Release Date: September 19th, 2025

Series: Rixton U

Genres: New Adult/College

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Rival's Sister, College Hockey, Small Town, Interconnected Standalone

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Blurb

A suspense-filled college romance by Brooke O’Brien about secrets that could ruin the season, a kiss that never should’ve happened, and two hearts pulled back together by the one thing more powerful than hate... the truth.

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I never should've let Wren Perry get close—not with everything her last name cost mine.

 

She's the governor's daughter. Untouchable. Off-limits.

 

A walking reminder of everything I should hate.

 

She was a distraction I had no business touching. The kiss we shared? A cheap shot meant to rattle her brother, not leave a mark. But her lips hit harder than I expected, and the memory stuck like a bruise I can't shake.

 

I've been off my game ever since. Now she's back in my life, tied to my team in a way I can't avoid.

 

I don't trust her. I shouldn't want her. But every time she looks at me, I forget why I ever let her go.

 

Our season's already hanging by a thread. Stats don't match the game footage. Players are faking injuries. And Wren's dropping clues like she wants to help me find the truth without ever saying a word.

 

They're waiting for us to fall apart. They think I've lost my edge. But I've never backed down from a fight.

 

This time, I'm not just playing for my team.

 

I'm playing for our season. For the truth.

 

And for the girl I should've hated… but never could.

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BONUS! Preorder or purchase on release day and get access to an exclusive bonus scene.​

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The Players We Hate is a prequel in the Rixton U series—a set of interconnected standalones featuring the hockey players of Rixton University and the women who flip their world upside down. While each book includes a swoony romance with a HEA, the suspense arc unfolds across the series. It's the perfect follow up to The Pucks We Freeze and sets the stage to everything that's to come. making this novella the perfect place to start before diving into The Players We Hate.