IN THE PENALTY BOX by Lynn Rush and Kelly Anne Blount
Synopsis The Cutting Edge meets Friday Night Lights in a sizzling new hockey romance from bestselling authors Kelly Anne Blount and Lynn Rush.
Willow
Figure skating was supposed to be my whole world. But one unlucky injury and now I’m down…but I’m definitely not out. I just need to rehab—a boatload of rehab—and who’d have thought I could do it on the boys’ hockey team?
Of course, the infuriatingly hot captain of the team seems to think I’m nothing but sequins and twirls. What’s a girl to do but put him in his place? Game on.
Brodie
Hockey is my whole world. I’ve worked my tail off getting my team in a position to win the championships—hopefully in front of major college scouts, too—so what’s a guy to do when a figure skater ends up as our new goalie?
Of course, the distractingly sexy skater thinks I’m nothing but a testosterone-laced competitive streak. And surely she’s only biding her time to heal, then she’s gone. Game over.
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My Review A sweet romance with enough heat to melt any freshly Zambonied ice rink. Lynn Rush and Kelly Anne Blount have written a swoony teen romance with stellar lead characters, a fun supporting cast, and more skating than the Winter Olympics. Willow Covington, a figure skater with her eye on the Olympics, is injured and loses not only her spot on the team, but the host family where she’s lived for years, returning to the small northern town where she grew up. But the Woodhaven she left didn’t have one Brodie “The Wind” Windom. He’s not only easy on the eyes, he’s a monster on the ice. As Willow rehabs in Woodhaven, she’s increasingly frustrated by her lack of progress landing her jumps. When she watches the boys’ hockey team practice, an errant puck flies through the air, nearly hitting her and her friend, Jessa, until she reaches out and grabs the spinning death disk in midair. This gets her a tryout with the team since their goalie is rehabbing himself. Willow isn’t sure if playing hockey will help or hinder her return to figure skating, but spending time with Brodie every day is enough for her to give it a try. Playing hockey turns out to be more than she imagined, and when the figure skating teams come calling, she’ll need to make a choice between the only dream she’s ever had — to skate in the Olympics — and the only boy she’s ever loved.
Plot With two authors, there’s a lot of plotting going on. The primary plot is the relationship between Willow and Brodie. But both Willow and Brodie have their own growth arcs and lots of subplotting. From Willow’s efforts to regain a spot on a top figure skating team to Brodie’s family matters and his future as a hockey player, there’s a lot happening that should keep these two apart. Not the least of which is the no fraternization between teammates rule. All of this adds delicious conflict and angst.
Characters Brodie and Willow are both really well developed, but Willow stole my heart. She’s strong, independent, and knows how to hold her own on a boys’ hockey team. Brodie is totally worthy of her amazingness, though. What makes Willow one of the best female characters I’ve read in a long time is the fact that she never once questions why Brodie would be interested in her. She still has some solid insecurities as you’d expect a teen character to have, but it wasn’t ever about whether she was dateable. I found that to be exceedingly refreshing.
What I Loved About IN THE PENALTY BOX 1. Ice Sports. Whether you love figure skating, hockey, or both, there’s a lot for everyone to enjoy.
2. Willow. She refuses to take any grief from the boys, or the catty girls on the figure skating team. She gives back twice as much as she takes.
3. Brodie. He has a lot of baggage, but he still manages to be this amazing guy who looks after his kid brother, his father, the team, and Willow.
4. Making Your Own Choices. I love that Willow didn’t let anyone influence her. She did what she needed to do for herself.
5. Reality. I love that the authord didn’t wrap everything up with a nice, tidy bow. Life is messy and even though this is a solid HFN ending, not everything was all neat and clean at the end, making it so much more relatable.
Bottom Line A flirty, sweet figure skater vs. hockey player romance with an adorable twist.
About Kelly Anne Blount USA Today bestselling author and Wattpad Star Kelly Anne Blount has more than seventy-three-thousand followers on social media. Her Wattpad stories have been read more than twenty-million times. She’s contributed to Tap, Wattpad’s new app for chat-style stories, where her work has been “tapped” more than fifty-million times. She is a writer and reviewer for SpoilerTV, which has allowed her to develop an incredible network of film and TV stars.
Two of her Wattpad works, including Captured (seventeen-million reads), have been optioned for film by Komixx Entertainment, and she is regularly invited to present seminars about social media at author events.
About Lynn Rush New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Lynn Rush, is a full-time writer, wife, and trail runner living in the Sonoran Desert, despite her fear of rattle snakes. Known as #TheRunningWriter, Lynn can’t resist posting epic sunrise pictures while running in the desert with her trail sisters, even if she has to occasionally hop a scorpion.
When she’s not running or writing, she’s watching movies that fuel her everlasting love of superheroes, vampires, and all things Supernatural. The books she reads usually carry the same theme, but this former college athlete loves reading sweet sports romances as well.
She’s madly in love with her Ironman husband of 20+ years who is the inspiration for what true love is.
Synopsis Every wallflower blooms at their own perfect time, but some like quirky Lo, take longer than others.
Lo is a sheltered 20-year-old who loves baking, manga/anime, and octopi. When she spots her college swim team’s tryout flyer sporting her favorite sea creature, an octopus she knows it’s a sign that she must join the Flying Octopi. The only things standing her way are her social awkward nature and the fact that she just learned to swim.
Will Lo find her place to shine or will her social anxiety DQ her dreams?
LateBloomer is a new adult novel that is a cross between Bridget Jones’s Diary, Baywatch and Kuragehime.
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My Review This novel was a breath of fresh air. I love everything about it, from the cover, to the devices the author uses to tell Lo’s story, to the characters that populate the pages. At twenty, Lo is socially awkward on steroids and as inexperienced as an adult as she was in middle school. After a near-drowning experience as a child, she promised her mother she would never go into a pool again. But Lo, being Lo, figured the best way to protect herself was to learn how to swim. So through reading books and researching online, she taught herself how to swim. Now she wants to swim on her college’s swim team. She’s awful, but because she’s determined, the coach gives her a chance. When Lo isn’t studying, swimming, or taking care of her little brother, she’s listening to 90s grunge music. Set in 2003, there’s a lot of great music and movie references to take me back nearly two decades.
Lo balances her life the best way she can, by trying to please everyone. Her family is full-on passive-aggressive, giving her the silent treatment if she displeases them. No wonder she has so many issues with developing normal, healthy interpersonal relationships. But she always manages to regain a positive attitude every time she’s knocked down. Along her journey, she falls for moody Martin, and fellow music lover, but he’s got a girlfriend. Still, she can’t stop the way she feels and when Martin and his girlfriend break up, Lo blurts our her feelings in the most Lo-like way, taking their friendship into awkward territory as only she can.
I fell in love with this character as she deals with helping her brother with his problems at school, with her parents’ financial troubles, her own failing grades, and her up and down relationship/friendship with Martin. I enjoyed watching her crawl into her own person. Author L.M.L. Gil has shot to the top of my list of favorite debut authors. I can’t wait to read more by her.
Plot The plot is sort of a wandering tale of Lo’s personal growth, with strong romantic elements, and themes of friendship and being there for others. Lo is quirky, and one of her friends, Nick, calls her weirdo, but she takes it all in stride, knowing she’s always been different from other people. She knows she’s socially awkward, and while she would like to be more like her friends, I love her just the way she is. Lo is endearing and sweet, without ever being annoying. Even her friend Britney says, “If you weren’t so cute, you would be annoying,” and that’s the best description of Lo I can think of. I did find her constant need to apologize somewhat disheartening, but when you understand her family, it makes so much sense for who she is. While the book tends to run long at 525 pages, it’s actually a fast read, told over short chapters.
The Characters We see the characters only through Lo’s innocent eyes. She is such a caring soul, non-judgmental soul, it’s hard to get a true grasp of them, but over time, they all slowly come into focus. They’re all well-developed with rich back stories, even Britney, who at first comes off a bit shallow, but we eventually find out there is even more to her than meets the eye. But Lo steals the show, and one of the things I love most about her, is she is absolutely the last person to see what everyone else knows.
Top Five Things I Loved About THE DIARY OF A LATE BLOOMER 1. Lo. She’s so naive and trusting and wonderful. Her heart is enormous and she loves with everything she is.
2. Swimming. I loved reading about Lo’s time in the pool. I’m not much of a swimmer, but I almost feel as if I could be after reading her story.
3. Nick. It took me a full two-thirds of the book to warm up to him, but once I did, I adored him. He’s an enigma for sure, and I didn’t like the way he treated Lo at first, but the more I got to know him, the more I understood why he is the way he is.
4. Music. Lo spends a great deal of time going to concerts in small venues and if I hadn’t had a couple of newborn twins in 2003, I would have loved to have joined her. That was totally my scene!
5. Ending. So much is wrapped up in the last twenty percent of the book. I cried, I laughed, and I finished feeling completely satisfied.
Bottom Line An adorably fun and unique romance with some of the best characters in the genre! One of my favorite reads of 2020.
About the Author L.M.L. Gil is a writer, a reader, and a dreamer. When she is not writing, editing, or thinking about her next story, she is either in the kitchen testing out a new recipe or snuggling with her fur munchkins reading.
As a glutton, she equates a good novel to a scrumptious dessert, which leaves your heart a little lighter and a smile on your face. She hopes her novels provide a sweet treat without the calories
I hate your floppy hair and your lopsided grin and those laughing blue eyes that always seem to be laughing at me.
I hate that you’re the most popular guy in school and I’m still the girl who sneezed and spit out her retainer on someone at a middle school dance. It’s just such a cliché.
I hate that I’m being forced to tutor you in English and keep it a secret from everyone. Because otherwise it might put our basketball team’s chances at winning State in jeopardy, and even though I hate you, I love basketball.
I hate that it seems like you’re keeping a secret from me…and that the more time we spend together, the less I feel like I’m on solid ground. Because I’m starting to realize there’s so much more to you than meets the eye. Underneath it all, you’re real.
But what I hate most is that I really don’t hate you at all.
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My Review My first novel by Kelly Anne Blount will not be my last. I must now devour everything she’s ever written. The story is compelling, but it’s the characters that really stand out to me. Too often, the story is really good, but I don’t particularly like the characters, but I fell in love with both Wren and Fuller from the beginning, which is hard when one of said characters is a giant-ass douchebag. But Blount gives us a glimpse into his life and immediately softens our hearts. No matter what he’s done to Wren in the past, his devotion to his family makes him a hero everyone can root for. And anyone who has ever been bullied by the mean girls can immediately identify with Wren. Dumped by her best friend at a middle school dance after an unfortunately embarrassing situation that was only made worse by one Fuller James, Wren distrusts girls and has a small group of friends in high school. Both are the type of guy friends every woman deserves. Wren hates Fuller James so when she is caught on video engaging in a lunchtime food fight with him, both are hauled into the principal’s office. Captain of the boys state-champion basketball team, Fuller may find his senior year riding the bench instead of being scouted by colleges. Wren is on a smooth track to class Valedictorian and the logical tutor for Fuller. Except she hates him. Loathes him. Would literally prefer to do ANYTHING other than spend one second with Fuller James.
It’s clear from this opening scene that this is going to be an enemies to lovers story, but it’s a delicious path they take to get there. Fuller comes to first appreciate Wren before realizing all those years of making her a punchline prevented him from seeing her inner beauty but the outer as well. Not only does she have legs for days, but eyes he could get lost in. Wren sees another side of Fuller when he stops by her house to pick up some notes. This is a side she can’t fully grasp, but it forces her to realize there may be more to this this arrogant, cocky jerk than meets the eye. The more time they spend together, the more they both realized they’ve completely misjudged each other. If only Fuller hadn’t made that stupid, regrettable bet.
Plot Expertly plotted, most of the story follows a formula that isn’t full of surprises, but the character’s depth and breadth shine through in those moments when the inevitable unfolds. While the plot may not be original, the imaginary friends I made while reading this story react in original ways, bringing a deeper level of enjoyment to a lighthearted romance. The nod the author gives to some of the best romcoms ever, including Say Anything, only made this a tale nearer and dearer to my heart.
The Characters Simply amazing. I have to remind myself they’re not real, and that is the saddest part of this book. Fuller is fully-developed and has the most complete character arc, because frankly, he needs it more than he needs an A in AP Lit. His journey is both honest and organic as he realizes he’s been far too shallow for too long. Wren is so relatable and though she has her own arc, it’s not as significant as she transitions from the victim of bullying to someone who can hold her head high even through new humiliating events. The best part of the characterization is not only being able to see Wren and Fuller through the eyes of each other, since it’s dual first-person point of view, but also in the eyes of their family members. Nothing humanizes someone more than seeing them among loved ones, who not only love them unconditionally, but absolutely won’t take any of their crap.
Top Five Things I Loved About I HATE YOU FULLER JAMES 1. Fuller. He’s perfectly imperfect, making him a flawed hero who’s easy to love.
2. Wren. She’s so complex and completely relatable. I love how she learns to stand up to her bullies.
3. Hudson. Fuller’s younger brother is both hilarious and loyal. The interactions between Hudson and Fuller bring out the best of Fuller James.
4. Gramps. Wren’s basketball loving grandfather is a breath of fresh air and helps show Wren’s devotion to family in a way that would have been harder without him in it.
5. Angsty romance. Just enough angst without being over the top made this a total page-turner for me.
Bottom Line A fun romance with amazing characters and a stellar supporting cast.
About the Author USA Today bestselling author and Wattpad Star Kelly Anne Blount has more than seventy-three-thousand followers on social media. Her Wattpad stories have been read more than twenty-million times. She’s contributed to Tap, Wattpad’s new app for chat-style stories, where her work has been “tapped” more than fifty-million times. She is a writer and reviewer for SpoilerTV, which has allowed her to develop an incredible network of film and TV stars.
Two of her Wattpad works, including Captured (seventeen-million reads), have been optioned for film by Komixx Entertainment, and she is regularly invited to present seminars about social media at author events.
Synopsis Honor Tierney just wants one night with the playboy.
One hot, steamy, meaningless hookup, and then she’ll happily go back to reading her favorite books, studying to be an accountant and writing for the campus-paper-nobody-reads. Too bad she ends up in the wrong bed, with the wrong brother…who gives her the hottest night of her life.
Archer O’Brien just wants to play ball.
Well that, and for his brothers to stop acting out, so he won’t have to worry 24/7. As the oldest O’Brien and team captain, it’s his duty to make sure they don’t drink too much, party too much, or get in too much trouble. But when she walks into his bedroom—mistaking him for his brother—life throws him a curveball.
She’s determined to guard her heart. He’s not giving up.
And when Honor gets assigned to cover the Wolves baseball team, it’s game on.
This new adult sports romance features one hot (and hilarious) case of mistaken identity and a sexy set of brothers guaranteed to make you swoon.
Sometimes, the best mistakes are worth making.
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My Review This is the first new adult novel I’ve read by Cookie O’Gorman, and I’m hooked. She took everything I love about her young adult books: quirky, fun characters and angsty romance, and mixed them up with older characters with more independence, but still trying to figure out life. The combination is both heart-warming and hysterical. Honor Tierney is about to finish up college, still a virgin. Baylor O’Brien has the reputation as a ladies man who leaves his partners satisfied. Who better to give her a night she’ll never forget? Unless she accidentally mistakes one O’Brien brother for another, with hilarious results. What follows is two college seniors trying to make sense of one mixed-up night that might be anything but a failed one-night stand. Add a plethora of O’Brien siblings, Honor’s diverse roommates, and more than a few sparks to ignite a series of events that are at times laugh-out-loud funny and gut-punching. While this is Honor’s and Archer’s story, I can’t wait to find out what happens with the rest of this crew! I’m so happy this is the first book in a new series.
Plot This is a straight up romance without any real sub-plotting, but the romance drives the story so well, not much else is needed. The back and forth between what Archer wants and what Honor wants along with misconceptions and assumptions on both their parts drives the bulk of the conflict, with Archer’s siblings contributing the rest. When you put that many alpha males together, all from the same family, sparks are bound to fly. The best dialogue is between the O’Brien siblings.
Characters O’Gorman excels at characters. Honor is equal parts smart, socially awkward, and adorable. The only thing I didn’t really like about her was how little self-esteem she has. And that didn’t really change over the course of the story the way I hoped it would. But her best friend and roommate, Charlie, more than makes up for it with an over-abundance of self-assuredness. She’s the yin to Honor’s yang. Guys fall all over themselves to be with her, except for Archer’s brother, Chase. These two need their own story, stat. Then there’s Rose, the third roommate, who I still haven’t figured out yet, and the O’Brien sister, now a freshman, who rounds out the apartment. Her best friend, June, has it bad for bad boy Baylor, and I’m convinced their story will be the best of the bunch. And above them all is the baseball coach and Mama O’Brien herself, who keeps them all in line while coaching the winningest team in college baseball.
What I Loved About THE BEST MISTAKE 1. Honor. Delightfully awkward and funny.
2. Archer. As the oldest O’Brien, he has a sense of responsibility that keeps him on the straight and narrow as his brothers devolve into drinking, brawling, and general debauchery.
3. Baseball. I miss sports of all kinds during this pandemic life we’re in now, but since it’s baseball season, I really enjoyed the ballpark scenes.
4. The O’Brien Brothers. Each is very different from the other, making for a colorful cast of characters.
5. Charlie. She was my favorite character in the book and I can’t wait for her story.
Bottom Line A fun, fast-paced contemporary romance with plenty of laugh-out loud moments.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: THE BEST MISTAKE Series: Southern U O’Brien Brothers Series #1 Author: Cookie O’Gorman Release Date: April 23, 202- Genre: New Adult Contemporary Sports Romance Pages: 219 Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
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Author Cookie O’Gorman
About the Author Cookie O’Gorman writes YA & NA romance to give readers a taste of happily-ever-after. Small towns, quirky characters, and the awkward yet beautiful moments in life make up her books. Cookie also has a soft spot for nerds and ninjas. Her novels ADORKABLE, NINJA GIRL, The Unbelievable, Inconceivable, Unforeseeable Truth About Ethan Wilder, and The Good Girl’s Guide to Being Bad are out now! She is also the author of NA sports romance, The Best Mistake.
Synopsis Pepper:
The best part of a happy ending… finding out it’s actually just the beginning. Having someone promise to be by your side, to chase dreams with, whisper troubles to, it’s more than I could have imagined.
But after three seasons of Jace playing pro ball in Ohio, three long seasons, with him on the road, and me training all over the world, I’m questioning if we can really have it all. Harsh criticism of our relationship is all too familiar and uncovers old wounds. I only ever wanted to run and to be with Jace, and finding the perfect balance proves to be my greatest trial yet.
We vowed not to let our love deter each other’s athletic goals, but I miss him. I miss us.
Jace:
The demands of our careers have us running in opposite directions, when we should be putting down roots, together. But escalating fame and an overbearing agent have me fumbling everything I hold dear, including Pepper.
After years of dedication and sacrifice, I’m finally in a position to trade to my hometown team. Moving back to Colorado could be the answer to all our problems, but just when I think we’re finally on the right track, we’re sacked with news that turns everything upside down. News that rattles me and sends Pepper into a tailspin. It’s time for me to remind the girl that I fell in love with how to fight.
Until she’s ready, I’ll fight hard enough for the both of us. For better or for worse.
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My Review I was introduced to Ali Dean’s writing with PEPPED UP, the first book in the Pepper Jones series, and was immediately hooked. I was surprised when a sixth book was released because Pepper and Jace’s story seemed to be over in in book 5, but I was eager to dive into their world once more. Both professional athletes now, Pepper and Jace are early to mid twenties now, and life seems to be going pretty well, other than the fact that they spend a lot of time apart from each other. They’re looking to settle down in their old home town of Brockton, Colorado, with Jace vying for a spot as the quarterback on the local NFL team, the Stallions (Broncos). There’s plenty of shallow people in both the running and NFL world to deal with along with returning favorites, including Bunny, Wes, Zoe and the rest of the Brockton crew. Madeline Briscole, my favorite mean girl (i.e. the girl I love to hate) makes a brief and snarky reappearance, but she doesn’t really rock the boat this time. In fact, not much rocks the boat, and that’s my biggest issue with this last installment. There isn’t as much conflict as I’m used to in Ali Dean’s stories. And the conflict that does arise is quickly doused by our now more mature protagonists. This is what we all wanted for them, but it doesn’t make for a page-turning read. That said, it was a very satisfying final conclusion to the series and the epilogue was especially fulfilling.
