Beneath the Stands

The Sugarlake Series, Book 2

By: Emily McIntire

Narrated by: Liam DiCosimo, Brittany Pressley

From USA Today bestselling author Emily McIntire comes an angsty, best-friend’s-brother, second-chance romance and the second interconnected standalone in the Sugarlake series.

Elliot Carson left Sugarlake and has never looked back. Revered as the next big thing in basketball, Eli’s a star until an injury ends his career, sending him spiraling with no direction.

But he won’t go home.

He can’t.

Instead, he accepts a coaching gig at Florida Coast University, determined to leave his past behind. But fate has other plans when Becca, his sister’s best friend, shows up as a student and, even worse, becomes the new team manager.

Rebecca Sanger is the preacher’s daughter and the town’s disappointment. When she ignores her family’s demands to come home, she’s cut off and needs a job so she can stay enrolled at FCU. She thought she had everything figured out, until Eli Carson―the person she hates more than anything in the world―ends up being her new boss.

Forced together, Becca and Eli’s hatred turns to heat, and they start an affair. But disaster quickly strikes, ripping them apart.

Years pass, and Becca’s back home, under her parent’s thumb, and living a mundane life. When Eli shows up out of the blue with a fiancée in tow, Becca is tasked with planning their wedding.

There’s only one problem.

Becca still loves Eli.

And he hates her.

For the second time in their lives, they’re forced together, and they’ll find out just how thin the line is between hate … and a love that lasts a lifetime.

Contains mature content.

©2020 Emily McIntire (P)2025 Blackstone Publishing

Emily writes dang good drama and angst

I had mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I loved the fiery passion-filled relationship that Eli and Becca had. They both are strong personalities, and it's always fun to have a good enemies to lovers transition. I think where it faltered for me was their relationships with other people - specifically Alina. They both failed her so spectacularly, and I don't really feel like either of them really atoned for that. Becca lied over and over again about her involvement with Eli when she should have just come clean. Eli abandoned Alina to deal with their father on her own - even when she begged him to help her. They were busy living their own lives, getting together and hiding it from everyone, fully absorbed in their own lives. I'm not saying that they don't have their own baggage. They do. Their lives are far from perfect, but I just felt like they really failed Alina in a time where she needed them the most. It's hard to be on their side 100% when that's the price for it.

That being said, I still mostly liked the story. Like I said, Becca and Eli have an addicting kind of love, and I really did enjoy their dynamic together. Emily writes damn good drama and angst, and I'm always game for diving into a story she's created.