Icing The Kicker (The San Francisco Redwoods # 3), Emily Shacklette

Description

Icing the Kicker
By Emily Shacklette — Paperback, November 2025
Book 3 in The San Francisco Redwoods series

A flirty, fast-paced, deeply romantic sports romance about superstition, sizzling chemistry, and two pro athletes who are supposed to keep things casual… but absolutely do not.

Elliot Baker has his life figured out. As the San Francisco Redwoods’ star long kicker, he’s famous for clutch plays, a killer smile, and never getting attached. Nights out? Sure. Feelings? Absolutely not.

Then there’s Alex Holmes—goalie for the San Francisco Thunder, gorgeous in that painfully-straight, annoyingly-perfect way, and the last guy Elliot expects to kiss him back. But one impulsive kiss before a big game leads to a Thunder win, and suddenly Alex is convinced that Elliot is his new good-luck charm.

The arrangement is supposed to be simple: keep things casual, keep the superstition alive, and absolutely do not fall for each other.

But nothing about their connection is simple. Between secret meetups, late-night messages, unexpected tenderness, and a heat neither of them can ignore, Elliot starts wanting all the things he promised himself he’d never hope for. And Alex—who keeps insisting he’s straight—can’t seem to stop looking at Elliot like he’s becoming something more than superstition.

As the pressure rises and both their teams close in on make-or-break moments, Elliot and Alex have to decide whether they’re playing for luck… or playing for keeps.

A heart-pounding, slow-burn sports romance full of banter, longing, queer awakening, and that electric “I shouldn’t want you, but I really do” energy. Perfect for fans of CMAR sports romances, big emotions, and athletes falling hard.