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Bayard Hockey #1
Shut Out
Jacob The Bayard College hockey team isn’t where I thought I’d be a season ago. I was a rising star in the Canadian major junior league, cruising toward a spot on an NHL roster—until a single disastrous night on the town brought it all crashing down. Now I’m out of options, except for playing well, studying hard, and staying away from girls. I shouldn’t be flirting with the hottest, sweetest chick I’ve ever met. But maybe she can actually help me out… Skylar I know Jacob is out of my league. I’m just trying to go with the flow, which isn’t easy when six feet and four inches of total hockey hotness is making a play for me one moment, then giving me the cold shoulder the next. Then he suggests a ridiculous plan that could help both of us. My head tells me this rugged athlete isn’t worth my time, but my body says something altogether different. Risking my heart for Jacob may be the craziest thing I’ve ever done . . . but I won’t let him shut me out.
246 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2016
86 people are currently reading
1660 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Jamieson
115 books2,647 followersKelly Jamieson is a USA Today bestselling author of over 70 romance novels and novellas. Her writing has been described as “emotionally complex,” “sweet and satisfying,” and “blisteringly sexy.” She likes black coffee, white wine and high heels…and of course cheering on her Winnipeg Jets during hockey season! She loves hearing from readers, so please visit her website at www.kellyjamieson.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 269 reviews
June 12, 2016
A sweet, sexy and poignant young adult story. Kelly Jamieson expertly balances between fun and cute lightheartedness, the excitement of hockey entwined in serious matters such as rape culture and bystander intervention.
He started to walk and play hockey at the same time and ever since, Jacob Flass’ dream is to join the NHL and he was well on his way until a not well thought out decision almost ruined his chances. Bayard College is willing to give him a second chance though if he can prove his worth, maintain good grades and in general keep his nose clean and away from girls. How will he ever accomplish the latter though when there are so many vying for his attention and he can’t stop himself from flirting with the one girl who barely gives him the time of day? Easy, he’ll just ask her to be his fake girlfriend, right?
Skylar Lynwood needs to make it into med school and try to achieve a fraction of what her sister has become as a doctor. She’s already let her parents down by flunking two courses last year after one of her best friends committed suicide, she can’t afford to be distracted by the intense attraction she feels towards the gorgeous, wishy-washy hockey player, no matter how benign his proposition sounds. She especially shouldn’t risk her heart when it’s still getting over the events that led up to her friend’s death. But nothing has ever felt so natural than spending time with the smart jock. Can they help each other or will their pasts break them apart?
These past few days “rape” has been a buzz word all around the internet after a decorated Stanford college student was tried and convicted of sexual assault. Reading all these articles had a definite impact on my reading experience of this story and I’m very glad and grateful for authors like Kelly Jamieson who not only strive to give us an entertaining romance but also educate while doing so.
The hero in this story got mixed up in a gang rape scandal, but unlike the real person I mentioned above, Jacob was guilty of leaving a party before making sure the involved parties were sober enough to give consent. He’s first angry and frustrated with what he feels is an unfair situation but trying to make the most of it with the options available to him.
After he goes to the school’s awareness program lead by none other than the sexy Skylar, a whole new outlook opens up allowing him to reflect on his actions and driving him to want to help raise consciousness with his peers. Something I very much appreciated about this story because it emphasizes matters such as consent and intervention without it being over the top or taking over the plot which revolves around Jacob’s need to do well in order to get his shot at the NHL and Skylar worry over pleasing her parents and their mutual attraction.
Jacob and Skylar were sexy, fun and sweet together with great chemistry and an equal interest and investment to help each other. Of course there were some clichés and overreactions typical of young people learning to be in relationships, but mostly these two are young people who see the best in each other and support and help one another become better as individuals and a couple. The ending was perfect, without it being a hearts and flowers forever after which would have been outlandish for the two, it ended with them in a good and happy relationship.
Shut Out is book #1 in the Bayard Hockey series by Kelly Jamieson. It’s a standalone, hockey, young adult romance. Told from both points of view with a happy ending.
Pinterest Board -> https://es.pinterest.com/kellyjamieso...
* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via NetGalley. The excerpts are from that copy. *
More reviews * Stalk us on FaceBook * As well as Twitter * Pinterest Board for Book Teasers
He started to walk and play hockey at the same time and ever since, Jacob Flass’ dream is to join the NHL and he was well on his way until a not well thought out decision almost ruined his chances. Bayard College is willing to give him a second chance though if he can prove his worth, maintain good grades and in general keep his nose clean and away from girls. How will he ever accomplish the latter though when there are so many vying for his attention and he can’t stop himself from flirting with the one girl who barely gives him the time of day? Easy, he’ll just ask her to be his fake girlfriend, right?
Skylar Lynwood needs to make it into med school and try to achieve a fraction of what her sister has become as a doctor. She’s already let her parents down by flunking two courses last year after one of her best friends committed suicide, she can’t afford to be distracted by the intense attraction she feels towards the gorgeous, wishy-washy hockey player, no matter how benign his proposition sounds. She especially shouldn’t risk her heart when it’s still getting over the events that led up to her friend’s death. But nothing has ever felt so natural than spending time with the smart jock. Can they help each other or will their pasts break them apart?
These past few days “rape” has been a buzz word all around the internet after a decorated Stanford college student was tried and convicted of sexual assault. Reading all these articles had a definite impact on my reading experience of this story and I’m very glad and grateful for authors like Kelly Jamieson who not only strive to give us an entertaining romance but also educate while doing so.
The hero in this story got mixed up in a gang rape scandal, but unlike the real person I mentioned above, Jacob was guilty of leaving a party before making sure the involved parties were sober enough to give consent. He’s first angry and frustrated with what he feels is an unfair situation but trying to make the most of it with the options available to him.
“The only real mistake is not learning from them.”
After he goes to the school’s awareness program lead by none other than the sexy Skylar, a whole new outlook opens up allowing him to reflect on his actions and driving him to want to help raise consciousness with his peers. Something I very much appreciated about this story because it emphasizes matters such as consent and intervention without it being over the top or taking over the plot which revolves around Jacob’s need to do well in order to get his shot at the NHL and Skylar worry over pleasing her parents and their mutual attraction.
Jacob and Skylar were sexy, fun and sweet together with great chemistry and an equal interest and investment to help each other. Of course there were some clichés and overreactions typical of young people learning to be in relationships, but mostly these two are young people who see the best in each other and support and help one another become better as individuals and a couple. The ending was perfect, without it being a hearts and flowers forever after which would have been outlandish for the two, it ended with them in a good and happy relationship.
“She knows me. She sees past the tough bravado and cocky ‘tude, sees my fears and insecurities, and still likes me.”
Shut Out is book #1 in the Bayard Hockey series by Kelly Jamieson. It’s a standalone, hockey, young adult romance. Told from both points of view with a happy ending.
Pinterest Board -> https://es.pinterest.com/kellyjamieso...
* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via NetGalley. The excerpts are from that copy. *
More reviews * Stalk us on FaceBook * As well as Twitter * Pinterest Board for Book Teasers
March 10, 2017
3.5 Hot Jock Stars
Review @ Vanilla & Spice books
Let's hold in there a moment and appreciate this beautiful cover.
OK. Gotta love sports romances with yummy jocks. This is a New Adult novel and Kelly Jamieson is a new-to-me author.
A little trigger warning here too:
This was extremely hard for me to rate and it is equally hard to review since I don't want to spoil anything. I will say this though: the writer of this story lets us know that there are secrets right at the beginning but she keeps us in the dark about the extent of them up until the 70% mark, which sometimes works. However, in this case I thought it was unnecessary and it actually irked me a little bit.
Jacob is a hot jock. He got kicked out of the Canadian Major Junior League which crashes all his hopes to be drafted as a player for the NHL. The author only hints at the reason so the reader can only assume what happened. His old coach shows him a silver lining when he suggests to transfer to Bayard College. All new students and transfers have to go through a rape awareness program - Jacob isn't happy about it but he goes with the flow.
Skylar is a student there and a facilitator of the program. When they meet at a house party the chemistry between them is instant and sizzling. But Jacob can't afford distraction so he is hot one moment and cools off the next. Skylar doesn't understand it and they are off on a rocky start. As Jacob's respect for Skylar grows they find common footing. One day he has a wonderful idea. Why not ask Skylar to play the fake girlfriend, you know, to keep the puck bunnies at bay. Skylar agrees on her own conditions.
What I really liked about this story was how the author approached a heavy subject with sensitivity. She didn't beat around the bush but whenever it was brought up it was in a manner to be educating and not preaching.
Jacob is a lovely hero - he is loyal, quite grown up for his young age and responsible. He is straight forward and has a bit of a temper. It is sweet to watch him grow to care for Skylar. Except for a small TSTL he really is delicious and sweet.
Skylar is a nice girl but she fell a little flat for me. I liked her well enough but she didn't wow me. Her TSTL moment was huge - it's seldom that I get really angry with a character but she made me furious when Jacob's secret was revealed to her and she refused to hear his side of the story - there is no excuse for that since she knew Jacob, she knew by the way of how he treated her that he would NEVER ever have done what he was accused of.
The dialogues sound clumsy at times and especially during the smexy times they feel more like people with years of experience. They didn't seem authentic to me. The story itself was really good - the execution a tiny bit lackluster. Will I read the next book in the series? Definitely, this story has me intrigued enough to want to know more about the Bayard College boys!
Review @ Vanilla & Spice books
Let's hold in there a moment and appreciate this beautiful cover.
OK. Gotta love sports romances with yummy jocks. This is a New Adult novel and Kelly Jamieson is a new-to-me author.
A little trigger warning here too:
This was extremely hard for me to rate and it is equally hard to review since I don't want to spoil anything. I will say this though: the writer of this story lets us know that there are secrets right at the beginning but she keeps us in the dark about the extent of them up until the 70% mark, which sometimes works. However, in this case I thought it was unnecessary and it actually irked me a little bit.
Jacob is a hot jock. He got kicked out of the Canadian Major Junior League which crashes all his hopes to be drafted as a player for the NHL. The author only hints at the reason so the reader can only assume what happened. His old coach shows him a silver lining when he suggests to transfer to Bayard College. All new students and transfers have to go through a rape awareness program - Jacob isn't happy about it but he goes with the flow.
Skylar is a student there and a facilitator of the program. When they meet at a house party the chemistry between them is instant and sizzling. But Jacob can't afford distraction so he is hot one moment and cools off the next. Skylar doesn't understand it and they are off on a rocky start. As Jacob's respect for Skylar grows they find common footing. One day he has a wonderful idea. Why not ask Skylar to play the fake girlfriend, you know, to keep the puck bunnies at bay. Skylar agrees on her own conditions.
What I really liked about this story was how the author approached a heavy subject with sensitivity. She didn't beat around the bush but whenever it was brought up it was in a manner to be educating and not preaching.
Jacob is a lovely hero - he is loyal, quite grown up for his young age and responsible. He is straight forward and has a bit of a temper. It is sweet to watch him grow to care for Skylar. Except for a small TSTL he really is delicious and sweet.
Skylar is a nice girl but she fell a little flat for me. I liked her well enough but she didn't wow me. Her TSTL moment was huge - it's seldom that I get really angry with a character but she made me furious when Jacob's secret was revealed to her and she refused to hear his side of the story - there is no excuse for that since she knew Jacob, she knew by the way of how he treated her that he would NEVER ever have done what he was accused of.
The dialogues sound clumsy at times and especially during the smexy times they feel more like people with years of experience. They didn't seem authentic to me. The story itself was really good - the execution a tiny bit lackluster. Will I read the next book in the series? Definitely, this story has me intrigued enough to want to know more about the Bayard College boys!
April 27, 2016
I found a new author! I found a new author! I found...
After reading three of this author's previous titles (Aces Hockey series) and enjoying them, I figured reading this one was a no-brainer. Because...
-It's about hockey (that's a plus).
-The author knows what she's talking about when it comes to hockey (another plus).
-She has a wonderful/natural writing style (sort of like Elle Kennedy)
-You end up loving her characters, even if they bug you at first.
-She writes some smokin' hot sex scenes.
-And some believable dialogue.
-She provides plenty of detail and background about her characters, so that you really get to know them.
-She doesn't skimp on the plot.
My only reservation about this one (before I started) is that it's a New Adult romance. The H/h are 19 going on 20. Can I relate to them (I wondered)? Of course, I always wonder about this when I try a NA romance. It's been a while since I've seen 20....but you know what? It didn't matter. A good book is a good book, as long as you end up loving the characters and the story. And I absolutely loved Jacob and Skylar, and loved their story!
The book blurb:
The Bayard College hockey team isn’t where Jacob Flass thought he’d be a season ago. He was a rising star in the Canadian major junior league, cruising toward a spot on an NHL roster—until a single disastrous night on the town brought it all crashing down. Now he’s out of options, except for playing well, studying hard, and staying away from girls. He’s not supposed to be flirting with the hottest, sweetest chick he’s ever met. But how could he possibly stay away?
Skylar Lynwood knows that Jacob is out of her league. She’s just trying to go with the flow, which isn’t easy when six feet and four inches of total hockey hunkiness is making a play for her one moment, then giving her the cold shoulder the next. Skylar’s head tells her that this rugged athlete isn’t worth her time, but her body says something altogether different. Risking her heart for Jacob may be the craziest thing she’s ever done . . . but she won’t let him shut her out.
Skylar...
Jacob...
This book was not just about a college romance. It deals with some serious stuff (sexual assault prevention and awareness)--things that have been in the news and have been occurring on college campuses more and more. The author manages to work this into the plot in a believable way, and it adds a lot of heft to the story.
When Jacob is first introduced, he comes of as kind of cocky and used to having things go his way. But he has to be on his best behavior or his dream of a career in the NHL could be over. This college route (Bayard Bears) of playing hockey is his last chance. He meets goal-oriented Skylar and is instantly attracted (as is she). For different reasons, neither is interested in a 'relationship'. Both are very focused on their studies (she has a dream of being a doctor like her over-achieving sister) and he has to maintain good grades while also putting everything he has into hockey. Who has time for a boyfriend/girlfriend?
They come up with a plan where Skylar becomes his 'pretend girlfriend'--to ward off all the 'puck bunnies' after him. But when their 'pretend' relationship becomes all too real (with plenty of passionate sex), what will Jacob do? Will he admit his feelings for Skylar? When Skylar finds out about Jacob's past, and how it relates to what happened to her in her past, will she still want to be with him?
This is the first book in a new series (Bayard Hockey)--Bayard is the name of the fictional upstate New York college campus--and it's a great start. Both Jacob and Skylar have roommates (most of them likable), so I expect we'll see some pairing up in the future? I absolutely loved the crazy hot chemistry between Jacob and Skylar, I loved reading about their struggles, insecurities, and successes, and loved watching their relationship grow from something casual into something like a mature love. Of course their story isn't over (they're only sophomores) and there are some questions (will Jacob get drafted? Will he stay in college with Skylar? Will Skylar succeed in her course of study?) I'm hoping these questions will be answered in future novels--I want to follow them through their college years and see what happens to them.
So, a great start to a new series. If you loved Elle Kennedy's The Deal I think you'll like this one. It's similar in tone and style. I don't actively search for NA romances, but if they're by authors I trust, I'll give them a try. I'm so glad I tried this one--I found it un-put-downable! 5 stars
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley
After reading three of this author's previous titles (Aces Hockey series) and enjoying them, I figured reading this one was a no-brainer. Because...
-It's about hockey (that's a plus).
-The author knows what she's talking about when it comes to hockey (another plus).
-She has a wonderful/natural writing style (sort of like Elle Kennedy)
-You end up loving her characters, even if they bug you at first.
-She writes some smokin' hot sex scenes.
-And some believable dialogue.
-She provides plenty of detail and background about her characters, so that you really get to know them.
-She doesn't skimp on the plot.
My only reservation about this one (before I started) is that it's a New Adult romance. The H/h are 19 going on 20. Can I relate to them (I wondered)? Of course, I always wonder about this when I try a NA romance. It's been a while since I've seen 20....but you know what? It didn't matter. A good book is a good book, as long as you end up loving the characters and the story. And I absolutely loved Jacob and Skylar, and loved their story!
The book blurb:
The Bayard College hockey team isn’t where Jacob Flass thought he’d be a season ago. He was a rising star in the Canadian major junior league, cruising toward a spot on an NHL roster—until a single disastrous night on the town brought it all crashing down. Now he’s out of options, except for playing well, studying hard, and staying away from girls. He’s not supposed to be flirting with the hottest, sweetest chick he’s ever met. But how could he possibly stay away?
Skylar Lynwood knows that Jacob is out of her league. She’s just trying to go with the flow, which isn’t easy when six feet and four inches of total hockey hunkiness is making a play for her one moment, then giving her the cold shoulder the next. Skylar’s head tells her that this rugged athlete isn’t worth her time, but her body says something altogether different. Risking her heart for Jacob may be the craziest thing she’s ever done . . . but she won’t let him shut her out.
Skylar...
Jacob...
This book was not just about a college romance. It deals with some serious stuff (sexual assault prevention and awareness)--things that have been in the news and have been occurring on college campuses more and more. The author manages to work this into the plot in a believable way, and it adds a lot of heft to the story.
When Jacob is first introduced, he comes of as kind of cocky and used to having things go his way. But he has to be on his best behavior or his dream of a career in the NHL could be over. This college route (Bayard Bears) of playing hockey is his last chance. He meets goal-oriented Skylar and is instantly attracted (as is she). For different reasons, neither is interested in a 'relationship'. Both are very focused on their studies (she has a dream of being a doctor like her over-achieving sister) and he has to maintain good grades while also putting everything he has into hockey. Who has time for a boyfriend/girlfriend?
They come up with a plan where Skylar becomes his 'pretend girlfriend'--to ward off all the 'puck bunnies' after him. But when their 'pretend' relationship becomes all too real (with plenty of passionate sex), what will Jacob do? Will he admit his feelings for Skylar? When Skylar finds out about Jacob's past, and how it relates to what happened to her in her past, will she still want to be with him?
This is the first book in a new series (Bayard Hockey)--Bayard is the name of the fictional upstate New York college campus--and it's a great start. Both Jacob and Skylar have roommates (most of them likable), so I expect we'll see some pairing up in the future? I absolutely loved the crazy hot chemistry between Jacob and Skylar, I loved reading about their struggles, insecurities, and successes, and loved watching their relationship grow from something casual into something like a mature love. Of course their story isn't over (they're only sophomores) and there are some questions (will Jacob get drafted? Will he stay in college with Skylar? Will Skylar succeed in her course of study?) I'm hoping these questions will be answered in future novels--I want to follow them through their college years and see what happens to them.
So, a great start to a new series. If you loved Elle Kennedy's The Deal I think you'll like this one. It's similar in tone and style. I don't actively search for NA romances, but if they're by authors I trust, I'll give them a try. I'm so glad I tried this one--I found it un-put-downable! 5 stars
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley
May 28, 2016
| ARC kindly provided by Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you a lot! |
And *insert suspense music* it was a surprising good read. I say surprising not because of the author but rather because the story did not begin so well. It wasn’t after 40% of the book or so that things got better.
I’ve read some of Kelly’s other books (mostly her Aces Hockey series) and she does a decent job. I always have fun with her books but I think she’s done a better job with this new NA book. I think if she keeps getting better, she’ll be a name in the NA community.
Since everything wasn’t good, I’ll share with you all what I didn’t like about this first installment in this new series.
Like I said, the first 40% of the book wasn’t just the best. I feel like the author was still getting used to the setting and characters and everything was sort of awkward and with annoying clichés here and there.
I strongly hated how Jacob’s past wasn’t discussed earlier in the book with Skylar. It was purposely kept away to create drama and I didn’t like it. There was good amount of drama that was working and then this situation happens and it was very overwhelming. It simply wasn’t necessary.
Some things were just thrown on our faces and completely out of the blue –Brendan’s actions, to be honest and while I have no right to say someone should grieve or act after a rape, it didn’t feel, uh, I don’t know if the word is coherent or progressive but it was hinted poorly until shit hit the fan.
And towards the end of the book, some of the dialogue felt very produced. It didn’t feel organic and it was pretty overexposed. It’s not because it was well written or articulated but rather because I felt like reading an essay.
With that being said I did love all the topics that were explored here. Rape, both female and male rape, abuse of famous figures, athletes in this case, grief, overcoming your past and slut shaming.
I think this book did a good job dealing with all the above in both POVs and I think A LOT of NA and YA contemporary writers can learn from this (since we all know how shitty those genres can be at times) so I only have compliments for Kelly.
I also loved how sexual the main couple was as in how free and without condemn they were. They were fun, cute, they trust physically in each other, they explored their wants together and that’s great to read. They were both physically (on the bed) equals and I liked that.
As protagonists, I enjoyed both Skylar and Jacob. At first I had issues with Skylar but I realized it was not because of her but rather those few clichés in books that were used as plot devices that at the end did nothing for the story. I.e. Jacob giving Skylar a more than generous tip (I don’t know if $20 can be considered a lot when it comes to tipping) and then Skylar going to find Jacob and throwing the bill at him. All of that just was so they could be at the same place, really.
Situations like that were the reason why the first portion of the book was weak but as Skylar and Jacob got to know each other, things moved fluently and I loved their chemistry and how they helped each other.
Was the book perfect? No. But I liked how the author handled the romance and when I thought they were going to be all “I love you so much, I never want to live without you”, that wasn’t what happened and I was surprised with a good ending when the couple are in love but respect each other’s space in what I consider a very healthy relationship.
Note #1: If the next book is about Ben and Ella, I’ll be a happy happy woman.
And *insert suspense music* it was a surprising good read. I say surprising not because of the author but rather because the story did not begin so well. It wasn’t after 40% of the book or so that things got better.
I’ve read some of Kelly’s other books (mostly her Aces Hockey series) and she does a decent job. I always have fun with her books but I think she’s done a better job with this new NA book. I think if she keeps getting better, she’ll be a name in the NA community.
Since everything wasn’t good, I’ll share with you all what I didn’t like about this first installment in this new series.
Like I said, the first 40% of the book wasn’t just the best. I feel like the author was still getting used to the setting and characters and everything was sort of awkward and with annoying clichés here and there.
