Review: Pipe Dreams by Sarina Bowen

Title: Pipe Dreams (Brooklyn Bruisers #3)

Author: Sarina Bowen

Genre: Sports romance, hockey

Release Date: 2 May 2017

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My rating: 4 Stars

Blurb

A goalie has to trust his instincts, even when taking a shot to the heart…

Mike Beacon is a champion at defending the net, but off the ice, he’s not so lucky. A widower and a single father, he’s never forgotten Lauren Williams, the ex who gave him the best year of his life. When Lauren reappears in the Bruisers office during the playoffs, Beacon sees his chance to make things right.

Lauren hates that she’s forced to travel with the team she used to work for and the man who broke her heart. There’s still undeniable sexual tension running between her and Mike, but she won’t go down that road again. She’s focused on her plans for the future—she doesn’t need a man to make her dreams of motherhood come true.

Lauren plays her best defensive game, but she’s no match for the dark-eyed goalie. When the field of play moves to Florida, things heat up on the beach.

One of Mike’s biggest fans doesn’t approve—his teenage daughter. But a true competitor knows not to waste the perfect shot at love.

Review

After not enjoying very much the second book in this series, this was one such a nice surprise. I didn't expect Lauren would get a book of her own, and then I would have never guessed who her love interest would be. This was the sweetest, most touching of romances. I love love stories with single dads, they always tug at heartstrings and this was no exception.

We have two amazing characters put in a very difficult situation and finding their way back to each other after a most painful breakup.

I have to admit I severely misjudged Lauren based o the previous books. We see her true self here and her ice queen attitude was just an act to hide a heart that felt too much. She was amazing and I could relate both to her pain and her hopes and dreams. We see an independent woman moving on from a terrible break up the only way she knew how. Getting a degree, working hard, trying to have a family of her own.

It took me a while to forgive Mike. It's not the fact that he left Lauren that I resent but the fact that he did so with no explanation. I just can't accept people not talking things through, just making up decisions and not discussing them with their partner.

Their coming back together was not easy for either of them. And M's kid didn't help matters. But it was worth all the hardship. It felt real and natural because finally, they were communicating. Mistakes were made and some lessons were learned the hard way but their HEA was a most deserved one. And oh, so sweet, a bit too sweet for my personal taste.

I'm not very fond of pregnancy and child-birth bits in romance, most often than not they feel too staged and not-believable to me as was the case here. It's a personal hangup rather than a weakness of the story.

If you are looking for a great redemption story of second-chance love with some fun and sexy times, some hockey players shenanigans, one special teenage girl, and an ice queen with the kindest and most forgiving heart, you should definitely read this romance.

Purchase links: Amazon / iBooks / Kobo