Amber Sloane has focused on figure skating her entire life. At 24, she knows this year's Olympics will be her last and she's determined to do things differently. Instead of closing herself off she begins making friends and emerging from the isolated cocoon her mother has forced her to stay in her whole life. Romance has never been in the plans, but hockey player Will Madigan may just change her mind.

Shot on Gold is a sweet romance out just in time for this year's Winter Olympics. Burton captures the excitement and camaraderie of the athletes and readers get as caught up in the excitement of the games as they will watching their winter sport of choice. Amber is a sweet girl who is experiencing many things for the first time- despite this being her third Olympics. With a domineering stage mother pushing her nonstop, she's spent her whole life working towards a gold medal. There are plenty of times you just want to slap her mother for her attitude, but Amber somehow manages to be friendly and normal despite her mother's example. When Amber begins to fall in love with Will, she discovers that friendship and romance complete her and make her a better skater instead of distracting her as her mother fears. But a relationship in the bubble of the Olympic village is different from in the real world and Amber isn't sure that will work. Will is a guy with a refreshing attitude towards life: live hard, work hard, play hard, but be open to the idea of love because it's real. He's seen it in his parents and is sure he'll find it for himself some day. It frustrated me at the end that it looked like Will might not be willing to fight for a relationship with Amber, despite all his big talk. When she gets cold feet, he accepts that and walks away instead of pushing back. I was glad Amber was brave enough to (eventually) give them a chance, because they had a great chemistry between them and really brought out the best in each other.

While a good story, Burton's writing was often repetitive and I found myself skimming some sections because of that. I also kept waiting for more of a conflict than ever really came up. However,this was still a fin book. Despite being part of a series, this is a stand alone book and readers won't need to have read any other books in the series to enjoy this one (I haven't, yet). Shot on Gold was fast paced and fun, a light romantic read perfect to get readers in the mood for this year's Winter Olympic Games.

Amber Sloane has only ever been focused on one thing and that’s an Olympic Gold Medal in figure skating. This is her third and final trip to the Olympics and she has to get the Gold. She’d seen Will Madigan at previous games and was well aware of his reputation with the ladies, but after meeting him she decides they have a lot in common and he could be the one to help her achieve her goal off the ice.
Will Madigan knows he has a reputation and he doesn’t deny it, but there’s something amount Amber Sloane that has gotten under her skin. While she’s a grown woman, Amber hasn’t seen much in the way of relationships in her life. Will is determined to open her eyes to experiences and emotions she’s never known.
Unfortunately this book didn’t do it for me. It didn’t capture me at all and I found myself struggling to get through it. I think the storyline was good but the characters never grabbed me. I felt like Amber’s goal (other than the gold medal) was to lose her virginity and after she did, it seemed like EVERYTHING revolved around sex which made my hands itch to skim through pages. I’ve read a few of Burton’s books and enjoyed them but this one just didn’t make the cut for me.

Reasons you should read Shot On Gold:

1. Olympians! I am obsessed with all things Olympics!
2. I have always wondered what it would be like in the Olympic village-all those gorgeous athletes!
3. Crazy 'dance mom' type of parent. It really makes you empathize with Amber because you can see how much external pressure she has been under.
4. Low Angst! I mean, you of course wonder if they will win in their respective sports and what will happen after the Olympics are over, but otherwise, its a fairly low angst story and I appreciated that!
5. Likable characters in Will and Amber-mature, driven, and yet still relatable.

This story is light and breezy, gives me a 'behind the scenes' feel of one of my favorite sporting events (the Olympics), and left me with a smile after reading! Fans of sports romance will LOVE Shot on Gold!
blog link live on release day

The Olympics are happening in real life, and the international games are happening in this book. I love the connection to real life and the feeling of "being there". In fact, I am writing this review while waiting for the ice skating team finals to start...so, it really is like I am there with Amber.



Will and Amber. A life-of-the-party hockey player and a serious, studious, here only for the competition ice skater.



Really, they shouldn't work together and they probably don't on paper. But, in this book? It works well. I think this is because, by this point in the series, Jaci Burton knows what she is doing when she writes a sports romance. She has the balance down...the hero (and in this case the heroine) need to be in the sports world, not someone on a break, or who has retired and is sunning himself on a beach somewhere, but playing, training and living the sports world. And, the other side of this needs to have the realistic romance that you believe, the kind that makes you believe the super dedicated hero and heroine would actually get involved with the other.



