I’ve never been one who thought she needed a man by her side. I’m a strong independent woman who likes to give a middle finger to the patriarchy, you know?
But whenever I do find myself in a bind—a bad date, an arrest, you know, normal things—Cole Campbell is always there.
He’s my knight in shining football pads.
And so when I need a place to stay, my brother’s best friend is there with a key in his hand.
Living with a man I’ve known since childhood should be easy. Except seeing him walk around the apartment shirtless with only a towel around his waist has me biting my lip…among other things.
We try to keep it friendly, but the pull is too strong. The chemistry is undeniable. And when our lips touch for the first time? We both know this is more than a mutual crush.
Our living situation was supposed to be temporary,
Only it’s starting to feel like forever.
Which is probably dumb, right? Falling in love with your brother’s best friend? The man who’s paid millions of dollars to protect him on the football field?
Definitely not what a strong, independent woman would do.
We know we need to come clean. But how?
Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned about football over the years, it’s that teammates shouldn’t fall for sisters.
And sisters shouldn’t fall for their brother’s best friend.
When she’s fake dating the hockey star, but he was never faking it…
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely, comes the next standalone hockey romance in her brand new Hockey Ever After series, JUST PLAYING FOR KEEPS! Narrated in duet and recorded live by Erin Mallon and Jason Clarke, and with a FULL CAST featuring Savannah Thomas and Ryan West, this spicy, fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, only one bed in a room, opposites attract hockey romance releases June 3rd in all formats, and will be free to read in Kindle Unlimited.
Ever hear the story about the dating coach who got dumped on the hockey arena’s jumbotron?
Everyone did. But I lived it. Including the moment when Lake Axelrod, the team’s broody, tattooed right winger, swooped in on skates to rescue me from public humiliation.
Even more surprising? When the famously grumpy (and ridiculously sexy) hockey star insists on being my fake boyfriend for my sister’s high-profile wedding.
It’s the perfect plan. His family stops pressuring him to settle down, and I’ll get the ultimate revenge, since my ex is the best man. Bonus – I might even salvage my professional reputation.
We need rules though.
To pull this off, everyone from his teammates to my boss has to believe we’re a real couple.
That means swoony touches and knee-weakening kisses are required.
When it ends, we walk away.
But the intensity in Lake’s eyes after every post-game kiss makes me wonder if he’s pretending. With each whispered secret, the line between fake and real bends. Until it shatters one night in a hotel room.
Soon, he isn’t just playing the protective boyfriend—he’s the only one who truly sees me.
If I’m not careful, I’m going to break the most important rule of all: don’t fall for your fake date.
A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sexy, feel-good and witty. Her books have been featured in US Weekly and People. Lauren likes dogs, cake and show tunes and she is the vegetarian at your dinner party.
One of the hardest lessons I’ve learned is that the only thing I need is hockey – because hockey has never let me down, never abandoned me. What I lack in my personal life, I make up for with my professional achievements. I’m damn proud of the career I’ve had in the NHL and have no plans of stopping or jeopardizing it by coming out.
That is until I meet Sterling.
He does the unthinkable, he gives me hope, makes me wish for more… and then dashes those hopes and wishes to dust.
In the aftermath, I become someone I don’t particularly like, but that someone doesn’t really care either.
Then, it’s hockey—once more—that saves me.
So yeah, hockey is all I have and all I need.
Sterling
I know I f***ed up.
That I had an excellent reason not to contact Jules after I promised I would—after all my life was a tornado at the time—doesn’t mean I didn’t f*ck up.
I know it and I’m prepared to fix this mess now that I moved to Vegas permanently.
But the man I met more than two years ago is nowhere to be found. The one who opens the door when I come knocking isn’t the sweet boy who desperately wanted someone to take care of him.
No, this man is cynical and detached. Worst of all, he’s hell-bent on never giving me anything real again.
No matter how brief our time was, I know he’s the only person—and I’ve met a lot of people—who’s ever made me want more.
So yes, I’ll fight to repair what I broke and then hopefully we’ll prepare for the rest of our lives together.
Kindle Deal valid May 1-31st on Amazon US & UK only.
