Why I Finally Wrote a Hockey Romance

 I love reading hockey romance.

There. That's probably the least complicated explanation for how I ended up writing one. 😂

I've read plenty of them; I know how popular the genre is right now, and apparently at some point my brain decided that enjoying other people's fictional hockey players wasn't enough.

I needed one of my own.

And then Breaking the Ice would not leave me alone.

At first, it was just one of those story ideas that kept hanging around in the back of my mind. You know the kind. The one that politely waits while you're supposed to be thinking about something else and then goes:

Hey.

Remember me?

We should write this.

Eventually, I gave in.

And once I actually started writing Gideon and Poppy's story, something clicked. I knew the direction I wanted to take it. I knew what kind of relationship I wanted between them. And the deeper I got into their story, the more certain I became that this was exactly the book I was supposed to be writing.

So...why hockey romance?

Partly because I genuinely love reading it.

Partly because hockey romance is incredibly popular right now, and clearly I'm not the only reader who has developed an appreciation for fictional hockey players. 😂

But mostly?

Because this particular story wouldn't leave me alone.

And I've learned that when a story keeps doing that, I should probably listen.

Of course, I couldn't simply write a cute little hockey romance where everything goes according to plan.

Where would the fun be in that?

Instead, I ended up with Gideon King, a professional goalie who would very much prefer to keep his private life private, and Poppy Monroe, a reporter who enters his life already convinced she knows exactly what kind of man he is.

She has questions.

He has walls.

Neither of them particularly appreciates the other one's attitude.

Which obviously goes wonderfully. 😏

Then Gideon and Poppy took over

One of my favorite things about writing is reaching that point where the characters stop feeling like pieces I'm moving around a board.

They start making sense.

You know how they're going to react. You know what they're going to say. You know exactly which choice they'll make—even when that choice creates an enormous problem you now have to figure out how to fix.

That's what happened with Breaking the Ice.

Once I started writing it, I knew where I wanted Gideon and Poppy to go.

Not that they made getting there easy.

Because apparently I don't know how to give fictional people normal communication skills and a peaceful romantic relationship.

Where's the fun in that? 😂

What can you expect from Breaking the Ice?

Without wandering anywhere near spoiler territory, you can expect hockey, heat, plenty of tension, a very private goalie, a very determined reporter, secrets that need answers, and two people who have some pretty strong opinions about each other when they meet.

And those opinions definitely don't stay uncomplicated.

If you like your romance with sharp banter, messy emotions, chemistry, protective heroes, spice, and a little mystery mixed in, Gideon and Poppy might be your kind of trouble.

Breaking the Ice releases November 30.

And considering this whole thing started because one hockey romance idea refused to leave me alone?

I'm really glad I finally listened.