Goldilox and the Three Weres: Early Review: Loud Mouth by Avery Flynn

Loud Mouth
(Ice Knights #3)
Avery Flynn
Release: June 22, 2020
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ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley

I never meant to say a word, not one single word.

But I did.

And now, because of my blog, everyone knows that Ice Knights hockey star Ian Petrov’s best friend and fellow player is actually his half brother—hello, hockey Hall of Famer dad who couldn’t keep his jeans zipped.

That wouldn’t be such a big deal if Ian knew. He didn’t, and boy howdy is he pissed. And who is he most mad at? Oh sure, he’s upset with his dad and former best friend/brother from another mother, but most of his ire is with me. It’s definitely a case of hating the messenger.

And what could make it worse? How about the two of us being trapped together in a remote cabin after a massive blizzard. Neither of us can leave. Just us, the snow, his resentment, and OMG sexual tension so thick it would take a snowplow to break through it.

I’ve got to get out of here before I do something even dumber than I’ve already done and kiss the sexy, snarly grump with his misplaced anger and perfect pecs. That would be the worst, the absolute worst. That’s why I’m not going to do it. Nope. Really. So why can’t I stop imagining what it would be like?

Review:

Avery Flynn is one of my go to authors for light-hearted, slump buster reads. And Loud Mouth has plenty of the Rom Com moments I’ve come to expect, but what stood out to me most were more serious concerns.

Like the Hartigans series from which Ice Knights grew, this series has been good about having heroines with lots of different body types and looks. Shelby is skinny and gap-toothed with a funky haircut - I imagine she’d be played by Kristen Stewart in the movie adaption. Pairing her with a professional hockey player makes a statement.

Loud Mouth also has a lot to say about father figures, which is interesting given its Father’s Day week release. I won’t spoil it by saying anything else though. It also addresses addiction, but it’s not an obstacle in the relationship like you might expect. It’s just another aspect of Shelby’s personality.

The actual obstacle is basically a lack of communication which is frustrating because it’s so predictable. But my real complaint is that Shelby and Ian’s relationship feels like a movie montage. I never really felt the emotional connection. I did enjoy the relationship between half brothers Ian and Alex and how Shelby played into it, as well as the hockey elements.

Like the previous entries in the Ice Knights series, I enjoyed Loud Mouth. I just don't like this series as much as the Hartigans, despite how much they overlap. I do hope that Flynn continues to bring in characters and places from the rest of her Harbor City series as the rest of the Ice Knights team get their HEAs.

Recommended for fans of: hockey/sports romance