A small-town writer. A secret-keeping lawyer. One dangerously hot collaboration.
Addison
According to my MFA in Creative Writing, I should be writing the next great novel. When I put pen to paper, though, all my words are about romance and love. But when my inexperience leaves my steamy scenes flat and boring. I need inspiration… and the brewery’s British lawyer, Hawthorne Cumberland, has plenty of ideas. Our “research” starts innocent enough—until his lips rewrite every rule I’ve made about love.
Thorne
By day, I’m a polished attorney. By night, I’m Rosie Thorne—the anonymous romance author who writes happy endings, but doesn’t believe in them for myself. Then Addison Blankenship storms into my life, all fire and honesty, and suddenly my double life isn’t so easy to hide. Because the more I teach her about writing passion, the harder it is to remember where the fiction ends.
When secrets collide, will their story end in heartbreak… or their own happily ever after?
“You,” he says right when I get to his room. “You make me feel better.” “I was hoping you would say that.” I put the phone on mute and knock on his door softly, hoping like fuck no one comes out of their rooms, especially my brother. That would be an awkward conversation, especially after last night. “Did you already send the cake?” He laughs as he pulls open the door and I see his mouth open and his eyes widen. “I did better, I brought me.” “What are you doing here?” he asks, and I look around. “Can I answer that in your room so no one catches me?” I suggest as he lunges for me and drags me inside. His arms wrap around me as he buries his face in my neck and picks me up off my feet. My legs circle his waist as he walks over to the king-size bed in his room. His bag is pushed to the side and still packed up. “What are you doing here?” he asks me again as he sits on the edge of the bed, and he takes his face out of my neck, only to hold my face in his hands, kissing my lips softly. “After the game, or maybe during your whole Hulk episode behind the bench…” I run my fingers through his beard and take in his tired eyes, and I want nothing more than to make this right for him. “I booked the earliest flight I could get on, which was at the ass crack of fucking dawn. Then I had to book a hotel room here, and I called and asked for early check-in, but the girl was not having it. So I booked the room last night and had to download the app to check-in so they wouldn’t give my room away,” I ramble and see his eyes get lighter with each word. “Then I got here and hid upstairs until you called.” “I can’t believe you’re here.” He kisses every single part of my face, and I silently laugh. “What choice did I have?”
Sabbath Creed had an intensity that always enthralled me, yet I never would have fathomed his love could warp my own sanity into madness, setting ablaze everything I loved until nothing was left but ashes and agony.
I’ve always been drawn to fire, the way it consumes, transforms, and purifies. But I never expected it to devour my world, leaving nothing behind but ashes and heartbreak.
From that moment on, I chose to escape my fate, to escape him.
I could always feel his presence, lingering like smoke in the air. It was only a matter of time before he would find me. His love, twisted and charred by the flames of his obsession, burned endlessly for me. He would never let me go, not after what happened.
I thought working at Camp Redwood would hide me from his gaze, but it only pushed me into the spotlight with its own dark secrets. He was here, and I needed to make the ultimate decision: allow his love to consume me or extinguish its flames. Forever.
SABBATH
She thinks she can escape me, but she’ll never understand. I’m not just a part of her past; I’m a part of her. She might try to extinguish the flames, but I’ll never let her. I will make her mine again—no matter the cost. My little spitfire.
He’s the team’s captain—strong, empowering, and chivalrous. She’s a decorated veteran—smart, beautiful, and fierce.
I breathe, eat, and sleep hockey. It’s my duty, my honor, my privilege to give all I have to my team, for my team. Lead by example. Leave the pain on the ice, wearing blood and sweat on my jersey with pride.
No sacrifice is too big… or so I thought.
Emmeline knows true sacrifice. Face of an angel. Heart of a warrior. Marine turned coffee shoppe owner, brewing a mean cup of joe kissed by the heavens, protective of her family by choice and those in need of saving.
I thought I knew sacrifice. I had no idea. Em makes me look like an amateur.
And I can’t get enough. I can’t get her out of my head, not that I want to.
But she’s full up. She has no need nor desire for a pro athlete who lives in the limelight and dines with celebrities and politicians.
