After a phone call, secrets about Aspen’s life are unveiled. Between the discovery of her past and the complications that arise in her small Oklahoma hometown, the single mom finds herself suddenly moving to New York to start a new career and a new life with her ten-year-old son.
Callan is the center iceman for The New York Blaze. He’s focused on one thing and one thing only: his professional hockey career. After his life was upended, he wants no complications, no distractions.
A series of chance encounters between Aspen and Callan force them together and turns their world upside down.
Fall Wherever They May is an emotional, spicy hockey romance and the debut novel in the New York Blaze Hockey series. The story follows Aspen, a single mother from Oklahoma, who uncovers a deeply hidden family secret that sends her to New York to work for the pro hockey team, the New York Blaze. There she meets Callan, the team’s brooding center, who’s dealing with his own painful past. Fate and shared vulnerability draw them together.
The story features many meaningful themes that make the narrative multilayered, including abandonment, family secrets, loss, healing through shared vulnerability, and found family bonds. The writing is fresh, fun, and heartfelt.There are several popular romance tropes seamlessly intertwined into the narrative, including enemies to lovers, he falls first, forced proximity, grumpy vs. sunshine, and opposites attract—these, coupled with the emotionally compelling storyline, will make this book appeal to a wide audience of romance readers.
Both protagonists are strong, likeable characters. Aspen is depicted as complex, resilient, and very nurturing to her son. She takes the responsibility of motherhood very seriously and is willing to put her son’s needs above her own, including any potential romantic relationship, which is admirable. She still has a lot of emotional baggage from her past relationship to process and isn’t quite ready to put herself out there—at least at the beginning of the story. Callan presents himself as a grounded, easygoing man, but underneath the surface he’s also still processing loss and deep vulnerability. Aspen and Callan begin their relationship with a bumpy start, but their mutual strong attraction is present and simmering from the moment they first lock eyes on each other. Aspen’s stubbornness and grumpy personality prevent her from admitting her feelings for Aspen (not only to him but also to herself), so the story definitely presents itself as a “he falls first” scenario.
As the story unfolds, the two become closer through a shared bond with Aspen’s son and eventually open up to each other—their shared vulnerability is beautifully illustrated through meaningful, open dialogue that will pull at the heartstrings of readers! Some of Callan’s inner monologues where he expresses his concerns and feelings for Aspen are a bit repetitive in the second half of the story, but their relationship always continues to evolve, which is satisfying.
There are no major conflicts in this story—no dramatic third-act breakup or explosive arguments. Instead, there are a few obstacles that come Aspen’s and Callan’s way—paparazzi, Aspen’s ex-boyfriend and father of her child, hockey trade talks, and past emotional turmoil—all of which Callan responds to very reassuringly for Aspen, and the communication lines between them remain strong.
The story is well-paced—there’s always something happening to move the story forward and reveal more of the characters’ layers. Some readers may find the emotional turmoil heavy early on before the story transitions to a real romance—but the payoff is satisfying emotional arcs for both Aspen and Callan. There are several steamy scenes(mostly in the second half) that are tastefully done—spicy romance will especially appreciate the sizzling chemistry of the characters. Although the “spicy” scenes are intense, they don’t overshadow character development or plot, which is refreshing!
The hockey element of the story serves as more than a backdrop—Wages explicitly describes the roles of the team’s management and makes them an integral part of the narrative. In addition, hockey games are part of key scenes in the story, and the risk of Callan being traded and jeopardizing their relationship is a major plot point in the second half. Overall, the story is never heavy on the technical details of hockey but still comes across as authentic and engaging for hockey fans and romance readers. The story leaves off on a bit of a cliffhanger, suggesting future books having the focus on some of this book’s supporting characters!
In summary, Fall Wherever They May is an emotionally compelling and heartfelt series debut. It’s a perfect read for fans of sports romance authors like Penelope Ward, Elle Kennedy, or Vi Keeland or those who enjoy character-driven storytelling, tender spicy romances, found-family dynamics, and complex emotional arcs!
