Title: Last Defense

Series: Harrisburg Railers 05

Author: R.J. Scott & V.L. Locey

Genre: Contemporary, Sports

Length: Novel (200pgs)

ISBN: 9781785641145

Publisher: Love Lane Books (14^th May 2018)

Heat Level: Low – Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Two men afraid to feel, have to make choices that could end up breaking down their defenses and leading them back to love.

Every time Max Van Hellren steps on the ice he knows it could be his last time. At thirty he’s past his hockey prime but he’s also hiding a life-threatening injury that private doctors warn could kill him. This is his last season, and there’s a chance he could lift the Stanley Cup after fourteen years in the NHL. He just needs to stay safe and healthy; difficult when he’s known for his heavy hitting and with a propensity for dropping the gloves and putting his body in the way of pucks to keep his team safe.

A one night stand with a sexy man was just what he needed, dangerous and hot, but what if it turned into more? Would he actually have to share the secrets he so desperately tries to hide?

Ben Worthington had it all. A fulfilling job running the CrossRoads Shelter, his loving aunts, and a husband that understood his devotion to animals. Then, the love of his life left him, succumbing so quickly to an unexpected sickness that Ben never had time to say goodbye. The violent loss scarred him.

Unable to move past his fears, he moves from lonely encounter to lonely encounter, slaking a desperate need that is eating away at him, but never making a connection that could lead him back into love. One night with Max makes him want more, but will giving into the temptation open the door to feelings he can’t contain?

Can these two broken men ever find a way to be together?

Purchase Link: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Smashwords | B&N 

Review: This story is an excellent addition to the Harrisburg Railers series, and while Max says goodbye to the team the story fulfils its happy ever after with bright hope for the future as he finds love with animal lover Ben.

Max has a secret he has hidden from everyone, but he’s hoping that his last season will fulfil his dreams of a Stanley Cup win. Meeting a man he could love never crossed his mind but bumping into Ben from the local no kill shelter has him evaluating just what he wants after his hockey career ends.

Ben has sunk himself into his shelter for the past couple of years after losing his husband so suddenly, when he meets a sexy hockey player who ticks all his boxes he doesn’t know if he should take another chance on love. When his nephew turns up it’s up to Ben to keep him safe from the boys’ father, his brother-in-law who despises Ben, and Ben finds himself in the man’s crosshairs.

I have to say that this story is attention grabbing, with the various issues that crop up there is never a dull page. We get drawn in pretty quickly and as we get to know the characters we root for them to overcome their fears and accept the love they are offered.

Ben is a sweet man who has a heart of gold, the loss he still feels for his husband is poignant and his fears over losing someone else is understandable, especially when Max reveals his secret. Max first comes off as someone looking for a good time, but it soon becomes clear that he is searching for something that he didn’t know he was looking for. Together they make an amazing couple, their feelings for each other plain to see and their hotness just blazes the pages.

This story is well written and the characters are brilliant, whether it’s Ben and Max or the Railers team as a whole each character is well developed and as each graces the page their individual personalities shine through. The storyline is crafted in such a way that you never know when the trouble will strike and that ending! OMG it was brilliant executed, smacking you in the face with shock.

I recommend this to those who love fantastic characters, great storylines of exciting hockey, finding new love and a dash of danger.     

Title: Poke Check

Series: Harrisburg Railers 04

Author: R.J. Scott & V.L. Locey

Genre: Contemporary, Sports

Length: Novella (178pgs)

ISBN: 9781785641138

Publisher: Love Lane Books (14^th February 2018)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: One scorching summer in each other’s arms could never be enough.

Stanislav “Stan” Lyamin is happy playing for the Railers. The towering goalie is well-loved, respected, and making a home for himself even though that home only contains him, his cat, and his growing Pokemon trading card collection. Stan prefers it that way.

He’d given his heart to a man in a secret affair, and that man walked away, leaving Stan shattered. Now Erik is back in his life, and he has the same tumultuous effect he had on Stan’s heart as before. This time it’s not just a kissable mouth and sweet blond curls that Erik has brought to Harrisburg, there’s a soon-to-be ex-wife and a precious baby.

Despite the vow Stan made to hate Erik forever, he’s now finding it harder and harder to turn away.

Erik Gunnarsson’s dream had always been to play in the NHL, he just never imagined he’d land a contract with the Railers. Who would have thought that fate would put him on the same team as Stanislav Lyamin; the man whose heart he’d callously broken?

Secrets and lies had defined their summer relationship, and the choice that Erik made to end it all haunts him still. In the middle of a messy divorce and with a baby in tow, Erik finds himself back in Stan’s life. Now all he has to do is be the best dad he can be, prove to the team that he deserves the chance to stay on the roster and try his hardest to get Stan to forgive him.

Is it possible to persuade a man who hates you to give love a second chance?

Purchase Link: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: This story is part of a series and I strongly recommend reading the entire series in order.

Whoo hoo! We finally have Stan’s story and it a true beauty!

As Erik Gunnarsson walks into the Harrisburg Railers changing rooms he’s filled with trepidation not because he is about to meet his new team mates, but because he’s about to come face to face with the man he walked away from after a whirlwind summer of love. Stan doesn’t want to see the man who took his heart and stomped on it, but as he doesn’t have a choice he sucks it up and decides to ignore the man, but when he meets Erik’s baby son Noah he can’t resist as the sweet little baby worms his way into his heart.

This is a wonderfully written story that tugs at your heart strings as Erik’s struggles to be a single parent and a hockey player on a strict budget and Stan has to struggle with his heart as he faces the man he loves again.

I loved this story, getting to see from Stan’s eyes and his unique thoughts was just amazing, he is such a down to earth loveable guy who adores his sister and mother. He just melts your heart so completely that he could kill someone in front of you and you’d just ‘aww’ him. Erik is amazing, he really is, he walked away from Stan with many regrets and paupered himself to have his son. He’s done everything he can to be the best dad he can be and now he’s in a new town living in a crappy apartment and struggling to balance his life as a dad with his life as a hockey player. Damn, you just want to take him home and mother the hell out of him and Noah.

This is a fantastic story where two characters are just perfect for each other; they are so well written that you can imagine actually meeting them in everyday life. Their story is just brilliant, their relationship woes are fully fleshed out giving you something to really invest in, Stan is a stubborn Russian while Erik is an easy going slightly stressed Swede each man has his own worries and together they strike sparks.

I recommend this to those who love sports stories, who adore hockey players, who melt at strong Russian’s with a soft centre, who adore Swede’s who would give up everything for a tiny baby, who love a tense and passionate reunion, and a wonderful happy ending.