Center Ice (Boston Rebels Book 1)

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars | 8,438 ratings

Price: 4.99

Last update: 02-04-2025


About this item

I’ve always been a wild card – the first to start a fight on the ice, and the life of the party off it – but appearances can be deceiving.

Being traded to the Boston Rebels could not have come at a better time. With serious family obligations to fulfill and a contract renewal with a new hockey team on the line, I have no time for anything else. I return to Boston knowing I need to buckle down and focus on what really matters.

But the first night I’m back in town, I come face to face with Audrey, my college calculus tutor. We had a brief fling right before I was drafted into the NHL. Now, her five year old son is standing by her side, and I don’t need a tutor to do that kind of math.

Audrey insists she doesn’t want me involved in Graham’s life unless I can commit to being a dad. With everything else going on, this is the worst possible timing.

But every minute I spend with Graham and Audrey feels exactly right, and I’m left questioning everything I thought I wanted.

Because now my goals are shifting, and getting what I really want might come at the expense of the game I’ve given my entire life to.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Center Ice is book 1 in the Boston Rebel series, which features interconnected standalones about the players on a fictional professional hockey team.

Tropes:
* Secret baby/child
* Second chance
* Single mom
* He falls first
* Strong female friendships


From the Publisher

She's the weak side
I didn't know I had...
and I'm not sure I want to give her up.

Top reviews from the United States

  • JennaReads
    5.0 out of 5 stars Pure Cuteness!!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2024
    Drew is a pro NHL player and Audrey is his math tutor from college. They have spent 6 years apart from each other after he was recruited to the league. But surprise surprise. Audrey had a secret she needed to tell him and wasn’t able to do so. So when they come across each other and he meets her son, Graham, his whole world tilts on its axis but in the best way possible. This book is so well written, super sweet and has some moments of anguish and sadness as well. But it has a beautiful HEA
  • Annie
    4.0 out of 5 stars Swoon worthy
    Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2025
    Such a heartfelt read. Drew, the NHL bad boy trying to turn his life around, comes back to Boston and unexpectedly crosses paths with Audrey, his college tutor—and her five-year-old son, Graham. It doesn’t take Drew long to realize Graham is his, making him a dad. Watching him step up while falling for Audrey was swoony.

    If you know anything about me, I love the "he takes care of her" mini trope...and it is done MANY times in this book.

    The story flowed so well, and felt genuinely sweet and real. The connection between Drew and Audrey gave me heart flutters, but it’s the way he bonds with Graham that truly melted me.

    If you are looking for a story about second chances, family, and figuring out what really matters that just so happens to include hockey...look no further.
  • Ida H
    3.0 out of 5 stars a good palate cleanser
    Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2024
    While this is not the book that changed my life, it was definitely engaging and entertaining.
    It had a good enough plot, interesting characters and side characters. Funny moments, serious moments. It was overall good.
    Was it a life changing read? No
    Was it the best book I’ve read? Also no
    Will I recommend? Yes. This the book to read in between books if you’re a mood reader like me.
    Didn’t really feel like a sports romance, it flowed nice and with a good pace..
    Anyhow I got nothing bad to say, also nothing great to say, it was just okay.
    3/5 ⭐️
  • Gabrielle (BookishandBallgowns)
    5.0 out of 5 stars Surprise! It’s a kindergartener
    Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2024
    Drew and Audrey met in college when he needed a calculus tutor. The two grew close over the semester and fell into bed for one glorious night once he aced his final. After he got drafted by the NHL they parted ways without a word until fate brings him back to Boston. He gets traded to their very own home team and it turns out she’s still living in the area and a mutual friend of the team. When he shows up at his agents party and locks eyes with the beautiful girl from college, the last thing he’s expecting is for her to RUN.

    Audrey needs to escape fast, but it’s too late. The moment Drew locks eyes with the beautiful boy that calls her mommy, she knows the jig is up. Luckily his confusion gives her just enough time to grab her son and leave. Drew didn’t want them all those years ago, and she sure as heck isn’t going to give him another chance to leave them behind.

    This story was so fun and unfolded so differently from what I was expecting. Despite his flaws, Drew is a self aware king. I respected that he was able to admit how much he messed up all those years ago, and the way he was willing to prove how much he’s changed.

    If you enjoy a story about a single super mama this one is for you. She’s headstrong and independent, and also doing an incredible job in her career. I loved that having a child didn’t stop her from pursuing her own dreams. Too often we get stories about struggling single moms, where the fancy billionaire sports star swoops in to rescue them. However in this one, Audrey doesn’t need him and that made it all the more compelling. Drew has to put in work to fit into their lives and I was eating up all the nice little gestures.

    This was my first read from this author and it was super easy to dive right into. Although I could tell this was set up as spin off series, I was easily able to jump into the story with no confusion. It was fast paced, and sweet focusing mostly on Audrey and Drew with little glimpses of their son. I loved all these characters immediately, and cannot wait to go back to discover the stories I missed.

    I’m very excited that Audrey’s sister’s book is up next. There was plenty of tension hinted through the book, and I’m so ready to see where her journey leads
  • lorenzo
    4.0 out of 5 stars sooooo cute!!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2025
    Loved Drew and Audrey! Even though Drew wasn’t the walking red flag I love in a MMC, I loved him all the same! This read suddenly made me love the healthy relationship trope. Overall really enjoyed, but not sure I would read again.
  • Tiffany McQuay
    5.0 out of 5 stars Angsty Romance w/ Hockey Flair
    Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2024
    This was an emotional read and I was very happy it had a happy ending because I felt like I went through it to get there. Spoilers ahead!

    The romance was steamy and I feel like you get a lot of angst and longing to go with it all. This is kind of second chance romance, with an unknown child. Drew is a hockey player who had a one night stand with Audrey his tutor back in college. She tried to contact him to let him know she was pregnant, but through miscommunication and mistakes made by both of them he never finds out. Audrey’s brother is Drew’s agent so she never wanted to push the issue and possibly sabatoge his career. She becomes a single mom and goes on to really rock her career and parenting with the help of her family. It’s not until years later that Drew and Audrey meet again at a party and Drew immediately knows her son is his son too. Drew is back home to help care for his mom and support his sisters and knowing he’s a dad now makes him want to step up for Audrey and their son now too. Audrey isn’t sure about letting him in, but their connection is strong and they never got the chance before. Can she trust who he is now and will he be the man she needs him to be? That is the premise for the whole book and the real life situations that come up are sometimes really heart wrenching to read. It took me some time to read through certain areas because at time it hit a little close to home for me, but it was worth it to get to the happy ending. I’m excited to check out the next book in this series.

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