REVIEW: Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday

Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday: As kids we all make up some fibs along the way, some big, some small and most of the time harmless. Well for Aurora Evans her one tiny little lie as a teen has now come to bite her in the butt as an adult. You see as teen Aurora couldn’t help but feel a bit out of place and excluded for being so focused on her ballet, which is why she made up a boyfriend. Inspired by the cute hockey player that she meet at a coffee shop, he was her safety blanket so to speak, only thing he knew nothing of her little fib. Well fast forward a few years, and Aurora is a teacher, with a failed ballet career and some personal demons, surely this is enough for any girl, right? Well remember the guy that she told everyone about as a teen, her cute hockey playing Canadian boyfriend? Well turns out fate has a funny way of materialising things, only this time the cute Canadian boy is now all grown up and a professional hockey player and widowed father to one of her new ballet students. Could this be fate giving Aurora and Mike a real chance at a happily ever after?

This book was so much more than just a romance novel with a cute cover and quirky story. There was so much heart and emotion packed into Aurora and Mike’s story. Truly this book touches on a few sensitive topics but still manages to leave you with a feel good warm ending. I have to commend Holiday for the way that she balances out the more heavy emotions that both Aurora and Mike face, with the lighter more hopeful and joyous moments. This book really has a great second chance, hopeful feeling to it.

I really enjoyed getting to know and appreciate these two main characters, both Mike and Aurora have had their share of mental trauma and emotional upheavals, however getting to see them grow through these challenged and help each other find coping mechanisms live a more full life, is truly what made this book stand out. Aurora was a really nice leading lady, she had a heart of gold and I loved that she connected with Olivia so easily. Gosh did my heart hurt for her though, its not easy having to put so much pressure on yourself much less having to take it from your mother, and her mother was the pits really. I hated that she struggled so much with her body image and a result ended up with an eating disorder. On top of losing her dream of becoming a professional ballerina sure was not easy for her. I will say that I really liked that Mike brought about a positive change for her in terms of taking care of her mental health more and going for therapy to talk it out. As for our hero Mike, well lets just say he was even better than the version of him that Rory cooked up as a teen. Mike was a total sweetheart, he loved his daughter with all his heart and genuinely wanted the best for her. I really liked the fact that he was so pro therapy, it was a nice change to see a male character being so open to talking about his feelings. My heart did break for him when we got to see how much his guilt from losing his wife still weighed on him, though I have to say I loved that Rory helped bring a new light into his heart and home.

I was expecting a bit more from the whole fake Canadian boyfriend plot, but this only comes in toward the end of the book and really only serves as part of their break up. I cant help but have wanted a bit more of this to be included in the plot rather than it being sidelined. The secondary characters in this book were really great, I loved Olivia and the way that she bonded with Rory. It was really sweet getting to see them form their own relationship and really lean on each other.

Canadian Boyfriend was a really good read, this book is a heart warming and emotional journey of two people learning to help each other heal. I really enjoyed reading this book and would definitely recommend it!

Book Info:

Publication: January 30, 2024 | Forever |

Fate brings together a ballet teacher and a hockey player in this big-hearted novel about second chances and taking risks.

Once upon a time teenage Aurora Evans met a hockey player at the Mall of America. He was from Canada. And soon, he was the perfect fake boyfriend, a get-out-of-jail-free card for all kinds of sticky situations. I can’t go to prom. I’m going to be visiting my boyfriend in Canada. He was just what she needed to cover her social awkwardness. He never had to know. It wasn’t like she was ever going to see him again…

Years later, Aurora is teaching kids’ dance classes and battling panic and eating disorders—souvenirs from her failed ballet career—when pro hockey player Mike Martin walks in with his daughter. Mike’s honesty about his struggles with widowhood helps Aurora confront some of her own demons, and the two forge an unlikely friendship. There’s just one problem: Mike is the boy she spent years pretending was her “Canadian boyfriend.”

The longer she keeps her secret, the more she knows it will shatter the trust between them. But to have the life she wants, she needs to tackle the most important thing of all—believing in herself.