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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.25 stars
(3.75 stars for the hockey)
I was really excited to start reading Pipe Dreams. Beacon wasn't my favorite player, but I was intrigued by Lauren. What was the deal with her, anyway? So cranky and contrary, there had to be a reason for her unpleasantness, especially when it came to hockey. She was obviously good at her job, or Nate would have ended her employment instead of promoting her. The girls in the Bruisers organization, however, had nothing good to say about Lauren, and I wanted to know why.
Oh. My. This woman had so much justification to be enraged any time she thought about hockey or was forced to do something for the team. After Becca's head injury in the previous novel, Nate abruptly reassigned Lauren to work in the team's front office. Again. And Lauren is not happy with the job task. But it's play offs, the team's prospects look good, and there is no way Nate is going to let her slide.
This is Lauren's second time working for the team. The first time, she worked for her father, then the coach, who was fired after Nate purchased the franchise. Lauren had a crush on Mike, but he was a married man, so she ignored her attraction to him. Then! Mike discovers that his wife had been having an affair with her tennis coach for a year. While he and Sherry hadn't had a happy marriage, he stayed faithful to his high school sweetheart. They married after he got her pregnant with their daughter Elsa, and though he was unhappy, he never strayed. Until the big discovery and the filing of the divorce papers.
During flashback chapters, we learn that Mike and Lauren hooked up, and after going out for a year and a half, Mike called things off. Literally. He called her on her cell and dumped her. While she was looking for an apartment for them. And then he refused to have anything else to do with her. Ignored her calls. Wouldn't speak to her. Didn't bother to explain that his estranged wife had been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer and wasn't expected to live long. To take care of Elsa and Shelly, Mike ended his relationship with Lauren.
Okay, I guess I can understand this. A little bit. But really, Mike? To not even explain to the woman of your dreams why you are tossing her to the curb? What a jerk. What a selfish, cowardly jerk. I did not like this guy. At all. And by not explaining anything to anyone, he made Lauren the husband stealing villain of the piece. No wonder she hates hockey.
Everything about Mike grated on my nerves. When he learns that Lauren is trying to have a baby through artificial insemination, he volunteers to knock her up. And I was like - what? You have already proven that you can't be trusted, you cowardly jerk. And when Lauren took him up on his offer? Ugh. The romance did not work for me. Lauren forgave Michael far, far to quickly. I didn't think there was any tension between them, and their relationship sailed into the sunset at an alarming rate. I didn't think Mike groveled enough, and I was disappointed that Lauren took him back so easily.
So, what did I like? The hockey! The play-off games were exciting, the action on the ice lightning fast. You could almost hear the players' skates tearing up the ice, and the puck being violently batted off of sticks. I don't think Detroit should have gone down so easily (or am I confusing that with the results of this year's play offs??). Sarina Bowen does a great job describing the game, as well as the background details of the players' game experience.
I hope Nate and Becca's romance is next, though I fear Becca will annoy me. There were times in this book that I wanted to strangle her, and she wasn't even the main character. Overall, I am enjoying this series, but the hero of Pipe Dreams didn't appeal to me.
(3.75 stars for the hockey)
I was really excited to start reading Pipe Dreams. Beacon wasn't my favorite player, but I was intrigued by Lauren. What was the deal with her, anyway? So cranky and contrary, there had to be a reason for her unpleasantness, especially when it came to hockey. She was obviously good at her job, or Nate would have ended her employment instead of promoting her. The girls in the Bruisers organization, however, had nothing good to say about Lauren, and I wanted to know why.
Oh. My. This woman had so much justification to be enraged any time she thought about hockey or was forced to do something for the team. After Becca's head injury in the previous novel, Nate abruptly reassigned Lauren to work in the team's front office. Again. And Lauren is not happy with the job task. But it's play offs, the team's prospects look good, and there is no way Nate is going to let her slide.
This is Lauren's second time working for the team. The first time, she worked for her father, then the coach, who was fired after Nate purchased the franchise. Lauren had a crush on Mike, but he was a married man, so she ignored her attraction to him. Then! Mike discovers that his wife had been having an affair with her tennis coach for a year. While he and Sherry hadn't had a happy marriage, he stayed faithful to his high school sweetheart. They married after he got her pregnant with their daughter Elsa, and though he was unhappy, he never strayed. Until the big discovery and the filing of the divorce papers.
During flashback chapters, we learn that Mike and Lauren hooked up, and after going out for a year and a half, Mike called things off. Literally. He called her on her cell and dumped her. While she was looking for an apartment for them. And then he refused to have anything else to do with her. Ignored her calls. Wouldn't speak to her. Didn't bother to explain that his estranged wife had been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer and wasn't expected to live long. To take care of Elsa and Shelly, Mike ended his relationship with Lauren.