Plot
There doesn’t seem to be a main plot, but there are several parallel plots taking place: where will Jace play football, will Pepper make the Olympic marathon team, and where will they settle down. The three are obviously linked. Where Jace plays has a lot to do with where they will ultimately live which in turn impacts Pepper’s running career. As I mentioned above, there isn’t much conflict in any of these and anything that does threaten their happiness, isn’t a long-term issue. But the story unfolds at a steady pace and I didn’t get bored.
Characters
It was so fun being back with Pepper, Jace and the gang! I enjoyed seeing the more mature versions of these two and cameos from some of my favorite characters from the past. I would have liked more of Bunny, but isn’t that always the case?
What I Enjoyed About PEPPED UP & WILDER 1. Pepper and Jace. They work so well together, and after watching their trials and failures through five books, I love their HEA.
2. The Running. Pepper has evolved from trail running to marathon running. Having only ever run one half, I read through these scenes with only a superficial appreciation of what is involved, but I felt sucked into the events anyway. This is where Dean’s descriptive elements really shine.
3. Supporting Cast. Both old favorites and newcomers rounded out the characters nicely.
4. NFL Drama. It was my favorite sport to watch before the Chargers up and moved to LA (don’t get me started) but I still enjoyed reading about the behind-the-scenes drama that a bunch of egotistical jocks can drum up. Tween girls ain’t got nothing on this bunch.
5. The Epilogue. A deeply satisfying wrap up to one of my all-time favorite couples.
Bottom Line A thoroughly satisfying conclusion to the series.
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About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: PEPPED UP & WILDER Series: Pepper Jones #6 Author: Ali Dean Release Date: December 18, 2018 Pages: 185 Genre: New Adult Contemporary/Sports Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
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Author Ali Dean
About the Author Ali Dean lives in Colorado with her husband, twin babies, and golden retriever. In addition to reading and writing, she loves the outdoors- everything from marathon training and biking to snowboarding and skiing.
THE STAND-IN BOYFRIEND (Grove Valley High #1) by Emma Doherty
Synopsis Livy Chapman is in love with Jessie Stephenson. It’s that simple. She has been for years but he only see’s her as his best friend. His best friend who copies her homework, relies on her to bail him out of trouble and who he hooks up with other girls in front of.
Enough is enough and when Chase Mitchell, star of the soccer team, and all round Mr. Popular steps in and convinces her that they can do each other a favour by pretending to date, Livy is just crazy enough over Jessie to agree to it.
I mean, Chase is just her stand-in boyfriend. Nothing could go wrong. Right?
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My Review Oh wow, words are not sufficient to convey the depth of feelings this book brought out. THE STAND-IN BOYFRIEND is filled with love and longing, insecurities, anxiety, and more. It’s like stepping back into high school. And though I read a lot of young adult, that doesn’t happen very often for me.
Livy Chapman has been in love with her best friend almost from the moment they met. But he doesn’t see her as anything more than a buddy, breaking her heart just a little more every day. When she finally thinks her chance with him might actually happen, he ends up hooking up with his ex, shredding her already damaged heart. In comes Chase Mitchell, hottest guy in school. He offers Livy a proposition: pretend to date to make Jessie notice her and get Chase’s ex-girlfriend, Abigail, off his back. The only problem is, other than soccer, Livy and Chase have nothing in common. Or do they? The more time they spend together, the more Livy realizes that Chase gets her. Even if he’s only pretending they’re a couple, he makes her laugh and feel comfortable in a way almost no one else can. So when she finally gets Jessie’s attention, everything should be smooth sailing, right? Right?
Plot The plot centers around Livy’s relationships with Jessie and Chase. She and Jessie have been BFFs since seventh grade, but he doesn’t see her the way she sees him. Chase is the “it” guy in school, but Livy sees there’s so much more to him than everyone else does when they spend time alone. Even though their relationship is fake, the budding friendship is real. Livy is so blinded by her undying love for Jessie, she’s unable to see the boy right in front of her. As she’s tugged in two directions, her anxiety ramps up, eliciting genuine emotion from me as I read. Any female who has ever been a teenager will be able to identify with the emotions that are tearing Livy apart.
The Characters The characters were really well developed. Both Livy and Chase had rich backstories that defined who they were and drove their actions in believable ways. As Livy’s best friends, Jessie and Sophie are vibrant foils to her more serious self. Even Abigail is more than a two-dimensional mean girl.
Top Five Things I Loved About THE STAND-IN BOYFRIEND 1. Angsty romance. My favorite kind, the type that makes me keep turning the page to find out what happens next.
2. Loyalty. Sophie is the best of the best when it comes to BFFs. She has Livy’s back no matter what. Always.
3. Chase Mitchell. He’s genuine, sweet, funny, and thoughtful as well as hot with buns of steel. What’s not to love?
4. Character depth. The author created well-rounded, fully fleshed characters that are easy to root for, flaws and all.
5. Anxiety. I have a teen daughter who suffers from anxiety, and I thought the author handled this perfectly.
Bottom Line A breathtaking young adult romance that left me wanting more.
Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: THE STAND-IN BOYFRIEND Series: Grove Valley High #1 Author: Emma Doherty Release Date: March 12, 2019 Pages: 260 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Sports Romance Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Link: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon UK
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Author Emma Doherty
About the Author Emma Doherty was born in Yorkshire, England. She attended university in Newcastle before moving to London. She loves to travel, write, spend time with friends and family and hear from her readers.
JUST ONE OF THE ROYALS (The Chicago Falcons#2) by Leah Rooper and Kate Rooper
Synopsis Star hockey player Daniel Sacachelli wants only two things: 1) for the Falcons to win next season, and 2) for his secret — the fact he’s actually the prince of Eldonia — to never make its way to Chicago. But if Daniel keeps avoiding his crown, their family will lose their kingdom forever.
Madison Myong can’t believe that her will-they-or-won’t-they best friend Daniel is really a prince! He’s always seemed more rebel than royal. But now, he needs to clean up his image, fast. Posing as his long-time girlfriend, Madison accompanies him back to Eldonia, intending to give Daniel a makeover fit for a king.
Only, the more royal Daniel becomes, the more Madison misses her best friend. And if she does her job right, she’ll lose him forever…
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My Review An adorable story about friends to more, with hockey, and oh yeah, royalty! Daniel “Sacs” Sacachelli has a big secret, one he hopes will never catch up with him in Chicago. Madison has her own secrets, like a crush on BFF, Daniel. She comes from a family who doesn’t believe in pie-in-the-sky dreams, like becoming an actress. She wants nothing more than to go to Julliard, but her parents shoot her down before she even has a chance to tell them her plan. When she discovers Daniel is the heir to the throne of a small European country, she sees her chance to get everything she’s always wanted. She proposes helping him prepare for the throne by posing as his girlfriend and showing his evil step-queen-mother that he’s more than the illegitimate son of her late husband; that he’s every bit a royal ready to assume the role he was born to play.
Whenever there are secrets this big, things are bound to go wrong, and JUST ONE OF THE ROYALS is no exception. Everything comes crashing down on Daniel and Madison in spectacular fashion, forcing both of them to examine what really matters in life.
Plot The plot centers on Madison and Daniel’s relationship. Both have feelings for the other that each is afraid to verbally express for different reasons. Whether or not Daniel will be the next king is a solid subplot. Much of the story is relatively predicable, but in a feel-good sort of way.
The Characters Daniel is absolutely fascinating as the royal bastard with serious daddy issues. It took me a long time to warm up to Madison, though. She came across as shallow for much of the early part of the book. She probably has more growing up to do than Daniel, though, and she does eventually redeem herself. I love Alice and Trembley, but some of the other characters, including the Dowager Queen and Daniel’s rival for the throne, came across as stereotypical and it was hard to take them serious at times.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About JUST ONE OF THE ROYALS 1. Daniel. He’s a royal like no other. A force to be reckoned with on the ice, he’s as unsure as they come when it comes to his birthright.
2. Alice. As one of Daniel’s hockey teammates, she spent the previous season pretending to be a guy so she could play on the team. She’s a spunky ball of determination.
3. Hockey. Fast becoming one of my favorite sports romance genres.
4. Angst. There’s not nearly enough of this, but what there is was my favorite part.
5. Reluctant royals. With so many people wishing they could be king or queen, it was refreshing to read about a teen who wanted no part of that life.
Bottom Line The Princess Diaries meets The Mighty Ducks.
Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: JUST ONE OF THE ROYALS Series: The Chicago Falcons #2 Author: Leah Rooper and Kate Rooper Publisher: Entangled Crush Release Date: June 4, 2018 Pages: 197 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Sports Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
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Authors Leah Rooper and Kate Rooper
About the Author Leah and Kate Rooper are sisters from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Growing up beside the Pacific Ocean and inside a temperate rainforest fed their sense of adventure as children, and nourished a curiosity for strange and distant lands. They fed this curiosity with books – lots and lots of books. After experiencing the magic of Middle-earth, they began creating their own worlds. When they’re not writing, Leah and Kate spend their time blogging and vlogging about their travel adventures and their writing journey.
Synopsis Eve is used to being the odd woman out. As the only girl on her school’s baseball team, she knows exactly how to put sweaty, macho baseball players in their place, and she’s focused on one thing and one thing only—being the best pitcher she can be.
But when a freak accident forces her high school to be absorbed by the neighboring town, Eve has to contend with a new group of guys who aren’t used to having a woman on their team. And the new team’s star pitcher, Jamie, has no interest in being ousted from his throne. He can’t afford to give up his starting slot to a new pitcher—even worse, to a girl.
