Restraint (Stingrays Hockey #1)
Mari Carr
Blurb:
Girlfriend…without
benefits?
Erika has enough
on her plate as an ER doctor without adding any more stress to her life. So
adopting a dog with Blake, the fun-loving, never-take-anything-serious,
commitment-phobe across the hall is a stupid idea, right? Of course, she also
probably shouldn’t be his plus-one for charity galas either. Or seeking comfort
from him during a thunderstorm. Or kissing his five-for-fighting boo-boos
better. Or letting him teach her how to “reduce stress” with her personal toy
collection. After all, he’s not her boyfriend. Is he?
So what happens
when two people reluctant to commit find love where they least expect it… Right
across the hall.
Themes: Contemporary
Rating: 4.5 stars
Heat Rating:
Review:
I
always love when a favorite author gives me a new series, I can sink my teeth into,
and Mari has definitely done that with this first story about a sexy Hocky
player and the gorgeous no-nonsense neighbor that steal his heart. The humor,
passion, and beauty that drives this romance will keep you not only laughing
but wondering if these two so difference characters can come to understand that
they are truly made for one another. Mari Carr is one of those authors that
loves to have readers on the edge of their seats, wondering if they are going
to get that HEA or not, right up until the very end, but that tension and
anticipation is what makes it great. I loved every moment of this story from
the tears to the growth of two people that truly come to learn so much about
themselves as they open their eye and their hearts to the perfect mate that was
right in front of them all along. Because sometimes we find our mates in the
most unlikely of places and realizing it is the hard part of the equation.
Blake
Wright is a hockey hottie, with no interest in settling for one woman in his
bed when he can enjoy all the flavors of the rainbow, so to speak. But he enjoys spending time with his
neighbor, uptight ER doctor Erika Nelson, one of those women that is definitely
looking for a forever kind of guy. While she is hot, he knows that there is no
way that he can give her what she needs, but the more time he spends with her,
teasing her about her atrocious dates, and rescuing her, the more he feels a
deeper connection to her. Erika has been
attracted to the sexy hockey player next door since she moved in, but she isn’t
a one-night stand kind of woman, and she won’t be just another notch on his
headboard, but when they rescue a puppy and become coparents, they are soon
spending so much time together that resisting him his futile. Maybe giving in to their attraction, just for
a little while won’t destroy their friendship, after all they are adults and
can handle a fling without losing their heads and hearts, can’t they? Because
two people that so obviously want two different things out of life can’t have a
future together, unless they were wrong about what they need—and maybe they
just need one another.
I
cannot tell you how much I loved these two characters, especially Erika. Blake
was your typical bachelor playboy, with some redeeming qualities that come to
light as he learns more about his own wants from life and opens his heart to
Erika. He’s obviously exquisitely handsome,
a little dangerous, a little reckless, and alpha, but he’s also caring, sweet,
and loving to those that he lets into his inner circle. Once he began to see Erika as his friend, he
took time to make sure she always has what she needs to make life easier,
improve her life, even when they are just friends, before they began their
relationship. He understands the value of friendship and caring, even though he
didn’t realize how important that was as a foundation for the relationship he
was building with Erika. Once his eyes were opened to the fact that he had been
in love with Erika for a long time, admitting it to himself, he becomes and even
better guy. And lets just put out there
that this guy is obsessed and sweet as hell with a cute little chihuahua
puppy—doesn’t get much cuter than that. Erika on the other hand is one of those
women that we all want to be. She’s a
badass at her job, brave enough to be friends with a group of sexy hickey
player, keeping them in line and not falling prey to their charms, despite them
being beyond HOTT. She is smart, sweet,
caring, and just the whole package, even though she seems to not understand the
idea of dating, since she has been in a relationship without the good stuff for
far too long. She is also smart and snarky enough to keep you laughing with she
is playing with Blake, while so many doctor heroines are very staid and serious,
which gives her another layer of cool.
Mari
Carr’s new series about a kick-ass team of hockey players is shaping up to be
awesome. Restraint kicks off with
a bang as two people that never imagined they would ever move out of the
friend-zone find love together—and adopt a furbaby. Playboy Blake learns that
love can come in all forms, even from the friendship of a woman that he never
imagined would steal his heart. He is
the perfect character to show us all that sometimes all it takes for these guys
to grow up is the love and dedication of the right woman. Erika never imagines
that the best friend she ever had would be the man who steal her heart, but he slowly
wears her down and proves to her that their relationship is worth risking it
all for, and that they can have so much more together if they both just open
their hearts. I loved every word of this story, the passion was an undercurrent
even when they were both pretending it was “just friends”, but once they admitted
it was more, watch out because the fire was unleashed. I am dying for more of these hot hockey guys
and look forward to seeing the woman that bring them down. Mari has struck gold
again with the Stingrays Hockey series for sure.
*eARC provided by author for the
purpose of an honest and unbiased review.
No compensation was provided.
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