Hockey Romance Series I've Read {part one}

Now that the NHL has started their new season, I figured it would be the perfect time to talk about hockey romance series that I've enjoyed. 

If you know me at all, you know that hockey romance is a major weakness of mine. I've been just a little bit obsessed since I read my first book back in October 2019. It also should not be of any surprise that I love a good series. Combine hockey romance and a book series, and I'm all in. ALL IN! 

Discovering hockey romance, also lead me to discovering the authors who are now auto-buy authors. Yep, you read that correctly. Because of these books, I want to read all their backlist, plus any and all new releases.

These books are all technically standalones, so there is no need to start with book 1. Personally I prefer to start with book one and work my way to the conclusion of the series. But that's just me. You do you.

Let's start with where my love affair began, shall we?

Pucked by Helena Hunting is a hockey series that has 7 books available. Okay fine, 8 if you count the deleted scenes/outtakes book.  If you like steamy romantic comedies, alpha males, and hockey, then check it out! 

I have read Pucked (1), Pucked Up (2), and Forever Pucked (4). It is my mission to go back and read the other books that I have missed. It will happen, and hopefully it will happen in 2021.

Here's the blurb for Pucked via Amazon:

With a famous NHL player for a stepbrother, Violet Hall is well acquainted with the playboy reputation of many a hockey star. So of course she isn’t interested in legendary team captain Alex Waters or his pretty, beat-up face and rock-hard six-pack abs. When Alex inadvertently obliterates Violet’s misapprehension regarding the inferior intellect of hockey players, he becomes much more than just a hot body with the face to match. 

Suffering from a complete lapse in judgment, Violet discovers just how good Alex is with the hockey stick in his pants. Violet believes her night of orgasmic magic with Alex is just that: one night. But Alex starts to call. And text. And email and send extravagant—and quirky—gifts. Suddenly, he's too difficult to ignore, and nearly impossible not to like. 

The problem is, the media portrays Alex as a total player, and Violet doesn’t want to be part of the game. 

Helena Hunting has another hockey series called All In. This trilogy is a spin off of Pucked, and previous characters appear which I love. Especially since I wasn't ready to give up the original crew.

A Lie for A Lie is the first book, and  follows the love story between Rook and Lainey. To be honest, this was my least favorite of the trilogy, but it set us up for the book Little Lies, so that makes me appreciate it all the more. My favorite was A Favor for A Favor, which follows Bishop and Stevie. I freaking loved it. I cannot think of hawaiian pizza or comical boxers without thinking of this book! The third book is called A Secret for A Secret, and we get the story of Kingston and Queenie. I adored Queenie, especially her connection with Violet Waters.

Here is the description of my favorite, A Favor for A Favor:

When I joined Seattle’s NHL expansion team, I thought it was the start of something great. But nothing ever goes the way you expect. Take my introduction to my new neighbor. She came rolling in on the hot mess express at midnight, making a racket while she tried to get into my team captain’s apartment. Did I mention that he’s married to a woman who definitely was not her?
Imagine my surprise when I end up with an injury that has me out of the game for weeks, and she’s the one to offer to help me. I should probably add that she’s not the captain’s mistress. She’s his sexy, pastel-haired younger sister.
So we come up with an arrangement: she rehabs me so that I can get back on the ice sooner, and she can add a professional athlete that isn’t her brother to her client list. Seems simple enough. As long as I can keep my hands to myself and my hormones in check.

Another author who writes hockey romance is Aven Ellis. Aven's books are all rom-coms, and I have loved them all. I discovered her Rinkside in the Rockies series through an email from BookBub. After devouring that series, I moved onto Chicago on Ice, and then the Dallas Demons. On Thin Ice (Dallas Demons #4) was my absolute favorite. Matt and Holly are my couple, and so far no other Aven couple has topped them. 

Here is the copy for On Thin Ice:

Holly Johansson knows some things in her life are certain after college graduation: 1.) It’s a long road to becoming a full-time author. 2.) She’ll need to work to pay her bills. 3.) And Dallas Demons superstar Matt Rhinelander will never return her feelings.

Holly knows her unrequited crush on the partying hockey player is ridiculous. There’s no way Matt would be attracted to a woman who prefers watching TV or reading books when he’s known for his frequent bar hops and fast lifestyle. Obviously he would never see her as anything other than his teammate’s little sister.

Yet Holly is drawn to the other side of Matt—the man she knows has always been thoughtful and easy to talk to whenever she’s been alone with him. It is this Matt that fueled the crush Holly has on him. And she knows it will always be just that—a secret crush.

