Pinkie Promise

Carter Ridge #1

by Sapphire Hale

PINKIE PROMISE is the all-new sweet and spicy dual POV college hockey romance by Sapphire Hale!

After one too many falls from the top of the cheer pyramid, star flyer Fallon Ford has been benched from Carter U’s elite competition team. The only problem is, Fallon has been setting her sights on getting a sports grant to cover her post-graduate degree, but with that option off the table she’s going to have to get the cash a different way. She only has one after being at the mercy of two strict parents for her entire adolescence, Fallon likes to achieve her goals alone. And to achieve those goals? She’ll do whatever it takes.

Hunter Wilde is the top scorer and team captain of the Carter Ridge Rangers, the Division I ice hockey team who are looking to make this year the year that they finally win the National championships. After a particularly brutal game which resulted in Hunter setting up camp in the sin bin, his coach is giving him an he either gets a handle on his play or his whole season is going to be in jeopardy. And if his season is in jeopardy then his dream career of playing for the NHL will be on thin ice too. Hunter’s focus has never strayed from the rink, but after a couple of chance encounters with a cute feisty cheerleader, his world is set spinning in a way that it never has before...

She’s got a grant to secure.
He’s got a championship to win.
But when distraction feels this good maybe it’s time to break some rules.

Genres: Romance, Hockey, Sports Romance, Hockey Romance, Sports, College, College Romance

392 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 5, 2024

About the author

Sapphire Hale is the author of heartfelt romance books. Her most recent releases are MAJOR LOVE and BRANDED HEARTS. She has a First Class Honours Bachelor of Arts degree from Durham University and a Master of Philosophy degree from Cambridge University. You can find her on TikTok and Instagram at @sapphiresbookshelf and on her website at www.sapphireauthor.com

Reviews

[Jen ♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Spoiler-ish below)

Cute and fluffy. 🥰

Tbh, this book is way too long for a story that doesn’t really have much happening. The story focuses on Fallon and Hunter and their relationship, along with all the college stuff they’re dealing with since they’re both seniors now. There's no drama or conflict, and the romance is basically smooth sailing from the very beginning. It seems like they ended up liking each other because of their physical attraction; this definitely has that insta-lust/love vibe.

And if I'm going to be even more honest, I think some readers might find this a bit repetitive and flat. I mean, not much is happening between them besides the mutual attraction and those constant, uh, steamy thoughts in their heads. 😅

I've got to give props to the author for prolonging the story before the MCs finally gave in to their chemistry. This is definitely one of the books I read that felt just like a long foreplay. 😂 But am I really complaining? Not really, no. I'm in the mood for something like this, which is why I ended up liking it. It doesn't need too much brain cells, and the MCs were pretty likable, so… 🤭

Overall, I had a good time with it, but I can see that it might not be for everyone. Especially if they're on a search for a story that has a great plot. This feels more like a palate cleanser and really doesn’t require too much deep thinking.


Book info:
- College romance
- Hockey player x Cheerleader
- No cheating, OM/OW, separation
- Slowburn
- Open door spice
- Dual V!
- HFN (2 mos later, in a relationship, with plans for the future)


Note:
- OM. But not really; he's the FMC's roommate's brother. I think he likes her, but Fallon doesn't see him that way. He didn't cause any drama, but he and the FMC were close, and Hunter got a bit jealous of him, but Fallon assured him that nothing's going on between them.

[baylie]

DNF at 30% - the characters had some potential but there was no “real” chemistry between them? It was the common case of “she’s so small, she’s so petite, I must take care of her.” Plus the writing style and dialogue were such a train wreck I couldn’t bring myself to continue.

[mimi ౨ৎ · Rating 2 out of 5]

i just realized i read this like a MONTH ago?? i have no idea what this book is about.. like i don’t recollect ANYTHING like what the hell is the plot??
HUHH!!!

