Gegen Die Bande: Eine No Spice, Slow-Burn-Hockey-Romanze mit Fake-Dating und dem Teamkollegen ihres Bruders. (Gespielt in Kanada 1)

Canadian Played #1

by Cynthia Gunderson

Man sagt, Gegensätze ziehen sich an – aber jetzt habe ich den Beweis.

Es gibt absolut keinen logischen Grund, warum ich ausgerechnet für Tyler Bowen schwärmen sollte.
Er ist der Star-Stürmer im Hockeyteam meines Bruders – und ist mindestens genauso berühmt für seine Moves abseits des Eises. Sein Playboy-Ruf? Eine riesige rote Flagge.
Genau deshalb habe ich ihn gebeten, mich zu küssen.

Vor den Augen meines überfürsorglichen Bruders.

Als Witz.

Ich hatte nicht geplant, dass Tylers Vater davon erfährt. Und ganz sicher nicht, dass er mir daraufhin den Job meines Lebens anbietet.

Natürlich spielt es keine Rolle, dass wir jetzt zusammenarbeiten – oder dass wir plötzlich so tun, als wären wir ein Paar.
Tyler hat klargemacht, dass er nichts Ernstes sucht. Und Die Funken, die bei unseren „gespielten“ Berührungen fliegen, könnten glatt das Eis zum Schmelzen bringen.

Ich jage keinen Playern hinterher. Und damit fange ich jetzt sicher nicht an.
Ich muss nur diesen Job zu Ende bringen und dann wieder mein eigenes Ding machen –
auch wenn Tylers Nähe mich vergessen lässt, warum es zwischen uns eigentlich nie klappen könnte.

Jetzt mit einem Klick reinlesen, wenn du

Fake-Dating-VibesEin Playboy, der nur für sie gezähmt wirdTeamkollege des Bruders / Tabu-RomanzeHockey-Jungs mit HerzSinnliche Slow-Burn-Romantik (Closed Door/No Spice)Witzige WortgefechteDie Canadian Played-Reihe besteht aus miteinander verbundenen Einzelromanen, die in Calgary (AB, Kanada) spielen.
Die Bücher sind geschlossene Tür/“Fade-to-Black“-Romane mit viel Spannung und ein wenig Fluchen, aber ohne explizite Szenen. Alle Geschichten enden mit einem glücklichen Ende und enthalten wiederkehrende Charaktere – du kannst sie in beliebiger Reihenfolge lesen (aber Du wirst alle lesen wollen).

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Hockey, Sports, Sports Romance, Hockey Romance, Contemporary

282 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 23, 2025

Reviews

[Lyla]

saw the word “free” on Apple Books app and suddenly I’m ready for a hockey romance (I’m so cheap it’s scary)

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, simple romance, quick read if you just want a good ol’ time

[Vianny ¦ mexbookgirl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Immature characters, Emma jumping to conclusions every single time frustrated me so badly, I hated her character, she's so self-centred and she brought unnecessary conflict and drama into Tyler's life. Lack of communication is something i truly hate and honestly idk how i finished this.

Tyler and Sean are very likable characters and didn't deserved to be treated like they did by Emma.

I listened the audiobook on 1.75 after chapter 21.

[Liv · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed an escape tonight, and this book did a mighty fine job. It was short, cute, and simple, just what I needed to disconnect from the real world for a bit.
It’s getting full extra star for simply letting me disassociate for a few hours

[Erika Anestedt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book surprised me! I’m a sucker for sport romances and read a lot of them, I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did but seriously one of my favorite sport romance books!

Will definitely read again and recommend to others! ❤️

[Michaela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Underwhelming with annoying characters. Mainly the main character—always jumping to conclusions, unnecessarily dramatic, and selfish.

