The heroine frustrated me like nothing else, how on earth did she survive this long? This girl has the instincts of a gnat.

I think one of the hardest things in romance is getting the formula right. Characters who feel real. Chemistry that actually sparks. Tension that builds and doesn't fizzle. A story that makes you want to put your life on hold just so you can live inside it for a while. That is the one thing I can always count on with Stephanie Archer, and Wild Card might be the best example of it yet.

As someone who has read every Stephanie Archer book I could get my hands on (that would be all of them), I was thrilled to receive an ARC + ALC of this one. But I’ll be honest, I was also nervous. Not about the writing, that’s a given. It was the single dad trope. Single parent tropes are so often mishandled. When it’s a woman, she’s drowning, barely surviving, sacrificing everything and needs a man to help hold everything together oh and she's always late for everything. When it’s a man, he’s magically got it all together and just needs a woman to complete the picture and she usually starts out as a nanny or babysitter and becomes a stand in mother first and the he realises that he loves her smh. Stephanie Archer completely subverts that.

Ward is a put-together father, and not in a fantasy way. We’ve seen it throughout the series in how he leads his team. He mentors, he listens, he teaches, he shows up. Fatherhood is not something tacked onto his personality, it’s woven into everything he does. He’s curious, reflective, accountable, and genuinely good. When he messes up, he fixes it. Immediately. No ego, no defensiveness. But the of course this is a man written by a woman, I'll have one straight up please.

The tension in this book is immaculate. Ward and Jordan genuinely do not like each other at first, and for once, it makes sense. This is enemies to lovers done right. The miscommunication trope usually makes me want to throw a book across the room, but here it’s rooted in snap judgments, stereotyping, and old wounds. They don’t misunderstand each other because they’re stupid and intentionally myopic. They misunderstand each other because they’re hurt and making a stand for the ones they love and themselves. And watching them unlearn that prejudice is deeply satisfying.

Ward goes to bat for Jordan in a big way. He fights for her and the best part is he is even willing to fight himself, look in the mirror and grab his own collar, for her but also because his integrity demands it. He reflects and takes accountability, even when it’s uncomfortable. And Jordan… Jordan is everything. She doesn't say I told you so or gloat she's accepting, forgiving and equally malleable.

You already see her warmth in her relationship with Georgia, but Wild Card lets you understand her fear, her pain, her hyper-independence, and how deeply she’s been let down so many times before by those she should always be able to lean on. I saw so much of myself in her.

Watching her grow wings and soar was honestly emotional. And can we talk about how rare it is to see a heroine show up for the man the way she does here? She bodies this man emotionally. She daddies the daddy of the team, and I loved every second of it.

The flirting, the banter, the tension, The edging and the talking her through it... I do not lie when I say I was giggling, kicking my feet and absolutely losing my mind. Completely unhinged behaviour on my part as a reader. This is also the slowest slow burn Stephanie Archer has ever written, and I didn’t realise how much I missed that until now. When the spice shows up, it knows its place. It adds to the connection rather than replacing it. You want it because it actually means something.

One of my favourite parts of the book is the relationship with Bea. She’s not a prop or background noise. She’s a fully realised little person with thoughts, feelings, and opinions. The way Ward and Jordan both show up for her feels natural and earned, and the fact that all three of them find comfort and safety together is what makes this story work. Also, Bea being a reader? Elite choice. We need more readers written for readers annnnnnnd, the reading does not become her entire personality.

And that ending, it felt like a love letter to the entire series. I will miss it so much. Yes, the book is a little drawn out, and that’s my one real criticism. But even then, it allows for so much character growth that I can’t be too mad about it. Every extra moment serves a purpose, emotionally if not always structurally.

Wild Card is a deeply satisfying end to an incredible series, and without question, this is my favourite hockey romance series I’ve ever read. Steph, can I call you Steph? No? Okay, sorry. But I do need Warren Kilgour’s story immediately.

I closed this book feeling a little softer, a little wrecked, and genuinely sad to leave these characters behind.

I really enjoyed Finale much more than Legendary, which I struggled with. This book felt tighter, with higher stakes that actually worked for YA, and a conclusion that mostly knew what it was doing. I liked how many threads were wrapped up, and Legend’s little speech at the end was peak dramatic nonsense in the best way.

Jacks remains an absolute menace and very much my type, even though his story is clearly not finished and honestly just raises more questions. I am taking a small break from this world because Caraval is a lot, but I cannot deny how fun it is.

This book had me side-eyeing the immortals hard. Why are centuries-old men so invested in manipulating the lives of two very young women? It’s uncomfortable and honestly frustrating. Can we please get more stories where ancient, powerful beings interact with women who feel even remotely mature?

That said, despite my annoyance, the story is still interesting. The big reveal wasn’t exactly subtle, but it was fun to watch it unfold anyway. The world remains whimsical, chaotic, and engaging enough that I kept turning the pages, even while muttering under my breath.

This book feels like a merry go round. A little confusing at times, but fun and enchanting all the same. The shifting reality keeps you guessing, and that’s part of the charm.

Scarlett is a different kind of heroine. She’s cautious, fearful, and driven by responsibility rather than bravery, which makes her interesting to follow.