She’s my sun and moon.My stars, my air, my sunshine.She’s every heartbeat.There are two kinds of women in the world – those I can bang, and those I can’t.My teammate’s sister?She’s a can’t.I moved in with her to protect her from a nasty ex, not to be the next guy in line.She’s the brains.I’m the brawn.She’s the fruit.I’m the sausage.She talks too much.I don’t talk at all, if I don’t have to.… the fruit.
I’m the sausage.
She talks too much.
I don’t talk at all, if I don’t have to.
Should be easy to resist her.
But every minute I spend with Felicity is another minute she gets under my skin. She makes me feel like something more than a dumb puckhead with a big Zamboni pony. And it’s getting harder to remember why I need to keep my hands to myself.
Beauty and the Beefcake is a vegan-friendly standalone romantic comedy featuring a hockey player whose vocabulary is the only thing smaller than a hockey puck, a book smart but aimless ventriloquist with too many voices in her head, a dilapidated old house that may or may not be haunted, and no cheating or cliffhangers.
more
Genre: Romance – Comedy, Sports (Hockey)
Standalone: Yes
Part of a Series: No, but all of Pippa Grant’s books are in the same universe so all her characters are interconnecting
POV: Felicity and Ares
Steam Level: Slow Burn to toasty
5/5
OMG! Do you like sports romance? Romantic comedies? Beauty and the Beefcake is the 4th book I’ve read of Pippa Grant’s and I will keep reading her! I fell in love with Ares in The Pilot and the Puckup (Ares’ twin Zeus’ book) and fell further in Royally Pucked (Manning and Gracie’s book). He was worth the wait! Ares is sweet, funny, kind, and observant. He doesn’t talk much but says a lot. Felicity talks too much, in different voices (she is a ventriloquist). The combination of these two is spectacular. The fireworks combustible. The laughs, out loud (in public – Don’t read in public unless you don’t mind dying of laughter). With Beauty and the Beefcake Pippa Grant has become one of my few one-click authors. If you want to laugh, cry, and laugh harder then pick up Pippa’s books.
I am fast becoming a big fan of Pippa Grant and the third book in her standalone hockey series is honestly my favourite so far!!
I ADORED Ares… You could see from the previous books that he was quiet and thoughtful but in his book you got to see just how people treated him and it bugged the crap out of me!! There is so much to this big gentle giant of a hockey player that no-one but those closest and who care about him are interested in seeing…. I was delighted that Felicity was the one who ‘got him’ in both senses of the term!
Felicity is a really good person, too nice for her own good at times, but she’s funny (gods, her puppet convos had me laughing hard at times), caring, loving, hard working and, regardless of her break from guys, spends time helping out the quietest Berger twin and gets to see just how much more there is to him than the gif texts, one word answers and quirky tees.
There were layers to this story, it pulled at my emotions, was well written, funny, engaging and hot! I liked that we caught up with the couples from the previous books in the series and I’m now wondering who is gonna be the next hockey player to fall…. and I can’t wait to find out!
From a fab series which I would most definitely recommend, Beauty and the Beefcake gets 5 great big stars from me!
I’ve dreamed of reading the story for a while. Ares Berger is our H in this novel, we met him and his twin brother Zeus in Mister McHottie. Ares is a pro hockey player know for having the nickname The Force, and he is a top notch hockey player. His is also, sadly, thought of as just a big unintelligent guy because he doesn’t talk much and when he does, it doesn’t really make any sense in context to what is being discussed or what question he was answering. As the story unfolds we find out so much about Ares, and some of it is a little heartbreaking. Felicity Murphy is adorable in a quirky kind of way, she’s a genius, but her personality is different. She is a talented ventriloquist and uses these “voices” as a coping mechanism. Her brother is Nick Murphy, who is on the pro hockey team with Ares.
I don’t want to give away too much of the story, but Ares is injured, needs a place to stay and Nick asks Ares to stay with his sister. Felicity just ended a relationship with a jerk who is harassing her, so Nick asks Ares to keep an out on her, and Ares takes his job seriously. They begin to get close and what follows is nothing if not magical. Pippa wrote a beautiful story, with some funny parts but lots of parts that hit you in the feels.
Oh, by the way, the emotional support monkey is back.
Another wonderfully hysterical read by Pippa Grant. The main characters, Ares and Felicity, were so much fun to read! I never would have thought you could make a full story out of Ares when we first met him in Mister McHottie (when all he did was grunt and text in gifs), but it works and it’s so good. Bravo Pippa!
Being silent doesn’t mean being dumb.
Ares “The Force” Berger is the silent type. Never using long words, his preferred method of communication is through grunts and hilarious gifs. Felicity Murphy is his friend’s sister and a complete chatter-box, as well as a ventriloquist, who’s really a jerk-magnet. When her brother asks Ares to look after Felicity while he’s gone, Ares moves in with her and… sparks fly. Add in the mix inappropriate cookies, a monkey with an attitude and a grandma’s ghost… and you have the recipe to a non-stop laughing out loud, romance-filled book.
Warning!!! Due to the hilarious nature of the story, be extremely careful with drinking and eating during reading!
Lot, lot, lot of humor : who thinks about the diabetic coma of worms when thousands of cookies are spread in the ground with the rain ? Only Pippa Grant .
I loved the story of Arès and Felicity. They are two souls who think they are freaks and they will never be happy because everyone leave them or is scared by them.
Arès never talk or only when it’s really important. Most of the time, he talks with GIFS on phone (they are few of his friends who can understand him). It’s quite difficult to write a story about someone who never talks. He’s recovering from a injury during a hockey game. He can’t live anymore where he was, so he moves in the grand mother’s house of another player, Nick. The only problem is that there’s is Nick’s sister in (Felicity). She left her boyfriend and lives here. The relation between Nick (the over-protective brother), Ares (the silent one), Felicity (who loves hockey and hockey’s players, who is ventriloquist and can’t control the different voices she uses when she’s nervous), her friends and her ex-boyfriend, provide an hilarious and hot story.
I really appreciate that Felicity and Arès aren’t clichés : she’s a nerd and she’s a genius, but she’s not in comics or video games. He’s full of muscles, but he isn’t dumb ; he’s just quiet. They have a such bad self-esteem of themself that they think they will never be with anyone because they doesn’t deserve anyone with their akwardness. The other, would suffer.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
4.5
First off I started this book [around 11pm] and couldn’t put it down until I absolutely had to… aka I kept dropping my Kindle on my face because I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer [3am]. I absolutely love Ares and his thought process. Felicity is so out of her element perfect for him and he for her. They may have started out helping one another as a favor to her brother, but watching their relationship grow was absolutely beautiful and wonderful. It was an ember slowly bursting back into a flame that ended up becoming a roaring fire. I’m a big fan of bonfires so this was great for me.
There were moments of hilarity and then a nice big chunk of ugly crying for me (I’m a sap for these two it seems.)
This book also pulled me out of a major book slump.
I HIGHLY recommend this love story and the author!
*I volunteered to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review*
I love Pippa Grant, I love Hockey romance, I love big hunky heroes who don’t say much and this book was the perfect combination of everything I like in a book. I loved Ares and Felicity so so so so much, so much that I almost can’t explain how much. Ares and Felicity were the perfect combination of smart sassy and most importantly an understanding. Even though everybody else just thinks that Ares is a dumb hockey player Felicity see’s right through him and believes that he can succeed in hockey and in life. Such a good book, highly recommend.
Why should you read this book?
Ares and Felicity
Actions speak volumes!
Ares is Zeus’ twin making up hockey’s the Force and the Brute. His only goal is life is to eat, breathe, sleep and play hockey and let Zeus and everyone else tell his story. He grunts his way through life talking mostly in GIFs and living large, literally. Felicity is teammate Nick’s sister and Ares’s new roommate. She’s a genius with too many degrees to count, no job, and a ventriloquist. Yep! She talks all the time. Every thought comes out in her character voices and the banter is hilarious. Let’s not forget Loki, the support monkey, who rounds out the crazy cast.
Pippa takes us on another wild ride with creepy ex-boyfriends, dick cookie sludge, Zamboni envy, Gammy’s ghost, and protective older brothers. Throughout all of this, Ares is there in the background, hiding in plain sight. Actions speak volumes! And thankfully Felicity hears every bit of what Ares is grunting. You are going to fall in love with a hockey player who has a heart of gold and a genius who finally finds her place in his world. I’ve read all of Pippa’s adventures and this is by far my favorite.
With a hero who articulates in grunts and single words and a heroine who talks enough for six people, you wouldn’t think this book would be so enchanting, hilarious and holy-hades-hot, but that is the mastery and magic of Pippa Grant. Ares easily already had a place in my heart from the previous books, that whole still waters thing really piquing my curiosity, making me eager to learn more about him, but Felicity was a virtual unknown. Yeah, her throwing her voice at Manning’s dinner party was a hilarious scene in “Royally Pucked,” but her being the sister of the Thrusters’ goalie, Nick Murphy, and a talented ventriloquist was about all we knew of her before this book.
One of the things that makes this book so great is the dual POV. The Ares chapters are the most concise I’ve seen, but he says a lot with a few words. Felicity more than makes up for it with her multiple puppet voices. Actually, that’s not really fair. Even without the puppets, the characters are omnipresent with Felicity and never hesitate to interject themselves in conversations or just talk among themselves. Okay, I know that sounds schizophrenic because the characters exist only in Felicity’s mind which she then manifests through ventriloquist puppets, but they’re actually strong, secondary characters in the book, and it’s fascinating to watch Felicity use them to sort through puzzlements, argue with herself, provide comic relief, and express herself (and sometimes Ares) through these characters.
It makes me wonder if this isn’t another glimpse behind the curtain of Pippa Grant. If the characters of her books are as alive to Ms. Grant as Felicity’s are to her, it explains why Grant’s characters are so realistic for the reader. It’s not only as vivid as watching a movie play out on the big screen, but it’s like sitting in the same room with them. But it’s even more than that because I never laugh so hard or read such creative cursing and other made up expressions as when I read one of Grant’s books. She puts the “com” in rom-com, but there’s still plenty of heart, emotion and tender moments, so reading her work is an all-consuming, fully engaged, visceral experience. Somehow, she manages the perfect push and pull between snarky and tender, and humor and heart. She leaves her readers hung over on these amazing characters, with a stitch in their sides and a huge happy sigh.
If this book does nothing else, it gives hope that there’s someone for everyone. Not someone perfect, but someone whose quirks and crazy are the perfect complement for that one person. Ares and Felicity are that person for each other. Felicity is a super smart genius with four college degrees but still looking for the place she fits in life. Ares personifies a scary, dumb brute but Felicity sees deeper, clear down to his soul. Felicity says it best, that being with Ares “isn’t about power. Strength. Ritual. It’s about a magnetic force of connection. It’s about butterfly wings in my belly. It’s about craving, but also about fitting.” And with Felicity, Ares finds a place he fits, saying “I’m finally where I’m supposed to be. Where I never thought I’d find. A home. For my heart.” “Everything. She’s my everything. The last piece to my puzzle.” For a man of few words, he makes every one count.
It’s always bittersweet when I finish reading a Grant book. It’s supremely satisfying to get more of these incredible characters, but I’m always sad to get to the last page. I don’t know how long this series will continue, but into infinity would suit me. If there are a hundred books in this series, it won’t be enough for me. If you’ve read any books in this series, you certainly don’t need my encouragement to buy this one since you’re probably already reading it. If you’ve not familiar with this author or series, grab this one today. It sounds corny to say a romance novel has the potential to be life altering, but Grant’s work does. The tenderness will heal heartaches, the happily ever after journey will inspire hope, and the humor will brighten a dreary day.
Lots of fun, lots of steam, a few tears – a wonderful Pippa book.
“Words are only as good as the man that uses them.” – Ares
What a fabulous introduction to a new to me author. That quote sums up this whole beautiful, funny story.
This is a stand alone, but I found the secondary characters so amazing, I am going to go and look for her past books so I can read more about them and hope she will write about the others that don’t have a full story yet.
This story of Felicity and Ares. Both wouldn’t be considered “normal” peeps but drawing from one of my favorite movie quotes, “Normal is a setting on a dryer”, normal is relative and for Felicity and Ares they are “normal” and perfect for each other!
Felicity is quirky, she is spunky and she has horrible taste in men (before Ares of course). She is beyond intelligent, and academic genius but lacks a bit in the common sense department. But all that makes for a great character, I absolutely loved her! Even at my age, (waaayy past 27) I am still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up and it made me relate to Felicity even more!
Ares, oh my! Even though he is named after the god of war, he has the most gentle soul. He is a man of very few words and not a lot of people really see him. But Felicity does and it’s amazing.
There chemistry is off the charts, it builds slow and steady and when they finally give into their feelings for each other it is so white hot and swoony!
This book had all the makings of a great romantic comedy! It is definitely a must read. I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this and was introduced to the fantastic writing of Pippa! You have a new fangirl in me!
I’m finally where I’m supposed to be. Where I never thought I’d find. A home. For my heart.”
If I told you I wanted you to write a story where the heroine speaks in multiple voices and the hero barely speaks at all, you’d probably think I was nuts. And if I then added that you had to throw in a pet monkey, a pile of rain-soaked cookies printed with genitals, and that you needed to make it one of the most romantic and touching books of the year, you’d most likely have me committed. Well, I can’t comment on author Pippa Grant’s mental stability, but I will say that THIS IS THAT BOOK. And I don’t know how she does it, because I swear after every book of hers, I think, well, this one can’t be topped. And yet she continues to prove me wrong.
Felicity Murphy is brilliant. She has an IQ off the charts, multiple degrees and even more talents. But she’s also got about 99 problems. And ex-boyfriends, the ghost of her Gammy, her inability to keep a job and an overbearing older brother are only four of them. One of said sibling’s NHL teammates moving in with her? Just add it to the list.
Ares Berger is a force. No, like, literally, he’s actually The Force. That’s his NHL nickname. And on the ice, he’s silent, but deadly. Emphasis on the silent. His twin, Zeus, has always done the talking for him. But now they’re on separate teams, and even worse, he’s out for weeks with an injury. His world is completely off its axis. So when Nick Murphy asks him for a favor, he gives his signature grunt and moves in to protect Murphy’s sister Felicity from the insane string of exes she can’t seem to shake. I mean, things are already upside-down for him. They couldn’t possibly get crazier, right? Wrong.
This story will bring you large doses of Pippa’s over the top hilarity, as you’d expect. But what you might not be counting on? Is how often you will tear up while reading this book. From Ares’ sweet and gentle personality and heartbreaking backstory, to Felicity’s desire to just be accepted for who she is and what she loves, these two characters absolutely stole my heart. A little boy band karaoke never hurts, either. And while I quite often snorted with laughter, I also spent just as much time dabbing at my eyes over this wonderfully written love story about a beast, his beauty and their monkey.
I can not tell you how much I love this author’s books! She just GETS me! I have been waiting for this one for awhile, I fell alittle in love with strong silent Ares back in his sister’s book, Mister McHottie, then even more so with subsequent mentions in the other books, and I LOVED Felicity ever since she made Loki talk in Royally Pucked. This book is a complete stand alone, you do not have to read any of Ms. Grant’s other books to understand this one (but do yourself a favor and read all her books, she’s a riot, you should get her newsletter too!) that being said you can read them out of order too, I did initially and still got all the jokes. Ares is so much more than I’d hoped for, she brought him to life just wonderfully, I love his sense of humor, and I love his vulnerability. I didn’t think it would be possible to make his larger than life character vulnerable, but she totally does it. Same with Felicity, outside you are like, what could this chick possibly be insecure about? But Ms. Grant does a wonderful job ‘humanizing’ her. It was funny, it was sweet, and it was super hot, all the things I look for when I open a book by this author. This is POSSIBLY my favorite book of hers so far, but now I’m hoping she has plans for Nick to find love somewhere down the line. I hope for a few more mentions of Loki in the future too! Love that little monkey!
Without saying a word
You know when you’ve been anticipating a book for a long time, only to finally get your hands on it and be disappointed? This isn’t that book. Ares story is so much more than I thought it would be. And Ares and Felicity’s love story is so much more than I dreamed it would be. The way these two say so much to each other without speaking a word should go in the dictionary under communication. Or magic. Or love. Because this book is about the language of love in all it’s forms. I’m not going to say much more, because I don’t want to break the magical spell for the reader, only to say everyone needs to experience this book. This book is everything you hoped it would be.
Throughout this entire series of standalones I have stood by the fact that Chase and Ambrosia have been my favorite couple. They have now officially dropped into second place as Felicity and Ares have taken their place. I LOVE these two! Now only was it wonderful to finally get into Ares (quiet, doesn’t talk, responds mostly in grunts, sends gifs as texts Ares) head but it was so nice to see the sweeter loving side of him. Felicity was hilarious!! But she also made me cry. She was just trying to find her way and it seemed like so many people were against her finding her way, and it wasn’t in anything they said to her but the actions they took toward her. These two made me laugh, cry, they broke me and they put me back together. I love them and I’m so glad that I got a chance to read their HEA. Hopefully we see more of them in upcoming book! Oh and that epilogue and Ares devoted words… LOVE IT!!
Whew! I love this book!! Pippa Grant is an amazing author! Beauty and the Beefcake my be my new favorite! Very well written with likable characters, this story is funny, sweet, sexy, and has a lot of heart!