“A fantastically fun, HOT love story.” – Kendall Ryan, New York Times bestselling author All I want is to play hockey on the Ice Knights, instead, I’m in a viral video for all the wrong reasons and my mom–yes, my mom–has taken over my dating apps. Then, when I think it can’t get any worse, the fates deliver Zara Ambrose, a five-feet-nothing redhead with more freckles than inches and who’d … freckles than inches and who’d rather be anywhere other than on a date with me.
Now a bet with her friends and my PR nightmare have us both stuck in this go-on-five-dates-with-the-same-person hell situation. But if we band together, we can get the whole thing over with and go on with our lives. It’s perfect! No feelings. No future. No fuc– *ahem* fun. No naked fun.
What could go wrong? Nothing–as long as I remember the rules. Don’t notice the way she looks in a dress. Don’t react when she does that little shivery sigh thing whenever we touch. Don’t think about the fact that she’s never had a toe-curling orgasm that wasn’t self-delivered and just how badly I want to change that.
Five dates–that’s it–and then we go our separate ways. At least, that was the plan…
Each book in the Ice Knights series is STANDALONE:
* Parental Guidance
* Awk-Weird
* Loud Mouth
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A cutesy, fluffy rom com, this book was a light read that had me laughing and shaking my head at times but it flowed well and I enjoyed the characters and their banter. An enjoyable read.
Avery Flynn is one of my most favorite Rom com writer and I wait for each of her book anxiously. Parental Guidance was so worth the wait. Like all her previous works, she brought a fresh perspective and clever twist to conventional rom com. Her writing was on point. It was sweet, dreamy and hard core swoonworthy romantic. It was emotional and heartwarming. A gripping and fascinating story line met with Avery Flynn’s sharp, witty and brilliant writing to create this Rom Com masterpiece.
Caleb and Zara are forced to go on a series of five dates through an online app due to various reasons. They were selected for each other by their parents as per the app’s setting. Caleb has to salvage the image of his Ice hockey team and Zara has to help her father’s aspiration. They make a deal but plans don’t always go in right way. Those reluctant and obligatory dates become a deeper connection and true attraction. But what to do with the expiration date they have put on their relation?
I look forward to Avery Flynn’s heroines. Honestly. She creates such amazing, fierce, compassionate and strong female leads. And Zara has own my heart too! She has been taking care of herself and the household since early age. She is passionate about her miniature art work and poured her heart and soul in it. She may be insecure and vulnerable at times but she went after what her heart really wants. She is not perfect with perfect body, perfect life and perfect dress. She is the real, free, caring and open minded woman with flaws and I could relate to her instantly. And Caleb has made her feel happy and protected. This guy melted my panties and my heart. He is so protective, gorgeous, sincere and a total golden boy. I was in for a ride of lifetime as the author took me through high and low of this beautiful relationship. The trademark humor and witty banter was there along with some heartwarming, soft and glowing emotions. The chemistry turned from cozy camaraderie to true friendship to burning passion to all consuming love!
Parental Guidance by Avery Flynn was an emotional rollercoaster where I laughed, cried, swooned and had a blast. It was definition of good time. A must read Rom Com of 2019.
Received ARC for Honest Review
This is everything I love about an Avery Flynn book and more!!!
I love Zara and her no nonsense, speak her mind attitude. And Caleb is definitely not your “typical” athlete, he’s so much more. And Anchovy just ties everything together, LOL.
I can’t wait for more.
In order to get himself and his teammates out of a publicity nightmare Caleb Stuckey agrees to 5 dates on the “Bramble Dating App” using their new parental guidance feature and film the whole thing. He’s not interested in dating and he’s most definitely not interested in filming it but he’s willing to take one for his team (literally). Letting his mom pick his dates…How bad could it be?… Zara Ambrose is an up-and-coming artist dedicated to the success of her craft; she doesn’t have time to date. So when her ambitious father and bestie suggest that she get out of her own way & sign up for this dating experiment Zara is less than enthusiastic but with an art opportunity dangled in her face; she simply can’t say no. What’s the worst that could happen?
