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I’m famous for two things—being one of the best defensemen in the NHL and my classic pranks.
My teammates always said one of my jokes would bite me in my Scottish arse one day, and they were right.
After a prank goes wrong, I’m sentenced to six weeks community service under none other than the sexy, rule-abiding, smart-mouthed city clerk of Sweet Water—Annabelle Clarke.

Lucky for me it’s offseason.
Unlucky for me?
I want Annabelle like I want my next breath.
She’s smart, luscious, and wound-tighter than a Scottish drum.
Och, I’d love to be the one to help loosen her strings.

She’s made it clear that while I’m under her employment, she won’t be under me.
The white-hot chemistry we can’t deny must be ignored at all costs.
But bantering with her is soon my favorite pastime
And she’s the sweetest forbidden fruit I’ve ever tasted

As we grow closer, one thing is absolutely clear
A summer with Annabelle Clarke can only end one of two ways:
Satisfaction or surrender.
And I can only hope we can weather the storm when the sky inevitably crashes down on us.

250 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 16, 2019

1877 people are currently reading
3404 people want to read

About the author

Samantha Whiskey

44 books2,786 followers
Samantha Whiskey is a wife, mom, lover of her dogs and romance novels. No stranger to hockey, hot alpha males, and a high dose of awkwardness, she tucks herself away to write books her PTA will never know about.

To keep up to date with her latest sexy little reads, join her mailing list!
http://eepurl.com/bSQRWr

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5 stars
2,512 (41%)
4 stars
2,203 (36%)
3 stars
1,073 (17%)
2 stars
180 (3%)
1 star
32 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 279 reviews
Profile Image for ⇝ b ⇝.
1,418 reviews62 followers
December 18, 2019
Am I about to sound like a massive dick? Heck yeah I am.

I try very hard to be a generous reviewer. Hell, a year ago I wouldn’t even be stressed about rating this two stars. But I feel the need to defend my rating a bit.

Everyone has their preferences when they read. I like tropes others passionately hate, and vice versa. Something I hate is the miscommunication/misunderstanding trope. It truly makes me beyond angry.

You might be asking yourself why it makes me this furious. It’s because it’s lazy writing and a scape goat. Most adults in a relatively “normal” relationship communicate. If you love someone, and they “mess” up the way Connell did, then you’d at least give them the benefit of the doubt.

Authors that use miscommunication/misunderstanding tropes as part of the conflict seem lazy to me.

Another pet peeve is the insecure heroine. I’m human, and I also have my insecurities. But when it’s used in hand with the miscommunication/misunderstanding trope...man it’s annoying.

I sound super mean, but it’s just frustrating. There’s so many ways you can write a complex conflict. Those are just cop outs in my opinion. If you’re going to write an insecure character, than give them more depth.
Profile Image for Auntee.
1,356 reviews1,470 followers
December 28, 2019
Connell and Annabelle were pure magic. I loved the pairing of the free spirited, prankster Scottish defenseman Connell and the uptight, by-the-book city clerk Annabelle. Opposites do attract! Watching Connell and Annabelle fall in love was soooo satisfying——these two had some white hot chemistry! Connell was a sexy rogue, Annabelle had that innocent girl next door vibe. The only thing that bugged me a wee bit was Annabelle almost constantly doubting her self worth. Her thoughts about why a gorgeous stud like Connell would want to be with a curvy, nobody like her irked me a bit. You are good enough! Believe Connell when he tells you he wants no one but you! Annabelle’s insecurities almost derailed the romance when Connell’s sarcastic words were taken out of context by a reporter, and she chose to believe what she read rather than talking it out with Connell. *sigh*
But such is the way of romances...

I love this series—it’s definitely one of the hottest hockey romances (and there seem to be plenty of them now) out there. This author has a smooth writing style and has you really caring about her characters, and provides plenty of heat too. Can’t wait for the next book in this series!

4 1/2 stars
Profile Image for Clau.
1,000 reviews122 followers
November 26, 2020
Well. It took me a lot of time to finish this one, and not because I was particularly busy.
This book is about Connell, a scottish hockey player, who is sentenced to 6 weeks of community labor, after he crashed into a statue. The thing is, he was just going to pay a fine and the repairs for said statue, when this woman barges in and demands that he is properly punished for ruining a piece of the town's history.
That woman is Annabelle. And I hated her. She was annoying, really self absorbed and behaved like her job -city clerk- was the most important one in the world. And she was boring! I couldn't read more than one chapter from her POV.
Connell, on the other hand, was practically perfect. He was nice, easy going and knew what he wanted (for some reason I just couldn't understand, he wanted Annabelle).
Profile Image for Diana R. Johnston.
Author 3 books55 followers
August 23, 2020
Oh my gah...

