Friends to lovers is a favorite theme of mine and takes center stage in this endearing romance set in the hockey world. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Kane by Sawyer Bennett, along with getting my impressions of it, then add this eighth installment in the Arizona Vengeance series to your bookshelf!
I have a problem.
Potential problem?
I’m not really sure. Here’s the deal.
There’s this girl—isn’t that how it always starts?—and her name is Mollie. I like her. I mean really like her. I hope that doesn’t make me seem less manly than my professional hockey player persona implies.
But here’s the issue—she’s my best friend. The one person I can count on for everything, who’s been there with me for all the moments, big and small.
When Mollie shows up at my door, travel weary and scared following an incident with an ex, my instinct to protect her goes into overdrive. It’s then that I know she’s more than just my best friend and the skates are swept out from under me when I find out she feels the same way.
Our transition from friends to lovers to potentially something more is seamless, the Arizona Vengeance is back on the ice looking for a repeat championship, and my life has never been better. Just when I think I’ve got it all figured out, the realities of us both having careers which keep us on the road put our blossoming relationship on ice.
It feels like the game just went into overtime and I’m on the verge of either the biggest win or most disappointing loss of my life. And losing is never an option.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
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MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
From the moment I started reading Ms. Bennett's Arizona Vengeance series I found myself utterly delighted by each sexy and caring hero as well as each strong-willed and supportive heroine. Through seven previous books I've come to see these couples as family, craved their HEAs, and each glimpse of them since has endeared all of them to me even more. This eighth installment is another winner, a pretty carefree friends to lovers romance with enough suspense to add a bit of depth to the overall storyline, and I found myself turning the pages in anticipation of the HEA to come.
Mollie Callister is a travel blogger, one who loves flitting from one locale to the next discovering new things. There's one constant in her life though and that is her friend of ten years, Kane, someone she knows she can always count on and who she runs to when an ex leaves her feeling threatened. Kane soon becomes her safe zone, but things also become more complicated between them as an unguarded moment between them in the past reawakens their hearts and has them trying to be something more than friends. Mollie's a likable heroine, one with sass and spunk, and it made for witty banter between her and Kane along with interactions teeming with sexual tension. She's always exuded confidence but the danger she's facing has her feeling a bit vulnerable which made me even more grateful for Kane's presence. There were times I was frustrated by her though as it felt like Kane was more willing than Mollie to give and take when it came to juggling their careers. Despite that I still found her to be an easily relatable heroine who knew what she wanted out of life and went after it.
Kane Ballen is a charmer, a new addition to the Arizona Vengeance hockey team, but no less important. He hasn't been part of the team for long but he's slowly starting to feel like a member of the family which will become important when Mollie lands on his doorstep. He hasn't had time for the ladies either, but the moment Mollie shows up the combustible connection always simmering beneath the surface roars to the forefront, and has him wanting something beyond friendship with her. I adored the jealousy he displayed when others expressed an interest in her, fell for his protectiveness and his doing all he could to make a future with her. He's a delicious hero who I wish existed in real life!
This was a romance full of warm fuzzies courtesy of two people meant to be more than friends. The foundation between them was solid from the start and had me rooting for them from the first page to the last. There's a crackling connection between them, a loving and supportive side to their pairing too, and I enjoyed watching the evolution of their relationship as they went from playful friends to sexy soulmates. There were a few roadblocks along the way though regarding the danger directed towards Mollie (which allowed for the appearance of characters from another of Ms. Bennett's series) as well as issues regarding their unconventional careers. Nothing worth having is easy though and it will take a bit of give and take to juggle what they want out of life, decide what's truly important, as they reached their satisfying HEA. Along with this likable main couple came a cast of equally appealing secondary characters, couples from previous books that supported Mollie and Kane like they're one of the family. I was especially drawn to the ups and downs of fellow teammate Jim Steele's marriage, a storyline that will continue to play out. The introduction of another new teammate, Riggs Nadeu, also left me giddy with anticipation of the next installment in this reliably entertaining series!
My rating for this is an A-
*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.
A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.
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