Mr. Broody by Piper Rayne

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve loved Henry Hensley since I was seven years old. We’ve gone from best friends to lovers to nothing.

To most people, he’s the Chicago Falcons starting right winger and hot single dad, but to me, he’s my first boyfriend, my first kiss, my first love.

Eight years ago, that all changed when our lives took us in two different directions. Our break-up almost broke me, so I kept my distance until our hometown called me back to where our story began.

I promised myself a quick visit to help my family out, and then I’d leave town before he even knew I was back, which should have been easy. He’s way too busy being a professional hockey player and raising his son to ever find out.

Of course, I’m only in town for a week before I run into him, and one thing is clear from our brief encounter—Henry wants to hash out our past, whereas I’d rather forget it.

But my plan really goes up in flames when I take a temporary substitute teaching job, and on day one, his son walks into my classroom. Boom.

Mr. Broody

Second Chance Sports Romance

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💛💚❤️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 😋🙂😁😘🥰
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Duet Narration – Full Cast

Character Backgrounds and Plot Summary

Henry Hensley has built a good life for himself as a star right winger for the Chicago Falcons, but his world revolves around his adopted son, Bodhi. Long before he became a professional hockey player and single father, Henry was inseparable from Jade. They were childhood best friends who fell in love as teenagers, only to part ways eight years earlier when they believed separating would give each other the chance to pursue their own dreams. Now Jade has returned home to help her family after her mother’s surgery, intending to leave again before Henry ever discovers she is back. That plan falls apart almost immediately when they run into each other, and things become even more complicated when Jade ends up teaching Bodhi’s class.

I loved how the story slowly peeled back the reasons behind their breakup through flashbacks instead of dumping all the history at once. It made moments like Henry wanting to finally talk through their past feel much more meaningful. One of my favorite parts was watching Bodhi quietly become the biggest supporter of their reunion. His attempts to get Henry and Jade in the same place, along with his own point of view chapters, added so much warmth and humor to the story without ever feeling forced.

Highlights and Limitations

The emotional connection between Henry and Jade carried this book for me. Even after years apart, it never felt like either of them had truly moved on. I appreciated that they did not simply fall back together overnight. Instead, they had to confront old hurts, question the choices they had made, and decide whether they were willing to risk their hearts again. I am not the biggest fan of second chance romance, especially when paired with the friends to lover’s trope, but it worked ton this book and I ended up really enjoying the story of this couple. Of all the guys at the Nest, I was wanting Henry’s story to come up next because despite having Bodhi, he was just so lonely.

Henry was especially easy to root for. Seeing him balance a demanding hockey career while giving Bodhi a stable, loving home made his character feel genuine. Jade also fit naturally into their little family, especially through the scenes where she connected with Bodhi at school and outside the classroom. Those moments convinced me that she belonged in their lives long before either adult admitted it.

The only part that left me wanting more was Jade’s family storyline. Her complicated relationship with her father and some of the tension within her family felt like it deserved a deeper resolution. I also found myself wishing a few of Henry and Jade’s conversations had moved beyond revisiting the same emotional ground because, at times, their progress seemed to stall before finally moving forward.

Narration

The full cast narration made this audiobook a standout experience. JF Harding gave Henry exactly the right mix of quiet confidence and vulnerability, especially during the emotional conversations where he finally confronted his regrets. Brooke Bloomingdale captured Jade’s uncertainty and lingering heartbreak while still making her determination shine through.

The additional narrators brought the supporting cast to life and helped every conversation feel distinct. I especially enjoyed the performances during the team scenes because they sounded like a real group of friends instead of a collection of individual voices. Bodhi’s chapters were another highlight. His youthful perspective came across as sweet and believable, making his matchmaking plans even more entertaining.

Final Opinion

This ended up being one of those second chance romances that worked for me because I believed the history between the characters. Henry and Jade were not simply reconnecting because of attraction. They were trying to figure out whether the love that started in childhood could survive years of regret and missed opportunities.

Bodhi completely stole the show for me. Every time he quietly tried to nudge Henry and Jade back together, I found myself smiling, and his chapters gave the audiobook an extra layer of heart. While I would have liked a little more closure with Jade’s family, that small complaint never outweighed how invested I became in this couple. Between the emotional romance, the lovable single dad dynamic, and an excellent full cast performance, this was an audiobook I genuinely looked forward to returning to every time I pressed play.

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