**Secret or Shutout** by Leah Brunner is the ultimate heart-clenching, swoon-filled sports romance that left me smiling, crying, and cheering all at once! I adored the electric chemistry between Farrah and her forbidden goalie—every stolen glance and quiet moment was packed with emotion. Brunner beautifully balances humor, heartbreak, and healing, all while giving us a tender exploration of love, loyalty, and second chances. The dual POV adds so much depth, and the fade-to-black style was perfectly executed. I was completely hooked from the first page and didn’t want it to end. A total win for hockey romance fans! 🏒❤️ #SecretorShutout #NetGalley

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Sweet, swoony, and smile-inducing—my new comfort-read hockey romance!

Leah Brunner’s Secret or Shutout delivers everything I crave in a feel-good sports rom-com: a cinnamon-roll giant of a goalie, off-limits sparkage, and just the right dose of real-life depth beneath the meet-cute glow.

Why I’m skating away with a full-blown book crush
Kiss-first, “oh-no-it’s-you” later. That bar-stool smooch had me giggling like Farrah’s besties in the group chat—then gasping when the lights came up on her big-brother-is-my-boss reveal.

A gentle giant you’ll want to hug. At 6'5", our goalie hero could block the whole net, yet his inner dialogue is pure marshmallow. Every stolen hallway glance and whispered midnight text had me rooting for their secret to stay secret… just a little longer.

Farrah’s heartfelt journey. Brunner handles PCOS and fertility fears with empathy, letting Farrah be more than “the captain’s kid sister.” Her strength and vulnerability make the HEA feel richly earned.

Team antics & playoff pressure. Locker-room chirps, superstitious rituals—Brunner nails the vibe without burying the romance. Watching performance slumps mirror heartache had me turning pages like a breakaway rush.

Spice level: fade-to-black perfection. The chemistry is blazing, but scenes close the door at just the right moment—perfect for readers who prefer an imagination assist.

Final whistle
Secret or Shutout is as cozy-cute as a post-game hoodie and as exhilarating as a last-minute save. It left me grinning, happy-crying, and humming goal-horn victory tunes. Five shining stars—and a standing-ovation stick-tap for a romance that proves love (and the Cup) are worth fighting for.

I loved getting to see the PCOS rep and having it be at the forefront, because it absolutely can (and often does) affect your whole life like that. That being said, it felt like everything wrapped up a little too neatly like (spoiler alert) Farrah recovering from her surgery so quickly and immediately just suddenly being okay with not being able to have bio kids. It's not the fact she landed on that, it was how quickly it happened that was the issue for me. Also, after how much focus was put on her wanting to have a WAG shirt (and him wanting to see her in one) and the fact that Andie had made her one like a year ago, I really felt like we needed to see the moment of her wearing that shirt for the first time.
That being said, I found this story sweet overall and I did like the dynamic between the MCs.

Hockey ✅
Baking ✅
Part of a series ✅

Need I say more really? This just checked all the boxes!! I adored coming back to the DC Eagles family I’ve gotten to know over the coarse of this series. I love hockey, so these hockey romance books are my jam. The hockey terminology explanations, made me laugh. I fully understand why they are in the book and I’m sure I would appreciate them if I didn’t know hockey 🏒. But I do so I got a chuckle each time something was explained.

I loved that Farrah baked, I could relate 100% with that and all the Disney references that her character thought or talked about. I could easily picture Bruce as Kristoff from Frozen. I was cheering for her from the beginning. If you enjoy hockey romance novels, check out the entire DC Eagles series! They are all good!!

Secret or Shutout delivers a steamy, emotional ride with the perfect mix of forbidden romance and sports drama. The chemistry between Farrah and her brother’s best friend is undeniable from the very first kiss, and watching them try (and fail) to resist each other is both fun and intense.

The dual POV adds depth, especially as the stakes rise on and off the ice. There’s a strong emotional core, too, with real-life issues like PCOS and infertility woven into the story in a thoughtful way. If you love slow-burn, forbidden love with lots of heart and heat (even if it fades to black), this one’s a total score.

this was a good book and part of a series that I enjoy for the characters but sometiems the writing and charateriziations are not that strong.

Secret or Shutout is the fourth hockey romance in the D.C. Eagles series. Bruce has been hooked on Farrah Remington since he met her in a bar, but when she turns out to be his teammates sister she becomes off limits. Try telling his heart that. All this time later Brice is still head over heels for her. Does Farrah feel the same way? Will Bruce be able to convince her that they are worth the risk?

I have read the other books in this series and have been hot and cold on whether they are for me or not. This book fell into the for me category. I enjoyed this book from start to finish and thought Farrah and Bruce were great together. Bruce was the perfect teddy bear for Farrah and I loved his gentle and caring side. The romance in this book was sweet and had a slow burn and that worked for this relationship. I’m glad I stuck this series out and really enjoyed this book.

This is the second book I’ve read of Bruner’s and it was another great one. This author writes hockey so well. Along with high angst and great chemistry with her characters.

Bruce is the biggest flirt and the biggest softy I’ve read in a while. He had an instant attraction to Farrah and how they met was full of fireworks. Even with the flirting, he’s a great guy who would do anything for Farrah. She’s been hurt from her previous marriage and has a secret she isn’t telling Bruce.

I enjoyed how these two worked for their relationship. Farrah is trying to hold it together, while seeing everyone around her have babies, the one thing she isn’t sure she can do. I appreciated how Bruce cares for Farrah. He truly would do anything for her and I loved his devotion. I enjoyed the team camaraderie and the hockey playing. The dual POV is well done. Bruce’s and Farrah’s sizzling chemistry is off the charts. Along with that is depth and loyal friendship. I loved how Farrah found herself again.

The audio narrators are fantastic. These characters leap off the pages because of their performances. Alex Picard and Lee Samuels have great tone for the characters they portrayed.

I received a NetGalley approval for the audiobook. Thank you to the publisher for the #gifted approval.

I’ve been a fan of the DC Eagles series from the beginning, and Secret or Shut Out by Leah Bruner didn’t disappoint! I’m a big fan of audiobooks and enjoyed the narrators and their chemistry. This installment delivers a heartfelt forbidden romance with added tension of brother’s best friend AND teammate and a little bit of an age gap. There is some discussion and experience with fertility struggles but it is spoken about with care and adds depth to the story.



One of my favorite aspects of this series continues to be the way Leah Bruner adds in moments with the other DC Eagles players we’ve fallen in love wi the throughout the series. The team dynamics are always a highlight, giving a fun moment here and there with the interconnected sports romance series. There’s even a mention of Alexander Ovechkin—which was exciting for me as a Capitals fan who followed the Great Chase for 895. This comical reference felt like a surprising little nod to the real world, almost like a fun peek into a parallel universe.

A cute and sweet closed door sports romance for someone looking for a heartfelt light read. Four stars and recomen the whole series. I received this audiobook as an advanced review copy and offer my honest opinion voluntarily.

I adored this book! 📖 did I cry? Absolutely! Would I read it again also yes! She’s one of my new fav authors!!! Anything she writes I will read! Please know that there’s talks of infertility which resonated with me so much. It was so worth the read.

Only kisses no spice

I love this author. I have read a lot by this author and have loved every book I have come across. I was sucked into this book from the first page and wished I had more story to read.

Obsessssedddd. This was such a cute story and I love the energy that the characters are giving. They had the emotional development that I love to see in books!

4⭐️ - I loved it

Wow, this book really got to me. Secret or Shutout combines a lovingly ice hockey romance with heavy topics in a fade to black romance story.

The FMC in this book has been through a tough heartbreak and consequently struggles with negative thoughts and low self-esteem. A top of that, PCOS and unwanted childlessness form important topics in this book. All these topics were very well written and represented in my opinion and touched me deeply.

I felt so much for the FMC, Farrah, all she had been through and what she struggles with now. You are just wishing her all the best in the world. Luckily, the author created the perfect MMC for her and she deserves it. The MMC in the story, Bruce, is the biggest golden retriever ever and is in a mission to love. He makes this whole book feel like a warm bath and I enjoyed every minute of this loving story!

Thank you Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the Advanced Listening Copy of this story.

🏒Book Review🏒

To start with, I want to note that I felt that Leah (the author) did a fabulous job of writing about chronic illness, PCOS, and infertility, which was done in such a sensitive way. It was both devastating and heartwarming to read about the FMC's journey with these issues. Bruce is what every girl wants in life. A devoted, loving, golden retriever who would do anything for Farrah, especially when she's ill. This was so lovely to read. Farrah is a strong and brave female that all women want to be. I also really like the cameos of past characters and how their stories interlinked. The narration was good but would have been better as a duet. I'm sad to say that this is the last in the series, but I look forward to seeing what the author writes next.

Big thanks to netgalley and Leah Brunner for a copy of this audiobook. This opinion is my own.

First I would like to thank Dreamscape Media for providing me an audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A 6'5 NHL goalie walks into a bar and meets the love of his life… no, this isn't the start of a bad joke.