This was such a hilarious read…full of sass, quirkiness, one liners & a Great Dane named Anchovy. I honestly couldn’t get enough of this book & I can’t wait for what’s next for the Ice Knights
***ARC provided in exchange for an honest review- Megan/Scandalous Book Blog***
Cute! I enjoyed this quite a lot and I absolutely loved Anchovy!! Caleb and Zara both struggle with being “forced” to date. Neither want a relationship and come up with some rules to avoid it. The rules don’t work. This was a good solid read and just missed a 5 for me because I just could not fully connect with Zara. She seemed harsh/angry one minute and then giggly and adorable the next.
Oh how I love the worlds that Ms. Flynn creates!
This new spin off is the introduction to the newest series and I floved it!
This is the story of Zara and Caleb.
An arrangement, a PR stunt that turns into so much more.
As with all of Ms. Flynn’s stories, the dialogue is fast paced. It’s funny and it’s poignant and it’s phenomenal!
I enjoyed the alternate POV’s. I like being able to get into each main characters head to see how they tick and how they interact with each other.
The back story of both Zara and Caleb was heartfelt and moving. I so felt for Caleb and his struggles.
The chemistry between these two was epic and the smexy time between the two of them was just wowza!
It was wonderful “seeing” past characters make an appearance and also the introduction to new characters. This is gonna be an entertaining series!
You can’t go wrong with a Avery Flynn story! Get your hands on this!
Wow ….what a great start to the new Ice Knights Series, if this book is anything to go by this author will certainly have a hit series on her hands because this is Avery Flynn at her best !!
Caleb only wants to play hockey but when he finds himself in a PR nightmare he does what is needed and that’s let his mum set him up with the perfect date through a dating site, well what harm will it do to go on 5 dates …….
Zara is a five foot nothing redhead with more freckles than inches and who really doesn’t want to be on a date with Caleb but a bet with her friends means she needs to get through these 5 dates so they band together and decide let’s get through this with no feelings, no future and definitely no naked fun……there has to be rules but we all know rules are meant to be broken!!!!
If you want a book that will have you laughing out loud and leave you giggling and smiling like a Cheshire Cat then this is the book for you. The chemistry is sizzling and the banter is witty and flows naturally and once you add in the secondary characters you get the perfect hockey rom com. Can’t wait to get the rest of the Ice Knights stories.
What a fun, sexy read! I loved Caleb and Zara and the slow, steamy development of their relationship. This was an easy read with just the right amount of everything I look for in contemporary rom-com’s — slow burn, well-developed characters and secondary characters, interesting plot, a bit of intrigue and steam. And speaking of secondary characters, I had no idea that some of the characters already had books and I have them and haven’t read them yet! Needless to say, I’ll be reading Tomboy ASAP. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series because this group of Ice Knight guys are quite interesting! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Parental Guidance is a delightfully fluffy rom-com where two parents set their kids up on a dating app to find love. Who wouldn’t want to read this book off the premise alone?
Flynn only adds to her premise by creating two completely opposite characters who are both determined to humour their parents and turn their luck around by five little harmless dates. Caleb is a recovering douche canoe hockey player who stunned all of America with his puck bunny antics. While Zara is a determined, snarky and very feisty artist determined to take her career to the next level. Sounds like everything you want in a romance right?
While Flynn had all the makings of an epic romantic comedy there was just something missing from this novel. I’m a huge fan of books written in the first point of view where both characters share their deepest dark secrets. Maybe because this book was written a little differently that was a little more off putting not enabling me to really connect to the characters. Because I soooo wanted to connect! In the end this novel was good, charming even. However it hasn’t left me salivating for what’s to come from the Ice Knights series.
I love Parental Guidance. This one had me giggling out loud so many times. If you love hockey, meddling parents, goofy dogs and love that sneaks up on you, then this is one for you. You will love Zara and her dog Anchovy. I love how straight forward and slightly awkward she is. She is sweet and i love the connection she has with her dad. Caleb may be a hockey player but he is so amazing. I love Caleb. He may have made a huge mistake that leds him into a 5 date set up but he makes up with it big time when he meets Zara. I love the awkward start Caleb and Zara have even with their agreement. There is something about these two you can’t help but fall in love with. This is such a fun read. I couldn’t put it down and enjoyed every moment of Parental Guidance. Pick this one up.
