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Goalie Interference: A Hockey Rom-Com
He blocks pucks for the joy of it.
She bakes for the entire small town.
Love doesn’t always come when you’re ready—but sometimes it comes when you need it most.
Leander Mäkinen is a grumpy ex-NHL goalie who believes feelings belong in the penalty box. He's divorced, scarred, and now stopping pucks in beer league. His adult son, Johan, is his dad's protector on ice. But off the ice, he's hooking his dad up with his girlfriend’s mother, Sofia.
Sofia Petersen is a shy small-town baker whose biggest risk is burning a batch of sticky buns. She's widowed, warm-hearted, and underestimated. He daughter, Amanda, Johan's girlfriend, invites her out to watch Johan play. Sofia doesn’t plan to fall for her daughter’s boyfriend’s very attractive, very gruff hockey dad.
Run-ins at the bakery become hotter than an oven. Cowbells in the stands and locker-room shenanigans go right to the heart. A snowmobile trip that ends with them snowed-in together, hits harder than a slapshot.
Blending families, risking heartbreak, and letting love past the blue line? That’s a whole new game.
Goalie Interference is a laugh-out-loud, steamy hockey romantic comedy with grumpy/sunshine energy, forced proximity, found family, and a championship-worthy HEA.
She bakes for the entire small town.
Love doesn’t always come when you’re ready—but sometimes it comes when you need it most.
Leander Mäkinen is a grumpy ex-NHL goalie who believes feelings belong in the penalty box. He's divorced, scarred, and now stopping pucks in beer league. His adult son, Johan, is his dad's protector on ice. But off the ice, he's hooking his dad up with his girlfriend’s mother, Sofia.
Sofia Petersen is a shy small-town baker whose biggest risk is burning a batch of sticky buns. She's widowed, warm-hearted, and underestimated. He daughter, Amanda, Johan's girlfriend, invites her out to watch Johan play. Sofia doesn’t plan to fall for her daughter’s boyfriend’s very attractive, very gruff hockey dad.
Run-ins at the bakery become hotter than an oven. Cowbells in the stands and locker-room shenanigans go right to the heart. A snowmobile trip that ends with them snowed-in together, hits harder than a slapshot.
Blending families, risking heartbreak, and letting love past the blue line? That’s a whole new game.
Goalie Interference is a laugh-out-loud, steamy hockey romantic comedy with grumpy/sunshine energy, forced proximity, found family, and a championship-worthy HEA.
428 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 25, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 30, 2025
Age is Just a Number Where Love is Concerned -
I really enjoyed reading this second chance at love, small town romance story with an unexpected twist. The characters are fantastic and find their attraction growing as they spend time together and support each other deal with emotional baggage from their pasts. This book was really well written where the tension between the characters slowly builds to a simmers, but when it finally boils over, it is really explosive. This book is definitely worth the time I spent reading it and definitely didn’t disappoint.
I received a free review copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed reading this second chance at love, small town romance story with an unexpected twist. The characters are fantastic and find their attraction growing as they spend time together and support each other deal with emotional baggage from their pasts. This book was really well written where the tension between the characters slowly builds to a simmers, but when it finally boils over, it is really explosive. This book is definitely worth the time I spent reading it and definitely didn’t disappoint.
I received a free review copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 9, 2026
A delightful story
I was totally immersed and couldn't put it down. Seriously a delightful book. Thank you for writing this wonderful book.
I was totally immersed and couldn't put it down. Seriously a delightful book. Thank you for writing this wonderful book.
Read
January 5, 2026What a fun and heartwarming read! Sasha’s characters truly came to life and intertwined so naturally. The depth of each one felt like peeking into a real family. From the very first page, I felt connected to their stories – a truly enjoyable read!
December 28, 2025
Sasha engages your senses from the very first sentence to the very last in both a romantic and page turning romance story. Goalie Interference is an absolute winner of a book that I fell in love with reading.
This is a 5/5 star read with an engaging storyline.
This is a 5/5 star read with an engaging storyline.
February 15, 2026
This is a great story of a second chance at love late in life with all the small town feels.
Leander is a retired hockey player, a goalie who know is happy to foster his child hockey career. When his son starts dating a young girl, he meets her mom, and the sparks fly between them fly. Sophia is a young baker in the small town, who has a lot of pain stored after her husband left. But when she meets Leander, the sparks between them fly, and they will have to work through their grief to heal and be able to move forward.
I love how the small town works its magic in this relationship, but there are so many layers in this plot. The children story, the parenting insights, the love relationship between each family and how it stretches to their story is just beautifully portrayed.
The fact that these are mature adults who also want to explore a relationship is just as beautiful as the stories of first love. An overall addictive and beautiful story!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Leander is a retired hockey player, a goalie who know is happy to foster his child hockey career. When his son starts dating a young girl, he meets her mom, and the sparks fly between them fly. Sophia is a young baker in the small town, who has a lot of pain stored after her husband left. But when she meets Leander, the sparks between them fly, and they will have to work through their grief to heal and be able to move forward.
I love how the small town works its magic in this relationship, but there are so many layers in this plot. The children story, the parenting insights, the love relationship between each family and how it stretches to their story is just beautifully portrayed.
The fact that these are mature adults who also want to explore a relationship is just as beautiful as the stories of first love. An overall addictive and beautiful story!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 4, 2026
Leander and Sofia
Tropes:
* Grumpy(ish) x sunshine
* Forced proximity
* Found family
* Later in life
* Sports romance (hockey)
So very, very sweet.
Sasha Thorensen has crafted a sweetly charming small-town read. The main characters (Leander and Sofia) are in their forties, single parents (he’s divorced, she’s widowed), to Amanda and Johan.
