Rookie Season by Katie Bailey and Leah Brunner (August 21, 2025) Thank you, @bookedwiththeemliys @authorkatiebailey and @Leah.brunner.writes for the gifted advanced reading copy of the first book in the Hockey Boys of Loft 3B series!
Noah Downsby is just starting his first season in the NHL and is laser-focused on playing his best and contributing to the team on the ice. He does not need any distractions. He certainly was not planning on Ally Callahan being his roommate. He’d planned on rooming with three other NHL players, but when one had to bail due to an injury, his roommate offered the room to Ally, an acquaintance from college. Ally is looking for a fresh start in San Francisco, not romantic entanglements. Ally quickly becomes “one of the guys” to her other roommates, but Noah is more difficult to read. However, as they spend more time together, they begin to see some commonalities. Her cat also can’t stop loving on Noah, and he pretends not to love it himself. Soon, they are striking up a friendship that evolves into more as they open up about the raw emotions that have shaped them both.
I’ve been a ride or die Katie Bailey fan for years and have also enjoyed all of the Leah Brunner books I’ve read, so I was incredibly excited about a book that brings together adult versions of characters from their books as the start of a new series that is uniquely its own while being true to the worlds each author created independently. Although this is a sweet, fun hockey romance with lots of charm and humor, it also deftly deals with emotional issues around the death of parents and attempted assault (off-page, before the timeline of the book). And it has an adorable cat. In addition to the central characters, I am excited for future books that will focus on their roommates, as they are both incredibly charming.
🎧 Audiobook Thoughts: C.J. Bloom and Stephen Dexter are perfect, as usual, bringing Noah and Allegra to life exactly how I envisioned them in this dual narration performance! (8h 42m)
📚Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
🎧 Audio performance: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
🔥 Spice: Closed Door
Book Smart Kate 