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Off the Ice #3
The Rebound Plan
I’ve got one week to get my head in the game and forget about my inconvenient attraction to my teammate’s wife.
A relaxing retreat to cottage country with my teammates is the perfect way to prep for the upcoming hockey season.
Or so I thought.
Now I’m trapped in my cabin with my crush–and her jerk of a husband–where it's impossible to get space or clarity. Or get over her. And that mission becomes even harder when I learn that Shannon’s marriage is failing.
With the lines of loyalty and friendship becoming blurred, and relationships being tested in all directions, I know I need to tap the brakes hard.
Until one night when everyone else is at a party down the lake, and the team captain makes me an offer I can’t refuse…to share his wife, and have a taste of the forbidden I always assumed was forever out of reach.
The Rebound Plan is a swoony forbidden romance between a tall, growly, protective hockey player and a failed model-turned-escort-turned-WAG who needs to learn to love herself as much as she loves those around her. It's not a love triangle - you know who to root for from page one. #TeamRuss the whole way.
A relaxing retreat to cottage country with my teammates is the perfect way to prep for the upcoming hockey season.
Or so I thought.
Now I’m trapped in my cabin with my crush–and her jerk of a husband–where it's impossible to get space or clarity. Or get over her. And that mission becomes even harder when I learn that Shannon’s marriage is failing.
With the lines of loyalty and friendship becoming blurred, and relationships being tested in all directions, I know I need to tap the brakes hard.
Until one night when everyone else is at a party down the lake, and the team captain makes me an offer I can’t refuse…to share his wife, and have a taste of the forbidden I always assumed was forever out of reach.
The Rebound Plan is a swoony forbidden romance between a tall, growly, protective hockey player and a failed model-turned-escort-turned-WAG who needs to learn to love herself as much as she loves those around her. It's not a love triangle - you know who to root for from page one. #TeamRuss the whole way.
446 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 1, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
December 4, 2024
The MMC participates in the FMC being trafficked by her abusive husband
I expected that the concept of wife sharing would be touched upon/happen from the summary of this book, but like most book summaries, I expected there was probably a little more to it and either wife-sharing wouldn’t actually happen or that the wife would at least have SOME agency in the situation. Nope. Not this one. This is exactly what was suggested mixed with sexual assault that the MMC is totally okay with. It’s absolutely horrific and this author should be ashamed to write something like this and PRETEND it’s anything other than the MMC full on embracing the FMC’s abusive husband’s coercive sexual exploitation and straight up trafficking (because what happens in this book is literally how a lot of trafficking starts) of the FMC.
I cannot believe the author had the audacity to write this and call it romance.
I expected that the concept of wife sharing would be touched upon/happen from the summary of this book, but like most book summaries, I expected there was probably a little more to it and either wife-sharing wouldn’t actually happen or that the wife would at least have SOME agency in the situation. Nope. Not this one. This is exactly what was suggested mixed with sexual assault that the MMC is totally okay with. It’s absolutely horrific and this author should be ashamed to write something like this and PRETEND it’s anything other than the MMC full on embracing the FMC’s abusive husband’s coercive sexual exploitation and straight up trafficking (because what happens in this book is literally how a lot of trafficking starts) of the FMC.
I cannot believe the author had the audacity to write this and call it romance.
April 20, 2026
2 ⭐️ The first Ainsley Booth book I've had trouble finishing...
And I hated it. Seriously. The first two books and the novella that come first in this series are all some of my favourite sport romances out there. And this one... it didn't even feel like part of a series like this.
I don't know what else to say, except that where both previous stories had a joy to them, this one was a downer. We spend over half of the time still unsure about feelings and deciding that any and everything else takes precedence over the love story... that's without taking into account that the FMC is married to some other a**hole for about 90% of the book!!
I don't know, but it felt both too realistic and also not realistic at all, but in all the wrong ways. Also, for a couple that doesn't get together until the VEEEEEERY end of the book, this was a thousand per cent an instalove kind of thing.
I'm going to stop yapping about all the things I hated now, because there's no point in dwelling.
I just really, really would suggest you skip this one if you want to read this as a series (which I def do recommend if you're looking for a fun, spicy sports romance). Just... don't read this one.
And I hated it. Seriously. The first two books and the novella that come first in this series are all some of my favourite sport romances out there. And this one... it didn't even feel like part of a series like this.
I don't know what else to say, except that where both previous stories had a joy to them, this one was a downer. We spend over half of the time still unsure about feelings and deciding that any and everything else takes precedence over the love story... that's without taking into account that the FMC is married to some other a**hole for about 90% of the book!!
I don't know, but it felt both too realistic and also not realistic at all, but in all the wrong ways. Also, for a couple that doesn't get together until the VEEEEEERY end of the book, this was a thousand per cent an instalove kind of thing.
I'm going to stop yapping about all the things I hated now, because there's no point in dwelling.
I just really, really would suggest you skip this one if you want to read this as a series (which I def do recommend if you're looking for a fun, spicy sports romance). Just... don't read this one.
December 13, 2024
Wow was this a miss for me. First of all, I think this book could have used a proofreader, I counted a fair number of typos and there’s probably more I missed. Secondly, I do not like romances where one of the MCs is already in a relationship for half the book. Here, Shannon is married to team captain Max who is also captain Douchelord and while I understood the difficulty for Shannon in leaving him and obtaining a divorce, I also was confused at the way she continuously devalued herself and tried to justify Max’s actions by claiming he’d saved her by marrying her. And then, in the end, she basically trades in one hockey player hubby for another with Russ, the hero of the book. Also, the first time she and Russ have a sexual encounter is with her husband present and I’m sure the author meant it to be hot but it came off icky and very much dubious consent, like Max was basically whoring his wife out bc he was an asshole and didn’t care that she kept saying no. And then Russ just decides to play along and yes, she has an orgasm but she initially said no and the second she said no, that should’ve been the end of it. Idk, there’s just so much that was wrong with this book and normally, this is an author I like so I’m just really surprised at this book. I would have preferred in the end, that Shannon take some serious time after the end of her marriage to work on her self esteem before jumping into a relationship with Russ, I feel like author could have given us a year long gap instead of coming up with the plot point she did to solve the divorce conundrum.
December 6, 2024
So, I liked this a lot but 1) I wasn't prepared for how much of it was going to be about the marriage disintegration and 2) this is an example of where I find a cartoon cover REALLY inappropriate but maybe not out of sync with the market if what I have heard about the content of Hannah Grace books is correct. In this one, there is a scene where and I'm sorry that cover does not convey that scene??? But I really do dig this world and series!
December 7, 2024
3.5/5 stars, I think
I genuinely enjoyed the relationship here, but there was so much time spent on the FMC's marriage falling apart and I really think I would have liked more time spent on the post-marriage period. I also strongly agree with Jess' comment that the cartoon cover really does not fit with the story. I enjoyed this book a lot overall and really liked Shannon and Russ, but this would have been better served by a different cover.
I genuinely enjoyed the relationship here, but there was so much time spent on the FMC's marriage falling apart and I really think I would have liked more time spent on the post-marriage period. I also strongly agree with Jess' comment that the cartoon cover really does not fit with the story. I enjoyed this book a lot overall and really liked Shannon and Russ, but this would have been better served by a different cover.
December 2, 2024
This one wasn’t for me. I get that the marriage was failing, but the whole forbidden love thing, in this context, is just not *it* for me.
The scene where her husband invites Russ (mmc) to be with them while they’re having sex outside and says “she can take [it]” was almost too much for me. It was clear he didn’t love her, but Russ giving in just to be with her? It felt dirty, and not in a good way…in a way that made me feel really, really bad for Shannon.
I’m glad that Shannon (fmc) started to find herself again, but it felt like too little too late for me. I think I would’ve rather started at the end and had the book be about Russ and Shannon navigating this new territory than to have read all through the failing marriage. Or perhaps if we’d all (characters included) found out the marriage wasn’t real even sooner?? Again maybe this type of story just isn’t for me.
I do love Kiley and her friendship with Shannon. All the girls really. They’re the best part of the series.
Overall, I like this series, and I hope there’s another, but I’m hoping for another more like the first or even second book.
The scene where her husband invites Russ (mmc) to be with them while they’re having sex outside and says “she can take [it]” was almost too much for me. It was clear he didn’t love her, but Russ giving in just to be with her? It felt dirty, and not in a good way…in a way that made me feel really, really bad for Shannon.
I’m glad that Shannon (fmc) started to find herself again, but it felt like too little too late for me. I think I would’ve rather started at the end and had the book be about Russ and Shannon navigating this new territory than to have read all through the failing marriage. Or perhaps if we’d all (characters included) found out the marriage wasn’t real even sooner?? Again maybe this type of story just isn’t for me.
I do love Kiley and her friendship with Shannon. All the girls really. They’re the best part of the series.
Overall, I like this series, and I hope there’s another, but I’m hoping for another more like the first or even second book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2024
This was so, so good. I love Shannon and I'm so glad she's happy and getting back to herself.
The ending seemed a little too easy, but after all the tension I felt such overwhelming relief for her. Wish we could have seen some of the podcast come into fruition although I don't see how it could have been included without it feeling separate from the rest.
I 100% love this series. I cannot pick a favorite honestly. I really hope we get more-- maaaaybe Alexei?
The ending seemed a little too easy, but after all the tension I felt such overwhelming relief for her. Wish we could have seen some of the podcast come into fruition although I don't see how it could have been included without it feeling separate from the rest.
I 100% love this series. I cannot pick a favorite honestly. I really hope we get more-- maaaaybe Alexei?
July 22, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ 4.5 Stars
This one hit me in ways I wasn't expecting.
I'll be honest...The beginning brought up some PTSD for me. Watching Shannon question herself and feel like she was the only one not seeing what was happening around her hit a little too close to home. As someone who survived a narcissistic, abusive relationship, those early chapters were uncomfortable in the most realistic way.
But once the layers of her marriage started peeling back, I completely understood why this story was told the way it was. Seeing Shannon finally experience safety, respect, and the kind of love she never knew she deserved reminded me so much of my own journey after meeting my husband. That healing arc was incredibly meaningful.
As a hockey player myself, one of my favorite parts was the WAGs' friendship. So many hockey romances focus on the brotherhood of the teammates and barely touch on the women behind the team. Here, the WAGs felt like the heart of the story. Their support, loyalty, and friendship were the glue that held everyone together, and I absolutely loved seeing that represented.
The audiobook was fantastic. Lauren Beck, Nathaniel Priestley, and Dane Anderson all delivered incredible performances. Nathaniel's Scottish accent fit Russ perfectly, Lauren captured Shannon's vulnerability and growth beautifully, and Dane made it very easy to despise Max...😬Which tells you just how well he performed the role. The duet-style narration with the third narrator for the remaining male characters made the listening experience even more immersive.
⚠️ Trigger Warnings:
Cheating/infidelity
Emotional abuse/Psychological manipulation/Gaslighting
Narcissistic abuse/Coercive control
Toxic marriage
Degradation kink (consensual, later in the romance)
The cheating aspect may be a dealbreaker for some readers, so I wanted to mention it upfront. For me, stories like this can be therapeutic because they ultimately show what healthy love, safety, and healing can look like.. But I know not everyone will want to read through those painful moments to reach the payoff.
If you enjoy hockey romance with emotional depth, protective MMCs, healing after trauma, incredible found family, and WAG friendships that feel just as important as the romance, I highly recommend this one. Russ completely stole my heart. 🖤
This one hit me in ways I wasn't expecting.
I'll be honest...The beginning brought up some PTSD for me. Watching Shannon question herself and feel like she was the only one not seeing what was happening around her hit a little too close to home. As someone who survived a narcissistic, abusive relationship, those early chapters were uncomfortable in the most realistic way.
But once the layers of her marriage started peeling back, I completely understood why this story was told the way it was. Seeing Shannon finally experience safety, respect, and the kind of love she never knew she deserved reminded me so much of my own journey after meeting my husband. That healing arc was incredibly meaningful.
As a hockey player myself, one of my favorite parts was the WAGs' friendship. So many hockey romances focus on the brotherhood of the teammates and barely touch on the women behind the team. Here, the WAGs felt like the heart of the story. Their support, loyalty, and friendship were the glue that held everyone together, and I absolutely loved seeing that represented.
The audiobook was fantastic. Lauren Beck, Nathaniel Priestley, and Dane Anderson all delivered incredible performances. Nathaniel's Scottish accent fit Russ perfectly, Lauren captured Shannon's vulnerability and growth beautifully, and Dane made it very easy to despise Max...😬Which tells you just how well he performed the role. The duet-style narration with the third narrator for the remaining male characters made the listening experience even more immersive.
⚠️ Trigger Warnings:
Cheating/infidelity
Emotional abuse/Psychological manipulation/Gaslighting
Narcissistic abuse/Coercive control
Toxic marriage
Degradation kink (consensual, later in the romance)
The cheating aspect may be a dealbreaker for some readers, so I wanted to mention it upfront. For me, stories like this can be therapeutic because they ultimately show what healthy love, safety, and healing can look like.. But I know not everyone will want to read through those painful moments to reach the payoff.
If you enjoy hockey romance with emotional depth, protective MMCs, healing after trauma, incredible found family, and WAG friendships that feel just as important as the romance, I highly recommend this one. Russ completely stole my heart. 🖤
July 14, 2026
I have to say I wasnt sure where this one was going as our FMC is married ….. I am not a fan of the cheating troupe so I was a bit nervous ….. BUT spoiler … that didn’t happen !
The his was so dang spicy ; our mmc was perfection and had a Scottish accent ! Bonus : our fmc went through it with her marriage and re discovering who she is
I had the ALC for this and it was fantastic
The his was so dang spicy ; our mmc was perfection and had a Scottish accent ! Bonus : our fmc went through it with her marriage and re discovering who she is
I had the ALC for this and it was fantastic
June 7, 2025
The first 60 percent of this read more like general fiction than romance? Honestly I didn't hate it, but it did make the "I love yous" feel like they surfaced out of nowhere. It wasn't even that I didn't buy that Russ and Shannon had a connection, I did, and I genuinely liked that the dissolution of her marriage/their friendship taking root wasn't rushed. It just seemed like we jumped over some steps between the start of their friendship and I love you.
Also agree with Grace & Jess that the cover doesn't work for this book at all.
Anyhow, I did fly through this and mostly had a good time, just wasn't quite the balance I wanted it to be.
Also agree with Grace & Jess that the cover doesn't work for this book at all.
Anyhow, I did fly through this and mostly had a good time, just wasn't quite the balance I wanted it to be.
August 28, 2026
Cheat On Your Husband With His Hot Scottish Teammate!
I enjoyed the plot quite a bit, but if cheating is a dealbreaker for you, this book is probably not for you. If there was ever someone who deserved a hall pass for putting up with a shitty man, it’s Shannon for everything she put up with from Max.
I’m not sure how accurate the hockey was, though. It felt like this might have worked a little better if they were a minor league team. The captain’s wife leaving him for the enforcer would be a huge story on pretty much any team, but on a team that frankly doesn’t seem to be doing all that well? Well, I think the saying goes, if they can’t talk about the wins, they’ll find something else to talk about.
That was really my only complaint, though. I had no problem jumping into this without having read the previous book in the series, although I’m definitely going back to read it now. I really like the way this author balances plot and spice, and this had a really good mix of both.
I also really enjoyed the narration. Russ’s Scottish accent was the absolute cherry on top. It was so well done, easy to understand, and frankly, hot.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one and will definitely be going back for more from this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I enjoyed the plot quite a bit, but if cheating is a dealbreaker for you, this book is probably not for you. If there was ever someone who deserved a hall pass for putting up with a shitty man, it’s Shannon for everything she put up with from Max.
I’m not sure how accurate the hockey was, though. It felt like this might have worked a little better if they were a minor league team. The captain’s wife leaving him for the enforcer would be a huge story on pretty much any team, but on a team that frankly doesn’t seem to be doing all that well? Well, I think the saying goes, if they can’t talk about the wins, they’ll find something else to talk about.
That was really my only complaint, though. I had no problem jumping into this without having read the previous book in the series, although I’m definitely going back to read it now. I really like the way this author balances plot and spice, and this had a really good mix of both.
I also really enjoyed the narration. Russ’s Scottish accent was the absolute cherry on top. It was so well done, easy to understand, and frankly, hot.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one and will definitely be going back for more from this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 7, 2025
My least favorite of the series so far, although I still had fun. I felt like the characters basically fell in love off screen before the book started so I missed it. They were just sort of desperate for one another and sad for a lot of the book.
Shannon was a great character with great development. Russ’ main character trait was “loving Shannon” and I guess vaguely being Scottish when the book remembered. I actually didn’t mind that at all though.
The ex husband sucked but seemed realistic. The “threesome” at the beginning of the book could deffo be off putting for some readers.
Shannon was a great character with great development. Russ’ main character trait was “loving Shannon” and I guess vaguely being Scottish when the book remembered. I actually didn’t mind that at all though.
The ex husband sucked but seemed realistic. The “threesome” at the beginning of the book could deffo be off putting for some readers.
December 3, 2024
This was a very slow burn, but worth it.
January 16, 2025
Hmmm, I have mixed feelings about this one. I understand the author's intentions about 'destroying the marriage' as she wrote them in the front of the book, and trust me, the (ex)husband deserved it. I just wish that part of the story line happened a little earlier along with the the FMC and her 'personal growth' moment - which was a little lacking IMO. Also, Shannon wasn't really aware of Russ' attraction until the cottage and then when her husband isn't in the picture any more they are suddenly 'in love'. I can understand lust, attraction, etc but it felt like some real romance was missing before arriving at 'love'. The characters were fantastic, and the spice was hot, but it felt like it was all squeezed in the last 15% of the book just to say that there were this many spicy scenes. I think if some things were tweaked in the plot line that this book would be a lot more palatable.
