Good Hands (Bears Hockey II #2) by Kelly Jamieson -a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 12, 2022

A hookup doesn’t have to mean just once. Right?

Brandon Smith
Keep it easy. Keep it fun. Never hold on. That sums up my relationship goals, with hockey teams and with women. I learned early on that love and family equals fights and heartache. So I’m always moving on to the next team, the next hookup, before things turn sour.

When I meet Lola at a tropical beachside bar, it’s the perfect set up for a little hot vacation sex. She’s gorgeous, funny, and most importantly, leaving for home tomorrow. But this time, I have a sinking feeling I’ll be sorry to see her go.

Lola McGrath
I knew after that night in Aruba I’d never see Brandon again. That’s fine; I’m too busy vying for the corner office to make time for relationships. But when our paths cross again in New York, our sizzling attraction leads to “just one more night”. Then another. And another.

We never meant to become friends with this many benefits. Especially the one neither of us ever expected—or thought we wanted.

•••••

REVIEW:GOOD HANDS is the second instalment in Kelly Jamieson’s contemporary, adult BEARS HOCKEY II erotic, hockey romance series –a spin off/ companion to the author’s BEARS HOCKEY series. This is twenty nine year old New York Bears hockey player Brandon Smith, and consultant Lola McGrath’s story line. GOOD HANDS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story and series is revealed where necessary. Some of the events of GOOD HANDS cross over with and run parallel to some of the events of book one The O Zone.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Brandon and Lola) GOOD HANDS follows in the wake of a one night stand in Aruba between twenty nine year old New York Bears hockey player Brandon Smith, and consultant Lola McGrath. Upon their return to New York, Brandon and Lola run into one another embarking on a friends with benefits relationship while Brandon plays hockey for the New York Bears but a loss in the playoff means Brandon is heading home to Michigan, leaving a heart broken Lola in his wake. With neither one wanting marriage or children or a permanent relationship, walking away is an emotional journey, a journey that will quickly spiral into something more. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Brandon and Lola, and the potential fall-out as a lack of communication, and words said in anger, threaten to destroy the the only woman with whom Brandon had ever fallen in love.

Brandon Smith doesn’t believe in happily ever afters having lived through the tumultuous marriage and divorce of his parents. Believing he was never wanted or loved, Brandon struggles with all relationships and friendships going forward, including the relationship with the woman he loves. Lola McGrath has always considered herself a failure; never good enough and never achieving family expectations but a disappointment at work forces Lola to reconsider her own future, and a future with a man who doesn’t believe in love.

The relationship between Brandon and Lola is a friends with benefits that quickly turns into something more, something Brandon refuses to acknowledge, admit or too closely look. A surprise announcement pushes all of Brandon’s button, an announcement that is about to push Brandon out of Lola’s life. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

Once again, several of the original Bears Hockey players return as secondary and supporting characters as well as Owen ‘Cookie’ Cooke, and Emerie Ross (The O Zone #1), Easton Millar, Josh Heller, Nate Karmeinski, Jbo and Bergie. We are introduced to Lola’s parents Drs Rick and Carrie McGrath, Brandon’s parents, his agent Kevin Bozeman; and Lola’s friends Kaylee, Isla and Sadie.

GOOD HANDS is a story of family, relationships, misunderstanding and miscommunication; a story of self-deprecation, acceptance, realization and love. The premise is emotional, captivating and engaging; the romance is seductive and impassioned; the characters strong-willed, independent, yet struggling.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one THE O ZONE.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy