Great news for Hockey Romance fans!

You all know how much I love my hockey romance! One of my favorite hockey romance authors, Deirdre Martin, has just announced the next book in her NY Blades series:

Breakaway

~Deirdre Martin




Paperback

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: February 7, 2012

ISBN-10: 0425243680

ISBN-13: 978-0425243688



From the author's website:

They had it all planned out: college, marriage, happily ever after.
But it didn't quite work out that way... 



Erin O'Brien was everyone's favorite in Ballycraig, while Rory Brady was the town's golden boy: the local lad who moved to America and became a professional hockey player. Rory promised to return to sweep Erin away to the life of her dreams in New York. But the bright lights and late nights turned his head and he never came back. 



Two years later, Rory realizes he's made the worst mistake of his life. Heading back to Ballycraig, he's confident that all he needs to do is flash his winning smile and Erin will fall back into his arms. But Erin's moved on. 



Racing the clock, Rory needs to prove to her that the man she fell in love with is still there. But can happy-go-lucky Erin risk it all and give another chance to the man who broke her heart? 

Is anyone else as excited as I am?!?  Hunky hockey guys and set in Ireland?  Sign me up please!!!

Review: Any Man of Mine by Rachel Gibson

Any Man of Mine
~Rachel Gibson

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: April 26, 2011
ISBN-10: 0061579114
ISBN-13: 978-0061579110
ASIN: B004HD61HC

From Goodreads:
WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS . . .
DOESN'T ALWAYS STAY THERE.

Autumn Haven's Las Vegas "to-do" list said to catch a show and play the slots—not wake up married to a sexy jerk like Sam Leclaire. The first moment she saw him eyeing her like a luscious piece of the dessert buffet, her usually responsible self told her run. And she did—right into the wildest fantasy weekend of her life. But Monday morning jolted her back to reality and before she could say "pass the coffee" Sam was gone.

Now a successful wedding planner, Autumn she hasn't clapped eyes on the heart-breaking hockey superstar for over two years... until she organizes his teammate's "Special Day," where Sam makes a BIG play to pick up he left off! But she has vowed any man of hers plays for keeps. Is Sam the man for her or does she banish him to the sin bin forever?

As Any Man of Mine opens, the Chinooks hockey team's former Captain, Ty Savage, and the owner, Faith Duffy, are getting married (they were the Hero/Heroine in book 4, True Love and Other Disasters). Their event coordinator is Autumn Haven, ex-wife of Chinooks player Sam LeClaire. Sam hasn't seen Autumn in years, except with regards to their son, Connor. As the story progresses, we learn that Sam and Autumn hooked up in Las Vegas when they were both young and under mental and emotional stress. They got to know each other and impulsively got married after only five days. Sam panicked and left the next morning. He had his attorney contact her for the divorce, and later, after she had Connor and informed his attorney, he demanded a paternity test. Once it was acknowledged that Connor was his, Sam took care of the financial aspects of raising him, but for the most part is not an active participant in raising him.

Sam decides he wants to be a better dad, not turn into the kind of father his own father was, so he starts spending more time with Connor, and subsequently, more time around Autumn. Autumn has seen this behavior before and doesn't think it's going to last, but Sam is determined to make a change. Autumn is bitter, and as you read their history, you see that it's completely understandable. But as Autumn and Sam confront their pasts, perhaps things can change as they grow to understand their own actions as well as each others'.

My thoughts: One of the great things about Rachel Gibson's writing is her ability to pull the reader into her character's heads. As I read Autumn's side of the story I was mad at Sam for being such an ass. As I read Sam's side of the story I felt bad and was frustrated Autumn didn't give him a a second chance to redeem himself.

I love the reunited lovers storyline, and Any Man of Mine does it well. Sam is definitely a tarnished hero; he was really a jerk to Autumn after he left her in Vegas and kind of remained that way over the years. Autumn was rigidly self-reliant after the Vegas debacle, bitter and determined not to need anyone. The way these two clash was totally believable, and as they worked towards a more friendly demeanor I was mentally cheering them on.