[Xannie Jacobson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I dnf’d 20 chapters in. It never gets better. The characters have no substance, he’s this big macho jock on campus who is also somehow a virgin while being the horniest motherfucker I’ve read ever (and that’s saying something) and she’s this virginal athlete with massive confidence yet also none. It’s boring and I don’t understand the switches between the characters moods. The only complaint not based on the substance is the author is clearly not American because sweaters are jumpers, hockey has cheerleaders, and the word “chick” is thrown around way too much.
I really wanted to like it but I really couldn’t.

[Isabella · Rating 1 out of 5]

I should’ve dnfed but didn’t. He’s a big country hockey player and his only personality trait is that he plays hockey/is tall and built. Her personality trait is being a tiny cheerleader with big boobs and family issues. He is also somehow a virgin that is very horny that is very obsessed with her. It was literally just a book about it her being small while mentioning her boobs and him being big while mentioning his pecs. Oh also when they’d make up it was called licking tongues.

Rate: 0/5
Smut: 2.5/5

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was so bad. The only reason it is 2 stars and not 1 is because I forced myself to finish it. There characters have no chemistry, in all honesty they have no personalities (besides “grrr hockey” and “ahhh cheer”). They were soooo boring, and the sex scenes were weird. It was kinda insta-love-esq. I cannot reiterate how much I did not like this book.

British women stop writing books about American college athletes, you are bad at it.

You wanna know how I know she’s British?
1) just the words she used like jumper, and prick
2) seniors don’t do a thesis in the undergrad at American universities (you couldn’t even do the slightest of research on our culture??)

Also, why were there so many leading man tropes? And why did none of them work? First (and most obvious) he’s a hockey player, then he’s a mechanic, and to top it all off he’s somehow a ‘country boy’??? (I don’t know why I’m expecting a British lady to know how American geography works, but jeez Louise)

Finally, in every chapter there was at least 1 comment about how bigbigbig he is, and how teeny weenie she is. It was infuriating, and annoying.

I don’t know what else I should expected from a booktok rec, but I guess I should’ve known better, and truly this is on me for trusting those 🌽 addicts.

[Hayley Winker · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 25%. I could care less what happened to these characters. Once he started j*rking off in her living room before their first date I couldn’t take it anymore

[Anna Goodwin · Rating 1 out of 5]

FMC has no survival skills, and the whole book is very “I’m so tiny, and not like other girls.” MMC was creepy and very strange and the way they interacted was strange and made me uncomfortable

[Lena · Rating 2 out of 5]

She is so tiny and he is a giant. How often do you want to mention it? Sapphire Hale: Yes

[maddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5! blushy mmcs>>> this was so cute and just the sports romance i needed! loved how he was soooo obsessed with her like UGH

[Menthie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Big man / Little lady

First this book was so immature, i thought having the MMC be the virgin was gonna be amazing but it wasnt done right.

His personality was that of unsalted crackers. It was just "im a big guy" and the female chick was actually pretty cool but i hated that the author focused so much on how tiny she is. It was obsessive and creepy AF.

No. No. No.

[Jaimie Carson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why will no hockey player mysteriously fall in love with me and my Taylor swift obsession

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mean, sure. Of all the hockey romances I’ve read, this one probably isn’t one I’ll tell anyone else they need to read. Overall the story was solid - but the details weren’t doing it for me. Incredibly confused about the dialect in this book. Where is this place? Colorado? Why was she calling him a country boy and talking about his accent like he was from Alabama but then he was using Canadian phrases????? Also you’re telling me the first time either of these people had ever had sex they went 8 rounds????? Please be realistic I BEG. Also if Hunter’s family was so important to him why did we only get like 5 total pages with them???

[Sami laroux · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly if i could give this no stars, i would. I am all for fluffy romances but this was a lot. There was no slow burn, no build up, no actual chemistry. I wish there was more development between the main characters and their friends. Hell I wish we got more time with Aisling and Tanner at this point. Overall, don’t know how I finished this.

