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Rookie Move (Brooklyn Bruisers #1) by Sarina Bowen-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

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ROOKIE MOVE (Brooklyn Bruisers #1) by Sarina Bowen-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

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ROOKIE MOVE
Brooklyn Bruisers #1
by Sarina Bowen
Release Date: September 6, 2016
Genre: adult, contemporary, hockey, romance

Rookie Move

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 6, 2016

In high school they were the perfect couple—until the day Georgia left Leo in the cold…

Hockey player Leo Trevi has spent the last six years trying to do two things: get over the girl who broke his heart, and succeed in the NHL. But on the first day he’s called up to the newly franchised Brooklyn Bruisers, Leo gets checked on both sides, first by the team’s coach—who has a long simmering grudge, and then by the Bruisers’ sexy, icy publicist—his former girlfriend Georgia Worthington.

Saying goodbye to Leo was one of the hardest things Georgia ever had to do—and saying hello again isn’t much easier. Georgia is determined to keep their relationship strictly professional, but when a press conference microphone catches Leo declaring his feelings for her, things get really personal, really fast.

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: ROOKIE MOVE is the first installment in Sarina Bowen’s contemporary, adult BROOKLYN BRUISERS hockey romance series focusing on the men and women of the professional hockey team of the same name. This is team publicist Georgia Worthington, and hockey player Leo Trevi’s story line. The Brooklyn Bruisers series is a spin off from Bowen’s The Ivy Years series but you do not have to have read the original series to follow. Some of the characters including Leo’s brother DJ cross over for cohesion and familiarity.

Told from dual third person perspectives ROOKIE MOVE is a story of second chances between NHL rookie Leo Trevi, and Brooklyn Bruisers’ interim director of public relations Georgia Worthington. Leo and Georgia were high school sweethearts making plans for the future when Georgia became the victim of a devastating assault just months before their graduation. Pushing the only man she would ever love out of her life was the most difficult decision she had ever made but fast forward six years, and she would have to face the man that she destroyed while trying to hold onto the career that is floundering out of control. What ensues is the rebuilding of the relationship between Leo and Georgia, and the destructive nature of misunderstanding when the team’s new coach is Georgia’s father-a man who doesn’t trust our story line hero with his only daughter.

There is plenty of history between Leo and Georgia that directly affects the relationship between Georgia’s father and his new rookie player. There is also plenty of misunderstanding, and a history of a lack of communication between the trio that plays havoc with the team and player morale. Georgia and Leo have never stopped loving one another and Leo intends to fight for Georgia even though our heroine continues to push Leo away fearing for both of their jobs. The $ex scenes are intimate and intense.

We are introduced to a number of the Brooklyn Bruisers hockey players, staff and owner. Georgia’s best friend and roommate Becca is also employed by the Brooklyn Bruisers; and Leo’s family, including his brother DJ, welcome our heroine back into the fold.

The world building takes the reader behind the scenes of a fictional profession hockey team: the players, the games, the competitive nature of the sport, and the friends and family who stand by their side. The locker room drama is limited; the puck-bunnies are few and far between.

ROOKIE MOVE is a story of second chances, romance and love. We are witness to the background dynamics of running a professional sports team, and the inherent quality of unconditional love. The premise is heartwarming and emotional; the characters are energetic and passionate; the romance is provocative and captivating. ROOKIE MOVE is a fantastic start to a new series.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Rookie_Move_hockey_card

excerpt

 

“Come right this way,” Georgia heard her coworker and roommate Becca say, the clomp of her Dr. Martens echoing through the grand old passageway. “Nate is excited to meet you.” Becca was the owner’s assistant, and Georgia lingered half a second to wave her down and offer her a donut, too.
But Becca didn’t happen to look in Georgia’s direction as she led a tall man down the corridor. Something about his gait snagged Georgia’s subconscious. So she took a second look.
And that’s when her heart took off like a manic bunny rabbit. Because she knew that man. She knew the chiseled shape of his masculine jaw, and the length of his coal-black eyelashes.
Oh my God.
Omigod, omigod, omigod.
“How was your flight?” Becca asked him, oblivious to the fact that Georgia was spying.
“Not too bad. I got in late last night.”
The sound of his voice fluttered right inside Georgia’s chest. It was the same smoky sweet timbre that used to whisper into her ear while they made love. She hadn’t let herself remember that sound in a long time.
Now it was giving her goosebumps. The good kind.
“Welcome to Brooklyn,” Becca said while Georgia trembled. “Are you familiar with the area?”
“Grew up about thirty miles from here,” he answered while chills broke out across her back.
Holding her breath, Georgia eased her office door further closed, until only a couple of inches remained. She could not be caught like this—freaked-out and speechless, hiding behind a door.
The movement caught Becca’s eye, though. Georgia saw her turn her head in her direction and then pick her out in the crack where the door was still open. Becca raised one eyebrow—the one with the barbell piercing in it.
All Georgia could do was close her eyes and pray that Becca wouldn’t call out a greeting.
There was a pause before Georgia heard Becca say, “Right this way, please.”
Quietly, Georgia stepped into her office and shut the door. After flipping on the light, she let her briefcase and pocketbook slide right to the floor. Only the folder that Nate had given her was still in her shaking hands. She flipped it open, her eyes searching for the new player’s name on the page.
But she didn’t even need the paperwork to confirm what her racing heart had already figured out. The newest player for the Brooklyn Bruisers was none other than Leonardo “Leo” Trevi, a six-foot-two, left-handed forward. Also known as her high school boyfriend, the boy she’d loved with all her heart until the day that she’d dumped him. And now he was here?
“Thanks, universe,” she whispered into the stillness of her office.

 

 

About the author

 

Sarina BowenSarina Bowen is the USA Today bestselling author of steamy, angsty Contemporary Romance and New Adult fiction. She lives in the wilds of Vermont.

She is the author of The Ivy Years, an award-winning series set amid the hockey team at an elite Connecticut college. Also, the The Gravity series.

With Elle Kennedy, Sarina is the author of HIM and US.

Follow Sarina: Goodreads / Website / Twitter / Facebook

giveaway

Sarina’s publisher is offering a paper copy of ROOKIE MOVE to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page (at the top of your computer).

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Follow Sarina Bowen on Facebook.

4. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

5. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Please follow The Reading Cafe on Tumblr

8. Giveaway is open to USA only

9. Giveaway runs from Sept 4-8, 2016

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Rushing the Goal / Overtime (Assassins 8 & 7) by Toni Aleo-reviews

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Rushing the Goal/ Overtime (Assassins 8 & 7) by Toni Aleo-reviews

Assassins 7 and 8

••••••••••••••

Rushing the Goal

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / KOBO /

RUSHING THE GOAL (Assassins #8) by Toni Aleo

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release DateMarch 28, 2016

Introduced in Toni Aleo’s Bellevue Bullies Series, it’s the Sinclair brothers’ big sister’s turn to find love in the next installment of the New York Times and USA Today best-selling series, the Assassins.

Lucy Sinclair was no stranger to pain.

She grew up with three younger brothers, met a bad boy, got pregnant by him, married him, and then suffered through a nasty divorce from him. Pain. That was pain. To top it off, she even had to go through the heartbreaking divorce of her parents. Through it all, she survived. All she cared about was making sure her daughter was happy and taken care of. Despite an ex-husband hell-bent on ruining her life, she fought to overcome. She’s gotten to the point that she’s okay with being just okay. She never cared about herself because she never had the time. It was Angie and only Angie she focused on, but that all changed when Benji Paxton offered to help her daughter on the ice.

Benji knew the moment he saw Lucy, he’d never be the same. Especially when she came with the bundle of crazy that was her daughter. His heart wasn’t ready for them. After years spent sobering up and finding who he was without the alcohol, he never forgot he was being punished for not appreciating the love he had when he was younger. Because of his past, he had gotten used to being alone, a recluse, but even he had to admit it was getting old. He was lonely. Hockey wasn’t enough anymore. He wanted a family; he wanted his true love.

And Lucy and Angie were just that.

They were just two lost souls.

Floating through life with no purpose.

But finding each other gave them direction, a chance at a future.

And had them both Rushing the Goal to be together.

