A woman born and bred into a hockey dynasty finds peace and quiet on her newly-bought boat until she meets the grumpy ex-hockey player living on the boat next door in this sexy story full of crackling banter. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Made For You by Natasha Madison, along with getting my impressions of this second installment in the Made For series, then add it to your bookshelf!
From Wall Street Journal and USA TODAY bestselling author Natasha Madison comes
A brand new stand-alone enemies-to-lovers grumpy/sunshine sports romance.A spin-off from the Only One series
Vivienne
I did the last thing I ever expected to do. I bought a boat. A beautiful boat that was all mine to spend the summer on.
Only thing I was looking forward to was the calm being on the water brought me.
A place where I wasn’t a hockey dynasty princess or the only single girl of the family.
What I wasn’t looking forward to was the broody man in the boat next to me.
Xavier
I was at the top of my game two years ago.
Then it all came crashing down.
I hung up my skates and vowed to never play again.
I was good at hockey, but hockey was bad for me.
I planned to spend my life on my boat with my dog.
Alone. Happily alone.
Until she came along.
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MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
Fans of sports romances will find much to enjoy about this hockey-fueled romance of the slow burn connection between neighbors and their place in the hockey world that brings them together, the secrets and the personal needs that make them who they are. Witty banter, characters unafraid of showing their true selves, and a lovable dog who steals every scene she's in will take readers on a heartfelt journey that fueled all sorts of emotions in me...leaving me immensely satisfied by the turn of the final page.
Vivienne's a strong-willed heroine, one whose family lives and breathes hockey. Wanting a respite from all of that though, wanting to bathe in her true desire of being a writer, Vivienne buys a boat and finds herself writing a new ending to her own personal story after meeting her new neighbor...former hockey star, Xavier. Vivienne's the perfect match for Xavier despite their apparent differences. She's happy with where her life is, content and not afraid to show it.
Xavier just wants to be left alone when readers first see him...be alone with just his dog, Beatrice. Despite wanting to be a hermit, he's drawn to Vivienne and a tentative friendship soon begins which slowly turns steamy. Throughout their time together Vivienne's a strong support to him, never pushing him to reveal his personal truths but listening without judgment as he reveals his heartbreaking past. Xavier's past is one that revolves around hockey and it's one that's very timely in 2023 with other athletes revealing similar truths. For Xavier, hockey was once everything to him...until the pressure and the public condemnation became too much. The judgements of others, and the lack of support from his team and coaches, led to depression and thoughts of suicide in a story that broke my heart and had me wanting to hug him. For his own well-being he left it all behind, but with Vivienne and her family's support, he gets pulled back into the world he once ran from...with this time around being very different as the power of love envelops him in its supportive hug. I adored Xavier! He's sexy, strong, and wasn't afraid to show his vulnerable side. He wasn't afraid to walk away as he knew he needed to do so to survive. The feelings he experienced were vividly depicted and pulled at my heartstrings. His inner dialogue, and interactions with Beatrice, pulled me into his life even further and left me rooting for him to find happiness...which led him to Vivienne and interactions that warmed my heart and made me smile.
The majority of this book deals with the burgeoning romance between Vivienne and Xavier and oh what a wonderful romance it is! It's a slow-burn between them in a romance that builds through secrets being revealed and support being given. Along with an emotional connection there's a lot of steamy encounters and witty banter that made for a decadently delightful tale. Along with an unforgettable main couple there's the wonderfully supportive Grant family as well as the entire Dallas hockey team, men who have Xavier's back without question. The last part of the book has Xavier re-entering the world of hockey and it kept me on the edge of my seat while rooting for him to find a HEA on the ice as well as off the ice. To be honest, it's Beatrice who steals the story though. With her charm, her love, and her support I wanted to hug her over and over for being there for Xavier throughout all those lonely years.
My rating for this is an A.
*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
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