Making A Play by Victoria Denault

He'll do whatever it takes to win—on and off the ice.

 Luc Richard is the hottest player in the NHL--and it has nothing to do with hockey. His racy relationship with his supermodel ex set the tabloids on fire but nearly put his career on ice. To avoid being traded, Luc agrees to take a break from the spotlight--and from women--and spend the off-season at home in Silver Bay, Maine. It's the perfect plan... until he reconnects with Rose.

 Rose Caplan is tired of being shy, sweet, and safe. She's ready for passion, romance--and Luc. Having loved him longer than she can remember, she's finally ready to prove she's not the same innocent little girl he once knew. Off the ice Luc doesn't do games, but this new Rose makes him feel like playing a little dirty. If he's really got a shot at her heart then he's not just playing to win. He's playing for keeps.

Title: Making A Play | Series: A Hometown Players #2 | Author: Victoria Denault | Publisher: Forever | Release Date: 9/8/2015 | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Source: | Rating: 3.5

 

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one. This was my first hockey read—I haven’t a clue about hockey—and it was New Adult, I tend to avoid NA books because I find I can’t connect with the characters. Yet the blurb drew me in. I’m a sucker for romances where the hero and heroine know each other. And I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised with Making A Play. I wasn’t head-over-heels in love with every aspect of it, but I was enthralled enough that I will be checking out the next book in the series.

 

So, here’s what’s going on. Luc Richard, sexy hockey star, has found himself and his supermodel ex splattered all over the gossip rags. To avoid being traded he needs to stay out of the spotlight so he returns to his hometown of Silver Bay, Maine. Yet his hopes of avoiding women are dashed when he realizes that his best friend, Rose, is all grown up. Rose has been truly, madly, deeply in love with Luc since she was a kid but Luc only sees her as a kid yet she’s determined to seduce Luc and make him realize she’s the one for him.

 

This book was a bit tricky for me to get into at the start. Luc was what kept me reading, and I’m glad he did because the book did finally manage to grab my attention.

 

Luc really was one hot hockey star and he spoke French—le sigh…I really liked Luc yet he definitely had his tosser moments and a few times I was wondering if he would be able to redeem himself.

 

Rose…I really wanted to shake Rose. She came off as exceedingly naïve causing the book to feel a bit juvenile and I know that it’s a New Adult read but I still wasn’t expecting a twenty-one year old heroine to be so naïve about things most high schoolers know.  Also, in the beginning, it seemed like the only thing Rose did was get drunk and mope.

 

The chemistry between Rose and Luc seemed perfect. They had known each other since they were young, they shared experiences that bonded them, and even though they denied it, everyone knew that they would eventually end up together. And when Luc finally stopped fighting it, they had some scorching sex scenes.

 

What I loved about this book was the fact that the mess of secondary characters was just as interesting as Luc and Rose and they’ve definitely made me want to see what comes next in this series.

 

So, this is the second book in the Hometown Players series, but it works well as a standalone. I never felt lost not having read book one.

 

Overall, while this book was a tad bit predictable and I had some problems with the start of the book and with Rose, I found I really enjoyed the book.