The Proposal Play

Love and Hockey, Book 3

By: Lauren Blakely

Narrated by: Vanessa Edwin, Robert Hatchet

Performed with duet narration by Vanessa Edwin and Robert Hatchet!

My plan when I win a date in Vegas with my brother’s hockey star best friend? Poker and go to sleep early. Instead, I wake up with a ring on my finger and the sexy athlete naked in my bed.

But Asher’s my best friend too so we’ll get this annulled and laugh about this secret for years to come.

Trouble is our wedding pics went viral overnight.

Now everyone thinks we’re a real couple. We race back home, where I’ve just landed the big art commission of my dreams and he’s launching a sports charity so we need to look like we meant to tie the knot.

Easy enough. We’ll claim we’ve been secretly in love, while staying in separate rooms for the rest of the hockey season.

The last thing either one of us wants is to ruin a decade-long friendship by falling into bed again.

But I experience a new side of my husband at home. He cooks for me, encourages me…and buys me so many toys.

And, it’s more fun to share your toys with a friend.

We’re just enjoying temporary marital benefits.

Except, the more times he calls me his wife, the more I start to wonder if Asher was ever pretending?

And if my heart is ready to take the biggest risk of all.

Tropes: brother’s best friend, friends to lovers, marriage of convenience, marriage pact, he’s been secretly in love with her for years, forced proximity, my wife, pro hockey

©2024 Lauren Blakely Books (P)2025 Lauren Blakely Books

Narration on point!

4.5 stars. My favorite Lauren Blakely yet!

Slow burn, marriage of convenience, friends to lovers, he falls first, “my wife,” mental health rep.

Asher and Maeve are best friends who make a marriage pact. Two years later on a trip to Vegas, he suggests they get married basically to give her a dopamine boost. They plan to get an immediate annulment but it turns out that their marriage is mutually beneficial for both of their careers. Asher realizes that he has had feelings for Maeve for a very long time. Cue the tension, angst, and pining.

Asher was a favorite MMC for me. His character seemed very authentic- he knew what he wanted and did everything he could to get it. He was bossy, funny, but mostly just so sweet. He struggled heavily with anxiety and intrusive thoughts and I felt it was written in a very relatable way. Maeve is mostly just a ray of sunshine. Maybe she’s not the most introspective but she gets there in the end.

I loved this story for the MMC mostly. There were moments when I swooned and moments where I laughed out loud.

I listened to the audiobook and the performances of Rob Hatchett and Vanessa Edwin were incredible. I definitely recommend giving this duet narration a listen.

Loved it

I absolutely adore this author’s books, and this series always melts my heart. I can never pick a favorite because each one is so special in its own way.

This time, we get an irresistible friends-to-lovers story. The characters made a pact when they were younger, which leads them to an auction where they end up in Vegas and impulsively get married. But that’s just the start of their journey.

Watching them navigate their new relationship was a total joy. The way they connect and grow together is beautifully written. Their chemistry is off-the-charts, and when he calls her "My wife!"—wow! It’s such a sexy moment that makes you want to keep reading, and it's one of those scenes that totally melts you.

The author does an amazing job of capturing the emotional depth and passion of their slow-burn romance. The way their bond develops is heartfelt and incredibly hot. This book will stay with you long after the last page, and I can't recommend it enough—especially if you love a steamy, emotional romance.

Five Stars!

This series keeps getting better! I loved the sweet story and wonderful spice, the narration was fantastic

Fire and ice and oh so much spice! Audio Gem!!

The Proposal Play is like a long, slow tease that you don't want to ever end....

The delicious tale of Maeve and Asher will keep you on your toes. There is something to be said for best friends who know each other's highs and lows and show up for each other. You route for them individually and even more so as they navigate as a "couple".

This story is poised as the classic friends to lovers trope but with a fresh twist. In the Proposal play, you don't feel like you are being told the same old story. Blakely breathes energy into their friendship turned marriage of convenience and edges the readers with their spicy honeymoon phase!

Vanessa Edwin encapsulates the creative free spirit that is Maeve. She brings our heroine's artsy side to life with the optimism and anguish that you can hear in every word Edwin utters.
Robert Hatchet is a new narrator for me and he does not disappoint as our Hero. He brings Asher's helpful yet dominant side to life and makes you want to obey his every command.

The bonus to the audio book is this is told in the Duet style that I feel makes the story come to life! Do yourself a favor and order the audio book ... you won't be disappointed!

The Proposal Play is like the sweetest torture you could dream up and the pay off is a kin to all the presents under the Christmas Tree this holiday season!

