The Pilot & the Puck-Up - Pippa Grant

Pippa Grant is becoming one of my favorite authors, and with The Pilot & the Puck-Up it's easy to see why. Joey and Zeus are the kind of characters I want to read about. I want to take them home and put them in a glass case, so I can see them every time I sit in the living room. They're just that adorable.

Joey "Fireball" Diamonte is a woman who's used to playing in a man's world. It means she's learned how to duck, parry, and weave - yet still get her job done. Right now, her job is getting a bunch of rich dudes interested in her business. There's no place anywhere for a hulking beast of a man who sometimes has questionable taste in clothes and/or friends. Tell her body that though, and you'll get a different answer.

She’s leaping at me. I catch her, her legs go around my middle, she attacks my lips with her mouth, and fuck, she’s so strong and determined and delicious and I will fucking love this woman until the day the universe no longer exists.

Zeus Berger zeroed in on this chick's vibe the moment he saw her, and he is NOT backing down. She refuses to give him her name, just "Fireball" - and while she's plenty willing the first time around, his moon isn't in Jupiter... if you know what I mean. You will, I promise.

Nobody thinks Zeus can handle her, especially Joey. Although deep down, Joey's got her own issues. She definitely has a hard candy shell that has a few cracks - which Zeus is more than willing to break through... if you know what I mean. You will, I promise.

These two are perfect for each other, and that means the story is exquisitely written - characters fully developed, arcs well-defined from beginning to end, side characters fitting in and able to branch off seamlessly, just everything about this book is amazing.

I'm giving The Pilot & the Puck-Up 4.5/5 rubber chicken stars.

June Winters scores with FORBIDDEN PUCK.  Ella Couture heads to Boston for the weekend to visit her NHL star brother, Lance.  She ends up spending more time with his line/roommate, Ryan Ryder.  The two know that they need to stay away from each other, but…This contemporary sports romance is suitable for adult audiences.

 

This is the first book that I read by June Winters.  I enjoyed her writing style and quickly added some of her other books to my “want to read” list.  She does a great job with her character development and plot.  I like Ella.  She is authentic and hard working.  Ryan is a great character.  He credits his recent hockey success to his chemistry with Lance.  That puts an interesting twist into the story. 

 

I enjoyed the similarities between Ryan and Ella.  For example, Ryan doesn’t know if women are interested in him because he is a hockey star and that Ella doesn’t know if guys just want to date her because she is a virgin, and they want to be her first.  I also appreciated, Ryan’s code and Ella’s honesty policy. 

 

The other characters in the story added some interesting tension to the plot.  Ella’s ex-boyfriend Mathew is a piece of work.  Lance’s personality is fascinating.  He is a bit self-centered.  He does have a good heart though. 

 

FORBIDDEN PUCK was well-written.  The story flowed well and held my interest from start to finish.  I love how the epilogue concluded the story.  I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

Puck Love - Carmen Jenner,Lauren Clarke ...

Carmen Jenner scores with PUCK LOVE.  NHL bad boy, Van Ross, rescues country music sweetheart, Stella Hart, when she is stranded during a snow storm.  Van is not good for Stella’s image, but they cannot deny their chemistry.  This contemporary sports romance takes place in Calgary and Nashville.  It is suitable for adult audiences.

 

PUCK LOVE is a fun romance.  The characters are likeable.  Van is a good guy.  He is an awesome big brother to Emmett, who has Down syndrome.  Stella is a gracious character.  It is understandable why she freaks out.  She hasn’t had much of a life outside of performing.  Her mother dies when her career was just starting, and she doesn’t have any family.  She is great with Emmett, treating him with respect.  As different as Stella and Van are, they also have a lot of similarities and amazing chemistry.  They understand what it means to be a celebrity, but can be themselves around each other.  They are good together.

 

I love Sigi the otter.  The meaning of her name made me laugh, very clever. 

 

The plot was entertaining.  There were some unexpected twists.  The story held my interests throughout the novel.  I could see PUCK LOVE as a movie.  This is the first book that I have read by Carmen Jenner.  I enjoyed her writing style and would read something by her again.  I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

 

Today’s stop is for Cindi Madsen’s Confessions of a Former Puck Bunny. We will have info about the book and author, and a great excerpt from the book, plus a great giveaway. Make sure to check everything out and enter the giveaway.

Happy Reading :) 

 

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Confession #1: I used to be a puck bunny, but after a hockey player broke my heart, I gave up all things hockey. Now I'm just focused on finding a way to pass my math class so I can graduate college.

Confession #2: Ryder "Ox" Maddox's deep, sexy voice sends fuzzy tingles through my entire body, and I'm powerless to stop it. Which is a big problem since the hot, surprisingly funny hockey player is my new math tutor.

Confession #3: I can't stop thinking about how ripped Ryder is from all his hockey training, and how fun it'd be to cross lines with him.

Confession #4: I kissed a hockey player and I liked it.

Confession #5: If I'm not careful, I might relapse and fall for Ryder, and then I'll be totally pucked.

 

 

 

 

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Every thought turned to how strong he was. How much I’d like to see all those muscles without a shirt in the way. Once he’d counted off twenty-five, he stood and, as if he’d been reading my mind, peeled off his shirt. I stared. Not subtly, either. Nope, totally unabashed, taking in every dip and groove of his sweat-glistened skin. “Since we’re playing dirty,” he said, shooting his wadded shirt over to his bag. He grabbed my hand. “Last machine. I’m not sure you can handle it, though.” “I’m not sure you can handle it.” As far as comebacks went, not my best, but I mentioned he was shirtless and crazy ripped, right? He sat down on the leg machine, the one where the seat reclined at a forty-five-degree angle, and then he lifted the weighted bar that rested at shin-height with his legs. He reached for my hand, and since I’d already talked trash, I took it, even though I was starting to think I wouldn’t be able to handle it. He pulled me toward him, and I had no choice but to run my shins into the weights or to straddle the machine. I chose straddling, but kept space between us like I had earlier. My heart hammered against my rib cage, beating in time with his leg lifts, the steady clink of the weights filling the air. Ryder’s eyes remained locked on mine, and energy crackled in the air between us. He sat up enough to run his hands up my thighs. A dart of heat shot through my core, and my breath lodged in my throat. Ryder’s fingertips skimmed the skin between my pants and shirt and desire danced across my nerve endings. Still our eyes remained fixed on each other, and I wasn’t sure I was taking in oxygen anymore. A distant part of me whispered that if I didn’t stop this…whatever we were doing, I’d be in trouble. But fighting my attraction to him was exhausting and the ache that’d formed between my thighs grew more persistent, drowning out silly things like common sense. I leaned over like I had before, my hands braced on either side of him. He lifted the weights again, and then he brushed his lips against mine. Just a quick slide of soft lips. My throat went completely dry. I pressed my palm flat against his stomach and slowly slid it up, feeling his firm chest and the hammering of his heart, which echoed mine. Ryder gripped my hips and pulled me down to sit on his lap, eradicating the space between us. He lifted the weights with his legs a few more times, each rep bumping me tighter to him. Friction was definitely happening, and with each lift, it became clearer and clearer how much it was affecting him as well. The tiniest whimper escaped my lips and he raised an eyebrow that added even more smugness to the curve of his tempting mouth. Two could play dirty. So I sank farther into his lap and he groaned. Of course, all it did was give me dirty thoughts and turn me on that much more. He lifted his legs two more times, the movement shaky. He slowly ran his fingertips up my arm, across my collarbone, up my neck, and then he reached back and tugged my hair free of its ponytail. He drove his hand into my hair, cupped the back of my head, and for one torturous moment, time stopped, both of us suspended right there on edge of crossing lines.

 

 

 

 

 

USA Today Bestselling author Cindi Madsen sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting, revising, and falling in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person. Without it, she'd be even crazier. She has way too many shoes but can always find a reason to buy a new pretty pair, especially if they're sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She loves music, dancing, and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children.

Visit her at www.cindimadsen.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter and learn about upcoming releases.

Cindi is the author of YA books All the Broken Pieces, Cipher, Rift, Resolution, and Demons of the Sun, and adult romances Falling for Her Fiancé, Act Like You Love Me, Resisting the Hero, Cinderella Screwed Me Over and Ready to Wed.

 

 

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Cindi Madsen’s CONFESSIONS OF A FORMER PUCK BUNNY is a winning addition to the Taking Shots series.  Former puck bunny and school newspaper editor of the Heights, Lindsay Rivera, has sworn off hockey players.  However, persistent defenseman, Ryder "Ox" Maddox, makes it difficult when he becomes her math tutor.  This story takes place at Boston College.  It is suitable for New Adult audiences.

 

I like Lindsay.  We met her in book two, ANATOMY OF A PLAYER.  She was Whitney’s bitter editor because of being hurt by hockey star, Hudson Decker.  Lindsay used to be a puck bunny, she didn’t like the person she became and swore off hockey players.  She doesn’t want to follow in her mother’s footsteps, needing a man to support her. She is determined to become a successful independent woman. 

 

Ryder is a great guy.  He is a total math nerd and excellent tutor who doesn’t belittle the people he is helping.  He comes off as quiet, but he has a great sense of humor.  He has a lot of pressure being the son of a former NHL star and mother who is a politician. 

 

I love the witty banter between Lindsay and Ryder.  I like how both characters grow as a result of their relationship, becoming better individuals. 

 

I enjoyed the plot and Cindi Madsen’s writing style.  I love the confessions throughout the story.  Sadly, Lindsay never really had any friends.  I appreciated that she befriended the girls from the three previous books: Lyla Wilder, Whitney Porter, and Megan Davenport.  The hockey passages were skillfully written.   I love the paintball scenes.  There were numerous unexpected twists that made the story compelling.  The novel had a great ending that felt well resolved.  I look forward to the next story in the Taking Shots series.  I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.