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Rise Above
Aife’s entire career was built on helping others survive what she endured, medical trauma no one should have to experience. Her time as a social worker has been dedicated to changing the medical system, helping others heal, and hiding her own trauma behind shrewd professionalism and unphased control.
TJ’s focus has always been hockey; relief only coming when on the ice. Strength is an expectation, toughness a value, and any sign of weakness is a liability. Beneath his enforcer exterior, he longs for true connection, a sense of belonging beyond his family.
A friendly pick up soccer game changes everything. A reluctant friendship turns into something unexpected— slow, unwavering and very real.
Both know all too well how quickly a good thing can turn sour. Love takes work; it demands but it can also be patient, kind, and healing. Are Aife and TJ willing to rise above it?
TJ’s focus has always been hockey; relief only coming when on the ice. Strength is an expectation, toughness a value, and any sign of weakness is a liability. Beneath his enforcer exterior, he longs for true connection, a sense of belonging beyond his family.
A friendly pick up soccer game changes everything. A reluctant friendship turns into something unexpected— slow, unwavering and very real.
Both know all too well how quickly a good thing can turn sour. Love takes work; it demands but it can also be patient, kind, and healing. Are Aife and TJ willing to rise above it?
Paperback
Published August 12, 2026
About the author
C.M. Stewart
8 books16 followersC.M. Stewart was born in Reno, Nevada. She studied at the University of North Texas and majored in photojournalism. Stewart studied at the University of Houston and earned a masters degree in social work. Stewart started writing in third grade when her sister and she created the Grannies, two crazy grandmothers who got up to even crazier anecdotes. Their stories and imagined games lead to the creation of multiple stories. While Stewart now spends most of her time advocating for social justice, she still continues to come back to writing. Writing has always been her main love, and she hopes her books will bring smiles to her readers' faces.
She writes trauma-informed fiction and non-fiction-- romance, dark fantasy, and reflective essays. Her works are grounded in clinical experience and emotional truth. All her stories try to stay centered on survival, compassion, power, and connection.
She writes trauma-informed fiction and non-fiction-- romance, dark fantasy, and reflective essays. Her works are grounded in clinical experience and emotional truth. All her stories try to stay centered on survival, compassion, power, and connection.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
June 11, 2026
Came for the thigh rides, stayed for the life lessons.
What can I say? This book touched on a lot of medical issues and traumas that, at this point, can trigger just about every woman who comes across it. I loved the way the author tackled medical trauma and how we can carry it with us for years, even after a million hours of therapy. It also demonstrates how found family can be even better than blood and how sometimes you just need the right people around you to help you heal and move forward.
Biggest takeaways: Asking for help is never a sign of weakness. Your chronic pain doesn’t define you or your worth. And while all these awful things can feel endless, they’re thankfully temporary, even when the healing takes 10+ years. Also, grief isn’t linear, and sometimes you just have to ride the wave. Which I totally agree and live by tbh.
I really enjoyed how diverse the cast was, how much hockey was woven into the story, how naturally the relationships developed, and the character growth throughout. It also shows that love—real love—doesn’t come with pain and heartache. It heals, it comforts, and it doesn’t add to your stress. Plus, the spice is just the cherry on top.
This one had me deep in my feelings and reminded me that after all my years fighting the medical system, it was worth staying here and not letting my demons win.
So if you made it this far and thought, huh, that sounds interesting, pick up the book. It won’t disappoint.
Also thank you C.M. Stewart for sharing a piece of your story in this beautiful story. 💜
What can I say? This book touched on a lot of medical issues and traumas that, at this point, can trigger just about every woman who comes across it. I loved the way the author tackled medical trauma and how we can carry it with us for years, even after a million hours of therapy. It also demonstrates how found family can be even better than blood and how sometimes you just need the right people around you to help you heal and move forward.
Biggest takeaways: Asking for help is never a sign of weakness. Your chronic pain doesn’t define you or your worth. And while all these awful things can feel endless, they’re thankfully temporary, even when the healing takes 10+ years. Also, grief isn’t linear, and sometimes you just have to ride the wave. Which I totally agree and live by tbh.
I really enjoyed how diverse the cast was, how much hockey was woven into the story, how naturally the relationships developed, and the character growth throughout. It also shows that love—real love—doesn’t come with pain and heartache. It heals, it comforts, and it doesn’t add to your stress. Plus, the spice is just the cherry on top.
This one had me deep in my feelings and reminded me that after all my years fighting the medical system, it was worth staying here and not letting my demons win.
So if you made it this far and thought, huh, that sounds interesting, pick up the book. It won’t disappoint.
Also thank you C.M. Stewart for sharing a piece of your story in this beautiful story. 💜
August 12, 2026
4🌟, 2🌶️
I really wasn’t expecting this one to hit me in the feelings like it did.
I really loved watching Aife and TJ’s friendship slowly turn into something more, especially because they both had so much baggage to work through. TJ was such a sweetheart, patient, thoughtful, and always so careful with Aife. I was completely rooting for these two to finally figure themselves out.
What really surprised me was how much this book made me feel beyond the romance. The chronic illness, medical trauma, healing, and found-family aspects were handled with so much heart, and Aife’s struggles felt incredibly real. I also loved the whole group around them and how protective and supportive they were. And obviously, Aife’s obsession with TJ’s thighs was hilarious and very much appreciated.
Overall, this was such a warm, emotional read with plenty of laughs, yearning, and hockey. A few parts felt a little rushed for me, but I still really enjoyed the journey. I loved the reminder that asking for help doesn’t make you weak and that healing doesn’t have to happen alone.
I genuinely enjoyed the ride and would happily read more from this world.
~~~~
Huge thank you to the author, C.M. Stewart, for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨
I really wasn’t expecting this one to hit me in the feelings like it did.
I really loved watching Aife and TJ’s friendship slowly turn into something more, especially because they both had so much baggage to work through. TJ was such a sweetheart, patient, thoughtful, and always so careful with Aife. I was completely rooting for these two to finally figure themselves out.
What really surprised me was how much this book made me feel beyond the romance. The chronic illness, medical trauma, healing, and found-family aspects were handled with so much heart, and Aife’s struggles felt incredibly real. I also loved the whole group around them and how protective and supportive they were. And obviously, Aife’s obsession with TJ’s thighs was hilarious and very much appreciated.
Overall, this was such a warm, emotional read with plenty of laughs, yearning, and hockey. A few parts felt a little rushed for me, but I still really enjoyed the journey. I loved the reminder that asking for help doesn’t make you weak and that healing doesn’t have to happen alone.
I genuinely enjoyed the ride and would happily read more from this world.
~~~~
Huge thank you to the author, C.M. Stewart, for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨
August 13, 2026
“Rise Above” by C.M. Stewart
📘 Format: Digital Book
📚 Pub Date: 08.12.26
⭐️ Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars
“Rise Above” by C.M. Stewart is a deeply emotional novel that touches on the difficult themes of chronic illness, relationship betrayal, and PTSD with sensitivity.
Aife is a licensed Social Worker who has past medical trauma that she is working through. After receiving her Masters Degree, she is now working full time at the Hospital and finishing her PhD in Social Work. She wants to change the medical system for women, since women experience more challenges in attempting to obtain medical help. Aife’s dissertation is on “The inequity and health disparities women face in the U.S. healthcare system and how having access to comprehensive resources and therapies can improve those discrepancies.” What an inspiration!
Talon (TJ) is an ice hockey player, who unexpectedly meets Aife, when neither are wanting a romantic relationship (for different reasons). Aife & Talon are immediately drawn to each other.
Both Aife & TJ have trauma and baggage from their previous life experiences, and they struggle to decide if there is room in their lives for each other. If they choose to pursue a relationship, can they overcome their own trauma to be a healthy partner to each other?
I loved “Rise Above” and I was so proud of Aife’s desire to change the medical system for women. It was heartbreaking to read about the struggles that she had with chronic illness and how negatively it impacted her family relationships and her own mental health.
I recommend “Rise Above”, and I hope that there will be future novels about some of the other characters that were introduced in this book. This book included spicy scenes, so be aware.
Thank you to C.M. Stewart & BookFunnel for the Advance Review Copy. All opinions are my own.
#RiseAbove
#CMStewart
#BookFunnel
📘 Format: Digital Book
📚 Pub Date: 08.12.26
⭐️ Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars
“Rise Above” by C.M. Stewart is a deeply emotional novel that touches on the difficult themes of chronic illness, relationship betrayal, and PTSD with sensitivity.
Aife is a licensed Social Worker who has past medical trauma that she is working through. After receiving her Masters Degree, she is now working full time at the Hospital and finishing her PhD in Social Work. She wants to change the medical system for women, since women experience more challenges in attempting to obtain medical help. Aife’s dissertation is on “The inequity and health disparities women face in the U.S. healthcare system and how having access to comprehensive resources and therapies can improve those discrepancies.” What an inspiration!
Talon (TJ) is an ice hockey player, who unexpectedly meets Aife, when neither are wanting a romantic relationship (for different reasons). Aife & Talon are immediately drawn to each other.
Both Aife & TJ have trauma and baggage from their previous life experiences, and they struggle to decide if there is room in their lives for each other. If they choose to pursue a relationship, can they overcome their own trauma to be a healthy partner to each other?
I loved “Rise Above” and I was so proud of Aife’s desire to change the medical system for women. It was heartbreaking to read about the struggles that she had with chronic illness and how negatively it impacted her family relationships and her own mental health.
I recommend “Rise Above”, and I hope that there will be future novels about some of the other characters that were introduced in this book. This book included spicy scenes, so be aware.
Thank you to C.M. Stewart & BookFunnel for the Advance Review Copy. All opinions are my own.
#RiseAbove
#CMStewart
#BookFunnel
July 28, 2026
Arc Reader Review!
Reading this story was an absolute experience and joy, it made me smile, made me made, it made me feel so sad and brought tears to my eyes, the way both of these characters Aife and Talon have gone through so much in their life especially Aife it’s a miracle how kind and caring she was and the humour and Witt Aife had.
I also loved her love for talons thighs!!! men’s thighs yesss please 🫣
I love she’s so strong so resilient of all the medical trauma she went through and the self doubt.. and talon I found myself relating so much to talon not only in him loving hockey but the way he was shattered by an ex I know that feeling and the way the ex made him feel I still struggle with that feeling what my ex put me through. But also relating to the fact talon is more of a listener than a talker but talking to the person he loves the most. I found him so cute and very charming to read and his constantly asking for consent to kiss and asking her what she needed I loved that!
god this was a great story and the spice it had was 🔥 but also I would of read the story if it didn’t have any spice it was that good! the yearning, the lust, the desire these two had! I couldn’t believe how long it took for them to let it explode but once it did it was worth it! I found myself loving the side characters as well and rooting for them. My favourite being zeke and Davis… man I would love a books on those two!
If you love two broken souls finding a home in each other and don’t mind a good cry this book is for you I highly recommend this book I would totally read this book again!
I just became a fan of this author and most definitely buy this book if it comes out in paperback! I would love it on my shelf!
Reading this story was an absolute experience and joy, it made me smile, made me made, it made me feel so sad and brought tears to my eyes, the way both of these characters Aife and Talon have gone through so much in their life especially Aife it’s a miracle how kind and caring she was and the humour and Witt Aife had.
I also loved her love for talons thighs!!! men’s thighs yesss please 🫣
I love she’s so strong so resilient of all the medical trauma she went through and the self doubt.. and talon I found myself relating so much to talon not only in him loving hockey but the way he was shattered by an ex I know that feeling and the way the ex made him feel I still struggle with that feeling what my ex put me through. But also relating to the fact talon is more of a listener than a talker but talking to the person he loves the most. I found him so cute and very charming to read and his constantly asking for consent to kiss and asking her what she needed I loved that!
god this was a great story and the spice it had was 🔥 but also I would of read the story if it didn’t have any spice it was that good! the yearning, the lust, the desire these two had! I couldn’t believe how long it took for them to let it explode but once it did it was worth it! I found myself loving the side characters as well and rooting for them. My favourite being zeke and Davis… man I would love a books on those two!
If you love two broken souls finding a home in each other and don’t mind a good cry this book is for you I highly recommend this book I would totally read this book again!
I just became a fan of this author and most definitely buy this book if it comes out in paperback! I would love it on my shelf!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2026
Let it be said to start off that I am not this book’s intended audience. I am generally not a sports or contemporary romance reader and love stories without high stakes generally don’t pull me in. To add on top of that, first person POVs generally throw me off AND YET despite all of that this book enthralled me! I am utterly caught off guard by just how much I loved this read!
C.M. Stewart’s characters were some of the most real feeling characters I’ve come across in a long time. Aife and TJ both felt as if they could have walked off the page and been perfectly solid. I loved getting to know both characters and watch as they learned themselves and learned to open up to one another. Aife in particular struck home for me in so many ways as someone who has had to recently face medical trauma. Getting to see a character overcome so much healed something deep in my chest. The lesson of learning to ask for help and release the fear of being a burden was so so moving and something I think ever single person could do with being reminded that to need help and to rely on one another is to be human.
The world and characters of this book will be living rent free in my mind for a long time I can already tell and I am not anywhere near complaining. Thank you so so much to the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book and I cannot begin to recommend C.M. Stewart’s writing enough. If you’re looking for mouthwatering intimacy, swoon worthy gentleness and heart warming growth this read is for you!
C.M. Stewart’s characters were some of the most real feeling characters I’ve come across in a long time. Aife and TJ both felt as if they could have walked off the page and been perfectly solid. I loved getting to know both characters and watch as they learned themselves and learned to open up to one another. Aife in particular struck home for me in so many ways as someone who has had to recently face medical trauma. Getting to see a character overcome so much healed something deep in my chest. The lesson of learning to ask for help and release the fear of being a burden was so so moving and something I think ever single person could do with being reminded that to need help and to rely on one another is to be human.
The world and characters of this book will be living rent free in my mind for a long time I can already tell and I am not anywhere near complaining. Thank you so so much to the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book and I cannot begin to recommend C.M. Stewart’s writing enough. If you’re looking for mouthwatering intimacy, swoon worthy gentleness and heart warming growth this read is for you!
June 22, 2026
“I wasn’t a burden; I was a survivor. I was a warrior. Illness did not define me.”
Such a slow burn, friends to lovers, and I’m all for it.
Watching Aife and Talon (Tj) grow both together and separately? Ugh it pulled at my heartstrings so damn much.
The two opening up to each other slowly and carefully just got me.
Aife, my badass. We have so much in common and I adore the hell out of you. Being chronically ill doesn’t mean you are any less of a person. That girl had a strong head on her shoulders despite her horrendous journey through life.
Plus her taste in music? Korn, slip it, avenged sevenfold? 🥰😍 YES MAM!
Talon.. that man. First off I’m obsessed with his name even if he hates it.
A true Texas gentleman. If his accent isn’t enough for you, you should definitely watch him play a hockey game. 🥵
He simply holds my heart in the palm of his hand.
Such a beautiful story. And such a quick read at that. C.M Stewart did such a phenomenal job at touching hard subjects with such a gorgeous voice. I’m forever a fan. 🫶🏻
5.0/5⭐️
Such a slow burn, friends to lovers, and I’m all for it.
Watching Aife and Talon (Tj) grow both together and separately? Ugh it pulled at my heartstrings so damn much.
The two opening up to each other slowly and carefully just got me.
Aife, my badass. We have so much in common and I adore the hell out of you. Being chronically ill doesn’t mean you are any less of a person. That girl had a strong head on her shoulders despite her horrendous journey through life.
Plus her taste in music? Korn, slip it, avenged sevenfold? 🥰😍 YES MAM!
Talon.. that man. First off I’m obsessed with his name even if he hates it.
A true Texas gentleman. If his accent isn’t enough for you, you should definitely watch him play a hockey game. 🥵
He simply holds my heart in the palm of his hand.
Such a beautiful story. And such a quick read at that. C.M Stewart did such a phenomenal job at touching hard subjects with such a gorgeous voice. I’m forever a fan. 🫶🏻
5.0/5⭐️
July 23, 2026
Thank you for letting me ARC read this.
This was such a sweet book. A book that talks about how friendships can blossom into more, the importance of advocating for yourself, that trauma stays in the body, it’s ok to ask for help and chronic illness sucks.
As a chronic illness girlie, I related to Aife. Her pain, her not feeling listened to, her frustration at the system and feeling let down. She was so brave and resilient and we all hope to be as bad as her.
TJ, my sweet little love, he’s a hockey player who’s dealing with his own trauma and understanding how he can move past this.
My only thing I’d say is I’d have liked the writing to have been changed slightly for each character so it was easier to differentiate, however, this didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the book.
If you like sloooooooooow burn, friends to lovers, hockey romance, strong boss babe FMC, caregiver MMC, a man that eats and disability rep then this is for you.
⭐️ 4/5
🌶️ 2/5
This was such a sweet book. A book that talks about how friendships can blossom into more, the importance of advocating for yourself, that trauma stays in the body, it’s ok to ask for help and chronic illness sucks.
As a chronic illness girlie, I related to Aife. Her pain, her not feeling listened to, her frustration at the system and feeling let down. She was so brave and resilient and we all hope to be as bad as her.
TJ, my sweet little love, he’s a hockey player who’s dealing with his own trauma and understanding how he can move past this.
My only thing I’d say is I’d have liked the writing to have been changed slightly for each character so it was easier to differentiate, however, this didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the book.
If you like sloooooooooow burn, friends to lovers, hockey romance, strong boss babe FMC, caregiver MMC, a man that eats and disability rep then this is for you.
⭐️ 4/5
🌶️ 2/5
August 1, 2026
i was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review by the author herself.
this is an amazing story of love despite past heartbreak and chronic illness/disability. I loved how Talon and Aife seemed like real people with real life experiences. I loved the found family dynamics with Aife and Talon’s friendship and how everyone was protective of each of them (even if the MMC & FMC didn’t want them to lol) i loved Aife’s disability and chronic illness and how it was represented in this novel. I saw shocked to find out about her pineal cyst and removal mostly because i have been diagnosed with the same thing mostly just the migraines and insomnia. i loved how they were content with staying friends for more ways half of the book because i feel like we were able to learn so much more about their pasts and understand their motivations more. this is a amazing first book that i was able to read in three days flat.
this is an amazing story of love despite past heartbreak and chronic illness/disability. I loved how Talon and Aife seemed like real people with real life experiences. I loved the found family dynamics with Aife and Talon’s friendship and how everyone was protective of each of them (even if the MMC & FMC didn’t want them to lol) i loved Aife’s disability and chronic illness and how it was represented in this novel. I saw shocked to find out about her pineal cyst and removal mostly because i have been diagnosed with the same thing mostly just the migraines and insomnia. i loved how they were content with staying friends for more ways half of the book because i feel like we were able to learn so much more about their pasts and understand their motivations more. this is a amazing first book that i was able to read in three days flat.
