Until You

A story which grips you from the start A tale of abusive relationships, fragile emotions and new beginnings. It was an excellent read.
The only problem was I felt it left of questions unanswered for me at the end and that is why I only gave it 4 stars and not 5.

4.5 Stars!

So for those of you who don’t know I’m going to be 40 this year. Not really looking forward to it, but it’s happening if I want it to or not. I also love hockey, so this book was a no brainer for me.

Kate spent her 40th birthday in a hotel bar overlooking the Pacific Ocean, celebrating the milestone with a bottle of red wine and her divorce papers.

Nothing says happy fortieth like your ex saying he wants a divorce and he’s leaving you for a newer younger model. That my friend is like a kick in the crotch. Even thought her ex was a conniving, abusive, controlling dick wad, it’s still hard.

Kate Swirled the last of the wine in her glass and took a deep breath. Cliché or not, the “other woman” forced Kate to see what a mess she’d allowed her life to become.

Enter hockey star David Burke. In California for a hockey game, he looks over and is suddenly drawn to her.

The woman didn’t look drunk, but he proceeded cautiously, just in case. Still moving slowly, David took her in. Damn, she was pretty. For the first time he could see her eyes they were hazel-not quite green, not quite brown, large and surrounded by dark spiky lashes. When she looked up and caught his gaze, David felt a whole new kind of kick in his chest. Something about this woman, about the way she looked at him, stopped him cold. When she finally broke eye contact, David regained his senses.

What does playboy David have to lose? He asks her and no one is more shocked than Kate when she says yes. Kate she is just looking for a good time tonight. She is not thinking about tomorrow she is not thinking that this guy is 10 years her junior, she is not thinking that he probably has girls in every single city he visit. She is thinking of forgetting that she is forty and divorced.

What she isn’t ready for is David and his fight to get to know her. She isn’t getting why he wants her. Why is he fighting this hard, when he can have anyone he wants?I mean his picture is all over the gossip pages. Just one little hiccup, Kate is feeling things for David that she doesn’t want to feel.

She was wonderful- proud, stubborn and completely vulnerable. David pressed her body into his. Heat shot through him. He leaned closer and whispered in her ear. “I love how you feel in my arms.”

So now she is fighting her feelings, she is fighting with her ex, she is fighting to make sure her daughter is ok and she is fighting to make sure that after her fling with David she can stand up and be whole again.

Can she find happiness again and open up her heart to love?

Until You is both heartrending and heartwarming--an authentic story with a golden thread of magic that ties everything together to bring us that happily ever after. I loved David as a hero--he's not perfect but he's sexy and warm and he is determined to do his best to win Kate and the life he wants to have with her. Kate's ability to realize some things just have to be let go and her willingness to keep trying are encouraging--not everyone is cynical after going through tough times, there is hope for new beginnings. Compelling, warm and satisfying--everything I love in a story!

Imagine been 40 and divorced and this gorgeous younger man askes you out. If I was Kate I would also not just give in but she forgets that David wants her and all of her. No review on line as it is not released as yet

I received an advance copy of this book. Kate Nicholls’ picture perfect world as a wife, mother, well known author and teacher has come to a crashing end very unexpectedly. After years of abuse her husband has left her for another woman, their daughter hates her and on her 40th birthday she slept with a 29 year old. Not just any 29 year old, a well known hockey player that her 17 year old daughter has a serious crush on.

David Burke was a player both on an off the ice, not wanting to commit to a serious relationship just yet. So when his NHL team had an away game in California, while at their hotel, his teammates issued him a challenge…get the woman at the table in bed by the end of the night. He accepts and makes his move, but what he doesn’t expect was the move he make to be one that he will never forget.

You know the magically connection you hear or read about, that some couples have? Well there is definitely one between Kate and David. But can that magic actually overcome all the odds and every roadblock placed before them as they try and figure out exactly what they want.

This book is incredible, it is beyond incredible, it is an original, realistic, breath taking, heart stopping, don’t want to put it down until I get to the last page which means I will throw food at the kids/spouse and lock my door just so I can get to the end book! It has the twists and turns, ups and downs, hate and romance that we can only dream about happening in our lives. This is by far the best book I have read in a very long time and will definitely be recommending it to everyone I know or don’t know. Jeannie Moon hit this one not just out of the park but out of the country! Now is the story over...or not??

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

What a heartwarming and captivating story. This is an author who can bring you to tears on one page and then have you laughing out loud the next.

Kate is a divorced mother who is not only turning 40 with her only prospect being her book boyfriends but is also about to lose custody of her only daughter Laura.

David is a famous hockey player for the Flyers in the prime of his life when he gets a dare by his teammates to seduce the lovely lady sitting on the deck of the hotel bar they are in. Things fall into place and he is able to convince Kate to go out with him. After a whirlwind night, David realized that they actually live close by and can't wait to spend more time with her. Only on the next date when he realizes her age he finds it difficult to continue seeing her. This he soon realizes is his biggest mistake.

Kate is definitely gun shy when it comes to relationships and she soon finds out that even though David is great guy it just might not be enough to make a lasting relationship.

I loved how the author gave us both POV's in this story. I felt that it really helped get to know the characters and to become more invested in the story. This was a really heartwarming story about love and the trials in life that we go through to find our happiness.

I sincerely wish that we get Laura and Jack's story next. I really want them to end up together after she gets out of college. The love between then was so passionate that I can't see them being with anyone but eachother once they grow up.

The romance Until you is fascinating. It was the first time for long I enjoyed reading and didn't want to go to bed.

Kate Adams is forty, she is divorced, her ex-husband cheated her and hit, her daughter doesn't take her as a mother and is completely and totally on her father's side.

And at this particular time Kate meets hockey star David Burke. He is younger than her and is famous for being goer. Kate is his bet, that has turned into love, her pregnancy and miscarriage. After so many years of living with the man who put her down Kate is afraid of new relationship. But despite everything David earns her confidence. Everything changes - she loves and being loved, her daughter stays with her.

It's very interesting that we learn about feelings from both sides - Kate's and David's.
I can say that this romance is very sincere and touching.

This is the story (mostly) of Kate and David. Kate just turned 40, is divorced, fighting for custody of her 17 year old daughter and a one night stand with a 29yr old handsome man while in the Caribbean sounds just about perfect. The only problem - it turns out he lives in the same city she does back in the US and is a famous hockey player to boot. Not wanting to let things end so quickly, they see each other back at home and thus starts the push and pull of their relationship. The age difference between them is the problem on both ends - will they be able to overcome their insecurities and make a real relationship and future together?

