Made for Mayhem

Mayhem Hockey Club #2

by Aimee Vance

One chance to rewrite their story.

On the eve of his retirement from the NHL, Ty Hudson met a woman he never forgot—and lost her just as quickly. One night. Instant sparks. Terrible timing.

Three years later, Ty is back in Linwood, building a life that feels smaller than the one he planned—coaching the Mayhem Hockey Club, tending a rescue farm full of misfits, and loving the eight-year-old next door like she’s his own.

Then Daisy Winslow comes crashing back into his world.

Daisy never expected to return to Linwood heartbroken and grieving, desperate to hold on to the only family she has left. The last thing she’s prepared for is Ty—the man she never truly moved on from—or the way her niece Junie already adores him.

That spark reignites, even as grief makes everything heavier. Daisy is barely holding herself together. Ty is risking his heart—for her, and for the family he never knew he wanted.

But this time, he isn’t walking away.

Made for Mayhem is a second-chance small-town hockey romance featuring single guardian, forced proximity, found family, and all the heart.

Genres: Romance, Hockey Romance, Sports Romance, Contemporary Romance, Sports

Paperback

Expected publication March 27, 2026

About the author

Aimee Vance writes heartfelt and hilarious romance featuring sassy heroines, grumpy heroes, and small-town happily-ever-afters—preferably with a Diet Coke nearby. Her romcoms blend humor and heart with sharp banter, big feelings, and love stories designed to make readers laugh, swoon, and feel right at home.

A lifelong fantasy and romance reader, Aimee studied public relations at Texas Christian University. She lives in Texas with her husband, two young daughters, and a Labrador Retriever. When she’s not writing, she’s usually rereading her favorite romances or cheering from the sidelines of her kids’ sporting events—occasionally at the same time.

Follow along on Instagram @aimeevancebooks

Reviews

[Brooke (iambookish_brooke) · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the stars. Full review to come.

[Ashley (alwaysbooksandtea) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Meanwhile, my own life resembled a burning dumpster rolling down a hill with a feral raccoon hanging on the side. If it weren't for Diet Coke, cherry candy, and denial, my emotional infrastructure would collapse faster than a house of cards."

Made for Mayhem is book two in Aimee Vance's Mayhem Hockey Club series. It follows retired pro hockey player Ty Hudson as he fosters Junie, a young girl who has recently lost her mother. When Junie's aunt Daisy arrives to assume guardianship, Ty and Daisy are surprised to realize they met years earlier. Custody arrangements and battling grief lead all three to forming a family they never thought they could ever have.

Made for Mayhem is heartbreakingly beautiful. It takes you on an emotional rollercoaster as Daisy and Junie struggle with the loss of Violet, and Ty tries to hold them all together. As you might imagine grief in all of its forms play a major role in this story. Vance masterfully weaves the heartache with moments of love, laughter, and family. I spent much of the story in tears, so I recommend having a box of tissues handy.

Daisy's world is unraveling, and in the midst of her life falling apart she finds herself living with a man she's hasn't been able to forget for three years and taking care of her niece. What she doesn't have time for is her own grief. Daisy's zest for life, for finding the fun is how she knows how to survive. She's the light that Junie and Ty need, but at the expense of herself. Watching her finally break is one of the most emotional moments of the story. You can't help but love Daisy, and it's easy to see why Ty is so smitten.

Ty! My grumpy young Tom Selleck look-a-like with the biggest, squishiest, marshmellowiest heart. The steady heartbeat of the Mayhem family, whose capacity for love and family is never ending. Who needs someone to choose him like he chooses everyone else. I'm tearing up just typing this. This man. Sorry to say, Blazey boy, move on over. Ty is now my top Vance MMC of all time.

Vance always comes through with my favorite trope, found family, and this story is no exception. The family that Daisy, Ty, and Junie build with their menagerie of animals and support of the Mayhem crew is so lovely. The laughs, support, willingness to drop everything to show up when needed makes my heart so happy. Beckett and Ty's banter, the ladies' pilates class, the set-ups for the next books in the series! It's all so good, and makes this story so special.

If you'd like a nice list of things to look forward to in Made for Mayhem
-Grumpy x sunshine
-Foster dad x aunt
-Small town shenanigans
-80s Tom Selleck style 'stache and shorty short shorts
-The one that got away, so much yearning
-Forced proximity
-Caretaking and healing
-Found family
-Banter, banter, and more banter

It's no secret that I'm a fan of Aimee's work, but this story is extra special. It feels special reading it, and it's obvious that Vance put her whole heart into telling Ty, Daisy, and Junie's story. You don't have to read Moms of Mayhem to enjoy this one, but I think it's best to do so. This is an incredible series that I can't stop recommending! Be sure to check out Made for Mayhem starting March 27th. You won't want to miss it!

"You save puppies and grow mustaches? Dangerous combination, Huddy."

"Who better to teach Junie how to dance in the rain?"

"You'll be okay, Piggie...Ty's good at taking care of us."

"You keep thinking you have to earn it somehow- love, worth, a place to belong. But you don't, Ty...You're enough. You always were."

[Jessica Tittermary Culp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Aimee Vance and House of Hearts for the gifted copy — all opinions are my own.

I loved the first Moms of Mayhem book from Aimee Vance and the second one blew any expectations i had out of the water. I was so excited to read Ty’s story, as i fell in love with his grumpy, stoic self in the first book. But i was unprepared about how much I was going to love him. This book starts following Ty, Emmy’s older brother on the night of his retirement from the NHL. No bells and whistles, no celebrations with championship wins, just a season ending without fanfare and that matches Ty’s parents not showing up for him again. Emmy was stuck with Jace’s competition and only didn’t make it because her parents promised to go. This is how we were introduced to Ty - someone who does everything for everyone, always there but no one showing up for him when he needs it.

Then he meets Daisy - his polar opposite, a ray of sunshine, new to Chicago - her first night and she has no idea who he is. She’s lost, lonely and they both latch on to each other in a weird truth or dare battle on the Chicago streets. It is a night of kismet, where they reveal secrets they wouldn’t tell anyone else, because they know they only have one night. Ty is relocating the next day and Daisy just moved. They share a perfect night where each recognizes the other on some level as their soulmate, but neither pushes forward.

Fast forward 3yrs … we’re now in present day, right around where Book 1 ended. Junie the little girl who was Ty’s shadow and stole our hearts in book 1’s mother Violet died. She’s alone and Ty was with her and in preparation went through the steps to be certified as a foster parent. The same time Daisy gets a call in Chicago where life is terrible but she’s trying to make the best of it. After losing her apartment and job in the span of an hour, she gets a call that her sister Violet passed. Kismet happens again as she races home to her niece Junie and meets with Huddy - Ty Hudson. Both are floored to see each other again. In Violet’s will she directed that both Daisy and Ty have joint custody of Junie, and the court upholds this until Daisy can get her feet under her/house repaired/gets a job.

Ty is terrified he’s not only going to lose the little girl he loves, but also Daisy, the woman he’s thought about for the last 3 years. Daisy is worried she’s going to screw it all up and won’t be enough for Junie - and isn’t deserving of Ty. They meander the summer navigating their new dynamic, grief, and what family looks like. Peppered throughout this summer as Daisy tries to pull everything together are letters left by Violet along the way, predicting Daisy’s behavior and giving that big sister advice she needs to hear, even from beyond.

The moments of Violets letters were gut punches in the best way. I cried so many times in this book - just beautiful demonstration of love, navigating grief, and real true emotions. Ty and Daisy (and Junie) weaved their way into my heart in the best ways.

The cast of characters along the way also led to the found family of the little town, and that you can choose family, and choose your happy even in the darkest of times. The menagerie of farm animals and pets allowed for comic relief needed to break some of the tension during this read. This HEA felt fulfilling and complete. I loved this book and looking forward to the next in the series!

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an arc review, I was given the ebook by House of Hearts Lit and Aimee Vance in exchange of my honest review of the book ✨

This book is absolute perfection and it cemented itself as one of my favorite books ever. Having met Ty in Moms of Mayhem (book 1 of the series) and seeing some of his parental relationship towards Junie had established a sense of him being a good man but this book confirmed it and how selfless he is with his love.

Ty Hudson is one of my favorite MMCs ever after reading this book and it’s not often that I get to read a book in which one of the main characters did something that frustrated me and I wanted to speak up in their fiction world. Made for Mayhem is one of the exceptions. It’s profound in its depiction of grief, of healing and of love in every way possible.

Daisy’s character is, in a way, the saying of still waters run deep. She portrays a very sunshine character who has a vast emptiness filled with the loss of her sister Violet. Her process of grief is one that a lot of us readers have lived through and I won’t lie, I cried a lot during this book but it felt like a purging.

Junie’s character is written in such a loving and realistic way that it’s like she’s popping out of the pages with her cuteness and also her own grief process.

Everything in this book is utter perfection and I’m so grateful that I was able to read this arc and share this opinion with whoever is scrolling. This book has clear trigger warnings when it comes to loss but it also feels like someone squeezing your hand and making you feel something when you’re deep in the numbness of loss, if that makes sense to anyone. It’s the squeeze that lets you know you’re not alone and that you’re seen.

I have no spoilers, not a thing I’d change. It’s a book I’ll reread and will recommend without a doubt.

Thank you House of Hearts and Aimee Vance for the arc✨

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book completely stole my heart in the best way.

Made for Mayhem by Aimee Vance is the kind of second chance romance that hits you right in the chest and makes you feel everything. From the very first page, I was pulled into Ty and Daisy’s story and I did not want to leave their world.

Ty Hudson is everything I love in a book boyfriend. He is strong, steady, and so full of quiet heart. Watching him step into this softer life after the NHL, caring for a rescue farm and loving that little girl next door like his own, just melted me. There is something so special about a man who shows up in the small, everyday ways, and Ty does that effortlessly.

And Daisy. My heart ached for her. She comes back to Linwood carrying so much grief and trying to hold it together for her niece, and you can feel the weight of that in every moment. Her strength felt real and raw, and I loved how the story gave her space to heal without rushing her.

The chemistry between Ty and Daisy is undeniable from the start, but what made this story so beautiful is how it unfolds the second time around. It is not just about the spark. It is about timing, growth, and choosing each other when life feels messy and uncertain. Their connection felt deeper, more grounded, and so worth the wait.

And Junie. She absolutely stole the show. The bond between her and Ty was everything, and the found family element in this story was done so perfectly. It gave the book so much warmth and heart.

Aimee Vance created a small town that feels like home, filled with love, healing, and just enough chaos to keep things interesting. This story is tender, emotional, and full of hope.

Five stars without a doubt. This one will stay with me for a long time.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sweet and heartfelt story this was. Ty Hudson is a hockey player and has played his final game. With no family there to support him he decides to take a walk. He meets Daisy Winslow, who just moved to the city, and they spend the night hanging out. They had an instant connection, but Ty was moving away the next day so they didn’t exchange numbers. The book picks up 3 years later with Ty taking custody of his late friends 8 year old daughter, Juniper, and waiting for Junie’s aunt to come back to town. It’s to Ty’s great surprise that the aunt is Daisy, and they’ve been reunited.

Ty’s love for Junie was so evident, it just melted my heart. He was so good with her, and I loved that he took grief counseling classes to try and help June after her mother passed away. I really liked that Daisy saw how important Ty was to Junie, and wasn’t insistent on taking her away. Daisy’s method of avoiding grief felt real and raw. It was heartbreaking when it finally hit her.

Ty and Daisy were so good together though, and when Ty finally let Daisy take care of him for once that made me so happy. I love the found family aspect of the book, it was a wonderful cast of characters. I haven’t read the first book in the series but plan on doing so, as well as the next one that comes out. I want to thank House of Hearts Lit and Aimee Vance for the copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to leave a review.

No third act breakup

4/5 on the Spicy Scale

M/F

Grief

Contemporary Romance

[Tyralle]

Rating: 4.5⭐️

First and foremost, thank you to the author and House of Hearts for allowing me to read this story early, in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW:

I...ate this up. I binged it in under 24 hours. Stayed up till like 2am reading. The writing was so addictive, and short chapters...eek. I love those 2 things about a book. This book brought the biggest smile on my face. I genuinely smiled for at least 75% of this book. I haven't read the first book, although now, I'm tempted to as I'm curious about those 2 characters. Well, 3 if we're being real. But, coming back to this story, it was a really good standalone. The single guardian trope was interesting because of the dynamics, but it didn't feel one-sided, if that makes sense. The complexity about each character, their character development, it was everything and more. Within the first few chapters, I wanted to give all the characters the biggest hugs. Daisy and Ty were just perfect for each other. Add Junie to the mix and it was just a beautiful ray of sunshine and comfort. The topic of grief was added in beautifully. The way Ty was there for both of his girls...gosh, we all need a Ty Hudson. Overall, a splendid read that I would recommend to anyone!

[Tasha Thrall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made of Mayhem is the second installment in the series. For a richer experience, it’s advisable to start with the first book to grasp the background and understand the key characters in the story. This narrative delves deeply into themes of grief, highlighting that healing is not a linear process; there will be both good days and bad days. It's an emotional and beautifully crafted tale.

Daisy, encouraged by her older sister, moves to Chicago to carve out a life of her own. However, she feels nervous and apprehensive about this new chapter. Fortunately, she encounters someone else who also seeks to escape the loneliness of home.

Ty, wrapping up his final game, feels the sting of disappointment as none of his family is present for support. Hurt and searching for joy, he decides to leave Chicago in pursuit of something that brings him happiness. During this journey, he meets a girl who suggests playing truth or dare while enjoying a cheeseburger with mayo.

[Mags · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 rounded to 5 stars

Oh wow, just wow! I laughed, I cried, I blushed and I rooted for the characters so badly!
This was such an amazing take on second chance romance, but without any drama - the character simply met in the wrong time in their lives and needed 3 year to pass, to meet again.
I loved the slow burn, the process of opening up and learning to be vulnerable by the other person, building trust, letting themselves need each other. It was just perfect.
And don't get me started on all the great side characters - the heartwarming family (both blood and found) bonds, the support, the bickering and all the fun. I highly recommend reading it as a part of the series to get the best experience.

But please keep in mind that this story is heavily focused on grief and healing, so - even though I think it's written in such a wonderfully sensitive way - it can be triggering for some.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Aimee Vance for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If you enjoy second chance romance, the one who got away, banter, age gap, foster dad, and rescue animals, this is your book!!

This is book 2 in Moms of Mayhem series, while it does stand alone, you will enjoy Made for Mayhem so much more by reading Moms of Mayhem first. We continue to follow characters and couples established in Moms of Mayhem. The hockey team is back (both the kids and the adult friends) in the found family banter we all love. Add in the cutest rescue animals with names that made me laugh out loud. A trigger warning that there is some heavy grief discussed in this book, due to the loss of a sibling. Aimee doesn't shy away from her characters' pain which I really appreciated. I love these characters, this town, this small little world. The tease for book 3 is super fun and I can't wait to get my hands on it later this year. A must read for lovers of romance.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

This book is a deeply emotional read. While this does have some sweet romance and an adorable meet cute (then lose contact for a few years), a large part of the book deals with grief and the people left behind trying to move on with their lives. MFC Daisy walks the thin tightrope of loss/grief and moving on while fighting the attraction to Ty. MMC Ty is dependable and steady and the perfect foil to freespirited Daisy. They are both left with raising Daisy's neice Juniper and the plot spins out from there. I loved how important fostering is to this book and how this is highlighted.

I really liked this book-it's a sad book but still a good read. I'm also really looking forward to the 3rd book in this series based on the Easter eggs planted in this one.


I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest opinion etc.

[Nydia Escobar Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going back to Linwood felt like coming home and being back amongst the Mayhem was just as wonderful as the last time. Ty and Daisy's story was perfect, two opposites meeting in the middle. A gentle, steady warmth mixed with unapologetic chaotic beauty. The charming town vibes, the hockey, the found family and Easter eggs for what's to come... all of it perfect. This book is a bit heavier, dealing with grief is big in this one but it's done so beautifully and realistically. Anyone who's lost someone understands the rollercoaster that is grief. I laughed, I cried and swooned. SO GOOD and I'm always recommending this series to all my friends because it's just so wholesome in the best way. Book 2 did not disappoint.

Thank you, Aimee and House of Hearts for the early copy. I'm so excited for book 3!

[Alyssa Randolph · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review!

Thanks to Aimee Vance and House of Hearts Lit for the chance to review this book. I will also preface this review by saying that I did not read the first book in this series (it didn't make a difference).

The FMC and MMC meet for one night, have a huge connection, and leave it hanging. Just to be unexpectedly reunited 3 years later after a death and now have to figure out custody of an 8 year old girl that they both love dearly.

The FMC struggles with her grief while also trying to hold her young niece up and falls in love with the MMC, who is the glue holding them both together.

Overall, this is not only a great love story but a beautiful telling of a family growing together. I also love the fostering angle that the characters take at the end of the book.

[Kait · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gahhh this book tore my heart to pieces and put it back together. It was an emotional read but also the sweetest dang book ever. 🥰

Ty is the greatest MMC I've ever read. His love for Junie was easily the greatest thing to read about, now add his love for Daisy? PERFECT. Daisy, my chaotic girl, you were so much fun and so easily likable. You took every bad situation with grace and turned it into something amazing. I loved the found family aspect and how easily Daisy was accepted into their circle of "Moms of Mayhem". 🥹 i also absolutely love every single side character. Everyone had so much depth.

Thank you Aimee Vance and House of Hearts Lit for the early copy! 💗

[Catherine Perrino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just when I think it can’t get any better. I want to
go to Linwood, Colorado! This books “sounds” very different from the first Moms of Mayhem, but this is a very different FMC so that makes sense. It’s a good thing my coworkers already know me, cuz I definitely busted out laughing at parts and wiped away tears often while reading this! I felt a part of their community and rooted for them from the very beginning. Even if you haven’t given this author a read before, I encourage you to now! You won’t be sad you did, but you surely will be if you don’t!

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 ⭐️ rounded up
further review to come
Right off the bat Ty was the perfect grump. He is so caring to a fault that seeing Daisy balance him out was so fun. Their meetcute in Chicago opens the book then we jump forward three years and the chaos that becomes Daisy’s return to Colorado. This book covers grief and the different ways it shows up so so well. Ty really is that patient dependable person. I related to aspects of both characters and just really loved this story. It is book 2 but I read as a standalone.
Thank you House of Hearts for the eARC. All opinions are my own

[Robin (DocRobReads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the set up: a couple has one magical night, and then meet up years later in circumstances I wouldn't wish on my enemy. And somehow, she made it work! It was funny, emotional, sexy, and really heartfelt. In fact, this was one of those books that read as though the author had personally experienced everything she put her characters through. And if that's true, the fact she was able to put it to page so successfully is a testament to her skill. This was a fantastic story!😍

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dare is say this is my favorite Vance book yet? I laughed, I cried, I felt seen!! Loved Ty and Daisy’s story so dang much 💚💚💚

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ ARC Review Coming Soon! ✨