February 21, 2025
The writing is impeccable, and the slow burn was burning. The yearning was top tier. The "sharing his wife" scene was so ick though. The Shannon/Max fight with Russ eavesdropping then immediately transitioning into a spicy scene was just not elegant, imo. I didn't think it really aligned with Shannon's character to just allow Max, in that moment specifically, to objectify her in that way. And also, for Russ to accept a part in that, despite what he JUST overheard and his existing feelings for Shannon, it was just wrong. Like for one hormone-driven moment both of them excuse Max's shitty, abusive behavior. Nah, not for me.
This is the one book were I felt a time-jump would have been so appreciated. While I am fully on-board with suspending my disbelief for romance novels, it was major whiplash how quickly Shannon jumped into bed with Russ. They clearly should have been together, but since a major part of the story is Shannon's journey to self-acceptance and reimagining her own independence, I think a nice little 6-month jump ahead before reconnecting with Russ would have given us a sweeter conclusion.
This is the one book were I felt a time-jump would have been so appreciated. While I am fully on-board with suspending my disbelief for romance novels, it was major whiplash how quickly Shannon jumped into bed with Russ. They clearly should have been together, but since a major part of the story is Shannon's journey to self-acceptance and reimagining her own independence, I think a nice little 6-month jump ahead before reconnecting with Russ would have given us a sweeter conclusion.
December 8, 2024
The story in this one is murky. Like swamp water in the summer murky. And I’m just not sure I can find anything romantic about starting a relationship with someone else when your previous relationship hasn’t officially been ended. Doesn’t matter if your husband is a jack ass or does despicable things. Bottom line, there was too much “gray” in this book for me.
Also, too many typos/proofreading errors. Someone fell down on their job, but I’m not sure who. This author doesn’t usually have so many typos, so it was disappointing to see.
Edit July 2027: just got to listen to an ALC, and while I still have reservations about the storyline the narrators are FANTASTIC.
Also, too many typos/proofreading errors. Someone fell down on their job, but I’m not sure who. This author doesn’t usually have so many typos, so it was disappointing to see.
Edit July 2027: just got to listen to an ALC, and while I still have reservations about the storyline the narrators are FANTASTIC.
August 25, 2025
Good read… but
A good read but I wanted more of the story of them being together and the ramifications of the spotlight and being together so soon after Max.
And Max… I wanted closure, but there was none!!!He was such an arse to Shannon, I wanted there to be more to his downfall. Plus, I always thought that he had some genuine feelings for her even though he was a serial cheater, but it didn’t come through in this book.
I just wanted more
A good read but I wanted more of the story of them being together and the ramifications of the spotlight and being together so soon after Max.
And Max… I wanted closure, but there was none!!!He was such an arse to Shannon, I wanted there to be more to his downfall. Plus, I always thought that he had some genuine feelings for her even though he was a serial cheater, but it didn’t come through in this book.
I just wanted more
February 9, 2025
need to know if she released the podcast
+ i feel like there was such a disconnect between the characters in this book, there was so much internal monologue and no real connections/relationships between the characters including the main pairing, no build up to the i love you just a handful on messages and a few meet ups
+ i feel like there was such a disconnect between the characters in this book, there was so much internal monologue and no real connections/relationships between the characters including the main pairing, no build up to the i love you just a handful on messages and a few meet ups
June 27, 2026
Story 2.5 ⭐ | Audio: 5 ⭐ | Spice: 4 🌶️ Consent issues
The blurb and cover for this book are Russ-centered, but this story is Shannon-centered. I was excited to read this one because I LOVED The Scoring Secret. I was not prepared for what The Rebound Plan entailed. The marketing also made it sound like "wife swap" or swingers stuff was going on. Nope. Not that.
I reviewed the audiobook for this story, and it's very well done and an enjoyable experience. It's duet style with Russ and Max voiced by different actors. They all did a fantastic job. The male reading Russ sometimes dropped his volume too soft using the Scottish accent and I'd have to rewind to catch it and then the volume is too high. Overall, this is the kind of romance audiobook experience I want. It's a struggle when a solo woman narrator is expected to do a bunch of male voices. It's the story that's got some issues.
It was slow to get into. The blurb made it sound like this story is about Russ, but it's about Shannon, and she's the one who "rebounds" her life. She married Max at age 21 or 23 and has been married for 8 years. She did it because he was a safe choice and could provide for her. She'd previously been in New York trying to become an actor while being a professional companion for very rich males. They lived in NY for two years while he played hockey, then moved to Hamilton, ON. Max commented, "it's safer to keep a wife like this in the suburbs."
There's some flirting between Russ and Shannon in the story but a relationship (besides familiarity) between them is never fully developed before the Terrace Sex Scene. Some team members are staying at Russ's new cottage home (cottage being a relative term since the place is a mansion by normal standards) for the weekend. Russ invites Emory, a familiar woman he's friends with that has played professional hockey, gotten a college degree and started a business by age 24. Shannon compares herself and basically thinks she's worthless because she doesn't have any of that by age 29? 30? Not sure her age exactly.
Max finds Shannon swimming in the pool one night, gives her some lip, she gets out. He wants to join a new league rumored to be forming (the Ice League) and wants her to use her past relationship with billionaire François Dumas to get him signed first and establish a legacy. She holds her own against him and says, 'no I'm not your wh*re, I hate you, I want a divorce.' Then they kiss... What! And Shannon's into it??? WHY? Russ watches all of this, and when he makes a noise (of course, he stepped on a twig that snapped), Max tells him to watch, then invites him to join. Fine. But Shannon vocalizes "no" and Russ joins anyway. The worst part is that Russ, who's supposed to be the "good guy" in the story, never asks Shannon for consent. He accepts Max's consent as enough. That's fucked. If Russ were actually a "good guy," he would not have participated when a chest-thumping Max invited him to join him and Shannon. The trashed consent taints the entire scene, and every sex scene between them to follow.
I never got anything from Russ except "not-Max" vibes. He's meeting the bar requirements of treating her like a human being. Russ doesn't offer anything unique or identifying or even redeeming to deserve her attention or care or sex. Not a book boyfriend. He's more of a bookmark. When he and Shannon finally get together for real, they both confess their love for each other. Where the fuck did this come from???? He was kind of obsessed and she was abused mentally, emotionally and financially, so...
Shannon was the best part of this story, a well developed, three dimensional character with teeth. This story is about her, not the guys. It's her journey to ditch the abuser and reclaim her identity. She's rebounding her life after having it crushed under Max's boot for so many years. A lot of women can identify with her struggles and pain. However, Shannon also got a bunch of lucky breaks that don't really happen in real life. The author could have resolved the story into an HEA without giving Shannon everything every woman dreams for when leaving an abusive relationship--money, job, status, social circle, and a boyfriend that prioritizes her pleasure.
A few other things make this story abrasive. Russ never explains his relationship with Emory to Shannon. It's completely forgotten.
This story gave The Little Mermaid vibes. Shannon changed herself for Max. She gave up her old life, her “sea,” and tried to live on land for him. Then she realizes that the old life she was ashamed of may have been closer to who she actually was than this suburban WAG cage.
Overall, I liked a lot about this story. Shannon and Max were real and clashed in fire. The hockey set up and the WAG friends were delightful. Russ was a dud. And even on audio, the Scottish accent didn't work. Honestly, it would have worked better if he was from like middle of nowhere Newfoundland. He was "nice" but the Scot identity didn't do anything for him. Nice and from Newfoundland is a more believable set up.
The spicy scenes were well written, but overshadowed by dubcon/noncon/none of that was resolved ICK. Everything that followed the Terrace Sex Scene was nasty. I loved rooting for Shannon for taking control of her life and realizing her special gifts, and that she had a lot to offer the world besides "trophy wife."
The blurb and cover for this book are Russ-centered, but this story is Shannon-centered. I was excited to read this one because I LOVED The Scoring Secret. I was not prepared for what The Rebound Plan entailed. The marketing also made it sound like "wife swap" or swingers stuff was going on. Nope. Not that.
I reviewed the audiobook for this story, and it's very well done and an enjoyable experience. It's duet style with Russ and Max voiced by different actors. They all did a fantastic job. The male reading Russ sometimes dropped his volume too soft using the Scottish accent and I'd have to rewind to catch it and then the volume is too high. Overall, this is the kind of romance audiobook experience I want. It's a struggle when a solo woman narrator is expected to do a bunch of male voices. It's the story that's got some issues.
It was slow to get into. The blurb made it sound like this story is about Russ, but it's about Shannon, and she's the one who "rebounds" her life. She married Max at age 21 or 23 and has been married for 8 years. She did it because he was a safe choice and could provide for her. She'd previously been in New York trying to become an actor while being a professional companion for very rich males. They lived in NY for two years while he played hockey, then moved to Hamilton, ON. Max commented, "it's safer to keep a wife like this in the suburbs."
There's some flirting between Russ and Shannon in the story but a relationship (besides familiarity) between them is never fully developed before the Terrace Sex Scene. Some team members are staying at Russ's new cottage home (cottage being a relative term since the place is a mansion by normal standards) for the weekend. Russ invites Emory, a familiar woman he's friends with that has played professional hockey, gotten a college degree and started a business by age 24. Shannon compares herself and basically thinks she's worthless because she doesn't have any of that by age 29? 30? Not sure her age exactly.
Max finds Shannon swimming in the pool one night, gives her some lip, she gets out. He wants to join a new league rumored to be forming (the Ice League) and wants her to use her past relationship with billionaire François Dumas to get him signed first and establish a legacy. She holds her own against him and says, 'no I'm not your wh*re, I hate you, I want a divorce.' Then they kiss... What! And Shannon's into it??? WHY? Russ watches all of this, and when he makes a noise (of course, he stepped on a twig that snapped), Max tells him to watch, then invites him to join. Fine. But Shannon vocalizes "no" and Russ joins anyway. The worst part is that Russ, who's supposed to be the "good guy" in the story, never asks Shannon for consent. He accepts Max's consent as enough. That's fucked. If Russ were actually a "good guy," he would not have participated when a chest-thumping Max invited him to join him and Shannon. The trashed consent taints the entire scene, and every sex scene between them to follow.
I never got anything from Russ except "not-Max" vibes. He's meeting the bar requirements of treating her like a human being. Russ doesn't offer anything unique or identifying or even redeeming to deserve her attention or care or sex. Not a book boyfriend. He's more of a bookmark. When he and Shannon finally get together for real, they both confess their love for each other. Where the fuck did this come from???? He was kind of obsessed and she was abused mentally, emotionally and financially, so...
Shannon was the best part of this story, a well developed, three dimensional character with teeth. This story is about her, not the guys. It's her journey to ditch the abuser and reclaim her identity. She's rebounding her life after having it crushed under Max's boot for so many years. A lot of women can identify with her struggles and pain. However, Shannon also got a bunch of lucky breaks that don't really happen in real life. The author could have resolved the story into an HEA without giving Shannon everything every woman dreams for when leaving an abusive relationship--money, job, status, social circle, and a boyfriend that prioritizes her pleasure.
A few other things make this story abrasive. Russ never explains his relationship with Emory to Shannon. It's completely forgotten.
This story gave The Little Mermaid vibes. Shannon changed herself for Max. She gave up her old life, her “sea,” and tried to live on land for him. Then she realizes that the old life she was ashamed of may have been closer to who she actually was than this suburban WAG cage.
Overall, I liked a lot about this story. Shannon and Max were real and clashed in fire. The hockey set up and the WAG friends were delightful. Russ was a dud. And even on audio, the Scottish accent didn't work. Honestly, it would have worked better if he was from like middle of nowhere Newfoundland. He was "nice" but the Scot identity didn't do anything for him. Nice and from Newfoundland is a more believable set up.
The spicy scenes were well written, but overshadowed by dubcon/noncon/none of that was resolved ICK. Everything that followed the Terrace Sex Scene was nasty. I loved rooting for Shannon for taking control of her life and realizing her special gifts, and that she had a lot to offer the world besides "trophy wife."
January 27, 2025
Book 14 of 2025
I am over here squealing because @AinsleyBooth has absolutely knocked this one out of the park! I love the Off the Ice series, and each book has brought something different. I was swoony for Kieran and Harper in the first book, which I then reread in anticipation for Ty and Kylie, who had a more enemies to lovers type vibe. In April 2024 I left that book excited for what was to come, and I had no idea that this third book would hands down be my favorite of the series.
The reason that this series works in so many ways is because of the found family, which is one of my favorite things about hockey books as of late. The team functions as a family, and we get an entire cast of characters to fall in love with and root for. From the beginning, we have met all the women of the WAG group. We know all of these women and how they show up for their men. We watched Harper come into the group through Kieran, and we even got to experience their wedding week in the second book. Then we watched Kylie come into the group through Ty, the newest addition to the team.
From the beginning, the leader of the group has been Shannon, married to the captain, Max. We have been given peaks from the start that Max was not the best of guys – we heard rumors of him cheating on his wife, and the way he treated the other guys it was clear he wasn’t in the inner-circle off the ice. We have also met Russ, our Scottish giant as Kieran’s best sidekick and journeyman on the team. Was I trepidations when I found out that Russ and Shannon were going to be highlighted in this book? No doubt. I hate a cheating troupe, and I am not sure I have read a book with “his teammates wife” troupe before.
BUT GUESS WHAT! @AinsleyBooth absolutely killed this is the best possible way. It was all about quiet support and far away pining and showing up when it counts. It was all about the little things that turn into the big things. There is so much to love here, and our Russ Armstrong is the absolute KING. The way he handles this entire book is fire. I actually need to take a breather here because whew, he was great. I also loved how we got so much back story on Shannon and her past, their marriage and filling in all the holes that we didn’t get about them in the first two books.
There were a few moments I was that meme of the women silently screaming – I couldn’t not put this book down and I was dying until the very last moment. I am giddy and screaming and immediately wanting to start the book again. I downloaded the bonus content as soon as my fingers would allow, and then I screamed in delight when I found out that the next book in the series would be about Emory. Let me just say this – 1. I think that Emory’s book will be absolute fire because she is a great character and we know that she will be with a Highlander, but we don’t know who. 2. I told @AinsleyBooth this in an email, but I will never be ready to say goodbye this team and will take as many books about ANY character in this series, for as long as she is willing to write them.
@AinsleyBooth, the Hamilton Highlanders have my heart! Please keep giving us more!
Rating – five stars
Format – e/book
Rating of the Off the Ice series –
1. The Rebound Plan (Book #3, Russ and Shannon), five stars
2. The Playing Game (Book #1, Kieran and Harper), four and a half stars
3. The Scoring Secret (Book #2, Ty and Kylie), four stars
I am over here squealing because @AinsleyBooth has absolutely knocked this one out of the park! I love the Off the Ice series, and each book has brought something different. I was swoony for Kieran and Harper in the first book, which I then reread in anticipation for Ty and Kylie, who had a more enemies to lovers type vibe. In April 2024 I left that book excited for what was to come, and I had no idea that this third book would hands down be my favorite of the series.
The reason that this series works in so many ways is because of the found family, which is one of my favorite things about hockey books as of late. The team functions as a family, and we get an entire cast of characters to fall in love with and root for. From the beginning, we have met all the women of the WAG group. We know all of these women and how they show up for their men. We watched Harper come into the group through Kieran, and we even got to experience their wedding week in the second book. Then we watched Kylie come into the group through Ty, the newest addition to the team.
From the beginning, the leader of the group has been Shannon, married to the captain, Max. We have been given peaks from the start that Max was not the best of guys – we heard rumors of him cheating on his wife, and the way he treated the other guys it was clear he wasn’t in the inner-circle off the ice. We have also met Russ, our Scottish giant as Kieran’s best sidekick and journeyman on the team. Was I trepidations when I found out that Russ and Shannon were going to be highlighted in this book? No doubt. I hate a cheating troupe, and I am not sure I have read a book with “his teammates wife” troupe before.
BUT GUESS WHAT! @AinsleyBooth absolutely killed this is the best possible way. It was all about quiet support and far away pining and showing up when it counts. It was all about the little things that turn into the big things. There is so much to love here, and our Russ Armstrong is the absolute KING. The way he handles this entire book is fire. I actually need to take a breather here because whew, he was great. I also loved how we got so much back story on Shannon and her past, their marriage and filling in all the holes that we didn’t get about them in the first two books.
There were a few moments I was that meme of the women silently screaming – I couldn’t not put this book down and I was dying until the very last moment. I am giddy and screaming and immediately wanting to start the book again. I downloaded the bonus content as soon as my fingers would allow, and then I screamed in delight when I found out that the next book in the series would be about Emory. Let me just say this – 1. I think that Emory’s book will be absolute fire because she is a great character and we know that she will be with a Highlander, but we don’t know who. 2. I told @AinsleyBooth this in an email, but I will never be ready to say goodbye this team and will take as many books about ANY character in this series, for as long as she is willing to write them.
@AinsleyBooth, the Hamilton Highlanders have my heart! Please keep giving us more!
