Reclaim (Stingrays Hockey Book #5)

Mari Carr

Blurb:

He can block every shot on the ice…except the one straight to his heart.

Victor Reed has crushed opponents on the ice for over a decade—but nothing knocks the grumpy, foul-mouthed defenseman off his game like being forced to share his off-season home with his four-year-old whirlwind niece, Pip…and her maddeningly cheerful nanny.

Belle is all sunshine and sparkles, the kind of woman who hums while she folds laundry and believes every problem can be solved with kindness. Victor’s convinced she was sent to torment him—until she downloads a dating app and starts lining up dates with men who are absolutely wrong for her.

He’s not jealous. Definitely not.

He’s just…protective. And if he “accidentally” scares off a few of her suitors? Well, someone has to keep her safe.

But when Belle’s big heart starts drifting out of his orbit, Victor is forced to face the truth: the Baltimore Stingrays’ resident beast has fallen for his beauty. And if he doesn’t change his game fast, he might lose the only woman who’s ever made his house—and his life—feel like home.

Themes: Contemporary, Sports

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating:

Review:

Sexy, grumpy beast meets his match in a sweet, sparkly princess of a woman when two longtime friendly acquaintances are forced into VERY close quarters and have to find a way to cope with their new feelings. Mari Carr is one of my favorite authors and when she takes on a trope like grumpy-sunshine or beauty and beast you can bet it will be written to perfection, especially when she throws them together, and adds a sprinkle of a couple of others just for spice. In this latest story in the Stingrays Hockey Series, Carr reminds us that sometimes your perfect match has been right in front of your eyes all along, even to the point that others knew you belonged together when you didn’t. I loved watching Belle and Victor stumble around one another, specially making mistakes and learning that their attraction went much deeper than either of them were prepared for as they came to terms with the truth. And of course, there was the other little person in the story that led to way too many laughs and I can honestly say I have never read a better written child character than Pip, because I actually liked her character and didn’t find myself skipping over the scenes with her in them. I am very much looking forward to the next story and HOPE that it is Vivian’s turn to fall in love with a hot hockey god, even if it brings out the beast in Victor all over again! Bring on book #6 Mari.

Victor Reed has always been the kind of guy that leads any group in cursing and grumpiness, but when he is now one of the two main caregivers for his beloved niece for a summer, he has to clean up his act. His niece also comes with a woman that drives him insane, her nanny the innocent and distracting Belle, and the more time he is around the woman the more he questions his ability to keep her at arm’s length. Belle has had a crush on Victor for a while and the longer she is around him the more she is determined to put herself out there, leading her to throw herself into the dating game. Victor knows he should leave “the nanny” alone, Belle soon becomes so much more and when he loses control and kisses her there is no going back—for either one of them. As their summer comes to a close, they both have to decide if what they have been building is a lasting relationship or they will go back to just being friends now that Victor’s sister is returning, because once a Beast claims his woman, she will never Reclaim her heart.

I loved every moment of this hilarious, sensual, sweet, and romantic story, filled with emotional angst, two characters that have too long denied their emotions, and a little girl that unknowingly brings them together. Victor was the perfect combination of sweet and grumpy as we see him showing his love for the woman in his world, but more importantly he never fails to be there for the people that count on him. He is the kind of guy that will stand up against the world when you need him to stand by your side and I loved that he was that for his friends and family, showing us that he is meant to be the perfect match for Belle. Belle herself is a little bit timid in the beginning, using the app dating as a way to try to convince herself that her feelings for Victor weren’t as serious as they were, but the obvious chemistry between them when they finally have their first kiss shows us that was a total laugh. I loved the connection between them and watching it grow was even more fun, but the best thing was watching them interacting with Pip and Vivian, showing that they truly were a loving family all the way through.

Reclaim was the perfect combination of a romantic love story, a family connection, and reminder that friends are sometimes just as much family as our blood. Victor and Vivian’s bond was beautiful to see, and you could see that they had enveloped Belle in their familial bond, long before Victor started to fall for her (and WELL before he ever admitted his feelings), showing Pip that love comes in all forms and expressions. Victor is the kind of man you want to always have at your side, stealing your heart, and definitely in your bed, because he can master any role and do it with strength and honor. Belle has her own ability to always show those around her kindness and love, even when they are making her angry, that we should all strive to offer to others. She has had a hard road to travel in life, but never gave up, and never quit striving for more in life and when she finally found the family where she was destined to be she continued to work to always be grateful and thankful for her luck. The passion and heat between Bell and her beast (sorry couldn’t help it just once more) was undeniable once they both admitted their feelings and came to terms with their needs for one another. I am dying to see more of them in the next book, which I hope to be Vivian’s as she maybe gets to find love with her own hot hockey player, giving us something fun to watch when Victor loses his mind. If you are looking for a sexy, sweet, and fabulous book to occupy a rainy May weekend, I highly suggest Reclaim (and you know the WHOLE series) by Mari Carr.

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was provided.