YES!! to The Proposal Play

The Proposal Play is the 3rd book in Lauren Blakelys Love and Hockey series. This story follows two best friends and the…predicament they have found themselves in. Maeve and Asher are besties and have been for over a decade. Asher is also teammates and friends with Maeves brother. During a play auction for charity, Maeve has to bid on Asher and gets egged on by her brother to do so. When she wins, they take off to enjoy the night together (as friends) but wake up in the same hotel, same bed and each with a ring on their finger…THAT finger. They talk about getting in annulled right away, but when word gets out about their nuptials, they decide to let it ride out for a little longer. Soon Maeve is moving into Ashers place to make it seem authentic, Asher is cooking for her, and he buys her some toys ;-). Soon the lines begin to blur, feelings that have been locked up are busting out, and the bedroom gets hott hott HOTT!!!

This book was such a fun read, I love a friends to lovers, especially when there is a siblings friend aspect. From the start these two clearly were just the best of friends, the way the interacted felt very genuine. Maeve is so head strong and I love that about her, she could ask her brother for help, or Asher, but she wants to get her accomplishments all on her own. Asher is such a cinnamon roll, and way more than people see of him on the outside, which is why him and Maeve work so well together. I even liked that Maeves brother was the instigator of it all when we normally see the brother playing the overprotective guy.

This was narrated in duet by Vanessa Edwin and Robert Hatchet. These two were simply PERFECT for Maeve and Asher, no one could have done them better. Vanessa gave Maeve her headstrong attitude in her voice, and Robert really brought that friendly kind of goofy at times tone. But when both characters were vulnerable, they both portrayed that to a T. I had such fun listening to both in this story.

My favorite book in the series!!

The Proposal Play by Lauren Blakely is my favorite book in the love and hockey series. How could it not be when it combines brothers best friend, friends to lovers, and fake marriage all in one. Let’s not forget it’s a hockey romance too. What more could you want? Asher and Maeve are absolutely adorable together. I could listen to their story all day long and not get bored. Asher is the kind of man women fantasize about. Having him as a best friend would be amazing in itself, but having him as your husband would be a dream. Maeve is lucky enough to have him as both. Hold on tight and see if this just for fun fake marriage between two best friends will ruin their friendship or turn into something more.
The narrators were fantastic!!

Best friends to forever love

I love this series and Ash and Mauve’s story was so good. It’s a slow burn but great story of how they go from best friends to Vegas marriage to the real thing. Mauve is lovable and funny and Ash is her steady. They make a perfect couple.

Robert Hatch and Vanessa Edwin brought them to life and I enjoyed listening to both of them.

I highly recommend this book.

🎧 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🎧

Friends to lovers is probably my most favourite trope that ever could be.

Asher & Maeve’s friendship is the goal of being friends for a decade they support each other. So, it wasn’t a big shock when Maeve came out to support Asher. You can see their bond right from the get-go. Even though he is also best friends with her brother it wasn’t ever an issue. The brother was supportive of both and didn’t want to see either of them get hurt.
For me, I wasn’t sure about the marriage thing, but it worked. I kind of wished they didn’t constantly bring up that it was for show or that it was temporary. I know they were just justifying it to themselves, but it was a little over the top. But once they accepted it and were all in, I loved how they fell in love like it was a foregone conclusion.

Low angst even though you would have thought, ‘Oh the drama’ that couldn’t be farther from the case. One of the best things about a Lauren Blakely book in my opinion.

Vanessa was the perfect Maeve her voice gives off the creative vibe I feel from Maeve.
Robert is newer to me, but I love how he brings Asher to life. I can’t wait to pick up more books by these two.

P.S. I can't wait for the next one in this series!!! I have a feeling it's going to be my favourite.

Best Friends Fake Married

A wonderful third book in this series. A friends to lovers with a marriage of convenience. Alex and Maeve have been friends forever. Maeve's brother and Alex are best friends, too and play hockey together. Maeve does Alex a big favor and wins him at an auction. The winning prize is a trip to Las Vegas. They end up getting married and have decided to keep being married for the sake of the publicity. I really liked this story and the way Maeve and Alex care for each other. Can what begins as just a marriage of convenience become more? Vanessa Edwin and Robert Hatchett are wonderful narrators.

Sweet friends to lovers

The Proposal Play was a sweet, and streamy friends to lovers romance. I loved the friendship between Maeve and Asher and all of their flirty banter. These two have been best friends since they had met grief support group after losing loved ones. After winning him at the team auction they get married in Vegas and after things spiral they end up staying married. I loved watching their relationship progress when the fake marriage turns into much more. This book was a great feel good romance that will leave you smiling and it will still tug on your heartstrings.

Vanessa Edwin and Robert Hatchet narrated this book in duet and were an amazing duo at bringing to life these characters. They did an amazing job delivering the banter, charm and chemistry between Maeve and Asher.