Deflected Hearts By - Cali Melle

Unknown to August, Poppy is pregnant. She leaves town to finish her degree and raise the baby independently, wanting to avoid being a burden to his professional aspirations.

Described as driven, independent, and vulnerable. She struggles to balance her education with her pregnancy while guarding herself against August's re-entry into her life. Critical Reception Deflected Hearts by Cali Melle

Months later, fate brings them together when August walks into the restaurant where Poppy is working while he is on a date with someone else. Unknown to August, Poppy is pregnant

Upon discovering he is the father, August vows to be involved, but Poppy is hesitant to let him back into her heart to avoid being hurt again. Key Characters She struggles to balance her education with her

is a contemporary hockey romance by Cali Melle, serving as the second book in her Wyncote Wolves series . It primarily follows the "accidental pregnancy" and "second-chance" tropes, focusing on the relationship between Poppy Williams and August Whitley. Plot Overview

Poppy and August share a casual, "no-strings-attached" relationship that ends when August, fearing his growing feelings will distract him from his hockey career, breaks things off.

A dedicated college hockey player with a "one-track mind" for the sport. Reviewers note his growth from a "f*ck boy" to a committed "hockey daddy" who eventually chooses his family over his career pressures.