remember she was a sucker for a good romance. Of course there had to be a prince charming even if he ultimately was a dark knight and there had to be a happy ending.

She watched the movie Dirty Dancing way too many times growing up and Jean Claude Van Damme movies too. Go figure!

After years of saying she would write a book one day, she finally put pen to paper and carved out the plot line for what would eventually become the best selling Twisted Series. Now R.C. is just finishing up her tenth book and can’t seem to stop the stories running through her mind. Visit R.C. on her Facebook page to find out what’s new in her life and what releases she has coming up.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Big Stick (Big Stick #1) by R.C. Stephens to read and review.