About the Book

A marriage of convenience hockey romance

Heidi Grant has spent her career helping elite athletes reclaim their dreams. Now, the sports physical therapist is ready to take a shot on a dream of her own. She has the vision and credentials, but she doesn’t have the funding—and her lease deadline is fast approaching.

Viktor Karlsson also has a deadline. The tattooed Swedish NHL player needs a wife.

Unfortunately, Viktor doesn’t believe in marriage. His only long-term commitment is to his motorcycle. Heidi has never been particularly interested in forever either, but she does believe in mutually beneficial contracts.

And if sleeping together becomes part of their contract too, so what? Unresolved tension is terrible for productivity.

Except the longer they pretend, the less simple it feels. Viktor never asks Heidi to change any part of herself, and their temporary marriage slowly becomes a future she wants to keep.

But when their Heidi’s dream is pulled into Viktor’s spotlight, the line between being supported or swallowed gets dangerously thin.

Their marriage was supposed to save two dreams. Now Viktor hopes Heidi is willing to take a shot on one more and send it top shelf.

Top Shelf is book one in a new sports romance series of interconnected stand-alones, from the author of the bestselling Colorado Storm hockey romance series, Hailey Rodger.

Top Shelf's tropes includes:

hockey romance
marriage of convenience
women in sport
dual POV
ADHD rep
bi rep
he rides a motorcycle
opposites attract
she ties him up
found family chaos

Review

I had to pace myself with Top Shelf. If not, I would have finished it in one sitting and spent the rest of my days upset because I devoured this one too quickly. Is it my favorite Hailey Rodger’s book? 100% yes.

Heidi was an absolute shining star. She was witty, confident, and unapologetically herself. I especially appreciated that she wasn't afraid of her accomplishments. I loved that the book repeatedly acknowledged her titles. She had worked hard for them and deserved that recognition and respect. A major part of the story revolved around Heidi's identity. That was one of the stories strongest elements.

Viktor was so calm and understanding throughout it all. There was something almost oceanlike about him. It was very endearing. Before the arrangement, Viktor was clearly smitten by Heidi. The man had given her his full attention and knew her. In fact, both of them could anticipate each other's needs, and neither felt the need to change anything about the other. Even with that, there was still beautiful moments of them discovering things about each other.

I also loved Viktor's reasoning for entering the arrangement. His desire to protect his family's home made so much sense when considering how much of his identity was tied to Solvik. His cousin didn't have cruel intentions, but Solvik was more than just a place to Viktor. It was part of who he was, where he grew up, and his family's history. I appreciated that his motivations were rooted in something so personal.

A quick note about his family, I adored how welcoming they were toward Heidi. Heidi had struggled with feeling as though love came with conditions. And she was so easily and openly embraced by Viktor’s family. Beautiful! No notes.

The third-act conflict was interesting and quite painful. I understood Heidi's reaction and thought her feelings were completely justified. Although Viktor meant well, his intentions didn't erase the impact of his actions. I wouldn't necessarily classify what happened as a breakup. It felt more like Heidi needed space to process everything. I would have loved to see him work a little harder to get back into Heidi's good graces. I understood their reconciliation, but I wanted a little more time with that part of their relationship.

Imagine my sadness when we finally reached the opening of Heidi's clinic, got one of the most perfect scenes between Heidi and Viktor, and then the book just ended! I wasn't ready to say goodbye to them, especially at such a meaningful moment in Heidi's journey.

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed Top Shelf. As I read, I kept noting moments I would love to reread in the future. Heidi was a memorable heroine. I loved that Viktor appreciated her for exactly who she was. Their relationship was built on understanding, acceptance, and the little ways to show up for one another. I desperately wish we had gotten a little more time with them before we had to say goodbye. Thank you, Luna Literary and Hailey Rogers for providing this ARC. Cinder releases on October 22, 2026!

Buy on Amazon