June 14, 2026
This book was really good it really dived deep in to some pretty hard hitting topics and it showed a romance on the deeper side where they truly opened up with each other. This book felt more like it lived in the real world rather than a fantasy and showcased the ups and downs of a real life relationship.
July 31, 2026
Rise Above of an amazing telling of just how crazy life, love, and sports can be!! If you want a glimpse into how hard the medical system is on someone when the diagnoses are not obvious, look no further. C.M. Stewart does an amazing job of showing that needing help does not equal being a burden. I absolutely love the back story and the present story all relating to these 2 athletes.
Review of advance copy received from Author
✨️ "There was determination written on her face, almost like she could change the world with her words." ✨️
I recieved this Advanced copy from the author and I just finished it.
First of all, this was than a romance novel. This novel spreads the awareness of medical trauma and misogyny in the medical field.
However, I feel it could have gone a little deeper into it. It raised my expectation in the beginning. I got the impression that she would be showing us in all the ways misogyny works and also how she was a victim to it herself but then it spirals into her being prone to accidents and some unknown disease that doctors couldn't figure it out, not necessarily because she was a woman.
The romance on the other hand was very well-done.
I feel not everyone can write friends-to-lovers. She did it perfectly. Most authors write the couple being friends so well that i don't understand the transition to lovers. I don't even like the transition and wish they stayed friends. I REALLY liked the fact that they didn't want to put out labels for what they were. And that is what made the transition so smooth.
Rise Above - C.M. Stewart (Highlights and Notes)
💖 ───────────── 💖
▪ We were clearly more than friends but not anything defined.
▪ Did it matter to put a label on it? It was just me and Aife.
▪ She lifted me up, and I hoped I did the same for her.
🏥 ─────────────── 🏥
#themedicalside
▪ On average, it took women five years to achieve a diagnosis unless it was cancer. Frequently, women’s pain was chalked up to depression, hysteria, conversion disorder, or some other mental illness. At the same time, mental illness was often dismissed
▪ I wanted to talk more about women not being believed by medical professionals and how draining that could be, but I wanted to talk about solutions most of all.
▪ The medical system needed an overhaul, and I was willing to do it, my mind running through a million more medical reasons.
▪ The medical system seemingly hated women; the world thrived on misogynism. It was harmful and wrong; it needed to be changed
▪ The one thing I would have to remember was not to let my anger get the better of me.
▪ Insurance gave these patients three or four days when they often needed seven or more and then got mad when they were here for longer than their average. It was baffling and definitely an aspect of the medical world I wanted to overhaul.
▪ You may have fallen in love with someone, but you choose to love them every day. (Wisdoms 😭)
▪ I wasn’t a burden; I was a survivor. I was a warrior. Illness did not define me.
───────────────────────
There were some scenes though that I hope author considers for her future work.
#thingsifoundmisogynistic
▪ Was she any good? (~not ML here~ Misogyny. The only girl in the arena of all men about to play football. Why would Zeke even think that just because she's woman? But also, this does show us how men, good men, unintentionally thinks we are incapable even before they see us being incapable.)
▪ She seemed so carefree about her appearance which was weirdly charming. (It's just, i dont want men to think like this. I want them to also appreciate women who put on makeup but i felt like he thought most women are a little obsessed with makeup, negatively.)
▪ At least she wasn’t shy about eating. Women that only ordered salad around guys annoyed me. (were there really women like that? I felt they would only pick salad in front of them if the man commented about their weight and overtly force them to. Or they are already doing that for a period of time because they are on their diet. But also, I'm young.)
▪ It was a miracle I even still liked women after what that woman did. (Sir, we still like men after MANY men sexually assaults us)
▪ Are you? Even after Melody?”
(women constantly hear not all men while we do not only have statistics but also our personal experiences. Yes, that multipleexperience. And him, with his one time girlfriend that he couldn't figure out never loved him and then swearing off ALL WOMEN royally pissed me off.)
▪ Aife was my girl. (*my woman. I used to be okay with mature males calling mature females their girls but I suddenly opened my eyes one day and thoughtonly father of a daughter should be saying that. Since women say "my man" why reduce same woman to "my girls"?)
───────────────────────
All in all though, I would really recommend this to new readers to give it a try if they want something friends to lovers romance with strong and resilient FL and a sweet ML. ❤️❤️
I recieved this Advanced copy from the author and I just finished it.
First of all, this was than a romance novel. This novel spreads the awareness of medical trauma and misogyny in the medical field.
However, I feel it could have gone a little deeper into it. It raised my expectation in the beginning. I got the impression that she would be showing us in all the ways misogyny works and also how she was a victim to it herself but then it spirals into her being prone to accidents and some unknown disease that doctors couldn't figure it out, not necessarily because she was a woman.
The romance on the other hand was very well-done.
I feel not everyone can write friends-to-lovers. She did it perfectly. Most authors write the couple being friends so well that i don't understand the transition to lovers. I don't even like the transition and wish they stayed friends. I REALLY liked the fact that they didn't want to put out labels for what they were. And that is what made the transition so smooth.
Rise Above - C.M. Stewart (Highlights and Notes)
💖 ───────────── 💖
▪ We were clearly more than friends but not anything defined.
▪ Did it matter to put a label on it? It was just me and Aife.
▪ She lifted me up, and I hoped I did the same for her.
🏥 ─────────────── 🏥
#themedicalside
▪ On average, it took women five years to achieve a diagnosis unless it was cancer. Frequently, women’s pain was chalked up to depression, hysteria, conversion disorder, or some other mental illness. At the same time, mental illness was often dismissed
▪ I wanted to talk more about women not being believed by medical professionals and how draining that could be, but I wanted to talk about solutions most of all.
▪ The medical system needed an overhaul, and I was willing to do it, my mind running through a million more medical reasons.
▪ The medical system seemingly hated women; the world thrived on misogynism. It was harmful and wrong; it needed to be changed
▪ The one thing I would have to remember was not to let my anger get the better of me.
▪ Insurance gave these patients three or four days when they often needed seven or more and then got mad when they were here for longer than their average. It was baffling and definitely an aspect of the medical world I wanted to overhaul.
▪ You may have fallen in love with someone, but you choose to love them every day. (Wisdoms 😭)
▪ I wasn’t a burden; I was a survivor. I was a warrior. Illness did not define me.
───────────────────────
There were some scenes though that I hope author considers for her future work.
#thingsifoundmisogynistic
▪ Was she any good? (~not ML here~ Misogyny. The only girl in the arena of all men about to play football. Why would Zeke even think that just because she's woman? But also, this does show us how men, good men, unintentionally thinks we are incapable even before they see us being incapable.)
▪ She seemed so carefree about her appearance which was weirdly charming. (It's just, i dont want men to think like this. I want them to also appreciate women who put on makeup but i felt like he thought most women are a little obsessed with makeup, negatively.)
▪ At least she wasn’t shy about eating. Women that only ordered salad around guys annoyed me. (were there really women like that? I felt they would only pick salad in front of them if the man commented about their weight and overtly force them to. Or they are already doing that for a period of time because they are on their diet. But also, I'm young.)
▪ It was a miracle I even still liked women after what that woman did. (Sir, we still like men after MANY men sexually assaults us)
▪ Are you? Even after Melody?”
(women constantly hear not all men while we do not only have statistics but also our personal experiences. Yes, that multipleexperience. And him, with his one time girlfriend that he couldn't figure out never loved him and then swearing off ALL WOMEN royally pissed me off.)
▪ Aife was my girl. (*my woman. I used to be okay with mature males calling mature females their girls but I suddenly opened my eyes one day and thoughtonly father of a daughter should be saying that. Since women say "my man" why reduce same woman to "my girls"?)
───────────────────────
All in all though, I would really recommend this to new readers to give it a try if they want something friends to lovers romance with strong and resilient FL and a sweet ML. ❤️❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Autor
I started reading it thinking it would be a typical hockey romance, and while it has the hockey aspect that I love, I was also surprised by the lessons it shows.
"What was the point of speaking if they didn't want to know the real me?"
I loved both the main characters, with their rather unusual names, let's be honest. Each one carries their own big traumas, but they still manage to find their true family and people who are truly worthwhile, people with whom they can heal.
TJ and Aife are so cute together, from the moment they become friends and support each other, right up to the end.
"There was determination written on her face, almost like she could change the world with her words. I was sure she could."
I loved how it was mentioned that, despite feelings or a possible relationship, they were always best friends, and I think that's the best thing that can happen with a partner.
"Loving your partner is a choice. You may have fallen in love with someone, but you choose to love them every day. Every day, you find something to love about your partner. Being in love tends to go hand in hand with loving someone."
Although the secondary characters didn't initially convince me, I ended up loving each and every one of them.
Now I want a book with each of his friends, and TJ's brothers too, obviously, and with TJ's mother as she did a great job with them.
I think a great topic to explore was the critical aspect, all the medical issues and related traumas that were explained throughout the story, especially related to women. It wasn't just a love story; it left me thinking when I finished it.
"Don't play the what if game, honey. It will only eat you alive. The anxiety and fear will destroy your mental health. Our brains do that in an attempt to protect ourselves, but it only feeds the fear monster."
I had a little trouble understanding some medical things, even though they were well explained, but that's just me, since I don't know much about medicine and I forget terms easily.
Finally, I felt the first two spicy scenes, which were super brief, were unnecessary; they felt rushed and out of place. I did like the rest, though there were still a few too many all together (not that there were a lot), I think the book really only needed one or two.
What resonates with me the most is the process of gradual healing, even if it's slow and they can always have setbacks, how they focus on that better days will always come. Also how they learn that asking for help is okay, not a weakness, and that the people who truly love you will always be there for you.
"Slumps are slumps, darling. They happen. If we let the slumps impact us, we would never win"
It's a book about always trying to find the positive side of situations and never giving up.
"Her massive heart was her biggest strenght and weakness."
It is a great romance story, but also one of overcoming obstacles and personal growth.
For my part, I will continue reading the books of this author.
Thanks to the author, C. M. Stewart, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"What was the point of speaking if they didn't want to know the real me?"
I loved both the main characters, with their rather unusual names, let's be honest. Each one carries their own big traumas, but they still manage to find their true family and people who are truly worthwhile, people with whom they can heal.
TJ and Aife are so cute together, from the moment they become friends and support each other, right up to the end.
"There was determination written on her face, almost like she could change the world with her words. I was sure she could."
I loved how it was mentioned that, despite feelings or a possible relationship, they were always best friends, and I think that's the best thing that can happen with a partner.
"Loving your partner is a choice. You may have fallen in love with someone, but you choose to love them every day. Every day, you find something to love about your partner. Being in love tends to go hand in hand with loving someone."
Although the secondary characters didn't initially convince me, I ended up loving each and every one of them.
Now I want a book with each of his friends, and TJ's brothers too, obviously, and with TJ's mother as she did a great job with them.
I think a great topic to explore was the critical aspect, all the medical issues and related traumas that were explained throughout the story, especially related to women. It wasn't just a love story; it left me thinking when I finished it.
"Don't play the what if game, honey. It will only eat you alive. The anxiety and fear will destroy your mental health. Our brains do that in an attempt to protect ourselves, but it only feeds the fear monster."
I had a little trouble understanding some medical things, even though they were well explained, but that's just me, since I don't know much about medicine and I forget terms easily.
Finally, I felt the first two spicy scenes, which were super brief, were unnecessary; they felt rushed and out of place. I did like the rest, though there were still a few too many all together (not that there were a lot), I think the book really only needed one or two.
What resonates with me the most is the process of gradual healing, even if it's slow and they can always have setbacks, how they focus on that better days will always come. Also how they learn that asking for help is okay, not a weakness, and that the people who truly love you will always be there for you.
"Slumps are slumps, darling. They happen. If we let the slumps impact us, we would never win"
It's a book about always trying to find the positive side of situations and never giving up.
"Her massive heart was her biggest strenght and weakness."
It is a great romance story, but also one of overcoming obstacles and personal growth.
For my part, I will continue reading the books of this author.
Thanks to the author, C. M. Stewart, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 13, 2026
3.5 stars
id like the personally thank whoever convinced me to buy a full-sized calendar because that is the only fucking reason this review is up right now.
on a completely unrelated note if you do buy a full-sized calendar make sure to actually check it or else its completely useless
and yes its 8/12 leave us cali kids alone
so we shouldve just named him BJ
Our MMC is TJ. His brothers are, in alphabetical order, AJ, CJ, DJ, EJ. I'm assuming that, for obvious reasons, TJ was supposed to be named BJ until his parents realized the obvious problem with that name.
He's also the middle kid, which really makes you think about the planning capabilities of the parents.
But were no other letters available? Like could we not make algebra harder for some teacher by naming a kid XYZ? Xavier Yves Zander? But I digress.
The naming situation made a really lasting impression because I distinctly remember that being the part where I started to enjoy reading.
trust the process... but fr this time
This book started off... well, it got better.
From the very beginning, there's a lot of telling, not showing. The writing felt very choppy and like the beats of a very terrible rapper. I honestly continued reading out of pure respect to the author and her story. Because props to that.
However, around the time that TJ named his alphabetical siblings, it turned around.
TJ and Aife had a genuine connection. The author recently described them as idiots-to-lovers, and I could not agree more. I mean, it takes being an idiot to be friends, you know (im saying this like i know)? And they were definitely friends that were remarkably stuck in the friend zone while having every reciprocated chance to get out.
The dynamics were kind of insta-trust. You know, paving the way for the eventual bonding and understanding of one another. Which is part of the pre-ABCs, but I guess I'll take it?
we are getting set up for an incredibly long novella
Well, either that or the next couple of books having extreme revolving-around-previous-couple moments.
None of the individual problems really get solved. We just see the start of the romantic relationship that will probably end up solving some of these problems. So, it's really very open ended as to how Aife and TJ end up as people.
The epilogue was very much pure sugar. We see how TJ's career progresses, but nothing really about Aife. What happens with her . Nothing. Nada.
And I'm very much assuming here but based on the friendship dynamics seen in this book, Aife and TJ will feature in the next as well. So, are we going to get a new version of Aife before vs after resolving those questions? Or are there stories going to really just be Aife and TJ all over again.
also why did aife lwk just stop calling tj james even after the whole awww thing
Thank you so much to the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
id like the personally thank whoever convinced me to buy a full-sized calendar because that is the only fucking reason this review is up right now.
on a completely unrelated note if you do buy a full-sized calendar make sure to actually check it or else its completely useless
and yes its 8/12 leave us cali kids alone
so we shouldve just named him BJ
Our MMC is TJ. His brothers are, in alphabetical order, AJ, CJ, DJ, EJ. I'm assuming that, for obvious reasons, TJ was supposed to be named BJ until his parents realized the obvious problem with that name.
He's also the middle kid, which really makes you think about the planning capabilities of the parents.
But were no other letters available? Like could we not make algebra harder for some teacher by naming a kid XYZ? Xavier Yves Zander? But I digress.
The naming situation made a really lasting impression because I distinctly remember that being the part where I started to enjoy reading.
trust the process... but fr this time
This book started off... well, it got better.
From the very beginning, there's a lot of telling, not showing. The writing felt very choppy and like the beats of a very terrible rapper. I honestly continued reading out of pure respect to the author and her story. Because props to that.
However, around the time that TJ named his alphabetical siblings, it turned around.
TJ and Aife had a genuine connection. The author recently described them as idiots-to-lovers, and I could not agree more. I mean, it takes being an idiot to be friends, you know (im saying this like i know)? And they were definitely friends that were remarkably stuck in the friend zone while having every reciprocated chance to get out.
The dynamics were kind of insta-trust. You know, paving the way for the eventual bonding and understanding of one another. Which is part of the pre-ABCs, but I guess I'll take it?
we are getting set up for an incredibly long novella
Well, either that or the next couple of books having extreme revolving-around-previous-couple moments.
None of the individual problems really get solved. We just see the start of the romantic relationship that will probably end up solving some of these problems. So, it's really very open ended as to how Aife and TJ end up as people.
The epilogue was very much pure sugar. We see how TJ's career progresses, but nothing really about Aife. What happens with her . Nothing. Nada.
And I'm very much assuming here but based on the friendship dynamics seen in this book, Aife and TJ will feature in the next as well. So, are we going to get a new version of Aife before vs after resolving those questions? Or are there stories going to really just be Aife and TJ all over again.
also why did aife lwk just stop calling tj james even after the whole awww thing
Thank you so much to the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I feel so very privileged to have received this as an ARC, and would happily give it more than ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ if I could.
📢“I wasn’t a burden; I was a survivor. I was a warrior. Illness did not define me.”
Although I have a different illness to the FMC, this hits hard - but acts as a timely reminder that we are more than our illnesses🥹.
I demolished this book in under 12 hours - I couldn't put my reader down!!! It felt like I was reading about people I knew, not some fictional characters - everyday people (albeit a few hockey stars), not overly glamourous, not overly rich, not overly anything but instantly relatable and likeable.
A small aside, the football team (or soccer⚽) I support here in the UK is also nicknamed the Hammers so that properly made me smile, and made the book feel even more personal. I'm not a huge hockey fan, but the descriptions of attending matches with your besties in the book is exactly the feeling I used to get going to a match with my football besties, alas never got to go for drinks or food with any of the players though 😆.
The MCs and their found family are all well written and you get a sense of just how tight knit their circle is - and the love they have for each other as friends (you'll have to read it to find out if it's anything more) is magical.
The MMC (TJ) is the epitome of a gentleman, strong, handsome, chivalrous, patient, understanding, and I was desperate for a HEA for him because he absolutely deserved it - he's firmly in my heart as a book boyfriend💖
The FMC (Aife) is such a strong character in her work role, yet her past continues to hold her back personally - and that slow burning romance just kept me internally screaming at her to go for it, he was perfect!!!!
There's some spicy bits, but nothing gratuitous, and they're absolutely of the kind that will make you squeal with delight and smile like an idiot at the inanimate object in your hand💗
It came as no surprise to discover that a lot of this book comes from personal experiences, so C.M Stewart thank you for sharing - this book has stolen my heart 🥹
For lovers of hockey romances, grumpy x grumpy, slow burners and found families do yourselves a favour and get this on your TBR 📖
📢“I wasn’t a burden; I was a survivor. I was a warrior. Illness did not define me.”
Although I have a different illness to the FMC, this hits hard - but acts as a timely reminder that we are more than our illnesses🥹.
I demolished this book in under 12 hours - I couldn't put my reader down!!! It felt like I was reading about people I knew, not some fictional characters - everyday people (albeit a few hockey stars), not overly glamourous, not overly rich, not overly anything but instantly relatable and likeable.
A small aside, the football team (or soccer⚽) I support here in the UK is also nicknamed the Hammers so that properly made me smile, and made the book feel even more personal. I'm not a huge hockey fan, but the descriptions of attending matches with your besties in the book is exactly the feeling I used to get going to a match with my football besties, alas never got to go for drinks or food with any of the players though 😆.
The MCs and their found family are all well written and you get a sense of just how tight knit their circle is - and the love they have for each other as friends (you'll have to read it to find out if it's anything more) is magical.
The MMC (TJ) is the epitome of a gentleman, strong, handsome, chivalrous, patient, understanding, and I was desperate for a HEA for him because he absolutely deserved it - he's firmly in my heart as a book boyfriend💖
The FMC (Aife) is such a strong character in her work role, yet her past continues to hold her back personally - and that slow burning romance just kept me internally screaming at her to go for it, he was perfect!!!!
There's some spicy bits, but nothing gratuitous, and they're absolutely of the kind that will make you squeal with delight and smile like an idiot at the inanimate object in your hand💗
It came as no surprise to discover that a lot of this book comes from personal experiences, so C.M Stewart thank you for sharing - this book has stolen my heart 🥹
For lovers of hockey romances, grumpy x grumpy, slow burners and found families do yourselves a favour and get this on your TBR 📖
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC of Rise Above in exchange for an honest review.
Overall, this was a sweet, heartfelt romance with strong character development and an uplifting message about healing after trauma. Both Aife and TJ were likeable characters, and I enjoyed watching them slowly lower the walls they'd built around themselves.
One area I struggled with was Aife's emotional guardedness. I completely understood why she protected herself after everything she'd been through, especially considering how her family had made her feel like a burden. However, as someone who believes conversations around medical trauma can be incredibly healing, I found myself wishing she'd trusted the people who genuinely cared about her a little sooner. It sometimes felt like she carried everything alone even when she finally had a support system around her.
I also felt parts of the relationship progressed a little too quickly. TJ and Aife seemed to fall into each other's lives faster than I expected, and once she was invited into his world as an NHL player, the transition felt almost too seamless. Attending games and becoming part of that public side of his life would realistically bring attention, speculation, and rumours, particularly for someone who valued her privacy so deeply. I would have loved to see more of that adjustment and how they navigated it together before everything settled into place.
That said, the emotional core of the story was lovely. TJ was patient, supportive, and easy to root for, and I appreciated the emphasis on healthy communication, healing, and finding people who truly accept you.
Overall, Rise Above was a cute, emotional romance with engaging characters. While I wished the pacing had slowed down in a few places to let both the relationship and Aife's transition into TJ's very public life develop more naturally, I still enjoyed the journey and think readers who enjoy gentle, character-driven romances will too.
Overall, this was a sweet, heartfelt romance with strong character development and an uplifting message about healing after trauma. Both Aife and TJ were likeable characters, and I enjoyed watching them slowly lower the walls they'd built around themselves.
One area I struggled with was Aife's emotional guardedness. I completely understood why she protected herself after everything she'd been through, especially considering how her family had made her feel like a burden. However, as someone who believes conversations around medical trauma can be incredibly healing, I found myself wishing she'd trusted the people who genuinely cared about her a little sooner. It sometimes felt like she carried everything alone even when she finally had a support system around her.
I also felt parts of the relationship progressed a little too quickly. TJ and Aife seemed to fall into each other's lives faster than I expected, and once she was invited into his world as an NHL player, the transition felt almost too seamless. Attending games and becoming part of that public side of his life would realistically bring attention, speculation, and rumours, particularly for someone who valued her privacy so deeply. I would have loved to see more of that adjustment and how they navigated it together before everything settled into place.
That said, the emotional core of the story was lovely. TJ was patient, supportive, and easy to root for, and I appreciated the emphasis on healthy communication, healing, and finding people who truly accept you.
Overall, Rise Above was a cute, emotional romance with engaging characters. While I wished the pacing had slowed down in a few places to let both the relationship and Aife's transition into TJ's very public life develop more naturally, I still enjoyed the journey and think readers who enjoy gentle, character-driven romances will too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I read Rise Above by author C.M. Stewart.
Aife is a Texan having moved three years ago to Chicago to work on her PhD. A social worker deeply passionate about trying to improve a health care system riddled with obvious quality of care and access disparities for women and the chronically and mentally ill. These goals are not purely altruistic, but born of her own privately kept pain and trauma. When Aife meets professional hockey player TJ through a group of friends, his good looks and surprisingly familiar and comforting vibe she feels unsettled. And not in the unpleasant way.
TJ carries his own baggage. High set self expectations and a badly broken heart have long left him skittish like a feral cat about new relationships. Something about Aife’s calming energy calls to him though, and her beauty on the outside equals the beauty he sees on the inside.
So, they decide on friendship…and as they slowing open each other’s well closed doors of the past, stronger feelings begin to cautiously grow. The past is heavy, complicated, challenging. Can they find the courage and patience to see what could come next?
I’ve never read a hockey romance book before. I was called to this book as it had topics of chronic illness and mental health within it. I wondered if it would be predictable fluffy celebrity-ish fan fare. This book was anything but that. Although there is plenty of fun and some spice, this story is a well developed tale of believable characters, strong relationships between both natural and found family and detailed settings making real the chill of Chicago air as the fall moves in.
The emotions that weave throughout are so universally human and palpable. And if a reader is struggling to find a place to connect, walking their own path of chronic illness or mental health, they can find a helpful and safe place to identify within these pages.
Definitely recommend!
I received an advanced reader copy from the author. This is my voluntary and honest review.
Aife is a Texan having moved three years ago to Chicago to work on her PhD. A social worker deeply passionate about trying to improve a health care system riddled with obvious quality of care and access disparities for women and the chronically and mentally ill. These goals are not purely altruistic, but born of her own privately kept pain and trauma. When Aife meets professional hockey player TJ through a group of friends, his good looks and surprisingly familiar and comforting vibe she feels unsettled. And not in the unpleasant way.
TJ carries his own baggage. High set self expectations and a badly broken heart have long left him skittish like a feral cat about new relationships. Something about Aife’s calming energy calls to him though, and her beauty on the outside equals the beauty he sees on the inside.
So, they decide on friendship…and as they slowing open each other’s well closed doors of the past, stronger feelings begin to cautiously grow. The past is heavy, complicated, challenging. Can they find the courage and patience to see what could come next?
I’ve never read a hockey romance book before. I was called to this book as it had topics of chronic illness and mental health within it. I wondered if it would be predictable fluffy celebrity-ish fan fare. This book was anything but that. Although there is plenty of fun and some spice, this story is a well developed tale of believable characters, strong relationships between both natural and found family and detailed settings making real the chill of Chicago air as the fall moves in.
The emotions that weave throughout are so universally human and palpable. And if a reader is struggling to find a place to connect, walking their own path of chronic illness or mental health, they can find a helpful and safe place to identify within these pages.
Definitely recommend!
I received an advanced reader copy from the author. This is my voluntary and honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received this book as an arc and am leaving a review at my own discretion
The Good: As a chronic illness girly, I really appreciated the justice that C.M. Stewart gave to Aife and her personal struggle with her own illnesses. I think it's very real to hear about the struggles in healthcare from a personal and professional standpoint, but also the mental effects that come hand in hand with it as well. I really appreciated seeing how Aife's own personal struggles lead her into a helping profession and to be honest, I would have appreciated seeing a bit more of this side tie into her reluctance for a relationship as this was only briefly touched on, she had stated her ex left when she got sick but the intricacies of this would have been nice to understand further as her reaction to a relationship was really adamant. I also appreciated TJ being such an emotionally in-tune dude but I also would have liked a bit more thorough back story about him and Melody.
The side characters were quirky and the hockey depictions were well done. Overall, it suited the hockey romance narrative and gives you enough to fill the void.
While these parts I liked, there were moments that really dragged and made it hard to want to continue. I got annoyed with the constant "this isn't a relationship!" Over and over when it clearly was and could have been solved with a conversation. Davis also ticked me off with his reaction even though be clearly knew what was happening. Some of the plot points introduced kind of never really went anywhere and there was tons of repetition about thighs and social work that felt filler at times. The spicy scenes w were also a bit clunky and rushed after waiting the entire book.
Overall, it was an alright read and i really appreciated some of the realism given from a chronic illness perspective.
The Good: As a chronic illness girly, I really appreciated the justice that C.M. Stewart gave to Aife and her personal struggle with her own illnesses. I think it's very real to hear about the struggles in healthcare from a personal and professional standpoint, but also the mental effects that come hand in hand with it as well. I really appreciated seeing how Aife's own personal struggles lead her into a helping profession and to be honest, I would have appreciated seeing a bit more of this side tie into her reluctance for a relationship as this was only briefly touched on, she had stated her ex left when she got sick but the intricacies of this would have been nice to understand further as her reaction to a relationship was really adamant. I also appreciated TJ being such an emotionally in-tune dude but I also would have liked a bit more thorough back story about him and Melody.
