Playing The Game: A Story of Healing, Hope, and Coming Home - Paperback
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A small-town hero. A big-city betrayal. A second chance at the love he never should've lost.
When Cal Bennett leaves Willow Creek to sign a massive contract with the Metro City Titans, he thinks he's finally living the dream. But fame comes with a price he never expected. The Titans' PR machine controls everything - his schedule, his image, even his relationship status. And their first demand is the one that shatters him:
Break up with Mara James. The girl who believed in him long before the cameras did.
Forced into a fake relationship with a PR-approved "image girlfriend," Cal becomes a stranger in his own life. The game he loves turns into a performance, and the people around him see him as a brand, not a man. And when the Titans sell him mid-season to the distant superclub Pacific Reign, Cal finally sees the truth:
He was never a star to them. He was a product.
So he walks away from the fame, the pressure, and the lies - and returns to Willow Creek, the only place that ever felt real. But coming home means facing the woman he broke, and Mara isn't the same girl he left behind. She's stronger now, guarded, and not about to let him back into her life without a fight.
To win her heart again, Cal must prove he's done letting others script his future - and that the man standing in front of her is the one who came home to stay.
A heartfelt, slow-burn sports romance about second chances, small-town loyalty, and choosing love over fame.
Fame took everything from him. Love - and the game he was born to play - might just give it all back.
Neil J. Milliner is a creative educator, prolific author, and strategic publisher whose work empowers introverts and creatives to reclaim their energy, set guilt-free boundaries, and transform overwhelm into clarity. Through his imprint Books by Neil J. Milliner, he crafts emotionally intelligent guides, journals, and workbooks that blend psychology, neuroscience, and practical exercises into step-by-step frameworks that heal and activate.
Whether you're navigating burnout, learning to say "no" with grace, or seeking tools to protect your peace, Neil's writing meets you with heart, wit, and wisdom. His signature style is modular, reassuring, and deeply audience-focused-designed to help you take action without losing your softness.
Neil lives for the moment when a timid reader says, "I finally feel seen." His latest release, Master the Art of Saying No Without Guilt, is a transformational guide for anyone ready to set boundaries with confidence and compassion.
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