As the competition between Jamie and Eve starts to heat up, so does their attraction to each other. Can they keep their heads in the game, or will they end up getting played?
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My Review My favorite Karole Cozzo book to date, and the title, THE GAME CAN’T LOVE YOU BACK, might be the most perfect title ever — it perfectly sums up the themes of the story. When Eve’s high school suffers a freak accident, she and the rest of her Bulldogs are forced across town to attend school with the rival Pirates. And the school rivalry is only the beginning of her issues. As the only girl in a family of boys, Eve’s mom told her if she wanted to play sports, she’d play with her brothers, because she didn’t have time to start carting a child off to girls’ sports as well. So Eve plays baseball, not softball. Problem is, the boys’ baseball team at her new school doesn’t want her anymore than she wants to be there, particularly rival pitcher, Jamie. Jamie is all smooth lines and cocky smiles, everything Eve despises. Eve glares far more than she smiles and has an attitude to match, everything Jamie despises. So of course these two enemies are fated to become something more.
Plot The story is about Eve and Jamie on and off the mound. Their romance is the main focus, but with both of them vying for the Cy Young award at the end of the season, there’s no way things in the primary plot are going to go smoothly. With Eve’s stubborn need to prove she’s one of the boys and Jamie quiet determination to prove she’s more than that means there’s plenty of conflict. There’s also Jamie’s history as a player, Eve’s inexperience in that area, jealous girls who see Eve as a rival, and an unwillingness to allow their relationship to come under the scrutiny of their teammates, meaning their tender relationship is clandestine at best. Cozzo executes all of this with moments of laugh-out-loud humor and even a few that made me tear up.
The Characters I absolutely adore Eve. She’s a refreshing departure from many female protagonists I’ve read lately. She’s complex and relateable, tough, determined, but with a vulnerable streak she wishes she didn’t have. I love her naivete with a solid streak of street smarts that makes her anything but typical. Jamie has a lot more baggage that drives him, but his walls crumble around Eve, making him vulnerable in his own ways. Eve is ultimately torn between what she wants on and off the field, and her growth comes when she figures out what matters most in life. The other characters are mostly minor players, a supporting cast that basically exist to prop up the main characters. They do their job without coming across as too flat.
Top Five Things I Loved About THE GAME CAN’T LOVE YOU BACK 1. First kisses. One of the all-time best first kisses in the history of young adult fiction.
2. Eve. I loved her stubborn streak, her need to win, the way she doesn’t care about dresses or makeup. She was so easy to relate to.
3. Baseball. I’m a big fan of the game and the way it was woven into the story got me even more fired up to watch my sad Padres this season.
4. Witty banter. Eve and Jamie had some of the best lines in the book when they were baiting each other. The dialogue was one of my favorite parts of the book.
5. Jamie. He was perfectly flawed in all the best ways to make him a natural fit for Eve.
Bottom Line A fantastic young adult sports romance with fabulous characters and sizzling dialogue.
Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: THE GAME CAN’T LOVE YOU BACK Author: Karole Cozzo Publisher: Swoon Reads Release Date: May 15, 2018 Pages: 315 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Sports Romance Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
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Author Karole Cozzo
About the Author Karole lives outside of Philadelphia, PA with her loving husband, exuberant little girl, and smiley little boy. She adores YA Romance, because it would be awesome if life in general had a requisite feel-good happy ending rule. Vices include obscene Haribo gummy consumption, addiction to Starbucks NF vanilla lattes, and tendency to hoard Bath and Body Works 3-wick candles.
Synopsis For sixteen-year-old Charlotte Reynolds, aka Charlie, being raised by a single dad and three older brothers has its perks. She can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows—including her longtime neighbor and honorary fourth brother, Braden. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn’t know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at chichi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world of makeup, lacy skirts, and BeDazzlers. Even stranger, she’s spending time with a boy who has never seen her tear it up in a pickup game.
To cope with the stress of faking her way through this new reality, Charlie seeks late-night refuge in her backyard, talking out her problems with Braden by the fence that separates them. But their Fence Chats can’t solve Charlie’s biggest problem: she’s falling for Braden. Hard. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.
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My Review An absolutely adorable tale of friends to more. Charlie is the only girl in a family of boys. Her police officer father and three older brothers have shaped her into a tough-talking athlete who is more comfortable hanging with the guys than with other girls. When Charlie speeds one too many times, her dad forces her to get a job to pay her own ticket, landing her in the unfamiliar world of fashion and makeup with the free-spirited owner who sees auras. Charlie learns more about herself and those around here through these new experiences, but most of all, her best friend and next door neighbor, Braden. Braden and Charlie often meet by the fence that separates their two properties for middle of the night chats. Charlie is haunted by her mother’s tragic death ten years earlier and Braden by the constant battles that rage within the walls of his home.
Plot This is more than a basic romance. Charlie and Braden both have a bucketload of baggage. But as their relationship evolves and Charlie realizes her feelings for him run deeper than just friendship, she fears the changes that come with that. At least until Braden lets her know he doesn’t feel the same way about her. Crush, Charlie works through her issues, a complex relationship with her dad and brothers, and her greater place in a world that worships femininity over athletic prowess.
The Characters I love Charlie so much. She’s complex and deep and wounded. Watching her work through her issues is both painful and emotionally rewarding. Her family dynamics made me smile and laugh more than once. I come from a big family, so I could relate to the interactions she had with her siblings. I loved their competitiveness and the little bets they were always doing. Even Charlie’s dad, as the reluctant single father to a teen girl, is so well-developed, I couldn’t help but sympathize with his attempts to relate to Charlie the best he knew how.
Top Five Things I Loved About ON THE FENCE 1. Deep characters. There is nothing light and fluffy about the characters, even though the story itself is more lighthearted than not.
2. Teen angst. The romance aspect between Charlie and Braden was my favorite part of the story.
3. Brothers. I have a couple of my own and the bond between the boys and their baby sister was beautifully done.
4. Father/daughter dynamics. The relationship between Charlie and her father rang the truest of all. It was both awkward and endearing, pretty much the definition of father/teen daughter interactions.
5. Being true to yourself. Charlie has many lessons to learn along the way, but foremost is figuring out how she fits into the broader world around her without losing who she is. This subplot is particularly well done.
Bottom Line Sweet, deep, and moving, ON THE FENCE is more than just a teen romance. It’s about finding yourself and learning how to be real.
About the Author I write YA. I eat Junior Mints. Sometimes I go crazy and do both at the same time. My novels are: PIVOT POINT and its sequel SPLIT SECOND. And my contemporary novels: THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US, ON THE FENCE, THE FILL-IN BOYFRIEND, PS I LIKE YOU, and BY YOUR SIDE. My agent is the talented and funny Michelle Wolfson.
BREAKING THE ICE (Juniper Falls #2) by Julie Cross
Synopsis The second book in theJuniper Falls series from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author JulieCross, perfect for fans of Miranda Kennealy and Abbi Glines.
Haley Stevenson is pretty, popular, cheer captain, the princess of Juniper Falls, and voted most likely to get things done. Haley might appear to have rock-solid confidence, but her less-than-stellar GPA tells otherwise. Haley’s determined to turn things around this summer by acing the Civics class she’s been forced to repeat. Angsting over ex-boyfriends is a thing of the past—in fact, Haley’s sworn off all dating until college because the options in Juniper Falls are narrowed down to guys she’s known her entire life.
Unlike Haley, Fletcher Scott prefers to keep a low profile around Juniper Falls. In fact, he was fine with his mediocre status on the hockey team. That is, until Coach put him in during the state final last season for a whopping thirty seconds. With the tension on theice combined with Haley Stevenson’s gorgeous legs visible from the seat in front of him, it’s possible he won’t survive the summer. Not as Fletcher Scott, invisible guy, anyway. Not with Haley constantly talking to him, and making him glittery invitations to join her study group.
If he were a regular guy, maybe Fletch might consider asking her out. But he’s not a regular guy. Even Haley can see that right away. There’s something different about Fletcher Scott. Something that makes her want to work hard to break down all his guarded walls despite her pact to steer clear of local guys.
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My Review Everything I loved about the first book, OFF THE ICE, and none of the things that bothered me, are included in this second book in the series. I absolutely adore this installment by one of my favorite young adult authors, Julie Cross. To say that Juniper Falls Princess, Haley Stevenson, and nerdy Fletcher Scott are opposites would be the understatement of the century, yet these two mismatched personalities are clearly soul mates. While they have gone to the same school for years, Fletcher avoids the social universe that Haley orbits in, so when they wind up in the same summer school Civics class, things heat up. Fletcher can’t ignore the fact that he’s attracted to Haley, but isn’t willing to change his ways to act on that attraction. Haley is infuriated by Fletcher’s obvious interest and unwillingness to do anything about it.
But Fletch has issues. Big ones that Haley will learn about in the worst way possible. But Fletch also learns that Haley is anything but the self-absorbed, superficial princess he’s always believed her to be. Julie Cross ramps up the angst in this book and it’s as delicious as anything she’s ever written.
Plot For a romance, there was a fair amount going on. Haley has a personal journey as does Fletcher, but in addition, they both have external goals, including Fletcher’s position on the hockey team and Haley’s need to get a decent grade in Civics over the summer. Each subplot impacts the main storyline, making for a wonderfully plotted teen romance.
The Characters I absolutely adored both characters. Haley took a good few chapters to grow on me, but Fletcher is total book boyfriend material from page one and only gets hotter through the story. Both have plenty of depth, though Fletcher has a lot more layers, which makes him infinitely intriguing. It was fun to see Tate Tanley, Jamie, Mike, Claire, and the rest of the group from the first book again, and it was especially nice to see Tate and Haley get a little closure on their relationship after it ended so abruptly in the first book.
World Building Once again, the author drew me into the world of amateur hockey. It may not be a big sport here, but she has a way of making me want to watch it whenever I read one of her books. There’s also a little bit about Fletcher’s secret life that rounds the story out nicely and seems particularly well researched.
Top Five Things I Loved About BREAKING THE ICE 1. Food allergies. As the mother of three children with Celiac disease, it was refreshing to see this addressed in an open, honest, and non-judgmental way.
2. Heat. For a teen romance, there is plenty of heat without ever crossing a line. I love the way Julie Cross is able to consistently bring this in her books without it ever feeling stale.
3. Fletcher. One of the more interesting protagonists I’ve read in a long time. He’s introspective, angry, angsty, and oh yeah, hot.
4. Haley. I wasn’t sure how much I’d like the Princess of Juniper Falls, but she made me care about her more than I thought I would.
5. Fletch’s job. I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll just say that the scenes at his place of employment are among my favorite in the entire book.
Bottom Line BREAKING THE ICE is a wonderful young adult romance with plenty of heat and with a little something extra, that I won’t spoil, but you’ll know what I mean when you read it.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
About the Author Julie Cross is a NYT and USA Today bestselling author of New Adult and Young Adult fiction, including the Tempest series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex, Timestorm (St. Martin’s Press). She’s also the author of Letters to Nowhere series, Whatever Life Throws at You, Third Degree, Halfway Perfect, and many more to come!
Julie lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former Gymnastics Program Director with the YMCA. She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres.
Outside of her reading and writing credibility’s, Julie Cross is a committed–but not talented–long distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar weather survivor, expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym shoe addict.
Synopsis Emma Wrangton knows how to play basketball. She knows when to pass, when to drive, when to shoot. She knows how to read the defense, how to adapt when a game takes an unexpected turn, and how to fearlessly face an opponent and fight for the win. Basketball is what she knows; basketball is what she’s good at. What she doesn’t know is how to trust herself when she’s confronted with life-altering decisions off the basketball court. Is it right to turn her back on the only life she’s ever known to face a future of uncertainty? Should she sacrifice her dream to spare herself and others additional heartache? Can she let go of a lifetime of pain to find healing? Afraid to make the wrong decisions, she discovers shots worth taking aren’t always confined by the boundaries of a basketball court.
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My Review This is the second book in the Worth series by Samantha Gudger. I adored the character and story in the first book, so my expectations were high with this one, but it doesn’t disappoint. There’s so much character development, it’s easy to get sucked into Emma’s world again. We pick back up with Emma, Riley, and the gang as well as a new character, Tyler. He’s a troublemaker living with Riley’s family, his parents hoping their influence will straighten him out. He’s the cause of more than a little conflict between Emma and Riley, but the conflict doesn’t end there. Once again, Emma’s dysfunctional family plays a starring role. We finally learn what happened to her mother and why her father and brothers ignore her. Gudger brings heartfelt emotion to her characters, making us care about them as if we know them.
Plot The main plot centers around Emma’s familial relationships. They’re fractured, battered, broken shards, so putting the pieces back together is going to take a lot of work. The author never lets the characters take the easy way out. This is a gut-wrenching journey for all of them, and some of the best scenes involve painfully honest moments between Emma and members of her family. Subplots include Emma’s relationship with Riley and her future beyond high school. Both of those subplots strongly support the main plot.
Characters The author puts her characters through the wringer and the come out the other side forever altered. Not only Emma this time, though, but also Riley, Emma’s dad and brothers, and even newcomer, Tyler. Gudger has a way of finding the grit in every character and bringing it to the surface in a way that makes her characters come alive in full color.
What I Loved About A SHOT WORTH TAKING 1. Riley. I didn’t agree with everything he did, but he always puts Emma first.
2. Emma. Her loyalty knows no bounds. She has a bigger heart than I ever gave her credit for and I love her journey in this second installment.
3. Tyler. He wasn’t my favorite character all the time, but he is complex and real and his heart is in the right place.
4. Family Drama. There is boatloads of it here and it’s well done. We finally get some answers about Emma’s mom and the events that tore Emma’s family apart.
5. Basketball. This is a little bit less of a focus this time around, but I still enjoyed how it threads through the story, binding all the fragments together.
Bottom Line A worthy follow up to one of my favorite young adult sports romances.
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About the Book Title: A SHOT WORTH TAKING Series: Worth #2 Author: Samantha Gudger Pages: 329 Category: Young Adult Contemporary Romance Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
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Author Samantha Gudger
About the Author A former three-sport athlete in high school, Samantha grew up with a ball in one hand and a book in the other. From the moment her first grade teacher asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, Samantha knew she wanted to be an author.
Samantha currently resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, a ball-obsessed Australian Shepherd, and a cat that can’t get enough cuddle time. Books, writing, sports, music, and marshmallows top her list of favorites.
CONFESSIONS OF A FORMER PUCK BUNNY (Taking Shots #4) by Cindi Madsen
Synopsis Confession #1: I used to be a puck bunny, but after a hockey player broke my heart, I gave up all things hockey. Now I’m just focused on finding a way to pass my math class so I can graduate college.
Confession #2: Ryder “Ox” Maddox’s deep, sexy voice sends fuzzy tingles through my entire body, and I’m powerless to stop it. Which is a big problem since the hot, surprisingly funny hockey player is my new math tutor.
Confession #3: I can’t stop thinking about how ripped Ryder is from all his hockey training, and how fun it’d be to cross lines with him.
Confession #4: I kissed a hockey player and I liked it.
Confession #5: If I’m not careful, I might relapse and fall for Ryder, and then I’ll be totally pucked.
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My Review I loved the idea of this book — a girl who used to chase hockey players who realizes she doesn’t like who she’s become, is pursued by a hockey player. But the execution didn’t live up to my expectations. I found Lindsay to be extremely annoying, but I did like Ryder. Lindsay went back and forth between knowing who she is and being unapologetic about it, to being ridiculously unable to control her own hormones around Ryder while keeping him at a distance. I’m frankly shocked he put up with that. Especially because the only thing he seems to like about her initially is her appearance. He talks about how hot she is all the time. It’s almost as if he only wanted the challenge of the chase, except he didn’t really seem to enjoy that. The author writes well and the story is well plotted, I just didn’t like the characters. This happens sometimes and based on the other reviews I’ve read, i’m in the minority.
Plot The plot is Ryder and Lindsay’s relationship. Ryder offers to tutor her in math and thus are forced together. Ryder pursues, Lindsay can barely control herself, yet somehow does, in a back and forth that seems to go on way too long. There are some decent subplots, like Lindsay’s family issues. Her mother relies on men to support her, and Lindsay swears she’ll never be like her mom. Ryder is also preparing for the playoffs, so a relationship may be the last thing he needs, and yet for some unknown reason, he still goes hard after Lindsay. Where the book really worked for me was the hockey aspect. Practice, athletic superstition, parental expectations, and the team dynamics all worked together to keep me invested in the story.
Characters They both came across as shallow to me. Early on, Lindsay mentions a friend who settled down with a nerdy type, which she can’t understand at all. She’s all about the hard bodies and good looks. Same thing with Ryder. Lindsay’s relationships with other girls is unhealthy, although she does realize that as well as the fact that it’s her own fault. Where I liked Lindsay the most was when I read her confessions. These were heartfelt and honest. But then she’d do something completely stupid and I lost my tenuous respect for her. The rest of the characters intrigued me, though, to the point I want to read the earlier books in the series. I may discover I like Lindsay more if I can see her through the eyes of other characters.
What I Enjoyed About CONFESSIONS OF A FORMER PUCK BUNNY 1. The Confessions. I liked Lindsay the most when she was being open and honest, when she was unapologetic about her sexuality and her reasons why.
2. Hockey. The hockey aspect was easily my favorite part of the book. It might be a subplot, but it still kept me engaged and I’m not really a rabid hockey fan. Although since the Chargers packed up and left town, the Gulls might be my new favorite local sports team.
3. Ryder. When he wasn’t being a jealous jerk or refusing to take no for an answer, he was a complex character that drove some of my favorite scenes in the book. His history and drama with his dad added a lot of interesting depth to his character.
4. Daddy Issues. Both Ryder and Lindsay suffer from this common young/new adult-ism, but in different ways. I like the way the author approached them differently — more subtly with Lindsay and more direct with Ryder.
5. Breakups. I love me a good angsty romance and while overall the romance was only a meh for me, the big dramatic breakup scene was what turned me around and made me invest in these two.
Bottom Line Hockey, college romance, and a couple of kids with a lot of growing up to do.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: CONFESSIONS OF A FORMER PUCK BUNNY Series: Taking Shots #4 Author: Cindi Madsen Publisher: Entangled Embrace Pages: 310 Category: New Adult Contemporary Sports Romance Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
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Author Cindi Madsen
About the Author Cindi Madsen is a USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance and young adult novels. She sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting revising, and falling in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person. Without it, she’d be even crazier. She has way too many shoes, but can always find a reason to buy a new pretty pair, especially if they’re sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She loves music, dancing, and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children.
Synopsis The NY Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of Whatever Life Throws at You kicks off a brand-new series perfect for fans of Miranda Kennealy and Abbi Glines.
All is fair in love and hockey…
Claire O’Connor is back in Juniper Falls, but that doesn’t mean she wants to be. One semester off, that’s what she promised herself. Just long enough to take care of her father and keep the family business—a hockey bar beside the ice rink—afloat. After that, she’s getting the hell out. Again.
Enter Tate Tanley. What happened between them the night before she left town resurfaces the second they lay eyes on each other. But the guy she remembers has been replaced by a total hottie. When Tate is unexpectedly called in to take over for the hockey team’s star goalie, suddenly he’s in the spotlight and on his way to becoming just another egotistical varsity hockey player. And Claire’s sworn off Juniper Falls hockey players for good.
It’s the absolute worst time to fall in love.
For Tate and Claire, hockey isn’t just a game. And they both might not survive a body check to the heart..
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My Review Tate Tanley is the starting goalie on his high school hockey team in Minnesota, where hockey is a religion. Claire O’Connor is back in town from Northwestern University after her father is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. When she sees Tate for the first time in over a year, she realizes her best friend’s little brother isn’t so little anymore. Tate has had a massive crush on Claire most of his life, but he’s always been the kid brother. Not anymore. These two dance around attraction mixed-up with a lifelong friendship set against Claire’s dreams for her future and Tate’s goals on and off the ice. It’s a super sweet romance with deeply developed characters.
