ARC Review: Nanny in the Neutral Zone (Gold Coast Guardians #2) by Theresa Papa
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Series: Gold Coast Guardians #2
Author: Theresa Papa
Published Published January 24th 2026 by AMPAPA L.L.C.
Goodreads Synopsis
She’s a single mom.
He’s hockey’s hottest bachelor.
When a one-night stand leaves a surprise baby on the goalie’s doorstep, he’s drafted onto a new team he’s never trained for.
Piper
Hurricane Milton took my home, my daycare business, and my stability. When I find myself with nowhere to go, an unexpected offer puts me under the same roof as Chase Maddox. He’s gruff, stubborn, and infuriatingly handsome, but he’s also a man who’s desperate for help. I’m an expert on how to handle tiny humans; it’s the giant, brooding goalie that throws me for a loop.
Chase
They call me the madman between the pipes, the goalie who knows how to protect what’s mine. I don’t do surprises, and I definitely don’t do “feelings.” But when a screaming infant is abandoned on my doorstep with a note claiming he’s mine, my world takes a hit. My teammate’s sister shows up knowing how to calm a screaming newborn, how to handle bottles and diapers like its instinct. What she doesn’t know is what she does to me.
Having her under my roof is a different kind of danger. She moves through my space as if she belongs there, with a quiet confidence that gets under my skin. I notice the way her shirt slips off one shoulder when she rocks my son at two in the morning. The way my name sounds in her mouth when the house is dark and everything feels too close. People say I guard my heart as fiercely as I guard the net, but Piper Stevens is finding gaps in my defense.Are you ready for a sizzling romance as Piper and Chase discover that working together as a team will lead to the best win of their lives?
Perfect for fans of found family, opposites attract, and tender moments that melt even the toughest hearts.
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via BookSirens. This in no way impacted on my view.
Hockey goalie, Chase Maddox's world is flipped upside down when a baby - his baby - is left on his doorstep. He didn't even know that his one night stand was even pregnant, and what is he supposed to do with a baby? His whole life revolves around hockey, and with the injuries he's hiding, he needs to be at the top of his game or else he'll lose his career. Luckily for Chase, his best friend Max's sister, Piper is visiting with her children, and as an experienced childminder, she knows how to care for the new born. After Piper lost everything following Hurricane Milton, she's struggled to find her feet. Caring for little Luke brings back her spark, and moving in with Chase helps her remember what it's like to thrive.
I much preferred this book to book 1. I love the found family trope, and this book did it so well. Piper was such a strong character, who had been hurt in the past, and was struggling to find herself again. She gave her everything for her children, and though Luke wasn't biologically hers, she was his mother in every way that counts. Chase was a bit of a tortured soul, who knew his contract was up at the end of the season, and with the way his body was betraying him, he felt as if he needed to hide every ache and pain to keep his career. Luke's arrival completely throws him, but as terrified as he is, he takes to being a father. Chase and Piper are clearly drawn to each other, and the slow burn to full on love was a great plot line. I'm glad I continued with the series, and really want to read Max and Toni's story.
Dates Read:
January 22, 2025
Rating
3 Stars
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