Book Nerds Across America

Goodreads description:


Definition of an Empty Net: When a team pulls the goalie for an extra attacker, desperately seeking a goal.

Audrey Parker was in a horrible place.
She hated her job, her sister was getting married and moving out, but worst of all, she was in love with a total jerk. No matter what she did, every guy she met hurt her. All she wanted was her happily ever after. Her Prince Charming. Her Lucas Brooks! She didn’t know how to change her life but she knew she needed too.
Feeling like she was about to hit rock bottom, Audrey wakes up next to Tate Odder.

Tate Odder had lost everything.
After being brought up from the Assassins’ farm team, the Florida Rays to the Nashville Assassins, Tate hopes he’ll forget everything he has lost. He doesn’t. Each day gets harder to live in a place he doesn’t know. Even being the first rookie goalie to shut out an opposing team three times during the Lord Stanley Cup Finals, he still felt empty. With the loss of his parents and sister still heavy on his heart, Tate isn’t sure how to live like everything is okay.

But when he wakes up beside Audrey Parker, things start to change. She turns his life upside down with her kooky sense of humor and her bright clothing. She is intelligent and beautiful, and for once, he doesn’t feel empty.
Will Audrey be the person to fill the holes in Tate’s heart, making him whole again?
Or will another player ruin everything, leaving him feeling forever like an empty net?

Mary's Review:

Mandy I Read Indie again did not disappoint when she told me this was the best of the series (thus far).

Again, there is adult content in this book.

Best part of the book:  Tate Oooooodder.  Yes, oh yes, Mr. Sweden is beyond perfect for Audrey.  I love every interaction, word and "moves" that Tate does throughout this book!  I love how (even though he is 21) he is very mature.  My heart broke for him when I learned about his past and cheered for him when he was on the ice!  I loved Audrey.  Even with all her insecurities and doubts she was really "grew" throughout this book.  I loved it!

Not so great about book:  I was warned that I would need tissues while reading this book.  (Everyone knows I am a crier).  Even though I did shed tears throughout this book, both happy and sad, this was nothing that was wrong with this book! I will be rereading this again and again!

I cannot wait for what is in store from Toni Aleo.  Trust me I will be reading more of her books!

Goodreads description:


Fallon Parker’s dream was to have her family’s wine company at the top of all wine magazines and to have a cellar of her own. After graduating from college, she has worked hard to make that dream a reality, even if that meant having a nonexistent love life. She had her chance at love and that was a bust, so she put everything into the wine company. After becoming the official sponsor of the Nashville Assassins, Fallon finally feels like everything is falling in place, that is until Lucas Brooks comes back into her life.

Lucas Brooks hates his life. He is lonely, he is sober, and he is angry. On the ice, when he’s not in the sin bin, he the leading scorer in the NHL but off the ice, he is a mess. He threw away the most important person in his life, and has regretted it ever since but when Lucas sees Fallon again after being traded to the Assassins; he is bound and determined to get her back. Even if she wants nothing to do with him.

The sexual tension between Fallon and Lucas is electrifying as Lucas tries to convince Fallon that he is a changed man. Fallon tries to resist Lucas, but it is so hard when all her body wants is his. But when Lucas finds out that Fallon has been keeping a huge secret from him, the game he is playing stops and penalties are called.

With new rules and new players on the ice, will Fallon and Lucas be able to work out their differences and work as a team or will they be left trying to score alone.


Mary's Review

Mandy I Read Indie is one of my favorite Book Pimps and this book recommendation was so good!

Again, just a warning, this book has adult content in it.

Now, let talk more about Hockey Hotness!

Best part of book:  HELLO LUCAS BROOKS! Boy oh Boy do I love a bad-boy hockey player and Lucas Brooks is just that.  Well, sort of! He is all "big and bad" on the ice but there is so much more to him.  I loved how Toni Aleo showed more to Lucas than just his "bad-boy" side.  I got to see him in a sensitive way.  I also thought he dealt with Fallon's secret very well. As well as can be expected.  As I kept reading I fell more and more in love with Lucas! He was a great character!

Not so great:  I liked Fallon at the end of the book more than the beginning of the book.  I understand that Lucas hurt her and she should have been upset but there was a bigger picture and she was just so stubborn! It got a little bit annoying at times.  I just wanted to shake her and say "HELLO! can you please stop it?"

But that is not going to stop me from reading Book 3: Empty Net

Goodreads description:


Elli Fisher has never thought she was good enough. Let it be her job, her weight, her love life, nothing, she was convinced she couldn’t do anything right. She had walked through life for the past six years in a daze, never thinking that life could be good again after the abuse she endured from her ex boyfriend. She is lonely, sad, and depressed, that is until she meets Shea Adler. After doing a promotional shoot for the NHL team, the Nashville Assassins, she meets the hunky hockey player who shoots a puck, shattering her world.
Shea Adler was tired of the life he was living outside of the rink. The girls, the money blowing, the drinking, everything had to stop and it all did when he met Eleanor Fisher. He had never met anyone like her. She is feisty, witty, shy, and simply gorgeous. When he laid eyes on her, it was as if he was taking the hardest hit of his life into the boards, and he had to have her. 
Elli is a little skeptical of Shea, but he knows that they were meant to be together, and he needed her in his life. But Elli just doesn’t understand what Shea could see in her. She is overweight, loud, and not even that pretty, so why would someone so gorgeous and so amazing want to be with her? It seemed that no matter how hard she tried to shake Shea off, he wasn’t going anywhere, and for the first time Elli didn’t feel alone.
But could Elli throw her insecurities out the window and love Shea with everything inside of her? Or will she let a past relationship, and her family ruin any chance of her being happy?

Would Elli miss her shot at love?

Mary's Review:

First, I need to thank the wonderful Mandy I Read Indie for this recommendation.  I am not sure if when Mandy recommend the book to me she knew that I was a HUGE NHL Hockey fan, but I am so glad that she did!

Second, this book has adult content in it, so just be warned.

NOW, lets get down to some hockey hotness!

Best part of book: I bet you think I am going to Shea Adler aka Mr. Hot Captain of the Assassins (well that is what I called him).  Well, you are half right Shea is an amazing character.  I love that he loves his twin sister, Grace and his niece and nephew.  However, I love how he loves Elli the most.  I have to give a big *high five* to the author Toni Aleo because it was great to actually relate to Elli and her insecurities.  That just made her more real to me.  On top of that, I loved how Shea treated her with love, kindness and protected her (when he could).

Not so great about the book:  NOTHING! I loved every word and sentence in this book! It will be kept on my favorites list and I will reread it time and time again!!!

Let's get started onto Book 2: Trying to Score