[Noelle Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars
Oh my goodness gracious. I LOVED this book.
The depth of the characters, their feelings, motives and literally everything else about it- I'm just in love. First of all, I love Tyler in the book! He was funny, complicated, interesting and made me want to find a man like him. Even tho he was a player (and that kind of character can get on my nerves) he was someone with a lot of depth and backstory. I feel like In most stories, quote on quote "players" can be portrayed as shallow and stupid, leading women on and using them- but not in this one. His character was complex and had legitimate reason for being the way he was. Not just a hot, stupid hockey player with abs. I loved that about him.
Emma was also a great character. I related to her a lot more than I expected and her humor was spot on. I burst out laughing multiple times in the book, probably waking up the majority of my household (I have an awful habit of not being able to stop reading a book l. I started while baking one day and couldn't put it down). I thought her view of Tyler was very realistic (not just in love with his looks and ignoring the facts of his history; but instead really trying hard not to just be another notch in his belt.) My only note would be with the scene I'm the bar, where those bra clad women were dancing on Tyler etc, she didn't seem to have enough feelings (at least to me). She was mad for a page or two and then she just forgave him, moving on. In future writing done by this author, I would kind of like to see a female character hold more of a grudge (as awful as that sounds). If it were me, I would have been furious, heartbroken and never would have gotten into the car/heard him out. At least not right away. It seems like she let it go after he said his dad had cancer. Honestly, I have no idea what that had to do with him laying in the bar and being salivated on, but maybe I'm just missing something haha.
Overall, this book was amazing (def in my top ten reads of this year) and I'm really glad I found this author. Will def be following this series and recommend to anyone on the fence about it.
Warning: do not confuse low spice with clean romance. This one goes further in the bedroom scenes than I expected (readers mistake. I should have searched into the meaning more). At some points I felt a little uncomfortable with the level of heat the book packed, but thankfully it never crossed any lines (haha). I would be careful to any younger readers or those who aren't interested in bedroom scenes getting quite that far. To be fair, there was never explicit scenes, but it was implied and stopped very short of entering that. Personally, not a problem, but wanted to let others know so they would not be surprised.
Great book overall. Def recommend.

[Ana · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't like giving 1 star ever but tbh I am not sure what else to rate it.
If you asked me anything about the romance in this book I would say: he has abs, dying parents and she has curves and is quirky. You may be wondering if I have a bad memory because those can't be the only traits described since this is a romance, how about compatibility, personality. That is all! they are both 1 dimensional cardboard cutouts with names that end up dating because "hot"??? I don't know why they like eo.

The writing is not bad but the structure is confusing. Why are we getting random male protagonist POV just 2-3 for no reason. It adds nothing to the story just a few pages of: "she is not like other girls, she is hot and I am just misunderstood".

[Maven_Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Against the Boards by Cynthia Gunderson Review

Against the Boards by Cynthia Gunderson is a slow‑burn, contemporary hockey romance and the first book in the Canadian Played series. It follows Emma, a twenty‑nine‑year‑old food photographer who has sworn off “players” after a string of frustrating relationships, and Tyler Bowen, the charismatic center of her brother’s amateur hockey team whose reputation for romantic flings precedes him. When Emma impulsively asks Tyler to pretend they are a couple for a night to irritate her overprotective brother, what starts as a cheeky ruse slowly begins to tug at both of their hearts. Added to the mix is a surprising job offer from Tyler’s father after Emma’s photography studio is sold, forcing Emma to spend more time in his world and giving their friendship a chance to deepen into something unexpected and tender under the surface of their fake dating agreement.

Reading this book felt like clinging to the edge of an ice rink in a crisp winter storm, exhilarated by small shifts and slow emotional thawing. I genuinely enjoyed the playful banter and how Tyler’s gentle confidence contrasted with Emma’s delightful stubbornness and self‑protective walls, making their interactions feel alive and engaging. The setting around hockey games and the close‑knit community added texture that grounded the story in something vivid and spirited, and Gunderson’s pacing allowed their connection to grow gradually rather than rush into instant attraction. At times I found the narrative leaned heavily on familiar rom‑com tropes and some character choices felt a bit frustrating, but the heartfelt moments of vulnerability and gradual trust‑building gave me real warmth and smiles. Against the Boards is a cozy, character‑driven romance that made me appreciate the quiet, steady way affection can grow when two people let down their guards and start communicating with honesty and care.

Rating: 3 out of 5
Because the slow‑burn chemistry and heartfelt emotional moments warmed my heart even when the plot felt familiar at times.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

i don't really write reviews, but i found this audiobook free on yt and gave it a whirl. i know very little about canada, and even less about hockey, both of which are central; even so i had fun.

i wouldn't say this is a particularly complex story- misunderstanding and poor communication make up the worst of the difficulties. i'm not sure i'd reread, but i would rec it as a quick, easy book. i wish i could do a half star, but i'll roundup.

[Kate McMurry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Closed-bedroom-door, Canadian, hockey romance

Twenty-nine-year-old Emma Thompson was raised in a large, close-knit family consisting of happily married parents, four brothers, and one sister. All of her brothers are passionately dedicated hockey players. Some have played professionally, and her favorite brother, Sean, is the captain of a local team in a league for highly skilled, amateur hockey players. Emma earns her living as a food photographer. She and her two business partners, who are also her BFFs, make various kinds of food appear deliciously appetizing for print and video ads.

Thirty-three-year-old Tyler Bowen plays on Sean Thompson's hockey team. Tyler was talented enough in his late teens to go professional, but he stepped away from that demanding career trajectory when his father, Troy, was diagnosed with a life-threatening case of cancer. Luckily, Troy survived, and Tyler has been working ever since for Troy's business, most of the time remotely from home. Troy restores historically significant mansions, which might otherwise be bulldozed, and converts them into upscale B&Bs.

Troy has been married six times and is incapable of being faithful to any woman. Tyler decided long ago that he is just like his father and can never change, the only difference being that he has made a sacred vow to himself that he will never offer a commitment to any woman, under the presumption that, if they all know the score, that he is, in his unscientific opinion, essentially genetically preprogrammed to be eternally promiscuous, they will never get attached to him. In this manner, he will never hurt anyone, the way that Troy has harmed so many women, including, especially, Tyler's deceased mother.

Emma has had consistent difficulty over the years choosing boyfriends who treat her with dignity and respect, in spite of being raised with the example of loving, caring parents who are in a healthy relationship. Her most recent serious relationship was with a narcissist, and it took her a long time to wake up to the fact that he was never going to be anything but destructive to her well-being. It has been a year since Emma broke up with Mr Narcissist, and she has not gone out with anyone since then.

Emma has been superficially acquainted for some time with Tyler, because of his connection to Sean, and she is well aware that the extremely handsome, ripped Tyler is a dedicated manwhore, much in demand with the local puck bunnies and various other pretty, young barflies. (Though Tyler does not drink, he frequently hangs out at the local watering hole favored by his hockey buddies, not only to socialize with the guys, but because it is a convenient place to pick up his one-night stands.) Emma also knows that Sean would absolutely hate it if she were to date someone like Tyler, because Sean does not want her to keep repeating her pattern of entrusting her heart to messed up men. The problem is, she is frustrated with Sean for constantly playing Big Brother and thrusting intrusive, unsolicited romantic advice on her, which is made even more obnoxious by the fact that she is not currently dating. She impulsively concocts a plan to punish Sean a little bit, by asking Tyler to pretend they are dating for a couple of days. Unfortunately, hot-headed Sean enormously overreacts to a fake kiss between Emma and Tyler at the hockey stadium just before one of their league games. In the middle of the game, Sean attacks Tyler and beats him bloody, in the process receiving some serious bruises himself as Tyler responds defensively in kind. The ref and their mutual teammates yank them apart, and they are both thrown out of the game, causing their team to lose. (Sean's over-the-top version of brotherly protectiveness does not get him arrested for assault. Apparently because the team and the audience are accustomed to constant violence from hockey players.)

Emma feels really guilty that Sean attacked Tyler, but Tyler is not remotely bothered. In fact, a few days later, he asks Emma if they could continue to fake date for a while, because his father is dying from a recurrence of cancer, and he wants to prove to his father, even if it is entirely for show, that his father's eternal opinion that they are just alike is not true, that Tyler is not the same manwhore that his father has always been. (Which motivation makes zero sense, given that Tyler himself is absolutely convinced that he is irretrievably just like his father, two manwhore peas in the same familial pod.)

This story is a dual-POV, adult romance. It is slowburn, and when sexual activity finally occurs, nothing is portrayed onstage beyond a few kisses and a mention of the lovers' getting naked. In fact, the biggest plus in favor of this hockey romance is that it does not rely, as so many sports romances do, on padding the word count with endless, crude, repetitive sex scenes.

There is also no foul language in this novel and, since Tyler does not drink, there is no binge drinking, which is a refreshing change from the irresponsible drunkenness, which is a central feature of far too many sports romances.

This story is set in Calgary, Alberta, and lots of local color is provided, which brings various city settings vividly to life. There are many scenes of hockey games, which are described in extensive, authentic detail. There are also multiple scenes of Emma and her friends as they engage in food photography work, which also seems to be accurately portrayed.

This is the kind of story that a dedicated romance fan is either delighted by, because they appreciate all or most of the above tropes, or finds rather uninspiring, because that is not the case. Disappointingly, the latter situation applies to me.

I know absolutely nothing about hockey, so I skimmed over the hockey games after the first one. More than that felt redundant to me. One description of Emma at work was more than enough for me, as well, so I skimmed over every subsequent scene in which she is taking photos.

The trope of an indiscriminately promiscuous MMC athlete, who psychologically turns on a dime and becomes happily monogamous, merely because of True Love, rather than the years of competent therapy he actually requires to achieve that enormously difficult goal, is not something I can suspend disbelief about.

