The Majestic Mallards

Julian Thorne was the Shark of Milwaukee's legal world, a man who built a career on ruthlessness and expensive suits. Then came the crash, the public disgrace, and a court-ordered community service sentence that landed him in the coldest place in the city: the North Shore Curling & Broomball rink.He expected to serve his time and walk away. He didn't expect the Majestic Mallards.Led by Artie Higgins, a math teacher with a heart of gold and a team of middle-aged dads who have been written off by everyone-including themselves-the Mallards are the bottom-feeders of the Over-45 City Regional League. They are a ragtag collection of hobbyists: a trash-talking deli owner, a powerhouse stay-at-home dad, and a retired mail carrier who reads the ice with the precision of a master.Julian has the technical brilliance and the cold calculation to win, but he lost the "Spirit of Curling" decades ago. To lead this team against the high-performance giants of the Northern Blades, he must confront the ghosts of his own athletic failures and decide if he's willing to trade his shark-like instincts for something he hasn't felt in years: hope.On the tilted ice of End 4, the Mallards are fighting for more than a trophy. They are fighting for their lives, their families, and their last chance at relevance in a world that stopped looking their way.In this sincere and gritty sports drama, the roar of the granite is the only truth that matters. One stone at a time, the Majestic Mallards are proving that even in the coldest winters, the underdog can still find a way to soar.

Pages: 816, Paperback, Greg Johle