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Verdict: A fast, steamy, secret-relationship hockey romance between a masc captain and a glamorous, previously straight superstar — enjoyed by the series’ fans, but widely criticised for insta-love, thin characters and writing that many readers suspect was AI-assisted.
Best for: Readers who want a quick, high-heat read with masc/femme dynamics, a queer awakening and a guaranteed happy ending, and who are already enjoying Phoenix Ridge.
Heat level: Not rated (billed as high-heat; no romance.io steam rating yet)
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.0/5 — a 3.93 Goodreads average across 614 ratings, weighed against a 3.1 StoryGraph average and pointed criticism)
Tropes: Captain and new signing, teammates, forbidden, secret relationship, masc/femme, straight-to-gay awakening, insta-love, series romance.
Between the Lines is the February 2026 first book in Emily Hayes’s Phoenix Ridge Hockey series, a contemporary sapphic romance. When a billionaire buys the Phoenix Ridge Valkyries, the mission is clear: one last season to win their way into the top women’s league. Captain Lou Calder has built her career on discipline and control — until the club signs superstar Camille Laurent-Dubois.
It holds a 3.93 average across 614 Goodreads ratings, with 67% of them four or five stars, a much lower 3.1 on StoryGraph from 40 reviews, and 4.3 stars across 763 Amazon ratings. The gap between those numbers reflects a sharply divided response.
What Is Between the Lines About?
Lou knows how to survive under pressure. Leading the Valkyries into the biggest fight of their lives means focus, sacrifice and no distractions. Camille is the opposite of safe: a media magnet with a famous ex-boyfriend, brought in to help the team win, and a beautiful risk Lou cannot afford.
What begins as tension becomes something private and consuming. As the push for promotion intensifies and the spotlight grows harsher, the two have to decide whether what they have is worth the risk to careers, reputations and hearts.
What Makes This Hockey Romance Work
- Speed and heat: Fans enjoyed a fast, steamy read with no slow burn.
- Coming out: One reader praised how the book portrays the fear of coming out and the freedom afterward.
- Accessible hockey: Readers who do not follow the sport found the gameplay easy to understand.
- After the getting-together: One reviewer appreciated that the book deals with the messiness after the couple get together.
- Phoenix Ridge: Returning readers enjoyed meeting familiar characters from earlier books.
Book Synopsis
One season. One shot at the top league. One desire that could cost them everything. When the Phoenix Ridge Valkyries are bought by a billionaire, the mission is clear: one last chance to win their way into the top women’s hockey league in the US and Canada. Every game matters, and there is no room for weakness on or off the ice.
Lou Calder has built her career on discipline, loyalty and keeping her wants under control. Camille Laurent-Dubois is a superstar new signing and a media magnet with a famous ex-boyfriend. What begins as tension becomes something far more dangerous. The book promises masc/femme dynamics, forbidden attraction, a straight-to-gay awakening and a happily ever after.
My Review
The premise has real appeal: a promotion push, a captain who has kept herself small, and a glamorous newcomer who upends everything. Readers who like it describe a fast, easy, steamy read with dynamic, powerful leads, and several were already fans of Hayes’s Phoenix Ridge world.
Many other readers were not convinced. The most common criticism is pacing: straight to love declarations without meaningful time together, then a breakup and a dramatic withdrawal after what feels like two or three weeks. Critics call the characters generic and the conflicts quickly resolved, and one found the level of fame given to a minor-league player hard to believe. Another reviewer thought the hockey details did not add up. The loudest complaint, though, is about how the book was written: a number of reviewers are convinced it is AI-generated, pointing to copy-pasted phrases and the author’s rapid release schedule, while another thought it read like reworked fan fiction. We cannot verify either claim, but it is a major part of the conversation.
My honest note: If you enjoy the Phoenix Ridge books and want quick, steamy comfort, you may enjoy this. If insta-love or questions about how a book was written bother you, start elsewhere — Hayes’s own Power Play fared better with readers.
| Element | In Between the Lines |
|---|---|
| Central relationship | Lou Calder & Camille Laurent-Dubois — captain and superstar signing |
| Core tropes | Teammates, forbidden, secret relationship, masc/femme, queer awakening |
| Setting | The Phoenix Ridge Valkyries’ push for the top league |
| Heat level | Not rated — billed as high-heat |
| Series | Phoenix Ridge Hockey #1 — happily ever after |
| Length | About 260 pages |
| Content notes | Coming-out fears, media scrutiny, a painful breakup |
How Spicy Is Between the Lines?
