From New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting comes a new romance about trading secrets, breaking the rules, and playing for keeps.My name is Ryan Kingston, and I’m a rule follower. I’ve never been in a fistfight. I always obey the speed limit. I don’t get drunk, and I definitely don’t pick up random women at bars.Except the night I found out that my whole existence has been a lie.I got … existence has been a lie.
I got drunk. And picked up a stranger.
Her name was Queenie, and she was everything I’m not: reckless, impulsive, and chaotic. We did shots and traded secrets. And ended up naked at my place.
She left me a thank-you note in the morning and her panties as a parting gift. But no way to contact her.
Six weeks later I’m sitting in the first official team meeting of the season, and there she is. I neglected to mention that I’m the goalie for Seattle’s NHL team.
And Queenie? Turns out she’s the general manager’s daughter.
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Great storytelling makes for a captivating audience. A Secret for a Secret is a high octane heartbreaker that packs a ton of emotion inside. Hunting had me hooked before the first hello and so far gone that I lost my heart at goodbye. From start to finish I was all in. Queenie and Kingston are a Pandora’s Box just waiting to be explored. Their connection is instant, relationship turbulent, but the journey they take is a mesmerizing one. There is much more to this whirlwind temptress and her enigmatic bad boy in hiding. Beyond the well placed humor and tempting sensuality is a heart that offers itself up for the taking.
Ryan, the swoon worthy, good guy hockey player hero, always does seem to know just what to say/make things right and follow the rules. You gotta love this boy scout, honorable leading man. It takes Queenie, who has an impulsive past history, to give him an outlet to let go/tap into his inner tiger and walk more on the wild side. Color me corny, I have to admit I found her name unusual but thought it sweet when he called her “My Queen”. Considering his last name was Kingston, they certainly seemed a perfect pair.
With both of them having some past and present family drama, it takes their passion for each other to give them the strength to weather the storm and put out the fires that spring up threatening to engulf them.
I can’t say enough how Ryan was quite the catch. My, oh, my…His demeanor reminded me of Captain America, folks. I did lower my rating somewhat because I felt near the conclusion the writing lost some focus, especially when his family fussing went on rather longer than necessary.
Title: A Secret for a Secret, Series: All in (Book 3), Author: Helena Hunting, Pages: 303, stand-alone but part of a series, boy scout good guy hero, not a man ho, past wild child streak/insecure at times heroine, LOTS of very graphic smex scenes with lusty language, ex’s cause drama, romance safe for me, no cheating, no love triangle.
Book 1 – A Lie For a Lie
Book 2 – A Favor For a Favor
Book 3 – A Secret For a Secret
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review. There is no relationship or affiliation between this reviewer and the author, publisher, or NetGalley.)
Every visit to the Pucked universe is sure to be amazing but this one might be my favorite of all time. I read this book in one sitting that’s how much I was loving all over it.
In Favor for a Favor, I thought King was the cutest, sweetest guy. I was swooning so hard reading his story. He’s such a gentleman out in the world with his khakis and polos, milk drinking, and let me ask your dad for permission to date you. But behind closed doors, whoa the heat, while also checking for consent which is hot to the millionth power. Queenie is sassy and chaotic and nothing like King. I loved the storm she brought to his calm. She’s impulsive and fun and completely perfect for Kingston.
I can’t remember the last time a twist in a book took me by complete surprise but this one actually had me gasping, out loud. It happened right when I was thinking it was time to go to sleep and that I could finish in the morning but nope, I needed to know how everything would shake out. I also can’t remember the last time I wanted to punch a fictional character in the face but one of King’s new teammates definitely made me wish that would be possible. But that was balanced with the hilarious interactions between Rook and Bishop. They had me snort laughing and I’m still chuckling thinking about those scenes.
Every book in this series has been amazing. I didn’t think I’d love Seattle as much as I loved Chicago but this is definitely my new favorite team.
This book was amazing!! From the very first page I was hooked and couldn’t stop reading it! King and Queenie!! This is the third book in the series if you’ve read the first two you’ll have already met King, he’s the level headed guy on the team who always follows the rules and is Bishop’s best friend. Queenie now she’s the opposite she is chaos flys by the seat of her pants doesn’t make the best decisions but her heart is in the right place. I’m not going to say much as in regards to the story I’d rather not spoil anything by accident. I will say if you’ve read the Pucked Series you’ll see some familiar faces such as the remarkable Violet and you’ll fall in love with some of the newest additions. It is an amazing, fantastic read the author is awesome in her craft and I can’t wait to read more from her!! Definitely a must read!! Highly recommend!!
You know they opposites attract and boy did Helena Hunting get that right in this #3 installment of the All In series.
Ryan is ultimate rule follower, don’t get drunk, so speed, don’t fight, and definitely don’t pick up strange women for a one night stand.
Queenie, is the ultimate the kick ass heroine and chaos is her middle name. She comes storming into Ryan’s life, and he can’t enough of her.
As usual Helena Hunting gives us a laugh out loud, careful not to pee your pants rom-com. Not much angst but a whole lot of steam. It was great to also catch up with past characters from the first two books,
What an amazing 5 star story this was. I was addicted and hooked from the first page to the last one.
Kingston is a professional hockey player. He lives by the book and rules. He’s disciplined, extremely honest and well mannered. Then he has a one night stand with a woman he meets in a bar. He never does that. He sees her 6 weeks later but she’s forbidden. Can he resist her?
This is book 3 in this series and I have binge read the other 2 and this was no different. It’s addicting and highly entertaining. I just love these characters. They were perfect for each other, they balanced themselves out. The storyline is just perfectly executed and flawless. Bottomline this is a must read.
Standalone told in a dual POV with an HEA. I strongly recommend this story and the other previous ones also.
“I don’t care if you think you’re bent or broken; let me love all of you.”
The third in this series, A Secret for a Secret is just as engaging, just as romantic, and just as much fun as the earlier two. The story starts out with the main characters meeting, and it’s straight on into the story, no time wasted. You’re totally pulled along for the ride, and it’s really fun trying to figure out what exactly the deal is with both of them.
I can’t even believe how amazing King is. I mean, I knew I liked the guy back in A Favor for a Favor, as Bishop’s friend and teammate, but… wow. It’s usually pretty easy to like the main characters of a romance, because I mean that’s kind of the point, right? But while reading King, I was struck at several points that his character did not devolve into a trope. And it so easily could have. I have got to mention the part where his family is visiting, and the way he deals with them. If more people could deal with others that maturely? Wow, the world would be an easier place to live in!
I laughed when Queenie first introduced herself, because…. king and queen? Lol, right? But she’s got issues, and she’s made some questionable choices, but throughout you can very easily get where she’s coming from. I like how she’s sassy but dedicated even when it’s not her dream job, and I really like her relationship with her dad. I love how she connects with violet and Stevie and the kids(!!!). And I really like how she comes to realize that she needs to fight for what she wants. The way king and queenie click is not something the author just tells you, either. It’s so evident in the way they interact. The way each of them reacts to situations, and how they really want to know this other person, how seamlessly they find themselves fitting into each other’s lives, because they really want it.
Like every HH book, this one has a host of excellent supporting characters as well. Most of them we know from the previous books, but the stand outs here were little River and Lavender, who are so adorable! I mean it took me a moment to even deal with the fact that these are Alex and Violet’s kids!!! And then how much character they show in the little snippets of them we get.
This is such a good book, and such a fantastic series!
King was everything I needed and more! I loved loved loved this hero! thank you Miss Hunting for giving me a normal hero, someone so sweet and down to earth that it had me swooning for the entire book! I couldn’t put it down!
Helena Hunting’s stories are never boring. They are never cliche. She brings something refreshing and something unique in every story. And that’s just mindblowing. A Secret for A Secret could have been a predictable sports romance. But since it’s genius creation of Helena Hunting I got a witty, sexy, heartaching and swoonworthy to the maximum romance. With a difference.
Ryan Kingston, star Goalie of NHL is a nice guy. Period. He is a rule follower to the core. He prefers order. He is level headed, rational, calm and truly gentleman. But all his calm flies out of the window when he enters the first team meeting of the season and finds his general manager’s new assistant aka his daughter was his one night stand from six months back. And Queenie is nothing he has ever experienced. She is pure choas and his life is going to be whole lot interesting.
King is nothing like the usual jocks. His manners are impeccable. He considers everyone’s emotion.He even asked his manager’s permission to date his daughter. He is unicorn among men. But he is also alpha in an understated way. He is extremely protective of Queenie. He even shows a rare violent streak when someone hurts his queen and that is so adorably sexy. He is sexy as sin and charming in sweetest way possible. He is patient, understanding and is a source of strength for his partner. He doesn’t react irrationally and that’s an attractive trait in any man. And on other hand we have Queenie. A complete smartass. An impulsive yet responsible, fierce, cute, caring and sassy woman. But it’s not all rainbows and sunshine for them. Queenie has a past that’s not exactly pretty. Her self confidence has been hurt way too many times by people who should have cheered her up. Her heart is a broken place with guilt, self doubt and pain. Her first reaction is to run and hide when things go tough- to protect herself. And things are getting very very tough. They have this insane chemistry with so many shades. I loved the lighthearted playful and sexy part. I also loved the intense and heartbreaking part. They have a very real relationship that I could identify with immediately. They were true partners.
Helena Hunting’s words always make me feel every single emotion so hard. A Secret for A Secret was no exception. I laughed and smiled like crazy while reading the hilarious scenes. I wiped my eyes and my heart ached with bitter-sweet emotions. My inside melted and filled with warm fuzzy feelings. Now that’s what I call a romance treat.
Received ARC for honest review
King and Queenie’s story blew me away and I’m sure A Secret for a Secret will appeal to all romance lovers, it’s a book that certainly ticked all my boxes, I swooned, I smiled, I laughed and I shed a few tears at this emotional entertaining read.
This story captivated me from the first page to the last line and I have to say I really didn’t want this book to end because I was so engrossed in the story as well as the characters and I now have a new book boyfriend to swoon over who goes by the name of Ryan Kingston or King to his friends.
King is the good boy always following the rules except for one night when he finds himself having a night he will never forget with the adorable Queenie what he doesn’t know is she is the daughter of the general manger of the hockey team he plays for……
The woman he thought had walked away without even saying goodbye is now firmly fixed in his life….
The chemistry is sizzling, the story is a beautifully written romance and the banter is perfect. This book has all the feels you want and expect in a great read so I urge you all to one click this gem.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley
It’s been a while since i read a Helena Hunting book.
I originally signed up with for this book with every intention of reading the first two books, but life got in the way and it come to me having to read it without the others.
So safe to say i was nervous because what if i didn’t fully understand it because i hadn’t read the others anf King really caught my eye so i started and you know what? I didn’t struggle one bit without the others, admittedly i wish i had read the others just for the fact i got to see the previous characters and i love seeing couples progressing in the background of other books.
But King and Queenie was amazing, i loved King so much and his little quirks and the way he was and i loved Queenie with him.
I’m totally going to have to go back and read the other two at some point because I’d love to see how they got their HEA.
Also loved seeing Violet and Alex again!
I honestly didn’t think any hockey player could get any better than Bishop but let me tell you King takes the cake. I still love Bishop and I especially loved getting to see more of his and King’s bromance, but Kingston was pure perfection. He is a khaki, polo wearing, polite, prom and proper man but get him in the sheets and he is wild, out of control, and sexy. Queenie makes me laugh and I feel so sad for her because she feels like she is a disappointment to her father and her life is chaos and it is but she works hard, loves even harder, and is brilliant. She is the perfect storm for King’s calm. These two are total opposites but they bring the best out in each other and after enduring some drama will they make it or cut their losses and walk away? I loved the banter, wit, family vibes this book had and Violet didn’t annoy me in this book I actually found her enduring. This author knows how to write such cute, steamy reads that make you smile and feel like you are part of the character’s world.
Ryan and Queenie are so perfect together!
What starts as a one-night-stand of sharing their darkest secrets soon turns into a forbidden attraction when, six weeks later, Queenie and Ryan meet again and realize they both work for her father. This is a delightful opposites-attract story with such a strong emotional connection between the two main characters, there’s no way they can avoid crashing into each other.
Ryan is usually the level-headed boy scout, but recent news has turned his life upside down and he’s still spinning, trying to find his center. Queenie is a whirlwind of chaos, a tornado that sweeps everything into her path, including Ryan. I absolutely adored their steady romance and how they confronted their obstacles one by one, supporting each other through it all.
Their HEA was joyful and peaceful all at once, exactly what they needed from each other. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
This is perhaps my favorite All In story. Kingston is Mr. Goody Two Shoes. We’ve seen in prior books that he orders milk whenever he goes out. He is kind, super polite and an all around nice guy. He’s not a player off the ice and is loyal to his friends and his girlfriend. But what is hiding behind that mask he seems to be wearing? Are their secrets lurking behind those kind eyes? Why yes, yes their are and there are some definite doozies here to unpack. Every great King needs a Queen to balance him out and Kingston may have met his match with the chaos that is Queenie. His ordered life is about to go sideways in more ways than one and this is one ride that is worth taking…for him…for Queenie and for the reader. (I vote for a #4 Momster needs a story 😉 )
I love everything about this book: secrets, surprises and sensational characters!
“I see you, Queenie. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not worthy.”
Move over alpha-holes it’s time for sexy sweethearts like Ryan “King” Kingston. Swoon; he’s really too good to be true. Sweet, thoughtful, rule-follower King has no idea what he’s in for with Queenie. Her chaos, strength and guarded heart have him determined to win her over.
“I’d rather have her chaos than stay stuck in the calm, where everything is lackluster.”
Queenie’s spontaneous passion and emotional vulnerably and King’s steadfast determination and unfailing support mix flawlessly for a hat-trick of heat, heart and humor. With favorite characters from the All In and Pucked series (I adore Alex’s and Violet’s little girl, Lavender) A Secret for a Secret is an all-time favorite.
“I feel like I’ve finally found my person. The one who won’t try to tame my chaos but will let me live in it and help me balance my impulsiveness with stability.”
I cannot wait to see what Helena Hunting has in store next!
Omg! I love King and Queenie!!
I’m having a hard time deciding which of these books in this series is my favorite… every couple is so special.
King is like the epitome of a good boy, and Queenie… well she is not. After a one night stand that rocked both their worlds, they run into each other in the one place neither expected.
Gahhhhh… I loved this book so hard. Each book gets better and better. And I loved the little glimpse into violet and alex’s kids!! So sweet!!!
Although I will say that Kings family made me sooooo mad!!
I absolutely recommend this book and series to everyone.
I recieved an ARC for my honest review.
This was such a fun read! A highly entertaining book that I couldn’t put down! Helena injects her signature wit and humor into this steamy story.
Ryan Kingston is the milk drinking, rule following, khaki pants wearing goalie for the new Seattle hockey team. I absolutely loved his character! He seems like such a straight laced buy, but once he meets Queenie – officially that is, and they get together, he’s a whole other man when he gets between the sheets!
Queenie was really a breath of fresh air! I loved her spunk and no-filter and the bantering back and forth between her and Ryan was so much fun! She is the complete opposite of Ryan. Where she is quirk and chaos, he is calm and collected.
Between Ryan’s messed up family and a secret that surfaces from Queenie’s past, I was afraid these two weren’t going to weather the rough times, but I loved how Helena had these two working in sync to overcome the obstacles ahead of them. AND I absolutely loved seeing Alex, Violet and kids!! It was so good to catch up with them!
Helena has a winner on her hands with this one!!
5 star Review A Secret For A Secret (All In #3) by Helena Hunting
I have yet another new book boyfriend, Ryan Kingston, he ticked all the boxes for me. I love Ms. Hunting’s style of writing, it is always strong, her characters are driven and yet “real” and I find them easy to relate too.
From start to finish Helena Hunting wove together a story that I simply could not put down, she had me totally engrossed and staying up way past my bedtime. This was an entertaining, at times humorous story with angst, secrets and lies. It was also emotional and at times brought tears to my eyes.
Kingston finds himself diving head first into a passionate night with Queenie, a woman who he finds he can tell his deepest and darkest secrets too. The connection between them is not just physical, it is soul deep as Queenie opens up and shares her secrets too. They know they only have one night but it will be one they both will always remember.
However, fate works in mysterious ways and weeks later, Kingston is shocked to learn that Queenie is the daughter of the general manager of his team. The woman he thought he would never see again is now firmly in his life. I loved the awkwardness of their relationship, the shyness an the humour that had me laughing out loud at times. The chemistry between Kingston and Queenie was intense, almost electrifying. I fell hard and fast for Kingston, you cannot help but fall for him in my opinion.
In fact there is nothing that I didn’t love about this book.
I received an copy of this book through the publisher via Netgalley
Helena Hunting has hit it out of the park again! Her novels are really in a league of their own, full of heart, heat and humor – a thoroughly enjoyable trifecta!
A Secret for a Secret is the third book in the All In series, which is an off-shoot of her beloved Pucked series. They are all interconnected standalone novels and can be enjoyed in any order, but I do find that you get a lot more out of the them when you read them in order.
A Secret for a Secret is about Ryan Kingston’s journey to love. He’s a teammate of Rook and Bishop from A Lie for a Lie and A Favor for a Favor respectively. True to the title, each of them is keeping a secret that deeply impacts them. Kingston is a kind, compassionate, shyly romantic guy. He’s truly drawn to Queenie in a beautiful, deeply touching way. This compassion and natural connection is what allows them to truly open up to each other.
Beautifully compassionate and touching. A wonderful addition to the All In series, and a gift to us readers.
Ryan Kingston is the goalie, the good guy, the boy scout of their Seattle pro hockey team. He is polite and follows the rules…except maybe if he gets too much alcohol in his system. At least that is his excuse for picking up a stranger in a bar and taking her home for one hot night.
When Queenie was down and out, meeting Ryan at the bar made her feel better. Her life has been spiraling and she is kind of drifting. Sharing secrets is easier with a stranger. And an impulsive one night stand did not seem to be a problem.
But she has just moved back to Seattle to be her father’s assistant. Her dad happens to be the GM for the Seattle hockey team. And soon that one night is coming back to haunt them both. More secrets.
It is an off-limits situation with uncontrollable chemistry. Sexual frustration leads to friendship. There is no way around it without trying to confront her father about their request to actually date in the open. But it seems for every step forward, more secrets are exposed.
This is a sexy, forbidden, opposites-attract, rom-com with heart and layers of issues. King is adorable and swoon-worthy despite his buttoned-up image. I loved King and Queenie together. King is the calm and center to her storm and chaos. But even King is full of surprises. Just when things would seem to settle down, something else would happen. Some secrets are omissions or even lies with repercussions. But the angst in the story is mostly external and not relationship-based about their actual feelings for the other.
But Queenie does have a lot of fears, insecurities, and self-doubt, and can be a bit much too handle. Will King be willing to weather the storm to be with her?
I loved Queenie’s relationship with her youngish dad, Jake, and Ryan’s with his momster. His family is kind of kooky and add some comic relief and drama. It is also fun getting more with the team, their significant others, and even their sweet offspring. They enjoy taunting each other, but are also an excellent support system. I would actually really like to get another book out of this series focusing on Jake. He’s 40ish, hot, successful, protective, and ready to find love.