Ice Hot: A New York Nighthawks Novel

I have never read Tracy Goodwin's books before but this story line caught my eye. Boy am I glad I read this author.....I loved this book! Christian Chase, known as Cyclone on the hockey ice is the captain of the newly formed team, the New York Nighthawks. Chris doesn't do relationships. He only has time for one thing....hockey. Sure he has a little fun now and then, but hockey is first priority. Serena Ellis may be a little curvy for some people's liking but she likes her curves. As a clothing designer she designs clothes that any size woman could wear. When a fun chance encounter brings these two together, you just know it is going to be a fun ride. When their second chance encounter ends up in a sexy, toe curling kiss now you know things are going to get down right hot! The more time Chris and Serena spend together, the stronger their feelings become. For the first time in Chris' life, something other than hockey has become important. For the first time in Serena's life she is starting to believe that this gorgeous hockey player really likes her, and not her parents money. Quickly Chris realizes that sometime you have to let go something that you love in order to truly protect things in his life. Thankfully he also realizes that maybe life has other plans for him and maybe he does deserve true happiness and darn it, he is going to get his happy ending! I just adored Serena and Chris. Both of them have skeletons in their closet that cause them to behave certain ways and it takes a huge leap of faith for both of them to truly trust the other. I just adored their banter! Add in their friends and family and this made for one fun, sexy and enjoyable story!

The New York Nighthawks have placed their faith in Christian Chase and backed it with a contract worth millions to be the Captain of the new hockey expansion team. He’s supposed to bring the team together to ensure they win the Stanley Cup at the end of the season. His team has other ideas. They lack structure and the true love and respect of hockey that Christian thrives on. Even though it’s only preseason, they have a long way to go. When pranks aimed at Christian reach an all-time high, Christian leaves the arena stressed. Serena Ellis, daughter to the wealthy Ellis empire, is having an unbelievably bad day. Only to be topped off by an incredibly good looking guy smashing her blue slushie into her white shirt. A couple of weeks later, Serena happens upon the same sexy guy in a bar. Not looking for a relationship or even a one-night stand, Serena comes to his rescue by kissing him in front of his jerky teammates. The kiss that has her rethinking her position on one-night stands. If you haven’t read a Tracy Goodwin novel, like myself, I’d start here! I loved, loved, loved this novel and it’s message. In life, curvy girls are generally insecure. Society places far too much importance on being thin and outward appearances. So many athletes are photographed with models or other arm candy, so it’s shocking when one truly shows interest in a curvy gal. Soooo relatable! If one has money, it only complicates matters further as you don’t really know if you’re wanted for who you are or what they will gain in the relationship. I loved that Christian kept true to himself and his roots. I loved that his best friend had his back, even when he acted stupid. Even though Christian plays hockey, you won’t get lost in hockey terminology as it’s more a love story. I received a gifted copy and all opinions stated are my own.

This is a totally new to me author, but I decided to read this book because I love hockey romance, and I'm always on the look out for my next favorite author! It's the beginning of a new series, (I hate starting in the middle of a series!) the cover is hot, and the blurb caught my attention. I thought, going in, that it was going to be another of those stories about a jerky jock who meets a girl, and she turns him from his player ways. Boy, was I wrong! This isn't just another sports romance. There was so much more to this story than is implied by the blurb! Chris is the captain of a new expansion hockey team. He has a playboy reputation, and doesn't do relationships. My first impression of him was that he was a tough guy that didn't take any flack from anyone. Hockey is his life, and he doesn't have the time or inclination for anything else. Until he meets Serena, and looses gets all flustered. (super cute!) Serena is a BBW who is comfortable in her own skin....or she is working hard to get that way. She has her own hang ups, her own history that makes her who she is. Even though this was a new to me author, I found that I enjoyed the writing. Realistic characters, with believable personalities. The more I read, the more I become aware that there are actually two stories going on at the same time. You have the romance between Chris and Serena, and then you have the story about the drama going on within the team. The author did an exceptional job at keeping me invested in both stories, and blending them together seamlessly. When the two stories merged, it was done in such a way that I couldn't help but feel real emotions for both characters and what they were going through. This was a phenomenal story, and I can't wait to see what happens next with the Nighthawks!