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Pride and the Penalty Box: A Hockey Romance
Sparks fly on and off the ice when a near carbon copy of the man who broke Ally’s heart in college skates into her adult life.
Ally’s been hurt before and she’s not about to let herself be hurt again. Especially not by another preppy, privileged, “Harvard man.” Been there, done that, got the t-shirt—and the PTSD. So when Ted skates onto her ice and into her life, Ally’s ready for him—armed with her trusty therapist, the support of her friends, and a gut instinct for Ted’s particular type of trouble. Only, all three—her therapist, her friends, and her own body—seem to be suggesting that there’s more to this man than meets the eye. And maybe, just maybe, she should trust him—or at least try...
Ted’s not proud of the person he was in college or the people he once called his friends. But he’s worked hard to change himself—to be a better man—and if his new teammate can’t see past a stereotype, that’s her problem. Except, it’s Ted’s problem, too. And not just because they’re on the same club ice-hockey team, or because they work for the same tech company. But because, for some utterly nonsensical, ineffable reason, Ted likes Ally. He wants to know what makes her tick, and why she hates him, and whether she’ll ever abandon her pride—and her prejudice—and give in to the passion that he knows he’s not alone in feeling, the passion that blazes between them.
Can Ally trust Ted to be a better man than the one who broke her heart and left her psyche scarred? Can she trust herself to take a risk, to let someone in, to allow herself to live—and maybe even to love—again?
Ally’s been hurt before and she’s not about to let herself be hurt again. Especially not by another preppy, privileged, “Harvard man.” Been there, done that, got the t-shirt—and the PTSD. So when Ted skates onto her ice and into her life, Ally’s ready for him—armed with her trusty therapist, the support of her friends, and a gut instinct for Ted’s particular type of trouble. Only, all three—her therapist, her friends, and her own body—seem to be suggesting that there’s more to this man than meets the eye. And maybe, just maybe, she should trust him—or at least try...
Ted’s not proud of the person he was in college or the people he once called his friends. But he’s worked hard to change himself—to be a better man—and if his new teammate can’t see past a stereotype, that’s her problem. Except, it’s Ted’s problem, too. And not just because they’re on the same club ice-hockey team, or because they work for the same tech company. But because, for some utterly nonsensical, ineffable reason, Ted likes Ally. He wants to know what makes her tick, and why she hates him, and whether she’ll ever abandon her pride—and her prejudice—and give in to the passion that he knows he’s not alone in feeling, the passion that blazes between them.
Can Ally trust Ted to be a better man than the one who broke her heart and left her psyche scarred? Can she trust herself to take a risk, to let someone in, to allow herself to live—and maybe even to love—again?
296 pages, Paperback
Published November 17, 2023
About the author
Phebe Powers
3 books6 followersPhebe Powers cut her teeth on lithium carbonate tablets and historical romance novels. An avid romance reader as well as a firm believer in Happily Ever Afters, she’s happiest when tucked away in the basement stacks of her local library, writing her own book or reading someone else’s.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 19, 2023
I loved Phebe's prior novellas and I was excited to read her first full length novella! And I had a great time with it!
This is an enemies to lovers romance between coworkers who also play on the same hockey team (not a professional league but like an adult for fun league). Aside from the enemies to lovers and the title it is not a pride and prejudice retelling.
I really enjoyed this one! I am not really interested in hockey romances, but since I liked her novellas, I wanted to give this one a try and I'm glad I did. I love a grumpy FMC and Ally is grumpy and very self aware of the fact which is my fave. She has walls and a past that makes it hard for her to let people in.
The hockey parts were fine and I liked that they were both teammates AND coworkers because they really just kept running into each other which is the best.
But, the pacing didn't entirely work for me, they are not enemies that long and the plot slowed around the 2/3rd mark. But I really liked the ending and the small moments between Ally and Ted that showed they really cared about the other.
Overall, this isn't a new favorite, but I'm so excited to continue read Phebe Powers' books beacuse her writing is so much fun and she includes all the moments you want with a couple.
TW: past abusive relationship, sports injury/hospital visit
*thanks to the author for an eARC; all thoughts are my own*
This is an enemies to lovers romance between coworkers who also play on the same hockey team (not a professional league but like an adult for fun league). Aside from the enemies to lovers and the title it is not a pride and prejudice retelling.
I really enjoyed this one! I am not really interested in hockey romances, but since I liked her novellas, I wanted to give this one a try and I'm glad I did. I love a grumpy FMC and Ally is grumpy and very self aware of the fact which is my fave. She has walls and a past that makes it hard for her to let people in.
The hockey parts were fine and I liked that they were both teammates AND coworkers because they really just kept running into each other which is the best.
But, the pacing didn't entirely work for me, they are not enemies that long and the plot slowed around the 2/3rd mark. But I really liked the ending and the small moments between Ally and Ted that showed they really cared about the other.
Overall, this isn't a new favorite, but I'm so excited to continue read Phebe Powers' books beacuse her writing is so much fun and she includes all the moments you want with a couple.
TW: past abusive relationship, sports injury/hospital visit
*thanks to the author for an eARC; all thoughts are my own*
October 20, 2023
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review!
I loved this book! It is high-quality and highly engaging throughout. I wanted desperately to read it in one sitting. In terms of particulars, for anyone who has reservations about self-published works, the pace is energetic and consistent; there are three word mistakes (missing a the and the like); and the plot is original.
It is a complex and loving romance that also includes family members and friends without losing the thread of the love story. Both Ally and Ted have sources of deep love in family members and friends, which I found to be really kinda essential considering how much trauma impacts their own relationship. Neither character, even when in the thick of getting to know each other, becomes so isolated that it feels like they have left the real world. The sports element was fun! They had actual matches and moves discussed, not glossed over.
Yes, there is trauma mentioned, discussed, and dealt with in this book. Yes, I would definitely say it is still a romance book. Like other romance novels I love, it is sad, funny, happy, and spicy. But its sad element does talk about a past relationship and that drives the start of Ally and Ted getting to know each other as the description states. I appreciated seeing Ally with her PTSD have serious doubts and hesitations, some regular, some more particular to her history, and the ways in which she dealt with it. She alone has to make those choices, but I felt that through the use of the side characters, it was handled in a mature, respectful manner in line with best practices and common sense.
I did have some very small grumbles with the book. I personally could not relate that much to the Harvard hate, while I’m not a fan of entitled men, it did feel overblown, but I know that is a thing for people from the area. The class privilege comments were also a little strange. Ally brought up other people’s privilege a fair amount of times, but then got reminded that she was basically in the same position of privilege. She didn’t stop commenting or apologize, just laughed it off, but I rate it only a grumble because so many of us complain about things or habits that we ourselves have.
I really felt that all of the characters we interact with are so real. The fights, the arguments, the advice, the passion. All feel realistic and that really drives my enjoyment of this book. No one is perfect and reading a story about perfect people would be boring, in my opinion. I wasn’t reading a story about something, I was reading a book about people, focused on one relationship.
TLDR: Loved! Fun, and spicy, but with well-handled trauma
I loved this book! It is high-quality and highly engaging throughout. I wanted desperately to read it in one sitting. In terms of particulars, for anyone who has reservations about self-published works, the pace is energetic and consistent; there are three word mistakes (missing a the and the like); and the plot is original.
It is a complex and loving romance that also includes family members and friends without losing the thread of the love story. Both Ally and Ted have sources of deep love in family members and friends, which I found to be really kinda essential considering how much trauma impacts their own relationship. Neither character, even when in the thick of getting to know each other, becomes so isolated that it feels like they have left the real world. The sports element was fun! They had actual matches and moves discussed, not glossed over.
Yes, there is trauma mentioned, discussed, and dealt with in this book. Yes, I would definitely say it is still a romance book. Like other romance novels I love, it is sad, funny, happy, and spicy. But its sad element does talk about a past relationship and that drives the start of Ally and Ted getting to know each other as the description states. I appreciated seeing Ally with her PTSD have serious doubts and hesitations, some regular, some more particular to her history, and the ways in which she dealt with it. She alone has to make those choices, but I felt that through the use of the side characters, it was handled in a mature, respectful manner in line with best practices and common sense.
I did have some very small grumbles with the book. I personally could not relate that much to the Harvard hate, while I’m not a fan of entitled men, it did feel overblown, but I know that is a thing for people from the area. The class privilege comments were also a little strange. Ally brought up other people’s privilege a fair amount of times, but then got reminded that she was basically in the same position of privilege. She didn’t stop commenting or apologize, just laughed it off, but I rate it only a grumble because so many of us complain about things or habits that we ourselves have.
I really felt that all of the characters we interact with are so real. The fights, the arguments, the advice, the passion. All feel realistic and that really drives my enjoyment of this book. No one is perfect and reading a story about perfect people would be boring, in my opinion. I wasn’t reading a story about something, I was reading a book about people, focused on one relationship.
TLDR: Loved! Fun, and spicy, but with well-handled trauma
October 23, 2023
I LOVED IT SO MUCH!
I really enjoyed this book, from the moment I started this book, I was hooked.
Ted was so sweet and gentle, such a cinnamon roll, I loved how he always respected Ally's boundaries and was patient with her despite everything. Ted had me swooning.
The banter they had was fantastic, it was super fun and sometimes had me laughing out loud.
This is a completely millennial/gen z romance, realistic, cute and delightful.
Anyway, I love Ted and Allegra so much.
The friendships that developed throughout the book were wonderful, and I would love to read the love story of some other characters *cough cough* Kait and Wren *cough cough*
Thanks to the author for the free eArc.
I really enjoyed this book, from the moment I started this book, I was hooked.
Ted was so sweet and gentle, such a cinnamon roll, I loved how he always respected Ally's boundaries and was patient with her despite everything. Ted had me swooning.
The banter they had was fantastic, it was super fun and sometimes had me laughing out loud.
This is a completely millennial/gen z romance, realistic, cute and delightful.
Anyway, I love Ted and Allegra so much.
The friendships that developed throughout the book were wonderful, and I would love to read the love story of some other characters *cough cough* Kait and Wren *cough cough*
Thanks to the author for the free eArc.
December 11, 2025
I read this when it came out, but forgot to review it. It was a solid 4-stars for a good enemies-to-lovers plot and medium spice.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews