I loved it, I really enjoyed the storyline and characters can't wait to see what comes next from the author!

***4,5 "JoHo" stars***

God, i did enjoy this book very much!!!!
Especially in the beginning, i was laughing so much with Brie and Vaughn's arguments... 
At the same time, the author decided to talk about a very sensitive matter and it was given in a wonderfully way...
A hot, cocky hockey player, a fiesty tiny woman, a relationship full of hate who turned out to the most lovely and funny love.... 
Add to the mixer, lovely secondary characters, hidden secrets and you have a lovely story!!!!

Vaughn was a little bit of an a$$ most of the time... Cocky, arrogant, self-absorbed... 
He thinks that he is a gift from God both for woman and hockey!!! 
Yep, he is a hell of a player on the ice and the women are lying on his feet, but he is so full of himself!!!! But damn, the guy was funny as hell!!!

Brie had lots of things on her plate at the moment...
She is a reporter for the Assassins, her love life sucks, and she has so much stress about her little brother... 
The last thing she wants is to have to deal with this a$$ Vaugh Johanson all the damn time, especially since he is showing his hatred toward her in every opportunity and many times in front of the camera...
And lately, he is always in front of her and this tiny attraction deep down inside her doesn't fade away...

“I didn’t realize you liked anything about me.” 
“You’re growing on me.”
“That’s good.”
“Yeah?” 
“Yeah, ’cause you’ve grown on me, completely.”

Vaughn is feeling this attraction too, but he has too many issues which are coming from his past...
At the same time, he has a secret identity that noone has to known about it... except his closest friends...
To be totally honest with you, Vaughn is not who he wants us to think he is.... He has more depth than he is showing and i think that what he is doing is really amazing...
But as i told you above, he has many issues and that's the reason that he keeps chasing away poor Brie, even though he wants her so damn much!!!!

“I just don’t know, okay? It’s scary.”
“Well, no shit, Sherlock. It’s love. Not hockey.”

Will Vaugh and Brie be able to forget their hate and work around it???
Will their attraction can lead them in a new beginning??? Or there are many things that are standing between them???

"They were fire and gasoline, and if he knew better, he’d stay away to prevent the explosion.
He just wasn’t sure if he could."

I loved both Vaughn and Brie... They were amazing persons!!!
And God, I loved their interactions.... They were so entertaining!!!
But don't full yourselves!!! Yes, there were many funny moments inside this book, but there were also emotional ones...

"You said you want someone to fight for you. Well, here I am. Let’s do this. You know I love a challenge."

I also adored all the secondary characters, especially Jensen and Wren...
God, I can't wait to see how this one will play out!!!! I'm so eager for this certain story!!!

This was my second book of the Assassins series and God, I enjoyed both books so much!!!
You probably wondering, how the hell i managed to do so since this was the eleventh book of the series, but i have to tell you that you won't have any problem if you want to give it a chance... 
It can be read as a standalone, as well!!!

***ARC kindly provided via NetGalley for the exchange of an honest review***

The Nashville Assassins series adds another solid book. I am so entertained by this series. Toni Aleo has created a wonderful hockey world and I feel privileged to be let into her character's lives.  Delayed Call features a strong, independent heroines and a hero that's a little less alpha than her normal hero. I found it to be a refreshing change. The book could probably stand alone, but I highly recommend the series. Every book won't be your favorite fir whatever reason, but I believe as a whole you'll find the series entertaining and compelling. If you like series with interrelated engaging characters and a sports theme, and you like the character profiles to be varied and interesting, The Assassins are for you!

Well, Toni has done it again, I love her Assassins series and it keeps getting better and better! I couldn't wait to read this book, we have cocky Vaughan and spitfire Brie. I love the banter between them, there's some laugh out loud moments and it was great that Brie gets to put Vaughn in his place at times. I loved the relationship between Brie and her brother, the love they have for each other and the reality of having a loved one with a disability. There's a couple of twists and turns and some hot scenes that melt your kindle! Another great read.

Delayed Call is a story of the fine line between hate and lust.. or is it love? Set in the backdrop of Nashville, Tennessee and the fictional hockey team of the Nashville Assassins. It's a wonderful read and leaves you wanting to turn the pages over and over until it draws to its conclusion. Brie and Vaughn are such well thought out characters and most people will be able to find something of themselves in both of them. Highly recommended by a longtime Toni Aleo reader.

I am almost embarrassed to admit that this is my very first Toni Aleo book! Now, I am going to be spending all my time going back and reading the first 10 books in this Assassins series!  
I love this book so much! It had the humor and sexiness that I just love. Brie Soledad is a fantastic leading lady. I loved that she knew her hockey, she knew the game as well as the players she reported on. I so enjoyed the "love hate" relationship she had with Vaughn. He was just the biggest jerk to her and she gave it right back to him. I love a lady in a male dominated job not backing down. 
Vaughn on the other hand, I swear had multiple personalities at times. He would be a real jerk to Brie, go home and be this amazing guy to his dog. Loved his work at NateWay. I mean I understand why he kept it private, but man there is NO way that could be kept on the DL this day and age. I grew to love Vaughn, it was just too hard not to. Great leading man!
I really enjoyed this book so much and I highly recommend it to readers. It's fun, It's sexy and it has a message. I will be going back for more, cause I have to know what happened when we were thrown that major plot twist!!!

Loved the chemistry between Vaughn and Brie from the very beginning! Brie’s devotion to her brother is wonderful to observe, and the tie-in Vaughn has with his charity brings the two together in a way that I didn’t expect to happen. Loved the way everything came together. One of my favorites from Toni Aleo!

The story begins with Vaughn Johansson who is the Assassins' star player and has the ego to match.  He is beyond bold and cocky! Brie Soledad is a staff reporter for the team and carries the responsibility of her Down syndrome younger brother and financial burden of paying her deceased mother's medical bills. Life has not been served on a silver platter to Brie. But Brie is no doormat - she is a strong, confident woman. 

In the beginning, Vaughn and Brie are at odds with one another. He is very rude to her and she finds his cockiness extremely irritating. She can hold her own for the most part and in fact, has quite a few comebacks that are hilarious and shows she can think quickly on her feet. 

Vaughn has a lot of hidden layers and uses his public persona to hold people away from his true personality which, at times, backfires in his relationship with Brie. It's an emotional rollercoaster for Brie both by what Vaughn says and doesn't say, and by what he does. 

Brie is a lot more open - what you see is what you get. She knows what she wants in life and isn't afraid to make her wishes known. She tell Vaughn exactly what she expects and how she's been hurt before and doesn't want that again. 

In the end, Vaughn come through with Brie in a big romantic way that is swoon worthy! And the supporting characters? I can't wait to read Jensen and Wren's story!


Thank you to Entangled Publishing and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

I used to be a fan of Toni Aleo's books. I loved this series. Now the more I read them, the less I like them. I could not read more than 20% of this book. The swearing, the name calling, the crude way the characters talked to each other made me cringe. I a in no way a prude, but this was way too immature and over the tope for me. I think I am going to have to stop with this series. The last few books were not for me at all.

I've enjoyed all of Toni Aleo's books in the Assassin series although I confess that I more of a fan of the earlier books. Delayed Call has all the makings of a great book. Ms. Aleo invokes a wide range of emotion throughout the story. I love the inclusion of the heroine's autistic brother. And Vaughn or JoHo stole my heart. The only part that kept me from giving 5 stars is how Vaughn's character flipped so quickly.  I get the a$$hole secretly having  heart of gold idea but with him, the funny brash part of him was quickly gone. I think it would have been more authentic to keep that part of him alive a while longer before switching to all good. As for the female character,  her name escapes me, I did not connect with her at all. She was just too over the top but not in a good way. Still, the story is great. I love the ending as well and look forward to more of the Assassins.

ARC received for review


Okay. I haven't read the first 10 books in this series. I think I've got several on my kindle but just haven't found the time. This is book is a stand alone and you don't need to read the first ones.

All that being said. I about put it down and walked away. Vaughn and Brie fought every time they were together. It was not nice sniping at each other, but down right mean and ugly at times. I didn't think they were ever going to get over it and hook up. They finally did and started being nice and then hot and smoking up some sheets. For those who've read the rest of the books there's plenty of cameos by previous peeps plus a baby and planning a wedding.

Now here's hoping his BFF Jensen and his "sister" Wren hook up in the next book.

4 1/2 Stars! Toni Aleo does it again ... I love this series!

Vaughn is the cocky star player for the Assassins, but he has a side that he doesn't want people to see. He wants them to see the arrogant playboy ... not the star with a heart of gold. Brie's parents died and she is left to look after her adult brother with down syndrome and a heart condition. She is the Assassins in-house reporter and she can't stand Vaughn. They do nothing but push each other's buttons and fight when doing interviews ... but it is a thin line between love and hate! Once Brie moves in across the hall from Vaughn, they begin to interact on a whole different level. By the time Brie finds out that Vaughn has built a community for down syndrome adults, she is well on her way to loosing her heart to him. But all Vaughn wants is a "friends with benefits" relationship because he only does one night stands since his heart was broken 10 years ago. There were times I just wanted to slap him across the face and tell her he loves her already. While other times I wanted to give her a good shake to just leave his a$$ behind already ... but isn't that what makes a good book!

I received an ARC copy from the author through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

I do like a good love/hate story. This is book 11 in the Assassins series and I really liked it. Brie is the Assassins reporter. Vaughn is basically the spokesman for the team after every game. These two rub each other the wrong way and their interviews always take a turn for the worse.

These two had great banter. Of course they were silly and immature but it was still funny. After Brie moves in across the hall from Vaughn things get even messier. But Brie has a lot going on in her personal life. I really liked Brie’s story and her brother. Vaughn’s back story was a surprise and I like how it drew Brie and Vaughn closer together. Vaughn’s indecisiveness and Brie’s back and forth were very annoying but all in all I enjoyed this one.

A super addition to a fantastic series.I have loved these books since the first one and they just keep getting better.I loved Vaughn and Brie together they were terrific a super read would recommend to all.

I really enjoyed this book! Vaughn and Brie have amazing combustible chemistry whether they’re tearing a strip out of the other’s hide or burning up the sheets they are always on fire. I really liked Brie, she was so strong, so independent but also loving and willing to take a risk to find love. In spite of all we learned she went through she wasn’t particularly bitter a little crazy and hovering but not closed off. Vaughn was a very interesting character too, he has faced so much tragedy in his life and he was closed off, he was afraid to let anyone n and look for love, he had convinced himself that he didn’t need it. And when he gets together with Brie he truly learns just how wrong he was. These two face a long and frequently rough road to their HEA but it was a beautiful trip and I enjoyed every minute of it. This is book 11 of the Assassins series but it was the first (and definitely not last) I have read so I can state that it was fairly easily read as a stand alone. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

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.

I absolutely love this series!  I'm an avid hockey fan, and I've read all of the books in this series so when I say that they keep getting better and better - that's a compliment to the author.  I love when a story doesn't just throw hockey in there as an afterthought.  So many books nowadays do that as a trope, and I hate that because hockey is an excellent sport.  It's not talked about as much as football and basketball, but it's just as hard to play and just as fun to watch.  When you write about it - you need to know what you're talking about because real fans will pick up on something as inconsequential as what icing is or slicing.  What I love about Toni Aleo is that she comes from a hockey background and knows how to write it.  You can tell she's gone to games and she's studied the in's and out's of the sport.  Reading about Vaughn and Brie, I could just imagine every scene in my head as it was happening and at no point did I feel like putting this book down to pick up another one.  If a book can keep my attention for hours, then it's a fabulous book.  The things that came out of Vaughn's mouth, I could see a hockey player saying because I've been around them and heard them talk.  It's something that you're left going "Did he really just say that?" 

Every book I read of Toni's, I'm left with this feeling of "how can she get better than this?"  It's a difficult question because her books are that good and that spot on.  I loved the way that she worked in how do you deal with having a sibling that has Down Syndrome?  It's a touching and thought-provoking scenario that not many authors want to tackle.  They would rather throw a lot of sex into a novel and call it a plot.  Toni doesn't do that...she has a slow build up and a lot of plot which I found refreshing.  Buy this book and settle in for a great read.  Each book is a stand-alone but I would recommend the whole series just because they're all good books.  I would say this is probably my favorite of hers so far in the series.  

I was given a copy of this ARC from the publisher on NetGalley for an honest review. All of the above comments are my express opinions and no one else's.

So good!!!!   This book is much more than a love story with a HEA.   The inclusion of NateWay and the occupants took this book to the next level.  Then you have all the hilarious moments with Tricksie.  Holding her paw while they sleep.  Hilarious and so freakin cute!!!!!  

And we get a look into Ellie and Shea's life's with their kids!!!!!  Quinny and the Hockey stick?  Another hilarious moment!!!  

The book is long but so worth the read and a perfect addition to the series!!!  Jenny anyone???  Looks like he's gonna be a Daddy!!!!!!!!!

My first Toni Aleo book and I loved it! Great read, I loved Brie and Vaughn.

Let me start by saying that I'm a big fan of Toni Aleo and the Assassins series. I've read all of them and loved them all...until now.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate this book but I'm used to well rounded stories by this author and to me it felt short. 

The beginning of the story is promising, I liked the characters when they were introduced and adored the fact that Vaughn was sweet and kind enough to adopt a disabled puppy. As the story continues the dynamic between the two main characters was missing some chemistry in my opinion, and the dialogue between them sounded like two high school students talking instead of two professional 30 something adults.

When it came to secondary characters, Rod, Brie's brother who has Dawn Syndrome was a star. I loved this sweet, intelligent young man who stole my heart. Another great character was Jensen, Vaughn's best friend, who I can't wait to read more about. 

Overall Delayed Call was a decent story, I was just waiting for more.

Once again Toni Aleo delivers in Delayed Call. In the next book in the Nashville Assassin series we get to read the story of Vaughn and Brie. Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy and sometimes the person we think we despise the most turns out to have more in common with us then we think. 
Delayed Call is another must read that will bring back Assassin's favorite couple Shae and Eli and take you on a journey of seeing if there really is a thin line between love and hate.