Audiobook Chronicles - Romance

You are listening to Chapter 10 of Second Shot by Redbud.

In this chapter, Charlie waits anxiously at Henderson's diner—their old booth—after texting Wyatt to meet her, hoping to discuss the hockey program's fate before Tuesday's budget meeting. As Sally provides endless coffee refills and motherly concern, Charlie endures an awkward encounter with school board treasurer Karen Lawson and her much younger male companion. Just when it seems Wyatt isn't going to show, Charlie spots a photographer outside taking pictures of her through the window. When confronted, the photographer delivers a shocking revelation: Wyatt has signed a contract for a reality show called "Cowboy's Last Stand" about him returning to save the hockey program and reconnect with his high school flame.

Betrayed and furious that Wyatt would turn their complicated history—and her son's future—into entertainment fodder, Charlie abandons her wait at the diner and drives directly to Wyatt's ranch. As she arrives at the familiar property where so many memories were made, Charlie steels herself for confrontation, determined to remind the NHL star why they call her the Ice Queen of Lake Haven High and to protect both her son and the town from becoming reality TV spectacles.

This free audiobook is brought to you by Redbud Tales. To read along with this free sports romance audiobook series, follow Redbud on Inkitt at https://www.inkitt.com/Redbud, where you can enjoy this small-town hockey romance and discover more stories in the Lake Haven series. New chapters of this free audiobook are released regularly.

You are listening to Chapter 9 of Second Shot by Redbud.

In this chapter, we return to Charlie's perspective as she drives with her son Jake to Sunday lunch at her mother's house, the check engine light of her Subaru matching her internal warning signals. While Jake enthusiastically recounts Wyatt's coaching from the night before, Charlie struggles with her complex emotions about Wyatt's return and the impossible position she's in. At her mother's house, tensions escalate when Jake innocently mentions Wyatt's coaching, prompting her mother's protective disapproval and reminders of past heartbreak.

As Charlie washes dishes, her mother delivers uncomfortable truths about history repeating itself—Jake worships Wyatt just as Charlie once did. When her phone buzzes with messages about Tuesday's budget meeting, Charlie finally confesses to her mother the cruel irony of her situation: she must cut the hockey program just as Jake's passion for it has been reignited by Wyatt's coaching. In a moment of desperation, Charlie texts Wyatt to meet at their old booth at Henderson's, only to receive a heartbreaking message from Tank about how excited the team is for their "real coach." As the chapter closes, Charlie faces the painful reality that she'll have to be the villain in this story, destroying not only her son's dreams but possibly any second chance with the man who once broke her heart.

This free audiobook is brought to you by Redbud Tales. To read along with this free sports romance audiobook series, follow Redbud on Inkitt at https://www.inkitt.com/Redbud, where you can enjoy this small-town hockey romance and discover more stories in the Lake Haven series. New chapters of this free audiobook are released regularly.

You are listening to Chapter 8 of Second Shot by Redbud.

In this chapter, we return to Wyatt's perspective as he wakes up at his uncle Jack's old ranch with an unexpected sense of purpose after the previous night's impromptu coaching session. While working shirtless on rebuilding the dilapidated deck, Wyatt spots a photographer with a telephoto lens watching him from the road, leading to an impromptu chase across his property on a dusty 4-wheeler. After sending the paparazzi fleeing, Wyatt receives a call from Tank with urgent news: the rink's cooling system needs fifty thousand dollars in repairs, and if Wyatt wants to coach officially, he'll need to present his case at Tuesday's school board meeting. Tank also reveals that Charlie is now department head for both English and Athletics, putting her at the center of pending program cuts.

As Wyatt processes this information, a call from his agent Nate sparks an unexpected idea—one that might leverage his celebrity status to save the rink, even if it means stepping back into the spotlight he's been avoiding. With determination building, Wyatt formulates a plan that could either be brilliant or disastrous, with the fate of Lake Haven's hockey program hanging in the balance.

This free audiobook is brought to you by Redbud Tales. To read along with this free sports romance audiobook series, follow Redbud on Inkitt at https://www.inkitt.com/Redbud, where you can enjoy this small-town hockey romance and discover more stories in the Lake Haven series. New chapters of this free audiobook are released regularly.

You are listening to Chapter 6 of Second Shot by Redbud.

In this chapter, former NHL player Wyatt finds himself on his sister Kate's porch, confronting difficult memories and an uncertain future. As the sunset paints the sky, Kate and her partner Sarah challenge Wyatt to stop running from his past and embrace a new purpose: coaching the town's struggling youth hockey program. Despite his initial resistance, they present him with his old coaching playbook filled with memories and potential. Later that night, Wyatt drives past the local rink where he discovers kids practicing with makeshift equipment and determination. Watching their passion for the game—and their imperfect technique—awakens something within him, compelling him to step inside and offer his expertise.

This free audiobook is brought to you by Redbud Tales. To read along with this free sports romance audiobook series, follow Redbud on Inkitt at https://www.inkitt.com/Redbud, where you can enjoy this small-town hockey romance and discover more stories in the Lake Haven series. New chapters of this free audiobook are released regularly.

You are listening to Chapter 5 of Second Shot by Redbud.

In this chapter, Kate confronts Wyatt about hiding from his responsibilities and running from his problems - including his unresolved feelings for Charlie. She reminds him of how the hockey rink saved them both after their parents died and challenges him to stop wallowing and start rebuilding. At a family dinner with Kate, her wife Sarah, and their twins, the conversation turns to Charlie when young Jack accidentally mentions seeing her at the grocery store, causing Wyatt to literally choke on his food. The evening ends with Kate presenting him with his old peewee league coaching playbook and pushing him to decide whether he's going to keep running or finally stay and fight for something that matters.

This free audiobook is brought to you by Redbud Tales. To read along with this free romance audiobook series, follow Redbud on Inkitt at https://www.inkitt.com/Redbud, where you can enjoy this small-town hockey romance and discover more stories in the Lake Haven series. New chapters of this free audiobook are released regularly.

Former NHL star Wyatt "Cowboy" Reynolds never planned on coming back to Lake Haven. But a career-ending injury has a way of changing plans. Now he's traded stadium lights for small-town life, only to find himself entangled in two impossible missions: saving the struggling youth hockey program and facing Charlie Brooks—the woman he left behind fifteen years ago.

Charlie's built a good life without Wyatt: teaching English, raising her teenage son, and definitely not thinking about second chances. But when Wyatt steps in to coach her son's team, old sparks reignite. As they fight to save the local rink, they'll discover that some goals are worth scoring, even if it means risking your heart for the perfect assist.

To read the book for free, it will either be listed at Inkitt or on Amazon through their Kindle Unlimited Program here Author Trevor Shelby

You are listening to Chapter 3 Do Not Disturb (The Past), of Second Shot by Redbud.

In this chapter, Wyatt begins settling into his late Uncle Jack's deteriorating ranch, dodging persistent calls from his ex-girlfriend Veronica while trying to figure out his next move. A visit from Sarah Martinez, now a successful real estate agent married to his sister Kate, turns into both a property assessment and a reality check about Lake Haven's struggles. As they tour the neglected house filled with memories, Sarah reveals the youth hockey program is in crisis - the rink's cooling system is failing, equipment funds have mysteriously disappeared, and the kids are practicing with desk chairs as goals. Despite Wyatt's attempts to maintain distance, the pull of the ice and the community that shaped him proves stronger than his desire to hide. By chapter's end, he's made a decision that will change everything - but first, he has to stop running from the life he left behind in the city.

This free audiobook is brought to you by Redbud Tales. To read along with this free romance audiobook series, follow Redbud on Inkitt at https://www.inkitt.com/Redbud, where you can enjoy this small-town hockey romance and discover more stories in the Lake Haven series. New chapters of this free audiobook are released regularly.

You are listening to Chapter 2 of Second Shot by Redbud.

In this chapter, we meet Charlie Brooks, Lake Haven's high school English teacher and single mother, as she grades Romeo and Juliet essays on a quiet Saturday morning. Her cynical corrections about teenage romance are interrupted when her son Jake bursts through the door with earth-shattering news: Wyatt Reynolds - "Cowboy" - is back in town. As Jake gushes about his hockey hero potentially coaching the team, Charlie struggles to hide her panic while her son unknowingly talks about his own father. After Jake rushes off to share the news with friends, Charlie retreats to a hidden shoebox of memories, including newspaper clippings from when Wyatt left fifteen years ago. As her phone explodes with texts from concerned friends, Charlie must face the reality that her carefully constructed life is about to collide with a past she never truly left behind.

This free audiobook is brought to you by Redbud Tales. To read along with this free romance audiobook series, follow Redbud on Inkitt at https://www.inkitt.com/Redbud, where you can enjoy this small-town hockey romance and discover more stories in the Lake Haven series. New chapters of this free audiobook are released regularly.

You are listening to Prologue of Second Shot by Redbud.

In this chapter, former NHL star Wyatt "Cowboy" Reynolds returns to his small hometown of Lake Haven, driving past memories both bitter and sweet in his beat-up truck. The town has changed - some places updated beyond recognition while others remain frozen in time. At Henderson's Feed & Supply, an awkward reunion with his old teammate Tank Thompson reveals that the local youth hockey program is in crisis, with the rink falling apart and no coach to guide the kids. As Wyatt grapples with painful memories of the girl he left behind and the life he chose over love, he learns shocking news about Charlie Brooks - news that might just change everything he thought he knew about the past fifteen years.

This free audiobook is brought to you by Redbud Tales. To read along with this free romance audiobook series, follow Redbud on Inkitt at https://www.inkitt.com/Redbud, where you can enjoy this small-town hockey romance and discover more stories in the Lake Haven series. New chapters of this free audiobook are released regularly.