Book Blitz: Checking Mr. Wrong by Anne Kemp

 

Checking Mr. Wrong
Anne Kemp
(Love in Maple Falls)
Publication date: August 27th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Sports

She’s a grump with a grudge. He’s a sweetheart with a slapshot. Sparks were expected, but the fireworks? Pure magic.

Mabel
Returning to Maple Falls wasn’t part of my five-year plan—or my backup plan. Or any plan, really. But here I am, back in my quirky hometown, dodging my mother’s judgment and trying not to cringe every time someone mentions the viral moment. (Yes, that one. No, I don’t want to talk about it.)

When my editor sends me to cover the NHL’s shiny new team, the Ice Breakers, I’m all in—until I meet Asher Tremblay. He’s their too-charming defenseman with a knack for wrecking my focus and my sanity. Equal parts infuriating and irresistible, but falling for him? Not on my agenda. Nope.

Asher
I’ve worked my whole life to make it in the NHL. A new team means a fresh start, and I won’t let anything distract me—least of all a snarky reporter who seems determined to hate me on sight.

But the more I see Mabel, the more I want to know what’s behind her walls. She’s fire and chaos, and I’ve spent my whole life playing it safe. Maybe she’s exactly what I need. I came to Maple Falls to chase my dream, but now all I want is her.

***

Checking Mr. Wrong is part of the Love in Maple Falls sweet hockey romcom multi-author series. It’s a grumpy sunshine story with forced proximity in this small town romance with all the sizzle and chemistry, but none of the spice.

Welcome back to Maple Falls—the small town where hockey players fall in love! This is a multi-author series of seven full-length books that could be read as standalones, but we think you’ll enjoy them best in order.

Fake-Off with Fate by Whitney Dineen
Offside and Off-Limits by Kate O’Keeffe
Checking Mr. Wrong by Anne Kemp
Skating and Fake Dating by Ellie Hall
Goalie and the Girl Next Door by Elsie Woods
Soulmates and Slapshots by Melissa Baldwin
The Icing on the Cake by Grace Worthington

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Asher’s POV

“I’m Asher,” I say with a nod, hoping she’ll come to understand that I am not a foe. Not a friend either, yet, but definitely not a foe.

She eyes me, looking at me as if she half expects me to grab her purse and toss it out the window. “Mabel.”

“Nice to meet you, Mabel. You from here?”

She nods. “Born and raised in Maple Falls.”

She still watches me while I take a pause. The tiniest of jokes pops up like a cartoon bubble over my head. “Wait. You’re Mabel. From Maple Falls?”

“I know where this is headed, and you’re not funny,” she retorts dryly as she shoots another glare my way.

“Is your last name ‘Syrup’?” I ask innocently as Joe does me a solid and cracks up from the front seat. “That would be hilarious.”

Even when she glares, it’s kinda sexy. I keep her pinned in my line of sight as I’m hit with a subtle wave of recognition. “Do we know each other from—”

“Nope,” she interjects, looking at me pointedly and still chomping on her ice. The way she gnashes away on it is like she’s mad at the ice and rage-crunching, but who knows.

“You didn’t let me finish.”

“How rude of me. Please, finish your thoughts,” she says as her lips form a tight thin line.

“I will.” Little does my new friend know, but I like the challenge of a sassy woman. “I was going to say that I know you from somewhere.”

“I doubt it.”

But I can’t shake it. “I think we must have met before.”

She snaps her head my way and stares at me. This is the second I truly notice her eyes—the kind of green that belongs in legends and treasure chests, brighter and more striking than any emerald I’ve ever seen. “I doubt it.”

“Okay,” I say, keeping my focus on her. “Well, when I remember how I know you, I’ll tell you.”

“Sounds like a plan. DM me,” she says with sarcasm oozing off each letter, and plastering on a fake smile that would make a Ringling Brothers clown cringe. She tips her cup back and tosses more ice into her mouth, chomping down on it as she puts her back toward me and faces the window again. I’m still listening to the crunch of her ice when she suddenly stops.

