Leia's Playmaker

Okay, let’s be real: *Leia’s Playmaker* is the audiobook equivalent of a shot of espresso—quick, potent, and guaranteed to leave you wired. I went in expecting a cute hockey romance and got a full-contact sport of banter, bad decisions, and *so much* sexual tension that I had to double-check the runtime. (Three hours? Really? It feels like 90 minutes of pure adrenaline.) The story’s strength is its refusal to take itself too seriously, even when Leia’s investigative ‘digging’ veers into ‘how are you still employed?’ territory. Colter, the Falcons’ resident chaos gremlin, is the perfect foil—equal parts infuriating and irresistible, with a protective streak that sneaks up on you. The narration is where this audiobook *shines*. Madeleine Dauer’s Leia is a masterclass in ‘I’m making terrible choices but you’ll love me for it’ energy—her line reads during the locker room scene had me cackling. Erik Bloomquist, meanwhile, nails Colter’s ‘I’m one concussion away from feral’ intensity, especially in the steamier scenes where his voice drops to this rough, commanding growl. My only critique? The pacing *almost* feels too fast in the last act—some of the emotional beats could’ve used another minute to breathe, and a few secondary characters (like Leia’s bestie) get shortchanged in the rush. Also, if you’re sensitive to over-the-top alpha male tropes, Colter’s ‘my way or the highway’ schtick might grind your gears. But if you’re here for a dirty, funny, zero-to-sixty romance that doesn’t overstay its welcome? This is a hat trick. **Pro tip:** Listen with headphones. Trust me.