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stumpfed's review
5.0
Quite possibly her best work. Have I sworn that before after finishing an Aleo book? Um, yeah, probably. But, this was another just epically heart and romantic, yet deep healing and heart clenching book. I loved this. The Bullies have some AWESOME potential if Jude and Clair are any representation of what some young college students can do!
As always, Aleo made my heart hurt for the characters, it made my heart sing for them, it made me laugh (Butterface) it made me swoon (A LOT) and it made me happy. All in the course of the 2 hours it took me to eat this book alive!
As always, Aleo made my heart hurt for the characters, it made my heart sing for them, it made me laugh (Butterface) it made me swoon (A LOT) and it made me happy. All in the course of the 2 hours it took me to eat this book alive!
caras_reviews's review
4.0
Nice, sweet read
First thing I will say is I did put this one off because of the cover. Poor guys a little on the skinny side I think for a book cover
I did enjoy this story, though at times I find myself skipping bits here and there so it could have been a little shorter, I just think there were some things that could have been condensed. Overall a sweet romance. I understood where Claire was coming from, but the way things were worded could have been different. It was a well written story and I will enjoy the rest of the books.
First thing I will say is I did put this one off because of the cover. Poor guys a little on the skinny side I think for a book cover
I did enjoy this story, though at times I find myself skipping bits here and there so it could have been a little shorter, I just think there were some things that could have been condensed. Overall a sweet romance. I understood where Claire was coming from, but the way things were worded could have been different. It was a well written story and I will enjoy the rest of the books.
amirasx's review
3.0
Solid 3.5
I hated the way the characters were written and the overall writing style. It came across as cliche/childish. BUT, I loved the premise and I find myself halfway through the book being absorbed into the the story rather than paying attention to the actual writing.
I hated the way the characters were written and the overall writing style. It came across as cliche/childish. BUT, I loved the premise and I find myself halfway through the book being absorbed into the the story rather than paying attention to the actual writing.
shannon_cocktailsandbooks's review
4.0
3.5 Stars
Toni Aleo always gives us great hockey romance books. She creates these amazing, often times stubborn and hard headed characters, who can always make you shed a tear when that big emotional climax comes in the story. BOARDED BY LOVE, a spin-off from her Nashville Assassins series, is no different.
BOARDED BY LOVE gives us Claire Anderson's story. You might remember troubled teen, Claire, from Phillip and Reece's story, BREAKING AWAY. Claire's in college now, starting her sophomore year, when she suddenly finds herself very much attracted to and being "chased" by the Bellevue Bullies hockey team captain and campus playboy, Jude Sinclair.
It was pretty much love at first sight for these two. They had some pretty explosive chemistry together and it was easy to see how both of them fall so hard and so fast (think Elli and Shea, but in their 20s. HAWT!!). Was it always believable, probably not (I know I would be jealous as hell of all the women Jude had been with or continued to chase after him), but that's part of what makes romance novels so fun...not all the bad stuff in real life has to pop up.
Claire still has some residual issues because of her past, which causes her to not always make the wisest decisions and ends up breaking the heart of two very important people in her life. And while that part of the book is very emotional and tears you up, I could see why Claire did what she did. She's a product of her upbringing, no matter what Phillip and Reese have done or will do to support her, and I felt (just a bit) that Jude's feelings took a bit more precedent over her "whys". What Claire did was wrong, but to know her is to understand why she needed what her secret gave her.
I can't wait to see what Toni gives us next in this series (I seriously hope is Jayden). If you love the Assassins series, definitely pick this one up.
Toni Aleo always gives us great hockey romance books. She creates these amazing, often times stubborn and hard headed characters, who can always make you shed a tear when that big emotional climax comes in the story. BOARDED BY LOVE, a spin-off from her Nashville Assassins series, is no different.
BOARDED BY LOVE gives us Claire Anderson's story. You might remember troubled teen, Claire, from Phillip and Reece's story, BREAKING AWAY. Claire's in college now, starting her sophomore year, when she suddenly finds herself very much attracted to and being "chased" by the Bellevue Bullies hockey team captain and campus playboy, Jude Sinclair.
