A woman left with scars inside and out after ending a bad relationship finds her friendship to her ex’s hockey teammate turning more sizzling in a complicated connection full of surprising twists and turns. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Wild For You By Kendall Ryan, along with my impressions of it, then add this sixth installment in the Hot Jocks series to your bookshelf!
He’s growly. Grumpy. Stubborn. And now, my new roommate.
Walking away from my disastrous last relationship was an easy decision, but moving in with a friend-of-a-friend hockey star who’s rarely home? Not quite as simple, because Grant makes me feel things even I don’t understand.
One thing’s for certain, though. I definitely shouldn’t have crawled into his bed that night.
~~~~~
There’s a brightness to her eyes I can’t seem to look away from.
She’s beautiful. Smart. Tempting.
And a little fragile.
I’ve never been anyone’s knight in shining armor, but when Ana needed a place to stay, it was easy to move her in with me.
Not so simple, though, is keeping my hands—or my mouth—to myself. And the night she crawls into my bed and shares her body with me has me conjuring up all kinds of ideas about our future.
Until a big surprise I never saw coming changes everything.
If you like sexy, confident men who know how to handle a stick (on and off the ice), and smart women who are strong enough to keep all those big egos in check, this series of athlete romances is perfect for you!
FIND AT GOODREADS here.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
When it comes to delicious heroes Ms. Ryan has crafted some of the best in her Hot Jocks series. This latest installment is no exception as it introduces readers to Grant..the gruff, overly-serious, yet caring hockey team captain. Learning at an early age that happiness can be snuffed out in the blink of an eye has him closely guarding his heart since he was a young boy in foster care. The moment he meets Ana though something shifts for him that has him wanting more, and with an unplanned event binding them together, he just might get a HEA of his own...if he can convince Ana.
Grant’s the veteran of the team, the one every other player looks up to, and he enjoys the role of teacher and protector. From a young boy in foster care he learned to protect those who were weaker and it’s carried through to today when a young woman needs his protection now more than ever. Everything about Ana calls to him, from her tiny size to her big heart, and he can’t help wanting to keep her safe and through sweet words and caring gestures he does just that. Along the way though he realizes that the family he’s always wanted starts with her and does all he can to be a part of her life without taking over. From the first page to the last Grant exuded strength tempered with a soft heart. Whatever Ana needed he made sure she had, never judged her for her decisions, and never pushed her for more than she could give. Early on he was seen as stoic, just going through the motions day in and day out, but as the story progressed he came to life. Each smile was a gift that warmed my heart and each time he gave without taking endeared him to me even more. With a sexy physique and a heart of gold Grant quickly made the list of book boyfriends and whichever hero comes next (newbie hockey player Jordie) has a tough act to follow.
Ana had loss in her life too as a youngster and it’s left an indelible mark on her when it comes to love and loss. What had a bigger affect on her though was the domestic abuse she dealt with at the hands of Jason, her hockey-playing boyfriend. This was an issue that was dealt with head-on from the very start, handled in a realistic manner that made my heart ache. Ana was a strong woman...except when it came to Jason. Her self-esteem had been so battered that she was merely surviving with him in her life. Being with Grant though saw a weight lifted off her, a need to be independent, that had her keeping him at arm’s length when all she wanted was him. I liked Ana for the most part, cheered her decision to leave Jason, but was sometimes frustrated by her treatment of Grant as the story progressed. Through subtle words and deeds Grant made her life better, wearing his heart on his sleeve, so her dragging out their journey to HEA felt somewhat manipulative. Despite that, I admired her honesty in what she was feeling and was drawn to her kind heart that made this a pair worth rooting for.
On a whole this was a quick read that dealt with some heavy issues, issues that were handled realistically and respectfully. It was a timely issue too as athletes and domestic abuse have made their way to newspaper headlines. Alongside this potent issue was the delightful pairing of Grant and Ana. They brought out hidden facets in each other throughout their time together and their interactions put a smile on my face. While it’s clear that they wanted to constantly jump each other, that part of their relationship was put on the back burner. Grant was there as a support to Ana as she rebuilt her life and her heart in a story that was less focused on the physicality of their connection and more intent on inner strength. While the conclusion of this story was a satisfying one for the most part, I did have a problem with what befell Jason. His conclusion came out of the blue and was too cleanly tied up to be believable. Despite that small quibble I enjoyed this book and its sweet and sensual storyline that warmed my heart. Though Grant was the highlight of this story for me, his introduction of Jordie has me greatly anticipating the last book in this entertaining series that I definitely recommend next.
My rating for this is a B+
*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than three dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 3 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world.
Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than 70 times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.
She lives in Texas with her husband and two sons.
No comments:
Post a Comment