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The Playbook #3
Sneak Play
I may be known as the campus flirt. But the truth is I’ve only ever wanted one thing more than hockey… and that’s her.
Shay Moore.
Not only is she my hockey coach’s daughter, but she’s also the star point guard on the women’s basketball team here at Mountain Ridge University.
My draw to her is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before, but there’s one huge problem… her boyfriend.
The one who doesn’t deserve her.
So I’ve stayed in my lane, admired from a distance, and accepted residency in the friend zone. Patiently hoping for my chance to tell her what I should have told her years ago.
Until this summer…
When my new class partner sparks something unexpected, I finally consider letting go of the one girl I’ve always wanted.
For the first time in forever, I’m imagining a future with someone who isn’t Shay.
But when unspoken truths come out, I’m faced with an impossible choice.
Because no matter how hard I try to move on…
The heart wants what it wants.
Shay Moore.
Not only is she my hockey coach’s daughter, but she’s also the star point guard on the women’s basketball team here at Mountain Ridge University.
My draw to her is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before, but there’s one huge problem… her boyfriend.
The one who doesn’t deserve her.
So I’ve stayed in my lane, admired from a distance, and accepted residency in the friend zone. Patiently hoping for my chance to tell her what I should have told her years ago.
Until this summer…
When my new class partner sparks something unexpected, I finally consider letting go of the one girl I’ve always wanted.
For the first time in forever, I’m imagining a future with someone who isn’t Shay.
But when unspoken truths come out, I’m faced with an impossible choice.
Because no matter how hard I try to move on…
The heart wants what it wants.
345 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 4, 2025
89 people are currently reading
507 people want to read
About the author
L.A. Shaw
15 books354 followersA New Yorker and a Southern Belle.
Two Book Obsessed Babes that became lifelong best friends over their love for a good romance novel.
When they're not writing, they're devouring a good book, or spending time with their family and friends.
Total opposites in some ways and exactly the same in others, making them a dynamic author duo.
Two Book Obsessed Babes that became lifelong best friends over their love for a good romance novel.
When they're not writing, they're devouring a good book, or spending time with their family and friends.
Total opposites in some ways and exactly the same in others, making them a dynamic author duo.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 201 reviews
December 12, 2025
5🌟, 3🌶️
I was not prepared for how intense, addictive, and downright delicious this romance would be.
Sneak Play drops you back into MRU with all the sports chaos, late-night tension, and emotional pull that makes this world so easy to fall into. The chemistry between Maverick and Shay is immediate, but it is the vulnerability underneath it that makes the story hit so hard. Watching feelings slip through the cracks of friendship and turn into something deeper made every moment feel charged.
The slow burn and pining in this book were unreal, and every shift between them felt intentional and loaded with feeling. I almost always love triangles, but this one was written with such maturity and honesty that it only made the story so much better. The jealousy, the longing, the confusion, and the softness all blended into something that felt real and messy in the most satisfying way. Their growth made the final connection feel earned, emotional, and completely worth the ride.
Being back in the Wolves Den felt like returning to a found family that keeps getting better with every book. The banter, the friendships, the heat, and the raw moments all came together to make this installment stand out.
It is emotional, addictive, sexy, and filled with scenes that linger long after the last page.
I’m hopelessly invested in this crew and I need the next book like yesterday.
~~~~
Special thanks to L.A. Shaw & The Smuthood for providing this Advanced Reader Copy. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. ✨
I was not prepared for how intense, addictive, and downright delicious this romance would be.
Sneak Play drops you back into MRU with all the sports chaos, late-night tension, and emotional pull that makes this world so easy to fall into. The chemistry between Maverick and Shay is immediate, but it is the vulnerability underneath it that makes the story hit so hard. Watching feelings slip through the cracks of friendship and turn into something deeper made every moment feel charged.
The slow burn and pining in this book were unreal, and every shift between them felt intentional and loaded with feeling. I almost always love triangles, but this one was written with such maturity and honesty that it only made the story so much better. The jealousy, the longing, the confusion, and the softness all blended into something that felt real and messy in the most satisfying way. Their growth made the final connection feel earned, emotional, and completely worth the ride.
Being back in the Wolves Den felt like returning to a found family that keeps getting better with every book. The banter, the friendships, the heat, and the raw moments all came together to make this installment stand out.
It is emotional, addictive, sexy, and filled with scenes that linger long after the last page.
I’m hopelessly invested in this crew and I need the next book like yesterday.
~~~~
Special thanks to L.A. Shaw & The Smuthood for providing this Advanced Reader Copy. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. ✨
December 4, 2025
Mav and Shay oooo I love you guys!! Mav may be my favorite cinnamon roll MMC, he is such a lover boy and I truly loved this book.
So many sweet moments I was tearing up at
Fantastic found family
Slow burn 🔥
Non problematic girlies which I loved
That fun college atmosphere LA Shaw does so well!!
I loved the texting banter, and Mav interacting with Shay’s family was one of my favorite parts. I also loved Shay’s expression of love for Mav 🥹
Cash and Bellamy have my heart as fav couple from this series but I have to say I think this was my favorite book of the series so far!!
My spidey senses are tingling for some other books and I am sooooo excited 😍
4.5/5 ⭐️
2.5 🔥
So many sweet moments I was tearing up at
Fantastic found family
Slow burn 🔥
Non problematic girlies which I loved
That fun college atmosphere LA Shaw does so well!!
I loved the texting banter, and Mav interacting with Shay’s family was one of my favorite parts. I also loved Shay’s expression of love for Mav 🥹
Cash and Bellamy have my heart as fav couple from this series but I have to say I think this was my favorite book of the series so far!!
My spidey senses are tingling for some other books and I am sooooo excited 😍
4.5/5 ⭐️
2.5 🔥
December 17, 2025
ARC
5 plus stars
Spice: 2/5
Maverick and Shay are everything you want and more.
Maverick and Shay both attend Mountain Ridge University. They have a “meet cute” at the beginning of their Freshman year that kicks off the start of their journey to happily ever after.
Maverick
Twin brother is Cash (Crash Brothers for life)
A tragic loss weighs heavy on his heart
Very close with his family
In touch with his feelings
Hockey Captain
Shay’s dad is his hockey coach
Goal is to be drafted into the NHL
Shay
Very close with her family, especially her brother Joey who is autistic
Puts everyone else above herself
Jordan is her boyfriend (until he isn’t) (asshat)
Star Point Guard
Goal is to be drafted into the WNBA
I loved everything about this book. The text banter, the angst, missed opportunities / timing / obstacles, Joey, friends / teammates / found family, time spent at the ranch and the grand gesture’s at the end.
This book is the epitome of slooow burn (over 75%). It left me wanting more but wow when the burn hit, it was magic.
I’m new to the L.A. Shaw book world so when I was notified that I was chosen to receive an ARC for Sneak Play (book 3), I knew I wanted to start my journey at the beginning of the series. I immediately purchased the first two books in the series (Replay & Trick Play) and I’m so thankful that I did as it gave me insight into all the side characters that add depth to Maverick and Shay’s story.
Excited to read Nola & Willow’s story next.
That you to L.A. Shaw and The Smuthood for the opportunity to read and review an advanced reader copy and the introduction of “new to me” authors.
5 plus stars
Spice: 2/5
Maverick and Shay are everything you want and more.
Maverick and Shay both attend Mountain Ridge University. They have a “meet cute” at the beginning of their Freshman year that kicks off the start of their journey to happily ever after.
Maverick
Twin brother is Cash (Crash Brothers for life)
A tragic loss weighs heavy on his heart
Very close with his family
In touch with his feelings
Hockey Captain
Shay’s dad is his hockey coach
Goal is to be drafted into the NHL
Shay
Very close with her family, especially her brother Joey who is autistic
Puts everyone else above herself
Jordan is her boyfriend (until he isn’t) (asshat)
Star Point Guard
Goal is to be drafted into the WNBA
I loved everything about this book. The text banter, the angst, missed opportunities / timing / obstacles, Joey, friends / teammates / found family, time spent at the ranch and the grand gesture’s at the end.
This book is the epitome of slooow burn (over 75%). It left me wanting more but wow when the burn hit, it was magic.
