Now or Never.

If you are a San Francisco Thunder fan, you knew it was going to happen. If you are a newcomer to the series, Now or Never starts with a loss. The biggest loss this family has ever faced. Dealing with loss and grief makes us do some uncharacteristic things. Spiraling out of control, lashing out, or drowning our sorrows...

Sometimes uncharacteristic isn't actually a bad thing. Winnie finally gets around to dealing with the biggest baggage ever. Her 6 Ft. tall designer looking boyfriend. Learning about herself and finding a way through, Winnie flourishes with the help of a childhood nemesis.

Enemies to lovers and happily ever afters.

My heart.

Definitely the most heart-breaking and heart-warming book of the series.

I felt the emotions in this one hit hard, but let me tell you, that Braddock family is a work of art. I feel I mention this in every review I've written for this series but I'll never get over it because this family feel so much as mine and Victoria wrote them so perfectly!

Back to Winnie.

Being inside of Winnie's head was heart-breaking as she copes with the loss of a loved one and is soon finding it harder once she realizes her childhood nemesis is working on her family's cottage. Snarky banter and flirtatious looks ensue and man, did this couple deliver! While Dixie and Eli are still my favorite, these two came a close second!

Winnie and Holden are some of the most relatable characters as they both deal with their own troubles and grief and eventually, find a way to do it together. Their love seemed so pure and I loved seeing their relationship evolve from that of resentment to trust and adoration. Of course, the steam they brought was out of this world, but that's a given!

I loved this story so much, loved seeing the family together once more and dammit *sniffles* I'm going to miss the hell out of them!

Another fantastic and enjoyable installment in the San Francisco Thunder series, Now or Never kept me awake until the late hours, completely immersed in Winnie and Holden’s hate-to-love story. The progression of their relationship, from antagonists to tentative friends to more was paced perfectly. Highly recommend this heartfelt and humorous book—and, in fact, this entire series. I’m enamoured by the Braddock siblings!

I think that Winnie and Holden are my favorite out of the series. My heart is so full that Winnie finally has found the love that she was missing. And damn, I was crying through the first chapter!!

When Winnie ends up staying at the family cottage after two heart wrenching events, the last person she thought she would ever see is the boy who was her mortal enemy as a kid. What was he doing back in town? And now that the summer season was over in Maine, that meant an even bigger chance of him noticing that she was in town. So when she wakes up the next morning to commotion outside the cottage - Low and behold Holden Hendricks in there with her worst nightmare.... he was going to be a lot closer to her than she thought. He was the contractor that her brother hired to renovate the family cottage.

Holden knew that going home was going to be tough. But he had changed from the angry, hot tempered teen to a man who knew he had a lot of apologies to make. And when he finds out that Winnie Braddock is at the family cottage he was renovating, he couldn't deny that the girl was just as beautiful as she was a teen. Too bad he treated her like dirt and she doesn't want anything to do with him. Winnie is holding a secret and she wants Holden to help her keep it.

These two together... the sparks flew. But old insecurities with the both of them keep popping up. Can they get over the past, so they can have a future together?

So sad to see this series end. The Braddocks are some of my favorite hockey families. Hopefully we will get to see glimpse of them in the future.

There aren't enough words to describe my level of enjoyment when it comes to this book, but I will do my best! Now or Never is one of the best books I have read in a long time, and I am so happy to have started the new year off with this book. The characters are so genuine, their relationship so realistic, that I felt like I was living it along with them. Rarely do I come across a romance that truly has a relationship you could see happening in real life, in exactly the way the author has written it. Nothing was contrived, nothing was way over the top, and everything was absolutely, perfectly human. This is one of those books I would recommend to people who don't normally read romance, because it's the type of story that will get you hooked on the genre and begging for more.

Winona Braddock and Holden Hendricks have never been friends. Holden was a mean bully who lashed out at everyone and ended up in juvenile hall. Winnie was his friend's fiery younger sister, who broke his nose and walked away. The two never expect to meet again, but when Winnie's father dies, she hides out in her family's cottage to get away from everyone. Problem is, Holden is there too, having been hired by her brother to renovate the place. Past wrongs and stubborn personalities clash as Winnie and Holden try to determine how their adult relationship will be. Their feelings are strong, but at the end of the day, will that strength turn to hate or love?

I loved this couple so much! Winnie was stubborn, had put up with a lot of crap from Holden when they were kids and then had a rough time with her ex-boyfriend's philandering ways. With her father passed, she was a mess, unsure where her life would take her. Enter Holden, the button-pushing bully from her past, and Winnie was spitting mad - with good reason! From her perspective, this was the last person she needed to help get her through a tough time. But really, Holden was exactly what she needed. Holden had a lot of growth in character as he struggled to move from his juvenile delinquent history, and you could feel the struggle in his actions as he tried to right the wrongs he had done as a teen. I really felt bad for him, because we have all done things as kids we regret. How awful would it be if everything we had done was held against us 10+ years later? Winnie and Holden helped each other so much, and I was almost in tears when they both realized how much they needed each other. Their relationship as a couple felt so natural, and even though they had a few misunderstandings along the way, the way they resolved their issues was, for the most part, healthy. This romance really teaches you a lot about the human capacity to forgive and love one another.

I am amazed that this is the first book I have read by this author, given how amazing it is! I look forward to reading more books by her.

What an emotional and moving story! I have loved the Braddock family from the start and watching them struggle and then rise to each challenge or setback that they face has been amazing. Winnie's story was the most poignant and heartfelt of the series for me. There were times when I felt like I was right there grieving the loss of her father alongside her. Now or Never can be read as a stand alone, but I think it would be most appreciated if read after enjoying the previous 3 books in the series.

This enemies to lovers romance had me rooting for Holden and Winnie from the start. Both are trying to make peace with their pasts and move forward. When life brings them back together unexpectedly, they surprisingly find comfort and understanding in the other. I loved that Holden could really "see" Winnie and helped her by sometimes pushing her to face scary feelings that others would shy away from. From the moment they come back into each others lives, Holden is all in and I really appreciated that. Sure he made some mistakes, but at the end of the day, he was trying to make amends and become a better man. It did take me a little to warm up to Winnie, but her behavior and actions made a lot more sense as her walls came down and you could see what she was facing and going through. I think all readers can understand how devastating the loss of a parent can be whether they have experienced it or not.

Checking in with the Braddock siblings was awesome, especially Dixie and Eli. I think those two will always be my favorite Braddock couple. I'm definitely going to miss this family!

*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book *

Victoria Denault has done it again. This was such an amazing book. For me it dealt with some really tough issues. I lost my mom last year and I know how that can really turn your world upside down so I really could relate to what Winnie was going through. She was a lost soul that really did not know where her life was going the only thing she was really sure of was that she was not going to keep going down the path her life was taking. So Winnie takes her dad last words to her to heart and she starts making drastic changes to her life. She breaks up with her boyfriend and decides to stay at her summer home instead of going back to Toronto. Holden was a really great guy. He lost his mom when he was young and that led him to do things that he most likely would not have. Now he is back in Maine trying really hard to make up for past mistakes and to show people that he has changed for the better. Some people are just not that forgiving. Holden has been hired by Judd (Winnie's brother) to renovate there summer home in Maine. This brings Holden and Winnie face to face again. Winnie really does not like Holden at all but Holden has a thing for Winnie. Will they be able to help each other and be able to become more? I really suggest you pick up this book and find out the answer to this question because this book was about a 10 star read and you will not be disappointed. Thanks Net Galley. I voluntarily reviewed this book in exchange for an honest review.

We are at the end of the Braddock family and I am going to miss them. I feel like I have been apart of them from the very beginning with Zoe and Jude's book (Score) we have gone thru sadness together, laughter together and love together. It is finally Winnie's time to have something good happen to her, we have known that her and Ty's relationship was not going to last but I personally wanted to jump thru the book and knock him out. In this one we read about her grief and felt for her but was happy that she got to get reacquainted with Holden, he sounded hot and he had changed his life so he also deserved goodness happen to him..By Braddock's can't wait to see who we will get to read next. Enjoy!

Y'all. I have so much love for the Braddock family, I can't even tell you. I'm so happy to have gotten to know them, and to have them nestled so deeply into my heart. I've loved every single story in this series, and Winnie's was no exception.

The emotional punches went a little deeper with each new book, I think, and so I felt right there with Winnie as she curled into herself and tried to heal her battered heart. She's not always easy to like in this book. She's a wounded animal with so much grief and anger that it's hard to see through it all sometimes. But that's the beauty of her story arc. She slowly comes out of her shell and we see her true spirit and lovable nature shine as her wounds begin healing.

And Holden Hendricks? Lord almighty. Talk about a perfect hero. I absolutely adored the dynamic between Holden and Winnie. I loved that they had history together and that it was...spirited. I loved that it was the reformed bad boy who settled Winnie's storms. I just loved HIM. So much. And even more? I loved who Winnie and Holden came to be together.

Now or Never was a beautiful story of healing, redemption, and the power of believing in each other. It was romantic, emotional, and littered with these lighthearted moments and smart humor that added balance and kept me hungry for more. This was a lovely series finale. I'm sad to let go of these characters I've come to love so fiercely, but my heart is so full and happy for them. Truly, if you haven't met the Braddock siblings yet, I cannot recommend them highly enough! ~ Shelly, 4.5 Stars

Rating: 4.5 Stars

I have nothing but love for the Braddock family, and am sad to see it all end, but I am also glad to see Winnie taking back her life and finding her happy.

It appeared, that Winnie's withdrawal began with her father's illness, but it seems like she had problems in other areas of her life as well. It was advice from her father, which finally made her stop, take a hard look at herself, and start making decisions to get out of her rut and back to the land of the living. I am not going to say she went head-on into this whole new adventure. In reality, Winnie made a big decision, and then sort of wallowed in her grief, but then a little blast from her past gave her a push in the right direction.

Holden had been the resident bad boy. He had a mean disposition and knew how to push Winnie's buttons. He was back in his hometown looking to atone for his past and rebuild those relationships he had broken, back when he was an angry teen. Holden learned from his past, he learned from his mistakes, and he was ready to begin anew. He just needed the other people to believe that he had changed too.

Holden was definitely the star of this story for me. I have a special place in my heart for people, who have to fight back from the bottom, and Holden sort of had to do it all on his own. I could tell how hard he was working to earn back the trust and friendship from all those he alienated as he grappled with his grief and pain in his younger years. A stint in juvie and years of hard work made him a different man, and it pained me that so many people in his life couldn't believe that he could change. It was quite gratifying to see so many things fall into place for him, and I especially loved that he got his HEA.

This book had so many elements I love. It was a hate-to-love-romance with a whiff of second-chance thrown in there. Winnie and Holden shared quite a past, and I adored all their history. Attraction is always great to see in a romance, but it was seeing something real and meaningful develop between Holden and Winnie, that really warmed my heart. Both had some past experiences, which cut them deeply, and this allowed them to see each other in a way many hadn't.

Other things I loved:
• Finding out why Holden called Winnie "Larry" ❤️
• Duke and Uncle Holden
• The Braddock siblings all in one place
• A wedding!!!
• Being in Maine

I have grown to love this family so much, and I will miss them, but I am really happy with the ending Denault gave them.

A sweet romance...almost second chance (ish). There is a little heat and a lot of redemption with the characters. Now or Never is a somewhat emotional story that moves at a good pace and allows you to get invested in the characters.

I read this book in one sitting. The prologue pulled me right in when it showcased Winnie as a teenager I would have loved to be friends with. She encounters Holden Hendrix, who seems like a complete jerk, but what Winnie's father says to her after the "incident" is this:

“But the thing is, which I only know now because I’m older, kids your age are usually mean or aggressive for a reason. It’s rarely because they want to be that way. It’s usually a reaction, a defense mechanism or coping skill, for something they can’t handle themselves.”

This is the line that told me I was going to love this story. When people judge adults strictly on their teenage years, they are discounting a person's ability to grow, change, and be resilient. Also, this is the fiction rendering of a trauma-informed care lens. I love when fictional stories expose readers to such relevant topics!

This is a story of redemption and understanding the motivations behind one's actions. Winnie is experiencing so much loss, and Holden is battling his own demons, but they go through a journey together that you just know is going to take them to a better place. This book will give you all the feels, and also make you think about how you perceive the actions of others. Not to mention Winnie's family are just people you want to know--which means I will need to read books 1-3! 

Special thank you to Forever Yours and NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Winnie Braddock has been through the wringer lately. Her beloved father passed away after his battle with ALS and she broke up with her long-term boyfriend all in a very short period of time. Needing to heal her soul and figure out her next step, Winnie goes to her family’s beach cottage in Maine. She expected lots of tears, she expected to drink a little wine, but what she never expected was to see Holden Hendrick’s (her teenage nemesis and all-around jerk) parking his Airstream camper on the property!!!!!

Holden Hendrick has a lot of making-up to do in the small town of Ocean Pines, Maine. He was a real menace as a teenager and knows he will have to show the townspeople he’s really changed. Through hard work he has started his own construction business and is slowly, but surely making it a success. Holden is thrilled when Jude Braddock hires him to do a complete renovation for his family’s cottage. To say Holden was shocked to see Winnie Braddock staying at that very cottage is an understatement! Winnie is less than thrilled to see Holden and is even more irritated to learn he’s the person her brother hired to redo the house! Can Holden prove to Winnie he’s not the a**hole he used to be?!? Even crazier yet, could the two form a friendship...or possibly more?!?! Wowzer!!!!

The Hometown Players is a series you don’t want to miss!! I loved the way Victoria Denault took the “hate to love” premise and made it fresh and original. I think Victoria Denault has a real talent in writing romance that will touch your heart, as well as make you laugh out loud (and sometimes all in the same page)! Now or Never is a total 5 star read that will have you completely hooked from start to finish! If you’re looking for the perfect way to beat the winter doldrums, this book (and series) is a must read!

Holden is just so charming, “Winnie?” I say tentatively . “You want to stop being a hot mess and tell me what’s going on? Then you can just be hot, without the mess part.” Holden adores how caring his woman is, "...she is holding a paintbrush as she walks over to me in a pair of jean overalls her hair in pigtails. “Do you need something? Are you feeling worse?” Oh my God, she’s effing adorable. I smile but shake my head..." I liked this book, I loved Holden.

I chose this book off of Netgalley by description and I'm so glad I did. I've never read anything by Victoria Denault before, a fact which will quickly be remedied. I loved everything about this book.... from the picturesque coastal Maine setting (a reminder of my own childhood vacations) to the enemies-to-friends-to-lovers storyline to the redeemed bad boy hero.
I really wondered how the author would be able to turn Holden into a hero-worthy character, but she did, and I believed it. Holden was just a guy moving back home trying to make a new life for himself, and trying to make amends for all of the trouble his younger self caused. The problem was that nobody believed him.
I loved when Winnie finally opened up to him and realized her feelings, and I loved how much Winnie's trust meant to Holden.
This was a solid read, and it makes me wish I had read the others in the series first!

This is Winnie and Holden book, Winnie escapes to be in her quiet space to mend her broken heart after her father passed away, she goes to her family's summer cottage. Holden is her brothers childhood best friend and is hired by Winnie brother to renovate their summer cottage! Holden could have went to the NHL but screwed up his life as a kid and did some terrible things and was really mean to Winnie when they were kids so this situation is not good! This book wasn't to bad and is worth reading but I was expecting a hockey book and this was not! I'm not sure if that's all I didn't like about it or if because i was expecting that , that's what turned me off? Like I said not sure but it just didn't hold my attention to much? But thank you Netgalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me!

I've received a ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The female heroine of the series Winnie was nothing but a selfish, immature and childish. I understand grieving a love one can be difficult for anyone, but lashing out and causing unnecessary drama was a huge turn off. How Holden caught feelings for her is a mystery within it self. I became annoyed by her and the constant misunderstandings. The only likable character was Holden and I have to give props to him for dealing with the amount of BS he had to go through just to make amends for his past actions.

Overall, the novel would have been better with a different Braddock sister. Winnie was too much for me to handle and it almost became too difficult to to finish the series with her as the lead.

This is book 4 in the series about the last Braddock sibling. It stands alone however the storyline with the Braddock dad carries forward to other stories. This is Winnie's story and her father has just died and she is beyond devestated. At the start of the story she is still with Ty who she has dated for 11 years.

However they break up fast and she decides to stay in Maine at her families cottage while she mourns her dad. That is how she runs into her teenage nemesis, Holden and she finds out her brother hired him to renovated the cottage.

This is a 2nd chance for two people who hate each but slowly form a relationship and fall in love. It was a wonderful way to end this series though it is very differebt in that Holden and Winnie at not realted to the Hockey team at all. She is the final Braddock but she does not work for the team and Holden plays hockey but he never made it to the nhl.