Review: Big Stick Energy by Sarina Bowen (New York Legends #2)


Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by Forever.

Whenever I send a message, text, or email to someone, there's this moment where I find myself needing to make sure I have the right information connected to it. Is it going to the correct person? Is my grammar okay? Did I write down everything that needed to be said? And yes, even after I send it on its merry way, I'm gripped by paranoia, wondering if, even after all my verifying and checking, I got it all right. While I've given you a peek into how my anxiety-riddled mind works, I will say that for some people, this sort of thing could turn out to be more like life-changing happenstance or even be considered fate. 

Take for example the case of Darcy Kendrick and Eric Tremaine. Both are part of the New York Legends, a professional hockey organization, with twenty-six-year-old Darcy being the assistant to the general manager and Eric, who we surmise is in his late twenties, the captain of the team. They know what it's like to work under pressure, but neither is quite prepared as to how to deal when one of them accidentally slips into the other's DMs, sharing far more than they would have dared to. Pretending to be a couple at a wedding involving mutual connections? Well, at least they've got a fool-proof plan. Right?

One of my favorite things about Sarina Bowen's writing is the depth she gives her characters. There's always more going on beneath the surface, and it's almost impossible for readers to not want to delve and dig. Darcy and Eric may both seem like they've got their you-know-what together, but they're all too familiar about what it's like to be the one overlooked. At the end of the day, you just want to know you matter, that someone chooses you first. There's hockey, and there's romance, but Bowen is a master at crafting hockey romance that stays with you past the happily-ever-after. Five stars for Big Stick Energy!

Release Date: 30 June 2026

Date Read: 23 February 2026

Learn more about Sarina Bowen.

Pre-order Big Stick Energy via Amazon | Apple Books | B&N | Google Play | Kobo.

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