Latest / Fated / We Need to Talk About Sports Romance

Transcript

We Need to Talk About Sports Romance · Fated

• Tay: Welcome to the podcast where your next favorite story is already written in the stars. April: We're your new book besties, April. Tay: And Tay, here to get your book craving started and satisfied. Because around here it's faded. April: Why? So grab your current read, maybe a cozy drink, and hide your TBR list because today we're discussing sports romance. Tay: Roman I am so excited. I have been waiting for this episode. April: This was the best I could do for dressing up for sports romance day is just a hat. Yeah. Tay: Told you a baseball hat works. Hey, like I mean, your your sports, your baseball. I'm pulling in our hockey right now. I'm wearing my Dallas Stars, specifically my Sigging shirt. yeah, I was ready. I was like, we're doing this. We're so we got hockey, we got baseball. What more do we need? All the sports. April: Exactly. Hockey romances are hot too. Tay: they are so hot. And you know, even more on that is just sports in general have just, I feel like in the last year have really taken off. people want the sports shows. They want to see these romance. we're gonna kind of dig in today, y'all, a little bit of a deeper cut of why we think that is. But we're so excited to have you here and have you listening today. So we hope you enjoy it. And feel free to let us know at the end if there's other ones that you want to recommend to us. April: Yeah, yeah. I feel like sports romance is something that I've read a little bit of, but it's definitely probably not in my top books that I've read a ton of. So it's really exciting for me as someone who's newer to reading sports romances because I'm like, that's really cool. That's really cool. And I also, though, am not a sports person. I know that you like sports, watch sports. I do not. And so It doesn't bother me when I'm reading a book about sports and they never practice. I'm like, who cares? Cool. They're so good. Tay: Well, see, that's the cool part, I think, too. you can take a bass reader that really doesn't know anything about sports. they can look at it with almost an unbiased lens. I feel like sometimes if you really know the sport, then you can dig in a little deeper and do that. But I'm like, it's not supposed to be overly heavy, y'all. It's still romance. I just want people to remember that. when you're taking a book for what it is, if they're wanting to focus on the relationship and not the sport. That is totally okay. But if you happen to love that sport, then it's like getting represented. So I think that's great as well. I remember at the last book conference I went to, there was a whole bunch of girls talking about it. And one girl was like, I actually started watching hockey because of reading sports romance. I wanted to know more. And she goes, obviously, I was picking up in things and I was like, the book's only touching the skimming the surface of it, but she really wanted to go all in and I think that's really cool. Cool. She developed a new love of something else just because she started reading books about it. April: That's so great. And I really love, I always think of Fourth Wing, which is obviously not a sports, sports romance, but I think of the fourth wing nights that all of the major like what isn't the Dallas, Dallas is doing one fourth wing night. Colorado Avalanche, which is a hockey team, did a fourth wing night. Tay: It's so smart, honestly. They're bringing all these people into different like areas of books because they know it touches on readers and there's so many readers out there. I'm like, what a smart marketing team y'all have. Because if it was me, which y'all, there was a special edition of Liz Tom Forday's book out at, I think it was at Fenway. or maybe it was the White Sox. I don't know. Please don't get mad at me. it's whoever her biggest team that she loves is. But either way, red or white socks. April: Mm. Yeah. Tay: She was out at the field and had a special edition and it was beautiful. It was so stunning. And I was so jealous of everybody that I got a copy of that book. I was like, my God, I want to be there so bad. I was looking up resale and they were just out of my range. So definitely I think it's I mean, if it was close though, I'd be making the trip. I think Arlington is the closest for us. I'd be like driving out to Arlington for a special edition, you best believe. April: Out of control. Yeah. And I think that's great. And it's great because Liz Tom Forday, unlike you know, Rebecca Yara's fourth wing, Liz Tom Forday does write heavily, heavily sports romances. So it kind of I like that it's tying in and it just it gets so many more people involved