Random Review: A Hockey Player's Heart by Jeff Adams & Will Knauss #Review #Giveaway

Authors: Jeff Adams & Will Knauss
Book: The Hockey Player's Heart
Dreamspun Desires Book
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Bree Archer
Publication date: January 16, 2018
Length: 226 pages

Reviewed by Morningstar 


Synopsis

When hockey star Caleb Carter returns to his hometown to recover from an injury, the only thing he’s interested in is a little R & R. He never expects to run into his onetime crush at a grade school fund-raiser . Seeing Aaron Price hits him hard, like being checked into the boards. The attraction is still there, even after all these years, and Caleb decides to make a play for the schoolteacher. You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take, right?

Aaron has been burned by love before and can’t imagine what a celebrity like Caleb could possibly see in a guy like him. Their differences are just too great. But as Aaron spends more time with Caleb, he begins to wonder if he might have what it takes to win the hockey player’s heart.

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Review

Sometimes when I read, there are parts of the story that I fall in love with. Sometimes it’s the world and the universe that the author has created for us to take this journey. Sometimes it’s the characters or even just one character that I connect with. In this story, although I loved the small town feel of the story, it was Caleb and Aaron that I truly fell in love with.

Caleb was this character who was full of life and happy and had this very fun quality about him, it was easy to be drawn to him as a person. Aaron was more reserved and quiet although it easily came out that he had this fun quirky personality underneath all of that. And the connection between the two of them was slow and it was cute and it was wonderful. I just kept wanting to read more and see more of their journey together.

Aaron had reservations about their relationship, real valid reservations. He was hurt before by someone in a similar position is Caleb and he didn’t want to hurt Caleb and Caleb‘s career. And what I loved was Caleb‘s determination and showing Aaron he was there and he wanted to be there with him. Even with how vastly different their lives were.

The story was more sweet than hot but it was perfect for me! It was a story about trusting your heart and knowing that relationships can sometimes be a struggle and need compromise. I love the combination of these two authors together and I can’t wait to see what else we come up with! 

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Random Review: Tracker Hacker by Jeff Adams #Review #Giveaway

Author: Jeff Adams
Book: Tracker Hacker
Series: Code Name: Winger #1
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press
Cover Artist: Aaron Anderson
Publication date: October 17, 2017
Length: 192 pages

Reviewed by Erin

Synopsis

Theo Reese is just an average high school student with a passion for hockey and an uncanny talent when it comes to computers… at least on the surface.

What his teammates, fellow students, and even his boyfriend don’t realize is that Theo leads a double life. When he’s not putting up his facade of normal, Theo is working as an agent for Tactical Operational Support, where his technical genius is more than just a hobby. At sixteen he is responsible for helping agents in the field and keeping the TOS network secure.

It’s a secret he has to keep—from everyone.

But secrecy becomes even harder when a hacker compromises the system TOS uses to track its agents and Theo’s dad goes missing. Theo must find him and stop the hacker, which means leaving the comfort of his computer screen and venturing into a very real and very deadly world.

And if that’s not enough to deal with, all the secrecy is really putting a strain on Theo’s love life.

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Review

I'm a HUGE fan of YA (Young Adult) books ... it's where my heart truly is. I love everything about it--the awkwardness and sometimes painful self-discoveries, the ups and downs of being a teenager, the way the characters look at the world around them. Combine that with some Jason Bourne spy stuff and hockey and man, I'm 100% in. When I saw the blurb for Tracker Hacker by Jeff Adams, I knew this was going to be a book I had to have in my life. And let me tell you guys, I was not wrong. Wow! Talk about a wild ride from beginning to end! I could not stop reading and was completely enthralled from the first page until the last. 

Theo Reese is your typical teenager. He hangs out with his friends, plays hockey, and likes to make-out with his boyfriend, Eddie. He has a pretty decent relationship with his parents, school's not so bad ... he's even so smart that he takes a few classes at MIT. Yes, THAT MIT. Oh and on the side he just so happens to work for a super secret organization called Tactical Operation Support as a computer wiz and even has a cool codename--Winger. His parents work for the same organization, and together they secretly help keep people safe. It's not such a bad gig, though Theo has to lie to his friends and to Eddie, something that's getting harder and harder to manage the longer he has to do it. Theo loves helping people and he's pretty stoked at being able to use his brilliant brain to solve complex technical computer problems. When things start getting dangerous, for not only Theo but his family and the agents of TOS, Theo begins to understand exactly how much his double life might cost him. 

