Book Review – The Hard Truth About Sunshine

31 Friday Mar 2017

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Book Review, Sawyer Bennett, The Hard Truth About Sunshine

We’re going to end the week with a book that … well, it’s a heartwrencher but SO worth it!

*****

The Hard Truth About Sunshine

by Sawyer Bennett

Release Day: March 28

Standalone

Blurb:

New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett has written her most gripping and poignant tale yet. Provocatively heart-breaking, audaciously irreverent and romantically fulfilling, The Hard Truth About Sunshine exposes just how very thin the line is between a full life and an empty existence.

Despite having narrowly escaped death’s clutches, Christopher Barlow is grateful for nothing. His capacity to love has been crushed. He hates everyone and everything, completely unable to see past the gray stain of misery that coats his perception of the world. It’s only after he involuntarily joins a band of depressed misfits who are struggling to overcome their own problems, does Christopher start to re-evaluate his lot in life.

What could they possibly learn from one another? How could they possibly help each other to heal? And the question that Christopher asks himself over and over again… can he learn to love again?

He’s about to find out as he embarks upon a cross country trip with a beautiful woman who is going blind, a boy with terminal cancer, and an abuse victim who can’t decide whether she wants to live or die.

Four people with nothing in common but their destination. They will encounter adventure, thrills, loss and love. And within their travels they will learn the greatest lesson of all.

The hard truth about sunshine…

Warning: This book deals with some tough issues including suicide and sexual abuse.

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34078139-the-hard-truth-about-sunshine

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2jAJ31R

Paperback: http://amzn.to/2l4OenI

B&N: http://bit.ly/2kZxgKO

iBooks: http://apple.co/2k409nt

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2jHejr5

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2kWpkd2

*****

Excerpt:

Jillian holds my gaze for a moment, her eyes drilling into mine before she gently tugs on the material of my jeans near the shin rod of my prosthetic. “What happened to you?”

She doesn’t look away. Not down at the fire, not down to my legs. She stares right at me. Although my gut is turning slightly at the thought of telling her what she asked, I forge straight ahead. For the first time, I tell someone who is not medical personnel or a shrink my story.

“I was driving a military Humvee and the right front tire ran over a roadside bomb,” I say, and Jillian makes a sound of distress low her in throat as her eyes turn sad. “It completely obliterated my buddy sitting in the passenger seat.”

To my surprise, Jillian scoots over closer to me and lays her head on my shoulder. She pushes her hand in between my ribs and my arm, curling her fingers over my bicep. It’s a show of support. Solidarity. That she’s settled in for the long haul of this story, and she wants to hear it all.

“It didn’t blow my leg off,” I tell her, and I can feel her body jerk slightly in surprise. Her fingers squeeze my bicep. “The fingers yes, the leg no. It just shattered and shredded it badly, but the doctors tried hard to save it.”

“Obviously, they couldn’t,” she whispers the obvious.

“They tried for three months,” I tell her, reaching down to grab my phone laying near my left hip. Jillian lifts her head up, watching as I pull up my pictures. I scroll backward, but it doesn’t take long to find what I’m looking for because I don’t take a lot of photos. I hold the phone out so she can see. “This was taken about a month after my injury.”

Jillian makes a strangled sound as she looks at the photo of me in bed. My eyes are half open because I was bombed out on so many heavy-duty pain medications, and I have a grimace on my face. I vaguely remember this picture being taken, and I think it may have been by my brother, Hank, when he came to visit once during that first month. He came a few more times after that, and then he didn’t.

Jillian’s eyes roam over the photo. My leg is encased in the external fixator with several rods leading from the outside of the cage right into my skin, where it’s drilled through and into the bone to hold the pieces together. The wounds on my leg are all open to the air, red and some of them dripping with puss and lined with blisters. I’ve got IVs in both arms and a PICC line in the right side of my neck to deliver the hordes of antibiotics and pain meds I needed to keep me alive and functioning. I took the maximum dosages they allowed me, preferring to try to be oblivious to what was happening. Yet, the pain was so great it just couldn’t be fully erased.

Jillian turns her head to look at me, and I lay the phone back down. “How long were you like that?”

“Three months. But they couldn’t get ahead of the infections, which were delaying the bones from knitting. I was in so much pain that I wanted them to amputate.”

“You had to make that decision?” she whispers.

I nod. “Yup. I mean… the doctors were at the point they felt it was the right way to go, although they were willing to keep trying if I wanted. But I wanted it gone. I was tired of being in the hospital and being in so much pain. I just wanted it gone.”

“Do you regret that decision?” she asks me bluntly, but with that still-sweet melody her voice makes. The question doesn’t bother me, because even her hard questions sound lovely.

“Yes,” I tell her without any shame. “I wonder what would have happened if I held on just a little bit longer. Not long after the leg came off, the pain receded and I became more lucid. Once I’d forgotten how bad the infections smelled, I regretted it.”

“Three months is an awful long time to be in pain like that,” she points out the obvious.

I shrug. “And the rest of my life is a long time to wonder ‘what if.’”

*****

Review:

I’ve read quite a few of Bennett’s books and a few of them have taken me on a ride of emotions before … but I think that was just to prepare me for this one 🙂 While there are deep moments, there is also a good amount of humor and fun. It took me up and down and around. And I enjoyed all of it!

I really loved this little group of troubled souls, road-tripping their way across the US for all different reasons. It starts out as a chance for Connor (dying of cancer) to knock a few things off his bucket list, but everyone ends up learning something along the way. And while Christopher is our main character, you quickly find yourself attached to everyone as he (and us) discovers a little more every day about the others, and himself.

He’s drawn to Jillian, who has an amazingly bright outlook on life even though she is slowly going blind. She, along with Connor, has been the most open about therapy and embraced all of them, regardless of their prickly nature. Conner is facing death head on and trying to experience life a little bit more before his time. Barb is as negative about the whole process as Christopher but she too starts to open up, just a little, and we find out that her scars are so much deeper than what you can see on her wrists. Christopher also has signs on the outside of his body of what he’s been through, but nothing compares to the turmoil underneath.

While they are each dealing with some of the heaviness that life has to offer, they are handling them in different ways. But together, they might manage to get to a place where they can face life, and all that it brings, with their heads held high. To find a way to laugh, love, and enjoy again.

This book is definitely not for everyone. But if you think your heart can take it then grab a box of tissue, put your feet up, and go for a journey. You’ll laugh and cry and sigh and you might even find bits of them in you.

*****

Author Info:

Since the release of her debut contemporary romance novel, Off Sides, in January 2013, Sawyer Bennett has released more than 30 books and has been featured on both the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists on multiple occasions.

A reformed trial lawyer from North Carolina, Sawyer uses real life experience to create relatable, sexy stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From new adult to erotic contemporary romance, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.

Sawyer likes her Bloody Marys strong, her martinis dirty, and her heroes a combination of the two. When not bringing fictional romance to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to a very active toddler, as well as full-time servant to two adorably naughty dogs. She believes in the good of others, and that a bad day can be cured with a great work-out, cake, or a combination of the two.

*****

Book Review – Roman

23 Thursday Mar 2017

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Book Review, Cold Fury Hockey series, Roman, Sawyer Bennett

Roman

A Cold Fury Hockey Novel

by Sawyer Bennett

New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett steams up the ice all over again as the Carolina Cold Fury hockey team’s hottest bad boy gets his first taste of something good.

In a league full of troublemakers, Cold Fury defenseman Roman Sýkora stands out—at least when it comes to negative publicity. When he’s not chilling in the penalty box, the sizzling Czech skate demon is racking up tabloid headlines for his scandalous behavior with the ladies. But now Roman’s feeling the burn from management to clean up his act, or else. Luckily he’s got an enticing distraction: a fun-loving barista who plays the ukulele and brings out a side of Roman he didn’t know he had.

Lexi Robertson came to Raleigh, North Carolina, to finally meet her father, Brian Brannon, and her half sister, Gray, both of whom work in the Cold Fury’s front office. That’s where she first meets sexy, intimidating Roman—who’s really a big softie at heart. As one relationship takes off, another begins: Brian seems to be clicking with Lexi’s boss at the coffee shop. But when the friction between Roman and her new family heats up, Lexi wonders whether she’s a pawn in their game. Feeling hurt and foolish, Lexi’s ready to quit while she’s ahead. Trouble is, Roman’s not ready to quit on her.

While this one doesn’t have the big emotional upheaval that some of the earlier Cold Fury books does, there is still a lot of good feelings going on here. And I for one enjoy an angst free romance from time to time 🙂

Roman may be a troublemaker but he isn’t a bad guy. He just enjoys life in a big way and it occasionally causes some waves. From the moment he meets Lexi, though, things are different and with a little faith he proves himself to be a worthy boyfriend.

It takes a lot of guts for Lexi to come to NC and confront Brian with her news. We know that he’s a fantastic dad to Gray and he proves that he’s a genuinely good guy by immediately accepting Lexi into his life. Unfortunately it’s a little harder for Gray to accept, but Lexi has such a warm and upbeat personality that she quickly wins her over. Unfortunately the tension between Gray and Roman intrudes on Lexi’s life and causes a bit a trouble. But she’s a smart girl and with a little help quickly figures things out.

I think the most fun thing about this is that we also get Brian’s POV here – he not only finds out that he has another daughter but thanks to Lexi he might also find a woman who can liven up his life. He’s gotten a little buttoned up over the years and he needs the shake up that he has coming! It’s super sweet and brings a little extra joy to the story.

Some family drama and a couple of romantic entanglements make Roman a great Spring read. It perfectly shows off Bennett’s smooth writing style and knack for creating fun-to-read characters. I’m excited to see what she brings us next!