Plot The romance is the primary plot, but it’s missing that teen angst that I’ve grown to love in Julie Cross’s stories. What it lacks in that department, it more than makes up for in the supporting plots. Tate’s hockey career, college recruiting, and his relationship with his town-legend father. Claire has her issues with her dad’s health and what she wants to do with her college career, saving her family’s business, and more. Told from dual-points-of-view, there’s a lot of territory covered.
The Characters No one does characters like Julie Cross. Tate is complex, fascinating, and completely loveable. The author takes usdeep inside his head and I never doubt it’s a guy’s point of view. Unfortunately, Claire fell a little flat for me. I struggled to like her her. I felt for her, I mean, who wouldn’t with everything she was dealing with, but I just didn’t love her the way I do so many of Ms. Cross’s characters (Ellie from Chasing Truth, for example). This was a pretty character-heavy story and I had a tough time keeping some of the hockey players straight in my head, but Tate’s and Claire’s families came across in vivid color.
World Building There’s a lot of hockey here, something I didn’t know that much about before reading Off the Ice. I feel as if I understand it better now. To me, it’s always been “soccer played on ice with sticks.” And maybe there’s a little bit of that to it still, but it sounds a lot more interesting. I may even try to take in a San Diego Gulls game and watch it live.
What Didn’t Work for Me 1. The romance. It wasn’t that it didn’t work so much as there wasn’t ever a doubt they might not end up together. The romance lacked much in the way of overt conflict. It’s almost as if these two teens were wise beyond their years when it came to relationships.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About OFF THE ICE 1. The realness. I love that nothing was glossed over. The emotions, and feelings, and events were all written with such intensity, they grabbed me and pulled me into the story.
2. Tate. He’s so deeply drawn, it’s hard not to get such a sense of who he is and I love him all the more for his flaws.
3. Hockey. And not just the games. The practice and politics surrounding high school hockey was fascinating.
4. Cancer. No, I don’t like cancer, but I love that the author didn’t gloss over the ugly effects of this heinous disease.
5. Roger. Tate’s stepfather grows more important in Tate’s life throughout the story, so we catch glimpses of him early on, that grow more frequent as the book progresses until we get to see him for who he really is. Hint: he’s one of the really good guys.
Bottom Line OFF THE ICE is a sweet small-town high school romance. A Friday Night Lights for the hockey crowd.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: OFF THE ICE Series: Juniper Falls #1 Author: Julie Cross Publisher: Entangled Teen Release Date: February 28, 2017 Pages: 370 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Sports Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | GooglePlay | !ndigo | BAM! | Book Depository
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Author Julie Cross
About the Author Julie Cross is a NYT and USA Today bestselling author of New Adult and Young Adult fiction, including the Tempest series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex, Timestorm (St. Martin’s Press). She’s also the author of Letters to Nowhere series, Whatever Life Throws at You, Third Degree, Halfway Perfect, and many more to come!
Julie lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former Gymnastics Program Director with the YMCA. She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres.
Outside of her reading and writing credibility’s, Julie Cross is a committed–but not talented–long distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar weather survivor, expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym shoe addict.
Synopsis Liza Petrov’s entire life has been about skating and winning her sport’s top prize – Olympic gold. She’s stayed sheltered inside her bubble, not daring to stray from her destined path.
Until she meets Braden Patrick.
He makes her heart flutter with possibility, and for the first time she gets a taste of a normal teenage life. She longs to have both the boy and the gold, but stepping outside her bubble comes with a price. As Liza begins to question both her future and her past, can she stay focused on the present and realize her ultimate dream?
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My Review Liza, daughter of Sergei and stepdaughter of Em from LIFE ON THE EDGE, gets her own story. At 18, she’s preparing for the Winter Olympics, her life resembling anything but a typical teen one. Until she meets Braden, a dreamy college freshman from UMass. It took me nearly half of the book to really get into it. The first half is almost completely devoid of any serious conflict, and I couldn’t even really identify the antagonist. But once the skating portion really got going at about the 50% point, the story took off.
Liza decides she can’t risk her Olympic dreams by giving into her feelings for a boy, so she keeps him at arm’s length. That doesn’t keep her from being possessive and jealous, though, when other girls pay attention to him. Braden decides to wait for Liza as she focuses on skating, ignoring the attention from may attractive girls, including his childhood BFF, Sam. Liza attempts to paint Sam as the bad guy, but I just never could see her that way. I found her quite sympathetic. So while the romance didn’t have me swooning, the skating sure did. The story hits the mark when Liza takes the ice in Detroit. Tensions ramp up between Liza and Kathy, one of her coaches.
Plot While I think the main plot is the romance, the skating is probably a stronger plot. Liza’s grit and determination, her discipline and professionalism are front and center as she works her way through the competitions leading up to the Olympics. There is plenty of drama, conflict, and feels when it comes to this part of the story. The romance doesn’t fall flat by any means, it just wasn’t my favorite part of the story.
Characters While I needed time to warm up to Liza, once I did, I rooted for her fully. She still had moments where she got on my nerves, but when it came to reaching her skating goals, I was behind her one hundred percent. Braden is definitely likeable enough, but he wasn’t developed to the point that I fully got a sense of him. There were times he came across as flat. The characters that I enjoyed the most, even though I didn’t particularly like them, were Kathy and Liza’s mom. Both were controlling in different ways, but I really felt as if I had a sense of who they were and why they did the things they did.
What Didn’t Work for Me
1. Lack of Conflict. The lack of conflict in the first half of the book made it difficult for me to stick with at times.
2. Braden. I never got a good sense of his character.
3. Liza’s Angst. While pushing Braden away with one hand, she hated on every girl who paid attention to him. It seemed childish for someone of her age and with her level of maturity.
What I Enjoyed About GOLD RUSH 1. Skating. I love the competitive skating part of the story. The descriptions are detailed and draw me in.
2. Competitive Liza. When she’s not pining away for a boy she can’t even decide if she wants, she’s a fierce competitive with drive, who knows what she wants and goes after it full bore.
3. Kathy. This was more of a love-hate relationship, but she’s the true antagonist in the story, so I needed her. I would have liked more of her though.
4. Sam. I liked Sam a lot. No, I didn’t want her to end up with Braden, but I didn’t see her as a romantic rival, either. I saw her as a girl who was in love with a boy not in love with her. That’s a sympathetic character no matter which way you look at it.
5. The ending. No spoilers 🙂
Bottom Line GOLD RUSH has a solid sports storyline that carries the weaker romance across the finish line.
Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: GOLD RUSH Author: Jennifer Comeaux Release Date: January 9, 2017 Pages: 338 Genre: New Adult Contemporary Sports Romance Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Smashwords
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Author Jennifer Comeaux
About the Author Jennifer Comeaux is a tax accountant by day, writer by night. There aren’t any ice rinks near her home in south Louisiana, but she’s a diehard figure skating fan and loves to write stories of romance set in the world of competitive skating. One of her favorite pastimes is travelling to competitions, where she can experience all the glitz and drama that inspire her writing. Jennifer loves to hear from readers! Visit jennifercomeaux.blogspot.com for contact information and to learn more about her books.
Synopsis When your enemy dies under strange circumstances? Don’t stop looking over your shoulder.
When secrets of a past scandal are plopped into your lap? Solve a mystery.
And when you’re a member of the National ski team? Don’t get distracted.
Roxie’s senior year at Stark Springs Academy is not what she envisioned. She never intended to be privy to Stark’s biggest secrets, but she’s thrown right into the middle of it, whether she wants to carry that burden or not. As Ryker Black’s girlfriend, nothing is simple or straightforward. A ski racer first and foremost, Roxie can’t let the ghosts of Stark Springs Academy distract her from the race course. Will she be able to pull it off?
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My Review Ali Dean wraps up Roxie’s story, tying up all loose ends in a satisfying conclusion, but it still lacks that angsty romance angle that she is so famous for. With Roxie and Ryker on solid ground, there wasn’t much in the way of romance. No, “will they or won’t they,” so instead we’re given a nice little mystery that only becomes more mysterious as the story unfolds. There’s a lot more skiing this time around, which makes me happy.
Plot
TRoxie and Ryker are busy trying to solve a mystery surrounding the death of a major character at the end of book 2, and someone is placing Ryker’s mother’s journals in Roxie’s possession for unknown reasons, although she begins to wonder if all of the crazy behavior is somehow linked. In addition, she has some big career choices to make as graduation looms and her skiing is only getting better.. A lot of information introduced in the first two books finally plays out to conclusion. Ali Dean does a great job with plotting her books, dangling information that seems unimportant at first glance, but never is.
Because Ryker and Roxie’s relationship is pretty well wrapped up in the first two books, this one focuses little on that aspect, but they do finally seal the deal in a romantic scene that is only the beginning to many more that take place off-page.
Characters
Both Ryker and Roxie experienced serious character growth, as do several secondary characters. The one thing that really bothered me throughout the book was the way Roxie spoke for both Ryker and herself when it came to thoughts and feelings, as if she was inside his head as well as her own.
What Didn’t Work for Me
1. Lack of angst. Yeah, it’s my favorite teen romantic trope, and one of the things I usually love best about Ali Dean’s books, but was completely missing this time around. 2. The Roxie/Ryker dynamic. Throughout the book, Roxie talks about “we” when it comes to feeling confused or wondering something, as if she and Ryker are a single entity. Because she knew what he was thinking all the time, there wouldn’t have been any angst anyway.
What I Enjoyed About Black Ice 1. The skiing. So excited for this aspect of the series to be front and center in the final book. Ali Dean delivers scene after scene that are intense and realistic.
2. The mystery. There are actually several mysterious elements threaded throughout the book and all were well done with a couple of real surprises.
3. The ending. A thoroughly satisfying conclusion to the series.
4. Ryker and Roxie. They are super cute and sweet and I’m thrilled to see them get their HEA.
5. Redemption. A couple of characters we’d come to love to hate have their own transformation, turning them into people I could actually like.
