Virgin Territory
by Lia Riley
Series: Hellions Angels
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Avon Impulse
Publication Date: March 6, 2018
Practice Makes Perfect…
Patrick “Patch” Donnelly has what it takes to be the best goalie in the NHL…if only he could learn to control his temper. When Coach orders him to get his head in the game with private yoga classes, Patch isn’t having it. There’s no way this tough Boston guy would be caught dead downward dog-ing his way to inner peace. But if he refuses, he risks his starting position and the dream he sacrificed everything for, including joining the priesthood.
Yoga instructor Margot Kowalski is over men. After yet another toxic relationship, she’s eager to forget love and focus on growing her business. Doing the Hellions head coach a favor by helping out a troubled player can’t hurt, and it might give her career a high-profile boost. But free-spirited Margot is soon charming the pants off Patch. Literally. Her sassy combination of sweet and sexy proves irresistible to the goalie. Before Patch can give into temptation though, he’ll have to confess his biggest secret:
He’s a virgin.
But Patch is hiding more than sexual inexperience, and his dark past soon threatens to destroy his shot at true love.
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Excerpt:
Margot stood on tiptoe, both hands clutching the front of his t-shirt, and kissed him full on the mouth. Their ragged breaths mingled a moment. He tasted the brown sugar in her lipgloss before she broke free, pressing a quick second kiss to the tip of his nose.
“Go to bed,” she whispered, clearing her throat and stepping back. “And have a great game tomorrow.”
It took every last shred of Patch’s willpower not to close the space again, to consume her. “There’s something else you should know.”
“Shoot.”
“I’m not going to get a lick of sleep if you leave.”
“If I stay, you won’t sleep either,” she shot back, shrugging into her jacket.
“I’ll take those odds.”
She shook her head slowly as if with reluctance. “I’ve got to fold. “Goodnight.”
He took her hand and held it between his own. Her skin was cooler than his. He didn’t like that. He wanted to tuck her against him, warm her up. “Do me a favor and call when you get home. I want to know you got back safe, especially driving on that spare.”
“It’s been a long time since anyone has cared if I got home,” she said with a smile. “Careful, you might be turning into a gentleman.”
“Don’t get carried away. The things that I want to do to you are far from gentlemanly,” he said in a husky tone.
She rocked her head back and unleashed a frustrated moan. “Quit leading me into temptation. I’m trying to respect your virtue here.”
“My virtue can take a long jump off a short fucking bridge.”
“That might be. But . . .if we end up taking that jump. I want it to be special. That’s important. I want you to feel special.”
Blood rushed to his ears. “Funny, I feel the same way about you.”
“Then we’re in agreement and I’m leaving.” A wicked gleam entered her gaze. “But while you wait for my call, slip into something more comfortable.”
“Like?”
“Nothing at all.”
She blew a kiss, pirouetted, and was gone.
From VIRGIN TERRITORY. Used with permission of Avon Impulse. Copyright © 2018 by Lia Riley.
Review:
…because oh boy, does it do wonders for Patch and Margot! 😉
Virgin Territory is a fun, if quick, read. For two books now, Patch has been having temper management issues–especially inconvenient because he’s his team’s goalie, the one guy who should definitely be able to keep his cool on the ice. His Head Coach suggests private yoga lessons, and soon nothing will be the same–in a good, hot new way….
As fun as it was to read about Patch and Margot getting things om (and was it ever fun!), I do have to say that his major problems were fixed rather quickly and conveniently. I’m not complaining, not really–because once you know the backstory behind his bar brawl you know that Patch definitely didn’t deserve the grief he was getting–but the resolution to that problem went from ever-looming to poof! all gone.
He also moved pretty quickly from “saving himself” to why was I saving myself, again? Again, not really complaining–but some more build-up and getting-to-know-you time wouldn’t have gone amiss.
All in all Virgin Territory was as entertaining a read as the other series books. If you haven’t had a chance to read them yet, there are some mild spoilers to the other characters’ HEAs, but Patch’s story would also work fine as a standalone.
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
About Lia Riley:
After studying at the University of Montana-Missoula, Lia Riley scoured the world armed only with a backpack, overconfidence and a terrible sense of direction. She counts shooting vodka with a Ukranian mechanic in Antarctica, sipping yerba mate with gauchos in Chile and swilling fourex with stationhands in Outback Australia among her accomplishments.
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Tour Wide Giveaway!
To celebrate the release of VIRGIN TERRITORY, we’re giving away five paperback copies of HEAD COACH by Lia Riley!
GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS: Open to US shipping addresses only. Five winners will each receive a paperback copy of Head Coach by Lia Riley. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Avon Romance. Giveaway ends 3/18/2018 @ 11:59pm EST. Avon Romance will send the winning copies out to the winner directly. Limit one entry per reader and mailing address. Duplicates will be deleted. CLICK HERE TO ENTER!