Rachel Gibson is excellent at adding humor throughout the story; the scene where Sam caught Autumn wearing a Sidney Crosby Penguins jersey for Halloween was one of my favorites. She also deftly turns up the heat as Autumn and Sam's relationship progresses; the sexual tension between them was nice and hot.

As an aside, I liked that Connor was a realistic character and not written as some exceptionally talented child...he was a regular kindergartner (and wasn't even good at hockey!). I actually liked him and thought he was a cute kid.

Although Any Man of Mine is part of her Chinooks hockey series, the focus was more on the emotional development of both Autumn and Sam; it was just the right blend of personal growth, sexy romance, and hockey action.

My Rating:

This book was received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

M/M Month Review: Offside Pass by Stephanie Hecht

Offside Pass
~Stephani Hecht

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 200 KB
Publisher: eXtasybooks
Publish Date: January 1, 2011
ASIN: B004IEA8LU

From Goodreads:
At one time Devon Canton and his two brothers were the talk of the NHL. Set to become the next superstars of the sport, they had lucrative contracts and numerous endorsements within their reach. Then the bottom fell out of their world and everything changed. Now struggling to make ends meet, they have been reduced to playing in the minor leagues. To make matters worse, they all end up playing for the same dead-end team, the Battle Creek Hawks. Not only hasn’t that team won a game in three years, but their arena is falling down around them and is in danger of being condemned. Then Devon and his brothers hit a new low when they get thrown out of their first game for getting into a brawl…with each other.

Battle Creek Times sports reporter Saul Davis knows the instant he see the three brothers beating the snot out of each other that he has a story. It only takes a little digging to find out how far the once promising hockey players have fallen. Intrigued, Saul tries to pin down Devon for an interview, only to be rudely rebuked. Unfortunately for Devon, that only makes Saul more determined to get to the bottom of the story.

Then Saul uncovers something about the brooding hockey player that could not only destroy the man’s reputation, but also ruin any chance of him every playing on the professional level again. Saul knows he should go ahead and run the story, but as he finds himself growing closer to Devon, he realizes that his feelings for the other man are too strong to ignore. When a rival reporter also discovers Devon’s secret, Saul recognizes that he may have to make the most painful decision of all – his own journalism career or Devon.

Offside Pass is the story of Devon, a hot hockey player who's been relegated to playing in the bottom of the barrel hockey league, and Saul, a sports reporter who knows nothing about sports...

Devon and two of his three brothers are hockey players who are constantly brawling on the ice. Devon's twin brother Chad is straight (and married), and their baby brother Trey is also gay. The fourth brother, Brock, is a drug addict who is estranged from the family. We learn he was also a hockey player until he was injured.

As the story opens, Devon, Chad, and Trey are headed into the arena of the newest team they've just been traded to. The team is last in the league and the arena looks like it hasn't seen maintenance in years. When they started out, the brothers were hockey superstars, but there was an incident that has caused them to spiral downward to where they are now - their last chance.

Saul has just taken a job as a sports reporter for the local newspaper, the only problem is he doesn't know anything about sports! He falls for Devon - hard. Devon is attracted but tries to stay away because Saul is a reporter and he can't risk the family secret getting out. But Saul knows something's not right, does a little investigating, and pieces the story together.

Offside Pass was a quick, sweet read. I'm not used to short stories, so the pacing was a bit fast for me, but within the story the romance between Saul and Devon was tender and simmered through most of the story, culminating in a hot, steamy release. I loved that the big hockey player was so affected by Saul. I also liked Devon's brothers, Trey and Chad, and hope Trey's story is next. The brother's constant brawling was pretty entertaining, and I liked the hockey players as they got used to the brothers and started winning games.

On a side note, this book could have used more editing - there were quite a few typos.

