by Emily Rath
First published 2023
Tess Owens watches her life explode at her best friend's wedding. One dance leads to compromising photos that give her almost ex-husband ammunition to destroy her. She runs to Jacksonville, where friend Rachel connects her with the NHL hockey team. Ryan Langley, star forward for the Jacksonville Rays, shows up at her door announcing he's her new roommate while recovering from injury. Tess has six weeks to launch her business and fight for her freedom. She also has six weeks living with Ryan, who is ten years younger and everything she shouldn't want. Ryan's charm and persistence chip away at her defenses. He makes her feel alive again, but Tess carries too much baggage for someone with his bright future. The age gap seems impossible to bridge. Ryan insists their pasts don't matter and age means nothing. Tess wants to believe him, but first she must stop running from her problems. She needs to face her fears and decide if the fire between them is worth the risk of getting burned.
Genres: romance, sports, contemporary-romance, new-adult-romance
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, intimate
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, forced-proximity, second-chance
Setting: Jacksonville
Period: 21st-century
634 pages · Paperback · Emily Rath Books