Strong and Wild: An Enemies to Lovers Hockey Romance (Lakes Hockey Book 2) (Lakes Hockey Series)

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars | 9,418 ratings

Price: 4.99

Last update: 12-19-2024


About this item

Micky
I’m new to this city, but things are looking up. My bestie’s husband hooked me up with a great apartment above the hockey bar where I currently work, and I’ve got a great side gig bringing in plenty of cash to help fund my dream of opening my own cocktail lounge, Sugar & Ice. Life is sweet. My new neighbor, on the other hand, is not.

When he reveals his true self, I hate what I discover. Until some of his secrets unravel, proving we have more in common than I realized, and I don’t mean hobbies like rock climbing or outdoor concerts. No, we have the good stuff—shared trauma. I promised myself I’d never let that negativity back into my life again, but my heart tells me Rhys is worth it.


Rhys
Hockey comes first. Always has, always will. I’ve got a one-year contract, 365 days to prove to them I’m worth the investment—which is why I need to stay far away from the woman across the hall. She thinks we’re strangers, but we know each other quite well. I need to keep it that way.

The problem is she’s everywhere. Across the hall, on my laptop, bartending where my team hangs out. Micky is like a loose thread that I can’t stop tugging. Then one night, she steps in to do me a favor, and all my defenses get shot to hell. Now I’m showing her the real me, but it might not be enough for her.

Note: This 18+ spicy hockey romance features dirty talk, praise, degradation, angst, enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and of course, a happily ever after.

CW: Drug use, addiction, death, slut-shaming.


Top reviews from the United States

  • Carissa Caulum
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2024
    I loved this book! This is the second book in the Lake Hockey series.This book is enemies to lovers, praise & degradation, forced proximity and sassy FMC. I loved Micky and Rhys’s story. I loved the banter in this book. I loved the storyline. The chemistry and tension between Rhys and Micky were perfect. The spice was perfect in this book. The character development throughout the book was great! This book had me feeling all the feels. The mouth on Rhys had my heart melting.The way he got her to break her walls down and trust him. The dinning room scene. When they put the furniture together had me swooning.

    Favorite Quote: ““She gives me a rush the way hockey does. Like she’s someone I could devote myself to.”
  • Thalia McBride
    4.0 out of 5 stars Deep and Supportive Relationship!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2024
    I was genuinely apprehensive about diving into this book. Before We Came set such a high bar with its top-tier story and unforgettable characters, Birdie and Lonan, and honestly, it became one of my all-time favorites. The idea of stepping into Birdie’s best friend Freya’s story was both exciting and nerve-wracking. Freya was such an important side character in the first book; I didn’t want her character’s strength or essence to feel compromised in any way. I was also VERY cautious because both Freya and Rhys have strong, dominant personalities, and reading that dynamic can sometimes feel intense for me, who also has a dominant personality. But I’m here to say I was completely wrong—Strong and Wild surpassed all my expectations!

    Freya and Rhys's chemistry was absolutely electric, and their powerful connection felt genuine and complex, not just hot but deeply supportive. I loved how they championed each other’s dreams and stayed true to their own values, especially when facing personal challenges. Addiction plays a significant role in this story, and it was woven in with so much care, adding a layer of depth that was raw and moving. Freya’s patience, strength, and fierce love for those close to her truly stood out. While I usually gravitate toward the MMC, Freya might be my favorite character in this series. Seeing her care for others while staying true to herself was amazing, and I especially loved the glimpses of Birdie and Lonan’s world through her eyes. Rhys, on the other hand, was quietly powerful, strong, and loyal. His journey on and off the team was a pleasure to watch unfold.

    This was a fantastic follow-up to Before We Came, and I felt it truly did justice to the series. If you loved the first book, Strong and Wild is a must-read—it’s packed with emotion, intrigue, and the kind of intense connection that makes Sloane St. James’s work so unforgettable.
  • Tina
    5.0 out of 5 stars absolutely loved it
    Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2023
    I saw a random review for this book on social media, and I am so glad I did. This book was top notch plot, character development, and spice.

    Rhys is a rookie for the Lakes, so he doesn’t have time for women in real life. But he starts talking with Queen of Tarts, a webcam girl he’s become infatuated with. Then he finds out she is actually Freya (Micky), his neighbor who works in the hockey bar below their apartments. I don’t want to give away too much in my review, but the two share not only incredible chemistry but a weight on their hearts in loving other people who’ve battled addiction which draws them closer.

    The way Freya helps Rhys deal with his family issues was so realistically well written. She helps develop his character growth, which was a strength of this story. The two are also ultra compatible in the bedroom, which creates a delicious balance of degradation and praise. Their entire relationship is pure fire, which Rhys admits in the end: “Our love is fire, Freya. It’s strong and wild, and knows no bounds.”

    I’m definitely going back to read book 1 in this series, and I am excited to see where else subsequent books will go.
  • Bills & Books
    3.0 out of 5 stars Rhys and Micky
    Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2024
    I love Micky. She was such a vibe in book one and I love her and her energy, and after reading her book, her strength. And I was so excited for her book. And since we didn’t know Rhys, I was so excited to meet him. And I knew this was an enemies to lovers and I’m always here for that.

    The beginning of this book was great. I loved the small world moment and then Rhys realizing who his neighbor was. Then when Micky finds out, watching Rhys get back into her good graces. I loved the ending of this book too. The closure for Rhys, the help for Anna, watching Rhys help Micky achiever her dreams. I loved meeting the different layers of Rhys and Micky. This book also handles some tough topics and I felt like they were handled so well and with so much care.

    Where this book fell a little flat for me is I just never felt the chemistry between Rhys and Micky. I didn’t feel the connection and spark between them, and it made the middle part of the book harder for me to get through. I loved these characters, I loved their story, I love Sloane’s writing and the way she tells stories. The spice was on point, but the love and romance was missing for me; I just wish I could have felt the chemistry and comparability between these two, and I don’t know why I didn’t.

    Regardless, I would still 100% recommend this book and this series. I’m excited to continue with the Lakes hockey crew and see where Barrett, Raleigh, and Arthur’s story takes us next.
  • quickcat
    4.0 out of 5 stars Micky and Rhys!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2024
    Okay, guys, I am officially HOOKED on this series! I can't get enough!
    I love the good romance, the spicy bits that are definitely doing their spicy thang, and the something extra thrown in where in addition to a good plot we get something deep and real.
    I had a bit of a hard time with this one hitting me right in the emotions because I was with someone who lost themselves in addiction. It's such a tough topic to do accurately and with sensitivity. Sloane St. James did it flawlessly! I'm a fan for life and will absolutely be reading anything and everything put out in the future. I'm all excited to see there's already another book in the series that I'm off to read literally NOW.
    Happy reading peeps!

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