The Proposal Play (Love and Hockey #3)
books by Lauren Blakely
My plan when I win a date in Vegas with my brother’s hockey star best friend? Poker and go to sleep early. Instead, I wake up with a ring on my finger and the sexy athlete naked in my bed.But Asher’s my best friend too so we’ll get this annulled and laugh about this secret for years to come.Trouble is our wedding pics went viral overnight.Now everyone thinks we’re a real couple. We race back home, where I’ve just landed the big art commission of my dreams and he’s launching a sports charity so we need to look like we meant to tie the knot.Easy enough. We’ll claim we’ve been secretly in love, while staying in separate rooms for the rest of the hockey season.The last thing either one of us wants is to ruin a decade-long friendship by falling into bed again.But I experience a new side of my husband at home. He cooks for me, encourages me…and buys me so many toys.And, it’s more fun to share your toys with a friend.We’re just enjoying temporary marital benefits.Except, the more times he calls me his wife, the more I start to wonder if Asher was ever pretending?And if my heart is ready to take the biggest risk of all. Another strength of the book is its thoughtful pacing. Moments of tension are balanced with quieter scenes that allow readers to process events and better understand character motivations. This rhythm prevents fatigue and keeps the narrative feeling dynamic throughout its length. The author’s approach to storytelling highlights the importance of context and buildup. Key moments feel impactful because they are supported by prior development rather than sudden shifts.