A Secret for a Secret

It amazes me how Helena Hunting invents characters and weaves great stories from them. This was a third in a series and I was so curious if it would hold up with her other books. The opening chapter really sets the tone of “not like the others”.

I loved some of the humorous twists and turns. Seeing previous characters being written into new books is always fun. I loved how I cared for Ryan right out of the gate. He’s a bit uptight and Queenie is not. I loved watching them figure things out…

Helena Hunting…..wow! I need more of this series!

Let me start off with saying I love hockey, I have season tickets for my favorite team. It’s just amazing, so when Helena Hunting decided to do a spin off from her Pucked series I was jumping off the walls. Each book has been better that the other. I love Bishop, like LOVE him (Book 2 – A Favor for A Favor), but we got a glimpse of Ryan Kingston in his book and just knew his book would be just as amazing!

Kingston is the quiet keep to himself, no bullshit, straight up kind of guy. He is not your normal NFL playboy player. He doesn’t sleep around and doesn’t go out and get fucked up. Until the one day he got some news that turned his world upside down, went to the bar and order one of every drink. While he was there drinking he met Queenie. He took her home and they fooled around, the next morning she was gone. He doesn’t do one night stands, but there was something about her that had her in the back of his mind all the time. There was an energy between them that he had never felt with anyone before, but he had no way of contacting her, she left without leaving a note. Until 6 weeks later when she appears as the assistant to the team manager and turns out she is his daughter.

Queenie life has always been a mess. She has tried to stand up on her own 2 feet for a long time, but there is always someone that brings her down. She sees herself as a failure because her mom has told her that since the beginning. She is not part of her life but when she comes around Queenie’s life get turned around. She has always relied on her dad, he has always been her rock. Someone that she can always rely on. To everyone it might look like when something doesn’t go right for her or she doesn’t like something she runs home to her dad. The day she met Ryan Kingston though is a day she will ever forget. The electricity between them was insane, but she knew she had to leave because her storm of a life is no good for anyone.

Kingston knew that she was it for him from the beginning, he was not going to give up on her. He would push and do whatever he could to date Queenie, even asking her dad, the team manager for permission. He was going to take it slow because he just knew that was what she needed. Everything about her was a drug to Kingston. She was his Queen and he would do anything to prove it to her. Everything was a dream until the day Queenie’s past came walking in to the hockey arena. Kingston was just starting to break down her walls, but she started pulling away. Can Kingston except the truth and build a future together with her. Can he move passed her past and stand by her side?

Can Queenie be the storm in Kingston’s calm?

This is a 5 stars book for me. It had me pulled in the whole time. I recommend this book and the whole series. Love these characters and love getting introduced to new ones with ever book. I don’t know if it’s just me but I want Corey’s story so bad! There is something there that we do not know about.

Received this ARC for my honest opinion and review.

Ryan Kingston is sweet, polite, always follows the rules… what you’ll call a good guy. One night he gets super drunk and has his first one-night with Queenie (a girl he just met at the bar). It isn’t until six weeks later that he finds out that she’s the team’s general manager daughter.

Now Queenie is the exact opposite of Kingston. She’s wild, impulsive, doesn’t follow the rules. She’s trying to be more responsible and trying to find her a job that fulfills her. So she decides to work for her dad, with the one tule to stay away from the hockey players. Because of this they try to be friends, until they can no longer deny their attraction.

Now let me tell you something. Kingston is a sweet man in the street and the freak in the bedroom. And I loved that! I loved that their chemistry and their passion is so intense, he loses control of himself.

If you are looking for a sweet, fun and steamy read this is your book. Also, in this book, we meet two characters (possibly 3) who will get their own book. The first one is Ronan Knight whom we’ll meet in “Kiss My Cupcake” and Lavender whose book is comes out on November!

I knew I would love Kingston, and I did. I really really did. He was just adorable and he was perfect. I am a hardcore sucker for a good guy, and getting to know him in A Favor for a Favor, I knew he was one of the best.
King got out of a really long relationship, 8 years long to be exact, but he has come to terms with that. What he hasn’t come to terms with is the feeling that his whole life is a lie and when he goes out one night to drown his sorrows, he runs into Queenie, doing the same. The issue is that King never drinks so he doesn’t remember too much of that night, but Queenie leaves before he wakes up and he has no way to contact her. Until he sees her again, and she’s the GM’s daughter and totally off limits. Too bad it happened before he knew and now neither one of them can forget.
If there’s anyone that you would want your daughter to date, it’s King and now he just has to convince Queenie’s dad. This man is just as stand up as they come and I fell so in love with him. Loved this book so much!

I need a Ryan Kingston! What a tremendous character! I fell in love with him as a secondary character in A Favor For A Favor. But his book? Moved right to the top of my favorite list. He’s not your typical bossy alpha. He’s actually kinda nerdy. He’s a rule follower to a fault. He’s not a player at all, like ever. But his life gets turned upside down and he does something he never does. Gets drunk with a girl and takes her home.