This was so good!! I enjoyed the pranks and how the characters interacted. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Alley Ciz.
Author 98 books2,390 followers
November 19, 2019
Samantha’s hockey boys are my total kindle crack. I CANNOT get enough of them. The whole world disappears when one of them hits my kindle and Connell was no exception. I also need this book in audio to experience the accent.

Connell and Annabelle are so sweet together while being so so hot.

Now I need more. I know my vote for the next Reaper I want.
Profile Image for Angelina.
742 reviews
January 13, 2020
This is my favourite book so far by Samantha Whiskey! I'm in love with this couple and didn't want the book to end - I would've happily continued to read throughout the night! There were some beautiful and heart melting moments mixed with laughter, off the charts passion and heartache. I became so lost in this 5 star read and it's one I'll definitely be reading again. I've always had a thing for hot men with accents, so Connell is my ideal man. Combine that with his sense of humour, unwavering support and intense love, you have a guy who every reader will sigh over and want to claim for their own.

“Lass, if I talked you out of your clothes, I wouldn’t need to promise anything. I’d simply show you. Weak men make promises when it comes to sex. Good men let the orgasms speak for themselves.” - Connell

I struggled to like Annabelle at the start as I found her demanding and bossy, but as the story progressed, I realised this was her way of protecting herself. Don't judge her too quickly because you'll soon find that she's a very likeable character who is just dealing with insecurities from past events that she allows to take over at times. We also get to spend time with old and new friends from the Carolina Reapers team and previous books with possible storylines for future stories hinted at. I already know that Logan is up next, and I'll be jumping into his book as soon as possible!

“Would it be so bad?” he whispered. I tilted my head as he released me. “To finally let go and let yourself be loved in the way you deserve?” - Annabelle & Her Father

Connell is an amazing addition to the Carolina Reapers series and can be enjoyed on its own, but I would recommend reading the books in order because you'll definitely find yourself wanting to read them all after picking up one and losing yourself in this talented author's work!

*I voluntarily reviewed an advance complimentary copy of this book
Profile Image for alexa.
115 reviews
April 23, 2023
they were actually cute but i didn’t expect to like their group as much as i did!!
Profile Image for &#x1f989;Maggie Whitworth.
3,254 reviews113 followers
November 26, 2019
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋💋

Totally Brilliant!

This author has an innate gift for these books ,
Rough tough hockey players and even tougher women that love them.

This one has romance , fun , laughter , heartache and puck bunnies with hidden agendas.

Waiting for more is always so hard, but satisfying when the next one is in my hands , more soon please!
Profile Image for Black Ink Riot.
196 reviews51 followers
November 5, 2022
BOOK REVIEW: 4 stars
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: 0 stars

I need to commiserate with other fans of this series about how TERRIBLY GOD AWFUL these audiobooks are and how devastated I am after anxiously awaiting their release for months.

To whoever at Podium selected the narrator, Tim Paige, and then listened to his sample and was like "damn, he nailed Connell's Scottish accent!" --> Perhaps a visit to an audiologist is in order?

And to Tim Paige himself --> what the fuckity fuck were you smoking when you recorded this, because that shit was bad and you need a new dealer pronto!

Can we all just take a moment to listen to this absolutely brain melting failed attempt at a Scottish brogue? Here's the audible sample

- WTF #1: When he's reading the descriptions and expositions, he has a strangely forced accent that inexplicably shuffles between a vague Irish accent to an American English accent.

- WTF #2: When he's reading Connell's internal monologue, he again vacillates between a bizarro Irish accent for some words, and then a stunted American English accent for the rest.

- WTF #3: When he's reading Connell's dialogue, he only puts on a Scottish accent for about 15% of the words, with no rhyme or reason nor consistency given to which words are spoken in an accent, so it feels like listening to game of dizzingly incomprehensible accent ping pong.

If he was trying to make Connell's accent sound muted because he had lived in the US for awhile, then he should have studied what a muted Scottish accent sounds like and established some consistency with which words and phrases would maintain the brogue. But I don't even know if an attempt was made along these lines because...well... just listen to about 3 minutes of this sample to hear for yourself.

When the author / publisher prices the audiobook at the astounding price of $34.99 muthafukin clams, which is DOUBLE the price of her other and most audiobooks, you would think that the performances would be top notch...or at least get the accents correct.

There are so many other narrators who can effortlessly do a Scottish accent or ***gasp*** are actually Scottish!, that the selection of this narrator is an absolute insult to readers asking them to waste their hard earned money on this auditory assault.

It's going to be an absolute travesty if he narrates Cannon, the fan favorite of this series. Please Samantha Whiskey and Podium - change the narrators before it's too late and you unnecessarily ruin that book!!!
Profile Image for abire.
1,058 reviews96 followers
September 10, 2023
“This, right here with you, is my real life. My home. My town. My Annabelle.”


1.5 stars for the CannonxPersephone crumbs, without them this book woulda been a 0 stars.

Without a doubt my least favorite book in this entire series/universe! Lack of chemistry aside, the whole "i don't trust you eventhough you gave me no reason not to and i'm gonna believe everyone without hesitation instead of you" just does not do it for me. Annabelle was absolutely unlikable with her trust issues and her insecurities, I just couldn't STAND her, which did not help my enjoyment of this book!
Profile Image for Ann.
2,110 reviews51 followers
Read
August 15, 2020
DNF. At 19% I decided this it, I'm done. Maybe its confinement, boredom, whatever, just couldn't get into this book. Looks to be a popular starred read though based on other reviews.
Profile Image for Lea Bookjoy.
1,789 reviews88 followers
February 22, 2021
French & English reviews

Un hockeyeur écossais et tellement adorable ??? J'ACHETE !!
Comme d'habitude avec cette série, une romance cocoon et feeling good avec du drama, des héros qu'on a envie de kidnapper et des héroïnes qu'on a envie de pousser du haut d'une falaise xD (MAIS COMMENT TU NE PEUX PAS AVOIR CONFIANCE EN CE MEC ??!!)
Bref, une romance que j'ai dévoré dans le train et maintenant l'hésitation : est-ce que je commence le livre avec Logan au coeur brisé ou Sawyer le boyscoot ou Cannon le grincheux xD ??


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


A Scottish hockey player and one who is so adorable ??? I BUY !!
As usual with this series, a cocooning and feeling good romance with drama, heroes that we want to kidnap and heroines that we want to push off a cliff xD (BUT HOW CAN YOU NOT TRUST THIS GUY ??!!)
Anyway, a romance that I devoured on the train and now the big hesitation : do I start the book with the heartbroken Logan or the boyscoot Sawyer or the grumpy Cannon xD ??
Profile Image for Nureesh Vhalega.
Author 20 books151 followers
March 17, 2020
Kupikir Connell bakal lucu atau gimanaaa gitu. B aja sodara-sodara wkwkwk konfliknya juga nggak bikin simpati. Tapi suka sih selipan Cannon-Sephie LOL
Profile Image for Solara!.
536 reviews108 followers
June 7, 2022
whoever told me this book was bad was a liar.
209 reviews3 followers
May 5, 2020
Disappointing and tedious.

Well Samatha either hits the brief or completely misses it. Heck did she miss with this dull little romance. The conflict was lacking and not believable. Connell pursued Annabelle from the first page and Annabelle resisted. There you have the first third of the book. Then they fall into bed, this was a ploy whenever the author was at a loss to move the story forward. So they had lots and lots of sex. Then the climax arrived and it all related to Annabelle’s lack of trust, which was always going to occur at the 80% mark. The grand gesture was predictable and dull. Thankfully when ever Cannon and Persephone appeared on the page the chemistry and sizzle jumped off the page so occasionally one or two pages were interesting. For the most part I skipped many pages as it was chat, bed, I love you, wash, rinse, repeat. This is always the issues with series, some characters and stories you relate to others you don’t. I also hate it when authors who decide to write with the Scottish accents. The reader ends up reading endless dialogue with ye and och, and occasional Scottish slang. Once we know Connell is Scottish let’s just have a regular voice with the occasional reminder of heritage. So my advice is definitely read the first in this series titled Axel. Beautiful,intense romantic with a slow steady build of sexual tension. Skip Sawyer and Connell. Defiantly read Cannon. So now onto Logan’s story. Watch this reviewing space.
Profile Image for Heather andrews.
9,520 reviews162 followers
November 18, 2019
Connell is quite seasoned in the wooing bit, “I think you’re the sexiest woman on the planet, and if you bring that incredible arse into the pool, I’ll make it worth your while,” I growled in her ear." I liked this book, I really loved Connell.
Profile Image for Judy Churchill.
2,567 reviews31 followers
February 19, 2020
This one was okay but there wasn’t much to it compared to the first two books in the series.
Profile Image for Dela.
157 reviews10 followers
May 16, 2022
Gah, they were so cute. I loved that this was such a light hearted book and the drama wasn't really drama and worked its self out quickly. My favorite outta the three books I've read.
Profile Image for nicole.
134 reviews
March 4, 2025
the covers are so much better on KU 😔. anyway, this book was going sooo wellll until it wasn’t. i will read any trope that exists under the moon but miscommunication has to be one of my least favorites. especially if the mc leaves no room for anything to be answered and storms off without even sparing 15 seconds to listen. i understand to the core what her point was about the miscommunication but she let herself be miserable for two weeks… and im not saying what he did was right but there’s so much foreshadowing throughout the book about the faults that come with his jobbbbb ugh. the end was funny though ill give it that.
Profile Image for Regina.
2,150 reviews37 followers
April 9, 2021
4.5 stars.

The prankster of the team, Scotsman Connell MacDhuibh's latest stunt lands him in court, fined for some minor destruction to an ostrich statue, and six weeks community service under the supervision of straight laced, serious city clerk, Annabelle Clark. Of course butting heads leads to plenty of steamy tension making for a quick read. My only regret is that there weren't more pranks in this story, though the final joke is pretty damn funny.
Profile Image for Rina's Reads.
1,655 reviews42 followers
November 17, 2019
I must sound like a broken record now when it comes to Samantha's books but *swoon* I fall in love with every single character she writes. Two words: KINDLE CRACK.

I absolutely adored Connell and Annabelle. The banter, tension, drama, the sexy times.... oh sweet baby Jesus, the sex was 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 definitely a NSFW read.

This book had me giggling, sighing, cursing like a sailor then smiling like a little school girl - my heart was so happy.

45 reviews
May 18, 2022
Literally love this book. I usually hate books with fat heroines because they’re all very boohoo about it and I already deal with being a big person myself. I just always feel like they have no backbone and make it their whole personality.
But this… amazing. They touched on her not looking live everyone else but didn’t make it the main plot line. Thank god.
Love love love.
Profile Image for Lou.
72 reviews
June 19, 2024
Honestly, I loved Connell and I was so hyped for this book, especially reading that Annabell was plus sized but...

It fell flat.

Maybe it's just me but I'm so so so tired of all the plus size female love interests having constant insecurities. It becomes so depressing. I was so ready for Annabell to be secure in her body but nope. And her overall attitude grated on me.

Connell, Logan and Cannon were the only saving grace in this book honestly.
Profile Image for Jas.
699 reviews13 followers
May 3, 2022
I knew it was gonna be Connell and Anabelle but I was still so excited and I loved it. Also I need Logan and Conan’s stories asap. The way they were teased throughout this whole story has me excited for the next two books in the series.
Profile Image for Caroline Patnode.
14 reviews
March 3, 2023
the only difference between this and maxim is that he’s scottish in this.. also feel like he’s not mentioned for the rest of the series
Profile Image for Sarah (lou_reads_romance).
1,287 reviews3 followers
November 17, 2019

The Hot Scot and his Southern Belle 😊
Fun, light hearted and swoon worthy.
The third visit to the Reaper village brings us Connell, the prankster Scot who can’t help but try and bring a smile to everyone’s day. Finding himself at the beck and call of Annabelle for 6 weeks community service over the summer, he is determined to win her heart.
Annabelle is happy in her life, she loves her job, her family and her self.... even after discovering the truth about her ex.
Despite all this, she can’t believe that the happy go lucky handsome Reaper would be interested in little ol’ her.
Settle in and enjoy the laughs as Connell takes his time to win over this lovely home town girl and proves to her and the world that she is everything he could possibly want and need.
I loved Connell and Annabelle, with her southern sass and his Celtic charms they are a thoroughly entertaining read.
Can’t wait for Cannon😉

I received an arc from the author and I am choosing to leave a review
Profile Image for Lonnie.
668 reviews2 followers
February 15, 2020
I'll take a prankster Scott

Connell loves a good prank....but this one leads him to doing 6 weeks of community service under the woman he has been dreaming about. And he has an evil plot...make her fall for him because he wants her...not just for now but forever. But shes been hurt before and people can misconstrue what is real to make you hurt...but Connell will do whatever it takes to win over her heart....and honestlynthe accent yeah makes him the best choice for a hero
Displaying 1 - 30 of 279 reviews

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