A stand alone small town hockey romance.

WESTLY The fall from NHL superstar to domestic disaster was swift and painful. When I became the legal guardian of my five younger siblings, I had no idea what I was doing. One year later, I’m still lost. Coaching CU’s hockey team might be the only thing I’m excelling at. But when our star forward is failing math, I have to do what it takes to keep him on the team. Even if it’s going head-to-head with Jasper Eckstein. One minute I’m confronting the notorious hockey-hating professor, and the next I’m agreeing to be his date to his twenty-year high school reunion. I don’t know how that happened. JASPER My rules are simple. I don’t give extra credit. Ever. No matter how entitled jocks think they are, I refuse to give them special treatment. It's not because I hate them. It's not because a hockey player broke my nose in high school. It's fair. But when Westly Dalton bursts into my office like a hurricane, all my principles fly out the window. Suddenly I'm giving extra credit. And I have a date to my reunion. After one explosive night together, I want more, but his home life is a mess, and I don't want to get in the way. If all we can have is quick thrills, I’m okay with that. It’s not like I could ever fall for a jock.

WESTLY The fall from NHL superstar to domestic disaster was swift and painful. When I became the legal guardian of my five younger siblings, I had no idea what I was doing. One year later, I’m still lost. Coaching CU’s hockey team might be the only thing I’m excelling at. But when our star forward is failing math, I have to do what it takes to keep him on the team. Even if it’s going head-to-head with Jasper Eckstein. One minute I’m confronting the notorious hockey-hating professor, and the next I’m agreeing to be his date to his twenty-year high school reunion. I don’t know how that happened. JASPER My rules are simple. I don’t give extra credit. Ever. No matter how entitled jocks think they are, I refuse to give them special treatment. It's not because I hate them. It's not because a hockey player broke my nose in high school. It's fair. But when Westly Dalton bursts into my office like a hurricane, all my principles fly out the window. Suddenly I'm giving extra credit. And I have a date to my reunion. After one explosive night together, I want more, but his home life is a mess, and I don't want to get in the way. If all we can have is quick thrills, I’m okay with that. It’s not like I could ever fall for a jock.

ASHER Hockey, studying, and school runs. That’s my life now. After a tragic accident that took our parents’ lives, it’s up to me and my big brother to take care of our five younger siblings. In between burning their meals and keeping them from killing each other, I’m supposed to get a college degree. It’s hard when I don’t have time to breathe let alone study, and if I don’t get my grades up, I’m in danger of losing the one thing that makes me happy: my spot on the hockey team. Which is why when the new equipment manager offers to tutor me, I really can’t afford to say no. Even though I should. He’s Coach’s son and way too tempting. KOLE As this year’s equipment manager for Dad’s hockey team, I’m expected to deal with sweaty jock straps and herding hockey players to their rooms at away games. The job is easy, but babysitting Asher Dalton is not supposed to be a part of it. So why, when his brother asks me to keep an eye on him, do I agree? Why, when he’s struggling in classes, do I offer to help? And why, when we’re studying, do I suggest a reward system that lands us squarely in bed? Asher's trouble, I know he is. But there's something about him that makes it impossible to stay away.

ASHER Hockey, studying, and school runs. That’s my life now. After a tragic accident that took our parents’ lives, it’s up to me and my big brother to take care of our five younger siblings. In between burning their meals and keeping them from killing each other, I’m supposed to get a college degree. It’s hard when I don’t have time to breathe let alone study, and if I don’t get my grades up, I’m in danger of losing the one thing that makes me happy: my spot on the hockey team. Which is why when the new equipment manager offers to tutor me, I really can’t afford to say no. Even though I should. He’s Coach’s son and way too tempting. KOLE As this year’s equipment manager for Dad’s hockey team, I’m expected to deal with sweaty jock straps and herding hockey players to their rooms at away games. The job is easy, but babysitting Asher Dalton is not supposed to be a part of it. So why, when his brother asks me to keep an eye on him, do I agree? Why, when he’s struggling in classes, do I offer to help? And why, when we’re studying, do I suggest a reward system that lands us squarely in bed? Asher's trouble, I know he is. But there's something about him that makes it impossible to stay away.

COHEN It turns out making out with my best friend in high school could be considered gay. Who knew? Apparently, everyone but me. Now that it’s been pointed out, I can’t help reliving it in my head. Repeatedly. Goodbye Denial Town, hello Confusionville. When my path leads me down the gay dating app route, I don’t expect to meet anyone I like, but then I meet him. He can’t be more opposite than me. He’s smart, he hates hockey, and he identifies as demi—something I’ve never heard of. Yet I can’t deny something’s there. Something I want to explore in person. If only I could get him to agree. SETH All my life, I’ve felt broken. Sick of being asked if I could be gay by ex-girlfriends, friends, and even my parents, I join a gay dating app to prove a point. I don’t expect to find what’s always been missing. A real connection. The problem is, I’m too scared to meet him in person. He’s a hockey player, and I fear when he finds out my twin plays for the NHL, I’ll be overshadowed by my overachieving brother. Again. Worse yet, what happens if we meet and that connection isn’t the same? When I tell him I’m not ready, he’s disappointed but supportive. Fate, on the other hand, isn’t as accepting. I had no idea the person I’ve been falling for is someone I already know.

COHEN It turns out making out with my best friend in high school could be considered gay. Who knew? Apparently, everyone but me. Now that it’s been pointed out, I can’t help reliving it in my head. Repeatedly. Goodbye Denial Town, hello Confusionville. When my path leads me down the gay dating app route, I don’t expect to meet anyone I like, but then I meet him. He can’t be more opposite than me. He’s smart, he hates hockey, and he identifies as demi—something I’ve never heard of. Yet I can’t deny something’s there. Something I want to explore in person. If only I could get him to agree. SETH All my life, I’ve felt broken. Sick of being asked if I could be gay by ex-girlfriends, friends, and even my parents, I join a gay dating app to prove a point. I don’t expect to find what’s always been missing. A real connection. The problem is, I’m too scared to meet him in person. He’s a hockey player, and I fear when he finds out my twin plays for the NHL, I’ll be overshadowed by my overachieving brother. Again. Worse yet, what happens if we meet and that connection isn’t the same? When I tell him I’m not ready, he’s disappointed but supportive. Fate, on the other hand, isn’t as accepting. I had no idea the person I’ve been falling for is someone I already know.

JACOBS For the last three years, I’ve lived and breathed hockey with one goal: team captain. There’s only one thing standing in my way. TJ Beckett. Beck is irresponsible and immature, and I’ve hated him since the moment we met freshman year. Yet, the coaches see something in him I obviously can’t, and they refuse to choose between us. The captain spot is going to a team vote, and the team thinks that what we need are a bunch of challenges to prove our worth. Challenges that have nothing to do with hockey. Challenges that are throwing me and Beck together. And he’s still as infuriating as ever. BECK I have no idea why Christopher Jacobs hates me, and I can’t say I care. I like pushing his buttons, but the guy needs to loosen up. I’m going to win these stupid challenges easily and spend my senior year as hockey king on this campus. Tormenting Jacobs at the same time will just be a bonus. Even if I’m getting confusing feelings toward him, I won’t let it hold me back. When it comes to competing, I’m all in, and nothing will get between me and the W.

JACOBS For the last three years, I’ve lived and breathed hockey with one goal: team captain. There’s only one thing standing in my way. TJ Beckett. Beck is irresponsible and immature, and I’ve hated him since the moment we met freshman year. Yet, the coaches see something in him I obviously can’t, and they refuse to choose between us. The captain spot is going to a team vote, and the team thinks that what we need are a bunch of challenges to prove our worth. Challenges that have nothing to do with hockey. Challenges that are throwing me and Beck together. And he’s still as infuriating as ever. BECK I have no idea why Christopher Jacobs hates me, and I can’t say I care. I like pushing his buttons, but the guy needs to loosen up. I’m going to win these stupid challenges easily and spend my senior year as hockey king on this campus. Tormenting Jacobs at the same time will just be a bonus. Even if I’m getting confusing feelings toward him, I won’t let it hold me back. When it comes to competing, I’m all in, and nothing will get between me and the W.

FOSTER “Look out for Zach and don’t hit on him.” My brother’s request sounds easy enough. Keep an eye out for his best friend on campus and keep my hands to myself. Easy. Even if Zach is a quintessential nerd, who I’ve always thought was cute, I don’t have the time to think with my … stick. There’s only one stick I should be focused on this year, and that’s my hockey stick. My goal once I graduate is to get an NHL contract. The last thing I need is a distraction. On or off the ice. Only, keeping to the rules is harder than I thought it would be. ZACH People confuse me. And no one more than Foster Grant. I’ve barely spoken two words to him in the whole time I’ve known him, but the second I step foot on campus, he’s impossible to shake. I can never anticipate his next move. And whenever we’re together, my next move is a total mystery as well. I want to give in to him, but that might mean coming clean about something I’ve never been bothered about before. I’m still carrying my V-card. And I think it’s time to turn it in.

FOSTER “Look out for Zach and don’t hit on him.” My brother’s request sounds easy enough. Keep an eye out for his best friend on campus and keep my hands to myself. Easy. Even if Zach is a quintessential nerd, who I’ve always thought was cute, I don’t have the time to think with my … stick. There’s only one stick I should be focused on this year, and that’s my hockey stick. My goal once I graduate is to get an NHL contract. The last thing I need is a distraction. On or off the ice. Only, keeping to the rules is harder than I thought it would be. ZACH People confuse me. And no one more than Foster Grant. I’ve barely spoken two words to him in the whole time I’ve known him, but the second I step foot on campus, he’s impossible to shake. I can never anticipate his next move. And whenever we’re together, my next move is a total mystery as well. I want to give in to him, but that might mean coming clean about something I’ve never been bothered about before. I’m still carrying my V-card. And I think it’s time to turn it in.

Cillian I can’t figure out why I’m so intrigued by Ollie Gibson. He’s nothing like me—soft where my world is hard, sweet and kind while I’ve grown up around violence. But there’s a fire to him that sparks the one inside me, loyalty that calls to me, and bravery I respect even if it gets him in trouble. When Ollie’s hurt and we don’t know if the men who attacked him will come back for more, I can’t stop myself from claiming him. There’s nothing I won’t do to protect him, even go behind his back for vengeance. I crave him—both the sweetness and the fire, the innocence and the dirty boy he turns into under my touch. I’ll kill for him, turn my world upside down for him, share my pain and secrets with him. Ollie helps me deal with it all—even the drama with my father. It’s supposed to be temporary. I’m not supposed to want more, but I’m determined to keep him, and for a reason I can’t understand, Ollie wants me too. The future lawyer and the criminal. The Good Samaritan and the killer. We’re living between two worlds, this place where vengeance can be sweet and our differences don’t matter. But we both know it can’t go on like this forever. If the violence of my world doesn’t tear us apart, one day Ollie will walk away…and I don’t know how to let myself lose him. Content Warning: Sweet Vengeance contains discussion and grief over the loss of a parent, violence, darker themes, drug use, and morally gray characters with no redemption arc. This is still a Riley Hart romance though, so you can expect a happily ever after for our guys.

Cillian I can’t figure out why I’m so intrigued by Ollie Gibson. He’s nothing like me—soft where my world is hard, sweet and kind while I’ve grown up around violence. But there’s a fire to him that sparks the one inside me, loyalty that calls to me, and bravery I respect even if it gets him in trouble. When Ollie’s hurt and we don’t know if the men who attacked him will come back for more, I can’t stop myself from claiming him. There’s nothing I won’t do to protect him, even go behind his back for vengeance. I crave him—both the sweetness and the fire, the innocence and the dirty boy he turns into under my touch. I’ll kill for him, turn my world upside down for him, share my pain and secrets with him. Ollie helps me deal with it all—even the drama with my father. It’s supposed to be temporary. I’m not supposed to want more, but I’m determined to keep him, and for a reason I can’t understand, Ollie wants me too. The future lawyer and the criminal. The Good Samaritan and the killer. We’re living between two worlds, this place where vengeance can be sweet and our differences don’t matter. But we both know it can’t go on like this forever. If the violence of my world doesn’t tear us apart, one day Ollie will walk away…and I don’t know how to let myself lose him. Content Warning: Sweet Vengeance contains discussion and grief over the loss of a parent, violence, darker themes, drug use, and morally gray characters with no redemption arc. This is still a Riley Hart romance though, so you can expect a happily ever after for our guys.

Rory's book. More information coming soon.