Or will it?

Because when Matt helps Holly through a crisis, her heart begins to believe that there might be feelings on his part, too. After a night of hard partying puts Matt in jeopardy with the Dallas Demons, can Holly be the one to save him? And when Matt admits he sees her as more than Nate Johansson’s sister, will it put them both on thin ice?

Let's step away from the world of professional hockey, and head back to college for the Hockey Gods series. Xavier Neal recently released her fourth book in the series, and I am hoping it wasn't the last! Peck has been mentioned in all the books, and I feel he needs a story of his own, so fingers crossed that happens. The guys are awesome on the ice, but the partners they have chosen? Well they are my kind of people. These hockey gods are not falling for the typical puck bunny, oh no, they're falling for the intelligent ones who challenge them, and I'm here for it. Of course in Defenseman No. 9 it's a bit different as Hugo falls for his best friend. So that story might just be my favorite. I love a good friends to lovers story.

Here is the premise for Can't Block My Love, which is the first book in the series:

Once upon a time, the Vlasta Vipers hockey team was so incredible — on and off the ice — they were almost mythical. 

Every other university wanted their team to be them. 

Every chick who crossed their paths wanted to bang them. 

Now? 

Their clout on the ice is questionable. 

Their competition cutthroat. 

Their beds... 

Well, there will always be puck bunnies ready to keep them warm. After all, no matter how well they do or don't do, they are the university's most important athletes. 

However, when Remington Ronald Rutledge the 3rd, lands himself on the new head coach's bad side, which threatens his chances of playing for the season, he finds himself striking an unusual deal with a blast from his past he can barely remember. 

Did she always wear these glasses? 

Was her hair always this curly? 

Has she always had a smile that makes him wanna smile? 

What happens when the bad boy who makes all the rules is forced to play by someone else's? 

Can this good-looking goalie let love score, or will blocking it be the biggest mistake of his life?

Okay I want to keep talking hockey romance series, but this post is getting a bit long. So I'm going to break this up into a 3 part series. Curious which other hockey series are on my list? Be sure to come back and find out. 

Do you read sports romance? If so, give me some recommendations! Hockey is my preferred, but I'm open to others. 

Happy Reading,

Weekly Wrap Up

 

Oh what a week it's been! My kids and I survived their last week of distance learning, and now they are headed back to their school. My mental health will definitely improve, and I know my children's will as well. Am I nervous about them returning to the classroom? Absolutely, because this virus is no joke. Yet I also know that for two of my kids, distance learning wasn't working. Learning disabilities + distance learning = difficulties.

Reading wise my week was respectable. I read a bit slower than usual, but that's perfectly okay. I managed to read 4 books this week, and the books I chose were fantastic. One was even a five star!

The first book I read was Always Only You by Chloe Liese. Full disclosure, I went with this book because there was a hockey player on the cover. 🤣 🤷🏼‍♀️  I also thought this was a library book. It wasn't, I purchased the e-book after seeing Always Only You recommended on Booktube. 

While I chose the book for the cover, the story hooked me. As I was reading, my gut told me that there was a good chance that Frankie was someone on the autism spectrum. A few pages later, she revealed that fact herself.  I was so proud of Frankie for how successful she is, and how she advocates for herself. Then there's Ren. He is just a sweetheart who loves with all he is.

From Goodreads:

Always Only You is an opposites-attract, forbidden love sports romance about a nerdy, late-blooming hockey star, and his tough cookie coworker who keeps both her soft side and her autism diagnosis* to herself. Complete with a meddling secretary, tantric yoga torture, and a scorching slow burn, this standalone is the second in a series of novels about a Swedish-American family of five brothers, two sisters, and their wild adventures as they each find happily ever after. 
*This is an #OwnVoices story for its portrayal of autism by an autistic author.

Always Only You is technically book two in the Bergman Brothers series. So I goofed and read that first. Yes I know these are technically standalone books, so I don't need to read them in order, but it's what I do! I was in disbelief when I realized what I had done. Rather than moving forward to Ever After Always, I went back to read Only When It's Us.

Only When It's Us introduces us to Willa and Ryder. Ryder is the middle child in the Bergman family, and he was a promising soccer player until an illness took away his hearing. Not only did Ryder lose his hearing (and place on the soccer team), but he also refused to speak any longer. Willa has a soccer scholarship and is dealing with sports, college, and her mom's health issues. 

I absolutely LOVED this book. It earned the 5 stars I gave it. I laughed. I cried. I wanted to join the Bergman family.

