From bestselling author Monica Murphy comes a sweet, sexy story about the secret crush between a college QB and his teammate’s sister, and the obvious chemistry that keeps them in the huddle.
Sienna
I’ve had a thing for Gavin Maddox ever since I was a freshman, but it’s a mission doomed to fail. Of all the guys I could have picked on campus, I had to go too far with the quarterback, my brother’s best friend.
We’ve spent the last two years avoiding each other. It’s not that easy when you have the same friends, not to mention I can’t forget the way it felt to be with him. But I can be civil. Polite. Detached.
I think…
Gavin
Sienna Cooper is off limits–except for that one time. I can’t forget it, but I need to forget her if I want to keep my head in the game. This is my senior year and, more importantly, my last season of college football. I can’t let anything distract me.
I’ve respected Sienna’s boundaries for this long. I can do it for another year.
Monica Murphy is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling romance author. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. Both a traditionally published and independently published author, she writes young adult, new adult and contemporary romance.
A native Californian, she lives on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere with her husband, son, their goofy dog, and three cats. When sheβs not writing, sheβs thinking about writing. Or reading. Or binge watching something.
Dirty dancing leads to a chance at forever in this sizzling single parent, found family, small town romance by Jessica Peterson.
Sawyer
A Lucky River Ranch Novel
by Jessica Peterson
Blurb:
As a recently divorced single mom, I have zero interest in flirting with guys while on a rare girlsβ weekend away with my sisters. I just want to have fun, celebrate my new job, and listen to live music at a honky tonk.
But when I literally stumble into the most gorgeous guy ever on the dance floor, those plans go up in smoke. Growing up on the barrel racing circuit, Iβm not immune to the charms of a cowboy. But this particular one is hot as hell: Sawyerβs got a mustache, some sexy tattoos, and a very filthy mouth.
Needless to say, we end up naked in his swanky hotel room. Itβs the best sex of my life. And the way Sawyer treats me like a queen? Letβs just say a girl could get addicted to that kind of adoration.
Good thing heβll always be just a one night stand I can look back on with a smile. Iβm rebuilding our life from scratch, and I need to focus on my three-year-old daughter and the dream job I just landed.
Imagine my surprise, then, when I move to Hartsville and run into a tattooed cowboy with an endearing daughter of his own. Now Sawyer wants more than the occasional playdates between our girls. But the closer we become, the more determined this sexy single dad is to keep me forever.Β
As much as I am falling for Sawyer, Iβm terrified. Iβve been down this road before with my ex, and I wonder if I can trust this cowboy. Will he rope the moon for me? Or is my heart destined to be trampled all over again?
Oh my, the Rivers boy … *sigh* I love these dirty talking, big hearted, noble cowboys. Sawyer is trying so hard to be a good dad, good brother, and good cowboy. He’s struggling with feeling like he’s not enough and should be able to do more. But meeting Ava helps take some of that stress away for a little while.
I liked Ava and I liked her with Sawyer but I am not sure I quite understand why she hangs on to her concern about getting involved with him as long as she did. I get that her previous relationship was awful and toxic and abusive but … surely she understands that not every relationship is like that? Maybe it is because they got together so young that it imprinted those feelings about herself.
Their night together at the beginning was steamy, fun, and a chance for them to let go & remember themselves as people not just parents. And it is a feeling that they are able to keep going once they meet again later. They work well together, as adults and as parents, and I enjoyed their relationship a lot.
There’s not a lot of drama in this one. Mostly it’s whether Ava can let go of her issues with relationships to give Sawyer a real chance. He does have a few hang ups of his own, especially with stretching himself too thin. Overall, it’s about them creating an amazing little family together and learning to trust in others – to trust they truly accept them and are willing to bet there when needed. And I enjoy seeing them create connections and relationships with each other & those around them
Full of adorable kids, sassy women, and sexy cowboys, Sawyer is a cute (and hot) addition to the Lucky River Ranch series. Sawyer is such a good man and Ava is the perfect person to help him remember to enjoy life and I’m here for it. And I’m also here for what comes next thanks to that little tease at the end!
*****
Author Info:
Jessica Peterson writes romance with heat, humor, and heart. Heroes with hot accents are her specialty. When sheβs not writing, she can be found bellying up to a bar in the southβs best restaurants with her husband Ben, reading books with her adorable daughter Gracie, or snuggling up with her 70-pound lap dog, Martha.
A Carolina girl at heart, she fantasizes about splitting her time between Charleston and Asheville, but currently lives in Charlotte, NC.
Since then, Tweetie Sorenson has embraced the professional hockey player bachelor lifestyleβhis social media is a highlight reel of clubs, friends, and a never-ending stream of different women.
Itβs hard to believe heβs the same man who stole my heart the very night we met. With him, everything felt wild, spontaneous, and absolutely perfect. I thought he was my forever.
Then, he broke my heart. Or maybe we broke each otherβs. Either way, it was over.
Iβve moved onβnew city, dream jobβuntil my boss throws me back into Tweetieβs world. Iβm sent to Chicago to manage the Falconsβ social media, which means working alongside the one man I never truly let go of. FML.
Audio Full Cast Narration by: Troy Duran, Christine Lakin, Sean Masters, Connor Crais, JF Harding, Teddy Hamilton, and CJ Bloom
*****
Review:
I love this series (and pretty much everything that Piper Rayne gives me). I’ve been curious about Tweetie as we’ve worked thru the other stories … and I’m so sad that this one was my least favorite. The last half or so was great, exactly what I’d expect.
But early on, especially the journal entries, things were occasionally awkward. Part of it may be the bouncing back and forth in time. Plus I think maybe we needed a good reminder that these two were young when they first got together, with a lot of baggage from their childhoods. Although even in the present they make some choices that seemed a little … juvenile.
Buuuut, saying that, I loved that Tweetie finally got his girl and Tedi is a good match for him. I felt for him every step of the way, how he has to work with his abandonment issues and need to be wanted. The glimpses of the deeper guy that we’ve gotten over the other stories make so much sense.
As with all of the others, it’s the friendships between the guys and now their partners that elevate these stories. They love big and bold and with a lot of heart. I love seeing them support each other, tease but at the same time truly care about each other. And Tweetie & Tedi need all they can get.
There’s a lot of pain and yearning and hurt and want all wrapped up with these two and having to spend time together means that it doesn’t take long for all of that to bubble over. My heart went out to both of them as they struggle with those feelings and have to decide if they can trust in themselves & each other.
We get a look at baseball players Decker & Easton throughout this story and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens when the guys move into the condos above Peepers. Looks like Ruby may have her hands full π
*****
Author Info:
Piper Rayne is a USA Today Bestselling Author duo who write “heartwarming humor with a side of sizzle” about families, whether that be blood or found. They both have e-readers full of one-clickable books, they’re married to husbands who drive them to drink, and they’re both chauffeurs to their kids. Most of all, they love hot heroes and quirky heroines who make them laugh, and they hope you do, too!
When a health issue ends Christinaβs dancing career, she finds herself on a new path as a co-owner of an NHL team. But, when a friend needs help at her dance studio, the last thing she expected was for the hottie taking private lessons to wind up on her brotherβs hockey team. Readers who love secret, workplace romances will enjoy Dances with Pucks by Debbie Charles, a steamy, sports romance.
Dances with Pucks
Texas Tornadoes series
by Debbie Charles
Blurb:
CAM
Guarding the net is not my only goal
While other players relax on the golf course, my off-season is spent in the ballroom. Dancing keeps me limber and the memory of my mom alive. My father dismissed hockey as a career and moved on to a new family. Jokeβs on him. Iβve made it to the NHL, and Iβll clear close to a mil at age twenty-four. The only thing left on my life plan is a family, and I have my eye on the beautiful dance instructor who keeps me on my toes.
CHRISTINA
I prefer numbers to people. Theyβre far more predictable.
Numbers make sense; people donβt.
