Kristie J’s review of Anton (Chicago Blaze Hockey, Book 1) by Brenda Rothert
Contemporary Romance published by Silver Sky Publishing 29 Jan 19
In all the years I’ve been reading and doing reviews, I’ve never done this before. It’s definitely a first. I’m giving this book two grades, on for the outside and one for the inside.
Outside first. Two words. Ooooh Myyyy. This is without question the most gorgeous and sexy yet tasteful cover I’ve ever seen on a book. Look at it. Study it. Now try and disagree with me. It’s pure perfection with the model, the tattoos, the pose, the title in the most appropriate of places – perfection. I find the cover model to-die-for handsome, and if he were to ever notice me and ask me out on a date, I’d be torn. On the one han,d I couldn’t say yes fast enough. On the other hand, should I say yes, I’m afraid I would simply gaze in awe the entire date. And that would ruin it and he’d never ask me out again. So I’m left to long from afar. Oh, and save it as my wallpaper. Yes, I did do that. Needless to say the outside gets a A+ X infinity, even though it’s only electronic and I can’t post it on my bedroom wall. And since I’m well over legal age, that would just be weird anyway.
Inside now. I love the story. I’m quite a fan of Brenda Rothert and have read and loved many of her previous books, so I was planning on getting this one anyway since it’s been a while, it seems, since I read one of her books. And then I saw the cover – but I already covered the cover.
Anton is our hero and what a heart-melting hero he is. He’s a pro hockey player and captain of The Chicago Blaze. There are a number of things that make him dreamy, but one of the big reasons is he’s gone and fallen in love with the wife of a fellow team member. And that makes her completely off limits. What makes it harder, though, is she stays off limits, and the husband and Anton’s teammate is a total and complete a-hole. And because Anton is so gone for Mia Marceau, it’s her he wants and longs for only her. So he’s been celibate for quite some time. And for some reason that really amps up his appeal, a guy who’s holding out for a lost cause.
BUT
Because this is a romance, it turns out it’s not such a lost cause after all. Anton runs into Mia as she’s bartending. He ends up driving her home; it’s late and he worries for her. He discovers that she and her husband have split, with no chance of them getting back together; and because her husband is being the Snidely Whiplash of villains, he’s holding out any and all funds and Mia is all on her own, trying to keep herself going as well as keeping her grandfather in a good home.
Anton sees light at the end of his tunnel. She’s still off limits because she is only separated and not divorced, so he becomes her friend and protector. He hires her to look after his grouch of an uncle and is there for her in a number of different ways. As they spend more and more time together, he falls deeper and she begins to reciprocate his feelings.
Overall I very much enjoyed this book. There were a few things that didn’t work quite as well as most of the book. but that’s kind of nitpicking. to be honest. I found her husband and the villain of the story too over the top in his villainess. I didn’t like the lengths she went to for money to help her grandfather, but overall I enjoyed it. Anton was beyond a great hero; his Russianness most appealing and I quite admired the grit that Mia had. I love that they both had strong morals and wanted to wait until Mia was no longer a married woman before acting on their very strong attraction.
This is the first book in a series and as Anton has a twin brother who also plays hockey…
So for cover it’s 100+ and for story it’s B stars which equals…
Grade: A-
Summary:
He’s known as Father Anton to his teammates—the brooding, sexy captain of the NHL’s Chicago Blaze has a reputation for…not having a reputation. Just like his diet and sleep routines, celibacy is part of Anton Petrov’s on-ice mojo. Or so they say. Anton stays mum on the subject. If the world thinks he chooses to abstain from sex, so be it. Better that than the truth getting out: there is a woman he burns for, but he can never have her. She’s his teammate’s wife, after all.
Mia Marceau is finally on her own. Now that she and her husband are living apart, she’s finding the peace she was desperate for. She spends her days in classes and late nights bartending, making her own way in the world at last. After what she’s been through, as long as her husband leaves her alone, she doesn’t plan to rock the boat. He still has the power to hurt those dearest to her, and she can’t demand a divorce with such a high cost.
A chance encounter with Mia has Anton hoping for a shot he never thought he’d get. And while she’s drawn to the intense, serious hockey center, Mia’s leery about playing with fire. That’s all Anton has ever known for Mia, though—a living, burning desire that won’t be denied—no matter the cost.
No excerpt available.
