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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
I read these books out of order on accident, and have slowly been working my way backwards. that being said they can be read as a standalone, but there is definitely spoilers when you do it this way overall, I really liked Ari and thought she was sweet and bubbly. I enjoyed watching her slowly tear down O’Doul’s layers that he had built up to keep everyone out. I could have done without Ari‘s crazy, ex bursting in the scene and causing problems but the book would’ve lacked some drama without it.
Another great sports romance, this series is really fantastic!
Listening to this book kept reminding me of PUCKED OFF by Helena Hunting. and that book is in my Top 20. So this really is a case of, "I heard the other one first. You never really had a chance."
I also messed this series up by listening to the books all out of order. I started with BROOKLYNAIRE, then ROOKIE MOVE, PIPE DREAMS and then HARD HITTER. If I had known that there was so much overlap in the stories, I would have done it in the proper order.
Patrick and Ari. He's the team captain of the Bruisers and a veteran enforcer. She's the team's yoga instructor and masseuse.
P grew up in the foster system and learned to fight to protect himself from a young age. Ari is reeling from a long-term relationship with a scumbag who is turning into a criminal.
He doesn't want a relationship. In fact, he's never wanted one. She is panicked about the damage a relationship with a player can do to her career.
Of course, they're good for each other, and they provide something the other has never had before. They each become indispensable.
Drama. Conflict. Resolution. HEA.
Overall, fine.
I also messed this series up by listening to the books all out of order. I started with BROOKLYNAIRE, then ROOKIE MOVE, PIPE DREAMS and then HARD HITTER. If I had known that there was so much overlap in the stories, I would have done it in the proper order.
Patrick and Ari. He's the team captain of the Bruisers and a veteran enforcer. She's the team's yoga instructor and masseuse.
P grew up in the foster system and learned to fight to protect himself from a young age. Ari is reeling from a long-term relationship with a scumbag who is turning into a criminal.
He doesn't want a relationship. In fact, he's never wanted one. She is panicked about the damage a relationship with a player can do to her career.
Of course, they're good for each other, and they provide something the other has never had before. They each become indispensable.
Drama. Conflict. Resolution. HEA.
Overall, fine.
Find this review and more at kimberlyfaye reads.
I'm not the only one who is totally in love with everything Sarina Bowen writes, right? I read, no devoured, this one a couple months ago while I was recovering from surgery and it was EXACTLY what the doctor ordered.
Y'all know I love me a good grumpy hero. Patrick O'Doul was exactly that. But as gruff and hard as he was on the outside, he was gentle and sweet underneath. But he was still alllll man. I loved how he stepped up for Ari, giving her exactly the support she needed to get through the issues with her (scumbag) ex. Don't get me wrong, Ari was strong as hell and totally able to fight her own battles. It still didn't hurt that Patrick was totally protective of her and gave her additional support. It's all part of what made them work as a couple and made them easy for me to root for.
I loved the way their relationship progressed throughout this book. Following along as they moved from colleagues to friends to more just made me happy. They had tons of chemistry and their sexy times were scorching hot. (Tantric sex, what?!) But more than all the physical stuff, they pushed each other to do better and be better. It just doesn't get any better than that.
It should be no surprise that I'm loving the Brooklyn Bruisers series. I'm enjoying the characters so much. I've loved seeing how each of them grow and develop over the course of their book. The pairings are perfection. I can't wait for the third book!
FAVORITE QUOTES
I'm not the only one who is totally in love with everything Sarina Bowen writes, right? I read, no devoured, this one a couple months ago while I was recovering from surgery and it was EXACTLY what the doctor ordered.
Y'all know I love me a good grumpy hero. Patrick O'Doul was exactly that. But as gruff and hard as he was on the outside, he was gentle and sweet underneath. But he was still alllll man. I loved how he stepped up for Ari, giving her exactly the support she needed to get through the issues with her (scumbag) ex. Don't get me wrong, Ari was strong as hell and totally able to fight her own battles. It still didn't hurt that Patrick was totally protective of her and gave her additional support. It's all part of what made them work as a couple and made them easy for me to root for.
I loved the way their relationship progressed throughout this book. Following along as they moved from colleagues to friends to more just made me happy. They had tons of chemistry and their sexy times were scorching hot. (Tantric sex, what?!) But more than all the physical stuff, they pushed each other to do better and be better. It just doesn't get any better than that.
It should be no surprise that I'm loving the Brooklyn Bruisers series. I'm enjoying the characters so much. I've loved seeing how each of them grow and develop over the course of their book. The pairings are perfection. I can't wait for the third book!
FAVORITE QUOTES
"Center your awareness on your breathing. If you find your mind wandering to other thoughts, simply acknowledge that all is fucking horseshit. Let it go. Listen to your inner stillness. Breathe in calm. Exhale bullshit."
3.5 ⭐
Kay so this is my favorite book in the series, yet. I loved them but I totally identified with Ari the most and for goodness sake, O'Doul will make any girl's heart skip a few beats.
If you're looking for your next hockey romance with a he-falls-first hero and a little crime thrill/drama - look no further. Pick this one up next!
Kay so this is my favorite book in the series, yet. I loved them but I totally identified with Ari the most and for goodness sake, O'Doul will make any girl's heart skip a few beats.
If you're looking for your next hockey romance with a he-falls-first hero and a little crime thrill/drama - look no further. Pick this one up next!
This was more of a 3.5 read for me. The characters were all likable, but the crisis that I'd oil faced just didn't feel like it fit smoothly story wise and Ari's indecision was a little wearing at times.
I just loved this story and the characters. I need more!!
Patrick O'Doul swept me off my feet. The Brooklyn Bruisers team captain and enforcer is simply the right combination of hard and soft (in all the right places -->I'm thinking of his soft heart of course). When he utters the word "sweetheart" to team masseuse and yoga instructor Ari Bettini, I simply melt. With Doulie, Sarina Bowen has created a distinctly contradictory romance hero and paired him perfectly with a heroine who challenges his sensibilities and manages to give him hope.
The focus of the story is on Ari desperately trying to rid herself of Vince, the ex-boyfriend that won't stay away. Ari is vulnerable but intuitive which helps her cope with the drama surrounding Vince and his nefarious lifestyle. She's also sassy and brave, taking chances that bring her closer to danger and closer to Patrick. Patrick himself is simply closed off. He's well aware of his good fortune but all that grace also leaves him isolated and afraid to be touched. His developing relationship with Ari shakes all that up though and gives us an amazing story of friendship and romance.
As always, Sarina's dialogue made me giggle and swoon. The banter between the teammates, the front office personnel and Patrick and Ari is thoughtful, witty and off the charts sexy. I was so drawn into the story and I found myself wanting to interject my own thoughts into their conversations on sports:
about friendship & romance:
and finally, that internal dialogue that gives us something to mull over:
Sarina Bowen ushers in the new year with a sports romance story that manages to bring two very deserving souls to a unique understanding about themselves and each other. The Brooklyn Bruisers series is solidified as a favorite carryover from 2016. Pipe Dreams is already on my most anticipated list for the late spring and I've already started envisioning Becca (& Nates) story for a summer read (please, please, please). HH is my first 5++ star read of 2017.
The focus of the story is on Ari desperately trying to rid herself of Vince, the ex-boyfriend that won't stay away. Ari is vulnerable but intuitive which helps her cope with the drama surrounding Vince and his nefarious lifestyle. She's also sassy and brave, taking chances that bring her closer to danger and closer to Patrick. Patrick himself is simply closed off. He's well aware of his good fortune but all that grace also leaves him isolated and afraid to be touched. His developing relationship with Ari shakes all that up though and gives us an amazing story of friendship and romance.
As always, Sarina's dialogue made me giggle and swoon. The banter between the teammates, the front office personnel and Patrick and Ari is thoughtful, witty and off the charts sexy. I was so drawn into the story and I found myself wanting to interject my own thoughts into their conversations on sports:
“You know who are a bunch of pussies?”
He hefted the weight, and Castro moved in behind him to spot. “Who?”
O’Doul hefted the weight three times before he answered. “Football. Players,” he huffed, guiding the bar back into its restraints. It fell with a clang, and then he could speak again. “One game a week,” he said, sweat pouring off him. “And average time on the field is eleven minutes. You believe that shit?”
“No, I do not,” Castro agreed. “Let’em try to skate forty minutes in a game, three and a half nights a week. They’d curl up in a little fucking ball.”
about friendship & romance:
“When I told him I needed a friend, he hugged me. And he smelled so freaking good I just wanted to climb into the collar of his shirt and stay there forever.”
“That would get weird eventually,” Becca said, draining her cup."
and finally, that internal dialogue that gives us something to mull over:
"Ari’s eyes felt suddenly hot. “Be kind to yourself” was something she taught her yoga students, too. Why was it so hard to do?"
Sarina Bowen ushers in the new year with a sports romance story that manages to bring two very deserving souls to a unique understanding about themselves and each other. The Brooklyn Bruisers series is solidified as a favorite carryover from 2016. Pipe Dreams is already on my most anticipated list for the late spring and I've already started envisioning Becca (& Nates) story for a summer read (please, please, please). HH is my first 5++ star read of 2017.
I’m not sure what it is about a grumpy hero, but they really get my engine revving. Luckily for me Patrick O’Doul falls into this category. If you’re already a fan of the series, you’ll remember O’Doul as the team captain and enforcer of the Brooklyn Bruisers. He comes across as rather prickly, and socialising with his team outside the confines of the rink is not high on his agenda.
When the skates come on, the gloves are off, but recovering from the hits is starting to takes its toll. Rather frustratingly for Patrick it’s also something that has not gone unnoticed by the team’s management. On top of his identity crisis Patrick now has to deal with mandatory sessions with the teams yoga instructor and massage therapist, Ariana Bettini.
Trust is an important component in a therapy session, and Ari knows she has her work cut out for her. Closed off in body language and his willingness to partake in the sessions, Ari has more to conquer then O’Doul’s dislike of being touched.
On the ice he was flashy and confident. But up close in person he was one of the more cautious souls she’d ever met.
As time goes on their uneasy routine becomes more tolerable for Patrick, he finds focusing on other things, namely one Miss Bettini make for a more appealing session, and in a huge turn around he soon finds himself counting down the time between each one.
Breaking through with Patrick is a not just a career goal but a personal one too. She’s intrigued with him in more than a professional capacity, and with so much on her plate, it’s as much as a surprise to her as it is to Patrick that he should be the one she leans on.
“Show me, sweetheart. Wherever you lead, I’m following.”
As Ari heals Patrick’s body, in turn he heals her past hurts. The trust that she needed from him is reciprocated and what blossoms is an incredibly sweet and passionate romance.
It’s been a brilliant year to be a fan of Sarina Bowens. She has been frequent and consistent with her releases, and I have enjoyed dutifully gobbling them all up. As well as Rookie Move, Hard Hitter is a fantastic addiction to a series I have no reservations in recommending. Her characters are always likeable and well thought out and engaging with them and the story is always an immediate and pleasurable experience.
