Tuesday, November 28, 2017

ARC Review: Van (Cold Fury, Book #9) by Sawyer Bennett


 Van (Cold Fury, Book #9)
Sawyer Bennett
Release Date: November 28, 2017

Synopsis: 

Score one for the Carolina Cold Fury hockey team as a stone-cold badass melts for a woman who makes his blood run hot.

As one of the league’s toughest enforcers, Van Turner is ruthless on the ice. He plays hard because it’s the only way to channel the rage boiling inside, and a reputation as an A-hole is better than everyone knowing the truth. Van has spent his entire life running from a secret that’s kept him from getting involved in relationships—or accepting lucrative deals with East Coast teams. Then the Carolina Cold Fury makes him an offer he can’t refuse . . . and Van meets a woman he can’t resist.

Simone Fournier is the stubborn one in her family—and that’s saying something, considering her brothers are two of the Cold Fury’s biggest stars. Simone gets what she wants, and what she wants is Van. Still, there’s a part of him Simone can’t reach, no matter how hard she tries. In private, he’s all fire and passion. In public, he freezes her out. Van may want to push her away, but Simone won’t let him go that easily. Because this time, she’s playing for keeps.



Sawyer Bennett’s New York Times bestselling Carolina Cold Fury series
can be read together or separately.

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Purchase Van (Cold Fury, Book #9):

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What I thought about Van

Van is a grumpy dude introduced in the last Cold Fury Hockey book, and now he gets his own HEA, although the road to get there isn't all that easy.  He's not exactly nice, doesn't really interact with his roommate Lucas and basically gives everyone the impression he's a jerk.  That is until Simone Fournier, Lucas's sister shows up and gives him the eye.

Simone sees something in Lucas -- at first it's the fact that he's built and she wants him in her bed.  She's tenacious about it too and doesn't give up even though Van says "no" many times.  I'll admit this made me little squeamish at times because he really wasn't giving her mixed signals.  But then he breaks down and they enter into a sex-only, keep-it-secret sort of relationship.

These two had great chemistry together. Simone doesn't put up with his attitude, and Van starts to feel something different than he feels with his usual one-night stands.  I really liked Van and Simone together and Simone's adventurous nature really was a highlight of their time together.  When Simone discovers the secret that Van is keeping from everyone, there's a risk that Van will push her away, but Simone handles it perfectly and their relationship continues to develop and grow.  I loved that about this book -- the story isn't anything new, but some of the details were very refreshing and unexpected.

As the team heads into the Stanley Cup finals, a reporter threatens to uncover Van's secret, causing great turmoil for Van and Simone.  My heart was really hurting for these two at this point, and I may have actually leaked a little bit when Simone gives Van an ultimatum that doesn't work in her favor.  It was so heartbreaking and I loved it!  It made the "make-up" scene all that more satisfying. I loved Simone and how she handled Van.  I loved Van for his willingness to give Simone a chance after everything he'd been through. They were just perfect together.

I really enjoyed this book. I think it took me less than two days to read because I wanted to know what was going to happen to them. There was also the little detail of Van having sex with his teammate's sister, and we all know that's a no-no!  It provides a nice bit of conflict in the story. 

This book also overlaps somewhat with Lucas, the previous book in the series, and I did like that as well.    So I'm giving this a 5 star rating because it hit all the right notes for me, at the right time in the story.  Loved it!

An ARC was provided for review.





About the Author:


 Since the release of her debut contemporary romance novel, Off Sides, in January 2013, Sawyer Bennett has released multiple books, many of which have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. 

A reformed trial lawyer from North Carolina, Sawyer uses real life experience to create relatable, sexy stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From new adult to erotic contemporary romance, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone. 

Sawyer likes her Bloody Marys strong, her martinis dirty, and her heroes a combination of the two. When not bringing fictional romance to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to a very active daughter, as well as full-time servant to her adorably naughty dogs. She believes in the good of others, and that a bad day can be cured with a great work-out, cake, or even better, both. 

Sawyer also writes general and women’s fiction under the pen name S. Bennett and sweet romance under the name Juliette Poe. 


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