Rating – five stars
Format – e/book
Rating of the Off the Ice series –
1. The Rebound Plan (Book #3, Russ and Shannon), five stars
2. The Playing Game (Book #1, Kieran and Harper), four and a half stars
3. The Scoring Secret (Book #2, Ty and Kylie), four stars
July 13, 2026
After reading so many romance books, some plots start to feel repetitive, and they often blend together, making it difficult to tell one story from another. However, Ainsley Booth came up with such an exciting premise: a player who is secretly in love with (and obsessed with) his captain's wife, and I was instantly intrigued. Like many romance readers, I usually dislike any mention of cheating or the cheating trope, so I was really curious to see how this theme would be handled and how the author would make it work. I don't want to spoil anything, but I will say that I was very pleased with how it was treated.
The tension between Shannon and Russ is palpable from the very beginning. I was lucky not only to get to know these characters but also to experience the story through the narration of Nathaniel Priestley, Lauren Beck, and Dane Anderson, which made for a really enjoyable and immersive listening experience.
I fell in love with Shannon. She feels like a real person, with flaws, regrets, and a past that she tries so hard not to let define her (although I think her past could have been handle better). Russ is exactly the person she needs, not because he "completes" her, but because they complement each other beautifully and help each other grow.
That said, I would have liked to know more about Russ: his past, what he was feeling during some key moments of the story, and how he dealt with the aftermath of such a complicated situation where his career was at stake. Although the book acknowledges Shannon's former "job" as something negative, I would have preferred it to be portrayed not simply as a mistake, but as something that is genuinely harmful and wrong.
There are three things I absolutely loved about this book. First, THE DECK SCENE. You simply have to read it to understand why, but I thought it was incredibly hot. Second, I loved that after Shannon and Russ finally got together, the story didn't end immediately. We continue to see snippets of their life together as Shannon keeps rediscovering herself and adapting to her new reality, which made the ending feel much more satisfying. Finally, I loved the portrayal of female friendship. The importance of having a support system, allowing others to know your struggles, accepting their help, and having people who truly have your back was beautifully represented. Shannon was always there for everyone else while quietly carrying her own loneliness, and watching her finally let her friends see who she really was was incredibly moving. I loved how close they all were and how fiercely they fought for her.
I would recommend reading, or listening to,the two previous books beforehand. While it's not necessary to enjoy this one, it's wonderful to know what the other couples went through to get their happy endings. It also adds much more depth to the overall story and gives greater context to the relationships and the situation in this book.
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to get to know them!
The tension between Shannon and Russ is palpable from the very beginning. I was lucky not only to get to know these characters but also to experience the story through the narration of Nathaniel Priestley, Lauren Beck, and Dane Anderson, which made for a really enjoyable and immersive listening experience.
I fell in love with Shannon. She feels like a real person, with flaws, regrets, and a past that she tries so hard not to let define her (although I think her past could have been handle better). Russ is exactly the person she needs, not because he "completes" her, but because they complement each other beautifully and help each other grow.
That said, I would have liked to know more about Russ: his past, what he was feeling during some key moments of the story, and how he dealt with the aftermath of such a complicated situation where his career was at stake. Although the book acknowledges Shannon's former "job" as something negative, I would have preferred it to be portrayed not simply as a mistake, but as something that is genuinely harmful and wrong.
There are three things I absolutely loved about this book. First, THE DECK SCENE. You simply have to read it to understand why, but I thought it was incredibly hot. Second, I loved that after Shannon and Russ finally got together, the story didn't end immediately. We continue to see snippets of their life together as Shannon keeps rediscovering herself and adapting to her new reality, which made the ending feel much more satisfying. Finally, I loved the portrayal of female friendship. The importance of having a support system, allowing others to know your struggles, accepting their help, and having people who truly have your back was beautifully represented. Shannon was always there for everyone else while quietly carrying her own loneliness, and watching her finally let her friends see who she really was was incredibly moving. I loved how close they all were and how fiercely they fought for her.
I would recommend reading, or listening to,the two previous books beforehand. While it's not necessary to enjoy this one, it's wonderful to know what the other couples went through to get their happy endings. It also adds much more depth to the overall story and gives greater context to the relationships and the situation in this book.
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to get to know them!
September 5, 2026
🎧 Audiobook Review 🎧
🎤 Duet narration by Nathaniel Priestley and Lauren Beck with Dane Anderson
Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Performance: 🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
👀POV: Dual, first person, present tense
📖What to expect: Hockey Romance, Teammate’s wife, Slow burn, He falls first and hard, Kink exploration
The tone of this book wasn’t what I was expecting, but I’m not mad at it. This was my second book by this author and I thought I was going to get a fun, humorous read like the last one. This one is heavier and more emotional. For me, it’s the kind of story where you have to be willing to sit with a bit of moral discomfort and accept that you don’t necessarily agree with the characters’ choices to truly appreciate the story.
This book had me intrigued from the beginning. We start off in the present, with a scene between Russ and Shannon at a team event that had me very curious about their dynamic, then we travel back a few weeks to the off season and the events that brought them together. The pacing was really good. The story gradually sheds light on the reality of Shannon’s marriage, how her past led to her current situation and why she stays even though her husband, Max, treats her badly. Heavy topics were handled with care and plot points were tied up nicely at the end. As always, I enjoy a good villain comeuppance and this one was very satisfying.
I loved the chemistry between Shannon and Russ and how made her feel seen and cherished, even in *that* questionable scene. He patiently supported her as she navigated her collapse of her marriage and the aftermath.
I also loved the support she got from the WAGs, especially towards the end. I love it when sports romances show the found family element not just between the players, but among the partners as well. Despite the emotional weight of the story, there was lots of humour sprinkled in to lighten things up.
This book discusses lots of heavy topics, so if you’re a sensitive reader, definitely check the content warnings. Despite that fact that the FMC is married for most of the book, there isn’t any cheating between her and the MMC (although some may say there is emotional cheating. I disagree.) Max does cheat on her repeatedly, though.
The audiobook was excellent. I already know that Dane Anderson is a master of character voices and his portrayal of the villain was perfect. He really brought out the vileness in Max’s character. I hated him as soon as he started speaking and it just grew as the story progressed. Nathaniel Priestley and Lauren Beck are new to me and I really enjoyed their performances. They hit the emotional beats perfectly, making it easier to sympathise with the characters and root for them. Nathaniel Priestley’s Scottish accent for Russ was really good – I believe his natural accent is English. They’re definitely two narrators I want to listen to again.
*I received a review copy from the author through Booksprout. These opinions are entirely my own.
🎤 Duet narration by Nathaniel Priestley and Lauren Beck with Dane Anderson
Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Performance: 🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
👀POV: Dual, first person, present tense
📖What to expect: Hockey Romance, Teammate’s wife, Slow burn, He falls first and hard, Kink exploration
The tone of this book wasn’t what I was expecting, but I’m not mad at it. This was my second book by this author and I thought I was going to get a fun, humorous read like the last one. This one is heavier and more emotional. For me, it’s the kind of story where you have to be willing to sit with a bit of moral discomfort and accept that you don’t necessarily agree with the characters’ choices to truly appreciate the story.
This book had me intrigued from the beginning. We start off in the present, with a scene between Russ and Shannon at a team event that had me very curious about their dynamic, then we travel back a few weeks to the off season and the events that brought them together. The pacing was really good. The story gradually sheds light on the reality of Shannon’s marriage, how her past led to her current situation and why she stays even though her husband, Max, treats her badly. Heavy topics were handled with care and plot points were tied up nicely at the end. As always, I enjoy a good villain comeuppance and this one was very satisfying.
I loved the chemistry between Shannon and Russ and how made her feel seen and cherished, even in *that* questionable scene. He patiently supported her as she navigated her collapse of her marriage and the aftermath.
I also loved the support she got from the WAGs, especially towards the end. I love it when sports romances show the found family element not just between the players, but among the partners as well. Despite the emotional weight of the story, there was lots of humour sprinkled in to lighten things up.
This book discusses lots of heavy topics, so if you’re a sensitive reader, definitely check the content warnings. Despite that fact that the FMC is married for most of the book, there isn’t any cheating between her and the MMC (although some may say there is emotional cheating. I disagree.) Max does cheat on her repeatedly, though.
The audiobook was excellent. I already know that Dane Anderson is a master of character voices and his portrayal of the villain was perfect. He really brought out the vileness in Max’s character. I hated him as soon as he started speaking and it just grew as the story progressed. Nathaniel Priestley and Lauren Beck are new to me and I really enjoyed their performances. They hit the emotional beats perfectly, making it easier to sympathise with the characters and root for them. Nathaniel Priestley’s Scottish accent for Russ was really good – I believe his natural accent is English. They’re definitely two narrators I want to listen to again.
*I received a review copy from the author through Booksprout. These opinions are entirely my own.
July 10, 2026
Terrific Story & Narration🎧Angsty & Complex!
The Rebound Plan
Off The Ice, Book 3
By: Ainsley Booth
Narrated by: Lauren Beck, Nathaniel Priestley, Dane Anderson
This is a fantastic hockey romance with interesting storylines that are original, a story that grabs your attention right from the start and holds it captive straight to the end. The story tugs at your heartstrings too, and the characters, your heart will go out to two of them, and the one, you will wish him anything but the best, and that is putting it kindly. I adored Russ, who fell in love with a teammate’s wife, Shannon, not just any teammate, but the captain of the team, Max, which is short for Gluteus Maximus, okay maybe not, but it should be because he sure is one. Russ is on a mission, and has a plan, a rebound plan to get Shannon out of his head, to stop his pining for her because she will never be his. Before the season started, put on the spot, Russ was to host the team and the WAGS at his new property, and the one person he was trying to rebound from will be there with her husband, not that she was aware of his feelings, they were all his. At least someone, his friend who knew how he felt about Shannon, stepped up and acted as his pretend girlfriend. Ainsley Booth puts these characters through the wringer, especially Shannon, and her journey is not an easy one, but I loved where it winds up, where she belongs. I loved all the layers of this story and how it all plays out, with non-stop drama, angst and emotions that run high, and a slow-burn, but so worth the wait romance. The writing, plot, and world-building are fantastic, as are the complexity of the characters, their growth and development. Ainsley Booth, thank you for this amazing story and emotional rollercoaster ride.
🎧📚🎧 Ainsley Booth cast the perfect narrators to bring her characters to life, with Nathaniel Priestley in Russ’s role, Lauren Beck in Shannon, and Dane Anderson as Max. They did an amazing job voicing the characters, and I loved how they owned roles, sounding believable and just as I imagined they would sound. Besides nailing it as the lead characters, they were just as fabulous performing the roles of the side/secondary characters too. They embodied their characters completely, grasping every facet of their personalities, and their expressive delivery conveys all their emotions, making you feel each one. These three make a great narration team, with voices and talent that complement each other and a captivating performance that hooks you to the story. They are entertaining storytellers and a pleasure to listen to.
The Rebound Plan
Off The Ice, Book 3
By: Ainsley Booth
Narrated by: Lauren Beck, Nathaniel Priestley, Dane Anderson
This is a fantastic hockey romance with interesting storylines that are original, a story that grabs your attention right from the start and holds it captive straight to the end. The story tugs at your heartstrings too, and the characters, your heart will go out to two of them, and the one, you will wish him anything but the best, and that is putting it kindly. I adored Russ, who fell in love with a teammate’s wife, Shannon, not just any teammate, but the captain of the team, Max, which is short for Gluteus Maximus, okay maybe not, but it should be because he sure is one. Russ is on a mission, and has a plan, a rebound plan to get Shannon out of his head, to stop his pining for her because she will never be his. Before the season started, put on the spot, Russ was to host the team and the WAGS at his new property, and the one person he was trying to rebound from will be there with her husband, not that she was aware of his feelings, they were all his. At least someone, his friend who knew how he felt about Shannon, stepped up and acted as his pretend girlfriend. Ainsley Booth puts these characters through the wringer, especially Shannon, and her journey is not an easy one, but I loved where it winds up, where she belongs. I loved all the layers of this story and how it all plays out, with non-stop drama, angst and emotions that run high, and a slow-burn, but so worth the wait romance. The writing, plot, and world-building are fantastic, as are the complexity of the characters, their growth and development. Ainsley Booth, thank you for this amazing story and emotional rollercoaster ride.
🎧📚🎧 Ainsley Booth cast the perfect narrators to bring her characters to life, with Nathaniel Priestley in Russ’s role, Lauren Beck in Shannon, and Dane Anderson as Max. They did an amazing job voicing the characters, and I loved how they owned roles, sounding believable and just as I imagined they would sound. Besides nailing it as the lead characters, they were just as fabulous performing the roles of the side/secondary characters too. They embodied their characters completely, grasping every facet of their personalities, and their expressive delivery conveys all their emotions, making you feel each one. These three make a great narration team, with voices and talent that complement each other and a captivating performance that hooks you to the story. They are entertaining storytellers and a pleasure to listen to.
July 2, 2026
Book Review
Thank you to Ainsley Booth for providing me with an Advanced Listener Copy of this audiobook!
I absolutely loved this audiobook! I’m always a sucker for a duet narration because it completely changes the listening experience. Having each main character voiced by their own narrator makes it much easier to connect with their emotions and personalities, and it really helps immerse me in the story.
The narrators did an excellent job bringing these characters to life. I especially loved Russell’s Scottish accent—it felt authentic and added so much charm to his character. Both narrators conveyed the emotional moments incredibly well. I did notice that the female narrator had a slightly slower cadence while the male narrator spoke at a faster pace, but even listening at my usual 3x speed, I never had any trouble understanding either of them.
The story follows Shannon, who is trapped in an emotionally abusive marriage to the captain of an NHL team. Surrounded by teammates and friends in healthy, supportive relationships, she slowly begins to realize that her own marriage is far from normal. After a weekend at Russell’s lake cottage, she finally decides it’s time to start the process of getting a divorce.
Russell has been drawn to Shannon since the day they met, but she’s married to his team captain. Even as his feelings continue to grow, he refuses to push her into anything before she’s free from her marriage. Instead, he supports her through the difficult divorce process and focuses on being the friend she needs.
This is definitely a slow-burn romance. I felt that about 80% of the book focused on Shannon navigating her divorce and healing from her emotionally abusive relationship, while the final 20% was devoted to her and Russell finally being together. I enjoyed the story overall, but I would have loved to see more time spent developing Shannon and Russell’s friendship and relationship before they officially became a couple.
Spoiler/Content Warning
There is one scene that some readers may find controversial. Shannon, her husband, and Russell are involved in a sexual encounter after Russell unexpectedly walks in on Shannon and her husband together. Shannon’s husband pressures the situation to escalate despite Shannon expressing hesitation, including suggesting an act that she clearly does not want. Russell’s participation is brief, and he ultimately intervenes to remove Shannon from the situation. Because consent and coercion are central to this scene, readers may want to be aware of it before starting the book.
Thank you to Ainsley Booth for providing me with an Advanced Listener Copy of this audiobook!
I absolutely loved this audiobook! I’m always a sucker for a duet narration because it completely changes the listening experience. Having each main character voiced by their own narrator makes it much easier to connect with their emotions and personalities, and it really helps immerse me in the story.
The narrators did an excellent job bringing these characters to life. I especially loved Russell’s Scottish accent—it felt authentic and added so much charm to his character. Both narrators conveyed the emotional moments incredibly well. I did notice that the female narrator had a slightly slower cadence while the male narrator spoke at a faster pace, but even listening at my usual 3x speed, I never had any trouble understanding either of them.
The story follows Shannon, who is trapped in an emotionally abusive marriage to the captain of an NHL team. Surrounded by teammates and friends in healthy, supportive relationships, she slowly begins to realize that her own marriage is far from normal. After a weekend at Russell’s lake cottage, she finally decides it’s time to start the process of getting a divorce.
Russell has been drawn to Shannon since the day they met, but she’s married to his team captain. Even as his feelings continue to grow, he refuses to push her into anything before she’s free from her marriage. Instead, he supports her through the difficult divorce process and focuses on being the friend she needs.
This is definitely a slow-burn romance. I felt that about 80% of the book focused on Shannon navigating her divorce and healing from her emotionally abusive relationship, while the final 20% was devoted to her and Russell finally being together. I enjoyed the story overall, but I would have loved to see more time spent developing Shannon and Russell’s friendship and relationship before they officially became a couple.
Spoiler/Content Warning
There is one scene that some readers may find controversial. Shannon, her husband, and Russell are involved in a sexual encounter after Russell unexpectedly walks in on Shannon and her husband together. Shannon’s husband pressures the situation to escalate despite Shannon expressing hesitation, including suggesting an act that she clearly does not want. Russell’s participation is brief, and he ultimately intervenes to remove Shannon from the situation. Because consent and coercion are central to this scene, readers may want to be aware of it before starting the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2026
The Off the Ice series is written by Ainsley Booth. The Rebound Plan is the third book in this hockey romance series. Thank you to Hayling Bookstorm for the ability to listen to this series and the opportunity to listen to this ALC. I am so glad I found this series. As a whole it is great. The narration is top notch, especially the Scottish accent for Russ during this book. The book blurb may sound like it is going to be one woman in a love triangle, but that is not entirely accurate. The reader is definitely led to be on team Russ, and I was 100% on his team given the alternative. The Rebound Plan is a forbidden love with some triggers. Check them if marital issues are something you don't enjoy reading.
Shannon is one of those elite hockey WAGS that goes above and beyond in supporting her husband and the team. She is most definitely unappreciated and disrespected in her marriage to the team captain. I did not like the way she was spoken to by her husband one bit. Max is everything you would expect from a hockey bro. Russ is on the team and has developed feelings and yearned from afar, never wanting to cross that boundary. The two of them were pretty serious pretty quickly. A majority of the book there was this divorce looming over Shannon. Towards the end of story we finally got to see her start a relationship where she is respected and adored by Russ.
