A hockey romance that understands the sport as a pressure system: speed, contact, reputation, the constant surveillance of fans and teammates. Unrivaled moves with that same momentum, but it’s most interested in what happens off the ice, when performance drops away and the real work begins. Reid writes intimacy as something built in small, repeated choices: showing up, telling the truth, learning the shape of another person’s fear without trying to conquer it.

WHY WE PICKED IT

This is a book for readers who want heat and humor, yes, but also tenderness that doesn’t feel manufactured. It’s attentive to the cost of being visible, the relief of being known, and the particular kind of courage it takes to keep choosing love when the world would rather you keep it simple.

DETAILS:

• Author: Rachel Reid
• Publisher: Harlequin (Carina Adores)
• Publication date: September 29, 2026
• Format: Paperback
• ISBN/EAN: 1335002693 / 9781335002693