Light and steamy
The spiciest book in the series yet, this is sexy but not particularly satisfying in the romance department. Told in flashbacks and present day, the story follows two people who had one steamy and memorable two-night stand a few years ago, before they realized that sleeping together would jeopardize both of their jobs. I could EASILY see the chemistry and attraction between them, with tons of texting and playful banter. And the age gap (38/28) paired with an intense hero made for plenty of fan-worthy moments. Where this falters is the actual relationship development outside of the bedroom - we're told that their weekend together was more than sex, but... we never saw that. And we didn't see much more than longing and spice in present day. So, while I enjoyed jumping back into the series and liked the book as I was reading it, it's likely to be a forgettable read for me.
The story follows Emilia, a woman who is up for a promotion. She's been working for a hockey team for the last few years, and she loves her job - except for one thing. Two years ago, Emilia met a sexy stranger in a bar, and their weekend together was all kinds of memorable. She might have been able to forget Smith if he hadn't shown up at her work soon after. Turns out, Smith is one of the hockey players on the team, and crossing the line again would surely get them in trouble. They've managed to avoid each other for two years, but a player profile brings them together again... and the chemistry sparks back to life. Neither one is willing to give up their job for a relationship, but it's impossible to ignore the attraction.
I've been enjoying this series, and this is another steamy rom com with a great mix of fun and sexy moments. You can read it as a standalone, but there are lots of references to past couples. The story is low angst overall, though the forbidden vibes give it a bit of an edge. So does the steam; Smith is an intense guy in the bedroom, making this the spiciest book I've read from Hunter yet. There's a lot to love about the story, but I do wish that we'd seen more of their first weekend together. Being told that they connected outside of the bedroom and being shown that they connected are two very different things, and much of the story relies on that initial meeting. That's also perhaps why I found the sex scenes to be impersonal and a little aggressive - without seeing the emotional connection, they didn't hit the same way. But I really liked both characters, I liked seeing the previous couples again, and I'm looking forward to the next book - so it's a win overall.