Beauty and the Beefcake (The Copper Valley Thrusters Book 3) Kindle Edition

Omg. Ares. ARES! That man had me swoooooning left and right! Sigh. I’ve been waiting to read his book since I met him years ago in Mister McHottie, then saw him in the previous two books in this series (I loved reading his twin brother’s book- Zeus’s). But Felicity made me cringe 😬.Felicity (27) lives in her grandmother‘s house. Her brother, Nick, tells her that Ares’s going to be living with her. Nick plays for the thrusters, along with Ares and other people on the team. Felicity’s a very smart woman, has multiple degrees with a high IQ, but doesn’t know what she wants to do in her life. when the opportunity to be the physical therapist assistant comes up, she takes advantage and takes it. It works out because Ares gets injured.Ares’s life is all about hockey. He’s known as the more stoic, quiet, man-of-little-words twin. He’s been ridiculed in the past, so he just prefers to say as little as possible. Why say something in 100 words when you can say it in two? When he gets injured, he feels like he has no purpose in life. He moves in with Felicity who’s going to be helping him recover from his injury. He also has a cute monkey, Loki.What I liked--for being so quiet, Ares is extremely swooony🥰 At first, he might seem standoffish or grumpy, but then we learn how much he takes in around his world, how much he pays attention, how much he actually knows and isn’t given enough credit for. Sigh. This man says more with a look and his actions than many rhetoricians say in their lifetimes 🥹. He just gets it ❤️—the few smexy times. We don’t get many. This is on the slow burn side too (70% when the full magic happens), but I loved seeing Ares in them. He’s confident and just so yummy 🤤. Plus. He pays attention 🥵 and ensures Felicity feels satiated 💦🔥. Annnnnd he’s able to carry her and move her around. Big plus in my book 😉—the soft side of Ares. Sigh. Gosh. This man made me get emotional 🥹. For someone so quiet and confident on the field, he has so many insecurities, like regular people—Felicity’s soft side❤️. I actually felt a punch in my gut when her brother tells her that she’s not normal 🥺. Ugh. She became a more likable person when she was vulnerable—side characters. I love seeing past characters from previous books and I enjoy seeing who the next book’s going to be about, Nick, Felicity‘s brother—for once, the h is just as hot as the H. Felicity has GAAAAAME! She’s not virginal (nor a hoooar) and has had her share of relationships. I like that she can easily move on if she needed to (makes the H sweat lol), which means that I like—the couple of jp scenes. Maybe they’re more protective, but when Felicity‘s ex is giving her a hard time and Ares takes over, I loved it lol—the bonus epilogues ❤️. Too bad to have to sign up to get them lol (luckily, I’m already subscribedWhat I didn’t like/wanted more of:—the puppets. I get it. I GET IT- she’s a ventriloquist. I get that part of her job, side job I should say, is that she needs to have these different voices. But, oh my gosh, having her constantly use her different voices was annoying especially…—during the smexxy time voices. 😒😒😒🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️. I was CRINGING!!! CRINGING 😬. Girl. Felicity. Don’t ruin MY mood by talking to yourself using your many character voices DURING 🔥🔥🔥. I know it didn’t ruin it for Ares cause he kept going, but I was covering my eyes in awkwardness 🫣—and her voices/talking to herself comes out throughout the most awkward times 🤦🏻‍♀️. Like. 😬😬😬 ugh. I didn’t care for it. If this wasn’t part of the book, this could’ve easily been a four. Five or a five star read for me—more smexy times. Considering Ares is VERY experienced, I would’ve liked there to be more. We get some FTB ones too 😒😑 sigh. Don’t do this to me 🙄. I already have to hear and read her random voices throughout the book, even in pivotal moments, at least give me full 🔥 scenesOverall, I liked it. I think my rating suffered because I just finished penpal and, well, I’m experiencing a slight book slump LOL. Maybe it’s just me and not the book? I don’t know. But I like this book the least from the series so far. If it was a book just on Ares, five stars easily. But…Um…It’s not just Ares. It’s Ares plus Felicity and her 3 or 4 other voices/personalities 😬. So… yeah. I didn’t sign up to read a MF and ??? (The puppets). But yeah. Lol. I loooved Ares.

I did not expect to love this as much as I did, but wow. This couple really takes the cake because they understand and like each other so much, and it's something we need to see more of in this genre.No pesky misunderstandings or useless pride; just too people learning to understand each other without excess words. But when there are words, they matter, and they're awesome.Of course, the kooky heroine was hilarious with the random ventriloquism and her nervous tick of using htem all the time. I love the idea of having an actual genius be so human, instead of closed off or incapable of understanding how humans interact.And Ares was everything and more. Still waters run deep and his are endless. Sure he acts like a goon, but only when HE wants to and it's hilarous. Add both im and Felicity together and it's magic.Thankfully, most of the tension was outside with the obnocious over protective brother and brainless ex on top of all the hockey stuff. Can't wait for more!Overall, I couldn't put it down and it met all of my expectations and more!

Just love Pippa's books! She always delivers all the laughs in her books, and this one is by far one of the funniest!

Ares is the strong silent type… emphasis on the quiet. Felicity is always filling the quiet.These two made a great pair. Their story was one I was worried about because how do you have a story when one of the characters rarely talks? But I didn’t need to worry. The story was funny and heartfelt and even got some tears from me.The author combined some crazy story lines: dude who does talked, girl who talks too much, monkey, Grammys ghost, sick cookie mountain. It was crazy how she got everything together to make a fun story.

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.*I reviewed an advance copy of this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide a review and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source for this review.

I absolutely loved this book and wish I could give it more than 5 stars!! My favourite Pippa Grant book. The story was just so sexy, witty, funny and so cute and I was probably grinning most of the time while I was reading this fantastic story. So if you love a fantastic friends sister romance with a side of slow burn, this book is for you. Don’t hesitate, grab it with both hands. These characters will steal your heart and you will let them gladly. Go one click now!! I swooned, I cheered and I fell in love with the perfect book boyfriend!! I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and I’m a bit sad that I’ve finished but I will definitely be re-reading this book and other books linked with this one over and over and over again. Happy reading!!

Oh my heart is so full of Ares and Felicity 💕😍Ares by and large does not speak, certainly not verbally but he is easily one of the most romantic heroes I have ever read. He is kind, astute, honorable and completely swoon worthy. Ares is possibly an actual genius, certainly his inner monologues suggest as much.The expression 'still waters, run deep' perfectly describes Ares. He truly deserves to the title of romance hero. I suspect he may have worked his way into my top 10 all time hero list, sigh 😘The way he loves Felicity is beautiful to behold. He understands her on a level reserved for true soulmates.As to Felicity, here is a woman who possesses many talents and admirable traits except for a belief in her own abilities. She plays off her hilarious puppet shows as a small side gig, even though it is abundantly clear this is where she thrives.Ares helps her see herself as more rather than less and for me, this is where the true heart of the story lies.In return, Felicity sees the real Ares underneath the facade of dumb jock.Pippa Grant just keeps getting better with every book she produces. I recommend her books far and wide, she really has a great talent for storytelling. Long may she continue to write such romances. 1-click all the way.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The story of Ares and Felicity is by turns witty, funny and moving. Ares is the twin brother of Zeus, another hockey star but whereas Zeus is confident and outgoing, Ares is quiet and rather introverted. Ares doesn’t say much - as a young child he was deaf. It was only after he had grommets fitted that he could hear & had to learn to communicate in a whole new way. His twin brother is one of the few people who knows him well and understands that he’s far from stupid. This gentle giant is smart and has learned to read people well. When he meets Felicity, he feels he’s not good enough for her but she disagrees. She sees beyond the terse sentences to the real man. He may be terrifying on the ice but there is far more to him than that. She learns to love this complex, wonderful, sexy man with the quirky sense of humour just as much as he loves her.

Was sooo looking forward to ares story and whilst I enjoyed it I do feel let down that it didn’t meet the potential it hinted at in zeus’s story. Took me 3/4 of the book to actually feel it was the same character I’d met previously. Lots of humour and such but didn’t love it as much as his twins story. Felicity was a delicious screwball who really did match him but just got tired of the internal dialogues.

Was a bit worried in the beginning that Ares wouldn’t be shown in a great light but it was so much better than I was expecting. He’s so well rounded and unbelievably sweet and Felicity is crazy in the best possible way. Loved it. Also petition for Loki to have his own book ✌🏻