She’s innocent… And I’m the one who’s going to corrupt her.
I’m a hockey player with a secret—one so big that it can get me kicked out of the league. I’ve spent years trying to bury it and there’s only one person who’s found me out. Claire. Former intern. Current jack-of-all-trades for the Baltimore Breakers. And the woman I want more than anything else. More than hockey. More than breathing. Even more than keeping that secret. But she’s seen behind the veil… And, rightfully, wants absolutely nothing to do with me. Unfortunately for her, I’m going to keep her anyway.
USA Today bestselling author, Elise Faber, loves chocolate, Star Wars, and hockey (the order depending on the day and how well her team—the Sharks!—are playing). She and her husband also play as much hockey as they can squeeze into their schedules, so much so that their typical date night is spent on the ice. Elise changes her hair color more often than some people change their socks, loves sparkly things, and is the mom to two exuberant boys. She lives in Northern California. Connect with her in her Facebook group, the Fabinators or email her at elise@elisefaber.com.
Claire Jones was an intern with the Breakers and is now an Assistant to the General Manager. She has multiple jobs, one of which is to make sure the guys on the team get their specific pre-game snacks and whatever else they need to win. The guys on the team are always looking out for her like they would their sister, except for one, Jackson. He is the “bad” guy, the one she needs to stay far away from, but he is also the only one that ignites something in her every time she sees him. If only she could convince him that she isn’t scared of him and she knows who he really is.
Jackson Hunter has 2 hidden secrets, one he actually isn’t the bad boy jerk that everyone thinks he is and two he has Type 1 diabetes so is on a strict schedule when it comes to eating. He doesn’t want everyone to know and feel sorry for him, so that is the main reason behind his bad guy image. That and the fact that he has a crush on Claire but knows if he follows through with it then he could hurt her so badly. One night a chance comes along to show her how he feels and Jackson grabs at it hoping he doesn’t hurt her. Claire shows him though that all to often, the secrets you have, are not really a secret, especially to teammates and friends.
This is the 9th book in the Breaker hockey series by Elise. It doesn’t matter if you have read some of the previous ones or not, you can read this without question. At first I didn’t like the way Jackson came across, he was an aword in so many ways. I did love the way that Type 1 diabetes was talked about because so many people do not know what it is and how it is something that they deal with from birth. Can’t wait to see what will happen next in the series.
Thanks for the ARC from 1852 Media and Elise Faber to offer my honest opinion.
This is a pretty quick read and focuses on Claire, Assistant to the Breakers’ GM Luc. She is extremely devoted to her job and makes a huge effort to take care of the players on the team. She’s befriended them and is treated and protected as if she was their little sister. She has dealt with one specific player who has been especially snarly with her, Jackson. She has fantasized about the sexy forward, but knows he can’t stand her and the reason why.
Initially, the book is a lot of snarky banter back and forth between Claire and Jackson, but underneath the snark and grumpiness, are two characters who are extremely attracted to each other but unwilling to pull down their walls and trust enough to let the other in. The secret Claire snooped and discovered that upset Jackson an he feared getting out is eventually mentioned, but it doesn’t become a factor in their growing relationship.
Once Jackson decides to woo Claire, he becomes a pretty swoon-inducing male character.
The story highlights the strength of a found family and how important those bonds are between the players and those around them.
I received a free ARC from the author and 1852 Media; and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.
‘Bound’ is Elise Faber’s 9th book in the ‘Breakers Hockey*’series, and once again, she delivers a story that both shatters and mends the heart. Every time I dive into an Elise Faber novel, I find myself more captivated by her storytelling, knowing I’m in for an emotional journey. In *Bound*, Faber takes readers to the very edge of their emotional boundaries with a gripping and poignant story.
Claire and Jackson have been circling each other for years, and their journey is not for the faint-hearted. Claire is a woman shaped by her past, living in the shadows, while Jackson, believing Claire deserves better, hesitates despite knowing she’s his soulmate. Their story unfolds with raw vulnerability, bringing a whirlwind of emotions from the very first page to the last. Faber expertly navigates the complexities of love, heartache, and self-worth, crafting a romance that is both heartbreaking and hopeful.
This book is an emotional rollercoaster that shouldn’t be missed, with Ms Faber delivering the perfect happily-ever-after for Claire and Jackson. *Bound* is a deeply moving addition to the *Breakers Hockey* series, and Faber proves once again why she’s a master of heartfelt, emotional hockey romance.
Whenever you pick up a Ms. Faber book, you know you are going to be pulled into a story that will have you riding an emotional rollercoaster. Bound is the ninth book in the Breakers Hockey series and it is entertaining, gripping, heartbreaking and easy to get lost in. She tells us a story of two people who have a hate-to-love relationship and where truths and secrets are revealed, friendships are developed, and love blooms. Claire is the assistant to the general manager of the Breakers, but really she is so much more. She does so much for the guys on the team, even for the one man she fantasizes about but he seems to hate her. Jackson is the one player who has secrets he keeps close to his vest but he knows there is one person, Claire, who knows his secrets and she could ruin his career. He also has wanted her from day one but feels he is a monster who doesn't deserve her love. When secrets are revealed, Jackson turns into Claire's knight in shining armor. This book had my feelings all over the place every time I turned the pages. The love that they shared and the family that they had made this beautifully written book one that I will be reading again and again. I could say that Bound is my favorite of the series.
I loved this book. Claire is the assistant to the GM of The Breakers hockey team and is like a sister to all of the players, except Jackson Hunter. He is torn between anger because she discovered his secret while snooping, and lust because he sees her as the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. But he feels that because of actions when he was in school, he isn’t worthy of such a delicate woman, so he spars with Claire to keep from wanting her. But when he goads Claire into revealing an embarrassing secret, everything changes and all bets are off. How can he make it up to her? How can he make her realize how special she is? How does Claire make Jackson see that he isn’t the sum of his past mistakes?
This story explores the fine line between love and hate, how the vulnerabilities from your past can stop you living your life to its fullest and how family is what you make it. I love Ms. Faber’s style of writing. She brings the characters to life and catching up with favorites is always fun. She also knows how to bring the drama and the twist at the end, pulls at even the most hardened heart.
Another awesome book by Elise, one of my favorite authors. Her books always leave me with a warm and happy feeling inside, if I need cheering up, or relaxing but also to feel some feels, Elise has me covered.
I think the Breakers are one of my favorite series. Elise does put her characters through some challenges but in this series there’s always a little bit extra. In each book she seems to take the opportunity to tach us how we can still live a full life despite physical and psychological hardships.
I loved Claire and Jackson. The way they secretly want one another but somehow feel like they’re not good enough. And yet in the end they have the courage to go for it and realize they are worth happiness and together against the world they can make it. As already said, the story left me feeling happy and optimistic, and that is a wonderful thing.
I particularly appreciated how she depicted the struggle and challenges of people dealing with type 1 diabetes. As someone that has a close family member dealing with the condition and as a type 2 diabetic myself, I so identified with the way she described things. Very insightful.
Always fun to catch up with the Breakers hockey stories!
This is Jackson and Claire’s story…and it really is quite sweet! Claire is a former intern, now hired by the Breakers as an assistant to the GM, where her real duties are actually to help the Breakers be successful. Case in point, delivering pre-game snacks to the guys.
We learn quite quickly that she has her eye on one particular player, Jackson. And delivering snacks to the locker room as they are getting ready for their next game? All kinds of emotions for her when she sees Jackson.
Jackson seems standoffish towards Claire, more so than any of the other players. Claire definitely feels like she’s gotten off on the wrong foot with Jackson. Can she remedy that or is it too much to ask that he would forgive her?
IS Jackson as immune to Claire as he seems? Is there another reason he acts indifferent or rather rude to her?
While both have issues of their own, watching their interactions becoming something more is delightful!
This is another wonderful story in the Breakers series with all the feels and emotions we’ve come to enjoy, along with wonderful supporting characters!
Claire and Jackson have allot of tension between them he doesn't trust her because she knows something about his past and it's lead to allot of hurt feelings. Claire hard worker devoted to her Grandmother and the Breakers Hockey team she doesn't want to be at odds with Jackson she has the hots for him but that's all going to have and stay between her and her dreams until one bad date. Jackson both wants and hates how Claire effects him everything in his life has to be kept tight he has type 1 Diabetes and he's not good enough for Claire anyway until he finds out her secret and he can't walk away. So can the teams unofficial little sister charm the teams grumpy Hockey player known as Boxie. I really love how the author gets her characters to work threw there problems and find the perfect balance of cute,hot, and swoon worthy man for every women in her book can't wait to see what's next for the Breakers Hockey Team and these couples because change is on its way and can I just say Jackson really knows how to bring the perfect first date.
Not sure how I feel about Jackson before he gave in to his feelings for Claire. I understood what was eating him, but he really was an ass to that sweet woman. But with that said – the way he turned around and made all her dreams come true, he more than made up for all his gruffness.
Claire is really invested into making sure all of the guys on the team have everything they need to play the best hockey they can. She understood why Jackson is acting like he was, but it still hurt. And when she finally snapped and put him in his place, everything changed for the better.
I love the representation for us Type 1 warriors and how he managed his life despite the illness. I loved her for making sure he has everything at his disposal, so his health is/was in top shape. They were like night and day, but at the end of the story, it felt like stars aligned when they made the match between them.
Baltimore Breakers player Jackson Hunter has been crushing on Assistant to the General Manager Claire Jones. However, she thinks he hates her because she knows his secret, a secret that could jeopardize his career. He thinks he isn’t good enough for her. As a defense mechanism, he has been a jerk to her, until he finally decides not to be.
Elise Faber does a great job with this story. Jackson and Claire are a cute couple. Claire is like the teams’ little sister. Everyone loves her. She is innocent. After a failed date, Jackson finally decides to stop hiding from his feelings for Claire. He is a good guy. He suffers from Type one diabetes. He is an exceptional date planner.
BOUND is an excellent addition to the Breakers Hockey series. I am looking forward to Aiden and Luna’s story next, TWENTY-TWO (Grizzlies Hockey #1). I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
Wow! I absolutely loved this book. Amazing characters and wonderful plot. Very beautifully written and easy to read.
Claire Jones was an intern for the Breakers and now she is an Assistant for the General Manager. The guys on the team are all looking out for her, like they would their sister. All except one, Jackson Hunter.
He portrays himself as the grumpy bad boy, but Claire sees through him. He has one secret that he thinks no one knows and is afraid that it will get him kicked off the team. They are both attracted to each other.
I loved how Claire showed him that it’s okay to share with your friends and teammates his “secret”. I loved their chemistry and passion. They were made for each other.
Overall I loved this book very much. If you’re looking for a forbidden, hockey romance then you’re going to love it.
I LOVE Elise Faber books. With each and every one you know it's going to be good, never a doubt about it. And they ALL deliver. Her stories never fail to sweep you up and take you along on an amazing journey that will stay with you long after the last page.
So not surprising Bound does exactly that. It is a through and through heartfelt, good, honest, deeply touching and simply beautiful read from front to back. And not just because of amazing characters and a heartwarming story. Because of addressing a truly difficult topic and showing the strength so many people need to have. Because of giving it so much substance that I felt overwhelmed within a couple of seconds just reading about all that goes into the hard work of maintaining healthy stats.
Simply put, Bound is a beauty!
But good grief. Chapter 29? I was bawling my eyes out. A little warning would've been nice. ;)
Claire Jones is the assistant to the GM of the Breakers hockey team. She's sweet, caring, innocent, like a little sister and all the guys like her and she goes out of her way to make sure they all have their pre-game items and are taken care of.
Jackson Hunter is the exception. He has carried a secret around for years that could get him kicked off the team and his teammates to hate him and Claire knows what it is. That's only because she was looking through papers she shouldn't have.
"If you don't ever let anyone all the way in, they can't hurt you--"
When Claire tells an embarrassing secret Jackson decides to take her under his wing and help her out which brings them closer together.
I loved this book!! Claire and Jackson have been secretly interested in the other for years. Because Claire knows about Jackson’s hidden past, Jackson keeps her at a distance. Until they both can’t fight it anymore.
I love the drama and surprises we get in this story! Although, not happy about all of them 😉. I loved Smitty and Claire’s relationship and how protective he was with her. Once Jackson gives into his feelings, I enjoyed watching Jackson and Claire’s relationship develop. Jackson really turned things around because I was really frustrated with how he treated Claire in the beginning.
If you’re looking for a quick, hockey, enemies to lovers, with a protective found family, this is perfect for you!
Claire’s work ethic and willingness to help other have risen her to the position of assistant to the GM. She is very close to the players and handles all their pregame needs and everyone is appreciative except for Jackson. It doesn’t matter what she does or says he is curt, abrupt and unappreciative of her efforts.
All Jackson wants to do is play hockey, but he worries that between his health condition and the past that he doesn’t want people to know about could impact that. He believes that Claire is the only person that knows about his past which is why he distanced himself from her as he wants to protect her even if it is from himself.
Seeing Jackson finally give in to his feeling and show Claire how sweet and swoony he can be is everything you could want and more.
Bound, the ninth and final book in the Breakers Hockey Series follows Breaker’s hockey forward, Jackson Hunter and Claire Jones, Assistant to the team’s GM, Luc. Claire isn’t your typical assistant, among some of her jobs, one is to make sure the guys on the team get their pre-game snacks or anything else they need to make the game a success and in return, the guys treat her like their little sister.. all except Jackson. Jackson is torn between hating Claire, and wanting Claire.. she’s nosy, discovering a secret from his past, but also the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. But will Jackson be able to keep pushing Claire away? Or will one chance be all it takes to make them change their minds?
If you love sports romance you need to meet the Breakers Hockey Team. Bound is the assistant to GM of the Breakers Claire Jones and player Jackson Hunter’s story and boy do they have a tale to tell. I was captivated from the first page in this grumpy/sunshine romance and I couldn’t put this book down until I had read the final line. It’s a story about secrets and breaking down walls, it has characters you will fall for, twists and turns you don’t see coming and it’s the perfect mix of love, passion and witty banter. Bound is a great addition to the series and I can’t wait to see what’s to come next from the very talented Ms Faber.
Hockey, female v, longtime crushes, past secrets, feeling worthy, and hot hot spice!!!!
I cannot stress enough how much I love that a professional hockey player has T1 diabetes, and it is a major part of him. But it is not the main part of his storyline. It is just as much a part of him as his hair color or if it is left-handed. Love this representation. It was amazing.
This book can be read as a standalone even though it is a part of a series. If you have read the other books it just means that you know more about the secondary characters. And it ends with a HEA and a hint at the next couple to be featured!
Good heartfelt read....Each book can be read as a stand alone, but reading them all and getting to know all the characters adds so much to the story, and you get more enjoyment. I really enjoyed reading Claire and Jackson's story. The steam and chemistry are there, and once Jackson gets over himself, everything just fits together. I like all the side characters and family feel of the team. I'm not sure how I'm feeling over the whole Smitty thing, but I will keep reading and see where it goes. Great read and can't wait for more from Elise, she writes amazing stories that draw you in and touch your heart.
I received an ARC of this book, all opinions and thoughts are my own.