Ms Flynn is an author I started reading regularly with in the last year/18 months – really since the release of Butterface and each read firms up her place on my “one click” list.
Caleb is a character that we have seen briefly before, but didn’t know well before connecting with him in Parental Guidance. He and Zara are both enjoyable and entertaining. They come with some baggage, but it’s the variety that I would expect most people carry in the form of life experience defining how we handle situations. The story arc of Parental Guidance definitely follows the expected pattern, but Caleb and Zara make it their own. I appreciated the honesty that both characters displayed and how even when they messed up, they avoided resentment.
I think one of my favorite things about Ms Flynn’s work is that while each book is a stand-alone, they exist in a world that allows connections- some stronger than others and allows characters from previous works to make appearances in supporting roles bringing everything together. The stand-alone nature of the works means the reader won’t be lost if books are read out of order, but treats are there for those who have read sequentially.
Parental Guidance is everything I want in a romcom!
Zara and Caleb agree to this crazy plan but only for five dates…until he shows her he’s more than a giant of a hottie and she shows him that she’s more than a red-haired spitfire.
I absolutely loved the idea of a dating app with parental involvement and that our hero and heroine planned to work the system only to be bested by mom, dad, and love – with a little help from a Great Dane named Anchovy! The chemistry between Zara and Caleb was perfect as were the banter and emotional reveals.
Avery Flynn is so great at creating scenes that will having you fanning yourself from the sexual chemistry, tearing up at the struggles and feels of the characters, and signing in satisfaction. We also catch up with a few old friends and meet some new ones that are sure to feature in future books. I can’t wait for more of the Ice Knights!
I received a complimentary review copy of this book but all opinions are my own.
Caleb Stuckey is an Ice Knights professional ice hockey player who after being set up with an online dating app meets the girl his mother has chosen for him. He thinks Zara Ambrose is a snarky pixie when he first meets her and Zara, a miniatures artist, lets her salty attitude come forth.
This is a very humorous story with double entendres, fun banter between characters and some hilarious moments, especially with Anchovy, Zara’s dog. However there are serious elements within the story that are handled well, issues that are very real life and the implications for each person at times heartbreaking. Whatever fear or problem you have, it’s how it’s dealt with that’s so important. I absolutely loved the lead character’s reactions to each other’s biggest secrets.
A fast paced and easy to read story that I literally could not put down. I totally recommend this to everyone.
One word – AWESOME!
This story was one of the funniest I’ve read in a while. Zara and Caleb were match made in heaven. She was independent, sassy, quirky. I developed a girl crush on her the minute I read what she put in her profile for the dating app. And now let’s talk about Caleb; can we all say SWOON real quick?!?! I found him to be hard worker, funny and he had a heart of gold doing everything he could to keep those closest to him safe and happy.
They had amazing chemistry that was just waiting to explode.
I thoroughly enjoyed myself while reading this story. It was captivating, funny and hot in all the right places. A perfect read on a hot summer day.
***Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog***
I loved this book-it had heart, humor and heat. Zara is a feisty pixie I want to be friends with. Caleb is book boyfriend material. You could just feel the chemistry between them. Anchovy was the perfect sidekick and Caleb’s Mom was a force to be reckoned with. Can’t wait to see what’s up next.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC.
Hilarious new romcom by Avery Flynn. I not only fell in love with Caleb and Zara and their ultimate genuineness, but also their adorable banter, hot chemistry and all around charming odd pairing (which is perfectly made for each other). Parental Guidance will melt your heart and tickle your funny bone.
Can you imagine your mother setting you up on your next date?
I’d rather stick a stick in my eye.
Then can you imagine that your mother is involved because you’ve screwed up – viral-video-level screwed up and she’s now involved to help save not only your image, but also that of the team you play for.
I’d still rather pick death, but…
Caleb opts for five dates and saving his face and that of his team. Not only does Caleb go on the dates, he does it with humility, humor, and he finds that he actually enjoys them more than expected.
Zara is a small redhead filled with lots of gumption, saying what she thinks, and Caleb can’t help it, he’s drawn to her instantly. However, they both decide their “dates” are just for the duration of his penalty and once he’s out of the sin bin they can each go their separate ways, even if each date proves to be less and less of a punishment. How can he spin this to keep her without breaking all the rules once again?
Zara joins the dating app on a bet and decides to go on the dates to help her dad. Once she meets Caleb she knows that rules must be instituted, a man who landed himself in his predicament obviously needs guidance and Zara is a woman who likes order, rules and she isn’t about to let Caleb get past her defenses. Five dates and that’s it, no matter how charming and sexy he is.
Caleb and Zara set out, each with their own goals to meet, never expecting that their goals would mesh in the middle and that they might actually have a good time. Who would expect that having your mother pick out your date would actually mean having a good time on one?? Certainly not either of them.
Pick up Parental Guidance and hold on to your funny bone because it will be tickled over and over again.
Avery gave us a winning goal with this one! I was so excited to read more about Caleb & the Ice Knights since I wanted more of the team after reading Tomboy. Caleb & Zara both agree to go on 5 dates, but started doing so unwillingly. Caleb needed to do something after he landed in hot water and using a certain app to go on 5 dates, picked out by his mother is what he had to do. Zara is an artisan and always puts everyone ahead of herself. After getting some grief from her best friend especially she agrees to sign up for the app. It was so much fun to see Caleb & I loved Zara’s quirky personality. The premise for this was different & fun.
Brace yourselves for some gushing because Avery Flynn delivered all the smexy, fuzzy feel-good that I was hoping for. Smart, sexy, and thoroughly entertaining with a bevy of colorful side characters, Zara and Caleb’s story proved to be a thrilling ride. The backdrop for their story was comfortable, especially if you’ve read Flynn’s Hartigans series. Zara, adorable and feisty, and Caleb, a tempting mix of jock and sweet / thoughtful, have joined my ranks of favorite couples!
Overall, this is definitely a five-star read for me and without a doubt will be reread several times in the future. It isn’t often that I tear up at the end of a book, especially if I have been laughing the entire time. If you loved Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren and haven’t tried Flynn’s work before then you should give Zara and Caleb a try!
Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
I have to say this was an incredibly fun entertaining story that made me laugh and tear up! A story with a definite difference!
I just loved the premise of the storyline! A dating app that uses the guidance of your parents??? Strange??? Somewhat!! Does it work?? Well you have to read it for yourself to find out! This is a story that centers on Caleb and Zara! Yes there are rules, dates and a whole lot of fun conversations/banter!
Zara is a woman with a strong will and tells it like it is, who had an interesting job and I especially loved her huge dog! What fun he was! Add Caleb, the hot hockey player into the mix, well you are definitely in for a treat! Then add his teammates into the mix as well and oh boy!!
I just loved the comradery, the friendships, family and the sense that you should jump into something fun, you never know what you might miss out on! I literally cannot wait for more of this series as Im sure the author will write something equally amazing!
After getting to know a little bit about Caleb in the previous series, I was so excited Avery decided to give us his story! As somewhat of the golden boy of the Ice Knights, all Caleb has ever wanted was to fit in, but when that leads him to hot water with the city and the team, he agrees to whatever he needs to do in order to continue doing what he loves. Zara has a quirky job, quirky dog, and quirky personality, but it doesn’t stop her from putting everyone but herself first. When her best friend blackmails her and her dad guilt trips her into signing up for a dating app, she has low expectations. Thankfully, with Caleb’s mother picking his dates, the two get matched and come to an agreement that changes everything. I really love the approach to comedic romance that Avery takes in this book, much like her others as well. The premise of this storyline is unique yet contemporary and it works so well for readers! I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see the next Ice Knight who falls for a girl!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.