The Not So Neutral Zone

By Susan May Warren and Sarah May Warren

One perfect day in Barcelona. One kiss that changed everything. One goodbye that broke my heart.

I've always been the overlooked sister, the forgotten friend, the girl in the background of everyone else's love story. But when a handsome stranger rescued my purse-and then my entire day-I dared to believe my story might finally be starting.

Then he vanished. No explanation. No phone number. Not even a last name.

Classic.

Fast forward to six months later, when I discover my mystery man is Brody "Candy" Kane-NHL golden boy, my sister's fianc 's teammate-and he needs a favor. As in, a girlfriend to keep his reputation in good shape while he skates into a new contract. And frankly? I wouldn't mind a date to my sister's over-the-top wedding.

The deal: Fake date through wedding season. Break up at the end. No harm, no foul.

The rules: Fake smiles for the cameras. Fake hand-holding for the fans. Absolutely, positively, no falling for each other for real.

The problem: The chemistry that sparked in Barcelona? Never actually went away. And pretending to be in love with someone you're already halfway in love with?

Terrible idea. 0/10. Would not recommend.

A swoony Christian romance about second chances, hidden identities, and discovering that the one man you shouldn't want might be exactly who you need. Fans of Emma St. Clair, Jenny Proctor, and Courtney Walsh will love this sweet and clean, fake dating rom-com with all the banter and none of the spice.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1966463928
• ISBN13: 9781966463924
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Sunrise Publishing
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Enchanting hockey romance

“And being alone because you’re terrified of being hurt? That’s not strength. That’s just fear wearing a different jersey.” I love sports romance books. They’re often romcoms, full of light-hearted moments and fun banter. But this book. It took me by surprise, in a good way, how deep it got and how it addressed a breadth of tangled emotions. Brody was pure delight - loyal, steadfast, protective, and so tender-hearted. Chloe was easy to love, with her bubbly glass-half-full personality and desire to please everyone. Yet beneath Brody’s veneer and Chloe’s smile lay years of self-doubt and insecurity and fear that they each needed to overcome. I loved catching up with Jace from the Christiansens series, Wyatt from the Montana Marshalls, and Conrad from Minnesota Kingstons. Blue Ox has to be my favorite fictional sports team ever and I can’t wait to read more about the other hockey players who will be featured in this series. Bravo to Sarah and Susie May Warren for breathing new life into Blue Ox team and bringing soul-deep, heartfelt hockey romance to their adoring fans! I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Sunrise Publishing and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.