Bad Pucking Timing by Michele Lenard

The ice is my sanctuary. My happy place. It's also why I'm living a lie. Ever have a lifelong dream that’s within reach, only to have a different one take you by surprise? That’s what happened when I got drafted to the Colorado Bulldogs hockey team. After years of grueling practices, boarding schools, and denying who I am off the ice, my sacrifices were about to pay off. Enter Xander Nydek. Dark and brooding with a side dish of comic nerd—aka my kryptonite—our chance encounter was supposed to be a one-time thing. Then I ran into him again. And again. And—the third time may have been planned, but only because I can’t stop thinking about him. I’m the top rookie in the NHL draft, at the start of what’s expected to be a promising career. Staying in the closet should be a no-brainer. But if I’m in, Xander’s out of my life. Now I’m wondering if glory on the ice is worth losing a lifetime of happiness with the one person I’m not supposed to fall for. My coach’s son. Gretzky takes on the grump in this forbidden MM romance featuring a hockey prodigy and a brooding skateboarder who try to be "just" friends amid driving lessons, nosy friends, and sword crossing - literally - that blurs the lines. Authors Note: Bad Pucking Timing is a queer romance featuring hockey players, not a hockey book featuring lgbtq+ love. Readers who love golden retriever heroes that win over the grouch will enjoy this light-hearted, steamy yet touching love story. This spicy journey contains gay characters, same-sex romance, and themes of acceptance. It’s written as book one in the Colorado Bulldogs MM hockey series.