I’m new to the L.A. Shaw book world so when I was notified that I was chosen to receive an ARC for Sneak Play (book 3), I knew I wanted to start my journey at the beginning of the series. I immediately purchased the first two books in the series (Replay & Trick Play) and I’m so thankful that I did as it gave me insight into all the side characters that add depth to Maverick and Shay’s story.
Excited to read Nola & Willow’s story next.
That you to L.A. Shaw and The Smuthood for the opportunity to read and review an advanced reader copy and the introduction of “new to me” authors.
November 27, 2025
One sitting. I DEVOURED THIS in one sitting. Legitimately could not put it down. The almost too charming for his own good Leblanc twin has had my eye since “Replay” and when I tell ya’ll he exceeded any and all expectations I could have ever had. I was ALL IN from that prologue and after the build up from the previous books with these two, I knew we were in for a RIDE. Now I’m going to be completely and totally frank with you guys….I normally HATE love triangles. (Or in this case squares? Parallelograms? Idk whatever 4 people is called lol) BUT I JUST KNEW my favorite girls would make me a believer and man oh man did they EVER!!!! In LA Shaw I trust always! Because here’s my problem with love triangles- you always end up feeling like someone is undeserving or someone is a bad person or does someone dirty….(with the exception of Jordan because #teamfuckthatguy) this situation was not like that at all. The way Peyton, Shay and Mav all handled everything made me so freaking happy and if anything? It made me love them all EVEN MORE. Maverick is a walking, talking green flag and he has skyrocketed to one of my all time favorite LA Shaw MMCs aside from Eli. Did the slow burn and tension ALMOST unal!ve me!? Yes, yes it did. Was it worth EVERY PAGE!? Unquestionably! I need answers on a lot of different things to come in the next 2 books because this crew of characters has got such a hold on me, this found family has my entire heart. You ladies continue to blow me away with every release, I am enamored with yall and can’t wait for the next trip to MRU.
Infinite stars, OBVI!
::What to expect::
•Collegiate Athlete MCs (hockey and basketball)
•Friends to lovers
•Love triangle
•Coach’s daughter
•Slow burn
•It’s always been you
•Angst, tension and PINING
Infinite stars, OBVI!
::What to expect::
•Collegiate Athlete MCs (hockey and basketball)
•Friends to lovers
•Love triangle
•Coach’s daughter
•Slow burn
•It’s always been you
•Angst, tension and PINING
December 2, 2025
This book was SO good. I knew mavvy was going to be my favorite of the series the minute I read him.
Am I a love triangle girly now? I feel like I’ve read so many recently and loved them all but LA Shaw did this one SO well. The way these characters handled it was done incredibly and felt so freaking relatable and real.
I will be foaming at the mouth for Peyton’s story and fingers crossed it’s with our main man Graham because those flirty and fun emails had me SO excited.
I truly love every single thing LA Shaw writes, and I know when I pick up their newest book I’m going to be in for a good time. Some of my favorite reads.
🏒Hockey Player MMC X Basketball Player FMC
🏀Friends to Lovers
🏒Love Triangle
🏀Coach’s Daughter
🏒Slowwww burn
Am I a love triangle girly now? I feel like I’ve read so many recently and loved them all but LA Shaw did this one SO well. The way these characters handled it was done incredibly and felt so freaking relatable and real.
I will be foaming at the mouth for Peyton’s story and fingers crossed it’s with our main man Graham because those flirty and fun emails had me SO excited.
I truly love every single thing LA Shaw writes, and I know when I pick up their newest book I’m going to be in for a good time. Some of my favorite reads.
🏒Hockey Player MMC X Basketball Player FMC
🏀Friends to Lovers
🏒Love Triangle
🏀Coach’s Daughter
🏒Slowwww burn
December 4, 2025
The ultimate college romance - and one where I wasn’t sure how this love triangle was going to end up or who I wanted together!
LA Shaw write an incredible found family community and I loved being back in the Wolves Den. Mav and Shay are best friends all of college, both being collegiate athletes, and Mav has been pining away for Shay for years …but she’s had a boyfriend. I love pining. It’s what separates good books from great books for me and this story isn’t short on the pining. Maverick is the ultimate girl’s best friend while still being a super hot hockey player. The perfect combo, in my humble opinion.
Love triangles can make me uncomfortable sometimes but this one was written so well - with real conflict of emotions and all of the complications that come with juggling relationships as a young adult. I’m loving this world and looking forward to the next book!
LA Shaw write an incredible found family community and I loved being back in the Wolves Den. Mav and Shay are best friends all of college, both being collegiate athletes, and Mav has been pining away for Shay for years …but she’s had a boyfriend. I love pining. It’s what separates good books from great books for me and this story isn’t short on the pining. Maverick is the ultimate girl’s best friend while still being a super hot hockey player. The perfect combo, in my humble opinion.
Love triangles can make me uncomfortable sometimes but this one was written so well - with real conflict of emotions and all of the complications that come with juggling relationships as a young adult. I’m loving this world and looking forward to the next book!
December 5, 2025
Sneak Play is Book 3 in The Playbook series. This is Maverick and Shay's story. Shay is the hockey coach's daughter and Maverick's best friend. Maverick has always admired Shay and stayed in his lane, but the problem is her boyfriend. He doesn't deserve Shay. Maverick is hoping he gets a chance to tell her his feelings until next summer everything changes.
I loved this one so much!! The characters were so relatable. I easily connected to them. I loved the banter. Maverick was so funny. He had so many great lines. He was charming and confident. Shay she was down to earth and I loved seeing her character grow so much. There was so much angst in this one. I felt all the pain and heartache too. It was definitely an emotional rollercoaster for me. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend!
Available now!
Thank you the authors for my ARC and for the opportunity to review.
I loved this one so much!! The characters were so relatable. I easily connected to them. I loved the banter. Maverick was so funny. He had so many great lines. He was charming and confident. Shay she was down to earth and I loved seeing her character grow so much. There was so much angst in this one. I felt all the pain and heartache too. It was definitely an emotional rollercoaster for me. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend!
Available now!
Thank you the authors for my ARC and for the opportunity to review.
December 8, 2025
This was my first read by L.A. Shaw, and it absolutely won me over. The emotional tension, the friendship-to-lovers heartbeat, and the angst of choosing between comfort and new possibilities kept me hooked the whole way through. I’ll definitely be picking up more from this author in the future.
This engaging college sports romance follows three characters whose lives intertwine in all the best—and most complicated—ways. Shay Moore is the rising basketball star at Mountain Ridge University and the daughter of the school’s hockey coach. From her very first year on campus, she’s paired with Maverick Leblanc, the boy her mother essentially handpicked to be her best friend. And he is perfect: steady, loyal, endlessly kind, and completely devoted to Shay. Their friendship sparkles with easy chemistry, which leaves readers wondering from the start whether they’re truly just friends.
But when Shay’s boyfriend cheats on her, everything she thought she knew starts to wobble. And just when she begins to see Maverick in a new light, he starts dating someone else.
Maverick, meanwhile, has been in love with Shay since the moment they met. Watching him long for her while trying to move on is equal parts sweet and heartbreaking. His decision to date Peyton—a smart, sharp-tongued sports gossip writer who sees more in athletes than the stereotypes she’s built her life around—adds a refreshing dynamic to the story. Peyton isn’t just a plot device; she’s layered, vulnerable, and surprisingly easy to root for.
The love triangle works because all three characters feel real. Their hopes, insecurities, and emotional stakes pull you straight into the messiness of wanting the right thing at the wrong time. And honestly? I was invested. I wanted Mav to be happy, and I found myself torn because both Shay and Peyton bring something meaningful to his life.
This engaging college sports romance follows three characters whose lives intertwine in all the best—and most complicated—ways. Shay Moore is the rising basketball star at Mountain Ridge University and the daughter of the school’s hockey coach. From her very first year on campus, she’s paired with Maverick Leblanc, the boy her mother essentially handpicked to be her best friend. And he is perfect: steady, loyal, endlessly kind, and completely devoted to Shay. Their friendship sparkles with easy chemistry, which leaves readers wondering from the start whether they’re truly just friends.
But when Shay’s boyfriend cheats on her, everything she thought she knew starts to wobble. And just when she begins to see Maverick in a new light, he starts dating someone else.