The side characters were quirky and the hockey depictions were well done. Overall, it suited the hockey romance narrative and gives you enough to fill the void.
While these parts I liked, there were moments that really dragged and made it hard to want to continue. I got annoyed with the constant "this isn't a relationship!" Over and over when it clearly was and could have been solved with a conversation. Davis also ticked me off with his reaction even though be clearly knew what was happening. Some of the plot points introduced kind of never really went anywhere and there was tons of repetition about thighs and social work that felt filler at times. The spicy scenes w were also a bit clunky and rushed after waiting the entire book.
Overall, it was an alright read and i really appreciated some of the realism given from a chronic illness perspective.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was my very first ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), and I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better one to start with.
From the very first chapters, I felt deeply connected to the characters. And isn't that exactly what we’re all looking for when we dive into a story? A little bit of escapism, yes - but also that rare moment when a book makes you feel seen. This one did that for me.
I understood TJ’s pain on a personal level. I had to give up figure skating due to an injury, and it broke something in me that took years to heal. Reading his journey brought all of that back - not the physical pain, but the emotional weight of losing part of yourself. That kind of vulnerability is so hard to capture, but C.M. Stewart did it beautifully.
The characters are well-written. They’re raw, real, and unafraid to be soft in moments where it matters most. I loved watching Aife and Talon (TJ) navigate their own healing while slowly opening up to each other. The slow burn was perfect - it gave the relationship the time and space it needed to feel earned.
As someone who also writes, I know how challenging it is to balance heavy topics with romance and hope. This book handles it with such care and honesty. The writing is accessible too - simple, clean, and emotional without being overly complicated. For anyone who, like me, doesn’t have English as their first language, I can confidently say: don’t be afraid to pick this up. You’ll understand every bit of it, and you’ll feel it too.
If you love contemporary romance, sports romance, or just a beautifully told story about two people learning to trust again- this one is for you.
Thank you so much to the author for trusting me with this ARC. This book found a home in my heart, and I can't wait to read more from you.
From the very first chapters, I felt deeply connected to the characters. And isn't that exactly what we’re all looking for when we dive into a story? A little bit of escapism, yes - but also that rare moment when a book makes you feel seen. This one did that for me.
I understood TJ’s pain on a personal level. I had to give up figure skating due to an injury, and it broke something in me that took years to heal. Reading his journey brought all of that back - not the physical pain, but the emotional weight of losing part of yourself. That kind of vulnerability is so hard to capture, but C.M. Stewart did it beautifully.
The characters are well-written. They’re raw, real, and unafraid to be soft in moments where it matters most. I loved watching Aife and Talon (TJ) navigate their own healing while slowly opening up to each other. The slow burn was perfect - it gave the relationship the time and space it needed to feel earned.
As someone who also writes, I know how challenging it is to balance heavy topics with romance and hope. This book handles it with such care and honesty. The writing is accessible too - simple, clean, and emotional without being overly complicated. For anyone who, like me, doesn’t have English as their first language, I can confidently say: don’t be afraid to pick this up. You’ll understand every bit of it, and you’ll feel it too.
If you love contemporary romance, sports romance, or just a beautifully told story about two people learning to trust again- this one is for you.
Thank you so much to the author for trusting me with this ARC. This book found a home in my heart, and I can't wait to read more from you.
Review of advance copy received from Author
4/5⭐
1.5-2/5🌶
SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE PEEPS WITH INVISIBLE DISABILITIES/ILLNESSES!! You are seen, you are heard, and you are NOT alone!!!! (dedication from the author with my own little bit of razzle dazzle)
TW's: anxiety, blood, depression, emotional abuse, hospitalization, medical trauma, mentions of parental death, mentions of sexual assault, mentions of suicidal ideation & attempts (not depicted, just talked about), needles, profanity, PTSD, self-harm, violence (sports related), cheating (not depicted, just talked about).
I didn't know what to expect with this book, this was my first sports romance (to my knowledge). This is not typically the genre of romance that I normally read, but I am absolutely happy I took a chance on this book. I don't know if I would feel the same for other sports romances from other authors, but I will definitely expand my genres. The MMC is an amazing example of what the bare minimum standard should be. He is very communicative, sweet, has emotional intelligence, and knows what he wants. The FMC is a badass**, that's really the only way to describe her honestly. She went through a lot of crap consecutively (was over multiple years in a row, but considering she was going through things that ended in surgery....it's a lot of crap.) She is very self aware and knows her body and mind. She is up front with what she wants and what she expects. She has emotional intelligence as well. Both MC's are extremely well rounded and adjusted, they are functioning adults.
This book had a really good flow and the decision for the friendship to turn into something more naturally was soooo good. I feel that this book was like 90% cutesy, lovey dovey type of stuff, and I am not mad about it. Had me smiling in all the best ways!!
1.5-2/5🌶
SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE PEEPS WITH INVISIBLE DISABILITIES/ILLNESSES!! You are seen, you are heard, and you are NOT alone!!!! (dedication from the author with my own little bit of razzle dazzle)
TW's: anxiety, blood, depression, emotional abuse, hospitalization, medical trauma, mentions of parental death, mentions of sexual assault, mentions of suicidal ideation & attempts (not depicted, just talked about), needles, profanity, PTSD, self-harm, violence (sports related), cheating (not depicted, just talked about).
I didn't know what to expect with this book, this was my first sports romance (to my knowledge). This is not typically the genre of romance that I normally read, but I am absolutely happy I took a chance on this book. I don't know if I would feel the same for other sports romances from other authors, but I will definitely expand my genres. The MMC is an amazing example of what the bare minimum standard should be. He is very communicative, sweet, has emotional intelligence, and knows what he wants. The FMC is a badass**, that's really the only way to describe her honestly. She went through a lot of crap consecutively (was over multiple years in a row, but considering she was going through things that ended in surgery....it's a lot of crap.) She is very self aware and knows her body and mind. She is up front with what she wants and what she expects. She has emotional intelligence as well. Both MC's are extremely well rounded and adjusted, they are functioning adults.
This book had a really good flow and the decision for the friendship to turn into something more naturally was soooo good. I feel that this book was like 90% cutesy, lovey dovey type of stuff, and I am not mad about it. Had me smiling in all the best ways!!
August 13, 2026
Originally Reviewed at World Review of Books
Rise Above does a great service to the idea of a chronic-illness story with heart, but what makes it particularly distinctive is how deeply it dives into medical trauma. There is something painfully raw about the visceral descriptions of Aife's experiences in medical settings. The book understands that diagnosis and treatment are very sensory processes in themselves: cold, jarring and sometimes nightmarish experiences that can stay with you long after the appointment, procedure, or surgery is over.
More importantly, it captures the loneliness of that experience. Empathy has its limits; nobody can stand in your place and experience what your body is experiencing, and there are limits to the time, energy and financial resources even the people who love you expend on you. When diagnosis itself remains ambiguous, there is another layer of collateral damage: strained relationships, a shrinking social circle and the darkness of repeatedly questioning your own body.
Aife is a very likeable protagonist, and one easy to understand, in her choices, decisions, and distances. At its core, Rise Above is a hockey romance, and even the characters are easy to warm up to, with enough humour, particularly in Aife and TJ’s internal monologues, to puncture some of the heavier moments. My main reservation is craft-related: some repetition is strategic, particularly within its idiots-to-lovers framework, but some phrases are moving endlessly in a vortex, and eventually the informational loops begin to feel excessive. Certainly a universe of characters whose stories we'd be looking out for!
Rise Above does a great service to the idea of a chronic-illness story with heart, but what makes it particularly distinctive is how deeply it dives into medical trauma. There is something painfully raw about the visceral descriptions of Aife's experiences in medical settings. The book understands that diagnosis and treatment are very sensory processes in themselves: cold, jarring and sometimes nightmarish experiences that can stay with you long after the appointment, procedure, or surgery is over.
More importantly, it captures the loneliness of that experience. Empathy has its limits; nobody can stand in your place and experience what your body is experiencing, and there are limits to the time, energy and financial resources even the people who love you expend on you. When diagnosis itself remains ambiguous, there is another layer of collateral damage: strained relationships, a shrinking social circle and the darkness of repeatedly questioning your own body.
Aife is a very likeable protagonist, and one easy to understand, in her choices, decisions, and distances. At its core, Rise Above is a hockey romance, and even the characters are easy to warm up to, with enough humour, particularly in Aife and TJ’s internal monologues, to puncture some of the heavier moments. My main reservation is craft-related: some repetition is strategic, particularly within its idiots-to-lovers framework, but some phrases are moving endlessly in a vortex, and eventually the informational loops begin to feel excessive. Certainly a universe of characters whose stories we'd be looking out for!
August 24, 2026
Note: I was provided an advanced copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to C.M. Stewart and Book Funnel for my advanced reader copy.
This follows the FMC, Aife, a medical social worker pursuing her PhD and the MMC, TJ, a pro hockey player. Aife and TJ meet through mutual friends and both have some past trauma they are dealing with while navigating their present. While they both do not actively want a relationship due to each of their respective careers/school and the past traumas, they are drawn to each other. I really enjoyed this book and hope there are plans to write about the other characters in this friend group :)
What worked:
Extended friend group/found family.
Dual POV with a good balance of showing each of the main characters’ worlds separate and together.
Great representation of various traumas and impacts.
Patience with each person’s readiness for a relationship.
While this is a shorter read, it was not rushed and felt complete with depth.
Personally, I loved a social worker being represented and how they each navigated their trauma while dealing with present life. Hockey was also appropriately represented, which is not true in all books that have a hockey player as a MMC.
What didn’t work:
I really don’t have anything to put here.
Some content that people may want specifics on:
There is language and open-door scenes, 3/5 for spice (3/5 is referring more to how open-door it was rather than how much there was). Neither took over the story and their physical relationship was in line with their trust and relationship progression.
Potential triggers: medical trauma, toxic family response
This follows the FMC, Aife, a medical social worker pursuing her PhD and the MMC, TJ, a pro hockey player. Aife and TJ meet through mutual friends and both have some past trauma they are dealing with while navigating their present. While they both do not actively want a relationship due to each of their respective careers/school and the past traumas, they are drawn to each other. I really enjoyed this book and hope there are plans to write about the other characters in this friend group :)
What worked:
Extended friend group/found family.
Dual POV with a good balance of showing each of the main characters’ worlds separate and together.
Great representation of various traumas and impacts.
Patience with each person’s readiness for a relationship.
While this is a shorter read, it was not rushed and felt complete with depth.
Personally, I loved a social worker being represented and how they each navigated their trauma while dealing with present life. Hockey was also appropriately represented, which is not true in all books that have a hockey player as a MMC.
What didn’t work:
I really don’t have anything to put here.
Some content that people may want specifics on:
There is language and open-door scenes, 3/5 for spice (3/5 is referring more to how open-door it was rather than how much there was). Neither took over the story and their physical relationship was in line with their trust and relationship progression.
Potential triggers: medical trauma, toxic family response
Review of advance copy received from Author
Title: Rise Above
Author: C.M. Stewart
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ / 🌶️🌶️
✨📚 ARC Review 📚 ✨
Thank you to the author for the gifted eARC! My review and thoughts are my own.
The author did a great job shining a light on the struggles some (namely women) have in the medical world and the lasting impact that can have on mental and emotional wellbeing. I liked that Aife chose to channel that negative experience into a vocation centered around helping others navigate the healthcare experience. I am fortunate to not have firsthand experience with any of the issues Aife faced, so the story provided a compelling and emotional picture of what those experiences can be like.
Aife and TJ both having issues to work through as they get closer and move towards a relationship (bc despite the denials that is exactly what they are doing). I appreciated TJ supporting her and never turning away from the ugly details she shared.
I enjoyed the side characters and how the friend groups connected and ultimately merged. Nat and Andrea were fun and supportive friends to Aife. However, Davis' protective routine was off-putting to me after the first few 'warnings' and several of the conversations where Davis and Zeke tell TJ off for thinking about Aife it comes off like they are shaming him for his heartbreak after his ex...when he did nothing wrong.
The story did feel repetitive at times, sometimes with the same wording and phrases used throughout. Overall it was an alright read, just be prepared for super slow burn!
Author: C.M. Stewart
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ / 🌶️🌶️
✨📚 ARC Review 📚 ✨
Thank you to the author for the gifted eARC! My review and thoughts are my own.
The author did a great job shining a light on the struggles some (namely women) have in the medical world and the lasting impact that can have on mental and emotional wellbeing. I liked that Aife chose to channel that negative experience into a vocation centered around helping others navigate the healthcare experience. I am fortunate to not have firsthand experience with any of the issues Aife faced, so the story provided a compelling and emotional picture of what those experiences can be like.
Aife and TJ both having issues to work through as they get closer and move towards a relationship (bc despite the denials that is exactly what they are doing). I appreciated TJ supporting her and never turning away from the ugly details she shared.
I enjoyed the side characters and how the friend groups connected and ultimately merged. Nat and Andrea were fun and supportive friends to Aife. However, Davis' protective routine was off-putting to me after the first few 'warnings' and several of the conversations where Davis and Zeke tell TJ off for thinking about Aife it comes off like they are shaming him for his heartbreak after his ex...when he did nothing wrong.
The story did feel repetitive at times, sometimes with the same wording and phrases used throughout. Overall it was an alright read, just be prepared for super slow burn!
August 12, 2026
*ARC REVIEW*
HAPPY RELEASE DAY!!!
If you love contemporary sports romance, especially with hockey? “Rise Above” by C.M. Stewart is officially out NOW! Grab your copy today. I guarantee you will enjoy this read because I was touched by this book, with its raw emotion and delicacy.
“I wasn’t a burden; I was a survivor. I was a warrior. Illness did not define me.” This passage was so powerful and beautifully written. It was a turning point for the FMC, who realized she was more than an illness, but a warrior and survivor --- a well-deserved character growth.
Overall, the characters were well written, including the side characters. I felt a connection with the characters from the very first page until the end. I rooted for the Idiots to lovers the whole time! Even the side characters were like, “Come on now, what’s going on?” The decision was made to allow Aife and Talon the opportunity to develop mutual healing and trust before establishing an intimate relationship, which made the romance so much better. So, yes, there is spice!
C.M. Stewart wrote some heavy topics in this book, and she handled them with care and honesty. PLEASE READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS! Overall, I would definitely recommend reading this book! C.M. Stewart, I want to say thank you for sharing your personal story with the world because it truly was impactful and inspirational; you are a WARRIOR and a SURVIVOR.
TROPES:
Invisibly disabled FMC
Idiots to lovers
Found family
Medical trauma
Grumpy x Grumpy
HIGH THIGHS
Hurt comfort
RATE: 5/5
SPICE: 3/5
HAPPY RELEASE DAY!!!
If you love contemporary sports romance, especially with hockey? “Rise Above” by C.M. Stewart is officially out NOW! Grab your copy today. I guarantee you will enjoy this read because I was touched by this book, with its raw emotion and delicacy.
“I wasn’t a burden; I was a survivor. I was a warrior. Illness did not define me.” This passage was so powerful and beautifully written. It was a turning point for the FMC, who realized she was more than an illness, but a warrior and survivor --- a well-deserved character growth.
Overall, the characters were well written, including the side characters. I felt a connection with the characters from the very first page until the end. I rooted for the Idiots to lovers the whole time! Even the side characters were like, “Come on now, what’s going on?” The decision was made to allow Aife and Talon the opportunity to develop mutual healing and trust before establishing an intimate relationship, which made the romance so much better. So, yes, there is spice!
C.M. Stewart wrote some heavy topics in this book, and she handled them with care and honesty. PLEASE READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS! Overall, I would definitely recommend reading this book! C.M. Stewart, I want to say thank you for sharing your personal story with the world because it truly was impactful and inspirational; you are a WARRIOR and a SURVIVOR.
TROPES:
Invisibly disabled FMC
Idiots to lovers
Found family
Medical trauma
Grumpy x Grumpy
HIGH THIGHS
Hurt comfort
RATE: 5/5
SPICE: 3/5
Review of advance copy received from Author
Rise Above touches on a range of medical issues and emotional trauma, particularly through Aife's experiences. I appreciated how the story highlighted the challenges of living with chronic illnesses, especially the frustration of having symptoms dismissed or misdiagnosed. It shed light on an important issue that isn't always represented in fiction.
My biggest criticism was the romance between Aife and Talon. Their relationship felt like it progressed too quickly, despite both of them repeatedly insisting they weren't interested in pursuing a relationship because of their pasts. Talon's previous relationship trauma and Aife's insecurities about being a burden, feelings reinforced by her family, made their sudden shift to romance feel a little rushed. Even after the multiple warnings from their mutual friend, Davis not to get involved.
I also found the story somewhat repetitive. The constant reminders that Aife is a social worker became unnecessary after a while. Once it was established, I didn't feel it needed to be mentioned so frequently.
Overall, Rise Above was an enjoyable read. I liked that it tackled difficult topics such as chronic illness and the emotional struggles that often accompany it. I also appreciated the way the characters gradually opened up to one another on a deeper emotional level, and the story reinforced the idea that found family can provide the love and support people need during their hardest moments.
My biggest criticism was the romance between Aife and Talon. Their relationship felt like it progressed too quickly, despite both of them repeatedly insisting they weren't interested in pursuing a relationship because of their pasts. Talon's previous relationship trauma and Aife's insecurities about being a burden, feelings reinforced by her family, made their sudden shift to romance feel a little rushed. Even after the multiple warnings from their mutual friend, Davis not to get involved.
I also found the story somewhat repetitive. The constant reminders that Aife is a social worker became unnecessary after a while. Once it was established, I didn't feel it needed to be mentioned so frequently.
Overall, Rise Above was an enjoyable read. I liked that it tackled difficult topics such as chronic illness and the emotional struggles that often accompany it. I also appreciated the way the characters gradually opened up to one another on a deeper emotional level, and the story reinforced the idea that found family can provide the love and support people need during their hardest moments.
August 18, 2026
thank you C.M. Stewart for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!!
this was such a sweet read!! i loved the found family and the relationship between Aife and TJ. Aife has suffered through a lot of medical trauma and turns everything she’s endured into a career in social work. she’s helping others and changing the system from within. TJ is a professional hockey player, a sweetheart and a man still reeling from a broken heart. When TJ and Aife meet, everybody, including them, insists that they will just be friends and nothing more. But one thing leads to another, an injury, past secrets are relived and the two grow closer than ever.
i loved the sweetness of these two!! i loved the way TJ way he was so understanding and gently with Aife without making her feel like he was pitying her for everything she went through.
the author really handled all the medical issues and traumas with such care. i found this book really relatable as somebody who has been dealing with getting diagnosed with several chronic illnesses this past few years. almost every woman has felt disappointed by a doctor not listening and i was very healing to see how Aife turned everything she went through into a career to help others!
i highly recommend this book! it has such good representation and i hope we get books with the other characters as well!!
this was such a sweet read!! i loved the found family and the relationship between Aife and TJ. Aife has suffered through a lot of medical trauma and turns everything she’s endured into a career in social work. she’s helping others and changing the system from within. TJ is a professional hockey player, a sweetheart and a man still reeling from a broken heart. When TJ and Aife meet, everybody, including them, insists that they will just be friends and nothing more. But one thing leads to another, an injury, past secrets are relived and the two grow closer than ever.
i loved the sweetness of these two!! i loved the way TJ way he was so understanding and gently with Aife without making her feel like he was pitying her for everything she went through.
the author really handled all the medical issues and traumas with such care. i found this book really relatable as somebody who has been dealing with getting diagnosed with several chronic illnesses this past few years. almost every woman has felt disappointed by a doctor not listening and i was very healing to see how Aife turned everything she went through into a career to help others!
i highly recommend this book! it has such good representation and i hope we get books with the other characters as well!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
An emotional whirlwind and a sports romance! There is definitely a lot to love about this book. The inclusion of chronic illness/invisible disabilities always appeals to me. Having those health issues, but still kicking butt on the soccer field, was badass. And Aife’s struggles with feeling like a burden were so relatable. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Aife and TJ too.
I did struggle a bit with a few aspects of the book. As someone who works in health case and has several chronic illnesses, I applaud their inclusion. However, I think there may have been a bit too much detail on the day-to-day aspects of being a hospital social worker/discharge planner, which took you out of the action of the story. Also, I struggled to understand Davis’ continued anger over Aife and TJ getting closer to at the beginning, it felt understandable, as he wanted to protect them both, but it started to feel more like jealousy at times (and I don’t think that was the intention).
Overall, I think this would be an entertaining read for sports romance fans looking for a more emotional ride.
Thank you so much to the author for the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.
I did struggle a bit with a few aspects of the book. As someone who works in health case and has several chronic illnesses, I applaud their inclusion. However, I think there may have been a bit too much detail on the day-to-day aspects of being a hospital social worker/discharge planner, which took you out of the action of the story. Also, I struggled to understand Davis’ continued anger over Aife and TJ getting closer to at the beginning, it felt understandable, as he wanted to protect them both, but it started to feel more like jealousy at times (and I don’t think that was the intention).
Overall, I think this would be an entertaining read for sports romance fans looking for a more emotional ride.
Thank you so much to the author for the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2026
This book had me going on one main theme: Medical dismissal. I would say that for many cis women, we have been gaslit and dismissed in the medical field. Is something wrong? It feels like medical professionals will only consider 3 things: Our cycle, our weight, and whether we are exaggerating it. And the solution? Paracetamol, of course!
Yeah. So reading this story, I could definitely relate and connect with the FMC, and agree. Health needs to be taken more seriously, let alone the whole American healthcare system, as soon as you have a chronic illness or are disabled, or if you have a uterus? You are cooked.
I loved seeing the passion Aife had for social health work, for wanting to change things, to make it so nobody gets dismissed, prodded and gaslit as she had been.
Her budding friendship with T.J, her friendship with Davis, Dre and Nat was heartwarming.
The romance part was sweet, slow, gentle. I loved reading about two people opening up, learning to trust again. No third-act breakup, just adult talking about their trauma when they are ready for it.
Overall, a good book.
Yeah. So reading this story, I could definitely relate and connect with the FMC, and agree. Health needs to be taken more seriously, let alone the whole American healthcare system, as soon as you have a chronic illness or are disabled, or if you have a uterus? You are cooked.
I loved seeing the passion Aife had for social health work, for wanting to change things, to make it so nobody gets dismissed, prodded and gaslit as she had been.
Her budding friendship with T.J, her friendship with Davis, Dre and Nat was heartwarming.
The romance part was sweet, slow, gentle. I loved reading about two people opening up, learning to trust again. No third-act breakup, just adult talking about their trauma when they are ready for it.
Overall, a good book.
August 27, 2026
This was my first by CM Stewart. Anyone that knows me knows, I saw hockey and couldn’t not read this one. I had a feeling I was going to love this one, but what I wasn’t expecting was to fall in love with the characters and relate to some of the things the characters go through.
This book follows Aife, a social worker working towards her PhD and TJ, a hot shot NHL player. Wanting to change how female diagnoses are handled in the medical field, Aife throws herself into the dissertation. With her past constantly in the forefront of her mind, Aife always put relationships on the backburner. When an encounter after a soccer match has her running into TJ, a friend of a friend, never did she think she wanted anything more than friendship out of him. With the monster of his past always hiding in the shadows, TJ knows he isn’t the relationship kind of guy right now. When he finds himself drawn to Aife, he makes it clear it’s only friendship he wants.
Can these two make it out of the friendzone? Will Aife’s past make TJ run, just like every one else in her life? Will Aife be the one person who can heal the scars of TJs past? Read Rise Above to find out! OUT NOW!
This book follows Aife, a social worker working towards her PhD and TJ, a hot shot NHL player. Wanting to change how female diagnoses are handled in the medical field, Aife throws herself into the dissertation. With her past constantly in the forefront of her mind, Aife always put relationships on the backburner. When an encounter after a soccer match has her running into TJ, a friend of a friend, never did she think she wanted anything more than friendship out of him. With the monster of his past always hiding in the shadows, TJ knows he isn’t the relationship kind of guy right now. When he finds himself drawn to Aife, he makes it clear it’s only friendship he wants.
Can these two make it out of the friendzone? Will Aife’s past make TJ run, just like every one else in her life? Will Aife be the one person who can heal the scars of TJs past? Read Rise Above to find out! OUT NOW!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Rate: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Y’allllllll I love a sports romance…. BUT a sports romance & a social work PhD student?! Heaven.
This story follows Aife & TJ on their “I definitely don’t want a relationship journey”. TJ is a professional hockey player who is at the top of his game. Aife is a bad ass social worker who is in school for her social work PhD while working in the Nuero unit of a hospital. Aife and TJ meet through mutual friends and are both absolutely adamant that they don’t want a relationship. The more they get to know each other and the more they spend time together, the harder the connection is to resist. This book is everything I want in a sports romance. A real connection, the vulnerability of healing from the past, and some spice at all the right times. This book is sooo relatable and hits so close to home as a social worker. Thank you for not shying away from the hard topics in mental health and for handling the topics with so much care.
I highly recommend it. If you like a hockey romance, this book is for you. 🥹
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Y’allllllll I love a sports romance…. BUT a sports romance & a social work PhD student?! Heaven.
This story follows Aife & TJ on their “I definitely don’t want a relationship journey”. TJ is a professional hockey player who is at the top of his game. Aife is a bad ass social worker who is in school for her social work PhD while working in the Nuero unit of a hospital. Aife and TJ meet through mutual friends and are both absolutely adamant that they don’t want a relationship. The more they get to know each other and the more they spend time together, the harder the connection is to resist. This book is everything I want in a sports romance. A real connection, the vulnerability of healing from the past, and some spice at all the right times. This book is sooo relatable and hits so close to home as a social worker. Thank you for not shying away from the hard topics in mental health and for handling the topics with so much care.
I highly recommend it. If you like a hockey romance, this book is for you. 🥹
Review of advance copy received from Author
Talon “TJ” and Aife
This started out feeling like a sweet, slow-burn sports romance, with Aife discovering hockey and an unexpected connection with TJ.
Their friendship developed naturally, and I loved that they took their time getting to know each other before anything more.
Then the story took a much heavier turn. Aife's past and the medical trauma she endured shaped every part of her life, relationships, and career. Her work as a social worker helping others heal was especially meaningful, and reading about what she'd survived, and the role her family played in it, was heartbreaking. I was honestly glad they weren't real people.
TJ was a wonderful balance to Aife. Beneath his tough hockey enforcer exterior, he was patient, kind, and exactly the steady support she needed, even while working through his own relationship trauma.
This is much heavier than the blurb suggests, but it's also a thoughtful story about healing, trust, and finding someone willing to stand beside you through it all.
This started out feeling like a sweet, slow-burn sports romance, with Aife discovering hockey and an unexpected connection with TJ.
Their friendship developed naturally, and I loved that they took their time getting to know each other before anything more.
Then the story took a much heavier turn. Aife's past and the medical trauma she endured shaped every part of her life, relationships, and career. Her work as a social worker helping others heal was especially meaningful, and reading about what she'd survived, and the role her family played in it, was heartbreaking. I was honestly glad they weren't real people.
TJ was a wonderful balance to Aife. Beneath his tough hockey enforcer exterior, he was patient, kind, and exactly the steady support she needed, even while working through his own relationship trauma.
This is much heavier than the blurb suggests, but it's also a thoughtful story about healing, trust, and finding someone willing to stand beside you through it all.
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