Hooking: When a player impedes the progress of an opponent by “hooking” him with his stick.
I’m Alex Kosinski, left wing for the Austin Amurs. Hooking was my penalty. It’s never something I set out to do, but it happens. After all, it’s hockey.
Hockey is life. Getting traded was a kick to the nuts, but at least I was still playing. It was all that mattered.
Until Sydney.
Our relationship was forbidden, but I didn’t care—I hadn’t run from a fight yet.
I had her right where I wanted her, until everything crashed around me. My past came back to bite me in the ass and I was faced with getting kicked off the team. Now, I’m trying to pick up the goddamn pieces.
I’m not going to choose between her or hockey. I want it all. Because despite everything, she’s the best thing I’ve ever hooked.
Smoking hot, that’s what these two were. This hockey player was bringing the heat for sure. These two have one wild night together, only to meet again months later when she is working for his hockey team. She pushed him away a bit because she didn’t want to lose her job, but with the kind of attraction they have...it wasn’t long. They had a bit of back and forth, both not wanting to make their relationship public, or committed. Alex was a bit of a handful, but so was she, just in different ways. He also was quite the dirty talker *wags eyebrows*. Her brothers cracked me up, and so did her bestie. There were a few unexpected twist, made for some interesting drama. Baby batter, 2 cute and fun epilogues and a great hea.
Already loving this new series from Kristine with ties to her MC series! To Alex – hockey his life, and he’s been doing well with his team in Canada until he’s traded and is required to move to Texas. The only good thing about the trade is it brings him back to the same town his brother Cooper and his MC are in. While out with his brother one night, he meets Sydney and has a one-night stand with her after he realizes she has no clue who he is. Fast forward to the beginning of the season and they find that she works for the team’s foundation. Taking it as a sign since he can’t get her out of his head, Alex decides to pursue Sydney even though she fights it kicking and screaming. Finally wearing her down, they begin a secret relationship where it seems that anything that can go wrong does go wrong on Alex’s end. I loved how level headed and trusting Sydney was – although that could be a blessing or a curse, and we see her get fed up with being understanding. Thankfully though, as Alex starts to make strides with his team and build a family of friendships with his teammates, Sydney and him find their way back to each other and get their HEA. Loved this book and the ties to the MC so it felt familiar to read and I can’t wait for the next installment! I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
You do not need to be a Hockey fan to read this book, but you will definitely become one at the end of it! Alex is a Hockey star who is traded to a different team and has to relocate, which brings him closer to his brother, who happens to be apart of an MC club and if you are familiar with Kristine Allen's books you will get to see some familiar characters. Sydney is trying to find her own way and not be dependent on her family. While out one night Alex meets Sydney, who has no idea who he is, they have an amazing one night stand, that neither is able to forget. Fast forward several months and their paths cross again, well Alex refuses to give up on Sydney and pursues her until she finally gives in, but of course nothing can be that easy, there are a rollercoaster of events and obstacles that get in their way along with their own self doubts and sabotaging, and some passionate steamy scenes. This book was a great start to a new series and I am looking forward to seeing whose story is next.
I was lucky enough to recieve an ARC copy of Hooking it is fantastic. Alex is a playboy hockey player not expecting to find the one and Syd is a girl who is trying to find a job she loves and get out on her own. They start casual and things go from there. I dont want to spoil the story so no more details. All I'll say is I loved it! I didnt want to put the book down it was hot and steamy. Laugh out loud funny at some points as well. I really enjoyed seeing the MC guys show up in Alex's story as well it put a smile on my face. I would recommend this book to everyone even if sport Romance isnt normally your thing (it's not normally mine) give it a shot I did and now I'm Hooked.
A new series that'll consume you. There's ties to other characters from other books that blend into this book, helping to create a fantastic storyline. The chemistry between Alex and Sydney is undeniable. There's even some moments you'll get a laugh. This is one read you don't want to miss. You'll be pulled in, hooked, and turning pages till the very end.
I'm a huge hockey can anyway but reading a hockey makes me call in love with it more. Completely loved the connection between Alex and Sydney. Their sex was crazy hot, the balance between them on point. I wanted to hug Alex at some points. It was nice and refreshing to read a hockey book, that actually has the sport in the story in detail.
This was my first book by Kristine Allen, but it won’t be my last.
Sydney and Alex meet at a bar and hook up for a one-night-stand. Months later, they meet again when she’s working for her uncle’s foundation (that just so happens to be part of the hockey team franchise).
Of course for Sydney and Alex the heat and chemistry is still there, and undeniable. What starts out as a friends with benefits story blossoms into much more. (And the love scenes are just smoking hot).
I know very little about hockey, (not a huge fan) but you don’t have to be to enjoy this story! It was hot, steamy, funny and romantic. An absolute joy to read!
Not just that, but the story was full of twists and turns I wasn’t expecting, and I could not put it down!
Also, there is a great supporting cast of characters that tie into her other novels (and I’m a sucker for some great world building). It’s not necessary to read Kristine’s other series, but I wish I’d started at the beginning of her list just because all these characters seem so amazing. So, I’m going to remedy that right away and hit up her backlist.
Fantastic story, fantastic writing. Off the charts sexy. All around, an amazing read.
Big fan of Kristine's books. I love Alex and Sydney's story. I had a few hiccups with some of the hockey terms ( not a big sports fan ) but the characters and the world-building were great. Love how she added Alex's MC family into the mix and Victor and Sydney's brothers stole the spotlight in a few scenes. I hope we get to see more of the Amurs team.
H rating: 4/5 - Alex. I did enjoy his character and was understanding of his pursuits and actions, but his ego was a bit annoying.
h rating:3.5/5 - Sydney. I liked her. Just liked her. More in thoughts.
Drama:4.5/5 - That curveball was not expected, quite happy because it was an honest surprise!
Thoughts: Okayyy so I love sports romance books a whole lot. I hate not giving this more than the 3 but it really came down to Sydney for me..I enjoyed her when it came to her need to fight for her job and that independence that came with living on your own, but what I really could not get behind was her almost mean-ness when he was placed in that crazy situation with the kiddo. I hated how even if she was taken aback, her first response was to run. Then after thinking it over I then hated that she never tried to help. She obviously knew it was something that happened way before they had anything to do with each other. I just felt like she didn't have his back at all and then when she got pregnant he had to bow down and be okay with it and if he couldn't then they were over. Just like that. I hate that. I felt he had character growth while she went backwards. Personal opinion though.
I fell in love with Kristine Allen with her first series, The Straight Wicked series and I have been Hooked ever since ( Pun intended). Now I have absolutely no knowledge when it comes to Hockey. I live way down south and we have no teams whatsoever, not even kids teams. For those Hockey fans you get a good taste of Hockey, not just a mention or skimmed over. Unlike some books I have read that are all romance and a mention of the sport. However, for those of us with little to no knowledge of Hockey Kristine Allen put a list of terms that made reading a hockey book just a little bit easier. And boy was it worth the read. Hooking was everything you could want in a great sports romance. Heavy dose of Hockey. Heavy dose of Hot and passionate romance. And all the hurdles and heartache of real life. I love that she throws in real situations of life that you can relate to. While this book can be read without reading her MC series, if you are a fan of those bad boys you will see them pop up in Hooking. Which I personally love. Do yourself a favor and grab your copy. You won't be disappointed. Congratulations Kristine Allen you Nailed your first Hockey Sports Romance!
I know nothing about hockey, but I sure do love reading a good hockey romance and this book for sure fell into that category.
I really appreciated that Kristine had plenty of actual hockey scenes in this book. So often in sports romances the actual sport gets skimmed over. In this book I clearly got the impression that Kristine either did her research or is a hockey fan (you'll learn the answer in her notes at the end).
Alex and Sydney had all sorts of bumps in the road on their way to an HEA, but isn't that just like life?!?! I appreciated that Alex really wore his heart on his sleeve...even being a sports celebrity, he wasn't so jaded that he wasn't willing to pursue someone he could feel was different.
Sydney didn't know who Alex was at first...didn't care about his status or celebrity, she saw the man. I really really loved that when mistakes were made or bombs were dropped she managed to maintain her poise and not lash out at Alex.
That's all I'm sayin'! If you like a hot sports romance with real life bumps in the road, this is a must read.
I loved Alex! He's just such a great guy!! He was so down to earth and a good, regular guy. He made all the mistakes that your average guy would make and he became extremely relatable because of it. He really tried and I loved him for it. You could really feel his love for Sydney and his devotion to her. Sydney was relatable as well in her feelings of not wanting to get hurt by a player. I could see myself thinking the same thoughts. These were two wonderful characters and a really fun story. There was a little bit of angst to keep your heart in check but I loved their love story. The other hockey characters were fun and I enjoyed that the MC crew showed up for a bit. I know nothing about hockey but enjoyed learning some of the terminology and getting a kind of behind the scenes look of the sport. I always enjoy Kristine Allen's books and I think this is one of my favorites, which surprised me honestly because I'm not a hockey fan. It was just such a fun story though that anyone can enjoy it, hockey fans or not! Highly recommend!!
Hooking is the first hockey romance by Kristine Allen. Anyone who has read Allen before knows she brings her books to life with every word she types and Hooking is no exception to that. Her first foray into a sports romance is, in my personal opinion, a huge success.
While MC favorites make brief appearances you find yourself totally entrenched into the hockey world. The chemistry between Alex and Sydney is explosive from the first meeting. Allen is able to bring together her lead characters seamlessly. She gets you to invest in them, separately and as a couple. You root them on. Kristine Allen has created a world that you want to be a part of, whether you're a hockey fan or not.
This is a one click author that you need to read if you haven't as of yet. Kristine Allen has never disappointed me. I continuously throw money at her books and I will continue to do so, knowing that I receive the best of the best.
Friends with benefits that barely know each other get a happily ever after. That should be the synopsis. I am wondering if something is wrong with me as this book is five star rated and I don’t have the same opinion. Anyways, Sydney and Alex start off as a one night stand which progresses into a friends with benefits situation. Somehow they end up having feeling a for each other even though we literally learn nothing about them other than a few basics. So I can only imagine how much they learned about each other. Alex was too pushy and Sydney had no backbone. The first half was fine despite them never really doing anything but having sex. The second half of the book was a train wreck. The conflict was rushed and didn’t really reflect anything that happened earlier in the book. If anything Kristoffer should have been a part of the conflict since it was something that was hinted at. All in all 1.5 stars.
A lovely love story with all the sh*t of breaking up and getting back together and a one nighter trying to fob off a baby saying it was Alex's you can bet your sweet Sydney it wasn't his then love blossomed for them. There's a lot going on in this story well worth the read
I am a fan of Kristine Allen's MC series so I was excited to read a book of hers involving hockey. Hooking is the first book in The Iced Series. Alex is a hockey player and Sydney gets a job she wants. She doesn't want to jeopardize her new job with having a relationship with Alex. Sydney is worried that by working for Alex' hockey team's foundation, they can't be together. Alex doesn't agree.
It was great seeing characters from one of her MC series. I liked how the author showed scenes with Alex and his team playing hockey. Some sports romance books limit such scenes. I thought the story flowed well and I liked how Kristine Allen developed the characters. I really enjoyed reading Hooking. I am looking forward to reading the next installment of the series.
So this is my first time reading Kristine Allen and I definitely will need to check out more of her books! This is a really great forbidden love hockey romance. Alex and Sydney meet at the end of the hockey season, not expecting to cross paths again. At the start of the next season both are pushed together because of Sydney’s roll with the organization. Unable to stay apart, the two begin a secret forbidden romance. Sparks fly and a few unexpected roadblocks come up, giving this story the perfect amount of angst.
I really enjoyed the story and the characters. I am usually not one for MC books, but now I need to check out some of the stories about the club that Alex’s brother is in. This is absolutely a book you should read!
Sydney is from a strict family, she's recently got a degree in history. Alex is a hockey player who's newly traded to the Austin Amurs in texas, after the shock wore off he's happy to be living near his brother Cooper a member of the demented sons mc. Sydney and Alex meet at a bar one night and have a night of passion. But will happen when the cross paths again when Sydney is hired to work for the hockey team foundations so being together can ruin both their jobs. Will they cross the line? And what will happen when Alex has something big dropped in his lap? Will there be a HEA?
What a great read, started reading it and did not want to put it down. This is a hockey romance but ties into Kristine’s Mc series, but you do not need to read the Mc series, if you haven’t check it out. This a story about Alex and he is hockey player and had been traded and ending up in his brother Cooper’s town. A night of parting with the Mc he meets Sydney and they have a hot night together . Months later they meet again and both are shocked they will be working together . Check this read out and you will not be disappointed. This was such a easy read, characters and story line flowed well and keeps your attention.
Oh my gosh!!! I feel like I have the worst book hangover! So many feelings about this book and not a single negative one! When Alex gets traded to Austin towards the end of the season, he wasn’t happy about it. At the end of the season he meets up with his brother in a bar where he meets Sydney. Sydney is back home after finishing up her degree. When they embark on a hot, intense one-night stand, Sydney never expected to see Alex again. Little did they know they’d run into each other again and despite Sydney insisting nothing is gonna happen, Alex is hard to resist. Seriously, I can’t say enough good things about this book and am definitely going to be reading the others in the series!!!
This book was so much fun! I love the human sides of both characters. Alex is tired of the celebrity athlete life of bars and a different woman every night. Sydney is frustrated with living at home, and from being under her father's thumb. She and a friend go out for a night on the town where she meets Alex, a pro hockey player. The next day they say goodbye, neither planning on seeing the other again. She takes a job with her uncle, who is a lawyer for Alex's team. Unexpected feelings, babies and untangling of rules makes this book so entertaining! I will happily buy and read the rest of Kristine's series!
Having just read my first book by the author, I’m amazed that this is the authors first sport romance story too. I enjoyed the well written storyline with great characters that just sizzle as they discover each other. Alex is a hockey player and when he meets Sydney (his one night stand) again, seems like they never left as their chemistry blossoms to so much more. I love the interactions with Alex’s brothers MC club and will definitely be looking for their story. This was a winning hit for me and I can’t wait for more of this series!
This book had me “hooked” from the beginning! I couldn’t resist! I love this author and love how she has included characters from her other series into this series. This is Alex and Sydney’s story and it started with a bang! Then complications set in. The story is told with humor, passion and a whole lot of drama! I loved everything about this read and this author has scored goal after goal with me!! 😊😊. This is another must read from the amazing mind of Kristine Allen!!
I love Kristine Allen as an MC author, so I was a bit hesitant to give Hooking a try because I wasn’t sure of a sports themed romance. I should have known better because Allen is a wonderful writer, plus I’m an ice hockey addict. I loved this book and could not put it down. I read it in three hours and was so sad when it was over. It has so many parts that made me laugh out loud, but I could also feel the emotion and angst from the characters. I cannot wait for the next in the series.
Hooking went about as can be expected when you have a fairly famous athlete and a woman tossed together with some serious chemistry.
I enjoyed my time spent with Sydney and Alex, though I felt like both could have had more depth to them as far as characters go. The last 25% of the book seemed a bit rushed and there was a lot thst could have been exoa ded on for a more 5 star worthy book. All in all good read, decent characters. Kept me entertained for a bit.
What I loved about this book is that when you think it was going to go one way, it went into a different direction. That's what I like about Kristine Allen. Her books are unique. Alex and Sydney's story was a wonderful roller coaster ride from the beginning to end. It was hot, passionate and full of surprises.
I'm not much for sport romance books but I will say I enjoyed this one a lot. Misunderstoods were made, some cry, but Alex and Sydney definitely set this book on fire, who doesn't love a steamy happy ending? It was really great to see the others make an appearance, I sure did miss those bikers. Author Kristine Allen did amazing, I find that the more she write the more I become an obsessed fan.
It was supposed to be a one night hook but Alex couldn't shake the line and Sydney sunk her claws into his skin and he was a goner not knowing if he was going to survive or die trying to get control over his life and hopefully keep playing the game he loved and the woman he wanted to marry.
Alex and Sydney’s love story is the perfect balance sweet and sexy with a twist. It was fast paced and entertaining and will definitely have you rooting for their happily ever after. Nothing in life comes easy. You just have to figure out what you’re willing to live without.