Helena Hunting delivers another compelling entry in her Toronto Terror hockey romance universe with “I Could Be Yours,” a standalone novel that expertly weaves together second-chance romance, wedding chaos, and emotional growth. This grumpy-sunshine pairing between Essie Lovelock and Nathan Stiles creates a deliciously complex dynamic that goes far beyond surface-level attraction.
The premise is deceptively simple: maid of honor Essie must work alongside best man Nate to plan every aspect of their best friends’ wedding, despite their complicated history involving a kiss six years ago followed by complete radio silence. What unfolds is a nuanced exploration of personal growth, family trauma, and the courage required to risk your heart a second time.
Character Development That Hits Different
Essie Lovelock: More Than a Fairytale Princess
Hunting crafts Essie as a wonderfully layered protagonist who defies the typical romance heroine mold. Yes, she’s obsessed with fairytales and believes in love, but she’s also a “reformed love obsessed fairytale fanatic” who’s sworn off men after repeatedly falling for the wrong ones. Her character arc is particularly well-executed—she’s not waiting to be rescued but actively choosing to protect her heart while still maintaining her essential optimism.
Essie’s professional competence shines through her meticulous wedding planning spreadsheets and color-coded organizational systems. She’s simultaneously dreamy and pragmatic, a combination that feels authentic rather than contradictory. Her vulnerability around Nate is balanced by her fierce loyalty to her best friend Rix and her ability to call out bad behavior when she sees it.
Nathan Stiles: The Perfect Grumpy Hero
Nate represents everything compelling about the grumpy hero trope while avoiding its potential pitfalls. His emotional walls stem from genuine trauma—an absent mother who abandoned the family when he was young, leaving him with deep-seated trust issues. Hunting doesn’t use this as an excuse for toxic behavior but rather as context for his struggle to express emotions.
His character growth throughout the novel feels earned rather than rushed. The transformation from the man who ghosts Essie after their perfect kiss to someone capable of vulnerability and commitment happens gradually through shared experiences and forced proximity during wedding planning activities.
The Hockey Romance Context
As part of Hunting’s Toronto Terror series, this novel benefits from the rich world-building she’s established around the hockey team and their extended families. The cast of characters, from Tristan and Rix (the bride and groom) to the various teammates and their partners, creates a vibrant community that feels lived-in and authentic.
The hockey elements never overshadow the romance but add depth to the setting. Nate’s work as an engineer designing hockey equipment provides an interesting contrast to the typical hockey player hero, giving him intellectual depth that complements his emotional complexity.
Emotional Depth and Family Dynamics
One of the novel’s strongest elements is its handling of family trauma and healing. The revelation of Nate’s mother attempting to crash the wedding adds legitimate tension without feeling manipulative. The way both Essie and Nate navigate their respective family relationships—her supportive parents versus his complicated relationship with his father and absent mother—adds layers of realism to their romance.
The supporting cast enhances rather than distracts from the main romance. Rix and Tristan’s relationship provides a healthy example of love that works, while the various friend dynamics create natural opportunities for conflict and growth.
Wedding Planning as Plot Device
The forced proximity element works exceptionally well here because the wedding planning activities feel authentic and necessary rather than contrived. From salsa dancing lessons to destination wedding logistics, each shared experience allows the characters to see different sides of each other. The wedding shower preparations and various pre-wedding events create natural opportunities for both conflict and intimacy.
Writing Style and Pacing
Hunting’s writing style strikes an excellent balance between emotional depth and entertaining banter. Her dialogue feels natural and character-specific—Essie’s enthusiasm and optimism come through in her speech patterns, while Nate’s more reserved nature shows in his carefully chosen words.
The pacing is well-controlled, allowing time for emotional development while maintaining momentum through various wedding-related crises and revelations. The alternating POVs give readers insight into both characters’ internal struggles without feeling repetitive.
Areas for Improvement
While “I Could Be Yours” succeeds on most levels, there are a few areas where it falls slightly short of perfection. The resolution of Nate’s mother issues feels somewhat rushed, and her motivations for suddenly appearing after years of absence could have been explored more deeply. Additionally, some of the secondary character storylines feel underdeveloped, though this may be intentional given their roles in other series books.
The “wedding magic” concept that Essie uses to explain away Nate’s declaration of love creates a temporary barrier that, while emotionally logical, might frustrate some readers who can see the genuine nature of his feelings before Essie does.
Heat Level and Romance Elements
The chemistry between Essie and Nate is palpable from their first encounter in the wedding dress shop. Hunting handles their physical relationship with a perfect balance of heat and emotional connection. The intimate scenes serve the character development and feel integral to their relationship progression rather than gratuitous.
The romance tropes are executed skillfully—the second chance aspect feels genuine, the grumpy-sunshine dynamic is well-balanced, and the forced proximity through wedding planning activities creates natural opportunities for both conflict and connection.
Thematic Depth
Beyond the surface romance, the novel explores themes of personal growth, the courage required to be vulnerable, and the way past trauma can shape present relationships. The contrast between Essie’s optimistic view of love and Nate’s cynicism creates opportunities for both characters to grow and change.
The importance of chosen family—represented by the tight-knit group of friends surrounding the wedding—adds depth to the story and reinforces the themes of love and loyalty that run throughout the novel.
Comparison to Hunting’s Other Works
Fans of Hunting’s previous hockey romances, particularly the Pucked series and her other Toronto Terror books, will find familiar elements here while appreciating the fresh take on the hockey romance formula. The emotional depth is more pronounced than in some of her earlier comedic works, showing her evolution as a writer.
The book works well as a standalone despite being part of a series, though readers familiar with the previous books will appreciate the cameos and references to established characters.
Final Verdict
“I Could Be Yours” succeeds as both a satisfying standalone romance and a worthy addition to the Toronto Terror series. Hunting demonstrates her skill at balancing humor with genuine emotional depth, creating characters who feel real and relatable while still delivering the escapist fantasy that romance readers crave.
The novel will particularly appeal to readers who enjoy grumpy-sunshine dynamics, second-chance romances, and stories where character growth is as important as romantic resolution. While it may not break entirely new ground in the hockey romance subgenre, it executes familiar tropes with skill and heart.
For fans of Helena Hunting’s work, this represents some of her strongest character development and emotional writing. For newcomers to her books or the hockey romance genre, it provides an excellent entry point that showcases what makes these stories so appealing.
Recommended for Readers Who Enjoyed
Similar Hockey Romance Series:
- The All In Series by Helena Hunting (starting with “A Lie for a Lie”)
- The Pucked Series by Helena Hunting (beginning with “Pucked”)
- If You Hate Me by Helena Hunting (Rix and Tristan’s story)
Similar Contemporary Romance Themes:
- Beach Read by Emily Henry (enemies-to-lovers with emotional depth)
- The Hating Game by Sally Thorne (grumpy-sunshine workplace romance)
- It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey (opposites attract with personal growth)
- The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (character development and emotional vulnerability)
Other Wedding-Themed Romances:
- The Wedding Party series by Jasmine Guillory
- Always a Bridesmaid (For Hire) by Jen DeLuca
“I Could Be Yours” earns its place among the stronger entries in contemporary hockey romance, offering readers both the emotional satisfaction of watching two damaged people heal together and the pure escapist joy of a well-executed romantic fantasy.