••••••••••

REVIEW: RUSHING THE GOAL is the eighth full length installment in Toni Aleo’s contemporary, adult ASSASSINS hockey , romance series focusing on the men and women the professional hockey team –the Nashville Assassins. This is Benjamin ‘Benj’ Paxton, and interior designer/single mother Lucy Sinclair’s storyline. Lucy and her brothers were first introduced in Toni’s BELLEVUE BULLIES series; some of Benji’s history and story is first revealed in book seven-OVERTIME. RUSHING THE GOAL can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Benji and Lucy) RUSHING THE GOAL follows Lucy in a constant battle with her ex-husband- a man who continues to make Lucy’s life miserable-resulting in a heroine who is always angry, anxious, and over protective of the seven year old daughter she adores. Enter Benji Paxton, a professional hockey player for the Nashville Assassins, and a man whose dark and deadly past controls the man that he is today.

Benji Paxton lost everything twelve years earlier when a transport truck destroyed the family that he loved. Following years of alcohol abuse Benji lost his wife and daughter, and a brother to an accident he believes could have been prevented if not for the addiction that controlled his life. Fast forward to present day, and Benji is a changed man; a man who believes that he has found the woman who will pull him out of the past, and into a future he hopes to deserve.

The relationship between Benji and Lucy is one of immediate attraction. Benji helps coach a group of children for minor hockey, and Lucy’s daughter is about to enter into the family game that everyone loves so much. The $ex scenes are intimate, provocative and intense. Benji is looking towards the future; Lucy is trying to survive one day at a time.

All of Lucy’s brothers and their respective significant others from the Bellevue Bullies series play secondary and supporting roles, as well as several members of the Nashville Assassins. We are introduced to the Sinclair matriarch who is about to enter into a new life of her own; and the family patriarch who is desperately trying to make amends for the sins of his past. Lucy’s ex husband plays significant role in the story line as he sets about to destroy Lucy and the man with whom she has fallen in love.

RUSHING THE GOAL is an emotional story line that focuses on the disintegration of the family; separation and divorce; and the battle for custody of a little girl who only wants to be loved. The premise is exciting, entertaining and frustrating; the characters are colorful, charismatic and emotional; the romance is a slow build to a happily ever after.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

________________

OvertimeOVERTIME
(Assassins #7)
by Toni Aleo
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance, hockey

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 10, 2015

Down and out with an injury keeping him away from the game, Assassins’ defenseman Jordie Thomas lives for the blades of his skates on the ice and the feeling of oblivion off it. With no choice but to heal, he’s forced away from the sport that runs through his veins. With everything at stake and darkness setting in, he quickly finds himself spiraling even further out of control. As his life begins to come crashing down around him and his contract with the Nashville Assassins on the line, he’s given an ultimatum. Ready or not, Jordie is forced to face his past, the fears that consume him, and the one woman he let walk away.

Kacey King had her professional dreams come true, yet her heart was battered and broken. With an Olympic gold medal around her neck, she’s ready to look forward to the future but without the one man she wanted in it. She’s missing the key pieces of her heart she left months ago with the only person who was capable of destroying it, causing her to falter in all her plans to move on.

In the game of life, there are winners and losers, and neither Jordie nor Kacey want to be on the losing bench. If only Jordie could convince Kacey he’s a changed man and that he wants her right by his side as his MVP for the biggest and best parts of a life they build together. With emotions running high and the game on the line, can two proud people find happiness with each other, or will their hearts and souls be left in the cold? Will they see that sometimes having someone by your side who knows the good, bad, and broken is better than going it alone and losing everything through the back of the net? They are out of time on the game clock and fighting for the win of their lives.

But overtime was made for an Assassin like Jordie.

••••••••••••

REVIEW: OVERTIME is the seventh full length installment in Toni Aleo’s adult, contemporary ASSASSINS erotic, romance series focusing on the members of the professional hockey team the Nashville Assassins. This is Assassins’s defenseman Jordie Thomas, and Olympic Hockey champion Kacey King’s (Karson’s sister LACES AND LACE) story line-a second chance at love for two people destroyed by demons from the past. OVERTIME can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. There is a prequel novella tobKacey and Jordie’s story-WANTING TO FORGET- but it is not necessary for the comprehension of OVERTIME.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Jordie and Kacey) OVERTIME is the second chance at love for Kacey and Jordie. Following four months together wherein Kacey fell in love, Jordie walked away without a backwards glance. Fast forward to present day Jordie finds himself in a disciplinary hearing fighting for his career and his professional life. Too much partying, manwhoring and drinking, and a positive drug test he knows nothing about Jordie is given no option but to enter rehab or face down a trade to another team. What ensues are Jordie’s battle with temptation, and his recovery from an injury that almost ended his career. Jordie’s return to civilian life finds our hero facing the biggest challenge of his life-asking for forgiveness and a second chance from the person whose life he destroyed the most.

OVERTIME looks at the destructive nature of addiction, and the precipitating factors that destroyed a young boy’s life when his mother all but kicked him to the curb and denied any and all responsibility for the abuse and neglect inflicted upon the four year old boy. Jordie’s life is haunted by his mother’s rejection, and his inability to get passed what was and what will never be. Jordie’s relationship with Kacey finds our hero pushing away the woman that he loves fearing rejection once again. OVERTIME is the culmination of betrayal, heartbreak, rehabilitation and redemption for one man, and the woman that he has always loved.

The secondary and supporting characters include Kacey’s brother Karson, and his wife Lacey; Kacey and Karson’s parents, as well as some of the members of the Assassin’s hockey team, their owner Elli Adler and her player/husband Shea. Kacey’s parent see more than anyone thought possible, and it is great to see a set of parents who support their children, and tell it like it is.

OVERTIME is an emotional story line with a broken hero; a heroine who loves a man that destroyed her heart; and a couple whose lives are pushed to the limits when the past comes back looking for something more. The premise is a bit of a slow build as Jordie struggles with the past, and Kacey refuses to acknowledge his existence. The characters are colorful, charismatic and heartbreaking-once again, it took some time for Kacey to forgive Jordie’s betrayal, all the while condemning his actions at every opportunity; Kacey’s anger knew no boundaries; her heartbreak was palpable. The romance is a second chance story of forgiveness; and looking forward to so much more.

Reviewed by Sandy

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Power Play (Pilots Hockey #2) by Sophia Henry-a review

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POWER PLAY (Pilots Hockey #2) by Sophia Henry-a review

Power Play

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 16, 2016

Beneath her innocent facade, Gabriella Bertucci has her reasons to be standoffish with guys. Especially guys like Landon Taylor, a star defenseman on the minor-league Detroit Pilots and the object of a serious crush since he first walked into her family’s market. But when Landon comes through for her in a moment of crisis, Gaby starts to wonder if there might be more to Landon than hard muscles and fast skates.

Landon isn’t afraid of telling Gaby that he’s got it for her bad. The problem is, she seems unwilling to believe it. And though Landon enjoys his reputation as a cool-headed athlete, he hates losing—both on the rink and off. It’s his competitiveness that makes him so damn good at what he does . . . but it also makes him just a little bit complicated.

One minute Gaby’s tempted to give in; the next, she’s getting cold feet. How can she trust a guy who’s destined for bigger and better things to stick around? Then again, when Landon pulls her close with those powerful arms, the only thing that matters is right now.

••••••

REVIEW: POWER PLAY is the second installment in Sophia Henry’s new adult, contemporary PILOTS HOCKEY romance series focusing on the members of the AHL Hockey team the Detroit Pilots. This is Pilots player Landon Taylor, and Gabriella Bertucci’s story line. POWER PLAY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty.

Told from first person point of view (Gabriella) POWER PLAY follows the building relationship from friends to lovers of Landon Taylor and Gabriella Bertucci. Landon is a semi-pro hockey player whose star is about to rise; Gabriella is the only daughter of an Italian-American businessman who appears to have misplaced his faith in the wrong member of the family. What ensues is Landon’s attempts to woo the young woman he has loved for most of his life, and Gaby’s attempts get the recognition she deserves from the family she believes doesn’t know she exists.

POWER PLAY looks behind the scenes of a successful business family, and their attempts to protect the daughter they believe may be broken beyond repair. Gabriella has worked beside her father since she was a little girl but three years earlier our heroine faced the fight of her life. But to be honest, hockey and any ice time are secondary to the story line.

Landon Taylor comes from a well respected, and well to do family but believes he has been pushed aside to make way for the younger heirs. Landon has worked hard to achieve his success in hockey, and is hoping to one day make it to the NHL While his other teams members are called up to the big leagues, Landon bides his time playing one game at a time.

POWER PLAY is a sweet story but reads more like a young adult (YA) story line than a new adult romance. Most of the $ex scenes are implied or skim the surface. There are no graphic $ex scenes, or graphic sexual language. The leading characters, although 19 and 21+, act more like younger teens when it comes to their emotions and family interactions; for two people who have loved one another for years, I did not feel the emotional need or connection. The use of ‘hoes’ and ‘buck bunnies’ is reflective of the YA nature of the story-many adults would walk away without a backwards glance. And the heroines continued need to deny her friendship with the leading hero pushed one too many of my buttons. If it were not for the ages of the leading characters ( and one slightly sexual love scene) I would think this series would be more successful in the YA category.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Zack (Cold Fury Hockey 3) by Sawyer Bennett-Review and Book Tour

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ZACK (Cold Fury Hockey 3) by Sawyer Bennett-Review and Book Tour

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ZACK
Cold Fury Hockey 3
by Sawyer Bennett
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance, hockey
Release Date: June 9, 2015

Zack

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 9, 2015

Rising star Zack Grantham has been stuck in a downward spiral of grief ever since the car accident that left him a single dad and put his career on hold. Back on the road with the Carolina Cold Fury and still crippled by emotional baggage, he’s in need of some serious help with his son. But while the nerdy new nanny wins his son’s heart, Zack isn’t sure he’s ready for a woman’s touch—even after getting a glimpse of the killer curves she’s hiding under those baggy clothes.

Kate Francis usually keeps men like Zack at a distance. Though his athlete’s body is honed to perfection, he refuses to move on with his life—and besides, he’s her boss. Still, the sparks between them are undeniable, tempting Kate to turn their professional relationship into a personal one. But before she makes a power play for Zack’s wounded heart, Kate will have to open him up again and show him that love is worth the fight

•••••••••••••••

REVIEW: ZACK is the third installment in Sawyer Bennett’s adult, contemporary Cold Fury Hockey romance series focusing on the players of the Carolina Cold Fury professional ice hockey team. This is twenty seven year old, single father Zack Grantham, and twenty three year old, child psychology graduate student Kate Francis’s storyline. ZACK can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Each storyline focuses on a different member of the Carolina Cold Fury hockey team.

Told from alternating first person points of view (Zack and Kate) the storyline focuses on Zack’s recovery following the death of his girlfriend (and mother of his son Ben), and the need for a live-in nanny to help Zack while he attempts a come back with the Carolina Cold Fury hockey team.

It has been four months since the accident that killed Zack’s girlfriend Gina, leaving a grieving and injured Zack to raise his three year old son-alone. Enter Kate Francis-a nerdy, post graduate student whose care and love for Ben is rivaled by her attraction and growing love for Zack. Kate is a fan of the Cold Fury hockey team, and a bigger fan of Zack Grantham.

Zack’s trust of, and attraction to Kate is slow to build as our heroine hides behind baggy clothes, thick glasses and snarky comments. When Zack sees Kate for the beautiful woman that she is, Zack’s need for Kate is palpable but he is a man unwilling to commit to anything beyond the present. Zack claims to not do relationships; and their sexual affair is only a ‘friends with benefits’ arrangement that Kate is all too quick with to agree. As the storyline builds, so too does the attraction and relationship between Zack and Kate, but Kate will soon discover that when Zack said he doesn’t want anything more, he makes sure everyone else knows it as well. Zack pushed a few of my buttons with his attitude and expectations.The $ex scenes are erotic, intimate and provocative.

Kate is an intelligent woman; a female who tells it like it is, and there are times that Kate has had to step up her game to regain control of her life. But there were moments throughout the story, including her sexual relationship with Zack, that were difficult to accept. The couple had crossed the line between employer and employee, and in this Zack took issue with some of the developing friendships between Kate and other player’s girlfriends and wives. At this particular juncture in the storyline my emotional attachment to Zack, and at times, Kate waivered. Yes, the man suffers horrendous guilt but his treatment of Kate is almost bipolar in nature. Kate will become his lover; his go to woman at every opportunity, and in this, Kate becomes a willing ‘victim’ to Zack’s need to control his ‘employee’s’ life. In public, Kate is Ben’s nanny and Zack is her employer; in private, Kate is Zack’s willing lover who knows that the man with whom she is falling in love wants nothing more than sex and a warm body at night. Please note, Kate was not forced into the relationship; it was a mutual attraction and need; there were no threats of sexual harassment or loss of job; Kate went into the relationship knowing there was no possibility of a happily ever after but what the heart wants isn’t always what the heart gets.

ZACK is an ensemble storyline with all of the previous storyline couples playing a supporting and secondary role throughout the story. We are reacquainted with Alex and Sutton (Alex #1) as well as Garrett and Olivia (Garrett #2). The reader will be introduced to newcomer and goalie Ryker Evans whose own life as a single father finds Ryker looking to Kate as a possible nanny for his two girls. Ryker’s story will be told next.

The build up to Zack’s rejection of Kate is tense and not unexpected. My emotions were all over the place with this storyline; I despised Zack’s treatment of Kate; and disliked Kate’s eager acceptance as a ‘temporary lover’ but saying that, ZACK is a fictional storyline where controversy and anxious moments push the proverbial envelope of emotional restraints. ZACK is a story with grief, heartbreak, acceptance and moving on; there are moments of romance and love; humor and fun; betrayal and letting go. But the overriding issue is Zack’s guilt surrounding the death of his girlfriend and his inability to commit to the mother of his son. Survivor’s guilt is a psychological condition wherein the survivor is unable to accept what has happened and blames his/herself for a traumatic event, in this, Zack is unable to move forward and out of the protective bubble he has created for himself and his son.

Sawyer Bennett is a ‘go to’ author every time. Despite my anxiety level ratcheting up with this particular storyline, Sawyer’s COLD FURY HOCKEY series is a must read. The premise is engaging, imaginative and emotional; the characters colorful, controversial and heartbreaking; the happily ever after and reconciliation impassioned, hopeful and intense.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Series Spotlight

Alex
Cold Fury Hockey #1
by Sawyer Bennett
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance, hockey
Release Date: October 14, 2014

ALEX by Sawyer Bennett

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: October 14, 2014

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of ALEX by Sawyer Bennett

Hockey star Alexander Crossman has a reputation as a cold-hearted player on and off the rink. Pushed into the sport by an alcoholic father, Alex isn’t afraid to give fans the proverbial middle finger, relishing his role as the MVP they love to hate. Management, however, isn’t so amused. Now Alex has a choice: fix his public image through community service or ride the bench. But Alex refuses to be molded into the Carolina Cold Fury poster boy . . . not even by a tempting redhead with killer curves.

As a social worker, Sutton Price is accustomed to difficult people—like Alex, who’s been assigned to help her create a drug-abuse awareness program for at-risk youth as part of the team’s effort to clean up his image. What she doesn’t expect is the arrogant smirk from his perfect lips to stir her most heated fantasies. But Sutton isn’t one to cross professional boundaries—and besides, Alex doesn’t do relationships . . . or does he? The more she sees behind Alex’s bad-boy façade, the more Sutton craves the man she uncovers.

____________

GarrettGarrett
Cold Fury Hockey #2
by Sawyer Bennett
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance, hockey
Release Date: February 17, 2015

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of GARRETT

Amazon.com / Barnes and Noble / KOBO / iTunes

GARRETT (Cold Fury Hockey #2) by Sawyer Bennett

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 17, 2015

Carolina Cold Fury star Garrett Samuelson never wants to miss out on a single minute of fun. Whether he’s playing hockey, hanging out with friends, or walking the red carpet with a new date on his arm, he lives every day to the fullest. When he meets Olivia Case, he sees someone who’s exactly his type—confident, sexy, smart . . . his next fling. But the more he pursues her, the more Garrett shares a side of himself that other women don’t normally get to see.

Olivia has been keeping a secret. While Garrett lives for the next thrill, Olivia’s not sure she’ll live to see the next day. She’s undergoing treatment for some serious medical issues, and she doesn’t have time for a relationship with no guarantees—especially one with a hot-as-sin womanizer who won’t take no for an answer. But as she gets to know the real Garrett, Olivia can’t help falling for him . . . hard. To reveal the truth would mean risking everything—but you can’t score without taking the tough shots.

Excerpt

As soon as I get out of the club and into the silence of my car, I dial Delaney.

She answers on the first ring. “You scared the shit out of me. Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I murmur as I start the engine and wait for my Bluetooth to connect. When I hear the subtle click telling me she’s on speakerphone, I put the car in drive and say, “Just driving around…thinking.”
I hear her blow out a gust of sympathetic frustration, but her voice is gentle. “Okay. Just get home.”
“Is Ben okay?” I ask.

“He’s fine. Sleeping. Have you gone over the applicants I picked out for you?”

