Beneath the Stands

The Sugarlake Series, Book 2

De: Emily McIntire

Narrado por: Liam DiCosimo, Brittany Pressley

From USA Today bestselling author Emily McIntire comes an angsty, best-friend’s-brother, second-chance romance and the second interconnected standalone in the Sugarlake series.

Elliot Carson left Sugarlake and has never looked back. Revered as the next big thing in basketball, Eli’s a star until an injury ends his career, sending him spiraling with no direction.

But he won’t go home.

He can’t.

Instead, he accepts a coaching gig at Florida Coast University, determined to leave his past behind. But fate has other plans when Becca, his sister’s best friend, shows up as a student and, even worse, becomes the new team manager.

Rebecca Sanger is the preacher’s daughter and the town’s disappointment. When she ignores her family’s demands to come home, she’s cut off and needs a job so she can stay enrolled at FCU. She thought she had everything figured out, until Eli Carson―the person she hates more than anything in the world―ends up being her new boss.

Forced together, Becca and Eli’s hatred turns to heat, and they start an affair. But disaster quickly strikes, ripping them apart.

Years pass, and Becca’s back home, under her parent’s thumb, and living a mundane life. When Eli shows up out of the blue with a fiancée in tow, Becca is tasked with planning their wedding.

There’s only one problem.

Becca still loves Eli.

And he hates her.

For the second time in their lives, they’re forced together, and they’ll find out just how thin the line is between hate … and a love that lasts a lifetime.

Contains mature content.

©2020 Emily McIntire (P)2025 Blackstone Publishing

This book really got me in the feels.

This is book two in the Sugarlake series, and we finally get the full story behind the little glimpses of Becca and Eli that we saw in book one. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Liam DiCosimo and Brittany Pressley, and they absolutely nailed it.

Becca grew up as the preacher's daughter but learned early that the church isn’t always what it claims to be. She moved away to Florida for college to prove she could make it on her own. After her parents cut her off, she took a job as an assistant for the basketball team.

Eli had a promising future as a professional basketball player until an injury took it all away. He lands a job at a Florida university, hoping to move past the loss of his mom and his dreams. On his first day, his sister’s best friend walks in, and he’s tasked with teaching her about basketball. One thing leads to another, and their connection turns into a fling.

Things fall apart, and Becca returns home to live with her parents. When Eli comes back to town to plan his wedding, Becca’s father assigns her to handle the planning. The unresolved emotions between them come rushing back.

This story was such an emotional listen. I’m not sure if it was Becca’s strained relationship with her parents or the way the writing pulled me in, but I felt everything. Both characters had so much depth, and I couldn’t stop listening. The narrators brought so much heart to the story. I already want to listen to it again.

If you're in the mood for a forbidden romance with second chances, this audiobook is one you do not want to miss.

Emily writes dang good drama and angst

I had mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I loved the fiery passion-filled relationship that Eli and Becca had. They both are strong personalities, and it's always fun to have a good enemies to lovers transition. I think where it faltered for me was their relationships with other people - specifically Alina. They both failed her so spectacularly, and I don't really feel like either of them really atoned for that. Becca lied over and over again about her involvement with Eli when she should have just come clean. Eli abandoned Alina to deal with their father on her own - even when she begged him to help her. They were busy living their own lives, getting together and hiding it from everyone, fully absorbed in their own lives. I'm not saying that they don't have their own baggage. They do. Their lives are far from perfect, but I just felt like they really failed Alina in a time where she needed them the most. It's hard to be on their side 100% when that's the price for it.

That being said, I still mostly liked the story. Like I said, Becca and Eli have an addicting kind of love, and I really did enjoy their dynamic together. Emily writes damn good drama and angst, and I'm always game for diving into a story she's created.

Loved Becca! Ugh Liam’s female voice is so bad

I wish Liam wasn’t the male in all of these or at the least it needs to be duet not dual. His female voice is so bad

Nice second chance romance

I like Becca and Eli’s story, but wish we had gotten more. Maybe we’ll get glimpses in the last two books. All the miscommunications was a little tedious but still enjoyed it.

Best Friend's Brother is the One for Becca!

When Becca first ran into her best friend's older brother while away at college, she remembered all the reasons why she couldn't stand Eli. However, after spending time with him and hearing his story and how life impacted him, those reasons didn't seem like good reasons anymore.

Becca and Eli's love story had me hooked from the beginning and not wanting to push pause on the audiobook! The narrators were great at bringing Becca and Eli to life.

I definitely recommend this one!

Love

After reading a little about Elliot’s story in the previous book, I was excited to start this one.
Elliot is a star basketball player from Sugarlake who is destined for the NBA, until he sustains a career ending injury. He takes on a coaching position where his sister’s best friend, Becca also just got a job working for.

Eli and Becca never got along growing up. Now their relationship is even worse because Eli left town after his mom died and never looked back, leaving his sister to deal with the aftermath on her own. They both have their own demons to conquer and their own reasons for not wanting to return to their hometown. When they actually talk and get to know each other better, they learn that they actually aren’t all that different.

Their banter and chemistry was EXPLOSIVE and off the chart! I ending up liking this story way more than I thought I would. I’m so excited to continue this series and get Jackson’s story next.

The narration was so good! Brittany Pressley is one of my favorite narrators and she brought Becca to life perfectly!

Not a fave but it did the job

Becca Sanger is exactly my type of heroine. Smart mouth. No filter. Full of sass. She runs into Eli Carson (literally) and the tension is instant. He’s her best friend’s brother and her new boss. She hates him. He hates her. Or so they say.

Their banter is top tier and the steam picks up fast. One second they’re arguing and the next they’re all over each other. Zero to sixty!

Both of them are a mess emotionally. I wanted to shake them half the time. Eli is spiraling after a career-ending injury and Becca is trying to survive after getting cut off by her overbearing preacher parents. So yeah. There is baggage. And a lot of miscommunication.

Then we get to the second half and it is pure chaos. Becca is back in her home town. Eli shows up with a fiancée. Becca has to plan their wedding. She still loves him. He pretends to hate her.

Audiobook was decent. Not a fave but it did the job.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Super cute

What do you think would happen when you fall for your best friends brother…

I thought this book was super cute. Just another cute romance book that makes your heart happy. There was so much heartache in this book, but also forgiveness. Even when situations seem tough you can forgive. This book has such a cute meaning behind it. The only thing I wish was more at the end. You saw this beautiful love story start then heartache and then Becca and Eli reconnecting and I wanted more of that love story the reconnection. Overall still a super cute book.

Engaging story

I really liked the story and the characters themselves, the female narrator was great and the male was good doing males voices but whenever he would do a female voice he made them sound like a 70 year old woman.....that made the spicy scenes a little uncomfortable lol.

Meh

Not really what I am into but have it a try anyways . I don’t give anything less than three stars . Basic. Null and basic.