Overtime by Tracey Richardson Review

Verdict: A mature, slow-burn romance between a 36-year-old pro hockey star facing the end of her career and the athlete-wary Irish literature professor whose daughter idolises her — warm and grown-up in its Toronto chapters, but a crowded, rushed final third and a hard-to-love heroine divide readers.

Best for: Readers who like single-mom romance, opposites attract, and hockey that stays in the background.

Heat level: Low (one spicy scene, per a reader; no romance.io rating)

Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.6/5 — a 3.78 Goodreads average across 402 ratings and 3.62 on StoryGraph from 92 reviews)

Tropes: Athlete and professor, opposites attract, single mother, slow burn, career crossroads, dual POV, HEA.

Overtime is Tracey Richardson’s 2025 contemporary lesbian romance from Bella Books. Sarah Brennan plays in the new professional women’s league in Toronto, but it is her mind she wants to exercise, so she enrols in an Irish literature class. Professor Claire Joyce is no fan of pro athletes after a failed marriage to one — and her ten-year-old daughter’s idol is Sarah Brennan.

It holds a 3.78 average across 402 Goodreads ratings, with 62% of them four or five stars, 3.62 on StoryGraph from 92 reviews, and 4.4 stars across 137 Amazon ratings.

What Is Overtime About?

Sarah is at the top of her game, but at thirty-six she is starting to feel it. Claire, divorced from a professional football player, has resolved never to fall for an athlete again, and she is not impressed by her new student’s lateness or her celebrity.

Falling for someone who barely tolerates sports forces Sarah to admit her career is in overtime and to picture life after hockey — a life that might include Claire and her funny, hockey-mad kid, if Claire will let her guard down.

What Makes This Hockey Romance Work

Maddie: Claire’s daughter, with Sarah’s poster on her wall, steals many scenes.
Grown-up tone: Readers praise a mature, largely drama-free romance with an emphasis on consent and boundaries.
Balance: Enough hockey for fans, not so much that non-fans give up.
Toronto: Dates around the city and trips to games are reader favourites.
Family history: The book explores how Claire’s upbringing shapes her fear of being loved.

Book Synopsis

Sarah Brennan is a hockey player in the new professional women’s league, but she enrols in a university class on Irish literature to keep her mind sharp. Professor Claire Joyce is no fan of pro athletes, especially after a failed marriage to one. Unfortunately her ten-year-old daughter adores hockey, and her idol is Sarah Brennan.

Falling in love with someone who barely tolerates sports forces Sarah to admit that her career is in overtime, and to consider what life might look like after hockey — perhaps a life with Claire and her daughter, if only Claire will follow her heart.

My Review

The first two-thirds are the book at its best: a slow build between two women in their late thirties and forties, dates around Toronto, and Sarah winning over Claire’s daughter at games. Richardson writes the practicalities of dating with a child well, and the hockey world — road trips, teammates, a veteran’s aching body — feels real. Readers who liked it call it sweet, thoughtful and refreshingly low on manufactured drama.

Then the last third piles on events — a trade, a serious injury, a trip to Ireland — and several readers felt the Ireland chapters took up too much room and the ending came abruptly. Claire divides readers: one 2-star reviewer found her judgmental and felt she never grew, while others defended her refusal of a long-distance relationship and disliked how the side characters pushed her. Another felt no chemistry, and one found the book read like a highlight reel, skipping too much between chapters.

My honest note: If you enjoy Richardson’s grounded style and a single-mom romance, the Toronto half is worth the trip. Expect the ending to rush.

Element	In Overtime
Central relationship	Sarah Brennan (36, pro hockey player) & Claire Joyce (Irish literature professor, single mother)
Core tropes	Athlete/professor, opposites attract, single mom, slow burn
Setting	Toronto, with a trip to Ireland
Heat level	Low — one spicy scene, per a reader
POV	Dual, third person
Series	Standalone — HEA
Content notes	Divorce, difficult parents, a serious sports injury

How Spicy Is Overtime?

Not very. One reader counts a single spicy scene, and romance.io has no steam rating yet.

StoryGraph has no content warnings. Readers mention Claire’s painful relationship with her parents, her divorce, and an injury that threatens Sarah’s career.

Who Should Read This Book?

You’ll likely love it if: you want an athlete falling for a single mom and her kid, with low heat and mature leads. It is on our sapphic hockey romance list.

You may want to skip it if: you dislike rushed endings or a guarded heroine who keeps her partner at arm’s length.

In short: A gentle, grown-up sports romance with a hurried finish.

What Readers Are Actually Saying (September 2026)

On Goodreads the split is 22% five stars, 40% four, 29% three, 5% two and 1% one. On StoryGraph, 58% tag it emotional, 88% found the characters loveable and 81% said the character development was strong. The audiobook is narrated by Lori Prince; several listeners praised her, though one found her Irish accent badly off. We could not find it on Libro.fm.

Why readers love it (according to the discourse): Maddie first. Second, the mature, low-drama tone. Third, the hockey-life detail. Fourth, the Toronto setting.

What readers argue about and complain about: A rushed ending, above everything. Second, the Ireland chapters. Third, Claire. Fourth, skipped time between chapters.

The comparison worth making first: For more Richardson, Delay of Game is her Olympic second-chance romance with a widowed coach. For a longer NHL story with a coach heroine, try Hat Trick.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there much hockey in Overtime?

A fair amount. Readers say there is plenty for hockey fans without losing non-sports readers, though the book keeps its focus on the relationship.

How spicy is Overtime?

Low. One reader counts a single spicy scene, and romance.io has no steam rating yet.

Is Overtime a single-mom romance?

Yes. Claire is divorced with a ten-year-old daughter, Maddie, who idolises Sarah. Readers call Sarah’s bond with Maddie one of the best parts.

Is Overtime on Kindle Unlimited?

Not at the time of writing — the Kindle edition was listed for purchase at $9.99. The audiobook is narrated by Lori Prince.

Does Overtime have a happy ending?

Yes, though several readers found it abrupt and one called it a rushed happily ever after.

If You Loved Overtime, Read These Next

Try Delay of Game for more Tracey Richardson, Hat Trick for a pro-hockey coach and a lawyer, or Love Pucked for a spicier women’s-league romance. For more, browse our sapphic hockey romance list, our single mom lesbian romance list, or the full Book Reviews archive.

The Bottom Line

Overtime sets out to be a thoughtful romance about a veteran athlete facing life after sport, and its Toronto chapters deliver warmth, a lovely kid and grown-up leads. What holds it back is an overcrowded, rushed final third and a heroine some readers never warmed to. For Richardson fans and single-mom romance readers, it is worth it. Check Overtime on Amazon →