Review: Grizz by Sawyer Bennett & Bill Keenan

There is something incredibly satisfying about watching a character who is an absolute disaster at letting people in slowly learn that vulnerability isn’t weakness. Grizz McAvoy is that character.

I’ll admit it, I was hooked almost immediately. Grizz storms onto the page exactly the way you’d expect from a player with his reputation. He’s talented, explosive, difficult, and convinced that winning on the ice is enough to make up for everything else in his life. He pushes people away before they have the chance to leave him, and he’s built walls so high that even he can’t remember what life looks like on the other side.

What makes Grizz so compelling, though, is that underneath all the bravado is someone who is painfully self-aware. He knows his temper is a problem. He knows his childhood shaped him in ways he hasn’t dealt with. He knows he isn’t easy to love. That self-awareness makes his character arc one of the strongest parts of this novel because his healing never feels forced or magically fixed by romance. Every step forward feels earned, and every setback feels believable.

That is exactly the kind of emotional journey I love to see in romance.

Then there’s Daisy.

I absolutely adored her.

Daisy isn’t intimidated by Grizz’s reputation, his fame, or his attitude. She’s already survived having her own career ripped away after refusing to stay quiet, so she’s not about to let a grumpy hockey player walk all over her. She knows her value, stands firmly by her convictions, and refuses to compromise who she is just to make someone else comfortable.

She’s compassionate without becoming a pushover. She calls Grizz on his nonsense while also recognizing the hurt behind it. That’s a difficult balance to write well, but Sawyer Bennett and Bill Keenan absolutely nail it. Daisy never becomes the woman whose job is to “fix” Grizz. Instead, she becomes someone who creates the space for him to do the work himself, and that made their relationship feel authentic.

Their chemistry is fantastic from the very beginning. The banter crackles, the tension builds naturally, and every conversation feels like another brick being chipped away from the walls they’ve both built around themselves. I loved that this relationship wasn’t built on one grand gesture but on dozens of small moments where trust slowly replaced suspicion.

One of the things that impressed me most is how seamless the collaboration between Sawyer Bennett and Bill Keenan feels. If you didn’t know this was co-written, you probably wouldn’t guess it. The story flows effortlessly, and I actually think the partnership adds another dimension to the book.

The hockey feels authentic without ever overwhelming the romance. You get a sense of the pressure, the locker room dynamics, and what it takes to perform at that level, but the story never loses sight of the people behind the jerseys. It reminds readers that these athletes are more than highlight reels and penalty minutes. They’re people carrying baggage, fears, insecurities, and hopes just like everyone else.

That’s where this book shines.

Yes, it’s a hockey romance. Yes, it’s enemies to lovers. Yes, the chemistry is sizzling. But underneath all of that is a story about trauma, healing, learning to trust, and discovering that love isn’t something you earn by being perfect. It’s something you find when someone sees every cracked piece of you and stays anyway.

Those are my favorite kinds of romances.

The supporting cast also does an excellent job setting the stage for what promises to be a fantastic series. I already found myself curious about several of the Vipers players, and that’s always a good sign. I love when a series introduces teammates in a way that feels organic instead of simply planting seeds for future books.

By the time I reached the final chapter, I wasn’t ready to leave this world.

If you’re looking for a hockey romance with emotional depth, meaningful character growth, genuine healing, sharp banter, and a heroine who refuses to settle for anything less than respect, Grizz absolutely delivers. It has all the things I love most about romance: yearning, vulnerability, earned redemption, and two people becoming better because they choose to grow together.

This is a fantastic start to the New York Vipers series, and I cannot wait to see whose story comes next.

Rating: 5/5
Series: New York Vipers
Tropes:

• Hockey Romance
• Enemies to Lovers
• Athlete x PR Handler / Media Handler
• Forced Proximity (working together)
• Grumpy Hero x Sunshine