Poke Check by RJ Scott & V.L. Locey Blog Tour

One scorching summer in each other's arms could never be enough.

Stanislav “Stan” Lyamin is happy playing for the Railers. The towering goalie is well-loved, respected, and making a home for himself even though that home only contains him, his cat, and his growing Pokemon trading card collection. Stan prefers it that way.

He’d given his heart to a man in a secret affair, and that man walked away, leaving Stan shattered. Now Erik is back in his life, and he has the same tumultuous effect he had on Stan’s heart as before. This time it’s not just a kissable mouth and sweet blond curls that Erik has brought to Harrisburg, there’s a soon-to-be ex-wife and a precious baby.

Despite the vow Stan made to hate Erik forever, he’s now finding it harder and harder to turn away.

Erik Gunnarsson’s dream had always been to play in the NHL, he just never imagined he’d land a contract with the Railers. Who would have thought that fate would put him on the same team as Stanislav Lyamin; the man whose heart he’d callously broken?

Secrets and lies had defined their summer relationship, and the choice that Erik made to end it all haunts him still. In the middle of a messy divorce and with a baby in tow, Erik finds himself back in Stan’s life. Now all he has to do is be the best dad he can be, prove to the team that he deserves the chance to stay on the roster and try his hardest to get Stan to forgive him.

Is it possible to persuade a man who hates you to give love a second chance?

Book 4
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Stan

There are many people I would have rather seen standing on the ice of my practice arena than Erik. For example my beloved sister, Galina, my sainted mother, Arina, my cat, Lucy, or my new gay American heartthrob, Zachary Quinto.

Zachary would be wearing only a smile even though it’s cold on the ice.

But no, none of them were standing in front of me wearing a Railers sweater and curls. Those damn golden curls. They’d always tempted me beyond sense. As had his mouth. And the way he would tilt his head when he was trying to understand me out of bed. In bed? There was no language barrier. Our bodies had always been tuned to each other like radio waves to a satellite dish.

Even now, I felt the low hum of his presence in my veins. I had feared this moment would come. From the first time I’d heard his name mentioned as being a new member of the Rush, our AHL feeder team, I’d known he would eventually stand in front of me, tipping his head, with his curls, his eyes and his mouth.

Connor was looking at me as if he expected something from me. Ah yes, words. He wanted me to say something. How did “go fuck a donkey” translate into English?

“We are known to each other.”

I skated to my net, mask perched on my head, and tried to focus. The humming in my blood was unsettling. Closing my eyes, I let the blue ice under my skates talk to me. Opening myself up to the sounds of hockey, the stress of seeing Erik again lessened. I whispered to the pipes as I tapped them. Asked them in Russian if they were going to be my friends during this practice.

“Uh, hey, I know this is a strict breach of protocol and all… but is there a problem between you and Gunner?”

I glanced to the left. Tennant stood there, geared up, his stick casually resting across his shoulders. So Erik now had his American hockey nickname. Why didn’t I have a new American hockey nickname? Pah. I was being petty. It tasted bad on my tongue.

“Gunner is okay person from time back in space.” Was that right? English was hard to speak. It made no sense. How could there be three ways to spell one word? Russian was simple. Strong. Pure. A language of passion and spirit. American was whiney and tied my brain into knots. No, that was not true. American was a wonderful language. It was me who was whiney and unhappy. “Time back. In the back of time. Is bad time to talk. Go away.”

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is the fourth book in the series and my absolute favourite so far. It is super sporty, fabulously funny, and yet cute, and crazily, passionately, chemistry laden. I think probably the humour is the real standout for me, although the alpha male Stan talking to his pipes is wonderful too!

Whilst the current events seem precipitous, we understand that there is enough history between Erik and Stan to make everything just fit the timeframe we have. From the impact of Stan's family, to the fears Erik has about Noah's mother, we get a sense of how much capacity these guys have for love and commitment. From the rest of the players, and the events on the ice, we see the need for concentration and commitment to their careers and team. Add in the humour, often based on Stan's misguided use of the American language, and the sexual tension, often given a chance for free expression, and this book delivers.

Thank you Ms. Scott and Ms. Locey – this is definitely one which I will be rereading, especially when I need a broad smile.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is a fabulous second-chance romance. Stan and Erik fell hard for each other during a summer training camp – until Erik ran off, married a woman, and had a son. Stan has been a favourite character throughout this series and I’m so glad the very strange Russian goalie finally has his own book.

The hockey action in this book is brilliant. Stan is hilarious on the ice. His routines and superstitions are entertaining, and his awkward English is even funnier when we get insight into the thoughts behind some of his more bizarre comments. Erik’s skating scenes are much more serious. He’s been called up to the NHL and he is desperate to prove his worth to his new team.

Off ice, both men are much softer, gentler homebodies than I would have ever expected. Erik’s son is his only priority and he nearly bankrupts himself to keep Noah with him. Stan is a caretaker. He cares for his sister and his mother passionately and he is only too happy to take care of Noah and Erik too.

I really loved this story. I loved that the miscommunications are cleared up quickly and that neither Stan or Erik holds grudges. I loved every bit of dialogue involving Stan. I love the friendships between the players on the Railers' team and Stan and Erik together are wonderful.

This is another brilliant addition to a story I’ve loved from the start. I can’t wait for the next book!


Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
Stan and Erik’s story is a second chance romance. A year after they had a heated affair at a summer training camp, Erik gets traded to the Railers. He arrives with a new baby and has to face up to his feelings for Stan.

Erik is a good guy, but I think Stan is the star of the story. When I was reading his point of view, I was hearing his Russian accident in my head and I loved his, at times, unintentionally funny broken English. He is scary on the ice but off the ice, Stan is a big teddy bear and is full of love. I adored him, and I just melted whenever he was with baby Noah.

I love that this story isn’t full of drama. It is just the journey of Erik and Stan finding their way back to each other. Things don’t always go smoothly but it is a lovely heartwarming story.

Poke Check is another great addition to the Harrisburg Railers series and I hope the authors write many more of these books because they are so wonderful I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of them.

Also Available in the Harrisburg Railers Series

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our stop on the First Season Blog Tour.

Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our stop on the Deep Edge Blog Tour.

RJ’s goal is to write stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, that hint of a happily ever after.

RJ Scott is the bestselling author of over one hundred romance books. She writes emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

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V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, Dr. Who, Torchwood, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, two Jersey steers and a flock of assorted domestic fowl.

When not writing lusty tales, she can be found enjoying her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Poke Check (Harrisburg Railers #4) by R.J. Scott & V.L. Locey to read and review for this tour.