After a health issue ended my competitive ballroom dancing career, I took over management of my familyβs financial empire. Then my brother insisted on bringing pro hockey to Austin, so here I am, co-owner of an NHL team and agreeing to give free financial advice to the players. When a friend needs help at her dance studio, the hottie taking private lessons is more tempting than a macro-enabled spreadsheet, until his headshot pops up on my brotherβs hockey roster. Talk about a conflict of interest. Worse, he wants what I canβt give himβkids. Maybe just a flingβ¦
Dances with Pucks is a workplace romance between two incredibly flexible people, which means things get steamy, stretched, and sometimes twisted. It introduces the Texas Tornadoes, the hottest, coolest expansion NHL team in hockey.
As he raises me to his shoulder, my leg extended, and begins to twirl, my only thought is how close his hand is to my *****. I moan, and he inhales deeply. If heβs smelling me, Iβll be so embarrassed. That might be worse than if my arousal leaks down onto his hand.
He clutches me tight for an instant before allowing me to slide down. I wrap my arm around his back, the arch of my spine more pronounced than before. Iβve forgotten the move. My *** craves his **** against it and my legs are splayed wide to get maximum friction where I want it. Iβm too high, though, so Iβm splayed across his belly, his big hand inches above where I need it to be. He releases his left hand where it had moved under my knee and I slide down, leading with one tiptoe so I can slow my slide over his ****.
I am shameless and over this lesson almost before itβs begun.
I donβt spin around and instead shimmy my *** against him.
His hand tightens around my waist as he pulls me even closer. We breathe in unison. My back brushes his chest with every inhale.
βChristina?β he asks into my hair. Iβm sweaty and horny and I donβt care about resisting any more.
I whisper, βCam. Please.β
Spinning me around, he responds with a husky, βThank ****,β as his hands go to my head and his lips meet mine.
He kisses far better than anyone Iβve ever experienced. Iβm lost. My brain skitters along the hard floor under us before I remember that my bedroom is literally feet away. But Iβm afraid to break the spell. I want to sink into these sensations, this pleasure, and wallow in it.
My hands roam his hard muscles. Arms, back, chest, shoulders are all explored as our lips and tongues play. I tunnel under his shirt, craving skin to skin, and he moans. I flick his nipple with a fingernail, and he shudders around me.
He also starts to explore. His fingers knead the muscles of my upper back, around the base of my spine, and my ***. He skims as far down my legs as he can reach and mutters against my mouth, βGod, I want these wrapped around me.β
I nod.
He raises his head, looking a little surprised. βAre you sure?β
βIβm sure. Itβs been a while, though, so please take it slow.β Iβm not ready to share my specific worries about penetration, angle, or position, but Iβm safe with him. This is a man who worries heβll drop me a few feet from a simple lift.
Nor is this the time to talk about keeping this whole thing secret. Maybe I can get my fill of him today and then move on. Iβll worry about all that later. Right now, I need the pleasure his body has been taunting mine with for weeks.
βIf you need me to do something different, tell me.β Heβs done asking for permission, however, because he peels the straps of my leotard down to my hips in one move. Plucking the knot of my filmy wrap skirt open, he tosses it aside and gets me naked except my shoes in seconds.
I suck in a breath. The mirrors reflect a three-quarter view of the back of me, so he can see all of me at once. And while heβs in his prime, both age-wise and being a professional athlete, Iβm no longer the lithe competitive dancer I once was. Iβve filled out, although I stay fitter than most thirty-year-old women.
βGod, youβre gorgeous. Even more beautiful than I imagined.β His voice is reverent, allaying the few worries my thoughts had room for. Itβs time to bask in this experience.
He lowers to his knees; I assume to take my shoes off. But no, he runs his hands up and down my legs, testing the muscles with light squeezes. βYour legs are my greatest fantasy.β
Well, thatβs hot. And original. I brace my hands on his shoulders. Even with him kneeling before me, the power dynamic of me naked and him clothed is a little overwhelming. I tug on his shirt. βOff, please.β
He does that young guy thing, grasping it behind his head with one hand and yanking it up and off, flinging it aside.
My hands return to his shoulders. Warm, smooth skin covers muscles that are hard even at rest. I could fondle him all day.
He has other ideas. Tucking a hand behind my knee, he braces me by holding my other hip and slides my knee over his shoulder, opening me to him.
Copyright 2025, Debbie Charles
*****
Author Info:
A lifelong romance reader, I cut my teeth on Johanna Lindsey, Jude Deveraux, and Kathleen Woodiwiss, along with Silhouette and Harlequin for palate cleansers. Opting for a career that provided both a food and travel budget, I earned a BA, CPA, and MBA, and spent far too long being a corporate drone, then consulting other corporate drones. Along the way, I was one of the few 1990s NBA season ticket holders never to see Michael Jordan play (β93-β94). I also attended a few NFL games, the Belmont Stakes, the NHL playoffs, the World Series, and managed to see more than 20 MLB parks, several of which have since been demolished. More recently, Iβve enjoyed the Texas Stars, the AHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars. Throughout those years, I made sporadic attempts to write my own romance. I now have 9 spicy Regency romances under the pen name Maggie Sims (www.maggiesims.com), and am ready to tackle contemporary romance, starting with hot hockey romances set in Austin, where I now live with my husband and three furbabies.
From rivalries to secret glances across the rink, dive into a story filled with passion, ice, and a little bit of chaos.
As the hottest left-winger in the league, I was the handsome golden boy for the L.A. Quakes. But after suffering horrific injuries during a game, my life is on a breakaway to disaster. My biggest fear is a darkness from my past is about to repeat itself. All I want to do is hide from the world, but fate has another plan.
Feisty beauty Liliana Alvarez doesnβt suffer fools lightly, especially when it comes to her kids in her new non-profit outreach. Sheβll drag me, kicking and screaming, if necessary, from the hole Iβve crawled into if itβs the last thing she does. For some reason, she is patient enough to wait for me to heal and something sparks between us, wounds, and all. But her abusive ex-boyfriend threatens to shatter our hopes of a happily ever after.
Can enemies-turned-lovers help save each other or is the ice tilted against us?
Easing open the door, I slip through, bolting to the welcoming darkness of the closed Quakesβ Cove bar. I lean against a wall, shrouded in shadows, and stare down at the rink below. Itβs late morning, and the rookies are doing drills under the watchful eyes of Jason Tolls, Linc, and a couple of other player development coaches. My friend looks in his element. Happy. Shit. I miss him, as well as Sonny and Bri. But I donβt go out much. Between scaring a kid at the grocery store and panic attacks that strike out of nowhere, I keep myself hidden away. The guys have their lives, and I donβt need to ruin their happiness by freaking them out. They wouldnβt care, but I do.
βHey.β The soft, whispered word makes me glance away from the ice. F**k. Catherine Bishop, the Quakesβ owner, and Lincβs girlfriend, steps into the bar and stands next to me. I turn my face away, seeking refuge in the shadows.
βOh, no you donβt.β Catherineβs finger touches my chin and turns my head so Iβm facing her. βYou will not hide from me.β She stares directly into my eyes. Her family did everything in their power to help me recover, starting with the best sports ophthalmologist so I wouldnβt lose my eye. Then a world-class plastic surgeon to keep my scarring to a minimum. I have a functioning eyelid, thanks to them. βYour features were way too pretty and perfect. The scar helps. You now look kind of like a bad boy. Women will go crazy.β
I canβt help the snort which escapes me. βIn my dreams.β
She nudges me with her shoulder. βHowβs your mom? I miss Maja.β
βSheβs good. I spoke with her this morning.β Catherine came over a few times and took my mom out to lunch or dinner so she could have a break from me. Iβd been such a hurting asshole that my boss took it upon herself to look after my mom. They hit it off. Why not? Theyβre both powerful women. Catherine shattering glass ceilings and my mom raising three kids on her own after my dad lost his mind.
She gestures to the ice. βHowβre the rookies? See anyone impressive?β
I break our eye contact, relieved to go back to the shadows and study the players below. Some of them are in their young and gangly stage, like Bambi on ice. But some of the older kids are filling out and showing the promise of their mature athletic bodies to come.
