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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Ryan and Queenie meet for one night. Six weeks later they are both surprised to find out their new working relationship is only complicated because of the past. They are drawn together with amazing chemistry that they try to resist. They each have secrets. They each have some mommy issues. They can’t stay away from each other.
This dual POV story has a LOT of heat, some definite laughs, a poorly timed allergic reaction, and a sweet HEA. I love how King is such a good guy, but lets out his bad boy in the bedroom. I love that Queenie feels everything and gives her all to everything, creating some chaos. I love how supportive he is of her, how caring he is of her needs, and how he cherishes her chaos which she has always viewed as a weakness. I really appreciated how much Queenie grows during the story. With King’s support and positive affirmations, she starts to shut down the negative self talk from years of harsh criticism. She figures out how to pursue her dreams, stand up for herself, and love herself too.
I really liked this story, the clever King and Queen word play, and especially King himself. He is 100% swoon-worthy as a hero. I loved him. I love the hockey team family and there are several former characters here to support these two. I can’t wait for whatever comes next but I am begging the author: please give us Hanna’s story too.
Helena Hunting gives the readers what they want: NHL Hockey Romance! In this one, a one-night stand turns interesting with unexpected twists and turns and some forbidden romance:
“He’s a strait-laced rule follower with a naughty side.
She’s chaos personified…”
He’s a strait-laced, rule follower with a naughty side.
She’s chaos personified.
Hockey/sports romance
Forbidden romance
unexpected twists and turns
A Secret For A Secret by Helena Hunting is the third stand alone in her All In hockey series. An opposites attract romance between a pro at hot messes and a hockey play who keeps his life neat and tidy. Another quality hockey romance from the Queen of hockey romances Helena Hunting.
Queenie is fantastically flawed and I love her for it. She is open with her feelings from the beginning and loosens King up in all the best ways. She is immediately taken in by his Boy Scout persona and lives to rile him in and cause chaos in his neatly organized life. But for someone whose so expressive she tends to run from her mistakes. She can be hard on herself and doubt the relationships around her but that makes her feel human because it’s relatable.
Ryan Kingston is the epitome of a good guy with his khakis and his manners. He has a great relationship with his family, cares about his teammates and is head of heels for Queenie and isn’t afraid to show it. His honesty made me laugh because it felt awkward in all the right ways. I loved seeing them heat up in the bedroom because it showed that he could be passionate when the time was right and respectful and sweet too. It’s important that King fights for Queenie because she needs someone in her corner to support her and push her to fight for herself.
This story had all the Helena Hunting staples that I love. The story followed a strong yet messy female who meets a hockey player who sweeps her off her feet. The romance was on point but that is a given with Hunting who knows just the right amount of sweet and steam in the bedroom. You get to see the Seattle gang and their wives as well as some quality Violet Waters which is always enjoyable.
No one does funny contemporary romance like Helena Hunting! Now add in some hockey with a side of forbidden and…why are you still reading my review…go one click! And it’s FREE in KU!
How much I adore this book !!!!
It’s funny
It’s sweet.
It’s H.O.T…
And… It’s so Mrs.Hunting’s BABY!!!! Ahhh I thinik it will be my fave book in this series right now.
Queenie and King gave me ALL.THE.FEELS!!!! It’s not a secrect, but just very big mirracle that I’m able to write aby words here…This couple, their love storY made me swooonnnnnn !!! My heart is still melting – literally !
From the first paiges I knew – it will be this kind of book, that I won’t put down. Queenie & King seduced my heart, gave me a lot of fun with showing me – books are not only the books. It’s also the place to find amazing time, with awesome, maybe a little imaginary people but … , with the most important in the background – LOVE with capital L.
Must Read title!
Omg I absolutely love Kingston. Kingston is sweet, sexy and absolutely a character you will never forget. Queenie & Kingston is perfect for each other. I love getting more of Bishop and his crazy boxers. This series is absolutely perfection and the characters are all amazing. Another 5 Star read that will have you hooked from page one.
Adored King!
“Kind of like the way addicts always say “Just one more hit”, I think Ryan Kingston could be my drug of choice.”
Ryan Kingston AKA King is a Boy-Scout rule-follower with a moral compass that points due north. Until one night, after finding out a deep family secret, he throws caution to the wind and gets drunk and ends up having a one-night stand. Weeks later, he comes face-to-face with his unforgettable fling. She turns out to be the GM’s daughter and off-limits.
“She’s a tornado, and half the time I don’t know what to do with her, but I still want to get caught up in her vortex.”
Queenie is a hot mess. She’s a little bit wild and struggling to get her life on a path where the future is clear. When she realises that King was her hookup, she tries to keep things platonic. However, the chemistry between them is sizzling and undeniable. She worries that they’re too different and there’s also her dad to contend with. When they overcome initial obstacles, her messy past comes back to haunt her.
“You make me want things I’ve only thought about in the abstract until now.”
This story was so much fun! Ryan is so straitlaced and by-the-book but, in the bedroom, he is off-the-hook hot!! *fans self* He’s crazy attractive, protective, and just so good through and through. I fell for him hard! Queenie – bless her heart – tries so hard. Full of insecurities and somewhat low self-esteem, my heart hurt for her. She had so much to give and was so full of life and good intentions. I was so happy for her to find her King. This was such a fantastic story!
This was a well-rounded book with drama happening on both the hero’s and heroine’s side. Ryan “King” Kingston is trying to work through a three-decades-old family secret at a bar. He’s not really a drinker unless milk counts. He is the most straight-laced hockey player in the league and is shocked the next morning when he realizes he did not go home alone. It is against his character to both drink and have a one-night stand. All Kingston knows is her first name since she snuck out without leaving her number. His memory of that night is a little spotty but weeks later, when the team meets the General Manager’s new assistant, he comes face-to-face with his mystery lady. Then the GM drops the bomb – it’s his daughter and she is off limits to the players and staff.
I liked the opposites attract aspect. Queenie considers herself a whirlwind and Kingston has a calming effect on her. Deep down she knows what she wants to do in life but her reaction to non-supportive people from her past has sent her in different directions. Most times she ended up back at her Dad’s which only made her feel guilty that she was a burden to him. Just when Queenie and Kingston seem to be on the path to happiness, some unforeseen obstacles may be standing in their way.
Long live King and Queenie!!
I’m totally hooked on this series and A Secret for a Secret did not disappoint
Ryan King is McDreamy, Prince Charming, McSteamy… he is everything we all dream about!
I never thought that I will fall for a guy wearing khakis and polos… and drinking milk LOL
Trust me when I say that you will fall for him in a heartbeat!
Queenie is at a critical point in her life- she is lost and does not know what the future holds for her. She is back living with her dad and working by his side.
There is a wonderful flow to this story, you always feel the connection building between King and Queenie and it comes across as a natural progression of their feelings for each other.
The story was so fun to read,the angst it didn’t detract from the story but actually made it more real. The twists and turns and swirling emotions in the book suck you in and don’t let you go. I loved both main characters, they really worked as a couple and were individually strong too. To be reunited with the gang put a big smile on my face!
King’s pov is one of the best male POV’s I’ve read, wouldn’t we all want a man to be so honest and strong in knowing his own mind.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!!
Completely beautiful.
I predicted it when I reviewed A Favor for a Favor. This series is my favourite by Helena Hunting. The depth of character and raw emotion that goes into each book in the All In series is flawless.
You aren’t getting a rip roaring and hilarious romcom with this series. Hunting’s characters go through an emotionally moving journey together, and I personally think King and Queenie’s was the best (which is saying something because all three were outstanding).
The portrayal of Queenie’s character development has honestly left me speechless. She grew so much and so naturally throughout the course of this story. Hunting can take delicate subject matter and storylines and turn them into something magnificent.
I sincerely hope you’ll read the All In series. Each book is exceptional.
The reading order is this: A Lie for a Lie, A Favor for a Favor, A Secret for a Secret.
What are fun, sweet, and steamy read! I love Helena Hunting’s stories. They always have the perfect amount of heart, humor, and heat. I have really enjoyed this All In series of stand-alones. I adored Rook and Bishop, but I think King may be my favorite and that says a lot. He speaks to my rule following heart! I loved the dynamic between King and Queenie. It was fun to see how they related to each other and how they complimented each other’s personalities. There were definitely some laugh out loud moments and some seriously sexy scenes. I love a good rom-com and A Secret For A Secret was everything I hoped for. This is the perfect story to get lost in, and I can’t wait for more from this amazing author!
Review by Lys
I absolutely with all my heart adore Kingston!!! He is so wholesome and so amazingly likeable. I don’t think there was even a second where I didn’t love him like mad. I just love a man who is so put together in life but then he meets the one for him and his inner growly twin comes roaring out. I’m a legit fool for this boy and his sweetness.
Queenie is a tornado packed into a tiny person and I just really really want to solve all her problems, okay?? I wished someone was there to make her understand that she was worthy before all of the mess that happened to her. I wish she trusted herself more. It just broke my heart and I was so happy to see her recover and fall in love with herself.
I love Helena’s skill of making you laugh like a loon in one chapter and then making you an emotional mess in another. She really is an unparalleled force in romcoms and it’s amazing to be able to read her beautiful stories.
Once again I was hooked from the moment I picked up one of these books in this new series by one of my favorite authors. And King, well let’s say he might be the guy for me, because his favorite tv show is my favorite, The Big Bang Theory! King was such a good guy. He was totally the goodie two shoes you’d expect for the most part. But such a real man back behind closed doors. Perfect for Queenie. She needed someone like him. It was so frustrating for all the people she’d had in her past that made her life a hell, and made her doubt herself so much.
And while King had a kind of screwed up family as well, at least it hadn’t been quite what Queenie had. He had a great momster as well. You’ll have to read to understand that. But there was also Queenie’s ex, a really big jerk of a hockey player, that ended up kind of getting what he deserved.
As usual I loved how the author brought in so many characters we’d loved from her past books. Not only the other two in this series, A Lie for a Lie and A Favor for a Favor, but also my favorite couple of all time, Alex and Violet. And I loved their kids. Little Lavender was so so sweet! I really do hope we get a series of books based around the kids of our beloved Pucked series’ characters.
I feel like a broken record… but MAN I LOVE THESE HOCKEY BOYS! KING and QUEENIE is just one of my favorites out of the 3… he is kind and gentle… and has a heart. It was good to read the male character fall just as hard and just as fast! King has my heart!
After reading book 2 in this series I was hesitant to continue with the series but the synopsis sounded so good and after seeing Kingston in the previous book as Bishop’s best friend, I knew I had to read more about this “boy scout” and I’m so glad I did because I absolutely loved him. King and Queenie were so cute together. I thought their relationship would be smooth sailing but it wasn’t. Helena Hunting threw in some major drama for these two but they both handled it very well. Really a very fun, sweet and very sexy story. Now if Jake, Queenie’s dad, will get his own love story I will definitely want to read that one too.
Helena Hunting slams the puck into net and scores a winning goal with another hockey romance that is impossible to put down. I thought I knew who these characters were going into this, but HH never fails to surprise me with details about her characters. It makes such a difference when a writer takes the time to really invest in her characters and make them as real and as flawed as possible. Her characters, here and elsewhere, are so genuine in their quirkiness and peccadilloes that they feel real. There is no way not to love them, not to want to be friends with them immediately.
You just can’t go wrong with one of Helena Hunting’s books! I have read them all and this one did not disappoint. I absolutely love Queenie’s character! Ryan is the hot hockey player with a loveable personality. Don’t miss out on this one!
Seattles honorable boyscout Goalie Kingston is brought to his knees by a whirlwind of chaos that is Queenie. A one nightstand that neither forgot. A new job that comes with the stipulation that no one is to go anywhere near the General Mangers daughter. The passion they shared us hard to ignore, though they fight valiantly against it. But King with stop at nothing to claim his Queen and he will make her his. They shared so much more than secrets and happily ever after is within their grasps. Funny, endearing, emotional and chaotic and utterly perfect in every way!
I loved King and Queenie’s story! Really loved it. There was a time or two I could have slapped King’s momma (not momster, she is awesome and I really hope she gets her own story, and I’m pretty sure I know who it would be with……), but in the end she did what she did out of love and protection for her son.