Maverick, meanwhile, has been in love with Shay since the moment they met. Watching him long for her while trying to move on is equal parts sweet and heartbreaking. His decision to date Peyton—a smart, sharp-tongued sports gossip writer who sees more in athletes than the stereotypes she’s built her life around—adds a refreshing dynamic to the story. Peyton isn’t just a plot device; she’s layered, vulnerable, and surprisingly easy to root for.
The love triangle works because all three characters feel real. Their hopes, insecurities, and emotional stakes pull you straight into the messiness of wanting the right thing at the wrong time. And honestly? I was invested. I wanted Mav to be happy, and I found myself torn because both Shay and Peyton bring something meaningful to his life.
December 4, 2025
Ah Maverick the man you are! He’s tatted, loves karaoke, has the sweetest relationship with her autistic brother, is the captain of the hockey team and has all green flag energy. Need I say more?!
This love triangle/friends to lovers story was done so tastefully and realistically. All three of them pulled me in for different reasons however there was a clear choice I was rooting for from the beginning. There were moments when I wanted to shout at one of the FMCs and push them to talk it out but that tension kept me glued to the pages. This is a SLOW burn but when it hits, it made all my frustrations worth it!
I truly enjoyed this book and adore the LaBlanc twins and their women so much! This whole found family is so warm and I love that it spreads between multiple sports/teams.
Thank you L.A Shaw for the ARC. I have loved every book in this series and can’t wait for the next book!
🌶️🌶️
This love triangle/friends to lovers story was done so tastefully and realistically. All three of them pulled me in for different reasons however there was a clear choice I was rooting for from the beginning. There were moments when I wanted to shout at one of the FMCs and push them to talk it out but that tension kept me glued to the pages. This is a SLOW burn but when it hits, it made all my frustrations worth it!
I truly enjoyed this book and adore the LaBlanc twins and their women so much! This whole found family is so warm and I love that it spreads between multiple sports/teams.
Thank you L.A Shaw for the ARC. I have loved every book in this series and can’t wait for the next book!
🌶️🌶️
December 5, 2025
This was such a cute read (and also the first book I have read in this series)! Although it’s not technically needed to read the first 2 book, it definitely would have helped fill in some missing context for some of the other characters in the book. But I was grateful to be selected as an ARC reader for this book, so I read it without reading the first two!
Mav and Shay are the textbook definition of best friends turned to lovers and I was all here for it. Both collage athletes and the best in their sport, both incredibly good looking, both have hearts of gold, and both are as loyal to each other as it comes. What I wasn’t expecting was Shay being in a committed (but ridiculous) relationship with a basketball player for the next 3 years and having to watch Mav suffer through watching them together. Especially when he was so in love with her.
In his first true attempt to get over Shay and move on, Mav starts developing feelings for Peyton at the exact same time that Shay starts to realize that Mav is who she’s really in love with and wants to be with. This part of the story was so hard to get through because I just wanted them together!
But the weight was definitely worth it and in the end, they got their HEA. Romance + careers!
Mav and Shay are the textbook definition of best friends turned to lovers and I was all here for it. Both collage athletes and the best in their sport, both incredibly good looking, both have hearts of gold, and both are as loyal to each other as it comes. What I wasn’t expecting was Shay being in a committed (but ridiculous) relationship with a basketball player for the next 3 years and having to watch Mav suffer through watching them together. Especially when he was so in love with her.
In his first true attempt to get over Shay and move on, Mav starts developing feelings for Peyton at the exact same time that Shay starts to realize that Mav is who she’s really in love with and wants to be with. This part of the story was so hard to get through because I just wanted them together!
But the weight was definitely worth it and in the end, they got their HEA. Romance + careers!
December 6, 2025
Maverick & Shay officially own my heart.
This is the definition of right person, wrong time…slow burn, full ache, and all the stolen glances.
Watching Maverick quietly love her from the sidelines while she dated someone else?? PAIN. But the kind that keeps you glued to the pages. And when a tiny love-triangle moment pops up, it’s handled so well you don’t end up hating anyone.
Set in a college hockey world, this book gives a swoony athlete, a coach’s daughter he definitely shouldn’t want, real emotional depth, and an HEA that feels earned. L.A. Shaw wrote this with so much heart, and the family dynamics made the connection between Maverick and Shay even stronger.
I devoured this. Slow burn perfection.
Xo, Jenn
This is the definition of right person, wrong time…slow burn, full ache, and all the stolen glances.
Watching Maverick quietly love her from the sidelines while she dated someone else?? PAIN. But the kind that keeps you glued to the pages. And when a tiny love-triangle moment pops up, it’s handled so well you don’t end up hating anyone.
Set in a college hockey world, this book gives a swoony athlete, a coach’s daughter he definitely shouldn’t want, real emotional depth, and an HEA that feels earned. L.A. Shaw wrote this with so much heart, and the family dynamics made the connection between Maverick and Shay even stronger.
I devoured this. Slow burn perfection.
Xo, Jenn
November 30, 2025
*ARC Review*
WOW! I have been waiting for Maverick's book since we met him, and he did not disappoint!
I devoured this book in one sitting, I did not even stop reading while I was cooking dinner!
The way Maverick cares for Shay's brother, lets her know that she can count on him for anything. Is Maverick done being in the friendzone when he meets Peyton? The way my heart hurt for the angst that is this Love Triangle (square?). Peyton, Howler Girl, I love that she is working toward her dream, while helping all of her athlete friends along the way!
If you are looking for a very well-done Love Triangle, this is definitely for you. If you don't like them, just trust the process, they have a journey they must take.
Thank you for allowing me to receive the ARC of this one, I don't think I could have waited another week for release day!
WOW! I have been waiting for Maverick's book since we met him, and he did not disappoint!
I devoured this book in one sitting, I did not even stop reading while I was cooking dinner!
The way Maverick cares for Shay's brother, lets her know that she can count on him for anything. Is Maverick done being in the friendzone when he meets Peyton? The way my heart hurt for the angst that is this Love Triangle (square?). Peyton, Howler Girl, I love that she is working toward her dream, while helping all of her athlete friends along the way!
If you are looking for a very well-done Love Triangle, this is definitely for you. If you don't like them, just trust the process, they have a journey they must take.
Thank you for allowing me to receive the ARC of this one, I don't think I could have waited another week for release day!
December 5, 2025
✨Book Review✨
Happy Release Day!!🏀🏒
Sneak Play by @lashaw.author
Book 3 The Playbook Series
Boy aquarium chaos, Howler Reports, hunky Wolfes Den roommates, and the magnetic pull between Shay Moore and Maverick LeBlanc…honestly what more could a girl want?
Back to MRU for round three and...WOW! Everything I wanted plus Maverick LeBlanc in all his sweet, dirty talking, love sick glory. I’ve been obsessed with Mav since day one…and yes, he might be my favorite LeBlanc twin, but I’ll never admit it out loud. 👀
And me? Miss “love triangles give me anxiety”? I devoured this one. Zero drama, all heart, and I even fell for Peyton. That girl deserves her own HEA ASAP. Howler Girl Power!
The tension was absolutely delicious. All the yearning, the pining, the slow burn, the found family feels, the “it’s always been you” energy... I was feral. And Mav’s bond with Shay’s brother? Criminally underrated and one of my favorite parts, it added so much depth, heart, and healing to the story. ❤️
From page one to the last line, this book owned me.
Counting down the minutes until the next MRU installment.
Huge thank you to L.A. Shaw for the ARC.
More MRU magic, please and thank you!🫶🏼
Happy Release Day!!🏀🏒
Sneak Play by @lashaw.author
Book 3 The Playbook Series
Boy aquarium chaos, Howler Reports, hunky Wolfes Den roommates, and the magnetic pull between Shay Moore and Maverick LeBlanc…honestly what more could a girl want?
Back to MRU for round three and...WOW! Everything I wanted plus Maverick LeBlanc in all his sweet, dirty talking, love sick glory. I’ve been obsessed with Mav since day one…and yes, he might be my favorite LeBlanc twin, but I’ll never admit it out loud. 👀
And me? Miss “love triangles give me anxiety”? I devoured this one. Zero drama, all heart, and I even fell for Peyton. That girl deserves her own HEA ASAP. Howler Girl Power!
The tension was absolutely delicious. All the yearning, the pining, the slow burn, the found family feels, the “it’s always been you” energy... I was feral. And Mav’s bond with Shay’s brother? Criminally underrated and one of my favorite parts, it added so much depth, heart, and healing to the story. ❤️
From page one to the last line, this book owned me.
