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Power Play #7
Empty Net
Nolan Cray has fourteen seasons of silence and a hip that's running out of time.
At thirty-five, the Atlanta Reapers' veteran defenseman has built his career on controlled minutes, controlled pain, controlled distance from every part of his life that might require explanation. He tapes his stick the same way, eats standing at the counter, and sleeps on the left side of a bed where the other pillow has never been disturbed. The closet isn't locked anymore. His hand still reaches for the door.
Caleb Wren was hired to evaluate players, not fall for one.
The Reapers' new assistant GM is twenty-nine, precise, and very good at paying attention. When he watches Nolan's game film and sees a man whose brain is compensating for a body in decline, the evaluation is straightforward. When he watches Nolan's hands on his stick and forgets to take notes for twelve minutes, the evaluation becomes a problem.
One kiss in a dark film room changes everything.
Caleb discloses the conflict before morning. He gives up the file, the evaluation, the trade recommendation, and every professional advantage he holds over the man he kissed. The recusal is documented, clean, and correct.
It does not make the room safe.
As Nolan's hip deteriorates and his last season narrows to weeks, he must decide whether to be traded or stay, whether to let a rookie inherit his minutes, and whether the man who gave up professional control to be with him is someone he can trust with the rest. The rest his name, his family, his body, and the terrifying possibility that a life exists after hockey.
Empty Net is a standalone MM hockey romance featuring a closeted veteran and a by-the-book analytics executive, explicit heat, a locker room that already knows how to love its own, and the guarantee that the hallway light stays on.
Power Play Book 7. Standalone with series connections. HEA guaranteed.
At thirty-five, the Atlanta Reapers' veteran defenseman has built his career on controlled minutes, controlled pain, controlled distance from every part of his life that might require explanation. He tapes his stick the same way, eats standing at the counter, and sleeps on the left side of a bed where the other pillow has never been disturbed. The closet isn't locked anymore. His hand still reaches for the door.
Caleb Wren was hired to evaluate players, not fall for one.
The Reapers' new assistant GM is twenty-nine, precise, and very good at paying attention. When he watches Nolan's game film and sees a man whose brain is compensating for a body in decline, the evaluation is straightforward. When he watches Nolan's hands on his stick and forgets to take notes for twelve minutes, the evaluation becomes a problem.
One kiss in a dark film room changes everything.
Caleb discloses the conflict before morning. He gives up the file, the evaluation, the trade recommendation, and every professional advantage he holds over the man he kissed. The recusal is documented, clean, and correct.
It does not make the room safe.
As Nolan's hip deteriorates and his last season narrows to weeks, he must decide whether to be traded or stay, whether to let a rookie inherit his minutes, and whether the man who gave up professional control to be with him is someone he can trust with the rest. The rest his name, his family, his body, and the terrifying possibility that a life exists after hockey.
Empty Net is a standalone MM hockey romance featuring a closeted veteran and a by-the-book analytics executive, explicit heat, a locker room that already knows how to love its own, and the guarantee that the hallway light stays on.
Power Play Book 7. Standalone with series connections. HEA guaranteed.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 7, 2026
I have talked about this author's prose for every single book I've read so I won't this time. Suffice to say it was mystical.
I loved the characters so much. They were both so careful, but in different ways. Gerald's summary was beautiful.
I loved the characters so much. They were both so careful, but in different ways. Gerald's summary was beautiful.
July 12, 2026
This was by far my favorite of this series. I LOVE LOVE LOVE how Chris writes, his prose, how he use allegory, the pace and how it all reads is just beautiful. Anyway, Nolan is our veteran D man; nearing the end of his career, fully in the closet. Caleb joins the organization in the front office as assistant GM. Both men are very careful, almost rigid. I think I loved most is that as Nolan's walls started coming down the internal monolog on his journey was really insightful - the fear and the habits of hiding didn't just automatically go away. And Caleb, while he understood - he also stood up for himself and didn't let those walls/fears/habits take away from what he deserved. Anyway - I've had issues in previous books by the author with details being off and other things that pulled me from the story - but this book, while not perfect - seemed to be more polished and let me just enjoy Nolan and Caleb (by far my fav of Atlanta Reapers!), previous MC's and of course Gerald.
July 23, 2026
I have found that a lot of books are starting to sound very similar and being written in this similar tone. I enjoy this style but it’s strange the way it’s coming through suddenly in a lot of books. It’s almost like they are written to make the character sound almost slightly neurodivergent (anyone notice this recently?).
But. Getting back on track. I love Nolan (mysterious quiet and stoically grumpy-ish) and Caleb is an interesting character in regards to his work - I learnt so much! Together they were quite wonderful.
The book was a miss in timeline ironically. I felt time jumped in some cases and parts happened but we didn’t see it - which annoyed me. Lastly, the ending had no epilogue!! Excuse me! - What happened to Nolan???(Can’t you see I’m invested?)
But. Getting back on track. I love Nolan (mysterious quiet and stoically grumpy-ish) and Caleb is an interesting character in regards to his work - I learnt so much! Together they were quite wonderful.
The book was a miss in timeline ironically. I felt time jumped in some cases and parts happened but we didn’t see it - which annoyed me. Lastly, the ending had no epilogue!! Excuse me! - What happened to Nolan???(Can’t you see I’m invested?)
July 25, 2026
I've read his whole series. He definitely has a different style of writing. I don't love it but it is intriguing.
September 14, 2026
Loved it.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews