Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for this e-arc! ✨

I’ll be honest—I had a hard time getting into this book, at first. The characters didn’t immediately click with me, and I wasn’t sure if this story was going to be for me or if I'd have to DNF. But then… they resonated a little too much. As someone new to my PCOS journey, certain aspects of the book hit unexpectedly close to home—almost to the point of being a little scary–though I do appreciate the TW the author included.

The male main character (MMC) was also a bit cheesy at times, which pulled me out of the story here and there. Some of his lines felt more like something out of a rom-com script than real life, but it grew on me as I kept reading.

That said, once I settled into the story, I found myself really liking Brunner’s approach. The romance was well done, the emotional beats hit, and overall, it was a nice, easy read.

Simple and cute story. I need to read the others before this one. Definitely had the adorable moments one expects from a hockey romance.

🌟 4.5
🌶 PG

I love a brother's best friend/teammate trope, but this was more than that!

Farrah is trying to navigate life after divorce while dealing with PCOS. She wants to fall in love and start a family, but feels like she's not worth it because she can't do what women's bodies are meant to do, which is bear children.

Bruce has already fallen for Farrah and needs to show her that he's nothing like her ex and that she's worthy of love, regardless of whether she can have kids or not.

What you get :
• Teammates goofing off
• WAGs, playoffs
• Chemistry-filled banter
• Found family
• Acceptance
• Happily ever afters
• Healthy foster care and big brother support

Trigger warning: Divorce, PCOS and health scares.

this was such a cosy and sweet read🥹

it's one of those books that can easily become a comfort read!

this story follows two softies who just want to belong (to someone) and it melts my heart!!

farrah is scared to put herself out there and get hurt again so she keeps the goalie - who's a big old softie - at a distance

bruce just wants someone to call his and fortunately for farrah he'd do about anything to prove he's in this for the long haul

i think this story had the perfect balance: farrah and bruce meet each other, but don't realise they are connected through her brother - he's bruce's hockey captain - even though they felt something, they try to keep their distance from each other

luckily bruce is determined to win farrah over and we see their relationship steadily progress to something more - this felt so natural to me which i loved! for me there was no awkward stage where they go from strangers to lovers in a split second- everything happend at the right time

the only thing that slightly bothered me were the nicknames and some abbreviations - but honestly this is definitely something personal! it didn't take away from the story, but did stay with me while reading!

3.75★ ~ arc review

thank you to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my own honest thoughts and opinions :)

This book follows Bruce McBride, the goalie for the D.C. Eagles, and Farrah Remington, Remy's little sister, his new nanny, and one-half of Melrrah events (the other half is Mel duh). Remy, being the protective brother he is tells Bruce that Farrah is off limits. Little does he know, Farrah and Bruce already met and Bruce started falling from the moment he saw her! Farrah however just went through a nasty divorce and realizes that Bruce would totally have her in over her head and she avoids him every time he tries to talk to her or text her (which is a lot). Finally, after 2 years, Bruce is finally starting to tear down Farrah's walls. He is honest with her about his feelings and wants to make sure she feels comfortable with their dynamic. Meaning that if the feelings weren't reciprocated he would back off with no issues BECAUSE HE'S THE BEST KIND OF MAN!!!! However we all know thats not the case and their beautiful love story builds from there!! This is a closed-door romance that covers hard topics like PCOS, fertility issues, a douchebag ex-husband, and things that go along with it. I think that Leah did a fantastic job of showing one journey through PCOS and divorce. It was impactful and beautiful and it releases on March 27th! Thank you so much to Leah Brunner and NetGalley for this ARC!!

i wish you guys knew the scream i scrumpt when i saw that i got this ARC! Leah is one of 2 closed-door authors that I immediately buy from (the other is Athena Barnim!). i love her writing and the way i always feel connected to the characters in some way, even when you don't have a distinct connection to them. i have never struggled with my body in the way Farrah did but damn if i didn't understand her being afraid of the hospital, being tired of how she was spoken to by the doctor, and not feeling like she can rely on Bruce because of her ex! Leah has the ability to make such wonderful multifaceted characters and i love it. i believe Bruce is also neurodivergent if i remember correctly and hearing his issues, especially with Remy and his reaction was also so relatable. he's been such a great friend to Remy and Remy didn't treat him with that same energy. i was kinda mad at Remy and his mom for a lot of the book because Bruce has never done anything to deserve their immediate distrust in him ESPECIALLY when Farrah made the comparison to her mom saying (this is a paraphrase lmao) "well you thought my ex was marriage material so like shove it" (basically)!! Bruce was there for Farrah at literally every step of the way! Whether it was because he wanted to help her business or just be there for her and let her know he wasn't going to leave!! i LOVE LOVE LOVED this book! it was a fantastic representation of 'i can do it on my own' and 'i know you can but let me help'! i can't wait for this to release so I can officially own the whole series! i have said before that i am not a fan of blonde adult men and its true. irl i generally can't find a blonde adult man that i can get behind (there are a select few dont get me wrong) but it generally turns me away from blonde mmcs because they aren't my real life preference. HOWEVER Bruce (and some other hottie book boyfriends mentioned on my threads account: gabriellaconleyyy) is one of the BEST blonde mmcs i have ever read. the earring, the smirk, UGH!!! my list of blonde mmcs is growing rapidly this year and i'm so excited to add my brucey baby to it!!

Ah I loved this book so much. Dual PoV, brothers best friend, ice hockey, forbidden romance, secret dating, just loved it.

Farrah was such a good character, knowing her own mind and what she overcame with her ex. Bruce was the sweetest goalie, I fell in love with him through the pages.

The only reason it loses a star is because of the third act breakup as these break my little romantic heart!

Definitely going to look up the rest of this series

Oh, Bruce. That man is such a flirt, but has a tender heart too. He was just what Farrah needed. This was a beautiful story and the found family vibes are strong. I especially loved the bonus epilogue, getting to see the team 8 years in the future. It was the perfect ending to a fantastic series. My only issue with the book was the extra language used that I was not expecting (no F words but still more than I’d prefer).

A Fun, Steamy Hockey Romance You Won’t Want to Put Down!

If you love sports romances with a little drama and a lot of chemistry, this one’s for you! The story kicks off with a swoon-worthy, unexpected kiss—only for the hero to find out the next day that the girl he kissed is very off-limits. Cue the secret romance, tension, and plenty of hockey action.

The hero is a giant, lovable NHL goalie, and Farrah is strong, independent, and easy to root for. Their chemistry is fire, and watching them try (and fail) to resist each other is so much fun. Plus, the stakes are high—sneaking around during the playoffs? Trying not to ruin friendships and careers? It all makes for a super entertaining read.

If you like hot athletes, forbidden romance, and a little bit of chaos, definitely check this one out!

✨I received this book as an ARC for free in exchange for an honest review✨

Secret or Shutout by Leah Brunner
Pub Date: March 27, 2025

🖤Teammate’s Brother
🖤He Falls First
🖤PCOS Rep
🖤Reverse Age Gap
🖤Forbidden Romance

Book 4 of the D.C. Eagles Hockey Series did not disappoint. I loved reading this book. It was fun, fast paced and I loved the banter between the MMC and FMC. Bruce and Farrah met at a bar and shared a passionate kiss that they both would not forget until Bruce finds out she is his teammate’s married sister. A year and a half later, divorced Farrah moves in with her brother for a fresh start and Bruce doesn't shy away from his flirtatious ways. The story does share Farrah’s struggle with PCOS and Bruce’s need to be part of a family.

This is my first book of the series and I didn't feel like I was missing a lot from the previous 4 books, however, with that being said… I will be reading the other books in the series.

Loved this one so bad. Amazing hockey romance, I need to see the rest of the series now.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC, this review is my honest opinion.

I loved this book so much. The adored the characters so much. The MCs had amazing chemistry, and I loved the friendship between the players and the WAGs. The FMC was a character that you really empathize with and root for. The MMC was a walking green flag, like I'm pretty sure I just found another favorite book boyfriend?? This book was the perfect mix of romantic, funny, and emotional. It made me both laugh and cry. This was my first book by Leah Brunner, but it definitely won't be the last. I can't wait to go back and read the rest of the series!!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. I cannot get over how much I loved this hockey romance! I went in almost completely blind and am now a HUGE fan of Leah Brunner!

The story’s pacing is near perfection. The friendships of the hockey girlfriends and wives was so well developed and felt very relatable and even funny. You know it’s going to be good when even the side characters are lovable and well written!

Our mfc Ferrah, was so beyond lovable and completely relatable! We get to see her journey after divorce and the struggles she goes through. Pairing her with Bruce, a tall, hunky, golden retriever hockey goalie…are you kidding me?? Their forbidden romance (and steamy kisses) was the cherry on top and completed the perfect love story.

I will absolutely be picking up more novels by Leah!

Thank you @Netgalley for the arc for secrets and shut out by @LeahBrunner. I have read the rest of this amazing series and this latest one was not a disappointment I love it. This cinnamon roll brother friend was treating Readict in one go.itwas nice to see the pass characters in this book. The FMC was a divorced women with relationships insecurities due to her inability to have kids due to her PCOS. MMC was a goalie hockey player ready to find his forever after seeing all his teammates finding love themselves. I ❤️ how he was always there for showing her that he was in it for the long haul. They started as friends and progressed to a real relationship.

I love a hockey romance and was excited to try the new DC Eagles series - especially when this book covers a goalie! Farrah has moved to DC from Ohio after divorcing her husband, and when she meets goalie Bruce McBride, she feels a spark that had been missing from her marriage.

I really appreciated that main character Farrah dealt with PCOS. It's an issue which has been increasingly diagnosed and understood, and it really be not only incredibly painful, but affect fertility. This novel treated PCOS as a serious illness, but also something which doesn't define a character or prevent them from living happily ever after. We need more representation like Farrah.

I will note that this book really isn't a standalone. At about 70% through the book, there's a mention that a side character is neurodivergent, which would have been helpful to better illuminate the character's perspectives earlier in the book. It definitely helps to be familiar with the character and the DC Eagles from previous books. This is a great new hockey romance that I'd recommend to those who love to see pucks!

3.5 Stars.

This was a fun little read. I enjoyed the PCOS representation but I was left wanting more from the book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bruce & Farrah
- Dual POV
- Age Gap
- Hockey romcom, DC Eagles team
- Goalie MMC
- Baker FMC
- He takes care of her 🥹
- Nicknames

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book 4 of the DC Eagles Hockey Series - To say I was ecstatic for this book would be a massive understatement. I so enjoyed Bruce in the other books, and I admired Bruce’s heart. I really enjoyed seeing the tender side that would peak out in the other books. He is fiercely loyal and takes care of his people. Farrah is no exception, once he meets her 💕 He takes care of Farrah and keeps showing up for her over and over even when she’s struggling.

Both MCs have some character development they have to work through. Farrah has to learn to trust her own judgment, other people, and work through really really hard medical problems. Bruce has to work through feeling lonely, teammates not trusting him, and how to show up for all the people/things that are important to him. Bruce and Farrah help each other so much with their individual struggles and we see them grow more together 💕

I freaking love all the couples in the DC Eagles series and it was so so sweet to see them all interacting in this book. They still tease each other and have fun, but they are one of the best found families/team that there ever was 🥹

This is a closed door romcom with some cursing, a fade to black scene in the epilogue, and innuendo throughout the book.

**Thank you so much to Leah Brunner for letting me read this ARC via Netgalley. I received a complimentary copy. No positive review was required. All thoughts are my own.**

Oh man, I just love a good hockey romance! This was my first book by Leah and I’m pretty sure I need to go back and read the rest of this series now!

This had everything I want in a feel good romance. A pining and hot man who will do anything for love, a sassy woman who is getting her confidence back, found family, and some good hockey. He waited a year and a half to have her after one kiss 🥺 I mean come on, how cute is that?? And gifting her an oven… yes please. Sign me up.

This was a good conclusion to the series and I enjoyed reading it.
There were a few tropes that are not my personal favorite, but I did like the reverse age gap, and the PCOS representation.

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the advanced copy.

Secret or Shutout
Leah Brunner
Publication date: March 27, 2025
5/5 stars

I loved this book! This is Bruce’s story in the DC Eagles series. It doesn’t have to be read in order but I loved seeing all the characters from the other books make appearances. Bruce, a professional hockey player, meets Farrah in a bar not realizing she is the sister of his captain. Bruce proves his love and loyalty to Farrah while continuing to pursue her as she is working through a recent divorce and more information about PCOS/infertility.

This is a closed door hockey romance with found family. I highly recommend this book and was so excited to receive the ARC. I hope a spin off to this series can continue- maybe about Jackson and Noah. Thank you Leah Brunner, LBP LLC and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for the honest review.

i ADORED THIS BOOK! I need a Bruce in my life! He was the standard! While this was an epic romcom, it still dealt with some important themes and ideas that the author handled beautifully. This was my first reverse age gap and i loved it! overall, this was an incredible read!