The Recovery Coach: A steamy, slow-burn, childhood best friends to lovers hockey romance (Coaching The Connors)

By: Riss Connor

A star NHL player reconnects with his childhood best friend when both of their lives fall apart. Neither of them have a backup plan, but they know they can count on each other, and that just might be enough.

All Olivia Stewart has ever wanted is to be a mom. She thought when she followed her boyfriend to Seattle they would settle down. But after leaving work early one day because of her endometriosis symptoms, she catches him cheating. Still new to the city, she can only rely on one person. Her childhood neighbor, best friend, and unrequited love. He'll undoubtedly help her, but keeping her crush at bay will be a challenge in such close proximity.

Professional hockey player Connor Hale has spent his entire life chasing a Cup. When a season-ending injury requires him to take a detour from his goal, he asks his struggling childhood bestie to help him recover. The break from his sport forces him to confront an uncomfortable reality: If he makes hockey everything, he may end up with nothing.

As they work together to get him back on the ice and her back on her feet, Connor sees life-and his best friend-through a new lens.

The Recovery Coach is an open door, slow burn, found family, hockey romance featuring childhood friends-to-lovers, steamy tension, hilarious meddling teammates, a bisexual MMC, endometriosis rep, and a guaranteed HEA. It's book two of the Coaching the Connors series, but can be enjoyed as a stand-alone.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1965907032
• ISBN13: 9781965907030
• Release Date: May 2026
• Publisher: McCracken Book Company, LLC
• Length: 321 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.8" x 5.5"