Ever since he drew a penalty that cost his team the Stanley Cup, things have gone from bad to worse for professional hockey player Collin Wright. The latest in his run of bad luck? His car broke down in the middle of nowhere, he dropped and broke his phone (not that there was cell service anyway), and he was nearly run over by a careless (but beautiful) driver while walking along the highway towards the nearest exit. The one small bright spot in his terrible day is when Harper, the woman who nearly ran him over, stops and offers him a ride. A few days later, Collin is kicking himself for not getting Harper's number (or at least her last name) because he can't forget how much fun they had on their impromptu road trip. He's in the last year of his contract, however, and knows that his focus needs to be entirely on hockey if he wants to stay with his team. Collin's teammate Rhodes thinks he needs to relax (read: hook up) in order to play better, so he talks Collin into joining a dating app. He's pleasantly surprised when he matches with Harper, but unfortunately, she doesn't realize that she's chatting with her road trip buddy Collin.
I absolutely loved Harper and Collin as a couple. Their banter when they first met and started driving together was hilarious, especially the debate about which horror movie was the best and when Collin teased Harper about nearly running him over. Even though they were strangers in an incredibly awkward situation, they seemed comfortable together right away. After they got to know each other and started dating, the biggest problem they faced was Harper's fear of commitment because of issues in her parents' marriage that weren't revealed until after her father had passed away. They initially agreed to keep things casual because of that as well as Collin's need to focus on hockey, but it wasn't long before feelings started to grow on both sides. When Collin realized that he was in love with Harper while she was still trying to push him away, he knew he had to end it. She quickly realized her mistake, however, and her efforts to win him back were both creative and very sweet.
Overall, I loved "Puck Shy" and highly recommend it for all fans of contemporary/sports romance and romantic comedy. It was a great start to a new series, and I look forward to finding out what's in store for us with the next book. (I'm not-so-secretly hoping that we'll see Harper's best friend Ryan again in a future story!)
*Review copy provided by the author via Valentine PR. All opinions expressed are my own.
About "Puck Shy"
I'm having the definition of a bad year.
Game Six loss costing my team the Cup? Check.
Getting arrested and ruining my image? Check.
Almost getting run over after my car breaks down? Oh, look--a hat trick.
My contract is up with the Carolina Comets this year, and I need to get it together if I want to stay with the team.
I need relaxation, not a relationship.
But when I'm scrolling on a dating app and stumble across the pretty girl who almost ran me over, I know I can't let her walk away this time.
Harper is funny, smart, and doesn't care about hockey.
I'm not supposed to be focusing on anything other than my career, yet I can't get Harper off my mind.
I know I shouldn't fall for her...but I think I already have.
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