Archives for July 28, 2020

* Review * MAN DOWN by Kate Meader

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * MAN DOWN by Kate MeaderMan Down by Kate Meader
Series: Rookie Rebels #3
Published by Kate Meader LLC on July 28, 2020
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-half-stars

I've been texting the wife I lost, the woman I loved beyond measure . . . Now someone else has answered back.

Gunnar Bond is broken.
Three years ago, he lived through the car crash that took his wife and twins away from him--though "lived" barely describes his current state. Giving up professional hockey, going off grid, and drinking himself into oblivion are his coping mechanisms. Another is texting his dead wife about his days without her. Therapeutic? Doubtful. Crazy? Definitely. But those messages into the ether are virtually the only thing stopping him from spiraling to even darker places.

Until someone texts back ...

Sadie Yates is losing it.
Suddenly guardian to a little sister she doesn't know and a misbehaving hound she'd rather not know at all, she's had to upend her (sort of) glamorous life in LA and move back to Chicago. The nanny has quit, the money's running out, and her job is on the line. The last thing she needs is her sister's hockey camp counselor, a judgmental Viking type, telling her she sucks at this parenting lark. Thank the goddess for her sweet, sensitive, and--fingers crossed--sexy text buddy who always knows the right thing to say. In the same city at last, they can finally see if their online chemistry is mirrored in real life. She just needs to set up a meeting ...

A ruined man who claims to have used up all his love is surely a bad bet, but Sadie's never been afraid of a challenge ... even if this one might shatter her heart into a million pieces.

 

Emotionally breathtaking! With the third book in her Rookie Rebels hockey series Kate Meader brings the emotion and heartache like a pro! When a hockey player at the top of his game has his heart torn out by the loss of his family, he’s got a lot of healing to do.

Gunnar Bond gutted me. He’s such a nice guy, and to watch him hurt in the manner that he does even three years after the death of his family is heartbreaking. It was heartwarming to see him slowly start to come back into himself after meeting Sadie and joining the life of hockey again.

Sadie Yates is a fun character. You know she has a good heart when she inquires about the welfare of the guy who she can tell is pouring his heart out to someone … only she’s the one getting his messages. I enjoyed seeing them make their way towards each other and seeing her family heal as well.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a hockey romance but with so much more depth and realness included. Always great characters, amazing story lines and down right good hearted people all the way around.

four-half-stars

* Review * THE HERO OF HOPE SPRINGS by Maisey Yates

* Review * THE HERO OF HOPE SPRINGS by Maisey YatesThe Hero of Hope Springs by Maisey Yates
Series: Gold Valley #10
Published by HQN Books on July 21, 2020
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Will Gold Valley’s most honorable cowboy finally claim the woman he’s always wanted?

For as long as brooding cowboy Ryder Daniels has known Sammy Marshall, she has been his sunshine. Her free spirit and bright smile saved him after the devastating loss of his parents and gave him the strength to care for his orphaned family. Only Ryder knows how vulnerable Sammy is, so he’s kept his attraction for his best friend under wraps for years. But what Sammy’s asking for now might be a step too far…

Something has been missing from Sammy’s life, and she thinks she knows what it is. Deciding she wants a baby is easy; realizing she wants her best friend to be the father is…complicated. Especially when a new heat between them sparks to life! When Sammy discovers she’s pregnant, Ryder makes it clear he wants it all. But having suffered the fallout of her parents’ disastrous relationship, Sammy is wary of letting Ryder too close. This cowboy will have to prove he’s proposing out of more than just honor…

 

Friends to lovers … and more! With book ten in her beloved Gold Valley series Maisey Yates delights her reader with the story we’ve all been waiting for. Ryder Daniels! He gave up his dreams and stepped up to take care of his siblings and friends when tragedy struck years ago and now it’s time for him to finally get his share of happiness. I enjoyed them getting together, but they felt a little flat in their emotions and dialogue and I found myself wanting a little more. I’m a big fan of the series, so I hope to see them again in the future.

Ryder Daniels has been a favorite character ever since the Daniels family stepped on the screen in this series and seeing him get to claim the woman he’s been in love with for years as his very own is really sweet. I always enjoy his connection with his family.

Sammy Marshall is sass all the way around and it was fulfilling to learn more of her past.

I recommend this book and the series as a whole to anyone who enjoys a close knit family always weighing in on each others lives as each member finds their own happily ever after.

four-stars