Before We Came

Lakes Hockey Series, Book 1

By: Sloane St. James

Narrated by: Edward Black, Chloe Ryan

Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

Birdie

Her funeral unraveled decades of secrets hidden from me—horrible secrets. This rabbit hole I've fallen down has revealed my past is much more sinister than I could have imagined. Everything I thought I knew has been a lie, and now there's only one place for me to turn: back to the people who have been searching for me all these years.

One of those people is my newfound brother's best friend: Lonan Burke, star defenseman for the Minnesota Lakes. His dirty talk and praise offer an easy escape as I shift into my new life. I'm ready to start anew with the ones who love me, but I'm not so sure I can settle down when I've just been set free.

Lonan

She's back. We were kids the last time I saw her, but my innocent crush from childhood is full-grown now. And it's not so innocent anymore. She's a breath of fresh air from the series of one-night stands since being drafted into the NHL. I've only got one shot with her, and I'm not taking it for granted. I may give her the passion she's been craving, but she's the intimacy I've waited for my whole life.

When her story hits the media, she needs a place to hide. I offer her sanctuary in my penthouse. For the first time, this frigid condo feels like a home, and she's made me believe the future I've always wanted is within reach. For now, I'm willing to hold her hands during the day and pin them down at night. But I want more.

This spicy hockey romance features dirty talk, praise, suspense, kidnapping, angst, a fatal car accident, second-chance love, forced proximity, and of course, a happily ever after. Intended for mature listeners.

©2023 Sloane St. James (P)2024 Podium Audio

Second Chance for Childhood Friends

Before We Came

When Birdie’s adopted mom passes, when she sees a picture of her when she was little with her mom, she gets a weird feeling. In the picture it looks like her but also it doesn’t. The girl in the picture has brown eyes but she has gray eyes. Also in the picture her birthmark on her leg isn’t there. She talks to her bestie about it and they brush it off. In hopes to find possible family, her friend recommends a DNA test. When the results come back 6 weeks later, she find out that she’s really a woman who was kidnapped when she was little and her family is still looking for her.

Lonan is a big time hockey player who is a total playboy. Ever since his friend and the girl he obsessed about got kidnapped, he turned to no emotion hookups.

Birdie flies to Minneapolis to find her family. With no set plan she decides to get a hotel room for a couple days. Meeting a bad boy tattoo’d man in the hotel bar, she has the best hookup of her life. The swap numbers and carryon. She decides to camp outside her childhood home and when a car leaves she follows. It ends up being her mom and she decides to talk to her in the middle of Target.

Finding her family was very positive and she gets flooded with memories and doesn’t feel to out of place. They is until the childhood boy her and her brother were best friends with ended up being Lonan, the guy she hooked up at the hotel.

I loved how Lonan instantly changed his ways and wanted to show his love and also support Birdie anyway or form. Due to her needing a visa to work, Lonan offered his guest room and paid cash to Birdie to be his personal chef.

Tropes:
Second Chance
Hidden Identity
Childhood friends to strangers to lovers
Hockey Romance
Reformed Playboy
Close Family

Amazing

WOW!!! Is what I have to say about this ALC. I fell head over heels for this book when I first read it a year ago. I FELL HARD ALL OVER AGAIN!!! This is a book I always said I would like to read as if it was for the first time and I felt like I did when I listened to it. I seriously ugly cried all over again. My favorite characters coming to life was the biggest highlight for me. Edward Black did an amazing job as the voice of Lonan Burke. His sultry voice drips sex appeal. Chloe Ryan as Birdie was exactly how I imagined Birdie would sound These narrators delivered the story, the banter, and the spice was all pure chef’s kiss perfection.

Unique hockey Romance

So so good. Highly recommend. Such a different hockey Romance. And the spice is exquisite!

Strong Start with a Fizzle End

The narration for this book was great! Loved the female and male narrators. The reason for four stars overall has to do with the story overall. The beginning started off with a bang and I was really invested. The pacing was great and the mystery of our FMCs origins and kidnapping really pulled me in.

POTENTIAL SPOILER DETAILS AHEAD:



Once she was reunited with her family, things started to drag for me a little bit. I sort of wanted more details about her childhood and what she went through. The diary entries were great, but I wanted more. I also got really fed up with the 3rd act conflict between the FMC and the MMC. I understood her points and I understood his points; however, it felt like they weren’t articulating them in a cohesive manner to each other. At least not cohesive enough to actually be an issue for why they shouldn’t be together. I guess miscommunication was involved which usually bothers me. I so plan on reading the rest of the series though! Liked it enough to continue.

One of my favorite series ever!

I absolutely adore everything about this series and book! I thought the narrators did a fantastic job bringing Lonan and Birdie to life! I cried when I found out we were getting these as audiobooks and it was way worth the credit! If you love hockey romance with emotion and spice, definitely check this one out!

Fantastic debut novel!

I just finished reading Sloane St. James' debut book and it was absolutely captivating! From the very first page, I found myself completely immersed in the story, unable to set the book aside. The narrative beautifully intertwines elements of true crime and romance, though it prominently emphasizes the romantic aspect. The protagonist, Birdie, embarks on a journey to uncover the dark secrets of her past and locate her true family, all the while yearning for freedom. Her path intertwines with that of Lonan, a renowned NHL player who surprisingly turns out to be her childhood best friend, leading their relationship to take an unforeseen turn. The audiobook was masterfully narrated, with Edward Black's voice flawlessly embodying Lonan's character and Chloe Ryan's portrayal of Birdie perfectly aligning with my vision of the character. The narrators adeptly conveyed the banter and chemistry between the characters. Overall, this was an invigorating and delightful read! The book adeptly conveyed Birdie's profound angst and trust issues stemming from her past, while also portraying Lonan's unwavering support. I eagerly anticipate Micky's story!

Great storyline.

The best part is the storyline. I really enjoyed this book, I had never read a book from this author and am a new fan!

Welcome to my Auto Read Authors Sloane St James

First I have to say I was completely utterly blown away by this book how was it her debut???. I listened in one sitting, and it is so much more than a hockey romance. It was full of suspense, and had the capacity if tweaked just a little to have been a contender with book of the year. Birdie/ Bridget our FMC had her life as she knew it completely blown up just after the death of her mother. She decides with the encouragement of her best friend to do a dna match . She knew her mom was not her birth mother , but wanted to learn more , and maybe meet the people who gave her up.

Lonan our MMC just happens to be at the bar with his Hockey team after coming home from an away game. He sees Birdie, and goes up to speak to her and the chemistry..takes flame. i love the couple's banter, the narrators Edward and Chloe really did an amazing job conveying all the feels in this first meet , and the " one night stand" that was a new beginning.
The only flaw I see in this scene.. is Lonan didnt see the birthmark , didnt feel deja vu with her grey eyes that were unique to her. But they were little kids...when Birdie disappeared.

When Birdie meets her birth mom, she found out the truth , truths she was learning from her Mother's journals. The woman who raised her always told her she had been given away. She remembers her brother's pet nickname she had given her. Then her brother called his best friend ; and in walks Lonan.
It wasnt just a one night stand .. this was the boy who had meant everything.
Tropes:
-Hockey romance
-Second chance romance/childhood friends
-Brother's best friend
-It's always been her
-Forced proximity
-Found family

When I say this is on line with my fave second chance books. The tension, the healing of child hood trauma, the learning to love because Birdie really never had someone to love.
There were complications because Birdie's mom had changed her to Canadian citizenship , and the Social Security Admin had her declared dead after so many years missing, She almost had to go back to Canada.
Lonan held on. He was determined to never lose her again, and how he went about it was to me just beautiful.

I wanted more about the kidnapping, the police uncovering evidence in the journals and her childhood home.
I wanted more about Birdie's passion for cooking . I hope in future books we get to see her make it as a chef.
I loved these characters, and I hated for the book to end.

“I will love you forever,” he says against my lips. “Forever,” I promise. No matter the circumstances, we would always find each other. This love existed before I forgot, before I remembered, and before we came to be what we are in this moment.”

an Unforgotten Past

I saw this book on a reel ad and I jumped onto here and grabbed it. This was my 1st book from this Author. However, I loved loved this book. I felt so terrible for Bridget and all she went through. I absolutely fell in love with Lonan!!! He is the book boyfriend of my dreams. His determination and love was so much!!!! 10/10 Recommend

Chapter 20!!!

This is so good! Friends to lovers and then when the spice starts SPICY!!! 10/5 Stars! Hockey romance is my favorite genre!!