Let's travel to Maui for the wedding of Preston and Heather. Sofia Carpenter happens to be planning it, and her life is about to change. Sofia is engaged to Don Servino, and she works for the family's resort (Lely Prive). However it turns out that Don's family has looked into Sofia's past, and it isn't going to work any longer. Not with her dad having served time in prison. Don ends things with Sofia, but then has the nerve to ask her to stay on until the Lawrence wedding is over. Flash forward to the week of the wedding. Sofia is out for a swim, and Theo is out surfing. Sofia catches his eye, and Theo is entranced by her. He cannot turn away.
She's an anomaly in a paradise filled with beauty, laughter, and excitement.
The night before the wedding, Theo finds her again, and he's determined to meet her. They strike up a conversation, and that leads to a night spent together. Theo asks her to be his plus one to the wedding, and Sofia agrees. That is until the next morning when she finds out Theo Lawrence is really Eddie Sims. He lied to her. Or did he? Sofia's been hurt in the past, and she's struggling with this. So she leaves a note saying goodbye. Except it isn't goodbye, as Sofia will soon learn when her brother (Jesse) is traded to the Boston Hawks organization. Sofia and Theo are about to get their second chance. But will an issue from the past come back to hurt their chances for a happily ever after? Also, will Theo tell his teammates who he really is? They know Eddie Sims, can they accept him as Theo Lawrence? Will they feel betrayed?
Gina Azzi gutted me with this book! Oh the emotions.ðŸ˜
Having read the description for the book, I wasn't certain what was going to happen. I was NOT expecting Sofia and Theo to meet at Preston's wedding, nor was I expecting it be after Don the dumbass broke off their engagement. Basically all I knew going in is that Eddie Sims was going by an alternate name, and I had no clue why. Well now I do! Of course I also knew that Sofia was a cancer survivor, and that experience had shaped her views on certain things.
I loved how everything unfolded with their relationship. From the introduction in Maui, to Sofia's brother being traded to the Hawks, to everything that happened next (relationship/history/family).
The storyline involving Sofia's dad, and her cancer treatment? Oh my heart. I think anyone can understand why he did what he needed to. But at the same time you can see why the other party did what they had to do. It just goes to show how messed up health care truly is. Ugh. Also, I want to say that I called this aspect of the storyline pretty early on. So throughout the story I was waiting for it to be revealed, and I was waiting to see how both parties responded to the situation. But then that next bombshell was dropped, and my eyes became extremely blurry due to the tears that were about to be shed.
The one thing I haven't figured out is where that magazine came from that allowed Sofia to find out Theo's "true identity". I don't feel like I glossed over that, but maybe I did.
No matter what, I loved this book! It very well might be my favorite out of the all of them. From their initial meeting (and subsequent hookup), to the reunion in Boston, to friendships formed thanks to the awesome wives and girlfriends, to the meeting of Theo's parents, to everything that happened next, to the revelation of the past, and so forth. I was all in.
I think I need a few days to recover from all the tears I shed. Oofta Gina's writing hit me hard with this storyline.
Go read this story! Go fall for these two, and see how being together impacts both Sofia and Theo. Because these two definitely change with the influence of the other. Also, I need for Gina to write a story featuring Jesse Carpenter. Please and thank you.
Thank you for reading my thoughts on The Hustler. I hope you'll check out this fake identity, second chance romance.
Laura
Theodore Edward Sims was supposed to be my hot summer hook-up, a stranger I slept with in Hawaii. Now, he’s my stepbrother’s new hockey teammate.
When we met, Theo was a sexy surfer in Maui, riding waves by day and rocking my world at night. After being played for a fool by my ex-fiancé, Theo proved to be a source of instant gratification.
He was refreshingly honest, engaging, and incredibly charming. Theo built me up when it felt like my world was crumbling down.
Turns out, he’s just like my ex. A liar.
To avoid the gossip of my failed engagement, I hightail it to Boston, where I’m forced to cross paths with a new version of Theo, aka Eddie Sims, Boston Hawks right wing. Here, he isn’t the well-connected, alluring surfer but a determined, angry hockey hunk with something to prove. Especially to me.
Except I’ve written him off. Once a liar, always a liar.
But Theo isn’t backing down. Instead, he’s hustling for my forgiveness.
When we met, Theo was a sexy surfer in Maui, riding waves by day and rocking my world at night. After being played for a fool by my ex-fiancé, Theo proved to be a source of instant gratification.
He was refreshingly honest, engaging, and incredibly charming. Theo built me up when it felt like my world was crumbling down.
Turns out, he’s just like my ex. A liar.
To avoid the gossip of my failed engagement, I hightail it to Boston, where I’m forced to cross paths with a new version of Theo, aka Eddie Sims, Boston Hawks right wing. Here, he isn’t the well-connected, alluring surfer but a determined, angry hockey hunk with something to prove. Especially to me.
Except I’ve written him off. Once a liar, always a liar.
But Theo isn’t backing down. Instead, he’s hustling for my forgiveness.
If I give him another chance, will he live up to his apologies? Or am I just lying to myself?
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Meet Gina Azzi
I’m Gina Azzi, a book-obsessed, coffee-drinking, globetrotting, mama of soon-to-be three! I write sweet with a dash of spicy New Adult and Contemporary Romance full of good men putting in work to win the hearts of even better women.
A total Jersey girl at heart, I struggle with insatiable wanderlust and currently reside in Ontario, Canada with my family.
When I’m not dreaming up storylines or writing all the words, you can find me hanging with my littles, attempting to bake, or planning my next adventure.
Connect with me on social media or at ginaazziauthor@gmail.com. I’d love to hear from you!
Happy Reading!
Xo,
Gina
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Thank you to Gina Azzi, and Wildfire Marketing Solutions, for providing me with an advanced review copy of The Hustler.
