by Elle Kennedy
First published 2025
Charlotte Kingston splits herself in two. Days belong to sorority life and biomedical engineering studies. Nights belong to Charlie, who flirts with anonymous guys on dating apps. She's been chatting with two mysterious men who turn out to be Briar U hockey players Will Larsen and Beckett Dunne. Will carries the weight of his congressman father's expectations while a journalist investigates their team for squeaky clean behavior. Beckett hides behind his Australian charm to mask deeper pain. Both players share an intimate arrangement that could destroy Will's carefully managed reputation. When Charlotte discovers she's been talking to teammates, attraction ignites immediately. The three navigate new territory as Charlotte's double life becomes harder to maintain. Will's political family pressures intensify. Beckett's guarded heart starts opening. Their secret relationship grows more complicated as outside forces threaten to expose everything. Charlotte must choose between the safe path her adoptive family expects and the risky romance she craves. The players face their own reckonings about image versus authenticity. What started as casual fun evolves into something deeper and more dangerous for all three.
Genres: romance, sports, contemporary-romance, new-adult-romance
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, secret-relationship
Setting: Briar U
Period: 21st-century
528 pages · Paperback · Bloom Books
Content warnings: anxiety, depression, mental-illness