BOOK REVIEW ~ MELTING THE ICE BY JACI BURTON

Title: Melting The Ice (Play by Play, Book Seven)
Author: Jaci Burton
Publisher: Berkley 
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Paperback, 336 pages

ARC provided by Goodreads and Publisher

Book Blurb

Carolina Preston has only one goal in mind—launching her new fashion line. She needs only one last thing to make it perfect—hockey phenom Drew Hogan. But Carolina and Drew have a history that goes back to their college days, and Carolina doesn’t want the embarrassment of her past to cloud the brightness of her future. 

Drew is eager for the chance to show Carolina he isn’t the boy who hurt her back then, but a man now, with the skills necessary to melt the icy exterior of her cold heart.


Book Review

Jaci Burton knows her stuff when it comes to sexy sports figures and hot romance. Her Play By Play series is one of my favorite and go-to's when I need a fix of sweaty, athletic men who know how to make a woman very happy.

Melting The Ice is a story of second chances--Carolina had a huge crush on Drew while they were in college, but Drew was an immature ass and never contacted her after their one night. 

Years later, Carolina is at the cusp of her fashion career, as she works on her clothes line to be debuted during Fashion Week. A big to-do that could make her career. But she's short a male model or two. When her brother and his wife stop over for a visit, Carolina asks her brother to walk the runway. Her male clothing line has been inspired by athletes, and she thinks he will be perfect as a model. Gray accepts and also volunteers his best friend and hockey star, Drew. Even as she refuses her brother's offer, she is too late. Gray has gotten Drew to say yes to his idea. And once again, Carolina finds herself face to face with the man who crushed her heart. 

But Drew isn't the man he was years ago. He knows he was ass and they way he treated Carolina doesn't sit well with him. He wants to make amends. And he still wants her. He wants a second chance to show Carolina how much he's changed. With Carolina and Drew working together, things start to heat up to the boiling point. Hot enough to melt the ice on the rink -- and I mean literally on the ice as Drew models in only his skivvies. 

Drew and Carolina both have demanding careers and a very busy life. But there is no denying that the sexual chemistry is still strong. But when Drew thinks that being involved with Carolina is affecting his game, he has to make the tough decision to put his team first. A decision which could shatter Carolina's heart...once again.

Burton is a pro at creating powerful heroines and strong heroes that are great to read about as they struggle to overcome their demanding careers and face difficult circumstances. But in the end, they realize that together they are stronger, better individuals and love is worth the sacrifices. 

COVER REVEAL ~ HOPE FLAMES BY JACI BURTON

I am a huge fan of author, Jaci Burton. She writes with such passion and pens such amazing characters. And I am doing a happy dance right now because she is starting a new series--A Hope Novel Series. The first book will be released in September 2013.  Here is a glimpse on the sexy cover and a blurb about the book ~ 


Veterinarian Emma Burnett won’t let anything or anyone sidetrack her from her job as new owner of the vet clinic in Hope. She let a man distract her once, with disastrous results. But when Luke McCormack brings in his injured police dog, Emma can hardly ignore him. Despite Emma’s best efforts to keep things strictly doctor and owner of the patient, Luke’s one hot distraction.


Who isn't a sucker for a man who is great with animals?  Can't wait, Jaci! 

LUSTING FOR COVERS

Lusting for Covers is a weekly meme, held on Sunday, that allows bloggers to share their current cover obsession with fellow book lovers.
This meme is hosted by TBQ @ TBQ's Book Palace.


To view complete instructions on how to participate, as well as grab the HTML code for the graphic, see this page first!


Once you are ready to join the fun, please fill out Mister Linky on TBQ's Blog Post with your name/blog name and the direct link to your Lusting for Covers for this week!


Sorry about the late post, but I have been out of town for the last two days (still am) and trying to blog has been rather difficult. But I have made it back for a short bit just to show you the new Jaci Burton cover that I am lusting over...

 THROWN BY A CURVE, Book 5 ~Play by Play series. Expected publication date of March 2013.



She thinks she knows this player—but he has a few surprise moves.

For Alicia Riley, her job as a sports therapist for the St. Louis Rivers baseball team is a home run—until she becomes the primary therapist for star pitcher, Garrett Scott. Out of the lineup with an injury, he’s short-tempered, hard to handle, and every solid inch, a man.

Right now, the only demand he’s making on Alicia is that she get him ready to pitch in time for opening day. Except the sexual chemistry between them is so charged, Alicia’s tempted to oblige Garrett just about anything. But both their careers are at stake—one bad move and it’s game over for both of them.


Garrett also feels the hot sparks between them, and the way he figures it, what better therapy is there than sex? Now all he has to do is convince the woman with the power to make the call.




Drool....worthy....Can't. Wait.
How about you? What cover are you lusting over this week?

COVER LUST

THERE ARE NO WORDS....

Jed Hill is causing a lot of women to have spontaneous orgasms around the country. Just, LOOK AT IT.

There is not ONE flaw, imperfection, blemish, to be found. Believe me ~ I've stared at it for HOURS. It's my job to look for such things, lol.

