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The Blade Kings #5
Within Range
Not yet published
Expected 29 Jan 26Fresh out of a failed marriage and with an old injury threatening to resurface, I only have one priority right now: rebuild my life both in and out of the rink. At thirty-five, I know it won’t be easy, but hockey is all I have, and cutting my pro career short is not an option that I’m willing to take.
Feeling down on my luck, I conclude my best move is to focus on the positives, including the good people around me. So when a close friend approaches me with a predicament concerning his twenty-one-year-old only daughter, Billie Quinn, I figure the least I can do is help his family out. After all, they’re practically my family, too, and being a decent friend always makes me feel good.
Except, I’m not a good friend; I’m a bad one. While my initial intentions might’ve been innocent, my attraction to Billie when I see her for the first time in over three years definitely isn’t.
Is she into me too? Or am I grasping at straws, interpreting fleeting glances from a stunning younger woman as more than friendship? We’ve always had banter, although there’s nothing funny about the burning tension growing between us and especially when my ex-wife is in the same room.
My teammates are urging me to back off before it’s too late. But staying away from my best friend’s little princess is way harder than it should be … and now that she’s in my bed, there’s not a chance I’m letting Billie—or her baby girl—go.
Even if us being together makes me the worst friend in history, it’s a price I’m willing to pay.
Feeling down on my luck, I conclude my best move is to focus on the positives, including the good people around me. So when a close friend approaches me with a predicament concerning his twenty-one-year-old only daughter, Billie Quinn, I figure the least I can do is help his family out. After all, they’re practically my family, too, and being a decent friend always makes me feel good.
Except, I’m not a good friend; I’m a bad one. While my initial intentions might’ve been innocent, my attraction to Billie when I see her for the first time in over three years definitely isn’t.
Is she into me too? Or am I grasping at straws, interpreting fleeting glances from a stunning younger woman as more than friendship? We’ve always had banter, although there’s nothing funny about the burning tension growing between us and especially when my ex-wife is in the same room.
My teammates are urging me to back off before it’s too late. But staying away from my best friend’s little princess is way harder than it should be … and now that she’s in my bed, there’s not a chance I’m letting Billie—or her baby girl—go.
Even if us being together makes me the worst friend in history, it’s a price I’m willing to pay.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 29, 2026
7 people are currently reading
6297 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Stilling
11 books817 followersRuth Stilling is a lover of all things escapism and can be mostly found with her head buried in a spicy book, writing her latest romance novel or out in the open air and nature, away from the bustle of life. As clumsy as she is crazy, Ruth enjoys creating relatable, loveable, swoon-worthy and strong willed main characters who find their happy ending. That said, she prides herself on taking her readers on emotional rollercoasters and always recommends reading her books with tissues on hand to wipe away the tears of joy, laughter and sometimes heartache.
Ruth lives in Derbyshire, England with her own personal book boyfriend (lucky girl), her six year old son and her two feisty chihuahuas.
Keep up to date with Ruth's latest content and exciting projects by following her on social media: @authorruthstilling
Ruth lives in Derbyshire, England with her own personal book boyfriend (lucky girl), her six year old son and her two feisty chihuahuas.
Keep up to date with Ruth's latest content and exciting projects by following her on social media: @authorruthstilling
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 6, 2026
Alpha read. Full review to come.
0 notes. 0 criticism. My fave book of Ruth's, hands down!
0 notes. 0 criticism. My fave book of Ruth's, hands down!
November 21, 2025
Beta read. Full RTC.
Ruth’s best yet. Full stop.
Ruth’s best yet. Full stop.
December 5, 2025
Ruth has created this incredible world and I’m sad to say goodbye. The characters are lovable and flawed, the emotions are real, the conflict always feels authentic. And Emmett and Billie are no different - in fact, they might be the best yet.
I will admit, I’m a sucker for a forbidden slow burn romance, so this book is right up my alley. Best friend’s daughter you say? Not his baby?! Say less. I was blown away by this story - by the maturity Billie shows as she navigates single motherhood with a less than involved baby daddy and the restraint that Emmett shows in his attraction to her. He knows that there would be huge consequences to acting on his feelings for Billie and he holds off as long as he can. In the meantime …the longing, the pining …I was ready to combust.
The situation they find themselves in doesn’t feel contrived …it feels very real life, like something that could happen to someone you know. But to be able to crawl in their minds and their hearts, like Ruth does, solidifies the story.
