Against All Odds

Holt Hockey, Book 2

By: C.W. Farnsworth

Narrated by: Connor Crais, Erin Mallon

Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Rylan Keller is dreading the start of spring semester. After choosing a college across the country and spending the past fall abroad, she’ll be a Holt University student. Worse than starting over at a new school? Starting over at a new school where your dad is the head coach of the men’s hockey team. And reluctantly agreeing to tutor a player, then coming face-to-face with the guy you thought you’d never see again.

Aidan Phillips has a reputation on campus. One he’s carefully curated to include limited reliability or responsibility. Outside of hockey, he spends his free time drinking, partying, and flirting. Often all three.

He’s a player off the ice as well as on it. Gorgeous, carefree, reckless. His one goal is to finally win Holt a championship, which he can only do if he keeps up his end of the tutoring arrangement. Hooking up with his tutor would be stupider than failing in the first place, even if the tutor in question wasn’t his coach’s daughter.

Rylan is determined to excel at Holt and make her fresh start a success. To finally have some fun, and not with a hockey player. Except, the more time they spend together, the harder it is to hold back.

But no matter how tempting giving in might be…the odds are stacked against them.

©2024 C.W. Farnsworth (P)2024 C.W. Farnsworth

Great audio

I received this audiobook to listen to and post my reviews by Valentine PR.
Connor Crais & Erin Mallon did an amazing job. I thought both of them did the characters justice. When I was listening I felt I was really listening to two college age students falling in love. This is the third book of Connor’s I have listened to and he is becoming a favorite of mine. Erin again rocks it and is why she is one of the best female narrators out there.
This is the second book in the Holt University series. This is a standalone so you don’t need to read the first book. We meet Aiden & Rylan. They have a one night stand and a few weeks later Aiden finds out she is his tutor along with being the coach’s daughter. This was a great slow burn & forbidden romance. I love the Farnsworth’s writing. I loved the chemistry & love these two had. Not much drama but this was a great sweet story.

Great audio!

Loved this story! It’s captivating. The two main characters are so magnetic you just cant help but fall for them. It’s emotional, family drama, steamy and above all just a really cute hockey romance.

In this book we venture back to the world of Holt Univeristy to watch a second teammate fall in love. The first book in series is Famous Last words- (it’s fantastic and highly recommend reading it too.) It’s about Harlow and Coner and they make several cameos on this book.

In Against all odds the slow burn is perfection in this book. The pinning and anticipating for them both to realize they have so much chemistry. The miscommunication between them was played well right into our hearts wanting them to just wake up and realize how they both feel for each other. I really loved the chemistry between Aiden and Rylan. Something about finding that one person that makes you a better person or makes you want to change to be a better person.
The audio narration is done by Connor Crais and Erin Mallon. Both played the part of the characters well and really made the story so much better.

Great narration

I love the reformed playboy trope, and this was no exception. Aidan was really a fboy, and everyone on campus knew it. Now normally I don’t like when one of the characters sleeps around after meeting the other main character, but in this case, I didn’t mind. Yes, after Aidan met Rylan, he slept around. But that was because he didn’t know he’d see her again. And once she was back in his life, nothing and no one could get his attention.

I really hated Aidan’s family, and they played a big part in why he was the way that he was. There was so much anger and hurt on his part, but then it was all just…brushed under the rug. He forgave them (kind of) without them really apologizing. It was…not my favorite part of the story.

Anyway, I did like the relationship between Aidan and Rylan. He was actually really sweet with her, and despite needing tutoring, he was smart. And Rylan was able to find herself after spending a couple years abroad.

Audio:
Narrators: Erin Mallon and Connor Crais
Style: Dual

Erin and Connor are a couple of my favorite narrators, so I was excited to hear them being this story to life. And they did not disappoint! They both did an amazing job bringing the characters and story to life.

Against All Odds !!!

This book was such a fun read . The banter between Aiden and Rye was absolute perfection and the fact that they both are secretly obsessed with each other from almost page one makes everything even better !!! The jealousy scenes made for just enough angst, “f those butterflies” made for just the right humor and some sizzling heat with that library scene . I did feel at times that the story was dragging on, I also seriously hated Aiden’s brother and future bride-to-be, but other than that it was great !

This is book two in the Holt Hockey series and it can be read as a complete standalone .

This audiobook was given to me for honest review by Valentine PR + Literary Management .

sweet and spicy

a one night stand with the coach’s daughter, but they both have no clue 🔥

this book has all the right things for a sweet and spicy romance. forbidden, forced proximity, no third act breakup and hockey—yes, please.

aiden is a playboy hockey player that is coasting through life, ignoring his family problems, never really motivated to excel at anything. and rylan is the coach’s daughter that just transferred to the school wanting to start over, who agrees to tutoring aiden at the request of her father. their attraction is obvious through the entire book, while the relationship chemistry is a little more of a slow burn, full of banter and understanding.

cute and super easy to read. i flew through the audio, never wanting to press pause. Conner Crais and Erin Mallon do an amazing job bringing these characters to life.

i love holt hockey.

Another great NA Romance!!

A steamy college romance that follows the school’s hockey playboy and the good girl tutor.. who happens to be his coach’s daughter

On audio, Connor Crais and Erin Mallon, two of my favorites, did a great job bringing the characters and undeniable chemistry to life. It was so easy to fall in love with Rylan and Aidan and the entire Holt Hockey crew.

Read if you like:
-Coach’s daughter
-He’s my tutor
-One Night Stand
-Hockey player
-He falls first

ADORED THIS

I just ADORED this!!

🏒 college hockey romance
🏒 player & coach's daughter
🏒 dual POV
🏒 multiple open door scense
🏒 no 3rd act break-up

This was just a fun college hockey romance! After a one-night hook up over winter break, both Aidan (our MMC) and Rylan (our FMC) find themselves thrust together when she transfers to the school her dad coach's at and ends up tutoring Aidan! These two had great chemistry and it was a slow build to a full relationship, which I enjoyed. I also just really enjoyed that there was no 3rd act break-up!

Thank you to Valentine PR for an ALC of this audiobook - all opinions are my own!

Aidan and Rylan

Star Rating: 4.5/5
Heat Rating: 3/5
Audiobook 5/5

What to Expect:
- College Hockey Romance
- Forbidden Romance
- Coach’s Daughter
- Hockey Player x Tutor
- Reformed Playboy
- He Falls First
- Forced Proximity
- Found Family
- Dual POVs

Against All Odds is the second book in the Holt Hockey series. I have not read book one, which is about Conor and Harlow, so this is my introduction to the Holt Hockey guys. This was a really fun read. Aidan is a playboy who does everything he can to coast through life, but one thing he does care about is winning a hockey championship. Rylan is smart, confident, and looking for a fresh start at Holt. She is also the head hockey coach's daughter. When Aidan struggles academically, Rylan's father asks her to tutor him. I loved Aidan and Rylan's relationship. Everything seemed natural to them. Aidan and Rylan had amazing chemistry, and the banter was fun. I loved getting to know the characters, especially Aidan. I liked that Aidan was not the hockey team's star, and I enjoyed witnessing his growth. Rylan had faith in Aidan and helped him realize he was much more than what he was giving himself credit for. I loved the main characters, the secondary characters, and the friendships. Against All Odds is a well-written, feel-good story that is easy to read and hard to put down.

NARRATION:
The narrators, Connor Crais and Erin Mallon, did a wonderful job. Their performances were exceptional, and they really brought Aidan and Rylan to life. Connor and Erin expertly portrayed the characters' personalities and the emotions they experienced. The audiobook was highly entertaining and kept me engaged in the story. Connor and Erin's narration absolutely enhanced my listening experience by pulling me into the story.

A Heartfelt Journey of Love, Sports, and Redemptio

I recently enjoyed listening to the ALC copy of the audiobook “Against All Odds” by CW Farnsworth, narrated by Connor Caris and Erin Mallon. This remarkable audiobook stands out for its exceptional storytelling and captivating characters. Farnsworth has a knack for creating solid and well-rounded stories that resonate with the audience, and this book is no exception.

The story revolves around Rylan Keller, a college student starting over at Holt University, where her father is the head coach of the men's hockey team. Rylan's initial reluctance to tutor a player leads her to Aidan Phillips, a charming and carefree hockey player with a reputation on campus. As the story progresses, Farnsworth skillfully explores the complexities of their relationship, delving into themes of personal growth, overcoming obstacles, and the power of connection.

What sets this audiobook apart is the depth and authenticity of the characters. Rylan and Aidan are not mere stereotypes; they are flawed and multi-dimensional individuals who undergo significant development throughout the story. Farnsworth's portrayal of their emotional journey is compelling and heartfelt, allowing listeners to connect with their experiences truly.

The narration by Connor Caris and Erin Mallon further enhances the story's quality. Both narrators bring the characters to life with their exceptional performances, capturing the nuances of their personalities and emotions. Caris and Mallon's voices are engaging and expressive, making it easy for listeners to immerse in the story entirely.

Additionally, Farnsworth's writing style is engaging and fluid, making the audiobook a pleasure to listen to. The pacing is well-balanced, keeping the audience engaged without feeling rushed. The dialogue is natural and believable, adding depth to the interactions between the characters.

Overall, Against All Odds is a standout audiobook that combines romance, sports, and personal growth compellingly and authentically. CW Farnsworth's masterful storytelling, combined with the excellent narration by Connor Caris and Erin Mallon, makes this audiobook a must-listen for anyone looking for a captivating and emotionally satisfying story.

4 ⭐️ story.

very spicy, very sweet. wish there would have been a little more depth with his family stuff and his fear of success but otherwise, very enjoyable. narrators were awesome. if it had been a duet narration it would have been 5 stars.