It was pretty much love at first sight for these two. They had some pretty explosive chemistry together and it was easy to see how both of them fall so hard and so fast (think Elli and Shea, but in their 20s. HAWT!!). Was it always believable, probably not (I know I would be jealous as hell of all the women Jude had been with or continued to chase after him), but that's part of what makes romance novels so fun...not all the bad stuff in real life has to pop up.
Claire still has some residual issues because of her past, which causes her to not always make the wisest decisions and ends up breaking the heart of two very important people in her life. And while that part of the book is very emotional and tears you up, I could see why Claire did what she did. She's a product of her upbringing, no matter what Phillip and Reese have done or will do to support her, and I felt (just a bit) that Jude's feelings took a bit more precedent over her "whys". What Claire did was wrong, but to know her is to understand why she needed what her secret gave her.
I can't wait to see what Toni gives us next in this series (I seriously hope is Jayden). If you love the Assassins series, definitely pick this one up.
traecrochet's review
3.0
Let me start off by saying I love Toni Aleo's Assassins series. I'm a huge hockey fan (go Devils!) and she writes some of the best hockey romance out there. However, her attempt at a New Adult hockey romance fell a little flat.
The plot was entirely too predictable, with little to no conflict until 75%. The insta-love between Claire and Jude was unrealistic. There was a hint of 2 antagonists, but they weren't fully fleshed out. Both Jude and Claire were Mary-Sue's; they were both too perfect. She tried to write some faults into their characters, but it didn't work out too well.
Here's to hoping the 2nd book is better.
The plot was entirely too predictable, with little to no conflict until 75%. The insta-love between Claire and Jude was unrealistic. There was a hint of 2 antagonists, but they weren't fully fleshed out. Both Jude and Claire were Mary-Sue's; they were both too perfect. She tried to write some faults into their characters, but it didn't work out too well.
Here's to hoping the 2nd book is better.
give_me_kidrauhl's review
3.0
2.5
Trigger warning: rape, drug addiction, child neglect
All triggers mentioned above are NOT on page and she speaks about it in the prologue.
I mention rape not just because of what happend to her mother, but because the heroine says this about her mother's hookups
"She especially managed to pick the ones who liked to touch little girls, but thankfully I was pretty good at getting away. [...] But that all changed when I turned fourteen - my mom brought home a guy that did get to me. Because that time I didn't try to get away."
Legally (and morally) speaking it's rape even if she says it was consensual. She was 14 and I'm pretty fricking sure the guy was over 18. Also she now says she regrets it and did it because she wanted it to feel something. I know Americans have a specific term for this, but (being Italian) I don't know it.
Safety:
-Like mentioned above she has a past, but has been celibate for years
-Manwhore hero, his past was mentioned constantly, like really, every time he speaks about a girl he says that he either already slept with her or that she wants to
-No om drama
-Ow drama:
-No cheating
-Both celibate during separation
-7 months later epilogue
Trigger warning: rape, drug addiction, child neglect
All triggers mentioned above are NOT on page and she speaks about it in the prologue.
I mention rape not just because of what happend to her mother, but because the heroine says this about her mother's hookups
"She especially managed to pick the ones who liked to touch little girls, but thankfully I was pretty good at getting away. [...] But that all changed when I turned fourteen - my mom brought home a guy that did get to me. Because that time I didn't try to get away."
Legally (and morally) speaking it's rape even if she says it was consensual. She was 14 and I'm pretty fricking sure the guy was over 18. Also she now says she regrets it and did it because she wanted it to feel something. I know Americans have a specific term for this, but (being Italian) I don't know it.
Safety:
-Like mentioned above she has a past, but has been celibate for years
-Manwhore hero, his past was mentioned constantly, like really, every time he speaks about a girl he says that he either already slept with her or that she wants to
-No om drama
-Ow drama:
Spoiler
one girl tries to cause drama by telling the h that the H cheated on her, but it's not true; also a lot of girls stop her to tell her he's gonna break her heart/cheat on her-No cheating
-Both celibate during separation
-7 months later epilogue
geo_ix's review
4.0
I didn't like this at first, it's super cheesy, but I'm glad I pushed on because the plot is great and it ends up kicking you in the guts hard. Readings this made me want to pick up the assassins books and get to Phillip and reeses story because that guys hilarious!