Jaci Burton, is the fantastic author of over fifty novels-gripping plots, strong characters, and amazing ALPHA heroes that make women swoon. And she is one lucky beeotch--her covers just get better and better. And she is super-sweet in person, to boot!

Playing To Win, Book Four of the Play-by-Play series, is expected to be released September 4, 2012

Cole Riley’s a hot headed football player who has put his career on the line with his off field behavior. Consultant Savannah Brooks comes on board to save his image—and to get his game on the right track. When two opposing forces collide, there’s bound to be sparks.

You can pre-order this book at Amazon or Books-A-Million.

What book cover have you recently salivated over?

Happy Release Day - Tuesday October 17, 2011 ~ And those you might have missed!

Okay. So officially, it's not Tuesday...yet.  But I can't help it. I see what's coming out and I get excited.
Especially because one of my favorite authors, Jaci Burton, has a new book coming out tomorrow, The Heart of a Killer.

                             Man, can this woman write! 

Also, I am looking forward to the anthology, A Vampire For Christmas.  It has four amazing authors that I love to read: Laurie London, Caridad Pineiro, Michelle Hauf, and Alexis Morgan.

And like I don't have enough sizzlin' in my kindle right now!  LOL. 

I just purchased Erin McCarthy's Slow Ride,  Book 5 of her Fast Track Series.

Shayla Black's Belong to Me, Book 5 of her Wicked Lovers series.

And, Lauren Dane's Never Enough, Book 4 of her Brown Siblings series.



My only problem now is figuring out which one to start first, LOL.

So, what book has your kindle smokin' right now?  Do share :)



Review of 'Changing The Game' ~ Jaci Burton

Availiable: August, 2, 2011
Type: Contemporary, Sports, Erotic Romance
Publisher: Berkley Trade
ISBN-10: 0425242404
ISBN-13: 978-0425242407

Info on author Jaci Burton:
http://jaciburton.com/


Wow--the cover alone is da bomb diggity. But the pages in between will make your heart pound a little harder, too.

Changing The Game is the second in the Play-by-Play series by the fantasmic author, Jaci Burton. With over 45 published books under her belt, she is one of those writers that get better and better with each book. Like a fine wine.

Gavin Riley, pro baseball player for the St. Louis Rivers, is not looking for commitment. He loves women, he loves sex, and has no intentions of getting serious with Elizabeth Darnell. They're not dating, right? They're just fucking.

Elizabeth Darnell, a 'walking sex bomb with a wicked brain' (Gavin's words, people-not mine), has loved Gavin for years. Not that he had the first clue. Men can be so obtuse about such things. So when Gavin invites her stay with him for awhile, she breaks every one of her hard and fast rules about not getting personally involved with one of her clients.

And that's when the game changes--nothing will ever be the same again.

Excerpt from 'Changing the Game':

Gavin sat outside and watched the seagulls swooping down at the water's edge searching for breakfast while he nursed a cup of coffee and pondered the naked redhead asleep in his bed.
Not just any naked redhead, either, but his agent, Elizabeth.
What a surprise she'd been last night. In more ways than one.
He would have never expected Elizabeth to be his match in the bedroom. She'd turned him on in ways he'd never imagined.
Sure, he'd had a bit to drink last night, and fucking her hadn't been on his mind. It had just happened. But whoa, it had been good.
And he wanted more.
But it was an all-around bad idea. First, because she was his agent, and they needed to keep their relationship strictly business.
Second, she had screwed over his brother, and that still didn't sit right with him.
Third, she wasnt his type at all. He liked his women soft and easygoing. And easygoing and Elizabeth didn't belong in the same sentence.
He still wanted more of her.

The first part of the story explodes with steamy, hot, love scenes that push all the right buttons- an erotic punch to the gut. By page thirty-nine, I was wondering if the two lovers would pull a muscle, hurt something---or at least be a bit chafed.

But there is more to this story than 'fog your glasses' sexy times. (Although Jaci superbly weaves them throughout the book).

This story follows two lovers who utlimately struggle with opposition at every turn. But will family tensions, nagging doubts, and deep-rooted fears be too much for Gavin and Elizabeth to overcome?

I really enjoyed this book-more so than the first of the series, 'The Perfect Play'. I love it when the hero fumbles around and acts like an asshat. He lets his ego get the best of him and he gets knocked to his knees by the fiery Elizabeth Darnell. Oh, how the mighty tumble.
All the Rileys make an appearance and it feels like coming home. There are even a few new secondary characters (Shawnelle and Haley) that add a pinch of humor--think too many margaritas and  women grinding against each other on the dance floor. 

You also get a peek of Ty Anderson, hockey player for the St. Louis Ice, when he hires Elizabeth to be his agent.  And I am sure that Jenna Riley will be melting into a puddle of goo around the sexy athlete in the next book of the series, "Taking A Shot". Can't. Wait.

4.5 Stars 


Links to purchase 'Changing the Game':


Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Changing-Game-Play-Play-Novel/dp/0425242404/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1311266870&sr=1-1

Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/jaci-burton-changing-the-game?store=book

Borders:
http://www.borders.com/online/store/TitleDetail?sku=0425242404

Books-A-Million:
http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9780425242407

Chapters:
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Changing-The-Game-Jaci-Burton/9780425242407-item.html