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Red Valley Ravens
Fresh Ice
Discover the kind of love that gives you butterflies...
Carrying with her a backpack full of romance novels and the dream of escaping her abusive uncle, Sarah Hammond flees to Red Valley, California, to start a new life. Working at a hair salon and being independent for the first time in her life feels too good to be true. When her new landlord starts harassing her, she realizes she’s traded one horrific situation for another. Then she meets Nathan Connors, the backup goaltender for the Red Valley Ravens hockey team, and discovers the kind of storybook hero that she’s only ever read about.
Haunted by his traumatic past, Nathan hopes that relocating to a new team is just what he needs to put his mistakes behind him and start fresh. Falling in love with an incredibly shy woman who holds tightly to her secrets isn’t in his game plan, but he can’t seem to help himself. Earning her trust won’t be easy, especially when he has secrets of his own.
Just as Sarah begins to discover the joy of freedom, friendship, and love, her determined uncle tracks her down. This is one family reunion that could cost Sarah her life…
Carrying with her a backpack full of romance novels and the dream of escaping her abusive uncle, Sarah Hammond flees to Red Valley, California, to start a new life. Working at a hair salon and being independent for the first time in her life feels too good to be true. When her new landlord starts harassing her, she realizes she’s traded one horrific situation for another. Then she meets Nathan Connors, the backup goaltender for the Red Valley Ravens hockey team, and discovers the kind of storybook hero that she’s only ever read about.
Haunted by his traumatic past, Nathan hopes that relocating to a new team is just what he needs to put his mistakes behind him and start fresh. Falling in love with an incredibly shy woman who holds tightly to her secrets isn’t in his game plan, but he can’t seem to help himself. Earning her trust won’t be easy, especially when he has secrets of his own.
Just as Sarah begins to discover the joy of freedom, friendship, and love, her determined uncle tracks her down. This is one family reunion that could cost Sarah her life…
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 31, 2013
13 people are currently reading
1176 people want to read
About the author
Rachelle Vaughn
20 books219 followersRachelle Vaughn loves reading all genres of romance and writing about sexy nice guys, hunky hockey players, and the occasional bad boy. When she isn't writing, Rachelle enjoys watching action movies, trying new yoga poses, and hiking in the Shasta Cascades. She lives in Northern California with her husband.
Sign up for her newsletter here. Visit her website at rachellevaughn.com.
Sign up for her newsletter here. Visit her website at rachellevaughn.com.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 27, 2013
This was my first book by this author and I wasn't let down.
Sarah is beaten down.. Living with her uncle since the age of fourteen she has spent those years with him defeated. Having seen and lived the worst that life could possible offer. Sarah's uncle, Dwight, is a horrid man. He's done unthinkable thinks to Sarah to break her and thinks of her only as his property. The things that she has endured in that tin box of a house still sickens me. With the help of her only friend, Miri, she is given the gift of hope.
Nathan is on a path of redemption. A few years back he experienced the a horrible situation that he still struggles with everyday. Now he's just trying to focus solely on his sister, nephew and getting back his career in hockey. He lives inside his head and does his best to just stay calm and concentrate. Nathan is sweet as American pie. Due to his sister, Kayla, coming out of an abusive relationship he's learned to have patience and kindness that will just melt your heart.
Sarah takes a chance.... With fear in her heart and someone she can finally call a friend, she finds her escape.. She runs.. Sarah starts up in a new town with nothing but hope. She's determined to get the right set of mind to succeed and make a life for herself. Sarah strives everyday for the most simple things out of life. A book.. A meal.. A necklace she can call her own. With the help of her only friend she was able to land a job in a salon. That's when Nathan walks in the door...
The chemistry was immediate. Sarah's calm shy behavior intrigued Nathan. He just couldn't stay away. A little awkward himself and not wanting to scare her off he approached Sarah cautiously. Little by little they begin a very sweet loving relationship. After everything that Sarah has went through it was exactly what she needed. But in the back of her head and always casting a shadow is the knowledge that Dwight is out there. He'll never give up trying to find her...
