Betrothal or Breakaway

The third installment in Brunner’s “D.C. Eagles Hockey” sports romance series (following Flirtation or Faceoff) checks all the boxes. This gentle marriage-of-convenience romance follows neurodivergent Ford Remington, captain of the D.C. Eagles, who has pined after his childhood friend Amber for years. Amber hasn’t reciprocated his feelings, but when she finds herself in need of heart surgery, Ford offers to marry her so she and her new baby can take advantage of his health insurance. Ford argues it’s a win-win situation, as marriage would get his well-meaning parents off his back. However, as Ford comes to truly love Amber and her daughter, he realizes that he isn’t sure if he will be able to let them go when their arrangement is up. While this is generally a lighthearted sports romance, it also touches on difficult subjects like child neglect, single motherhood, and a broken engagement. The dual narration provided by Alex Picard and David Bendena is captivating, imbued with emotional nuance and complementary pacing.