This title works. Add in that Amber is so sheltered she is a virgin, and the wonderful reaction Will has to this, the overbearing skating mom, the friends and fellow athletes, and you have a book that transports you to the international games village...just in time for the Olympics.



I enjoyed this title, and I recommend it.

Jaci Burton write well. She creates likable characters in touching love stories. Shot On Gold was an interesting story of two top level athletes who find love. I liked that though Amber was a virgin she was confident and assertive with Will. I was glad too that Burton didn’t make either of them doubt their talent. Their self-confidence wasn’t in question and the book was better for not going that route.

The story lacked any real stressors and would have been more interesting with some conflict. Amber’s mother is the ultimate stage mom. She’s cold and negative but instantly changes when Amber finally calls her out on it. I found that hard to believe. I’m glad neither Will nor Amber’s performances were the source of tension in the book but something needed to be.

I was glad Amber and Will got the happily ever after because they were great people and great together.

reviewed by Jem

In the latest Play-by-Play novel, Jaci Burton has moved slightly away from the realm of professional athletes and provided us a story involving Olympians. I believe this is the first story I have read involving Olympic athletes, so it was a nice change of pace. While I don't typically watch the Winter Olympics, this story coming out during the start of the games has me curious enough to take a gander.

Our heroine is Amber Sloane, a twenty-four year old ice princess figure skater at the end of her Olympic career. Amber has ate, slept and breathed figure skating from a young age, and she needs that gold medal to end her career with a bang. But between her momager and wallflower shyness, Amber seemingly has nothing in her life but skating. She has no friends, no experience, and is hanging on to that V-Card pretty late in life. Fortunately Amber has decided to open up for these last games, and she sets out to make friends and gain experience. I liked seeing Amber soften her focus and live life for herself for a change. I wish she had been more assertive with her mother, but I'm sure old habits die hard and all of that.

Will "Mad Dog" Madigan is a fun-loving hockey player and, in the past, was a known partier and ladies man. This year he has changed his tune and hopes to actually remember some of his time at the games. I thought Will's character was a good mix of flirty fun and serious athlete. I liked that he didn't immediately take Amber up on her proposition, that he respected her enough as a person to wait and see if they were in the same headspace. I also liked that Will came from such a loving family background, and he was secure enough in himself to believe in love on a grand scale. It seems that the cover model (and his tattoos) fit Will to perfection, and I always love having that visual.

The romance between these two was not instalove, but also not a slow burn. Given that our heroine is still hanging onto her V-Card, the hero was somewhat reluctant to jump right in there. That being said, Amber transformed from virgin to vixen in a flash, and once they got going, they really got going. Amber's directness and dirty talk was in contrast with the wallflower we see at the start of the book, and was somewhat representative of the personal growth she was experiencing. Overall, I think these two were a good match and I liked them together. At times, the writing felt a bit forced or overly simplistic... but then some Olympic interest would divert my attention and get me back into the story.

So probably the most interesting aspect of this book to me was the Olympic village and all the goings on there. I have never really thought about where the athletes live and mingle during the games, so this part really drew me in and had me wanting more. While I'm not a huge hockey or figure skating fan, the discussion of some of the other winter sports piqued my interest enough to want to check out the half-pipe and slalom events.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Berkley.

Shot on Gold is a completely fun read and just in time for everyone getting in the mood for Winter Olympics 2018.

Will is a hockey player on his second time around to the Winter Games. He is playing for the US team and enjoying the social life the Olympic games’ village provide. He met Amber Sloane last time he went but she was shy, reserved and totally focused on her figure skating.

Amber has sacrificed her entire life for parents skating ambitions. She is focused and determined to make them proud and bring home the gold this year because it will be her last year to compete in the Olympics. She doesn’t know what the future will bring but she is ready to start finding out what she really wants out of life.

When her roommate convinces her to go out to party with her fellow athletes, Amber runs into Will and his irresistible ways. Will and Amber make the perfect couple during the games its what comes after that has them worried.

I’ve been with Burton from the start of her Play by Play series and I have to say that I’m loving the transition this series has taken from a more erotic romance to contemporary sports romance. She is writing characters with genuine heart, real life circumstances and dreams and is truly rocking it. Don't get me wrong we still get that steam but its steam with a deep character connection. If you are looking for a great contemporary sports romance, check out Jaci Burton’s Shot on Gold.

I received this ARC copy of Shot on Gold from Berkley Publishing Group. This is my honest and voluntary review. Shot on Gold is set for publication Feb. 13, 2018.

My Rating: 4 stars
Written by: Jaci Burton
Series: A Play-by-Play Novel
Sequence in Series: Book 14
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: February 13, 2018
ISBN-10: 0399585168
ISBN-13: 978-0399585166
Genre: Contemporary Sports Romance

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shot-Gold-Play...
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shot...
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shot...

Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com

5 likes

This was such a fun one to read. I really liked the couple, was rooting for them, but what really worked for me was how the group of athletes genuinely rooted for each other in their sports. I loved that it didn't matter that they were from different countries, that often they were competing against each other in the same event, they wanted their friend to do their best and were there to cheer them on. I think that giving spirit helped Amber and Will in their relationship. They started out as friends truly enjoying each others company. As things changed they talked about their lives, how their sport matter so much in their life. For Amber it was nice to actually she her get a life, for Will it was nice that he had people supporting him.

I hated the bad choice that Amber made towards the end, even as I understood why. I wished she would have explained things to Will then, he could have put a stop to things. Instead they both had to be miserable. I loved that Will was able to see how much being apart affected Amber and was happy when she came clean. It made me know they would be ok, no matter where life takes them.

A hot as hell hockey player playing for the US at the winter Olympics. Yum! A sweet waiting to break out of her shell figure skater looking for a gold at winter Olympics. Amber and Will took the reader on a ride through the life of an Olympian at the Winter games and how to different people thrown into an emotional situation can find love.

Burton does a great job making the reader emotional invested in her characters. Plus got to see a few past couples and catch up on their lives.

Shot on Gold is the fourteenth book in the Play by Play series by Jaci Burton and it was a sweet romance. Both the hero and the heroine were so sweet and so polite to each other and they were super nice and all of that but that's pretty much it.

This book follows Will "Mad Dog" Madigan and Amber Sloane as they fall in love during the Winter Olympics. They're both competing in the Games and they meet in the athlete's village and their romance takes off right from the very beginning.

Will is at his second Olympics with the US Men's Hockey team and this time around, he wants to experience the whole thing with a clear head and make actual memories. His first time around, he won the silver medal with his team and he remembers a lot of alcohol, lots of women and lots of partying. He's older now so he wants to savor the experience and he wants to help his team win the elusive gold medal. He's serious business this time around so when he meets Amber Sloane, he's definitely interested and wouldn't mind a little female company during the two-week international tournament.

Amber Sloane is competing in her last Winter Olympics. She's an ice skater who has always put skating above everything else and while she is a very decorated athlete, she doesn't have a gold medal and she doesn't have any friends. She's twenty-four years old and she vows to have some fun during these Olympic games because she deserves a bit of fun after all of her hard work. She's ready to compete for that gold and she is very confident that this is her year to finally win it. Her one friend is a Canadian snowboarder and they're roommates again so Amber knows that if anyone can help her let loose a little, it's Lisa. When Lisa takes her a party, Amber meets Will and she's just as attracted to him as he is to her and she's determined that he will be the person that she gets cozy with and he doesn't disappoint.

Over the course of the two weeks that they're both competing in Vancouver at the Olympic Games, Will and Amber fall into a relationship that is pretty hot and super steamy. They get closer and closer and they spend as much time as they can together and everything is just peachy. Being together makes them happy and it shows in their performance in the games. Will is killing it on the ice and so is Amber. Everything is perfect. Nothing is ever wrong, except for a few mean words from Amber's Mom...and I think that was my problem with the book. There weren't any real conflicts in the romance and the conflict that we do get, happens after the games and to be honest, it was pretty weak.

This book reads like a fairy tale where everyone is accepted and everyone wins a gold medal and while that's fine, I wanted more meat from the story. The romance itself worked but outside of that, everything was pretty tame. Everyone got along, there was no drama between any of the athletes and I expected...more. I finished this book wanting more. I would have enjoyed the setting and the environment a whole lot more if something actually happened instead of happy, happy, joy, joy, all the time. So while the romance was sweet, the rest of the story low key needed more umph for me.

<strong>Grade: 3 out of 5</strong>

Jaci Burton never disappoints! Her books are always fun to read and also very steamy!

I really enjoyed this new entry in the Play-by-Play series. I loved the setting of the Winter "International Games", and getting to know some fun, new characters.

Will Madigan is a professional hockey player, and now he's playing for Team USA at the International Games in Canada. It's his second trip to the games, and he's back to get the gold medal this time. He loves hockey, and the thrill of the competition is in his blood. He's from Chicago originally, and his family runs a bar there, so they aren't able to be at the games to watch him. But, many of his teammates are there too, and some friends he made from other sports at the last games as well. He plans to have a great time, play tough, and go home with the gold medal. He never expects to meet someone like Amber.

Amber Sloane is a figure skater. She's 24 now, and this will be her third, and final games. She's won bronze, and silver, and she wants that gold medal. She's always been a loner, and an extreme introvert, mostly due to her mother's influence as her manager. Her mother has always convinced her that making friends with her competitors would cause her to lose her edge. But, in the athlete's village she's on her own, and this time around she's decided to make different choices. She's roommates again with her friend and roommate from the last games, Lisa, a Canadian snowboarder, and Amber is determined to make more friends this time. When she meets Will, she decides maybe she wants to get to know him even better than she had planned.

Will and Amber have great chemistry from the beginning, and I loved their fun banter. They had a lot in common, and they both understood the drive to win, and be the best in their sport, and how much work that takes. I liked the way they related to each other, even though their sports are quite different. I love how they supported each other, and pulled for each other, along with their friends in other sports as well. It was lovely to see Amber coming out of her shell and being comfortable in her skin alone, as well as with Will, and with their friends. I also enjoyed a little more in depth look at each of their sports than you often get in a typical sports romance.

My only issue here had to do with Amber's controlling mother, and Amber's reaction to her mother's edicts. Amber finally learned how to, and decided to, stand up for herself, rather than towing her mother's line as she's done every time before. But, I wish there had been a little more about the issues between them, and the resolution of those issues. It all seemed a little too easy to me in the end, especially after SO MANY years of this constant behavior by her mom. Also, as a devoted epilogue lover, I really feel this story could have benefited from one. I always feel like when the couple resolves their issues so close to the end of the story, and you don't get much more time seeing them happy together, then an epilogue is in order.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, especially the setting of the Winter Games. It made everything feel current and exciting, as the actual Winter Olympics are about to start very soon. I highly recommend this book, and this entire amazing series, to anyone who's a fan of great sports romance. I'm excited to see which sport, and character, will have their story told next!

There are so many things I love about this book - I love the Olympics, I love sports romance, and I love Jaci Burton. Although this book is part of her big sports romance series, this one seemed separate from the rest of the series and didn't have as many intertwined characters as her other books have. You could easily read this book without reading any of the rest and not miss anything. The characters were full and really came to life, as they both go through their competitions during the Games. I will absolutely recommend this book to people.

Amber Sloane is a 24 yr. old U.S. figure skater from Long Island. She’s in Vancouver for the international games and is competing for her third and final time. This is her last chance, and her time to shine. She’s worked hard, and is ready to win the gold. She feels this is going to be her year.

Amber is an introvert, and has never made time for friends. Her whole life has been skating. She’s been under so much pressure to train & perform she never has any fun. She decides this time at the games she’s going to let go & put herself out there. She goes to a party and meets a gorgeous guy named Will Madigan.

Will Madigan is a hockey player on the U.S. hockey team. He’s from Chicago, & plays for the St. Louis Ice hockey team. This is his second time competing in the Winter Olympics.

Will meets a beautiful figure skater named Amber, & is extremely intrigued by her. He wants to get to know her better, and they begin spending a lot of time together. They really enjoy hanging out, and soon things turn physical between them. They are both competitive athletes who have a burning desire for gold & one another. When it’s time to go home will they decide it was just a fling, or will they try for something more?

This was my first Jaci Burton book, & I really enjoyed it. It was a fun, sexy read. I really loved Will! :))

Love on the ice, a figure skater and a hockey player find true love at the Olympics. For Amber Sloane, this is her last chance at gold. She was at the Olympics twice before and is about to age out of the general age of figure skaters. Like many elite athletes, she's been sheltered in the past but, like many romance heroines, she's ready to break out of her shell. And the Olympic village is the perfect place to to do that. And Will "Mad Dog" Madigan is the perfect man to help her spread her wings.

For his part, Will is ready to win for the US and he's even more ready to spend some time with the gorgeous Amber. The question is, is this just a gold medal fling or the golden ring of true love?

Since this book doesn't overlap too much with other books in the series, I don't think you need to have read previous titles to get the story. There is a deep dive into both sports that was nice. I just didn't feel the connection between Amber and Will. This series has evolved over 14 books and several novellas and I miss the sparks that flew in the early books (more the relationships than the sex scenes.) Still a good book but not quite to the level of earlier books in the series.



Three stars

This book comes out February 13

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Follows The Final Score

Man oh man, what a disappointment. Granted, I haven't read anything in this series since the first four or five, so maybe it has just taken a direction I wasn't ready for. I love sports romances and I love the Olympics, and I've been a fan of Jaci Burton's writing for a long time. I had high hopes for Shot on Gold. Unfortunately this one just didn't do it for me. I didn't feel anything for either Will or Amber. Nada. Zip. Zilch. I wasn't interested in them at all. I gave up about 1/3 of the way into the book.

DNF.

With the 2018 Winter Olympics happening as you read this review, it’s a perfect time to focus on competitive winter sports. There are a few facts out of sync with the Olympics but the author addresses them in her forward to the book and emphasizes that this is fiction and therefore written to be read for fun.
Shot on Gold if the fourteenth story in the Play by Play series, but each book is a stand alone novel, meant to be enjoyed on its own. The life of professional and amateur sports players is hard work, both on the field and off. It’s a tremendous commitment of time, money, and energy to participate at this level.
Will is a professional hockey player who works at his game and plays just as hard. That said, he is a good man with a solid moral compass. Will has many friends and a family that backs him even when they can’t be at his games.
Amber is a figure skater, aging out of the sport. At 24 she’s almost too old to compete against the teenaged figure skaters who are her major opponents. This is her third Olympic Games and therefore her last. Amber’s dream is to teach underprivileged children how to skate. This is a rich person’s game and she knows that she was fortunate to have access to enough money to fund her dream of Olympic gold.
One thing that is emphasized is the fact that the Olympic competitors don’t just want to play or display their talents. They really want to win. A medal, especially a gold medal is their goal. Jaci Burton has done her homework to get it right about the various winter sports and that work pays off as the story is beautifully written and engagingly plotted. The characters are well developed and the story flows smoothly.
The question becomes whether Will and Amber will have a future together, and will they realize their dreams. There are a number of secondary characters who also have dreams and aspirations, making this a very enjoyable story to read. Enjoy watching the Olympics on television and reading this story about several fictional participants.

I was given a copy by Netgalley for an honest review.

Another great addition to the Play-by-Play series. The characters and storyline is very well-developed. Amber is back to win the gold in figure skating at the Winter Olympics. Will is back to help team USA win the gold in hockey. They are introduced to each other by Ambers teammate Lisa. They are instantly attracted to each other. Amber usually keeps to herself and focuses on her skating, but this time she is ready to have some fun. She goes to parties with Will and Lisa as long as it doesn't interfere with her practice and winning the Gold. I really enjoyed this book and the chemistry between these two characters. I love Jaci Burton's writing and have not been disappointed with a story yet. The story line and characters are always well-developed. I give Shot on Gold (A Play-by-Play Novel) 5/5 stars.

I will shamefully admit that this is the first book in the series that I have read. However, with pure joy I can say that I will now be reading the series from the beginning because I loved this one so much! I found it to be very romantic, charming, and endearing. I look forward to seeing more from the author and starting fresh in the series.

I stayed up all night reading this! It was super cute, though I don't fully understand why the main character kept talking about how old she was for ice skating, considering there is a 26 year old in the winter games this year.