It’s
Blair Brawsiski’s ride or die year. After a decade in the AHL, if he doesn’t
get called up to the NHL this season, it’s time to hang up his skates and focus
on other things. But between a second job and family priorities, his attention
isn’t where it should be, and his dreams of making it to the big leagues are
dwindling by the day.
Hiring a personal assistant to help out with day-to-day stuff? Probably the
smartest move Blair’s made in a while.
But when that PA turns out to be an assertive baker who’s exactly Blair’s type?
Blair can’t help but wish those dexterous hands would knead something other
than pastry dough. Namely, him.
Charlie needs extra income. Desperately. With his expenses about to go up, it’s
find a second job or get evicted. Getting hired as Blair’s PA is perfect:
flexible hours, decent wages, and a scorching hot professional hockey player
who’s willing to let him use his gorgeous kitchen for his baked goods.
Too bad that hockey player is exactly Charlie’s type. Too bad Charlie knows
better than to date his new boss…
Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Vancouver Orcas series!
For book one, Game Plan, click HERE.
Book
2
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“Charlie?”
The man on his porch turned and... oh. Okay. Charlie being Coach Shore’s cousin, Blair had expected him to look like Coach: big, burly, and bearded. But Charlie was short, slim, and clean-shaven. He wore a wool coat in a colour that was somewhere between ivory and tan, a dark green scarf, and a matching toque with a grey pompom. Dark blond hair peaked out the bottom of the hat.
He looked like an ethereal fairy from another realm.
Of course he was exactly Blair’s type, all cute and rosy-cheeked and elfin.
Blair let out a rueful laugh under his breath. As if he had time for dating with everything else going on in his life. Jen and Jerry would be married before Blair found a minute of free time.
“Charlie?” he asked again, holding out a hand as he crested the porch’s top step. “I’m so sorry I’m late.”
“No biggie.” Charlie’s smile was wide and genuine despite Blair’s tardiness, and it triggered something loose in Blair’s brain.
Hand still in Charlie’s, he said, “Have we met before? You look familiar.”
“No,” Charlie said with a conviction that had Blair questioning himself. “But we’ve probably been to several of the same functions, most recently the pre-season barbecue at Coach Epps’ place. I work for the organization.”
“No kidding. Doing what?”
“I’m the baker for our NHL team. I make pastries for team breakfast, breads for sandwiches for lunch, and whatever else the head chef might need. Dinner rolls, desserts, that sort of thing.”
Now Blair recognized him. There were only a few times a year when the entire organization got together: the pre-season barbecue, the holiday party, and the end-of-season barbecue. But when you put the entire AHL and NHL teams in a room, along with coaches, management, and office and support staff as well as significant others and children, it made for close to two hundred people. And with Blair missing half of those due to other commitments in the ten years he’d been with the Orcas, it was no wonder he hadn’t officially met Charlie. Plus, not being a social creature meant that introducing himself to a crowd of strangers one by one was basically his version of a living nightmare.
He did remember once seeing Charlie from across the yard at one of the barbecues and wondering who the cutie with the smile that radiated warmth was. By the time Blair had set his plate down and turned back to make his way toward the man, Charlie had vanished.
And now here he was, on Blair’s doorstep.
What was he doing here if he already had a job, though? “Are you... seeking a new career direction?”
“No,” Charlie said with a quiet laugh. “Just a second job.” He cocked his head, and he might’ve looked guileless if there hadn’t been a hint of humour in his brown eyes. “Can I have my hand back?”
“Right.” Blair snatched his hand away, embarrassment tingling across the back of his neck. “Sorry. Uh. Come on in.”
Ruthie
– ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in this series and is a really good read. I would
recommend that you read them in order, so that you get the full dynamics of the
team, but you could read this first and go back later.
This is such an interesting take on the career of a hockey player – the reality
that so many excellent but not extraordinary players must experience. Blair has
not broken out of the AHL into the NHL and he knows that he has to set a limit
on his plans - and a decade seems to be a reasonable one. Until he now finds
himself in that last year and he is juggling helping his parents at their
business, his sister with her baby, and... well, something has to give.
Charlie is suggested as a possible PA to help Blair so that he can make sure he
doesn't miss a practice again. This is a brilliant suggestion, although the
attraction that the two of them feel is more than a little inconvenient! This
sets up a delicious, fun, sexy, and engaging romance which I thoroughly
enjoyed.
I have to say that the cake jars were so vividly described that they made me hungry
just reading about them – such a fun side plot with Charlie clearly being an
excellent baker! I am already looking forward to the next installment!
Shannan
– ☆☆☆☆
Game Changer is the second book in the Vancouver Orcas series. It can be
read as a standalone, but I personally feel it reads better if you read in the
order the author intended to get the full dynamic and structure of the team.
Blair Brawsiski has played for the AHL for 10 years. He made himself a promise
that in ten seasons if he didn't get that call to play in the NHL, he'd hang up
his skates and put his fall back plan – his graphic design degree – to use.
Blair is the one his parents depend on when someone calls out of their deli,
the one his sister depends on to pick up and watch his niece. Somewhere with
practices, games, and always being there for everyone else, he's juggling a lot
of things and dropping things that he shouldn't. His coach suggests him getting
a PA to help with basic things so he can focus on what's important... hockey.
When he interviews Charlie (who happens to be the coach's cousin), he finds him
very attractive and exactly what he needs in his life.
Charlie made some bad decisions regarding his finances and has accrued a large
debt. When his cousin, Matt, tells him about a player needing a PA, he thinks
it would be a perfect solution for his money problems. He hates cooking but if
he's getting paid to do it, it won't be a problem. Finding Blair so attractive
and having a crush on your boss is not what Charlie should be focusing on, but
he can't help himself working slowly hoping to talk to the man.
I love this series. It is written so well, and the characters are all so
loveable you can't help but root for them and their happily ever afters.
Charlie and Blair, even though they seem to be in different places in their
lives, help each other to focus on their goals for themselves and each other.
I can't wait for what's next for Dorian!!
AMY AISLIN has lived with her head
in the clouds since she first picked up a book as a child, and being fluent in
two languages means she’s read a lot of books! She first picked up a pen on a
rainy day in fourth grade when her class had to stay inside for recess. Tales
of treasure hunts with her classmates eventually morphed into love stories
between men, and she’s been writing ever since. She writes evenings and
weekends—or whenever she isn’t at her full-time day job saving the planet at
Canada’s largest environmental non-profit.
An unapologetic introvert, Amy reads too much and socializes too little, with
no regrets. She loves connecting with readers. Join her Facebook Group to stay
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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided
a free copy of Game Changer (Vancouver Orcas #2) by Amy Aislin to read and
review.
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