What do you think?
Rate this book
San Francisco Strikers #3
Delay of Game
Can secrets designed to protect the ones they love end up tearing them apart?
From a painful past nobody knows about to aspirations for the future, Sophia Lanzi has learned to lock things away to please those around her and to protect herself. Landing a job working for the top sports physical therapist in the city, avid hockey fan Sophia is taking a step toward fulfilling her dreams.
But when sexy hockey player Eric “Finn” Finnegan enters the clinic for treatment after a devastating injury on the ice, Sophia only has more secrets to keep, as she develops more than a crush on her patient.
The last thing Finn needs is a distraction, and especially in the form of Sophia Lanzi, a beautiful physical therapy assistant. Finn is desperate to get back to the game he loves and prove to everyone that their investment in him has been worth it, but the chemistry with Sophia is too strong to deny. Finn and Sophia can’t resist each other, and a kiss leads to a secret relationship. Secrets aren’t new to Finn, either, and he’s holding one that can destroy his family if it’s ever discovered.
This is an 87,000 novel with a HEA and NO cliffhanger!
Readers 18+
This series is connected with the Love by the Bay series, but each book can be read as a standalone.
From a painful past nobody knows about to aspirations for the future, Sophia Lanzi has learned to lock things away to please those around her and to protect herself. Landing a job working for the top sports physical therapist in the city, avid hockey fan Sophia is taking a step toward fulfilling her dreams.
But when sexy hockey player Eric “Finn” Finnegan enters the clinic for treatment after a devastating injury on the ice, Sophia only has more secrets to keep, as she develops more than a crush on her patient.
The last thing Finn needs is a distraction, and especially in the form of Sophia Lanzi, a beautiful physical therapy assistant. Finn is desperate to get back to the game he loves and prove to everyone that their investment in him has been worth it, but the chemistry with Sophia is too strong to deny. Finn and Sophia can’t resist each other, and a kiss leads to a secret relationship. Secrets aren’t new to Finn, either, and he’s holding one that can destroy his family if it’s ever discovered.
This is an 87,000 novel with a HEA and NO cliffhanger!
Readers 18+
This series is connected with the Love by the Bay series, but each book can be read as a standalone.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 14, 2020
354 people are currently reading
280 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Kay
24 books489 followersUSA Today Bestselling Author, Stephanie Kay has always loved a good romance, and she got hooked on the dirty ones at the tender age of 14, when she told her mother that if the cover wasn’t a bodice ripper, then there was no sex in the book. As an avid mystery reader, her mother never checked to see if Stephanie was lying. Twenty plus years later, Stephanie’s most prized possession is her Kindle, and she may have a Hallmark movie obsession.
She has called California, Maryland, and Rhode Island her home, but now lives in New Hampshire with her husband where she asks him incessant questions until he escapes to go hiking in the mountains. That’s the only time she can get him out of the house so she can get her writing in. Married couples shouldn’t both work from home!
Sports were never her thing, but after beta reading for another hockey author and buying NHL Game Center within one month of watching her first hockey game a few years ago, she dove into learning everything she could about the sport and the hot men that play it. Now she spends her spare time visiting hockey arenas in the name of research and loving every second of it.
You can find her online at www.stephkaybooks.com, and on Facebook and Twitter. Please join her reader group for updates and excerpts. https://www.facebook.com/groups/19224...
You can also email her at stephanie@stephkaybooks.com
She has called California, Maryland, and Rhode Island her home, but now lives in New Hampshire with her husband where she asks him incessant questions until he escapes to go hiking in the mountains. That’s the only time she can get him out of the house so she can get her writing in. Married couples shouldn’t both work from home!
Sports were never her thing, but after beta reading for another hockey author and buying NHL Game Center within one month of watching her first hockey game a few years ago, she dove into learning everything she could about the sport and the hot men that play it. Now she spends her spare time visiting hockey arenas in the name of research and loving every second of it.
You can find her online at www.stephkaybooks.com, and on Facebook and Twitter. Please join her reader group for updates and excerpts. https://www.facebook.com/groups/19224...
You can also email her at stephanie@stephkaybooks.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 7, 2018
Delay of Game is a sweet & sexy tale of two people finding love despite their circumstances. I love the theme of a rehab therapist falling for the star client and Stephanie Kay did an amazing job telling the story of Sophia & Finn. The connection between the leads was undeniable and addictive, I couldn't wait to see how the story played out. Delay of Game is the third book in San Francisco Strikers series but can be read as a standalone and has characters from the authors previous series "Love At Bay". I can't wait to see what the next installment in the series will bring! 5 "Dog Park" stars for Delay of Game by Stephanie Kay
*** Reviewed for Sweet & Spicy Reads - ARC provided for an honest review ***
*** Reviewed for Sweet & Spicy Reads - ARC provided for an honest review ***
May 8, 2020
Rating: 3.5 stars
I loved the coupling, but watching the secrets they tried to keep from their loved ones come back and bite them in the butt was frustrating. Both situations were awful, but Sophia's really got to me. She was protecting the wrong person. They both needed to trust their families more, because they obviously loved them and would support them. Regardless, I enjoyed watching these two untangle themselves from their past mistakes and find their HEA.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
I loved the coupling, but watching the secrets they tried to keep from their loved ones come back and bite them in the butt was frustrating. Both situations were awful, but Sophia's really got to me. She was protecting the wrong person. They both needed to trust their families more, because they obviously loved them and would support them. Regardless, I enjoyed watching these two untangle themselves from their past mistakes and find their HEA.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
July 14, 2023
Here, I’ll save you the trouble of reading this:
MMC: you should talk to your family about your secrets and deal with your problems.
FMC: No thank you
Rinse and repeat.
That’s it. That’s the book
MMC: you should talk to your family about your secrets and deal with your problems.
FMC: No thank you
Rinse and repeat.
That’s it. That’s the book
April 23, 2018
Two grownups struggling with choosing to do the best thing for themselves.
Finn's broken ankle needs several weeks of physical therapy to be in with a fighting chance of starting the Hockey season. He's struggling to do what the PT is asking of him and not go at 1000 mph.
Sophia wants more for her life than working at her Family owned and run restaurant. After getting her dream job as a Physical Therapist's Assistant, she's struggling to say no to helping out at the restaurant in down time.
This is a sweet story with witty banter and great secondary characters. The push/pull of wanting something desperately for yourself and not being sure of how to get it without letting other people down is something we can all resonate with.
Finn's broken ankle needs several weeks of physical therapy to be in with a fighting chance of starting the Hockey season. He's struggling to do what the PT is asking of him and not go at 1000 mph.
Sophia wants more for her life than working at her Family owned and run restaurant. After getting her dream job as a Physical Therapist's Assistant, she's struggling to say no to helping out at the restaurant in down time.
This is a sweet story with witty banter and great secondary characters. The push/pull of wanting something desperately for yourself and not being sure of how to get it without letting other people down is something we can all resonate with.
May 20, 2022
sweet secret romance
Finn and Sophia are a great match. Love the ex situation and the tension it creates. As with other books in this series I’ve read storyline is great, characters are well developed, but they just have a few spots that feel long. Extra writing that takes a little longer to get to the point. The stories have been good so I keep going, but sometimes it takes me longer to finish and it doesn’t add as much to the overall story. Overall good read for any time, just s little lengthy.
Finn and Sophia are a great match. Love the ex situation and the tension it creates. As with other books in this series I’ve read storyline is great, characters are well developed, but they just have a few spots that feel long. Extra writing that takes a little longer to get to the point. The stories have been good so I keep going, but sometimes it takes me longer to finish and it doesn’t add as much to the overall story. Overall good read for any time, just s little lengthy.
May 9, 2018
Totally empowering, romantic, silly - loved it
What a great read! I’m so proud of Sophia in the end of this book. She strapped on her big girl skates and nailed it.
Finn has his own journey to overcome and together they make life worth it all.
LOVED IT. Read it. Read the whole slew of books 1st
What a great read! I’m so proud of Sophia in the end of this book. She strapped on her big girl skates and nailed it.
Finn has his own journey to overcome and together they make life worth it all.
LOVED IT. Read it. Read the whole slew of books 1st
December 9, 2018
Great!
I love Sophia and Finn’s story! And Stephanie did an amazing job at touching on domestic violence and how it impacted Sophia’s life. She didn’t just gloss over it, but we didn’t take a deep dive either, it was the perfect amount of attention given to a very important topic.
I love Sophia and Finn’s story! And Stephanie did an amazing job at touching on domestic violence and how it impacted Sophia’s life. She didn’t just gloss over it, but we didn’t take a deep dive either, it was the perfect amount of attention given to a very important topic.
December 12, 2018
Finn (Thor) & Sophia
Love the story, Finn and Sophia are great. Sorry not all Italians call Sauce “gravy” NJ calls sauce gravy. But otherwise love Sophia’s family. I would suggest Reading Lexi and Grant and Andy’s story before this series. I read this series first and will now back track to that series.
Love the story, Finn and Sophia are great. Sorry not all Italians call Sauce “gravy” NJ calls sauce gravy. But otherwise love Sophia’s family. I would suggest Reading Lexi and Grant and Andy’s story before this series. I read this series first and will now back track to that series.
September 1, 2022
2.9
"Can we not do this now?"
"I don't want to talk about this now."
"Do we have to do this now?"
"Let's not do this now."
Geez! I've never known anyone so disgustingly immature. Yes, there's avoiding confrontation, but this? This is just hiding.
And the constant whining of "not now." Ugh!
If not now, when, you pitiful twit?!
"Can we not do this now?"
"I don't want to talk about this now."
"Do we have to do this now?"
"Let's not do this now."
Geez! I've never known anyone so disgustingly immature. Yes, there's avoiding confrontation, but this? This is just hiding.
And the constant whining of "not now." Ugh!
If not now, when, you pitiful twit?!
December 3, 2024
Me ha gustado bastante, más que el segundo y similar al primero. Si hay algo que no me ha gustado es que Finn no respetara el entorno laboral de Sophia, me ha dado un poco de rabia y tenía ganas de entrar en la historia y pegarle una colleja.
Todo lo demás me ha gustado mucho y me he quedado muy satisfecha con la lectura.
Todo lo demás me ha gustado mucho y me he quedado muy satisfecha con la lectura.
October 5, 2019
3.5 ⭐️
This book could have used a better editor to cut out all the repetition. The heroine had no backbone and her constant wish washy attitude got on my last nerve. She needed to grow up and act like an adult.
This book could have used a better editor to cut out all the repetition. The heroine had no backbone and her constant wish washy attitude got on my last nerve. She needed to grow up and act like an adult.
January 4, 2022
What a great story! The H and h both had issues with their families, and had to work through the process to trust in the love that those family members had for them. They eventually supported each other unconditionally. Love the series.
August 20, 2022
Delay of Game features one of the things I often hate about sports romance. A woman losing her job because she and the pro player cross that line and it always, always affects her. Both of these characters had a hard time standing up for themselves and I found that frustrating.
November 24, 2023
This is the third book in the San Francisco Strikers series. It is the story of defenseman Eric “Finn” Finnegan and physical therapist Sophia Lanzi. Family issues and past abuse complicate the developing relationship of these two.
April 19, 2018
I was excited to read this story, but didn’t expect to do it all in one evening. But I couldn’t put it down. I had to see how it all ended for Finn and Sophia. This story touched on some serious issues and the importance of not always keeping secrets held tight. I’ve read the other books in this series so it was like coming home. But you aren’t overwhelmed by the returning characters, they are an extra perk. If you haven’t read the other books, you’ll enjoy this story just fine and probably find yourself reading the others.
Thank you to the author and her publisher for the opportunity for an ARC to read in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to the author and her publisher for the opportunity for an ARC to read in exchange for my honest opinion.
April 25, 2018
Another good book in a great series
Love this series. A great story about real issues and who doesn’t have family troubles that need resolved. I can’t wait for the next one!
Love this series. A great story about real issues and who doesn’t have family troubles that need resolved. I can’t wait for the next one!
March 28, 2020
Loved it
What a great book. They were perfect for each other. They meet and connected. Things got a little tricky but they figured it out. Great book's
What a great book. They were perfect for each other. They meet and connected. Things got a little tricky but they figured it out. Great book's
April 7, 2020
Okay another wonderful story. I need to go watch a hockey game for sure
Very real and a great read
Stephanie Kay- you rock!!
Very real and a great read
Stephanie Kay- you rock!!
July 21, 2020
I enjoyed this entertaining story.
September 17, 2021
Fantastic book. Loved the read. Looking forward to more.
