Mobility Mom Bookshelf: Playing with Trouble by: Lainey Davis (Audio Review)

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Grab your copy HERE!!

Book Description

My teammate Rookie laid down three rules when I moved into his don't touch his stuff, don't touch his food, and don't touch his sister.

Two out of three should be easy enough.

In my defense, I didn't know the gorgeous woman at the airport was Ella. The last time I saw Rookie's kid sister, she had braces and a grudge against me for hogging the backseat of her parents' car. She's not a kid anymore.

She's a curvy, sharp-tongued nurse who just moved to town, and apparently Rookie offered to let her stay with us. He forgot to mention we don't have a spare room.

Now she's sleeping in my bed because I offered to take the couch. At least I'm that much of a gentleman. She's saving lives and studying for some huge test while I try to remember how to be a professional hockey player instead of ogling the hottest woman in Pittsburgh.

Ella also asked me for a favor I can't stop thinking about. The kind of favor that would end my friendship with her brother and probably get me traded.

I should say no. I should keep my distance. I should focus on the season and stop noticing the way she wears the heck out of those scrub pants. Or the sounds she makes when she eats her brother's leftovers. Or the way my sheets smell like her hair.

Yeah. I'm in trouble.

I told myself I'd help her out and keep it casual. That I'd be the good guy, the fun roommate, the friend who keeps his hands to himself.

But Ella sees right through the party-boy act to the man underneath. And that man is falling so hard he can't see the ice anymore.

About Lainey Davis

USA Today bestselling author Lainey Davis lives in Pittsburgh with 3 feral sons, 2 rescued rabbits, and 1 tired husband. She writes steamy, contemporary love stories with grouchy heroes, strong heroines, and plenty of fiascos. She's excited to find out how much coffee is too much.

My Thoughts

Playing with Trouble by Lainey Davis is a steamy, swoony, Stag-adjacent hockey romance that captures the heart from the very first page. Brought to life by the exceptional dual narration of Charlotte North and Alastair Haynesbridge, this story follows professional hockey player Bernard "Howie" Houser and Ella Rujkowski, the sharp-tongued, newly minted emergency nurse who also happens to be his best friend and teammate Jason’s little sister.

When Jason delegates picking Ella up from the Pittsburgh airport to Bernard, neither man expects the awkward, braces-wearing kid sister to have grown into a stunning, curvy woman. With Jason enforcing strict rules about staying away from his sister and offering her nothing more than an uncomfortable living room couch, Bernard steps up as a true gentleman by giving up his own bedroom. Forced to share tight quarters while Ella studies for her medical boards and works grueling hospital shifts, the two quickly find the tension between them impossible to ignore.

The plot takes a deliciously high-stakes turn when Ella, inexperienced and feeling invisible to a family that has always overlooked her, proposes a no-strings-attached arrangement: she wants Bernard to tutor her in the arts of love to prepare her for the future. What starts as a casual agreement quickly heats up, evolving into an emotional connection where both characters finally feel truly seen and heard. However, maintaining a secret facade while dodging a self-centered brother, an on-ice injury, and looming secrets threatens a explosive fallout.

Lainey Davis has crafted a thoughtful, sensitive, and funny story about two people healing from a lack of family support and finding their person against the odds. Set against a vibrant backdrop of hockey culture, workplace pressure, and a fantastic supporting cast, it is a deeply satisfying read. The audiobook experience is elevated even further by Alastair Haynesbridge and Charlotte North. Though performed in dual narration, their seamless chemistry—likely aided by the fact that they are married—results in perfectly synchronized performances. Haynesbridge transitions effortlessly from irritation to tender, powerful yearning, while North perfectly complements him with a voice that softens with wonder and longing. With stellar pacing and emotional depth, Playing with Trouble is an unforgettable listen and a must-read for romance fans.

Other books I've read by Lainey Davis HERE!!!