“Oh, ow!” Mabel drops her cup in between her feet, what’s left of the ice spilling on the mat, as she holds her hand to her mouth. “Oh, no, no, no. No!”

“All good back there?” Joe asks from the front.

Mabel looks at me with fear in her eyes as she nods. “Uh-huh. All good,” she mumbles, sounding like she’s shoved a tissue in her mouth.

I give it a beat. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

I can see her moving her mouth around as she stares at the back of the seat in front of her. From my spot, I can tell that her eyes are a little wild; she looks like a three-legged snake just ran in front of the car.

“I think,” she whispers, running her tongue over her front teeth. “I think I’ve chipped my front tooth.”

“Let me see.” She shakes her head, so I do my best to make her feel comfortable. I mean, it’s what I do. My dad said I’m the most people-pleasing of all the Tremblays, so I need to keep my reputation. “If you let me look, I can tell you how bad it is. I play hockey, so having a tooth chipped or getting one knocked out is par for the course.” I point to my two front teeth. “These aren’t even mine. I lost them both in the first game I played in college. If you want, I can also pop my bridge out for you, it’s back here…”

She holds up a hand, genuine worry etched on her face. “No, thank you.”

“So, give me a smile.” I lean over to her. “I promise I won’t laugh. But I can tell you how fast you need to make a dental appointment when you get to Maple Falls.”

It feels like it takes more than ten minutes to coax her, but she finally rewards me with a teeny-tiny, kinda toothy grin. I say kinda toothy because yes, part of her front tooth is for sure missing and the woman needs more than a chiclet shoved in there to make it all better.

“Is it bad?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper, like she’s bracing for a hurricane of bad news.

“It’s…” I pause, searching for the right words. What do you tell someone you’ve just met who is obviously not thrilled about losing half a tooth? “It’s not bad, but it’s not great either.”

Her face crumples like I just confessed that I let her puppy run away. “Why,” she groans, pressing her lips closed and throwing herself against the back of the seat. Her head tips back dramatically, like she’s auditioning for a soap opera. “No, I do not need this right now.”

I bite back a grin, because this? This is comedy gold. I mean, it’s not funny for her, but watching someone overreact to a chipped tooth like it’s the end of the world? Hard not to find the humor.

“Nobody’s even going to notice,” I say, trying to sound sincere but probably failing. “You’ll be in Maple Falls, and everyone’s too busy looking at the trees and drinking cider to care about your teeth.”

Author Bio:

Anne Kemp is a bestselling author of romantic comedies. She loves reading (and she does it ridiculously fast, too!), gluten-free baking (because everyone needs a hobby that makes them crazy), and finding time to binge-watch her favorite shows. She grew up in Maryland but made Los Angeles her home until she encountered her own real-life meet-cute at a friend's wedding where she ended up married to one of the groomsmen. For real.

Anne now lives on the Kapiti Coast in New Zealand, and even though she was married at Mt. Doom, no…she doesn’t have a Hobbit. However, she and her husband do have a terrier named George Clooney and when she’s not writing, she’s usually with them taking a long walk on the river by their home.

You can find Anne on her website - come say hi! She’d love to hear from you: www.annekemp.com

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok

GIVEAWAY!

Checking Mr. Wrong Blitz

—

Book Blitz: Penalties and Proposals by Anne Kemp

 

Penalties and Proposals
Anne Kemp
(Love on Thin Ice)
Publication date: October 17th 2024
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Sports

It only takes one bad apple to ruin the bunch. When life hands me reformed hockey star Noah Beaumont, AGAIN, am I supposed to make cider or is there a sweeter surprise in store?

Willa: I never wanted to see Noah Beaumont again. EVER. When I kicked him off my set after he showed up intoxicated, his PR team tried to blacklist me. I made it over that hurdle, made a name for myself, and I’m heading to Maple Falls to cover a charity ice hockey team that’s making headlines…only to find out I have to work with HIM.

But this Noah seems different. He’s reformed and seems to be determined to show me he’s changed. Can I trust him, or will he be the same disaster I remember?

Noah: I’ve spent years trying to make amends for my past mistakes, questioning if I still belong in the world of hockey or if it’s time to step back, be ‘normal’. But seeing Willa again brings everything into sharp focus. She’s the woman who’s haunted my thoughts since the day I met her.

Now, she’s here in Maple Falls, and I’m determined to prove I’m not the same man she remembers. I want her to see the real me, the man I’ve worked so hard to become. Can I convince her to give me a second chance?

Penalties and Proposals is part of the Love on Thin Ice sweet small town hockey romcom series. It’s a second chance enemies to lovers story with forced proximity in this small town romance with all the sizzle and chemistry, but none of the spice.

Content warning: This IS a lighthearted and fun romantic comedy, but there are subjects mentioned in this book like parents passing away and former substance abuse.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“Is this the only table you have available?”

My eyes cannot be deceiving me. I’m standing in a restaurant with no one else in it, save another couple at the opposite end of the room. Surely the only table they have for me to sit at is not the one that happens to be directly beside Noah? Not to mention the fact the place is small enough I’d practically be sitting at his table anyway, the tables are that close to one another.

The young girl looks at me woefully. “I’m really sorry, but we’re full with reservations tonight.” Her tone is apologetic, and she’s young, so I’m not going to debate the situation … but still. The odds. I flex my hands, stretch my fingers, and take a deep breath, trying to fight back my irritation when I see a sliver of my tattoo under my sleeve.

Believe. Ha. I almost snort out loud. How about I believe I’m Harry Potter and I cast a quick spell to time travel to another restaurant in another town altogether?

“What about the bar?” I nod my head toward the old wooden bar where an older woman is busy making drinks and watching me through narrowed eyes. “Looks like there’s space there.”

“Our bartender isn’t on duty for another hour.” When I shoot her a questioning look, obviously confused by the woman pouring herself a soda from the beverage gun, the young girl stammers. “I’ve been asked to not have anyone sit there until his shift begins.”

So this fact leaves me to be seated by the blight that plagues me. Yes, I’m being ridiculously overdramatic, but the thought of chewing my dinner and having to stare at Noah, or work hard to look anywhere in this room besides at Noah, turns me off in the biggest way. Like a light switch after a big night out. I didn’t go to that party tonight because I wanted some time alone, time to myself to plan out the schedule I need to juggle in the days ahead.

“Fine,” I say with a sigh, pulling out my notebook and phone. When I look Noah’s way, he’s watching me, his expression frozen. I can’t read him, but he could be as weirded out that I’m about to be seated beside him as I am. I’ll save us both the trouble. I pick the chair where my back will be facing him and pull it out and settle in.

The hostess hands me the menu and asks for a drink order before she disappears from sight. I make a mental note to apologize to her. Poor thing. It’s not her fault she’s seated me next to the devil.

“Hi, Willa.” Of course his voice is like hot chocolate. The devil’s would be velvety and delicious. My instincts tell me to ignore him, but I’m here to work. I can hear my mom’s voice in the back of my mind telling me to play nice.

I pick up the menu and fake peruse it. Fake because of course I can’t think about anything else right now except that he’s right there.

“Hello, Noah. Fancy running into you at dinner.”

“A man’s gotta eat,” he responds.

“No doubt, but when I heard about the party happening in town tonight, I figured you’d be the first one signed up to be there.” I flip a page of the menu a little more aggressively than intended and manage to rip it a tiny bit. Must. Breathe.

“Contrary to past reports, I’m not the guy who goes to all the parties any longer.”

I want to turn around and face him, see the look on his face, but the stubborn part of me refuses. He’s the one who is engaging me; I can only imagine that eventually my lack of wanting to chat will catch on and he’ll focus on something else.

“So, you’re telling me a leopard can change his spots. That’s nice,” I manage to say, doubt dripping with each word. Holding my menu up in the air for him to see. “But, the jury’s still out as far as I’m concerned. If you’ll excuse me, I need to decide on my meal.”

