If you have read the series up to this point you will have met Max. We watched him go through the loss of his wife to Cancer. Hallsy has been pretty low key since then. He stopped playing to be with her and hasn't made it back to the ice as of yet. But he has a new determination to get in shape and make the team again. The first step in moving forward.

Meeting Kendra at Mark & Lovey's wedding. She is the first woman who has caught his attention other than his wife. Watching her from a distance and his body stiring to life again. He misses his wife and feels he will never love another woman but he wants to try.

Kendra is attracted to the hot hockey dude. After spending some of the evening dance and getting to know Max she is not ready for their evening to be over. Inviting him back to her room. The chemistry is certainly there but she can feel Max holding back.

This is an emotional book as Max works his way through the final stages of grief and back to living. Kendra by his side and trying to stick to their sex only no strings agreement. This is a fun fast read with dirty long distance texting and some hot intimate moments.

Will Max and Kendra keep with the agreement or will they find an HEA in each other.

Loving the Aces Hockey and excited to see who we get next.

*** Advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review. ***

Excellent contemporary sports/hockey romance. Max has been through a lot and suffered a tremendous loss. After over a year he realizes he has to make changes. At a wedding for one of his teammates he meets the cousin of one of them, Kendra. She's beautiful and confident and only in town for a few days. She and her best friend started a unique company. Max and Kendra but it off for a one night stand but keep running into one another. After being out of hockey for over a year Max is struggling to get back in shape and Kendra is lovely. I received a complementary copy of this book and chose to write a review. I look forward to reading future books by Ms. Jamieson.

Steamy, heartfelt, and deliciously sexy!

Slap Shot, the fifth book in the Aces Hockey series, is a sporty, contemporary romance featuring Max a tough, honest, hockey player who is struggling to come to grips with not only the grief he continues to feel over the loss of his wife but the guilt associated with potentially moving on.

The writing is clear and emotive. The characters are genuine, believable and charming. And the plot is an impassioned tale filled with sizzling tension, scorching chemistry, poignant moments, hilarious innuendoes, flirty banter, and a swoon-worthy ending.

What more can I say, when it comes to writing entertaining, enjoyable novels about hunky hotshots who fall hard Jamieson is one of the best and Slap Shot with its heart, humour, heat, and hockey is no exception.

This was a really beautiful story. I loved how real life it felt to me. The characters were relatable and really went through some amazing struggles. Your heart can't help but break for Max. You're almost convinced that he couldn't ever love someone after losing his wife but then Kendra just becomes perfect for him. I do wish we got a little bit more from her perspective but that's my only complaint with this book. Kendra slowly creeps into Max's heart and he doesn't realize it until it's almost too late. What I really liked is that we got a substantial amount of story after the fall out and Kendra didn't just swoon after Max. She had things to figure out too and that just really added to the beauty and complexity of this story. I ended up loving it from beginning to end and it gave me all the feels.

An excellent addition to the Aces Hockey series. This is Max Hall's story and it's emotional, sexy, and full of hope. Max stepped away from the game and the team when his wife became ill. She passed away over a year ago and now his focus is earning his spot on the team back. Why his libido picks now to come back to life is beyond him butt one look at Kendra Armstrong and he's at full mast. Guilt weighs heavily on him but he knows he needs to move forward. Putting it all out there for Kendra was hard but she knows the score and agrees to a sex only relationship. Everything is going great until it wasn't.

Great story and one I think you'll enjoy. I highly recommend it.

After losing his wife and taking time away from playing hockey Max Hall is ready to get his life back on track. And for Max that means getting back to the NHL. Nothing else matters, and he's not letting anything get in the way, especially love. When he meets Kendra he is immediately attracted to her, and they begin a friends with benefits relationship that suits both of them perfectly - until it doesn't.

I loved the fact that the entire story is told in male point of view. Max's thoughts seemed all over the place at times, and it suited him perfectly. His inner struggles were nailed perfectly, and he grew so much throughout the book. I loved the relationship between Max & Kendra, and her job brought the perfect amount of humor to the story!

This was my first book by Kelly Jamieson and I really enjoyed it. I haven't read the other books in the series, but I didn't feel like I was missing part of the story. That being said, I cant wait to go back and read the earlier books!

Sizzling! Loved this follow up story on Max Hall by Kelly Jamieson. This was a brilliantly written story about loss and healing, that pulls you in, and makes your heart take flight as Max learns to open his heart and let love in again. I laughed, I cried and rooted for Max and Kendra.
Max lost the love of his life to a rare form of cancer 15 months ago. Struggling to get through the darkness, he concentrates on getting his job back as a Professional Hockey player. As he starts an intensive training program to get himself in shape and prove himself at training camp, for the Chicago Aces’, he finds himself attracted to a bridesmaid at one of his teammates wedding. With thoughts of only a one night fling, Max struggles with the thought of not being true to his dead wife. But the sexual chemistry between them is intensely hot and soon they commit to a long distance sex only, no strings, relationship, when Max is very upfront with his inability to commit to anything more.
Watching Max and Kendra come together was fantastic. Max definitely has some issues and even though I wanted to throttle him at times I loved watching him start to live again and change throughout the story. He made me swoon! He was so sweet, sexy and tender and there was a lot of underlying emotions happening. I really loved how supportive and positive Kendra was, they were just really good for one another. But as soon as Max realizes that Kendra is falling for him, he stops their affair. Breaking Kendra’s spirit and heart. Will Max realize that he was falling also? Will Max make it back on the team? You will have to read to find out! Fantastic mix of everything I adore, humor, heart and heat. Loved it!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

After the death of his wife, professional hockey player, Max, is trying to pull himself out of depression and get back his hockey career. He thinks throwing himself into training for the upcoming season equates to getting his life back. He doesn’t realize how much he’s stuck in the pain and grief of his past until he meets Kendra, who effortlessly brings life and color back into his life. Although they live in separate cities, they manage to find time to be together, and although they’ve agreed that it’s simply a physical relationship, things quickly grow into more. But with Max lost in guilt and feeling like caring for Kendra is betraying his wife’s memory, there are some major challenges in store for these two.

Kendra is the character who won my heart the most in the advance copy I read of this story. She’s a wonderful, happy, upbeat personality and is so incredibly strong. She had her own challenges growing up and has made herself into a successful business woman who is confident in her abilities. Max was great with his drive, determination and over all sexiness, and anyone with a heart will feel for his loss and his journey back to living. Together, they’re terrific, and their story takes the reader on a thrilling ride full of humor, frustration, sensuality, pain, joy and satisfaction that makes this book a 1-Click must read.

Holy Hotness Batman! Every time I read one of Kelly's books, I have loved it, and Slap Shot was no different. The sexy times were so steamy (and plentiful) that I had to fan myself more than a few times. Max and Kendra did not lack in the chemistry department.
Two adults who decide to keep things casual and hook up when they see each other should be easy to accomplish. Right? Not so much.
As Max and Kendra spend more time together, they both feel comfortable and tell the other things that they haven't discussed with anyone else. Max has told her from the beginning that he can't love her and his reasons why are heart-wrenching. She says she understands and when she utter the three words that he doesn't want to hear her say, he ends things with her for good.
They had other times when they went without talking, so I hoped that there was a way for him to see the light and realize that he did in fact love her too, but he let her leave. Even when he dumped her, she was still nice and let him know that she just wanted him to be happy. Could he open his eyes and realize that what they had wasn't casual? Would he realize that he did love her? Would it be too late if he did realize that he loved her? I am not sure I could move past someone that I loved dumping me and telling me he didn't want to see me again. If he did go to her and beg her forgiveness and love, would she be able to accept it and move on or would she let him go for good?
The emotions ran deep in this book. I understood his feelings of confusion, regret, and betrayal. I also understood her feelings and why she didn't fight harder when he broke up with her. Can two battered souls find love and a way to make a relationship work, especially when they live apart from each other? Slap Shot will give you all of the feels that a book should give you. I received an ARC, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

Great hockey romance! Max recently lost his wife and is still grieving and dealing with the heartbreak of her abscence. He has one goal and one goal only... to remake the Chicago Aces hockey team. He is not looking to ever fall in love again because he doesn't ever want to feel the way he did when his wife died. However, he is open to meaningless sex to curb his desires. Great plan until Kendra feels more.

I would definitely recommend this book to my hockey romance loving friends.

Slap Shot was an enjoyable addition to the Chicago Aces series and I liked that it was told completely from Max's point of view. And considering that Max lost his wife to cancer I was expecting Slap Shot to be full of emotion. But honestly it wasn't, in fact it was pretty light on the angst. Yet still full of great characters, sweet and hot moments. As well as some lighthearted ones. Which made it really easy to read and I did really like both Max and Kendra. And thought they had great chemistry too. Which is why I would happily recommend this story to others. Even if you've not read any of the previous books. As this can easily be read as a standalone.

Great book and a wonderful addition to the Aces series. The story was emotional, hot and I loved the characters.

This is the story Max Hall. It's a story of moving on after tragic events.
Can a hookup at a wedding stay a simple hookup if you start the really get to know the other person. Max meets Kendra at Lovey's wedding, she's her cousin. Kendra isn't looking for anything long term as she's working on getting her business. Max is focused on getting back on the team and isn't in a good place for romance. But with chemistry off the charts magic can happen.

I wait patiently for the next story every time Kelly Jamieson releases one. They don’t come fast enough for this reader! Slapshot is the newest installment in the Aces Hockey series and tells the story of a hockey player who has been away from the sport after a family tragedy. Anyone can write a story about a professional athlete, sex, and getting the girl/guy. Those are a dime a dozen now but it takes real courage and research to tell the less glamourous but real story of how hockey (and other sports) can also change a life for better and for worse.

Max lost his wife to cancer and stepped back from the sport for a year intending to return and pick up where he left off. That didn’t happen and now he’s facing training camp just like a rookie has to, not knowing if he will make the team or not. He’s met a woman, Kendra, who takes the stress away and who is on board with a sex only relationship. He’s never going to love another woman so this works well for them both. Until it doesn’t and she finds that she wants and needs more.

Well-developed characters who both know what they want and need. But who aren’t sure they can achieve those goals with each other. Great writing and even better/believeable story line.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest

If you have read the previous book in the series then you would already know Max Hall. He's the one that broke our hearts when we learned his wife was dying of cancer. In Slap Shot, Kelly Jamieson brought him back to show us how he was dealing with that loss and helping him to come back to life from his grief.

I'm not always a fan of stories that have one of the main characters finding love again after a deceased spouse. I think it's not an easy thing to accomplish having that character properly mourn the spouse without making them too much of the focus in the new relationship or being too callous about the death.

I think Kelly did a good job with Max's story. At least, for me I was satisfied with how she handled everything. He did still mourn his wife and truly believed he would never find love again or more like he was afraid to find love again, but I never felt like the deceased spouse took over in the story.

We got to see Max open up to Kendra even when he was in denial. He wasn't perfect, which you really can't expect from someone that is coming out of grief. Overall, I really enjoyed the story and I'm so happy that Max found Kendra. They were so great together.

If you are taking request Kelly Jamieson, I want to see Kendra's best friend and business partner get a book. We only got one scene with her little girl but she was adorable and I want to see one of these strapping hockey players come into their lives.

ARC provided by NetGalley.

4 1/2 Stars ... a great steamy read!

When Max's wife got a terminal cancer, he quit playing for the Chicago Aces NHL team to look after her. Seventeen months later he needs to get back on the ice with the Aces and he starts a strenuous workout regimen along with a healthy eating plan to get ready for training camp. When he attends the wedding of a teammate, he meets Kendra one of the bridesmaids. Max and Kendra agree on a one night stand as he lives in Chicago and she lives in New York ... neither are looking for a relationship. But after the one night turns into two and three, they decide to start a friends with benefits long distance relationship. Everything goes smoothly until Kendra's heart gets involved.

I really enjoyed Max and Kendra's sweet and steamy journey. The banter between the characters was very realistic ... one minute you were laughing with them and the next your heart was breaking. Seeing how I am Canadian ... I like that the author did her homework on Canadian junior hockey teams and cities.

I received an ARC copy from Random House - Loveswept through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

Great book.. i read it in one day.. full of emotions. Wow

4.5 Stars
Book 5 in the Aces Hockey Series and I had so much fun catching up with the Aces again, each book is about a different player and Slap Shot is Max and Kendra’s story.
Max had everything he ever wanted in life, a great career playing a game he loved, a beautiful wife but then life got really messed up when his wife passed away from cancer, Max took time off to nurse her but now he needs to get fit ready for the tryouts that are about to start, will he get his starting place back on the team, will life ever be the same or will Max be lonely forever.
Kendra is not looking for a relationship, she has had her fair share of failed ones so for now having some fun in the bedroom seems the way to let off steam, Kendra meets Max at a friends wedding and there is no doubting the sizzling chemistry between them but will one night be enough and what happens when fate keeps throwing them together....
I laughed, I cried and I loved this story, Kelly Jamieson covers Max’s grief process really well, the book is beautifully written and the words and the story flow. Looking forward to the next star from the Aces Hockey Team

Fans of Kelly Jamieson and her “Chicago Aces” hockey series have been caught up in the drama and heartbreak of Max Hall even though he’s been on the periphery of the series. His wrenching loss of his wife to cancer and his downward spiral were hard to imagine. Readers will finally get to read Max’s story and will be rooting for him as he begins to pull himself out of his grief and try and make it back to playing professional hockey and possibly opening his heart again to love. Max has loved and lost. Will he be able to take another chance at love? Readers will enjoy finding out. Definitely recommend.

Slap Shot
By: Kelly Jamieson
📚💕⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💕📚

Omg OMg OMG!!! First of all it feels like I’ve been waiting for Max FOREVER!!! Being a absolutely true fan of author Kelly Jamieson my expectations are very high. Let tell you she nailed it!

Max a veteran team member of Chicago Aces has been on leave. His wife was diagnosed with a rare cancer that took her life. It’s taken Max over a year to start his fight back to earning a spot back on the Aces. He loved his wife and knows he can’t care for anyone like that again. He’s focused and the last thing he’s even thinking about other than hockey is getting his Libido going again. Sooo when he’s at his friend and team mates wedding the last thing he expected was to be drawn to Kendra one of the bridesmaids. Who’s been taken advantage of and loved people that are not good for her. Let’s say they get together and she lives in another state so neither has any expectations other than physical. Or that’s what they keep saying out loud to each other. Kendra is self employed with a no apology attitude for the product she makes and as a trained Psychologist her empathy and understanding towards others just might be her sweetest asset. These two both think they are protecting themselves but when texting constantly and surprise visits to see one another starts blurring lines someone going to get hurt.

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.

This book has everything I love in a book. Then you add that it's beautifully written and believable. It is easily a five star read. Slap Shot 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.