𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐑𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐬 - a quiet, thoughtful girl who struggles to express her emotions and find trust in others. Shy by nature and cautious from past experiences, she longs for the kind of love she's only seen in movies-a deep, real connection that makes her feel safe and seen. Despite her reserved exterior, Talia has a childlike soul and a heart full of longing, hoping to one day find someone who understands her fully. As she faces the complexities of life and love, Talia must learn to trust both herself and others, realizing that true love might not be the fairytale she imagined-but something even more meaningful. 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 - the tough and cold hockey captain, hides behind a tough exterior, keeping his emotions locked away. On the ice, he's fearless, but off it, he struggles with trust and vulnerability. While most see him as the "bad boy," Grayson longs for something real-someone to love him for who he truly is, not for his reputation. As he faces new challenges, he begins to question what it means to be loved and must decide whether he's willing to risk opening up to the people who could truly care for him.

She's rich, the perfect student, and graduating early. He's a heathen, a heartbreaker, and well he may never graduate... These all might be true, but with every fact, there is a detail to be explained. When people can be seen below the surface of their persona your whole view of them and their lives change. Axel thinks he's a hardass, huh? Well so does Victoria. So which one knows - How to Steal a Heart? ╰┈➤ a taste "I'm a mess," I shake my head, "Apparently a mess only you can see," "Only because I'm looking," He gestures to his eyes. "I see you, there's nothing wrong with seeing you." I completely shift myself to look at Axel. I sat in front of him as he looked down at me. This is the Axel that has me wrapped around his finger. Not the fighter, not the bad boy. The compassionate, well-spoken, devoted, Axel Stone that is sitting in front of me. So when the story comes out of my inevitable demise - know that it was Axel Stone's words that slain me. Not his persona or his larger-than-life muscles -even though those are very nice- it was the way he cared for me. The way he set a fire in my soul, a flame to my heart. The way he anchored me.

A Good Girl's Guide To Being Naughty • • • Ivy Collins is a normal 21 y/o woman. Except for the fact she's a virgin ... or at least she was until she had sex with her university rivals hockey captain. After a quick (devastatingly quick) night with the man and being called a lousy lay, Ivy made a promise to herself that she wouldn't do it again ... sex that is. Who needs sex when all it brought was insecurities and more, and it wasn't even that good to begin with. Enter Asher Hudson, Ice Hockey captain, her brothers best friend and her best friends brother - triple trifecta of why she shouldn't get involved with him. But when he overhears a conversation Ivy has with her best friend, he gives her an offer she can't refuse. Well, she can, and she should, but why would she want to? Three months, she helps him with his grades, and he'll help her with her sex life. Only one rule, don't fall in love. Easy, right? He'll teach her everything she wants to know, and show her that sex can be fun, you just have to know how to do it right. And Ivy should refuse, after all he's the Ice Hockey captain, her brother's best friend and her best friend's brother - but what's the fun in that. Ivy knows she should say no, but she won't. And she won't fall in love, she can't. ••• Completed • First Draft - Edited. Watty2025 winner #1 in #Romance #1 in #Brotherbestfriend #2 in #bestfriendsbrother #2 in #icehockey

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.

A one-night stand turns into a high-stakes game of survival when a dental hygienist becomes the secret lucky charm of a grumpy goalie. -------------------- One night, fake names, and no strings was supposed to be my escape. Now, I'm the last hope for a pro hockey goalie who thinks I'm some lucky charm capable of flipping his abysmal season. As a Type 1 Diabetic, numbers govern my life: glucose levels, carb counts, and the low balance of my bank account. I moved to San Francisco for a fresh start, not to become the "lucky charm" of a professionally notorious grump. After our steamy, anonymous night, I did the sensible thing: I ran. But the universe flexes a cruel sense of humor. My new job as dental assistant for the San Francisco Bears' pro-hockey team puts me face-to-face-and finger-to-mouth-with the man I can't forget. Connor Schmidt's convinced I'm the cure to his career-worst slump. He's closed-off, stubborn, and way too hot for my professional safety. I need this job to survive. Literally. But with the coach hunting for "distractions" to fire, and Connor refusing to let me go, I'm stuck in a game I can't afford to lose. He's playing for redemption. I'm playing for my life. And the more we lose ourselves in his "luck-with-benefits agreement," the more falling for him is the most reckless thing I've ever done. 18 + for explicit sexual content #1 sports, #1 spicy, #1 sweet, #1 chicklit, #1 contemporaryromance #1 hockeyplayer, #1 maturethemes #36 romance Story is complete.

The plan has always been simple. Finish college and open my own bakery while supporting my best friend in his journey to the NHL. After a not-so-good experience last year, I've been avoiding most of the hockey team. That is until I finally met their newest teammate whose green eyes have been stuck in my brain ever since. Did I mention he's also my best friend's roommate?

International pop star and former boy band heartthrob Jackson Ford has just met the girl of his dreams, Skye Kennedy, in a Hollywood coffee shop. She's a talented photographer and just as much of a diehard music-lover as he is. There's just one thing wrong with her: she's engaged to someone else. Desperate to get more time with her, Jackson decides to do something reckless: He hires her as his personal photographer. Skye can't pass up the offer of a lifetime, even if it means having to spend months on a tour bus with the hottest man she's ever laid eyes on. But as the heartthrob starts to win her over, the lines of friendship start to blur. Can she risk the life she's built for a chance at everything she's always wanted? --------- ✓ Completed - August 17, 2022 𝙉𝙊𝙏𝙀: If you're into toxic masculinity or gender stereotypes, the hot bisexual male lead of this book will probably not be your cup of tea. © All Rights Reserved ⚠️ Trigger Warning: Story contains explicit language, sex (consensual), and use of marijuana and alcohol. Themes discussed include childhood trauma (general), PTSD, and mental health, including descriptive depictions of panic attacks. This book is intended for adult readers and reader discretion is encouraged.

Logan Romano didn't just enter the NHL. He tore through it. Dark. Brooding. Untouchable. With brutal talent and a reputation as cold as the New York winter, Logan dominates both the ice and every room he walks into. He doesn't lose. He doesn't bend. And he certainly doesn't fall in love. Not after the last time. Not until November Levine crashes into his life like a beam of sunlight he never asked for. She's warmth where he's storm clouds. She's soft where he's jagged edges. A walking contradiction to everything Logan swore he needed. When a deal forces the polar opposites under one roof, tensions ignite fast. Teasing turns to feuds. Feuds turn into something dangerously close to desire. And Logan is forced to confront the one promise he's never broken. Because once you step into the light- it's impossible to return. ✩ Grumpy x sunshine • forced proximity • slow burn Will the hockey captain cross that line? ✩ "Nova." I whisper, my voice low and hoarse against her neck. "Stop it." "Stop what." She whimpers back innocently as her thighs tighten around my hips. My teeth nip at the skin on her jaw in warning. "Either stop teasing, or put me out of my fucking misery." November pulls her head back from mine, resting it against the wall, and bats her lashes up at me. "Say please."

[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.

Book two in the Westbridge U series Emma Carver has always relied on herself. Growing up with a single mother and a little brother who depended on her, she learned early that love wasn't always enough to keep a family together. Now, as a freshman cheerleader at Westbridge University, she's focused on her future-on making something of herself, no matter how many hours she has to put in. She doesn't have time for distractions, especially not the easygoing, maddeningly charming hockey player who seems determined to get under her skin. Nate Gregori has spent his whole life reading between the lines. With parents who gave him a stable home and a sister who looks up to him, he knows what real love is. And when he meets Emma, he sees beyond her carefully crafted walls-the strength she wears like armor, the vulnerability she refuses to show. She pushes him away at every turn, but he's never been one to give up easily. Thrown together by circumstance and drawn together by something neither of them can deny, Emma and Nate fight the pull between them. But falling in love means risking everything, and Emma's not sure she's ready to take that leap. Can Nate show her that some risks are worth taking? Or will fear keep her from the one thing she never thought she needed-him?