You Had Me at Hockey by Kelly Jamieson

Can a spirited, down-to-earth influencer get an uptight hockey player out of his shell?

Josh
I am a warrior. That’s been my motto since I recovered from a near-death accident when I was younger. Now I enjoy my nice, settled life in Dallas playing pro hockey—a boring life is better than being dead. I’m not a party guy or an adventurer; I like my routine and peace and quiet. So being traded to New York is the worst possible change that could happen. And meeting unfiltered and fascinating Sara Carrington throws my life into even more chaos.

Sara
I’ve been considered weird my whole life, which is why I’m still a virgin, but I’ve turned it into a career with my YouTube videos. Who knew people would love watching me talk about my zits, taste test meatless burgers, and try to learn TikTok dances! Now I’m launching a podcast. Getting hockey star Josh Heller as a guest will help gain listeners for sure. I expect a bearded jock with no teeth and nothing to say, but I get a hot as H-E-double-hockey-sticks grouch with a surprisingly dirty mind. My mission to make him laugh is successful, but I want to know why he’s so uptight underneath that panty-dropping smile. Maybe I can teach Josh to have some fun... and maybe he can teach me a thing or two along the way...

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Bears Hockey series!
For book one, Must Love Dogs...and Hockey, click HERE.

 

 

Book 2
Buy Links

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

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in the series, and you would be aware of the coach crash and its impact on fellow hockey player Easton if you have read it. I would recommend that you do, as it takes a really interesting look at the differences in the experiences that the two men had, and the assumptions that they made. The hockey elements cleverly wound around this problem, and I really liked how it was used to give us insight into their issues and the impact on the game.

Josh is traded to New York – not an entirely unusual event for hockey players, but he does not do well with change or meeting new people. His fight back from the accident has shaped his life, and he needs to be able to control as much as he can. But move he must, and also face an ex-friend he hasn't seen since the accident. It makes for difficult reading as we see the two men uncertain of what pulled them apart and still hurting from such a life changing event, even years later.

As part of his social obligations, Josh has to record a podcast with Sara, a Vlogger with a good following. They have an unexpectedly fun session, and start to spend time together. This confuses Josh a lot, as Sara is not the cool, calm, and tidy type that is undemanding on his time. She is bright, fun, and messy. I enjoyed him learning more about what her life was about, and how she had no clue about hockey, but made the effort too. It was a great mix of sports romance and a look at the lifestyle of an influencer.

I thought that the romance progressed in a very believable way. I loved Sara's openness and honesty, and Luke's care and concern at making it good for her. They both struck gold when they met.

I really recommend this book – it was the perfect mix of very cute and extremely sexy. Thank you Kelly Jamieson – another fabulous read!


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars
M/F Sports Romance
Triggers: Click HERE to see Avid Reader’s review on Goodreads for trigger warnings.

Josh likes to be able to plan his life. After suffering from a horrific bus accident and having to recover wondering if he would ever play hockey again, Josh knows that if he works hard, plans his life, and keeps his nose down, that he'll achieve his goals. When he is traded to a new team, he knows that it's part of the life, but he can't help but be a little upset too. He is not super excited about seeing his old teammate again, but knows that he'll have to move past the past to move forward.

Sara loves her life. She knows what she wants and goes for it. Despite her not finishing college, she has become incredibly successful in her own way. As an influencer, Sara knows that sometimes the world of social media can be unforgiving. Sara is also very aware of her own mental health and how that can affect how people see her and how she sees herself. When she is asked to interview Josh, an athlete she knows nothing about, she's pleasantly surprised with how easy their banter is.

Sara and Josh have a lot to show each other. They will learn to let go, live in the moment, plan for the future, and let someone else help them. Sara and Josh are a couple that seem to be misfit, but they make it work. They have funny banter, good chemistry, and it starts out as a friendship rather than an insta-love connection. I appreciated that their relationship was built instead of thrown in your face.

This is a sweet story with funny, light characters. While it wasn't a super-fast paced story and it had a lot of back and forth, which at times was a little frustrating, the story had a happy ending.

 

 

USA Today bestselling author KELLY JAMIESON is the author of more than forty contemporary romance novels. She writes the kind of books she loves to read—sexy romance with heat, humor, and emotion. She likes coffee (black), wine (mostly white), and shoes (high!). She also loves watching hockey.

Connect with Kelly

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of You Had Me at Hockey (Bears Hockey #2) by Kelly Jamieson to read and review.