From Goodreads:

Only When It’s Us is a frenemies-to-lovers, college sports romance about a women’s soccer star and her surly lumberjack lookalike classmate, complete with a matchmaking professor, juvenile pranks, and a smoking slow burn. This standalone is the first in a series of new novels about a Swedish-American family of five brothers, two sisters, and their wild adventures as they each find happily ever after.

Ever After Always is the third book in the series, and it just released on January 12th. As we learned at the end of Always Only You, Freya and Aiden are having marital problems. Ever After Always goes on to tell us everything that happened, and how hard these two work to save their relationship. The Hawaii trip was spectacular, and it solidified how much I adore this family!

I highlighted many lines from the book. One of my favorite quotes was:

"It’s a choice, a belief. I choose you, my ever after, believing our love will sustain us, always. Ever after always."

From Goodreads:

Ever After Always is a marriage-in-crisis, opposites-attract romance about a sensitive, fierce-loving woman and her resilient husband who has anxiety disorder. Complete with island vacation antics, a sibling prank gone wrong, and a steamy slow burn, this standalone is the third in a series of novels about a Swedish-American family of five brothers, two sisters, and their wild adventures as they each find happily ever after.

My last book for the week was Dark Ruler by Xavier Neal. This is a steamy dark mafia romance, and it isn't my typical read, but I'm so glad I picked it up. Chantal is a strong woman, who has no problems speaking her mind. Benicio is the boss of his companies, and is used to people doing what he says when he says it. What he says goes. It's why he's in charge! 

This quote stuck out to me:

“I understand the reason you hold the fear you hold, Beni. I would be lying if I said I didn’t worry when you walked out the door, the same way I used to worry when Uncle Lucius and Dad did, but he taught me that the more you feed fear, the more powerful it becomes. To weaken it, you must embrace the time you have and the time you’re given because fear will always find something to latch onto, a way to live again, but the time you lost can never be regained.”

Here is a little teaser for Dark Ruler:

I was raised to be a ruler of two worlds.

One with a pen.

One with a knife.

Be the king of the concrete jungle at all costs.

I should've simply taken a queen, not courted one.

I should've forced her submission, not earned it.

I should've let respect be enough, not fall in love.

Someone has made a grave mistake in coming for my company.

For my throne.

For my Mia Bella.

And for that, they will not only meet the man I was raised to become but the one I am now, for the only woman I will ever bow to.

Be prepared, this book ends in a cliffhanger! The good news is that Dark Reign is coming out yet this month. So if you start the duet in January, you won't have to wait long for the second half of the story. Also, as Benicio and Miko are Italian, the use of the language is often incorporated into the story. So you will see Beni and/or Miko translate their own lines so that Chantal understands what is being spoken. I did find myself using the translate feature on my Kindle from time to time, so it was helpful to have.

So there you have it. Those are the four books I read this week. I had 3 four stars, and 1 five star. All in all it was a great week. Now to see what next week brings.

What did you read last week? Anything you'd recommend? What's on your plan for next week?

Happy Reading,

TBR Games

If you are like me, and watch videos on bookish videos on youtube (booktube), then chances are you've watched a video or two about TBR games. 

The first "game" I had watched was Codie's Wheel of TBR. I thought it was so unique, and such a fun way to select what you might read that month. Put some prompts on the wheel, give it a spin, and see where you land. Of course it also gave me major Wheel of Fortune vibes, but that's just me.

Shortly there after, I found the Irish Reader's TBR game. He was using a claw machine to select his prompts! So creative. Fill the containers with your prompts, use the claw to grab one, and then select the book. 

Next came Book-opoly on Becca's channel. I had heard about this, but hadn't watched until yesterday. I was immediately intrigued. This is a spin on the classic board game that many of us grew up playing. Obviously instead of purchasing property, you're reading books that relate to the what you've filled your board with.

After watching Becca's Book-opoly game, Youtube was obviously recommending others for me. Fellow readers, there are some really creative people out there, and I'm loving it. Here are a few other TBR games that I stumbled upon

• TBR Pursuit by Jadeyraereads (If you're thinking of Trivial Pursuit, you'd be correct)
  
  
• A Game of Bookish Life by AStar Reads (Life anyone?)

• TBR Bingo with Kaylani SimplyMe
  
  
• M&M's TBR with Current Chapter

• Skittles TBR with KaylaReads
  
  
• A homemade board game by A Novel Curiousity

After watching those videos, I wondered if anyone had made a game for those who predominantly read romance. That is when I found Romance-opoly! This is a bit similar to Book-opoly, but obviously created for romance readers. It looks as though it's been offered for two years (2019, 2020), but the creators were not able to build a board for this year. I like what they had created, but it wasn't specifically what I was looking for.

So I decided to just build my own utilizing Canva. I decided that the majority of the board would be common tropes, with a few sub-genres added in. 

My plan is to start the game in February. Since I am typically a mood reader, my plan is to roll 4 times. If I roll doubles, then I will add a roll which then adds a book to my pile. So my book-opoly game will provide me with a minimum of 4 reads each month. 

Oh, and for that pesky go to jail portion of the board, in order for me to be released I have to listen to an audio book. Those who know me, know I am not a fan. At all. But I also know that one of the reading challenge prompts from Creating & Co is to read in a different format. So it's a way to fulfill that prompt should I happen to land on that space.

Here is what my board looks like:

After I printed it, I realized that I should have spread out my sports romances. 🤣 Oh well, such is life, I can always adjust and print a new version in 2022. My printout is already glued into my reading journal, so I'm not going to reprint, and waste the ink.

The spaces I figure most people might have questions about are what would typically be the "railroad" spaces. Here are my thoughts:

Train: My original thought was that the characters might meet on one of these modes of transportation. If I can't find that, then perhaps there will be a train or subway on the cover. (see the new Casey McQuiston book releasing later this year)

Plane: The couple either go on vacation, meet on an airplane, or meet while they are on separate vacations. (or again, a plane on the cover)

Ship: This is for fanfic. Yep, I'm going there. I'm going to select a few of my favorite fandom ships, and headover to AO3 to read a story.

Bus: Read a book set in (or around) London.

I cannot wait to start playing, and see what books come my way for February. I'll be sure to update what my picks are!

And I noticed I didn't put anything on the "go" spot. So IF I land there, it will be to read one of my Amazon First Reads selections that I've yet to read.

Tell me what you think! Also, if you choose a TBR each month, how do you select your books? Have you tried a TBR game like the youtubers I mentioned? I wonder if anyone has made a Plinko version?

Happy Reading,

Weekly Wrap Up

The first full week of 2021 is officially in the books, and what a week it was! I think my eyes were glued to Twitter for more hours than I'd care to admit. (and we all know I'm, unfortunately, not talking about books.)

As for my reading this week, well this is where my illness messed with my reading time. Like I said last week, I was dealing with exhaustion and body aches. So I was passed out for the first few days of the week. It is what it is, and thankfully whatever bug I had did not affect anyone else in my family. From January 3 through January 9, I managed to read 4 books. 

So what did I read? One new release, one book from my local library, one 2020 release that was provided to me by the author, and the fourth was an ARC for one of my anticipated January reads. (the ARC was also author supplied.)

Let's start talking books!

My first read of the week was High Risk Rookie by Odette Stone. Now if you're in her Facebook group, you already know that this book has been HIGHLY anticipated. Odette would be asked multiple times daily when High Risk Rookie was coming out. On January 2 the Vancouver Wolves fandom gasped, and then ran to Amazon to purchase the much anticipated book.

Now if you're a hockey romance fan, and you've read the first three books in the Vancouver Wolves series, then go read this book! Well technically you don't have to read the first three books, but it gives you backstory on some of the other characters. Plus if you've read those books, then you know who Krista is. Krista is given a mission to fly to Mexico, find Levi Ziegler, and bring him back to Vancouver. Scouts say he is an amazing hockey player, but off the ice he has issues. Trouble seems to just follow him It doesn't really matter though because the Wolves are interested. Can Krista convince Levi to go back to Vancouver with her? If so, can she keep this rookie in line? Could he sign a contract with the Wolves, and become a professional hockey player? Can what happened in Mexico, stay in Mexico? 

You are probably waiting for me to say that I loved this book, and I totally did. I was all in, and could not get enough. Plus there is a bit of a mystery to be solved as you read. Who is messing with Levi's career? There are a handful of options, that's for darn sure. Oh, and Krista's family is the worst. 

Next, I decided to go with what I thought would be a cute, geeky romance novel. I was expecting something along the lines of Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, or even Geekerella by Ashley Poston. Believe me, those two books were ah-maz-ing. I fully embrace my geeky tendencies, and love my fandoms, so needless to say, I had pretty high expectations for Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade. I mean, how could I not? Spoiler Alert if fandom based, it mentions fanfiction, and it's a romance. It's three of my favorite things!

All that being said, something was a miss for me with this book. I loved that April is a professional, yet geeky, plus sized woman who is confident in who she is. She owns who she is, and the interests that she has. As for Marcus, he is an actor on a popular TV show, but struggles with his identity. Plus imagine being an actor who is writing fanfiction for his own show? LOVE IT.  Plus both these characters are closer to my age, and so that is relatable. I also loved the relationship that April and Marcus had online, and in person. 

I think the aspect of the book that I didn't like, was all the excess. There were parts of the show written in, then add in the snippets of their fanfiction stories, and then even the message board communication between April, Marcus, and others in the community. I mean, I love all those things, but there was too much of it for me. A story every few chapters, or a message written into the chapter, that would have been better in my mind. The scenes though while Marcus is filming? Where it is like a recap of the script? That I could have done with out. That's just me though! Ultimately I did enjoy the story, but it was just okay.

My third book was a surprise read. Paula Dombrowiak had reached out to me on Instagram, and asked if I might be interested in reading her debut novel. After heading over to Amazon to read the blurb for Blood and Bone, I decided to go for it. Paula then sent the file to my kindle, and I was all set.

Now there is so much I want to say about Blood and Bone, but I also don't want to ruin the story! In these pages we learn Jack's side of how the band Mogo came to be. We follow the band's rough beginnings, their rise to fame, Jack's substance abuse issues, relationships (pregnancy, marriage, dating, infidelity), and ultimately the breakup. We also learn about the song writing that Jack has collaborated on with Mia Stone, and how personal their songs are. All of this comes out when journalist Erin Langford arrives on the scene. She came to write a story on Jack, and it ends up being so much more than that. After a situation with her boss, Erin cannot move forward with the article. She's devastated. Ultimately though she preservers, and what was once an article is now a book. Can Jack heal his relationship with his daughter, Hayley? Can they find common ground? What happens with Jack and Mia? Jack and Amber? Cash and Mia? 

This book alternates between time periods, and it just felt right. I DM'd Paula and told her that Blood and Bone was giving me major Evelyn Hugo vibes, with a little Daisy Jones mixed in. So if you are a fan of those two books, pick up Blood and Bone. Oh and good news, there is a second book coming that will follow Hayley's story! Now I just need to wait until the end of November to get my hands on that. 

My last read for this week was Connectivity 2.0 by Aven Ellis. It doesn't release until January 27, but I was fortunate enough to get my hands on an e-ARC. (thanks Aven!) When one of your favorite authors say "hey who would like an ARC for review?" you know my answer. 🤣

Connectivity 2.0 is the second book in the British Isles Billionaires series, and here we are introduced to Lauren and Oliver. Lauren has been accepted into an internship program in London where she will be working side by side with Mary Kate Cumberland! MK is someone that Lauren looks up to, and to say Lauren is excited for this adventure is a bit of an understatement. When Lauren gets on the plane she is shocked when someone wants to change seats with her! Upon arriving up in FIRST CLASS (!), Lauren sits down next to a stunningly handsome man. After a long flight filled with conversation, Lauren mentions her internship, and it is then that she learns the true identity of the man sitting next to her. He is the one and only Oliver Pratt, the famous billionaire who just sold his business to William Cumberland! There's an issue though as he initially told her that his name was something else. So it causes a fight between the two. Flash forward to the first day of work, and Lauren finds herself getting "introduced" to Oliver. Even though the two have hit it off, Lauren cannot get over the fact that he lied to her. 

Now I want to tell you more, but I also don't want to ruin the story for you. What I will tell you is that I literally laughed out loud a few times. I also swooned, and aww'd. These characters, I tell ya, they are my kind of people. 

Here's what I posted on Instagram:

From their initial meeting, to the first date that wasn't a date, to the helicopter ride, to Lauren fixing Oliver a plate (if you know, you know), and the dates that lead us up to the scene at Big Ben, I have had a gigantic smile upon my face.

The Big Ben scene could have been so romantic, but this was where the relationship issue pops up and shreds any chance of romance. Oh my heart. 

Read Connectivity 1.0 and 2.0! Fall for the characters, and then try not to hound Aven about when 3.0 will be available. I mean she teased Aoife and Jack's relationship, so we know we're getting another book in the series! (my gut tells me we're looking at 2022 for this book, if we're lucky. Oh how I hope we don't have to wait until 2023.)

What books did you read last week? Anything I might enjoy? I'm always open to book recommendations. 🙂 No matter what, I hope you enjoyed what you read, and that it has you searching out more from the author.

Happy Reading,

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Only One Night {a book review}

On Tuesday, January 5, Natasha Madison's latest book was released, and it was one that I had been eagerly anticipating! For those who may not know, Only One Night is the third book in her Only One hockey series. This series launched in September 2020, and is slated to wrap up in February 2021 with the release of Only One Touch. 

In Only One Night, we are finally getting Manning's story! We've heard bits and pieces of his situation, but did not know all of it. If you're anything like me, you were probably hoping Manning's story would have been the second book in the series. I think the wait was worth the wait. 

Here's the teaser from Amazon:

Manning

As captain of the Dallas Oilers, I was their leader on and off the ice. From the outside, it looked like I had the perfect life.

I didn’t.

I was married to a woman who refused to give me a divorce. All she wanted was the status title, and all I wanted was to be set free.

It was supposed to be just another event, except it took a turn I didn’t see coming.

Evelyn

Attending my best friend’s bachelorette party isn’t something I was looking forward to.

But it’s strange what a couple of glasses of wine will do.

It was one night, and I thought I would never see him again.

Especially not coming face-to-face with him and his wife while picking up my nephew from hockey practice.

All it takes is one kiss, one touch, one chance, and only one night.

Things we learned in the previous two books:

• Manning is Captain for the Dallas Oilers hockey team.
• He is a dad to a young child. 
• His marriage has been having issues for years.
• He feels stuck in his marriage to Murielle.
• Manning has a strong dislike of social media, and is very private.

In Only One Night we learned EVERYTHING! I mean that should be obvious since it's Manning's story. There is so much I want to say, but I can't because I don't want to ruin the story for you! What I can tell you, is that you'll get your Happily Ever After ending.

1) Manning. 

That should just be obvious by now. This man has captured my attention since the beginning. He is dedicated to his team. He loves his son, Jaxon. He is trying his best to live a life outside the bright lights of a professional athlete. 

 

2) The Dallas Oilers.

From the owner, to the players, they are more than just a team, they are a family. That  is everything. No matter who you are, support in your life is necessary. Surrounding yourself with people who you care for, who encourage you, who challenge you, who help you grow, that is what so many of us need.

3) How Evelyn perserveres

Her ex could have destroyed her emotionally. Yet here she is moving on with her life. She's left her life in Chicago, and has returned home. She has her own support structure in her family and friends. She is an excellent business woman, and she knows how to get things done. 

4) Evelyn & Manning's relationship

Do I even need to say anything else about this? I could also add in the relationship that Evelyn has with Jaxon. She takes his feelings into consideration. 

5) How the entire situation with Murielle played out.

 Oh how I want to explain further, but spoilers. 

 

This is hard for me. I truly enjoyed the story, after all I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads. So you'd think the book was flawless. That being said there are two things I didn't enjoy. The first should be obvious. (plus I mentioned it in my reading wrap up.)

1) Infidelity.

Listen, I get it, he's in a loveless marriage. He's asked for a divorce, and his wife refused. Yet at the same time, I can't look past cheating on your spouse. (and yes, we learn that this is happening with both parties, so it isn't one sided.) 

My second item isn't about the book itself, but rather the promotion of the book.

2) Book promo is referring to Manning as a single dad. 

He isn't. Not in the true sense of the word. Yes, he and Murielle are basically living separate lives while living in the same house. But that isn't the same as being a single dad. To me that means that either Mom is out of the picture due to death, giving up parental rights, abandonment, or the parents are not together due divorce, break up, etc. Manning and Murielle are not divorced. They are still married. Even if it is just in name alone. (obviously I have strong feelings about this, even though it probably doesn't matter to most.)

I loved this story, and Manning's story played out just about how I had expected it to. Although if I'm being honest, in the back of my mind I had wondered if it was going to end up being a second chance romance. I thought maybe just maybe Murielle would become a changed woman, and their marriage would improve. It clearly wasn't, and I am more than fine with that.  

Now I wait for February 9th, and the release of Only One Touch. We learned at the end of Only One Night that Nico has gotten married, but now we'll get more info on that. Also, I'm not ready for the series to end. My only hope is that Natasha Madison stays in Dallas for another 4 books! After all that's what she essentially did with the Something So and  This Is and series.  

Have you read any of Natasha Madison's books? If you're into sports romance, start with the Something So series, then head to her This Is series, and then get to know the players from Only One. It's worth it. 

Happy reading,

What Laura's Reading participates in the Amazon Affiliates Program.
Purchases made via links above may result in my earning of a small commission.