The Amazon description calls it a high-heat romance, and readers agree it gets physical fast; one wished the story focused more on character development than the sexual connection. Romance.io has no steam rating yet, so we have not given it a heat score.
On content, expect Lou’s fear of being out in the public eye, intense media attention and a breakup that hits one lead hard.
Who Should Read This Book?
You’ll likely love it if: you want a fast, steamy sapphic hockey romance with a masc captain and a femme newcomer, and you are happy with insta-love. It is on our sapphic hockey romance list.
You may want to skip it if: you want a slow burn, deep characterisation or accurate hockey, or you avoid books readers suspect are AI-assisted.
In short: Quick heat for series fans; a frustrating read for many others.
What Readers Are Actually Saying (September 2026)
This is a Kindle Unlimited release with a large readership and a polarised response; a web search surfaced no Reddit threads. On Goodreads the split is 40% five stars, 27% four, 21% three, 7% two and 3% one. StoryGraph readers are cooler, averaging 3.1. I could not find an audiobook.
Why readers love it (according to the discourse): The speed and heat first. Second, the Phoenix Ridge world. Third, the coming-out story. Fourth, easy-to-follow hockey.
What readers argue about and complain about: Suspected AI writing, above everything. Second, insta-love. Third, generic characters. Fourth, a rushed breakup and reconciliation.
The series question worth asking first: Each Phoenix Ridge book follows a new couple. Readers generally rated Power Play and Off the Ice higher than this opener.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Between the Lines the first Phoenix Ridge Hockey book?
Yes. It is book 1 of the Phoenix Ridge Hockey series, followed by Power Play and Off the Ice. Characters from Emily Hayes’s earlier Phoenix Ridge books also appear.
How spicy is Between the Lines?
It is billed as a high-heat romance, and readers say the leads are intimate early — one noted they are together by around page 30. Romance.io has no steam rating yet, so we have not given it a heat score.
Is Between the Lines a slow burn?
No. Readers describe it as insta-love, with fast declarations, a secret relationship and a breakup before the happy ending.
Is Between the Lines AI-generated?
Several Goodreads reviewers believe it was written with AI assistance, citing repetitive phrasing and the author’s fast release schedule. We cannot verify this, and other readers love the book.
Is Between the Lines on Kindle Unlimited?
Yes, at the time of writing the Kindle edition is available on Kindle Unlimited.
If You Loved Between the Lines, Read These Next
Continue with Power Play and Off the Ice, or try Clinching the Play for another pro-team romance with a queer awakening. For more, browse our books like Heated Rivalry list, the sapphic hockey romance list, or the full Book Reviews archive.
The Bottom Line
Between the Lines sets out to be a fast, steamy, forbidden hockey romance, and for series fans it delivers the heat and the happy ending. What holds it back is insta-love, thin characters and widespread reader doubts about how it was written. It is a divisive start to the series. Check Between the Lines on Amazon →
The Eikna Overall Ranking
On the Eikna scale, Between the Lines ranks as a fair, polarising hockey romance — quick and steamy for fans, held back by insta-love and serious reader concerns about the writing.
The Evidence Scorecard
Overall ★★★☆☆ 3/5
- ✓ 3.93 average across 614 Goodreads ratings
- ✓ 67% of Goodreads ratings are four or five stars
- ✓ 3.1 on StoryGraph from 40 reviews
- ✓ 4.3 stars across 763 Amazon ratings
Romance ★★★☆☆ 2.8/5
- ✓ Insta-love
- ✓ Secret relationship
- ✓ Fast breakup
- ✓ Happy ever after
Characters ★★★☆☆ 2.8/5
- ✓ Masc/femme leads
- ✓ Generic for critics
- ✓ Coach felt more real to one reader
- ✓ Returning series characters
Writing ★★☆☆☆ 2.4/5
- ✓ Quick read
- ✓ Repetitive phrasing
- ✓ Suspected AI assistance
- ✓ Hockey details questioned
Emotional Impact ★★★☆☆ 3/5
- ✓ Coming-out fears
- ✓ Heartbreak
- ✓ Flat for some
- ✓ Rushed emotions
Heat Level — not rated
- ✓ Billed as high-heat
- ✓ Physical early
- ✓ Sexual focus noted
- ✓ No romance.io rating
Ending ★★★★☆ 3.5/5
- ✓ Happy ever after
- ✓ All comes together
- ✓ Quick resolution
- ✓ Series continues
Re-read Value ★★★☆☆ 2.8/5
- ✓ On Kindle Unlimited
- ✓ Fast read
- ✓ Little depth
- ✓ No audiobook found
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