I strongly hated how Jacob’s past wasn’t discussed earlier in the book with Skylar. It was purposely kept away to create drama and I didn’t like it. There was good amount of drama that was working and then this situation happens and it was very overwhelming. It simply wasn’t necessary.
Some things were just thrown on our faces and completely out of the blue –Brendan’s actions, to be honest and while I have no right to say someone should grieve or act after a rape, it didn’t feel, uh, I don’t know if the word is coherent or progressive but it was hinted poorly until shit hit the fan.
And towards the end of the book, some of the dialogue felt very produced. It didn’t feel organic and it was pretty overexposed. It’s not because it was well written or articulated but rather because I felt like reading an essay.
With that being said I did love all the topics that were explored here. Rape, both female and male rape, abuse of famous figures, athletes in this case, grief, overcoming your past and slut shaming.
I think this book did a good job dealing with all the above in both POVs and I think A LOT of NA and YA contemporary writers can learn from this (since we all know how shitty those genres can be at times) so I only have compliments for Kelly.
I also loved how sexual the main couple was as in how free and without condemn they were. They were fun, cute, they trust physically in each other, they explored their wants together and that’s great to read. They were both physically (on the bed) equals and I liked that.
As protagonists, I enjoyed both Skylar and Jacob. At first I had issues with Skylar but I realized it was not because of her but rather those few clichés in books that were used as plot devices that at the end did nothing for the story. I.e. Jacob giving Skylar a more than generous tip (I don’t know if $20 can be considered a lot when it comes to tipping) and then Skylar going to find Jacob and throwing the bill at him. All of that just was so they could be at the same place, really.
Situations like that were the reason why the first portion of the book was weak but as Skylar and Jacob got to know each other, things moved fluently and I loved their chemistry and how they helped each other.
Was the book perfect? No. But I liked how the author handled the romance and when I thought they were going to be all “I love you so much, I never want to live without you”, that wasn’t what happened and I was surprised with a good ending when the couple are in love but respect each other’s space in what I consider a very healthy relationship.
Note #1: If the next book is about Ben and Ella, I’ll be a happy happy woman.
November 6, 2025
Up and coming hockey star, Jacob, is getting a second chance after wrongly accused of rape. He is sent to a new school (Bayard Bears) where he must run the straight and narrow and keep his nose clean of any possible accusations.
Skylar is totally focused on her future plans and has little time for becoming social. She is also very passionate about rape awareness and education where she volunteers as a counselor in new mandatory college program.
Jacob comes up with a scheme to keep the puck bunnies away by asking Skylar to become his “fake” girlfriend. I’m sure you know the fake didn’t make it long. The relationship runs hot and cold and hot again with Skylar going along for the ride until she discovers Jacob’s real reason for coming to Bayard.
Jamieson hits on the tough topic of rape and consent while working in flame worthy sexual attraction and romance.
If you are a Sports Romance fan, check out Shut Out, you won’t be disappointed.
Skylar is totally focused on her future plans and has little time for becoming social. She is also very passionate about rape awareness and education where she volunteers as a counselor in new mandatory college program.
Jacob comes up with a scheme to keep the puck bunnies away by asking Skylar to become his “fake” girlfriend. I’m sure you know the fake didn’t make it long. The relationship runs hot and cold and hot again with Skylar going along for the ride until she discovers Jacob’s real reason for coming to Bayard.
Jamieson hits on the tough topic of rape and consent while working in flame worthy sexual attraction and romance.
If you are a Sports Romance fan, check out Shut Out, you won’t be disappointed.
June 14, 2016
Shut Out by Kelly Jamieson could easily be mistaken for another entertaining sweet and sexy romance, but to categorize it purely as such would be wilful ignorance of the powerful social message it delivers.
Jacob and Skylar meet at a time when both are at a crossroads in their lives. Skylar is barely keeping one foot in front of the other after the death of one of her best friends, and struggling to maintain pace with her uber-successful older sister. Jacob has been forced to move countries and enroll in college in order to continue to have a shot at a pro-hockey career. Determined to stick on the straight and narrow, he finds his resolve quickly crumbling once he meets Sky.
Initially, their relationship is one of mutual convenience, but they can't deny their feelings for one another and the lines between what's fake and what's real become blurred.
The romance and sex scenes were well-written and I totally ship our couple. Because they are both battling such heavy, complex demons, they inevitably lose their way at one point. I love these type of angsty stories so this book was right up my alley.
I loved Jacob's group of friends, less so Skylar's. I always enjoy NA that's set in uni with a sports theme and the worldbuilding was great.
The plot is predictable enough, but it doesn't matter because this book has a lot going for it.
Both Jacob and Skylar have been impacted by rape. While Jacob is guilty of walking away without considering the consequences for all those involved, Skylar's experience has been more personal. Through their interactions and the amazing training programme that Skylar part-delivers, Jacob begins to reflect on how he could have acted differently. It changes him and we see concrete evidence of that in later scenes. While this is a heavy and sensitive subject matter it is dealt with in an exemplary fashion, and in a way that doesn't overshadow the rest of the plot. This element was superbly executed in my opinion, and I love that Kelly explored how training, education, and support can help all the victims of rape. This plot line wasn't sensationalized or glossed over - it was very appropriately handled and I applaud the author for that.
I really enjoyed Kelly's writing style and it flowed effortlessly.
All in all, this was a great read and a great introduction to this author. I look forward to checking out more of her work and more in this series.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This will appear on my blog in due course. http://myyanabookobsession.com
Jacob and Skylar meet at a time when both are at a crossroads in their lives. Skylar is barely keeping one foot in front of the other after the death of one of her best friends, and struggling to maintain pace with her uber-successful older sister. Jacob has been forced to move countries and enroll in college in order to continue to have a shot at a pro-hockey career. Determined to stick on the straight and narrow, he finds his resolve quickly crumbling once he meets Sky.
Initially, their relationship is one of mutual convenience, but they can't deny their feelings for one another and the lines between what's fake and what's real become blurred.
The romance and sex scenes were well-written and I totally ship our couple. Because they are both battling such heavy, complex demons, they inevitably lose their way at one point. I love these type of angsty stories so this book was right up my alley.
I loved Jacob's group of friends, less so Skylar's. I always enjoy NA that's set in uni with a sports theme and the worldbuilding was great.
The plot is predictable enough, but it doesn't matter because this book has a lot going for it.
Both Jacob and Skylar have been impacted by rape. While Jacob is guilty of walking away without considering the consequences for all those involved, Skylar's experience has been more personal. Through their interactions and the amazing training programme that Skylar part-delivers, Jacob begins to reflect on how he could have acted differently. It changes him and we see concrete evidence of that in later scenes. While this is a heavy and sensitive subject matter it is dealt with in an exemplary fashion, and in a way that doesn't overshadow the rest of the plot. This element was superbly executed in my opinion, and I love that Kelly explored how training, education, and support can help all the victims of rape. This plot line wasn't sensationalized or glossed over - it was very appropriately handled and I applaud the author for that.
I really enjoyed Kelly's writing style and it flowed effortlessly.
All in all, this was a great read and a great introduction to this author. I look forward to checking out more of her work and more in this series.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This will appear on my blog in due course. http://myyanabookobsession.com
July 5, 2016
Would have been a 5 but the ending sucked. Just stopped...
July 7, 2018
I thought Shut Out was a really well written college sports story and had a sweet, sexy hero and a smart, strong heroine. Although the subject of rape was the driving force of this story, it was in a way that wasn't too uncomfortable for me to read, and I loved how realistically both Jacob and Skylar dealt with it.
The only thing I would change would be to perhaps add an epilogue so I could see how Jacob and Skylar's relationship had progressed in the future.
I would be really interested in reading stories about other characters in this story, such as Buck and Ben.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The only thing I would change would be to perhaps add an epilogue so I could see how Jacob and Skylar's relationship had progressed in the future.
I would be really interested in reading stories about other characters in this story, such as Buck and Ben.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2020
https://celebrityreaders.com/2017/07/...
3.5 stars -- Do you ever finish a book and just have no idea how to rate it? I'm a gut feeling rater, and this one left me a bit jumbled. There were a lot of things about this book that I absolutely LOVED!!! But at the same time, it took me like HOURS to just finish the last like 10%. I lost my verve for it somewhere along the way.
Let's talk about about the things I loved first for a change (b/c I usually lead with the bad). I adored all the little conversations this book ended up having with the reader about very important topics, and I loved the way they were brought up in the book and addressed. From rape culture to intimate relationship abuse to actual sexual violence for both females AND males to sexual consent to even slut shaming. I just loved that the conversations were happening in the book, were very important to the story of the characters, but felt natural at the same time. And we got to see some very different perspectives surrounding this really broad topic, and how confusing it can be, but how important having the conversations and moving our society forward is. Especially in the context of a college campus. We even got to see some of the skewed mentality surrounding athletes and how they are treated by the opposite sex, as well as how that can lead to a feeling of entitlement. The book didn't provide a bunch of easy answers, but just took a frank look. And it wasn't too cheesy, and not too in your face either. In the end, this was my favourite part of the book.
I also LOVED the bantering between our hero and heroine. You could feel their chemistry right from the beginning, and I loved that you could see their friendship grow even when they were both consumed with feelings of lust. But seriously, they were really pretty cute together, and they definitely made me laugh at times. They did get a bit cheesy at the end, I struggled through some of the dialogue at times when they were professing feelings, but that could have been just me.
And I enjoyed both characters in general. I wasn't necessarily in love with either of them, but neither did they annoy the crap out of me. Not a ringing endorsement, I know, but it's just the way I felt. Basically for all the things I loved about each of them, there was something else that bugged me.
For example, I really enjoyed that Skylar was struggling to follow in her sisters footsteps, and had a bit of a crisis over what she wanted to do with her life (balancing parental expectations with her own passions). BUT it kind of annoyed me that she didn't talk to them. I guess that's kind of realistic, young adults can make some pretty silly assumptions sometimes. But still. At the same time I was really impressed with her work with SAPAP and I loved how passionate she was about it. She really broke it down and made it less awkward, and she was pretty frank about how she was feeling. I also loved that while we didn't see her journey with her therapist, you could see some of the positive influences it made on her. BUT! I couldn't help but feel disappointed with the way she handled the aftermath of Brendan's suicide...and all that shiznit with Ella. AGAIN, it was probably pretty realistic, but I guess I was wanting something there. That's probably more on me than her though.
As for Jacob, well, I had mixed feelings about how he responded after the "incident" that the book opens with. BUT part of that was because the author chose not to go into details about what happened until MUCH later in the book, and so as a reader you're left to try to guess at what happened, and so it made it hard to understand his reactions. At the same time, I LOVED the way he developed as a character wrt all that, and how he responded to the training he underwent, and how he really took that on and allowed it to impact his life in a positive way. And I loved how dedicated he was to his hockey career, and I really appreciated the conversation he and Skylar had about while he may have talent, he still works really hard to be that good. I think people forget that about naturally talented athletes.
Things I disliked: how Skylar reacted to Jacob's secret (not listening to his side is just a big NOPE); the sudden introduction to more of Skylar's story than I was expecting (kind of came out of the blue, wish there had been hints); some of the talking during sex really ruined it for me (I just can't read a character saying "Yeah. Oh yeah." and not want to giggle, it doesn't feel natural). Which is not to say the steamy parts weren't deliciously steamy, I just wish the talking had felt more natural. Also, they occasionally felt older than 19/20.
I LOVED the guys Jared lives with, and I enjoyed seeing him develop friendships with them. They were so funny and cute, and I hope to see their stories. At the same time, maybe due to the nature of Skylar's story, I was disappointed in the lack of female secondary characters to love. There were a lot of tiny female parts, but the only major one was Ella, and it was kind of hard to love her.
As an aside, I LOVE reading books by Canadian authors, or about characters that are Canadian...I love seeing things I recognize. My hubby laughed at me and said now I know how minority groups must feel when they read diverse characters that represent them. BUT, as a good ole Saskatchewan girl, born and raised, I must say that Saskatoon's team is the BLADES, Moose Jaw is the WARRIORS. Tsk tsk. :P
So yeah. See? Conflicted. Do I round up or down? I DON'T KNOW!!! I'm going to round up and say that the awesome amount of *actual* hockey in this sports romance put it over the top for me. ;)
3.5 stars -- Do you ever finish a book and just have no idea how to rate it? I'm a gut feeling rater, and this one left me a bit jumbled. There were a lot of things about this book that I absolutely LOVED!!! But at the same time, it took me like HOURS to just finish the last like 10%. I lost my verve for it somewhere along the way.
Let's talk about about the things I loved first for a change (b/c I usually lead with the bad). I adored all the little conversations this book ended up having with the reader about very important topics, and I loved the way they were brought up in the book and addressed. From rape culture to intimate relationship abuse to actual sexual violence for both females AND males to sexual consent to even slut shaming. I just loved that the conversations were happening in the book, were very important to the story of the characters, but felt natural at the same time. And we got to see some very different perspectives surrounding this really broad topic, and how confusing it can be, but how important having the conversations and moving our society forward is. Especially in the context of a college campus. We even got to see some of the skewed mentality surrounding athletes and how they are treated by the opposite sex, as well as how that can lead to a feeling of entitlement. The book didn't provide a bunch of easy answers, but just took a frank look. And it wasn't too cheesy, and not too in your face either. In the end, this was my favourite part of the book.
I also LOVED the bantering between our hero and heroine. You could feel their chemistry right from the beginning, and I loved that you could see their friendship grow even when they were both consumed with feelings of lust. But seriously, they were really pretty cute together, and they definitely made me laugh at times. They did get a bit cheesy at the end, I struggled through some of the dialogue at times when they were professing feelings, but that could have been just me.
And I enjoyed both characters in general. I wasn't necessarily in love with either of them, but neither did they annoy the crap out of me. Not a ringing endorsement, I know, but it's just the way I felt. Basically for all the things I loved about each of them, there was something else that bugged me.
For example, I really enjoyed that Skylar was struggling to follow in her sisters footsteps, and had a bit of a crisis over what she wanted to do with her life (balancing parental expectations with her own passions). BUT it kind of annoyed me that she didn't talk to them. I guess that's kind of realistic, young adults can make some pretty silly assumptions sometimes. But still. At the same time I was really impressed with her work with SAPAP and I loved how passionate she was about it. She really broke it down and made it less awkward, and she was pretty frank about how she was feeling. I also loved that while we didn't see her journey with her therapist, you could see some of the positive influences it made on her. BUT! I couldn't help but feel disappointed with the way she handled the aftermath of Brendan's suicide...and all that shiznit with Ella. AGAIN, it was probably pretty realistic, but I guess I was wanting something there. That's probably more on me than her though.
As for Jacob, well, I had mixed feelings about how he responded after the "incident" that the book opens with. BUT part of that was because the author chose not to go into details about what happened until MUCH later in the book, and so as a reader you're left to try to guess at what happened, and so it made it hard to understand his reactions. At the same time, I LOVED the way he developed as a character wrt all that, and how he responded to the training he underwent, and how he really took that on and allowed it to impact his life in a positive way. And I loved how dedicated he was to his hockey career, and I really appreciated the conversation he and Skylar had about while he may have talent, he still works really hard to be that good. I think people forget that about naturally talented athletes.
Things I disliked: how Skylar reacted to Jacob's secret (not listening to his side is just a big NOPE); the sudden introduction to more of Skylar's story than I was expecting (kind of came out of the blue, wish there had been hints); some of the talking during sex really ruined it for me (I just can't read a character saying "Yeah. Oh yeah." and not want to giggle, it doesn't feel natural). Which is not to say the steamy parts weren't deliciously steamy, I just wish the talking had felt more natural. Also, they occasionally felt older than 19/20.
I LOVED the guys Jared lives with, and I enjoyed seeing him develop friendships with them. They were so funny and cute, and I hope to see their stories. At the same time, maybe due to the nature of Skylar's story, I was disappointed in the lack of female secondary characters to love. There were a lot of tiny female parts, but the only major one was Ella, and it was kind of hard to love her.
As an aside, I LOVE reading books by Canadian authors, or about characters that are Canadian...I love seeing things I recognize. My hubby laughed at me and said now I know how minority groups must feel when they read diverse characters that represent them. BUT, as a good ole Saskatchewan girl, born and raised, I must say that Saskatoon's team is the BLADES, Moose Jaw is the WARRIORS. Tsk tsk. :P
So yeah. See? Conflicted. Do I round up or down? I DON'T KNOW!!! I'm going to round up and say that the awesome amount of *actual* hockey in this sports romance put it over the top for me. ;)
April 25, 2017
Great chemistry and many hot scenes between Skylar amd Jacob, but the story is just okay and at the end both heroes act very out of character. And worse: the issues sexual harassment, rape culture, sexual violence and bystander intervention are too present - and in my opinion their consequences (for men) much too exaggerated.
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Ausführliche Rezension auf Deutsch: http://buecher.ueber-alles.net/?p=20427
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Ausführliche Rezension auf Deutsch: http://buecher.ueber-alles.net/?p=20427
June 7, 2016
Slick's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
*Reviewers note: Because we know that some situations can be triggers for some readers Shut Out contains the recounting of a rape, discussions on rape awareness and prevention and the effects on those left behind when a friend commits suicide.
This new adult romance by Kelly Jamieson is a bit unlike anything I've read before; it contains a powerful message, it is very relevant to things happening on college campuses everywhere and yet it isn't preachy and she manages to weave a very sweet yet supremely sexy romance throughout and that takes some talent. Emotional, playful, sexy and empowering, Shut Out by Kelly Jamieson is one of my top reads of 2016.
Following a scandal that left him ineligible for the NHL draft and out of the Canadian Western Hockey League, Jacob is now attending Bayard College and trying to keep his grades up and himself out of any trouble. Hockey has been and is Jacob's life and he will do anything to have the chance to be drafted into the NHL. While his new roommates are all hockey players he is having a hard time adapting to college life and making friends. At the beginning of this book Jacob struck me as an entitled, whiney a$$ athlete and I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this book very much, but he quickly won me over and throughout this book he proved over and over he is hero material. That's not to say he didn't make some mistakes and I did have to remind myself a couple of times during this book that these are VERY young adults and cut them some slack for some of their actions, but this story was so compelling that it was easy to overlook things that normally drive me a bit crazy.
Skylar's freshman year at Bayard was not stellar, but she is determined to be focused and on point this year and has strategies in place to make her goals. She's confident she can do it and she's not afraid to work hard to accomplish them. I liked Skylar from the start and admired the fact that she was taking a full course load, working part-time and doing volunteer work that meant something to her. She has some issues both with her best friend who seems to be spiraling out of control and questioning her major, but overall she is a pretty admirable girl and as this book unfolds I am amazed by her strength, her courage and her perseverance.
Jacob and Skylar meet at a house party and hit it off and while things get a bit weird, they somehow manage to get past it and become friends and eventually more. I really enjoyed these two together and the easy nature of their relationship and more than that it was easy to see that they both cared for one another. They both needed a close friend, someone to listen about their bad day, help them talk through things that were bothering them and sometimes just to unload and yes, I wish they had been comfortable enough with each other to share some pretty big things they hadn't shared with many others but I also get that they were trying to not be serious about one another which is why when those big things came about, it changed their relationship and in fact threatened it.
I really did love that these two laughed together a lot, that they were comfortable enough with one another to tease and give each other sh*t and yet could also be a safe place for the other to land when they needed it. Although young, I felt they had a pretty adult relationship; they just made some rookie mistakes like people their age tend to do.
While Shut Out is a coming of age romance there was seriousness to this story that made it relateable, relevant, and poignant yet it wasn't oppressive, in fact it was extremely hopeful and a beautifully written love story.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
*Reviewers note: Because we know that some situations can be triggers for some readers Shut Out contains the recounting of a rape, discussions on rape awareness and prevention and the effects on those left behind when a friend commits suicide.
This new adult romance by Kelly Jamieson is a bit unlike anything I've read before; it contains a powerful message, it is very relevant to things happening on college campuses everywhere and yet it isn't preachy and she manages to weave a very sweet yet supremely sexy romance throughout and that takes some talent. Emotional, playful, sexy and empowering, Shut Out by Kelly Jamieson is one of my top reads of 2016.
Following a scandal that left him ineligible for the NHL draft and out of the Canadian Western Hockey League, Jacob is now attending Bayard College and trying to keep his grades up and himself out of any trouble. Hockey has been and is Jacob's life and he will do anything to have the chance to be drafted into the NHL. While his new roommates are all hockey players he is having a hard time adapting to college life and making friends. At the beginning of this book Jacob struck me as an entitled, whiney a$$ athlete and I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this book very much, but he quickly won me over and throughout this book he proved over and over he is hero material. That's not to say he didn't make some mistakes and I did have to remind myself a couple of times during this book that these are VERY young adults and cut them some slack for some of their actions, but this story was so compelling that it was easy to overlook things that normally drive me a bit crazy.
Skylar's freshman year at Bayard was not stellar, but she is determined to be focused and on point this year and has strategies in place to make her goals. She's confident she can do it and she's not afraid to work hard to accomplish them. I liked Skylar from the start and admired the fact that she was taking a full course load, working part-time and doing volunteer work that meant something to her. She has some issues both with her best friend who seems to be spiraling out of control and questioning her major, but overall she is a pretty admirable girl and as this book unfolds I am amazed by her strength, her courage and her perseverance.
Jacob and Skylar meet at a house party and hit it off and while things get a bit weird, they somehow manage to get past it and become friends and eventually more. I really enjoyed these two together and the easy nature of their relationship and more than that it was easy to see that they both cared for one another. They both needed a close friend, someone to listen about their bad day, help them talk through things that were bothering them and sometimes just to unload and yes, I wish they had been comfortable enough with each other to share some pretty big things they hadn't shared with many others but I also get that they were trying to not be serious about one another which is why when those big things came about, it changed their relationship and in fact threatened it.
I really did love that these two laughed together a lot, that they were comfortable enough with one another to tease and give each other sh*t and yet could also be a safe place for the other to land when they needed it. Although young, I felt they had a pretty adult relationship; they just made some rookie mistakes like people their age tend to do.
While Shut Out is a coming of age romance there was seriousness to this story that made it relateable, relevant, and poignant yet it wasn't oppressive, in fact it was extremely hopeful and a beautifully written love story.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
October 5, 2016
Shut Out is the very first book in the new adult genre that I have read by Kelly Jamieson. Frankly, I hope she continues in this genre further because I vastly enjoyed this book. I’m excited to see where she goes with the rest of this series in particular.
I’m used to Ms. Jamieson’s hockey romances, I’ve read many of them over the years. In fact, they are probably some of my favorite and definite go to books when I want a great sports romance. She knows her stuff, especailly when it comes to hockey and that makes her books all that more interesting to me.
Shut Out, in particular, is the start of a new series that takes place at Bayard college. Roughly 275 pages, told from a dual point of view between the main characters and it does have an HEA. It has what I like to call a slow build start, one that is well worth the reading you put into it because it flushes out the background of the book so well.
I found this book sweet, it evoked the feels and had a great storyline. The characters were fun and engaging, I felt like I got to know them to an extent. The book itself touches on some sensitive topics, too but even those are very well done. (Again, because of that slow build start!)
Shut Out would have been a full 5 stars for me, but I’m putting it more at a 4 and a half, only, and I’m stressing this here, only because it cuts off very abruptly. It’s really just like, boom, you’re done. I personally wanted more. Outside of that, it was fantastic and I would definitely recommend it.
**ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an -Honest- review.**
I’m used to Ms. Jamieson’s hockey romances, I’ve read many of them over the years. In fact, they are probably some of my favorite and definite go to books when I want a great sports romance. She knows her stuff, especailly when it comes to hockey and that makes her books all that more interesting to me.
Shut Out, in particular, is the start of a new series that takes place at Bayard college. Roughly 275 pages, told from a dual point of view between the main characters and it does have an HEA. It has what I like to call a slow build start, one that is well worth the reading you put into it because it flushes out the background of the book so well.
I found this book sweet, it evoked the feels and had a great storyline. The characters were fun and engaging, I felt like I got to know them to an extent. The book itself touches on some sensitive topics, too but even those are very well done. (Again, because of that slow build start!)
Shut Out would have been a full 5 stars for me, but I’m putting it more at a 4 and a half, only, and I’m stressing this here, only because it cuts off very abruptly. It’s really just like, boom, you’re done. I personally wanted more. Outside of that, it was fantastic and I would definitely recommend it.
**ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an -Honest- review.**
June 21, 2016
4 easy stars. This book was an easy read with an easy to understand outcome. There's wasn't too much in the way of tension and problems but that's okay because sometimes an easy read is needed. The hockey/athlete thing usually draws me in because I do love a larger than life character. If you're looking for something to through you for a loop, this book is not it. That isn't a bad thing, but I can see how people wouldn't like this if that's what they are looking for.
Jacob and Skylar have immediate and tantalization attraction and chemistry. From the moment they meet, they leave impressions upon one another. Jacob knows he's supposed to stay away from females considering the scandal that landed him at the college but he can't help himself when Skylar is around. Skylar likes to stay away from the athletes but Jacob is so much more than he seems that he gets under her skin, inside of her brain and threatens the safety of her heart.
It isn't hard to like Jacob or Skylar. It is easy to understand both parties issues and hurdles. It is also easy to realize that things will pretty easily work out so there isn't much threat to your heart. Overall, I just enjoyed the read and loved the hockey playing hero.
Jacob and Skylar have immediate and tantalization attraction and chemistry. From the moment they meet, they leave impressions upon one another. Jacob knows he's supposed to stay away from females considering the scandal that landed him at the college but he can't help himself when Skylar is around. Skylar likes to stay away from the athletes but Jacob is so much more than he seems that he gets under her skin, inside of her brain and threatens the safety of her heart.
It isn't hard to like Jacob or Skylar. It is easy to understand both parties issues and hurdles. It is also easy to realize that things will pretty easily work out so there isn't much threat to your heart. Overall, I just enjoyed the read and loved the hockey playing hero.
May 24, 2016
Thanks to Netgalley and Loveswept for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I have read a few books by Kelly Jamieson by now which I all enjoyed it a lot, so I was looking forward to her newest hockey romance.
I am definitely not disappointed but there was also some things which bothered me.
The lovestory was absolutely amazing. Skylar and Jacob had a chemistry which literally set everything on fire. They were working so great together and I enjoyed my time with them a lot. The intimate scenes were absolutely hot.
Both their background stories were interesting and I liked that both weren't completely broken by their past. This is a nice change to many books in this genre.
There were some great side characters as well and the hockey took a perfect amount of time in this book.
The main thing that bothered me where the courses about rape and sexual harassment. For my taste it played a too lectuaral touch. To consent was mentioned way too offensive throughout the story. There were also some points I couldn't agree with.
Overall this was another great read by Kelly Jamieson. I love her stories and her writing style and I hope to read many more books by her.
I have read a few books by Kelly Jamieson by now which I all enjoyed it a lot, so I was looking forward to her newest hockey romance.
I am definitely not disappointed but there was also some things which bothered me.
The lovestory was absolutely amazing. Skylar and Jacob had a chemistry which literally set everything on fire. They were working so great together and I enjoyed my time with them a lot. The intimate scenes were absolutely hot.
Both their background stories were interesting and I liked that both weren't completely broken by their past. This is a nice change to many books in this genre.
There were some great side characters as well and the hockey took a perfect amount of time in this book.
The main thing that bothered me where the courses about rape and sexual harassment. For my taste it played a too lectuaral touch. To consent was mentioned way too offensive throughout the story. There were also some points I couldn't agree with.
Overall this was another great read by Kelly Jamieson. I love her stories and her writing style and I hope to read many more books by her.
June 5, 2016
I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. I wasn't all terrible.. it was just terrible until about half way through. I almost put the book down multiple times.
I really don't want to give things away, so it's hard for me to review this book. That is one thing that I don't think I'll ever be great at. So this will be short and sweet. The thing that bothered me the most was that we didn't find out a lot until the very end. The author lets us know that their are secrets and more going on in certain situations but I just felt like it was being held over my head. It annoyed me. Besides that I wasn't a fan of some of the dialogue.. it seemed forced and awkward.
But besides all that I still enjoyed the book. I am glad I didn't out it down. I loved seeing Jacob grow to love Skylar. He was sweet.. well after he stopped pushing her away he was.
I will defiantly read the next book even if this one wasn't 100% for me.
I really don't want to give things away, so it's hard for me to review this book. That is one thing that I don't think I'll ever be great at. So this will be short and sweet. The thing that bothered me the most was that we didn't find out a lot until the very end. The author lets us know that their are secrets and more going on in certain situations but I just felt like it was being held over my head. It annoyed me. Besides that I wasn't a fan of some of the dialogue.. it seemed forced and awkward.
But besides all that I still enjoyed the book. I am glad I didn't out it down. I loved seeing Jacob grow to love Skylar. He was sweet.. well after he stopped pushing her away he was.
I will defiantly read the next book even if this one wasn't 100% for me.
May 16, 2016
I'm a huge fan of the hockey stories and I love Kelly Jamieson. Usually these stories are light and fun. This one, not so much. This book deals primarily about rape. In fact, this book had more of an educational side to it. Not only does it talk about rape victims but also about men who have been falsely accused and how to step in if a situation needs intervened. It's not what you would expect from a college hockey romance book. Despite the heavy subject matter, this was still a very good book. That's not surprising coming from this author. I look forward to the next book in the series. Even though I did enjoy this book, I hope book #2 is more on the light and fun side.
ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 17, 2016
*4.5 stars*
WAAAAAAAA... I just wished there had been an epilogue *POUTS*... I LOVED Jacob and Skylar that much that I want to know what happens to them in the future...
*ARC courtesy of Netgalley and Random House Publishing*
WAAAAAAAA... I just wished there had been an epilogue *POUTS*... I LOVED Jacob and Skylar that much that I want to know what happens to them in the future...
*ARC courtesy of Netgalley and Random House Publishing*
August 29, 2017
I feel like reading this book was a big PSA for rape. I did like that we got the male and female perspectives, both being in situations. Interesting how both reacted. The course that Skyler helped run seems like it should be done at every college, interesting how Jacob reacted to the training. He really seemed to take the training and his past into thought and did the right thing again and again.
The one aspect of the book that I did get tried of was the "fake relationship". Right away both Skyler and Jacob got in over their heads, but neither wanted to admit it and then later both had their pride get in the way of upsetting things for them. But with that being said, I did like how this one ended.
The one aspect of the book that I did get tried of was the "fake relationship". Right away both Skyler and Jacob got in over their heads, but neither wanted to admit it and then later both had their pride get in the way of upsetting things for them. But with that being said, I did like how this one ended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2024
TW: sexual assault/rape
This was a 2 star read, but I'm bumping the rating up because it did a pretty good job discussing sexual assault as the serious subject that it is. The actual romance was incredibly cheesy, and at times downright dumb, but the book had a good message. It was disappointing to see this book take steps backward towards the end after reading a whole book of productive sexual assault discourse. Still, the majority of the book talked about sexual assault with the nuance it deserves, and I don't want to ignore that in my complaints about the ending or general writing of the romance, so I'm rounding this up to 3 stars.
This was a 2 star read, but I'm bumping the rating up because it did a pretty good job discussing sexual assault as the serious subject that it is. The actual romance was incredibly cheesy, and at times downright dumb, but the book had a good message. It was disappointing to see this book take steps backward towards the end after reading a whole book of productive sexual assault discourse. Still, the majority of the book talked about sexual assault with the nuance it deserves, and I don't want to ignore that in my complaints about the ending or general writing of the romance, so I'm rounding this up to 3 stars.
June 7, 2016
My Review:
This is the first in a new series about college hockey from Kelly Jamieson. While I occasionally like NA stories, they aren't my go-to genre, but when one of my favorite authors makes the jump, I go with her. I adored this book!! And even better than just an amazing love story, this book also featured some really great lessons about sexual assault.
Both Skylar and Jacob have experience with sexual assault. For Skylar she works with the college to provide education and outreach for its students. Every new student has to go through the program that Skylar is working in. Jacob is only at this college because of being accused for sexual assault. While nothing came of the charges because there was no evidence (and there was no evidence because Jacob was innocent), his hockey program still decided to take a strong stand against the three hockey players who were accused. For Jacob this means he can't be drafted into the NHL. His only option is to spend a year at Bayard in their hockey program and hope the NHL drafts him from there.
After being falsely accused and punished for something he didn't do, Jacob has decided to spend this entire year without girls. That's not exactly easy when puck-bunnies are constantly throwing themselves at the hockey players from the team. He's also trying to fit in with his team and they don't understand why he keeps turning down both the parties and the girls. Along the same lines, Skylar is trying to get her life back on track this year after a horrendous event last year meant her grades plummeted. Skylar and Jacob have amazing chemistry, but similar goals of no-relationships, so they form a fake relationship so that they have one another's back.
The chemistry between Skylar and Jacob really makes this book. These two are so incredibly hot together, and they are both trying so hard to stick to their commitment of no sex or relationships. But then they start to become friends and the book gets even better. I really did love the story. Jacob is totally out of his element with this new team and new place. The school places him in a house with three other hockey players and I like how they slowly began to know and respect him. While his hockey game is evolving, so is his friendship with Skylar.