I face off with the toughest players in the NHL, yet I can’t break the ice around her heart. I’m a warrior of a different kind, and I’m prepared to go to battle for her.
1-click this angsty, heart-pounding hockey romance and fall hard for Nightly and his Emmeline.
A new team. A clean slate. Storm Cromwell comes to Denver determined to step out of his famous NHL brother’s shadow and prove he belongs on the ice. Hockey is the only thing that matters—until he meets Asher King.
Confident, brilliant, and completely off-limits, Asher is the heiress to Denver’s hockey empire, carrying a legacy heavy enough to crush anyone who dares to touch it. With her grandfather in hospice and a ruthless family war brewing, her future—and the empire itself—hangs by a thread.
Storm should stay focused. Asher should keep her distance. But the pull between them is impossible to ignore. He sees her beyond the name and the power. She sees him as more than a reckless distraction. As loyalty, ambition, and desire collide, they’re forced to choose how much they’re willing to risk.
Letting each other in could cost them everything … but walking away might destroy them both.
Love, legacy, and loyalty collide in this emotional hockey romance. Are you ready to fall for Storm and Asher? 1-click to start reading today.
What’s worse than being stuck in paradise with your ex and the woman he cheated on you with?
When your hot hockey player best friend–who’s always made your heart beat a little faster–insists on pretending to be your new boyfriend.
Alec means well, but no one–not my ex, not my friends, and certainly not my family–is going to believe he’s suddenly madly in love with me. The only person at risk of believing the act… is me.
But maybe I’ll get through this despite his tempting touches, lingering smiles, and the fact there’s only one bed in our hotel room… as long as I remember the most important rule of all: Don’t fall for your fake boyfriend.
If you loved the emotional heat of books by Becka Mack and Avery Keelan, then buy THE FIRST RULE OF FAKING IT to start reading your next addictive hockey romance today!
My whole life changed in a night. Broke up with my douchebag boyfriend, decided to take a new job in another state, bonus on that I would be working with my sister who I missed like crazy. All big life changes.
Biggest life change that I was not anticipating, was Sandavi, ‘Davi’ Badagova.
To prove to my ex that I could do so much better than him, I walked up to Davi and kissed him in a bar. Which lead to a night I will never forget, and a friendship I was never expecting, and the man who was going to change everything, if I let him. That was my biggest challenge.
Davi
As the starting goalie for the Colorado Dragons, I was absolutely the last line of defense for my team. I love it. Thrived on studying the movements of my opponents, learning to anticipate shots before they were even fired. Never in my life did I think that would translate into my personal life. Watching April strut up to me at the bar, lean into me and kiss me was something I never expected, and a moment I will never forget. She’s moving to my town, working for my team. I want more. She does too, but she’s scared. No worries, I’ll learn what she needs from me, I’ll fight the battles she’s got going on in her head, and I’ll protect the treasure she is. I am a Dragon after all.
When romance author, Avery Daniels, agrees to shadow a professional hockey player as research for her upcoming series, she never dreams she’ll get to meet her long-time crush, Logan Keller. Or end up in the emergency room.
But accidents happen, and she’s more than willing to forget about the whole thing. Too bad Logan isn’t. His guilt runs deep, and in order to make it up to her, he offers to give her a deep dive into all things hockey. Including a place to stay for the duration of her trip. His spare bedroom.
It would be foolish to agree, for so many reasons. But it would be a great way to get all the inside knowledge on the life of an actual player. And spend some time with someone who’s intrigued her for most of her life.
But Logan is hiding a secret. He knows exactly who Avery is, and she isn’t the only one with a crush. Now he just needs to convince her to give his offer a chance.
He’s the team’s enforcer—scarred, gruff, and untouchable. She’s the coach’s daughter—off-limits, infuriating, and impossible to ignore.
On the ice, I’m built for battle, my scars a warning to anyone who dares get too close. Off the ice, I am just as guarded, convinced love is nothing but drama I don’t need. Bianca is the last person I should want—spoiled, privileged, and protected by the one man I can’t cross.
But every clash between us sparks fire. Every argument feels like foreplay. And the more we fight, the harder it becomes to deny the pull between us.