Counting down the minutes until the next MRU installment.
Huge thank you to L.A. Shaw for the ARC.
More MRU magic, please and thank you!🫶🏼
December 8, 2025
✨ARC Review✨
Sneak Play
By: LA Shaw
She’s like the forbidden fruit I’ll never get the chance to try. Not only is she my coach’s daughter, but she’s also in a long-term relationship with a complete douchebag.
Over the years, I’ve seen Maverick give his attention to many different girls, but something about this feels so different. Jealousy forms in the pit of my stomach.
“If only I could rewind time, I would’ve never given him the chance with you. Because I’ve been paying for my regrets for the past three years watching you loving him.”
L.A. Shaw what did you put in this book?! Crack?! I could not put this one down! Maverick and Shay’s story is full of yearning, years of friendship and right person but wrong time. I hurt for both Maverick and Shay when they realized their feelings. Maverick for trying to move on knowing his heart is only for Shay but tired of trying to pretend he was happy just as her friend. Shay for finally waking up to her feelings and it being too late, and for the ones being caught in the cross hairs of this mess.
L.A. Shaw did a beautiful job of developing the characters feelings and the raw emotions these characters experience. It bleeds off the pages and it broke my heart from the very beginning knowing that not everyone would get their happily ever after at the end of all this. But it is all so beautiful handled.
Tropes:
Hockey Romance
Basketball Romance
Love Triangle
Slow Burn
Coach’s Daughter
Spice starts at: 86%
Spice: 2/4
Stars: 4.5/5
Available on Kindle Unlimited December 4th
Sneak Play
By: LA Shaw
She’s like the forbidden fruit I’ll never get the chance to try. Not only is she my coach’s daughter, but she’s also in a long-term relationship with a complete douchebag.
Over the years, I’ve seen Maverick give his attention to many different girls, but something about this feels so different. Jealousy forms in the pit of my stomach.
“If only I could rewind time, I would’ve never given him the chance with you. Because I’ve been paying for my regrets for the past three years watching you loving him.”
L.A. Shaw what did you put in this book?! Crack?! I could not put this one down! Maverick and Shay’s story is full of yearning, years of friendship and right person but wrong time. I hurt for both Maverick and Shay when they realized their feelings. Maverick for trying to move on knowing his heart is only for Shay but tired of trying to pretend he was happy just as her friend. Shay for finally waking up to her feelings and it being too late, and for the ones being caught in the cross hairs of this mess.
L.A. Shaw did a beautiful job of developing the characters feelings and the raw emotions these characters experience. It bleeds off the pages and it broke my heart from the very beginning knowing that not everyone would get their happily ever after at the end of all this. But it is all so beautiful handled.
Tropes:
Hockey Romance
Basketball Romance
Love Triangle
Slow Burn
Coach’s Daughter
Spice starts at: 86%
Spice: 2/4
Stars: 4.5/5
Available on Kindle Unlimited December 4th
November 30, 2025
Maverick LaBlanc 🫠 immediately added to book boyfriend list, ooh this boy is everything we want and need in life
The love triangle freaked me out for a while 😱 will he pick the right girl, so of course I read this in one sitting to make sure Mav got his HEA
Beautifully written tension filled slow burn, hockey (him), basketball (her) and his coaches daughter, friends to lovers, love triangle romance 🥰
I highly recommend you add this to your TBR pile immediately!! you will not regret it
L.A. Shaw thank you for an incredible book and the ARC opportunity, I cannot wait for the next book ❤️
The love triangle freaked me out for a while 😱 will he pick the right girl, so of course I read this in one sitting to make sure Mav got his HEA
Beautifully written tension filled slow burn, hockey (him), basketball (her) and his coaches daughter, friends to lovers, love triangle romance 🥰
I highly recommend you add this to your TBR pile immediately!! you will not regret it
L.A. Shaw thank you for an incredible book and the ARC opportunity, I cannot wait for the next book ❤️
December 6, 2025
I really don’t know how they do it but I just know an L.A Shaw book is gonna HIT EVERY DAMN TIME!!
Each book in this MRU series has gotten better and better and I fall more and more for each character! No one writes found family better than them! I love all these characters so much and every side character leaves you so excited for their story!
I LOVE Cash but Maverick? He blew me away! So much charm and such a gentleman but most of all and true to an L.A Shaw MMC, we LOVE a down bad man !! 🥵😮💨
I can say I truly didn’t know how this love triangle was going to play out , I was STRESSED! But per usual, it was so well done and I loved every minute of it.
There were a lot of texting scenes which were executed perfectly, it added to the banter and amplified the relationship for the reader!
Overall I’m just so obsessed and there’s so much I want to say but I’m afraid I’ll give away too much and it’s honestly best going in blind but I will say I love how women in sports were represented in this story . Something I’ll always continue praising L.A Shaw for are how their FMCs are girl’s girls and I LOVE THAT!!
Y’all will not be disappointed!!! 🥹🥰
Each book in this MRU series has gotten better and better and I fall more and more for each character! No one writes found family better than them! I love all these characters so much and every side character leaves you so excited for their story!
I LOVE Cash but Maverick? He blew me away! So much charm and such a gentleman but most of all and true to an L.A Shaw MMC, we LOVE a down bad man !! 🥵😮💨
I can say I truly didn’t know how this love triangle was going to play out , I was STRESSED! But per usual, it was so well done and I loved every minute of it.
There were a lot of texting scenes which were executed perfectly, it added to the banter and amplified the relationship for the reader!
Overall I’m just so obsessed and there’s so much I want to say but I’m afraid I’ll give away too much and it’s honestly best going in blind but I will say I love how women in sports were represented in this story . Something I’ll always continue praising L.A Shaw for are how their FMCs are girl’s girls and I LOVE THAT!!
Y’all will not be disappointed!!! 🥹🥰
December 10, 2025
Sneak Play was cute, flirty, and way too easy to binge. The chemistry? On point. The banter? Doing the most. Hockey boy + attitude = I was locked in.
Quick, fun, zero regrets. Would absolutely read more from L.A. Shaw. 🏒🔥
Quick, fun, zero regrets. Would absolutely read more from L.A. Shaw. 🏒🔥
December 4, 2025
Sneak Play is the third book in the Playbook Series and follows Shay, Maverick and Peyton's story.
TWO WORDS....MAVERICK LABLANC!!
That man, that man, THAT MAN!!! DAMN HE IS FIRE AND I WANT HIM! I ABSOLUTELY LOVED HIM and his story is MY FAVORITE of the series thus far! LA Shaw will have to give me something that will dethrone Mav from this series and I'll be surprised if they do because he is TOP TIER in my book!
This is a love triangle but I promise, you will get your HEA and Mav is with his person! He's the golden retriever we all love and want! This is a slow burn but not the type of slow burn that you're going to pull your hair out waiting for. It was written perfectly and will keep you engaged the entire time.
Another hit from L.A. Shaw!
What to expect:
Hockey romance
Basketball romance
Love triangle
Coach’s daughter
Slow burn
Friends to Lovers
Angst
Secret Pining
TWO WORDS....MAVERICK LABLANC!!
That man, that man, THAT MAN!!! DAMN HE IS FIRE AND I WANT HIM! I ABSOLUTELY LOVED HIM and his story is MY FAVORITE of the series thus far! LA Shaw will have to give me something that will dethrone Mav from this series and I'll be surprised if they do because he is TOP TIER in my book!
This is a love triangle but I promise, you will get your HEA and Mav is with his person! He's the golden retriever we all love and want! This is a slow burn but not the type of slow burn that you're going to pull your hair out waiting for. It was written perfectly and will keep you engaged the entire time.
Another hit from L.A. Shaw!
What to expect:
Hockey romance
Basketball romance
Love triangle
Coach’s daughter
Slow burn
Friends to Lovers
Angst
Secret Pining
November 30, 2025
Thank you LA Shaw for having us on your ARC team!
Mavvy finally got his girl!😍😍 I wish this was longer but I absolutely love this crew and found family.🤍
Can’t wait so see what happens next at MRU!
Mavvy finally got his girl!😍😍 I wish this was longer but I absolutely love this crew and found family.🤍
Can’t wait so see what happens next at MRU!
December 15, 2025
4.5***
December 15, 2025
L.A. Shaw has a way of immediately sucking me into their books with their writing.
