Ice isn't the only thing that's cold in Florida. But being untouchable comes at a price.

Max Harrison had it all—captain of Sea Crest University's hockey team, NHL scouts watching his every move, and a girlfriend who made him believe in belonging. Until one viral video destroyed everything he'd built.

Betrayed by the woman he trusted and abandoned by those he called family, Max transfers to UCF with a single goal: become someone new. Someone untouchable. Someone cold.

The Grump is born from the ashes of his old life, a defensive powerhouse who gives nothing but perfect plays and cold silence. As his walls grow higher and his reputation spreads, Max convinces himself that hockey is enough. That being feared is better than being vulnerable. That The Grump is all he needs to be.

But when his talent catches the attention of the Orlando Sunblades, Max discovers that even the strongest walls can develop cracks. And sometimes the person you become to survive isn't the person you need to be to live.

THE RISE OF THE GRUMP is a prequel novella to GRUMPFEST, revealing the devastating betrayal that transformed a promising college captain into the NHL's most notorious defenseman. This emotional journey sets the stage for Max's eventual redemption in the arms of the one woman who sees beyond The Grump's icy facade.

Some walls are built to protect.

Some are meant to crumble.

If you love grumpy heroes, hockey heat, and second chances at love, this prequel will leave you counting the days until the puck drops on the full novel.