I did enjoy the story very much. Like I've been noticing more and more from newly released books this one could of used a good edit as well. Grammatical, spelling, or incomplete sentences splattered throughout the book. I don't like to harp on these things but it would of made the book so much better.
Now for the likes... I loved the different POVs. Being able to not only see what was going on in Sarah and Nathan's head but having Dwight's POV was great. Not that I wanted to get into a monsters head but it gave so much more to the story. I loved loved Nathan's patience and kindness. Don't get me wrong he was certainly all man but having that sweet spot just made me like him so much more. Seeing Sarah start to grow and heal was up lifting. A bit naive but what could you expect with the life she lead.
Great story and can't wait to pick up a few more title from this author.
Sarah is beaten down.. Living with her uncle since the age of fourteen she has spent those years with him defeated. Having seen and lived the worst that life could possible offer. Sarah's uncle, Dwight, is a horrid man. He's done unthinkable thinks to Sarah to break her and thinks of her only as his property. The things that she has endured in that tin box of a house still sickens me. With the help of her only friend, Miri, she is given the gift of hope.
Nathan is on a path of redemption. A few years back he experienced the a horrible situation that he still struggles with everyday. Now he's just trying to focus solely on his sister, nephew and getting back his career in hockey. He lives inside his head and does his best to just stay calm and concentrate. Nathan is sweet as American pie. Due to his sister, Kayla, coming out of an abusive relationship he's learned to have patience and kindness that will just melt your heart.
Sarah takes a chance.... With fear in her heart and someone she can finally call a friend, she finds her escape.. She runs.. Sarah starts up in a new town with nothing but hope. She's determined to get the right set of mind to succeed and make a life for herself. Sarah strives everyday for the most simple things out of life. A book.. A meal.. A necklace she can call her own. With the help of her only friend she was able to land a job in a salon. That's when Nathan walks in the door...
The chemistry was immediate. Sarah's calm shy behavior intrigued Nathan. He just couldn't stay away. A little awkward himself and not wanting to scare her off he approached Sarah cautiously. Little by little they begin a very sweet loving relationship. After everything that Sarah has went through it was exactly what she needed. But in the back of her head and always casting a shadow is the knowledge that Dwight is out there. He'll never give up trying to find her...
I did enjoy the story very much. Like I've been noticing more and more from newly released books this one could of used a good edit as well. Grammatical, spelling, or incomplete sentences splattered throughout the book. I don't like to harp on these things but it would of made the book so much better.
Now for the likes... I loved the different POVs. Being able to not only see what was going on in Sarah and Nathan's head but having Dwight's POV was great. Not that I wanted to get into a monsters head but it gave so much more to the story. I loved loved Nathan's patience and kindness. Don't get me wrong he was certainly all man but having that sweet spot just made me like him so much more. Seeing Sarah start to grow and heal was up lifting. A bit naive but what could you expect with the life she lead.
Great story and can't wait to pick up a few more title from this author.
July 20, 2022
I have to be careful about starting one of Rachelle’s books before bed because I’ll want to stay up all night reading! Started this last night, finished it today. Literally couldn’t put it down; had to finish it before I could move on with my life lol! Another great Razors Ice novel… in the books!
February 28, 2013
Wonderful sports romance. I loved these characters and all their struggles.
April 3, 2013
Ok so here goes the hockey mom thing again... but hey what I can say...
so fell in love with these characters right away.... Come on he is a goalie!!
Nice simple story line that takes you away from the typically romance or erotic novels of just sex... you follow her through as she takes on her new life with the fear of her old haunting her, but she is determined and a strong women. then she meets the goalie, who doesnt really phase her at first as she has no inkly about hockey! I mean come on who doesnt know about hockey... but as the story progresses the love story blooms and you see these two characters fall in love and fight the demons. Just a nice relaxing storyline.
Would enjoy more from this author!!
so fell in love with these characters right away.... Come on he is a goalie!!
Nice simple story line that takes you away from the typically romance or erotic novels of just sex... you follow her through as she takes on her new life with the fear of her old haunting her, but she is determined and a strong women. then she meets the goalie, who doesnt really phase her at first as she has no inkly about hockey! I mean come on who doesnt know about hockey... but as the story progresses the love story blooms and you see these two characters fall in love and fight the demons. Just a nice relaxing storyline.
Would enjoy more from this author!!
March 18, 2013
I give it 3-3.5. It was a cute book (obviously not the painful scars she had), but it was a little predictable and cheesy.. Mostly what was cheesy was the dialogue in a lot of places.. It just wasn't natural feeling. 'Oh you've made me so very happy'... Who says that?? I found myself skimming a few places, which is never a good sign, but I had a happy feeling when I finished, so I guess it redeemed itself..
June 8, 2013
I thought this was a cute book. A wee bit predictable but I really enjoyed her writing and am on to her next book. I loved the characters and how you were let into Dwight's mind as well. And I love me a hot sexy hockey player!
February 6, 2013
This was average. The first couple of pages were good it had me hooked...but then it changed... and I just couldnt get into it.
February 21, 2013
Story has a decent idea but just wasn't executed very well. Had the same feeling of disappointment with the other Hockey book she wrote.
September 7, 2013
This book was so good I didn't put it down
January 11, 2020
Now that Fresh Ice has been released out into the world, I can finally take a breath and talk about it. This latest release has me feeling dozens of different emotions. I’m excited for you to read it, anxious to know what you think of it, relieved that it’s finished and a little sad to say goodbye to the characters.
I had fun writing Fresh Ice. Besides enjoying Nathan and Sarah’s sweet/innocent/delicate love story, I have to admit I had a blast writing Dwight and Troy’s chapters. This was the first time I’ve written a villain’s point of view and I can’t wait to do it again.
Now that Fresh Ice is finished, I find myself torn as to what to work on next. There are currently about twenty million (well, maybe just a few dozen) ideas swirling around inside my brain. As usual, I’ll start with whichever characters are speaking to me the loudest.
There are a few things I’m sure of: There will be more books in the Razors Ice series, some sweet and some steamy. As I’ve said before, I won’t rest until I’ve married off the entire Razors hockey team. You can expect to see more of Jace, Tric and JD in the future as they will have their own books soon.
So, now I’m allowing myself a little break before I start on the next project which will probably consist of me catching up on my pinning on Pinterest and then going straight back to work because my characters’ voices won’t pipe down.
As always, I love hearing from you. Feel free to drop me an e-mail or get in touch through social media.
It’s been an incredible ride so far and I look forward to much more romance to come!
xoxo
RV
I had fun writing Fresh Ice. Besides enjoying Nathan and Sarah’s sweet/innocent/delicate love story, I have to admit I had a blast writing Dwight and Troy’s chapters. This was the first time I’ve written a villain’s point of view and I can’t wait to do it again.
Now that Fresh Ice is finished, I find myself torn as to what to work on next. There are currently about twenty million (well, maybe just a few dozen) ideas swirling around inside my brain. As usual, I’ll start with whichever characters are speaking to me the loudest.
There are a few things I’m sure of: There will be more books in the Razors Ice series, some sweet and some steamy. As I’ve said before, I won’t rest until I’ve married off the entire Razors hockey team. You can expect to see more of Jace, Tric and JD in the future as they will have their own books soon.
So, now I’m allowing myself a little break before I start on the next project which will probably consist of me catching up on my pinning on Pinterest and then going straight back to work because my characters’ voices won’t pipe down.
As always, I love hearing from you. Feel free to drop me an e-mail or get in touch through social media.
It’s been an incredible ride so far and I look forward to much more romance to come!
xoxo
RV
June 24, 2017
Heartbreaking and yet hopeful
Sarah Hammond is a survivor. She lives in hell and is subjected to horrible things by her own blood... Her uncle. Although her uncle tries everything in his power to break her spirit every single day, Sarah still maintains her desire to find a better life. With the help of her only real friend Sarah manages to flee to Red Valley and has a job waiting for her thanks to said friend.
After a few days in Red Valley, Sarah meets Nathan Connors. Nathan has his own demons that he fights with every day. He is broken just like Sarah is and perhaps that is what drew them to each other.
It was satisfying to see Sarah make it. She takes lives on a day to day basis always looking over her shoulders. You see even though Sarah broke free from her oppressor, this does not mean he will let her go that easily.
Even though this book dealt with real heavy issues, it only skimmed the surface of it not really delving too deeply perhaps because the book was not that long. You know that Sarah suffered immensely but you only get snips of it. Although they were young, life made them older than they were but there were still actions and decision made that reflected their age.
Sarah Hammond is a survivor. She lives in hell and is subjected to horrible things by her own blood... Her uncle. Although her uncle tries everything in his power to break her spirit every single day, Sarah still maintains her desire to find a better life. With the help of her only real friend Sarah manages to flee to Red Valley and has a job waiting for her thanks to said friend.
After a few days in Red Valley, Sarah meets Nathan Connors. Nathan has his own demons that he fights with every day. He is broken just like Sarah is and perhaps that is what drew them to each other.
It was satisfying to see Sarah make it. She takes lives on a day to day basis always looking over her shoulders. You see even though Sarah broke free from her oppressor, this does not mean he will let her go that easily.
Even though this book dealt with real heavy issues, it only skimmed the surface of it not really delving too deeply perhaps because the book was not that long. You know that Sarah suffered immensely but you only get snips of it. Although they were young, life made them older than they were but there were still actions and decision made that reflected their age.
October 30, 2023
This wasn't a bad book, it was just a bit over the top. the bad guys seemed like a cliché with no motive and cliché behavior. I'm sure many women are abused and treated like shit, this just didn't sound real at all. I liked the ending just fine, and i enjoyed bits and pieces. but I didn't think this was a great book and I wouldn't recommend it per se
June 20, 2014
Sarah has had a rough life that would make many break and others squirm, when she was sixteen she was sold to her Uncle Dwight by her parents in exchange for Heroin. From then on , she was used as a punching bag and kept under the watchful eye of Dwight and her cousin Troy. She had no freedom, until one day while cleaning she meet a guardian angel in the form of Miri, owner of a Beauty school. Miri, helped Sarah get a new job and plan her escape to Red Valley. Finally free and away from Dwight's reach and fists, Sarah gets a job at Peach's Salon and starts to finally open up and come out of her shell. Nathan Connors is back for the Hockey Season and it seems that he has the hots for new hairdresser Sarah, but Sarah is far from trusting when it comes to the male sex. Can Nathan prove to Sarah, that he is one of the good guys ? What will happen though, when things finally start to look up for Sarah only to have things turn to disaster when Dwight finally discovers where she is ? Is Sarah's HEA over and short-lived ? Or will fate and someone above looking out for Sarah intervene once again and this time leave her finally free from her past forever ?
This novel reminded me a mix between the movie and book "Safe Haven" from Nicholas Sparks and "Star Bright" by Catherine Anderson.
This novel reminded me a mix between the movie and book "Safe Haven" from Nicholas Sparks and "Star Bright" by Catherine Anderson.
December 29, 2014
It was a nice, sweet book, but predictable and not very exciting. The pace was good and the characters sweet, the sex scenes were good also but some dialogues were a bit cheesy. The parts with Dwight and his son Troy were like a evil version of Dumb and Dumber. Some scenes between Kayla and Sarah were the best part of the book.
February 23, 2013
Boring, way to much pointless chatter and no real depth. I read these types of books because they make you feel, this book had me rolling my eyes and groaning in disbelief. The whole thing was just flat and unbelievable.
May 9, 2013
Plot a little week and predictable. The characters were likeable.
August 10, 2013
A nice, easy read. It was good to read after reading a few intense books in a row. Quite a predictable read but glad Sarah got her happily ever after.
February 18, 2013
Nice light read. likeable characters and story line.
April 26, 2017
I was really disappointed. I was hoping towards the end of this book that the FLC would grow a back bone and stand up for herself. She never did. She was really annoying at times. She was always being dramatic and pushing him away like she was perfect or something. Idk. Blah!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews