Readers will find themselves drawn to the eclectic main couple of this story and all that they go through in the name of love in a romance set in the world of hockey. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Wild Tendy by Toni Aleo, along with my impressions of this emotional rollercoaster, then add this second installment in the IceCats series to your bookshelf too!
Nico Merryweather loves women—all women. Sure, they’re sexy and fun. But “Player” is an easy reputation to hide behind, a way to keep the good times rolling and reality at bay. He’s loud, he’s cocky, he says exactly what he’s thinking, and people just laugh it off because they think they know him. But Nico makes sure no one is close enough to know the truth. With a new season starting, he is ready to play the game he can control. They’ll all be watching Nico, the goalie, but they’ll never know the man behind the mask who is just trying to breathe. He hasn’t ever wanted anyone close enough to him to see the truth, until Aviva rams herself into his ass. Literally.
Aviva Pearce’s life is a collection of bad days all wrapped up without a bow. If it can go wrong, it will. All she wants is to run her business, take care of her sister, and keep her head above water. But with a father who is out to ruin her like he has himself and debt trying to drown her, it’s hard to stay afloat. Aviva isn’t the type to waste time dwelling on her misfortunes or to give up, though. She’s got too much fight in her. And she definitely doesn’t have time to waste on the wildly sexy, rich, showboating goaltender everyone wants. She’s got goals.
What she doesn’t know is that Nico has goals of his own.
And she’s number one on his list.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
Readers will find themselves drawn to this romance the moment they’re introduced to the unforgettable hero, a hero with a colorful past that’s made him the man he is today. Add in a strong-willed, and occasionally frustrating heroine, and you end up with a heartwarming and sizzling connection that balances out this hockey-fueled romance that deals with some heavy issues through humor, heart, and soul.
Nico Merryweather’s always been a bit odd, with quirks that have made his life a bit rocky at times when it comes to friends and lovers. Nico has no filter and often speaks before he thinks which led to a few chuckle-worthy exchanges. He’s also overly honest which I appreciated as it was refreshing to see it in a hero of wealth and fame. All these quirks are facets of himself though that he wants to keep private and it’s that privacy that tests his crackling connection to a hardworking woman with emotional baggage of her own. Nico’s a unique hero, one I’m thrilled Ms. Aleo has crafted as his struggles were eye-opening and deserve to be discussed. While his issues are dealt with realistically, time was also spent on his romantic side. It was a romantic side that warmed my heart through words and deeds that spoke volumes about how much love he had for the new woman in his life and all that he tried to change about himself to be more worthy of her. By the turn of the final page I had been completely claimed by this endearing and unforgettable hero and am hoping for more glimpses of him in the future as it’s hard to say goodbye to him.
Aviva Pearce has had her own difficult time growing up after her mother died of breast cancer and courtesy of a father who changed for the worse as his grief and addiction has him repeatedly stealing from her and her sister now. Through it all though she’s kept the family sub shop succeeding while being a pseudo mother to her sister Callie. When readers first meet her it’s clear that Aviva’s life revolves around others, every struggle is in the name of others and I liked her for her selflessness. I was also frustrated by that selflessness though as it gave her an excuse to hide from living her life to the fullest. She’s got her own baggage courtesy of a timely issue she’s dealing with, an issue that’s left her scarred inside and out and that’s left her self-esteem bruised. When she looks at herself she sees only imperfections and it adds a lot of heartache to her burgeoning relationship with Nico, has her assuming the worse when he’s given her nothing but the best. With Aviva she was constantly waiting for something bad to happen and it both angered and saddened me in a romance that was otherwise delightful. In many ways Aviva’s the kind of heroine I’d like all my heroines to be as she rises above everything that tries to drag her down, she’s tough and a strong support to those she claims as her own, and doesn’t accept lies. In other ways though I wanted to shake her as she let her worst instincts guide her in doubting Nico’s love and let her fears keep her from living or accepting help when it was offered with no strings. There’s being strong-willed and then there’s being obstinate...which is what she was when she was frustrating me the most. By the turn of the final page though Aviva was a heroine that I deeply appreciated and especially enjoyed in exchanges between her, her sister, and her friend Jaylin.
From the first page to the last I found myself fully immersed in this romance of two unique individuals battling issues that they both want to keep hidden but that can only be overcome when they deal with them head-on. For Nico, as a star hockey player, he must deal with stress on and off the ice and readers get to see that in realistically depicted scenes that had me aching for him. His issue greatly affects his romantic encounters too and his difficulties pulled at my heartstrings as he’s a loving man, a selfless one who gives oh so much, and who’s deserving of HEA. When the story starts Nico has only his friend Chandler to interact with and even he doesn’t know everything about Nico. Nico’s journey is ultimately an emotional one that I could relate to and that had me rooting for him every step of the way. Aviva too deserves HEA, but she’ll have to get out of her own way to keep the one man who accepts her wholeheartedly. As individuals they broke my heart, but as a couple they filled my heart to over-full in a crackling connection that was both sweet and sizzling. Surrounding this appealing main couple was a cast of equally memorable secondary characters that I hope to see more of in the future. Aviva’s sister Callie has her own fears of the future and is already doing something about those fears. She’s bold and loving and I enjoyed her snarky and sisterly banter. I also enjoyed the loving side she brings out in Nico that further shows how big of a heart he has. Aviva’s friend Jaylin was another delight as a strong-willed, outspoken woman who loudly shows her scars to the world. She’s casual when it comes to relationships but the spark seen between her and hockey player Kirby has me looking towards a future story featuring the two of them. I enjoyed seeing the continuing romance between Chandler and Amelia too and they set a romantic example for Nico and Aviva to follow. On a whole readers will find this a charming and sensual romance with exhilarating action on and off the ice in a tale full of heart and soul.
My rating for this is an A-/B+
*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
My name is Toni Aleo and I’m a total dork.
I am a wife, mother of two and a bulldog, and also a hopeless romantic.
I am the biggest Shea Weber fan ever, and can be found during hockey season with my nose pressed against the Bridgestone Arena’s glass, watching my Nashville Predators play!
When my nose isn’t pressed against the glass, I enjoy going to my husband and son’s hockey games, my daughter’s dance competition, hanging with my best friends, taking pictures, scrapbooking, and reading the latest romance novel.
I have a slight Disney and Harry Potter obsession, I love things that sparkle, I love the color pink, I might have been a Disney Princess in a past life…probably Belle....and did I mention I love hockey?
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