The Playing Game

A Hockey Romance (Off the Ice, Book 1)

De: Ainsley Booth

Narrado por: Lucas Webley, Michelle Sparks

Two years ago, I had the hottest night of my life with a woman who didn’t want to tell me her name—and in a tequila-fueled fever dream, I agreed. She was funny, sexy, and after I got past her brittle shell, secretly very sweet.

In the morning, she was gone. I’ve looked for her in every city I’ve played in since. That night ruined me for anyone else, but the woman I only know as “Jersey Girl” never showed up at another game.

Not until I skate onto brand new ice as part of the NHL’s latest team. And there she is, in the stands at our season opening game. Very carefully not looking at me.

Turns out, she has good reasons why she can’t date a pro hockey player. But I have even better reasons why she can—like, we’re meant for each other, and I’ll do whatever it takes to show her I am the steadfast and loyal type of man that she needs.

©2023 Ainsley Booth (P)2024 Ainsley Booth

Spicy hockey romance with no 3rd act breakup

Two years ago, veteran hockey star Kieran Marsh had an unforgettable night with a woman that wouldn't give her name. Despite his desperate attempts to find her, she left no trace. Then he gets traded to a new expansion team and there she is in the stands... wearing his jersey! When he finally tracks Harper down, she tells him she doesn't date hockey players, but he's determined to keep her in his life even as a friend. Can he ever overcome her prejudice to build the future he wants with her by his side?
I was lucky enough to get a copy of this audiobook so I could listen to it everywhere, although I wouldn't recommend listening in public 😳! Some of the spicy scenes had me blushing and the narrator's deep voice just added to the characters appeal. The female narrator's voice was bubbly and flirty just like I pictured Harper's character. Kieran and Harper are just so cute together!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Amazing characters. Great Narrator.

These characters are so well developed, they feel like friends. I have read the book several times and I love listening to the audio on my commute.

Kieran and Harper!!!

Completely enjoyed this sweet, funny, amazing love story. Kieran and Harper were just end-game from their first one-night stand two years earlier. I love when the author can make chance meetings and coincidental reunions so funny and actually believable.

This is my first Ainsley Booth experience and I am definitely going to read the rest of this Off the Ice series - especially excited for book 2 - The Scoring Secret.

I was already a fan of Michelle Sparks' narration skills, but this is my first listen of Lucas Webley - very impressed!!

Second-chance love done right!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for the story by Ainsley Booth
🔥🔥🔥🔥 performances by Michelle Sparks and Lucas Webley🎙️

What I loved:
Despite my initial struggles with the narration, I pushed through and fell in love with the story:
❤️he falls first
❤️he plays the long game, showing more patience with her hesitance than I would have given her
❤️no 3rd act breakup
❤️the balance between sweet 🍬 and spicy 🌶️
❤️both were celibate since their ONS

What I struggled with:
🏒There was A LOT OF information on hockey, his team mates,... maybe for world building, because it's the first of the series? But I feel like less info would not have affected the story.
🎙️His narration sounded a bit off; the reading rythm was off-pace, there were unnaturally long pauses between sentences. It really threw me off in the beginning, especially in combination with the slow burn. Once the story picked up, I was no longer distracted by it.
😇The story was too "nice", I missed some conflict. And I don't mean any miscommunication or 3rd act break-up, but maybe the history with her dead beat father or her fear of telling her mom could have been fleshed out more - adding some drama?

What you need to know:
📚interconnected standalone
🫂dual POV
🎙️duet narration
🌹second chance sports romance
🏒hockey player x pediatric nurse
🔞age gap (35H, 28h)
🫠"good girl"
👨‍🦰he calls her Jersey Girl
👩‍🦰she calls him Hotshot
❤️HEA

For the safety squad:
🌶️spicy (view spoiler on Goodreads)

Kieran is a cinnamon roll boyfriend and I’m here for it!

I listened to the audiobook version of this story and loved it. Kieran and Harper are adorable together. The relationship development was done so perfectly. After having one night there was yearning and desire but there was friendship and growth. Harper had a lot of conditioning and trauma to get through but she worked on it and found the support not only of Kieran but also the other WAGs. Kieran is the sweetest cinnamon roll of a boyfriend. He’s just pure perfection with the patience and the kindness of a true gentleman. The spicy scenes were delicious and the narration by Lucas Webley & Michelle Sparks was pure perfection. This is a great story for hockey romance lovers who need a cinnamon roll man in their lives!