Strong and Wild by Sloane St. James

Britt's take

Darker and more intense than the packaging suggests, but that's part of what makes it work. Micky and Rhys start as clashing neighbors with a shared past neither expected—and the story leans heavily into angst, addiction, and overcoming trauma. Spicy and sweet in equal measure, but genuine warmth between the main characters and a darker edge that earns it. Part of the Lakes Hockey series but reads as a standalone.