What I Loved:
- Age Gap, I love the age gap flip with the FMC is older than the MMC
- D.C. Eagles, the team is fun group of guys where I enjoy most of their interactions especially their playoffs intervention for Bruce
- Hockey Romance, I'm a sucker for hockey romances cause it always includes a bunch of characters and I'm actually learning more about the sport
- Audiobook quality, I adored the quality of the audiobook and the narrators did a great job to really emulate Farrah and Bruce

Overall this book was okay for me. I think the hardest part was how resistant Farrah was to give Bruce a chance due to her inability to easily have a baby. I am not a person who is interested in having kids myself so having your entire life dictated by this was just difficult for me to relate to and it kind of took me out of the story overall. I did appreciate that it brought up alternative like adoption but I really did not have any connection with Farrah other than her attraction to Bruce.

If the above doesn't bother you and are looking for a closed door hockey romance with a brother teammate trope, lots of fun side characters and a fun age gap I would absolutely recommend this book.

This was a fun listen and the story was engaging. What I did not like were the narrators and the “voices” they used-especially for a child. It just felt like there had to be a better way to do the voice without it sounding like a caricature. I would like to re-read the book as a physical book.

The DC Eagles are a team unlike any other. Bruce and Farrah’s story is messy and beautiful and hard and wonderful all at the same time.

Their first meeting is unlike any other and by the time they figure out who the other one is... well lets just say, things get complicated. Add in some time, major pining from Bruce, secret glances from Farrah, lots of sweet treats, and a cute niece, and you have such a wonderful love story.

The character development felt so raw and real to me. Farrah needed time to process her marriage ending and why. She has real fears about pursuing a new relationship and what her future might or might not hold. Bruce has so much to offer on the outside (hot - stylish - hockey hunk) but even more to offer on the inside. He is patient yet persistent, caring, and kind. Green flags all the way!

This was my first book by this author and I jumped into the 4th and final book in a series with this one. But I didn't have any problems with doing so. I didn't feel like I missed anything from not reading the first books because the author did a good job with giving enough information for other characters or situations so the reader doesn't feel lost. And let me tell ya, I really liked all of the other characters a lot. They were such a great support of each other and like a family. Made me want to go enjoy the other D.C. Eagles Hockey books!

I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrators were enjoyable in their delivery of bringing these characters to life. I had a long drive to make and was happy to have this audiobook to listen to and enjoy while doing so. I laughed and teared up with the storyline and struggles and joy of Farrah and Bruce's story.

Bruce is such a sweetheart. He kept showing up for Farrah and showed her that he really cared for her and would be there through all of the ups and downs. He was just the best! Farrah's struggles pulled me into her story and I felt so connected to her emotionally and wanted her pain and hurt to heal and for her to find peace and joy in her life. I had a big smile on my face with the chemistry and swoon factor between these two.

Content: PG-13. There is some mild language. Mostly just kisses but there is a fade to black scene between a married couple as well. Talk of PCOS, infertility and divorce.

I received a copy from the publisher, Dreamscape Media, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Listening or Reading!!!

I have read and enjoyed all the earlier DC eagles books. It is a fun series with lots of good mental health representation. While I enjoyed this one it was not my favorite. Struggles with infertility and a diagnosis of PCOS. I have read books where this was a large part of the FMC's story that I really enjoyed but in this case, I struggled with Farrah as a character. I myself am a woman who has always wanted children and had to grapple with the idea of never having them. It is sad but the way Farrah wanted it gave me vibes of I want to fulfil my role in the patriarchy at times. I don't think that was the author's intention but there were times when Farrah's struggle felt like more than just not being able to have a traditional family.

I did really enjoy Bruce and Farrah's chemistry and the slow burn here. It was nice to see them fight for a relationship that had a lot of complications. Bruce's transformation from playboy to golden retriever was fun to see and I loved watching him fight for her.

I listened to the audiobook of this story and mainly enjoyed it. I did struggle a bit because I felt like the female narrator spoke at a different speed than the male narrator so I'd have to adjust every time it switch POV. I'd say if you are a picky audiobook listener this might be one to read with your eyeballs.

I rated this one 4.5 stars! As usual, Dreamscape Media did a tremendous job of the production of this audiobook and so did Leah in writing it! This is the first book of the series I have read (I know; I know), but it was SO GOOD. If you love hockey romances, but you also love books that tackle important issues, THIS IS A MUST READ. If you don’t want to know what the big topics are, stop reading!


This is a brother’s teammate where the FMC is struggling with infertility, PCOS, and divorce. He’s the goalie and a total golden retriever.

Thank you Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.