✨ "You can pretend like you don't want me, if that's the lie you need to tell yourself." ✨
SOME SPOILER-FREE THOUGHTS: Another hockey romance series for my tbr! This book (and the wonderful writing style of Julia Connors) just made me giddy and love smitten for Audrey and Drew. It's been a while since I've picked up a second chance romance and wow, did I need it! Just pure happiness at their reconnection, especially the fact that it meant uniting a family Drew never knew about. Plus, all the hints towards book two already have me drooling for the next book in the series, so you know that's been added (and moved up a few spots...) in the queue!
Author: julia connors
Finished: september 28, 2024
Reading Method: e-book
Star Rating: 4/5 ⭐
Spice Rating: 3/5 🌶️
What To Expect:
✨ Second Chance
✨ Hockey Romance
✨ Secret Child
✨ He Falls First
✨ College One-Night-Stand
✨ Found Family
✨ His Agent's Sister
✨ Dual POV
✨ No Third Act Break Up
SPOILERS IN
3...
2...
1...
✨ "Pretty sure I've made it clear that you're my future wife. But sure, you can call yourself my girlfriend if you need to put a label on this." ✨
Drew is a pro hockey player with a heart of gold and anxiety over not being enough. Audrey is a single mom with a passion for her family and a fear of disrupting their lives. And the two of them together gives you a love story you'll spend 438 pages rooting for!
My first Julia Connors book was a clear demonstration of the author's ability to develop characters with depth and relatability. Everyone I was introduced to throughout this novel (and there were a lot of people!) felt like someone I would meet in real life. Nothing felt over the top of fabricated, and each character clearly had their strength and weaknesses, providing room not only for their own personal development, but for them to complement other characters as well.
And of course with a hockey romance, I spent a little extra time analyzing each team member we were thoroughly introduced to, knowing / hoping that we will eventually get their own story!
But back to Audrey and Drew! The nature of their relationship could have so easily fallen into the consistent miscommunication trope, but it didn't and I was so thankful for that. Both of them understood the unique nature of their situation and knew that they couldn't approach their relationship the way they would anyone else. Because of this there might have been some repetitive doubts that arose, but they were always addressed.
And as much as I loved the depth of their emotional relationship, I must give a shoutout to the care put into their physical relationship as well. The spicy scenes tied into their insecurities as much as their need for intimacy and their desire for each other. While they were steamy and fun, they also were important to character development, which made them beautiful as well.
And if I didn't spend the entire book yelling, "Jules and Colt next! Jules and Colt next!" lol - so you know I'm excited for the next book in the series!
So to all my second chance / hockey romance loving book besties, consider this your sign to pick up Center Ice by Julia Connors (available on KU) right now!
All My Love,
Jane-Anne
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