Fake Shot (Leighton U Book 5)

We’ve finally reached the end, Fake Shot is officially out, and I honestly don’t even know how to put into words what I’m feeling. This was one of the very first series I ever started, and now that it’s over… it feels like I’m saying goodbye to something that’s been a part of me for a long time. Like so many others, I’ve been waiting for Camden and Logan’s story, and it exceeded every expectation I had. I won’t spoil anything because you truly deserve to experience it firsthand, but this story hit me on such a deep, emotional level. The representation, the vulnerability, the way everything was handled, listen, it was just so beautifully done. I’ll be honest, I had my doubts at first about how these two would come together (I know, I know trust the process), but I was proven wrong. Their chemistry is electric, their banter is effortless, and every moment between them feels real. There are so many scenes that made my heart ache in the best way, and others that had me smiling so hard my face hurt. And then there were the moments that completely shattered me, I’m talking full on tears. And yes… the spice? Absolutely top tier. It’s hot, it’s intense, and it fits perfectly with their dynamic. Every steamy moment feels purposeful and deeply connected to their emotional journey, which just makes it hit even harder. Watching their journey unfold from beginning to end felt so personal, like I was right there with them through every high and every heartbreak. It’s the kind of story…

We met both MCs in ‘Iced Out,’ Book 1 of the Leighton U series. Logan is Quinton’s little brother and Camden is the clownish dunce housemate of Oakley, Quinton’s significant other from book 1. When Camden is faced with losing his eligibility for the NHL draft, Quinton suggests that his brother might tutor him. Logan is now rooming in the same house that Oakley and Theo shared with Holden from the other books. We also see Lexi, Keene’s sister from book 2 who had a crush on Aspen. She’s Logan’s love interest until he tells her he’s now dating Camden because he doesn’t want her to know that he has a huge crush 😍 on her. What ensues is that the more Logan is around Camden, the more he discovers that Cam is not a shallow, dumb, hockey 🏒🥅 goalie. I don’t know if this is the final book in this series, but it almost has that feel…except Bailey is still in Norway when this book ends so it does make me wonder. My favourite books in this series are: Iced Out, and Fair Catch. Just a note: In Aspen and Keene’s book there’s a vignette of a surfer who watches them on the beach. That lone surfer is from the book, ‘Head Above Water’ and is one of the best books I’ve read from this author!

The final book in the Leighton U series was everything I wanted it to be. I tried to avoid ARC spoilers on TikTok but I was warned that it was tear inducing. And there were definitely tears 😭 both the happy kind and the sad kind. Camden and Logan were such a beautiful couple. Not gonna lie, Logan really made me mad in the beginning. I hated how mean he was to Camden 💔 but he more than made up for it by giving Cam the safe space to be who he was without judgement. And his help with his Dyslexia just ruined me 🥹 The fake dating trope will always be a favorite and it worked so well for these two. Of course, it didn’t stay fake for long 👀 the chemistry was absolutely fire 🔥🔥🔥 but they had so much more than that. They were both understanding and so supportive of each other. One scene that will live forever rent free in my brain is Camden teaching Logan how to ice skate 😭🖤 *spoiler warning* the third act break up HURT in this one. I didn’t think any breakup would top Pheonix & Holden but boyyyyyyyyy was I mistaken. And the 3.5 act breakup. My god. I’m surprised I could even read through the steady stream of tears. But the reunion was so beautiful. I want to say it was worth the heart ache but I still feel that ache so deep in my chest 🥹 One more thing that will live rent free in my head is Camden breaking down and telling his friends everything. None of them even hesitated to drop everything to help him. And everyone in the world deserves friends like that 🖤🖤🖤…

I love Ce Ricci’s writing and how romantic scenes are played out in the books. Camden and Logan are amazing characters and I loved this journey with them. I love how Ce Ricci depicts these characters through each others’ eyes and thoughts. It really builds up the romance in these books. I loved this book and HIGHLY recommend reading the earlier books. There were several parts in the book that made me cry. All of the books have parts where I cried! Just an amazing series over all! Also I discovered this series around December 2025 and once I read Iced Out, I ordered the other three. Once finished reading all of them, I saw that a fifth one was coming out in April. Perfect timing I thought!

4⭐️ I really enjoyed this story, but the frustrations I had while reading definitely stuck with me afterward. The biggest issue for me was the third act breakup (and honestly, is it really a “third act breakup” when there are only a handful of pages left? What act is that…fourth, fifth, final?). It came so late in the story that it felt less like a meaningful turning point and more like a last-minute push for conflict. Don’t get me wrong, we could see it coming a mile away, and Camden’s reasoning actually made sense. I appreciated that he wasn’t willing to let sacrifices turn into future resentment. But the execution didn’t fully land for me. They step away from each other… and then a short time later, they’re able to reconcile. It just didn’t feel like it added enough to justify that level of emotional disruption so late in the book. That said, there was still so much I loved here. One of the highlights was getting to see so many familiar faces from the Leighton U series again. Those moments really reinforced how much I’ve loved this world as a whole. And the little Easter eggs with River/Rain and Aspen/Keene? Absolutely appreciated…they had me smiling. Overall, this was a solid read and a satisfying way to spend more time in this world, even if the ending didn’t hit quite as strongly for me as I’d hoped. I’m definitely sad to see this series come to an end, but I’m really looking forward to whatever comes next from C.E. Ricci.