The Blade Kings will forever have a special place in my heart - thanks to Ruth for allowing me to beta read this book!
I will admit, I’m a sucker for a forbidden slow burn romance, so this book is right up my alley. Best friend’s daughter you say? Not his baby?! Say less. I was blown away by this story - by the maturity Billie shows as she navigates single motherhood with a less than involved baby daddy and the restraint that Emmett shows in his attraction to her. He knows that there would be huge consequences to acting on his feelings for Billie and he holds off as long as he can. In the meantime …the longing, the pining …I was ready to combust.
The situation they find themselves in doesn’t feel contrived …it feels very real life, like something that could happen to someone you know. But to be able to crawl in their minds and their hearts, like Ruth does, solidifies the story.
The Blade Kings will forever have a special place in my heart - thanks to Ruth for allowing me to beta read this book!
January 6, 2026
ARC REVIEW- WITHIN RANGE
Stars: INFINITY
Spice: 3
Tropes:
Hockey Romance
Age Gap
Best Friend's Daughter
NOT HIS BABY
SLUTTY LITTLE GLASSES
____________________________
Thanks to Ruth Stilling ARC! I received an advance copy as part of her ARC team and am leaving an honest review. All opinions are my own.
____________________________
NO NOTES. PERFECTION. ALL THE INFINITY STARS. There's a new Yearn King in town and his name is Emmett Richards. Just go read the book and be done with it. Nothing I say here will come close to explaining how amazing this book and the characters are in it.
Emmett and Billie's story is one that I will think about for a long time. A story about wanting to be happy, knowing it will hurt people in the process but it being too late to do anything but fall. The amount of yearning and wishing away circumstances so that you can have what you want and what is honestly the best for you was beyond my expectations.
It's so refreshing to read a book with an emotionally intelligent man, who isn't afraid to put his feelings out there and actually communicate what he wants. Emmett is the man of my dreams, we should all want a man who wants us whole heartedly, with his entire being. Billie was so mature for only being 21 and it made me wish I had been that mature and strong when I was her age.
Emmett and Billie and baby made such an adorable little family, even before anything even happens. There is a solid foundation being laid, well into the book, where you can see the connection between the two of them and how they were friends to begin with.
I don't really want to give anything away, this book should be experienced with limited information going in, so you can get the most enjoyable experience out of it. This wraps up Ruth's Blade Kings series and I'm so sad to say goodbye to everyone. I thought the same thing when the Scorpions series came to an end, but was so glad to dive into a new series of Ruth's. She is my top author, an auto buy, auto reread author and I just love her writing and books to bits. You can't go wrong in the Stilling Verse.
Stars: INFINITY
Spice: 3
Tropes:
Hockey Romance
Age Gap
Best Friend's Daughter
NOT HIS BABY
SLUTTY LITTLE GLASSES
____________________________
Thanks to Ruth Stilling ARC! I received an advance copy as part of her ARC team and am leaving an honest review. All opinions are my own.
____________________________
NO NOTES. PERFECTION. ALL THE INFINITY STARS. There's a new Yearn King in town and his name is Emmett Richards. Just go read the book and be done with it. Nothing I say here will come close to explaining how amazing this book and the characters are in it.
Emmett and Billie's story is one that I will think about for a long time. A story about wanting to be happy, knowing it will hurt people in the process but it being too late to do anything but fall. The amount of yearning and wishing away circumstances so that you can have what you want and what is honestly the best for you was beyond my expectations.
It's so refreshing to read a book with an emotionally intelligent man, who isn't afraid to put his feelings out there and actually communicate what he wants. Emmett is the man of my dreams, we should all want a man who wants us whole heartedly, with his entire being. Billie was so mature for only being 21 and it made me wish I had been that mature and strong when I was her age.
Emmett and Billie and baby made such an adorable little family, even before anything even happens. There is a solid foundation being laid, well into the book, where you can see the connection between the two of them and how they were friends to begin with.
I don't really want to give anything away, this book should be experienced with limited information going in, so you can get the most enjoyable experience out of it. This wraps up Ruth's Blade Kings series and I'm so sad to say goodbye to everyone. I thought the same thing when the Scorpions series came to an end, but was so glad to dive into a new series of Ruth's. She is my top author, an auto buy, auto reread author and I just love her writing and books to bits. You can't go wrong in the Stilling Verse.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews