Love Rinkside

The Playmakers Series

De: G.K. Brady

Narrado por: Ryan Lee Dunlap, Shiloh James

She’s given up on men. He has no time for love. When a Halloween party turns into a night of outrageous costumes and police chases, can they score a forever goal?

Drew Foster is trapped in a one-man operation. Focused on building his small IT consulting business, the workaholic thirty-one-year-old has no time for close relationships except with his sister and widowed mom. But at a Halloween bash hosted by his brother-in-law’s hockey teammate, he hits it off with an unknown woman in an outrageous mascot costume.

Katie Denning is done with men. Burned by past boyfriends using her to get close to the professional sports team, the loyal dog-lover leaves the party with a guy dressed as a giant banana slug… only to be pursued by police. And after a night of adventure and fun with the cute guy running from the cops, she plucks up the courage to ask him on a date.

Though their romantic rendezvous is cut short by her Chow-mix attacking him, a determined Drew asks for a second chance. A cautiously optimistic Katie begins falling hard, but she fears Drew’s work demands could result in her facing another painful rejection.

Are they about to get stuck on the sidelines before they can score a forever goal?

©2023 G.K. Brady (P)2024 G.K. Brady

Funny, heartwarming and steamy romance!

This was a fun story to listen to. It had the perfect blend of heartbreak, light comedy, and steam. It starts out with a hilarious and awkward meet cute between Drew and Katie that leads to more. They really enjoy their time together, but neither is looking for a relationship. They have complicated lives but start to want more with each other. Their new relationship burns fast and hot. But when misunderstandings happen, will they be strong enough to fight for each other? I really enjoyed this delightful story. Despite being a novella, it had wonderful depth, and authentic emotion that made it easy to be drawn in and fall in love with Drew and Katie too.
Ryan Lee Dunlap and Shiloh James did a great job bringing these characters and story to life. They delivered all the humor, awkwardness, emotion, and steam beautifully, and I was totally engaged in their performance.

Loved this!

Although it was a quick listen, Love Rinkside was a laugh out loud funny, well written, hockey romance. Although the guy plays hockey and it’s important to him it wasn’t the center point of the novel. The first chapter had me laughing out loud. I loved the relationship between the MMC and the FMC, and it started out pretty intense for them both. I think both voices were a perfect fit for the characters and really brought them to life. I am definitely interested in reading/listening to more of the novels in this series.

Drew & Katie!

It is so much fun to be back in the Playmaker series. Every book is fantastic and this novella is no exception. Drew and Katie's characters were introduced in earlier books, both related to hockey players. A chance meeting at a Halloween party, dressed as mascots finds them in trouble and the romance begins. But what happens next is unexpected and sweet. These two have amazing chemistry and walk on the edge as they navigate their budding relationship. Miscommunications and misunderstandings lead these two down a bumpy road to happiness. Plus I get to hang with Beckett, Paige, TJ & Natalie! It's like coming home and enjoying family. Loved it!

Ryan Lee Dunlap and Shiloh James are an amazing team and work really well together. I have enjoyed their narrations before and this duet narration is fantastic. Dunlap is Drew and I love how he teeters between wanting a commitment and not. His romantic side it easy to fall in love with. James is amazing as Katie. She brings out all the feelings that are easy to understand and had me right there with every one. I love these two and enjoyed their performance.

Hilarious First Meeting

Love Rinkside by G.K. Brady

This was the first book I have read/listened to by this author, but I’m definitely going back for more. The Meet-Cute was hilarious and the story kept me entertained. I love that way this story is hockey adjacent- hockey is not the main focus of the storyline. The narration was excellent. Narrators Ryan Lee Dunlap and Shiloh James are both new to me. I see there are 7 more books in this series and I’m definitely going back to see how the other couples met.

MFEO - Made for each other!

Oh, G. K. Brady, how do you do it?? Make every book in the Playmakers series full of surprises but comfortingly familiar? Hilariously funny and soberingly serious? Steamy, sexy, tingly and romantic? And . . . the best narrators ever; more on that later.

Love Rinkside made me smile, then chuckle, then burst into laughter – and that was still the first chapter. Really, think about it: a costume party where everyone is to dress as a sports mascot. A banana? Okay, I guess that works somewhere. But ‘man parts’ just pushes you over the edge, especially when Drew is the banana and Katie is the parts. It took only a minute to remember who these people were and realize it was going to be a treat to learn more of their stories. Drew is Nadia’s sister and T. J. Sandstrom’s brother-in-law. A hunky, capable, intriguing guy in his own right but not a superstar athlete. Maybe nose a little too much to the grindstone and too cautious at times. Katie is Paige’s assistant, the one who had the little crush on Beckett from way back when Paige and Beckett got together. Katie is funny, talented, with more of the good-girl-next-door vibe than puck bunny (fortunately!) or the glamour of the players’ wives and girlfriends and also too cautious at times.

Katie and Drew already know each other casually, so when they are both hiding out on a side patio at the party and realize they don’t want to be there in those costumes anymore they decide to surreptitiously leave. Well, just picture that, trying to sneak around in those get-ups – the banana and the parts just slip out a side door and walk down the street to Katie’s car. Sure. They are stopped once by the police, and then again. You absolutely must listen/read it to see just how funny those encounters are. And to see that teeny, tiny flame of attraction before they do.

Drew dates, but it never works out. His girlfriends say he doesn’t have enough time for them (which is usually true) and/or he takes them to a party and they are so mesmerized by the hockey players Drew becomes invisible. He’s okay with that; he’s working on a big contract and romance isn’t in his future plans. Katie’s boyfriends always seem to be more interested in getting an ‘in’ with the hockey team than with her; her last boyfriend literally broke up with her as he was dropping her off at home. No one makes her feel special and so she doesn’t think she is. Looking for romance hurts too much so she’s not going to do it. But Katie and Drew have an easy relationship from the start, conversation flows, common interests, they laugh, no pressure, just feels good to be together. Name themselves Rinksiders and happy to be so. They even share a love of dogs, although sadly Katie’s dog does not send that love back to Drew – she attacks him. But they can be friends, or maybe a little more than friends but with no strings: “I’m not interested in a relationship.” “Me neither.” Perfect then, right? Yep, if Miscommunication 101 is perfect. It's delightful, fun, suspenseful, serious, dangerous, ridiculous – everything you’ve come to love from author Brady. The chapter titles alone make it worth a listen. And yes, don’t worry, lots of those yummy together scenes.

Now, back to those narrators. I was lucky enough to receive a duet recording of Love Rinkside. Duet is the best because it makes like being there even more like being there, dialogue flows. Shiloh James brings a breathiness to voicing Katie. Perfectly captures the strong inner woman fighting the insecurity, uncertainty and shyness to burst out and stay out, not wanting to make another mistake but not wanting to give up what might be with Drew. And Drew? Let me just say that once Ryan Lee Dunlap starts talking my ears go crazy. You feel all the warring emotions within Drew: he’s embarrassed, cocky, self-deprecating, uncertain – and full of desire and sexy hotness, and sudden protective care. All of G. K. Brady’s narrators are fantastic, but I could listen to RLD all day (and usually once I start listening that’s exactly what happens).

Thanks to the author for providing an audiobook copy of Love Rinkside. It’s an in-betweener story that fits right in with the rest of the series. Always great to be back with the players, their friends and families and to listen to some dynamite narration. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.