βYour giant six-six goalie looks promising. Heβs going to kill it in the AHL for the Tsunami. Linc must be drooling. For his size, the kid is agile, and he knows how to stay deep in his crease. Heβll be a brick wall for our opponents.β
βYeah, I have high hopes for him. I also like the left winger, Berglund.β She slants her gaze my way. βHe reminds me of you at his ageβfast, full of energy, great hockey sense.β
βLooking to replace me? Afraid Iβll scare the fans?β
She glares at me. βStop it, or Iβll tattle to Linc that youβre feeling sorry for yourself.β
Catherine never takes my bullshit. I sigh. βToo soon to joke?β
βIf I thought you were joking, itβd be okay, but I know you werenβt.β
How does she read me so well? βFine. Youβre right.β We watch the rooks in peaceful silence. I can almost relax.
βHey Ribi, good to see you.β An L.A. Quakesβ blogger calls out in passing.
Suddenly, my heart starts pounding. I break out into a sweat and dizziness swamps me, making me sway. My whole body shakes. F**k. I canβt have a panic attack. Not here. Not now.
βOye gilipollas,β a tiny woman shouts and storms into the bar. I automatically translate the Spanish into EnglishβHey, a**hole. Before I could blink, the petite Latina stabs her finger into my chest, while glaring at my face, stopping my anxiety attack in a flash.
LILIANA
Frustrated as hell, I flew out of the Quakesβ Foundationβs office and storm past a man and woman lurking in the shadows of a closed bar, watching guys skating below. Weirdos. I didnβt know who he was until someone yells, βRibi.β I assume itβs some sort of nickname for Luka Ribic, my MIA hockey player. Not about to miss this opportunity, I spin on my heels and go in for the kill.
βOye gilipollas,β I shout, stabbing him in the chest with a finger. I have to reach to hit my target. The big guy is almost a foot taller than me. He must have understood my Spanish because he blinks at me like Iβm a crazy woman. This smug a**hole has the nerve to smirk at me. βI came to talk to the Quakesβ Foundation. Maureen claims youβve been out on medical leave. What a load of doody!β
βDoody?β The spark of humor reaches all the way to his light brown eyes.
*****
And don’t miss the first book in the series!
LincolnΒ – A Los Angeles Quakes Hockey Series Book 1Β
L.A. Quakesβ fans stomped their feet to cheers of βCaveman!β when I made incredible saves in the crease, leading the team to two Stanley Cup victories. I thought I could go on forever, but at thirty-six, the clockβs counting down even for Lincoln Cavanaugh. Social media and fan sites are filled with rumors of me being traded. Or worse. My future looks as uncertain as a loose puck on the ice.
My fate rests in the hands of Catherine Bishop, daughter of the teamβs owner and a power to be reckoned with. And what fine hands they are, along with everything else about her. A chance encounter leads to sparks between us, but is falling in love with this incredible woman worth the risk?
Because with her by my side, Iβm once again an unstoppable force between the pipes, and victories pile up like never before. However, our love is a ticking time bomb because Catherine has dreams of making history as the first female and person of color to own an NHL team. Sleeping with a player would make that all go up in smoke. I fear when the truth comes out, it will be the final buzzer for us.
Alisa Jean is the pseudonym for award-winning authors Marla A. White and C J Bahr. They first teamed up over thirty years ago over a bottle of Zima (donβt ask) while polishing their gear for a horse show. Theyβve since moved on to better beverages and writing novels. Separately, Marla prefers to murder characters in the usual way, while C J uses paranormal means. The long-time best friends joined together as a writing team through their mutual love of hockey. Wonder twin powers activated! Their hockey romances examine flawed characters with heart, humor, and sexy sizzle.
Itβs just a little crush. What could possibly go wrong?
Iβve had more than enough relationship drama to last a lifetime, so romance with Stevie Palmer, the gorgeous server I had a hot one-night stand with, isnβt in the cards. However, she would make the perfect fake girlfriend to help me win my custody battle.
When I offer her an obscene amount of money to play along, she agrees. I insist this arrangement is strictly business. No feelings. No complications.
Easy, right?
Except nothing about Stevie is easy. Sheβs unexpected softness, stubborn as hell, and impossible to ignore. I tell myself I can keep my hands off of her. That I can ignore the way she makes me feel. Then one kiss turns into another. One night into more. And suddenly, our perfect little arrangement is anything but simple or straightforward.
With so much at stake, can I turn our fake relationship into a real happily ever after?
