Peach Blossom Hollow

Will this shy mascot fall for the rookie hockey player in this friends to lovers hockey romance?

Violet Granger believes she’s been cursed when it comes to love.

And crushing on the new recruit? A hunky, former bull-riding champion who’s joined the NHL hockey team she mascots for, surely won’t help. He’s kind, sweet, and doesn’t seem to be bothered by the way her tongue twists up and her brain freezes whenever he’s around.

Leo Pattra knows nothing about curses or the way men leave Violet. But he’s certainly charmed by her quiet wit and shy awkwardness. He even finds that he misses her when they aren’t hanging out.

Only problem? Dating the team’s mascot won’t help him achieve the goals he’s laid out for himself, now that he’s got his family’s ranch debt under control.

But what if there’s another path to his goals? One that includes love? One that skirts the curse that has Violet in its hold? Just as long as he doesn’t find himself traded to another team this season…

This charming fish-out-of-water, friends-to-lovers, small town romance has all the feels. Come fall in love with the characters of Sweetheart Creek in this new heartwarming sweet romance hockey series, Hockey Sweethearts. The books in this series can be read as standalones as well as in any order.

Violet Granger pushed on the changing room door with her cumbersome costumed hands. Locked. She angled her head back to aim the costume’s eye holes at the number on the door. She’d left her street clothes in an even-numbered room.
At least she was pretty certain she had. After an hour of running around out in the hockey arena to get used to the bulky green and black dragon costume, she was a sweaty, frustrated mess.
Tempted to pull off the massive head so she could see and breathe better—even though that was supposedly forbidden outside the changing room—she waddled farther down the hallway, her dragon tail wagging after her.
But this dragon costume was a method, according to an online pop psychologist, to help Violet break out of her shyness in a safe way. She hadn’t always been this timid, but having love smack her down enough times… Well, a part of her spirit had just given up on her.
So to be different, she had to act different. Become different through action. With her new job as a mascot she was placing herself in a situation where she had to be gregarious and goofy, playing to the team’s fans. Wearing the costume would reacclimatize her to being the woman she once was, one not afraid of putting herself out there.
There would be no more locked jaw due to shyness. She would be free. And able to talk to hunky men.
Then she’d find love.
And there were plenty of men here in this arena to test her new theory out on.
Potential love matches? Statistically, there had to be several.
Violet stopped in front of the next even-numbered locker room door.
Bliss. That’s what it would feel like to push her sweat-soaked hair off her forehead and out of her eyes. She’d feel so light and comfortable in her street clothes.
She placed her hands on the green door and inhaled. Oh, to have a refreshing shower and a nice long drink of cool water.
She pushed against the door. It opened an inch, then shut again. Violet let out a frustrated growl and heaved her entire five-foot-two-inch frame against the freshly painted metal. This time it gave easily, sending her flailing forward into the room, tripping on her large dragon feet and then plowing into a figure that stood between her and the cinderblock wall just beyond.
She landed face-first, her costume head sliding up and off as gravity tugged her downward. The man grabbed for her while she twisted, struggling to get her feet under her as the door banged against her leg. As Violet slid to the floor between the wall and a giant hockey bag she caught a glimpse of what she was certain were naked torsos and men in boxer shorts.
Wrong room.
Splayed on her back, Violet closed her eyes, wishing her dragon head hadn’t come off in her tumble.
Worst day ever.
“Are you okay?” asked the man she’d fallen against.
Why had she taken this job?
With a sigh she cracked one eyelid open, letting the man fussing over her come into focus. Hockey player. Kneeling. Looking concerned. His two front teeth were slightly crooked and he had kind, dark blue eyes. He was fresh-faced, ready to get onto the ice for practice.
And she was a sweaty mess. Violet scrunched her eyes shut again, wanting to pretend she was dead.
“Are you okay?” he repeated.
She swallowed hard, glancing up at him again. She knew this guy. Okay, she didn’t know him, but knew of him. Leo Pattra, former bull riding champion who was now playing in the National Hockey League, like switching professional sports was something people did all the time. He was a sweet, hunky hottie she’d be absolutely tongue-tied around should they ever meet.
And they were meeting.
He was standing over her, looking more and more concerned the longer she remained silent.
Maybe she could will herself to pass out until it was all over?
Violet sighed and tried to sit up, but her large dragon belly made it impossible to fold forward. She attempted to roll onto her side, but found herself wedged between the bag and the wall. She flopped back again, feeling like an upside-down turtle.
“Need help?” Leo asked, watching her with those lovely eyes. He held out his hand, but with her giant dragon-clawed paws she knew she couldn’t grasp it. Nor could she push her bangs out of her eyes so she could see better.
Maybe she could will herself to disappear, like how she’d pretended she was invisible when she was a kid.
Just close your eyes. Ignore the hunky man…