There’s a pause before he answers. “Of course, sorry. I’ll leave you to it.”

A weight slides off my shoulders. Was it really that easy? I decide it has to be and go about choosing my meal, landing on the lasagna, then turning my attention to my notebook. This was to be a planning session for Noah’s photos amongst other work, and I intend to stay focused, even if he is right behind me and I can hear him breathing.

Author Bio:

Anne Kemp is a bestselling author of romantic comedies. She loves reading (and she does it ridiculously fast, too!), gluten-free baking (because everyone needs a hobby that makes them crazy), and finding time to binge-watch her favorite shows. She grew up in Maryland but made Los Angeles her home until she encountered her own real-life meet-cute at a friend's wedding where she ended up married to one of the groomsmen. For real.

Anne now lives on the Kapiti Coast in New Zealand, and even though she was married at Mt. Doom, no…she doesn’t have a Hobbit. However, she and her husband do have a terrier named George Clooney and when she’s not writing, she’s usually with them taking a long walk on the river by their home.

You can find Anne on her website - come say hi! She’d love to hear from you: www.annekemp.com

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok

GIVEAWAY!
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—

Excerpt Reveal: Penalties and Proposals Anne Kemp

 Penalties and Proposals

Anne Kemp

(Love on Thin Ice)

Publication date: October 17th 2024

Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Sports

It only takes one bad apple to ruin the bunch. When life hands me reformed hockey star Noah Beaumont, AGAIN, am I supposed to make cider or is there a sweeter surprise in store?

Willa: I never wanted to see Noah Beaumont again. EVER. When I kicked him off my set after he showed up intoxicated, his PR team tried to blacklist me. I made it over that hurdle, made a name for myself, and I’m heading to Maple Falls to cover a charity ice hockey team that’s making headlines…only to find out I have to work with HIM.

But this Noah seems different. He’s reformed and seems to be determined to show me he’s changed. Can I trust him, or will he be the same disaster I remember?

Noah: I’ve spent years trying to make amends for my past mistakes, questioning if I still belong in the world of hockey or if it’s time to step back, be ‘normal’. But seeing Willa again brings everything into sharp focus. She’s the woman who’s haunted my thoughts since the day I met her.

Now, she’s here in Maple Falls, and I’m determined to prove I’m not the same man she remembers. I want her to see the real me, the man I’ve worked so hard to become. Can I convince her to give me a second chance?

Penalties and Proposals is part of the Love on Thin Ice sweet small town hockey romcom series. It’s a second chance enemies to lovers story with forced proximity in this small town romance with all the sizzle and chemistry, but none of the spice.

Content warning: This IS a lighthearted and fun romantic comedy, but there are subjects mentioned in this book like parents passing away and former substance abuse.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Noah picks up a large, vibrant maple leaf and watches as the woman in charge gives a quick demonstration on how to make a leaf crown. As he works, his hands mimic hers and move with a gentle precision, selecting each leaf with care and arranging them just so. I point my camera at Noah and at his crown, snapping away steadily. The rustling of the leaves is soothing, and I find myself entranced by the rhythmic motion of his fingers.

In a matter of minutes, he finishes the crown and then gently places it on my head. I reach up to touch it, marveling at the intricate design. “Thank you,” I say, my voice filled with gratitude.

“My pleasure. Every queen deserves a crown.” He smiles, a twinkle in his eye. “It looks good on you, Willa.”

Something inside of me hitches. It’s like a rope has been tied to my insides and they’re pulling them to my outsides. I feel exposed, vulnerable. We may be standing in the middle of a busy fall festival, but it’s like the world has fallen away and it’s just us. Me and Noah and those beautiful pink lips of his that I hadn’t noticed before. 

When those lips turn up at the corners, I feel a surge of ice inside of me. A quick glance tells me I’ve been busted. He caught me staring at his lips. Which is exhausting, considering a few days back I was ready to wrestle him and drown him in the river. 

Noah wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “Do I have something on my face?”

I feel a flush of heat as my cheeks surely are now red with embarrassment. “Ah, no, I was thinking …” Quick, Willa. WHAT were you thinking? Looking around, I’m at a loss for what to say next when I see a sign for a photo booth. 

“I was thinking instead of me making a crown, that we should stick you in the photo booth. In a new outfit, of course.” 

“Why do that when you have a camera?” 

“Options.” Yes, Willa, go with that. “I can give the magazine some pictures of you from the photo booth to use as well. Who knows if they’ll use them or not, but we can try.”

Noah narrows his eyes but reaches for his backpack. “I’ve got one other top I brought with me. Do I need to change my pants as well?”

“Your jeans are fine. I’ve been taking photos from the waist up, and unless you plan on doing a handstand, we shouldn’t see your bottom half in these pictures, either.” 

“You said bottom half.” Noah chuckles as he pulls his sweatshirt over his head. 

“What happened to Mr. Conservative who needed to hide behind the food truck?” I tease as his sweatshirt comes off—and the T-shirt he was wearing underneath comes along with it. Leaving me standing, up close and personal, in the middle of Maple Fest with one half-naked Noah Beaumont. 

And he ain’t hard to look at. 

My eyes take on a life of their own, widening as I digest the sight before me. Noah’s body is, to put it mildly, a work of art. His chest is broad and chiseled, each muscle appears to be sculpted by a master craftsman—or perhaps just years of intense training. His abs are a perfect six-pack, each one defined and glistening slightly in the crisp fall air, making me wonder if he has a personal ab-polisher on standby.

His arms, well, let’s just say they could probably lift a car or two, maybe even a small house. They’re muscular and toned, veins running down them like a roadmap of strength and power. His shoulders are wide and sturdy, the kind that could probably carry the weight of the world—or at least a couple of teammates after a victory celebration.

As if the Universe couldn’t resist adding a touch of the ridiculous, a stray autumn leaf gently floats down and lands right on his left pectoral. It sticks there for a moment, as if even nature wants a piece of the action. I can’t help but giggle at the absurdity of it all.

Noah, blissfully unaware of the spectacle he’s created, looks around in confusion. “Uh, why is everyone staring?”

“Maybe because you’ve turned Maple Fest into Male Feast-for-the-eyes,” I manage to quip, trying to keep my voice steady.

He glances down at his bare chest and then back up at me, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. “Oh, whoops.”

I’m trying to maintain a straight face, but failing miserably. “You might want to put your shirt back on before the festival organizers start charging admission.”

He chuckles, quickly pulling his shirt back over his head, but not before giving me one last, all-too-smug wink. “You think anyone got a good look?”

“Oh, I think they got more than a good look,” I say, shaking my head. “You’ve just become the highlight of the festival.” 

Author Bio:

Anne Kemp is a bestselling author of romantic comedies. She loves reading (and she does it ridiculously fast, too!), gluten-free baking (because everyone needs a hobby that makes them crazy), and finding time to binge-watch her favorite shows. She grew up in Maryland but made Los Angeles her home until she encountered her own real-life meet-cute at a friend's wedding where she ended up married to one of the groomsmen. For real.

Anne now lives on the Kapiti Coast in New Zealand, and even though she was married at Mt. Doom, no…she doesn’t have a Hobbit. However, she and her husband do have a terrier named George Clooney and when she’s not writing, she’s usually with them taking a long walk on the river by their home.

You can find Anne on her website - come say hi! She’d love to hear from you: www.annekemp.com

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok

Series Cover Reveal: Love On Thin Ice

 

Breaking the Ice
Whitney Dineen

What do an entitled billionaire and small-town ice-skating coach have in common?

Ellie
My life is not turning out like I thought it would.

My mom’s arthritis has gotten so bad that I had to move in with her. I’m making ends meet by giving ice skating lessons at the arena in Maple Falls. I’d be in serious trouble had the Harts not given me that job.