in the romance genre in general, which I love. Tay: It really does. I think it just it's great. So big fan. April: Yeah. okay, I have a question for you. If you could date a professional athlete, what sport are you choosing? And I wanna answer this question after you. Tay: Okay, I'm gonna say baseball straight up. And my reasoning is baseball pants. That's number one. If you've never seen a guy in baseball pants, 10 out of 10. when they're painted on by Jesus, looks that's my favorite. Like my gosh, pants so tight. It's just so yes, baseball for sure. Not just baseball pants, but that is a number one. But second to that April: Hmm. I'm like picturing all of the Savannah bananas guys. Tay: is I feel like it's a very low threshold sport in the fact of it's harder to get hurt in like all the other sports where there's tackling or other things involved, I'd be too stressed out all the time. baseball, they're running, they're doing their thing, you know, granted they can have torn muscles and stuff, but I feel like, you know, it's low impact. There's no head crashing together or different things like that. Like rugby is really intense. I just think that April: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Tay: Probably baseball. if I had to choose someone dating. And then two, I have some favorite baseball players that I'm like, absolutely like my gosh, just yeah. My husband knows I have a love on the Houston Astros. I would for sure be like sign me up, sign me up. Hall pass, no, yeah, so baseball. What is yours, April? April: Mm-hmm. Goodbye, husband. Yeah. That's right. Okay, so this is kind of funny, but I just love women's rugby though now because of Alona Mar, who I'm a huge fan of. Love her so much. I know, didn't see that coming, but I'm just like, Tay: Left curve. April: Women's rugby, I think, is such a cool thing. So, probably rugby player, just it is very violent sport. I feel like there's football and then there's rugby. And to me, rugby is way more intense than football. And I learned all about it thanks to our girl Alona. Love her so much. Shout out to her. She's also a romance reader, and we love that. Tay: Mm-hmm. She is. Yeah. And she's a podcaster. So we love that too. She talks about books with her sisters. And I think that's great. She's spreading knowledge too. I like their chit chats. That's really fun to listen to and watch. But she is, she is awesome. I think that's great that she's bringing attention to female sports and you know, body type imaging and things that are like, you know, inherently to me, she is very sexy. this strong, beautiful sexy, like, you know, and April: Yeah. She's great. Mm. Yeah. I need somebody to write a book about a female rugby player falling in love with somebody and I want like realistic body type. I want if there is a book like that out there, hit me up, let me know. I want to read it. Tay: Yes. Yes. Yes. I want to read as well. So please recommend. And if it's not out there and you're listening and you're a writer, that's your niche. Your niche is that. And then once you put it out there, send it to her and be like, I picture you as this. Let's talk movies. Cause she needs her moment for sure. I would be sign me up. I'd be all up for that. that's funny. We brought opposite spectrum. April: Please write it. Yeah. Exactly. Tay: I honestly thought you'd pick a sport like golf. I don't know. But honestly, after you saying rugby and stuff, no, I'm like, no, I could totally see it. Cause I know you love fantasy and the guys are always rugged and I'm like, okay, yeah, that that fits more of the vibe. I don't know why my first instinct was golf. I'm like, no, no, that's not. April: Golf. It trap. Whenever I think of golf, I just picture Tiger Woods who is so unromantic to me. Tay: Yeah, yeah, that's fair. So no, yeah, I understand. So what sport for you would be an automatic no? So let's say you're on a first date, the guy starts talking and he's like, I play this sport, and you're like, Ew no. Is there a sport that you think of? Golf April: Golf, literally golf. Yeah, hundred percent golf. Which is so sad because I've never read or I should correct this. I've never finished a sports romance that is golf. I've never finished Fangirl Down. I've started it and I know it's like one of your favorites by Tessa Bailey. Has yeah. Tay: listen, listen. it's one of the books I pulled today. So if you're on YouTube, you can see it. Let me tell you, it is a fan favorite here. You're missing out because it's so good. But April: I know. I don't know why. Golf just seems so boring to me, which is, I don't know. Sorry. I need to read it because I know it sounds so good and so funny. And I love Tessa Bailey. Tay: It is just one of my favorites. Like Tessa Bailey, a bravo to her for making this book and having this book and making a golfer sexy. Because yes, I would say uninherently, golf is not sexy. For me, yeah. Yeah. You know, tucked in shirts, very posh, not really my type. So I could understand it. I could see it too. I would say for me, it's probably football. and I just, yeah, it tracks with my history. April: They're like the polo guys and yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. That makes sense. Tay: it's too much. And I'm I'm a needy girl. I like attention on me a lot. I think football is such a dedicated, heavy sport. They have to be so involved 24 7. That's just not for me. I want like that 50 50 split or like 60 40. So like Forty percent on making money and earning an income by professional athlete and then sixty percent like attention on that person. I just don't think that that could be now. Granted, I love me some football romance. So there are some favorites out there, and we'll talk about that in a little bit. But yeah, no, I've just for me and I'm just like, that's my that's my low par. I'd be like, mm, mm. April: Yeah. Mm. I can see that. There's also just like the pressure of they call them like the wags or whatever. And that's just a lot of pressure too as a woman that I would not want people constantly looking at me what I'm wearing just to go watch, you know, my significant other play football. No way. Tay: Yeah. And honestly, they do it with a lot of the sports too. Baseball is really cutthroat too. So I'd be I would honestly probably be the slumlord of the wags. Honestly, I probably need to invest in like, you know, looking into what hockey wives wear. They're probably more my speed. They probably wear parkas and stuff 'cause it's cold in the rink. Yeah, that's my vibe. Cover your body. April: Yeah. Yeah. In the books, hockey wives always sound great. Yeah. Tay: Yeah, I've had a baby. Nothing looks the same. I'm not a toothpick anymore. I'd rather be comfortable and not have to wear things where my cheeks are hanging out or I have to show my tummy or anything like that. Nothing against it. It's just not for me, dog. So I would I that's probably more my speed. I need to look into that. Mm-hmm. April: Yeah. Not for me. Yeah. Yeah, that's right. Right. So hot question here. What do you think makes sports romance so hot? Like why are people so drawn to it? It's such a popular topic. I feel like there's so many. If you look it up on Kindle Unlimited, for example, sports at romance, there are thousands and thousands of books. I just want to know what is what makes it so hot for you or to a reader? Tay: I think probably there's an aspect of I think romance and discipline kind of go hand in hand. there's a lot of romance readers that love like that certain type of dominant, submissive kink. I think at least that's my first. I feel like they can get one a lot of that in sports because probably there's a lot of dominant, like I wanna April: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Tay: you know, when I want to do this. So there's a lot of that kind of attitude that already kind of inherently built within that. and then too, you know, women want men that are as dedicated to them as they are sport. And so it's genius for an author to take that and take what we want and we want that full attention and even if it's not true, because there's probably plenty of meatheads out there that want nothing to do with, you know, they're all in on their sport and then nothing on their relationship. April: Genuine relationship, yeah. Tay: But the author's going, you know what? I'm gonna take that. I'm gonna take that want that women need and feel, and I'm gonna put it into a character where he's like, once he's dedicated to the sport, but then he finds his lady and he's just as dedicated to her as he is this sport. that's just already inherently hot. And then two, I've seen these guys or athletes doing stretches and stuff, before a game, I've seen the hockey players do like the hip thing on the ice. I'm like, April: Yeah. Yeah. fine. I was thinking of hockey players too. Hockey players in particular, I feel like are very attractive, way attractive people. And I'm like, my goodness, you guys literally fight on the ice. Tay: yes. Yeah, and I've told this to my husband before. I'm like, yeah, they're so hot and stuff. And he's like, Yeah, yeah, you like guys that have no teeth. That is also a stereotype that a lot of people associate And yes, there are some that get their teeth knocked out and but they get beautiful smiles afterwards, you know? So hey, cosmetic surgery, it's fine. we're fine with that. I could see how a dude is looking at that from a lens of like, April: Yeah. Right. Fine, yeah. Tay: Realism and they're getting hit in the face and I'm like, shh, shh, just let them stretch. Let them do their butterfly stretches and I'm just gonna vibe. April: Yeah. It's so great. Yeah. Exactly. And I think also, all of those things for sure for sports romances making them so hot, but also the money. I feel like it kind of is an easy also tie into being not like a billionaire, but it is a very wealthy romance. Like I really love the when the script is flipped and she's an athlete, or they're both athletes and they both make great money. So I definitely think that that's also Tay: Mm-hmm. Billionaire. Yeah. April: A reason why a lot of people find it hot because billionaire, very wealthy person, is a very also popular topic for romance novels. Which is great. I love it. Tay: Yeah. Yeah, I would agree. There's just I think that you're spot on with having the money It kinda makes it, you know, 'cause some of yeah. Discipline and money vibes. April: Got discipline and money. Boom. And you're a hot hockey player. Tay: Yes. And you're a hot hockey player, which all of them are like six foot four. I'm like, how is that even fair? being tall and all of those things. my gosh, that too. Ugh. I figured what we could do is ping pong on sports. So we'll say a sport and then we'll talk about some books under that category. We're not gonna go in depth here on this episode, y'all. We're really just skimming the surface, but we're just trying to give y'all some series or books that might April: Yeah. Better than the basketball players though. Tay: have interest of to you if you like that sport or you're interested in it and like we can kind of give you just like a brief overview of it. April: Yeah. Okay, so football, I immediately think of Megan Brandy, whenever somebody's like a football romance. And I think of the one that hopefully every person who is a sports romance has read, The Boys of Brayshaw and Say You Swear, which is probably one of the best books ever, with one of the best book boyfriends ever. For the girls who know you know. but football romances, there's so many of them. I actually have recently read a couple of them. I love C.R. Jane. She writes like, I would call them dark, not dark, dark, but more unhinged romances. She's got a great football series. She also, I believe, has a hockey series too. I just haven't read it yet. also with football though, I think of my sister said a really good one is Broken Play by Riley Page. They all deal with some sort of trauma. in it. So that makes me think, Megan Brandy, who super trauma in Say You Swear, for those who've read it. So a dime a dozen for football romances, honestly. There's so many and they're good. I eat them up. I love football romances. It's the one sport that like I kind of know a little bit about. So yeah, that's huge. Tay: Yeah. There's yeah. It's so thick. It is an omnibus for everybody looking. I don't want everybody to be like, my God, that's one book. There's multiple books in here, people. This is not just this is not just one, but this is an entire series. this is from Bella Matthews and she knows how to write a sports romance and has like dark academia vibes to me in some ways. but it's really, really good. It's her Kings of Cride and Hills, and like I can't recommend this one enough. She's April: Mm-hmm. So pretty. Tay: a really outstanding author and even a more outstanding person. She was one of those ones we met at a book conference and she's just so sweet. this one is a really good football. Besides of Meg and Brandy, I agree. Say you swear with Noah Riley. I mean top tier in terms of football boyfriend, just watching that is so, so good. But definitely recommend all of those series to y'all if y'all like football. Another sport we can recommend is April: So good. Yeah. Tay: Baseball. And there are some really good ones. I pulled a few that I have. We have Caught Up by Liz Tom Forday, which is a really good one. Yep. She has a really good one that's related to baseball. I think this is the fourth one in the series, if I remember correctly. Maybe it's the third. but there's quite a few of these books and I don't know how her brain does it, but she connects all these books. April: That's exactly who I was thinking of. Yeah. Tay: individually so they all kind of link up together. She also has this one in her own league. this is the most recent in the same series. So good. And we talked about role reversal. Well, it is the GM of the baseball team. She owns, you know, the entire thing. And then you also have your well he's the GM and she's the owner. So I think that's really cool. So she's like his boss. There's some temp A forbidden thing going on. So in her own league is really, really good. but just