No Rhyme or Roughing is a steamy hockey romance about forbidden crushes, viral dances, and the kind of tension that only gets worse when you’re stuck under the same roof.
Sydney Valentine is done playing muse to powerful men. After a secret relationship with her rockstar client nearly cost her everything, the last thing she needs is another career-ruining entanglement. She’s back in California, crashing at her brother’s place, and keeping things strictly professional—until she runs straight into Ryder Cassidy.
Her brother’s best friend. Her childhood crush. The man who now lives under the same roof and looks at her like she’s not a kid anymore.
Ryder’s career isn’t what it used to be. He’s the grumpy captain of a flailing minor league hockey team, desperate to save his franchise from being sold. When Sydney proposes an outrageous idea—teach him to dance, go viral, and pack the arena—he agrees. With one condition: no feelings. No crossing lines.
They both know what’s at stake. If her brother finds out, it’s game over. If the media digs into her past, she loses everything. But their late-night rehearsals are filled with stolen glances, whispered confessions, and hands that linger a little too long. And when a fake kiss in front of an ex turns real, the fallout isn’t far behind.
Now, they’re hiding in plain sight, pretending it’s all for the team… while losing the battle off the ice.
Perfect for fans of brother’s-best-friend tension, grumpy-sunshine heat, and dance-me-to-destruction chemistry, No Rhyme or Roughing is about what happens when the one person you shouldn’t want is the only one who really sees you.