Fake Shot

Boston Rebels, Book 2

By: Julia Connors

Narrated by: Connor Crais, Stella Bloom

Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

After fifteen years of tending goal for the Boston Rebels, I’m known for two things: the highest save percentage in the league, and never spending more than one night with the same woman.

I’m definitely not the guy you should trust with your best friend’s little sister. Especially not when that sister, Jules, is eight years younger and my new roommate.

When I witness her on the verge of a panic attack while being intimidated by another man, I don’t think twice about calling her my fiancée and kissing her. Which brings me to the third thing I’m known for: reckless and impulsive decision-making.

After a video of that steamy kiss goes viral, the whole world is convinced we’re engaged. If we don’t play along, I risk losing my place as the starting goalie for the Rebels, and Jules’s reputation and career could tank.

Our engagement may be fake, but the memories of the way she tastes, and the feel of her body wrapped around mine, are all too real. And the more time we spend together, the less it feels like pretending.

None of the secrets from my past seem to matter as much when I’m with her. It turns out, Jules may have some secrets of her own–and uncovering them just might be what heals me…or what finally breaks me.

©2024 Julia Connors (P)2024 Julia Connors

Another GOAL made for the Boston Rebels

Guys, I absolutely LOVED Center Ice so I was rearing & ready to go when Fake Shot hit my box & Julia Connors delivers people!!!🙌🙌 She comes screaming through the door with another audio that I couldn't press pause for. I am absolutely MAD over Colt & Jules!

This is just such a fun listen. End of story! When authors say, "it's a slow burn," Julia freaking means it! This burned so slow but when it HIT, baby did it HIT! Colt & Jules have known each other forever. He's her brother's best friend so feelings she's had for him over the years have just been pushed down & thought of as impossible. The story revolves around two dynamic characters thrown together in a fake relationship that spirals into something unexpectedly genuine.

Colt, the hot & talented hockey goalie has been a player in the past. Cruising in the fast lane, he's a resident bad boy but time & age are catching up & he's realizing that he wants to take life a little slower. You wouldn't initially come to this conclusion, but Colt has some real depth to him. The longer the story played out, the more I fell hard for this guy! And the mouth on him? Whew! Julia can write the spice ya'll. I was full on blushing.🙌 Will Chapter 37 be saved & replayed, absolutely YES!

Something unexpected was how much I LOVED Jules character. In Center Ice, she seemed rather closed off & not fun but in this book, you learn where that comes from & quite honestly, she's nothing like that. I freaking LOVED this FMC. Jules is a boss babe to be worshipped! She's snarky, has a hilarious inner monologue & doesn't give a crap what people think. We'd most certainly be friends in real life. I just know it! Colt absolutely loves when she acts like a brat. It drives him mad & I was all here for it! She's a girl whose used to being in control, but with Colt she totally feels outta control & this scares her to death.

I loved the vulnerability she has with Colt. She suffers with anxiety & Julia does a wonderful job portraying & writing about this. This is why I loved her so much. You've got a gal who seems to have it all together but in reality, she's quietly scared & fearful. Julia weaves together trust, ambition & vulnerability into this story which makes their story feel personal & familiar.

🎧Let's talk narration...Stella & Connor were honestly perfectly cast in this. Stella brings all the snarkiness, strength & the unguarded aspect of Jules to life. I absolutely loved her in this role. Connor already knows how to play this fiddle. He completely captures Colt's protective nature & sensitive side. These two together give you all the delightful banter, humor & emotional depth you want in an amazing audio. This one just hits all the right notes guys! YOU need this in AUDIO! Highly recommend this one!

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite hockey series on audio. Julia writes dialogue that just sparkles & draws you right into Colt & Jules playful rivalry & heart tugging moments. You just can't help but root for them.

This one is a NEED

If you have not immersed yourself in a Julia Connors romance yet, you are MISSING OUT! And this is your sign to fix that!

Fake Shot is one of, if not THE best reformed playboy romances I’ve had the pleasure of listening to.

