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King of
My Heart
March 30, 2026
Cover Design: FINHARA LLC
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Tropes: Hockey romance, Small town romance, Second Chance romance, Lovers to enemies to lovers, She falls first/He falls harder, Social media scandal/reputation ruin, Medical injury, Betrayal/Grovel, Hidden truth revealed/Uncovered, STEM Teacher
His downfall began long before the injury that took him off the ice.
One catastrophic hit during a nationally televised hockey game ends Brennan McCallister’s career. His freedom on the ice, his fame, his identity—gone in seconds. Reeling from the career-ending blow and the crushing media attention that follows, Brennan escapes to a secluded cabin he bought, desperate to find his new normal.
He never expects to find Amy Delgadina there—or realize that seeing her after all these years will shock him worse than the hit that ended everything. She was once the queen of his heart before an explicit photo of her flooded the internet and shattered the future they planned. Brennan believed the rumors instead of believing in her. He walked away to protect his shot at the pros—and broke her in the process.
Now? He’s moved to
her town.
What Brennan doesn’t know is that the photo was taken without her consent—and Amy has the proof.
Amy isn’t the same girl he left behind. This compact ball of fury is one of the youngest and most respected STEM teachers in Oklahoma—a woman who rebuilt her life after erasing her digital shadow. Running into Brennan again feels like reopening a wound she fought hard to close.
Except, the chemistry between them is impossible to ignore.
Amy’s determined to protect the life she fought for. Brennan is determined to uncover the truth he walked away from all those years ago. Yet, every time they clash—emotionally or physically—the pull between them is harder to deny.
But when the source of the photo steps back into their lives, will Brennan choke under pressure or will he win the only game that matters—love?
Excerpt
Brennan
Crossing the street near the hardware store, I see the sign halfway down the block swinging gently in the breeze—The Honeyed Hearth. Something makes me hesitate on the sidewalk longer than I should. I don’t know why, since Mark swears this place is going to be life changing.
Trusting his instinct, I go in.
The inside is warm in a way that isn’t just temperature, but atmospheric. Wood tables. Soft lighting. A long glass counter displays mouth-watering baked goods that make me realize I need to start working out again sooner rather than later. A woman behind the counter looks up and offers a smile. “Morning. See anything you like?”
I’m about to ask what their special of the day is when I hear the name that’s been popping into my thoughts more often as of late. “Amy—large honey latte, to go.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I freeze. There’s a woman with dark hair falling down her back who accepts the drink. Her “Thanks, Trista,” resonates in the marrow of my bones.
Stunned, I turn my head slowly to make certain I’m not losing my mind. It can’t be…
“You’re welcome, teach.”
It’s unmistakably my Amy. Just seeing her feels like I just got rammed into the boards. My heart pumps so hard in my chest, I’m afraid I’m going to pass out.
“Don’t let your kids give you any grief today.” The young barista behind the counter encourages her.
“Thanks, Trista. I’ll be sure to tell them you said that.” The beauty of her smile still illuminates the room, even if it’s not aimed in my direction.
I grip the edge of the counter, grounding myself in the feel of the cool wood beneath my fingers. How is it possible Amy is standing in front of me?
When she turns toward the door, our eyes connect. My breath falters even as emotions flit across her face—recognition giving way to anger and disdain before flipping to a mask so blank it causes my stomach to drop. Without a word of acknowledgement, she saunters out the door.
I don’t move.
I can’t speak.
It isn’t until the woman behind the counter clears her throat prompting, “Sir?” I blink and realize I’m holding up the line.
“Right,” I mutter. “Uh, I’ll have that honey latte thing. Also a piece of honey loaf bread.”
“Would you like it here or to go?”
“Here.” I tap my card, add a tip, and take a seat along the wall, my back to most of the room. I stare out the window until sunlight blinds me. As my eyes adjust as rapidly as my heart, I realize two truths.
I didn’t imagine her. And there’s no way this is a coincidence.
Whipping out my phone, I text Mark:
Me: You knew she lives here?
Of course now is when he chooses not to respond. I’m grateful when my name is called to pick up my order. After sitting back down, I take a sip and consider what I heard. She’s a teacher.
She always said this is what she wanted.
GAMES OF LOVE SERIES
About the Author
Tracey Jerald has been making up stories for as long as she can remember—starting on bike rides through her Connecticut neighborhood and escalating to rewriting book endings instead of finishing college assignments. (In her defense, happily-ever-afters and Greek mythology both deserve proper attention.)
That lifelong love of storytelling eventually turned into the Amaryllis Series, and from there, an ever-growing catalog of emotionally rich contemporary romance and women’s fiction.
Tracey is the best-selling author of more than thirty novels, including the beloved Amaryllis Series, Midas Series, and Glacier Adventure Series. Her books are known for their heartfelt emotion, strong heroines, found family, second chances, and swoon-worthy romance—often layered with humor, angst, and just enough realism to make the happy endings feel earned.
Her novels are available on Amazon and free with Kindle Unlimited, and she has also contributed to multiple anthologies supporting both reader enjoyment and charitable causes.
When she’s not writing, Tracey is living her own happily ever after in north Florida, where she’s been married since 2007. She and her husband have one son—who is just as devoted to Fortnite as Tracey is to coffee. You’ll often find her plotting her next story, training for a runDisney event, or indulging her HGTV habit while convincing herself it totally counts as research.
If you love emotional contemporary romance, strong women, meaningful relationships, and stories that stay with you long after “The End,” you’re in the right place.
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For all press and media inquiries regarding the captivating world of contemporary romance crafted by Tracey Jerald, please reach out to tracey@traceyjerald.com.