From the prologue on this was a page turner for me!
The multi pov's were such a pleasant surprise because while this is a love triangle I fully did not expect to fall in love with the the other girl in the triangle!
Maverick is a complete sweetie pie. I have adored him from the other books in the MRU series. Hockey player and campus flirt. He is so far gone for Shay and has been pining for years since the day he met her.
Shay is an allstar on the basketball court. Sweet to the very core. The friendship and connection her and Maverick have is the reason friends to lovers is one of the best tropes. From their texts to their pre game pep talks they are always each others biggest supporters.
The relationship Mav has with Shay's brother was a favorite part of the story for me. I love the bond they shared and the care Mav had for him.
The love triangle was done so well. No drama, pure & true feelings and I ended up loving Peyton so much
From the prologue on this was a page turner for me!
The multi pov's were such a pleasant surprise because while this is a love triangle I fully did not expect to fall in love with the the other girl in the triangle!
Maverick is a complete sweetie pie. I have adored him from the other books in the MRU series. Hockey player and campus flirt. He is so far gone for Shay and has been pining for years since the day he met her.
Shay is an allstar on the basketball court. Sweet to the very core. The friendship and connection her and Maverick have is the reason friends to lovers is one of the best tropes. From their texts to their pre game pep talks they are always each others biggest supporters.
The relationship Mav has with Shay's brother was a favorite part of the story for me. I love the bond they shared and the care Mav had for him.
The love triangle was done so well. No drama, pure & true feelings and I ended up loving Peyton so much
December 8, 2025
Ate this book up. Absolutely love Mav so much. The tension and yearning is off the charts. The will they/won't they. The love triangle. All of it.
Absolutely obsessed with this college sports romance series!
Absolutely obsessed with this college sports romance series!
December 21, 2025
“𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮����. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘶𝘱, 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺.”
4.5/⭐️
2/🌶️
Full rtc
Hockey Player MMC x Basketball Player FMC
Love Triangle
Coach's Daughter
Friends to Lovers
It's Always Been You
Slow Burn
4.5/⭐️
2/🌶️
Full rtc
Hockey Player MMC x Basketball Player FMC
Love Triangle
Coach's Daughter
Friends to Lovers
It's Always Been You
Slow Burn
December 9, 2025
4.25⭐️ 2🌶️ ARC Review - Sneak Play by L.A. Shaw - book 3 in the Playbook/Mountain Ridge University series. I love this series and I love this found family. L.A. Shaw’s books are some of my favorite reads. L.A. Shaw really nailed the love triangle trope here. The characters handle the situation so well and with maturity and vulnerability. If you like an angsty, slow-burn, friends-to-lovers, he-falls-first story—then this is THE book for you.
Maverick (Mav) Leblanc is a pro at masking his feelings, including being in love with Shay Moore for the last 3 years. He worships the ground she walks on but has kept his true feelings to himself since she saw girls falling all over him and, as a result, put him in the friend zone when they met. He never got to shoot his shot and he’s regretted it ever since. Shay’s boyfriend is a jerk but still Mav is a good friend to Shay and doesn’t say what he thinks about her bf. Mav and Shay have a strong, close bond, and he lets her see the parts of him that nobody else sees. Just when Shay starts to realize that Mav has been her constant, her biggest fan, and always there for her, Mav finally accepts that he needs to move on, so he spends time with Peyton. He likes her and genuinely wants to give it a chance but there’s always that pull - an invisible tether to Shay. It dawns on her that it’s been Mav all along - the man she deserves - and when she tells him she chooses him…gah! I swooned 🫠and was so so happy for Mav. ❤️ He got his dream girl. 🥹 When he tells her Thank you for letting me love you I was a goner. 🥰
❤️ He remembers that purple Gatorade is her favorite
❤️ He calls her ‘Little Moore’
❤️ Forearm p0rn
❤️ She upgrades from her cheating ex
❤️ He’s a gentleman - always walking girls home, and waiting to leave until their doors are locked 🔒
❤️ He’s always smiling and charming but behind the smile is a broken boy—He hides his sadness for the sake of others
❤️ She finally realizes he’s her person
❤️ They were inevitable
Favorite quotes:
“I'd never want you not to know your worth. You should be treated like the absolute perfection you are.”
"If only I could rewind time, I would've never given him the chance with you. Because I've been paying for my regrets for the past three years watching you loving him."
"Don't be worried about me, Little Moore. I'm all good, babe.”
"Don't do that, not with me.”
“What?"
"Don't hide from me. You don't always have to be the strong one, Mav."
“But even as my friend, you've shown me what I deserve. What I want...And I want you."
"You're wearing my number."
"I am."
"What does this mean?"
"It's you, Shay. There was never another choice for me. I was just waiting for you to catch up, baby."
"You were like a sneak play, Maverick Leblanc.
Every single one of my feelings for you snuck up on me, and now it's like I'm rewinding the past three years, seeing all that you are.”
Read this if you like:
*College Hockey 🏒 romance
*Coach’s daughter
*Basketball player FMC
*Love triangle
*Friends-to-lovers
*Slow-burn
*Secret tattoo
*Grief/healing
*He falls first
*It’s always been you
*Angsty
*Autism rep
Content warning: death of loved one (sibling)
I’m excited to see if Peyton gets her story in the next book.
Maverick (Mav) Leblanc is a pro at masking his feelings, including being in love with Shay Moore for the last 3 years. He worships the ground she walks on but has kept his true feelings to himself since she saw girls falling all over him and, as a result, put him in the friend zone when they met. He never got to shoot his shot and he’s regretted it ever since. Shay’s boyfriend is a jerk but still Mav is a good friend to Shay and doesn’t say what he thinks about her bf. Mav and Shay have a strong, close bond, and he lets her see the parts of him that nobody else sees. Just when Shay starts to realize that Mav has been her constant, her biggest fan, and always there for her, Mav finally accepts that he needs to move on, so he spends time with Peyton. He likes her and genuinely wants to give it a chance but there’s always that pull - an invisible tether to Shay. It dawns on her that it’s been Mav all along - the man she deserves - and when she tells him she chooses him…gah! I swooned 🫠and was so so happy for Mav. ❤️ He got his dream girl. 🥹 When he tells her Thank you for letting me love you I was a goner. 🥰
❤️ He remembers that purple Gatorade is her favorite
❤️ He calls her ‘Little Moore’
❤️ Forearm p0rn
❤️ She upgrades from her cheating ex
❤️ He’s a gentleman - always walking girls home, and waiting to leave until their doors are locked 🔒
❤️ He’s always smiling and charming but behind the smile is a broken boy—He hides his sadness for the sake of others
❤️ She finally realizes he’s her person
❤️ They were inevitable
Favorite quotes:
“I'd never want you not to know your worth. You should be treated like the absolute perfection you are.”
"If only I could rewind time, I would've never given him the chance with you. Because I've been paying for my regrets for the past three years watching you loving him."
"Don't be worried about me, Little Moore. I'm all good, babe.”
"Don't do that, not with me.”
“What?"
"Don't hide from me. You don't always have to be the strong one, Mav."
“But even as my friend, you've shown me what I deserve. What I want...And I want you."
"You're wearing my number."
"I am."
"What does this mean?"
"It's you, Shay. There was never another choice for me. I was just waiting for you to catch up, baby."
"You were like a sneak play, Maverick Leblanc.
Every single one of my feelings for you snuck up on me, and now it's like I'm rewinding the past three years, seeing all that you are.”
Read this if you like:
*College Hockey 🏒 romance
*Coach’s daughter
*Basketball player FMC
*Love triangle
*Friends-to-lovers
*Slow-burn
*Secret tattoo
*Grief/healing
*He falls first
*It’s always been you
*Angsty
*Autism rep
Content warning: death of loved one (sibling)
I’m excited to see if Peyton gets her story in the next book.
December 12, 2025
Sneak Play by L.A. Shaw pulled me straight into its emotional tide and refused to let me come up for air until the final page. This was my first book by the author, discovered thanks to an ARC from The Smuthood, and I went in without reading the first two books in the series. That said, this instalment stands strongly on its own, and now I’m eager to return to the earlier books to see how the wider world develops.
The heart of this story lies in the friendship between Shay and Maverick. Their connection spans years of shared goals, personal challenges, and a quiet, steady devotion that feels lived-in rather than manufactured. Shaw crafts their relationship with patience, layering small moments of loyalty and understanding until the emotional stakes feel enormous. It’s the kind of dynamic that makes you root for them long before either character realises what their bond truly means.
The book also introduces a love triangle/square dynamic, which I’m not usually a fan of. But here it’s handled with surprising maturity. Jordan’s presence creates tension without dissolving into chaos, and Peyton’s arrival adds dimension to the story rather than unnecessary drama. Peyton was such a standout for me: warm, kind, and deeply considerate. She could have easily been written as an obstacle, but instead she becomes a character worth caring about. I’ll be keeping an eye out for her future arc and sincerely hope she gets the happiness she deserves.
The last 35% of the novel is where the emotional weight truly lands. Shaw doesn’t shy away from difficult decisions, heartbreak, or the confusion that comes from wanting something you’re not sure you’re allowed to reach for. I found myself unexpectedly emotional, especially because some themes hit close to home. Still, the payoff is worth every tangle of feelings. Shaw guides the characters toward growth rather than easy answers, and the ending leaves you with a sense of warmth and closure.
Maverick, in particular, is written with such care that it’s difficult not to fall for him. His devotion, even when clouded by his own doubts and jealousy, gives the story much of its heart. Shay’s personal journey is equally compelling as she navigates loyalty, fear, and the frightening clarity of realising what she truly wants.
Sneak Play is a deeply satisfying mix of slow burn, emotional tension, heartfelt friendship, and genuine character development. It reminded me that the most powerful love stories often begin long before either character recognises it.
Thank you so much to the authors and The Smuthood for the opportunity to read this as an ARC for my honest opinion and review!
The heart of this story lies in the friendship between Shay and Maverick. Their connection spans years of shared goals, personal challenges, and a quiet, steady devotion that feels lived-in rather than manufactured. Shaw crafts their relationship with patience, layering small moments of loyalty and understanding until the emotional stakes feel enormous. It’s the kind of dynamic that makes you root for them long before either character realises what their bond truly means.
The book also introduces a love triangle/square dynamic, which I’m not usually a fan of. But here it’s handled with surprising maturity. Jordan’s presence creates tension without dissolving into chaos, and Peyton’s arrival adds dimension to the story rather than unnecessary drama. Peyton was such a standout for me: warm, kind, and deeply considerate. She could have easily been written as an obstacle, but instead she becomes a character worth caring about. I’ll be keeping an eye out for her future arc and sincerely hope she gets the happiness she deserves.
The last 35% of the novel is where the emotional weight truly lands. Shaw doesn’t shy away from difficult decisions, heartbreak, or the confusion that comes from wanting something you’re not sure you’re allowed to reach for. I found myself unexpectedly emotional, especially because some themes hit close to home. Still, the payoff is worth every tangle of feelings. Shaw guides the characters toward growth rather than easy answers, and the ending leaves you with a sense of warmth and closure.
Maverick, in particular, is written with such care that it’s difficult not to fall for him. His devotion, even when clouded by his own doubts and jealousy, gives the story much of its heart. Shay’s personal journey is equally compelling as she navigates loyalty, fear, and the frightening clarity of realising what she truly wants.
Sneak Play is a deeply satisfying mix of slow burn, emotional tension, heartfelt friendship, and genuine character development. It reminded me that the most powerful love stories often begin long before either character recognises it.
Thank you so much to the authors and The Smuthood for the opportunity to read this as an ARC for my honest opinion and review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book was the definition of a slow burn done right. A true love triangle, the kind where every glance carries weight and every choice feels like it could break your heart. The multiple POVs add layers of emotion, tension pulled tight, and a MMC whose heart is so big it feels alive on the page. It is sweet torture in the best way.
Maverick.
The sweetest, softest, most naturally charming man. He has a huge heart AND A HUGE 😉 but what really wrecked me was his tenderness. That flirty grin. That teasing voice. The way he loves with a steady intensity that feels safe and consuming all at once. Every moment of honesty, every gentle act of care, every time he chose kindness over chaos… he reminded me why he is A plus Husband material. Maverick LeBlanc is the bar.
“Baby, I’ll gladly get on my knees for you, whenever you want.”🫠🫠
Shay.
Driven. Athletic. Loyal. A daughter and sister who shows up for everyone but herself. I adore her and I also wanted to shake her for taking so long to see the truth . Watching her grow and actually choose herself felt like a breath of fresh air. Girl finally woke up and thank god for that.
Now for the opinion people might not expect…
Maverick’s other love interest.
I loved her. Truly.
Strong. Independent. A girl who survived being bullied and turned that hurt into something empowering with her Howler Reports. She never clung. She never manipulated. She never forced Maverick to choose her out of comfort. She saw the connection between him and Shay long before they admitted it and she handled every moment with maturity and grace. She was never the villain. She was a girl who deserved good things too and LA Shaw treated her that way.
The slow burn itself was sweet torture. Delicious pain. The kind of longing that makes your stomach twist because you know once that match finally strikes… it is going to set the whole book on fire. And when it hits, oh my god does it hit. I do wish we had more time with them once the flame ignited!
This story had heart. It had humor. It had vulnerability. I felt every look, every hesitation, every stolen second. It pulled me in and refused to let go. I am super excited for every single character who still has a story coming. I love them sooo much!
Spice Rating
🌶️🌶️.5
Slowwwwww burn… but once it hits, it HITS.
“Is my point guard going to come all over my cock now?” 😮💨😮💨
Tropes we love
• College Romance
• Hockey
• Basketball
• Love Triangle
• Slow Burn
• Secret Tattoo
• Caregiving
• Toy Play
This book was the definition of a slow burn done right. A true love triangle, the kind where every glance carries weight and every choice feels like it could break your heart. The multiple POVs add layers of emotion, tension pulled tight, and a MMC whose heart is so big it feels alive on the page. It is sweet torture in the best way.
Maverick.
The sweetest, softest, most naturally charming man. He has a huge heart AND A HUGE 😉 but what really wrecked me was his tenderness. That flirty grin. That teasing voice. The way he loves with a steady intensity that feels safe and consuming all at once. Every moment of honesty, every gentle act of care, every time he chose kindness over chaos… he reminded me why he is A plus Husband material. Maverick LeBlanc is the bar.
“Baby, I’ll gladly get on my knees for you, whenever you want.”🫠🫠
Shay.
Driven. Athletic. Loyal. A daughter and sister who shows up for everyone but herself. I adore her and I also wanted to shake her for taking so long to see the truth . Watching her grow and actually choose herself felt like a breath of fresh air. Girl finally woke up and thank god for that.
Now for the opinion people might not expect…
Maverick’s other love interest.
I loved her. Truly.
Strong. Independent. A girl who survived being bullied and turned that hurt into something empowering with her Howler Reports. She never clung. She never manipulated. She never forced Maverick to choose her out of comfort. She saw the connection between him and Shay long before they admitted it and she handled every moment with maturity and grace. She was never the villain. She was a girl who deserved good things too and LA Shaw treated her that way.
The slow burn itself was sweet torture. Delicious pain. The kind of longing that makes your stomach twist because you know once that match finally strikes… it is going to set the whole book on fire. And when it hits, oh my god does it hit. I do wish we had more time with them once the flame ignited!
This story had heart. It had humor. It had vulnerability. I felt every look, every hesitation, every stolen second. It pulled me in and refused to let go. I am super excited for every single character who still has a story coming. I love them sooo much!
Spice Rating
🌶️🌶️.5
Slowwwwww burn… but once it hits, it HITS.
“Is my point guard going to come all over my cock now?” 😮💨😮💨
Tropes we love
• College Romance
• Hockey
• Basketball
• Love Triangle
• Slow Burn
• Secret Tattoo
• Caregiving
• Toy Play
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2025
ARC Review- Sneak Play by La Shaw
⭐️ 5/5 Stars
Thank you LA Shaw for the advance copy!
I went into this book already half-feral for Maverick, and La Shaw did not disappoint. You can feel the years of friendship between Shay and Maverick woven into every interaction, right from the start. The prologue was everything I would have wanted to set up for this book. Maverick and Shay's friendship is steady, sweet, and built on a foundation that makes their shift into something deeper feel so natural. I was ALL IN from that prologue. After all the buildup between these two in the previous books, I knew we were in for a ride and wow, did it deliver.
✨ Tropes You’ll Find:
Friends to lovers
Forced proximity moments
Slow-burn tension
Protective MMC
Soft-yet-strong FMC
College / sports romance vibes
MMC – Maverick: TWO WORDS… MAVERICK LEBLANC.
He’s the loyal, quietly devoted type—the guy who’s been in her corner long before either of them realized it meant something more. Protective without being controlling, patient without being passive, and the kind of hero who falls harder than he ever intended. Maverick is a walking, talking green flag and has officially skyrocketed into one of my all-time favorite LA Shaw MMCs. (And listen… his twin, Cash LeBlanc? He is really giving him a run for his money because I adore that man too!)
That man. That man. THAT. MAN.
He is straight FIRE and I want him. I fell completely in love with him and his story, and I’m not recovering anytime soon.
FMC – Shay: MY GIRL. The coach’s daughter, trapped in the world’s worst long-term relationship with Captain Red Flag himself. Shay is sweet, grounded, and genuinely lovable. She brings warmth into every scene and has that mix of vulnerability and quiet strength that makes you root for her from page one. Her bond with Maverick feels earned and real. Jordan, Shay’s boyfriend? Yeah… he does not deserve her. We don’t claim him. Moving on. 😤
I didn’t want to like the other FMC we meet (no spoilers, don’t worry), but she grew on me 100%. She was layered in the best way. I didn't like her because you know, love triangle and I want Maverick and Shay to be together, but this FMC was sweet and funny and she is redeemable! Get past the initial shock and "hatred" for her was a real quick turnaround for me.
Now the other guy—
I’m going to be completely honest with you guys… I normally HATE love triangles. (Or in this case… squares? Parallelograms? Idk, whatever 4 people is called 😂)
BUT I knew my favorite girls would make me a believer, and man oh man… they DID.
In LA Shaw I trust. Always.
Did the slow burn and tension ALMOST unal!ve me?
Absolutely.
Was it worth EVERY. SINGLE. PAGE?
Without question.
The yearning? The pining? The pure “right person, wrong time” agony? I wanted to curl into a ball and SOB because LA Shaw makes you feel every suppressed emotion like your own ribcage is cracking open.
⭐️ 5/5 Stars
Thank you LA Shaw for the advance copy!
I went into this book already half-feral for Maverick, and La Shaw did not disappoint. You can feel the years of friendship between Shay and Maverick woven into every interaction, right from the start. The prologue was everything I would have wanted to set up for this book. Maverick and Shay's friendship is steady, sweet, and built on a foundation that makes their shift into something deeper feel so natural. I was ALL IN from that prologue. After all the buildup between these two in the previous books, I knew we were in for a ride and wow, did it deliver.
✨ Tropes You’ll Find:
Friends to lovers
Forced proximity moments
Slow-burn tension
Protective MMC
Soft-yet-strong FMC
College / sports romance vibes
MMC – Maverick: TWO WORDS… MAVERICK LEBLANC.
He’s the loyal, quietly devoted type—the guy who’s been in her corner long before either of them realized it meant something more. Protective without being controlling, patient without being passive, and the kind of hero who falls harder than he ever intended. Maverick is a walking, talking green flag and has officially skyrocketed into one of my all-time favorite LA Shaw MMCs. (And listen… his twin, Cash LeBlanc? He is really giving him a run for his money because I adore that man too!)
That man. That man. THAT. MAN.
He is straight FIRE and I want him. I fell completely in love with him and his story, and I’m not recovering anytime soon.
FMC – Shay: MY GIRL. The coach’s daughter, trapped in the world’s worst long-term relationship with Captain Red Flag himself. Shay is sweet, grounded, and genuinely lovable. She brings warmth into every scene and has that mix of vulnerability and quiet strength that makes you root for her from page one. Her bond with Maverick feels earned and real. Jordan, Shay’s boyfriend? Yeah… he does not deserve her. We don’t claim him. Moving on. 😤
I didn’t want to like the other FMC we meet (no spoilers, don’t worry), but she grew on me 100%. She was layered in the best way. I didn't like her because you know, love triangle and I want Maverick and Shay to be together, but this FMC was sweet and funny and she is redeemable! Get past the initial shock and "hatred" for her was a real quick turnaround for me.
Now the other guy—
I’m going to be completely honest with you guys… I normally HATE love triangles. (Or in this case… squares? Parallelograms? Idk, whatever 4 people is called 😂)
BUT I knew my favorite girls would make me a believer, and man oh man… they DID.
In LA Shaw I trust. Always.
Did the slow burn and tension ALMOST unal!ve me?
Absolutely.
Was it worth EVERY. SINGLE. PAGE?
Without question.
The yearning? The pining? The pure “right person, wrong time” agony? I wanted to curl into a ball and SOB because LA Shaw makes you feel every suppressed emotion like your own ribcage is cracking open.
November 30, 2025
I swear LA Shaw sprinkled pure narrative crack into every chapter because I physically could not stop. I didn’t eat. I didn’t blink. I didn’t move. I ascended.
Maverick Leblanc??? The too-charming twin with a heart the size of Montana and a loyalty that CUTS??? I’ve had my eye on him since Replay and somehow he still managed to blow every expectation straight into space. This man is a walking green flag, a pining disaster, and an absolute MASTERCLASS in slow-burn torture. I was sweating. I was kicking my feet. I was clutching my chest like a Victorian widow. He is THAT MAN.
And Shay??? MY GIRL. The coach’s daughter, stuck in the world’s worst long-term relationship with Captain Red Flag himself. The yearning. The pining. The “right person, wrong time” agony of it all. I wanted to curl into a ball and sob because LA Shaw makes you FEEL every suppressed emotion like it’s your own ribcage cracking open.
Now let’s talk about the love triangle—no wait—the love quadrilateral? Parallelogram? Chaos geometry?? I don’t know what shape this was but HOLY HELL did it WORK. I usually hate love triangles too because someone always ends up looking like an idiot or a villain (except Jordan—#teamfuckthatguy forever). But THIS? This was handled with such grace and honesty and emotional intelligence that I ended up loving EVERYONE even more. Peyton, Shay, Mav… the way they navigate this impossible tangle?? Beautiful. Messy. Real. My HEART.
And the tension. THE TENSION.
Did it almost un-al!ve me? Absolutely.
Was it worth every page? 1000% YES.
LA Shaw does yearning better than anyone. That aching, “I’ve loved you for years and can’t have you” energy drips off every page. I swear the chapters were vibrating.
This found family? This MRU crew? I am SO invested I need to be on payroll as their emotional support human. Every book just gets BETTER. Every character has claws in my heart. And the setup for the next two books? I’m already spiraling.
What to Expect:
🏒 Collegiate athletes (hockey + basketball)
💔 Friends to lovers
🔺 Love triangle (but actually GOOD)
👀 Coach’s daughter
🔥 Slow burn torture
💘 “It’s always been you”
😩 Angst, longing, pining, YEARNING
🤝 Found family perfection
LA Shaw, what did you PUT in this book?!?! Because I am ENAMORED, emotionally damaged, and counting the minutes until the next trip to MRU.
Maverick Leblanc??? The too-charming twin with a heart the size of Montana and a loyalty that CUTS??? I’ve had my eye on him since Replay and somehow he still managed to blow every expectation straight into space. This man is a walking green flag, a pining disaster, and an absolute MASTERCLASS in slow-burn torture. I was sweating. I was kicking my feet. I was clutching my chest like a Victorian widow. He is THAT MAN.
And Shay??? MY GIRL. The coach’s daughter, stuck in the world’s worst long-term relationship with Captain Red Flag himself. The yearning. The pining. The “right person, wrong time” agony of it all. I wanted to curl into a ball and sob because LA Shaw makes you FEEL every suppressed emotion like it’s your own ribcage cracking open.
Now let’s talk about the love triangle—no wait—the love quadrilateral? Parallelogram? Chaos geometry?? I don’t know what shape this was but HOLY HELL did it WORK. I usually hate love triangles too because someone always ends up looking like an idiot or a villain (except Jordan—#teamfuckthatguy forever). But THIS? This was handled with such grace and honesty and emotional intelligence that I ended up loving EVERYONE even more. Peyton, Shay, Mav… the way they navigate this impossible tangle?? Beautiful. Messy. Real. My HEART.
And the tension. THE TENSION.
Did it almost un-al!ve me? Absolutely.
Was it worth every page? 1000% YES.
LA Shaw does yearning better than anyone. That aching, “I’ve loved you for years and can’t have you” energy drips off every page. I swear the chapters were vibrating.
This found family? This MRU crew? I am SO invested I need to be on payroll as their emotional support human. Every book just gets BETTER. Every character has claws in my heart. And the setup for the next two books? I’m already spiraling.
What to Expect:
🏒 Collegiate athletes (hockey + basketball)
💔 Friends to lovers
🔺 Love triangle (but actually GOOD)
👀 Coach’s daughter
🔥 Slow burn torture
💘 “It’s always been you”
😩 Angst, longing, pining, YEARNING
🤝 Found family perfection
LA Shaw, what did you PUT in this book?!?! Because I am ENAMORED, emotionally damaged, and counting the minutes until the next trip to MRU.
December 1, 2025
Can I move into the wolves den? Pretty please? Or can I get one of the Leblanc brothers? You know the song "two bad b at the same damn time"? Well, that scenario would be my favorite, but I'm really fine with either.
I was really looking forward to this love triangle, which is the hardest trope to write, in my opinion. Or in this case, a love square?! But whatever... it wasn’t the usual concept as it is in love triangles in romance books, which I loved so, so much, because he's caught between two girls, not the other way around.
So, Mav fell for his coach's daughter years ago, but he's heavily friend-zoned by her. Now he's met a girl that finally wakes him up, evokes emotions in him that only surfaced when he was near Shay, so he wants to try and give it a chance because he really likes Payton. At the beginning, I felt like him because I loved both girls the same, and I loved him with both and couldn't choose. By the end of the book, I liked one of them better, but that's my secret who. The way this man can love really blew my mind. I'm a total sucker for a goofy guy who has deep feelings but tries to hide his sadness, motivated purely by the desire to protect the others around him. And when he finds someone and lets those walls down and allows himself to be sad, even grieve, that's touching. Although Mav has a dirty mind and mouth, it's not the spiciest book, but these characters made me cry, so it's more emotional than spicy, which I'm fine with. Honestly, I'm a little heartbroken for one specific person, but I'm still hopeful. Mav has such a pure heart, and seeing him in those situations, I just wanted to hug him.
We got a lot of easter eggs, and I couldn't be more curious about the next books (and maybe the next series?!). I can't wait to see what Nola, Huds, and Willow are up to, get to know the new neighbor and finally give Hudson his HEA, seeing who's going to meet in New Orleans because we know two who are going to live there, but I always thought G ends up with someone else... so yeah, I have some good theories and cannot wait to see how all these lines are going to unfold.
I was really looking forward to this love triangle, which is the hardest trope to write, in my opinion. Or in this case, a love square?! But whatever... it wasn’t the usual concept as it is in love triangles in romance books, which I loved so, so much, because he's caught between two girls, not the other way around.
So, Mav fell for his coach's daughter years ago, but he's heavily friend-zoned by her. Now he's met a girl that finally wakes him up, evokes emotions in him that only surfaced when he was near Shay, so he wants to try and give it a chance because he really likes Payton. At the beginning, I felt like him because I loved both girls the same, and I loved him with both and couldn't choose. By the end of the book, I liked one of them better, but that's my secret who. The way this man can love really blew my mind. I'm a total sucker for a goofy guy who has deep feelings but tries to hide his sadness, motivated purely by the desire to protect the others around him. And when he finds someone and lets those walls down and allows himself to be sad, even grieve, that's touching. Although Mav has a dirty mind and mouth, it's not the spiciest book, but these characters made me cry, so it's more emotional than spicy, which I'm fine with. Honestly, I'm a little heartbroken for one specific person, but I'm still hopeful. Mav has such a pure heart, and seeing him in those situations, I just wanted to hug him.
We got a lot of easter eggs, and I couldn't be more curious about the next books (and maybe the next series?!). I can't wait to see what Nola, Huds, and Willow are up to, get to know the new neighbor and finally give Hudson his HEA, seeing who's going to meet in New Orleans because we know two who are going to live there, but I always thought G ends up with someone else... so yeah, I have some good theories and cannot wait to see how all these lines are going to unfold.
December 6, 2025
Hockey x basketball player romance
Slow burn
Love triangle
Coaches daughter
College romance
Secret tattoo
He wears her jersey
Multi POV
“Eighty percent dumb jock, twenty percent cowboy, but one hundred percent your man.”
“Who do you see if you close your eyes?”
“There she is the price of my heart that lives outside of my body.”
“She’s the person I want to share all of my secrets with.”
“If only I could rewind time, I never wouldve given him the chance with you. Because I've been paying for my regrets for the past three years watching you loving him.”
“IF I THOUGHT THE QUICK KISS WE SHARED EARLIER
LEFT A PERMANENT MARK THIS ONE FEELS LIKE IT'S SCORCHING INTO MY SOUL AND NOW I KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT, ANYTHING I EXPERIENCED BEFORE COULD NEVER COMPARE TO THIS THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS IS WHAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED..NEEDED.”
“It’s you Shay. There was never another choice for me. I was just waiting for you to catch up baby.”
“You were like a sneak play. Maverick Leblanc. Every single one of my feelings for you snuck up on me, and now it’s like I’m rewinding the past three years, seeing all that you are and everything you’ve been to me in a totally different light.”
This whole time, I'd convinced myself you were living your best life with no second thought about me, but that wasn’t the case at all, was it?”
"No matter how hard I've tried to move on...I still care. I Always will."
"I’ll never love anyone more than I love you."
So many beautiful quotes! I don’t wanna give it all away!
This was such a beautiful heart ripping out of my chest but beautiful 😍
Nate and Berkeley were so in love. But nate brakes up with her thinking he’s protecting her breaking both of their hearts in the process.
Two years go by and he never gets over her. She “moves on”with Nate’s arch nemesis who tries to heal her heart. But she never really got over Nate.
Maverick is so far gone for Berkeley and has been for ever. I loved their friendship and love. And I loved his and Shay’s brothers relationship.
I loved how this love triangle was written! And the care behind all the characters had for her putting her first.
I really loved those flirty emails I hope we get to hear Peyton and hopefully Granham!
I loved this so much I can’t recommend it enough!
Slow burn
Love triangle
Coaches daughter
College romance
Secret tattoo
He wears her jersey
Multi POV
“Eighty percent dumb jock, twenty percent cowboy, but one hundred percent your man.”
“Who do you see if you close your eyes?”
“There she is the price of my heart that lives outside of my body.”
“She’s the person I want to share all of my secrets with.”
“If only I could rewind time, I never wouldve given him the chance with you. Because I've been paying for my regrets for the past three years watching you loving him.”
“IF I THOUGHT THE QUICK KISS WE SHARED EARLIER
LEFT A PERMANENT MARK THIS ONE FEELS LIKE IT'S SCORCHING INTO MY SOUL AND NOW I KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT, ANYTHING I EXPERIENCED BEFORE COULD NEVER COMPARE TO THIS THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS IS WHAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED..NEEDED.”
“It’s you Shay. There was never another choice for me. I was just waiting for you to catch up baby.”
“You were like a sneak play. Maverick Leblanc. Every single one of my feelings for you snuck up on me, and now it’s like I’m rewinding the past three years, seeing all that you are and everything you’ve been to me in a totally different light.”
This whole time, I'd convinced myself you were living your best life with no second thought about me, but that wasn’t the case at all, was it?”
"No matter how hard I've tried to move on...I still care. I Always will."
"I’ll never love anyone more than I love you."
So many beautiful quotes! I don’t wanna give it all away!
This was such a beautiful heart ripping out of my chest but beautiful 😍
Nate and Berkeley were so in love. But nate brakes up with her thinking he’s protecting her breaking both of their hearts in the process.
Two years go by and he never gets over her. She “moves on”with Nate’s arch nemesis who tries to heal her heart. But she never really got over Nate.
Maverick is so far gone for Berkeley and has been for ever. I loved their friendship and love. And I loved his and Shay’s brothers relationship.
I loved how this love triangle was written! And the care behind all the characters had for her putting her first.
I really loved those flirty emails I hope we get to hear Peyton and hopefully Granham!
I loved this so much I can’t recommend it enough!
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