My Rating:

Review: Icebreaker by Deirdre Martin (Yay for hockey!)

Icebreaker
~Deirdre Martin

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Publish Date: February 1, 2011
ISBN-10: 0425239799
ISBN-13: 978-0425239797




From the author's website:
Good thing high-powered attorney Sinead O'Brien has a rule about never dating clients. Because Adam Perry, the newest star of the New York Blades—and her newest client—has her headed for the penalty box. If only she could prove he's just another jock...

Adam's been charged with assault after a borderline hit on another star player, but off the ice he's a private, no-nonsense guy who knows the Blades are his last shot at Stanley Cup glory. Assembling her case, Sinead tries not to get distracted by Adam's dazzling good looks or strong work ethic, but she quickly discovers that there's a wounded man under that jersey, and she's starting to fall for him—hard.

Now Adam's having trouble focusing on the goal with Sinead in his sights. And Sinead is tempted to break her "no dating clients" rule. Can they play on their new found feelings without penalties?

I think my love of hockey romance is well documented here. And here. And here. And I love the New York Blades!

Icebreaker is the story between Sinead O'Brien, a workaholic attorney, and Adam Perry, the new captain of the NY Blades. Adam is being sued for assault after he knocked out another player on the ice and his "hockey people" have asked Sinead to defend him. Sinead doesn't know anything about hockey but agrees to take the case.

Part of Sinead's research is to get to know everything there is to know about Adam. He's a very close person; he doesn't have much to say and is very succinct when he does. Sinead is frustrated by his lack of forthcoming information. She runs into him at her parents bar and they have an interesting conversation - she learns more about him here than she has in the office, so she decides to try meeting in a less "businesslike" atmosphere to see if he'll open up a bit more. Adam wants to know more about Sinead, so he won't give without her telling him something about herself too.

They begin dating, but even though the male members of the firm often "entertain" their female clients, Sinead is called to carpet about her relationship with Adam, but Adam doesn't understand why it's such a big deal for Sinead, and Sinead is upset that Adam doesn't understand how difficult it is for her.

I really enjoyed this latest installment of Ms. Martin's NY Blades series. Sinead is a woman working in a predominantly man's world (law), and she's worked hard to get where she is. She was married, but eventually disagreement about raising kids ended the marriage - raising children, not having children. Although she really wants children, Sinead knows her career will falter and die if she takes time off to raise a family. She's very driven and is constantly thinking ahead about the repercussions of her actions at all times. Adam is focused on his career too - he knows he only has a year or two left on the ice and he wants to win the Stanley Cup. The lawsuit is hoey and he knows it, but it could end his career and change the way hockey is played if it succeeds.

I love the way Adam's history is slowly revealed to Sinead. There are some surprises in his background that she (we) did not expect. Reading them getting to know each other in tiny increments, Sindad debating with herself and her co-worker Oliver about her attraction to Adam, and Adam's interest in Sinead growing each time they meet set a nice pace. Sinead and Adam's romance slowly boiled into an inferno - once they let it ignite, their chemistry was hot.

If you're a fan of the series, you'll be happy to know we see a lot of familiar faces in Icebreaker: Ty Gallagher, Michael Dante, Quinn O'Brien, Sinead's parents and the Wild Hart Bar, Anthony and Vivi Dante and Dante's Restaurant, and a few of the players. We see a lot of Anthony Dante, the hero from Just A Taste, and I still like him - he was integral in helping Adam see that Sinead was not making up worst-case scenarios but that her workplace issues were real. We're also introduced to Sinead's best friend, co-worker, and resident horn-dog, Oliver - he steals the show! I love him - he's the kind of wingman every girl should have.

I identified with Icebreaker in that Sinead had real-life career issues that Adam, as a man, didn't understand. I find this to be true in Real Life too. Because they were both so private, sometimes they didn't communicate well and it took a friend (Anthony in Adam's case and Oliver in Sinead's case) to see the other side of the story.