[Karla · Rating 1 out of 5]

before their first hangout, he jerked off in her living room while she was in the shower… icky

[Evie Ha]

DNF 67%
That's it, I give up, it's like reading a book about 2 teenagers rather than college students. Also, the amount of use of the word "murmur" makes me want to jump.

[L · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

[Lucia Bachiller · Rating 2 out of 5]

No le pongo una estrella porque ha sido lo suficientemente decente para poder terminarlo. Pero madre mía, no me ha gustado nada.

[Aubrey✝️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’d give it a 2.5, the first 25% was pretty good then it all started going downhill.

[Hana Suša · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐️

[miss_may]

dnf @ 17%

Ultimately, I could not warm up to any of the characters. They felt both too juvenile and too mature for the phase of life they were supposed to be in.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book gives me old school Wattpad vibes. it was so cringe….. Ooh big huge enormous mmc and small teeny weeny fmc. I had no connection with the characters or their relationship, don't even get me started on mmc being a virgin but also being the biggest horn dog ever. Moving on!

[Hester Prynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

V sexy, hockey, nuff said

[Sapphire Hale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pinkie Promise is out now! 💗 Pinkie Promise is book #1 in the all-new Carter Ridge series and it can be read as a stand-alone novel. I hope that you have lots of fun reading Fallon and Hunter's sweet and spicy romance story!

Pinkie Promise is available exclusively on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited, in paperback and ebook format:
Paperback: https://amzn.to/47lIoUV
Kindle ebook: https://amzn.to/47o8sP9

Links ♡
Book playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3sL...
(there is a song for every single chapter!)
Book Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/sapphirea...

Let's connect ♡
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sapphiresbo...
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sapphiresbook...
Author website: https://www.sapphireauthor.com

Happy reading! :)

[KeepsTheTbrAway · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried my hardest to like this book, but the author really needs to get an American editor if they want to write books based in the US... I feel like I'm being nit-picky, but there were so many britishisms coming out of characters that were supposed to be born & raised in the US it was annoying me to death!!

[Linda Reisich · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF
Should have dnfd after the first 10 chapters.
He can only grunt and she can only whimper.
He's a somehow a virgin but horny 24/7.

[birbpal · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 Stars

Cute read! FMC Fallon and MMC Hunter were an adorable couple with a cheesy love story. I found myself kicking my feet and gushing over how sappy they were.

The reason for my rating is that not a lot happened. There wasn't any major character development or plot going on. I got a little bored, tbh at some parts. 🤷‍♀️ Another issue is that as horny as Hunter was, the spice was a little lackluster. I think my expectations were too high, but it's okay! Personally, if Hunter was a little less hyperfocused on his sexual attraction to Fallon, I don't think I would have been expecting crazy amounts of spice.

I will be checking out the rest of the series when it eventually comes out! If you want a cute little read, check out this one.🐥💕

[Lucie Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG. When I say I have heard so many good things about this book. It would be an understatement. But they weren’t wrong!!

This book was out of this world. The way Sapphire Hale portrayed the chapters, the way the story built with little pockets of heartwarming moments between Hunter and Fallen. Amazing.

I sat down to read and what do you know it was over. I can’t wait to read more from Sapphire. And I can’t wait to read Tanner and Aisling’s story.

[Marki Henricksen · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️ This was cute but there wasn’t much to it. Did it have my giggling and kicking my feet at certain points? Yes it did. But it needed more depth, the beginning started out so good and then it just fell flat half way through and I was getting annoyed with the characters. There wasn’t a whole lot of character development and depth to them.

[elena(taylor's version) · Rating 5 out of 5]

literally no complaints. perfection. OH MY GOD IT WAS SO GOOD

I lost count on how many times this gorgeous man Hunter made me all giddy while banging my head against a wall. I need me a country man that plays hockey, that's it, that's all I'm asking for😔🫡 every little thing that boy did had me blush. AND THE WAY HE WAS ALL SHY ABOUT DOING YK WHAT??? DUDEEEE!!!!! I am not even kidding i had too take so many laps around my room, I am down BAD