Daring the Defender by Angel Lawson book cover
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Daring the Defender

Series membership: Wittmore U Hockey · Listed position 3
HEA 2025 Adult
About this book

There's only one person who would take me in after leaving my fiancé-my brother Axel. Unfortunately, he's not the one who answered the door on that wintery Valentine's night. That was his best friend and roommate, Reid Wilder. Copper-colored hair, dark eyes, and the number eight tattooed on his bicep. I should have turned around when he mistook me for a puck bunny and invited me in. I definitely should have said no to the drink he offered while I waited. But the biggest mistake I made was climbing into his lap and kissing him. * The rest of the campus may think it's pathetic that I spent Valentine's Day alone and not with one of the puck bunnies that love the Wittmore hockey players. But I know better. Valentine's Day is for committed relationships-like the one I just got out of with my ex. Nah, I'll just stay home, eat my heart-shaped pizza, and grab some half-off candy tomorrow. At least that was my plan until a girl showed up on my doorstep looking for my roommate Axel. Figuring this was a former hook-up, I tried to shoo her off, but she was persistent. And cute. Axel's got a girlfriend now. I figure why not mend my broken heart with the girl Cupid dropped off at my doorstep? So I kiss her. Not just a kiss, I realize. Her first kiss. And when her overprotective brother finds out? It'll probably be my last. Shelby and Reid's story is about a brother's best friend, secret and forbidden, college hockey, spicy romance. Daring the Defender is a standalone novel in the Wittmore U: Hockey series.

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Best for readers who like: Readers seeking Sports romance
What do these ratings mean?

These are Eerie's editorial scores. Spice is scored out of 5; the other scores are out of 10. Higher intensity does not mean a better book. Romance Focus measures how central the relationship is to the story. Overall Recommendation is Eerie's recommendation for the book's intended readers.

Read the full rating methodology

Spice3/5
Darkness5/10
Obsession5/10
Psychological5/10
Violence3/10
Emotional Damage5/10
Trigger Intensity5/10
Romance Focus8/10

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Book at a Glance

Series membershipWittmore U Hockey
Readable on its ownno
POVDual POV
PaceMedium
EndingHEA
WorldContemporary
SubgenreDark contemporary romance — title-level subtype not independently verified
FMC TypeInnocent / Inexperienced • Vulnerable / Guarded
MMC OccupationAthlete
Writing StyleDark / Intense
MMC PersonalityPlayful, caring, protective, commitment-wary
FMC PersonalitySheltered, inexperienced, brave, affectionate

Tropes & Themes

Trigger Warnings

These tags describe potentially sensitive material in the book and may not be a complete list. A missing warning does not confirm that the content is absent. HEA/HFN describes the romantic ending, not the absence of disturbing content. Check the author's current content notes before reading.

emotional conflictfamily pressurejealousysexual content

Eerie Take

Overall Recommendation9/10
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Intensity
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Spice
3/5
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Darkness
5/10
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Obsession
5/10
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Psychological Intensity
5/10
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Violence
3/10
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Emotional Damage
5/10
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Trigger Intensity
5/10
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Romance Focus
8/10
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