Bottom Line Double Ice is a satisfying conclusion of the Stark Springs Academy series, although it lacks some of that famous Ali Dean angst I’ve come to love.
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About the Book Title: Black Ice Series: Stark Springs Academy #3 Author: Ali Dean Release Date: August 31, 2016 Pages: 185 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary/Sports Romance
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon
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Author Ali Dean
About the Author Ali Dean lives in Colorado with her husband, twin babies, and golden retriever. In addition to reading and writing, she loves the outdoors- everything from marathon training and biking to snowboarding and skiing.
Double Black (Stark Springs Academy #2) by Ali Dean
Synopsis * This is the second book in the Stark Springs Academy series, which should be read in order. You should read Black Diamond before reading the description below. *
If you don’t like the rules, make new ones. If you want to the best, show no fear. And if Ryker Black is your boyfriend, you better be ready to fight. On and off the slopes.
Overnight, Roxie Slade went from an outsider at Stark Springs Academy, to a ruler at the prestigious boarding school for elite winter athletes. But Roxie doesn’t know if she wants that power, and she definitely isn’t sure about sharing it with Ryker Black, who came from a different world and lives by a different set of morals. Ryker may have decided to trust her, but can she trust him?
Roxie only cared about her rising position in the ski rankings, but now her status at Stark and within the winter sports community is skyrocketing, whether she asked for it or not. Can she handle both while attempting a real relationship with Ryker Black?
Roxie once believed that her sole purpose was proving herself on the slopes, but she’s done that once, and she’s far from satisfied. She has so much more to prove.
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My Review After the intense, angsty beginning to this series in Black Diamond, the sequel didn’t quite live up to my expectations. There is some conflict between Ryker and Roxie, but it centered more on the secrets that Ryker is keeping. Secrets that put distance between them, but not a lot of drama. These secrets aren’t revealed until the final chapter, but I never felt like they were building to a boiling point and if they weren’t released, an explosion would occur. There’s also a lack of competitive skiing that really drove more of the first book. There’s time spent traveling to and hanging out at various competitive ski locales, but not nearly as much time training for or competing in these events.
Plot
The plot primarily centers around Ryker and Roxie’s relationship. They’re moving closer, but the secret keeps a wedge between them.There is some competitive skiing, but not as much as I would have liked, and it’s not a major part of the plot.
Characters
The characters are further developed in this second installment. We learn more about what makes Ryker tick, but not until late in the story. It does explain a lot about him, but I felt like maybe we could have had some of the secrets spread out more through the story, to keep the plot moving.
What Didn’t Work for Me
1. The pacing. It was a lot slower than the first book, and therefore, it took me quite a bit longer to get through it. 2. Not enough skiing. I would have liked more of the competitive skiing, had it be more of the main plot similar to the Pepper Jones series.
What I Enjoyed About Double Black 1. The ending. Never saw that coming and it was so surprising, it really redeemed the book for me. 2. The settings. The author does a wonderful job of painting colorful pictures of her settings. 3. Ryker and Roxie. Although they need to learn to communicate better, I’m still pulling for them and can’t wait to see what happens in the final book in the series. 4. Twists. There were a couple of twists I didn’t see coming. I always love when an author can really surprise me. 5. Roxie’s family. We finally get to spend some time with Roxie’s family back east and it helps shape her more fully, seeing the well-rounded loving parents she grew up with.
Bottom Line Double Black is is missing some of the angst-ridden romance of its predecessor, but it’s still a good read.
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About the Book Title: Double Black Series: Stark Springs Academy #2 Author: Ali Dean Release Date: April 4, 2016 Pages: 185 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary/Sports Romance
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon
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Author Ali Dean
About the Author Ali Dean lives in Colorado with her husband, twin babies, and golden retriever. In addition to reading and writing, she loves the outdoors- everything from marathon training and biking to snowboarding and skiing.
Synopsis It was meant to be the job opportunity of a lifetime.
It turned out to be so much more…
At the age of twenty five, Emma Lexington takes off to New York on a once in a life time twelve-month job exchange with the New York Warriors. Determined to make the most of the opportunity, she prepares herself for life in the big apple—fast paced, exciting and a whole lot of fun. What she hasn’t prepared for though, is meeting him.
The charming Will Jensen is in the prime of his playing career. As the star quarterback for the Warriors, his carefree, football centric life is thrown into disarray when he meets Emma, the beautiful, easy going Australian girl who joins the Warriors staff.
Unwilling to throw her professional reputation away on a fling with the playboy quarterback, Emma turns down Will’s advances, even though she can’t deny the attraction she feels for him. Their pull toward one another grows, but it takes a near disaster for Emma to finally give Will a chance.
Getting together might have been hard, but figuring out how to stay together will prove even more challenging as Emma must decide between conflicting loyalties.
Lexington and 42nd is a fun, sexy romance, set in the exciting world of the NFL in the fabulous city of New York..
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My Review Lexington and 42nd is an engaging contemporary romance with likeable characters and a believable plot. The heroine is a strong, independent female, and her hero is an alpha male at the height of his NFL career. It has all of the elements for the genre: the meet, the instant attraction, the slow and steady build to acting on that attraction, the inevitable break-up, and the ultimate HEA. There’s nothing particularly ground-breaking here, but if you want a sexy, fun read, pick this one up.
Plot
Emma Lexington is on loan to the New York Warriors NFL team for the season as part of a program involving her organization in Australia. Will Jensen is the Warriors’ star quarterback and completely off limits to Emma. And Emma is off limits to Will, which of course makes both of them irresistible to each other. There’s so much room for conflict with this tale of forbidden romance and the author does a compelling job with it.
Characters Both Emma and Will are very endearing and it’s clear early on they belong together. They’re both fairly well-developed, but lack extreme depth. Neither has any life-altering backstories. They’re both pretty emotionally healthy and just have different priorities and communication issues they need to overcome in order to get that HEA.
What Didn’t Work for Me
1. The story took a little while to develop. At 444 pages, it’s on the longish side for a contemporary romance, and some of it could have been cut early on to keep the story moving at a faster pace.
2. This is just a personal thing, but Will’s number is 42. Quarterbacks in the NFL are usually under number 20 with running backs and D-backs in the 40s. Now Will could have had a reason for having that number, and teams are pretty accommodating when it comes to their star players, but without an explanation on why he had that number, it bugged me throughout the book.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About Lexington and 42nd 1. Emma’s Australia-ness. After hosting two Aussie exchange students, there is just something so charming about an Aussie and it came across in Emma’s personality in spades.
2. Football. I’m an 18-year season-ticket holder with the San Diego Chargers and we almost never miss a home game. I loved reading about the football side of things. Other than Will’s jersey number, it came across as spot on.
3. Angsty romance. The angst didn’t really kick in until near the end, but that’s my favorite kind of romance and it made up for the slow start.
4. New York City. One of my favorite places to visit. Don’t think I could live there, but I never get tired of visiting.
5. The ending. Nice wrap up.
Bottom Line An engaging contemporary romance with adorable characters in a big city setting with NFL players.
Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: Lexington and 42nd Series: Off the Field #1 Author: Kim Carmody Pages: 444 Category: Contemporary Sports Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | !ndigo | Powell’s | BAM!
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Author Kim Carmody
About the Author Kim Carmody lives in a beach side suburb of Melbourne, Australia. She trained as a classical dancer, yet somehow ended up working in the sports industry, where she met her now husband.
Winging It (Corrigan Falls Raiders #3) by cate Cameron
Synopsis Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains adult language, ice-melting kisses, and a swoon-worthy hero. This fake relationship romance will have you wishing for a hockey player of your own…
Natalie West and Toby Cooper were best friends growing up, on and off the ice. But when Toby’s hockey career took off, their friendship was left behind. Now Natalie has a crazy plan to land her crush—Toby’s biggest rival—and she needs Toby’s help to pull it off.
When Nat asks Toby to be her fake boyfriend, he can’t say no. Not when it means getting his best friend back. But Natalie is all grown up now, and spending time with her—even when it’s just playing hockey together—stirs up a lot of feelings, old and new. Suddenly pretending to be interested in her isn’t hard at all…if only she wanted him and not his enemy.
Hockey tore them apart. Can it put them back together?
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My Review Winging It is my favorite book in the series so far. I’m a big fan of friends-to-more stories, Toby is utterly adorable, and I love Nat. She isn’t just interested in a hockey player, she IS one. Nat and Toby were best friends on and off the ice when they were younger, but after puberty and boys and girls no longer played on the same team, their friendship drifted into acquaintance territory. At least until Nat sees a chance to enlist Toby’s help to attract the attention of Toby’s uber-hot cousin, Scott, who just moved back to town. Scott has a thing for Toby’s girlfriends, so by pretending to date Toby, Nat hopes to snare Scott. But being with Toby again, their friendship always so easy, Nat feels conflicted for a variety of reasons. Maybe she feels something more for Toby than just friendship. And just maybe he does, too.
Plot
I loved the plot. Not just the love triangle, which was a little different than some others I’ve read recently, but the hockey subplot. I absolutely adore that Natalie was an athlete with her own hopes and dreams. Being a girl in a hockey town where boys’ hockey is revered and girls’ hockey is a hobby, only made it that much more delicious. I enjoyed how author, Cate Cameron, wove everything together as Toby genuinely wants to help Nat with her game skills, even though he knows she’s just using him to get to his jerk of a cousin. So much angst in this story, and I so love my teen angst.
Characters Toby is my favorite Corrigan Falls Raider. There I said it. Yep, he may not be the most talented, but he’s the most adorable. And Nat may not be petite and girlie, but I love her even more for her shin pads and hockey stick. The only thing about Nat that really bothered me was the fact that she was so obsessed with someone like Scott. I know teens can be shallow at times, but it seemed a bit out of character for her, but then again, who isn’t at some point drawn to the jerk just because he has a pretty face?
What Didn’t Work for Me
1. A little more kissing would have been nice, but that’s about all I can complain about.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About Winging It 1. Toby. He’s sweet, charming, and funny without being perfect.