While this story is ostensibly billed as a contemporary romance, I found there was a lot more going on than just the romance between Kate and David, making it more of a women's fiction story. The story is told in six points of view - Kate, David, Kate's ex Richard, Richard's girlfriend Marie, Kate's daughter Laura and the young man Laura starts dating, Jack. Right there to me is the indication that this is not strictly a romance genre book, though the relationship between Kate and David is the backbone of the story - there are too many voices trying to be heard. In truth I enjoyed the story quite a bit, and I didn't mind all the other voices though they did pull away from the romance. I thought it was a much more realistic take on the older woman/younger man romance - there are complications that can't be glossed over. The ex, the daughter, the reaction of the workplace to the relationship etc. A large part of the story was actually Laura's, the confused 17 year old looking for love, caught between her parents and the lies and truths of their previous relationship. I enjoyed David's character quite a bit - he's a well known playboy in the hockey world, used to the puck bunnies that jump into bed with him eagerly and Kate is the opposite of that. She's sophisticated, smart, successful in her own right as a writer and not at his beck and call. He has to work at maintaining any kind of relationship with her and it doesn't take long for him to realize that it's what he wants for his future. There is definite chemistry between them and the love scenes are sexy and emotional - there just aren't that many of them as once they are stateside the reality of life bogs them down. Kudos to David though for sticking the course and being with Kate through all that ensues - he really made a good hero. Their happy ending was definitely worth it. If the story were just about Kate and David it could have been half the length. But for me, all the extra subplots were interesting too. 4 stars.

Until You is a wonderful book. It deals with real life situations that can occur to many women. Kate is a recently divorced woman who was mentally and physically abused by her husband. She feels like she does not deserve to be loved. She meets David, a player for the Flyers Hockey team on her 40th birthday. The attraction is immediate and I believe at this point is when both realize they have a connection. Kate's ex-husband is manipulating their daughter Lisa to be hateful and tells her father everything. Situations occur, and the results are wonderful. I do not want to spoil the book for people who want to read this. It is a good book that sometimes wanders, but is worth the read.

"Until You" by Jeannie Moon. This tells the tale of Kate, a 40 year old divorcee and David, a 30 year old professional hockey player. First, I liked the switch on the heroine being the older one. It doesn't happen often in romances and it was nice to see. Kate, a successful author and teacher, is amazed that David likes her but is fearful to have her heart broken after suffering at the hands of her ex-husband. David, living the life of a young, professional athlete, has a hard time convincing Kate that he's the real deal. David is terrific! He will do whatever he has to make her his. He's sweet and tender and I love how frustrated he is - with himself. Kate, while I liked her a lot, at times she did annoy me a bit. It grew to be a little annoying how she really wouldn't give David a chance, just wrote him off that he would hurt her no matter what. Despite that flaw, Kate was an awesome mother and a terrific friend and was truly kind to those around her. My heart broke for her when she had battles with her daughter. When David and Kate were together, their chemistry was off the charts! It was hot and steamy but also a beautiful relationship that was based on love. I liked the side story involving Kate's daughter and enjoyed her sister and friend too. I hope Julie gets a story soon too. This one has some drama, romance, and even a bit of suspense too. I would say definetly pick this one up and check it out. (received copy from NetGalley for honest review)

Kate is divorced, alone, has no relationship with her daughter, and is turning forty. For years her ex has put her down, and humiliated her and she doesn't even realize it. And now he wants full custody of their 17 yr old daughter. The only joy she has is her writing. As an acclaimed author, she has the adoration of many. Why can't her daughter respect her?

David is the face of the Flyers. As a professional hockey player, David has any girl he wants. Then he takes a bet that will change his life forever. He has been thinking about his life and wanting more. A home, and family. At 29, he feels it's time. 

When they meet it is an instant connection, and one that David can't forget. Even after finding out her age, he still wants to be with her. But she has her own problems and doesn't see how they can make it work. Can David show her what it really means to love and be loved as you should be? Will Kate accept David and all his past, to become the woman she is meant to be with him? 

Throughout their journey, these two experience blinding lust, extreme joy, and heartshredding sadness. You will be swept away as they fight to overcome all the obstacles in their way to find lasting happiness. Truly enjoyed this great story!! 

Jeannie Moon has outdone herself with this fantastic book. I couldn't put it down until I finished. Kate is a high school teacher and a successful novelist who has just been divorced by her lying, cheating husband. She is picked up in a bar by 29-year-old hockey player, David, on her 40th birthday. I love the way Ms. Moon let us see the relationships between each of the characters in the story and the heartache and rebuilding between Kate and her daughter, Laura. Such intensity!

I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh My Goodness! This was such a good book. I love the storyline which showed that in a relationship love does not know age. A divorced writer (Kate) meets a professional hockey player (David) and sparks fly but Kate has concerns regarding their age difference and insecurities about relationships after leaving an abusive marriage. This story follows their relationship with all of its up and downs. I fell in love with both Kate and David and only wanted to see how or if they conquered all the hurdles that were put before and between them.

Fast moving storyline with interesting and believable characters. Readers could relate to the various situations presented in this book. A great read for the beach or on a cold winter day.

4.5 Stars!

Until You is another winner for both Jeannie Moon and Tule Publishing. Ms. Moon is one of my favorite authors and each book that she writes guarantees a totally engaging experience.

This novel is about the 40th year in the life of Kate Adams. Kate is recently divorced, has a hormonal, seventeen year-old daughter, teaches part-time at an exclusive private school, and is a five-time best-selling author. On her 40th birthday she meets a man ten years her junior, playboy and professional hockey player David Burke. They have an instant chemistry and end up spending the evening together. Whew, what a way to spend a birthday!

This is a well-written book with some dramatic twists and turns that kept me engaged from beginning to end. All the characters felt amazingly real and I liked getting to know each and every one of them. Ms. Moon perfects evil with Richard, Kate's ex-husband, while also striking gold with her daughter Laura, with all the emotional angst and uneasiness that comes along with being a teenager. I loved Kate especially, as she evolved from a caterpillar into a self-assured butterfly. David experienced his own epiphany, as he found someone who loves him just for him. Until You is a terrific story and you can't go wrong with this compelling, romantic read.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

I'm tired. I stayed up until 1am ( I think) in order to finish this book and it was totally worth it. This one had a lot more depth to it than I anticipated and I just had to know how Ms. Moon was going to tie it all together. Until You is about more than just David and Kate's romance, it's a story about a family, it's ups and downs and how it changes and recreates itself. I still have a lot of thinking to do about this but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I enjoyed it some much that I really hope that Ms. Moon is not through with some of the characters! - Posted on Goodreads 2/20

(I want more from David and Kate and I want Laura and Jack to get a HEA! )

I'll be posting a review on my blog closer to release day.

This is an excellent contemporary romance, although there were a lot of unresolved elements that I was hoping would be wrapped up. Maybe a follow-up book is in the cards?

A very complicated life that came after an abusive marriage & divorce, that became great after finding the love of a good man & earning the love of her daughter.

Good entertaining story, whit a difference premise. Great side characters.

"Until You," by Jeannie Moon is sweet, romantic and fun with plenty of conflict to keep you invested. I really enjoyed this story, it was well written and hard to put down.

This feedback is also posted on:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1215229212

Until You was such a refreshing read!!! I loved that the book starts out with a newly divorced Kate celebrating her 40th birthday and feeling a little down- and low and behold Mr. NHL himself David swoops in to save her birthday! David is hot and also 10 years younger!!!! Love that!!! Ok, so after their night of fun they both realized that this may actually become something more!!! Wowowow!!
So I need to mention that Kate forgot to tell David her age and a couple of other major details about herself!