Max opened Pandora’s box by inviting Russ into their situation. Russ walked right through that door! There was not the typical wife sharing aspect and it wasn’t multiple encounters. The little plot twist was a welcomed addition to this storyline. I wish we got to experience more of Russ and Shannon’s relationship as it developed after the dust settled. However, Max got everything he deserved. I do not feel bad for him for one second.
I have really enjoyed the Off the Ice series so far. I am learning about the types of books to expect from Ainsley Booth. The way that the next couple is introduced into the end of the current book is written well. It is a nice transition into the next book. I will 100% be listening to the fourth book. Give me a Russian and a single dad and I will devour it.
Shannon is one of those elite hockey WAGS that goes above and beyond in supporting her husband and the team. She is most definitely unappreciated and disrespected in her marriage to the team captain. I did not like the way she was spoken to by her husband one bit. Max is everything you would expect from a hockey bro. Russ is on the team and has developed feelings and yearned from afar, never wanting to cross that boundary. The two of them were pretty serious pretty quickly. A majority of the book there was this divorce looming over Shannon. Towards the end of story we finally got to see her start a relationship where she is respected and adored by Russ.
Max opened Pandora’s box by inviting Russ into their situation. Russ walked right through that door! There was not the typical wife sharing aspect and it wasn’t multiple encounters. The little plot twist was a welcomed addition to this storyline. I wish we got to experience more of Russ and Shannon’s relationship as it developed after the dust settled. However, Max got everything he deserved. I do not feel bad for him for one second.
I have really enjoyed the Off the Ice series so far. I am learning about the types of books to expect from Ainsley Booth. The way that the next couple is introduced into the end of the current book is written well. It is a nice transition into the next book. I will 100% be listening to the fourth book. Give me a Russian and a single dad and I will devour it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2026
"Wear my number every night. And know that once you're free, I'm going to claim you for myself."
Shannon & Russ. This is messy (in the BEST way)! Shannon is married and her husband is really kind of horrible. We learn about her background and figure out maybe why he feels he has the right but uggggghhhhhh. Shannon's husband, Max, is Russ' captain on their hockey team. One night, Russ gets an invite he can't refuse. Things with Max don't get easier on the team. Things with Shannon get harder in a different way.
I started reading this and was a little hesitant because I don't usually go for cheating tropes, but don't worry - that's not really what this is. Maybe a little emotionally, but trust me when I tell you that it's okay. I enjoyed this book and don't want to give anything else away so I'm not going to comment too much on what's in it, but I do love how Ainsley Booth wove these three lives together and really made sure we disliked the right person. I love Russ and Shannon and the growth they were both going through was incredible and so touching to read.
I read Book 2 of this series, The Scoring Secret and it was also so good! Love her writing style and the depth of her characters. I've read a couple other books by this author and it's always a good time.
I did an immersive read with the ebook (available on KU) and the audiobook and just wow. Lauren Beck, Nathaniel Priestley, and Dane Anderson did an amazing job with these characters (and all the supporting characters as well). when Nathaniel Priestly started speaking in that Scottish accent, I was weak! Whoa whoa whoa. Completely unlike any other male narrator I've heard who usually goes heavy and loud with the accents, this one made me want to scoot in a little closer to hear him better because it was so good. Lauren & Nathaniel definitely had chemistry and their performances had me sat the entire time. Dane who performed Max and the other male supporting characters was perfect - especially making Max a jerk!!
what to expect:
*angst & yearning
*hockey romance
*forbidden love
*he falls first (and so hard!)
"...it wasn't lunacy on any level. It was simpler than all of that. I met you, and I was yours."
*I received a complimentary ALC and my review is voluntary. Thank you to the author!
Shannon & Russ. This is messy (in the BEST way)! Shannon is married and her husband is really kind of horrible. We learn about her background and figure out maybe why he feels he has the right but uggggghhhhhh. Shannon's husband, Max, is Russ' captain on their hockey team. One night, Russ gets an invite he can't refuse. Things with Max don't get easier on the team. Things with Shannon get harder in a different way.
I started reading this and was a little hesitant because I don't usually go for cheating tropes, but don't worry - that's not really what this is. Maybe a little emotionally, but trust me when I tell you that it's okay. I enjoyed this book and don't want to give anything else away so I'm not going to comment too much on what's in it, but I do love how Ainsley Booth wove these three lives together and really made sure we disliked the right person. I love Russ and Shannon and the growth they were both going through was incredible and so touching to read.
I read Book 2 of this series, The Scoring Secret and it was also so good! Love her writing style and the depth of her characters. I've read a couple other books by this author and it's always a good time.
I did an immersive read with the ebook (available on KU) and the audiobook and just wow. Lauren Beck, Nathaniel Priestley, and Dane Anderson did an amazing job with these characters (and all the supporting characters as well). when Nathaniel Priestly started speaking in that Scottish accent, I was weak! Whoa whoa whoa. Completely unlike any other male narrator I've heard who usually goes heavy and loud with the accents, this one made me want to scoot in a little closer to hear him better because it was so good. Lauren & Nathaniel definitely had chemistry and their performances had me sat the entire time. Dane who performed Max and the other male supporting characters was perfect - especially making Max a jerk!!
what to expect:
*angst & yearning
*hockey romance
*forbidden love
*he falls first (and so hard!)
"...it wasn't lunacy on any level. It was simpler than all of that. I met you, and I was yours."
*I received a complimentary ALC and my review is voluntary. Thank you to the author!
February 1, 2025
Oooffff this book gave me a pit for like 75% of it lol
Shannon is married to max the captain of the hockey team but he is a fucking doucheeeeee. Shannon grew up in like Louisiana or somewhere like that and left home at 18 to be a model/actress in nyc but as she described it was being a glorified escort. She just like enjoys sex lol whatever. Max kind of like "saves" her from that life but she's like just supposed to be the supportive wife that like stands around and looks pretty even tho he like cheats on her and constantly has her walking on eggshells.
Meanwhile angel of a human Russ is just like stupidly in love with his team mates wife. Shannon. It's like sad and painful to read.
Max invites the team to Russ's house for like a team building weekend before the season starts and it's kind of messy. Russ brings along his friends younger sister to act as like his girlfriend. A new ice hockey league is being developed and stressing all the players out. Max wants shannon to sleep with the guy who's starting the new league. They fight. She asks for a divorce and then ends up having sex with him in Russ's backyard where he walks in on them and max asks him if he wants to join and he does. Crazy.
Shannon still wants to leave max but like it's complicated. She's signed a prenup, she has to be separated for a year to get divorced - it's messy.
Max and Russ get into it on the ice/in the locker room and Russ ends up breaking maxs jaw. Russ gets sent down to the AHL and max gets traded to a new team where shannon decides she's not going with.
When Russ gets sent back up to his regular team shannon shows up to his apartment and it's on.
It turns out that max and shannon were never legally married but now staying in Canada is a problem for shannon bc she was there on a spousal visa. She ends up getting a job with the team Russ is on and they end up together in the end and that part was really cute. Russ was just like obsessed with her and treated her the way she deserved to be treated. I ended up liking it but max was hands down the worst book character I've read in a while. Douche lord.
Shannon is married to max the captain of the hockey team but he is a fucking doucheeeeee. Shannon grew up in like Louisiana or somewhere like that and left home at 18 to be a model/actress in nyc but as she described it was being a glorified escort. She just like enjoys sex lol whatever. Max kind of like "saves" her from that life but she's like just supposed to be the supportive wife that like stands around and looks pretty even tho he like cheats on her and constantly has her walking on eggshells.
Meanwhile angel of a human Russ is just like stupidly in love with his team mates wife. Shannon. It's like sad and painful to read.
Max invites the team to Russ's house for like a team building weekend before the season starts and it's kind of messy. Russ brings along his friends younger sister to act as like his girlfriend. A new ice hockey league is being developed and stressing all the players out. Max wants shannon to sleep with the guy who's starting the new league. They fight. She asks for a divorce and then ends up having sex with him in Russ's backyard where he walks in on them and max asks him if he wants to join and he does. Crazy.
Shannon still wants to leave max but like it's complicated. She's signed a prenup, she has to be separated for a year to get divorced - it's messy.
Max and Russ get into it on the ice/in the locker room and Russ ends up breaking maxs jaw. Russ gets sent down to the AHL and max gets traded to a new team where shannon decides she's not going with.
When Russ gets sent back up to his regular team shannon shows up to his apartment and it's on.
