COMPLETED. A university student. A professional hockey player. They've proved they can be friends. Can they be more? Although they're both in their early twenties and living in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, their lives couldn't be more different. Camille Riccardi is a university student who doesn't feel like she has her life together quite just yet. A scary thought, considering she's graduating in a few months. Taylor Hudson, on the other hand, is exactly where he wants to be in life. Drafted first overall in the spring, he's set to begin his first National Hockey League season with the Winnipeg Storm. When they meet through mutual friends, they realize that they may have things in common, after all. They realize that maybe they could be friends. Maybe they could be even more. But it's not nearly as simple as it all sounds. This is their story. Cover designed on Canva with photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash.

She's the captain's little sister. He's the transfer with everything to prove. Their love? Forbidden. Their chemistry? Explosive. Emily Thompson has mastered the art of pretending-on the mat, for her parents, and in the mirror. But behind the perfect image is a girl unraveling, and a boy she can't stay away from. Jake Cavanaugh didn't transfer to Trentwood for love. He came to chase the NHL-not fall for his teammate's sister. But Emily is fire wrapped in silence, and staying away was never an option. When secrets surface and an arranged engagement threatens everything, they'll have to decide what's worth fighting for-the future they were raised to chase, or the love they were never supposed to find. 💔 Love didn't break them. Everyone else did. 📅 Updates: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays Copyright © 2025 Everleigh Blake All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author.

a high school grumpy x sunshine book written to make you feel good ♡

Victoria 'Ria' Winters is the youngest out of all her quadruplet sisters; the one with the dark humor and haunting past. That's why she worked so hard for scholarships abroad to get as far away as possible. All her sisters had their own challenges, but nothing compared to Ria's past. When a traumatic event when she was 11 repeated itself when she was a freshman in college, it nearly destroyed her like the 1st time. She's learned from an early age to trust no one. Especially not men. After an assault by Vlad Wolves, the younger brother of the star hockey captain Nikolai Wolves, Ria was dragged through a brutal court case that nearly ended her. Vlad, a master manipulator and narcissist, turned the tables, leaving Ria to bear the blame and forcing her to transfer schools to escape the shame. Now, three years later, Ria has rebuild her life at one of the best universities in the world, focused solely on her studies and her future. But when Nik-who's always despised her for 'trying to ruin his family image for attention and money'-needs help to save his beloved place on the hockey team, he's forced to turn to the one person he hates most: Victoria. Nikolai had his own reasons to hate Ria. But when his powerful father, who has always had doubts about Vlad's innocence, insists that Ria tutors Nik in exchange for her fully funded graduate scholarship abroad, they're both trapped. Obviously, Ria hated that whole family for what happened freshman year in her former college. Especially Nikolai Wolves who testified against her, as if the moron had even been there when his younger brother assaulted her. Forced to work together Victoria and Nikolai's mutual hatred ignites into a battle of wills. There sessions are a minefield of cutting remarks, icy glares, and unresolved anger. But beneath the venom, there's undeniable tension-attraction. Beneath the anger and hurt, they begin to uncover the truth about each other-and about Vlad.

He's the NHL star with a cold reputation--she's the spark that could melt it all. All Lilah wants to do is keep her head down, finish her online college course, chase her dreams of becoming a baker, and survive. But when a photo caught at the wrong time with the NHL's newest star, Cole Becker, goes viral, she's suddenly thrust into the limelight--exactly where she doesn't want to be. And when the person she tried so hard to escape from resurfaces because of her new popularity, Lilah has no choice to run to the safety of fame and Cole Becker as his fake-girlfriend. Because no one can lay a finger on the newest sweetheart of hockey, can they? But Cole makes her feel things she's never felt before and she wants nothing but to be loved by the boy that makes her feel beautiful and safe. Cole Becker needs an out, and fast. A stupid rumor built on absolutely nothing is threatening to destroy the reputation he's barely built. He's only a few games into his rookie NHL season and already he's been nicknamed the NHL's "Ice King;" scary, domineering, and arrogant. So when Lilah crashes her way into his world, he has no choice but to fake-date her, to both help his reputation, and to help the girl who's already got him wrapped around her finger. He wants to show her she's worthy of love. She wants to be loved by him. And when the lines between real and fake start to blur, Lilah has to let go of the secrets in her past holding her down and let herself love the goalie. But someone is lurking in the shadows, ready to steal Lilah away from the life she's tried so hard to build. Past Rankings: #1: cinderellastory #1: hockeyromance #4: loveatfirstsight #2: minnesota #2: waitress #1: slowburn #1: shygirl

Ethan's standing on Highland Bridge at midnight, ready to end it all, when a girl appears out of nowhere with ice cream and zero intention of leaving him alone. Riley's either an angel or completely crazy - he hasn't decided which. But her offer is simple: give her until her birthday, just two months away, to prove life is worth something. After that, whatever he decides is up to him. He expects nothing. Instead, he gets midnight drives and way too many milkshakes. Gets random star quotes she's memorized just to make him roll his eyes. Gets stupid jokes that somehow make him laugh when he swore he'd forgotten how. But the closer they get, the more he sees through her smile to the shadows underneath. And as her birthday approaches, Ethan realizes keeping Riley alive might be the only thing worth living for.

[actively editing] With her nose in books and his brawn getting him nowhere on or off the ice, they find themselves drawn together, sharing their baggage and learning what it might mean for each of them to love again. Jake Bryers is no stranger to the pressures of being a professional hockey player. It's something that he's dealt with consistently for the past fifteen years. Throughout his career, he's experienced it all-the electric thrill of winning divisions and conference titles, and even making it to the Stanley Cup Finals on more than one occasion. His dream was always to skate the cup at least once, but as he enters the late stage of his long, tumultuous career, he finds himself struggling to perform like he once had as a younger, inspired player. Harper Clark has been proficient at one thing throughout her life-constantly moving forward without really going anywhere. After having moved to the Big Apple to pursue a better life outside of the dangerous one she found herself leading in the Midwest, she finds herself stagnating after getting her degree from Columbia. She quietly enjoys her job at the public library, treading water while the undeniable feeling of discontent grows stronger within her. It's nothing short of fate when Jake and Harper happen to cross paths at the library, and though their lives couldn't be any more different, they find themselves inexplicably drawn to one another as they try to navigate mending each other's wounded hearts.

Captain. It's the title bestowed on Hayes Hansen by his professional hockey team, the Carolina Cyclones. Even if a lifetime of feeling inadequate had caused him to question his worthiness of the title. Enter Maggie Evans, she's fun and willing to believe in Hayes more than he even believes in himself. Will her belief be enough to help him overcome his past?

10 years. One doorstep. Two childhood lovers meet again.

Amelia Landing a position as lead photographer for the Griffins is a dream come true. Capturing every intense game, every unforgettable moment on the ice-this is everything I've worked for. After everything I've been through, this job is supposed to be my sanctuary, a place where I can keep a safe distance from anyone who might get too close. Besides, with the no-fraternization clause, there's no danger of crossing any lines...or there shouldn't be. But then there's him-the star defenseman, with that easy smile and hopeless romantic heart. He doesn't know my past, and he can't understand why I can't risk letting him in. He's a complication I didn't ask for, a temptation I can't afford. But part of me wonders what it might feel like to believe in someone again...if only I dared. Logan After getting burned once, I told myself I wouldn't go all in again. Love was supposed to come easy to me-the happy-go-lucky defenseman who can make friends with anyone. But the last time I let someone in, it ended with a bruise I'm still healing from. So yeah, I told myself to keep things simple...until she showed up. She's standoffish, always keeping me at arm's length with this hard look that says, "Stay away." And yet, I catch glimpses of something softer, something she's trying so hard to hide. The more she pushes me away, the more I want to know her, to show her she doesn't have to stay guarded forever. Maybe that's a risk worth taking...if only she'd give me the chance.