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Atlanta Skyline #2
Defending Hearts
When The Pitch Gets Personal
Atlanta Skyline’s star Swedish wingback Oz Terim—or as the fans call him, the Wizard—has an airtight plan for his life, his career, even his meticulously renovated house, but he barely gives a thought to the Islamic faith he inherited from his Turkish parents. So no one’s more surprised than he is when he’s the victim of anti-Muslim hate crime. Refusing to take the threat seriously, he resists the security detail Skyline insists on . . . until he meets Kate Mitchell. There’s no room for her in his plan and she’s the exact opposite of what he wants. Then why can’t he keep his hands off her?
After ten years in the military—and getting fired from her first post-Army job in Saudi Arabia—Kate Mitchell has slunk home to her Georgia roots. Private security isn’t the career she dreamed of, nor is she thrilled to work with an uptight professional athlete who plays a sport she has no interest in. She never expected to be attracted to him—or for him to fall for her, too. As their opposite lives tangle up—and the threat against Oz grows more serious—Kate has to decide who she wants to be in life and in love.
Atlanta Skyline’s star Swedish wingback Oz Terim—or as the fans call him, the Wizard—has an airtight plan for his life, his career, even his meticulously renovated house, but he barely gives a thought to the Islamic faith he inherited from his Turkish parents. So no one’s more surprised than he is when he’s the victim of anti-Muslim hate crime. Refusing to take the threat seriously, he resists the security detail Skyline insists on . . . until he meets Kate Mitchell. There’s no room for her in his plan and she’s the exact opposite of what he wants. Then why can’t he keep his hands off her?
After ten years in the military—and getting fired from her first post-Army job in Saudi Arabia—Kate Mitchell has slunk home to her Georgia roots. Private security isn’t the career she dreamed of, nor is she thrilled to work with an uptight professional athlete who plays a sport she has no interest in. She never expected to be attracted to him—or for him to fall for her, too. As their opposite lives tangle up—and the threat against Oz grows more serious—Kate has to decide who she wants to be in life and in love.
236 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 5, 2017
11 people are currently reading
267 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Crowley
30 books98 followersRebecca Crowley writes contemporary romance about good people doing their best, and never tires of the happily-ever-after. Having pulled up her Kansas roots to live in New York City, London and Johannesburg, Rebecca currently resides in Houston.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
August 4, 2018
Et encore une étoile je suis gentille! Sincèrement le résumé était alléchant mais les personnages d’un banal, aucune attraction, un joueur de football puceau a 27 ans j’ai du mal a y. Croire.
Je ne le conseille pas et j’arrête de lire cette série
Je ne le conseille pas et j’arrête de lire cette série
September 22, 2017
Originally published at Reading Reality
I picked this one because I live in Atlanta. I always enjoy reading books about the place I live – or places I have lived. I still have a soft spot in my heart for books set in Alaska after three years there.
But this story isn’t really about the city, and the city doesn’t feature much in the story. Instead, this could any big city in the U.S. that is trying to get FIFA-level soccer established in the U.S. And there are lots of medium-to-large cities that could host a team.
The story in Defending Hearts is about more than soccer. Oz Terem could be a star player in any major league sport, and this story would still work. Because underlying the romance there’s a surprisingly in-depth story about irrational hatred and unthinking prejudice, and that’s the part that sticks with readers in the end.
Oz is not just the star player for the Atlanta Skyline. He’s also a practicing, admittedly somewhat loosely and extremely secular, Muslim who is seen visibly praying before each game. And some nutjob out there riding the current wave of Islamophobia has decided that Oz’ somewhat casual adherence to his faith means that he must be a terrorist or at least aiding and abetting terrorism.
When he’s really a soccer player who is otherwise doing a decent job of living his life and observing as much of his faith as he finds comfortable. While he may be of Turkish descent, he actually sees himself as Swedish, because that’s where he was born and raised.
But there’s someone targeting Oz with increasingly virulent threats on all of his social media accounts. The escalation has got his manager worried, enough so that the team decides to get security for Oz.
And that’s where our heroine, Kate Mitchell, comes in. Kate is ex-military, and is currently working for one of Atlanta’s frankly lesser lights in the personal security business. But she’s the agent available when a reluctant Oz and his manager come into the office, so she’s the agent they get.
Kate and Oz strike sparks off each other from the very beginning, even though neither is anything like the other’s type. Kate has a taste for big guys with bigger trucks, and Oz is working from his master plan – he’s not interested in anyone who isn’t wife material. Kate’s more of a Ms. Right Now type, and she’s trying her best not to keep settling for Mr. Right Now. Her track record with men mostly consists of disappointment.
Even though they may not fit each other’s ideas of what they thought they wanted – they are absolutely what each other needs. But as the threats to Oz escalate, and they turn towards each other, neither is certain whether the bond they are forging can survive either the resolution of the crisis or the vast differences between them.
And whether or not it should.
Escape Rating B: There’s something about Defending Hearts that gives it a bit of a “New Adult” feel, and it’s not just that Kate pops Oz’ cherry. While both protagonists are in their mid-to-late 20s, the decisions that they are making and their positions on their life plans (or lack thereof) give the story a New Adult vibe.
The romance also has elements of the “opposites attract” trope that really work. I would say that Kate is from the wrong side of the tracks, but I don’t think that Jasper, Georgia is big enough to even have tracks. It really does exist, and looks like it’s exactly the kind of small rural town that typifies Georgia in the popular mind outside of the big cities of Atlanta and Savannah.
Kate is also interesting because she’s not a typical romance heroine. Not just because of her military service, but because of the reasons behind it. She enlisted to get the hell out of tiny Jasper, got chewed up and spit out, and now that she’s back, she’s come to the realization that as much as she wanted to leave, and as much as her mom and her sister drive her crazy, they are her people and she loves them, and they love her, no matter what.
They need her, and not just because her contributions are what tides both of them over between men. And she needs them as well, even though she desperately wants to make sure she doesn’t fall into the same trap.
Oz on the other hand had a relatively privileged, upper middle class life in Sweden. Yes, he’s a rich diva because he’s a talented man at the top of a world-class sport, but even without soccer he comes from a far more educated and definitely privileged world. His parents are both professionals, and they were able to afford the coaching and training he needed to get him where he is at the time of the story. And unlike Kate, Oz didn’t merely graduate college, he graduated from Harvard, and that’s the rarified (at least from Kate’s perspective) atmosphere from which he draws his friends and his worldview.
Everyone indulges Oz, and he doesn’t even realize just how much they do. He needs Kate in his life because she doesn’t. She grounds him. And he gives her wings.
The crisis that throws them together, the anti-Muslim propaganda and hate-speech that escalates into stalking and violence, is integral to the story. It feels well-done and gives what might otherwise be a fluffy romance quite a bit of depth. And it’s instructive to see the male sports star, someone who is so obviously the good guy, as the victim of a hate crime. He has done nothing to bring any of this on himself. That the haters are so clearly the villains of this piece (and batshit crazy) may give at least a few readers some insights that might not have otherwise penetrated their bubble.
And that’s a good thing in any book, but especially in a good one.
I picked this one because I live in Atlanta. I always enjoy reading books about the place I live – or places I have lived. I still have a soft spot in my heart for books set in Alaska after three years there.
But this story isn’t really about the city, and the city doesn’t feature much in the story. Instead, this could any big city in the U.S. that is trying to get FIFA-level soccer established in the U.S. And there are lots of medium-to-large cities that could host a team.
The story in Defending Hearts is about more than soccer. Oz Terem could be a star player in any major league sport, and this story would still work. Because underlying the romance there’s a surprisingly in-depth story about irrational hatred and unthinking prejudice, and that’s the part that sticks with readers in the end.
Oz is not just the star player for the Atlanta Skyline. He’s also a practicing, admittedly somewhat loosely and extremely secular, Muslim who is seen visibly praying before each game. And some nutjob out there riding the current wave of Islamophobia has decided that Oz’ somewhat casual adherence to his faith means that he must be a terrorist or at least aiding and abetting terrorism.
When he’s really a soccer player who is otherwise doing a decent job of living his life and observing as much of his faith as he finds comfortable. While he may be of Turkish descent, he actually sees himself as Swedish, because that’s where he was born and raised.
But there’s someone targeting Oz with increasingly virulent threats on all of his social media accounts. The escalation has got his manager worried, enough so that the team decides to get security for Oz.
And that’s where our heroine, Kate Mitchell, comes in. Kate is ex-military, and is currently working for one of Atlanta’s frankly lesser lights in the personal security business. But she’s the agent available when a reluctant Oz and his manager come into the office, so she’s the agent they get.
Kate and Oz strike sparks off each other from the very beginning, even though neither is anything like the other’s type. Kate has a taste for big guys with bigger trucks, and Oz is working from his master plan – he’s not interested in anyone who isn’t wife material. Kate’s more of a Ms. Right Now type, and she’s trying her best not to keep settling for Mr. Right Now. Her track record with men mostly consists of disappointment.
Even though they may not fit each other’s ideas of what they thought they wanted – they are absolutely what each other needs. But as the threats to Oz escalate, and they turn towards each other, neither is certain whether the bond they are forging can survive either the resolution of the crisis or the vast differences between them.
And whether or not it should.
Escape Rating B: There’s something about Defending Hearts that gives it a bit of a “New Adult” feel, and it’s not just that Kate pops Oz’ cherry. While both protagonists are in their mid-to-late 20s, the decisions that they are making and their positions on their life plans (or lack thereof) give the story a New Adult vibe.
The romance also has elements of the “opposites attract” trope that really work. I would say that Kate is from the wrong side of the tracks, but I don’t think that Jasper, Georgia is big enough to even have tracks. It really does exist, and looks like it’s exactly the kind of small rural town that typifies Georgia in the popular mind outside of the big cities of Atlanta and Savannah.
Kate is also interesting because she’s not a typical romance heroine. Not just because of her military service, but because of the reasons behind it. She enlisted to get the hell out of tiny Jasper, got chewed up and spit out, and now that she’s back, she’s come to the realization that as much as she wanted to leave, and as much as her mom and her sister drive her crazy, they are her people and she loves them, and they love her, no matter what.
They need her, and not just because her contributions are what tides both of them over between men. And she needs them as well, even though she desperately wants to make sure she doesn’t fall into the same trap.
Oz on the other hand had a relatively privileged, upper middle class life in Sweden. Yes, he’s a rich diva because he’s a talented man at the top of a world-class sport, but even without soccer he comes from a far more educated and definitely privileged world. His parents are both professionals, and they were able to afford the coaching and training he needed to get him where he is at the time of the story. And unlike Kate, Oz didn’t merely graduate college, he graduated from Harvard, and that’s the rarified (at least from Kate’s perspective) atmosphere from which he draws his friends and his worldview.
Everyone indulges Oz, and he doesn’t even realize just how much they do. He needs Kate in his life because she doesn’t. She grounds him. And he gives her wings.
The crisis that throws them together, the anti-Muslim propaganda and hate-speech that escalates into stalking and violence, is integral to the story. It feels well-done and gives what might otherwise be a fluffy romance quite a bit of depth. And it’s instructive to see the male sports star, someone who is so obviously the good guy, as the victim of a hate crime. He has done nothing to bring any of this on himself. That the haters are so clearly the villains of this piece (and batshit crazy) may give at least a few readers some insights that might not have otherwise penetrated their bubble.
And that’s a good thing in any book, but especially in a good one.
June 3, 2018
I loved this book first time around and when trying to pick the next book to read, this one kept say quite loudly, PICK ME! PICK ME! So I did
4.5 out of 5
I had such a good time reading the first book in the series, Crossing Hearts and since this one was an even better price - $.99 at Amazon at the moment, it was a given that this book would be up next. Interestingly it has a completely different feel to it than the first book. I enjoyed it just as much but the main characters were way different in this book than the hero/heroine in the previous book.
Oz Terim, the hero is unique, truly unique. He’s Muslim by faith though not at all devout. His parents are from Turkey but he grew up in Sweden and considers himself a Swede. Where Rio was open and all out there, Oz is controlled and I found him quite enigmatic, but in a very good and interesting way. He’s a planner and a controller and needs to be in command of everything – and I mean in control in a sometimes hilarious way. He has come to Atlanta with the new coach with whom he worked for in Sweden. But he went to school in the US and has a close knit group of friends.
He is taken for a real loop when he is targeted by a hate group because of his faith. He’s about as far from any kind of terrorist as one can get. He’s Swedish for heaven’s sake. And while he follows some of the tenants of the Muslim faith, there are others that he’s quite lackadaisical about. He really doesn’t understand why him.
In order to guard and protect him, the team hires Kate Mitchell. She’s served in the military and went on a couple of tours. After that she worked as a contract guarding a woman in Saudi Arabia. Now she’s back in the States and working for a private security firm. She is as different as night and day from Oz and considering how different they are, by all rights there should be no sparks between the two. But they say opposite attracts and this is what happens between Oz and Kate. Even as he’s drawn more and more to Kate, Oz protests it to himself. She’s just not his type. He’s rigidly controlled and she flies by the seat of her pants. He’s sure of himself and what he wants and she really has no idea what she wants out of life. And Kate is just as flummoxed that she is attracted to this rather tight ass. There are some wonderfully adorable scenes of the two of them clashing in their differences. She loosens Oz up some and Oz boosts Kate’s rather negative self-image.
And not wanting to give this away, there is something kind of unique and different about Oz and when we come to the scene, we just go “aaawwww”. At least I did.
I also quite appreciate how the author handles the insane hate that’s directed Oz’s way. I think she did a fabulous job dealing with the effects. And it’s also quite timely given current events
Just like the first book, this one gets an enthusiastic thumbs up. I’m really two for two with Ms. Crowley
4.5 out of 5
I had such a good time reading the first book in the series, Crossing Hearts and since this one was an even better price - $.99 at Amazon at the moment, it was a given that this book would be up next. Interestingly it has a completely different feel to it than the first book. I enjoyed it just as much but the main characters were way different in this book than the hero/heroine in the previous book.
Oz Terim, the hero is unique, truly unique. He’s Muslim by faith though not at all devout. His parents are from Turkey but he grew up in Sweden and considers himself a Swede. Where Rio was open and all out there, Oz is controlled and I found him quite enigmatic, but in a very good and interesting way. He’s a planner and a controller and needs to be in command of everything – and I mean in control in a sometimes hilarious way. He has come to Atlanta with the new coach with whom he worked for in Sweden. But he went to school in the US and has a close knit group of friends.
He is taken for a real loop when he is targeted by a hate group because of his faith. He’s about as far from any kind of terrorist as one can get. He’s Swedish for heaven’s sake. And while he follows some of the tenants of the Muslim faith, there are others that he’s quite lackadaisical about. He really doesn’t understand why him.
In order to guard and protect him, the team hires Kate Mitchell. She’s served in the military and went on a couple of tours. After that she worked as a contract guarding a woman in Saudi Arabia. Now she’s back in the States and working for a private security firm. She is as different as night and day from Oz and considering how different they are, by all rights there should be no sparks between the two. But they say opposite attracts and this is what happens between Oz and Kate. Even as he’s drawn more and more to Kate, Oz protests it to himself. She’s just not his type. He’s rigidly controlled and she flies by the seat of her pants. He’s sure of himself and what he wants and she really has no idea what she wants out of life. And Kate is just as flummoxed that she is attracted to this rather tight ass. There are some wonderfully adorable scenes of the two of them clashing in their differences. She loosens Oz up some and Oz boosts Kate’s rather negative self-image.
And not wanting to give this away, there is something kind of unique and different about Oz and when we come to the scene, we just go “aaawwww”. At least I did.
I also quite appreciate how the author handles the insane hate that’s directed Oz’s way. I think she did a fabulous job dealing with the effects. And it’s also quite timely given current events
Just like the first book, this one gets an enthusiastic thumbs up. I’m really two for two with Ms. Crowley
August 26, 2018
J adore cette nouvelle saga car au delà du milieu du football, Rebecca Crowley aborde à chaque fois un thème fort et une fois de plus , j ai été scotchée par la thématique tant actuelle abordée
Chronique complète http://thelovelyteacheraddictions.blo...
Chronique complète http://thelovelyteacheraddictions.blo...
January 24, 2021
This was perfectly readable, but I confess I kept thinking about how it was in many ways an obvious Mezut Ozil ripoff.
October 8, 2017
This was my first read by author Rebecca Crowley and I’m not usually a big fan of sports romances but this book is so much more than just a sports romance.
This book follows Oz, who is a professional soccer player, and Kate, who works for a security firm hired to help protect Oz. He’s been receiving threatening messages based on his Muslim faith and gradually they become more than just idle threats. Kate is with him every step of the way and over time Oz realizes he can’t fight his attraction to her. He has a very specific plan, and he’s not to sure how well she will fit into the plan but he can’t resist her any longer.
This author brought such a well rounded book; there’s romance, there’s action, there’s suspense and drama. I don’t generally like politics to intrude into my movies, books, or music and when they do I just glaze over those parts. But the Islamophobic hate crimes that Oz deals with are too realistic to ignore. This book was very engrossing – once I started reading I couldn’t put it down. I think this is a book that everyone could enjoy!
**4 Stars - I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book.
This book follows Oz, who is a professional soccer player, and Kate, who works for a security firm hired to help protect Oz. He’s been receiving threatening messages based on his Muslim faith and gradually they become more than just idle threats. Kate is with him every step of the way and over time Oz realizes he can’t fight his attraction to her. He has a very specific plan, and he’s not to sure how well she will fit into the plan but he can’t resist her any longer.
This author brought such a well rounded book; there’s romance, there’s action, there’s suspense and drama. I don’t generally like politics to intrude into my movies, books, or music and when they do I just glaze over those parts. But the Islamophobic hate crimes that Oz deals with are too realistic to ignore. This book was very engrossing – once I started reading I couldn’t put it down. I think this is a book that everyone could enjoy!
**4 Stars - I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book.
September 17, 2017
This was a very enjoyable read. A unique story with some very interesting characters.
Soccer star Oz "Wizard" Terim has life firmly in hand. Getting paid to play the game he loves, living in Atlanta, and renovating his house. All according to plan. Then he becomes a victim of an anti-Muslim hate crime and his life is turned upside down. Kate Mitchell has spent the last 10 years in the military. Now a civilian again she finds herself working private security and stuck babysitting a pro athlete of all people. Never ever did she expect the attraction between them to flare to life. She has to remain focused though as the threats against Oz grow.
Good read and one I would definitely recommend.
Soccer star Oz "Wizard" Terim has life firmly in hand. Getting paid to play the game he loves, living in Atlanta, and renovating his house. All according to plan. Then he becomes a victim of an anti-Muslim hate crime and his life is turned upside down. Kate Mitchell has spent the last 10 years in the military. Now a civilian again she finds herself working private security and stuck babysitting a pro athlete of all people. Never ever did she expect the attraction between them to flare to life. She has to remain focused though as the threats against Oz grow.
Good read and one I would definitely recommend.
September 27, 2017
Oz and Kate in this Skyline ⚽ series book. Oz is from Sweden of Turkish parents and Muslim living in Atlanta when he gets harassed he hired Kate security to protect him. She an ex Army vet working for a security company opposite what Oz wants but she might be what he needs. A totally new look at sports romance told in a new exciting way. Missed the other book and diffently will download it. Net Galley
November 30, 2019
Finally!
I'm sure someone recommended this book to me and I wish I could remember who it was and thank them. After trying and trying I finally found a soccer romance that understands soccer AND is a great story. I enjoyed this book for more than the (real) football, though. Crowley takes on racism, xenophobia, white terrorism, sexism, and classism all in one go and makes it look easy. The hero is complex, imperfect, and delicious. He's quirky and adorable and also maddeningly obtuse sometimes. Also *stage whisper* he's a virgin! The heroine is similarly layered and intriguing. She struggles with very normal insecurities but is also totally committed to being a means-wearing BAMF. I love the way the author plays with gender stereotypes without bashing the reader's face in it. More in a, "yeah, it's like this, I know what I did, so what?" way. I'd be very down with reading more from this author and this series. (Seriously, thank you for understanding what a left back does and highlighting a defender instead of a striker for once!! 😍)
I'm sure someone recommended this book to me and I wish I could remember who it was and thank them. After trying and trying I finally found a soccer romance that understands soccer AND is a great story. I enjoyed this book for more than the (real) football, though. Crowley takes on racism, xenophobia, white terrorism, sexism, and classism all in one go and makes it look easy. The hero is complex, imperfect, and delicious. He's quirky and adorable and also maddeningly obtuse sometimes. Also *stage whisper* he's a virgin! The heroine is similarly layered and intriguing. She struggles with very normal insecurities but is also totally committed to being a means-wearing BAMF. I love the way the author plays with gender stereotypes without bashing the reader's face in it. More in a, "yeah, it's like this, I know what I did, so what?" way. I'd be very down with reading more from this author and this series. (Seriously, thank you for understanding what a left back does and highlighting a defender instead of a striker for once!! 😍)
August 28, 2017
After a disappointing read of the first book in this series, I was hesitant to give this one a chance but I'm glad I did. This book was so much better than the first one. There was genuine concern and reluctance on getting involved for both parties. They took their careers seriously and the impact any potential relationship would have for either of them.
There was true depth to both characters and the author took the time to develop their relationship rather than rushing into it.
Looking forward to the next book in this series
** ARC received from Netgalley **
There was true depth to both characters and the author took the time to develop their relationship rather than rushing into it.
Looking forward to the next book in this series
** ARC received from Netgalley **
July 8, 2018
I really enjoyed this. I'm not into sports romances or romantic suspense, which this was a tiny bit, in general, but I heard good things about this one and it lived up to the hype. It explained enough about soccer (which I know very little about) that I could follow, but didn't get so technical that it got boring. Crowley delved into the emotional complexities of both the hero and heroine and made them realistic. Just really great overall.
September 6, 2017
Richly nuanced characters made this a delicious read from first page to last. Highly recommended.
February 6, 2018
It's about a female bodyguard named Kate, she's ex-military, and she's protecting a soccer star, Oz Terim, who's being targeted by hate groups because he's Muslim.