Which makes it impossible to say no when they ask me to let Troy’s obnoxious billionaire brother stay in the cabin on my mom’s property during the charity hockey event they’re running.

Zach
First the tabloids call me out for being a cheapskate and then Yolanda Simms takes to national television to tell everyone what a vicious heartbreaker I am?

Yeah, my life has been better.

My brother thinks I can fix my bad press by coming to Maple Falls and donating big to his new charity endeavor. Too bad he didn’t mention the woman who owns the cottage I’ll be staying at hates me with a passion.

He also didn’t mention she’s everything I’ve ever looked for in a woman…

The Rebound Play
Kate O’Keeffe

If you get a second chance at love with your hockey star ex, should you take it?

Keira
What do you do when your NHL superstar ex skates back into your small town? Drop to the ground and hide behind the bleachers, praying he doesn’t see you. That was the plan, anyway. But Lady Luck must be having an off day because Dan spots me, my hood over my eyes, pretending I’m not there.

Mature? No.

Necessary? Absolutely.

Humiliation washes over me, and the wall around my heart stands firm. Dan might be back, but I can’t afford to let him in again. Not after the heartbreak of losing him once before.

When he offers to coach my nephew, I reluctantly agree. Every smile he flashes at me, every kind word, threatens to crack my resolve. But I can’t go through that again. I have to protect my heart.

Dan
I want Keira back. End of story.

The Friend Face Off
Grace Worthington

Getting involved with your brother’s best friend is risky enough. But when he’s a hockey player? It’s a whole new level of bad idea.

Emmy
As a ravenous reader, I’ve got a secret: I’m obsessed with hockey romances.
But let me tell you, real life hockey players are nothing like my book boyfriends.

So I threw down the gauntlet on BookTok. I challenged any single guy out there to prove me wrong. Can a real hockey player be as romantic as the ones in my favorite stories?

Enter Dawson Hayes, a goalie with a point to prove and my brother’s best friend. He’s confident he can win me over and take me on the most romantic date of my life.

But there’s a catch: for me to accept, I have to pretend that he’s my fake boyfriend. Now everyone in my small town thinks that Dawson and I are having a fall fling. Even if it’s a fling that can’t last.

Worst of all, I’m starting to believe this fling is real. I’m falling for my brother’s best friend.

Dawson
The first time I met Emmy, her brother warned me to stay away. As hockey teammates, that made her totally off-limits.

But now I’m back in Emmy’s small town to play in a charity hockey match, and I can’t resist her dating challenge: to find out if any man can be more romantic than the book boyfriends she adores.

Emmy and I are both fiercely competitive, and I’m determined to win her over.

When the moment of truth comes, the chemistry between us turns into something neither of us expected: a romantic face-off between friends who are insanely attracted to each other.
Now, I’m out to prove to her that you should never judge a book by its cover—or a hockey player when it comes to love.

The Friend Face Off is a brother’s best friend, closed door hockey romcom with fake dating, friends to lovers and You’ve Got Mail vibes.

Love in Overtime
Melissa Baldwin

Playing hockey in Maple Falls was meant to be just a charity gig, but then my new publicist showed up, melting the ice—and my heart.

Cooper
I never anticipated being roped into a charity hockey game during the off-season. But here I am, heading to Maple Falls, all because my publicist decided to retire. Change was inevitable, but I didn’t foresee it coming so soon.
Getting assigned a new publicist, Blair Radcliffe, didn’t sit well with me at first. However, there’s something about her – a fierce determination that’s both intriguing and challenging. I wonder if she’s ready for the whirlwind that is Cooper Montgomery. One thing’s certain– I can’t afford to fall for my publicist.

Blair
I still can’t believe I landed my dream job. The excitement is overwhelming, and I’m determined to carve out my path in the industry. But there’s one obstacle standing in my way– Cooper Montgomery, the seemingly uncooperative hockey star. Nevertheless, I’m ready to tackle the challenge head-on, and perhaps some time away in a quiet town like Maple Falls will work wonders.

