Blog Tour Review: Delayed Call by Toni Aleo

Posted March 24, 2017 by Shannon in Blog Tour, Reviews, Shannon / 0 Comments

Blog Tour Review:  Delayed Call by Toni AleoDelayed Call by Toni Aleo
Series: Assassins,
Published by Self Published Publication Date: March 20th 2017
Also in this series: Empty Net, Falling for the Backup (Novella), Taking a Shot, Trying to Score and Empty Net
Buy on Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookshop.org
Find on: Goodreads
three-half-stars

Vaughn Johansson is the Nashville Assassins' star player. He's brash, cocky, and talented. And he isn't afraid to let anyone know it. He lives his life on his own terms, never forming romantic attachments, and only allowing his very closest to see his true, caring self.
Brie Soledad has the weight of the world on her shoulders. As the staff reporter for the Assassins, she balances her high-profile job and its heavy travel schedule with being the sole provider for her adult brother with Down syndrome. Sure, she'd like to find love. But who has time for that when there are bills to pay?
Brie has been the match to Vaughn's gasoline since the day she first held out her microphone to him. They strike sparks off each other, keeping their friends, the team, and the Assassins fans in stitches. Brie’s refusal to fawn over Vaughn sets his teeth on edge and his blood boiling. Especially in that body part...
Brie's been let down by love before, but she knows she deserves nothing less than real, forever love. Vaughn's past has left deep, hidden scars, and there are some secrets he cannot bear to reveal. As much as Brie wants him, Vaughn may be too big a risk for her wary heart to take. But he is at his best under pressure. When the delayed call is in effect and he has no choice but to score, Vaughn always delivers.

Cocktails and Books received this book for free from Provided by Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect our opinion of the book or the content of our review.

I’m a huge Assassins series fan.  Shea Adler had me the moment he whipped his contacts out and blindly crashed into things during a photo shoot.  So when Toni Aleo said this was her second favorite book behind Shea and Elli’s, I was ready to fall in love with Vaughn and Brie.

Vaughn is the current superstar of the Assassins and Brie is the team reporter.  They’re like oil and water when we first meet them, constantly taking jabs and one another and calling each other names.  The bickering and name calling is a cover up for how they really feel for each other.  They have a lot of work cut out for them, but they discover there is a very thin line between love and hate.

I will admit up front, this was not one of my favorite Assassins’ book.  Vaughn, while lovable, was too much of a little kid for me.  He had a huge heart and went above and beyond to take care of those who depended on him, but the sophomoric comments and name calling at times were too much.  Then there was Brie (who I really had an issue with).  Yes, she was Vaughn as a woman with one big difference.  She was mean.  She said nasty things to Vaughn, hit him, jump to conclusion and accused without giving him a chance to explain.  Then when they finally turned a corner in their relationship, she jumped to

Then there was Brie (who I really had an issue with).  Yes, she was Vaughn as a woman with one big difference.  She was mean.  She said nasty things to Vaughn, hit him, jump to conclusion and accused without giving him a chance to explain.  Then when they finally turned a corner in their relationship, she jumped to instalove and got mad when he couldn’t return her sentiments of love.

Then there was the way she acted towards her brother, Rodney, who has Downs Syndrome.  She was extremely overprotective of him, which I get. But what I didn’t understand was her immediate refusal to listen to him when he told her he wanted to move.  He appeared to be very high functioning and was able to articulate why he wanted to move.  She agreed with his facts regarding his current residence, but she refused to listen.  In those moments it became all about her, rather than what was good for the brother she so dearly loved.

I get that this is fiction, but I like to be realistic when it comes to the characters.  I want to think this person could be someone I’d be friends with, which makes me connect with the character.  Unfortunately, that didn’t happen with Brie.  Not being able to connect with her took away from the story, even had me stepping away from the book for a day (which I rarely do) hoping I could come back with a better frame of mind.  When I picked it up again I came to the conclusion that Brie and I were never going to be friends.

DELAYED CALL was a good read, but the story didn’t feel the same as other Assassin books.  I missed the deep emotional connection between the hero/heroine, the burning need between them that pushed their romance along.  While Vaughn and Brie did get their HEA, it didn’t feel as genuine (at least to me) like the other couples in the series.