I also struggled with the fact that Emma has a history of relationships with emotionally and mentally difficult men, but somehow she slides into, with very little transition to get there, a state of utter confidence that she is going to sail into an untrammeled HEA with someone who is basically a sex addict. I find her attitude to be a tragic case of self-destructive magical thinking, rather than an inspiring romantic fantasy.

I obtained access to the Kindle version of this book when it was on sale for free on Amazon. I started reading it when I was bored while waiting for hours at a medical appointment, with no Wi-Fi on offer, so I couldn't listen to music or an audiobook. Due to all of the issues above, I basically skimmed over most of the book.

[Lele · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

This was honestly such a cute rom book😭💗 very quick read (so 100% recommend if you’re looking to get out of a slump) and was funny. Surprisingly I liked all of the characters. Usually there’s one character in every book I read that I can’t stand up all the characters in this were acc pretty good and funny lol

Overall this was a very sweet book that I’d read again

[Tiffany (Bluestocking) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ I never expect to be as invested in this book as I was. Tyler and Emma were both complex characters. I loved how the author explored their past so that the reader could better understand what shaped them into the persons they were when they met. Tyler wasn’t just a two dimensional playboy and Emma was more than a scorned woman avoiding love. They had depth and it made it so much easier to root for them.

There were far too many sweet/cute moments for me to count (not at all complaining 😉), the humor was great and I especially enjoyed the secondary characters (both Tyler’s & Emma’s friends). Some serious topics were discussed but it was handled well.

My main reason for the rating is that the ending was more of a HFN than a HEA. Other than that I absolutely adored this book and can’t wait to read the next one.


CONTENT
Romance: PG-13 clean, Kissing, fade to black intimacy, innuendo throughout.
Violence: Moderate
Language: Moderate (A**, S**t)

[Cherilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story and quick read

[iri · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

cute and I liked the main characters but it’s the type of a book that’d be better as a short romcom movie.

[Nathalie Rau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eerste E-Book … Leuk boek maar geef me toch maar een echt papieren boek 😂

[Bee 🐝 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh wow, I can't contain my excitement! I absolutely adored this book!

Let me tell you, every aspect of it just stole my heart – from the depth of the characters to their emotions, motives, and everything in between. Tyler? I couldn't get enough of him! He's funny, complex, and oh-so-interesting. Despite being a player (which usually isn't my cup of tea), there's so much more to him. He's not just your typical shallow, dumb jock with abs – his character has layers, a backstory that tugs at your heartstrings. I loved delving into his complexities.

And Emma? What a gem of a character! Her humor? Spot-on! I can't count how many times I burst out laughing. Her perspective on Tyler felt refreshingly real – she wasn't just swooning over his looks but grappling with his past and what it meant for their connection.

Although, I must admit, there was one scene at the bar where I felt Emma's reaction fell a bit short. I mean, if it were me, I'd probably be fuming for days! But hey, we're all different, right? Still, I'd love to see more depth in female characters' reactions in future works from this author.

I'm thrilled to have discovered this author and can't wait to dive into the rest of the series. And a little heads-up for fellow readers: while it's not exactly a "clean" romance, it's not overly explicit either. Just be prepared for some steamy moments that might catch you off guard, especially if you're not into that sort of thing.

[Liana Germick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would reread

[Aline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so positively surprised by this book. I enjoyed everything second of it: the writing style, the characters, the overall story. Well done

[Tovelohh · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75⭐️ 100% underrated book. Everyone must read this if you like sports romance! 💕

[Alyssia:) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite a wholesome, nice easy read

[Alissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a relatively quick read for me that had good banter, some deeper topics covered, and good character development! I really enjoyed the author’s writing style and the scenario that introduced the FMC and MMC to one another. I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a more lighthearted sports (hockey) romance!

~A.R.

[Chassidy Myrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

♡ FRIENDS TO LOVERS
♡ FOUND FAMILY
♡ SPICE 🌶🌶


I really liked this book! It took me by surprise.. I loved the characters and their banter.. I look forward to reading another one of Cynthia Gunderson's books!

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[ivana · Rating 1 out of 5]

i think i'm gonna stick to ao3 for my romances from now on bc i obviously don't have luck with these

[Jane Blossom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dokonalá oddechovka.

[Lexy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this book was good

[Lisa Smit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hehehe i did it, 2 uur en 50 minuten😌

[jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

A cutesy hockey romance but nothing special. Nothing really stood out to me and I probably won’t remember much of this one.

[Rhi · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute