Publication Date: February 3, 2026
When the game changes, love finds a way to score.
Jabari Hall has spent his entire life chasing victory on the ice—but one devastating hit leaves him benched, not just from hockey but from the future he thought he had. Now, as he struggles with deteriorating eyesight, his well—meaning teammates set him up on a date, hoping it will cheer him up—only the date they choose is none other than Val Elliott, his ex’s sister.
Val never expected to be sitting across from Jabari, especially after the way he broke her sister’s heart. But when Jabari opens up about his diagnosis, Val’s guarded heart softens, and she offers him a listening ear. What begins as a simple friendship quickly turns into something more.
As Jabari navigates life off the ice, he’s drawn to Val in ways he didn’t expect. With her loyalty to her family on the line and Jabari searching for faith and a new purpose, can they make it to the goal together, or will their hearts wind up in the penalty box?
A clean and wholesome African American hockey romance featuring forbidden love, friends to lovers, disability representation, and second chances perfect for fans of Christian sports romances, Emma St. Clair, Pepper Basham, and Melissa Ferguson.
A hit on the ice forces a seasoned hockey player to deal with permanent consequences.
Author Toni Shiloh introduces Jabari, also known as Crank for his skills, in Hearts on the Fly. His life has been built around a professional hockey career.
Enter Val into the story. Told in alternating first-person perspectives from the main characters, the focus is on the growing friendship between them. Central to the story is the faith aspect and how God is present even in challenging times.
Both characters are likable, especially as they face a number of individual barriers. I could feel Jabari’s response to his new normal through the author’s effective descriptions.
Hearts on the Fly delivers an inspirational story about adapting to change and finding a new purpose.
Toni Shiloh is a wife, a mom, and an award-winning Christian contemporary romance author. Her novel In Search of a Prince won the first ever Christy Amplify Award. It has also been praised by Oprah Daily, POPSUGAR, Library Journal, and Booklist and is a Parable bestseller. Her books have won the Christy Award and Selah Award and have been finalists for the Carol Award and the HOLT Medallion. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Faith, Hope & Love Christian Writers (FHLCW).
