Tag: Colorado Ice

Guest Review: Maybe This Christmas by Jennifer Snow

Posted October 6, 2017 by Tracy in Reviews | 1 Comment

Guest Review: Maybe This Christmas by Jennifer SnowReviewer: Tracy
Maybe This Christmas by Jennifer Snow
Series: Colorado Ice #3
Also in this series: Maybe This Summer
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: September 26th 2017
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 352
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
three-half-stars
Series Rating: three-stars

All wrapped up . . .

One more game. That's all that stands between NHL star Asher Westmore and a major career milestone. But then his brother bashes him against the hockey boards, sidelining him for months. Over Christmas holidays, no less. If staying off the ice doesn't drive him crazy, staying with his family will. The only bright spot amidst the mistletoe and twinkle lights: His best friend, Emma, is a physical therapist. And working out with her improves his body and his spirit.

One last time. Emma Callaway was in trouble the minute she and Asher added benefits to their friendship. How is she supposed to resist a funny, caring guy who makes her toes curl? Her heart was safe while he lived in a different state. Now that he's back home recuperating, though, it's only a matter of time before she blurts out her feelings. Emma's only hope is that with a little holiday magic, she'll get the best Christmas gift of all.

Asher Westmore is completely focused on hockey.  He plays professionally for the Devils and though he injured his ACL he keeps playing.  His brother Ben, who also plays professionally for a rival team, received an award for playing 1000 games.  Asher is at game 999 and he’s not about to sit out because of an injury. He wants the same award his brother received.  He’s very competitive with Ben. Instead he plays through the pain and self-medicates.  During his 999th game he’s hit and goes down.  He is taken into surgery for the ACL and is told that recovery is 8-10 weeks.  He’s bound and determined to play his next game which is 6 weeks away.  He can only do that if he gets help from his best friend, Emma.

Emma was once as focused on her career as a snowboarder as Asher is on hockey.  Unfortunately a stupid mistake on her part and a severe injury changed all of that.  She is now a physical therapist and is focused on getting her doctorate.  Emma loves Asher than more than a friend and when they started making it friends with benefits, she was thrilled.  Asher, however, keeps pushing her to get back onto the snowboarding circuit and she just isn’t going there again.  Emma wants to be with Asher forever but Asher has no intention of taking his focus off of hockey for one minute – even for a woman that he thinks he might be falling in love with.

This was a cute story that I enjoyed reading.  I liked Emma a lot and admired her determination to go as far as she could in her chosen field of physical therapy.  Asher…I never truly liked him until the end of the book.

Emma and Asher had been best friends for years but had been sleeping together for the last couple of years.  Even though they were sleeping together I found it very strange that these supposed “best friends” couldn’t talk to each other.  Emma hadn’t told Asher about her acceptance into the doctorate program in Florida (they lived in Colorado) and Asher kept his mouth shut about his feelings on Emma giving up snowboarding for good.  He never voiced to her his thoughts that he wouldn’t settle down until after his hockey career was done, which wasn’t slowing down at all (except for his injury of course). I guess I felt if they had been such good friends they could have talked to each other.  There was a decided lack of communication between them and that started to grate on my nerves.

Asher was just so bull-headed that he annoyed me for much of the book.  He was very self-centered and it was hard to like him.  When he finally started pulling his head out of his ass he was a much better person.

I have to say that they were cute together when they were just being together and not worrying about other things in life.  It was easy and comfortable but still exciting and sexy.  I liked the way Snow made their time together special in a lot of ways.

Overall it was enjoyable and a sweet Christmas story.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

three-half-stars


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Guest Review: Maybe This Summer by Jennifer Snow

Posted July 28, 2017 by Tracy in Reviews | 0 Comments

Guest Review: Maybe This Summer by Jennifer SnowReviewer: Tracy
Maybe This Summer by Jennifer Snow
Series: Colorado Ice #2.5
Also in this series: Maybe This Christmas
Publisher: Forever Yours
Publication Date: July 10th 2017
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
three-stars
Series Rating: three-stars

Always a wingman . . .

Owen McConnell is used to being ignored. After all, it's only when he appears as the Colorado Avalanche's team mascot that he gets all the attention. When the costume is off, women tend to gravitate toward his famous hockey player friends. But after he meets lovely, damaged Paige Adams, he knows he can be the star player for her. She's raising funds for the hospital burn unit, and Owen's determined to help her out---and sweep her off her feet.

The burn unit has been near and dear to Paige's heart ever since the doctors helped her after a vicious attack. Yet the scars---both emotional and physical---haven't faded as much as she'd hoped. She's closed herself off from relationships, and the thought of opening up is terrifying. But Owen's sexy charm might be just the push Paige needs to start loving again.

Owen McConnell is an ex-hockey player who had left playing with the Colorado Avalanche to join the Marines.  He had lived through an injury by a landmine but that meant he couldn’t play hockey ever again.  He was now the team’s mascot (not that anyone but the players knew that) as well as the Colorado Avalanche’s team promotion manager.  He heads to the local hospital to meet with a woman who would like his friend Ben to play in a golf tournament to raise money for the burn unit.  The minute that Owen sees Paige Adams he falls hard.  He will do anything to get her to see him but she seems to look right though him.

Paige was a burn victim herself and hasn’t let herself consider dating in years.  She knows that Own is interested but she’s not.  One thing leads to Paige being at the DMV where Owen.  She’s in a hurry and he has a number that’s about to be called.  Owen knows he shouldn’t bribe Paige to get her to date him but he goes for it anyway.  Unfortunately Owen does an idiotic man thing and almost blows his chances entirely.

This was a cute novella that had a great premise and was well written.  Paige had been a victim of a hate crime and had walled her emotions off afterward.  Meeting Owen made her think that maybe she could be more than she had been for years – and let people see the real her.  Owen was a jerk at times but he was good for Paige and that made me happy.

My major issue with this story was that I felt no romantic connection between Paige and Owen.  Friends? Yes.  But nothing more spoke to me in their relationship.  It might have started when Owen fell all googly-eyed over Paige after one minute of knowing her but it didn’t get better as the story went on.  I could totally see these two as great friends but nothing more.  Still a cute story, though.

Rating: 3 out of 5

three-stars


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