This was definitely, hands down, my favorite book in the series. As soon as the grumpy Scot came on the scene, I’ve been salivating for his book. And it just doesn’t get better than pairing him with a sassy and smart-mouthed Latina that doesn’t take any of his broodiness. Man. I was in banter heaven.
Violet’s attention was a fresh slice of hell, because in a way it was. She reminded him of everything he couldn’t have. She reminded him of the man he used to be.
Bren was a broody, deliciously grumpy, recovering alcoholic. After almost losing his daughters and career to his drinking, he’s determined to right his wrongs. As the captain of the team, he wants to bring them the Cup, and he wants full custody of his daughters. The one thing he doesn’t need is a distraction in the form of one third of the Rebels owner and stunning Violet Vasquez.
For alcoholics, one drink was too many and a thousand were never enough. He suspected it would be the same with drinking down Violet, an addiction he couldn’t risk.
Violet isn’t anything like her two sisters. She really doesn’t want the team. She just wants to fulfill her duty in order to get her piece of the will from the father that never wanted her, and to hightail it back. But Violet is also nothing like what she seems. This is a woman with a past, and one that carries so much responsibility and strength on her tatted shoulders. She likes to appear like the good time party girl, but she’s so much more than that. She’s a survivor. She’s a fighter. She’s a woman that puts up a hard front that hides a soft heart. When she met Bren a year ago and he turned her down flat at a bar thinking her another hockey groupie, they’ve gone into a delicious back and forth of suppressed sexual tension and desire. GOD. It was soooooo good.
This wasn’t a textbook or fairy-tale kiss. This wasn’t smooth or gentle. It was hard and needy and unrepentant. It was Violet. It was Bren. It was everything.
I adored the way Violet had with Bren’s little girls and the bond they formed. I loved the slow burn between her and Bren. I couldn’t get enough of the strength they offered to each other and the way they each filled in the broken pieces in the other.
With her he felt renewed. Changed. Worthy. With her he felt like the man he was meant to be.
Hooked on You was romantic perfection. It was full of emotion and brimming with passion. It was swoony and sweet, humorous and the absolute perfect book to conclude this series with.

Hooked on You is the final book in Kate Meader's <a href="http://bookbinge.com/reviews/series/chicago-rebels/">Chicago Rebels</a> series and it features the last Chase sister and the captain of the Chicago Rebels hockey team. Bren and Violet have been circling each other for multiple books and their story is finally here. I have been on pins and needles waiting for this book and when I finally got it for review, I was super stoked.

Violet Vasquez is living her best life right now. After surviving the big C, Violet swore that this year was going to be the year of the V. She was going to live, really live her life and she's making no apologies for it. Everyone loves Violet, one-third of the new owners of the Chicago Rebels hockey franchise. She inherited a third of her father's hockey franchise and a couple of sisters that she never knew until now. She's not quite sure what she'd like to do with her life so she spends her time learning new things, hoping to find something that fits. Something that feels right.

Bren St. James is a recovering alcoholic who is raising two young daughters after their mother took off on one of her "finding herself" trips. He's working on getting full custody of his girls so he's got his work cut out for him. He needs to live the life of a monk because he won't risk losing his girls for anything and anyone. When he needs someone to help watch after his girls during away games, Violet hits things off with his girls and she gets the job. Staying away from the one woman that tempts him proves to be too hard for Bren because before he knows what is what, he's in a relationship with Violet that is hard to walk away from.

The sparks between Bren and Vi have been sparking ever since they met and watching them come together was a delight. Their banter was wicked and the relationship that both of them had with Bren's little girls was fantastic. Violet understood Cat and Franky in a way that Bren didn't and the team that they were together just warmed me right up.

I enjoyed the other books in this series a great deal but this book was my favorite. I had an inkling that I'd enjoy this one a bit more than the others because Bren and Vi were fierce and complicated characters. I knew that their story was going to take the cake and I wasn't wrong. Kate Meader created a wonderful world for these characters and the romance she wrote for Bren and Vi was solid and it was fun and I loved it.