There's a lot I liked about this book: it's well-written and genuinely surprising in good ways, plot-wise. I loved the fully inclusive world of Atlanta and that Oz's teammates are international, multiracial, and multiethnic.
Oz's struggles with being targeted for his faith since he's not a very devout Muslim. His family is Turkish and Swedish, and not everyone in his family has the same approach to Islam. It didn't feel gimmicky or surface level, it is essential to his life and his character. And that's the external plot, but the conflict between Oz and Kate is more about class. He's wealthy, international, cultured...and Kate is a small town Georgia girl with a high school diploma who spend 8 years in the army. It also forcefully tackles American bigotry and hate. Not every Southerner is a racist redneck, not every city-dweller is a bastion of culture, not every college grad is as liberal as they think. It didn't feel heavy-handed, it just felt REAL.
Defending Hearts is a story that feels so grounded in the complex reality of identity and how that plays out for people when they fall in love. I think it's really well done, and I enjoyed it.
There's a lot I liked about this book: it's well-written and genuinely surprising in good ways, plot-wise. I loved the fully inclusive world of Atlanta and that Oz's teammates are international, multiracial, and multiethnic.
Oz's struggles with being targeted for his faith since he's not a very devout Muslim. His family is Turkish and Swedish, and not everyone in his family has the same approach to Islam. It didn't feel gimmicky or surface level, it is essential to his life and his character. And that's the external plot, but the conflict between Oz and Kate is more about class. He's wealthy, international, cultured...and Kate is a small town Georgia girl with a high school diploma who spend 8 years in the army. It also forcefully tackles American bigotry and hate. Not every Southerner is a racist redneck, not every city-dweller is a bastion of culture, not every college grad is as liberal as they think. It didn't feel heavy-handed, it just felt REAL.
Defending Hearts is a story that feels so grounded in the complex reality of identity and how that plays out for people when they fall in love. I think it's really well done, and I enjoyed it.
September 5, 2017
Oz is a Swedish, of Turkish ancestry, soccer star playing for a US professional team. He was able to both play and attend college at Harvard. He also happens to be Muslim and because of that was harassed and got threats. Which lead to his introduction to Kate. Kate was in the Army for 8 years and then spent time in Saudi Arabia is a security contractor. Now she is back home in Atlanta working for a private security company.
I really liked this one. Enough so, that I went and bought the first book in this series. Both Oz and Kate are likable, vulnerable, and each had their insecurities. I liked the start, both were indifferent to each other before it, slowly, developed into more. They had their share of differences to work through and compromise on. I also really loved Oz and his decision to wait on sex. The role reversal was a pleasant surprise and one that I enjoyed. Kate is more of an Alpha to Oz's Beta and that worked.
I liked the addition of religion and hate crimes in this book too. Considering who is sitting in the Oval Office, this was relevant to our current environment.
eARC courtesy of Kensington Lyrical Shine and NetGalley
Release Date: Sept 19th
I really liked this one. Enough so, that I went and bought the first book in this series. Both Oz and Kate are likable, vulnerable, and each had their insecurities. I liked the start, both were indifferent to each other before it, slowly, developed into more. They had their share of differences to work through and compromise on. I also really loved Oz and his decision to wait on sex. The role reversal was a pleasant surprise and one that I enjoyed. Kate is more of an Alpha to Oz's Beta and that worked.
I liked the addition of religion and hate crimes in this book too. Considering who is sitting in the Oval Office, this was relevant to our current environment.
eARC courtesy of Kensington Lyrical Shine and NetGalley
Release Date: Sept 19th
October 24, 2017
This book was interesting to read. I had a good time with characters in the book. Oz is the main character in this book and he happens to be a pacifist and a perfectionist on top of that he loves to drink and plays video games. Not to mention he is a Swedish Muslim soccer player that happens to have array of tattoos on him. Then we have Kate a army vet and who happens to be a security consultant. All in all the characters are three dimensional and the heat in this story will have you smiling. A must read for any and all book lover everywhere.
September 21, 2017
Atlanta Skyline soccer star, Oz Terim, or the Wizard as his fans like to call him has been receiving threats. So, hiring a security detail is the right thing to do, even though it goes against everything he believes in. However, hiring Kate Mitchell is in his best interests, even if she isn't part of his plan for his life. Will Kate be able to keep Oz safe, or will the person responsible for the threats get to him and keep the pair from achieving their happy ever after?
Having absolutely loved the first book of this series, I couldn't wait to read more about the heroes of the Atlanta Skyline soccer team and the heroines they fall in love with, and I've got to say that this story was everything I could have hoped for and more due to the enthralling main characters that I was enchanted by and compelling dialogue that kept me entertained from start to finish, as these two do their best to deny their chemistry because she works for him and knows things should remain professional between them. The way this story started had me hooked and really liking both the main characters and had me determined to discover how desperately Oz needs security to stay safe, considering the harshness of the threats. Will he agree to the heroine's suggestions? Will he co-operate when the time comes for Kate to implement the security measures she's determined to put into place?
As for the dialogue, it was well-written, attention-grabbing because of the main characters back stories, and I loved their growing relationship that shows how opposite these two are and how good it is that opposites attract. Moreover, the heroine has been through a lot and I loved learning all about her time in the military and the reason why she's returned home. Certainly, she's resilient, independent, courageous and I liked how determined she was to make the best of everything that happens in her life whether its her strained relationship with her family or her growing relationship with Oz, even though there are moments where I think they'll never get together due to the heroine's fears. While the hero, he's confident and determined to achieve the plan he has for his life. However, the heroine forces him to toss his plan because she means everything to him, which is palpable by their teasing banter and his determination to win the heroine over. I also liked the close friendship the hero had with one of the secondary characters and that the man could offer advice when Oz desperately needed it. Will Oz accept the advice and do everything he can to make the heroine realize he's the man for her?
Overall, Ms. Crowley has penned an incredible read in this book where the chemistry between this couple was powerful, the romance was passionate and showed off this couple's chemistry really well, and the ending had me concerned for the main characters because of what they go through. Will what they go through bring them close together again after things went awry? Will the heroine face her fears to give the hero a chance? However, it was the epilogue that wrapped this story up perfectly, because of the hero's determination to do everything he can to make the heroine comfortable in his life, even though her being in his life is totally disrupting to his plan for his life. I would recommend Defending Hearts by Rebecca Crowley, if you enjoy the opposites attract trope or books by authors Kelly Jamieson, Sharla Lovelace, Lia Riley and Kelly Moran.
August 5, 2018
http://www.voluptueusementvotre.fr/20...
En démarrant ce roman, j’étais un peu sceptique. Du foot… hum… pas trop mon truc, mais allez, admettons. Heureusement que je ne me suis pas arrêtée à cette première idée qui n’était finalement rien de plus qu’un préjugé. Honte à moi, bouh !
J’ai rapidement compris qu’avec cette histoire, on allait sortir des sentiers battus. Et pour cause : les codes sont totalement inversés. À tellement de niveaux que je me demande si l’auteure ne s’est pas dit à un moment « Bon, je vais écrire une romance qui va aller à contre-courant, voici une liste des lieux communs, je me donne pour mission d’y mettre un bon coup de pied. » Coup de pied… foot… je sais, c’était facile.
Kate a passé 8 ans dans l’armée avec 3 déploiements à son actif… Ça, c’est souvent le mec, par exemple. Mais je ne vais pas vous faire la fameuse liste de tous les clichés revisités, parce que, pour la plupart, il est préférable que vous les découvriez par vous-mêmes. Elle est indépendante et compte bien le rester, ça lui donne un caractère assez affirmé et une bonne repartie.
Oz, j’ai tout de suite adoré son personnage. Imparfait et conscient de l’être. Et totalement à l’opposé de ce qu’on nous sert habituellement dans le rôle de l’athlète de haut niveau ! Il est musulman et surtout pacifiste, il applique la religion selon sa philosophie de vie. C’est assez rare dans une romance pour le souligner, belle initiative de l’auteure !
Leurs échanges sont parfois très drôles et surtout, il n’y a pas de quiproquos. On dit ce qu’on pense assez rapidement, c’est si rafraîchissant que j’étais sur mes gardes, attendant qu’on revienne dans le schéma classique. Mais non, j’ai beaucoup aimé cette histoire, jusqu’au bout. Y comprit l’épilogue, et je ne suis pas une grande fan des épilogues.
J’ai été séduite par le contexte vraiment bien exploité, alors que le foot, je regarde parfois des matches avec mon père pendant lesquels j’impose à mon entourage des commentaires alors que je ne connais rien aux règles, mais qui me font bien rire (je commente beaucoup les coupes de cheveux et les vautrades des comédiens, pardon des footballeurs), mais en dehors de ça, ce n’est vraiment pas mon truc, les « stars » du foot encore moins. Et pour le coup, les passages du point de vue d’Oz sur le terrain étaient vraiment bien dosés : ni trop spécifiques ni anecdotiques. C’est un plus non négligeable, car on sent bien que le contexte n’est pas un prétexte, mais qu’il est exploité.
À aucun moment, on ne tombe dans la niaiserie ni dans l’overdose de drama, je le répète : c’est très très bien dosé. Ça se lit vite, ça se lit bien, et moi qui pensais saturer avec une romance qui se passe dans le milieu du foot, si près de la victoire de la France, je ne regrette pas une seconde de m’être laissée tenter.
Une écriture fluide, dynamique, qui ne perd pas de temps dans des introspections sans fin, un couple qui s’équilibre naturellement et, surtout, se construit encore plus naturellement, des clichés à qui l’on tourne le dos… tous les ingrédients sont réunis pour passer un excellent moment !
#F
En démarrant ce roman, j’étais un peu sceptique. Du foot… hum… pas trop mon truc, mais allez, admettons. Heureusement que je ne me suis pas arrêtée à cette première idée qui n’était finalement rien de plus qu’un préjugé. Honte à moi, bouh !
J’ai rapidement compris qu’avec cette histoire, on allait sortir des sentiers battus. Et pour cause : les codes sont totalement inversés. À tellement de niveaux que je me demande si l’auteure ne s’est pas dit à un moment « Bon, je vais écrire une romance qui va aller à contre-courant, voici une liste des lieux communs, je me donne pour mission d’y mettre un bon coup de pied. » Coup de pied… foot… je sais, c’était facile.
Kate a passé 8 ans dans l’armée avec 3 déploiements à son actif… Ça, c’est souvent le mec, par exemple. Mais je ne vais pas vous faire la fameuse liste de tous les clichés revisités, parce que, pour la plupart, il est préférable que vous les découvriez par vous-mêmes. Elle est indépendante et compte bien le rester, ça lui donne un caractère assez affirmé et une bonne repartie.
Oz, j’ai tout de suite adoré son personnage. Imparfait et conscient de l’être. Et totalement à l’opposé de ce qu’on nous sert habituellement dans le rôle de l’athlète de haut niveau ! Il est musulman et surtout pacifiste, il applique la religion selon sa philosophie de vie. C’est assez rare dans une romance pour le souligner, belle initiative de l’auteure !
Leurs échanges sont parfois très drôles et surtout, il n’y a pas de quiproquos. On dit ce qu’on pense assez rapidement, c’est si rafraîchissant que j’étais sur mes gardes, attendant qu’on revienne dans le schéma classique. Mais non, j’ai beaucoup aimé cette histoire, jusqu’au bout. Y comprit l’épilogue, et je ne suis pas une grande fan des épilogues.
J’ai été séduite par le contexte vraiment bien exploité, alors que le foot, je regarde parfois des matches avec mon père pendant lesquels j’impose à mon entourage des commentaires alors que je ne connais rien aux règles, mais qui me font bien rire (je commente beaucoup les coupes de cheveux et les vautrades des comédiens, pardon des footballeurs), mais en dehors de ça, ce n’est vraiment pas mon truc, les « stars » du foot encore moins. Et pour le coup, les passages du point de vue d’Oz sur le terrain étaient vraiment bien dosés : ni trop spécifiques ni anecdotiques. C’est un plus non négligeable, car on sent bien que le contexte n’est pas un prétexte, mais qu’il est exploité.
À aucun moment, on ne tombe dans la niaiserie ni dans l’overdose de drama, je le répète : c’est très très bien dosé. Ça se lit vite, ça se lit bien, et moi qui pensais saturer avec une romance qui se passe dans le milieu du foot, si près de la victoire de la France, je ne regrette pas une seconde de m’être laissée tenter.
Une écriture fluide, dynamique, qui ne perd pas de temps dans des introspections sans fin, un couple qui s’équilibre naturellement et, surtout, se construit encore plus naturellement, des clichés à qui l’on tourne le dos… tous les ingrédients sont réunis pour passer un excellent moment !
#F
July 20, 2018
2.5/5
http://www.my-bo0ks.com/2018/07/secre...
Après Sous contrat, le premier tome de Secrets de vestiaires, j'étais curieuse de découvrir ce que nous réservait le second tome, Carton rouge. Nouveau tome, nouveau couple, on ne s'intéresse plus à Vidal, de l'équipe de la Skyline mais à Terim alias le Sorcier.
Pour la petite histoire, sa présence dans l'équipe n'a rien d'étonnant mais les menaces et les dégradations à sa propriété font de lui une cible et donc une personne à protéger. Pour le protéger, ils font appel à la société de protection rapprochée de Kate, une jeune femme qui n'a pas froid aux yeux.
Comme pour le premier tome, je trouve qu'on se plonge aisément dans l'histoire. Carton rouge aborde non seulement le sport mais également le racisme. Notre personnage principal, Terim, musulman sans pour autant être totalement pratiquant, reçoit énormément de menace et subit des blagues de mauvais goûts. J'ai trouvé que l'auteure abordait ça avec délicatesse et savait doser le tout.
Du côté des personnages, bien qu'intriguée par Kate et notamment son parcours, je ne me suis pas spécialement attachée à elle. Pour ce qui est de Terim, c'est un peu pareil. J'avais l'impression qu'il me manquait quelque chose pour vraiment les apprécier et être au coeur de leur histoire.
Une histoire d'amour pas si simple. Elle commence assez doucement mais toujours dans le même style que celle de Sous Contrat. Une héroine qui reste effrayé à l'idée d'avouer ses sentiments naissants et qui, préfère fuir et se cacher derrière les enjeux professionnels. Malgré tout, ils restent mignons à voir évoluer.
La menace qui plane au-dessus de Terim reste le principal élément de l'intrigue. Un suspense qui, je dois l'avouer, m'a vraiment tenu en haleine et surprise par ses retournements de situations. Comme quoi, il faut se méfier de l'eau qui dort.
En conclusion, je dirais que dans l'ensemble, Carton rouge est une bonne lecture. En revanche, j'ai regretté mon manque d'attachement vis-à-vis des personnages. Une lecture rapide, sympa et idéal pour la saison. Enfin, si je devais comparer au premier tome, comme bien souvent, j'ai préféré le premier, Sous Contrat.
http://www.my-bo0ks.com/2018/07/secre...
Après Sous contrat, le premier tome de Secrets de vestiaires, j'étais curieuse de découvrir ce que nous réservait le second tome, Carton rouge. Nouveau tome, nouveau couple, on ne s'intéresse plus à Vidal, de l'équipe de la Skyline mais à Terim alias le Sorcier.
Pour la petite histoire, sa présence dans l'équipe n'a rien d'étonnant mais les menaces et les dégradations à sa propriété font de lui une cible et donc une personne à protéger. Pour le protéger, ils font appel à la société de protection rapprochée de Kate, une jeune femme qui n'a pas froid aux yeux.
Comme pour le premier tome, je trouve qu'on se plonge aisément dans l'histoire. Carton rouge aborde non seulement le sport mais également le racisme. Notre personnage principal, Terim, musulman sans pour autant être totalement pratiquant, reçoit énormément de menace et subit des blagues de mauvais goûts. J'ai trouvé que l'auteure abordait ça avec délicatesse et savait doser le tout.
Du côté des personnages, bien qu'intriguée par Kate et notamment son parcours, je ne me suis pas spécialement attachée à elle. Pour ce qui est de Terim, c'est un peu pareil. J'avais l'impression qu'il me manquait quelque chose pour vraiment les apprécier et être au coeur de leur histoire.
Une histoire d'amour pas si simple. Elle commence assez doucement mais toujours dans le même style que celle de Sous Contrat. Une héroine qui reste effrayé à l'idée d'avouer ses sentiments naissants et qui, préfère fuir et se cacher derrière les enjeux professionnels. Malgré tout, ils restent mignons à voir évoluer.
La menace qui plane au-dessus de Terim reste le principal élément de l'intrigue. Un suspense qui, je dois l'avouer, m'a vraiment tenu en haleine et surprise par ses retournements de situations. Comme quoi, il faut se méfier de l'eau qui dort.
En conclusion, je dirais que dans l'ensemble, Carton rouge est une bonne lecture. En revanche, j'ai regretté mon manque d'attachement vis-à-vis des personnages. Une lecture rapide, sympa et idéal pour la saison. Enfin, si je devais comparer au premier tome, comme bien souvent, j'ai préféré le premier, Sous Contrat.
October 16, 2017
Defending Hearts is a wonderful romance with an outside of the norm premise. Kate works for a kind of second tier security business, trying to sell protection/security services to people on the phone. She's essentially a sales person, but knows her stuff. She's a veteran with all the training that comes with military service. She's done personal protection, and so she's a physically strong, mostly confident woman. When she meets Oz as a potential client, she's intrigued by the cool, stoic soccer player who doesn't really want the services of her company, and wouldn't be availing himself of them if his manager and his team weren't insisting on protection for him.
Oz is an interesting character. He's kind of a diva. He's cool to the point of cold. He's analytical and knows exactly what he wants his life to be. He's a bit anal and compulsive about neatness. And then along comes Kate, who invades his home with her security system, and invades his heart and his mind, the two places he really does not want her to be. That he's a loosely practicing Muslim is interesting, and the crux of the mystery. Someone has been targeting him online with anonymous threats because of his religion, and Kate is there to protect him from those threats.
When Kate and Oz start falling for each other, I thoroughly expected Oz to be the one pushing her away. Instead, it's Kate, who has some self esteem and insecurity issues that seem to be almost a contradiction to the strong, confident image she projects, that pushes Oz away.
Defending Hearts is that unicorn of romances - it's got a lot of depth, layered, engaging leads, a little bit of mystery and action, and steam all wrapped up in religious and socio-political themes. Normally I don't like politics in my romances, but it's so well done here, so seamlessly woven into the story that I can't help but appreciate it, even like it, alot. If you like your romances with substance, and an out of the box premise, 1 click Defending Hearts today.
I received an ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.
Oz is an interesting character. He's kind of a diva. He's cool to the point of cold. He's analytical and knows exactly what he wants his life to be. He's a bit anal and compulsive about neatness. And then along comes Kate, who invades his home with her security system, and invades his heart and his mind, the two places he really does not want her to be. That he's a loosely practicing Muslim is interesting, and the crux of the mystery. Someone has been targeting him online with anonymous threats because of his religion, and Kate is there to protect him from those threats.
When Kate and Oz start falling for each other, I thoroughly expected Oz to be the one pushing her away. Instead, it's Kate, who has some self esteem and insecurity issues that seem to be almost a contradiction to the strong, confident image she projects, that pushes Oz away.
Defending Hearts is that unicorn of romances - it's got a lot of depth, layered, engaging leads, a little bit of mystery and action, and steam all wrapped up in religious and socio-political themes. Normally I don't like politics in my romances, but it's so well done here, so seamlessly woven into the story that I can't help but appreciate it, even like it, alot. If you like your romances with substance, and an out of the box premise, 1 click Defending Hearts today.
I received an ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.
October 16, 2017
As much as I love (and often devour) sports romances, that wasn't what initially drew me towards Defending Hearts. What snagged my attention was the religious elements. Our hero, Oz, is a Muslim soccer player that is the victim of anti-Muslim hate crimes. Our heroine, Kate Mitchell, is in charge of his security. I loved Kate from the first chapter. She's an incredibly strong character that can stand toe-to-toe with just about anyone. While her past and her family definitely play a roll in a lot of her actions, she's still determined to stand on her own. Oz, on the other hand, left me with a lot of mixed feelings. There were times when I wasn't his biggest fan. Overall, he is a fun character with many different sides of his personality. However, the moments where he unintentionally led Kate on bothered me. He's a little naive, so I don't think he knowingly hurt her. I did wish that someone would slap some sense into him a bit sooner.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Defending Hearts. I loved the soccer elements, which is a sport I don't read often in romances. I loved the playful moments in Oz and Kate's relationship, especially that pool game. Watching them try to get under each other's skin was fabulous. I also loved how their relationship took them by surprise. It wasn't an immediate attraction. Instead, it was a slow build from an innocent touch. They felt the sparks, but wasn't sure if the other person did as well. I also loved that the author brought in the hate crime element. I know that can make some readers a bit uneasy, but I felt it added a lot of depth to the romance. I loved that the characters stood strong through the hate and came out as better individuals. Overall, Defending Hearts was a fun book. Even in the scenes where I wanted to strangle Oz, I had fun reading this book and I'm looking forward to reading more of the author's work in the future.
I received an advance copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Defending Hearts. I loved the soccer elements, which is a sport I don't read often in romances. I loved the playful moments in Oz and Kate's relationship, especially that pool game. Watching them try to get under each other's skin was fabulous. I also loved how their relationship took them by surprise. It wasn't an immediate attraction. Instead, it was a slow build from an innocent touch. They felt the sparks, but wasn't sure if the other person did as well. I also loved that the author brought in the hate crime element. I know that can make some readers a bit uneasy, but I felt it added a lot of depth to the romance. I loved that the characters stood strong through the hate and came out as better individuals. Overall, Defending Hearts was a fun book. Even in the scenes where I wanted to strangle Oz, I had fun reading this book and I'm looking forward to reading more of the author's work in the future.
I received an advance copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
August 14, 2017
Atlanta, GA. Kate Mitchell (former Army Transportation Combat support services; Iraq/Afghanistan, American oil co. security, Saudi Arabia) sold private-security services to athletes.
Lorraine let her know Roland Carlsson (Atlanta Skyline mgr.) & Özkan “Oz” Terim (#18, Turkish, Atlanta Skyline wingback “Wizard”, Harvard) were there to see her.
The Citizens First forums were quite xenophobic.
Peak Tactical will provide the service to the team.
Oz’s resident had every kind of security measure money would buy.
King Stadium. Atlanta Skyline. EB 44 Executive Box. Glen (A/A, MIT), Ted (Asian) & Sean (red head) greeted Kate & Jared.
Atlanta was playing Tucson.
Later, why was Detective Hegarty speaking with Kate?
Kate was starting to attend quite a few Soccer games. LA, Boise, San Diego, Miami, etc.
Wayne Seibert was the media spokesman for the team.
Will Kate fall head-over-heels for Oz?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written romance book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great romance movie, or better yet a mini TV series. It was exciting as I hoped so I will only rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; Goodreads; MakingConnections; Penguin Random House Publisher Services; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons (Washburn)
Lorraine let her know Roland Carlsson (Atlanta Skyline mgr.) & Özkan “Oz” Terim (#18, Turkish, Atlanta Skyline wingback “Wizard”, Harvard) were there to see her.
The Citizens First forums were quite xenophobic.
Peak Tactical will provide the service to the team.
Oz’s resident had every kind of security measure money would buy.
King Stadium. Atlanta Skyline. EB 44 Executive Box. Glen (A/A, MIT), Ted (Asian) & Sean (red head) greeted Kate & Jared.
Atlanta was playing Tucson.
Later, why was Detective Hegarty speaking with Kate?
Kate was starting to attend quite a few Soccer games. LA, Boise, San Diego, Miami, etc.
Wayne Seibert was the media spokesman for the team.
Will Kate fall head-over-heels for Oz?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written romance book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great romance movie, or better yet a mini TV series. It was exciting as I hoped so I will only rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; Goodreads; MakingConnections; Penguin Random House Publisher Services; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons (Washburn)
August 1, 2017
"Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review"
This book was delightful! A romantic plot against a background of cultural, social, religious and nationality differences: Christian versus Muslim, European versus American, high-educated versus basic-educated, rich versus poor… It’s about how two very different people from different worlds become attracted to each other, fight that attraction and finally succumb and deal with their differences.
Oz is a rather cool and compelling hero... and a mass of contradictions – and it works! A Swedish-Turkish-Muslim with a Harvard degree, an European soccer player in an USA team, an unsmiling organization freak (and some other quite captivating traits...).
The heroine, Kate, is a good counterpart, not the usual super successful and self-assured woman. I liked how she’s so strong and capable – security is her business, after all – and how she protects Oz (and vice-versa). The way she lets her mother and sister take advantage of her is annoying though.
I loved the cultural and linguistic diversity, although it all tends to be a bit simplified (there’s no real equivalence between Europeans and Americans, because Europe, the “faraway continent”, is a complex web of sovereign countries).
And again I loved to read a story about soccer, written by an American author. And I really missed seeing a little more of Rio Vidal, the Chilean hero in “Crossing Hearts” (Atlanta Skyline, book 1).
I'm grateful to the publisher, Kensington Books/Lyrical Shine, and NetGalley for providing a free copy
This book was delightful! A romantic plot against a background of cultural, social, religious and nationality differences: Christian versus Muslim, European versus American, high-educated versus basic-educated, rich versus poor… It’s about how two very different people from different worlds become attracted to each other, fight that attraction and finally succumb and deal with their differences.
Oz is a rather cool and compelling hero... and a mass of contradictions – and it works! A Swedish-Turkish-Muslim with a Harvard degree, an European soccer player in an USA team, an unsmiling organization freak (and some other quite captivating traits...).
The heroine, Kate, is a good counterpart, not the usual super successful and self-assured woman. I liked how she’s so strong and capable – security is her business, after all – and how she protects Oz (and vice-versa). The way she lets her mother and sister take advantage of her is annoying though.
I loved the cultural and linguistic diversity, although it all tends to be a bit simplified (there’s no real equivalence between Europeans and Americans, because Europe, the “faraway continent”, is a complex web of sovereign countries).
And again I loved to read a story about soccer, written by an American author. And I really missed seeing a little more of Rio Vidal, the Chilean hero in “Crossing Hearts” (Atlanta Skyline, book 1).
I'm grateful to the publisher, Kensington Books/Lyrical Shine, and NetGalley for providing a free copy
October 11, 2017
4 1/2 STARS!
In a powerful voice, Rebecca Crowley takes on a hot topic with her latest book in the Atlanta Skyline series … and does it well! She delivers just the right amount of oomph to bring his plight to light in our minds and have us rising up behind him in support. The subject is of a relevant topic, the friendship rallying behind him is touching, the sports factor brings in fitting action to keep us wanting more, and the sweet love story developing from strife has us mesmerized. Overall, a great read!
Swedish soccer player Oz Terim was enjoying the good life as a star wingback for the Atlanta Skyline when sudden media attention brought him to center stage for another reason. He might have inherited his Islamic faith from his Turkish parents, but he’s never even been a devout follower, so when he’s suddenly targeted on a published list just for being a Muslim athlete, he’s blown away. Finding himself entrenched in hate is demoralizing and disconcerting.
Kate Mitchell is former military and newly back in her home area of Atlanta, Georgia and working for a private security company. When she’s contacted by Oz’s manager about the incident, she is hesitant to work with what she assumes is a cocky athlete, but when she meets Oz and hears his dilemma, she steps up and takes him on as a client. Attraction flares fairly quickly between them, but Oz isn’t quick to trust or jump into an intimate relationship with just anyone. Will she prove to be irresistible?
In a powerful voice, Rebecca Crowley takes on a hot topic with her latest book in the Atlanta Skyline series … and does it well! She delivers just the right amount of oomph to bring his plight to light in our minds and have us rising up behind him in support. The subject is of a relevant topic, the friendship rallying behind him is touching, the sports factor brings in fitting action to keep us wanting more, and the sweet love story developing from strife has us mesmerized. Overall, a great read!
Swedish soccer player Oz Terim was enjoying the good life as a star wingback for the Atlanta Skyline when sudden media attention brought him to center stage for another reason. He might have inherited his Islamic faith from his Turkish parents, but he’s never even been a devout follower, so when he’s suddenly targeted on a published list just for being a Muslim athlete, he’s blown away. Finding himself entrenched in hate is demoralizing and disconcerting.
Kate Mitchell is former military and newly back in her home area of Atlanta, Georgia and working for a private security company. When she’s contacted by Oz’s manager about the incident, she is hesitant to work with what she assumes is a cocky athlete, but when she meets Oz and hears his dilemma, she steps up and takes him on as a client. Attraction flares fairly quickly between them, but Oz isn’t quick to trust or jump into an intimate relationship with just anyone. Will she prove to be irresistible?
October 13, 2017
Defending Hearts is more than just a romance, it's fictional tale, but it has a very clear thread of truth that runs through it.
Defending Hearts is the story of Oz Terem, a Muslim soccer player for the all new Atlanta Skyline soccer team, that after being spotted praying before a game, a disgusting nut job who is riding the anti Islamic wave flowing through the country, to declare him an enemy, and decides to target him.
