Friday, April 26, 2013

Taking Shots by Toni Aleo ~ Review

Source:  Received eBook copy through netgalley in exchange for  a fair and honest review.

Book Description:

Elli Fisher has never thought she was good enough, let it be her job, her weight, her love life, nothing. That is until she meets Shea Adler. After doing a promotional shoot for the NHL team, the 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 was 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.
Can 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.



 

My Thoughts:




3 1/2 stars - Hot Hockey Guys, yes please.

I rounded up to 4 stars.  So the very thing I loved about this book is also what frustrated me.  Let me explain.  This story isn't like most contemporary romance books.  The drama feels low but the emotions are high.  The huge difference is the amount of time we spend with the characters developing their relationships and really understanding who they are.  While some of it seemed too much, I loved the way we spend time with Shea and Elli to the point that it was clear why they felt the way they do.  We saw lots of good times and bad times - very much like life.  The best part of that was that we saw them happy as a couple for more than the last chapter.  We saw them fight as a couple more than one crazy insane time that almost breaks them up.  We saw them live their lives.  I enjoyed that.

The issue I had was the length of this book.  It's almost 500 pages.  Not that I was bored, per say, but I did long to see resolution a lot of times.  I kept telling myself to deal since I was loving spending time with them.  It really was crazy for me. 

I loved seeing the sexy Shea, who is super talented on the ice, as his big old tough hockey side fell into all kinds of goofy love.  He gives the best presents, by the way.  He can't keep his mind off ripping his girlfriends clothes off.  He's tender and caring.  I was so touched when he took care of sick Elli.  He's a keeper.  The guy you hope to marry because he won't need any training - well except he is kinda messy.  Can you see how much I know about this guy.  We really do spend a lot of time with him.  Oh and did I mention that it alternatives between POVs.  I loved it best when we were in Shea's head.

Elli has been abused in the past by one Justin - can I slap that man? Hockey stick to the face. WHACK!  Yeah, I didn't like him.  He's really done a number on Elli.  Of course, her mother and sister contributed.  WHACK and WHACK!  She needs to heal and learn to trust again.  Trust that she's desirable and worth a sexy mans time.  It was nice watching her do that especially since she really is a strong women.  She's learned to stand up and be her own self despite the discomfort she feels in relationships...with boyfriends...or even dates.

As I said, I was never bored.  The book moves at a good pace.  There's just a lot of it.  If you enjoy those long books because you can't get enough of the characters, then this is great choice.  Or if you enjoy some nice steamy sex with your romance, then this book is for sure for you.  We get to see that LOTS and LOTS.




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