Book 1 in The New Romantics
Reviewed by CJ | Rating: 4/5 📖
Opening Hook
If you love friends to lovers and second chance romance, Brittanee Nicole just wrote the book that’s going to live rent-free in your head. I read Paper Rings in one sitting and immediately ordered the physical copy because I knew this one was going straight onto my reread shelf. Everyone has one of those, right? My top tier, feel-good reads where he falls first (and hard) and treats her like a goddess are all on that shelf (and I use the term shelf very loosely because it’s more of a shelving unit at this point).
The Story
Paper Rings follows JJ Hansen, an NHL goalie, and Adeline — his former best friend and now the first female goalie coach in the NHL (in this fictional world). These two have a deep and intimate history. They met as kids, were each other’s biggest cheerleaders, competed together, and their friendship was quietly turning into something more. Then life happened.
JJ had a one night stand that resulted in a baby girl, got married for the baby to a woman he didn’t even like let alone love, and they drifted apart. Fast forward to now: JJ has a four-year-old daughter, a failed marriage he’s desperately trying to legally exit, and Adeline is stepping into her dream job as his goalie coach with the Boston Bolts.
Not only are they navigating working together, they’re also living together in a chaotic, cramped brownstone full of family members — cousins, roommates, the whole circus. It’s the kind of setup that’s a recurring theme in Brittanee Nicole’s connected universe, and it takes a while to get used to but it really does set a unique scene. All that unresolved history, all those unsaid things — yeah, they’re about to bubble up fast.
What I Loved
Brittanee Nicole’s writing makes it dangerously easy to cruise through a book in a day. But what really got me here was the emotional depth between JJ and Adeline. You can feel how much he loves her. He is so sincerely, sweetly, completely devoted to having her in his life. It’s the kind of romance that just makes you feel all the fuzzies, and that’s exactly why this one earned a spot on my permanent reread shelf.
The balance between romance and plot is also really well done. Things are constantly moving forward — this isn’t a book where you’re just waiting for two people to kiss. There’s real momentum throughout. Actually that’s a bit of a lie. I was frikkin dying to see them together.
Standout Characters & Relationships
JJ and Adeline are the heart of this book, full stop. Their history gives every interaction so much weight. You’re rooting for them from the very first page because you understand exactly how much they mean to each other and how long they’ve been circling each other.
If you’ve read Brittanee Nicole’s other series (particularly the Boston Bolts and Momcom books) you’re going to have a blast with the familiar faces popping up here. Adeline’s dad Beckett is a particular highlight (Beckett and Liv’s story is told in Mother Faker). That said, you absolutely do not need any prior knowledge to enjoy Paper Rings. It stands completely on its own. It’s just that much more special when you already know these characters.
The Romance
This is a romance book first and foremost, and the relationship between JJ and Adeline is front and centre the whole way through. Friends to lovers and second chance — it’s doing double duty on the tropes and pulling both off beautifully.
The One Thing I Didn’t Love
The “will they, won’t they” dragged a tiny bit more than I would have liked, and a big part of the reason for it felt a little thin. Adeline gets really hung up on the fact that JJ is technically still married even though he and his ex have been separated for a while and he is actively trying to serve his ex with divorce papers. The hold-up is that she has gone into hiding to wait out the prenup payout timeline. Valid concern at first, sure, but Adeline’s hesitation over a legal technicality when everything else is so clearly pointing toward JJ felt frustrating at times. Minor gripe in an otherwise great read.
That One Scene
Wow can I not believe JJ left his career in the NHL so Adeline could shine. That is what a man who worships the love of his life looks like. Not only did he leave, but he did so happily knowing he would miss out on so much more if he didn’t.
Favourite Quotes
“You have my heart, and you’re the only one who ever will”
“Family is not who you are born into; family is who shows up.”
Format Recommendation
I read this one on Kindle and loved every second of it but I ordered the paperback the moment I finished, if that tells you how I felt. This is the kind of warm, deeply romantic book that deserves a spot on a physical shelf for whenever you need a reread that makes you feel good. Either format works, but if it gives you the fuzzies the way it gave me the fuzzies, you’re going to want the paperback eventually.
Who Is This For
You’ll love this if you enjoy:
- Friends to lovers romance
- Second chance romance
- Hockey / sports romance
- A hero who is just completely and utterly in love with the heroine
- Cozy chaotic living situations and found family vibes
- Connected universe series with returning characters
You might want to skip this if:
- You prefer books with a heavier plot focus over relationship focus
- Slow burn “will they won’t they” frustrates you easily, although you know how it’s going to end. She can’t resist him
Where to Get This Book
📖 Physical Book
📱 Ebook
📚 More from The New Romantics
- Book 1 — Paper Rings | Reviewed by CJ | ⭐ 4/5 📖 —You Are Here
- Book 2 — Coming November 2026 | Coming Soon
📖 Ebook (physical ordered!) | Series: The New Romantics, Book 1 | Genre: Romance · Hockey Romance · Sports Romance · Second Chance Romance · Friends to Lovers