The Twig

A College Ice Hockey Romance

By: Joan Amanda Raymond

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

She fixes what's broken. He's learning to let her in.

Maren Kowalski is the best equipment manager the college hockey team has ever had. At five feet tall, she's earned her nickname—Twig—and the respect of every player who's watched her work miracles with tape, tools, and sheer determination. She notices everything: a worn skate blade, a failing helmet buckle, the way her boyfriend favors his left shoulder months after everyone else stopped asking about it.

Jake Lindqvist is the defenseman who fell for her the moment she fixed a teammate's helmet in ninety seconds flat. Now they share an apartment, a life, and the kind of love that feels unshakeable. But Maren has noticed something else about Jake—something he's never fully explored, something he's afraid to ask for.

When she plans a weekend away at a cabin in the Northwoods, Maren is ready to offer Jake a gift: the chance to be vulnerable, to surrender control, to trust her completely. What unfolds between them will test the boundaries of their intimacy and prove that the deepest connections are built on the courage to be truly seen.

The Twig is a steamy contemporary romance about two people learning that strength isn't about control—it's about trust. With explicit intimacy, open communication, and a love story that goes far beyond the bedroom, this novel celebrates the beauty of letting someone see all of you.