Quiver

By: Rachel Spangler

Narrated by: Ann Shanks Etter

Enter the exciting world of horse archery with the heavily anticipated new sports romance from award-winning sapphic author Rachel Spangler

Kye Manchester is no stranger to ambition. She sacrificed more than she cares to admit to become a highly acclaimed actress. Now more than a decade after her big break, her prospects are waning, and in a moment of desperation, she tells a lie that sends her spiraling back to where she started, and to the one woman she swore she’d never let herself need again.

Fletcher Bouchard isn’t just Kye’s first love and her greatest heartbreak, she’s also a world-champion mounted archer in a unique position to help Kye gain the skills she needs with a horse and bow, only she has no inclination to do so. Tensions flare immediately after Kye returns to their small hometown, and neither woman knows how to back down where the other is concerned. Driven, wounded, and resentful, they also happen to be the only person in each other’s lives who understands how to walk the razor’s edge between sanity and obsession.

The two women reluctantly agree to work together under the common goal of getting back to the lives they each built in spite of the other. However, during long days and nights of training, embers of the past rekindle fires hot enough to incinerate their defenses. As arrows and tempers fly, will passion burn hot enough to push Kye and Fletcher past old patterns in search of true healing? Or will the sharp point of lingering pain shatter their second chance at the love story of a lifetime?

Quiver is an enemies-to-lovers, ice queen romance about the power of love, redemption, and the choices that make us who we are.

©2024 Rachel L. Spangler (P)2024 Rachel L. Spangler

Critic reviews

“Spangler writes fights and misunderstandings with heartbreaking precision, but she puts her characters’ hearts—and the readers’—back together by the end.” ~ JAMIE GREEN, the New York Times Book Review

“Rachel Spangler is the undisputed heavyweight champion of sports romance.” ~ Sally Neate, Autostraddle

Dynamic Characters, Realistic Romance, Sexy Themes

One of my favorite listens yet! Best Lesbian Fiction, Sexy and Enthralling without being cheesy or cheap. This one im keeping to listen again.

Persistance and Hard work always Wins!!

I enjoyed the story very much. I often got lost knowing who was talking, I couldn't much tell the difference between the 2 main characters. I would have to listen closely then to the context, and often go lost. I enjoyed learning about the sport of mounted archery. The story was well developed, I kept routing for Kye the main character to succeed in her endeavers to learn the sport.
The mentor Fletcher was definitely hard ass, bringing to mind the student had to show their worth and devotion. An age old saga. How much do you want it? What are you willing to give up to have it? To learn to be the best. Rachel Spangler did a great job of bringing the angst and trials to life of these two women who defenitely were not going to make it in a relationship. I love that the focus even so was the success of the Kye to succeed.

A Tense, Heartwarming Dive into Second Chances...

...and Mounted Archery

When I first picked up Quiver by Rachel Spangler, narrated by Ann Shanks Etter, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. Having been enchanted by Spangler's previous works (sometimes featuring outside-of-the-norm sports), I was curious to see how she would blend the world of horse archery with the intense, often tumultuous dynamics of a sapphic romance. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed. From the get-go, this audiobook pulled me into its vivid, emotionally charged world, where past and present collide with both beautiful and heartbreaking consequences.

Kye Manchester and Fletcher Bouchard are the kind of characters you can't help but root for, even as they make decisions that make you want to shout at them through your headphones. The depth of their former relationship, coupled with their current animosity, creates a sizzling tension that is palpable throughout. The narration by Ann Shanks Etter adds an extra layer of intensity, perfectly capturing the characters' complex emotions and the unique setting. Her voice brings out the nuances of their relationship, making each moment of conflict and reconciliation hit even harder.

The sport of mounted archery provides a fascinating backdrop to the drama unfolding between Kye and Fletcher. It’s not just a sport but a metaphor for the precision and control—or lack thereof—that each character struggles with in their personal lives. The detailed descriptions of the sport, combined with the characters' journey back to one another, make for a compelling narrative that's as much about finding balance in life as it is about romance.

Overall, Quiver is a heartfelt story about second chances, healing old wounds, and rediscovering love where you least expect it. Rachel Spangler has once again crafted a novel that’s as thought-provoking as it is heartwarming. This left me with happy tears and a renewed appreciation for the paths we choose in life and love. If you're a fan of enemies-to-lovers tales and sports romances with a unique twist, then this audiobook is a must-listen.

Also... Can we talk about the name of this book? It's perfect.