Okay, I guess I can understand this. A little bit. But really, Mike? To not even explain to the woman of your dreams why you are tossing her to the curb? What a jerk. What a selfish, cowardly jerk. I did not like this guy. At all. And by not explaining anything to anyone, he made Lauren the husband stealing villain of the piece. No wonder she hates hockey.
Everything about Mike grated on my nerves. When he learns that Lauren is trying to have a baby through artificial insemination, he volunteers to knock her up. And I was like - what? You have already proven that you can't be trusted, you cowardly jerk. And when Lauren took him up on his offer? Ugh. The romance did not work for me. Lauren forgave Michael far, far to quickly. I didn't think there was any tension between them, and their relationship sailed into the sunset at an alarming rate. I didn't think Mike groveled enough, and I was disappointed that Lauren took him back so easily.
So, what did I like? The hockey! The play-off games were exciting, the action on the ice lightning fast. You could almost hear the players' skates tearing up the ice, and the puck being violently batted off of sticks. I don't think Detroit should have gone down so easily (or am I confusing that with the results of this year's play offs??). Sarina Bowen does a great job describing the game, as well as the background details of the players' game experience.
I hope Nate and Becca's romance is next, though I fear Becca will annoy me. There were times in this book that I wanted to strangle her, and she wasn't even the main character. Overall, I am enjoying this series, but the hero of Pipe Dreams didn't appeal to me.
emotional
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
So. Freaking. Cute! It all started with that blue dress. 😍 Pretty sure this is my favorite in the series (so far)!
Hot single dad/professional hockey player. Once burned (by said hot hockey player), twice shy headstrong heroine. One smokin' blue dress and a night in Florida. Let's do this!
Hot single dad/professional hockey player. Once burned (by said hot hockey player), twice shy headstrong heroine. One smokin' blue dress and a night in Florida. Let's do this!
Es war wieder einmal toll, nach Brooklyn ins Eishockeyteam zurückzukehren! Die Charaktere kannte man dieses Mal nur flüchtig aus den vorherigen Bänden und es war total spannend, sie besser kennenzulernen und ihr Verhalten nun nachvollziehen zu können. Die Konstellation der Protagonisten hat mir auch total gut gefallen, allerdings gingen mir manche Dinge einfach ein bisschen zu schnell. Die grundlegenden Probleme waren super leicht gelöst, was zwar einiges an Drama erspart, für mich hat es sich aber zu einfach angefühlt. Als könnte man manche Dinge innerhalb weniger Minuten vergessen oder damit im Reinen sein. Trotzdem war es ein tolles Buch für Zwischendurch und ich habe die Brooklyn Bruisers total ins Herz geschlossen❄️
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
I don't know if it was the pacing or the flashbacks or just my general dislike of second chance romances in general (especially since we already had that with Georgia and Trevi), but this didn't work for me. And it took me forever to finish.
Like Mike consistently made the wrong choices, Lauren had no backbone when it came to him, and I didn't like his kid.
I think I preferred Lauren in the other books when she was still mean, and I wish her parents had gotten a real comeuppance.
Like Mike consistently made the wrong choices, Lauren had no backbone when it came to him, and I didn't like his kid.
I think I preferred Lauren in the other books when she was still mean, and I wish her parents had gotten a real comeuppance.
You know how every series has a week link? This is the weak link for me
ARC received via Netgalley for an honest review
Hockey hotties? Check!
Second chances? Check!
Slow burn? Check!
Sarina Bowen's hockey books are some of may favourite sports books out there. There is something about her writing that drags me in takes me on the journey along with her characters. Mike and Lauren's story is not all rainbows and butterflies, Mike has enough baggage to hold them back - at least for a while.
I love the pull and the spark between our lovelies. It is a force to be reckoned with.
I adored seeing more of the couples from the first two books, but most of all I loved seeing the progression in Nate and Becca's relationship, and hope that we get more of them soon.
I read Pipe Dreams in one day, and now I am impatiently waiting to see what Ms Bowen brings us next.
Hockey hotties? Check!
Second chances? Check!
Slow burn? Check!
Sarina Bowen's hockey books are some of may favourite sports books out there. There is something about her writing that drags me in takes me on the journey along with her characters. Mike and Lauren's story is not all rainbows and butterflies, Mike has enough baggage to hold them back - at least for a while.
I love the pull and the spark between our lovelies. It is a force to be reckoned with.
I adored seeing more of the couples from the first two books, but most of all I loved seeing the progression in Nate and Becca's relationship, and hope that we get more of them soon.
I read Pipe Dreams in one day, and now I am impatiently waiting to see what Ms Bowen brings us next.