Brielle
By day, I’m a struggling fashion designer buried in sketches, fabric, and the kind of dreams that don’t pay the bills yet. By night, I make a living being watched. On After Hours, I’m in control. I decide what people see, how much they get, and when the show is over.
Most of the time, that control follows me into the real world. Then there’s Roman Shore. My brother’s coach and the man who runs the Vancouver Havoc dugout. He looks at me like he’s already decided I’m trouble and he’s not about to make the mistake of getting close.
He keeps his distance like wanting me is something he refuses to allow. All that does is make me want to see how far I can push him.
Usually, I’d have lost interest already. Only this time, I’m close enough to realize the distance between us doesn’t come from indifference. It comes from restraint.
And the more he tries to hold the line, the more I want to be the reason he finally loses it.
Roman
I’ve built my life on control. Every decision I make comes with the understanding that I’m responsible for keeping the Vancouver Havoc together. The only way this job works is if I stay disciplined and keep my focus where it belongs.
Getting involved with one of my players’ sisters isn’t an option, no matter how determined Brielle is to make it one.
She looks at me like she already knows I’m going to lose this fight. She pushes, I pull back. She smiles, I shut the door before she can slip through. It should be simple. And it would be, if I didn’t already know exactly how dangerous getting close to her would be.
Because before I ever stood this close, I was already watching her from behind a screen. My life was fine when she was just a late-night distraction. Now she’s standing right in front of me, daring me to forget every rule I’ve ever had.
And the more I try to keep my distance, the harder it gets to pretend I don’t want to break every one of them for her.
Hannah Cowan really has a talent for writing books that are equal parts emotional and ridiculously hot, and After Hours is no exception.
From the moment Brielle and Roman started sharing page time, I was completely invested. The tension between them is immediate, but what I loved most was how much depth Hannah packed into their relationship beyond the attraction.
Brielle was such an easy character to love. She’s confident, outspoken, and knows exactly who she is, but she never felt one-dimensional. Beneath all that confidence are insecurities, old wounds, and a lot of internal conflict that make her feel incredibly real. She’s also the kind of friend everyone deserves in their corner. She hypes people up, stands up for the people she loves, and never hesitates to call someone out when they’re being awful. I wanted to be friends with her almost immediately.
Brielle is a force of nature that no man alive is strong enough to weather, but I think I want to be the one to try.
And then there’s Roman Shore.
This man is grumpy, guarded, emotionally unavailable by choice, and determined to keep everyone at a safe distance. After losing his sister and becoming guardian to his niece, he’s built his entire life around control and responsibility. Watching Brielle slowly work her way through those walls was one of my favorite parts of the book. The more he tries to convince himself staying away from her is the right thing to do, the more obvious it becomes that he’s already in way too deep.
“Well, that’s disappointing.” And it really, really is. I’d have crawled right into his lap for a decent spanking.
What really got me, though, was the way Roman loves.
He’s not flashy about it. He doesn’t immediately wear his heart on his sleeve. Instead, his feelings show up in all the little things. The way he takes care of Brielle, worries about her, notices things about her, and makes room for her in his life long before he’s ready to admit what she’s become to him. His love feels steady, protective, and incredibly sincere.
The age gap, forbidden romance, and brother’s boss dynamic create plenty of tension, but these two work because of how well they balance each other. Brielle brings warmth, light, and color into Roman’s carefully controlled world, while Roman gives Brielle the kind of unwavering support and security she’s been missing. What starts as intense attraction slowly grows into this soft, quiet love that honestly had me melting.
She’s so full of light and excitement and this intoxicating spirit that I want nothing more than to sink into. It’s as terrifying as it is beautiful.
And let’s talk about the chemistry for a second because wow. These two are HOT. The push and pull between them creates so much anticipation, and when they finally stop fighting it, the payoff is absolutely worth the wait. But what made those moments work so well was the emotional connection underneath them. The spice hits harder because you genuinely care about them.
“But I need you. You’ve taken control of me. My carefully constructed routine has been shattered. When I’m not with you, I wish I was. If you’re somewhere other than my arms, I ache to be beside you…I’m completely yours.”
The found family aspect was another highlight for me. The Vancouver Havoc team continues to be one of my favorite parts of this series. Watching Roman slowly let the team into his life, seeing his relationship with Evie, and getting all those friendship dynamics added so much heart to the story. Every relationship felt meaningful and helped make the world feel even richer.
One thing I especially appreciated was the way the third-act conflict was handled. There are secrets on both sides, and when everything comes to light, it creates real conflict without relying on unnecessary drama. Brielle and Roman communicate, give each other space when it’s needed, and approach things like adults who genuinely love and respect each other. It was refreshing.
“If you’re in, you’re in, Brielle.”
“I’m in. I’m so fucking in with you.”
After Hours is sexy, emotional, heartfelt, and full of characters you can’t help but root for. Roman and Brielle may seem like complete opposites at first glance, but together they make perfect sense. Their journey from attraction to trust to love was beautiful to watch unfold, and by the end I was completely obsessed with both of them.
Also, I continue to love this baseball team with my whole heart and cannot wait to see who falls next.