her series overall. But it's not Ted Lasso. I am so sorry, Liz. I fully offended her, I believe. And April witnessed it, and I've never been more embarrassed. I'm like, it's like, you know, the lady who owns the team and Ted, she was like, they do not look like those players. I'm like, April: But it's not Ted Lasso. Tay: no, I didn't mean they look like that. I just meant an essence of what it could be. And she's like looking at me like sure, sure, sure, but I'm offended. And I was like, I'm so sorry. I did not mean to offend you. I love Ted Lasso. it is such a good show. But 10 out of 10, I do I love her still. you know, no harm, no foul to me. I could understand where she was worried that I was making her characters look like that. And I'm like, no, no, no. They can stay hot. April: You're a crazy person. Tay: They can stay totally hot. that's where my brain went. I went to the woman owner and the men who's the soccer coach. I just that's where my brain went. But anyways, so good. April: Yeah. But best thing about Liz Tom Ford, too, is her Wendy City series. I feel as somebody who like me, who is not super heavy sports person, her books are easy to read and understand. And that series in particular covers multiple sports. I think the first book is hockey, second book is basketball, third book, I believe, is baseball. it kind of follows through. Yeah, you've got them all there. It follows through so many different sports. So if you're looking for an author who's gonna write amazing romances that have sports in them but are not like so lingo heavy, she's a really great one for sure. Tay: Yeah, and I I do like how she connects them too. I did feel the need to, as I was reading them, read through the entire series in order. And that was kind of the fun and joy because you kind of would pick up on like who was next in the line. the first book, it follows Stevie and or she's getting on a plane to work as a flight attendant, and though she ends up being with a hockey team on the plane, and of course one of the her and the guys hit it off and they end up being together. Well April: Mm-hmm. Tay: her friend ends up going through a breakup and she's like, you know, I need a place to stay because you're moving out, you know, blah, blah, blah. And so she's like, Well, my brother has a space. And then I'm like, I'm calling it. That is the next book. And it starts with her emotional wreck because she thought she was gonna marry the other guy and et cetera. And then of course, Ryan Shea is the bee's knees, and his book is basketball. April: Yeah. Tay: And like loved that. And it was very service level. We didn't get too deep. There was nothing like I didn't really have to feel like I was having to research the sport and learn like, you know, what all the terminology is or anything like that. So that was great. Cause I could enjoy it feel like I'm her there with her, cheering for him, but then I'm also like, I don't have to worry about it knowing what's going on. It was so great. So April: Mm. I know, I think the right move, which is Liz Tom Forty, is probably the only basketball sports romance I've ever read. I feel like there's not nearly as many as there is football and hockey, which are probably the two most prevalent sports for those things. But I would be interested, somebody recommend to me some more basketball romances. Tay: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, 'cause they're probably out there. They're just not getting as much attention right now as these two major sports right now. So I would love to see more options. And then two, because it is one of my favorites, I'm like it there has to be another one that's like out there that's like a sleeper that I don't even know about that I need to be reading. April: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Exactly. We need to know. We need recommendations for this. Tay: I did put golf on here and we had already talked about that. So the only golf book I've read is Fangirl Down. that one is very niche. Very, very niche. But I'm so proud of her for you know, doing that. Cause go her, because I didn't even know this could go well. So, you know, hey, golfers can be sexy. Thank you, Tessa Bailey, for putting that in the brain. April: Mm-hmm. Fangirl down. Yeah. Golfers could be sexy, yeah. I feel like I've only yeah, I feel like I've only really read golf kind of in a romance book is when they're at like a country club and then they're doing a fundraiser or something like that. I'm thinking of Kat Singleton. I think that they do some golf in some of her billionaire romances. That's really the only thing I can think of that I've read. So we maybe we need golf recommendations too, because Fangirl Down is a favorite of yours. So Tay: Yeah. Yeah. I honestly think it's very niche. I doubt there's any out there. I don't think anybody's gonna be like, yeah, I know golf. If you do, you'll shock me. I'll do something crazy the next episode. If somebody leaves me another golf wreck, I will do something crazy. So, you know, feel free to drop one, but I don't think it's gonna happen. So we do have quite a bit to talk about about hockey. Hockey has just been flooded this last year. And April: Ha ha. Ha ha. Ha ha ha. Right. Yeah. Tay: Honestly, a lot of it has to do with heated rivalry. Now, I will admit myself, I have not watched any of it because it's not really my thing, not in the regard of the gay men, because go them. but I just for me, I'm like, I I just haven't gotten on the craze. I haven't gotten on the, but I understand it. I'm like, you know, I get it, but I just haven't, I haven't rode the wagon yet. So I need to like. April: And how Yeah. Mm-hmm. I haven't read the books, but I heard they're super sexy. But I also heard it takes a long time. Like they it's not like a one book deal and they're together. It's like multiple books before they kind of get their happily ever after. And I Tay: Yeah. Yeah, from what I understand. Very like n Yes. Yeah. Cause it really does. It's a heated rivalry. Like there's tension. There's like, you know, whatever. they just haven't had that moment. people said of course the book was way heavier slow burn than it was like in the show. The show they get right to it, which, you know, hey, I'm like, they gotta keep interest of people now. So they can't have like a whole season of slow burn and then at the very end have a kiss and be like, bye. Everybody would be like, I'm rioting. April: Yeah. In the show. Yeah. Right. And then that's right. And then I think also it helps we have heated rivalry, but then on the other side we have off campus, which has gone absolutely viral. And Tay: Yes. Yeah, I think it's Prime's best performing show on history I'm like, that's crazy. April: Yeah. Yeah. So obviously hockey romance is getting huge amounts of following, huge audience, more and more people. Yes, the deal by L Kennedy. If you enjoyed off campus, that's the series it's based off of. Go read that book. I have read the deal. I've actually read a couple books in that series. They all follow the hockey team players. It's fabulous. It continues on. Like she's got so many spin-off series now that are connected to it. Tay: I do have that one. Mm-hmm. Yeah, she's got like their kids falling in love and like their, I don't even know, grandkids, maybe I don't know, cousins, something. And hey, you know, if you're gonna keep milking that cow, go for it. I mean, people are invested, I'm invested. speaking of her book series got our friend out of a reading slump. Our friend, listen, y'all, was like on a six month, maybe more not reading anything. April: Yeah. It's Tay: Off campus comes out and she's like, Yeah, I'll read the book. She read all four in two weeks. I was like, Holy but Jesus. April: Yeah, that's how good those books are. Tay: It's like, my gosh, you got a friend to not only read a book and finish one, you got her to read four and complete an entire series. L Kennedy, we thank you because she needed that as much as we did. Cause we were dying to talk about stuff. And then meanwhile, she's just like, you know, I'm not really into reading her and reads this entire series. And then she's like, it's so good. Sports brought you out. April: Yes. Right. It did. It did. Yeah, I think of so many hockey romances. I bet everybody, like when we say hockey romance, I bet a lot of people think of so many books. I think of C.R. Jane. She's got a hockey romance series. I think of L Kennedy. There are so many. I think of Chelsea Curto. She's a really up and coming hockey romance writer who is also a phenomenal person, too, by the way. But Tay: Hey. April: I just think there's so many out there. And I feel like a lot of hockey teams like real hockey teams have kind of embraced the idea of hockey romances. I've seen so many teams doing videos, reading books and snippets of it, of off campus and all that, and that's been really fun to see too. Tay: neat they're having girls' nights going to hockey games and then talking about hockey i've been seeing book clubs do nights out and it's so cool to see so i definitely have some recommendations i flood with the recommendations on hockey so we're gonna talk about tessa bailey so tessa bailey has the same series where fangirl down takes place there's other two books where she has hockey related so we talked about the au pair affair last week but she also has one called dream girl drama both of these fill the hockey void April: We love that. Tay: she's kind of a prissy girl and he's a guy on the hockey team and he kind of gets to take her down a peg. And I love that. I love that trope so so much. So she's like, you know, kind of fun, flirty, but a rich girl, and he's just like, girl, please, you know, no, we're not playing that. So I really like this one. Dream Girl Drama was really good. So, both of those I highly recommend from Miss Tessa Bailey. Another one is gonna be Lana Ferguson. Now we met her, she's April: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. She's cute. Tay: Precious, precious. I love her so much. she was so sweet meeting her in person. But she has one called the Game Changer. This hockey series follows a hockey player and a baker. And she finds out that she needs to boost her ratings on a television show. So they end up having her do a baking thing with hockey players. And it's so cute. I love this one. And also, too, I like kind of the idea that's a little more unique than just, you know, I'm like, okay. She has. Her own career, he has his and then they kinda flirt and April: Mm, mm. Tay: So Candy Steiner is the person I'm also thinking of. That is also a hockey romance. she has several in the series. I started with Meet Your Match. All of them are super good. She's an interviewer. He's the new hot shot on the team. She goes to interview him. I love that. I love that trope. he's, you know, kind of Full of himself. So I think it's kind of cool to kind of see that as well because I kind of like them when they're a little snarky and then they turn good towards the end of the book. So really good series. I love Candy Steiner. Can't recommend her enough. my final recommendation when it comes to hockey romance, is Rebecca Jin Shog. Her hockey is so good. She writes it so, so good. So we have this one called Wildcat. I love this one a lot, but lucky shot. April: Mm-hmm. Ooh, yes. Tay: is my latest and greatest. I actually just finished this one. It's so good. So our main female character, she is a romance author. And she wrote a book actually baseball romance. And her publisher is like, you know, baseball's just not it right now. We need you to write hockey. And she's like, hockey? I don't know anything about hockey. So April: Mm-hmm. Tay: Lo and behold, she's like, okay, listening to her publisher and she's like, okay, I need to do this. Meanwhile, it jumps to our main male character who is on the team and he's a I would say on the cusp of retirement, but not retiring. he's also a single dad and he's trying to focus on, you know, good having a good life for him and his son, but then also to focusing on the team and what he needs. And his name is Nick Galaxy. Which I think is such a cool, like, you know, I could I can picture it now where they call him out and whatever. So but lo and behold, his dad, who lives with him as well, rents a room to her. So he's like, yeah, my son would love to teach you stuff. Done tell him. This girl just shows up at the house with all her bags and he's like, Who are you? And like, why are you here? And she's like, I'm here to talk with Nick Galaxy, supposed to be my liaison to talk about sports and he's like April: Wow. Tay: That's me, but I don't even know who the heck you are. So it's so great. I love that kind of meet cue initially and then the dad's like, hee hee hee hee. I got to this girl coming out here to do this. she's gonna loosen him up and make him fun. Well, lo and behold, yeah, loosen up. She they both fall in love. it's very cute. I love this book a lot. But of course, you know, she's at some point they have a whole thing. And, you know, I love, you know, books like that. So very good. Highly recommend the lucky shot. April: Mm-hmm. So cute. Tay: By Rebecca Junshok. That one is a great fills the hockey void. And then too, you do learn stuff in this because the author in the book, the is she is learning, Ruby Madison. She's learning about the sport. So I think that's kinda cool too. the way she plays it off is I'm gonna teach you stuff, but it's gonna be like Nick teaching her. I got to learn a little bit of something, but then too, get to see it from the eyes of herself. So love that series. April: Yeah. Hmm. That's super cute. that. Yes. Yes. Well, all right, besties. That's it for today's episode. Tay: Make sure to follow, download, and share our podcast socials with other book besties. We would love to hear your favorite sports romances. And like I said, I'm up for the challenge. If you can find one, let us know. Please leave a comment on your favorite platform letting us know. April: Mm-hmm. And join us next week where we're talking about books we're feral for. Tay: Ooh ooh and remember. April: We're glad you're here because Tay: It's faded.