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

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!

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.

A Cute Secret Child/Second Chance Romance!

Dual Narration by Andi Arndt & Teddy Hamilton

• Second Chance • Single Mom • Secret Baby • Hockey • Uncertain Future •

Drew runs into Audrey 6 years after he left Boston and the last time he saw her, only to discover she has a ~5.5 year old son who looks just like him. But she’s also the little sister of his sports agent.

This book has lots of great elements of the struggles of two people coming back together, figuring out each other’s motives, and having more priorities than just a “love life.” It’s all navigated with minimal drama, maturity, and of course undeniable lust and love.

Try as she may to keep the relationship plutonic, Audrey cannot deny that the feelings she had for Drew in college were very real and are stronger than ever.

I just wish there would have been a little more drama and tension. Most issues that arose, whether it be with his family or the hockey team, they seemed to resolve fairly quick. And even though the book was 100k words long, I would have loved a scene or two of a flashback to when she was tutoring him in college and the building tension between them, maybe in place of one of the other scenes. But there a lot of great elements like the long distance video calls, the black diamond gifts, and the all too common issue of trying to be intimate without your kid finding out.

I absolutely loved Drew’s mom and the wisdom and acceptance she brings to family. And Jameson & Lauren were wonderfully woven throughout. Looking forward to Colt & Jules story.

Andi Arndt & Teddy Hamilton were perfectly cast for Audrey & Drew! They really brought the spirit of the characters to life and honestly, after hearing them, I couldn’t imagine anyone else doing the narration! Loved them both!

I LOVED THIS BOOK!

DREW AND AUDREY… the way I love these two is indescribable! I can’t say enough good things about this book! It was everything I didn’t know I was missing. Hockey is one of my favorites to read, and I literally devoured this book in 24 hours. Graham was the sweetest little thing in the whole story - and watching Drew fall into being a Dad was so natural. I loved everything about their timeline and waiting. This was just such a good story, with some DELICIOUS spice!

Teddy and Andi did a fantastic job at brining these two 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!