Rules of Engagement

An M/M Hockey Romance (Rules of the Game, Book 5)

De: Brigham Vaughn

Narrado por: James Edward Jones

Rule #1: Don't fall in love with your best friend's brother

After Anders Lindholm lost his wife and baby daughter in a car accident, he knew he’d never find love like that again.

Hockey, routines, and his team are all that have kept him going since.

But as he approaches 40, an injury makes him consider what life after retirement will be like.

And when his teammate, who just so happens to be his best friend’s brother, offers him a helping hand—in more ways than one—it reawakens something in Anders he can’t deny.

Rule #2: Don’t let anyone know the real you

Kelly O’Shea has been in love with Anders since he was 15. He’s been hiding the fact that he’s gay for just as long.

He loves his family, but their overprotective meddling is what made him move halfway across the country and hide who he was.

Although Kelly and Anders both agreed it would stay casual, Kelly begins to hope that maybe they’ll eventually be more than just friends with benefits.

And the more time they spend together, the faster the ice around Anders’ heart melts.

But with a playoff spot to clinch, fractures within the team, and overprotective brothers to worry about, Anders’ fear of letting go of the past isn’t the only challenge they’ll have to overcome.

Trigger warning:

Non-graphic mentions of death of secondary characters, including a child. Grief. Brief and non-graphic mention of suicidal ideation. Talk of homophobia and homophobic slurs.

Non-graphic mentions of sexual harassment and sexual assault.

©2022 Brigham Vaughn (P)2023 Brigham Vaughn

Great addition

This was a great addition to the series. I have wanted this story since the start and I wasn’t disappointed I was glad we didn’t get a long drawn out conflict after the slow build up and I really liked the family interactions. Narrations was done well.

Great hockey world... Kelly and Anders❤️

What happens when best friends finally figure out they're in love? Listen to Kelly and Anders as they claim the love they've buried for too long. How will their families and team react? Here's a clue... it will be better than fine... it will be amazing!

Age-Gap Sports Romance Builds On Series

This age-gap romance between hockey teammates Kelly and Anders has a sort of friends-to-lovers meets brother's friend vibe with a delicious dose of longing and first times. I enjoyed that there's also some on-page hockey scenes.

There is some heaviness to this story as well, particularly involving Anders's backstory, which enhances the love story more than makes it angsty. (I wouldn't call this an angsty book.) It added depth to the characters, and made me root harder for Anders and Kelly as a couple.

Even though this is Book 5 in the series, it does stand on its own. That said, I've listened to most of the audio books in this series - narrator James Edward Jones is fantastic, love his voice - and would suggest giving them a go first. This story builds on an ongoing secondary storyline with a h0m0ph0bic teammate, and I think his getting some comeuppance here is more satisfying having seen that play out in full.

Love the story

I love this story, Kelly & Lindy are such great characters with a fantastic connection. Narration was great and a very enjoyable listen.

love after loss is possible

Anders is only just starting to come out of a mountain of grief years after losing his wife and daughter in a tragic accident and finds himself looking at his teammate, and best friend’s younger brother in a new way. He feels confused and guilty not only because he’s still grieving his wife, but because of the significant age gap between him and Kelly.

Kelly is the baby of his huge hockey loving, super overprotective family and has been crushing on his older brother’s best friend ever since he was 15 years old. He watched from afar as he fell in love with and married his wife, when they started a family, and when he lost them. He has never been able to get over him and when they became teammates his feelings only deepened. Despite his feelings and the amount of time they now spend together, Kelly never really believed they would end up together so he is hesitant but happy, and terrified to dream of more, when a physical relationship starts between them.

Kelly and Anders were a story well done. The push and pull of their friendship vs sexual relationship and the happiness/guilt/confusion that Anders goes through as he feels his heart starting to feel things for Kelly while still deeply loving his late wife. Kelly had so much patience and understanding for Anders and what he was going through to where I really wanted to hug him for always putting his feelings last.

The side story of the disgusting snake that is Jack Malone continues, and things get worse. I can’t wait to finally (hopefully) see him get what is coming to him in the next book.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this audiobook.