Total Shutdown

The Blade Kings, Book 2

De: Ruth Stilling

Narrado por: Amelia Hugh, Lee Samuels

The plan was simple: just me, my boy, and hockey.

I'm the unapproachable NHL captain with a reputation for chewing up reporters in interviews, forwards on the ice, and shutting down anyone who tries to get close to me. And that's how I like it—no feelings, no complications, and zero chance of reliving the grief I experienced when my wife passed away seven years ago.

But sometimes the best laid plans go up in flames, and that's exactly what Collins Mackenzie does when she strolls into a bar one post-game night and gives me a taste of the cold shoulder I've bestowed on all those around me.

The only person she doesn't dismiss? My boy. In fact, she lights him up with her pink hair and perfectly winged eyeliner, leaving him fascinated and me infatuated.

There's only one problem: she's nine years younger, convinced I'm not her type, and doesn't do relationships. She doesn't even hang around in the same city beyond a few months. Trouble is, I want her permanence right next to me—on the couch watching movies and in my bed on lazy mornings.

I'm ready to chase her, no matter where she goes or how quickly she hits the accelerator. This girl is a ride I never want to get off.

©2025 Ruth Stilling (P)2026 Podium Audio

DNF Energy (But I Powered Through)

⭐️⭐️ 2.75–3 stars | 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Spice

Talk about the opposite of the first book. I was about five seconds from DNF’ing this one.

I really struggled with the female main character. For the majority of the book, she’s cold, harsh, and honestly just mean—especially to Sawyer, who is such a genuinely kind, steady guy. The way she treats him for a good chunk of the story feels unnecessarily cruel. He clearly has real feelings, and she keeps him at arm’s length in a way that’s hard to watch.

The spice level definitely jumps here (solid three chilis). There’s a lot more explicit exploration, including elements of sensory play, and at times it felt like it veered outside the emotional depth I’ve come to expect from this author. Some of it worked, some of it just felt… forced. And the emotional disconnect—expecting him to understand her wants without clearly communicating—was frustrating.

That said, the final fourth of the book improves. She softens, there’s some character growth, and things start to come together. I just wish that shift had been more gradual and believable. The turnaround felt abrupt compared to how extreme her behavior was earlier.

If it weren’t for Sawyer (and his son), I’m not sure I would’ve finished. He deserved better for most of the book, even if things eventually worked out.

Not my favorite from this author, but not a total loss either.