NY Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestseller, Carly Phillips is the queen of Alpha Heroes, at least according to The Harlequin Junkie Reviewer.. Carly married her college sweetheart and lives in Purchase, NY along with her crazy dogs who are featured on her Facebook and Instagram pages. The author of over 75 romance novels, she has raised two incredible daughters and is now an empty nester. Carlyβs book, The Bachelor, was chosen by Kelly Ripa as her first romance club pick. Carly loves social media and interacting with her readers.
Erika Wilde is a New York Times Bestselling author. She is best known for her super sexy Marriage Diaries series and The Players Club series, and has also co-written the Dirty Sexy Series and the Book Boyfriend Series with Carly Phillips, her best friend and writing buddy for the past twenty years. She lives in Oregon with her husband and two daughters, and when she’s not writing you can find her exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest. For more information on her upcoming releases, please visit website at www.erikawilde.com and sign up to receive my newsletter for updates and news!
Football is my life. Iβm not interested in marriage or babies or poopy diapers. Yet here I am, standing in front of a judge saying βI do,β with a six-month-old on my hip and an aspiring storm-chaser on my arm.
From the time I was a little boy, sleeping with my head on a football, Iβve had one goal: carrying on the Bradford-family legacy.
Our famous father trained all my older brothers and me to be star athletes just like him, but seven years later, Iβm the only one still focused on the game.
Until Raven Gale storms into my life.
Sheβs smart, sassy, curves for days, and lightning in the sack. When I met her at my little sisterβs wedding we bonded immediately over our dedication to our dreams, our determination to let nothing stop us, and our insatiable, all-night, barrier-busting chemistry.
A baby girl is a surprise neither of us expected, but Raven has a plan. Weβll have a quickie marriage to secure her trust fund, be together three months tops, then shake hands and walk away.
The only problem is with every late night I spend chatting with my wife or consummating our marriage (which we agreed was a bad idea) or rocking my baby girl to sleep or yes, even changing poopy diapers, the stronger our bond grows.
It never rains in California, thereβs no football (for me) in south Alabama, but when you collide with a cyclone, everything changes, including what you thought were your plans.
(THE WAY WE COLLIDE is a small-town, surprise baby, sports romance with a marriage of convenience, close proximity, an over-protective alpha daddy, a feisty plus-sized FMC, and a few twisters. No cheating. No cliffhanger. No third-act breakup.)
Tia Louise is the USA Today best-selling, award-winning author of super-hot and sexy contemporary romance.
From former military alpha-rolls, to arrogant bosses needing to be taken down a notch (or two!), to cocky playboys with hearts of gold, sheβll steal your heart, make you laugh, and melt your kindle.
If you like spicy romances that will make you laugh and cry, pull up a chair and enjoy!
That sentence seems innocent enough in the right setting.
But the womanβs father? Yeah, he happens to be my boss.
The first time I met Cashlynn OβNeil, she thought she was going to die before the plane we were on ever left the ground.
So I did what any gentleman would doβI comforted her, kept her distracted, and then later that night, she ended up back in my hotel room to thank me.
But then a year later she waltzed in the Carrington Cove Animal Hospital and told her father we were engaged.
And that would have been harmless, except the last time I was engaged it left me scarred beyond repair, vowing never to entertain the idea of love again.
I canβt fall for my bossβs daughter.
I canβt keep lying to myself about how I feel either.
But is it possible that someday you learn that itβs not the wrong person that will make you question what you want in life, but itβs the right one?
Harlow James is a pen name I use to protect my identity as a high school teacher. Keeping those two roles in my life separate is necessary, but also fun! Itβs like a live two lives, and anonymity gives me the opportunity to be bold and take risks in my stories.
I stumbled upon romance novels in 2018 when I picked up Driven by Kristy Bromberg, and I was obsessed. I had just lost my grandmother too, so reading offered me an escape from reality and a chance to grieve on my own terms.
About a year later, I got an idea for my own book and started writing. I researched self-publishing and jumped in with both feet. I had no idea what I was doing!
But now Iβve built a business and hobby that I LOVE! I have an outlet thatβs just for me. When I write, Iβm not a mom, a wife, or a teacherβ¦Iβm a woman who gets to tell stories that no one else can.
