This is the 4th book in the DC Eagles Hockey collection and such a fun, hockey romance series!

Being a boy mom I LOVED the relationship that we get to see between all the players throughout the series. We watch their fun banter, the “how to win her over” lists, showing up to put together gym equipment or attend a college lecture, and all the love and support for their brothers in the game!

I adore the WAG group too (wives and girlfriends) - the BEST found family!!

Each book focuses on one of the guys, their growth and finding their person.

I love that the series is swoony, but closed door, making it a great series for a high schoolers summer read!

Romance content: closed door, fade to black

I love that this available on audio now!!

This sweet, closed-door hockey romance featuring a marriage of convenience trope not only brings the swoon but also broaches some taboo topics with grace and a bit of humor.
Amber is a new mother who receives help from her childhood best friend, Ford, the caption of the D.C. Eagles hockey team. The amount of love and support shown by Ford is so special it just makes my heart melt (he was always there, no matter the ask), and the author did an exceptional job of portraying his neurodivergent characteristics so well. I appreciated the dual point-of-view and the little tidbits of character development/relationship building with a few flashback chapters.
This is the third book in the D.C. Eagles Series-I am definitely going to be catching up with the rest of the team’s stories soon! The two narrators did such a great job. Thank you to the author, @netgalley and @dreamscape_media for a copy of the audiobook.
4.25 stars

"Ford, this is a once in a lifetime…once in a universe, type of love."

- Hockey romance (NHL team captain)
- Marriage of convenience
- Childhood best friends to lovers
- Single mum
- He falls first/it's always been you
- Mental health rep (MMC has Aspergers)
- Found family
- Closed door
- Slow-burn romance with no breakup
- Dual POV
- Narrated by Alex Picard & David Bendena

Premise: you need surgery, but you don't have health insurance, so you fake-marry your rich NHL captain best friend.

What to expect in Betrothal or Breakaway:
- The biggest softie sweetheart MMC 🥺. Who knew an NHL captain could be so relatable? I definitely saw pieces of myself in Ford. He was quiet yet so thoughtful, sweet, and generous to both Amber and Nella. "My heartbeat now thrums with the word mine as I look at them." Oh, and he might love to spoil her... and have a secret tattoo 👀.
- The best family and found family vibes. Amber got the family she always dreamed of, plus a bonus found family.
- Childhood best friends to lovers perfection. I love the comfort and familiarity of this trope, but this book adds another layer because of Ford's Aspergers. Amber intrinsically understands him and his needs. It was just so sweet to see their friendship slowly turn into more. I also love that we got little snippets from their past.
- A slow burn, closed-door romance that didn't feel slow as the tension built beautifully! Plus, no breakup.

If you're looking for a sweet hockey romance series, I couldn't recommend the DC Eagles series more. I've listened to every book on audio and adore them all.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Leah for the early audio copy!

This contains an audiobook review.

This is the third book in the DC Eagles series by Lean Brunner. While it does reference some characters from previous books, it can absolutely be enjoyed as a standalone story.

I am going to copy the author's content notes here, so you can be aware of some potential triggers.
"Betrothal or Breakaway is a dual POV, fade-to-black romance with mild langauge. This book is light-hearted, but contains themes of minor heart surgery, broken engagement, and difficult parental relationships."
It also features a neuro divergent character.


I have listened to the other 2 books in the series and I think this one may be my favorite. We finally get Ford./Remy's back story along with meeting his best friend since second grade, Amber. I liked that since the two of them have been friends for so long and trust each other, we don't get some of the usual obstacles in romcoms. They have other issues to work through. And I enjoyed that.i aso didn't find it as crude as some of the other books.

The book is first person, dual point of view and uses a male and female narrator. The female is the same voice in the other books in this series, but I have never heard this specific male narrator before. He took me by surprise at first. I was getting some Joe Biden voice vibes from his cadence or something. But as the audio continued, I forgot about that and he became Remy. Both voice actors did a nice job.

Thanks to Dreamscape Media, Leah Brunner and Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of this audiobook. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

When Ford's childhood best friend, Amber, needs his help, he is 100% willing to help in any way that he can...even if that means getting married. Amber's fiancé left her after she told him she was pregnant and during childbirth, she found out that she has a hole in her heart that needs to be repaired. Ford is more than willing to step in and marry Amber so that she and her daughter can have health insurance and support during this time, but the feelings he has harbored for Amber for years will start to get in the way.

I loveeee so many of Leah Brunner's books and this may be my favorite so far. Ford has Asperger's and has know Amber since they were in school together and she made him feel comfortable in the classroom. I loved getting to see the other characters form the DC Eagles series and how they took Amber and her daughter in and made them feel like family. This story has plenty of romance without the over the top spicy parts, but it is clear how much they truly cared about each other as friends which was able to lead to more.