AP new - buy the book.jpg
When Tricksie started to bark more frantically as he put his hat on, he looked down at her. “Two seconds, baby.”
She continued to bark as he grabbed his keys before reaching for the door, which she took off out of. He went to tell her to calm down, but before he could, he heard a woman’s voice, “Oh, my goodness! Hello!”
Peeking his head out the door, he found Brie on the ground. On her back, her arms around Tricksie as she jumped and licked her to death. “Oh, my God! Hello. My name is Brie. You are the cutest little dog I’ve ever seen in my whole life. Yes, you are. What is your name? Tricksie? Oh, my goodness, I just love you, I do. Is that your name because you are a three-legged baby and your daddy thinks he’s awesome at scoring hat tricks? I bet so.”
“For your information, yes.”
Brie just grinned as she continued to kiss and love on Tricksie. Which Tricksie was eating up like mad. “Do you want a treat? Treat? Ah, come on.”
Then she yanked the leash out of Vaughn’s hand before picking Tricksie up and kissing her head. “Hey, that’s my dog.”
“I know,” was all she said before pushing her door open and taking his dog into her apartment.
“Can I have her back?” Peeking his head in her door, he watched as she went to the kitchen, grabbing a treat bag before putting Tricksie on the counter and feeding her.
“Don’t worry, they’re all-natural treats. The guys across the hall in my last building had four French Bulldogs, and I used to give them treats until they went into food comas.”
Tricksie was going crazy, obviously falling for the blond-haired beauty who stood before her. Like the day before when they had moved Rodney in, she was wearing jeans and a shirt that he assumed said something witty. He couldn’t see because she was still cuddling Tricksie as she fed her. “You shouldn’t give treats to other people’s dogs.”
She looked up from Tricksie, her lips still curved in the most beautiful grin he had ever seen on her face. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Is it okay if I continue to feed her?”
Why did he find her so lovely at that moment? Her hair was a mess, tucked into a knit cap, yet she looked like someone he could cuddle with. If he cuddled. Not that he cuddled. Unsure of his feelings, he shrugged. “She needs to pee.”
“Okay, one more,” she said sweetly before feeding Tricksie and then kissing her hard on the head. “You can come in.”
He didn’t like how she was making him feel. It was weird. Like he wanted to go behind her, bury his nose in her hair, and just hold her. She looked so damn gorgeous, snuggling his dog and making her feel like the princess she was. Vaughn’s hands itched to touch Brie, and he didn’t understand that. He never itched for anything. He fucked women and moved on, but watching Brie as she acted a fool with his dog, he wanted to…cuddle.
Why did he keep thinking that?
Grumbling at his stupidity, he entered, shutting the door but staying right by it. “She really does need to pee.”
“Oh, yeah, sorry,” she said, kissing Tricksie again. “I really love dogs. I never got to have one growing up. Rodney is allergic to them.”
He nodded. “Yeah, Jensen said he had to put her up when Rod came over the other day.”
“It sucks, but I love them so much. They’re so much fun, and bless her, she’s gorgeous. What happened to her leg?”
“Hit by a car. I adopted her like that. She came in hurt, and they fixed her up.”
Her eyes lit up. “That’s sweet you adopted her. She looks happy as all get-out.”
“She’s spoiled, that’s for sure.”

 

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My name is Toni Aleo and I’m a total dork.
I am a wife, mother of two and a bulldog, and also a hopeless romantic.
I am the biggest Shea Weber fan ever, and can be found during hockey season with my nose pressed against the Bridgestone Arena’s glass, watching my Nashville Predators play!
When my nose isn’t pressed against the glass, I enjoy going to my husband and son’s hockey games, my daughter’s dance competition, hanging with my best friends, taking pictures, scrapbooking, and reading the latest romance novel.
I have a slight Disney and Harry Potter obsession, I love things that sparkle, I love the color pink, I might have been a Disney Princess in a past life… probably Belle.
… and did I mention I love hockey?
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About Toni Aleo

My name is Toni Aleo and I’m a total dork.

I am a wife, mother of two and a bulldog, and also a hopeless romantic.

I am the biggest Shea Weber fan ever, and can be found during hockey season with my nose pressed against the Bridgestone Arena’s glass, watching my Nashville Predators play!

When my nose isn’t pressed against the glass, I enjoy going to my husband and son’s hockey games, my daughter’s dance competition, hanging with my best friends, taking pictures, scrapbooking, and reading the latest romance novel.

I have a slight Disney and Harry Potter obsession, I love things that sparkle, I love the color pink, I might have been a Disney Princess in a past life… probably Belle.

… and did I mention I love hockey?

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I am a lover of alpha males with dirty mouths, strong heroines putting alpha males in their place, and the Chicago Blackhawks. I'm a proud hockey mom who can often be found at the hockey rink cheering on my favorite forward, with my kindle close by.