I’ll be honest, I don’t do many reviews here because I’m flat out lazy. However, when I saw this anthology coming available and the request for reviews? I couldn’t wait to review it!! I signed up quick as the sign-ups were open.

The anthology was packed with some amazing stories that centered around my absolute favorite sport – Hockey.  With a good mix of romance from sweet to burn your eyeballs spicy!!

Overall I gave the entire anthology 4 stars. As expected some authors just didn’t write in a style I liked, or the story didn’t grab me. I admittedly skimmed one or two, but those that grabbed me were powerful and well-written enough that I gave the whole shebang 4 stars.

So let me go over the standouts:

Hooking Hannah by Cassandra Carr & Cindy Carr – This story knocked it out of the park for me. It is my absolute favorite in the story. The romance was smoking, the hero (Scott) so amazing, and the heroine (Hannah) funny and strong. Their story was sweet and believable and they burned up the sheets – but what took this story over the edge to amazing for me was the scenes on the ice. The way the authors Carr wrote the hockey scenes was detailed and exact and I felt like I was back in my hometown of Buffalo listening to Rick Jeanneret call the play by play! It totally put me in the game and kept me there. Stunning writing.

Crashing the Boards by Jami Davenport – Most of this story takes place at a party on a boat and some naughty, kinky events. I was unfamiliar with Jami going into the story, but some of the sassy lines had me laughing and looking her up for more of her books. The interplay between the party crasher – Izzy, and the hockey player who thinks he’s onto her – Cooper, is excellent. Best part is when the truth is revealed and things blow up, the resolution isn’t perfect and immediate, but the way it’s handled is spot on and I love the potential.

Taking a Shot by Catherine Gayle – A sweet romance that touches on the cause behind the anthology – cancer. I loved the inclusion of a sweeter story and Katie’s crush-turned-romance was perfect.  The best part for me was Jamie’s doubts that had nothing to do with Katie, but his own role in her future. It was superbly realistic and touching.

Heir Apparent by V.L. Locey – Honestly, I don’t usually read much M/M, but I’m glad I did in this case. V.L. has quite a way with telling a story. It was real easy to get inside the character’s heads. Cam, the living legend who was faltering in his game in more ways than one, and Jacobi – Cam’s new back-up goalie and long-time fan. The mix of May/December romance with a bit of the struggle with admitting who you really are was beautifully handled in this short story.

With these great stories, and the good cause, this is an excellent buy!!

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Blurb ~

It’s time to drop the gloves and fight! Support the Fight against cancer that is.  This anthology of 8 brand new novellas is hot enough to melt the ice these players skate on. Featuring stories from popular New York Times & USA Today, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble bestselling authors, including Toni Aleo, Cassandra Carr, Cindy Carr, Jami Davenport, Catherine Gayle, Jaymee Jacobs, V.L. Locey, Bianca Sommerland, and Nikki Worrell.

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author – Toni Aleo TANGLED IN THE LACES

In Tangled in the Laces, Karson King is on the fast track to the pros and Lacey Martin is coming back from a hard fight against cancer and is terrified of him but their love is too much to ignore. Will Karson prove that he will protect her heart at all costs, or will he leave Lacey to pick up the pieces of her life once again?

Cassandra Carr and Cindy Carr HOOKING HANNAH

When Hannah attends an all-star game, she doesn’t expect a hockey player of all people to turn her world upside down. Her sister is married to a player and Hannah never wanted that life. But Scott could change everything. For Scott’s part, he has to know the woman who stirred his blood with just a look, and once he does, he realizes he wants Hannah to be his forever. Now to convince her…

Jami Davenport CRASHING THE BOARDS (Seattle Sockeyes 1.5)

Professional party crasher, Izzy Maxwell, needs the cooperation of reluctant party guest Cooper Black, the team captain of Seattle’s new hockey team, but Cooper can’t get past his anger over the team’s relocation to Seattle. Can Izzy melt Cooper’s frozen heart or will this party crash along with her fledgling business?

Catherine Gayle TAKING A SHOT (Portland Storm 2.5)

Katie Weber has had a crush on Jamie Babcock for almost two years, since he joined her father’s hockey team, the Portland Storm as an eighteen-year-old rookie. When cancer takes her health, her hair, and even her friends, she can’t bear to go to senior prom…until Jamie intervenes.

Jaymee Jacobs A VALUABLE TRADE 

Bryan’s life gets turned upside down when he gets traded to the Dallas Comets, and things get even messier when he meets Georgiana, the Director of Team Services. He’s got a lot of work to do to prove his worth to his new team, but Georgiana’s sure he’ll prove to be a valuable trade.

V.L. Locey HEIR APPARENT

Superstar Cam Evans is fighting to climb out of a slump that`s growing worse with each day of living in denial. Fresh from the minors, Jacobi Neal is hungry for this chance to play back-up for the legendary goalie. Can two men battle each other, their inner demons, and the sizzling attraction building between them?

Bianca Sommerland BLIND PASS (The Dartmouth Cobras 0.5)

Nothing could stop Tim Rowe, the assistant coach of the Dartmouth Cobras, from falling in love with Madeline, but love alone can’t satisfy every need. Sometimes, to reach the goal, you have to take the chance with a . . . Blind Pass.

Nikki Worrell – CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN (Prequel to Scorpions Series)

Keith Lambert is the captain of the Flyers—until he’s not. To everyone’s shock, he’s traded to the San Diego Scorpions. As if that’s not bad enough, Phoebe, his girlfriend of two years, decides she doesn’t love him enough to follow.

All alone in a new town, Keith is drawn to Kelly, his take out delivery girl. When she shows up at ice girl tryouts, he’s lost. She’s all he can see. Can he convince her to forget her past and take a chance on him or is he destined to be alone in a new town a little bit longer?

**Proud Supporters of Hockey Fights Cancer.

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Excerpts (see attached document)

 -from Heir Apparent by V.L. Locey

            I padded along beside him with no reply for his comment. He was right. Everyone knew his face in “The Burgh.” The longer we walked, the more I accepted that I would freeze to death. We made two complete laps in total silence. Cam stopped to drop his empty coffee cup into a trash can. We stood under a streetlight, our breath twin clouds of steam hovering in front of us.

“You have to understand that this…I don’t know how to go about…shit.” He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his parka. Again, we started walking.

“Look, man, if I knew for sure what we were dealing with, maybe I could help a little better,” I said. A biracial couple hurried past us. I burrowed into my flimsy coat until all that stuck out of the collar were my eyes.

“I have a daughter. She’s a senior in high school.”

“Awesome,” I mumbled into my coat. My forehead was extremely cold. Like ice cream eaten too fast cold. We kept walking that block.

“She is awesome.” I peeked over at him. I wished he would drop that fucking hood so I could see his face. “And not aware of how things were with her mother and me.”

“How things were, or how you were pretending they were?” I chanced it. What the hell? He would either slug me, call me a motherfucker, or stalk off. Whatever happened it had to be better than roaming around this fucking city block when the temperature was a balmy four degrees. “I mean, that is what you’re dancing around, right? That you’re so far back in the closet you just discovered Narnia? Why not just admit that much to yourself before we both succumb to fucking hypothermia.”

I should have known that Cameron Evans was a man of action. I mean, I followed his career all though my school years. He was fast. My back was against the wall under that old clock before I could register the shove. Cam then got all sorts of in my face. I did not raise my hands. His angry exhalation was flavored with vanilla.

“Are you calling me a queer?” I shrugged one shoulder.

“I call them as I see them. Now, you can either step off or you can kiss me.” I threw the challenge out without a second thought. I stared into the shelter of his hood, finding his dark eyes in the shadows. They flickered down to my blue lips. “Whatever you decide to do, do it fast. I’m cold, tired, and hungry.”

He did. He captured my mouth with a kiss so aggressive my teeth ground into my lips. Yeah. This was it. This was what I had been pushing him to do…hoping he would do.

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Links

Website:  http://www.seducedbythegame.com

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21399240-seduced-by-the-game?from_search=true

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