January 20, 2022
These are absolutely the best books!!! Love love ❤️ love!!! Can’t put them down snd can’t wait to get yo the next one!!
February 15, 2022
So enjoying this series!
Perfect series to lose yourself in if you love hockey romances! Make sure you check it out! 5 hockey stars for this one!
Perfect series to lose yourself in if you love hockey romances! Make sure you check it out! 5 hockey stars for this one!
April 8, 2022
This was OK...
I struggled through this but it was an Ok read in the end.
I struggled through this but it was an Ok read in the end.
November 26, 2021
So far, this is my favorite book in the series.
A taboo romance. Physical therapist and her patient.
Finn and Sophia have seen each other on occasion when he would come into her family’s restaurant with his teammates. Never really paying much attention to each other. But when a freak accident on the ice ends Finn’s season early and sends him to rehab, it doesn’t take long for sparks to fly and inhibitions to be lowered.
Both Finn and Sophia are keeping pretty big secrets from their families.
Sophias involves her ex boyfriend, whom her family loves, and thinks of as part of their family. And the fact that she really does not want to work full time in the restaurant.
Finn’s has to do with a decision he made early in his professional career and his deadbeat dad.
I loved Finn. He was described as being a grump. But when he’s around Sophia, a completely different Finn emerges. He’s fun, playful, teasing. I loved their back and forth banter. I loved his “dinner dates” with his niece. She was a doll. And his puppy, Bash was adorable. (I would have loved to know what kind of dog he was, it was never mentioned)
Sophia, I had a harder time with. Overall I liked her, she was always putting everyone above herself. Her family took precedence over her own feelings. She was so afraid of disappointing them that she became a bit of a doormat where they were concerned. She felt she could never say no to them, and telling them about her ex, would likely tear apart not only her family, but the exes as well. So she kept the secret for years.
Thank goodness for her roommate and best friend Claire, she kept Sophia on the right path, listening and encouraging. Pushing her to ignore the rules and follow her heart. And always there to pick her up when things fell apart.
A lot of problems can be avoided if you are honest and forthcoming with the people you love. Finn and Sophia learn that the hard way. But they also learn no one forgives like your own family.
Since most of this book takes place in the off season, there was not a lot of hockey. I missed that.
A good story. Like the others it got a little repetitive, but I could overlook that because I really liked the characters. It’s told in dual points of view. There is no cheating, no cliffhanger. The path gets a little bumpy, but they do find that happy ending.
A taboo romance. Physical therapist and her patient.
Finn and Sophia have seen each other on occasion when he would come into her family’s restaurant with his teammates. Never really paying much attention to each other. But when a freak accident on the ice ends Finn’s season early and sends him to rehab, it doesn’t take long for sparks to fly and inhibitions to be lowered.
Both Finn and Sophia are keeping pretty big secrets from their families.
Sophias involves her ex boyfriend, whom her family loves, and thinks of as part of their family. And the fact that she really does not want to work full time in the restaurant.
Finn’s has to do with a decision he made early in his professional career and his deadbeat dad.
I loved Finn. He was described as being a grump. But when he’s around Sophia, a completely different Finn emerges. He’s fun, playful, teasing. I loved their back and forth banter. I loved his “dinner dates” with his niece. She was a doll. And his puppy, Bash was adorable. (I would have loved to know what kind of dog he was, it was never mentioned)
Sophia, I had a harder time with. Overall I liked her, she was always putting everyone above herself. Her family took precedence over her own feelings. She was so afraid of disappointing them that she became a bit of a doormat where they were concerned. She felt she could never say no to them, and telling them about her ex, would likely tear apart not only her family, but the exes as well. So she kept the secret for years.
Thank goodness for her roommate and best friend Claire, she kept Sophia on the right path, listening and encouraging. Pushing her to ignore the rules and follow her heart. And always there to pick her up when things fell apart.
A lot of problems can be avoided if you are honest and forthcoming with the people you love. Finn and Sophia learn that the hard way. But they also learn no one forgives like your own family.
Since most of this book takes place in the off season, there was not a lot of hockey. I missed that.
A good story. Like the others it got a little repetitive, but I could overlook that because I really liked the characters. It’s told in dual points of view. There is no cheating, no cliffhanger. The path gets a little bumpy, but they do find that happy ending.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews