Center Ice

Boston Rebels, Book 1

De: Julia Connors

Narrado por: Teddy Hamilton, Andi Arndt

I’ve always been a wild card–the first to start a fight on the ice, and the life of the party off it–but appearances can be deceiving.

Being traded to the Boston Rebels could not have come at a better time. With serious family obligations to fulfill and a contract renewal with a new hockey team on the line, I have no time for anything else. I return to Boston knowing I need to buckle down and focus on what really matters.

But the first night I’m back in town, I come face to face with Audrey, my college calculus tutor. We had a brief fling right before I was drafted into the NHL. Now, her five year old son is standing by her side, and I don’t need a tutor to do that kind of math.

Audrey insists she doesn’t want me involved in Graham’s life unless I can commit to being a dad. With everything else going on, this is the worst possible timing.

But every minute I spend with Graham and Audrey feels exactly right, and I’m left questioning everything I thought I wanted.

Because now my goals are shifting, and getting what I really want might come at the expense of the game I’ve given my entire life to.

©2024 Julia Connors (P)2024 Julia Connors

A must-listen hockey romance!

If you like swoony men that only have eyes for you, laugh-out-loud side characters, and spicy hockey books - this NEEDS to be your next audiobook!

Tropes:
- Hockey romance
- Second chance
- Single mom
- Secret baby
- Dirty talking MMC
- He falls first and HARD

Audrey is a strong woman, with a kind nature and a fiery passionate side. She’s been on her own for so long that she doesn’t remember what it’s like to have someone truly there for her but of course Drew shows up, promising things he has no business promising. Drew is book daddy material for SURE. He’s eager to be everything Audrey and their son need but he has priorities and family commitments and there is only so much time in a day. He’s a hard worker, with a good heart, and a dirty mouth.

I absolutely DEVOURED this audio! Julia Connors always creates this small town romance feel even in books that take place in the city because you get to know the characters and family dynamic so well. I always finish her books feeling like I know them personally and friends, she was not kidding when she said this was her spiciest book yet!

And these narrators, my goodness, they really outdid themselves with this one! I will never be able to picture anyone other than Teddy Hamilton and Andi Arndt as Drew and Audrey. They had great range doing all the different voices and hit the emotions perfectly. This will be an audiobook I relisten to and recommend wholeheartedly!

Great book great narration

I read this book and then also listened and let me just say- I could listen to Teddy Hamilton and Andi Arndt narrate a history book. They really do an incredible job. I did like this story but felt like all the beginning was forced and falling so hard. But overall, I do think this is a sweet story and loved a happy ending.

everything

I enjoyed it and would read and listen to more from this author and more.

Amazing narration that brings this heartwarming hockey romance to life!!!

I just adoredddd this book!! I love a secret baby and sports romance so this was right up my alley! It was such a sweet romance with a swoony golden retriever MMC, a strong independent single mom who is an architect, he takes care of her moments that had me in a puddle, and some FaceTime spicy scenes that were off the charts HOT. This was my first book by Julia and I already cannot wait to read more from her!

🏒Pro Hockey
🏒Single Mom
🏒Second Chance
🏒He Falls First

📖Drew and Audrey met in college where she was his math tutor. Their attraction to each other grew and they hooked up one night. He was drafted into the NHL and she never heard back from him. Fast forward to six years later and Drew just got traded back home to Boston. While at a party at his agent’s house he sees Audrey again but now she has a little boy who looks awfully familiar to him.

🎧AUDIO REVIEW:
This is an audiobook that truly brings the story to life with an incredible casting of narrators who make you feel the chemistry, connection and romance between Drew and Audrey. It’s a dual narration by Teddy Hamilton & Andi Arndt and their performance had me unable to hit pause on this heartwarming and sweet story.

Teddy is becoming my new favorite narrator for a “he halls first romance.” He has the perfect swoony and caring tone to his voice that brings out all the vibes of these characters! It fit Drew so well as this man is doing everything from taking care of his mom, to trying for his second chance with Audrey while also trying to be there for her and their son. Teddy made me just absolutely adore this man as he showcased just how gone Drew was for her.

Andi has such an enjoyable tone to her voice that just captures you into her performances every time. She completely brought out Audrey’s personality but then also has so much depth to her voice to showcase what Audrey is going through from her strength as a single mom to her vulnerable moments and allowing someone to be there for her now too.

Overall, Andi and Teddy put on a performance that just elevated this story!! It was so easy to listen to that I ended up binging it all in one day! I cannot wait to listen to more audios from Julia!

