When your hockey team’s season totally sucks (again…sigh), what better distraction is there than reading a hot hockey romance? 😉
New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett hits the ice with the story of a playboy athlete whose winning ways lead him to a beautiful woman with a lot to lose.
Olivia has been keeping a secret. While Garrett lives for the next thrill, Olivia’s not sure she’ll live to see the next day. She’s undergoing treatment for some serious medical issues, and she doesn’t have time for a relationship with no guarantees—especially one with a hot-as-sin womanizer who won’t take no for an answer. But as she gets to know the real Garrett, Olivia can’t help falling for him . . . hard. To reveal the truth would mean risking everything—but you can’t score without taking the tough shots.
Review:
Give me a good hockey romance any day…especially when my team is in the middle of a really sucky season, but seriously, no day is a bad day for a good hockey romance… 😉
Garrett is the second book in the Cold Fury Hockey series, but it worked fine as a standalone. (Here “worked fine” reads as “I’m going to have to read Alex ASAP and how soon will Zack be coming out? Because I want it now.)
Garrett is a totally endearing man-whore, if such a thing can exist. He’s completely unapologetic about his womanizing ways and totally charming on top of being a first-rate hockey player, so pretty much everyone forgives him his shortcomings. Olivia’s fairly straight-laced and totally has Garrett’s number–but she’s just gotten some life-changing news and decides that an impulsive one night stand of great sex is just what she needs to get her mind off of her troubles.
But one night turns into two, which turns into three, and then four, and…
I suppose I should have been more critical of Garrett’s total 180 where relationships are concerned, but I just couldn’t find it in me. What can I say–I loved the guy. A big, bad hockey player who still has heart-to-hearts with his mother; really, how can you not?
I unload on my mother. I bend her ear hard and tell her everything that turns me on about Olivia. From her beautiful face to her love of dirty jokes to her talent with floral arrangements to her kindness to others. I leave out how hot she is in bed, because moms don’t need to know that shit.
See what I mean?
Garrett’s mom also gave us another quote that I highlighted in the book, the one that’s definitely going to stick with me, in a later heart-to-heart with her son:
“The point is…if this is making you happy, then I’d rather you pursue that happiness at the risk you could get seriously hurt one day. Life is too short to worry about that stuff, and you should not let this pass you by.”
(That’s the quote that I wanted to hit Olivia over the head with later on, because, hello. A perfectly healthy guy could wake up tomorrow and get hit by a train, so get over yourself already. I know, I know–we needed the black moment. But honestly. Get. Over. Yourself.)
Besides Garrett’s mom, Stevie, Olivia’s boss and bestie, was a hoot. The things that guy can do to a chemotherapy room…genius! Alex and Sutton (Olivia’s Sutton’s cousin, Alex is Garrett’s closet friend on the team) also play a big part here, and Zack, the upcoming hero of book three, has a role as well–all characters I’d love to get to know better. All told, I pretty much flew through this one in a single sitting–I just couldn’t seem to put it down.
My only real complaint? The epilogue felt unnecessary. I get why it’s there, but given the choice I would rather have not read it. The final chapter fits much better with my favorite quote from Garrett’s mom, after all…
Rating: 4 stars / A-
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