It turns out that max and shannon were never legally married but now staying in Canada is a problem for shannon bc she was there on a spousal visa. She ends up getting a job with the team Russ is on and they end up together in the end and that part was really cute. Russ was just like obsessed with her and treated her the way she deserved to be treated. I ended up liking it but max was hands down the worst book character I've read in a while. Douche lord.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2026
The Rebound Plan is book 3 of 4 in the Off the Ice series, a contemporary hockey romance centered on NHL veteran Forward Russ Armstrong and his team captain's wife Shannon Tilman. What starts as an internal battle against unwanted attraction turns into an external faceoff of undeniable truths about careers, relationships, and love.
This is not a lighthearted or romcom story that is typical of a hockey romance. It is heavily dramatized with heavy themes of being stuck in a loveless marriage with a red flag spouse (implied infidelity, emotional abuse/gaslighting, slut shaming, misogyny) a dubcon threesome scene, blackmail, and sexual coercion. These elements take up the majority of the story for plot and character development purposes.
Despite these uncomfortable situations, the story itself is well-written and paced appropriately. Characters, situations, actions, and consequences were purposely written as realistic with some dialogue and actions being embellished (but not OTT) for the purposes of being a work of fiction. In other words, this book makes all the momentous, joyous, and satisfying highs worth clawing through the heartbreaking and agonizing lows.
The audiobook specifically was well done by all 3 narrators. You can really feel the gamut of emotions each character felt making me that much more invested in the story. I normally shy away from Scottish accents because it can be hard for me to follow especially when it's spoken fast and/or using Scottish terms but Nathaniel Priestley did such a great job of not laying it on thick. Dane Anderson's voicing of Max Tilman was done so well because I absolutely had nothing but hate and disgust for that character.
I highly recommend listening to this audiobook once it comes out (~July '26) if you want an immersive experience of the emotional roller coaster this book demonstrates so well. This is my first Ainsley Booth book and I plan to read/listen to the rest of this series.
The ALC of the audiobook was provided by Netgalley, Victory Editing, and Ainsley Booth in exchange for my honest review of the story and the production of the audiobook.
This is not a lighthearted or romcom story that is typical of a hockey romance. It is heavily dramatized with heavy themes of being stuck in a loveless marriage with a red flag spouse (implied infidelity, emotional abuse/gaslighting, slut shaming, misogyny) a dubcon threesome scene, blackmail, and sexual coercion. These elements take up the majority of the story for plot and character development purposes.
Despite these uncomfortable situations, the story itself is well-written and paced appropriately. Characters, situations, actions, and consequences were purposely written as realistic with some dialogue and actions being embellished (but not OTT) for the purposes of being a work of fiction. In other words, this book makes all the momentous, joyous, and satisfying highs worth clawing through the heartbreaking and agonizing lows.
The audiobook specifically was well done by all 3 narrators. You can really feel the gamut of emotions each character felt making me that much more invested in the story. I normally shy away from Scottish accents because it can be hard for me to follow especially when it's spoken fast and/or using Scottish terms but Nathaniel Priestley did such a great job of not laying it on thick. Dane Anderson's voicing of Max Tilman was done so well because I absolutely had nothing but hate and disgust for that character.
I highly recommend listening to this audiobook once it comes out (~July '26) if you want an immersive experience of the emotional roller coaster this book demonstrates so well. This is my first Ainsley Booth book and I plan to read/listen to the rest of this series.
The ALC of the audiobook was provided by Netgalley, Victory Editing, and Ainsley Booth in exchange for my honest review of the story and the production of the audiobook.
July 16, 2026
This was such a different book - and I LOVED it!! The fact that we had Russ pining for Shannon - wife of the team captain - in previous books already had me so intrigued, but the tension and drama between Shannon & Max that kicked off this story had me so locked in!!
Highlanders player Russ tries his best to contain and push aside feelings he has for his team captain's wife, Shannon. He even enlists his friends' little sister to co-host a team bonding weekend at his cabin so that all signals are out there that he's got physical and emotional connections to someone else (not Shannon) and that the team's upcoming season is his top priority. Unfortunately, his plans can't quite hold up to the drama playing out in front of him as Max and Shannon's house-of-cards steady relationship is practically falling apart in front of him....and somehow he ends up part of a night that pushes Max and Shannon further apart & Russ right in the middle.
The tangles of Max & Shannon's marriage & prenup truly create lots of challenges for everyone to navigate, along with Max's ambitions and Shannon's history that she's not proud to talk about....like promised, I was 100% rooting for Russ from the absolute beginning & trying to reason out how Shannon could end up with him, plus keep her fellow WAG friends while the team somehow wouldn't fall apart.
Well written and well narrated - am absolutely hooked & while I understand some readers had negative feelings toward Shannon staying with Max as long as she did, the author sets it up with the prenup and marriage contract that are regularly alluded to, and I definitely understood how she held onto the marriage & fixated on her WAG friendship and role as captain's wife given the slow gaslighting and verbal abuse that built up over the years. It put a lot of barriers up that made leaving him more complicated, and I thought it was well done.
Highlanders player Russ tries his best to contain and push aside feelings he has for his team captain's wife, Shannon. He even enlists his friends' little sister to co-host a team bonding weekend at his cabin so that all signals are out there that he's got physical and emotional connections to someone else (not Shannon) and that the team's upcoming season is his top priority. Unfortunately, his plans can't quite hold up to the drama playing out in front of him as Max and Shannon's house-of-cards steady relationship is practically falling apart in front of him....and somehow he ends up part of a night that pushes Max and Shannon further apart & Russ right in the middle.
The tangles of Max & Shannon's marriage & prenup truly create lots of challenges for everyone to navigate, along with Max's ambitions and Shannon's history that she's not proud to talk about....like promised, I was 100% rooting for Russ from the absolute beginning & trying to reason out how Shannon could end up with him, plus keep her fellow WAG friends while the team somehow wouldn't fall apart.
Well written and well narrated - am absolutely hooked & while I understand some readers had negative feelings toward Shannon staying with Max as long as she did, the author sets it up with the prenup and marriage contract that are regularly alluded to, and I definitely understood how she held onto the marriage & fixated on her WAG friendship and role as captain's wife given the slow gaslighting and verbal abuse that built up over the years. It put a lot of barriers up that made leaving him more complicated, and I thought it was well done.
December 17, 2024
I’ve read hundreds of hockey romance books at this point and somehow, The Rebound Plan was new, fresh, and exciting.
⭐️ Rating: 4.5/5
🌶️ Spice: 2.5/5
🏒Mutual Pining
🏒Right Person, Wrong Time
🏒Teammate’s Wife
🏒Hockey Romance
🏒Slow Burn
🏒Fake Dating
🏒Forced Proximity
I’ll be brief as to not give away all the details, but here’s the gist-a player has it bad for his captain’s wife. That relationship looks great from the outside but it’s far from perfect. During the off season the players and their partners do a long weekend at Russ’ new place…
Settle in for a slow burn. I gave this book a 2.5 on the spice scale, not because what we got wasn’t quality hot spice but more so because it was such a slow burn with teaser dropped in the middle. Once the characters(who were totally meant to be together) got together, it’s game on for spice. However, that's at like 85%. This is not a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am kinda read.
I’d love to give this book a 5/5 rating because of how well the story was crafted and how exciting it was to read however there were so many typos. Like missing words, or the wrong words like this instead of his. If that kind of thing doesn’t bother you, you’ll love this one. If typos and grammatical errors grate at you, you might find it a little hard to get through.
Note that this is a happily ever after kind of love. The epilogue emotes all the warm and fuzzy feelings knowing that these characters were completely made for one another. I absolutely love the Off the Ice series. The first book, Playing the Game, was one of the first hockey romance books I read when I got back into reading and it really did a number on me.
⭐️ Rating: 4.5/5
🌶️ Spice: 2.5/5
🏒Mutual Pining
🏒Right Person, Wrong Time
🏒Teammate’s Wife
🏒Hockey Romance
🏒Slow Burn
🏒Fake Dating
🏒Forced Proximity
I’ll be brief as to not give away all the details, but here’s the gist-a player has it bad for his captain’s wife. That relationship looks great from the outside but it’s far from perfect. During the off season the players and their partners do a long weekend at Russ’ new place…
Settle in for a slow burn. I gave this book a 2.5 on the spice scale, not because what we got wasn’t quality hot spice but more so because it was such a slow burn with teaser dropped in the middle. Once the characters(who were totally meant to be together) got together, it’s game on for spice. However, that's at like 85%. This is not a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am kinda read.
I’d love to give this book a 5/5 rating because of how well the story was crafted and how exciting it was to read however there were so many typos. Like missing words, or the wrong words like this instead of his. If that kind of thing doesn’t bother you, you’ll love this one. If typos and grammatical errors grate at you, you might find it a little hard to get through.
Note that this is a happily ever after kind of love. The epilogue emotes all the warm and fuzzy feelings knowing that these characters were completely made for one another. I absolutely love the Off the Ice series. The first book, Playing the Game, was one of the first hockey romance books I read when I got back into reading and it really did a number on me.
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