Queenie is a wrecking ball. Her life is in disorder. She lost her job and will have to move back in with her father. She goes to a bar to forget her problems and meets a rather unique man. They get drunk together and leave together. She spends the night with him, but leaves with just a thank you note and a little memento. Both think they will never see each other again. Boy were they wrong.

A few weeks later at the beginning of the Seattle hockey season, they meet again. Queenie is the GM’s daughter and Kingston is the goalie. Their one night could be a huge problem, especially since they can’t stop thinking about each other. The journey these two have is sexy, funny, and tough to navigate. Queenie has a lot of self confidence issues, but Kingston is right there helping her. He has family issues. And together they slowly help each other find their way. This story is beyond fantastic. Absolutely adored this romance!

some secrets cost more than others

For Ryan Kingston wasMr. Straightlaced, stick to it , stay away from everyone kind of guy. He followed all rules. He even still drank milk like a very good boy. He did no wrong. Or at least he didn’t until one night he let it all go. He indulged himself with it all. That all lead to Queenie. She was that one night of blur and clarity. She was that one. The one. He never thought he would see her again. Then he did. She was all that and more. She also was off limits. She was the GMs daughter. She was the one that you were suppose to stay clear of.

The night of passion and throwing caution to the wind was just that. Right? One night. Nothing more. Never gonna see you again. Until, they did see each other and neither one was more surprised. Each have a lot to lose. Queenie has fought hard to have her past behind her. Ryan was on the road to staying clean cut and Mr. Straightlaced. Their chemistry was off the charts and ready to make its own goals.

Overall 4 out of 5 stars
Performance 4 out of 5 stars
Story 4 out of 5 stars

I had fun with this one. There were moments of laughs throughout the entire listen. This was one of those that started with the book but ended with the audio. Stella Bloom and Jason Clarke did their job just right. Turning pages held no appeal once you selected the audio listen. The put on a good performance.

Every book in this series has gotten better and better! Helena is a master at creating these worlds, and I loved loved loved King and Queenie! King is my new favorite book boyfriend! Their story, their journey, everything they go through just hits you right in the feels! I love seeing old characters, meeting new ones, and just absolutely loved everything about this book!! 5 stars isn’t enough, and I would recommend to anyone without hesitation!

What a magnificent, beautiful story. This book truly tried to knock my favorite book of all time out of its top slot. I’m in awe and have so much happiness radiating through me right now. Kingston and Queenie are my new favorite couple.

We saw Kingston in the previous novels and I couldn’t wait to read about this milk loving hockey player. I knew he would have a great story to tell. And boyyyyy did he ever.

Ryan Kingston or “King” to everyone but just parents, is a rule follower to a T. We are talking a grandpa Sunday driver he’s so cautious and on the straight and narrow. So when Queenie comes into his life, she is all sorts of chaos to his calm. These two compliment each other so well. The yin to the yang, or like his bestie Bishop says the olives to his pineapple.

There were many moments I was chuckling and laughing out loud because you just couldn’t help the predicaments they get themselves into. But there was also a somewhat serious factor that gripped at your heart strings. I think thats what fully pulled me in to make this one of my top reads of the year. It made me feel all of the emotions, none of which were too heavy or too much.

I love how cool and collected King is though. Before overreacting, he tried to talk it out and fix the issue. It’s a breath of fresh air because it makes the conflicts seem more real. And while Queenie may overreact some, it’s not immature, it’s just the reaction to her past that’s created who she is.

I know this will be a definite re-read for me, but I so recommend reading about the secrets that we find out about in this story. They are the epitome of the perfect couple. You need to read about the calm and the storm that these two create because I’ll tell you a secret… you won’t regret it!

The All In series by Helena Hunting is one of my favorites. I think Bishop and Stevie from A Favor for a Favor are still my favorite couple of the series, but King and Queenie run a close second.

King and Queenie met at a bar and had an instant connection, but the way they reconnected later was the best. These two seemed to be almost too different to work together as a couple, but they REALLY made it work.

I loved Kingston’s pursuit of Queenie, and the way he talked through issues and conflicts was downright amazing. Queenie was such a wonderful character. She felt lost and confused, but all she needed was some time and encouragement to find her way.

Then, you get to the chemistry between them, and it was fire. Straight-laced King in bed was something to behold. I loved them together.

I can’t wait for what Helena Hunting comes out with next.

Ahh…Kingston and Queenie
King is the best boyfriend ever! He’s loyal and like a Boy Scout, he’s always prepared for anything but get that boy in bed and all the dirty comes out, no pun intended!
Queenie is a total opposite to King, nothing in life is orderly, she’s chaos. But together these two are explosive together!
I loved this story, well to be fair, I’ve loved them all but this one may have just been my favorite of the All In series.