Their kids are in a relationship and bring them together. It’s instant, and it’s so very cute.
Leander, the grumpy retired NHL goalie is smitten, and he’s an absolute cinnamon roll (pun intended) for baker Sofia.
Sofia… well she’s just a sweetheart,a nd later in the story, is a bit of a go-getter (iykwim).
This was heartwarming, and sweet. No angst and was just a charming, sweet and cozy read about finding unexpected love and choosing to find a new family. Absolutely gorgeous.
Thanks Sasha, for providing a free copy for my thoughts.
Tropes:
* Grumpy(ish) x sunshine
* Forced proximity
* Found family
* Later in life
* Sports romance (hockey)
So very, very sweet.
Sasha Thorensen has crafted a sweetly charming small-town read. The main characters (Leander and Sofia) are in their forties, single parents (he’s divorced, she’s widowed), to Amanda and Johan.
Their kids are in a relationship and bring them together. It’s instant, and it’s so very cute.
Leander, the grumpy retired NHL goalie is smitten, and he’s an absolute cinnamon roll (pun intended) for baker Sofia.
Sofia… well she’s just a sweetheart,a nd later in the story, is a bit of a go-getter (iykwim).
This was heartwarming, and sweet. No angst and was just a charming, sweet and cozy read about finding unexpected love and choosing to find a new family. Absolutely gorgeous.
Thanks Sasha, for providing a free copy for my thoughts.
January 3, 2026
A truly lovely slow burn, second chance, later in life love story. I loved how Liander and Sophia slowly worked through their fears and their belief that they didn't deserve a second chance at love--that fear doesn't prevent heartbreak so it'sworth taking a chance. Their journey to each other is filled with a slow understanding of each other after the instant connection when they finally meet (thanks to their children dating... although it is a little odd that they didn'tmeet sooner because of that relationship... but you get two love stories in one!). This is a story of how they learned that love happens in the quiet and unexpected moments and that you just need to be open to the experience.
This is my second virtual narrated book. It's so hard to distinguish emotion and different characters. At least it was dual narration.
This is my second virtual narrated book. It's so hard to distinguish emotion and different characters. At least it was dual narration.
January 9, 2026
This is a great read. I had a smile on my face that I couldn't wipe off from the very beginning. I was hooked from the first chapter.
Hunky Leaner, divorced single dad to Johan, is a retired NHL player is moving through life with the day to day routine.
Gorgeous Sophia, widowed single mum to Amanda, runs her bakery daily but her life has been spent with her daughter as her focus.
Johan & Amanda are dating and scheme to set up their parents with each other.
The whole town can see the attraction from a mile away but they are both terrified of what this attraction means.
A few hiccups along the way but a full happy ever after and no suspenseful twists at the end.
Loved this wholesome story
Hunky Leaner, divorced single dad to Johan, is a retired NHL player is moving through life with the day to day routine.
Gorgeous Sophia, widowed single mum to Amanda, runs her bakery daily but her life has been spent with her daughter as her focus.
Johan & Amanda are dating and scheme to set up their parents with each other.
The whole town can see the attraction from a mile away but they are both terrified of what this attraction means.
A few hiccups along the way but a full happy ever after and no suspenseful twists at the end.
Loved this wholesome story
February 4, 2026
Just finished reading Goalie Interference & Hockey Rom-Com(A Rink Rat Romance Series)!! All about Leander Makinen a retired NHL goalie, dad and ex-husband & Sofia Petersen a widow, a mom, and a baker. Her daughter Amanda goes with Johan Makinen they are attached at the hip. Amanda takes her mom to a hockey game that his dad and he plays on, they take one look and both are smitten with each other. Second chances don’t come around very often. Read about Leander & Sofia and see if finding happiness the second time, is all it’s cracked up to be. Lots of emotion, and toe curling does occur. Definite Read!!!
January 14, 2026
Second times a charm in love and hockey 🏒 ♥️
“He has no idea how much I recognize that feeling, being surprised anyone would choose you again after life has cracked you open and rearranged all the pieces.”
Just a beautifully crafted, feel good story about believing in yourself and taking a chance on love the second time around. Sofia, a widowed baker meets Leander, a retired divorced pro hockey star when his son dates her daughter. Their road to forever is filled with overcoming their pasts and being ready to take the leap and trust again. Hmmm, I have developed a craving for sticky buns 😊
“He has no idea how much I recognize that feeling, being surprised anyone would choose you again after life has cracked you open and rearranged all the pieces.”
Just a beautifully crafted, feel good story about believing in yourself and taking a chance on love the second time around. Sofia, a widowed baker meets Leander, a retired divorced pro hockey star when his son dates her daughter. Their road to forever is filled with overcoming their pasts and being ready to take the leap and trust again. Hmmm, I have developed a craving for sticky buns 😊
January 12, 2026
This book centers on finding love after divorce for the MMC and after death of a spouse for the FMC. They are a little gun shy after suffering previous loss but they actually communicate their fears and talk them out - hello emotional maturity. I enjoyed this book. The heat is not a strong as some romance books but the character development is there. I look forward to reading future books from this series.
January 27, 2026
Have a tissue handy and allow two days for this sweet, steamy, contemporary, small-town, midlife, family-adjacent, second-chance hockey romance in Laurium, Michigan, starting in mid-January, and featuring age-gap, children, families, humor, single-parents, Do It For the Donut, a lost cat, chortles, and flirting via text.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 29, 2025
I was hooked from the very beginning. This is my first book written by Sasha and it won't be the last. I enjoyed reading Leander and Sofia's story all because their children believed in them more than they believed in themselves. If you enjoy second chances and hockey, give it a read. I definitely recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews