Wylde (Arizona Vengeance #7) by Sawyer Bennett

I love this book. Aaron Wylde, who lives up to his nickname Wylde, is sort of at loose ends after the Arizona Vengeance wins the Stanley Cup. He’s out jogging and he passes a little bookstore  with a nerdy but cute woman behind the counter. He’s intrigued so he goes inside. Store owner Clarke is not so intrigued. At a glance she sizes him up as an affluent jock and just the type she despises.  An incident in her past has made her very wary of this type. However, when Aaron sort of tricks her into being his date at two weddings, Clarke goes along.  Thus begins a fun romance.
 I really enjoyed the interplay between these two both in terms of snarky comments and sexual tension. Aaron quickly realizes he needs to be Aaron and not Wylde if he’s going to get anywhere with Clarke. Clarke is prickly, but she sees the good side of him and enjoys being around him. When they both reveal how their past lives have affected them it gives them a bond. However, Aaron has been able to move on  but Clarke still carries deep scars from her experience. At times, she seems unreasonable and make some bad decisions, but this is a romance and that is to be expected.  It also makes it extra spicy when they finally get it together.
Besides these two great characters, I enjoyed all of the glimpses of the lives of the Vengeance players and their significant others. Big things happen in this book. I can’t wait for the next one!

Blocked by Jami Davenport

 In this latest Seattle Sockeye’s entry, Ms. Davenport continues her sub series, Scoring. The brothers are a group of guys who were friends in the AHL and are now called up to the NHL. The most recent to come up is Axel, the handsome man about town, whose reputation is as a major player. Unknowingly having a one night fling with the wife of his new teams back up goalie, Jock, does not endear him to the Sockeye’s team. To add to this Sh*t sundae, Axel gets one look at Jock’s sister, Geneva, and falls hard. 

I loved how Miss Davenport started all this. Could somebody be in any more of a disastrous situation and find a way to stay on the team and get the girl ? What follows is a man seeing his lifelong dream of being in the NHL possibly going up in smoke and thinking he met the one girl for him who is also unattainable. Watching Axel humble himself and work his butt off to become accepted by the team but yet put on the charm to get Geneva was really entertaining.

 Although Axel and Geneva’s romance is the highlight of the book and very very hot, Jock’s story is interwoven throughout. It’s hard not to feel bad for a guy whose wife is such a loser and whose marriage blows up in such a spectacular way in front of his teammates.


There is plenty of romance in this book as well as a mysterious relationship for Kaden, general stupidity for some of the guys and an interesting vignette with Steele and a group of undercover female cops.

As always, there are enough teasers to make you want the next book to come out as soon as possible so you can see what happens!

Rafe by Sawyer Bennett

I love a second chance romance. 
 In the story Rafe, a player for the Arizona Vengeance, asked to be traded to the Carolina Cold Fury when he discovers his father is terminally ill. Going back home not only gives him a chance to be with his dad, but also to reconnect with his first love Calliope. She has remained close to his parents and is willing to be a support for Rafe but nothing more. Years ago Rafe made the lamebrain decision to leave Calliope behind ”for her own good”. Needless to say, he thought he was doing the right thing but she was crushed.
This story was really about closure in mending relationships on so many levels. Although Rafe loves his dad, his father being a workaholic meant he wasn’t there for a lot of Rafe's athletic career. Rafe also had to work out his feelings for Calliope and come to terms with what his rash decision caused in her life and his.

Although the theme of the book is sad, it was enjoyable to see the Cold Fury players back in the book. That is not to say that the Vengeance players didn’t have their part too. This is especially true of Wylde who had some surprisingly emotional advice for Rafe. All in all, a small book with big feels.

Code Name: Hacker by Sawyer Bennett

I'm so glad to see a book featuring Bebe, the kick ass hacker for Jameson Security Force.

 In this, the 4th book in an excellent romantic suspense series, Bebe meets Griff, a handsome biker type. Given that she spent time in prison when she hacked the Feds and allowed herself to get caught to avoid giving nuclear codes to a possible enemy, Bebe is leery about having a new relationship.  She has a son to protect, her mother and her new job which she loves.  But Griff is everything on her list...

Griff isn't just randomly in Bebe's circle. He's there on a mission to kill her actually. As they become more entangled, he has to reveal his true secret- he's FBI. Thus starts a whole cross/double cross story which could mean a real HEA for Griff and Bebe or just the opposite.
I enjoyed Bebe and Griff's romance and then their working together.  Both aspects had suspense-first as a reader you're thinking it's a killer falls for target theme, then it's a can they avoid being killed together theme. During all this the two are heating up the pages which just makes the suspense higher because now, you are invested in these two.

Running through all of the book in the background is the everyday goings on of the  Jameson people and especially concern about  Malik, a fellow team member who is missing and possibly dead. Those of us who have read Ms. Sawyer's Cold Fury hockey series, remember Malik as the brother of Max Fournier, team goalie.  Again, another layer adding to the suspense.
Like previous books in the series, this one has a solid romance, enough suspense to make it an unstoppable page turner, and a tease for the next book.

Code Name: Heist by Sawyer Bennett

Code Name: Heist by Sawyer Bennett

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I listened to the audio version of this book. Joe Arden and McKenzie Cartwright do an excellent job telling us the story of Saint and Sin. Years ago the two were lovers while they were involved in high level thefts. Sin set up Saint and caused his arrest and subsequent imprisonment in order to save his life. Saint is now working for Jameson and is sent into an undercover situation involving a worldwide theft ring led by a pretty bad guy. Imagine his surprise when he walks into his first meeting and sees Sin sitting at the table. Working together gives them time to talk about the past and work through her actions in the past. In a fast-paced story, their romance is flourishing in spite of the danger they find themselves in. Everything comes full circle before they can find their HEA.

The narrators do an excellent job of retelling the past while keeping the present time storyline moving right along. Tension is high both because of the dangerous job and the reawakening of old feelings between the two onetime lovers.. The various accents are well done and consistent. The narration added to my enjoyment of this book.
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While this book is primarily Saint and Sin’s story, there is enough side action going on to set up future possibilities. Like the first two books in the series this one leaves you wanting the next one to come sooner rather than later!



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Someone to Remember- a highly awaited second chance love story

Someone to Remember by Mary Balogh- Westcott #7

So happy to have finally been able to read this book! Matilda Westcott has been a background character in all of the Westcott novels before this one. A fussy prim and proper “spinster”, Matilda nonetheless has had a sparked about her where you just knew there was something there.

 In the last book she shockingly went to a gentleman’s home to have him intervene in a court case involving his natural born son. That little episode was the first sign of who Matilda’s lost love might have been.

I just love a second chance romance and especially one that involves people of a certain age. When Matilda and Charles, Viscount Dirksen reunite it makes you just go ahh because she so deserves her HEA and it will be a fun life with a one-time rake who has loved her all these years.

My only quibble is it being a novella because I would have enjoyed a longer read. That said, it was very satisfying to read at long last.

5 stars

Erik by Sawyer Bennett- loved reading it and now listening to it!

Erik by Sawyer Bennett , Narrated by Jason Clarke & Ava Erickson

Erik, the enforcer for the Arizona Vengeance hockey team is attracted to Blue, the stewardess on their private team plane. Unfortunately for him she is definitely not interested in him. What Eric doesn’t remember is that several years before he actually had met Blue and they had a hot evening together and made plans to meet again the next day. At the time Eric was a 23-year-old professional athlete making millions of dollars, and feeling on top of the world. So, when Blue showed up to the party he had invited her to, he treated her like a hooker.

Things begin to change when Eric runs into Blue with her brother, Billy, who has Cerebral Palsy and needs to be in a wheelchair. Eric is intrigued by this side of Blue and is genuinely interested in Billy. This encounter is the beginning of Blue seeing Eric in a new light.

I enjoyed this book when I originally read it and now, listening to the story skillfully told by narrators Jason Clarke and Ava Erickson, I enjoyed it even more. I love the fact that Blue was able to finally see that Erik had matured and was capable of having a meaningful relationship. On the flipside, I liked that Erik realized the ramifications of his behavior and was willing to do what needed to be done to change Blue’s opinion of him.

As in the first book, the conversation between the players adds a fun aspect to the story, especially after the infamous waxing incident. Jason Clarke does a great job distinguishing the voices of the male leads and Ava gets across the full range of Blue’s emotions. The book is an enjoyable mix of sports, hot sex, and family dynamics with a little drama thrown in. There is also a pretty interesting set up for Legends story which is next in the series.



5 Stars