My hands tighten on the steering wheel, and a tiny pain shoots through my wrist, a pain I’d never admit to the team doctors, so I ignore it and tell her, “Not yet.”

“Tomorrow,” Delaney says sternly. “You have to make a decision tomorrow.”

“I know,” I mutter, realizing that the time for dragging my feet and procrastinating is over. “I promise. Tomorrow.”

“Okay,” she says softly. “That’s good.”

I don’t say anything else, my mind already starting to shut down. I abhor the thought of culling through her final recommendations for a nanny for Ben. Because that means this is final…that Gina is really dead and Ben’s mommy is definitely not coming back. In my mind, it’s putting the final nail in her coffin.
“I love you,” Delaney says, almost desperately, into the phone.
I bite my lip…hard, and feel my tooth slice down into the delicate flesh. “Back at ya,” I say, my voice harsh and raspy.
Words of love to my older sister—the woman who has been my rock-solid support the last four months since Gina died—unable to materialize. I disconnect the call and stare blankly out the windshield. I’m practically on autopilot as I drive home.
Out of the silence of my car, an unbidden, sarcastic snort bursts forth from me, and then I start snickering to myself.
Home.
What a fucking joke.
My five-bedroom house on Marchand Street feels like a prison, the walls closing in on me and causing me to seek out strippers named Candi Apple at midnight. I can’t escape my memories there, my guilt devours me as I look at Gina’s pictures throughout the house, and every day, rather than rise above my pain, I get swallowed up in it a little deeper. I hate that fucking house now, and I’ve pretty much resolved myself to sell it. Maybe moving will help leave the ghosts behind and give Ben and me a fresh start.
If it wasn’t for Ben…
Beautiful, blond-haired, blue-eyed Ben.

The spitting image of Gina.

My little boy, who seems to have bounced back fine after losing his mother, giving me toothy grins and cuddling with me on the couch at night. If it wasn’t for him…

No, I don’t even want to think about where I’d be if it wasn’t for Ben. Let me just appreciate the fact that I have the most wonderful child in the world, and it’s only because of him that I at least have some sort of desire to want to feel again.
While I can’t seem to feel outside the bounds of pure and unconditional love for my child, it doesn’t mean I want to be this way. I’m smart enough to know that Ben will look to me for guidance on how to live this life without Gina, and I’m savvy enough to know that if I don’t get my shit together, for his sake, I stand a really good chance of fucking his head up.
So I try the only way I know how—by seeking out the Candi Apples of this world—and dig down deep for something to interest me in this life outside of my child and my hockey career.
Taking a deep breath, I pull onto the outer belt line that circles around Raleigh, and let it out slowly. Yeah, tomorrow I need to start the process of removing my head from my ass. I also know the first step is to do as Delaney says and make a choice from the final applicants and hire a nanny for Ben. Once I start back at practices next week, I’ll need someone to help me with him.
Delaney has been down here in Raleigh for the past week, interviewing prospects and checking out references. She’s narrowed it down to a choice of three, and while I really don’t want to care about whom to pick, I know that for the sake of my son, I need to be satisfied the person I do choose is right for the job. I trust Delaney implicitly, but I also know that I need to show some interest . . . at least for her peace of mind. The day after tomorrow she’ll head back to Manhattan, where she works as a financial analyst, and I can’t let her leave with undue worry over me and Ben.
It pisses me off that I have to hire a nanny. It feels like I’m replacing Gina . . . hiring a new mommy for my boy. Deep down, the rational side of me knows this isn’t true. While I’ve been able to handle Ben just fine on my own for the last four months while I recovered from my wrist injury, there is no way I can be a single parent to Ben when much of my career is spent on the road. I will need someone to be with him full-time when I’m gone, and it has to be someone trustworthy.
So I’ll do my duty tomorrow and give the applicants thoughtful consideration. Then I’ll make my decision and start the process of introducing a new woman who will become a provider and mother figure to my son.
That thought causes pain to shoot through my chest, and while I know it’s unfair, a little part of me already hates this woman because she will be taking Gina’s place in that respect.

About The Author

Sawyer BennettUSA Today and New York Times Best-Selling Author, Sawyer Bennett is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and three big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Sawyer is the author of several contemporary romances including the popular Off Series, the Legal Affairs Series and the Last Call Series. She will be releasing her third book in the Cold Fury Hockey Series with Random House Loveswept, June 2015.

 

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

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Garrett (Cold Fury Hockey #2) by Sawyer Bennett-Review,Interview and Book Tour

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Garrett (Cold Fury Hockey #2) by Sawyer Bennett-Review,Interview and Book Tour

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Garrett
Cold Fury Hockey #2
by Sawyer Bennett
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance, hockey
Release Date: February 17, 2015

Garrett

Amazon.com / Barnes and Noble / KOBO / iTunes

GARRETT (Cold Fury Hockey #2) by Sawyer Bennett

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 17, 2015

Carolina Cold Fury star Garrett Samuelson never wants to miss out on a single minute of fun. Whether he’s playing hockey, hanging out with friends, or walking the red carpet with a new date on his arm, he lives every day to the fullest. When he meets Olivia Case, he sees someone who’s exactly his type—confident, sexy, smart . . . his next fling. But the more he pursues her, the more Garrett shares a side of himself that other women don’t normally get to see.

Olivia has been keeping a secret. While Garrett lives for the next thrill, Olivia’s not sure she’ll live to see the next day. She’s undergoing treatment for some serious medical issues, and she doesn’t have time for a relationship with no guarantees—especially one with a hot-as-sin womanizer who won’t take no for an answer. But as she gets to know the real Garrett, Olivia can’t help falling for him . . . hard. To reveal the truth would mean risking everything—but you can’t score without taking the tough shots.

••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: GARRETT is the second installment in Sawyer Bennett’s contemporary, adult Cold Fury Hockey erotic, romance series focusing on the players for the Cold Fury Hockey Team. This is Garrett Samuelson and floral designer Olivia Case’s storyline. Although GARRETT is the second book in the series, it can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty although I recommend reading in order for the pure enjoyment of this amazing series. Any important background information is revealed where necessary.

Told from alternating first person points of view (Garrett and Olivia) the storyline follows the building relationship between Garrett and Olivia. Olivia and Garrett are first introduced at a summer barbeque for the Cold Fury Hockey Team. Olivia is Sutton Price’s cousin (Alex-book 1) and she is a woman reluctant to get involved with a man like Garrett—a man whose history of one night stands precedes his introduction. But Olivia hides a secret-one that is destroying her life-and in this, she knows that her immediate future is dark and unknown. Olivia refuses to reveal any information to Garrett but he is quick to discover the truth when Olivia’s illness begins to take over her life.

Garrett is a player- a man who likes to play around-both on and off the ice, but finding Olivia immediately puts a halt to Garrett’s sexual exploits- it is an instant change for a man who doesn’t do relationships and has never gone out with a woman more than once. He is drawn to Olivia’s beauty, her laugh and her personality but what Garrett does not know is that Olivia is ill and there is no guarantee of a future for the woman with whom he is falling in love.

The relationship between Garrett and Olivia is one of immediate attraction but soon escalates into something more. Olivia is reluctant to get involved with any man but a few encouraging words from her flamboyant boss and BFF Stevie, finds our heroine in bed with the sexiest man she will ever know. Fast forward and Olivia’s illness becomes front and center in their relationship but Garrett is determined to stay with Olivia until the end. There is some push and pull especially when Olivia is determined to push Garrett out of her life; her future is unknown; their time together undetermined.

The secondary and supporting characters include Alex and Sutton from book one; Zack Grantham (book 3) and many of the hockey players from Cold Fury. We are introduced Olivia’s colorful mother, and Alex’s supporting mom; and Stevie-Olivia’s boss and best friend who is a little more colorful than most. The premise of Zack’s storyline is outlined when a horrific accident sets into motion heartbreak and grief.

The world building continues to follow the Cold Fury Hockey team both on and off the ice. From family to friendships, practice to games, losses and wins, the reader is pulled into the arena, the locker room and the bedrooms of some of professional hockey’s sexiest players.

Sawyer Bennett writes books for adults; with adult situations; and adult problems. She isn’t afraid to tackle the heartbreaking issues including illness and death. GARRETT is a storyline that focuses on love, life and recovery, as well as loss and letting go. Sawyer Bennett invites the reader in and doesn’t let go. But don’t despair, there is a happily ever after and the epilogue reveals a future filled with family and love.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

Series Spotlight

Alex
Cold Fury Hockey #1
by Sawyer Bennett
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance, hockey
Release Date: October 14, 2014

ALEX by Sawyer Bennett

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: October 14, 2014

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of ALEX by Sawyer Bennett

Hockey star Alexander Crossman has a reputation as a cold-hearted player on and off the rink. Pushed into the sport by an alcoholic father, Alex isn’t afraid to give fans the proverbial middle finger, relishing his role as the MVP they love to hate. Management, however, isn’t so amused. Now Alex has a choice: fix his public image through community service or ride the bench. But Alex refuses to be molded into the Carolina Cold Fury poster boy . . . not even by a tempting redhead with killer curves.

As a social worker, Sutton Price is accustomed to difficult people—like Alex, who’s been assigned to help her create a drug-abuse awareness program for at-risk youth as part of the team’s effort to clean up his image. What she doesn’t expect is the arrogant smirk from his perfect lips to stir her most heated fantasies. But Sutton isn’t one to cross professional boundaries—and besides, Alex doesn’t do relationships . . . or does he? The more she sees behind Alex’s bad-boy façade, the more Sutton craves the man she uncovers.

Interview

TRC: Hi Sawyer and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of GARRETT (Cold Fury Hockey #2)

We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Sawyer BennettSawyer: Well, let’s see… I practiced law for 16 years before I decided to start writing, which was a major career change. I’m married and have a one year old daughter, plus three huge, furry dogs who I adore. We all live in one big hairy house in North Carolina.

TRC: Who or what influenced your career in writing?

Sawyer: Oddly, I’m a big paranormal romance reader so I look to some of my favorites like Gena Showalter and Larissa Ione for inspiration, even though I write contemporary romance.

TRC: When not writing, what do you do to relax?

Sawyer: Reading!!!! Best way to relax.

TRC: What or who was the inspiration behind the COLD FURY Hockey Team?

Sawyer: Actually, I have to give some credit to Random House. They approached me and suggested a hockey themed romance series, which I loved the idea since I’m a big hockey fan. I decided to base it in my city of Raleigh, North Carolina, and yes, we do have a professional hockey team here but I’m actually a Pittsburgh Penguins fan!!!

GarrettTRC: Would you please tell us something about the premise of GARRETT?

Sawyer: GARRETT is the classic playboy falling in love type of trope but it’s different in that the woman he falls for is sick and her future is uncertain. While everyone wants the bad boy to fall, you do have to ask yourself is this the type of risk he should take?

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series? Will of the team members have their story told?

Sawyer: Right now there are four books planned. Book three will be Zack and Book four will be Ryker (who is introduced in Zack).

TRC: What challenges or difficulties (research, logistics, background) did you encounter writing this particular story?

Sawyer: The research in this one was a little time consuming because I’m dealing with a medical illness and I wanted to be as accurate as possible. I interviewed a friend who had this same illness, as well as a doctor who treats this illness. I also did some nausea inducing researching on bone marrow biopsies. I now have so much compassion and respect for anyone that has to undergo that procedure.

TRC: What are your thoughts on writing a series and ending an instalment with a major cliff hanger?

Sawyer: I actually like series with cliffhangers, as long as I know it going into the book. I can’t stand buying a book where I think I’m getting a stand alone story and then get smacked with the cliffie. But as long as I know it’s coming, I very much enjoy series like that.

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Sawyer: Damn. That is a fantastic question and I think I direct the characters. I never outline or plot out a book, but tend to write organically, but the one thing I do before I start a manuscript is I do a lot of character building. I always have a good idea of the type of person my hero or heroine is and then I tend to direct them and build the story around that.

TRC: What three things would you like to accomplish in the next five years?

Sawyer: I’d love to be a #1 New York Times bestselling author, I’d love to sell movie rights and I’d like to write in a new genre like dark thrillers.

TRC: What is something that few, if any people, know about you?

Sawyer: That’s a hard one because I am a complete open book (no pun intended). I guess I’ll share a phobia of mine. I am terrified of spiders. Like, I go into a panic mode when I see one. I’m ashamed of this, of course.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Sawyer: I’m actually working on a new Legal Affairs serial which will be released in three books, then I’m going to be working on Ryker.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Spaghetti

Favorite Dessert
Anything chocolate!

Favorite TV Show
Buffy the Vampire Slayer or The Walking Dead

Last Movie You Saw
Gone Girl

Favorite Musical Group
The Offspring

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Milk!!!

Secret Celebrity Crush
Chris Hemsworth but that’s not a secret. My husband knows I’d leave him in a heartbeat if Chris ever crooked his finger at me.

Last Vacation Destination
Kiawah Island, SC… that’s where I am right now!!!!

Pet Peeve
Not rinsing the sink out- glaring at my husband

TRC: Thank you Sawyer for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on all of your success.

About the author

USA Today Best-Selling Author, Sawyer Bennett is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and three big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Sawyer is the author of several contemporary romances including the popular Off Series, the Legal Affairs Series and the Last Call Series. She will be releasing her second book in the Cold Fury Hockey Series with Random House Loveswept, February 2015.

 

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

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The Hockey Saint by Howard Shapiro-Review, Interview and Giveaway

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The Hockey Saint by Howard Shapiro-Review, Interview and Giveaway

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The Hockey Saint
by Howard Shapiro
Release Date: September 10, 2014
Genre: Graphic novel, all ages, hockey, fiction

The Hockey Saintjpg

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /

About the Book: Release Date September 10, 2014

Twenty-one year old Jeremiah Jacobson is the world’s best hockey player, but he wasn’t prepared for the frenzy and scrutiny that came with that title. Tom Leonard is an average college sophomore… just a guy trying to find his place in the world as he sorts through issues that are both very real and seemingly insurmountable.

Through a chance meeting, these two strike up an unlikely friendship. Their bond is tested when Tom discovers that his idol isn’t as perfect up close as he seems from afar. With Jeremiah living a little too much in the moment and with his past catching up to him, will Tom be able to help him before it’s too late?

•••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: THE HOCKEY SAINT is a graphic novel focusing on college sophomore and hockey player Tom Leonard and his friendship with professional hockey star Jeremiah Jacobson. Written by Howard Shapiro, and illustrated by Marica Inoue and color work by Andres Mossa, The Hockey Saint is a storyline for all ages with a message about the excesses that can come with fame and fortune. As Tom struggles with balancing his studies and playing hockey, he will get some unintentional life lessons from Jeremiah Jacobson.

I do not usually review graphic novels but I thought the premise involving the sport of hockey was interesting and something out of the usual. The story follows two young men caught up in the fame and notoriety of hockey stardom-one who has yet to see his star rise and the other who is heading for a downward spiral.

Each chapter is prefaced with a recommended song list as well as a chapter title. The graphic images are clear and colorful; the text is equally legible with no foul language, no sexual content, no violence or innuendo. The writing is simple and easy to understand. The storyline is a message about drinking and driving; smoking and drinking to excess. Even the image of the worshipped hero leaves little to the imagination about the long term affects of substance abuse on the body.

THE HOCKEY SAINT is great book for the young graphic novel reader. If you are looking for a storyline about hockey and sports heroes with a happily ever after, The Hockey Saint is the perfect gift for the holiday season or any time of year.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

Interview

TRC: Hi Howard and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of your latest graphic novel THE HOCKEY SAINT.

howard shapiroHoward: Thank you for this opportunity!!

TRC: We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Follow: Website / Goodreads  /Twitter

Howard: I live in Pittsburgh, PA with my wife and our two, fifteen year old sons. I am an Accountant by day, the Controller for a Visual Effects Studio and I have done five previois books, “The Hockey Saint” will be my sixth book and second graphic novel.

TRC: When not writing, what do you do to relax?

Howard: Mostly hanging around with my kids either watching TV or playing video games with them. In the fall and winter I enjoy watching ANY hockey game that is on television and I participate in a fantasy hockey league and keeping up with that takes up a lot of time.

TRC: Will you please explain-what is a graphic novel?

Howard: The quick answer is that it is an expanded comic book or a novel with pictures. There are so many great stories that are done as GN’s these days but I still think GN’s aren’t a truly mainstream genre as of yet. Go to any Barnes and Noble or library and chances are they will have a GN section but it will be small and off the beaten path. That will hopefully change in the future!

TRC: Which comes first-the story or the graphics?

Howard: Excellent question! For me it’s the story but told through the prism of the graphics. I have the story in mind, but what I end up doing is writing it in a visual way. I write it in a quasi-script format and so that way I am visualizing how the scene will play out and then I add in the dialogue.

TRC: Do the illustrator and author collaborate throughout the writing process?

Howard: Absolutely and that is my favorite part of the process! If you have a great illustrator, then the process can be pretty seamless. I like to give as much direction as I can to the illustrator, even providing samples of what I’d like a certain object or scene to look like. That and the facial expressions and body language that the characters are displaying. I can bve a time consuming process but its an amazing feeling when it all comes together!

TRC: Have you ever encountered an illustration/illustrator that did not represent what you imagined for your story? If so, how do you rectify the discrepancy?

Howard: Sure, it happens on occasion. That is usually where I go to google and search for an image and then send that to the illustrator and ask them to fix whatever it is. I’ve been lucky in that the two illustrators I have worked with, once they have established a great rhythm and are used to drawing the characters they nailed most pages in one take. The one thing I’ve really stressed with both illustrators is consistency, each time a character is displayed they have to have the same basic look. I really try and hammer that home, consistency on each and every single page.

TRC: Are most of the images hand drawn using pen and paper, or do most graphic illustrators now use computer programs and a Wacom tablet?

Howard: I believe that computer programs are used. The way we saved a lot of time with “The Stereotypical Freaks” was that the illustrator sketched by hand three of four pages and that why I could get a sense of what the pages would look like and then we could make changes and tweaks at that point. Then he would do the final pages and most pages were done in the first take!

TRC: How and when did your interest in graphic novels begin? Have you always been a fan of the graphic novel or comic book?

Howard: I do a few school visits each year and in one I did back in 2010 at an elementary school here in Pittsburgh, the school’s librarian was telling me how he could not keep any of the graphic novels on the shelf. The kids would take them out regardless of the subject and he also said that the neat thing was that the boys really loved them and would read them cover to cover. He told me how it was like pulling teeth to get boys interested in reading but that they really took to the GN’s he had on the shelves. So, the little light bulb went off above my head and I went to a local library and borrowed two GN’s, “The Big Kahn” and “Garage Band.” And, like the kids, I was hooked! I absolutely loved comic books growing up, I was team Marvel all the way and used to buy as many as I could and read them cover to cover and I thought that here was a chance to maybe take the dive in and do a GN which I kind of looked at as an expanded comic book. I was looking to do something different as my previous books had been either kids’ books or a middle grade novel and so I decided to learn as much about the process of creating a GN. Almost three years later “The Stereotypical Freaks” came out and my hope is to do a few more GN’s before I move onto something else!

The Hockey SaintjpgTRC: THE HOCKEY SAINT is your October 2014 release. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Howard: The story revolves around two characters, Jeremiah Jacobson whos is the world’s best hockey player and college sophmore Tom Leonard. They have a chance meeting and become very good friends and the story is really about their friendship, what it means to be a someone’s good friend, what we sacrifice for ambition and also the proliferation and over exposure of sports in the modern day.

TRC: Are any of the characters based in reality or a combination of reality and fiction?

Howard: Another good question! Tom Leonard has been a character in each of my six books. He started out as a young kid in my first three books which were picture books and in my middle grade novel he was a teen and that carried through to “The Stereotypical Freaks” where he was a senior in high school and now in “The Hockey Saint” he is a college student. He is me and I am him! I’ve always used him as my doppleganger, so he is based on me and my expereinces. Jeremiah is a combination of sports and entertainment figures which include Arthur Ashe, Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan.

TRC: Do any of your storylines feature a strong, female heroine?

The stereotypical freaksHoward: One of the criticism’s that was valid, I thought, from “The Stereotypical Freaks” was that there wasn’t a strong female character. Looking back on it, I had to agree and so I set out in “The Hockey Saint” to rectify that mistake and I feel that the story has two very strong female characters in Felicity who is with Jake (I don’t want to give out a spoiler) and Tom’s Grandmother, Sophie. They each exhibit strength in their own ways and I couldn’t be happier with the way they each turned out!

TRC: Have you considered writing a graphic novel for adults? If not, why?

Howard: I like to think that both of my GN’s are and would be a very enjoyable read for adults as well as kids. I guess what I would like to establish is that the books can be enjoyed by anyone, no matter what age you are. Even when I did my kids illustrated books, I tried to mix in themes that made kids think and analyze the story. I did not want to dumb down or talk down to kids and I’ve tried to be very consistent throughout all six books and offer both kids and adults lots of things to think about in my books. The worst thing, I think, a writer can do is talk down or dumb down his or her stories to fit a certain demographic. Kids are usually a lot smarter then people in the entrtainment industry give them credit for, so my job as a writer has always been to challenge them and mostly make them think about the ideas and themes I am trying to put across in each of my books.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family. With whom do you bounce ideas?

Howard: I had the great pleasure to work with my friend and editor Christina Ahn on “The Hockey Saint” and if she is willing, she will be my editor for everything else I do. She is an amazing author in her own right and the best editor and storyteller that I know. The book would not have been what it is without her and the direction and help she provided to me!

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Howard: I’m in the early stages of doing the final story in the trilogy that started with “The Stereotypical Freaks.” “The Hockey Saint” is book number two and things will wrap up with “Can You See The Light” which again is the final story in what I titled the Forever Friends trilogy. I’ve just started doing pre-production on that and I hope to have that out in early 2016.

TRC: What three things would you like to accomplish in the next five years?

Howard: Well, I have one more graphic novel in me and then I have an idea for a romance-like novel. I’m not sure what genre it would be classified under but it will be a modern love story which I want to get down on paper because it is stuck in my head right now!

TRC: What is something that few, if any people, know about you?

Howard: That I only want to produce stories that you can read over and over again. Stories that have an impact and actually say something. That has been my credo for all six of my books.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Howard: My publisher, Animal Media Group, has been really great in promoting “The Hockey Saint” and giving us all of the tools to get the word about the book out. They had an online hockey video game produced by a firm in Columbis, Ohio and the game plays out really great! It’s very fun and incredibly addictive so if you have a few minutes, please check it out at www.thehockeysaintgame.com we are running a tournament on October 4th and the winners will recieve gift cards. More info will be available at the Animal Media Group Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/animalmediagroup

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food – Pizza

Favorite Dessert – Peanut Butter M&M’s

Favorite TV Show – (Present Day) – Hell’s Kitchen, (All Time Favorite) – Starsky & Hutch

Last Movie You Saw – Guardians of the Galaxy

Favorite Musical Group – Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

Dark or Milk Chocolate – Milk Chocolate

Secret Celebrity Crush – Molly Ringwald

Last Vacation Destination – Toronto

Pet Peeve – People who take sports too seriously

TRC: Thank you Howard for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of The Hockey Saint.

Howard: THANK YOU!!

giveaway

Howard is offering an amazing giveaway for FOUR (4) lucky commenters at The Reading Cafe. Prizes available to be won are:

-1 winner will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card

-1 winner will receive a signed paper copy of THE HOCKEY SAINT and a promo t-shirt

-2 winners will each receive a signed paper copy of THE HOCKEY SAINT

____________________________

1. If you have not previously registered, please register using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in such as Twitter or Facebook, please post your email address with your comment.

3. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

 4. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

5. FOLLOW Howard Shapiro on Facebook  and/or  Twitter

6. Giveaway open Internationally.

7. Giveaway runs from October 11 to October 15, 2014

••••••••••••••••

GOODREADS GIVEAWAY

For an extra chance to WIN a paper copy of THE HOCKEY SAINT or a $20 Amazon Gift Card click HERE and enter the GOODREADS giveaway

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Breakaway by Catherine Gayle-Review, Interview and Giveaway

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Breakaway by Catherine Gayle-Reviews, Interview and Giveaway

Breakaway Banner

Breakaway
Portland Storm #1
by Catherine Gayle
Release Date: December 20, 2013
Genre: contemporary, new adult, hockey,romance

Breakaway

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

BREAKAWAY (Portland Storm #1) by Catherine Gayle

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 20, 2013

She’s reaching for a breakaway pass.

Dana Campbell has spent the past seven years in self-imposed isolation for a crime she didn’t commit. The danger is well in the past, but her panic attacks make it impossible to have a normal, healthy relationship with a man. Even her counselor has given up on her. She has to find someone she trusts to help her fight through the panic, or her seven-year ordeal will become a lifetime sentence. There’s only one man she feels safe enough to ask.

He got caught with his head down.

As the captain of the NHL’s once elite but now fading Portland Storm, Eric Zellinger knows a thing or two about keeping his focus on the job. Questions are flying about his ability to lead the team back to the playoffs. If they don’t make it, he might be shipped out of town. It’s the worst time possible for his best friend’s kid sister to divide his focus. How can he give her what she needs without jeopardizing both the Storm’s playoff hopes and his future with the team?

It’s her only chance, but it’s his last shot.

••••••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: BREAKAWAY is the first storyline in Catherine Gayle’s contemporary, new adult, series focusing on the fictional NHL hockey team the Portland Storm. This is the Storm captain Eric Zellinger and Dana Campbell’s story and a story that is emotional, heartbreaking and painful to read.

The premise focuses on Dana Campbell and the final step in a recovery process that has been years in the making. Following a horrific off-ice attack seven years earlier, the once and former upcoming woman’s hockey player has suffered horrendous PTSD and panic attacks, withdrawal, depression and flashbacks. Her inability to move forward has frozen Dana in a world where anything and anyone can trigger an attack. Knowing that to move on she must face her biggest challenge and she risks losing her best friend when she asks Eric Zellinger to help her overcome her fears.

Breakaway is a story about a woman who has suffered physically, mentally and emotionally only to find herself unable to move forward. The psychological ramifications and the character’s inability to interact with the opposite sex on any social level is frustrating, humiliating and debilitating-not only for Dana and Eric- but the reader as well. We struggle with Dana as she tries to overcome the traumatic hold that the attack has beaten into her psyche. It is heartbreaking to watch as one woman is unable to socialize, talk with or make eye contact with any male as well as the family who loves and cares for her. She will place her fragile and broken mind into the hands of the one man who believes he will be incapable of pulling away in the end.

Catherine Gayle has written an emotional storyline that focuses on one woman’s recovery and the people who make it possible. We are introduced to the men and women of the Portland Storm-the support system and the players who know that one of their own is suffering because of the woman he loves. In the end, we will get our happily ever after, but not before our heart breaks for a young woman whose life has been broken and destroyed.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

Interview

TRC: Hi Catherine and welcome to The Reading Cafe. Congratulations on the release of BREAKAWAY.

Catherine:  Thanks for having me!

Catherine GaylejpgTRC: We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

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Catherine: I’m a full-time writer. Even though I live in North Carolina now, I’m still a Texan at heart and probably always will be. You can take the girl out of Texas, but you can’t take Texas out of the girl. I’ve been published for almost three years now, and I absolutely love my job.

TRC: You are primarily known for writing historical romance storylines. What factored into your decision to venture into writing other genres such as New Adult?

Catherine: In all honesty, I never thought I would write anything but historical romance until the day I started work on BREAKAWAY. I was in the midst of trying to write one of my historicals that was not moving at all, when the opening scene to BREAKAWAY hit me. It was fully-fleshed out right from the get-go, and I knew I wouldn’t get anything done the rest of the day if I didn’t at least write that scene. So I took an hour and wrote it, then sent it off to a few of my author-friends in the hopes that they’d tell me it was awful and I needed to put it away to get back to work on my historical. They didn’t. They told me the opposite, in fact. The next thing I knew, BREAKAWAY took over my life until it was finished.

BreakawayTRC: BREAKAWAY (December 2013) is the first instalment in your contemporary, new adult PORTLAND STORM series. Would you please tell us something about the series and storyline premise?

Order: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO

Catherine: The PORTLAND STORM series will be based around an NHL team, the Portland Storm. Each book will have a different player on the team as the hero–no cliffhangers! BREAKAWAY is about the team’s captain, Eric Zellinger, and his best friend’s kid sister, Dana Campbell. He’s always had a thing for her, but she was raped several years before the story begins, and in the aftermath of being raped, she’s suffered from panic attacks when she’s around men. Eric has convinced himself he’ll never be able to have the sort of relationship he wants with her because of that, but Dana wants him to help her to get past the panic. The next book in the series will star Dana’s older brother, and I’ve already got ideas in place for several more books down the line.

TRC: The storyline focus is difficult and heartbreaking and, will be for many women who have suffered similarly. What challenges or difficulties (research, logistics, background) did you encounter writing this particular story and series?

Catherine: The biggest challenge for me in writing BREAKAWAY was that I took a piece of my own life–being raped and suffering from panic attacks afterward–and gave it to my heroine. I had to strike the right balance of capturing what Dana experienced without turning it into me and my life. There’s a fine line between conveying a fictional character’s emotional journey as honestly as possible and backing off from it a little too much because of what emotions it brought up in me.

TRC: Are any of the characters or premise based in reality or a culmination of fact and fiction?

Catherine: Dana’s rape and panic attacks are, as explained above, based on my own experiences. The rest of her character, and all of the other characters and situations, are purely fictional.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the leading characters in this storyline, which models or actors best represents your ideal image?

Catherine: Oh, wow. I’m so not good with this. LOL. I’d say Dana Campbell could be played by a younger Charlize Theron, and Eric Zellinger could be played by Ian Somerhalder.

Dana and Eric 2

TRC: How do you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

Catherine: I’m a character-driven writer, and that tends to lend itself well to keeping the plot unpredictable. In any situation my characters face, if I try to force them into actions just because it suits the plot, then the plot falls apart. I have to allow my characters the freedom to react and respond in a natural way.

TRC: Are you a plotter or a panster (write by the ‘seat of your pants’)?

Catherine: I’ve been a bit of both. With my historicals, I am very much a plotter. With my contemporary romances, I’ve found it is best to write as a pantser. I have an end-goal in mind from the beginning, but the path to getting there is up in the air.

To Enchant an EarlTRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Catherine: My characters direct the storyline. I always run into problems if I try to force them to adhere to a pre-determined plot point.

TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen? Where do you believe writers fail in this endeavor?

Catherine: I think that writers have to write honestly enough, to go deep enough into their characters’ heads, that THEY experience the emotions alongside their characters. Sometimes, we’re afraid to go there because of what it might bring forward from our own lives. But if we hold back from that, then we’re creating a distance between ourselves and our characters that will always transfer over to the reader, as well.

TRC: Writer’s Block is a very real phenomenon. How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of writer’s block?

Catherine: I have multiple series going, and so if I get stuck on one piece I’m writing, I always have some other project I can work on. It helps me to keep my sanity, and to maintain productivity.

The Devil to PayTRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family. With whom do you bounce ideas?

Catherine: I’ve got some fantastic critique partners–Erin Knightley, Tammy Falkner, Ava Stone, Jessica Knight-Catania, and Jane Charles, just to name a few–who are always willing and able to help bouncing ideas around. I’ve also done a plotting weekend with Erin Knightley and Heather Snow, where we’ve helped one another work out ideas for our upcoming projects. Any time I get together with another writer, there is a great possibility of ideas being tossed around.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Catherine: I’m writing the second PORTLAND STORM novel, tentatively titled ON THE FLY, and brainstorming ideas for a historical novella, A DANCE WITH THE DEVIL.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Catherine: Thanks so much for having me!

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Tex-Mex

Favorite Dessert
Creme brulee

Favorite TV Show
Downton Abbey

Last Movie You Saw
The Hobbit 2: The Desolation of Smaug

Dark or Milk Chocolate
DARK

Secret Celebrity Crush
Steve Yzerman (he’s a retired hockey player)

Sandy: OMG-love Stevie Y ( I am a diehard Red Wing Fan)

Last Vacation Destination
A cruise to the Bahamas

Pet Peeve
The screaming toddler next door

TRC: Thank you Catherine for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of BREAKAWAY. We wish you all the best for 2014.

Catherine: Thank you again! It’s been a pleasure.

giveaway

Catherine is offering a paper copy of BREAKAWAY to two (2)  lucky commenters at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please comment and say hello to Catherine or let us know-DO YOU LIKE HOCKEY?

4. Giveaway is open to US and CANADA only.

5. Giveaway runs from january 19 to January 23, 2014

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Off The Record/Off Limits/Off Sides by Sawyer Bennett-a series review

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Off The Record/Off Limits/Off Sides by Sawyer Bennett-a series review

Off series

NOTE:  I want to say what attracted me to this particular series are the covers.  Clean, simple, attractive two-toned.  YEP-listen up authors and publishers-give me an ugly cover and I won’t look twice; I won’t attempt to read it and I will scroll on by at the e-retailer. But give me a beautiful, attractive cover and you will definitely catch my interest

Off The RecordOFF THE RECORD (Off Series #3) by Sawyer Bennett

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 8, 2013

Ever Montgomery suffered the ultimate betrayal by the one man who she should have been able to count on for anything. It has left her hurt, jaded and incapable of forming relationships, but it also means that she can spot a liar a mile away. These traits are earning her a reputation as a reporter with a keen nose for a good story and a complete understanding of the extreme power of the written word.

Lincoln Caldwell, is the hot goalie for the New York Rangers. At twenty-four and a rising star, he works hard and he plays even harder. He’s gorgeous and carefree—the ultimate charmer. Ladies fall at his feet and the single life has never been lived the way Linc Caldwell does it.

When Ever publishes an article about Linc containing information that she received off the record, she finds herself on the receiving end of the athlete’s fury. Rather than basking in the glory of exposing Linc as a shameless user of women, she finds herself at his mercy when he demands and receives retribution. Required by her editor to trail Linc for six weeks, Ever is forced to look at the real Linc Caldwell

•••••••••••••••

REVIEW: OFF THE RECORD is the third installment in the OFF SERIES by author Sawyer Bennett. Although this is part of a series it can be read as a stand alone without too much difficulty. The premise surrounding the series is that of professional hockey players and the lives and loves, but to be honest, there is little to do with hockey except most of the leading men are hockey players.

Off The Record focuses on Linc Caldwell and Ever Montgomery. At a year end party for Linc’s team, magazine journalist Ever mistakenly gets the wrong impression about Linc and writes a scathing review about the athlete and his affinity for sex and women. To avoid a law suit, Ever must serve ‘time’ with Linc for six weeks-tailing and trailing everything he does. In this, Ever will learn that she has made a major error in judgment and will have to apologize before she loses both the man and her heart.

The writing style and character building are simple. There is nothing over the top. The storyline is a boy meets girl, girl gets angry, boy wants girl back. The world building brings together several of the previous storyline characters in cameos but their importance to the overall story is negligible although Off The Record does further both of the two previous storyline premises.

Ever Montgomery is a woman scorned –not once, not twice but three times-and therefore she wants to keep all men at a distance. Her personality and too quick to judge attitude left a little to be desired. Betrayal has left an open wound and she refuses to allow herself to get hurt –ever again- but in doing so, she comes across as bitter and angry. Linc must move slowly in order to not scare Ever away, but in doing so begins to lose himself in the woman who may or may not want a happily ever after. This story is told from two points of view, but the focus remains on Ever and the inner turmoil that threatens to overwhelm her perfect façade and her need to make things right with Lincoln Caldwell before she loses the man forever.

OFF THE RECORD is another interesting storyline that at one point I shed a tear. Although the overall story is not an emotional roller coaster ride there was a moment when it definitely pulled at my heart. The storyline is fast paced but the relationship is slow to build. There is very little tension; there is no angst between the couple only an overwhelming aura of past betrayal. Ever must purge her demons before she is able to move on. If you like a romantic storyline with a happily ever after-Off The Record is perfect for a lazy afternoon of reading.

READING ORDER
1. Off Sides
2. Off Limits
3. Off the Record

Reviewed by Sandy

•••••••••••••••••••••••

Sensual coupleOFF LIMITS (Off Series #2) by Sawyer Bennett

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 2013

Two years ago, Emily Burnham, had an epiphany about the shallowness of her life. And she made it her mission to become a different person…a better woman. Out from under the controlling thumb of her mother, Emily is tasting the real world for the first time. And she likes it.

Nixon Caldwell has served his time in the Marine Corps, surviving two brutal tours in Afghanistan. He is back home, surrounded by what he likes best…isolation. It’s certainly the best way to avoid confrontation of the consuming guilt that is weighing him down.

When an accident brings Emily and Nix together, he soon learns he is not the master of his own fate. Struggling with his own pain, Nix tries to guard himself against Emily’s charms. He wants her in his bed, but he doesn’t want her in his heart

•••••••••••••••

REVIEW: OFF LIMITS is the second installment in the new adult genre OFF series by Sawyer Bennett. Although this is part of a series, each book can be read as a stand alone with out any difficulty. A few of the characters from the first book are present but their back story and anything necessary to the current story are brought into play when necessary. This is Emily Burnham and Nixon Caldwell’s story.

Emily is from a well to do, politically connected family. Upon entering university she was determined to change her personality-so much so that when she selects a major (not connected to medicine or law) her mother pulls all financial support. Without following her mother’s demands Emily is on her own. But when she accidently runs over the brother of her latest journalism interviewee, she will become indebted to Nix Caldwell until the bill is finally paid. What she didn’t expect was a snarky, mean spirited, angry young man who will tug at her heart and her soul.

Nix Caldwell is a veteran of two tours in Afghanistan, who builds motorcycles and metal sculptures and, a man determined to keep everyone at a distance. But when he meets Emily he realizes he wants something more than friendship. To pay off her debt he arranges for her to help with his home and office, but over several days Nix will discover that Emily is something more-he is beginning to fall in love.

Off Limits is an interesting story of two people from different sides of the track. Emily is a child of privilege-a daughter who is expected to marry into money, make pretty babies and represent her husband in their affairs and Nix is the complete opposite of what and whom she is expected to marry.

As the storyline develops the reader is pulled into a relationship that begins as friends with benefits but one that will quickly evolve into something more. But when Emily uncovers a secret that Nix has hidden away, she will be pushed out of his life, possibly for good. And in the end, Nix will realize that Emily is the love of his life and if anyone can calm the nightmares and guilt, it is the woman who holds his heart with her own.

Off Limits is a predictable story where the embattled hero refuses to acknowledge his demons and a heroine who is willing to stand by her man. There is family friction from Emily’s side and heartbreaking sorrow when Nix’s history is revealed. His heart is heavy with guilt and the knowledge that he may lose Emily because of his behavior and perhaps his past. But like many warriors, his guilt and his PTSD must be addressed before he can ever conceive of starting a new life with the woman he loves and in the end his guilt is a manifestation of the atrocities of war.

The writing style is simple. There is nothing overwhelming or life altering about the premise but it is story of romance with a happily ever after. There is the angst and heartbreak of a broken hero who cannot forget the ravages of war; the love and care of a woman willing to support the man she loves and in the end, there is the couple, who together, want to take the next step in their lives- to start a family of their own.

READING ORDER
1. Off Sides
2. Off Limits
3. Off the Record

Reviewed by Sandy

••••••••••••••••••••••

Off SidesOFF SIDES (Off Series #1) by Sawyer Bennett

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK : Release Date February 2013

Ryan Burnham is the privileged son of a U.S. Congressman and captain of his university’s hockey team. While he is on the verge of fulfilling his dreams to play in the NHL, his parents want him on a different course. One he is expected to accept for the sake of his family’s public image.

Forced her to abandon her music career after the heart breaking death of her parents, Danny Cross exists on the opposite side of the tracks from Ryan. She is struggling to make her own way, working two jobs, attending college part time and volunteering in a homeless shelter. She is on a mission to build her own success.

With a chance meeting, their vastly different worlds collide, causing each to evaluate whether they are truly on the correct path to self-fulfillment and happiness. Can their relationship survive? Particularly when others are against them every step of the way. A lot can happen in just ten short days…

•••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: OFF SIDES is the first installment in Sawyer Bennett’s OFF series focusing on the men of professional hockey and the women they love. Off Sides is a short story that introduces the series but remains focused on the leading couple –Ryan Burnham and Danny Cross. Danny is a struggling part-time college student trying to make ends meet and Ryan is the epitome of rich, successful jock from a well to do family with political aspirations. But life isn’t always greener on the other side. Ryan’s mother is all about appearances and Danny does not fit into the family plans.

The storyline follows Ryan and Danny as their relationship blossoms over several days. Enter the ex-girlfriend who cannot take no for an answer and we soon discover that Ryan’s mother has plans for her son. Ryan’s family is a study in dysfunctional family values and his only means of escape is to walk away into the arms of the woman he loves.

Off Sides is a story of rich boy/poor girl, class structure and the ability to walk away when the pain becomes too much. The storyline is told from two alternating POVs. But something about this particular storyline did not sit well with me. Perhaps it was the overall feel to the story or some of the characters including Ryan’s mother, ex girlfriend and fellow team mate were complete and utter evil. Perhaps it was the rushed feel of the relationship –zero to love – in 48 hours or perhaps it was the heroine’s continuous internal verbiage about losing her virginity to Ryan Burnham. Both leading characters are strong and independent and willing to step out side of their comfort and class. Ryan is not someone who bows to the demands of his mother or ex girlfriend; and Danny is not a woman willing to stand by and take verbal or emotional abuse from those who believe money talks. But in the end, Danny will walk away because money and power are all about control.

I read this series out of order-in fact-Off Sides was the 3rd storyline I read and for me OFF THE RECORD (#3) and OFF LIMITS (#2) are much better stories with well-rounded characters and a more interesting premise.

READING ORDER
1. Off Sides
2. Off Limits
3. Off the Record

Reviewed by Sandy

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