Hard Stick by L.P. Dover 
Series: Breakaway #1
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Source: ARC, NetGalley
Also by this author: Turn of the Moon, Roped In, Resisting the Moon, Catching Summer, Defending Hayden, Intended for Bristol, Trigger, Target, Aim, Christmas With You: an anthology, Claimed by the Moon, Craving the Fight
Goodreads
He carries a big stick. And he’s not afraid to use it.
On the ice, I’m Kellan Carter, powerhouse enforcer for the Charlotte Strikers. Off the ice, I’m just a regular guy. The last thing I want is to get mobbed by a bunch of groupies who are only after me for my fame and money. My ideal woman knows how to enjoy a little good, clean fun—and maybe some not-so-clean fun too. That’s the kind of girl I’d never let go.
When Kristen Robinson, the gorgeous, down-to-earth bartender I’ve been crushing on, agrees to let me take her out, I’m thrilled. We have an amazing night together, culminating in the most electrifying kiss of my life—and that’s it. Kristen tells me we can’t see each other again, but I know that kiss meant as much to her as it did to me. What I don’t know is that Kristen has a dangerous secret. . . .
I’ve proved to Kristen that she can trust me with her body and her heart. But when her past comes back to haunt her, I need to prove that she can trust me with her life. And I might have to get my hands dirty after all.
This is not a sports romance. The hero happens to be a hockey player, but the story isn’t really about that at all. Its really about a girl in the witness protection program. This book is really more of a contemporary romance similar to her Second Chances series, just about a hockey team instead of a football team.
Kristen picked the WRONG guy. Now, because of it, she is living in a town under a different name and has to fake her own death to try and get him to abandon his pursuit of her. Throwing a wrench in her plan? Kellan, the pro hockey player who comes into the bar/restaurant she works at. He makes no bones about his desire to get her to date him. She wishes she could, but dating is just not in the cards for her.
I have found that most LP Dover books read quick. She typically tends to jump right in and I appreciate that! There are a couple of characters from previous series’ of hers (Armed and Dangerous, Gloves Off, Second Chances) but you don’t need to have read it. For those of us who have read it, it is just a nice little cameo!
Kellan is not like your typical pro athletes. He isn’t a puck bunny chaser. He isn’t a man whore. He really is just a nice guy who happens to play professional hockey. He is…dare I say it…NORMAL! How could you not love him!? I wanted him to break through Kristen’s barriers because he deserved happiness as much as she did. I am curious to see if the rest of the series keeps this more romantic suspense bend or if it becomes more of a sports romance story.
Ok, now having said that, let me address some of the issues I had. First, she got her degree in Interior Design from MIT. They don’t offer degrees in Interior Design. Maybe she got a degree in Architectural studies…But still. You don’t go to MIT to be an interior designer. That just doesn’t make good sense. You go to a famous design school like Savannah Art and Design, Rhode Island Design, or something. Second, after her first date with Kellan, she tells him about her past, her name change, and faking her own death. WitSec rule number one is you can’t tell anyone anything!
I did think the surprise twist was interesting. I hadn’t even THOUGHT anything like that. However, the rest of the book is pretty predictable. Overall, this was a good story: good characters, good plot, but not great. I enjoyed it and read it in a few hours, but I probably will forget all about it among the sea of other books I read.
- POV: dual 1st
- Tears: no
- Trope: secret identity, on the run
- Triggers: View Spoiler »
- Series/Standalone: stand alone
- Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
- HEA: View Spoiler »
Hawke by Sawyer Bennett, The Enforcer by Helenkay Dimon, The Hot Shot by Kristen Callihan…then you will probably like Hard Stick!
Hard Stick
Great review! And I love your blog. #GetSocial17
Thanks so much!