✓ Forbidden workplace romance
✓ She falls first, he falls harder
✓ Found family / team dynamics
✓ Series finale with full HEA

Last Save by H.A. Laine is the fifth and final book in the Ice and Instincts series with a refreshing twist on the classic 'older-man dynamic', by twisting it around so the heroine is older then the hero. In this final novel, we get to read the story of Risa Kwon as she is hired by the Portland Wolves to protect the players that matter. Along the way, she meets the teams young starting goaltender Mila, who is more observant than most. While reading the main characters story, I fell in love with how Laine portrayed the older heroine as someone with strong emotional confidence. Overall, Last Save was the perfect way to end the series with a bang! If you are interested in sports romances where the age-gap trope is reversed, this is the best book for you!

- Forbidden slow burn
- He falls first
- Sports romance (pro hockey)
- Forced Proximity

Unassisted by H.A. Laine, the first book in the Ice and Instinct series was an irresistibly charming pro-hockey romance that had emotional tension, sizzling chemistry, and a slow-burn love story that felt forbidden but earned. In this novel, we read the story of a PT specialist named Elena as she is tasked to take care of the Portland Wolves captain Declan after a shoulder injury. One of the things that I loved about this book was how Laine is able to build up the romance between the characters so that it felt natural instead of forced. Overall, Unassisted ticked off all the boxes for me when it comes to a hockey romance and is perfect for readers who love sports romances with heart and a satisfying ending.

- Athlete / journalist off-limits romance
- Banter that bites
- He falls first (denied)
- Forbidden attraction

Between the Glass by H.A. Laine is the second book in the Ice and Instinct series, a sports romance filled with swoony hockey romance energy and forbidden attraction. In this novel, we get to meet a reporter named Renee who is determined to trust a story over any source given to her. On this journey, she travels to Portland where she meets the Portland Wolves veteran power forward, Ben Kowalski. Between press rooms and road trips, the attraction that shouldn't happen slowly builds as the characters get to know each other. Overall, Between the Glass delivered the passion and conflict I look for when reading a book with the off-limits trope. If you are a fan of sports romances with emotional tension and a risky love story, give this novel a try!