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Hearted #1

Cold Hearted

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I wish I could say our meeting was happenstance. I wish I could say we took one look and we just knew. I wish I could say falling for him was the best thing that ever happened to me. But none of that would be true. Rhett Carson was as cold as the ice on which he skated. He was as calloused as the hands that shot the goals that won world championships. He was also damaged. And broken. And he didn’t know it, but I knew all about him … and his unfortunate connection with my estranged older brother. I knew why he was so bitter and angry. I knew why he was so cold hearted. But I didn’t know why I let myself fall in love with him. And I didn’t know why I couldn’t stop–even when he told me to. But when the truth came out, I knew I’d lost him for good … until he came back, more cold hearted than ever before.

397 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 31, 2017

1608 people are currently reading
1858 people want to read

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Winter Renshaw

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 360 reviews
Profile Image for SueBee★bring me an alpha!★.
2,417 reviews15.4k followers
March 20, 2017




⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐! Cold Hearted (stand-alone). Unlikely romance threatens to melt ice-hockey pro’s heart while warming his bed!

“Devouring her with my tongue and watching her wriggle and writhe as I take control of her body makes me harder for her, hotter for her.”

Books in Hearted duet should be read in order:
Book 1: Cold Hearted
Book 1.5: Locke Hearted
- Included in book 1!

Cold Hearted (stand-alone) follows the steamy out-of-control fuckfest romance between ice hockey pro Rhett Carlson and writer Ayla Caldwell.

The worst of circumstances brought them together.

Rhett is coming to terms with the death of his fiancé who died in car accident with her lover, who happens to be Rhett’s best friend and Ayla’s estranged half-brother.

Off-the-charts sex kept them coming back for more.

Ayla knows who Rhett is, but he has no idea of their connection. She is just waiting for the right moment to tell him while circumstances thicken the plot.

Lies and omissions threatens to tear them apart.



Seven words to describe Rhett Carlson: Loyal, trusting, jaded, broken, angry, conflicted and dirty-talker.



Six words to describe Ayla Caldwell: Selfish, flawed, conflicted, determined, snarky and confident.

Cold Hearted, told from dual POVs, is an impossible romance between two lost souls who, while coping with loss and betrayal, find escape and solace in each other, until the truth catches up with them. Will their romance have melted their hearts enough to work through the deception?

Also included in book is book 1.5, Locke Hearted about Rhett’s brother and Ayla’s best friend.

“I was so famished for his touch, I took him any way I could, even cold and raw.”

***
Hero: ★★★★
Heroine: ★★★3/4
Plot: ★★★★
Storytelling: ★★★★
Sexual tension: ★★★★
Sex scenes: ★★★★1/2
Story ending: ★★★★1/2
******************************************
OVERALL RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Angst: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
Darkness: | LOW FOCUS |
Humor: | LOW FOCUS |
Kink: | LOW FOCUS |
Romance: | HIGH FOCUS |
Sex frequency: | HIGH FOCUS |
Suspense: | LOW FOCUS |

Profile Image for Shannon.
517 reviews165 followers
February 20, 2017
Huh...

So I seem to be the only person around that really didn't like this book.

I'll try my best to keep this from exploding into a rant. I think point form might be the best to keep this short, so here we go - it's just my basic though while reading.

-The first part, I totally understood the hero's actions, thoughts and words. He made sense to me. He was clear and upfront about what he wanted.
-Really didn't connect with the heroine. She was anything but upfront, lied, demanded for the H to admit feelings that he didn't have for her (hint, she could 'see his feels as clear as day in his eyes.). Would freak out when he said it was casual. *repeat this scenario more than once*
-She was clingy and whiny.
-Oh, just kidding, all of a sudden everyone is in love?

*Up until this point, I was hovering around 3 stars because I thought the hero was completely justified. The second half crashed and burned for me.

-Most cliche thing ever.
-I couldn't understand why either character was making the decisions they were.
-Everyone is an idiot.
-I thought this was suppose to be angsty? So.,, where's the angst? I'm laughing at how stupid everyone is.
-Man, I'm bored.
-Seriously? A hate fuck? Yeah, okay.
-Commence game of cat and mouse in which both characters suck and don't know what they want.
-This is kind of aggravating.
-Is it done yet?
-Seriously? Wow, didn't see that coming *eye roll*.
-This is so unlikely and unreasonable
-Heroine is still an ass.
-Hero is now an ass too.

So yeah, I had much higher hopes for this. Oh, it's also not a sports romance. You can't simply tell me the hero is a hockey player and then claim it's a sports romance. Sorry, I'm not buying it. That's like me eating at a 5 star restaurant and then claiming to be a food critic. No one cares.

This one was just a serious miss for me. But hey, who cares what I think, right? Everyone else loves it.

*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.


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Profile Image for Bindi Boo .
578 reviews130 followers
February 7, 2017
4 stars

I LOVE Winter Renshaw. She is an automatic one-click. I LOVE that her books are short and affordable. I LOVE that she always gives us free books at the end of her current book. I LOVE her original plots, her main characters and almost always her heroines.

Ayla meets Rhett while sorting out her dead half brother's belongings. Half brother has done something that makes Rhett HATE him(not going to ruin this for you). Ayla hides the fact that she is related to said half brother and falls in love despite knowing they are completely wrong for each other. This HUGE secret later devastates their relationship. I seriously loved this couple. As much as i knew this was going to end up in the heroine's face, i still rooted for this couple. They both had a smart mouth, sassy attitude and an easy friendship. I loved that Ayla hung on to Rhett and fought her way back into his life. She may have seemed pushy with almost no pride at one point, but i would have done the same if i loved someone that much.

Overall, a worth your time read and you should check this book out if you love this author.
Profile Image for Syndi.
3,710 reviews1,038 followers
August 3, 2019
My second book by miss Renshaw. I have to say i enjoy it. The character is really engaging. The push and pull feels sarcastic but sweet. The angst is minimum but its enough to make the story interesting.

I wish there is more to explain about the dead brother. After all he is the one who brings Ayla and Rhett together. I know it is a bit immatire of Ayla not telling Rhett who she is from the very beginning. But if she did tell Rhett, then we will not have this romantic story.

The groveling is done fairly by both Rhett and Ayla. I am now interested reading miss Renshaw next book.

4 stara
Profile Image for Alaina.
7,344 reviews203 followers
February 14, 2019
second time read and first time review.

Okay, I really need to get better at writing reviews for books that I've read. So in a way I'm glad I dove back into this book because here's my chance at redemption. Also, my rating definitely changed (in a good way).

Cold Hearted is definitely a second chance at romance kind of book. In it, you will meet Rhett and Ayla. Now, at first, Rhett wanted nothing to do with Ayla because of who her family was. It also doesn't help that even her own half brother wanted nothing to do with her. So she was a bit surprised after his untimely death that she left all his money and stuff to her.

All Ayla wanted in life was to get to know her brother. She had no idea that he even existed and when she did, it broke her heart that he shut her out. Eventually they talked but it was too little too late because of a car accident. Speaking of that, Rhett's fiancé was also in that said accident. He found out that his best friend, aka Ayla's brother, was spelling with his fiancé. It didn't help that he found out she was also pregnant with his baby either.

After a drunk night, they hooked up. He has no idea who she is.. but that doesn't mean she doesn't know who he is. Eventually it comes out who she is to him and he bails. He feels like she hurt him on purpose by hiding who she really was and he tries to hate fuck the shit out of her. It ends up hurting them both more and more.

Eventually they both matured and realized that they loved each other. It just took them a while to say it out loud. I loved these two. They were both hurting at one point in this book but they had amazing chemistry. It was bound to happen and I'm so glad that they ended up back together. I can't wait to dive into the next book of this series!
Profile Image for Candy.
408 reviews38 followers
February 22, 2017
Alya Caldwell is in NYC to bury the half brother she never met. She had always wanted an older brother but Bryce Renner wasn't happy having a half-sister from his cheating dad. Alya mourns the lost of a brother she never knew with his fellow NY Spartans teammates after the funeral at the local bar. Alya wants to know more about the brother she never knew & his teammate tell her she should talk with Rhett Carson who was Bryce's best friend. Alya learns Bryce died in a car accident with Rhett's fiancee, Damiana, who he was having an affair with. The next evening Alya is stood up by her roommate from college & finds herself in a fancy bar talking with a handsome well built man. Much to her surprise the man turns out to be Rhett Carson who has no idea who Alya Caldwell is in relation to the screwed up mess he finds his life in. He loved Damiana & still cannot believe that she & Bryce had been carrying on an affair right under his nose. In an effort to forget about how hurt & messed up he feels, Rhett hits on Alya at the bar & manages to get her to take his drunk ass home. Soon they find themselves having a no-strings attached, no emotions involved physical relationship. Alya doesn't normally do casual sex but can see how hurt Rhett is by what has happened that she allows herself to be used so that he may feel better if only briefly. Rhett is distant & cold hearted not wanting anything but sex from Alya. The longer they continue seeing each other the more Alya starts to want more than just a physical exchange, she finds herself caring for Rhett & wanting the same in return. But she has kept her secret about being Bryce's sister & doesn't know how to tell Rhett. Just when Alya thinks she has mustered the courage to tell Rhett the truth, Rhett receives a letter written to him from Bryce via his lawyer. Alya shows up at his place shortly after he reads the letter & realizes he knows the truth. Will Rhett be able to forgive Alya? Will Alya be able to tell Rhett how she really feels? What will it take for them to find a way back to each other?

Cold Hearted is a roller coaster ride through the emotional journey Alya & Rhett take on their relationship. The ups & downs and back & forth is written to keep you captivated by what will come next. Both characters have to find what is important to themselves in order to find how they feel about each other, it just takes our boy Rhett a hell of a lot longer to travel that road than Alya. I devoured this book in one sitting because I couldn't but it down once I started reading it (so little sleep happened last night). Alya is sassy & independent, Rhett is brooding & intense when they come together the sparks fly. This book is meant for mature readers.

I voluntarily read an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book.
Profile Image for hugsandcookies.
990 reviews81 followers
September 13, 2018
oooo another bites the dust yes I read this straight after The Rebound that’s two books in one.

I liked/loved the storyline of Rhett and Ayla. I feel like Winter Renshaw books are growing on me. Lol.

I like how and where this book took me. It’s full of fun and hot sex but the characters are just so worth it. I did however felt like again the author sort of downplayed Ayla (please don’t hate me) lol I mean I love how Ayla’s written but I sometimes felt like she was too needy too fast, a bit too whiny a little clingy and too much giving in too quick (omg am I making sense lol) and I think I wouldn’t have it any other way. Rhett and his stuffy stuck up obnoxious alpha attitude and Ayla’s sharp, fun and witty character makes this one a good read.
Profile Image for atomickitten.
997 reviews161 followers
March 20, 2021
Unfortunately, another DNF on my list.

But hey, I tried, okay? I really did.


But I swear to god, this girl is a special kind of stupid and basically ruined the entire book for me.
I wanted to power through because of the fucked up hero but I just couldn't. I need to like both characters to root for them as a couple.
In this case, the heroine is just TSTL and I refuse to voluntarily put myself through the torture of reading more about her and her blatant stupidity.

Shame, because the book had a lot of potential. It is full of cliches, true. And I have nothing against it but I like my cliches when they're done right, when they bring something fresh and new, at least one original element. Well, that doesn't happen here. It's all repetitive and kinda boring.
That's a nope from me.

Profile Image for Stormie.
1,019 reviews45 followers
February 19, 2017
This was good. I really enjoyed the first half a lot more than the second. I enjoyed Ayla's honesty and the fact that she was unapologetically herself. It's obvious that's what Rhett was attracted to about her. I thought Rhett was too hard on her. I understand he was going through a dark time already and maybe that's what made it so bad for him. But he was a pretty cold asshole to her. But of course it works out. It was a really good read.
Profile Image for Madeline ❤️ Romance Bibliophile ❤️.
78 reviews22 followers
July 18, 2017
♥♥ 3 Icy Stars ♥♥

As per my rating, I have mixed feelings about this one. It's a hockey romance, which is one of my favorite subcategories in sports romance, but I there was just too much going on that I wasn't in love with. 

Okay, so Rhett is hot, talented, and (hot) tempered -- but he's got a heart of ice (see what I did there?). His best friend, Ayla's half-brother, recently died and the circumstances of his death leave Rhett hating his guts. When he meets Ayla, she knows how he feels, but doesn't tell him who she is. They start getting together, and soon it turns into something more than just a fling. Ayla is (usually) honest, humble, and not materialistic. She has reservations for not telling Rhett who she is, and when he finally does, things go south real quick. He basically tells her to get the hell out of his life and she moves across the country. They don't see each other for another year and a half, and eventually start hooking up again -- well, more like hate-fucking, but you get it.

One of my biggest frustrations with this book was Ayla's (dis)honesty. The author kept bringing up how she never lies, and values transparency so much, blah, blah, blah. And yet...she has no hesitation or trouble lying about her relation to her brother. How does that stay true to her character? We've only been told that she's honest, and her friend is so shocked because Ayla always tells the truth, even when it's hard. But we never see that, like ever, and it drives me crazy. 

The other thing that I just couldn't really get with is the jump in the timeline. I think it would have worked a whole lot better if the first part was used more for reference, or the fight was the opening scene to set the stage for the second part. It just seemed like I was reading a two-part series in the span of one book, so there wasn't enough room for the plot to build as much or for me to get to know the characters enough to feel invested in them.
Profile Image for Susan (susayq ~).
2,523 reviews132 followers
February 12, 2017
Oh wow. The angst. The heart wrenching pain that I felt for Rhett and Ayla. They killed me. And I loved it. If you're looking for a sit on the edge of your seat because you know it's going to go south book, this is it. I only wish we would have gotten to see more of Rhett and Ayla when they were happy at the end:)

*thanks to Ardent PR for sharing a copy of this with me*
Profile Image for Tammy .
1,022 reviews119 followers
February 8, 2017
I liked Rhett and Ayla, but the lack of communication on Ayla's part drove me up a fricken wall. You'll know from the moment the angst goes down where it is headed and if it wasn't so drawn out this would have easily been a 5 star read.
Profile Image for Anna.
542 reviews2 followers
February 10, 2017
I loved Rhett. Ayla I had mixed feelings about. What do Rhett and Ayla have in common? Nothing but Ayla's brother/Rhett's best friend who was sleeping with Rhett's fiancé. Add that the brother/best friend and fiancé died in a car crash and it's ugly, right? Of course it is. So when Ayla has a one night stand with Rhett fully knowing who he is (and he has no clue) you know it's going to be ugly when the truth comes out. Ayla had lots of opportunities to fess up but didn't and when it finally came out I was Team Rhett. Not to say that Rhett didn't have his own asshole behavior that needed addressing. The betrayal he suffered from his best friend and fiancé excuses a lot but sometimes he was just a d*ck for no reason other than he wanted to be.

The chemistry between the two MCs feels real and I enjoyed their banter and them together. I just hated her deceit especially as the two grew closer and closer.


Profile Image for MillsyLovesBooks.
807 reviews36 followers
February 18, 2017
This is my first time of reading a Winter Renshaw book. I do love a good Sports Romance but this book was definitely more than a sports romance read.

Some may find Rhett to be obnoxious and at times he did infuriate me but when you look at the bigger picture you can understand why he protects and closes his heart to love and happiness.

Alya was thrown in at the deep end after the death of her estranged brother. You could tell she has the kindest of heart and just wanted to show that kindest to Rhett. Was she a push over?? maybe but the kindest of people often are but with Alya we got both sides because she was in love. She allowed her heart to hurt for him but she was also strong with him telling him what he needed to hear.

The writing and story was good and i really enjoyed all of this book even the times i wanted to smack Rhett upside the head. As for me the feeling i get within a read show me that the read got to me.
Profile Image for Elsa Gomes (BookishAurora).
2,420 reviews302 followers
June 24, 2017
Rate: 4,7 / 5 stars

This book was pretty intense, the anguish-y heartfelt mess that I truly love in a book. Winter Renshaw is known for those kind of books and I seriously couldn't love them more.
This one was just as lovely, the plot was pretty fucked up if I'm being honest, but that whole mess is really what makes these kind of books amazing and I truly enjoyed reading this, no matter how frustrating and teary worthy it got, I devour this kind of sh*t.
Rhett really is a cold hearted bastard but he is so justified for it, poor guy seriously. I felt for him so bad and I really really wanted to know the whole truth and wish he would've gotten that closure, he deserved it.
Ayla, well she just dropped as if from the sky in the middle of the whole mess, she was very related to it but in serious had nothing to do with it. I felt really bad for her to, to lose someone she loved and never had the chance to meet, it was pretty fucked up but then again maybe she was better off without knowing her brother, he was a true asshole. In regards to Rhett, she knew damn well what she was doing even though she really didn't have a clue where it would lead them, still she should've told him the truth earlier, it would've helped her case a little, even though the outcome would've probably been the same.
Anyway I don't want to spoil anything, even though I kind of did in a very vague way, idk.. the book is really good and it's so worth the read.
For those of you who are like me and live for the anguish heartfelt filled books, this is perfect for you!!
Profile Image for Danielle.
807 reviews43 followers
February 6, 2017
I loved this book! I think I say this every time I read a book by this author but I love that she develops a story that has not been done before. I mean everyone has read a sports romance but she put her spin to it to make the story very different from other ones out there. With out doing a total recap of the blurb, I really liked the conflict in the story. I wanted to dislike Ayla for it but once it started there wasn't a good way to discuss it. Rhett made me a little mad from his actions but you could tell from the prologue it was because he was seriously hurt. After being betrayed so many times, it would turn a person cold-hearted.

I would definitely recommend this book and PLEASE PLEASE write a story for Locke and Bostyn.
Profile Image for Dana.
655 reviews60 followers
February 7, 2017
4.5 Stars

Secrets….Secrets and more secrets

What would you do if you met “the one”…..but there was this teensy tiny secret that you just can’t share???

Ayla meets Rhett under circumstances that were beyond her control. She fell…..hard…..at first sight basically. But….there’s one thing that she hasn’t told Rhett that would impact their budding relationship. She wants to tell him but she knows that once she reveals her secret, Rhett will look at her in a different light.

This was my first read from Ms. Renshaw and it will not be my last. As I started reading, I felt as if I was there with Ayla and Rhett, a fly on the wall if you will.
Profile Image for April Symes.
5,013 reviews447 followers
February 6, 2017
WOW WOW WOW!!!!!! One of the best books by this author!! Winter Renshaw has written another masterpiece that is centered around passion, betrayal, heartbreak, pain, deep sexual attraction and above all soul deep love . The Main Characters are ones that you can connect with and you root for, even with all the angst; I found myself sitting there and unable to get up until the book was finished, until their story was told because I needed to know their outcome would have a good or bad outcome. Suffice to say, I loved every moment, every tear, every sexual moment between these characters for it lead to the fantastic ending.
Ayla never actually met her half-brother and the reason he never met her is because he cruelly ejected her well-meaning childhood attempt as soon as she found out about him. But before her brother could fix that mistake, he was killed in a car accident together with his best friend's fiancée, as the two had been having a secret affair. Ayla is a writer and has only been getting rejections letters about her writing to date. So she has some time to fly out to Manhattan to settle her brother's estate, which turns out to be quite huge as he was a professional hockey player. She is quite shocked to learn that he had left her a huge chunk of his money (millions and millions) along with Rhett, who is the man that he has been betraying- he was his best friend and also his teammate. Call it fate, these two end up meeting in a bar the night after the funeral and the chemistry between these two explodes. She comes to realizes who he is but doesn’t say anything because she was not sure what to say, he doesn’t know who she is and plus he is so freaking drunk. Well a lot happens and moving on to the next day- They end up meeting again and have some awesome sex and then they keep meeting up again and again but she never finds the courage to tells him who she really is. I bet you know what’s coming and yes, its drama of the highest quality and pain in the making. It’s like a car wreck you know that you are watching but you can’t turn away. Ayla wants so bad to tell Rhett but every time she backs down, gets scared and is afraid she will lose the best thing that has ever happened to her.
When Rhett finds out, he reacts as you can image and Ayla loses him and that is when the story really starts. How two hearts, who are soul mates, find their way back to each other after a betrayal? Will he ever forgive and forget or will he torment Ayla because of her sins AND her brother’s? Fabulous storyline rife with drama, angst, pain, betrayal, love, sex, grief, forgiveness, sexual heat and true love. There is so much going on that you do not want to miss a thing. This is a one click automatic book buy!!!


My Rating: 4.9 stars *****
"I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
Profile Image for Jennifer.
1,277 reviews57 followers
February 20, 2018
Ayla goes to New York to deal with the death of Bryce - the half-brother she has never met. Bryce was a hockey player that was killed in a car accident with his best friend's fiance who.... he was having an affair with. Needless to say, the best friend, Rhett, was pretty messed up about it. Ayla is drawn to Rhett initially because she wants to learn more about her brother, but also because he is damn sexy.



I liked this book. I thought it was just enough of a twist on the "tortured guy made whole by the girl" plotline that it was interesting.
Profile Image for Brianna at Renee Entress's Blog.
3,918 reviews118 followers
February 6, 2017
4 Stars!

Winter Renshaw isn't new to me per say but she is a newer author on my radar. I really am digging her writing style... angsty, dirty, intense, full of steam and always an a-hole hero who makes you want to slap him then kiss the ever loving life out of him.

Cold Hearted is the newest standalone release from Winter and boy did it make me squirmy as I watched a relationship bloom, blossom, die... then well you'll have to figure that part out for yourself. Ayla and Rhett were truly amazing... both with their own flaws and complications but in the end, watching true love prevail in their lives was beautiful and perfect for them.

She's dealing with her recently deceased brother's estate...
He is/was the best friend of her brother...
When their lives cross paths, nothing will ever be the same.
All is NOT fair in love and war.

Ayla and Rhett are going to blast into your hold and have you holding on for dear life right up until those pages quit turning. Their journey was twisted, hard, complicated, passionate, intense, and worth every tear, struggle, and heartache by the end.

If you like tons of angst with splashes of steam, this this book is totally for you.

I recommend this book.

Review Post >> http://reneeentress.blogspot.com/2017...
Profile Image for Renee Entress.
5,588 reviews77 followers
February 7, 2017
4 star

I was pulled right into this story. The story has laughs, secrets, suspense, betrayal, rejection, and heartbreak.

This is Ayla and Rhett’s story. After her half-brother dies in a car accident Ayla is left to settle his estate. But when all his friends all but one welcome her she wonders why. Rhett and her brother were best friends so what is the issue? The chemistry between these two is off the charts but he does not know who she is. The more they are together the more she wants to tell him the truth but she does not. When he finds out he never wants to see her again. She loves him but can he ever forgive her? The harsh way he treats her you must wonder if he has any forgiveness in him….

I felt I could connect with the characters and the story was a great read.

I recommend this book.
Profile Image for Judy Ohhh.
383 reviews45 followers
July 29, 2019
2.5 stars.

It was a easy Romance novel to read. I didn't take to the MCs too well --Rhett was a jackass and i get the reason why but I still couldn't overlook it and Ayla was annoying! I hated how she let him get his way/have his way with her all the time. She never let him "chase" her...if Rhett said jump, she wouldn't even ask how high she would just jump. lol

All in all it was a decent book.
65 reviews8 followers
December 6, 2017
Winter Renshaw is one of those authors I know will always deliver a great read. Right up there with her best books, Cold Hearted is well written with lovable characters and a storyline that kept me awake well past my bedtime!
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