TAKING A SHOT by Jaci Burton

Taking a Shot
By Jaci Burton

I had never read anything by Jaci Burton before, but when TRC put the cover for Taking a Shot up I knew it was a book I had to check out. The main male lead is a professional hockey player and that’s my number one sport. I swear I was born in a hockey rink. Actually, I’ve been going to hockey games since in the womb so it’s in my blood. Nothing like watching a bunch of guys skating on ice after a rubber puck, jostling, fighting, roughing it up to score a goal. A very enjoyable way to pass an evening. So I had a feeling this book would be right up my alley. Not to mention the cover is damn hot. Okay enough of my ramblings about hockey, onto my review. 😉

Taking a Shot is part of Burton’s Play-By-Play series. I’ve only read this one and if it’s any indication for how she writes, she’s an author that can keep me interested in storyline and characters, especially of the athletic variety. Her athletes are definitely not lacking in the hotness department or stamina department, both on the playing field and the bedroom.

Ty Andersson is a professional hockey player who plays for the St. Louis Ice. He and his teammates have made it a habit of hanging out at Riley’s, a popular sports bar in town after home games. Ty had met the bar’s manager Jenna Riley through her brother Mick earlier on and now has become intrigued with her. There’s only one problem with that, Jenna has vowed to never date or fall for anyone involved in sports. Being the athlete he is, Ty never gives up on a challenge, and right now, Jenna is a challenge Ty has set his sights on.

Jenna Riley comes from a sports oriented family. Her two older brothers Mick and Gavin are professional athletes. Mick plays pro football and her brother Gavin plays pro baseball. On top of all that her family has always run one of the city’s most popular sports bars Rileys. No matter where Jenna turns there’s something sports oriented always popping up in front of her. From her brothers, to their friends, to work. She can’t seem to escape it. So when Ty Andersson walks into the bar one fateful night, Jenna decides that she needs to stay clear of him before something happens.

Jenna never saw herself becoming the manager of Riley’s Sports Bar, but after her father suffered a heart attack a year ago, she felt she owed it to her family to step up and take charge. In doing so Jenna put her plans and dreams on hold and never told her family about a secret talent she’s had all her life. It isn’t until Jenna starts seeing Ty that things begin to change for her. Even though she’s stated she’ll never date or fall for a guy involved in sports Jenna can’t seem stop the attraction or chemistry she feels for Ty.

As the relationship progresses Jenna keeps trying to convince herself she just hasn’t expelled Ty from of her system yet. It’s like she’s trying to exorcise some demon from her life, but instead she keeps falling further and further in love with Ty and doesn’t realize it, or at least won’t acknowledge it.

Not only is Jenna falling fast for Ty, but so are the walls she’s built up around herself. She starts to let Ty into her life more and more, even going so far as to confess her secret passion in life, singing and song writing. Ty convinces her to sing for him one night and from that moment on gets Jenna thinking that maybe she doesn’t have to put her dreams on hold or keep her singing and song writing a secret anymore. There’s only one problem, Jenna is afraid of failure. This fear of failing goes all the way back to the time she spent backpacking her way through Europe. She had joined up with a band and was living her dream singing in different bars and towns night after night until one day she was told she wasn’t good enough. From that day on she decided to keep her talent a secret.

Jenna isn’t the only one who’s built up walls to protect themselves, Ty has too, but for different reasons. Ty witnessed his parent’s marriage fall apart from an early age and decided that commitment and marriage wasn’t for him. He didn’t want to chance the same thing that happened to him when he was a kid to happen to a child of his own. However, the more time he spends with Jenna and her family Ty starts to re-think his ideas on love, marriage and commitment. He realizes that he’s falling for Jenna and maybe there’s hope for him after all. Ty realizes that if he can get over his fears of commitment and marriage, then maybe Jenna can get over her fears as well. Ty pushes Jenna to pursue her dreams and tell her family about her talent. Knowing this won’t be an easy task Ty is patient and allows Jenna to come to her own conclusions, even when she blows up at him and tells him it’s over. Being the ‘never back down from a challenge’ type personality Ty decides it isn’t over but gives Jenna the time she needs. In the end Jenna comes to realize she doesn’t want a life without Ty or her dream. She opens up to her family and sings for them, then tells them about her dream of running a music bar, where she can sing whenever she wants and promote other singers and bands. Being the supportive family they are, her parents and brothers are there for her and let her know they will always be. Once Jenna comes clean with her family and accepts who she really is she’s able to completely embrace what Ty has brought to her life and what they can be together. Jenna decides it’s finally time to go after what she wants and that’s a life with Ty and her music.

Being the hockey fan that I am I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Burton gives you action on and off the ice. It’s hot and heavy at times and other times very sweet and romantic. I enjoyed both characters and feel anyone who loves sports as much as I do will enjoy this book or any of Burton’s books in the Play-by-Play series. Even if you aren’t a sports nut you’ll enjoy this book too. Looking forward to back tracking now and reading the previous books in the series and then any future one’s she writes.

Play-by-Play Series reading order
-The Perfect Play
-Changing the Game
-Taking a Shot
-Playing to Win (Sept 4, 2012)

reviewed by Marcie