So from the beginning I loved Jeannie Moon's writing style and when I tell you I was hooked from page one well let just say I got very little sleep the night I started this gem because it was that good!!!

The refreshing part for me was not only that she was 40 (and still attracting the likes of an NHL God), but that she was still hot and hot in a very realistic way (stretch marks and all)!! I loved that Jeannie didn't make her perfect, but instead made her very honest and real!!
This book was plain and simply fantastic! A 5++ star read for Steph and I and we strongly recommend it to everyone!!! Go 1-click it now!!! (You will thank me later)!!!

This is an awesome read it takes you in within the first page. The scenario is something that only fate could provide but the outcome and the twists and turns keep you reading it until the end.

Until You was such a refreshing read!!! I loved that the book starts out with a newly divorced Kate celebrating her 40th birthday and feeling a little down- and low and behold Mr. NHL himself David swoops in to save her birthday! David is hot and also 10 years younger!!!! Love that!!! Ok, so after their night of fun they both realized that this may actually become something more!!! Wowowow!!

I also need to mention that Kate forgot to tell David her age and a couple of other major details about herself!

So from the beginning I loved Jeannie Moon's writing style and when I tell you I was hooked from page one well let just say I got very little sleep the night I started this gem because it was that good!!!

The refreshing part for me was not only that she was 40 (and still attracting the likes of an NHL God), but that she was still hot and hot in a very realistic way (stretch marks and all)!! I loved that Jeannie didn't make her perfect, but instead made her very honest and real!!

This book was plain and simply fantastic! A 5++ star read for Chris and I and we strongly recommend it to everyone!!! Go pre-order it now!!! (You will thank me later)!!!

Really enjoyed this delightful tale of author, teacher and newly divorced Kate Adams journey to new love. She’s celebrating her fortieth birthday alone having attended a conference in California when she’s approached by a hunk who is charming, gorgeous and instantly attractive to her. She’s always been “good”, doing as expected of her and doing nothing to rock the boat. It hasn’t got her anywhere romantically, other than married to a cheating, abusive and manipulative husband who was always determined to make her out as an uncaring and worthless mother and wife. The ‘hunk’ is David Burke, a hockey star who has approached her initially as a bet from his team mates but, despite their ten year age difference, their attraction to each other is mutual and not just sexual. It is only after she’s slept with him and gone home that she finds out why he’s so familiar - her daughter has a poster of him on her bedroom wall! However, she’s the mother to a seventeen year old and her ex-husband and new partner are determined to undermine the mother/daughter bond in anyway they can. Her ex-husband is also a leech, after her money and trying to take their daughter away from her completely. Can she risk her heart? Can love find a way for these two? Will she take a risk on their love?

This is a great story, stretch marks and all, with well defined characters, experiences and events that are easy to relate to. I particularly appreciated how the author made ALL the characters involved relate to each other and the side events were intrinsic to the whole story, complete with enough twists and turns to make it a real roller coaster ride. A great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend - I’ll certainly be looking for more books by this author.

Thanks to the author, publishers and NetGalley, too, for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Until You This exquisitely written love story moved me more and more as I became engrossed in the story of David and Kate. Jeannie Moon has nailed the balance of feelings and actions so that the sex scenes flow naturally and feel right. The relationship between Kate and David was beautifully developed and I liked the fact that they had to challenge their values as part of learning to love each other. The portrayal of Kate's 17 year old daughter Laura and her changing interaction with her parents made for a nice side story. This is a lovely book which I highly recommend.

Thanks to certain celebrities, the cougar theme had been overdone in real life and reel life, giving the term a salacious meaning.

Yet, author Jeannie Moon delivered a sweet and loving message in “Until You”, in this May-December romance where 40-year old Kate Adams is the December and gorgeous NHL player David Burke is May.

It was supposed to be your normal run-of-the-mill hook up. The Philadelphia Flyers where David Burke plays forward is on the road. Famous novelist Kate Adams happens to be in a book signing event and staying in the same hotel.

But a one-night stand was not enough; that is until their age difference became an issue and their celebrity status made them fodder in the stratified world they live in.

Between their own anxiety and apprehension of the reverse May-December romance they were in, plus their families and friends weighing in, finding a happily ever after seem a quixotic dream.

And this is where Jeannie Moon’s storytelling prowess shines as she made something quixotic a reality for David and Kate.

Until You is Rated PG 15 due to adult situations. The sex scenes are implied and not graphic.

Loved! Loved! Loved! This is an exquisitely told story of a woman dealing with all the issues faced when trying to rebuild a life. Freshly divorced and facing forty, being alone isn't exactly appealing. When a chance encounter with a much younger man turns into so much more Kate Adam's world is rocked off it's axis. Throw in a controlling abusive ex and a rocky at best relationship with her teenage daughter and it may be more than Kate can handle.

I loved the characters in this book and with all that was going on, never once did I feel lost. Great writing kept everything together and moving forward. I highly recommend this one for everyone.

Kate Nicholls is officially forty, but instead of spending her birthday with a party surrounded by family and friends, she's wallowing in a bottle of wine that she appears to have polished off all by herself. She has a family and close friends that love and support her and she's a bestselling and well-respected author. On the other hand, she's divorced and her ex-husband and his mistress turned fiancée have brainwashed her seventeen-year-old daughter. Thinking about her ex is no way to celebrate her birthday, so when a good looking man approaches her, checks to see if she's okay, and then asks her out to dinner, she decides to throw caution to the wind and agrees to go out with this younger man, thinking it'll be a one-time thing.

David Burke isn't even thirty yet and he's already known for his professional and personal lives. He's a highly successful hockey player and is the captain of the Philadelphia Flyers. He also happens to be one of the most eligible bachelors around, dating often but never getting involved with any woman seriously. When he takes on a bet to try and get the beautiful woman sitting by herself at a bar, he soon realizes there's something much more to her and that she's going to be more than a one-night stand. But with his paparazzi-fueled playboy reputation making him tabloid fodder and the ten-year age difference, David finds himself hopelessly and constantly taking one step forward and two steps back in his pursuit of Kate.

Kate and David want and can't stop thinking about one another but Kate's insecurities about her age and having to deal with her troubled relationship with her daughter Laura and the meddling of her greedy ex-husband Richard have her avoiding getting into anything serious with David. On the other hand, David's past non-relationships with women and a jealous girl he was with for a period of time appear to have solidified his public persona as a player. Will these two be able to overcome unbalanced exes, their respective pasts, and all doubts and realize that what may have started as just one night together could end up being the forever after that they both want but don't think they're meant to share with one another?

Bestselling author Jeannie Moon has weaved together a beautiful and touching contemporary romance novel with a well-blended mix of several themes. We have two celebrities in their own right; one is a bestselling author, the other a professional hockey player. They've got more than a decade between them in terms of age. She's divorced and has a teenage daughter while he's never been in a committed relationship. You would think they would have nothing much in common but there's something intangible that simply connects them. Even as they try to walk away or keep their distance, their thoughts never stray far from the idea of being together, and each time time they are together, their feelings simply intensify.

This is a second chance romance, but when I say "second chance", it isn't about two people who were together once, broke up, and then got back together again years later. The second chance here is for Kate who was married to a man she loved and whom she believed loved her just as much, only to find out what kind of person he truly was. David's never really been in love before, so this is his chance to finally experience it and to learn that he needs to not just reactive but proactive if he wants to be with Kate. I loved how these two were on a journey of sorts, trying to process and work through everything and everyone, including themselves, on their way to being together and learning to take necessary chances.

Until You is one of those novels that will have you going through various emotions--frustration at the main characters who you know want to be with the other person but keep finding excuses not to or simply taking way too much time to do something about it; happiness during those moments that they're able to set aside their hang-ups and just let things be what they're meant to be; anger at the treatment Kate was receiving from her ex-husband, his fiancée, and her own daughter; and satisfaction with how Kate and Laura finally stood up for themselves. This was not a quick read but one that I finished in one sitting (at nearly five in the morning!) but one that will stay with me for a good, long while. I loved it! 4.5 stars! ♥

4.5 stars! This book was a pure tonic - I loved it from start to finish. Kate is a wonderful character - she’s smart, she’s gutsy, she’s caring and she’s just lovely. I really liked her.

A lovely read that dips high and low on the emotional rollercoaster, with a thoroughly good heroine and a sweet, sporting hero, I really enjoyed this.

Honestly, when I picked up this book, I thought it was going to be another one of those hot hockey player romances, with only a new twist of an older leading lady. Well, yes, there was that too, but oh so much more as well, I don't know where to start.
The characters were interesting, deep, and fascinating.
David is not only a star of the team, and former player of another field, he has depth, and wisdom, he is caring, protective, and devoted. He has some growing up to do, the mistakes of his past and present are piling up, but he is determined in his love for Laura, and willing to learn, mature, and never give up. Kate is a mother, author, and a teacher. She has finally stepped out of the abusive nightmare of a marriage. Her emotions are raw and wide, but true and profound. To see her flourish and rise from her past, stand up for herself, embrace life and the possibilities it offers to her is a joy. It is not an easy road, she has to travel, there's angst, sorrow, and lose, but also so much love, happiness, and wonder, it was a road worth taken. The secondary characters bring more layers into the tale, the ex-husband Richard and his girlfriend Marie are scary with their insane hunger for money and power. Laura, the daughter, and the story with Jack was touching and heart breaking towards the end, somehow left me wishing for another kind of ending with them. The whole story just blew me away, the emotions run high, at times the intensity and angst as high as in YA stories. The events and twists in the plot were interesting, and some unexpected. It is an emotional journey into life, that is so real, fresh, at times rough, but still so worth taking.
~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon at the side

Kate is a hard working mom all she wants in life is whats best for her teenage daughter Laura. Kate goes to a conference in California to get away from life and try to start fresh and a new chapter. The only thing is Kate trust NO ONE other then her sister and her best friend Julie. Will she learn to start to trust to get to the new chapter she so desperately want to start off good?
David yummy hockey player about to hit a "mile stone" birthday is visiting California for the first away game of the season. He spots Kate and knows he has to talk to her and then ask her to dinner, the only thing is he thinks this will be easy and just like all the other girls. I mean is he really ever going to see her again?

I love this book. i love how the author wrote about so really tough subjects. At the beginning of the book my heart so just broke for Kate, by the end I was cheering for her, she was such a strong character and it was easy to really like her. At first I could not stand Richard or Laura and forget about Marie, but as the book went one you could really start to see Laura's heart and you wanted to cheer for her. This book will draw you in from the beginning of the book and with every page turn will find it hard to put down. At one point the author discuss Kate's book and I found my self wanting to read that book. This book seriously worth the read and you can not go wrong with it.

Until You isn't like any contemporary romance I usually read. From the moment I got into Kate Nicholls thoughts, it was like I stepped into an episode of the daytime drama, Days of Our Lives. Kate was a strong woman, a teacher and a bestselling writer. Despite this, she struggled with her relationship with her daughter 17-year old Laura, who was being brainwashed by her father, Richard. Divorced from Kate, Richard was adamant in taking custody of their child, and even demanded for financial support from Kate. It was absurd, he was relentless, he's willing to do everything just to get money and gain control from his ex-wife and spend her money with his mistress.

Then there's famous hockey-player and ten years younger, David Burke. He's got the world under his icy feet, he could have any girls by his side anytime he wanted. But he changed ever since he met Kate at the bar. He was challenged. Especially after knowing that she was 10 years older than him. (Honestly, I don't have any issues with women having relationship with younger men, I am so open to that. So I was glad to read a setting like this in this book). It didn't take long for him to realize that Kate wasn't like any other woman he dated. He didn't care if she's older or a best-seller. He began to care for her and her alone. They saw each other, on and off, until that fateful day when they lost something precious.

I was quite emotional while reading this book. I didn't know how to feel. The relationship, the consequences, the battle, the whole shenanigans have taken it's toll on me. Yeah, me. I felt every emotion carried by the characters, I was perplexed. In the end, I have hang on to my wits and gained control of my own emotions. Yes, that's how powerful this story is. With that, I can assure you that this won't be the last Jennie Moon novel that I'd read.

4.5 Stars

Why is it when a 40 year old man dates a woman 10 years his junior he's congratulated and when a woman does the same thing she's slut shamed? It really kind of ticks me off to be honest, but I loved the way it was handled in Until You by Jeannie Moon. A 40 year old recently divorced mother of a 17 year old is picked up by a 29 (almost 30) star hockey player based on a bet he made with his team mates. They were somewhat off balance after what was supposed to be a one night stand because they both were feeling things neither one wanted to admit. Complicated, poignant, and sexy Until You is author Jeannie Moon at her finest.

This book was so much more than a romance; it was a testament to how complicated life can be. Kate is newly divorced and embroiled in a fight for custody of her 17 year old daughter. Her ex-husband and his crazy fiancée have done everything in their power to break her bond with her daughter and that doesn't include the damage that had been done during the marriage. Kate is a successful writer and a professor at a prestigious school but on her 40th birthday while sitting on the deck at the hotel's bar where she has attended a conference she meets David. David is charming, he's younger, and while he wants to win the bet he made with his teammates he won't deny there is something about Kate that draws him to her. On top of that her daughter Laura besides dealing with her parent's divorce and her father's manipulative behavior she's met a guy one she's lied to and she's not quite sure how to handle it. While this book was busy because there was a lot going on and while at times I did feel the romance between Kate and David got a little lost, I also reminded myself that honestly...that's life. Just because you are starting a new relationship doesn't mean the rest of your life gets put on hold. It goes on and you either ignore it or deal with it.

