He’s a gruff, rule-bound coach. She’s a polished negotiator who rewrites the playbook. They’re strictly business … until her brother’s small-town wedding forces them off the bench and into a game neither saw coming.

Natalie Callahan thrives on control. She knows how to navigate tough conversations, lock down million-dollar deals, and keep things strictly professional. Especially with Coach Frank Davidson, the grumpy, set-in-his-ways taskmaster who pushes all her buttons … and not in a good way. Their “professional disagreements” are legendary.

But when Natalie returns to Maple Falls for her brother Theo’s wedding, everything shifts. Away from the rink and under the twinkle lights of small-town chaos, Frank is suddenly less infuriating and a lot more intriguing. Turns out, beneath the scowl is a man with loyalty, passion, and an off-limits appeal that’s getting harder to ignore by the day.

Frank knows better than to blur lines with the smart, stunning woman who negotiates his roster. But wedding toasts, forced proximity, and the simmering tension they’ve been ignoring for months? That’s a game-changer. And with the team betting on when they’ll finally cave, it’s only a matter of time before sparks fly in the most inconvenient, unforgettable way.

In a town where everyone’s watching and love plays by its own rules, can a grumpy coach and a headstrong agent find common ground off the ice? Or will pride, fear, and a few too many opinions from the peanut gallery cost them their biggest win yet?

✨ Tropes you’ll love:

• Grumpy x Polished

• Enemies-to-Lovers

• Forced Proximity (hello, wedding chaos)

• Small-Town Shenanigans

• Age Gap

• Team Betting Pool on the Romance

• Secret Softies & Hidden Depths

• He Falls First… but Denies It

• She Negotiates Everything, Except Her Feelings

• Instant What Is This Feeling Vibes

• Big City Woman vs. Small Town Man Energy

• Hockey Coach Who Looks at Her Like She’s the Whole Rink