Jodie is a single mother and she is in a bind. She is staying with her best friend and business partner, but she is newly married, and being that they can't keep their hands off each other she needs to find her own place for her and her daughter.

When all the places she looks at is either too expensive or too creepy, her friend offers up a solution. One of her husbands teammates has a coach house that is sitting empty. Problem is that teammate has seen her naked by accident and is a player in more ways than one. But she is in a jam so she takes it. A snow storm and other happy accidents throw them together, even though he says he hates kids, and people he seems to always be there to lend a hand. Nick has lost in his life and his gruff exterior pushes a lot of people away but for some reason Jodie and her daughter make their way past his tough shell.

This Aces Hockey story is a standout. I love that Nick is such a gruff and standoffish guy. I absolutely adore that Jodie has such strength and independence that she has her own business, takes her future into her own hands and decides to have a child on her own. Zyana is a joy. I love that Jodie moves her daughter and herself to be near her business partner. I like the foundation that is laid by Jodie renting her little house from Nick. I like the slow boil of the relationship between them. The words flow, the story moves logically. I enjoyed this very much. Thank you to Net Galley for an advance copy.

Kelly Jamieson has just released the 8th book in her Aces Hockey Series. Each book is a stand-alone book at one of the Chicago Aces NHL players but, believe me, you will want to read the entire series. I know that I do even after jumping in at book eight and you don’t even need to be a hockey fan to enjoy it!
The moment Nick and Jodie meet it is not love or lust as first sight, oh yeah they both acknowledge their mutual physical attraction, it is hate. She talks too much and he is a crusty grouch. Nick is determined to be a life-long bachelor. Everything he has ever been responsible for has slipped through his hands. His parents died just when he made it to the NHL and he was never able to give provide for them like he planned. Then his little brother Alex, the more talented hockey player, commits suicide after a bout with head injuries and depression. He has his teammates. He has his house that he’s remodeling and furniture that he’s refinishing. He doesn’t need anything especially a woman talks incessantly and has a kid. Jodie is an engineer and partner is a thriving sex toy company who has just moved her business to Chicago to be with her best friend and business partner, Kendra. Jodie is a smart, determined woman who is raising her daughter alone and kicking ass in the business world. She doesn’t need anything especially a giant, asshole of man who hates kids. Nick and Jodie are thrown together by their best friends, Max and Kendra. Jodie and her daughter need a place to live and Nick has an empty coach house.

Kelly Jamieson has created two beautiful characters in Nick and Jodie. They are damaged souls who put on good faces but struggle behind closed doors. The hate each other but there is something drawing them together. Can they let go and learn to trust or will they just walk away? I give this book 4 out of 5 propellers. Believe me when I say that you will not be disappointed!

Jodie and her precocious two-year old daughter have recently picked up and moved to Chicago so Jodie and her business partner Kendra can advance their business. Finding an affordable place to live shouldn’t be as challenging as it’s been and accepting the invitation to move into the coach house owned by her partner’s boyfriend’s teammate probably isn’t the best decision but at this point her options are limited.

Nick likes his solitude and shouldn’t be so intrigued by his new tenant and her daughter, especially since he claims he doesn’t like kids. He doesn’t understand why she’s taking up so much real estate in his thoughts. Having someone else depend on him, makes Nick reinforce the walls he’s built.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I can say it will definitely not be my last. I loved it and couldn’t wait to see how it was tied up. The story hooked me from the first page.

The heroine was affable and easily relatable. Her innate ability to be a loving mother is one of her best qualities. Nick and his reluctance to develop new relationships is due to his scarred past. I loved both of these characters and was rooting for them from the beginning.

I will definitely be picking up the rest of the books in this series.

I’ll admit to liking Nick a little more than Jodie, but together I loved them both, The story had a great mix of romance, sex, and hockey!

I was very happy to have the chance to read another book with a toddler so soon. Zyana was a cute kid even if I couldn't remember it at all. I am not familiar with the name, but after some research, I found that it means "a gift from Heaven" and I ended up liking it. She is a big part of the book and she is not forgotten halfway through the story. She and her mama are bringing Nick to his knees and he couldn't be happier by the end of the book. Nick lost Aleks 3 years ago and his death made him not only sad and grieving but also not to want to have a family and feel bad for being alive and having a good career. He is not in the right frame of mind, but he manages. He and Jodie don't have the best first meeting and they don't exactly like each other, but she needs somewhere to live and he has plenty of space available so they are "forced" to live close to each other and of course the girls win him over and soften his heart one little step at the time.

Big stick is not my favorite book in the series, but it wasn't bad. Just not as good as the previous books. It had its charm and it was easy to read, but I didn't feel as connected as I should have been and I am not sure if that is because there was something going on with the writing or the pressure I felt with the ticking clock and my reading list. Overall the book was good and I feel like you should get the chance to read Nick, Jodie and Zyana's story.

Jamison writes great hockey romance. All the tough guys on the ice can be softies when they're off and when they fall in love they fall hard. When a two year old little girl is part of the game, Nick has even less of a chance of not falling, especially when her mother is the one he wants. An emotional rollercoaster with humor and a two year old who will melt your heart.

Fun fact: I actually put this down the first time I tried to read it. The characters bugged me and the whole thing just rubbed me the wrong way. But I kept seeing promotions for it, so I decided to give it another go. I re-downloaded the ARC and immediately fell in love. Once I got past the first few chapters it was a really fun story. This is definitely a book that takes a little bit to get going, but once it does it's great.

this is the second book titled big stick that i've read in the last month. the first one didn't really do it for me, but this one i liked much better. we met nick in previous breakaway books, and he finds his match in jodie, a big-hearted, chatterbox who lives life believing things will work out for the best.

as a single mom, her relentless optimism is pure defense mechanism. but the more time she spends in nick's company, the more she realizes that his grouchy personality hides a big old softie at heart. the guys on the chicago aces are seriously the best. they're broody and sweet and i just love them. and there's always new teammates who have stories waiting in the wings. they're all basically one-click buys.

**big stick published on october 23, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/random house publishing group (loveswept) in exchange for my honest review.

I love a good hockey romance. I liked that this showed a heroine who was independent, with her own career. I did find it problematic that she didn't seem to then have her life very together. I know this is a small detail, but at one point she tells the hero that she doesn't want her daughter drinking juice. I found it funny that the kid proceeds to drink it like 5 more times throughout the book.

When Jodie decides to move her business to Chicago with her 2 year old, certain doubts come to her, but her business partner has already made the move, so why not follow. She has no family, other than her two year old. However, finding an apartment that she can afford in a good and safe neighborhood, is not easy. Now she’s been living in her best friends home, along with her boyfriend, and Jodie needs to find something quick. Kendra and Hallsey have been very understanding, specially since they’re romance is so new. Then Nick, Hallsey’s friend, offers his coach house to Jodie and her daughter.
Jodie represents everything that Nick doesn’t want or need. Except, he can’t stop thinking about her and her sweet daughter. When a massive snow storm hits Chicago, Nick brings them to his house to stay. With no electricity, there is no way he would let them stay in the coach house, when he has a fireplace. Nick realizes how much he wants Jodie, and it seems by some strange miracle, she also wants him.
What kind of future can he offer them when he is so broken inside. Can Jodie be strong enough for both of them to make this work.
Great story. Kelly Jamieson never disappoints!

There are few authors that I will read whatever they write and this author is one of them. This book is a continuation of the amazing Aces series. In this book, it is finally Nick’s turn. He and Jodie get off on a not so great foot. But when Jodie and her daughter need someplace to stay for a bit, he ends up with them in his guest house. That means they are either going to hate each other or fall in love. Cheers to reading which way it goes!!
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Beautiful cover. Heartwarming story. Jodie and Nick are polar opposites temperamentally but are physically attracted to each other. Circumstances throw them together because they belong to the same close knit group of friends. As they share close living quarters and spend more time together things progress to the bedroom where there is overwhelming heat. Her daughter Zyana is incredibly adorable and is responsible for some of the funniest moments in the story. There is a great mix of humor, wit, and steam to make the this an amazing book to snuggle up to.

Jodie and Nick are definitely opposites who attract but find each other annoying. Nick is quiet, reserved and a loner, while Jodie is a bull in a china shop who thinks nothing of inserting herself into people's lives. Nick is still struggling with the death of his brother and has gotten into the habit of walling himself off from many situations where he could find himself feeling more than he is ready for. Jodie is a single mom who decided to have a child and be a single mom. Nick gets talked into letting Jodie and her daughter, Zyanna, move into his coach house. Jodie and Zyanna eventually find themselves needing Nick's help with a snow storm, power outage. Nick more than steps up and I thought it was admirable how he took right over taking care of them. The story was well told and enjoyable. I have read the other books in this series and found that, even if I hadn't, this book would have still made sense to me. If you are looking for a hockey romance, I would recommend this one.

I want to clue you all in for my first paragraph. Usually, when I say that, it is because the book has made me bawl my eyes out or it sucks. Well, in this case, it is neither. This clue is about the timeline of the book. I am going to assume that most of you have read the earlier books in the Aces Hockey series. Big Stick’s plotline coincides with Playing Hurt’s. Actually, Big Stick starts off with what was mid-book for Playing Hurt. What clued me in? The party where Nick met Jodie was one of Chase and Jordyn’s first dates. Then little hints of their relationship showed up in Big Stick. Like when they broke up and Nick had that talk with Chase. It was mentioned in this book after it happened. So, if you are reading Big Stick and happen to see Chase and Jordyn’s names come up, don’t be “WTF“. The author chose to start Nick and Jodie’s story around the same time. It was also a smart move on the author’s part. That would make me look into buying the other books in the series.

Playing Hurt is Nick and Jodie’s story. Nick is a loner. He is a grouch. He hates little kids (his words, not mine). He wants to be left alone. Nick is still dealing with the death of his brother, 3 years later. A death that he feels responsible for. He figures that he is better off keeping to himself. Then he meets Jodie. Jodie is the complete opposite of Nick. She loves to socialize. She is the complete opposite of a grouch. She likes to surround herself with people. She also has a 2-year-old daughter. After a disastrous run-in at a party hosted by Hallsy and Kendra, Jodie is left with the wrong impression of Nick. When Jodie decides she is outstaying her welcome at Hallsy and Kendra’s apartment, Nick makes her an offer. Live in his coach house for minimal rent until she can get on her feet. What could happen? Well, hot monkey sex and falling in love. But can it last? Can Nick decide that he needs Jodie and her daughter in his life or will he let them go?

The two main characters, Nick and Jodie, were complete polar opposites. Since this is a romance novel, they were going to get together. But man, they were like night and day. Nick was serious and kept to himself. Jodie was not serious and loved to socialize. If this was going to be a real-life couple, I would say that their relationship wouldn’t have lasted for very long. But it did. The author, somehow, made them being opposites work in their favor. He was able to come around to being more social and she tried being a bit more serious.

I will say that I loved Jodie’s daughter. I wanted to reach through the screen and squeeze her. Her reaction to Nick was hilarious. “A big giant” was one of the best lines in the book. I also loved her “face fur” comment. That sounded like something one of my kids would have said about their father. I did feel bad for what happened to her in the book. I would have had the same reaction as Nick.

Jodie and Nick had some serious chemistry going on. Sparks flew when they first met. I had a mental bet going on with myself (so sad, huh) about how long it would take for them to start having sex. I lost the bet. They actually held out longer than I thought they would have. Speaking of sex, it was hot. So very hot. My only complaint is that they went bareback so soon after becoming “friends” (hint). I eye-rolled at that. Other than that, I enjoyed the sex scenes. The butt play scenes were my favorite. Only because few authors go there. It’s like its taboo to do it.

I like how the author chose to discuss Nick’s issues. Suicide and depression are hard to write about and I thought she did a great job at handling it. Aleks story was heartbreaking and Nick’s guilt over not being there for him was even more so. I liked seeing Nick coming to realize that to get on with his life, he needs to get over Aleks death.

The end of the book was great. I had thought that Nick was a jerk to end things the way he did with Jodie. I understood that he was scared to death but still, he could have had more finesse. I loved the talk that Hallsy had with him. Love, love, loved it. It was stuff that Nick needed to hear, no matter how hard it was to listen to. I am not going to talk about the end of the book. Let’s say that I was pretty happy with what happened. What Zyanna asked Nick in the epilogue made my heart melt.

I gave Big Stick a 4-star rating. This was a sexy, fun read with some serious topics discussed. The author handled the topics of depression and suicide tactfully. She handled the aftermath tactfully too. I loved the ending and the epilogue.

I would give Big Stick an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is mild violence. There are also trigger warnings. They would be suicide and depression. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 or who is triggered by the trigger warnings read this book.

I would reread Big Stick. I would also recommend this book to family and friends. I would give a heads up about the trigger warning.



If you or anyone you love is depressed or thinking of suicide, please don’t. Contact a friend, a doctor or call the National Suicide Hotline (1-800-273-8255). You matter your life matters.

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Big Stick.

All opinions stated in this review of Big Stick are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

4.25 Stars for Big Stick! This Aces Hockey Series is really good! The story hit so many feelings as it dealt with Nick’s struggles in dealing with loss, as well as his fears. I think Kelly did a beautiful job addressing mental illness. I really liked Nick and Jodie. They started off not liking each other, but in the end they found in each other the pieces they’d each been missing. Jodie was an amazing single parent, and Zyana was just the most adorable tot ever! This series has great relationships amongst the players and their significant others. The hockey is well written and you get a true sense of team in every book.

Really enjoyed this book I love reading hockey romance novels, Cant wait for what comes next from Kelly Jamieson

Sex toy entrepreneur single mom needs a place to stay until she can find an affordable home. A cottage on Nicks’s propert is volunteered by their mutual friends. Nick is a loner with a lot of self-blame going on in his head. He finds himself more and more drawn to Jodie and her daughter, Zyana. Everything is complicated by his doubts and her reluctance to try to lean on people. Great love story, not just them falling for watch other, but him falling for her daughter.

Very fun romance of Nick, a loner hockey player, and Jodie, a single mom that moves into the carriage house on his property. I enjoyed watching them get to know each other and overcome their initial impressions of each other. Jodie's daughter is adorable, and the story was heartwarming and fun, set against the backdrop of late spring in Chicago with some weather surprises and hockey playoffs. Look forward to reading other books from this author.

Big Stick is book 7 of the Aces Hockey series. I have read and enjoyed all the previous books, but I think that this one is my favorite.
It is the story of Jodie, a single mother with an adorable 2 year old girl and Nick, a somewhat grumpy, standoffish player on the Ace's team. Nick is coerced into allowing Jodie and her daughter to stay in his coach house and is not happy about it. He is quickly won over by Jodie and her precious daughter, Zyanna. Of course, each has baggage and there are things to work out before they get their HEA.
I absolutely loved both Jodie and Nick. Ms. Jamieson did an outstanding job of developing and describing these characters. Besides the great main characters, the characters of the previous books return and of course, there is also a great hockey story.

If you enjoy a HEA hockey book with great characters, you will want to read this book.

I received this book from Netgalley for my honest review.