I'll say this about the ending: At first I was disappointed, it didn't work for me, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. Then, I realized that was my problem - it didn't work for ME - but it worked just fine for Sinead and Adam. Once I sat back and thought about it, I realized it was actually a very happy ending ;)

I thoroughly enjoyed Icebreaker, Ms. Martin, and will keep reading your NY Blades stories as long as you keep writing them!

My Rating:

This book was provided to me by the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I'd Read That!

In the comments section of a previous post, I mentioned to Chris that I'd love Rachel Gibson to write a gay hockey story. Then today I stumbled across this at Eyre's place:

I'd read that!! Rowr!

Review: Nothing But Trouble by Rachel Gibson

I was browsing my local bookstore when I came across this book - 3 days before its release date! I'm not going to answer any questions about whether or not I danced in the aisles at my local B&N, and I have bribed my children who may or may not have witnessed it.

I think my love of Rachel Gibson's hockey romance stories has been well-documented here. I don't know why exactly; I've never seen a hockey game and wouldn't recognize a famous hockey player if one bumped into me while wearing a name tag. Anyhoo, on to the review:

Chelsea Ross is an out of work actress, a "scream queen" of sorts. She's done bit parts in horror flicks and commercials. She spends most of her time working as an assistant to D-list actors while waiting for her big break. Her twin sister, who works for the Chinooks as in PR, has convinced her come home to Seattle to be a personal assistant to Mark Bressler, former hockey star.

Mark was the captain of the Chinooks until a car accident almost took his life. He's recuperating, slowly, but he knows he'll never play hockey again and is depressed and angry. His team won the Stanley cup but he doesn't feel he deserves to be a part of it since he was injured before the playoffs. He's gone through home nurses like toilet paper, so the Chinooks have offered a $10,000 bonus to anyone who can stay with him.

Chelsea wants that money. She's got big plans for it: Chelsea is a tiny wisp of a thing with a natural pair of Double D's. And she hates them. She hates the way they hurt her back. She hates the way men talk to her boobs and not her face. And she thinks they're keeping her from getting "real" roles in the movies, which is what she really wants.

Chelsea was a fun heroine. She was a good assistant and I enjoyed her comparisons between working for Mark versus working for Hollywood stars. She very subtly inserted herself into Mark's life and it was fun to watch. I felt like she kind of bitched about her boobs too much, but I understood where she was coming from as part of the storyline. It was just that at one point, I kind of felt like "Okay. I got it - she's got giant boobs and she hates them."

Mark is so bitter, he's angry at the world and a step away from becoming addicted to pills. He doesn't want Chelsea around, but she manages to work her way into his life, and more and more he starts to like her, despite his intent not to. I really enjoyed watching him go from a surly grump to a likeable guy. His pain was real (physial and emotional) and Chelsea was adorable while she was trying to put up with him. Once he had Chelsea in his sights, lawd have mercy! He was set on simmering and ready to boil over. And once they got going, whew, somebody pass me a glass of ice water! Of course, he doesn't know about the bonus, and when he did find out, my heart broke for him.

I really enjoyed this book. I would have liked a bit more hockey action but we did get to check in with some of the other players on the team to see how they were doing. Ms. Gibson writes a great story with likeable characters; I love her hockey world!

I gave Nothing But Trouble 4/5 stars!

Review: Power Play by Deirdre Martin (Last Hockey review, I promise!)

(I hate the cover. Eric is supposed to be blonde, his twin Jason is brunette.)

Okay, okay...I know you're tired of my raving about the hockey books. This is my last one, I promise! It's just that I really liked it. Of all Ms. Martin's NY Blades books I've read, this one and the first one, Body Check, are my favorites.

Monica Geary is a soap opera star at the top of her game. She's on the number one rated soap opera and her character tops the polls month after month. When the producer brings in a chesty young thing who tries to take Monica's spotlight, Monica knows she's got to do something...

Eric Mitchell is the NY Blades' newest player. He is the twin brother of Jason (the hero in Chasing Stanley). When I read Chasing Stanley, I though Eric was kind of a selfish jerk with moments of goodness. Eric was traded fora beloved member of the team, so the fans (and other players) are a bit standoffish. Eric knows he has to do something to impress them...

In the Blades series, the team loves to watch soaps, and Monica's show is their favorite. Eric ends up with a 4-line scene in the soap, and he hits on Monica, who is replused by his cheesy lines. Then, her PR person suggests to Monica that she should consider pretending to date Eric to "get her image back out there". The suggestion is mutually beneficial, as the team is thrilled to meet Monica. Of course, things progress and perhaps things aren't "just for show" anymore. Their twisty road to happiness was fun to read, and the ending was sooo sweet!

This book was great - I loved Eric and Monica. The way their relationship progressed from fake to real, the fears that Eric had about falling in love, Monica's lack of confidence in her acting choices; there were a lot of storylines going on and Ms. Martin kept my attention and made me smile. Eric turned out to be a great hero. As a bonus, I especially loved Monica's friend, Gloria. Her one-line recollections of her life in showbiz made me laugh out loud.

I'm giving this one 4 1/2 of 5 stars.

February Wrap Up with Embarassing Obsession and KindleBra...

Wow, February seems to have gone by faster than usual this year...between Mardi Gras, a sick three-year-old, a nine-year-old's birthday, and a plumbing emergency, time just flew by!

Let's start with my February Reads:

1. Out of Eden by Beth Ciotta (CRC - Contemporary Reading Challenge)
2. Sex and the Single Vampire by Katie MacAlister (VRC - Vampire Reading Challenge)
3. The Next Best Thing by Kristen Higgins (CRC)
4. Rule's Bride by Kat Martin (NAC - New Author Reading Challenge)
5. First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost (VRC)
6. Gentlemen Prefer Succubi by Jill Myles (NAC)
7. Succubi Like It Hot by Jill Myles
8. Sinful by Charlotte Featherstone
9. You Don't Know Jack by Erin McCarthy (NAC)
10. Slow Heat by Jill Shalvis (NAC)
11. Taking Care of Business by Megan Hart and Lauren Dane (ERC - Erotic Reading Challenge)

12. With a Twist by Deirdre Martin (NAC)

This portion of the list is a bit embarassing. I read a book with a hockey player as a hero and said hello to my latest obsession:
13. See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson (CRC)
14. Simply Irresistable by Rachel Gibson
15. True Love and Other Disasters by Rachel Gibson
16. The Trouble With Valentine's Day by Rachel Gibson
17. Body Check by Deirdre Martin (CRC)
18. Fair Play by Deirdre Martin
19. Chasing Stanley by Deirdre Martin
20. The Penalty Box by Deirdre Martin
21. Total Rush by Deirdre Martin (this one was kind of slow for me, not a hockey book but had one of her characters in the hockey series as a secondary character)

And I'm currently reading Power Play by Deirdre Martin....but it's the last hockey book I've been able to get my hands on without mail order so it will have to do for now. But, I've become so obsessed with hockey (I've never seen a game) that I actually looked up the closest place to see a game. They have a NHL team in Dallas, Texas - The Dallas Stars; I have no idea if they're any good or not. Driving to Dallas would be about a 9 hour drive each way for me, so it's not going to happen, especially after the expensive plumbing incident we had last week, but it's something I'll keep in mind.

