Famous hockey player Kieran Ashford is the NHL’s favourite headline, but when his reputation catches up to him in the form of a surprise phone call and a mute three-year-old daughter he didn’t know existed, Kieran is suddenly thrown into the depths of fatherhood. Now at least, he has something the quick witted book addict can’t say no to–a job offer.
Because Layla Carson needs a paycheck. After spending over a year in Berlin participating in a clinical trial for her lupus, Layla is painfully aware of how her medical bills have drained her parent’s bank account. When the opportunity arises to become a nanny, Layla can’t refuse.
As the pair help build a home for the little girl who desperately needs them both, the walls around their hearts begin to crumble. Layla learns there’s more to Kieran than the flirtatious winks and playful personality, while he’s determined to give Layla everything her illness robbed her of.
But when forever was never guaranteed for either of them, they’ll need to fight for the chance of a new life.
I knew Fighting Chance was going to hurt, but I still wasn’t prepared for how deeply this story would dig in and stay with me.
From the very first chapter, and I mean barely 2% in, I was already tearing up. And once this book had my heart, it never gave it back. Mads Rafferty has a gift for writing emotional, layered characters, and this story is proof of just how powerful her storytelling can be.
Kieran Ashford might be the NHL’s favorite headline, but underneath the flirtatious smiles and golden-retriever charm is a man shaped by a painful, abusive childhood that left him believing he doesn’t deserve love. When he discovers he has a three-year-old daughter he never knew about, a little girl who is struggling with trauma of her own, everything changes. Watching Kieran step into fatherhood, determined to break the cycle and give Emmy the love he never had, was one of the most emotional and beautiful journeys I’ve read in a long time.
“I’m going to take you to my home. I’ll make it a home for you,” I promise. Holding out my hand, I offer, “Would that be okay?” I stop breathing, my body lined with tension. The last thing I want to do is take her out of here kicking and screaming, but to my utter shock, she bursts forward quicker than I anticipated, and the next thing I know, her arms are clinging around my neck like I’m her lifeline. I suppose I am.
And then there’s Layla.
Layla Carson is quietly strong, resilient, and so deeply compassionate. Living with lupus has shaped her life in ways that are both physical and emotional, and the fear, anxiety, and guilt she carries felt incredibly real. Mads handled her chronic illness with so much care and depth, showing both the struggles and the hope in a way that made Layla feel incredibly authentic. My heart broke for her again and again, especially when she held herself back because she feared becoming a burden.
“Layla Carson is sunshine personified. She is the girl that men trip over their own two feet trying to impress. She’s an angel at her core, and I’m nothing but the boy no one ever wanted.”
Together, Kieran and Layla are everything.
The yearning. The pining. The devotion. The quiet acts of service. The way they understand each other without needing words. And what made their dynamic even more beautiful was that Kieran falls first, long before anything physical ever happens between them. He’s already all in, already showing up for her, already loving her in the quietest, most meaningful ways.
Which made their eventual intimacy feel even more powerful. Because of her illness, Layla has missed so many milestones — no prom, no real dates, no normal relationships. She’s spent her life surviving instead of truly living. So when she finally decides she’s ready, when she asks Kieran to be her first everything, it felt incredibly vulnerable and meaningful. And Kieran handles it perfectly. He’s still teasing, still flirtatious, still playful, but when it comes to Layla, he’s patient, gentle, and deeply respectful. He lets her set the pace, giving her experiences she never thought she’d have, and the emotional weight behind those moments made their chemistry feel even more intense and meaningful.
“Help me with my firsts list. Help me experience life and…teach me so I know what I’m doing. I don’t just want things done to me. I want to…experiment…with you.”
And when Kieran falls… he falls hard. The way he loves Layla, gently, patiently, completely, made him an absolute top-tier book boyfriend.
“You’re my favorite book to read. Even if some chapters are missing I know them by heart.”
And Emmy… oh my heart. She is the sweetest, most precious little girl. Watching her slowly come out of her shell, find safety with Kieran and Layla, and begin to heal was incredibly moving. The father-daughter bond between Kieran and Emmy was one of my favorite parts of the entire book. It was soft, tender, and filled with so much love.
“I am strong. I am kind. I am smart. I am beautiful. I am powerful. I am good enough. I am loved.”
I also loved the found family in this story. The friendships, the support, the group dynamic, it all added so much warmth to an already emotional read. And as heavy as this book gets, it’s also filled with humor, banter, and quiet, beautiful moments that make the emotional payoff even more powerful.
This story truly felt like having your heart ripped out, stomped on, and then carefully pieced back together again, and I loved every single second of it.
Mads Rafferty created two broken souls who find healing, love, and hope in each other, and I was completely captivated from start to finish. Fighting Chance is emotional, tender, heartbreaking, and ultimately so incredibly beautiful.
I’m already counting down the days until book three.