Book Review – Max

05 Thursday Jan 2017

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Book Review, Cold Fury Hockey series, Max, Sawyer Bennett

Max

A Cold Fury Hockey Novel

by Sawyer Bennett

The Carolina Cold Fury’s hot new star shows his bad-boy teammates that even nice guys can score big in this steamy hockey romance from the bestselling author of Ryker and Hawke (“Sexy, emotional, and fantastic!” —Sandi Lynn).

The ice is a cold mistress. As the league’s most eligible goalie, Max Fournier has access to his fair share of willing puck bunnies, but right now he’s more interested in bringing home another championship than a one-night stand. A romantic at heart, Max believes in love; he’s just not great at relationships. So when he finally meets a nice girl who’s not blinded by his celebrity, he’s feeling the heat—and the pressure to save her from herself.

Between working two jobs and raising her sister’s kids, Julianne Bradley doesn’t have time for sports—or men. All she knows about Max is that he’s the sexiest customer to ever grace her gas-station counter. And he sees past her tired eyes and makes Jules yearn for things she can’t have: a glamorous fling, a passionate lover, and the time to enjoy both. Max makes her feel like Cinderella, even though Jules has enough baggage to crush a glass slipper. Luckily, he’s no prince—only a fierce competitor determined to win her heart.

Max is a romantic at heart and looking for someone to share his life with – no puck bunnies for him. When he meets Julianne for the first time he knows that there is something special about her and wants to get to know her better. Then when he finds out exactly what her life has become, he realizes just how strong she is.

Jules is raising her niece and nephews after her sister’s death. The insta-family and all that means is taking up all of her time & energy. Even meeting a sexy guy at work only tempts her a little. Luckily for her Max is tenacious and willing to put in a little effort to make sure that they can explore a potential relationship.

I love that Max respects Jules and her needs. He tries to understand where she is coming from and support her, but he’s not willing to let her hide either. If she needs a little push, or a little help, he’s there for that too. There isn’t a lot of drama between them – when bad things happen they face them together and work through it. There is that one requisite freak-out that leads to the HEA moment but it’s handled in line with the rest of the story and doesn’t last long. I think that Bennett does a fantastic job of balancing things, especially in the world of a professional athlete where she could have made it a big thing but doesn’t. It’s realistic and sweet and works with the characters she’s given us.

I have been a fan of the Cold Fury hockey team since the very first book and I’m so pleased to see that Bennett continues to bring winners. With her smooth writing, interesting characters and strong story, she once again reminds me why she’s on my go-to author list!

Book Review – Hawke

25 Friday Mar 2016

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Book Review, Cold Fury Hockey series, Hawke, Sawyer Bennett

So far we’ve met Alex, Garrett, Zack and Ryker … now get to know Hawke, the latest Cold Fury star!

*****

Hawke

Cold Fury, Book #5

by Sawyer Bennett

Release Date: March 15, 2016

Blurb:

The New York Times bestselling hockey series featuring the Carolina Cold Fury continues as the team’s most notorious party animal gets blindsided by the one that got away.

Off the ice, elite defenseman Hawke Therrien enjoys his fair share of booze and good times. And why shouldn’t he? He’s worked his way up from the minor leagues and made himself a star. The only thing Hawke misses from that life is the pierced, tattooed free spirit who broke his heart without so much as an explanation. She’s almost unrecognizable when she walks back into his life seven years later—except for the look in her eyes that feels like a punch to the gut.

Vale Campbell isn’t the same girl she was at twenty. As crazy as she was about Hawke, her reckless behavior and out-of-control drinking were starting to scare her. She had to clean up her act, and that would never happen with Hawke around. Cutting him loose was the hardest thing Vale ever had to do—until now. Because she’s still crazy about Hawke. And if he could ever learn to forgive her, they just might have a future together.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25775928-hawke

Purchase Hawke:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1p4Wkh5

B&N: http://bit.ly/1UYMtI1

iBooks: http://apple.co/1W5qCvu

Google Play: http://bit.ly/1KsZdQe

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1UcudZn

*****

Review:

I hate to say it after the previous stories in this series but I only mostly liked this one. It’s really a couple of personal dislikes that did it – there is too much dancing around at what caused Vale to break it off with Hawke (even though we can figure it out within about 3 seconds, it isn’t stated until well into the story) and once again if they’d had some real conversations then most of the trouble could have been avoided. (I’m a little worried about their future because if this is how they handle their problems I’m not sure how they are going to deal with anything new that comes up 🙂 )

Bennett’s writing is good, as always, so it is easy to find yourself turning pages, and the characters are very interesting (outside of their communication issues), plus we get a little hint at a future story which always makes me happy. Soooo …. overall I’m going to go with good but not great, especially given what I’ve seen in this series so far. Since most likely it is just personal bias you should pick it up and give it a shot yourself – it’s getting lovely reviews on Goodreads and Amazon, so it may just be me 🙂 And I’ll definitely be reading whatever comes next because I know that Bennett has some skills with a pen!

(Oh, and it can stand on its own so don’t worry if this is where you want to start.)

*****

Author Info:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Sawyer Bennett is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and two big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Sawyer is the author of several contemporary romances including the popular Off Series, the Legal Affairs Series and the Last Call Series.

Connect with Sawyer:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bennettbooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BennettBooks

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bennettbooks

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BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sawyer-bennett

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*****

Book Review – Ryker

30 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Book Review, Cold Fury Hockey series, Ryker, Sawyer Bennett

Time for our second look at a book named Ryker 🙂 In this one we get an oh-so-sexy goalie, who is also a great dad and fantastic family man … I’m starting to think there is something about that name!

*****

Ryker

Cold Fury Hockey # 4

by Sawyer Bennett

Released September 8, 2015

Loveswept

Blurb:

The rugged men of the Carolina Cold Fury hockey team are winning hearts once again in another scorching novel from New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett.

The stakes have never been higher for Carolina Cold Fury goalie Ryker Evans. With his contract running out, he’s got a year left to prove he’s still at the top of his game. And since his wife left him, Ryker has been balancing life as a pro-hockey star and a single parent to two daughters. Management is waiting for him to screw up. The fans are ready to pounce. Everybody’s taking dirty shots—except for the fiery redhead whose faith in Ryker gives him a fresh start.

As the league’s only female general manager, Gray Brannon has learned not to mix business with pleasure. And yet even this tough, talented career woman can’t help breaking her own rules as she gives Ryker everything she’s got. She hopes their hot streak will last forever, but with Ryker’s conniving ex plotting to reclaim her man, the pressure is on Gray to step up and save a tender new love before it’s too late.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23834721-ryker?ac=1

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/125350-cold-fury-hockey

Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo

Other Books in the Cold Fury Series

ALEX: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo

GARRETT: Amazon | Barnes | iTunes | Kobo

ZACK: Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

“D-a-a-a-d,” Ruby shrieks from upstairs.

It’s a sound that once used to cause all the hair to stand up on my arms and on more than one occasion caused me to go tearing after the call of my youngest daughter thinking she was being murdered by an intruder. I’ve since come to recognize that particular shrill cry as one of excitement and wonder, and I can’t help but grin over what Ruby is possibly into now. At almost five years old, she refuses to accept the concept of a well-mannered, indoor voice and goes balls to the wall in everything she does.

“Is the house on fire, Rubes?” I call out.

Her little voice shouts back to me in a squawk. “No.”

“Have aliens landed?” I keep my voice just loud enough to carry up the stairs but still decibels below her own.

“No,” she yells, and there . . . right there . . . that’s a little giggle from her.

“Did Timmy fall down the well?”

“No, Dad . . . but you have to come here,” she yells, and, to give her credit, it’s toned down just a bit. When I don’t answer her right away, she calls down in a sweet voice that makes my heart pitter-patter. “Please, Dad.”

Brilliant, little brat. Throwing in some manners to throw me off my game.

“I’ll be right there,” I tell her as I finish the last of Violet’s braid and manage to efficiently bind it with a hair elastic. Leaning over, I place a kiss on her head. “All done, dreamy dwarf.”

Violet leans her head back and gives me an upside-down grin. I love the sprinkle of freckles on her nose and it compels me to kiss her again.

“Do me a favor,” I tell her as I turn toward the living room. “Get the cereal and milk out for me while I go see what your sister needs?”

I don’t bother waiting to see what she does, because Violet has become my metaphorical right hand over the last few months. While she still loves for me to braid her hair and help with her homework, she’s also relished taking on a bit of a caretaker role since the girls moved in with me permanently this past summer.

They’ve been here almost six months and I actually feel like I know what the hell I’m doing now. It wasn’t always like that, and thank God for Kate’s help or I would have gone insane in those first few months of becoming a single parent of two little girls. Kate patiently helped me establish a routine and taught me how to braid hair, distinguish excited shrieks from cries of pain, and most important . . . how to conduct the perfect princess tea party.

I skirt my way through the living room, bending over to pick up one of Ruby’s dolls from the floor, and bound up the stairs taking two at a time. I find Ruby in the bathroom that she and Violet share, bent over the toilet and peering at something.

She shares the same dark hair and gray eyes as Violet, except her locks spring out everywhere in a mass of tiny curls. I have no idea where that came from, but assume it’s a rogue strand of ancestral DNA from either me or my soon-to-be ex-wife, Hensley. Both of us, as well as Violet, have fairly straight hair, so Ruby is definitely dipping into the family gene pool with her wild curls, but damn . . . they totally fit with her personality.

“What’s up?” I ask as I walk over to the toilet.

She straightens up, shoots me a grin, and points. “Look . . . a spider.”

I cautiously take a step forward and lean over, grimacing as I look into the bowl.

And holy shit . . . a spider the size of a T rex is floating on the surface, all eight legs spread out, bent and poised to look as if it’s ready to leap out and attach itself to my face. I suppress a full spinal shudder and reach a tentative hand toward the handle to flush it.

Two things happen almost simultaneously that take at least three years off my life.

The spider somehow manages to skitter across the water, the beast so large it actually creates waves, and Ruby shrieks at me, “No! Don’t kill it, Dad!”

It is with a major blow to my pride—as a man, as a dad, as a six-foot, six-inch professional hockey player nicknamed the Brick because I’m as big and tough as a brick wall—that I jump backward at least two feet from the monster-infested toilet and banshee-crying sprite, causing my hip to slam into the corner of the sink.

“Shit,” I curse loudly, and Ruby’s eyes go round, followed by her lips.

“Oh, Dad . . . that’s a bad word.”

No shit.

I smile at her as I rub my hip. That’s definitely going to leave a bruise. “Sorry, Rubes. I’ll put a dollar in the swear jar.”

She merely nods her acceptance of my apology and turns worried eyes back to the toilet.

“You have to save it,” she implores.

Yeah . . . that’s not going to happen. Not now. Not ever.

“Sure, baby,” I tell her as I take her by the shoulder and turn her toward the bathroom door. I swear the spider glares at me with a million red, evil eyes. “Go on down and get breakfast. Violet’s fixing your cereal. I’ll get the spider out.”

“Okay,” Ruby says as she pulls away from me, but continues to give me instructions. “But let it out the front door and I’ll bring it some food later.”

“Sounds like a plan,” I assure her as she disappears down the stairs. When I hear her feet hit the bottom landing, I turn toward the toilet, intent on a quick flush to put me out of my misery.

Except when I look in the bowl, the fucking thing is gone.

I’ll just go ahead and admit it. Spiders scare the living hell out of me. I have no clue why, and while I would battle the biggest, baddest monster to the death for my daughters, I’d much rather flush a little spider down the toilet.

I immediately scramble backward out of the bathroom, grabbing the doorknob and shutting it quickly behind me. My heart is racing a million miles an hour, the thought of that furry hell beast now loose in my house.

Just one more thing on the list of things I still need to do today.

Get the girls dressed and ready for school.

Take the girls to school.

Clean up the spilled laundry detergent.

Finish the laundry.

Arm myself with a can of hairspray and a lighter to torch the rogue spider in the bathroom.

Pick up my dry cleaning.

Work out.

Team practice.

Pick up the girls from Kate and Zack’s house.

Dinner.

Baths.

Story time and cuddling.

Go to bed because I’ll be exhausted.

Easy as fucking pie, and I’ll get up and do it all over again the next day with a smile on my face. I’m finding life as a single parent isn’t as daunting as I thought it would be and I’ve finally found my groove.

*****

Review:

I didn’t think I could love a Cold Fury couple as much as Zack and Kate … then I met Ryker and Gray. This is an absolutely fantastic story! It doesn’t have as much drama in it as the previous three but that makes me like it even more. It is simple, straightforward and yet still an emotional powerhouse. Because of their positions in the Cold Fury organization the two can’t be involved – Gray is making history as the first female General Manager, and not everyone is supportive, while Ryker is killing it as goalie and the team could very well make another run for the Cup. The last thing that they need is any suggestion of impropriety … but you can’t choose who you fall for 🙂

Ryker is so fantastic as a dad, is a leader to his team, and an absolutely divine mate. He’s caring, loving, supportive, understanding, smart and intuitive. Wrap it all up in a gorgeous 6 foot 6 package and Gray is going to find him very hard to resist. Gray is brilliant, hardworking, a little nerdy, and a whole lot gorgeous. She’s undertaking a lot by becoming GM of the team and the more Ryker gets to know her the stronger the pull.

I love that there isn’t a lot of drama between these two. There’s a lot on the outside that could cause them issues (job, exes, family, teammates) but between the two it is just a matter of falling in love – neither have huge hangups and that’s a bit refreshing, so it’s just circumstance that is keeping them apart and nothing else. They have to figure out what is important, what they are willing to fight to have, and then what they will do to keep those things.

If this is your first in the series, then I think you can jump right in. The couples from the earlier stories make an appearance, since they are all still on the same team, but their stories really don’t make that much of an impact on Ryker. And where it is important Bennett does a great job of filling you in.

For a hubbub-free, heartwarming and sweet romance, you are going to get a winner with Ryker. It is full of great characters, smooth writing, and realistic troubles and I highly recommend it!

Oh, and I also have reviews out there for Alex, Garrett and Zack if you are interested.

*****

Author Info:

USA Today and New York Times Best-Selling Author, Sawyer Bennett is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and three big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Sawyer is the author of several contemporary romances including the popular Off Series, the Legal Affairs Series and the Last Call Series. She will be releasing her third book in the Cold Fury Hockey Series with Random House Loveswept, June 2015.

Facebook | Twitter | Website | GoodReads

*****

Giveaway:

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1f70eab633/

Also enter to win Loveswept’s Giveaway:

Ebook bundle of MAKE YOU BURN by Megan Crane, THE DEVIL’S THIEF by Samantha Kane, ALEX by Sawyer Bennett, BREAKING NOAH by Ashley Suzanne and Missy Johnson, BAD ROMANCE by Jen McLaughlin, BOUND BY BLISS by Lavinia Kent, BRING ON THE HEAT by Katie Rose, THE REAL THING by Cassie Mae, BREAKING A LEGEND by Sarah Robinson, DELAYED PENALTY by Sophia Henry, and SHREDDED by Tracy Wolff

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/235babe7251/

*****

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Book Review – Zack

27 Sunday Sep 2015

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Book Review, Cold Fury Hockey series, Sawyer Bennett, Zack

Zack

A Cold Fury Hockey Novel

by Sawyer Bennett

New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett goes for a hat trick with the latest romance in a sexy series about cool-as-ice hockey players and the women heating up their lives.

Warning: The following contains spoilers from a cliffhanger in Garrett.

Rising star Zack Grantham has been stuck in a downward spiral of grief that has put his career on hold. Back on the road with the Carolina Cold Fury, still crippled by emotional baggage, and now a single dad, he’s in need of some serious help with his son. But while the nerdy new nanny wins his son’s heart, Zack isn’t sure he’s ready for a woman’s touch—even after getting a glimpse of the killer curves she’s hiding under those baggy clothes.

Kate Francis usually keeps men like Zack at a distance. Though his athlete’s body is honed to perfection, he refuses to move on with his life—and besides, he’s her boss. Still, the sparks between them are undeniable, tempting Kate to turn their professional relationship into a personal one. But before she makes a power play for Zack’s wounded heart, Kate will have to open him up again and show him that love is worth the fight.

If you haven’t read any of the Cold Fury stories then this is a fantastic place to start – events that lead to Zack’s story do start in Garrett, but it isn’t like you can’t figure out what happened and the important parts are explained. Although I’m definitely not going to tell you to ignore Alex and Garrett, because they are fantastic and definitely worth your time.

I do not have a clue how Kate manages to be so amazingly well put together – she’s smart, calm, understanding, and funny. And I love her to bits! She’s great not only with 4 year old boys but also with their daddies 🙂 Ben has typical little boy energy and adorableness, and Kate is just as cute dealing with him as his nanny. Zack on the other hand has some serious issues stemming from Gina’s death. He’s dealing with a lot of guilt and it leads to some major hot & cold moments with Kate, especially once he starts to find himself interested in her and her exuberant, goofy personality.

There are so many issues here, all of them laying at Zack’s door, but Bennett handles them absolutely beautifully, with care and a delicate touch because they are so very complicated. I feel for Zack so much, I’m there with him for every step forward and for every two steps he takes back. I root for Kate’s compassion and silly humor to help bring him to a better place and hurt with them when things go bad. Of course you know it is all going to end up alright, but that doesn’t make those bumps any easier to take.

Unlike with Garrett I didn’t have any trouble getting into this one. And just like the other two I was quickly lost in Bennett’s characters and their troubles and now I can’t wait to get to Ryker’s story.

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Book Review – Garrett

21 Monday Sep 2015

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Book Review, Cold Fury Hockey series, Garrett, Sawyer Bennett

Garrett

A Cold Fury Hockey Novel

by Sawyer Bennett

USA Today bestselling author Sawyer Bennett hits the ice with the story of a playboy athlete whose winning ways lead him to a beautiful woman with a lot to lose.

Carolina Cold Fury star Garrett Samuelson never wants to miss out on a single minute of fun. Whether he’s playing hockey, hanging out with friends, or walking the red carpet with a new date on his arm, he lives every day to the fullest. When he meets Olivia Case, he sees someone who’s exactly his type—confident, sexy, smart . . . his next fling. But the more he pursues her, the more Garrett shares a side of himself that other women don’t normally get to see.

Olivia has been keeping a secret. While Garrett lives for the next thrill, Olivia’s not sure she’ll live to see the next day. She’s undergoing treatment for some serious medical issues, and she doesn’t have time for a relationship with no guarantees—especially one with a hot-as-sin womanizer who won’t take no for an answer. But as she gets to know the real Garrett, Olivia can’t help falling for him . . . hard. To reveal the truth would mean risking everything—but you can’t score without taking the tough shots.

I actually had a hard time getting into this one – I’d make it a few chapters and then put it down to try again. I did that a couple of times and then when I saw that Zack’s story was coming out, and I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to read it, I knew I had to try again. Apparently the third time’s the charm because not only did I finish it but I actually enjoyed it quite a lot. I think there were a couple of issues for me my first few times – I could see where their problems were going to be a mile away plus, I wasn’t all that big a fan of Garrett. I thought after Alex that I’d love him but he comes across not so much like a modern day rake (which I love) and more of just a manwhore. Once I got to know him a little better though I actually liked him a lot.

And even though I knew where things were going to go wrong I decided to try to just sit back and enjoy the ride. It’s a little bit of a secret (but not one that is hidden very long) – Olivia’s issue is that she has been fighting cancer and she’s about to fight it again. When she meets flirtatious and oh-so-sexy Garrett she decides to take the chance to enjoy some fun sex with the hottie hockey player. Only it turns into something a little more serious. So of course her health issues become the huge trouble spot for the two. Mixed in with how unappealing I found Garrett at the beginning and I just wasn’t sure I wanted to face that, but he quickly changed my mind and I loved the dedicated boyfriend he became.

Bennett is a great story teller and her characters are complex with deep issues, so once I got started I quickly found myself drawn into their story. The ending was a little difficult to read because both of them needed a good smack but it just made their HEA all the better.

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Spotlight – Zack

24 Wednesday Jun 2015

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Cold Fury Hockey series, Sawyer Bennett, Zack

Some of you may remember Alex, Sawyer Bennett’s first Cold Fury story – this is book 3, following Garrett. It is a fantastic series and you guys have to check it out – there is so much more going on than just a sports romance!

(I hate to say it, but if you haven’t read Alex or Garrett and you don’t like spoilers you probably shouldn’t read any further. There is a cliffhanger in Garrett that is spoiled by the below. Just skip to the bottom so you can enter the context for some great prizes!)

*****

Zack

Cold Fury Hockey # 3

by: Sawyer Bennett

Releasing June 9, 2015

Loveswept

Blurb:

New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett goes for a hat trick with the latest romance in a sexy series about cool-as-ice hockey players and the women heating up their lives.

Warning: The following contains spoilers from a cliffhanger in Garrett.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23834720-zack?ac=1

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/125350-cold-fury-hockey

Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo | Publisher

*****

Excerpt:

As soon as I get out of the club and into the silence of my car, I dial Delaney.

She answers on the first ring. “You scared the shit out of me. Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I murmur as I start the engine and wait for my Bluetooth to connect. When I hear the subtle click telling me she’s on speakerphone, I put the car in drive and say, “Just driving around…thinking.”

I hear her blow out a gust of sympathetic frustration, but her voice is gentle. “Okay. Just get home.”

“Is Ben okay?” I ask.

“He’s fine. Sleeping. Have you gone over the applicants I picked out for you?”

My hands tighten on the steering wheel, and a tiny pain shoots through my wrist, a pain I’d never admit to the team doctors, so I ignore it and tell her, “Not yet.”

“Tomorrow,” Delaney says sternly. “You have to make a decision tomorrow.”

“I know,” I mutter, realizing that the time for dragging my feet and procrastinating is over. “I promise. Tomorrow.”

“Okay,” she says softly. “That’s good.”

I don’t say anything else, my mind already starting to shut down. I abhor the thought of culling through her final recommendations for a nanny for Ben. Because that means this is final…that Gina is really dead and Ben’s mommy is definitely not coming back. In my mind, it’s putting the final nail in her coffin.

“I love you,” Delaney says, almost desperately, into the phone.

I bite my lip…hard, and feel my tooth slice down into the delicate flesh. “Back at ya,” I say, my voice harsh and raspy.

Words of love to my older sister—the woman who has been my rock-solid support the last four months since Gina died—unable to materialize. I disconnect the call and stare blankly out the windshield. I’m practically on autopilot as I drive home.

Out of the silence of my car, an unbidden, sarcastic snort bursts forth from me, and then I start snickering to myself.

Home.

What a fucking joke.

My five-bedroom house on Marchand Street feels like a prison, the walls closing in on me and causing me to seek out strippers named Candi Apple at midnight. I can’t escape my memories there, my guilt devours me as I look at Gina’s pictures throughout the house, and every day, rather than rise above my pain, I get swallowed up in it a little deeper. I hate that fucking house now, and I’ve pretty much resolved myself to sell it. Maybe moving will help leave the ghosts behind and give Ben and me a fresh start.

If it wasn’t for Ben…

Beautiful, blond-haired, blue-eyed Ben.

The spitting image of Gina.

My little boy, who seems to have bounced back fine after losing his mother, giving me toothy grins and cuddling with me on the couch at night. If it wasn’t for him…

No, I don’t even want to think about where I’d be if it wasn’t for Ben. Let me just appreciate the fact that I have the most wonderful child in the world, and it’s only because of him that I at least have some sort of desire to want to feel again.

While I can’t seem to feel outside the bounds of pure and unconditional love for my child, it doesn’t mean I want to be this way. I’m smart enough to know that Ben will look to me for guidance on how to live this life without Gina, and I’m savvy enough to know that if I don’t get my shit together, for his sake, I stand a really good chance of fucking his head up.

So I try the only way I know how—by seeking out the Candi Apples of this world—and dig down deep for something to interest me in this life outside of my child and my hockey career.

Taking a deep breath, I pull onto the outer belt line that circles around Raleigh, and let it out slowly. Yeah, tomorrow I need to start the process of removing my head from my ass. I also know the first step is to do as Delaney says and make a choice from the final applicants and hire a nanny for Ben. Once I start back at practices next week, I’ll need someone to help me with him.

Delaney has been down here in Raleigh for the past week, interviewing prospects and checking out references. She’s narrowed it down to a choice of three, and while I really don’t want to care about whom to pick, I know that for the sake of my son, I need to be satisfied the person I do choose is right for the job. I trust Delaney implicitly, but I also know that I need to show some interest . . . at least for her peace of mind. The day after tomorrow she’ll head back to Manhattan, where she works as a financial analyst, and I can’t let her leave with undue worry over me and Ben.

It pisses me off that I have to hire a nanny. It feels like I’m replacing Gina . . . hiring a new mommy for my boy. Deep down, the rational side of me knows this isn’t true. While I’ve been able to handle Ben just fine on my own for the last four months while I recovered from my wrist injury, there is no way I can be a single parent to Ben when much of my career is spent on the road. I will need someone to be with him full-time when I’m gone, and it has to be someone trustworthy.

So I’ll do my duty tomorrow and give the applicants thoughtful consideration. Then I’ll make my decision and start the process of introducing a new woman who will become a provider and mother figure to my son.

That thought causes pain to shoot through my chest, and while I know it’s unfair, a little part of me already hates this woman because she will be taking Gina’s place in that respect.

*****

Author Info:

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

*****

Giveaway:

Enter to win Loveswept & FLIRT Mugs and Select Ebook Bundle

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/235babe7228/

*****

Click on the below to check out the rest of the tour!

Book Review – Alex

14 Tuesday Oct 2014

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Alex, Book Review, Cold Fury Hockey series, Sawyer Bennett

I’ve got another review today – and I want to wish a happy book day to Sawyer Bennett’s Alex!

*****

Hockey star Alexander Crossman has a reputation as a cold-hearted player on and off the rink. Pushed into the sport by an alcoholic father, Alex isn’t afraid to give fans the proverbial middle finger, relishing his role as the MVP they love to hate. Management, however, isn’t so amused. Now Alex has a choice: fix his public image through community service or ride the bench. But Alex refuses to be molded into the Carolina Cold Fury poster boy . . . not even by a tempting redhead with killer curves.

As a social worker, Sutton Price is accustomed to difficult people—like Alex, who’s been assigned to help her create a drug-abuse awareness program for at-risk youth as part of the team’s effort to clean up his image. What she doesn’t expect is the arrogant smirk from his perfect lips to stir her most heated fantasies. But Sutton isn’t one to cross professional boundaries—and besides, Alex doesn’t do relationships . . . or does he? The more she sees behind Alex’s bad-boy façade, the more Sutton craves the man she uncovers.

I love the bad-boy turned good story line and Alex definitely delivers … I just wish that he’d gotten just a little more professional help in fighting his demons. He does have some on-the-side help from Sutton. She is a professional and deals every day with a lot of the issues that Alex experiences, but he’s had many years of trouble built up and I think that he needs a little more help than what she’s able to give him. I do like how she makes him take another look at so many things – hockey, people, life … he’s lived in a cold ball of hate for so long that it is a beautiful thing to watch it change. Just a little bit of follow up with an impartial someone dedicated to helping him would have made the story.

And it’s important to remember that the book is called Alex for a reason. It’s all about him and that is perfectly fine. We do get both Sutton and Alex’s POV throughout but it is his growth that is the centerpiece of the story. He’s troubled and difficult and beautiful underneath. Buried under all of that negativity and pain, there is someone who can be so much more – a leader and a giver – he just needed a way out and Bennett gives him a great one.

If you are looking for a hard read with a great ending, then Alex is for you. It isn’t all roses and sunshine, but it is definitely worth taking the journey with him as he learns to let go of so many bad things and let the good things in.

*****

Cover Reveal – Alex

27 Tuesday May 2014

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour

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Alex, Cold Fury Hockey series, Sawyer Bennett

We’re going to start the official work week on quite a high note as we take a look at ALEX … Check him out below – he’ll be heading your way in October. I know I’m adding him to my calendar!

*****

Loveswept (Random House) is thrilled to debut the cover of ALEX: A Cold Fury Hockey Novel by USA Today bestselling author Sawyer Bennett! ALEX is the first in a sexy and exciting new series that’s hot enough to melt the ice…

ALEX (A Cold Fury Hockey Novel)

Loveswept Contemporary Romance

Written by Sawyer Bennett

On sale: October 14, 2014

ISBN: 978-0-553-39300-2

About ALEX:

As a social worker, Sutton Price is accustomed to difficult people—like Alex, who’s been assigned to help her create a drug-abuse awareness program for at-risk youth as part of the team’s effort to clean up his image. What she doesn’t expect is the arrogant smirk from his perfect lips to stir her most heated fantasies. But Sutton isn’t one to cross professional boundaries—and besides, Alex doesn’t do relationships… or does he? The more she sees behind Alex’s bad-boy façade, the more Sutton craves the man she uncovers.

Get your copy of ALEX (A Cold Fury Hockey Novel)

*****

About Sawyer Bennett

USA Today bestselling author Sawyer Bennett is a snarky Southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and three big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Connect with Sawyer

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Street Team

Connect with Loveswept

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Street Team