What I didn’t anticipate was developing a crush on my own client. It’s the ultimate taboo in my profession, a mistake that could jeopardize everything I’ve worked for. I’m at a loss on how to navigate this newfound attraction, especially when it appears that Cooper might feel the same way. I’m not sure what to do next.

The Parent Playbook
Elsie Woods

I don’t know when dad jokes and mismatched socks became my type, but that hockey dude skated into my life like a runaway puck… and I think I like it.

Angel
I know I should be thankful that my charity was selected by the Ice Breakers hockey team. It’ll make a huge difference in children’s lives all over the state.

There’s only one problem:

I hate hockey dudes.

I have to remind myself of that fact when Scotty MacFarland with his groan-worthy dad jokes slips into my life like he’s always been there.

No matter how hard I push back on that perfectly formed chest, Scotty remains strong, giving me the space I need. I’m beginning to think I don’t want to have so much space anymore.

But by the time I figure that out, it just might be too late.

Scotty
The only thing I love more than hockey is my daughter.

It was a no-brainer for me to give up the ice when I became a single dad, and I didn’t look back. But when the call came to coach the Ice Breakers, the opportunity was too good to pass up, and I thought my girl would thrive with a fresh start in Maple Falls.

Turns out, the leaves weren’t the only thing falling in Maple Falls.

Angel Davis swooped into my life and pieces I didn’t know were missing started to fall into place. A devoted single mom, director of a children’s charity, and all-around spark of sassiness, she and I find an easy rhythm, despite her throwing a boot at my face.

But Lily comes first. And if I have to leave behind a future with Angel before it’s started in order to do what’s right, I will.

Though it seems fate has other ideas.

Love at First Skate
Ellie Hall

They say love is messy. Turns out friendship is too, especially when you’re stranded in a cabin with your best friend and hearts are on thin ice.

Teddy

I’ve heard that men and women can’t be friends without it becoming something more. Harlow and I put that theory in the penalty box, thank you very much.

She laughs at my jokes, secretly admires my hockey butt, trusts me with her biggest fear (it’s safe with me). In turn, she knows everything about me. Well, almost.

There’s been a recent development. I’m gone for her. Down bad. Solid Crush. She lives rent free in my mind. I’ve caught feelings. This wouldn’t be a problem except, you know, the whole it shattering our friendship thing.

Harlow

You know those days you want to erase? It went like this: my boyfriend broke up with me (it was overdue), and then I broke up with my job while at a work conference (it was mind-numbing).

In an ironic twist, I won the raffle for a romantic getaway trip for two. Who else to bring other than my best friend who’ll gladly commiserate with me? He has a hockey event nearby, so it works out perfectly.

Until we’re stranded in the cozy cabin together. There’s a blaze of attraction. A friendship-changing kiss.

What now? Do we hit the reset button? Salvage what we had? Pretend it never happened? These are things I’d talk to my bestie about, but I can’t because I’m head over heels for him.

Penalties and Proposals
Anne Kemp

It only takes one bad apple to ruin the bunch. When life hands me reformed hockey star Noah Beaumont, AGAIN, am I supposed to make cider or is there a sweeter surprise in store?

Willa
I never wanted to see Noah Beaumont again. EVER. When I kicked him off my set after he showed up intoxicated, his PR team tried to blacklist me. I made it over that hurdle, made a name for myself, and I’m heading to Maple Falls to cover a charity ice hockey team that’s making headlines…only to find out I have to work with HIM.

But this Noah seems different. He’s reformed and seems to be determined to show me he’s changed. Can I trust him, or will he be the same disaster I remember?

Noah
I’ve spent years trying to make amends for my past mistakes, questioning if I still belong in the world of hockey or if it’s time to step back, be ‘normal’. But seeing Willa again brings everything into sharp focus. She’s the woman who’s haunted my thoughts since the day I met her.

Now, she’s here in Maple Falls, and I’m determined to prove I’m not the same man she remembers. I want her to see the real me, the man I’ve worked so hard to become. Can I convince her to give me a second chance?

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