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.

Title: Deep Edge

Series: Harrisberg Railers 03

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

Genre: Contemporary, Sports

Length: Novel (194pgs)

ISBN: 9781785640933

Publisher: Love Lane Books (1st December 2017)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: One man’s passion, another man’s lies. Can love fix even the darkest of hearts?

Trent Hanson is a figure skating phenom adored by millions around the world. His whole life has been dedicated to the sport he loves even when the sport – and his own family – have turned against him. From the playground to the Olympics to his parent’s living room, Trent has fought against bullies and homophobes to be the out and proud gay man he is. But the constant fighting has left Trent tired, lonely, and skittish. All those fears will have to be shelved though when he’s hired to spend the summer working with the Harrisburg Railers ice hockey team. Who would have guessed that the man fate has decided to pair him off with is Dieter Lehmann, all-around sex god and a man who seems to have everything to prove and doesn’t care who he hurts to get what he wants.

Dieter has spent too many years languishing in the minors and a secret addiction to prescription painkillers means his career is in a downward spiral. His ex is blackmailing him and he’s close to walking away from it all. But when he’s called up in the run for the Stanley Cup to cover injuries he has a taste of what it’s like playing in the NHL and he realizes that a place on the Railers roster is what he wants more than anything. More than listening to his heart, and even more than caring for the infuriating figure skater who gets under his skin. When he crosses the line to get what he wants, he knows he has lost his way. He has to change, but is it too late for both his career and any chance he might have at love?

Purchase Link: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Trent was left nearly destitute when his step-father spent nearly all of Trent’s hard earned money on gambling, women and booze, now Trent is having to help a bunch of hockey players the finer art of skating in a bid to save his skating rink and his mother’s home.

Dieter is loving playing for the Harrisberg Railers and is very happy with the contract they’ve just offered him, but Dieter has a couple of secrets and one of them could destroy his career forever.

This is a brilliant addition to the Harrisberg Railers series, hot hockey players discovering love when they least expect it… wonderful.

Trent is a bit of a diva, he’s been dragged down by his step-father but he refuses to stay down, but really training hockey players is the last thing that his fabulous self wants to be doing. Setting eyes on the sexy Dieter sends Trent into raptures, he’d like nothing better than to climb Dieter like a tree and when Dieter returns his interest Trent thinks he’s found a man worth keeping.

Dieter has his whole career in front of him now he’s got a contract with the NHL, but his own bad habits could pull everything from out under him. Meeting Trent has Dieter fascinated with the sexy man but Dieter has a lot to think about, between the blackmail and his nasty pain pill habit the future is no longer looking rosy.  

I enjoyed this story for the most part, Trent’s and Dieter’s relationship is one that isn’t built on clouds, it’s built on hard work and understanding. Their passion for each other sets the pages on fire, even with just a meeting of the eyes across a room. They talk and support each other helping each other as they struggle with their own demons. They really are perfect for each other.

The part I hated was Trent’s mother’s forgiveness of Trent’s step-father and her trying to get Trent to forgive him. It really stuck in my craw her crying out ‘but I love him’, ‘he’s a changed man’ and trying to make Trent feel guilty for not instantly forgiving the man. Seriously this man bullied Trent all his life, he’s homophobic, he stole all of Trent’s money, cheated on Trent’s mother and now he wants forgiveness because he’s in prison and is being treated for his addictions. Oh hell no, if someone did that to my son and myself I wouldn’t give a damn if he was an alcoholic, sex addicted, gambler who had suddenly found remorse and been blessed by God himself, he was still a homophobic prick who had bullied a young boy. There’s no forgiveness for that.

Other than that little part of the story this is a really enjoyable story with great characters and a wonderful love story.

I recommend this story to those who love men on ice, sexy times, dealing with addiction, finding love, support and understanding, and a very happy ending.