So insteps Kate Mitchell, ex-military and the new personal security for Oz. And while they are worlds apart from not only their background, but with their life plans, but nevertheless the attraction between them grows, but then so do the threats against Oz's life, and Kate has to remain focus to keep Oz safe.
As I said before, Defending Hearts is more than just a romance, it has depth and feeling, and I applaud the author for writing about something that is current and has a edge to it.
I enjoyed the character's, writing, and the smoothness of the book, though it defiantly feels like a New Adult romance, rather than a contempory romance, but it has such depth to it, that I found it a very enjoyable read.
I give Defending Hearts 4 stars!
Defending Hearts is the story of Oz Terem, a Muslim soccer player for the all new Atlanta Skyline soccer team, that after being spotted praying before a game, a disgusting nut job who is riding the anti Islamic wave flowing through the country, to declare him an enemy, and decides to target him.
So insteps Kate Mitchell, ex-military and the new personal security for Oz. And while they are worlds apart from not only their background, but with their life plans, but nevertheless the attraction between them grows, but then so do the threats against Oz's life, and Kate has to remain focus to keep Oz safe.
As I said before, Defending Hearts is more than just a romance, it has depth and feeling, and I applaud the author for writing about something that is current and has a edge to it.
I enjoyed the character's, writing, and the smoothness of the book, though it defiantly feels like a New Adult romance, rather than a contempory romance, but it has such depth to it, that I found it a very enjoyable read.
I give Defending Hearts 4 stars!
August 24, 2017
I received this ARC in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for my honest review.
Defending Hearts takes you on Oz and Kate's journey of having a relationship together and falling in love. The romance plot line itself runs along the lines of your typical romance, but the situations the couple are faced with brings up strong issues that some don't think about all the time. This story pulls hate crimes and religious differences into the mix and it highlights the problems with both of these things in society in a way that is informative while also pulling at the readers heart. Having to see Oz go through some of the things he faced really got to me, but it added a different dimension to the story that pulled me in.
Defending Hearts is a quick, fast paced romance that calls up religious differences and hate filled actions, great soccer descriptions and two dynamic character to create a great sports romance. I would definitely recommend this story to anyone who asks and can't wait to read more in this series!
Defending Hearts takes you on Oz and Kate's journey of having a relationship together and falling in love. The romance plot line itself runs along the lines of your typical romance, but the situations the couple are faced with brings up strong issues that some don't think about all the time. This story pulls hate crimes and religious differences into the mix and it highlights the problems with both of these things in society in a way that is informative while also pulling at the readers heart. Having to see Oz go through some of the things he faced really got to me, but it added a different dimension to the story that pulled me in.
Defending Hearts is a quick, fast paced romance that calls up religious differences and hate filled actions, great soccer descriptions and two dynamic character to create a great sports romance. I would definitely recommend this story to anyone who asks and can't wait to read more in this series!
September 20, 2017
This is the second book in the Atlanta Skyline series. It held up fairly well as a stand alone book, so you could read this without reading the first one.
I thought this was a cute romance. I enjoyed the slow build to Kate and Oz's relationship. In fact, it takes over half the book before they really get hot and heavy. I loved their banter and particularly loved the pool table scene. That was really amusing. The tables are turned in this one and t was refreshing to see a man who wants to wait to have sex over a woman. You don't see that often.
I will admit to not being a soccer fan. I've never understood the appeal of the sport, so I did find myself glossing over the soccer parts of the book. It just is something that doesn't appeal to me. I enjoyed the rest though. Given the political climate in the country right now, I was afraid this would be really preachy. But it wasn't. I thought the author handled the theme of hate crimes in a very realistic and rational way.
I thought this was a cute romance. I enjoyed the slow build to Kate and Oz's relationship. In fact, it takes over half the book before they really get hot and heavy. I loved their banter and particularly loved the pool table scene. That was really amusing. The tables are turned in this one and t was refreshing to see a man who wants to wait to have sex over a woman. You don't see that often.
I will admit to not being a soccer fan. I've never understood the appeal of the sport, so I did find myself glossing over the soccer parts of the book. It just is something that doesn't appeal to me. I enjoyed the rest though. Given the political climate in the country right now, I was afraid this would be really preachy. But it wasn't. I thought the author handled the theme of hate crimes in a very realistic and rational way.
November 19, 2017
After years working and being deployed in the Middle East, Kate has been trying to adjust to civilian life. She has a job selling private client security, but she hasn’t made many friends in the six months since she moved home. When Atlanta Skyline player Oz walks in with his coach needing protection, Kate thinks it will finally be her big break.
Oz is of Swedish and Turkish heritage, and has lived in Atlanta for the last three years. Soccer has been his life for as long as he can remember, and he has been fine with that. He thinks he is a pretty laid back kind of guy, so when he is the target of a hate crime he is stunned. He doesn’t want a bodyguard, especially one as attractive as Kate, but he realizes he may need one.
I would give this book 4 stars. I thought it was a unique take on the story, and I liked how the main characters each had their own baggage but they complemented each other. I have been a fan of this series since the first book, but I think you could read this as a stand-alone book just fine. I was asked by the author for an honest review.
Oz is of Swedish and Turkish heritage, and has lived in Atlanta for the last three years. Soccer has been his life for as long as he can remember, and he has been fine with that. He thinks he is a pretty laid back kind of guy, so when he is the target of a hate crime he is stunned. He doesn’t want a bodyguard, especially one as attractive as Kate, but he realizes he may need one.
I would give this book 4 stars. I thought it was a unique take on the story, and I liked how the main characters each had their own baggage but they complemented each other. I have been a fan of this series since the first book, but I think you could read this as a stand-alone book just fine. I was asked by the author for an honest review.
October 11, 2017
Book #2 in the series and I still love it.
I really loved the plot of this book. I don't know what I was expecting but this wasn't it. We have Oz who is targeted because of his religion and Kate, a bad-ass who is hired to keep him safe and alive.
You may get the feeling that this two couldn't be more different but some how the author made them fit perfectly together. This sport romance is a bit different from anything I've read so far and if you're looking for something "new" than this book is for you.
*** Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog***
I really loved the plot of this book. I don't know what I was expecting but this wasn't it. We have Oz who is targeted because of his religion and Kate, a bad-ass who is hired to keep him safe and alive.
You may get the feeling that this two couldn't be more different but some how the author made them fit perfectly together. This sport romance is a bit different from anything I've read so far and if you're looking for something "new" than this book is for you.
*** Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog***
July 12, 2017
Oz sometimes has a hard time coming up with answers, "good. Great. Excellent. Amazing. I’m running out of English words.” For kate there are times when it's all about priorities, “I’m sure this can wait.” She shoved the box aside and scrambled into his lap, straddling him, her mouth finding his with heat and hunger." I liked this book, Oz was a little OCD so those scenes were entertaining to me.
August 20, 2018
http://www.unbrindelecture.com/2018/0...
Un second tome croustillant, bien écrit et qui aborde des thèmes intéressants . On côtoie donc l'univers du football mais l'auteur y injecte des problématiques de racisme et de machisme qui approfondissent la romance. Kate et Oz forme un duo hétéroclite et charismatique avec une histoire qui a de quoi passionnée même si c'est parfois du déjà vu ou du prévisible .
Un second tome croustillant, bien écrit et qui aborde des thèmes intéressants . On côtoie donc l'univers du football mais l'auteur y injecte des problématiques de racisme et de machisme qui approfondissent la romance. Kate et Oz forme un duo hétéroclite et charismatique avec une histoire qui a de quoi passionnée même si c'est parfois du déjà vu ou du prévisible .
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