A Realistic Second-Chances Full of Heart

5 out of 5 stars

Wake Up, Nat & Darcy pulled me in immediately, mostly because I’m a sucker for exes-forced-to-work-together and also because I once grabbed this audiobook the day it came out… then promptly forgot it existed (classic me). But wow, I’m glad I circled back. This one hit in that messy, human way where you feel like you’re watching two real people stumble through old wounds.

The dynamic between Nat and Darcy is brutally believable: the history, the rivalry, the resentment they both pretend has totally evaporated (it hasn’t), all of it wrapped in that familiar sapphic-romance brand of “why are you two like this?” I could feel the knots in their stomachs every time they circled the same hurts, and yeah, it was maddening. But in the best way. This is the kind of conflict that feels earned, not manufactured, and when a book pulls that off, it shows.

Jeremy Carlisle Parker absolutely levels this performance. She’s quickly creeping into my short list of favorite sapphic narrators, and she makes Nat and Darcy sound so distinct that it almost feels like a dual cast. Every sharp edge, every vulnerable crack, every longing moment hits harder because of her delivery. I kept thinking, “Oh no, this hurts,” while also refusing to pause.

The emotional payoff? Worth all the teeth-grinding. It’s honest, it’s earned, and it doesn’t pretend these two magically fix everything because love conquers all. They have to actually deal with the past, and those hard conversations end up being some of the best scenes in the book. The plot thread about Darcy’s NHL-famous dad overshadowing her, even though she has two gold medals? That storyline cracked me wide open. It adds depth without overshadowing the romance, and honestly, it might be my favorite part of the whole thing.

If you love second-chance sapphic romance with real emotional grit, strong athletic vibes, and a narrator who brings the heat, this one’s absolutely worth your time. Just be ready for feelings, because they show up early and skate circles around you.

Book Description:

Ex-lovers. Ex-rivals. New cohosts. Oh, puck.

Cut from the U.S. women’s hockey team right before her third chance at gold, Natalie Carpenter is scrambling for a plan that’ll help her avoid moving back home. The answer: a guest hosting gig on Wake Up, USA’s winter games coverage. Her co-host: Darcy LaCroix, Nat’s ex-girlfriend, one-time college teammate turned adversary.

Since leaving Team Canada, Darcy has worked hard to make a name in broadcasting. If her big break requires sharing screen time with the former cocky freshman who turned her world upside down, so be it. At this point, there’s nothing between them except history.

But audiences disagree. #PuckingHotties is trending hard, and Nat and Darcy agree to lean into it…for ratings, obviously. It’s not like Nat can forget the way Darcy broke her heart or their bitter team rivalry.

Between working, traveling together, and that irresistible spark, it’s getting hard to separate what’s real and what’s for the camera. Because somewhere underneath everything that went wrong is the sneaking suspicion that nothing will ever feel quite this right again.

Wake Up, Nat & Darcy by Kate Cochrane
Narrator: Jeremy Carlisle Parker
Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
Published by Harlequin Audio on November 11th 2024
Genres: LesFic/Sapphic Fiction, Second Chance, Workplace / Office Romance
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