Rules say she’s forbidden. My heart says it’s inevitable.
And when hate blurs into something dangerously close to desire, neither of us can pretend anymore.
I dreamed of being a Navy SEAL, but to achieve my goal, I had to choose. I could be gay or be a SEAL. Being a SEAL won out. You couldn’t miss what you had never experienced. I hoped being a team guy would fill the void left by denying who I was.
And it did, until terrorists took my teammate captive, and I watched two of my best friends find love. Now repressed thoughts and feelings plagued me, and I didn’t know if I’d be able to resist.
Especially not when my first and only crush showed up.
Roman
Growing up in the bible belt was hard enough, especially when my dad, the town doctor, committed suicide. I hid in the closet until I left for college. There twosomes turned into moresomes, which somehow led to a drunken hook-up with a sorority girl. When she turned up pregnant, I married her, but she disappeared as soon as the baby was born, leaving me a single dad.
Amazon Top 25 and USA Today bestselling author Kayley Loring spent many years as a screenwriter (under a different name) in Los Angeles before moving to the Pacific Northwest to live out her childhood dream of being a Disney heroine who talks and sings to woodland creatures. When not trying to keep animals alive, she’s writing steamy romantic comedy novels, obviously. She’s breathing cleaner air, writing dirtier words, and staring at her computer screen until her eyeballs dry out instead of prancing around Southern California in miniskirts and going to the hair salon. Still waiting for the woodland creatures to clean her house, though.
Read or listen to Kayley’s books when you want humor, heat, and heart. You’ll enjoy top-notch banter, strong heroines, lovable characters you’d want to know in real life and you’ll swoon over perfectly imperfect book boyfriends. All Kayley Loring books are steamy open door romance. Be sure to check out her next-level audiobooks!
Listen to Kayley talk to the wildly talented narrators who narrate her audiobooks and her wildly talented author friends on the Multiple Eargasms with Kayley Loring podcast!
Dear Mr. Vega, I felt it necessary to follow up on today’s meeting, since we weren’t able to speak candidly in front of your son. I was shocked to discover that you are Ryder’s dad. Given that your ex-wife will be out of the country for a while and you are currently his primary caregiver, I’m sure you understand why we need to establish boundaries and etiquette. I think it would be best if we just pretend that we met in person for the first time today. Your son is a very bright (flirtatious and talkative) student and since his education is a top priority for both of us, I hope I can count on you to respectfully refrain from grinning at me, using that sexy tone of voice, and undressing me with your annoyingly beautiful brown eyes if we should happen to interact with each other again in the future.
Thanks so much, Miss Stiles
TO: Emilia Stiles
FROM: Alex Vega
SUBJECT: Re: Well, hello again…
Dear Miss Stiles, Great to hear from you. My son’s education is indeed a top priority. As such, I respectfully agree to refrain from doing all of the aforementioned things. However, I can’t promise to stop thinking about that kiss at the bar this summer. I’ve been thinking about it for the past month. It’s interesting how humorless and uptight you are about my son’s totally awesome personality, given that I have personally witnessed just how flirtatious and talkative you yourself can be when mildly intoxicated.
You’re so welcome, Alex
P.S. I volunteered to be a chaperone for your next field trip. See you then.
🎧Review🎧 Alex has transitioned from his career as a child actor into a successful career as a director however his driving force is being a single father to his son Ryder. This is the reason why after exchanging some correspondence with his son’s teacher he is determined to meet the woman behind the emails, but he never expected that he had met her previously at a bar but had to leave before they could have the steamy evening he was planning.
Emilia is looking for a fresh start both personally and professionally however finding out that her student’s father was a witness to a night she would rather forget was not part of the plan. Her head tells her to keep their relationship business only however her heart doesn’t seem to be getting the message.
Fun and flirty this story is sure to bring a smile to your face. The chemistry between them is hot, the banter is humorous and Ryder is a scene stealer. The narrators only make this story better as Erin Mallon brings out the sassy side of Emilia’s personality to perfection and J.F. Harding brings out the swoon factor of Alex.
Kari's Book Reviews and Revelations 