2. Nat. I love her hockey-playing bad self.
3. Dawn. Toby’s ex-girlfriend was really more of a friend, doing her best to set up Toby and Nat. While an ex trying to set up her ex seems weird on the surface, it made sense to me in the context of these characters.
4. Friends to more than friends. One of my favorite tropes.
5. The hockey. I loved seeing it from both sides this time.
Bottom Line My favorite book in the series so far with fantastic characters and fun plot that moves along at a steady pace.
Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: Winging It Series: Corrigan Falls Raiders #3 Author: Cate Cameron Publisher: Entangled Crush Pages: 162 Category: Young Adult Contemporary/Sports Romance Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Entangled
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About the Author Cate Cameron grew up in the city but moved to the country in her mid-twenties and isn’t looking back. Most of her writing deals with people living and loving in small towns or right out in the sticks—when there aren’t entertainment options on every corner, other people get a lot more interesting!
She likes to write stories about real people struggling with real issues. YA, NA, or contemporary romance, her books are connected by their emphasis on subtle humor and characters who are trying to do the right thing, even when it would be a lot easier to do something wrong.
Playing Defense (Corrigan Falls Raiders #2) by Cate Cameron
Synopsis Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains adult language, swoon-worthy kisses, and sexy hockey players. It may cause you to watch a hockey game…or ten.
Sixteen-year-old Claudia Waring has never kissed a boy. Never been popular. Never been to a hockey game. All that’s about to change. Assigned to tutor Chris Winslow, a prank-loving, gorgeous hockey player, Claudia’s perfectly planned life immediately veers off course. And she kind of likes it. But as fun as Chris is, she knows she’ll never fit in his world.
After his latest prank lands him in hot water, Chris has to get serious about school or lose hockey. Not an easy thing for someone as carefree as the defenseman. The biggest problem, though, is how much he wants to help his cute, buttoned-up tutor loosen up a little. But while confidence has never been a problem for him, around Claudia, Chris is all nerves. Why would a girl as smart as her ever fall for a jock like him?
Corrigan Falls Raiders Book 1: Center Ice (Can be read out of order)
Corrigan Falls Raiders Book 2: Playing Defense (Can be read out of order)
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My Review Claudia is shy, reserved, and doesn’t have time for rowdy hockey teams and their obnoxious groupies. Loud prankster, Chris, doesn’t have time for school. It only gets in the way of hockey, and in this small Canadian town, everyone knows hockey is Chris’s future. Or is it? With his grades struggling, he doesn’t really have a plan B and doesn’t give his all to the game the way he knows he should. He flounders until his counselor suggests tutoring, something Chris sees as a waste of his time, but feels he owes it to his mother to at least try.
Chris and his new tutor, Claudia, embark on a fragile friendship that soon blossoms into something more. When Claudia’s poetry teachers suggests that poems are more than just words on a page, Claudia and a few friends take that suggestion to heart and create a secret sisterhood of awesomeness where each member encourages the others to do random acts of awesome. For Claudia, it’s attending her first ever hockey game and attempting to enjoy herself. For Chris, it’s studying for himself rather than for others. But when tragedy strikes, Claudia and Chris will have to find a way forward in the manner that means the most to them.
Plot
This is essentially a teenage romance, but I love the awesome challenges that are woven through it, making it feel like something a little bit more than just a standard romance. The push-and-pull of the two romantic leads’ very different backgrounds provides the conflict necessary to drive the love story, but it’s the secret club that brings them and other unlikely characters together, giving them a purpose bigger than themselves.
Characters I found both Chris and Claudia to be likeable and I rooted for them, but the rest of the characters fell flat for me, with the exception of the teacher. Both Claudia’s and Chris’s friends, other students, even parents were mostly props, Claudia’s mom was a bit stereotypical, but she served a purpose to drive conflict, which she did quite well.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About Playing Defense 1. The hockey. I thoroughly enjoy sports romances and the hockey was a nice change from the football and baseball I’ve been reading lately.
2. The characters. Claudia and Chris came across as real, flawed, and easy to relate to.
3. The sisterhood. I loved the idea the kids (both boys and girls) came up with to challenge and support one another.
4. The romance. It was refreshing to read a sweet romance with an alpha male.
5. The lessons. It might not be cool to say it, but hard work pays off!
Bottom Line A fun teen romance wrapped in hockey, with complex contemporary characters.
Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: Playing Defense Series: Corrigan Falls Raiders #2 Author: Cate Cameron Publisher: Entangled Crush Pages: 178 Category: Young Adult Contemporary/Sports Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Entangled
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About the Author Cate Cameron grew up in the city but moved to the country in her mid-twenties and isn’t looking back. Most of her writing deals with people living and loving in small towns or right out in the sticks—when there aren’t entertainment options on every corner, other people get a lot more interesting!
She likes to write stories about real people struggling with real issues. YA, NA, or contemporary romance, her books are connected by their emphasis on subtle humor and characters who are trying to do the right thing, even when it would be a lot easier to do something wrong.
Black Diamond (Stark Springs Academy #1) by Ali Dean
Synopsis It’s not a place for the weak.
No one here tolerates wimps.
If you can’t handle it, leave.
Welcome to Stark Springs, Colorado, home to the most talented young athletes in the world.
When Roxie Slade snaps into a pair of skis, there’s no one on Sugarville Mountain in Vermont who can keep up with her. Not even the boys. Still, Roxie was shocked when she received a scholarship to Stark Springs Academy, a boarding school that churns out Olympians in each graduating class. Entering as a high school junior, Roxie can’t wait to learn from renowned coaches and train with the fastest ski racers from all over the globe. But upon arrival, Roxie discovers that Stark Springs lives under its own set of rules, and it appears one boy plays dictator.
Ryker Black is not friendly and Roxie cannot fathom why everyone wants to be his friend. Sure, he’s gorgeous and rides a snowboard like it’s his fifth limb, but he’s cold, ruthless, and holds way too much power over the Stark Springs population. Roxie won’t put up with it. She’s here to train, and she doesn’t care about impressing anyone off the slopes. The only problem? Ryker Black doesn’t permit defiance. Not without consequences.
My Review I was excited to start the next series by young adult/new adult author, Ali Dean. I adored her Pepper Jones series, the way she writes strong females who excel in sports with a heavy dose of angsty romance, and Black Diamond fits that formula to a T. Roxie Slade is a determined skier and a force to be reckoned with in her small Vermont town, but when she has an opportunity to train with the best of the best at the Stark Springs Academy in Colorado, she’ll be put to the test. And not just in the way she thought. She knew she’d have to train hard, that’s what she’s there for, but the egos and competitiveness of elite athletes both on and off the snow and ice is more than she bargained for. While the book isn’t perfect, it’s the first one in awhile that has been impossible for me to put down, earning it a full five out of five stars from me.
Plot
Because this is a sports romance, the plot is is two-fold. Roxie works to fit in as a high school junior where most of the kids arrived in seventh or eighth grade. Joining at her age is nearly unheard of and rumors abound over why she’s there at all. She know she has a lot to prove, but understanding the odd dynamics of the school and the way one student in particular, Ryker Black, seems to be in charge, is just one of the many mysteries surrounding the Academy. Ryker Black isn’t just an alpha male, he’s an alpha, wrapped in attitude, and a temper to match. Yet Roxie sees something more beneath the facade, a vulnerability that draws her to him, even as she knows she should stay far, far away. Everyone’s warned her as much, including Ryker Black himself.
Both plots are intricately woven and well done. About my only complaint about the plot is that I would have liked more of the sports aspect. With the Pepper Jones series, we really got into Pepper’s head during each of her big runs, but in Black Diamond, the actual ski racing is less detailed than the training leading up to it.
Characters
Roxie has a lot in common with Pepper. In fact, in some ways they’re nearly the same character, which is okay with me, because I love Pepper Jone so much. But Ryker Black is no Jace Wilder. There are shades of similarity between some of the other characters as well, but none of that is bad because the story is different enough, I got lost in that and soon forgot the characters felt familiar.
Roxie is fantastic, the type of heroine you can’t help rooting for. Her head’s in the right place, most of the time, and she’s above the pettiness surrounding many of her fellow athletes. At times she comes across mature for her age, other times, she’s a typical teen.
Ryker Black is an enigma. He’s dark, controlling, and yet there’s something there. Something Roxie shows us through her eyes, that allowed me to see more to him than just a stereotype. The boy is complicated and Ali Dean has only scratched that surface so far. I can’t wait to see how his character develops throughout the series.
Ending The ending was exactly what I was hoping for, satisfying in so many ways.
What Didn’t Work for Me
1. Not enough skiing. As I said above, I would have liked more skiing. The book is short at less than two hundred pages, and I think it could have been a little longer to bring us more skiing from Roxie’s point of view. 2. Stereotypes. The mean girls were relatively stereotypical. They served their purpose, but it would have been nice to see them a little more well-rounded and complex. Especially as elite athletes. There’s a lot of reasons for them to be the way they are, I just would have liked to see a little of that.
What I Loved About Black Diamond 1. Roxie Slade. A believable badass both on and off the slopes, she’s got integrity, a strong worth ethic, and a winning spirit. 2. Skiing. I love picturing the snow, the mountains, feeling the cold air. Ali Dean does a great job of scene setting, making the environment come alive. 3. Competitive sports. Another thing the author really does is bring us deep inside the world of competitive sports so that we can almost taste the desire to win. 4. True friends. While Roxie struggles to make friends at Stark Springs, her Vermont friends are true blue, and I love them. 5. Ryker Black. I’m still not sure I’m totally on board with a Roxyer romancer or is that Rykie? In any case, the jury is still out on how I feel about them together, but I can’t deny he is an absolutely fascinating character.
Bottom Line Black Diamond is a fun, fast read with plenty of drama, angst-ridden romance, and lots and lots of snow.
Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: Black Diamond Series: Stark Springs Academy #1 Author: Ali Dean Release Date: January 14, 2016 Pages: 185 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary/Sports Romance
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon
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Author Ali Dean
About the Author Ali Dean lives in Colorado with her husband, twin babies, and golden retriever.
In addition to reading and writing, she loves the outdoors- everything from marathon training and biking to snowboarding and skiing.
