Maybe This Time (Colorado Ice #1)

Maybe This Time (Colorado Ice #1)

by Jennifer Snow 

Blurb:

Starting over means a second chance . . .

Abigail Jansen is done with hockey . . . and hockey players. After leaving her two-timing NHL-star husband, Abby decides to start over in her hometown of Glenwood Falls, Colorado. There she doesn't have to deal with people gossiping behind her back or hear the word "hockey"---until her daughter tries out for the junior hockey team. Now Abby has to face her fears . . . and coach Jackson Westmore. He's tall, dark, handsome---and happens to hate her.

All through high school, talented hockey player Jackson Westmore had a crush on Abby, but he would never make a move on his best friend's girl. He gave her the cold shoulder out of self-preservation and worked out his frustrations on the ice. So when Abby returns, newly divorced and still sexy as hell, Jackson knows he's in trouble. Now even the best defensive skills might not keep him from losing his heart.

Themes: Contemporary

Rating:  3.75 stars

Heat Rating:  

Review:

 I was initially drawn to this series because of the lovely covers along with the interesting blurbs for the prequel novella and then this first full length novel.  I am always looking for fun new series and authors to read, mostly because I’m a little bit of an addiction (no 12-step programs for book addicts yet! ;) ).  This first novel in the series was an interesting one and I am looking forward to exploring more of this authors work for sure.  Abigail has returned to her hometown, young daughter in tow, after the abysmally trite ending of her marriage to the town superstar and hockey fanatic.  She has soon off the game and wants nothing to do with Hockey or hockey players, much less the childhood best friend of her soon-to-be ex-husband.  But when her daughter finally shows a spark in their new lives and decides to join the new gender-equal youth hockey team, there’s no way to avoid Jackson, seeing as he is the team’s coach. Jackson is beyond willing to put distance between them, out of loyalty to his friend, but he finds it more and more difficult as he is reminded why he always had a crush on Abigail as a young boy.  When circumstances continuously throw them together Abby and Jackson have to decide if the attraction they share is enough to overcome their rocking history, past relationships, and the truly terrifying chance of finding love after all these years.  I loved Jackson once I got to know him and understood his reasons for being a jerk to Abigail had everything to do with protecting his heart.  He is the kind of solid, cariing, and sexy guy that Abby should have been with all along, and he is also the perfect guy to step in and fill the void in her young daughter’s life left by her absentee father.  Abigail has had a lot of knocks lately, but she is working to overcome each of them, independently and find a path to a better life for her and her daughter.  This story came with a lot of laughter, some tears, and ultimately the understanding that sometimes to get what we really need we have to give up what we always thought we wanted.  The chemistry between Abby and Jackson was there from the first moment they laid eye on one another again, leaving the pages burning up when they finally give into that passion.  I throughly enjoyed getting to know both of these characters and seeing them fall in love, and cannot wait to see what’s in store next for these two and this town of hockey fanatics.  Keep up the great work Ms. Snow.

*eARC provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.