Playing Dirty by Taryn Leigh taylor Published by Harlequin Blaze Publication Date: April 18th 2017
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A game they both want to win
Lainey Harper has never been a puck bunny. She wants nothing to do with hockey or hockey players--not after what she's been through. So why can't she resist Cooper Mead?
Portland's newest hockey star, Cooper, is all muscle and charisma. And he's Lainey's worst nightmare. Hooking up with him would bring back memories that Lainey needs to keep buried. And risk the hard-earned anonymity she's sacrificed everything to protect.
When Lainey finally gives in to Cooper's sexy charm, the chemistry's intense--but so is the media exposure. And now Lainey's got even more to lose than her secret--she's got Cooper.
Cocktails and Books received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect our opinion of the book or the content of our review.
PLAYING DIRTY is a sweet hockey romance about Cooper Mead, a hockey player with the Portland Storm and Lainey Harper. Lainey is running her deceased father’s sports bar and plans on leaving Portland as soon as she can sell it. She didn’t have a good relationship with her father and she is anxious to sell the bar and get back to her life.
Cooper is the newest member to join the Portland Storm and he is still trying to acclimate himself to the team and the city. At thirty-two, Cooper is nearing the end of his career and he changed teams for a chance at winning the cup before he retires. I found it easy to like Cooper. He is sweet and open and for all his bravado, a little insecure. He has never had a girlfriend but there is something about Lainey that draws him in. For some reason he finds himself attracted to her snarky remarks and he keeps returning to her bar because he just can’t seem to resist her.
The last thing Lainey plans on doing is falling for an arrogant hockey player. She has a few issues and hides behind a tough demeanor. She is distant, sarcastic and sometimes, outright mean. As I read the book, I was able to understand Lainey and why she acts so tough. However, it was hard for me to understand why Cooper would pursue Lainey when she doesn’t treat him well.
I love hockey stories and I enjoyed this feel good story. Cooper and Lainey meet at a perfect time in their life. Even though they have always been afraid to open their hearts and share their inner most fears with anyone, they feel comfortable letting down their guard with each other. Not only is there a lot of chemistry between them, but they have fun and help each other with their issues.
