The Longest Shot: A second chance hockey romance (Pine Barren University) by Clara West

Morgan Riley doesn't let herself feel anything, except hate for James Fitzgerald. As captain of Pine Barren University's brand-new women's hockey team, Morgan built herself into something unbreakable. She thinks vulnerability is weakness and emotion is a liability, and it's James who taught her that lesson—the night he took something real and precious and turned it into a punchline for his teammates. Three years later, they're back in each other's life. And James "Rook" Fitzgerald is unavoidable. He's chaos personified—the captain of the national champion Pine Barren Devils, all charm, noise, and effortless confidence. It's a performance he's perfected to keep the world at arm's length and his feelings buried deep. But he's never been able to forget the girl who made him feel safe. As rival captains forced to share ice time, history, and a tension that never really cooled, staying civil isn't an option. Competition turns personal and their clashes bleed into stolen moments, reckless chemistry, and a connection neither of them can afford. Old wounds don't stay buried. And second chances always come with a cost. Read more