Connor Crais plays Colt, a golden-retriever, hockey God, reformed-playboy goodness trying so hard not to fall for his best friend’s little sister. He wants someone to see him as more than the playboy persona. The only problem? That person is his now-fake fiancée and her brother would kill him. Connor did suchhh a good job portraying those emotions! Colt wins your heart over and Connor’s voice seals the deal.

Stella Bloom brings Jules to life. Jules is guarded, resilient, and would do anything for her family. One dinner and sketchy guy later, she’s forced into close proximity with the guy responsible for her built up walls. When Colt starts leaning in when no one else is around, and saying things that make her melt, she has to decide what’s worth putting her trust in. I could not think of a better narrator for Jules than Stella! Her voice sucked me right in to Jules’s life.

If you like forced proximity, fake fiancée , reformed playboy, all the sass, and all the spice - RUN to this book. I cannot recommend it enough!

Jules and Colt

Fake Shot is the second book in the Boston Rebels series and tells the story of Colt and Jules. Colt and Jules were introduced in Center Ice (book one). However, this book can be read as a standalone. In Center Ice, it is clear that something is going on with Colt and Jules. Now we know they have a history that started in Vegas years ago. Jules has always had a crush on Colt, but he only saw her as his best friend's little sister. When circumstances lead to Colt moving in with Jules, he realizes she is not a kid anymore. What happens next? A fake engagement, of course! As they spend more time together, they stop pretending, and things become more real than ever imagined.

I loved Colt and Jules together! They have amazing chemistry and are exactly what each other needs. From the outside looking in, Colt is a playboy star hockey player who doesn't do relationships, but as we peel back his layers, we see there is more to him than the facade he allows the world to see. Jules is a strong female entrepreneur who works in a male-dominated industry. I love that the story highlighted her struggles with this and her efforts to create more space for other women to enter the field. I loved that Colt helped break down the walls Jules built up due to her past and showed her he was a man she could trust with her heart. This is definitely a slow burn, but it's worth it. Colt and Jules learn to be vulnerable with each other, and the evolution of their relationship is beautiful to witness.

Fake Shot is a great second book in this series. It is the perfect hockey romance, with heat and swoon-worthy moments. I'm excited to see what is planned for book three.

Narration:
Stella Bloom and Connor Crais did a phenomenal job narrating this story. They are incredible storytellers and the perfect voices for Jules and Colt. Stella and Connor really brought the characters to life, truly capturing all of the emotions and pulling me into the story. I read an early copy of this book back in June, and listening to this audiobook made me fall in love with the characters even more.

Colt and Jules!

Colt is a professional goalie who is know for his reputation as a player both on and off the ice. When he needs a place to stay where better than with his best friend who even if that means living to be living with his sister Jules as well. It seemed like the perfect plan until his attempt to protect end results in them pretending to be engaged.

Jules did have feelings for Colt in the past but after the events that transpired that is no longer the case however living. When he is there for her during a tense situation she not only has him as her roommate but her pretend fiancé as well and this time it seems she isn’t the only one with feelings.

Both Colt and Jules are determined to deny their feelings for each other, him because of her brother and her because of the past. Seeing Colt acknowledge how he feels about Jules and show her that she can trust him with her secrets and her heart is an experience you don’t want to miss. Through the narrators you could feel the swoon factor that Colt had as well as the turmoil that Jules was going through which only made the characters more relatable.

amazing narration brought characters to life

The narration on this book was incredible. I had already read it on kindle so this was a really fun reread truly getting absorbed in the story. Crais as Colt was perfect. He really captured Colt exactly the way I'd pictured him when I first read this. Bloom as Jules was amazing. She really brought out the emotional side of this story very naturally.

I especially recommend this one for people who love hockey or any sports - this had a good balance of sports and romance.

I also recommend this for people who love strong female leads. Jules is very impressive.

This book also covers some tough topics so be sure to read content warnings.

I received an advanced audio copy of this book. This is my honest review.

Absolutely amazing

I absolutely LOVED IT!! The voice actors chosen added a whole new level to the characters, they were picked so perfectly. As for the story itself, I loved it. I always love brothers best friend troupes and the family dynamic with Jules and her big brother added a whole new level of protectiveness that I didn't know I needed. I loved them so much and the ending was beautiful.

This Audio Introduced Me To Julia Connors

Jules and Colt stole my attention from the start of this book and held it until the last page.

This best friend's sister, fake engagement, and unrequited love romance will have you loving them too!

Colt has been the typical hockey star, and I loved him for always just being who he is.
Jules is shy and standoffish. She loves hard but only those that are close to her. She keeps her guard up.

Stella Bloom and Connor Crais are two that I always enjoy listening to. I loved their narration of this book. The chemistry between the characters was read perfectly between these two. The tone of Connor and Stella is done so well that you will not be able to stop listening once you start. I could listen to these two all the time.

Colt & Jules

What could be worse than having to live with your brother’s best friend, the man you’ve always crushed on? Maybe having to be fake engaged to said man. Jules knows this all too well. At the start of the story I was actually worried about how I was ever going to like Colt but Julia certainly made me do a 180 on my opinion about him! Colt & Jules have to deal with past feelings and hurt while also having to live together and fake a relationship while in public. The more they pretend and share fake kisses, the more the lines blur and things start feeling real. I loved that it was very much a slow burn but you still get the tension and little pieces of them along the way. Their chemistry was strong whether it be in the bedroom or just their banter. They fit so perfectly.

Colt really went from playboy to the sweetest boyfriend and he claimed a spot on my book boyfriends list! I loved the things he did for Jules and the way he proved that he cared for her. Connor and Stella excelled at bringing these characters to life. Spectacular performances by them both. Such a fun audio to listen to.

Great Dual Narration

A cute mix of roommates with a fake engagement contemporary hockey romance. Colt, a goalie for the Rebels is one big softie at heart, but yet fierce protector, when it comes to Jules, his best friend’s sister, which leads to being fake-engaged to her and lots of fun banter and moments. I appreciated the sub-plot of empowering women in the trades too! I am so happy I got to experience this book on audio, as the dual narration was so well done and spot on with voicing emotions. I appreciated the opportunity from the author and Wordsmith to listen and enjoy.

Obsessed With This Series

Fake Shot is the second book in the Boston Rebels series. We were introduced to some intriguing side characters in book one. Jules Flynn was one of those characters, she is the snarky, take no shit youngest sibling in the Flynn family. She is also a boss babe that owns her own construction company and is in the process of getting her non-profit mentorship up and running so she can help more women get into the construction field and she’s only 25! Mathieu Colter is the 33 year old Boston Rebels goalie who has been in Jules’ life for over a decade now. He is best friends with Jules’ older brother, Jameson, and a well known playboy. Jules has had a crush on Colt since he entered her life, but he doesn’t see her as any more than Jameson’s little sister. When Jules finally realizes Colt will never return her feelings, she swears him off and then makes some very questionable decisions in Vegas. Fast forward six years and Jules has held true to swearing Colt off. The two have minimal interactions and when they do it’s a little hostile and clipped. But when Colt needs a place to stay his best friend immediately offers up the apartment on the third floor of their childhood home, the only problem is, Jules still lives in the brownstone and can’t stand Colt. One night in an effort to protect Jules from a sleazy businessman Colt declares Jules his fiance. So now not only are they roommates, they are fake engaged! As Colt starts to see Jules as more than just Jameson’s little sister, will Jules give in to her attraction to Colt once again?
The narration was so good! This is a dual narrated audiobook. Narrated by Connor Crais and Stella Bloom. Stella is a newer narrator to me and I have loved her work, Fake Shot was no exception. She did a great job bringing Jules’ sassy personality to life as well as her vulnerable side that had her heartbroken all those years ago. Connor was wonderful bringing Colt’s charming and flirtatious energy to life as well as his protective and nurturing side. There is a lot of banter in this one and it just hits differently in audio, so I definitely recommend checking this one out!