My books are the perfect blend of heartwarming moments, full-bellied laughs, and PLENTY of steam to melt your Kindles π And there are always elements of me sprinkled in to every character and story that I write.
When Iβm not writing you can find me reading or spending time in my kitchen. I love to cook and feed my family and friends. Otherwise, you can find me watching comedy specials with my husband, camping with our kids, or taking naps. I live for naps π
A sexy, small town, grumpy sunshine, single dad, sports romance from USA Today Bestselling Author Willow Aster
Wicked Love
The Single Dad Playbook Series
by Willow Aster
Blurb:
I fell in love with his little girl first.
From the moment nine-year-old Becca Fox and I hugged, it was like weβd known each other forever. Precocious, sweet, and kind, I just knew this little girl was exceptional. Her dad, though? Not so much.
Bowie Fox checks every box in the looks departmentβrugged, intense, and the kind of man who makes you forget how to breatheβbut his personality? About as warm as a snowstorm.
That is, until weβre seated together at his best friend’s wedding, and thenβ¦we dance.
For hours.
Beneath that gruff and hard exterior, I catch glimpses of a man who wants to let loose and enjoy life.
After the wedding, when a hotel mixup leaves me without a room and stranded in Landmark Mountain, Bowie invites me to stay in his room. In his bed.
Itβs innocent at first. Until itβs not. A sizzling one-night stand for the books. Then I wake up alone and when I see him at breakfast, he is as distant as ever.
Bowie lets me know his life revolves around Becca, his teammates, and football. He makes it perfectly clear that there is no room for anyone elseβespecially the bubbly coach of his daughter.
As much as our paths keep crossing, I know the broody linebacker isnβt ever planning on falling for me, but when I find out I am pregnantβI wonder, Can he fall for us?
Wicked Love is book four in The Single Dad Playbook series. Each book can be read as a standalone.
Bowie really has moments of being a not so nice person but his love for his daughter and for his friends is definitely a redeeming quality. And I really think it helps getting both character’s POV. It helped us see where Bowie was coming from, because otherwise his hot/cold routine could have been a bit much.
I loved Poppy. She’s so upbeat, giving, and sweet. Her love for others, especially the kids she works with, just about pours out of her. I kinda wish that Bowie had given her a chance earlier but it’s kinda understandable with his history. I do wish that he’d had a bit more of a chance to explore that, get some resolution with his father and his ex.
Bowie’s daughter, Becca, is such a bright spot as well. With her enthusiasm and endless love, it’s not a surprise that she connects so well with Poppy. Once Bowie gets out of his own way, they form such a wonderful little family.
And as with the previous books the guys, and now their wives, are there to support them every step of the way. It’s definitely one of my favorite things about this series. We’ve got one more “single dad” to go and I’m all in to find out what is in store for our Penn.
*****
Author Info:
Willow Aster is a USA Today Bestselling author and lover of anything book-related. She lives in St. Paul, MN with her husband, kids, rescue dog, and grandcat.
When Lilah Maddisonβs mother keeps trying to set her up on dates sheβs not interested in, she blurts out that sheβs already seeing someone. The problem? Sheβs single.
So, I step in to help and agree to pretend to be her boyfriend for an event. But when things go awry, weβre no longer just datingβweβre engaged. Now, I have to find a way to keep her family off her back and our team in a playoff spot, all without falling in love with Lilah, which seems more impossible with each passing day.
Itβs my job to block, make saves, and keep the puck out of my own net, but this might be one match I canβt winβ¦and I might not want to.
EMPTY NET is a standalone hockey romance novel. There’s a cinnamon roll goalie (who is a very good boy) that is fake engaged to a headstrong heroine, found family vibes, slightly unhinged group chats with teammates, plenty of steam, and a happy ending.
TEAGAN HUNTER writes steamy romantic comedies with lots of sarcasm and a side of heart. She loves pizza, hockey, and romance novels, though not in that order. When not writing, you can find her watching entirely too many hours of Supernatural, One Tree Hill, or New Girl. She’s mildly obsessed with Halloween and prefers cooler weather. She married her high school sweetheart, and they currently live in the PNW.
Romantic Reads and Such 