The Games We Play

Series · 9 books · 2024-2026

By L.A. Witt, Denver Shaw, Susan Scott Shelley, and more

Books in series

Red Line

2024

The Games We Play, Book 1 Theo Mathis doesn’t regret defying the general manager during his brief stint on the Seattle Rainiers last season. The rainbow tape on his stick cost him dearly, but he’d do it again in a heartbeat… even though it means he’ll never get called up from the minors again while that GM is at the helm. Then a flood of injuries leaves Seattle desperate for players, and Theo gets called up after all. But he’s provoke the GM again, and he will regret it. Except stick tape wasn’t the only line Theo skated over, and the temptation to cross it again has nothing to do with spite. Equipment manager Christian Hayes has had that hot minor league player living rent-free in his head ever since they hooked up last year. It wasn’t love, but it was fun, and he wishes they could do it again because they want to—not as an act of rebellion. If Christian’s dad ever finds out, there will be hell to pay. But it’s a non-issue, since his dad—the team’s GM—has vowed to never call up that player again no matter how bad the team needs him… and he doesn’t even know Theo and Christian hooked up. Now Theo’s back in the Rainiers’ locker room. They don’t dare risk a rematch—they both value their careers too much. All they have to do is ride this out for a few games until Theo’s sent back down. Easy enough. Right? But their mutual attraction refuses to be ignored. And it looks like Theo’s going to be staying a while. The Games We Play is a multi-author minor league hockey romance series! All titles run concurrently through the same hockey season and the books can be read in any order, so jump in anywhere!

Just Add Ice

2024

Sparks fly when ice meets fire. After eight years in the minors, Rayne “the Pain” Hamilton has realized two things: One, his chances of getting called up to the Big Show are rapidly dwindling with each passing season; and two, he needs a plan for life after hockey. What he doesn’t bargain for is the gorgeous instructor at the fire training center who ignites his heart with burning desire. Nick Seavers had a great life until his husband died suddenly, and his sun blinked out. A demanding career firefighting and teaching the next generation of firefighters are the only things keeping him sane. The last thing he wants is one of the new trainees, a larger-than-life hockey player with mischievous eyes, taking up space in his head and making him feel things he never thought he’d feel again. As the heat rises between Rayne and Nick, trade rumors begin circulating and Rayne has to decide: Move to yet another city and start all over again or step off the ice and into the fire with Nick. The Games We Play is a multi-author minor league hockey romance series. All titles run concurrently through the same hockey season, and the books can be read in any order, so jump in anywhere!

On Thin Ice

2024

As captain of the LA Grizzlies, Ryan ‘Ry’ Bennett’s life is all about hockey and pushing himself to the limit. A future in the major leagues would fulfill his life-long dream, but at 32, it seems like a far-off goal, especially as he watches younger, more promising players earn their chance. Then he skates into Ry’s life. Twenty-two year-old Alexander ‘Xander’ Harrison, a ray of sunshine, turns Ry’s world upside down. From their first clash at training camp to the late-night conversations that reveal the man beneath the surface, Ry finds himself drawn to Xander in ways he can't explain. Xander’s everything Ry’s not - carefree, optimistic, and unapologetically himself. Ry never thought he'd find love, especially with a man. But Xander shows him that love doesn't care about expectations or pasts. It just is. When a league shake-up threatens to tear them apart, Ry knows he can't let go without a fight. Because in the end, love isn't about the games we play. It's about the person we choose to stand with, no matter what. What to dual first person pov, slow burn, double bi-awakening, grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract, found family and a guaranteed HEA. The Games We Play is a multi-author minor league hockey romance series! All titles run concurrently through the same hockey season and the books can be read in any order, so jump in anywhere!

Love of the Game

2024

Drake Williams was the up-and-coming young player on the Pittsburgh Lions, racking up points like a star. Now in his third season, his star has fallen and his scoring touch is gone. The puck hates his stick, and he’s more liability than asset. No other team in the major league wants him. When the Lions waive him, he’s sent to the Greensburg Otters—proof of how far he’s dropped. Greensburg feels like a million miles from Pittsburgh rather forty. But when Drake unexpectedly finds a queer biker bar off the beaten path, he thinks he might survive his time in the minors, especially when Jon, the bar’s sexy owner, flirts with him. That is, until the next morning, when he’s re-introduced to Jon as Jonny Eriksson, team captain of the Otters. Jon Eriksson’s got the hockey IQ but not the hands or the wheels for the big league, and that’s fine. He likes the Otters. Of course he knows who Drake is, and he’s intrigued by the distraught, young player. Jon knows Drake’s the real deal—a star in the making—and will only be on the Otters long enough to recapture his game. It’s Jon’s duty to help rekindle that love for the game. That’s not all that gets ignited, though. Soon enough, they’re tangled into each other’s life in a way Jon’s never felt before. But what happens to their smoldering love once Drake is recalled to the Lions? The Games We Play is a multi-author minor league hockey romance series! All titles run concurrently through the same hockey season, and the books can be read in any order, so jump in anywhere!

Game Winner

The Games We Play - Season 2

2025

Bax Knight’s star is on the rise. His rock band is finally on the radar of the music label of their dreams, and the pressure to outdo themselves with each song and performance is strong. The drummer needs a distraction and finds it in a flirtation with two hockey players that quickly leads to more. Soren Lindstrom is on a mission. His dream is to play for hockey’s top league, and he works hard hoping to achieve it. The quirky goalie can’t deny the pull toward the easygoing drummer and the shy hockey forward he’s crushed on for years. Starting something with them fulfills him in ways he never expected, but threatens to scatter his focus from his game. Tyler Moore is on his last chance. A hockey career riddled with injuries kept him on the bench more often than being on the ice and from connecting with teammates and fulfilling his dreams. Being traded to the Saint Paul Slash reunites him with Soren, introduces him to Bax, and gives him a taste of finally belonging. As outside pressures mount and unexpected slap shots careen their way, the trio discover that falling in love changes everything, including what matters most, what they want, and what they’ll do when their hearts are in play. The Games We Play - Season 2 is the second season of this multi-author minor league hockey romance series! All titles run concurrently through the same hockey season and the books can be read in any order, so jump in anywhere!

#10

Against the Odds

The Games We Play - Season 2

2025

Callum I've wanted to play pro hockey since I was nine years old. That's when my grandfather looked at an angry, hurting, orphaned kid and said, "A sport might be a good way for you to work some of that out." Sadly, in the Under-11s division, punching people wasn't part of the game, which is how I ended up a goalie, to keep me out of temptation's way. Well, plus I'm good at it. Now I'm in the PHL, and have the second-best record (and yes, the most penalties) of any goalie in the league. I'm aiming for the NAPH and when I make it, I'm going to pay off my grandfather's mortgage and get the family store back out of debt. I'm not going to let anything derail me, not my high-school crush moving in next door, nor my least-favorite uncle showing up. But sometimes determination isn't enough to keep life going my way. Zeke I joined the Vancouver police department to honor my military dad after he passed and do good in the world. But a long stint undercover left its marks, and now suddenly I'm the guardian for my twelve-year-old half-brother. I'm rethinking everything about my life, and scrambling to fit a bereaved pre-teen into my shift work. Only help from my elderly neighbor, Mr. Fitzpatrick, and his hockey player grandson, Callum, lets me keep my head above water. My attraction to Callum is a whole other problem. I'm trying hard not to let my appreciation for red hair and strong muscles and blunt honesty get out of control. Because Callum's gay but he's definitely not out and not looking for a relationship. We're just convenient. I'm not going to be the one to mess up his single-minded drive toward the top professional league. Until the day he comes to me, asking for help, and everything changes. The Games We Play - Season 2 - is the second season of this multi-author minor league hockey romance series! All titles run concurrently through the same hockey season and the books can be read in any order, so jump in anywhere!

#11

The Five Hole

The Games We Play - Season 2

2025

Part of The Games We Play series A small-town, slow-burn MM romance full of hockey, heart, and second chances Roe Monroe Taking a lap in hockey purgatory wasn’t in my plan, but I guess even hockey players don’t plan on blowing out a knee, much less picking up some bad habits on how to deal with the injury. Fox River Falls wasn’t in the plan either, a town where gossip spreads faster than a slapshot and the local coffee shop doubles as a soap opera set. I’m here to earn my way back to the NHL—not to flirt with the grumpy carpenter who hates everything I stand for. Too bad his kid worships me, his scowl kind of turns me on, and his quiet, steady belief in me? Yeah, that’s dangerous. I’m not here to stay. But he’s making me want things I swore I’d given up on. Gabe Thatcher I build things with my hands, raise my kid, and avoid the gossip that Fox River Falls loves so well. Roe Monroe is exactly the kind of trouble I don’t want, don’t need. He’s cocky, chaotic, and everything I swore I wouldn’t let near my son—or my heart. But he sees something in me I stopped believing was there. And when he looks at me, I forget my name. Somehow, he fits into the life I thought I was building alone. The Games We Play Season 2 is the second season of this multi-author minor league hockey romance series! All titles run concurrently through the same hockey season and the books can be read in any order, so jump in anywhere!

#12

Between the Pipes

The Games We Play - Season 2

2026

Isaiah Charming was the hottest goalie in his college division last year. He hoped to make it all the way to the big leagues. Unfortunately, he got drafted to the worst franchise in the league and stuck on the lowest tier of the minors to start the season. Chase Kinsey had two things he loved - hockey and Tim. Only Tim has moved on to a younger man, taking control of the season tickets Chase paid for. After moving to a completely different state, Chase is looking for a fresh start to forget. Samwise Talbot loves his job despite working for a losing franchise. It allows him to be a part of the game he loves while having zero skill on the ice. When the hot new goalie is called up, Sam and Chase find that what they're looking for might just be between the pipes. The Games We Play - Season 2 is the second season of this multi-author minor league hockey romance series! All titles run concurrently through the same hockey season and the books can be read in any order, so jump in anywhere!

#13

Hearts on Ice

2025

I’ve stopped pucks my whole career. What I can’t stop… is wanting him. Drew Six years ago, I buried my heart with my wife and daughter. Since then, I’ve lived by one rule—keep it professional, keep it safe. But the kid in the net? He’s wrecking my rules one save at a time. Miguel plays with heart. Reads the ice like it’s poetry. Sees me in ways no one has in years. He’s too young. Too alive. Too off-limits. And every time he smiles, I start to wonder if what I buried wasn’t just love—maybe it was who I am. Miguel Drew is discipline in a gray hoodie and heartbreak in human form. I never thought I’d fall for anyone—especially not a man. But something about him makes the rules blur and the air between us catch fire. Every look is a risk. Every touch, a line we shouldn’t cross. Some loves break the rules. This one remakes them. Hearts on Ice is a forbidden MM hockey romance with age gap tension, double bi-awakening, slow burn heat, and enough hurt/comfort to break your heart before putting it back together. The Games We Play—Season 2 is the second season of this multi-author minor-league hockey romance series! All titles run concurrently through the same hockey season and the books can be read in any order, so jump in anywhere!

Authors

USA Today bestselling author Susan Scott Shelley writes stories with heat and heart, where love always wins. Her romances give readers lighthearted and emotionally satisfying escapes into happily ever after. In addition to crafting stories, she is also a professional voiceover artist and enjoys lending her voice to a wide range of projects. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and is an avid fan of her hometown sports teams. Her favorite things include running (honestly, it's more like jogging), sports (especially hockey), hard rock (but will listen to anything from heavy metal to show tunes), and writing about people from all walks of life finding their special someone. Learn more at http://www.susanscottshelley.com

Kaje Harper

Author · 81 books

I get asked about my name a lot. It's not something exotic, though. “Kaje” is pronounced just like “cage” – it’s an old nickname, and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I was born in Montreal but have lived for 30 years in Minnesota, where the two seasons are Snow-removal and Road-repair, where the mosquito is the state bird, and where winter can be breathtakingly beautiful. Minnesota’s a kind, quiet (if sometimes chilly) place and it’s home. I’ve been writing far longer than I care to admit (*whispers – fifty years*), mostly for my own entertainment, usually M/M romance (with added mystery, fantasy, historical, SciFi…) I also have a few Young Adult stories (some released under the pen name Kira Harp.) My husband finally convinced me that after all the years of writing for fun, I really should submit something, somewhere. My first professionally published book, Life Lessons, came out from MLR Press in May 2011. I have a weakness for closeted cops with honest hearts, and teachers who speak their minds, and I had fun writing four novels and three freebie short stories in that series. I was delighted and encouraged by the reception Mac and Tony received. I now have a good-sized backlist in ebooks and print, both free and professionally published. A complete list with links can be found on my website "Books" page at https://kajeharper.com/. You can find me and my book reviews on my author page here on Goodreads - I hang out on Goodreads a lot because I moderate the Goodreads YA LGBT Books group. I also post free short YA stories on that group, more than 50 of them so far. You can also find me on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/KajeHarper

Cover artist by day, author by night, L.C. Chase is a two-time Lambda Literary Award finalist for Pickup Men and Pulling Leather, an EPIC eBook Awards winner for Pickup Men, a nine-time Ariana eBook Cover Art Awards winner, and Bronze winner in Sinfully’s 2014 Reader’s Choice Awards for Cover of the Year. She also won runner-up for Best Gay Contemporary Romance and Best Gay Book in the 2016 Rainbow Awards for A Fortunate Blizzard, honorable mention for Best Gay Contemporary Romance in the 2015 Rainbow Awards for Pulling Leather, and Best Gay Mystery/Thriller in the 2012 Rainbow Awards for Riding with Heaven. You can find L.C. on her website, lcchase.com, and subscribe to her totally sporadic newsletter for more about her works in progress, new releases, newsletter exclusives, and more. Or join her facebook reader group: Chasing Ever After.

Anna Zabo (they/them) writes contemporary and paranormal romance for all colors of the rainbow. They live and work in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which isn’t nearly as boring as most people think. Anna is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns and prefers Mx. Zabo as an honorific. Anna grew up in the wilds of suburban Philadelphia before returning to their ancestral homelands in Western Pennsylvania. They can be easily plied with coffee. Anna has an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, where they fell in with a roving band of romance writers and never looked back. They also have a BA in Creative Writing from Carnegie Mellon University.