I loved Audrey and Drew

New audiobook release: listened to August 2024

Book narrated by Andi Arndt and Teddy Hamilton. I just loved this book on audio. They embodied Audrey and Drew. The characterizations, and emotions brought to this story was a chefs kiss. I couldn’t stop listening. Highly recommend.
Book read: Jan 2024

Center Ice is the 1st book in the new Boston Rebels Series. The series will be interconnected standalones.

I love a good hockey romance, and Julia does an amazing job with this one. Nothing like a secret pregnancy, second chance, he halls first, to get me flipping the pages. I loved the cross over with the Frozen Heart Series. Jameson is Audrey’s older brother. A casual run in 6 years after their college fling and the secrets are out. From the beginning the chemistry and tension bled off the pages. It was sexy, sassy and once Audrey let her guard down it was full steam ahead. But, it took a short while for them to find their footing. Audrey is strong, but because of her past she is full of insecurities when it comes to life and love. Drew recently traded to Boston was labeled as someone he’s not. Little did he know that he would have to prove himself in more ways than one. Drew had his flaws but he stepped up to the plate. He was swoonworthy, hot, sexy, so supportive. He had a lot on his plate professionally and personally, but he managed to prove to Audrey and his teammates that he wasn’t his past. He fell so hard for her and Graham. He showed her that she could have the family she always wanted for herself and Graham. I loved the bonus content at the end of the book. I can’t wait to read book 2 in the series with Colt and Jules. Great read.

Really good!

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. It was well written and at no point did I think the characters lacked development, or didn’t make sense. Drew is pretty consistent (for someone with impulse control issues). This is my first book by this author and I will be reading the second one! The narrators were superb!

Secret baby daddy

Audrey is amazing. I love her grit, drive, determination and motherly love. She had done everything for her son not only in a nurturing way but she completed her own personal goals as well. She was an admirable woman. Drew was young and dumb but as soon as he figured out graham was his. He was there for it. I love this world so much. The narration was done so well, I loved seeing these characters come to life!

Sweet second chance story!

Once again I am reading a hockey romance and once again I am not mad about it! This story follows Audrey and Drew who have a bit of past and have come back into each others lives. There’s some drama, but it’s pretty light. Drew is really sweet and I love how he stepped up!! I also loved the family characters and how they all create such a wonderful village for Drew and Audrey. Andi and Teddy are fabulous as always! I really love the duet narration and these two are such great voice actors! Highly recommend this enjoyable and spicy story!

Ah-mazing!

This was so good! In college Audrey got pregnant after having a brief fling, now her little boy is in Kindergarten and the father is back in town playing professional hockey for the local team. He quickly does the math, and knows that this is his child.

While we learn why Drew didn’t step up in the first place, he is ready to be there now. He is there for Graham, and he wants to be there for Andrey too. The two have amazing chemistry, and it’s much more than just in the bedroom (although that is absolutely fire!).

I loved the way this story unfolded, as it was not the same sports romance/surprise baby approach. I loved the authors style, and I cannot wait to read more!

Devoured this audiobook

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW:

Narrated by: Teddy Hamilton and Andi Arndt

This is the type of hockey romance novels I love. A confident single mom FMC and a MMC who will do anything to keep the one who got away close to him, but what I love even more, is how the cinnamon roll MMC is also a sexy daddy. YES PLEASE! When Drew comes back into Audrey’s life 6 years after college, he finds out, he has an adorable little boy, Graham. Now, his focus is not only on hockey but on being the best dad he can. Drew is trying to navigate holding his spot on the new NHL team he is apart of, finding out he has a SON, take care of his mom, AND winning back the girl he once let go. Andi Arndt and Teddy Hamilton narrate Center Ice in dual. Did I start this audiobook absolutely swooning over having Teddy back in my ear? YES, yes I did. I could hear every sarcastic flirt, every laugh, every bit of surprise and every serious moment of longing through his voice and it just made me connect to drew and ultimately fall in the with the man he was to Audrey and love he had for Graham. Andi Arndt is just as incredible, I love when she can voice the confidence in a character where you know they are brave yet you can also hear the natural hesitation in her tone. Andi also brought the heat with Audrey’s spicy side and I am a sucker for a confident FMC with a little dirty talk. There were many moments where the side characters were positive and encouraging and the way Teddy & Andi are able voice so many different emotions and characters shows their range of talent. The relationship with Audrey’s brothers, her group of girl friends, Drew’s bond and openness with his teammates as well as moments with his mom is so special and all those little moments on top of the beautiful second chance Drew and Audrey had was perfection.

Thank you home cooked books for the opportunity to listen and review.