I admired Kate a lot in this book. She's smart, funny, a little bit vulnerable, talented, and willing to take chances. She's also an excellent parent in that she doesn't give in to her daughter's every whim even when the harsh words start flying AND she is really good at showing her the consequences of her actions; there were a couple of times I wanted to stand up and cheer. I also liked that she called David out on his bad behavior, that she stood her ground with him, and she made his understand she wasn't some big boobed Barbie doll replica that he could play.

David was one conflicted man; he knew there was something special about Kate but their age difference and different places in life scared him. He made some serious missteps mainly because he had no idea what it was like to be in a serious relationship. What I loved was that he had no issues telling his friends and teammates that Kate made him feel differently and that she liked him for him not because he was a hockey player with the means to buy her whatever she wanted. David impressed me when he stepped up to the plate during a very difficult time for Kate with her daughter. He was a rock, he was objective, and he listened and offered help and support when she needed it the most.

There was just so much that was good about this book and I loved it from beginning to end. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me think, and it made me one satisfied reader. Ms. Moon you outdid yourself on this one and I'm really excited to see what you do next!

Love doesn’t care about age. It matters not whether two people are on the same timeline or a decade apart. Love does not care. Love knows only that it exists and it will find a way.

Until You is about love. How it can take us over, spit us out and change us from who we thought we were to who we can become. It’s about learning the most important kind of love of all – learning to love ourselves, and if we can’t do that, then working on making ourselves loveable to us first and the rest later. It’s about the bad not being so terrible that we cannot get through it. It’s about choices that all the people in our lives make and how their choices make a difference in our own lives.

It’s not about the age difference between David and Kate. Sure, it’s a wonderful hook, it is true for so many couples these days as we begin to understand that age is a number, not the person we (or they) truly are. When I first started reading Until You, I admit, it was the age difference that caught my eye and opened the pages of the book. But it wasn’t what kept me reading. It was two people who were falling in love, slowly with great care and misunderstandings and mistakes – but falling no matter what.

I believe you should read this book. It will touch you on a level beyond the challenge of two people of differing ages – it will show you that no two people fall in love alone, that family and friends, and even strangers make differences in how we see each other. And,yes, that some people will be arses no matter what and they have to live with that fact, too.

Until You will give you insights into your own relationships. Oh, it’s not the purpose of the novel, but by reading it you might begin to question how your love for one special person makes a difference in the lives of all the people in your life.

I recommend this book to anyone who is of an age to fall in love. And who is brave enough to take on all that loving someone will require. It’s an excellent read, one you should pick up soon. It launches March 17, 2015 start looking for it then.

*I received an e-ARC of Until You from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That does not change what I think of this novel.*

“Until You” by Jeannie Moon is one of the most impressive books I’ve read in recent history. Loaded in emotions and insecurities, this is the story of 40-year old divorced woman, betrayed and hurt, having gone through a messy divorce, and spending a lonely birthday.

Kate Adams thought she had a great life, until her husband cheats and leaves her for another woman. Katherine Adams as the famous author is confident and successful. But Kate Adams, the mother, the woman and a divorcee is hurting in the aftermath of a messy divorce and sustaining a fragile relationship with her teenage daughter, Laura

A chance meeting with the elite hockey player David Burke ends in a bedroom for both them as instant attraction flares between them. A bet with his teammates pulls David into a relationship that he cannot seem to forget or forgo. Age becomes a thorn in his side, before he realizes that he’s fallen in love with Kate. And David has an uphill battle to convince Kate that he truly loves her and is in it for the long haul.

Jeannie Moon does a stupendous job with David and Kate. I don’t think words would do justice to these two amazing characters with layers of emotions and insecurities. The relationship between Kate and Laura is so vividly portrayed, wrought with pain, hurt and lies, and the relationship between Laura and David deserves accolades. The entire narration is perfectly played out with articulate dialogues, intense emotions of pain and passion as two individuals poles apart try to make a future with each other. The secondary characters, and the page space given to Kate’s ex-husband and his wife, and their role weaved into Kate and David’s life, makes “Until You” an exceptional read.

Another definite winner from Jeannie Moon’s kitty!

www.alimalivzletlivz.com

I remember getting so angry at these characters throughout the story. I love it when a story brings on strong emotions. It means the author has really done well and sucking me into the story. Though topic of abuse. I think we all know someone who has been through a divorce and one parent pits the children against the other. I Enjoyed how the author was able to make this come around in the end and seem believable through some really tough topics. Good Job!

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Until you is an awesome new book by Jeannie Moon. I am a big fan of her books.
The main characters are Kate Adams and David Burke.
Kate Adams is newly divorced and is spending her 40th birthday alone with a bottle of wine at a hotel bar. She is approached by David Burke where he asks her to dinner. They go out and there is instant chemistry between the two of them. What begins as a one-time thing, David realizes that he wants to continue to see Kate.
Because David is a professional hockey player and 10 years younger than her, Kate is very reluctant to have a relationship with David and keeps trying to push him away. Kate has been hurt enough in her life and doesn’t want to open herself to be hurt again if she has a relationship with David.
David doesn’t want to lose Kate and keeps pursuing her until she finally gives in and says yes to see where a relationship with David will go. While David and Kate are working on their relationship they encounter many “bumps in the road” caused by other people in their life. The way they dealt with Kate’s ex-husband Richard, his fiancé and the pushy woman that keeps trying to attach herself to David is exceptional. It is a book that I was so interested in that I didn’t want to put it down. There is the main story of David and Kate, but then there is also a story involving Kate’s daughter Laura and a team mate of David’s named Jack.
I would definitely recommend reading this story and I look forward to reading more about the characters in David and Kate’s world!

Loved this one so much. This has an older heroine and younger hero. I think this is the best book I've read with this troupe. You could feel the connection between Kate and David. Though you can tell the age difference in their personalities, but it wasn't conceding to the other character. It just worked so well. It was awesome to watch the journey of Kate after her divorce finding herself again. David is one hunky hockey player whose life is a player with the ladies. Then that changes when he meets Kate. Can these two make it work with the whole age difference and Kate's family issues? I liked the little secondary stories going on in the book as well. I highly recommend this book.

Until You by Jeannie Moon is an intricate story about love, passion, starting over by learning from our mistakes. Kate and Laura do this as mother and daughter, then as individuals on their own. I found this mother and daughter to be realistically portrayed. As the story progresses, it clearly shows the relationship that had been forced upon them and how they both change. Even the ex-husband and father of Laura, Richard seemed authentic; cruel, yes, but realistic. He scared me more than a little which is my only complaint. I would have been happier if he has winded up in jail. More than once, I wanted to yell for Kate to change her locks and insisting that Laura not share the codes with him.

The younger/older romance is so well developed. David Burke for all his success in the hockey rink and nice boy ways needed the stability of Kate. His previous causal choices were amateurish at best, nightmarish at worst. Over the course of the story, he seemed to grow and mature, just as Kate grew in her confidence and ability to stand up for herself.

The plot has some interesting turn of events. I expected a showdown with the ex-husband but here were other emotional moving unexpected ones. The second story line with Laura parallels her mother’s story until they both connected. This is awesome how it was planned and executed by the author. Impressive.

Family dynamics with a woman coming into her own is at the heart of this story. It is a well-written updated and contemporary take on relationships and life. I did not find it to be predictable which I thought at first it might be. Thinking of that, I believe fans of Danielle Steele or Nora Roberts will love to discover this author.

4..5 stars

Why is it when a 40 year old man dates a woman 10 years his junior he’s congratulated and when a woman does the same thing she’s slut shamed? It really kind of ticks me off to be honest, but I loved the way it was handled in Until You by Jeannie Moon. A 40 year old recently divorced mother of a 17 year old is picked up by a 29 (almost 30) star hockey player based on a bet he made with his team mates. They were somewhat off balance after what was supposed to be a one night stand because they both were feeling things neither one wanted to admit. Complicated, poignant, and sexy Until You is author Jeannie Moon at her finest.

This book was so much more than a romance; it was a testament to how complicated life can be. Kate is newly divorced and embroiled in a fight for custody of her 17 year old daughter. Her ex-husband and his crazy fiancée have done everything in their power to break her bond with her daughter and that doesn’t include the damage that had been done during the marriage. Kate is a successful writer and a professor at a prestigious school but on her 40th birthday while sitting on the deck at the hotel’s bar where she has attended a conference she meets David.

David is charming, he’s younger, and while he wants to win the bet he made with his teammates he won’t deny there is something about Kate that draws him to her. On top of that her daughter Laura besides dealing with her parent’s divorce and her father’s manipulative behavior she’s met a guy one she’s lied to and she’s not quite sure how to handle it.

While this book was busy because there was a lot going on and while at times I did feel the romance between Kate and David got a little lost, I also reminded myself that honestly…that’s life. Just because you are starting a new relationship doesn’t mean the rest of your life gets put on hold. It goes on and you either ignore it or deal with it.

I admired Kate a lot in this book. She’s smart, funny, a little bit vulnerable, talented, and willing to take chances. She’s also an excellent parent in that she doesn’t give in to her daughter’s every whim even when the harsh words start flying AND she is really good at showing her the consequences of her actions; there were a couple of times I wanted to stand up and cheer. I also liked that she called David out on his bad behavior, that she stood her ground with him, and she made his understand she wasn’t some big boobed Barbie doll replica that he could play.

David was one conflicted man; he knew there was something special about Kate but their age difference and different places in life scared him. He made some serious missteps mainly because he had no idea what it was like to be in a serious relationship. What I loved was that he had no issues telling his friends and teammates that Kate made him feel differently and that she liked him for him not because he was a hockey player with the means to buy her whatever she wanted. David impressed me when he stepped up to the plate during a very difficult time for Kate with her daughter. He was a rock, he was objective, and he listened and offered help and support when she needed it the most.

There was just so much that was good about this book and I loved it from beginning to end. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me think, and it made me one satisfied reader. Ms. Moon you outdid yourself on this one and I’m really excited to see what you do next!

I received this book as an ARC from Net Galley for my honest review.

This is the first book that I have read from Jeannie Moon and I thought it was really good. It is priced right now for 4.99 on different sites and I think that is a very good price for the book.

This book was sweet, heart breaking, and super sexy all at one time. Jeannie did a great job creating this story line, she kept it very realistic and addressed many issues without losing the romance. I recommend this book and I recommend this Author I really would love to find the next book in this series.

Kate is having a horrible birthday so when David appears and invites her for dinner she cant help but say yes.

David is a hockey player on the top of his game. When he sees Kate having dinner looking sad and alone he cant help but want to turn her frown upside down.

This is not the classic older woman younger man story , it has just the right amount of drama, romance and heat to make you want to back for seconds and thirds. Great job Jeannie Moon

**I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion**

This is one of those stories where you root for the couple the entire book. I loved the characters, the plot line, the symbiotic relationship both Kate and David needed, and the love! It touched my heart! (It didn't hurt its setting is one of my beloved cities--Philadelphia.) There's nothing wrong with this story, and everything is so right! I highly recommend this book!

4.5 Stars David Burke is the “face” of the Flyers – a professional hockey team. He is thirty years old and can have any woman he wants. Kate Adams is a well renowned author, who is turning forty. When the hockey star approaches her and invites her to dinner, she accepts his invitation. What better to do for your fortieth birthday than something spontaneous, and having dinner with a hot young hockey star is a good place to start?

What starts out as a whim on both of their parts, soon develops into something entirely different. Kate is guarding her heart. With a divorce from an abusive husband, and a rocky relationship with her seventeen year old daughter, she has learned to be careful with her heart. David has his work cut out for him, but he’s not one to shy away from a challenge. Game on!

Jeannie Moon writes relatable characters. You can’t help but love them. You feel their pain. You DO NOT want the book to end because you will miss them. She makes smile, while she’s stabbing you in the heart. That’s a crazy-good, powerful ability. I LOVE reading her stories. They stick with you and hold onto your heart. UNTIL YOU is a sweet May/December love story. It has the usual misunderstandings and requisite happy ending, but the surprising emotional twists along the way make it a satisfying read. Get ready to fall in love with David. It’s impossible not to. I highly recommend!

*An advance reading copy was generously provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The main character, Kate, meets David while on a business trip in California (also her fortieth birthday). David decides to approach her (on a semi-dare) and ask her own a date. The both have an instant connection while on their date. However, they book discover that they live in Philadelphia and decide that they will meet up again while in their own town. Kate has a hard time believing that someone like David would be interested in her (let's just say he has quite the reputation). Kate has just finalized the divorce from an awful man and has had a hard time after the divorce. Basically Kate is scared to care about someone again, but she is not the only one. David is scared too. Kate makes him think and isn't like any girl he has ever dated before. He realizes that Kate wants to know the actual David, not the hockey player. At first he doesn't know how to deal about his feelings for Kate and he acts out a little bit. However, he realizes he wants more out of his life and that means a life with Kate. Again, because of Kate's past she fights all of it to protect herself. There is something that happens that has the potential to bring them together, but something terrible happens that could ruin all of their progress.

All of the characters, even minor ones, have changes and realizations of their own. There is a character that learns that one tiny lie can grow into something so big that the lie ends up hurting all of the people involved. Two characters in this book learn that in the process of trying to get what they want they end up hurting themselves instead. One character learns that everything she has ever been told about one of their parents has been a lie and that relationship has been used as a weapon for financial advantage. A minor character learns what it means to be respectful in a relationship and how some things should be kept between two people. Several characters learn that they are stronger than they realized and eventually stick up for themselves. This book has a lot of facets to it. There are crazy ex-husbands, mistresses, crazy ex-girlfriends and a great story all rolled up together.

4.5 stars

Until You was such a good read, I was drawn in from the beginning until the end.

A great love story with likable and relatable characters that work through all the obstacles in the way to find their happily ever after.

I'm a big fan of Jeannie Moon's work and once again she's given her readers a heartfelt, entertaining and emotional read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tule Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I loved the instant attraction between Kate and David. Jeannie Moon gives readers a love story that pulls all the emotions out. I couldn't help but feel like I knew Kate and her life. And I wanted her relationship with David to work. I was turning the pages and wanting to see that they were going to make it and get that happily ever after.

Read in March, 2015

ARC provided by Tule Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review.

This was a really great older woman/younger man story! It was writen in a way that made it very realistic to me. There are quite a bit of societal complications that come with a relationship like this and the author did not sweep them under the rug. She presented them in the story and dealt with them.
So the story goes like this .... Kate just turned 40, is divorced and fighting a custody battle so she throws caution to the wind while she's vacationing, and decides that one night with a 29yo is just the medicine she needs! :) But life is never that easy LOL .... David, our 29yo beautiful specimen, just so happens to live in the SAME city as Kate! Hmmm, what are the chances, right?! LOL But wait, it gets better ... he's famous, a hockey player! So the make another decision ... they don't really want things to end at one night so they decide to go for it back home .. Obviously, the age difference is a problem (and not just on Kate's end) .. do they overcome the obstacles and end in HEA? Read the book and let me know! ;)
You are really going to enjoy both David and Kate. They are polar opposites yet perfectly matched for each other. David is a player, a well known player (and I'm not talking his hockey skills!) who is used to bunnies just jumping into his bed at his beck and call and Kate is the opposite. She's smart, sophisticated and all grown up and does NOT jump when David says jump. I LOVED IT! David's transformation drew me thru this book. I loved seeing the light-bulb come on in his head when he realizes he is going to have to work hard if he wants a to keep a relationship with Kate and he TOTALLY DOES! It doesnt take him too long to realize that a future with Kate is what he wants and he goes for it! The chemistry between these too is just so sexy and emotional and it just jumped right off the pages into my thoughts.
i REALLY love a well written, realistic romance story and this one didn't disappoint.
One tiny little thing I didnt not care for too much was that there were WAY too many voices trying to be heard in this book. There was A LOT going on in the background with other people that just didnt really add to Kate and David's story so I'm not sure why it was all there in the first place. Some of it, yes but it was just too much. BUT, it did not deter me from enjoying the heck out of this story!

Received an copy through NetGalley for an honest review. Until You is my first book by Jeannie Moon. I loved it! It was emotional and gripping from the beginning until the end.
Kate is dealing with her divorce, her strained relationship with her daughter and dealing with her writing and teaching jobs.
David is a hot, younger hockey player that likes to play the field.
The chemistry between David and Kate is hot and strong from the start. However, David's past of one-night stands and all the struggles that Kate has dealt with in her marriage hinder them for a while until they realize what is truly important.
Until You is a great read from start to finish.

Great romantic story! A must read!

I rarely read a book where the heroine is the older one in the relationship, so this was a nice change of pace. Kate is drowning her sorrows on her 40th birthday when a young good looking man invites her to dinner. She almost says no, but changes her mind and goes. What happens after is a wonderful love story.

I could SOOOO easily identify with Kate. She's just turned 40, recently divorced from a TOTAL jackwagon, insecure because of her ex-husband's horrible treatment of her, and lost in her failing relationship with her 17 year old daughter. Along comes this handsome younger man, and they click immediately, but David has a reputation as a player and Kate is wary because of that and his age. After David pulled his head out of his rear and realized he really cared for Kate, he had to work to get her back. But oh! How wonderful his wooing was! He was sweet, romantic, and protective.

There were a couple of things that kept me from giving this 5 stars...we got the point of view of the ex-husband, jerk-face Richard, and even the point of view of Kate's daughter, Laura. I didn't need any of that. Laura was a typical snot-nosed 17 year old brat at first. Thankfully she wisened up and realized what her dipwad dad was doing and starting rebuilding a relationship with her mom. The ex-husband? A slow painful death would be too good for him - enough said.

This was my first read by Jeannie Moon, but won't be my last :)

Copy courtesy of Netgalley 3.5 stars It took me a while to get into the story. It started off pretty good, but Kate's character was a little annoying to me in the beginning. It took me a while to understand her insecurities. The author revealed her marriage issues throught the book. David was younger than Kate, but I didn't think it was such a wide margin. He was almost 30 and she was 40. They meet and there is an instant attraction. Their journey is full of miscommunications, insecurities and annoying exes. The also share passion and eventual respect and love for one another. I really got into the book once Kate's character started to find herself. At that point the story started to pick up pace and become very good. The side story of Kate's daughter dating an older guy was good also. We got to see how the marriage and divorce affected her. There were times I wanted to strangle her, but she was a confused teen that had a manipulative parent. I loved how they mom and daughter found each other again. there were a lot of heartwarming and heartrending moments in this book. I was really wrapped up in the story towards the end.
I wish their was an epilogue for Kate and David.

After her divorce, Kate is a little insecure but thanks to David she finds herself again. Once she discovers who she is at her core, she’s surprisingly settled for her past – strong and confident. But she has to let that past go and remember how great she really is. And that she can hold the interest of a younger, super-hot pro-athlete.

David grows up a lot too. He starts to realize the man that he didn’t even know he wanted to be. He just has to convince Kate that he’s ready to commit and that she’s the one for him. David and Kate face a lot of troubles, because of their fears and hang-ups, but it leads to a really great HEA.

The characters are fantastic, both the main and secondary, and Moon does a wonderful job of drawing you into their world. And of making you interested in what happens next - I really hope we get Jack’s story. I felt for him almost as much as the main characters. He’s young but a good guy underneath and he got a good kick in the teeth so I have my fingers crossed that we can see him get his own HEA.

With realistic issues and an emotional storyline, Until You is definitely one to add to your TBR pile.

If you like heartwarming touching stories, then this is definitely a book you should read. David Burke is a seasoned hockey player who was absolutely besotted the moment he sees Kate sitting on a deck drinking wine. He approached her on a bet, but that is where that ended. From then on he pursued her. He makes mistakes. There are many areas of miscommunication, but you will find yourself fighting for them throughout the story. You also will want to bitch slap Marie, and beat the crap out of Richard, I had tears in my eyes through many areas of this book. Well written and absolutely touching.

I loved this book by Jeannie Moon! A trope not often seen in romance the love story of the younger man/older woman. Well written, a sexy sweet story that yes love conquers all barriers

Kate is a successful novelist in California for a conference. She is also celebrating her fortieth birthday, newly divorced and alone. David is a successful hockey player in town on a road trip. He is also a player, and his teammates have bet him he can't get the lovely, but sad, woman into bed by the end of the night. Kate surprises them both by accepting his dinner invitation, and they go on to have a wonderful evening, just being themselves and accepting the other as is. When they end up in bed, it is an experience neither can forget. David also likes Kate so much that he purposely loses the bet. Surprised that they live so close to each other, it is even more surprising that David wants to see Kate again...and then, after another wonderful date, he finds out that he is 11 years older than him with an almost college-aged daughter.
Kate expects his reaction and moves on, but David can't help thinking that she is "the one" for him, and he has an uphill battle making Kate realize he is in it for the long term. I love Kate, fighting to rebuild her life and her self-esteem after an abusive marriage, and trying to find a relationship with her daughter, who was also brainwashed by her ex. I also love David, all though he does speak and act without thinking. I love how he admits his mistakes and works hard to make it up to Kate.
This was so much more than a romance, and I really loved the interactions and growth that all the characters have. There was so much depth to all the relationships, it was an extremely satisfying read!