4.5/5

Love a best friends to lovers, marriage of convenience romance. This was a really sweet listen!

Narration was really well done and there was neurodivergent rep with Ford's Asperger's syndrome.

I feel like the story build up was a bit slow and could have been shorter overall but I did find myself wanting to keep listening.

✨️💚✨️Audio Book Review✨️💚✨️

Book: Betrothal Or Breakaway
Author: Leah Brunner
Rating: 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was such a good book!

I am definitely adding Ford to my list of book boyfriends. I love him so much and all of his aspergers quirks.

This story involves childhood bestfriends who decide to get married so that the FMC can use the MMC's insurance, and it also has the sweetest little baby you will ever met.

The plot was heartfelt and sweet, and also left me entertained from the beginning to the end.

You get:
• Sports Romance (Hockey)
• Single Mom
• Best Friends To Lovers
• Marriage Of Convience
• Aspergers Rep
• Virgin MMC
• No 3rd Act Breakup

I highly suggest you pick this one up and there are actually more in the series before this one too, for you to check out! Available on Amazon ku, ebook, paperback, and audiobook (tomorrow)!

I loved this book the first time, and the narration just made me fall in love with it all over again!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Spice: 🌶 (fade to black)

💜What I loved💜
The representation with a neurodivergent hero was incredible. Leah Brunner tackled Ford's abilities in a super unique way. A perfect read for Autism Awareness Month! I really loved Amber and Ford as main characters. I didn't think that they had much chemistry in the beginning, but once you learn more about their history and get to know their personalities, it starts to make more sense. Ford's "My wife" moments were *chefs kiss* 😘

💔What I didn't love💔
I think the one thing bringing the rating down for me is the pacing. There was just something off with the way one chapter left off, and the next one started. Almost like some plot driving scenes were left out.

While this one wasn't my favorite of the series, I still enjoyed reading it! (I don't think anything will top Desire or Defense imo 🤭) These are perfect books for when you need a low conflict, easy read!

✨️Tropes✨️
• Best Friends to Lovers
• Neurodivergent Hero
• Single Mom X Hockey Captain
• Marriage of Convenience
• Sick Bed Scene
• “My Wife”

First thing’s first: thank you Netgalley for the ALC of this book!
Betrothal or Breakaway was a friends to lovers marriage of convenience story. Amber is a single mother with a heart condition and no insurance. Ford is her best friend and the captain of an NHL team with killer insurance for himself AND his dependents. He’s also always been in love with his best friend.
This was a cute book but I really had a hard time with some outdated language, especially as it pertained the MMC who has autism. “Aspberger’s” and “high functioning autistic/autism” rubbed me the wrong way. It also seems like the author wrote an autistic person without actually knowing any autistic people. She focused in on a couple more common traits and said “now THAT is an autistic main character!” Without any of the nuance. Idk I wasn’t super crazy about how he was written or talked about in this book. If we move past that, it was a decent book. Nothing particularly special, but it was still good. Heavy on the cliches, but enjoyable.
3⭐️

Outstanding. Absolutely loved this book. The narration was great as well. I’ll also be reading the other books by this author.
Loved the male neurodivergent rep.

I fell in love with Ford and Amber’s story all over again. The narrators did a fantastic job.

I love childhood friends to lovers when they flashback to pivotal moments to their friendship. I loved seeing how Ford and Amber grew in their friendship through childhood into adulthood. Their marriage of convenience allowed Ford to really express his feelings without scaring Amber away but allowed her to recognize how she could/did feel about him.

Leah Brunner did an amazing job with the autism rep. I loved how well she explained Ford’s mind and how he felt towards touch and especially the perception of his diagnosis from others. I really feel like she made Ford true to his character from the other books as well.

The DC Eagles are books I will always recommend and this one is no different!

While this wasn't my favorite of the DC Eagles Hockey series, it was still a heartwarming, feel-good, marriage of convenience romance with great neurodiversity and disability rep. I love that it was two childhood friends, a single mother/pro hockey player pairing, and absolutely fell in love with team captain Ford and his giant marshmallow heart! Great on audio and highly recommended for fan of authors like Jenny Proctor and Emma St. Clair. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I love a friends-to-lovers story, and it turns out that childhood best friends-to-lovers (complete with flashbacks!) is next level. Betrothal or Breakaway is the latest title in the D.C. Eagles Hockey Series, but it can be read as a standalone. There's a lot happening here - friends-to-lovers, single mom, marriage of convenience, sports romance, neurodivergent male main character, family drama - but it is handled with aplomb. The narrators were wonderful and portrayed the characters just how I imagined. I highly recommend checking out this audiobook for a fun, sweet, and heart-felt read.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for gifting me with an ALC to review. All opinions are my own.

Soo good. I loved the characters. There is so much going on but it is all handlers very well. I have loved this series but this might just be my favorite. Don’t skip this series!

Betrothal or Breakaway by Leah Brunner is the full package of all the feels and I loved it! Amber and Ford are quite possibly one the most mature, amazing couples I have had the privilege of reading. On the one hand, they have been best friends since they were in second grade, but even in that, they truly know, value, and respect one another. They understand all the nuances and idiosyncrasies and still embrace the other, just as they are. When Ford offers to step in and help, and Amber realizes the value of the plan, their friendship achieves a whole new level makeover. I love how well they handled the transition, awkward moments and all. And Ford and little Nella together, oh my! Ford really steps up as Amber’s champion and protector and Amber is there for Ford in all of his struggles with neurodivergence. I love how Ford’s family welcomed Amber, and all of the WAGs of the Eagles embraced her and made her one of their own. It was just a feel-good story full of friendship, family, stepping up for those you love, and an amazing love story. Full of sweetness, cuteness, chemistry, and pulse pounding romance. There is some language, but it remains clean and closed door.
I especially enjoyed the audiobook and hearing the story played out in my mind. The narrators did a good job with all the characters and conveyed the right emotions and tone at the right pace.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own.

I received an audiobook copy of this for my honest review

I love the DC Eagles series! In this one we focus on our hockey captain as the MMC and his childhood best friend as the FMC. When she brings her 3 month old daughter to visit him, she lets him know she has a small hole in her heart and needs to have surgery. He comes up with the idea that they should get married. She can go on his insurance, he can help in her recovery, oh and he has been in love with her since they were 8. In addition as a someone with high functioning autism, his parents worry he is always going to be alone, so this agreement gets them off his back. Will this arrangement help them bridge the gap between friends and partners or will the baby's father get in the way?

Betrothal Or Breakaway is the third book in the DC Eagles Hockey series and can be read totally fine as a standalone. I haven't read the prior books and fully enjoyed this one. It was such a sweet, adorable and swoony book. I gave me all the warm fuzzies with how cute it was.

Amber & Ford were just so cute together. They're childhood best friends and have always been there for each other. They end up needing to get married for Amber to have insurance. Ford takes her and her daughter, he is just the best father to her. He was so obsessed with them both and it gave me all the feels.

Although this book has no spice, the love and chemistry between Amber & Ford was truly felt through the pages. Also kudos to the author for the great Aspergers rep, it was smoothly done ! Great light, fluffy read, perfect to make you feel good !

🎧 The narration by Alex Picard & David Bendena was really good. I was hooked on their voices. They played the characters and emotions perfectly. I could sense it through their voices and it really brought the story to life.

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @dreamscapemedia, @leahbrunner for my gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I like this series and the author so far, and this book was good and liked that other characters came back from the other books

The book starts out with trigger warnings, which I love.

Amber’s fiance leaves when he finds out she's pregnant. While giving birth she finds out she has a hole in her heart and may need surgery to fix it. The kicker? She doesn't have insurance…her ex was going to add her to his once they married. She goes to her best friend, Ford for help. They’ve been friends since childhood. Of course he wants to help her…he’s wanted to be more than friends for years. Will Amber and Ford become more than friends?

This is the third book in the series, but can be read as a stand-a-lone. I have not read the other two books in the series and it did not hinder my enjoyment of this book.

I love the representation of Asperger’s in this book! I have a friend and a brother in law with Asperger’s and it made me super happy to hear that it’s represented in this book. I love books that represent different disabilities.

No real spice in this, so younger reads can definitely enjoy it without parents worrying what they’re reading. It’s a cute romance and a light read.

This book is amazing! I had already read it, and when I got the chance to listen to the audiobook, I just had to get it. The narration was perfect and made me fall even more in love with the story. Alex Picard and David Bendena did an excellent job.

🌹Best friends to lovers
🌹 Marriage of convenience
🌹 Single mom
🌹 Closed door romance

This is my favorite Leah Brunner's book so far. Ford just stole my heart, sorry Colby.

Ford was a character I fell in love with from the beginning; I loved the representation of neurodiversity he brought. Getting inside his head was amazing, and I just wanted to hug him so badly.

Amber is the kind of character I love, strong, and knows what she wants. Despite everything she's going through, she still remains a queen.

The story, in my opinion, unfolded perfectly. Ford's initial reaction to meeting Amber and getting to know Nella felt so real, and I liked that. As the story progresses, you can see the connection Ford forms with Nella, and they're just so cute together. Ford is truly a Daddy.

Amber and Ford are adorable together, and Amber really understands Ford. And for anyone thinking that just because the book is a closed-door romance, you wouldn't be grinning like crazy, blushing, and tapping your feet, well, you're wrong. These two are *chef's kiss*.

I