Off the Boards

I’ll admit, I rolled my eyes at first—*another* jock-needs-help-with-homework plot? But *Off the Boards* subverts expectations by making the academic struggle *real*. The hockey player isn’t just “bad at math”; he’s got dyscalculia, and the way Kinley writes his frustration (and his shame) feels painfully authentic. The tutor isn’t some soft-hearted pushover, either; he’s competitive, guarded, and *good* at saying no—until he isn’t. The slow burn here isn’t just sexual tension; it’s the slow unraveling of two people who’ve built their identities around being the best at one thing, only to realize they’re both terrified of failing. The narration is where this audiobook *soars*. Wilder’s performance as the hockey player is all rough edges and barely contained energy, like he’s one bad grade away from punching a wall. Toma, meanwhile, nails the tutor’s clipped, intellectual cadence—but listen for the moments his voice drops, when the armor slips. My only critique? The pacing drags slightly in the middle during the stats-lesson scenes (yes, we *get* it, regression models are hard), and I wished the side characters had more distinct voices in the narration—sometimes the teammates blurred together. But the payoff—the way the climax ties the hockey championships to their personal growth—is worth it. This isn’t just a romance; it’s a story about what happens when the thing you’re best at isn’t enough anymore.