But there are some amazing lessons in this book too. Skylar is teaching about sexual harassment. Through those classes, Jacob learns tools to keep him from getting in trouble again and begins to recognize where he should have made different choices. I like how that whole aspect of the story morphed from the beginning and his attitude toward girls and his views of the puck bunnies to the end where how he viewed things became very different.
The story is fabulous and I enjoyed every moment of reading it. I can't wait for more, because there are some awesome guys on this team...and I like the coach, too.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
This is the first in a new series about college hockey from Kelly Jamieson. While I occasionally like NA stories, they aren't my go-to genre, but when one of my favorite authors makes the jump, I go with her. I adored this book!! And even better than just an amazing love story, this book also featured some really great lessons about sexual assault.
Both Skylar and Jacob have experience with sexual assault. For Skylar she works with the college to provide education and outreach for its students. Every new student has to go through the program that Skylar is working in. Jacob is only at this college because of being accused for sexual assault. While nothing came of the charges because there was no evidence (and there was no evidence because Jacob was innocent), his hockey program still decided to take a strong stand against the three hockey players who were accused. For Jacob this means he can't be drafted into the NHL. His only option is to spend a year at Bayard in their hockey program and hope the NHL drafts him from there.
After being falsely accused and punished for something he didn't do, Jacob has decided to spend this entire year without girls. That's not exactly easy when puck-bunnies are constantly throwing themselves at the hockey players from the team. He's also trying to fit in with his team and they don't understand why he keeps turning down both the parties and the girls. Along the same lines, Skylar is trying to get her life back on track this year after a horrendous event last year meant her grades plummeted. Skylar and Jacob have amazing chemistry, but similar goals of no-relationships, so they form a fake relationship so that they have one another's back.
The chemistry between Skylar and Jacob really makes this book. These two are so incredibly hot together, and they are both trying so hard to stick to their commitment of no sex or relationships. But then they start to become friends and the book gets even better. I really did love the story. Jacob is totally out of his element with this new team and new place. The school places him in a house with three other hockey players and I like how they slowly began to know and respect him. While his hockey game is evolving, so is his friendship with Skylar.
But there are some amazing lessons in this book too. Skylar is teaching about sexual harassment. Through those classes, Jacob learns tools to keep him from getting in trouble again and begins to recognize where he should have made different choices. I like how that whole aspect of the story morphed from the beginning and his attitude toward girls and his views of the puck bunnies to the end where how he viewed things became very different.
The story is fabulous and I enjoyed every moment of reading it. I can't wait for more, because there are some awesome guys on this team...and I like the coach, too.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
June 9, 2016
"Shut Out" is the first book in Kelly Jameson's "Bayard Hockey" series. Not to be confused with the "Aces Hockey" series she is currently in the middle of. Seems weird to introduce a new hockey series while in the midst of another hockey series but whatever.
I love the authors "Aces" series but I don't think this one quite did it for me. I thought it was ok, it was very well written, and there were even some parts I really enjoyed, but there were just too many things I had issues with:
I knew it was labeled "New Adult" but it should actually be considered "Really Really New Adult". The main characters were both 19. Teenagers for goodness sakes. They kind of waffled between being immature and acting their age to seeming mature beyond their years.
The entire book was centered around rape/rape culture/forms of consent. And when I say entire I do mean constantly brought up. On the one hand this IS a very important topic and not one to be swept under the rug. The author did a really great job of approaching this with sensitivity and respect. On the other hand I sort of felt like I was reading a freshman's introduction guide or manual to various forms of consent. I didnt really want to debate symantics or the politics of sexual consent in a book I picked up for a nice fun reading escape.
Typical of a Kelly Jamieson book, the sex scenes were awesome. Hot and steamy. The characters did come off as being older than they were. Then I would remember they were teenagers, and while legal at 19, it still squicked me out some.
Both of the characters had some real asshole moments.
The whole "fake" boyfriend/girlfriend thing. It went so far past the point of having them realize it was no longer fake that it was ridiuculous.
Sometimes I felt like Jacob was only faithful to Sky because he didn't want to get involved with anyone else because he might get into trouble. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and have to see him cheat on her. Luckily that did NOT happen but it goes to show just how confident I felt about their relationship. Not very.
I felt on edge and antsy for the majority of the book. It just wasn't what I was looking for. It was, like I said, a very well written book so other readers might not have the same issues I had. I can't say I'll be picking up the next book in this series but I am definitely looking forward to the next "Aces" book. Its a great series to jump into if you haven't already been introduced to it.
I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review
I love the authors "Aces" series but I don't think this one quite did it for me. I thought it was ok, it was very well written, and there were even some parts I really enjoyed, but there were just too many things I had issues with:
I knew it was labeled "New Adult" but it should actually be considered "Really Really New Adult". The main characters were both 19. Teenagers for goodness sakes. They kind of waffled between being immature and acting their age to seeming mature beyond their years.
The entire book was centered around rape/rape culture/forms of consent. And when I say entire I do mean constantly brought up. On the one hand this IS a very important topic and not one to be swept under the rug. The author did a really great job of approaching this with sensitivity and respect. On the other hand I sort of felt like I was reading a freshman's introduction guide or manual to various forms of consent. I didnt really want to debate symantics or the politics of sexual consent in a book I picked up for a nice fun reading escape.
Typical of a Kelly Jamieson book, the sex scenes were awesome. Hot and steamy. The characters did come off as being older than they were. Then I would remember they were teenagers, and while legal at 19, it still squicked me out some.
Both of the characters had some real asshole moments.
The whole "fake" boyfriend/girlfriend thing. It went so far past the point of having them realize it was no longer fake that it was ridiuculous.
Sometimes I felt like Jacob was only faithful to Sky because he didn't want to get involved with anyone else because he might get into trouble. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and have to see him cheat on her. Luckily that did NOT happen but it goes to show just how confident I felt about their relationship. Not very.
I felt on edge and antsy for the majority of the book. It just wasn't what I was looking for. It was, like I said, a very well written book so other readers might not have the same issues I had. I can't say I'll be picking up the next book in this series but I am definitely looking forward to the next "Aces" book. Its a great series to jump into if you haven't already been introduced to it.
I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review
June 2, 2016
For more reviews click HERE
*I was provided a copy by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
This was my second hockey romance in the month of May and if it wasn’t for the book I read in between both of them I would have read them in a row which would be pretty funny since I don’t read that many hockey romances. As much as I loved both books this one was quite different from the one I read before but both were different in good kind of ways.
I really liked the characters in this book. I loved Jacob. He was a great character and he knew what he wanted to do with his life. Yes he made some mistakes punished for that (and even more things that he didn’t do) and he did learn with his mistakes. Also, he was pretty cool and he really liked Skylar (even if he does something a little bit stupid by the end). I also really liked Skylar. She went through something really difficult but as difficult as it was she used that to find out what she really loves to do and I loved that what happened to her didn’t define her life. These two had an amazing chemistry and I loved them together. It’s really funny when they started a fake relationship that for me it wasn’t fake at all. Seriously, that relationship was only fake in their heads (mostly in Skylar’s). But I really liked their relationship. I also really liked Jacob’s roommates/teammates/friends, especially Buck. I loved Buck and I want the next book to be about him and Ella (even if I didn’t like Ella that much in this book).
This book deals with a sensitive subject and it’s something that might not be easy to read to some people but I loved how it was integrated in the story and how important it was. I think it was well incorporated and it was something that affected both Jacob and Skylar and I really liked the way it was included in the story.
Another thing I really liked was the writing style. I think the writing flew pretty easily and I loved that it had dual POV but we could still differentiate Jacob and Skylar’s voices. It was a really enjoyable book.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I loved the story and I loved how the main plot was also used to educate people about things they might have doubts about. This book made me want to keep reading this series and also Kelly Jamieson’s other books. If you like NA hockey romances what are you waiting to read this one?
*I was provided a copy by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
This was my second hockey romance in the month of May and if it wasn’t for the book I read in between both of them I would have read them in a row which would be pretty funny since I don’t read that many hockey romances. As much as I loved both books this one was quite different from the one I read before but both were different in good kind of ways.
I really liked the characters in this book. I loved Jacob. He was a great character and he knew what he wanted to do with his life. Yes he made some mistakes punished for that (and even more things that he didn’t do) and he did learn with his mistakes. Also, he was pretty cool and he really liked Skylar (even if he does something a little bit stupid by the end). I also really liked Skylar. She went through something really difficult but as difficult as it was she used that to find out what she really loves to do and I loved that what happened to her didn’t define her life. These two had an amazing chemistry and I loved them together. It’s really funny when they started a fake relationship that for me it wasn’t fake at all. Seriously, that relationship was only fake in their heads (mostly in Skylar’s). But I really liked their relationship. I also really liked Jacob’s roommates/teammates/friends, especially Buck. I loved Buck and I want the next book to be about him and Ella (even if I didn’t like Ella that much in this book).
This book deals with a sensitive subject and it’s something that might not be easy to read to some people but I loved how it was integrated in the story and how important it was. I think it was well incorporated and it was something that affected both Jacob and Skylar and I really liked the way it was included in the story.
Another thing I really liked was the writing style. I think the writing flew pretty easily and I loved that it had dual POV but we could still differentiate Jacob and Skylar’s voices. It was a really enjoyable book.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I loved the story and I loved how the main plot was also used to educate people about things they might have doubts about. This book made me want to keep reading this series and also Kelly Jamieson’s other books. If you like NA hockey romances what are you waiting to read this one?
June 6, 2016
Shut Out was my first book by Kelly Jamieson. After reading and liking it, I looked up other books by her and to my surprise had to discover that I already own her Heller Brothers box-set on my Kindle. Yay, me!
To be quite honest, I really didn't know what Shut Out was about when I started it, because all I could remember about the blurb was that it was about icehockey (big plus) and New Adult (also big plus). I'm one of those people that forget blurbs immediately and am always surprised about the direction a book takes.
While I have to admit that Shut Out couldn't quite reach my favourite icehockey NA-book The Deal by Elle Kennedy, it is a close second.
What I really liked about Shut Out was that Kelly Jamieson did her homework. She actually knows what she's talking about when she mentions hockey in her books. That's not something I take for granted. A few month back I read a book, also about ice hockey, and my poor lovely sport was butchered. So I'm always grateful when an author actually knows the sport they are talking about.
Anyway, on to the characters. I really liked Jacob, he was cocky, but also quite grown up. He genuily cared for what happened around him and he tries to correct his mistakes of the past.
Skylar, on the other hand, I liked as well, but she felt a little felt flat to me. I really don't know why. I just felt like she was a little boring sometimes. Not that I'm more interesting, I just thought she should be as equally interesting as Jacob.
Both our main characters had a big bad event taken place in the past, which I didn't find out till about 70%. Sometimes I think that's the right to go that way in a book, sometimes I don't. In Shut Out I felt like it should have been better if I would have known about it earlier, but it still worked out well. It's just a personal preference.
What I also really liked was Kelly Jamieson's writing style. It was really easy to read and the pages flew by. Her writing style also reminded me of Elle Kennedy and I mean that in a totally good way!
Shut Out was an interesting NA book, about hockey and some serious content, which was elaborated in a thoroughly way. So if that's something you think you could enjoy, I am recommending it to you without a single regret.
Rating: 4,5 stars
To be quite honest, I really didn't know what Shut Out was about when I started it, because all I could remember about the blurb was that it was about icehockey (big plus) and New Adult (also big plus). I'm one of those people that forget blurbs immediately and am always surprised about the direction a book takes.
While I have to admit that Shut Out couldn't quite reach my favourite icehockey NA-book The Deal by Elle Kennedy, it is a close second.
What I really liked about Shut Out was that Kelly Jamieson did her homework. She actually knows what she's talking about when she mentions hockey in her books. That's not something I take for granted. A few month back I read a book, also about ice hockey, and my poor lovely sport was butchered. So I'm always grateful when an author actually knows the sport they are talking about.
Anyway, on to the characters. I really liked Jacob, he was cocky, but also quite grown up. He genuily cared for what happened around him and he tries to correct his mistakes of the past.
Skylar, on the other hand, I liked as well, but she felt a little felt flat to me. I really don't know why. I just felt like she was a little boring sometimes. Not that I'm more interesting, I just thought she should be as equally interesting as Jacob.
Both our main characters had a big bad event taken place in the past, which I didn't find out till about 70%. Sometimes I think that's the right to go that way in a book, sometimes I don't. In Shut Out I felt like it should have been better if I would have known about it earlier, but it still worked out well. It's just a personal preference.
What I also really liked was Kelly Jamieson's writing style. It was really easy to read and the pages flew by. Her writing style also reminded me of Elle Kennedy and I mean that in a totally good way!
Shut Out was an interesting NA book, about hockey and some serious content, which was elaborated in a thoroughly way. So if that's something you think you could enjoy, I am recommending it to you without a single regret.
Rating: 4,5 stars
June 7, 2016
Read full review HERE
I have to say that this book was nothing like I expected it to be. And that’s a good thing :) . I liked the writing, it didn’t blow me away, but it was good. The only thing is that the language was sometimes a bit repetitive, especially during intimate scenes, but hey, there aren’t that many words to express some things.
I liked both main characters, though I think that for the first time in a NA book, I liked the female MC, Skylar, better than her romantic interest, Jacob. But ultimately they both have a good character growth. They’re also very interesting, both struggling with events in the past and trying to overcome it. One thing I really loved was how detailed the hockey scenes were. It shouldn’t be a surprise by now that I love hockey romances, and this one had the perfect amount of hockey in it.
This was yet another “fake relationship” romance, though there isn’t ever a doubt that Sky and Jacob are attracted to each other, and they act on their desires ALL THE TIME. So they’re mostly a real couple who just don’t admit that they’re for real. EHEH! Also, their intimate scenes were hot!
The theme of this book is clear and important: sexual assault, the rape culture, violence within relationships and consent. I really liked how consent is a HUGE theme throughout all the book, and it shows how simple and tricky it can be at the same time. While some situations will be clear as day, others will be gray as hell, and seeing the difference can be hard. Kudos to Jamieson for writing a book about such a difficult topic.
In the end, this was a good new adult read, with interesting characters, a good romance and a very important topic at its core, so I highly recommend it.
I have to say that this book was nothing like I expected it to be. And that’s a good thing :) . I liked the writing, it didn’t blow me away, but it was good. The only thing is that the language was sometimes a bit repetitive, especially during intimate scenes, but hey, there aren’t that many words to express some things.
I liked both main characters, though I think that for the first time in a NA book, I liked the female MC, Skylar, better than her romantic interest, Jacob. But ultimately they both have a good character growth. They’re also very interesting, both struggling with events in the past and trying to overcome it. One thing I really loved was how detailed the hockey scenes were. It shouldn’t be a surprise by now that I love hockey romances, and this one had the perfect amount of hockey in it.
This was yet another “fake relationship” romance, though there isn’t ever a doubt that Sky and Jacob are attracted to each other, and they act on their desires ALL THE TIME. So they’re mostly a real couple who just don’t admit that they’re for real. EHEH! Also, their intimate scenes were hot!
The theme of this book is clear and important: sexual assault, the rape culture, violence within relationships and consent. I really liked how consent is a HUGE theme throughout all the book, and it shows how simple and tricky it can be at the same time. While some situations will be clear as day, others will be gray as hell, and seeing the difference can be hard. Kudos to Jamieson for writing a book about such a difficult topic.
In the end, this was a good new adult read, with interesting characters, a good romance and a very important topic at its core, so I highly recommend it.
June 7, 2016
Shut Out by Kelly Jamieson is a sweet friends to lovers romance with tones of current day issues young adults are dealing with in Colleges today. This novel touches on depression, consent, sexual assault and false accusations. It's tough subject matter but so important and thought provoking as we see both sides in this novel.
Jacob Flass, NHL hopeful and star in the Canadian major junior league, received a hard check one night out partying with teammates that shook up his life and changed the outcome and his path to NHL. Vowing to keep it simple this year and stay out of trouble, Jacob does his best to avoid all types of distractions and that includes Skylar Lynwood. After an extremely rough freshman year Skylar is trying to keep her eye on the goal in her sophomore year at Bayard College. Jacob wasn't part of her plan but Skylar can't help but be drawn to him and his plan to help him stay out of trouble and focus on school and hockey seems to run into a snag.
This story was refreshing and eye opening. Consent and sexual assaults have been a hot topic and Kelly didn't shy away from those issues but went head first into hockey culture. Even though this story is College based I think everyone can relate to these characters. Following Skylar's journey to
find herself again the struggle Jacob had to change his extra curricular behavior with the pressure from his teammates. Skylar and Jacobs chemistry was undeniable and I enjoyed these so so much. 4.5 Stars for Shut Out by Kelly Jamieson
*** Reviewed for Sweet & Spicy Reads - ARC provided for a honest review ***
Jacob Flass, NHL hopeful and star in the Canadian major junior league, received a hard check one night out partying with teammates that shook up his life and changed the outcome and his path to NHL. Vowing to keep it simple this year and stay out of trouble, Jacob does his best to avoid all types of distractions and that includes Skylar Lynwood. After an extremely rough freshman year Skylar is trying to keep her eye on the goal in her sophomore year at Bayard College. Jacob wasn't part of her plan but Skylar can't help but be drawn to him and his plan to help him stay out of trouble and focus on school and hockey seems to run into a snag.
This story was refreshing and eye opening. Consent and sexual assaults have been a hot topic and Kelly didn't shy away from those issues but went head first into hockey culture. Even though this story is College based I think everyone can relate to these characters. Following Skylar's journey to
find herself again the struggle Jacob had to change his extra curricular behavior with the pressure from his teammates. Skylar and Jacobs chemistry was undeniable and I enjoyed these so so much. 4.5 Stars for Shut Out by Kelly Jamieson
*** Reviewed for Sweet & Spicy Reads - ARC provided for a honest review ***
June 8, 2016
This book was completely different the what I was expecting when I requested this book. It dealt with the subject of sexual assault, rape, and the "rape" culture in sports today. Serious subjects. Important subjects! Deserving subjects. But... Not something I was prepared to read as a "romance" with this book. I do think that the description of this book should of at least let the reader know about this sensitive subject.
I thought this book was well written and handled the subject matter very well. I think my 3 star rating goes more towards the book description not really what it is described as... I still enjoyed this book very much and liked Jacob and Skylar's relationship.
I do wish there was an epilogue.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
**I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.**
I thought this book was well written and handled the subject matter very well. I think my 3 star rating goes more towards the book description not really what it is described as... I still enjoyed this book very much and liked Jacob and Skylar's relationship.
I do wish there was an epilogue.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
**I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.**
June 7, 2016
Arc provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest review:
I loved this story from cover to cover.. it touched situations that as a college student can be seen all around campus in your every day life.. the author did a terrific job about delivering the message and moral of the story.. add hockey and a friends to lovers couple and you have a terrific story that will have you occupied for the entire book! so yes definitely this book is a shut out for Miss Jamieson and I totally recommend it!
I loved this story from cover to cover.. it touched situations that as a college student can be seen all around campus in your every day life.. the author did a terrific job about delivering the message and moral of the story.. add hockey and a friends to lovers couple and you have a terrific story that will have you occupied for the entire book! so yes definitely this book is a shut out for Miss Jamieson and I totally recommend it!
June 20, 2016
3.5 stars
Shut Out by Kelly Jamieson was a good start to the Bayard Hockey series.
It was a lot deeper than what the blurb described, and I totally got into it.
The storyline kept me turning the pages and I enjoyed watching the relationship between Jacob and Skylar develop and grow.
Shut Out was a well written, emotional and heartfelt read, I highly recommend it.
I'm a big fan of sport romances, can't wait for the next installment in the Bayard Hockey series.
*Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept via NetGalley for the advance copy.*
Shut Out by Kelly Jamieson was a good start to the Bayard Hockey series.
It was a lot deeper than what the blurb described, and I totally got into it.
The storyline kept me turning the pages and I enjoyed watching the relationship between Jacob and Skylar develop and grow.
Shut Out was a well written, emotional and heartfelt read, I highly recommend it.
I'm a big fan of sport romances, can't wait for the next installment in the Bayard Hockey series.
*Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept via NetGalley for the advance copy.*
September 4, 2019
I got the ARC of this fantastic read from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and I am so glad I requested it :) because I have found yet another gem :) a fantastic story that combines the vibes from Off-campus series with The ivy years series :) it's a new adult sports themed romance that is not only hilarious and sexy but also touches upon some serious subjects in a very thoughtful way... and to top that off, the hero is a hockey player... *sighs dreamily* ;) I don't know why, but they are my favourite athletes to read about :) so now let me tell you a bit more about the book itself :)
So first, we have Jacob :) he transfers to a new university after some controversial stuff happens that involved him in some way... I can't really say what exactly, cause the actual thing is explained a bit later in the book, so be sure to wait for the whole story before you judge :) he's determined to achieve his goals and work hard for them... and then we have Skylar :) she's a sophomore, just like Jacob, at Bayard College, struggling with putting her life back together after the suicide of one of her best friends in the year before... this is of course a very short version of a much more complicated story... she's super busy, not only taking lots of classes, but also participating in the program that helped her when she needed it most, one that is design to help students with emotional traumas, rape, sexual harassments and more very important issues... she's part of an educational course for new and transferred students, and you think that's where she meets Jacob... but not really :) they actually met before, on a party, where the sparks were flying but he turned her down, for very good reasons... but they kept meeting on more occasions and at some point Jacob, who has to keep his head on straight and stay away from distractions, has a brilliant, at least in his opinion, idea :) she proposes to her a fake relationship :) I know, what can possibly go wrong with that idea...? ;) but it would actually be beneficial for both of them so she decides to go for it, at least for some time :) their relationship starts more like a friendship, but it changes with time... the more they get to know each other, the more that initial attraction grows between them... :) I absolutely loved their chemistry and banter :) and the fact that he calls her Rapunzel was totally cute :) and since we are talking about nicknames, I need to mention one more... I absolutely cannot say who I am talking about now, but once you get to that part in the actual book you're gonna die from laughter... are you ready? :) Squishy :) every time I think about it, it still makes me laugh :)
Of course besides the main couple, we have a bunch of interesting secondary characters with lots of potential for some future stories in this series... after all, this one is just the beginning :) so there's Buck, Soupy and Rocket, Jacob's teammates and guys living in the same house :) these are of course not their names, but they use those nicknames all the time and to be honest, I don't remember their names at the moment ;) my personal favourite of them is Buck, with his love of clothes :) he's hilarious and I would love to read his story next :) and then we have Skylar's friends and roommates, Brooklyn, Natalie and her best friend Ella :) well, to be honest I had a tough time with Ella, cause I kind of didn't like her at the beginning, but she was getting through stuff of her own, and by the end of the book it got better, so I'm hoping that she will get a story of her own as well :)
Over all I absolutely adored this book :) I love how it combined the more lighter parts, the ones that were hilarious and very sexy... and I mean really steamy ;) the parts that made you laugh out loud :) with definitely darker, harder and more serious topics... but in my opinion it was done really well, in a very thoughtful way... :) the writing style was great, and throughout the whole book we have 2 POVs, and we all know how much I love that :) the whole story takes place over few months, so we can actually see how our main characters influence each other, and we can observe the changes in them :) and I always prefer that over insta-love :) of course there's some drama and angst near the end, but it wasn't an overwhelming part of the book and I wasn't annoyed by it :) it's a new author for me, but I am definitely gonna be checking out her other work :) so if you are new to her as well, this book is a perfect place to start :)
I have a few quotes for you guys to give you a little glimpse of all the amazing things waiting for you in the actual book :) but just remember, that since they all come from the ARC version of this story, the finished one might be slightly different :) but either way it will definitely show you why I loved this book so much :) happy reading ;)
Part of one of the first conversations between Jacob and Skylar :) he is not just a hot body ;) Skylar first :)
"'What are you taking?'
'Some engineering courses. A math course. Physics.'
'Physics? Seriously?'
'Yeah. Physics is cool and it actually applies to hockey. Like, skating. The friction of a skate blade with the ice. A skater propels himself forward by pushing off the ice with a force perpendicular to the skate blade. Then when he pushes off with his back leg, a perpendicular force is exerted on the skate by the ice. To push off the ice with greater force, and accelerate faster, he has to increase the angle, which increases the component of force in the direction of motion.'
I stare at him.
'Uh, sorry.' He swipes a hand over his face. 'I forgot I'm not supposed to talk about shit like that at parties. It makes people's eyes glaze over.'"
Part of a conversation between Jacob and Buck ;) Jacob first :)
"'Whoa, what's with all the beer?'
'For the party tomorrow night,' Buck answers from his seat at the kitchen table, where he's got a textbook cracked open.
'What party?'
'You said you were coming.' He narrows his eyes at me.
'Bullshit.'
'Yeah, you did, we talked about it this morning.'
'Christ, that was before I had coffee. You know I don't function before caffeine.'"
Part of another conversation between our main couple ;)
"'You should come to our game Friday night,' Jacob says.
I purse my lips. 'Hmmm. I don't really care for hockey that much.'
'What?' Eyes wide, he slaps a hand to his chest as if he's been stabbed. 'You did not just say that.'
I grin. 'Sorry, I did.'"
And the last one with Jacob and Skylar ;) Skylar first :)
"'Are you drunk?'
He gives a low laugh into my ear. 'Maybe a little.'
'Jacob.'
'Sunday's our day off. I did laundry. With only minimal supervision.'
A smile tugs at my lips. 'Good for you.'
'It's an important skill. Sadly, I never really learned it.'
'Who was supervising?'
'Buck. He's pretty good at it. I guess you have to be when you spend as much on clothes as he does. His jeans cost a hundred bucks.'
'Holy crap.'
'Yeah. So you have to separate the whites from the darks.'
My smile broadens. 'Yes. Yes, you do.'
'And not everything goes in the dryer.'
'Why are we talking about laundry?'
'Hey, it's a significant accomplishment.'"
XOXO
A
So first, we have Jacob :) he transfers to a new university after some controversial stuff happens that involved him in some way... I can't really say what exactly, cause the actual thing is explained a bit later in the book, so be sure to wait for the whole story before you judge :) he's determined to achieve his goals and work hard for them... and then we have Skylar :) she's a sophomore, just like Jacob, at Bayard College, struggling with putting her life back together after the suicide of one of her best friends in the year before... this is of course a very short version of a much more complicated story... she's super busy, not only taking lots of classes, but also participating in the program that helped her when she needed it most, one that is design to help students with emotional traumas, rape, sexual harassments and more very important issues... she's part of an educational course for new and transferred students, and you think that's where she meets Jacob... but not really :) they actually met before, on a party, where the sparks were flying but he turned her down, for very good reasons... but they kept meeting on more occasions and at some point Jacob, who has to keep his head on straight and stay away from distractions, has a brilliant, at least in his opinion, idea :) she proposes to her a fake relationship :) I know, what can possibly go wrong with that idea...? ;) but it would actually be beneficial for both of them so she decides to go for it, at least for some time :) their relationship starts more like a friendship, but it changes with time... the more they get to know each other, the more that initial attraction grows between them... :) I absolutely loved their chemistry and banter :) and the fact that he calls her Rapunzel was totally cute :) and since we are talking about nicknames, I need to mention one more... I absolutely cannot say who I am talking about now, but once you get to that part in the actual book you're gonna die from laughter... are you ready? :) Squishy :) every time I think about it, it still makes me laugh :)
Of course besides the main couple, we have a bunch of interesting secondary characters with lots of potential for some future stories in this series... after all, this one is just the beginning :) so there's Buck, Soupy and Rocket, Jacob's teammates and guys living in the same house :) these are of course not their names, but they use those nicknames all the time and to be honest, I don't remember their names at the moment ;) my personal favourite of them is Buck, with his love of clothes :) he's hilarious and I would love to read his story next :) and then we have Skylar's friends and roommates, Brooklyn, Natalie and her best friend Ella :) well, to be honest I had a tough time with Ella, cause I kind of didn't like her at the beginning, but she was getting through stuff of her own, and by the end of the book it got better, so I'm hoping that she will get a story of her own as well :)
Over all I absolutely adored this book :) I love how it combined the more lighter parts, the ones that were hilarious and very sexy... and I mean really steamy ;) the parts that made you laugh out loud :) with definitely darker, harder and more serious topics... but in my opinion it was done really well, in a very thoughtful way... :) the writing style was great, and throughout the whole book we have 2 POVs, and we all know how much I love that :) the whole story takes place over few months, so we can actually see how our main characters influence each other, and we can observe the changes in them :) and I always prefer that over insta-love :) of course there's some drama and angst near the end, but it wasn't an overwhelming part of the book and I wasn't annoyed by it :) it's a new author for me, but I am definitely gonna be checking out her other work :) so if you are new to her as well, this book is a perfect place to start :)
I have a few quotes for you guys to give you a little glimpse of all the amazing things waiting for you in the actual book :) but just remember, that since they all come from the ARC version of this story, the finished one might be slightly different :) but either way it will definitely show you why I loved this book so much :) happy reading ;)
Part of one of the first conversations between Jacob and Skylar :) he is not just a hot body ;) Skylar first :)
"'What are you taking?'
'Some engineering courses. A math course. Physics.'
'Physics? Seriously?'
'Yeah. Physics is cool and it actually applies to hockey. Like, skating. The friction of a skate blade with the ice. A skater propels himself forward by pushing off the ice with a force perpendicular to the skate blade. Then when he pushes off with his back leg, a perpendicular force is exerted on the skate by the ice. To push off the ice with greater force, and accelerate faster, he has to increase the angle, which increases the component of force in the direction of motion.'
I stare at him.
'Uh, sorry.' He swipes a hand over his face. 'I forgot I'm not supposed to talk about shit like that at parties. It makes people's eyes glaze over.'"
Part of a conversation between Jacob and Buck ;) Jacob first :)
"'Whoa, what's with all the beer?'
'For the party tomorrow night,' Buck answers from his seat at the kitchen table, where he's got a textbook cracked open.
'What party?'
'You said you were coming.' He narrows his eyes at me.
'Bullshit.'
'Yeah, you did, we talked about it this morning.'
'Christ, that was before I had coffee. You know I don't function before caffeine.'"
Part of another conversation between our main couple ;)
"'You should come to our game Friday night,' Jacob says.
I purse my lips. 'Hmmm. I don't really care for hockey that much.'
'What?' Eyes wide, he slaps a hand to his chest as if he's been stabbed. 'You did not just say that.'
I grin. 'Sorry, I did.'"
And the last one with Jacob and Skylar ;) Skylar first :)
"'Are you drunk?'
He gives a low laugh into my ear. 'Maybe a little.'
'Jacob.'
'Sunday's our day off. I did laundry. With only minimal supervision.'
A smile tugs at my lips. 'Good for you.'
'It's an important skill. Sadly, I never really learned it.'
'Who was supervising?'
'Buck. He's pretty good at it. I guess you have to be when you spend as much on clothes as he does. His jeans cost a hundred bucks.'
'Holy crap.'
'Yeah. So you have to separate the whites from the darks.'
My smile broadens. 'Yes. Yes, you do.'
'And not everything goes in the dryer.'
'Why are we talking about laundry?'
'Hey, it's a significant accomplishment.'"
XOXO
A
November 3, 2019
This review was originally posted on my review blog Deanna Reads Books
I'm a big fan of Kelly Jamieson's hockey romance novels, so I was excited to see her tackling one in new adult (or college/university setting). I do love reading books set in college, so this one was a fun one.
This one seemed a bit different than her others books as it tackles a lot of "issues." Athletes behaving badly, sexual assault, mental health and even ruined friendships. I think at times it could be a little preachy and hit you over the head, but I don't think that was a bad thing. Asking for consent is a good thing, and being absolutely sure about that is important. I don't remember having to do through consent training when I entered college, but the program that Bayard is working on sounds like a really good idea. I think every college should do it.
The situation that Jacob is in is a bad one, and it causes a lot of issues with him and Skylar, especially knowing what she went through. I do like that this happens, because it allows us to see that people can make mistakes and can grow from them. Jacob was able to do that I liked that Skylar helped him with them.
I liked their relationship a lot, and there are some fun sexy times in this one. If that's not your thing in romance books, then maybe pass on this one. If you like Jamieson's other books, I definitely recommend this one.
I'm a big fan of Kelly Jamieson's hockey romance novels, so I was excited to see her tackling one in new adult (or college/university setting). I do love reading books set in college, so this one was a fun one.
This one seemed a bit different than her others books as it tackles a lot of "issues." Athletes behaving badly, sexual assault, mental health and even ruined friendships. I think at times it could be a little preachy and hit you over the head, but I don't think that was a bad thing. Asking for consent is a good thing, and being absolutely sure about that is important. I don't remember having to do through consent training when I entered college, but the program that Bayard is working on sounds like a really good idea. I think every college should do it.
The situation that Jacob is in is a bad one, and it causes a lot of issues with him and Skylar, especially knowing what she went through. I do like that this happens, because it allows us to see that people can make mistakes and can grow from them. Jacob was able to do that I liked that Skylar helped him with them.
I liked their relationship a lot, and there are some fun sexy times in this one. If that's not your thing in romance books, then maybe pass on this one. If you like Jamieson's other books, I definitely recommend this one.
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