Faking the Goal by Annie Carlisle

When viral humiliation sends influencer Piper Meadows fleeing to rural Alaska, the last thing she expects is a grumpy hockey captain with trust issues—or a fake relationship that just might save them both.

After her ex dumps her live on camera, Piper’s glittering online life implodes. Desperate for a fresh start, she lands in Ashwood Falls, Alaska—population: nosy. Between spotty Wi-Fi, over-involved neighbors, and one unforgettable incident involving a moose, anonymity isn’t exactly guaranteed.
Enter Ryder Lockwood: local hero, firefighter, and semi-pro hockey captain one scout’s call away from his big break. Problem is, his brooding personality isn’t exactly sponsor-friendly.
Their solution? Fake date for the cameras. Her image rebounds, his career looks golden… until the lines between performance and reality start to blur.
Between snowstorms, late-night fires, and stolen glances beneath the northern lights, Piper and Ryder find themselves in over their heads—and hearts.
Now they’ll have to decide what’s worth saving: their careers… or the real connection they never saw coming.

A small-town, grumpy/sunshine, sports romance about love, second chances, and finding something real in a filtered world.