Series: Cold Fury Hockey #4
Release Date: September 8, 2015
The rugged men of the Carolina Cold Fury hockey team are winning hearts once again in another scorching novel from New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett.
The stakes have never been higher for Carolina Cold Fury goalie Ryker Evans. With his contract running out, he’s got a year left to prove he’s still at the top of his game. And since his wife left him, Ryker has been balancing life as a pro-hockey star and a single parent to two daughters. Management is waiting for him to screw up. The fans are ready to pounce. Everybody’s taking dirty shots—except for the fiery redhead whose faith in Ryker gives him a fresh start.
As the league’s only female general manager, Gray Brannon has learned not to mix business with pleasure. And yet even this tough, talented career woman can’t help breaking her own rules as she gives Ryker everything she’s got. She hopes their hot streak will last forever, but with Ryker’s conniving ex plotting to reclaim her man, the pressure’s on Gray to step up and save a tender new love before it’s too late.
Ryker. Okay, so I have a major crush on ALL of the Cold Fury Hockey men, but Garrett Samuelson has been my favorite from the start, even when he was just a lovable secondary character. Except now, there's Ryker Evans. And I think that Garrett’s been bumped. *cringes* Is it weird that I feel bad about that?
Goalie Ryker Evans has something to prove. With one year left on his contact, he's determined to keep playing the best damn hockey he can, all while raising his two girls alone. It seems the odds are against him.
Carolina Cold Fury GM, Gray Brannon definitely has the odds stacked against her. As the league’s first female GM, there are a lot of people that would like to see her fail. Ryker Evans is NOT one of them. No, Ryker would much rather see her in his bed.
He's not the type for flings, but she can't afford to be seen fraternizing with one of her players. Except Ryker’s not the type of man you walk away from…as evidenced by the reappearance of his bitchy ex. Can they find a way to make a love hot enough to melt ice last, despite the obstacles standing in their way?
Well, tie me up and slap me silly. Oh, that's not an exclamation of surprise about this book – I mean, I knew it was going to be good because, hello, I love this author and this series. No, that's more a suggestion of what I would like Ryker to do…to me. Because I have it BAD for Brick. He's strong, and he dirty-talks. He also braids hair and has hilarious, occasionally girly chats with his teammates. Oh, and he respects his woman, his boss, believes in her and still makes her come like a freight train. Jesus Christ, he's like the perfect fucking man.
After the much more emotional, and thought-provoking (and excellent, I should add), Zack, Ryker was a lot of fun. It still hit all the right notes in terms of tension, drama and angst – my heart was racing for Gray at one particular moment – but it was oh, so amusing and enjoyable. Gray and Ryker just…worked. They had good balance, between jokey playfulness, scorching hotness and emotional rightness.
As a matter of fact, the story as a whole was perfectly balanced. It launched right in to the good stuff, making me fall for kick-ass, genius Gray and tough, tall and touching Ryker right off the bat. Or maybe I should say stick, since you know…HOCKEY. Regardless, it simply flowed perfectly; never slowing down completely, but never bombarding me with unnecessary or overworked problems. It had enough going on to peak and keep my interest, and make my heart race, so that I categorically could not put it down but never was it too much.
I loved that Sawyer Bennett, who really excels at making her females strong but vulnerable, needy but never weak, made Gray a woman of power. She was brilliant. She felt like she could be a real person. A friend. And I've already said she wrote Ryker as the perfect man. My perfect man, when it comes down to it. Sorry, Garrett, you've been benched...
~ Review by Beth
So after reading Zack (the last book in this series) I was really looking forward to the next book! I was hesitant when I learned it was Ryker because he is so sweet. But let me tell you, that sweet boy can dirty talk and screw like a bad boy. Read as: Restock your battery supply!
Gray is the new GM of the Cold Fury. She is the first woman in the league to ever hold this position, and not everyone is a fan of this decision. She knows right off the bat that it may be an uphill climb to win some of the guys over. One person who has always supported her, Ryker.
Ryker was recruited by Gray after being released by his old team for a fight. So when it is announced she is the new GM, he knows right then and there he will support her.
As it is realized their attraction to the other is not one-sided, they have some challenges. One being they cannot go public with their relationship for fear both of their careers will be ruined.
Now to the part you have all been waiting for… The sexiness level of this book on a scale of one to five is a 17. I don’t not give this rating lightly. The boy, as told above, can dirty talk like a porn star and I am certain he can tie cherry stems easily with that talented tongue. His self-professed favorite place in the world is in between Gray’s legs, with his mouth. So you see, it truly is a 17.
As always, I can’t wait to see what other delightfully naughty and hot things Sawyer has in store for us next!
~ Review by Devlynn
Sweet baby Jesus, these Cold Fury Men just keep getting better and better! Sawyer has outdone herself with Ryker in the fourth Cold Fury Hockey novel. I think he may have even become my favorite, but don’t tell Garrett!
Ryker Fucking Evans. Talk about a perfect, swoon-worthy man. Hockey God? Check. Protective Alpha Male? Check. Dirty Talker? Check. Sweet and loving Dad? Check. He really checks all the boxes of male perfection!
Gray Brannon is the first female general manager and she is making waves. She uses a different model to analysis stats and while she knows she is going to rock the boat, she is true to what she believes. What she didn’t expect was to fall for her employee.
“I groan internally. I have the hots for Ryker Evans, no two ways about it. But I can’t have the hots for him. He’s my employee for God’s sake.”
However, the pull between the two is so strong that neither is able to stay away. Due to their careers though, they must keep it a secret.
“Stolen touches. That’s what we’re about.”
It takes a whole lot of crazy and some much needed love for them to make it work.
This story had it all. It was HOT!
“Christ,” I murmur as I look at her with her skirt pulled halfway down her legs. “I don’t even know where to start with you.” She pulls her finger from her mouth and whispers. “Between my legs. You should start there.”
It was sweet and funny. It made me smile and cry. I certainly swooned repeatedly. I loved that we got to see so much of the other guys and their girls too and was so glad for the updates into their lives. Please keep this goodness coming! I can’t ever get enough!
~ Review by Tiffany
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Sawyer Bennett is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and three big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn't have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.
Sawyer is the author of several contemporary romances including the popular Off Series, the Legal Affairs Series and the Last Call Series. She also writes the Cold Fury Hockey Series for Random House.
