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Blurb

After suffering a horrific injury that threatens to end his career, Baden Oulett is about to learn that sometimes a fresh start is just what the doctor ordered.

I worked my whole life to achieve one goal—play professional hockey. As part of the defending Cup champion Arizona Vengeance, I was living my dream until one split second decision destroyed it all. Instead of lacing up my skates and hitting the ice, I’ve spent my days in rehab and physical therapy just so I could walk again. When a coaching opportunity with the Pittsburgh Titans is presented to me, I find myself with a career I had never considered but which allows me to continue being part of the sport that I love.

While my injuries are physical, the same can’t be said for the woman I rescued. Suffering from wounds that can’t be seen, Sophie Winters has withdrawn from the world in fear and guilt. I didn’t know Sophie before that fateful night and have only met her once since, but I refuse to let her face her demons alone. Determined to be a friend, I support Sophie in the only way I know how… by simply being there.

Through our shared trauma, Sophie and I begin to find peace within one another. As we grow closer, what started as friendship becomes more intimate until our broken pieces become one. But can a love born of anguish endure, or will the pain of our past prove too much to overcome?

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Review

4 stars!

Since the moment I first learned about this series, I have been desperate to get my hands on it. It’s a fascinating premise, promising lots of intensity and emotion, and that’s exactly what it delivered – along with a sweetly romantic love story between two damaged but relatable characters.

This book is a spin-off from the Arizona Vengeance series. I haven’t read that series, but had no trouble picking this one up and getting right into it. I imagine if you have read the Vengeance series, the character crossover would be even more exciting.

This book begins following the horrific tragedy of the entire Pittsburgh Titans NHL team being killed when their plane crashed. Not just the players, but the owner, coaches and other staff were aboard, and the team is decimated. The new owner (sister of the now deceased owner) is keen to honor their legacy and get a new team together, and she’s busily pulling people in from all over the country to get the new team up and running.

Baden Oulett was a player for the Arizona Vengeance NHL team, until a brutally violent attack saw left him with devastating injuries and unable to play again. Now, he’s been offered the opportunity to become the new goalie coach for the Titans, and he figures that not only is it a way for him to remain involved with the sport that he loves, but it’s also the fresh start that he needs.

Sophie Winters was rescued from a randomly violent attack by Baden, and she has suffered overwhelming anxiety and PTSD ever since. Not only from her own fear over what almost happened to her, but from the extreme guilt she feels over the injuries that Baden suffered while saving her. She suffers from nightmares and barely leaves the house, but when Baden moves to Pittsburgh, where she lives, and looks her up, she fights her fears to meet with the man who saved her life.

Baden is devastated when he sees Sophie and realises how much she is struggling, and though they’ve only met once before, he is immediately determined to befriend her, and help her past her fears to face the world again

It’s a great set-up, and together Baden and Sophie find comfort and solace with each other. They open up and talk about their shared experience, and its ongoing impact on their lives, and their instant easy friendship is so sweet. Underneath it all, of course, is a simmering attraction that is natural and emotional, and the more time they spend together, the deeper it becomes, and I loved watching their feelings for each other change.

Because of all of that they are dealing with, the romance is a slow burn, and it all just feels so right. And when their big moment comes, it’s beautifully sweet, swoony and emotional.

“You know this was inevitable.”
“I only dared hope,” I whisper.

It’s such a gorgeous love story that is easy, natural and functional, and it ties in so well to Baden and Sophie’s individual character development. They have a lot to work through, and they do it together, and I enjoyed watching them reclaim their lives after so much devastation and find happiness together.

An evil, violent act introduced us.
Fate brought us back together again.
Healing wounds bonded us.
And sex sealed it all.
She’s simply mine. And I am hers.

In the meantime, Baden is working with the Titans, made up of a random mix of rookies, veterans, and a small number of players who missed that fateful flight. It’s a unique group, full of hot tempers, damaged souls and complex dynamics, and it sets up the series beautifully as all of these men come together, each with their own demons, to play hockey for a devastated city. I love the backstories for the boys, and can’t wait for their books as the series continues.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a strong start for the series, with drama, emotion, and a gorgeous friends-to-lovers romance, and I’m excited for more.

4 stars.

An Advanced Review Audio Copy was generously provided by the authors in exchange for an honest review.