And, lastly, I'm sure you're wondering: KindleBra? Well, here's what happened...My daughters and I went to be fitted for dresses as we are all in my brother's wedding this summer. I should note here that God gave me a giant butt and tiny boobs. In middle school they called me "quicksand chest". Nice, huh? So, now that I'm older (and bigger) my boobs never caught up with the rest of me *shakes fist at the heavens*. So we're in the bridal shop, and I come out of the fitting room wearing this dress that fits everywhere but the boobs. It's a strapless dress and the bust of the dress stood out so far from my chest I joked that the whole bridal party could stash their wallets, makeup, and a snack in my bodice. My 9-year-old pipes up "You could put your Kindle in there!" (Sadly, she was right - I could have put more than one kindle in there and still had room for a book too!)

I'm looking forward to March - it looks like a great month for new releases!

Body Check by Deirdre Martin

This book falls into my Contemporary Reading Challenge.

I recently read See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson, which has a hockey player as the hero. I enjoyed it so much I went looking for other hockey-themed books. I stumbled across Body Check and grabbed it. I had read one other book by Ms. Martin, With A Twist (review to come soon), and couldn't decide if she was an author I would read again or not. After reading this book I says YES!!!

Janna MacNeil is a publicist newly hired for the New York Blades hockey team. She's a bit nervous as she's never done PR for a sports team and doesn't know much about hockey. The new owners of the team want her to "spruce up" the reputation of the rowdy team, starting with their captain, Ty Gallagher. Ty is a great player, focused soley on the game. He doesn't care about corporate and all the PR stuff that goes with the sport. Things are not off to a great start; after Jane's first meeting with Ty, she promptly goes into the ladies room and throws up!

Ty is not immune to Jane's sparkle and personality. After a faux-pas involving a charity dinner and her sister, things start to heat up between Jane and Ty, but they've got to keep it on the DL for professional reasons. Of course things don't go smoothly and there is plenty of drama to keep things moving. There are several side stories, Jane's roommate Theressa has some problems, Jane has family issues, Ty's inability to focus on anything but winning the Stanlely Cup....it all blends into a great story!

This story kept my attention, I didn't have to suspend disbelief, and none of the characters were TSTL. I'm already moving on to the next book in this series, Fair Play, which is Theressa's story. I give Body Check 4 1/2 out of 5 stars!

Review: See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson

This book falls into my Contemporary Reading Challenge.

I've had this book in my TBR for quite some time. I bought it after I'd read a couple of Ms. Gibson's books and loved them. Then I didn't read it because the hero is a hockey player. I know nothing about hockey except that they use a puck instead of a ball. I didn't even realize they had American hockey teams - I thought it was a Canadian sport. But, I was in the mood for something different so I picked it up off the pile, dusted it off, and started reading...I loved it!

Jane Alcott is a reporter who's just gotten a big break - they've asked her to fill in and cover the Seattle Chinooks hockey team while the regular sports reporter is sick. That means she'll cover all the games - even the away games. She knows nothing about hockey, but that's okay, they're hoping having her cover the games will draw in female spectators. Thing is, the team's not so hyped to have her and they try to block her at every turn. She ends up talking to Luc Martineau, the goalie, a couple of times, and of course it's instant dislike (or is it?).

Luc has been given a second chance. He was a star player who got hurt, ended up addicted to painkillers, went to rehab, and is now trying to get back into that top spot. So far, it's working. He's concentrating on his career and nothing will get in the way.

I really enjoyed this story. Jane's secondary story as Honey Pie, the fictional character she writes for a Maxim-type magazine was kind of eh, but I do get that it was a plot point. The interactions between Jane and Luc were super sexy. I loved the scene after Jane had told Luc off and then had to go back and repeat her exact words before every game for good luck. Luc's affection for his sister was touching, and Jane taking her under her wing was sweet.

It's been three days since I finished this story and I'm still thinking about it. I actually went out to find other hockey-themed contemporary romances to read because I liked this one so much! I give See Jane Score 4 out of 5 stars.

I will say this book made me curious, so I asked for some hockey names on Twitter and Kelly (MidnightGlance) was kind enough to supply me with a name or two and from there I googled some more hockey players. I don't know if these guys are good at hockey or not, but....me-ow!