Love in Moments, the second book in the Love Distilled series from bestselling author Scarlett Cole is available now!
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Blurb
Swedish hockey player, Anders “Iceberg” Berg, is counting the days until he’s an unrestricted free agent and can land the contract he’s worth. Yet, instead of recovering and resting at home so he can play to impress his dream organization, he’s in Denver for his brother’s wedding at a gin distillery, watching the pretty brunette who organized the whole thing.
Olivia Dyer can’t wait to put the year behind her. Her father died, and the event hall she ran at her family’s distillery was destroyed. The cost to the business and her mental health more than she could ever afford to repay. Rebuilding both takes all her effort leaving little time for anything else. Except for a single night of fun with the hot hockey player who’s been watching her every move.
When a kitchen catastrophe throws Anders and Liv together, it ends with an evening neither of them can forget. It was only meant to be one night. But when Anders is unexpectedly traded to see out the rest of his contract with the Denver Rush, and his plans to leave as quickly as possible are disrupted by the sultry brunette who defines courage, their only option is to give in to the attraction they feel for one another.
Yet with Liv stuck in the past and Anders firmly focused on the future, can they put aside their differences and allow themselves to find love in the present?
Review
4 stars!
This is a really sweet read, the second in the Love Distilled series, and the story of the youngest Dyer sibling, Olivia, in a one-night-stand-turned-more sports romance that is cute and sexy with a lot of heart.
Olivia is getting her life back together after the worst year of her life. She lost her father, her family’s gyn distillery was damaged and their reputation took a hit, which she feels tremendous guilt for and she endured months of completely unwarranted personal attacks. She suffered with debilitating depression and anxiety, but she has pulled herself through and is getting back on track. She doesn’t have time for anything other than concentrating on herself and her work as events co-ordinator for the family business, but she does embrace her wild side for one night when she indulges in an epic one-night-stand with a wedding guest at the distillery, and it rocks her world.
“We barely know each other, Olivia…and after tonight, it’s unlikely that our paths will ever cross again. But will you trust me with every part of your body anyway?”
Anders Berg is a Swedish hockey player in town for his brother’s wedding. He shares an instant connection with the gorgeous event planner, which led to their hot night together before he returned to his team in Arizona. But when he is unexpectedly traded to play for Denver’s NHL team, he ends up running into Olivia again, and though he knows he is only in town temporarily, he’s keen to explore more.
“That night was way more than meaningless sex. We connected and you know it. That’s why it’s been impossible to stop thinking about you.”
It’s a fun set-up, and though they have incredible chemistry, Liv and Anders are both focussing on their careers and they don’t have time for a relationship… but really they do, and it doesn’t take long for them to get on the same page, and then it’s all on. They throw themselves into the most gorgeous, romantic, easy and natural relationship, and I was swooning hard.
“A part of me thinks I should just go and leave you alone. But there’s a part of me that’s desperate to know…”
“To know what?”
He took her hand and kissed the back of it. If she wanted charming, he was sure he could figure out how to live up to it. He’d research it if he needed to. “To know how good we could be.”
Olivia blushed as she ate more of her dinner. “I think we know how good we can be,” she muttered.
Unable to resist, he ran his knuckle down her check and along her jaw. “I means how good we could be out of bed, Liv. We know how good we are in it.”
Anders is the most gentle, patient, understanding man. He’s new to relationships, but he handles it like a champ, and he’s so incredible with Liv. He’s protective, affectionate and caring, he doesn’t hold back or hide anything from her, and he’s also sexy as all hell.
“There’s nothing at all wrong with you, I’m just the first guy you’ve slept with willing to find out what you need, and you’re so fucking worth it.”
But Anders focus is firmly on the future and what he wants from his career. At the same time, Liv is stuck in the past and all that she has gone through. Watching the two lovers find a way to meet in the middle is a really special journey, full of honesty and emotion, and I loved watching them work through it all to get their HEA.
I loved the glimpses we saw of Emerson and Connor, from the first book. The next book will feature Olivia’s older brother, Jake, in a friends-to-lovers romance, and I’m really looking forward to that one.
This was such a cute read, I really enjoyed it.
4 stars.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Love Distilled
Love in Numbers (#1) (Emerson & Connor)
Review
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Love in Moments (#2) (Anders & Liv)
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Love in Secrets (#3) (Jake & Cassie)
Review
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Excerpt
She hadn’t felt this turned on in…hell, she’d never been this turned on. And, as a woman with an ex who had repeatedly told her that she was ‘hard to get off’, the news that she could get so close so quickly was new.
But as the thoughts hit her, she lost the feeling, lost the edge she was riding.
“What?” Anders said, suddenly.
“It’s nothing.” She tried to find where she was, trying to find her way back to the woman in the mirror about to ride out an orgasm thanks to the man behind her.
Anders slid his fingers from her underwear and outrageously slipped them into his mouth. “This,” he said. “It’s honesty. Your body can’t lie about being turned on.” He turned her to face him. “Answer me honestly, Älskling, where did you go?”
Her cheeks burned red with a heat she could feel, but for some reason, she felt the urge to be completely honest with Anders. If it all went south, she wouldn’t need to see him again anytime soon.
Embarrassment raged within her, but she had nothing to lose. She looked down at her shoes, but his erection obstructed her view, making her wish the ground would open up and swallow her whole. “I was right there with you, and then a voice from the past reminded me that I’m not the…I’m not the kind of…that I don’t…”
“Don’t what?”
“I don’t come easily. And I was so close, but…”
Anders stepped back and for a moment, she thought he was going to tell her to forget the night and send her home, but then he reached for her chin and tipped her face to look straight at him.
“Keep your eyes on me.” He let go of her chin and removed his jacket. He threw it over the chair near the door and then began to open the buttons on his shirt. “You
know what defines a professional athlete? An Olympian?”
Olivia shook her head. “Being the best at the sport?” she offered weakly.
Anders shrugged. “Yes. But it is so much more than that. It requires massive reserves of physical stamina.” He pulled the shirt from his trousers and slipped his arms
from the sleeves.
Holy-freaking-Christ-on-a-cracker. His body was Michelangelo-level perfection. Chiseled, muscular, a smattering of chest hair, and dear lord… his pants hung low on
his waist. How could he even think they were on the same playing field? The orgasm she’d been close to disappeared completely.
She bit her lip as he reached for his belt and removed it in one swift move. “And on top of physical stamina, there is a mental toughness, a don’t-quit-no-matter-what-the-costs mentality. With those two, you can do anything.”
Anders unbuttoned his trousers, lowered the zipper, and then, after kicking off his shoes and socks, he let them and his underwear slide to the ground.
“Oh my gosh. Your leg.” She reached for him. The bruise spread across his hip and thigh.
Anders gripped her hand, holding it away from him. “It’s fine, Olivia. It doesn’t hurt. You know what does though?” His erection was hard and heavy, thick and long.
“This.” He grasped it, and she felt the feelings of arousal begin to bubble to the surface again.
For a moment, he didn’t say another word. He just stood in front of her, lazily palming his cock. A slow back and forth motion. Then he approached her like a wolf
about to eat its prey. “Tonight, sweet Olivia, I’m going to use every ounce of physical stamina and mental toughness to do whatever it takes to make you come and come often. I’m going to drive out of your mind the reckless words of a man who didn’t realize you were worth every effort, and that every orgasm you found at his hands was even more precious than if it had been given easily. You are a challenge that I am going to spend the rest of this night conquering.”
Meet the Author
Scarlett Cole is a contemporary romance author that calls both Toronto, Canada and Manchester, England home. A born city dweller, she periodically quashes the urge to live in the country by hiking up a mountain to remind herself that living away from people would terrify the pants off her.
She believes everybody deserves their love story to be told and loves her heroes on the rough and rugged side…and usually tall (because she married one of those 6ft 6” men you read about in romance!). She’s an A-type personality and Scorpio star sign, so good luck getting her to do anything she doesn’t want to. When she isn’t writing, she’s happy to talk hot men and expensive shoes while drinking a cold gin and tonic. Don’t bring up olives. As far as Scarlett is concerned, they are the devil’s food. As long as you don’t bring up olives, she’s happy to hear from any time.
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