Guys, Tracker Hacker was tons of fun! Fast paced, witty, and exciting, it's everything a fantastic YA book (well, any book I suppose) should be. Theo was equal parts sarcastic and sweet. He has a huge, important job and he's brilliant, but he also has responsibilities to his hockey teammates and to Eddie. It's not always easy to balance and he makes mistakes, but he tries his best. I really liked his relationship with Eddie. They were fantastic together and you could definitely tell they love one another. I enjoyed the conflict here, of Theo having to hide this super secret part of his life, but wanting and trying to make time to spend with Eddie. The whole plot really grabbed my attention and didn't let go though the tech speak got a bit hard to follow at times and seemed to slow the story down in a few spots. All in all though, Tracker Hacker was a roller coaster of a ride and I can't wait to see where Jeff Adams takes the series next. Be sure to check it out, you won't be sorry! 

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Release Day Review: Somewhere on Mackinac by Jeff Adams #Review #Giveaway

Author: Jeff Adams
Book: Somewhere on Mackinac
Series: States of Love
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Alexandria Corza
Publication date:May 3, 2017
Length: 113 pages


Reviewed by Erin



Synopsis

How far would you go for the man of your dreams?

Now that he’s single, Chicago businessman Jordan Monroe can finally take his long-desired trip to Mackinac Island for the Somewhere In Time fan celebration weekend. On the first day, Jordan finds himself attracted to Miles Colter, a handsome local stable owner who is giving horseback tours of film locations.

Jordan is surprised and charmed that Miles pursues him. When Jordan learns the stable is in trouble, he wants to help despite Miles’s resistance. As their relationship grows personally and professionally, Jordan dreads the issues that face them—an ex who won’t let him go, the complications of a long-distance relationship, and a secret he knows he shouldn’t be keeping.

Can Jordan and Miles find a way to forge a love as timeless as the romance in their favorite film?

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Dreamspinner Press

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Review

I am a big fan of Dreamspinner Press's States of Love series. I find all the locations and landmarks and the unique characteristics from each state to be really compelling. When I read the blurb for Somewhere on Mackinac by Jeff Adams I was immediately intrigued. I admit that I've never seen the movie, Somewhere in Time, which plays a significant role in the book, so I think I missed out a bit on all of the connections between the setting and the book but all in all this book was a nice, easy read that I liked. 

Jordan Monroe is a huge fan (understatement if there was one!) of the movie, Somewhere in Time, and now that he's currently single, he decides to embark on a weekend on Mackinac Island--where the move is set--for a fan celebration weekend. Once he arrives and is surrounded by all the things that he recognizes from the movie, Jordan is in heaven. Even more so when he crosses paths with Miles Colter, one of the locals who helps out at the hotel where Jordan is staying. There is an instant attraction between these two, and from there we watch Jordan and Miles get to know one another and yes, fall in love. I have to say that even though I've never seen the movie or been to Mackinac Island, Jeff Adams' love of both is readily apparent. He transports the reader to the picturesque setting where you travel by horse and carriage or bicycle and everyone calls out greetings as you walk down the street. From the fudge shop to the diner to the estate where the hotel is located, I could picture everything in detail with ease. 

The romance between Jordan and Miles is sweet and lovely, if a bit on the old fashioned side. This is not a complaint, by the way. I like the fact that these two men took the time to really get to know one another in spite of their intense physical attraction to one another. I wasn't so much of a fan of Drake, Jordan's ex who was just insufferable, and the big misunderstanding between Jordan and Miles toward the end of the book. For two grown men who should know better, this was a bit frustrating for sure. But it really was the setting and the gentle romance between Jordan and Miles that saved the book for me. And made me want to watch the movie, too. If you're looking for something light and easy with a nice romance, make sure you check out Somewhere on Mackinac.

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