<strong>A goalie has to trust his instincts, even when taking a shot to the heart…</strong>

Mike Beacon is a champion at defending the net, but off the ice, he’s not so lucky. A widower and a single father, he’s never forgotten Lauren Williams, the ex who gave him the best year of his life. When Lauren reappears in the Bruisers office during the playoffs, Beacon sees his chance to make things right.

Lauren hates that she’s forced to travel with the team she used to work for and the man who broke her heart. There’s still undeniable sexual tension running between her and Mike, but she won’t go down that road again. She’s focused on her plans for the future—she doesn’t need a man to make her dreams of motherhood come true.

Lauren plays her best defensive game, but she’s no match for the dark-eyed goalie. When the field of play moves to Florida, things heat up on the beach.

One of Mike’s biggest fans doesn’t approve—his teenage daughter. But a true competitor knows not to waste the perfect shot at love.

Lauren for her part has stayed away from hockey and made a new world in her job for Nate in the tech part of his company. About to graduate, she has made some pretty deep life decisions and they don't include a man by her side. Guarding her heart and hating the man she still really loves is all she has to do for a few weeks, but he gets under her skin.

The story felt completely off from beginning to end. I didn't like the "affair" between the two. I didn't like how Mike just made the decisions and acted on them, never really considering what he did to Lauren. I hated how Mike could just worm his way back into Lauren's life. Was he a total bad guy? No. What he did was honorable, but it was all the way he did it that left me feeling cold.

To top it off, I never really bonded with Lauren. I just didn't like her. She came off as a snob and too good for the other ladies of the story until she wanted friends. I applaud her decision for moving on with her life, I just didn't like how it all played out.

So with great regret, I have to say I didn't like this story. I wanted to very badly, but it just didn't do anything for me. In general I really love the series. Hockey isn't my sport of choice, but it's a game I can respect. There are sports sections to the story where they are on the ice, but most of the terminology is Greek to me. The sheet time is also off the hook sexy, it's just the romance that left me feeling as cold as a hockey rink.

I have a confession, I've never seen an entire game of hockey. I've probably caught a few highlights here or there, but being from a warm weather state it simply isn't on my radar. What is on my radar is Sarina Bowen's Brooklyn Bruisers series. I mean really, hot men in peak physical condition who also fall madly in love with one woman? I'm there for it.

Pipe Dreams was a great addition to the series telling the story of ice queen Lauren and Bruiser's goalie Mike Beacon. These two have some history that they have to work through but they also have major chemistry.

I can't wait for the next in the series!

Link will be added when review posts closer to release date.

Just when I thought I couldn’t love Sarina Bowen any more, she throws another second chance romance into her release schedule. And this time it’s a super sexy goalie and the woman who practically runs the Brooklyn Bruisers who get their second chance at love. Happy Sigh.

If you didn’t read the teaser for Pipe Dreams at the end of Hard Hitter, or even if you haven’t yet picked up this series (shame on you), then just trust me, it led to me practically salivating for this book to hit my Kindle. SO MUCH ANGST. Omg. I expected a whole heck of a lot of emotional, make me angry, make me teary-eyed goodness and I was not wrong. Almost from the moment I opened Pipe Dreams my chest felt tight and I wanted to alternately kick Mike Beacon in the nuts and give Lauren a big ole hug while murmuring that some guys are clueless.

So, some background… Mick Beacon is the goalie for the Brooklyn Bruisers and Lauren Williams has worked for the organization since her father was the Team Manager. Once upon a time, after Mike walked in on his wife right in the middle of getting it on with another man, he and Lauren finally let their attraction for each other blossom into an intense, sexy, meaningful relationship. Then suddenly Mike disappears from Lauren’s life and goes back to his wife. And for two years Lauren has hated, yet missed him. Missed their life together, mourned their love, but resolutely put the Brooklyn Bruisers and Mike Beacon behind her. It wasn’t hard to do once Nate, the new owner of the team, decides to use her in his Manhattan office while Becca works in Brooklyn. But when Becca gets hurt Nate makes the decision to move Lauren back to Brooklyn temporarily, which means that she and the man who abandoned her are about to be around each other a lot more than Lauren is okay with.

Damn it, my heart. Lauren’s pain and Mike’s cluelessness just about broke it a thousand times AND THAT WAS ONLY THE FIRST HALF. By the way, This couple’s story is told in both past and present scenes until about 20% in, then it becomes all present day Mike and Lauren. I make it sound like Mike is a total douche, but he really isn’t. He’s a guy stuck in a shitty situation with zero communication skills who thinks he can handle everything on his own. Lauren is the person who still loves him and still has no idea why he left her seemingly out of the blue. After the beginning, and figuring out the whys and hows of Mike disappearing on Lauren I really needed him to own up to his mistakes and apologize. He does, but jeez he moved fast after that. He kind of zeroes in on Lauren, decides they need to pick up where they left off two years before and jumps in with both feet. It felt… kind of fast to me. I don’t know. In my head I was like … whoa there fella, slow it down.

I’ve always said one of the reasons I love this author so much is that her writing, her characters, their backstories and love lives, and problems and well, everything, just feels so true to life. Mike and Lauren are a perfect example of that. Relationships are messy. Sometimes the right thing to do in any situation isn’t obvious. Sometimes what you want to do and what you should do are two very different things. Sometimes you fuck up and hurt people, and sometimes you get the chance to make it right and live out your life exactly how you wanted to. Once you get into this story you’ll understand why Mike did what he did. I kind of thought he and Lauren moved a little too fast after they got back together, but other than that I loved their love story.

My only question now is, will Nate and Becca ever get their own book? Is that coming any time soon? Because I will beg if I have to. Pleasepleaseplease say this is happening.

I would say that this is yet another amazing read from Sarina Bowen, but by now that’s just a given. Anything with this author’s name on it is guaranteed to satisfy 100%. Final Grade- B+

Favorite Quote:
“You own me,” he said. “I never wanted to let you go.”
“It’s not easy for me to believe in you,” she said quietly.”
He looked up at her. “I know. But I’m going to change that

Ugh, loved this so much! I am such a sucker for second chance romances and this one was executed perfectly! I absolutely loved the backstory of Lauren and Beacon and how they were both stuck. Beacon sacrificed everything for his family, even his own heart, and the repercussions were astounding. Everyone will love this addition to the series!

Loving this series. These two pretty much broke my heart, and put it back together again (while they were finding their way, too). Such a good story!

I was really looking forward to this one, and overall, I really enjoyed it. This series has had a lot of emotional depth, and this latest addition was no different. There was a nice amount of tension, but not too much angst, and while there was child drama, it wasn't over the top. I do wish there had been more exploration of the time before Lauren and Mike got together initially, but overall, I loved it!