Loved this ! David and Kate sparkled!

This was the To Be or Not to Be…Read TBR Pile vote win. At first I thought you gals steered me wrong for the first time, but it turned out you did me right again. J

I read the blurb and just had to read this one. A pro hockey player approaches a woman at a bar on the beach on a bet from his teammates and discovers a whole lot more than he bargained for while she has recently divorced her cheating husband and is dealing with the fall-out while looking at her fortieth birthday as a curse though the younger attractive hockey player who wants to be with her for the night sure does compensate for turning the dreaded 4-0.

Having read this author once before, I remembered how deep and emotional her writing was and that was not lacking in this story, either. The romance is only one of the elements and this read more like women’s fiction at times. David and others share the narration, but this really is Kate’s story. It was hard to read the first half of this book because she’s not in good shape and neither is her life, but then she finds strength and grows. David is a part of that, but it’s really all on her to complete the process of healing and finding happiness. It was a beautiful story in the end and left me sitting there processing Kate’s journey and the lovely life she made in the end.

As I noted, this story starts with best-selling author and teacher, recent divorcee to a controlling cheater, and mother to a hating, angry teenager, Kate Adams sitting at a bar and staring out at the ocean taking stock of her life. She assumes she will now be on the shelf and living a lonely, cold life. Then the unexpected happens when a big, rugged, athletic younger man comes to her table and talks her into a night of fun to celebrate her birthday. She is guarded, but she does have fun. David takes her out to eat and then to the boardwalk carousel and back to the hotel. They talk, they laugh, and they make love. She assumes it’s over, but is wistful when they go their separate ways knowing that he plays hockey for Philly and she lives near Philadelphia.

David Burke took a bet that he could seduce the woman sitting alone at the bar, but it doesn’t take him long at all to forget about the bet and just enjoy the special lady he has found. Kate is like no woman he has been with and she’s a far cry from those who hang around hoping to hook up with a hockey player. He barely knows what to do with the sophisticated woman who talks of interesting things, who has obviously been hurt by her douche of an ex and turns out to be more famous than him as a NY Times bestselling author of books that he’s read and loved. For the first time, he wants more. Then he screws things up not taking her age well and not making a clean break from his womanizing past. Kate makes it clear that he screwed up bad and wants nothing to do with him, but David is a fighter and loves a challenge and in his heart he knows Kate is worth it.

Kate knew that being older than David would be a problem and knew that a guy who could have any woman and did was a bad bet and he didn’t prove her wrong. But now, David is the least of her worries when her ex-husband and his fiancée are going for full custody and her daughter takes every opportunity to jab in her own knife and make it clear that she believes every lie her father told her. Kate has never stood up for herself and has no feeling of self-worth, but she used to and away from her repressive ex she slowly starts to find herself again. It doesn’t hurt that a handsome hockey player is working hard to convince her that she’s something special- particularly to him.

Alright, I got a whole lot more than I bargained for in this one. There was the age difference romance and the situation with the ex. There is so much going on in this one. Not in a frenzied fast paced way, but in a slow build long coming crisis sort of thing. There are multiple narrators and even a few side storylines. Kate and David are the main narrators, but Kate’s daughter and even her ex get significant page time. I enjoyed getting the various perspectives. The story felt more rounded and authentic this way. I also needed a break that the flipping of the scenes gave to me.

I enjoyed that the progress of this story was over months of time because that was the only way this was going to feel right. So many things needed teasing out and so many people including the main characters needed time to grow.

I judged Kate pretty hard when I started reading, but then discovering the abuse she took for 20 years from her ex made me see things in a much different light. It still wasn’t easy to see her so beaten down and fearful, but it totally made sense. His abuse was the controlling, degrading emotional sort sprinkled with a little of the physical so that by the time she is forty, she is far from seeing herself, situations, and others clearly. Things got pretty bleak and bad before getting better. Fortunately, I wasn’t worried about getting so much depth and emotion and expected it somewhat. I even tolerated more angst than is my norm because I was so vested in seeing Kate really make a comeback.

David had his own issues and crisis. He wanted Kate, but he totally screwed things up a few times because he had to figure out how to shift from being a player and a guy who didn’t do relationships to being a real man that hung in there and put in the time with a relationship. Even though he is already famous and the captain of his team, he felt inferior and uncertain which was also why he messed up. But the thing is, this guy knew what an apology was and he knew the quality of Kate. He was uncertain at first, but once he went all in, he was her hero even before she realized it.

Now, Kate’s daughter, Laura, was an angry, confused, hormonal teenager who chose manipulation and guilt as her weapons to make her mother emotionally bleed. Kate had previously never defended herself so all Laura got was a steady dose of her father’s lying venom. I wanted to smack her so hard, but then this was her story, too, and she did grow and go through some tough truth moments.

And that leads me to the Ex, grrrrrr. This needed to be a murder mystery so someone could kill him off preferably in a really horrific manner. Oh, he was a true villain. When David made him almost wet his pants, I was jumping up and down pumping my fist like he’d scored a hat trick all by himself. But that was nothing to the cheering I did when Kate stood her ground with him.

Incidentally, it was quite obvious that the author put the time into the background of the characters and the backdrop. Hockey is David’s world, writing and teaching are Kate’s just as music is Laura’s. And I loved learning Kate’s surprise background just as David did and to see how he treasured this and made it come alive again for Kate. I think having these things and others help make the emotional side and the romance feel so much more authentic.

Anyway, this was a fantastic read and actually makes a nice holiday read since a large portion at the end was over the winter holiday season. I can easily recommend this one to those who want a passionate, deeply-emotional contemporary romance with a sport hero and a literary heroine in an age-difference romance.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Kate Adams is away for a vacation after her divorce. David Burke is a Philadelphia hockey player, Kate is an author. She is forty and he is thirty. She loves his hockey team and unbeknownst to him because she uses a pen name, he loves her books. Can these two people who have a large age gap and diverse careers find love?
This was one of my stay up all night to finish books. The story grabbed me and didn't let go. I laughed, cried and in the end, realized that Jeannie Moon had scored a goal. I appreciated that the female character was the older one in this May-December story. I will definitely recommend and read more books from this author.

This book is a very nice introduction to this author. I am going to be checking out more books by this author. I felt a very strong connection to all of the characters in this book. Every emotion. When Kate had her heart broken, I felt like my was breaking too. However, it really broke and I felt like someone had stabbed it when Kate endured that devastating moment.

I loved that the author gave David lots of range and depth. He was not just a star hockey player or a ladies man. Additionally, he was intelligent with a knowledge of literary and European History. The way that David cared for Kate made me forget that they had a huge age difference. Under David's touch Kate did come alive and blossomed into a lively woman. A happy ending for all.