This is the 9th book in this amazing series, and this is Claire and Jackson’s story. Claire is a former intern, and now assistant to the general manager for the Breakers, and Jackson is a hockey player with a secret, and he hides behind his grumpy persona. Claire can see through Jackson’s façade to the man underneath, but will she discover his secret? This is a well written story which is easy to read, with engaging and realistic characters, secrets, friendships, twists, undeniable chemistry, romance, and love, which leads to an entertaining, and spicy addictive page turner. I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
Bound, book nine and the last book in the Breakers Hockey series takes Claire and Jackson on a warp speed relationship from enemies to lovers in no time. And once they cross that line there is no stopping the passion burning between them. Jackson is dealing with his type one diabetes as well as his hockey career and a past incident that places guilt on his shoulders. Claire found out about his past an that is what caused a big rift between them for a while. Now that his past and her lack of any dating experience is out in the open they can finally move forward as a couple and find the happily ever after they both deserve.
Claire knows so much about all the guys in the hockey team, keeps their secrets and supplies their pre game snacks. She also has a crush on Jackson but he seems to dislike her. When Jackson discovers the secret Claire hides, he's determined to be the one who makes her dreams come true. Can they overcome what has hindered their relationship to find what they both need? Or will they find themselves stuck in the past and not able to open up? This was a great read with characters who had chemistry and were perfect for each other. The banter and the emotions flowed creating something that was a joy to read with a HEA to die for
Bound is a fantastic read. I loved this one. You feel the tension between Jackson and Claire from the very beginning. I love how sweet and caring Claire is with the team. You feel the bond she forms with all the guys. Jackson comes off as a grumpy but you get why as you learn more about him. I love how Jackson brings down his walls and show Claire the real side of him. The banter and chemistry is amazing with Claire and Jackson. I love them together once they figure everything out. I cannot wait for more to come in this series. Go one click this today.
I love the way Elise Faber gave you the total view of Jackson and Claire's romance. Her first kiss. Her first date. I love how Jackson wanted to make up for every bad thing he ever said to Claire over the years. His regrets came from a misunderstanding.
Then there is his absolute love for Claire from the beginning. Making sure she wasn't hurt. Or how about the way Claire makes sure he has his PB&J sandwich before the game to make sure he keeps his diabetes in check? It's these little things that make this book so endearing. And it shows that slow-burns like this work so well.
Once again, Ms. Faber launches a book out of the park! It was fabulous with a romance between two strong characters and a cast of personalities that support and encourage Jackson and Claire as well as providing laughter (and tears - IYKYK). I loved that type one diabetes was talked about so openly yet not in a way that defined Jackson. There were so many lovely moments between Smitty and Claire (I LOVE Smitty) and they just added another beautiful layer to this wonderful story. I happily and voluntarily reviewed this book.
I’ve read a lot of Elise Faber’s books and have loved them all! I always devour them in just a few days, I really like her books. However, I didn’t really like this one, I couldn’t connect with any of the characters, Jackson or Claire. I found it too unreal, like the whole story was so unbelievably unreal to me that I just kept reading but was never hooked, kept reading to wait for it to get interesting but it never did it for me. I think it lacked a bit of humor maybe? Like more Smitty and lees Jackson, more humor and less drama.
Wow! This book was fantastic! It grabbed me from the first page! I loved Jackson and Claire! Their connection and chemistry was amazing! Jackson spent to long fighting his feelings for Claire, but with a little push he finally let them out. Bound is an emotional, tension filled story with amazing characters and storyline and some twists and turns that keep you glued to the story. I love the Breakers Hockey series! Bound is an amazing addition to! I can’t wait to see what Elise gives us next!
Loved it! Jackson feels like he is not good enough for Claire because of what he is hiding, but Claire finds out and he can't help but feel a little angry at her for the way she found out. He does get snippy with her s othey have a fun back and forth. Jackson Hunter and Claire are combustible when finaaly giving in to Jackson's feelings! My husband was just diagnoised with Type 2 diabetes and I like the way that Type 1 diabetes was talked about so that it can be understood.
Elise Faber continues to write amazing hockey romances! You better believe I will read each and every one that she releases.
The characters are always likable. The storyline pulls me in. Then there's the friendships that are established, and getting to watch them grow (and evolve) is something I just love.
Speaking of those friendships, they hit me in the emotions this time around. I definitely teared up toward the end, and look forward to future books to see what happens next.