<strong>Grade: 4.5 out of 5</strong>

Hooked on You in the 3rd book in the Chicago Rebels series. You're guaranteed drama and hot chemistry between characters! Each books can be read as a standalone, but to start the book from the beginning will give you a better depth and a chance to meet the previous couples.


Violet Vasquez is the youngest of the three sisters that instantly became part owners of the Chicago Rebels Hockey team. Violet is the youngest and never was close to their father, so him leaving her part of the team as owner has Violet wondering. But the caveat was her actively being part of the hockey team. Her sisters were on board the day the will was announced they were owners, where as Violet just wanted to do her part quickly.

I have been waiting for Violet and Bren St. James’ book from the very beginning of this series. We’ve been witness to their constant back and forth for two books and a novella and the anticipation was killing me in the best of ways. That wait? Totally worth it!!

I loved the slow burn of this book. Violet and Bren shared a connection that I could FEEL from the very beginning. The tension was high and the wait for it to finally break was sweet, sweet torture. When that burning and yearning finally became too much to ignore, the collision of passions between Violet and Bren was OFF THE CHARTS fantastic!! Everything I had been hoping for and more.

Bren was everything I love about a good Hero. He was just a little bit broken, a whole lot grumpy and gruff, and super sexy in that mysterious way that drives me crazy. I loved his dedication to getting his life together for his kids and how he was trying to do what was best for them despite his intense feelings for Violet, even though I was dying for him to just give in.

Violet was strong and sassy but had a vulnerable side when it comes to opening herself up to anyone, including Bren but especially her sisters. Where she was loud and blunt, Bren was quiet and steady. I adored the way she truly bonded with his kids. Not as a means to be with him but because she genuinely cared about them. She really was his perfect match and together they were combustable but REAL.

My favorite part of this whole series, outside of the romances, is the way that all three sisters slowly opened up to each other and each found their place in the Rebels organization and as a family. The growth they each experienced individually and as they navigated their way through their dad’s final wishes took me on such a great ride. I’m sad to see this series come to and end but excited to see what’s coming next from Kate Meader. She just has such a way with words and character building that always makes me feel like am a part of the story, not just reading it. I’ll be ready to lose myself in whatever world she creates next!!

4-4.25 stars. This was a good book! This is Bren and Violet's story. Bren is Scottish and the captain of the Chicago Rebels NHL team. He is also a recovering alcoholic whose ex-wife has a nervous breakdown, leaving him as a single dad to his two daughters right in the middle of playoff season. The team steps in to help him out and Violet volunteers to be his temporary nanny. Violet is a fiery Latina and the third sister and co-owner of the Rebels. She and Bren have had an attraction for a while, but they begin to get to know and like each other while she cares for his daughters. It is rough timing for them to fall for each other in this stressful time but somehow they make it through and it all works out in the end for their HEA.

I really enjoyed this story. This is a story of redemption, emotion and new beginnings. There is the perfect balance of light and serious moments. I loved Violet. Her character was so fun, hilarious, and just a breath of fresh air. She was tough in some ways, but also vulnerable and not bitchy. I liked Bren too, but Violet stole the show for me. I loved that both were attracted to each other from the day they met, but neither acted on those feelings for their own reasons. Both were celibate for over a year before they got together and neither had ever been promiscuous. Violet was the perfect partner for the broody, strong and silent Bren. She brought happiness to him and his little girls lives in the best way. I loved her interaction with her sisters and Bren's kids too. When they got together, they both knew that this relationship was most likely temporary. Bren was gearing up for a custody battle with his ex, trying to bring his team to the NHL championship, and fighting to continue his sobriety through the stressful time of becoming a single dad to his two daughters. Violet was also at a crossroads. She had moved to Chicago a year ago after her father died to fulfill the requirements of his will of helping run the Rebels team he left his three daughters. She never planned to stay in the city after her year was up and she sold her share of the team to her sisters. Violet has to decide what she wants to do with her life now that the year is up and whether she wants to stay in Chicago for good. Near the end, there is a short separation where neither Bren or Violet know what their status is and I didn't love that or the conflict that happened. I wanted both of them to fight a little harder for their relationship. But, it all worked out in the end and, overall, I really enjoyed this book a lot.

I have really enjoyed this series. It is full of heart, depth, emotion and sexiness. I think this book, book 3, is my favorite because I loved Violet so much. There is a great epilogue showing all of the couples in the future as well. I am sad to see this series end, but I look forward to more from Kate Meader in the future!

Meh. I was bored; I am bored. The repetition was boring. I had to prod myself to finish this because I was regaled with a story that had no new developments. As a reader of the four prior Chicago Rebels books, I was expecting a fresh story for Violet and Brennan. Instead, I was bored mightily by the rehashing of facts of these two characters from previous novels featuring them as minor characters. The slight conversations and insights from the prior novels were much more exciting to read than the events in this full-length novel.
(The relationship between Violet and Brennan was stagnant and lacking in growth. There needed to be more than a few half-hearted conversations and fervent sex scenes to really make this novel an experience. I am disappointed because I was very much looking forward to this addition to the Rebels series. Unfortunately, it was a miss for me.)

The part I was most enthusiastic and present for was when there was a crossover between the Chicago Fire series and the Rebel series. Seriously, Kate Meader’s Playing with Fire is her greatest hit in terms of action, romance, and female bad-assery served with a sufficient helping of character development.

It hurts to write this, because the series of books I’ve read by Meader prior to this series were nuanced and hearty. Now I am bored by redundancy and stymied one-dimensional personalities. My hope is not dimmed, but my current senses are dulled.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely may be my favorite book from this series and I've loved them all!! Kate Meader created two fantastic characters in Violet and Bren. Bren the hot, broody, haunted Scot. Violet the black sheep, let it all hang out Puerto Rican Chase sister that is still haunted herself by her cancer past, her guilt over her mother and who keeps trying to convince herself she doesn't belong. Throw in two precocious and totally precious girls from Bren's previous marriage, and you've got a story that kept me turning the pages. This was all in addition to the smoking hot chemistry that Violet and Bren have been dancing around all series long. When these two finally give in it was beyond hot!! But besides that, this story was full of beauty. I loved how Violet was with Cat and Franky, how by caring for them she really found her purpose. How falling for Bren, and he for Violet that these two people found that happiness was possible and finding their whole healed all the hurts. Plus all the friends and sister time that just made these Chicago Rebels books so good. Well done.

Of all the books in the Chicago Rebels series this is the one I've been waiting for. From book one I just loved Bren and wanted, no needed to know more about him. He's one of those characters that you right away know they have layers to them and heartbreak.

I was totally right about Bren. He's a wonderful father which for me is a plus since I love a single dad. Men that are strong enough to take care of their children are sexy to me.

Now don't get me wrong Bren has his flaws, but what I like about him is that he figured out that he needed help and went and got it for his children. And for him too. At times he struggles with everything but does a great job of picking himself up and going on.

You will also just love his daughters they are so funny and sweet and totally love their father.

Violet like her sitter keeps everything important close to their chest. I think in a way she has the worse issues with their father. The way he just basically threw her away has to cause some deep seeded issues.

Sharing is not something she's very good with. She's also not great at really seeing what she wants instead of what she thinks she needs. She's such a great characters. She takes such good care of Bren's kids and really does love her sisters. I was really glad she finally found her HEA.

This is a wonderful story that I didn't want to end. It felt like it was only 20 pages instead of 300 plus, it moved that fast. Meader does a wonderful job of ending this short series. Everything is tied up. I might have thought that it could have really gone on for a few more books but that's me. I know that I've seen this book billed as a standalone but believe me when I say the series is much better read in order. There's not that many books so you can do it no problem.

Ms. Meader really hits all the emotional notes in this series. The Chicago Rebels is a sports franchise on the skids when the series starts. As the team goes from strength to strength the author does a masterful job of breaking forbidden taboos in the sports world even as the lead characters in each book find their happily ever after. The chemistry between Violet and Bren has smoldered throughout the series. Lets read on to see how their romance plays out.Violet has a large chip on her shoulder and no love lost for her biological father Clifford Chase. Being named as one of his heirs along with her two sisters is a surprise for her and not necessarily a welcome one. After a definitely rough start, she's bonded with her sisters, cheered as they've each found romance. Even as sparks fly between her and recovering alcoholic captain Bren St. James she seems to be content to provide cover for her gay friend Cade Burnett.
Things come to a head when Bren's ex-wife unexpectedly dumps his children with him even as he's in the throes of the playoff fever and away games. Violet is the only expendable person on the team who can pinch hit until a nanny is hired. Stripped away from all pretense and forced to play house together these two wounded souls finally have a chance to find common ground and perhaps a happily ever after.
Violet has had her share of rock bottom as she battled with and survived cancer. Bren has fought with addiction and seems to be winning even as the team he captains is finally recovering. Bren's story will touch your heart as he struggles to rise above all his troubles to be a great dad, team captain and win the fair lady,
The conversation flows, the reader is fully involved with the story and characters from the series show up as needed to provide the right support. Ms. Meader has rapidly climbed to my MUST READ list and I plan to go backwards and read her previous series even as I wait to see where she takes us next.

Violet Vasquez on the surface is always seen as the life of the party...she's everyone's best friend and she is ready to solve any problem. But what many don't realize is that at times she feels alone, she's afraid and she just wants to be loved. Thankfully there is a sexy hockey player that has just what didn't even know she was looking for

Bren St. James has been through a lot. He got divorced, lost his kids for a while, became an alcoholic and now is trying to get back on his teams good graces. With everything going on he knows he should stay far away from Violet but there is one thing he realizes very quickly...nobody puts Violet in a corner!

I voluntarily read an advanced review copy of this book and loved it! The heat and passion between Violet and Bren was undeniable. I loved all of their shenanigans and had no problem grabbing my tissues when things got real. This was a very good book and I loved every second of this book.

Hooked On You is the 4th book in Kate Meador's Chicago Rebels series. This is a complete standalone, but honestly reading the other 3 books will only improve your week.

I liked Violet. She is a strong woman and has dealt with and overcome a lot. Bren is sex on a stick hot. He is Scottish with an accent to prove it. He is overcoming some serious problems and making his life better. These two needed each other and that is so evident in this story. This romance was hot and had great emotional pull. I loved the characters, they had a realness to them that I felt I could empathize with and connect easily with them.

This is one series I can definitely recommend. Who doesn't love a hockey romance with characters and a story that draws you in?

The amazing men and women from the Chicago Rebels are back!
I loved Violet and Bren's story they may have had a slow sizzle but they are quite the dynamic duo.
Violet is the forgotten sister that is willed a part of the franchise when her non-involved father/ owner of the team passes. She works in conjunction with her newly found family to help this team finally have their day on the ice! She is the cheerleader ..loud ,,proud and in charge.
Bren is our brooding sexy Scotsman and Team Captain. He has risen above his addiction to alcohol and is now on the road to recovery. He is just getting his bearings when he is once again taken down by his ex- wife . The team rallies to help him with his family emergency and Violet somehow is wrangled into being a make shift nanny!
They are totally opposite ..Violet is sassy, outspoken, colorful and not wanting to be tied down. Bren is quiet, reserved , brooding and recovering .
When these two are thrown together , the sexual tension can be cut with a knife and throw in a few emotional children , an ex wife and insecurities on both ends and you have a wild emotional ride !
Loved their story cast of characters are also fabulous !!!
~~Michele McMullen ~~

It’s a stressful time for the Chicago Rebels hockey team as they head into the playoffs. It’s a time to prove themselves as a team, and for a few of them it’s time to prove something to themselves. Throughout the previous books in this series the three young women unexpectedly brought together to run this team have been slowly growing closer. Despite their differences they’re becoming a family, a family that’s become ours through this delightful series of books.

Violet Vasquez never knew her father. She was the product of a one-night stand, her mother’s plan for a better future. Though her mother saw her birth as a means to an end, Violet always knew her mother loved her. When it came to her birth father though, his indifference hurt her and left her doubting herself. She’s always felt lacking and though she owns a third of the Rebels she still feels like the odd man out and is just counting down the days until she can sell off her share of the team. Until the playoffs conclude though she finds herself on an emotional roller coaster ride as the caretaker to two girls who are dealing with their own changes as well as the cocky Scotsman trying to make amends on and off the ice. Violet’s the free spirited one, full of surprising wisdom she passes on to her newfound sisters when they need it most. She’s a bit of a wild child too, telling it like it is through witty and laugh out loud banter. She appears carefree but has had her own drama after battling cancer and is now determined to live life to the fullest. She’s always been drawn to Bren, flirted endlessly while offering herself on a platter to him. It’s a merry chase these two have been on, an endless foreplay that had me cheering once he finally gave in to her tempting personality. Violet’s a feisty heroine, brash, but a bit insecure in finding her place in the world. Helping raise Bren’s daughters brings her a sense of fulfillment though, gives her wholehearted acceptance and a family of her own choosing.

Bren St. James almost lost it all when he lost himself in his alcoholism. He lost his wife, his daughters, and almost lost his hockey team. If it weren’t for Harper, who insisted he go to rehab, he would be left with nothing. Now on the road to recovery he’s determined to make his girls proud as well as bring the championship home to the Rebels. Bren just wants to make amends, give his girls the kind of home they deserve, and keep them safe from the machinations of his ex-wife. It’s a lot of pressure for a newly-recovering alcoholic and it had me wanting to hug him at every turn for all the weight he’s carrying on his emotional and engaging journey. Bren’s a truly sexy beast who’s drawn to Violet but worries that she’ll become his next addiction. With her planning to leave he’s scared of giving his heart to her, worried about the close bond his daughters are forming with her, but it’s clear that he can no longer fight their attraction to each other. Bren at first seems gruff but with his daughters he wears his heart on his sleeve. He oozes sex appeal, is talented at dirty talk, but is sweet and sensitive in dealing with his daughters and helping Violet cope with another health scare. I fell wholeheartedly for the sexy Scotsman as this story progressed and readers definitely will too.

Though this story started out a bit slowly it’s ultimately a delightful end to the exhilarating and sensual Chicago Rebels hockey series as three young women are brought together to save a struggling hockey team. The three women share a father but couldn’t be more different and with each installment readers have gotten to know these women. They’ve become a family, supporting each other as they each find their HEA. Violet’s been a fun-loving part of this series, flirty with bold dialogue. She appears a bit flighty too but when it comes to Bren’s daughters she proves herself a solid support. Being with Bren empowers Violet, gives her a place to call home and a real purpose. I loved their crackling connection, their no-holds barred banter. They scorched up the pages while making me laugh out loud. Bren’s a delicious hero with a heart of gold. He loves his daughters, they’re his whole world, and their scenes together were heartwarming. Being with Bren forced him into putting his heart on the line and it had me rooting for him every step of the way as he deserved every happiness. Surrounding this immensely appealing main couple are a cast of equally likable secondary characters. Bren’s daughters are wise beyond their years and the softer side they bring out in Bren had me smiling. The friendship between Violet and Cade was also entertaining and I enjoyed getting an update on his relationship with Dante and the continuing issue of homosexuality in sports. It was heartwarming to see these three sisters grow closer, find their HEAs, and their connection was a powerful basis for this series that will entertain readers.

Kate Meader has been teasing us with Bren and Vi since Irresistible You and I'm so happy that their book is finally out so everyone can read and experience its greatness.

I've always loved Violet as a character. She's the fun, carefree one of the Chase sisters, and I love how wise she can be at times, especially in giving the much needed facts to her sisters in order to help them with the conflicts in their love lives. I'm glad that we got to know her more in this book, learn her backstory, and understand her beyond her flirty and fun persona. Bren is my type, so obviously I really like him. He's a recovering alcoholic, and in Hooked On You we learned more about his past and faults, and it wasn't pretty. I love his devotion to his daughters, he obviously loves them very much.

Bren and Violet's relationship throughout the series is mostly just Violet mercilessly teasing Bren whenever they're in the same room together, and Bren being all grumpy Scot and muttering under his breath, and then there's Bren giving every dude who flirts with Violet laser eyes, and it's just so fun to watch. In Hooked On You, we finally got interactions between them that were more than just banter, and I love them so much. The chemistry and sexual tension are so great (things Kate usually did very well), and I love the intimacy between Bren and Vi too. I love seeing them opening up to each other, Bren about his alcohol dependency and how he failed his daughters, and Violet about being the unwanted Chase daughter and her mother's behaviour. They just clicked. I've highlighted so many scenes of them just talking to each other.

I adore Bren's daughters, they really shined in this book and I love seeing them with Vi and Bren. The Ferris Bueller reenactment scene is perfect. And as usual, I love seeing the Rebels team again (I lowkey wish Erik got his own book) and the Chase sisters Harper and Iz. Also, my favourite ex-mayor and firefighter couple made their cameo in this book! I squealed like mad when they came out.

Overall, Hooked On You is the perfect ending to such a great series. I'm so happy with how it wrapped up. The epilogue made me cry. I can't believe this series is over.

I will admit before I read this book that I wasn't sure I liked Violet. She just simply didn't seem like she fit in with the Chase family or even with the Chicago Rebels family. But that was the exact issue that Violet needed to overcome to find her own happiness. Turns out I really liked Violet and her Highlander!
Once again, Kate Meader has created a great story centered around the all important hockey play-offs. While this is the third and final book in the series it can be read as a stand alone. However, the previous characters all play an important role in the story as Violet and Bren's support system. Knowing their stories just makes this novel all the better. So even though I wasn't really looking forward to Violet's story, this really was a great book to wrap up the series.

I do like sports romance and I do like Kate Meader like a lot so I couldn’t not miss this series. When it started with three women who inherited a hockey team after their father’s death, to make this team worth the shot again. Bren and Violet hooked me until the end. 

Time for Violet Chase to finally get her HEA. Reunited after all these years with her sisters she barely knew, she grew up without her father, only providing to her financial needs. She seemed to be tough and unattached, the woman who made it clear about her intentions. Waiting until they win the Stanley Cup and leave. But she was more than this, only showing the deeper parts to a few, a feisty woman who just needed to find her place in the world. To feel like she belong. 

Bren was in a bad place a year ago. Now he has the opportunity to seize the chance of doing better, to be a better man. I really liked Bren, a man who was fighting his demons, to be the man his family needed to be. He wore his heart on his sleeve, fragile but so strong and manly. The captain wasn’t not able to fulfill his role for some time, failing his team but the Chase women stumbled into his life, giving him a chance.

Bren’s patience and resistance would be tested every time Violet was near, becoming his new addiction, trying to hide it but everyone was more than obvious to their chemistry. I liked the tension emanating from these two. Smoking hot and off the charts. The connection between Violet and Bren’s family was genuine and endearing.

I appreciated how unconventional this story was in a way, three women working in a world when men used to, stepping up and proved everyone wrong. Winner battles after battles and finding love in the way. All the eye candy was quite a delightful sight but what I adored the most was the strong bonds they created. A family with so different individuals who stood for each other, facing adversities and could put in your place when needed.

It was a beautiful journey with the Chicago Rebels, filled with love, people sharing values of solidarity and sustainable development to achieve this common objective together. Definitely a series I would read more than once! Sassy, sexy and so swoon-worthy!!

<blockquote>“I have to warn you that if you had ovaries they would probably be exploding in approximately three, two, one . . .” </blockquote>
Hooked on the Rebels? If not, you should be. With Hooked on You Kate Meader delivers a fantastic romance, sports, contemporary, single father - all those delicious tropes add up to one fantastic read. I don't know how she does it, but this series gets better and better. I love all the books, but the more I got to know the characters , the more I loved them. From book one on Ms. Meader had me anticipating Bren and Vi's story and so I'm so happy to finally have it. The culmination of the Chicago Rebel series is everything I hoped it would be - heartfelt, hopeful, sweet, a little angsty, and a whole lotta sexy!!

First I have to say that Ms. Meaders’ writing is simply outstanding; her storytelling remarkable and her characters are like no others. I always find myself fully absorbed in them and I truly want to dive into their world and stay there. But alas, real life...

Hooked on You focuses on Rebels Captain Bren St James and Clifford Chase’s offspring Violet Vasquez. As the ½ sister to Harper and Isobel, Violet becomes part owner of the Chicago Rebels hockey team but not having been an active part of the family, Violet is a bit removed from the inner workings of the team. But with a bunch hot sweaty guys around, Violet finds herself in the thick of events. She’s built to be a cheerleader after all. She may have been forced to move to Chicago to meet the terms of her fathers will, but Vi has made it through worse. And being around a bunch of hockey players, well the promise for fun is pretty apparent. Especially for Vi when she can antagonize team captain Bren "O Captain! My Captain!" St James. In Violets' self-described "Year of Vi" she’s dedicated to making the very most of life, getting closer to her sisters and just maybe finding out what she wants to do as a career.

There are so many things to love about the Bren and Vi connection. The banter is outstanding as they needle each other for reaction. Violets' blatant seductress skills and Brens' inability to keep his eyes off of her. Their chemistry is mesmerizing but it haunts them at every turn; Bren practically turns tail to avoid her but the situation is such that he comes to rely on Vi and this is very troublesome. Very troublesome indeed… Although Vi has no plans to stay in Chi-town, she’s become an intrinsic part of his life.

<blockquote>“The thought of Violet leaving , for that’s what she’d eventually do, made him queasy and angry. Quangry.”</blockquote>

There’s many reasons for them to stay away from each other. He’s in a recovery program, he's now the primary parent raising two girls, and for Gretsky’s sake, he’s in the middle of the play offs. But her future remains wide open; she’ll travel, she’ll go to school, she’s among the living and intends to grab life by the “pucks”. But could she be convinced to stay? If only the schmexy times between them were all that that have to be considered.

Once Violet and Bren succumb to their desire for each other things go beyond complicated and hit all my angst buttons. There's some scorching hot moments but that leads to a bit of heartbreak, some groveling, and a certain character is forced to come to their senses. But once again, Meader uses humor to balance the strife and with that creates this captivating read. I have been so invested in these characters and I’m a bit bereft to see the series come to a conclusion. But I guess that’s what a re-read is for. ;-) I truly adore Meaders' storytelling making her a one-click author if ever there was one.

5++ Stars & a #FaveSeries designation

Hooked on You is book three in Kate Meader’s Chicago Rebels series featuring a trio of sisters as they take on the hockey world and the players who value them. While this one had its ups and downs, this was another solid installment!

Bren St. James is my favorite type of hero—a grumpy, growly one! I was anticipating his story hard! Bren has some big demons, though, riding his shoulders. With almost a year of sobriety under his belt, his next goal is gaining custody of his girls. Talk about a swoony MC. This guy’s layers have layers, and my heart got all squishy.

Enter the youngest sibling of sisters running the Chicago Rebels hockey team, Violet Vasquez. I loved her! Puerto Rican, a survivor, and with a sense of humor that slays, Violet has never planned on sticking around. She’s going to cash out if the Rebels can score the win. But there’s something about Bren and his daughters that draws Violet in.

There were so many heart-throb scenes in this book. There’s a movie incorporated into a scene that was just…absolutely everything.

All that said, it took me a while to get into the book. And then once I did, the middle slowed down and I lost interest only to gain it towards the end. The inconsistency just kept me from loving it. Still, if you’re a fan of this series or looking for a delightful contemporary hockey romance, this isn’t one to pass up!

4 stars!

I have been eagerly awaiting Violet and Bren's story, and Kate Meader definitely saved the best for last in the series!

Violet only recently met the stepsisters she knew existed but that she wasn't allowed to meet until after her father's death, and she is very different from both Harper and Isobel. After a scare with the big "C", Violet is focusing on living her life to the fullest because tomorrow is never guaranteed. She never dreamed of owning one third of a hockey franchise and she knew little about the sport when she arrived in Chicago, but the team and her sisters are growing on her despite her best efforts not to set down roots.  She first met the burly Scot known as the Highlander on the day she learned the details of her father's will and she couldn't deny the attraction after a long dry spell, but she had no idea that Bren was also the captain of the team she now partly owns. He shot her down in any case, and she has never forgotten it.

Bren was not in a good place the day he and Violet met, but every time he sees her his defenses kick into high gear. She loves to tease and poke at him, and he gets riled up in all the good ways by that. He is still in the first twelve months of sobriety after a stint in rehab and losing custody of his daughters to his ex-wife, and he cannot allow his little head to rule him in this situation. If he has any hope of staying on the straight and narrow and getting his girls back, he cannot afford to be associated with a party-hard good time girl like Violet.

Of course he has no idea exactly what she has been through or how much they might have in common, and the sparks that are flying could go either way between attraction and distaste on any given day. They both get under the skin of the other though and it doesn't take long for the heat to kick into high gear. Bren's ex is one serious piece of work, and suddenly both his girls are living with him again while Kendra takes some time for herself. He knows that translates into trouble on the horizon as she schemes and plots her latest maneuver to try to manipulate him. Unfortunately the girls are just a pawn to her, and that truth has heartbreaking effects on them.  Bren is determined to be the best father he can be in effort to make up for the years of bad decisions and poor parenting skills while he was drinking, and he cannot afford to allow Violet to break his concentration... until he realizes she is the perfect solution to his problems. He needs someone to help with the girls, and both Franky and Cat take a liking to Violet in spite of her fear of kids.

The girls are the most adorable kind of schemers! They genuinely like Violet (although Cat is a moody pre-teen for awhile after she arrives), and they want to see their dad happy so shenanigans will ensue. Bren is absolutely heartmelting in his moments with them, and Vi is a swooning puddle in no time at all. She doesn't want to fall in love, but Bren is exactly the type that she can go down hard for... if only she didn't have her mind set on traveling the world with her share of the value of the team.

Hooked on You is about building relationships on many different levels, and it finally dawns on Violet that she doesn't need to travel the world when she has everything she could want right there in Chicago. The question is: does her new extended family really want her? And where does she fit into Bren's future if she does at all?

I loved this book! From the snarky banter between Vi and Bren, the moments with the kids, and various interactions with the team and her sisters that break down the walls around her heart to the combustible moments that set the pages on fire, I definitely enjoyed this story the most out of all the stories in the series. For those who have read the other books, we get plenty of the other couples to keep us up to date on their lives as well as a cameo or two from the author's Hot in Chicago series! I am going to miss this group of characters, but Hooked on You will definitely be on my re-read list in the future.

This book had me hooked from beginning to end. It has it all. Love,lust,laughter,pain suspense and drama.

Bren, the Captain of the Hockey team is going through a rough patch. Despite all his personal problems, he is set to go on the straight and narrow for his daughters.

Violet who has just inherited part of the Hockey franchise is trying to adapt to her newly found sisters. She is a breath of fresh air for her family and the team.

When Violet spots Bren in a pub brawl, she gets curious. He thinks that she is after a quick fling with the team captain. Ironically, she doesn't know who he is anymore than she knows him.

With both of them playing a part in the Hockey team, they are bound to meet and when they do, she teases and he scowls. Underneath this "I don't like you" behaviour, there is an undeniable attraction, obvious to most, but not to them.

Violet is aware of Bren's struggles, but he doesn't know about the agonising situation that she has been in. Whilst being a temporary nanny to Bren's daughters, they call a truce, but the insults keep flying, until she has another scare. She opens up to him and he realises that he actually cares about her. Being in the middle of a dispute, making sure that his daughters are happy and leading the team to victory, Bren doesn't want to digress from his obligations. Violet has doubts about his feelings even when they start exploring what's between them. Will they conquer their fears and go with what their hearts desire?

I absolutely love this storyline. Bren's daughters are very well portrayed. Violet is strong, kind and witty. Bren is lovable and caring. I like the interactions between Violet and her sisters as much as I like her interactions with the team and Bren's daughters. Her interactions with Bren are sometimes full of sarcasm and steamy hot and considerate at other times. They support each other! I love the way everything comes together in the end. Fabulous!

I was kindly issued with an eARC and the views expressed are my personal opinion.