Covers make or break a book and I fell in lust over this pic of Kellan. I thought for sure I was getting a sexy hockey god, typical playboy, out to capture his girl. While that definitely plays out that's not how this starts out. Kristen is starting her life over as she runs from an overly obsessive psycho ex, thankfully her friends are high up on the food chain of law enforcement to help her out. Over some time in her life she caves in and dates Kellan, exactly the kind of man she needed in her life. I was expecting more hockey and typical player type activities what I got was an amazing suspenseful story. I kept expecting things to happen because I was on edge most of the book. My first Dover book and I plan to read many more. I received an ARC through Netgalley and my review was written voluntarily.

Hard Stick
By: L.P. Dover
📚💕⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐💕📚

Nice guys do win!!!

Kellen a professional hockey player and captain of the team is just a good guy. His loyalty to his team, teammates, and family was so refreshing.

Kristine a young woman who dated the wrong man is on the run. Getting to see old friends from previously written books was refreshing. Even when they are helping Kristine escape the mafia.

I really enjoyed this book and it kept me engrossed throughout. I really loved the characters and the way they interacted with each other. This is a fun, hot, romantic must read book and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.

Let me start by saying I think I just read a book that had everything I love in a book. Then you add that it's beautifully written and believable. It is easily a five star read. Written in dual POV my personal favorite this story flows so incredibly well that the next thing you know your 80% into the book and loving every second of it. The believable way the characters interact is perfect. Run, Hop, Jump or use your (1 click) finger to do whatever you have to do and get this amazing book. It'll break your heart, you'll want to scream with frustration and it'll let you discover that love just might conquer all. The chemistry is steamy and sweet and oh so romantic.

Thanks you Netgally for letting me read and review.

This book will make you laugh and cry! LP Dover weaves a beautifully crafted tale of Kellan and Kristin. Falling for the wrong person took Kristin down a path that changed her life forever. Ready to fight for her freedom she returns home to the one place that gave her a sense of normalcy. Her lie is no longer what it was and forced to start over she works to gain the confidence necessary to not constantly look over her shoulder. As a waitress near Charlotte, she denies each hockey players advances until she hears a bet Kellan made with his teammates. Is she really ready to take the next step forward in her life or will her steps remain shaky? Kellan is nothing like she has ever experienced before and will fight to keep Kristin safe as she slowly tells him her past. Each experience brings them closer and her life begins to change as she is in charge of her freedom. Absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down.

Hard stick by LP Dover is a knock-out read!!
Kristen and Kellan are from completely different backgrounds but when they meet an interesting story unfolds. Kristen has many secrets in her past. Kellan is a hot shot hockey player. Can Kellan get past all of Kristen's past secrets?? This book is filled with passion, mystery,suspense and hot sex. Pick up this book to see how it all goes down. You won't be disappointed!!

What is the first thing you think of when you look at the cover of this book? YEP! This is going to be a story surrounding a hockey player. When you read the blurb that goes along with the book the first paragraph definitely mentions hockey as if it is at least a fairly prominent part of the storyline.

NO! In the first 5 chapters, we don't even get an inkling that this story involves ANY sports AT ALL! In fact, the first 5 chapters are chalked full of more drama and suspense than some books cover in twice as many chapters.

Would I have chosen this book if it was described as a young woman plagued by an over controlling, stalker-like, cheating married man whom she is forced to escape his far reach by turning to the FBI? I'm being a little vague here to avoid spoilers but the bottom line is...no, I would have passed on this one. Suffice it to say, the blurb was very misleading.

In all fairness, if you ARE interested in that kind of story with high drama, this might be one for you. It's just not for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept for an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

This is not a sports romance. The hero happens to be a hockey player, but the story isn't really about that at all. Its really about a girl in the witness protection program. This book is really more of a contemporary romance similar to her Second Chances series, just about a hockey team instead of a football team.

Kristen picked the WRONG guy. Now, because of it, she is living in a town under a different name and has to fake her own death to try and get him to abandon his pursuit of her. Throwing a wrench in her plan? Kellan, the pro hockey player who comes into the bar/restaurant she works at. He makes no bones about his desire to get her to date him. She wishes she could, but dating is just not in the cards for her.

I have found that most LP Dover books read quick. She typically tends to jump right in and I appreciate that! There are a couple of characters from previous series' of hers (Armed and Dangerous, Gloves Off, Second Chances) but you don't need to have read it. For those of us who have read it, it is just a nice little cameo!

Kellan is not like your typical pro athletes. He isn't a puck bunny chaser. He isn't a man whore. He really is just a nice guy who happens to play professional hockey. He is...dare I say it...NORMAL! How could you not love him!? I wanted him to break through Kristen's barriers because he deserved happiness as much as she did. I am curious to see if the rest of the series keeps this more romantic suspense bend or if it becomes more of a sports romance story.

Ok, now having said that, let me address some of the issues I had. First, she got her degree in Interior Design from MIT. They don't offer degrees in Interior Design. Maybe she got a degree in Architectural studies...But still. You don't go to MIT to be an interior designer. That just doesn't make good sense. You go to a famous design school like Savannah Art and Design, Rhode Island Design, or something. Second, after her first date with Kellan, she tells him about her past, her name change, and faking her own death. WitSec rule number one is you can't tell anyone anything!

I did think the surprise twist was interesting. I hadn't even THOUGHT anything like that. However, the rest of the book is pretty predictable. Overall, this was a good story: good characters, good plot, but not great. I enjoyed it and read it in a few hours, but I probably will forget all about it among the sea of other books I read.
(Link live on 6/1/17)

This is the 1st book I have read from this Author. I felt there needed to be a bit more in the beginning to delveop the plot and why the relationships were so strong in this book. I wanted a little more back story. I also thought it was a little pricdiable in parts. I thought it was a good book.

Kellan and Kristen see each other several times per week at the bar Kristen tends bar at. Kellan is a hockey player and goes to the bar with several of his teammates to kick back and relax. Kellan has noticed Kristen for a while but she blows off any type of advance from anyone, especially his teammates. Kristen has been burned in the past and is definitely looking to stay low and try to keep her life a secret. She is on the run from an abusive ex and he has shown he will stop at nothing to get her to be his.

Kellan finally wears Kristen down to date him and it goes much better than she thought it would. She knows she has a lot of baggage and weighs how much she can tell him about her past. With no family to be able to help her, she is left to struggle through with the help of a few good friends. Kellan knows she is leery of him, but doesn't realize the extent of it until she begins to let him in.

There were definitely some surprises in this book. It keep me reading to see what was going to happen and how it was all going to play out. I did like how Kellan was persistent in showing Kristen he was going to be there for her. Her friends did pull out all of the stops to help her when it was needed. I was at a loss at times though when they didn't have answers that they should have. The plot flowed well and the story line kept moving forward. Overall a good read and I was honored to receive an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Another winner by one of my favorite authors LP Dover. I just don't know what to expect sometimes with her stories and that is one of the things I love most about her. It had just the right amount of everything! I am loving this new series and this new team!
This was such a great story that keeps you all-in because you just have to see what is going to happen next. Kellan and Kristen have some incredible chemistry! I love them together. This has a huge romantic suspense quality to it and I for one was unable to put it down.
I cannot wait for the next book in this new series!

Thank you to Netgalley for this wonderful ARC!!!!

‘Hard Stick’ is the first book I’ve read by L.P. Dover and I can assure you, it won’t be my last. I really liked L.P. Dover’s writing style. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. When I was requesting this book, I was expecting a classic hockey romance but it was totally not what I expected at all. While I was reading the book in some parts, I could guess what is coming but still I needed the validation. I was totally drawn into the story and couldn’t put it down until I was done with the book.

So back to the story, Kellan Carter is the captain and the enforcer for the Charlotte Strikers. He does not fit hockey player stereotype. He is not a player. He is focused on his career. He is sweet, sexy, loyal, supportive and understanding. He is looking for a relationship with someone who doesn’t care about his hockey player status and money. Once he meets with gorgeous bartender Kristen, who makes him work really hard for a date, he knows he found his match.

Kristen Robinson is works at the bar where Charlotte Strikers hockey players frequently visit. She is beautiful, smart, and down to earth. After dating with the wrong guy, her whole life changes. She’s forced to leave everything behind and change her identity. She even fakes her own death. After faking her own death, she thinks that she can stop worrying and start living her life again. So she decides to give Kellan a chance. Their chemistry off the charts and they are perfect for each other. Kristen really likes Kellan and wants to be honest with him so she reveals some parts of her past with him. Even though, Kellan knows that there is more than what Kristen is sharing, he never pushes her to share more because he knows that when she starts to trust him totally, she will reveal everything. However, everything crumbles down when Kristen past, meaning psycho ex re-appears.

‘Hard Stick’ is a sad, thrilling, sweet and hopeful sports romance that is filled with action. If you are looking for a thrilling action packed hockey romance, this book is totally for you.

Would I recommend this book: Yes.
Would I re-read this book: Yes.
Would I read future books by this author: Yes.

P.S. The side characters were great too. I was curious if Kellan’s teammates Dallas and Braeden will get their stories and I just saw that Dallas story ‘Blocked’ will be published on October 31st, 2017. Cannot wait to read it and hoping Breaden will be next :)

I would like to thank Netgalley and Loveswept for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is one that I couldn’t put down. Even though the plot was a little predictable and you pretty much knew what was going to happen, you still wanted to see it unfold. (I gave it a 4 for that reason,) I really like this Author and have read some of her other books. I really like the cross overs to some of her other series, it’s always great to see a glimpse into some of the other characters that you come to love.

I liked the chemistry between the two MC’s. The progression of the romance was believable. The character development seemed to be spot on and grow. Besides the villain and the mom the characters are likable. Being a sports/hockey romance I would have loved to see a little more of that in the book. I did like that the female main character was pretty kick ass herself. Or had to become that way.

If you like lots of drama, hockey, romance and heroism then I think you’ll enjoy this book.

Kellan is a hockey player who isn't necessarily looking for someone to spend his life with, but he can't help falling for Kristen. I have read several books by L.P. Dover and this one definitely did not disappoint. I loved the way the author developed the characters and I also liked that it is part of a series because I like that I'll get a glimpse into their lives in upcoming books. Great read and I look forward to reading the next installment.

Hard Stick is truly a book that is a case of Don’t Judge a Book By It’s Cover, but in the BEST way possible.

This is my first L.P. Dover book and I am extremely happy I took a chance on a new author to me. After reading this book it just means I now have to go back and read all of her books.

This was an AMAZING book!!!! I will warn you if you go into this book hoping for a hockey romance story, you will be slightly disappointed. Yes Hockey does play a small part in this book, since Kellan is a NHL player, but the story doesn’t really focus on the hockey aspect. This is more of a story based off Kristen learning how to survive and learning to trust and love again.

This story has a little bit of everything in it. There were some laughs, some sex, some romance, , great friendships, suspense and even some heartache. This book had everything I look for in a 5 star read. I was completely engrossed in this story from the very beginning. I honestly couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I loved how this story all unfolded. Some of it was predictable, but there were enough surprises along the way to keep me guessing. I thought the flow and pace of this story was very well written. I also loved the storyline and characters we met along the way. Kellan truly stole my heart in this book.

In Hard Stick we follow the journey of Kellan and Kristen. I really can’t tell you a lot about the story because you need to experience everything for yourself. Plus I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone. Kristen is a woman, who due to circumstances and tragedy, needs to escape and start a new life for herself. And that’s exactly what she does. Now she is a keep to herself bartender in a small pub. But that doesn’t mean she hasn’t caught the eye of the local HOTTIE Kellan, the famous NHL player who lives in the area. Over the last year she has turned down every attempt he has made for a date. but now she is ready to give it a try. What can 1 date do?? Little does she know, Kellan doesn’t give up so easily :) I truly loved their love story. Kellan will have all the readers swooning and wishing for a man like him.

I would 100% recommend this book to anyone who loves a story that has a little bit of everything in it. If you’re looking for a storyline that will suck you in and characters you will fall in love with and want more of, then this is the book to read!!!

I had to sit back for a few minutes after reading this book because it totally is not what I expected. From the cover (which I am definitely not complaining about, I love abs) and the blurb, I thought it was going to be a light romance centered around hockey. And you know what, I was going to be OK with that because I have read and reviewing some pretty heavy books lately. Instead, I read a book that took me in the other direction. Now, I am not complaining about it (see my rating at the end of the review) but man, I wish that there was more of a hint in the blurb. Because this book is so much more than a hockey romance. I am going to add suspense and intrigue to my tags and to the genre group above.

I felt awful for Kristen. She had a boyfriend who was obsessed with her. He had people watching her and if her best friend, Cole, would come over….he would show up. She was crippled with fear until the night where she decided, with Cole’s help, that she was leaving. And then the unthinkable happened. The boyfriend ran Cole off the road when he was on his motorcycle….killing him. That’s when she disappeared and the FBI, who was aware of her boyfriend but couldn’t pin anything on him, put her in the witness protection program and then faked her death so she could be free….once and for all. Now, if that had happened to me, I would have issues with men and trust. Which she did but still.

I liked Kellan. He was just an ordinary guy. Well, ordinary if you consider that he was the captain of the Charlotte Strikers and was a buff, bad ass with a temper. What I liked was that he was 100% believable as the hero of this story. He was an ordinary guy who got the girl, learned her secrets and vowed to protect her. He was so alpha male, it wasn’t even funny and I loved it. I also liked that his issues were more true to life than the other books that I have read. His mother and himself had bad blood and guess what, she deserved his hate. Normally, you wouldn’t hear me say that but that woman was unbelievable. She did come through for him, though, when it counted and I guess that matters (still don’t like her).

The romance part of this book was off the chart. The chemistry between Kristin and Kellan was burning hot and when they did have sex, it burned a hole in my Kindle. Just kidding, but if it had been real, there would have been smoke coming off the sheets. When the romance turned to love (no Instalove here, it took a month or so), poor Kristin fought it so hard. Kellan didn’t and I liked that. He was one with his feelings but Kristin, understandable, wasn’t.

I also couldn’t get enough of the storyline with Kristin’s ex. He had to have been the slimiest, disgusting character that I have ever read. I will admit that I did guess about his connection to Kellan. I actually guessed it pretty early in the book, when they started dating. But it didn’t take away from the book. I will also say that he, the ex, got what was coming to him and I cheered when everything went down.

I loved the ending and yes, I ugly cried through it.

I can’t wait until I read Blocked (I just got the e-ARC from NetGalley). It is going to be Dallas’s story and I hope that it is as good as Kellan’s.

My questions for the next book:

Will Dallas get a girlfriend?

Will we see more of Kellan and Kristin?

What about the skating rink, will there be more scenes there?

How many stars will I give Hard Stick: 4

Why: Great storyline and great characters. I was a bit surprised that this was more romantic suspense than romantic sports but it did not take away from how good the book was

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, violence, and language

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

This is a sweet, fun story with suspense and intrigue thrown into the mix to make it a satisfying read. I enjoy everything L. P. Dover writes and I love stories about hockey players, so I was excited to read this and I wasn't disappointed.

Kristen is forced to take on a new identity when she runs away from her psycho boyfriend. She is devastated when she leaves her home, job and everything else in her life behind. She is currently working as a bartender and she misses her former job as an interior designer. She is afraid if she goes back into the field she loves, her ex will be able to track her down.

Kristen works at the local bar that Kellon, a professional hockey player and his teammates frequent. Many of the guys in the team have asked Kristen out but she refuses. She isn't interested in any of the sexy hockey players, she is too caught up in all her problems to even notice them. Kellon likes the challenge of trying to get Kristen to go out with him. Once Kristen finally agrees and she gets to know Kellon, she realizes he is not the womanizer she thought he was.

I feel sorry for Kristen she has had some tough breaks and deserves some happiness. She is a nice person but afraid to get involved with Kellon because she has so many problems. I love how protective Kellon is with Kristen. He won't let anything happen to her and always puts her first. He is loyal and an all around good guy. I really enjoyed the storyline and the characters. Kallon and Kristen are good together and have a lot chemistry, they just need to work through all of Kristens problems.

The beginning is so sad, it's too bad that it had to happen to set the scene for the rest of the book.
There are a few WTF moments that left me yelling at the book. But a lot of it was really touching and or sexy moments.

Callan and Kristen are great together. All together a great read. Looking forward to other books by this author.

WOW!!! I'm speechless at this book! I don't read many books that leave my heart racing like this one did. I couldn't put this book down, it was so good. It's a hanging on to the edge of your seat with your heart in your throat type of book. L P Dover's story was riveting as well as romantic, which is hard to combine. The love story of Kristen & Kellan started with the murder of a best friend & the loss of an identity when Kristen had to go into hiding because of an ex-boyfriends controlling behaviour & lies. For a year Kellan watched Kristen working in the pub he & his hockey teammates went to hoping that she'd finally say yes to a date. Never giving up he finally gets his date because of a bet his teammates made that Kristen found out about. What was supposed to be one date turned into love but Kellan knew something haunted Kristen & he knew it wasn't going to be good. When Kristen finally does tell Kellan about her past it only brings them closer but little does Kristen know her past is closer than she thinks. There are more surprises in store for Kristen & Kellan than they know, including who her ex is& how dangerous he can be. This book takes you on an emotional ride as Kristen fights to get her life back from the sadistic, control freak, murderer of an ex-boyfriend. Definitely recommend this book.

I loved this book! I would have no problem recommending it. This is the first read for me by this author and I will be going in search of more of her work.

L. P. Dover is brilliant in another thrilling romance with a sexy hockey star, a southern belle who is ready to fight back and a dangerous secret. A little over a year ago, Kristen Robinson's life was ripped apart when the man she thought she loved turned out to be a cheat and a liar. More than that, he was a dangerous stalker, who terrorized her to no end. Now, given a second chance Kristen can finally breathe. She lost too much, but she is determined to start over. And that includes taking chances with a gorgeous hockey player who has been asking her out for months. At the end of the perfect date, he gives her the very best kiss of her life. Still feeling her lips tingling, she can't help but smile every time he texts or stops by to see her. The closer Kellan Carter gets to Kristen the more he falls for her. As she opens up to him, he starts to understand the horrors she's been through. But he is ready to protect her now and forever. She is his and no one will harm her ever again. When her past catches up to them, it will take everything Keelan has to save the woman he loves. Hard Stick is a fast paced, sexy romance with some pretty intense twists that will keep readers turning pages until the very last secret is revealed.