High Risk Rookie

Vancouver Wolves Hockey #4

by Odette Stone

High Risk Rookie

He's a gifted hockey player who can't get his act together.

The moment I heard about Levi Ziegler, I had a bad feeling in my gut.
As a seasoned sports agent, I just knew he was going to be trouble.
But despite my reservations, as a favor to the GM of the Vancouver Wolves,
I agreed to sign this young, wild player as a client.

One reckless night,
One terrible mistake,
and suddenly my entire world,
and everything I have worked for,
is on thin ice.

Thanks to my rookie.

I shouldn’t work with him professionally,
because I can't seem to keep my hands off him.
The more tangled our lies get,
The more complicated our relationship becomes.

Can I figure out how to get him signed with the team,
while keeping him out of my bed and my heart?

He's a high risk rookie, and
he's a liability I can't resist.

Genres: Sports Romance, Romance, Sports, Hockey, Hockey Romance, Audiobook, Contemporary Romance

ebook

First published January 2, 2021

About the author

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Odette has ranked in the top #50 of all Amazon Authors, with a Top #20 bestseller. This KDP All-star author loves to write contemporary, new adult and sports romance books.

She resides in beautiful Vancouver, Canada and she lives for coffee, walks on the beach (no, really), a good book and TV dramas. She is a proud dog mom to a beautiful fur baby puppy named, Mica. She has been described as introverted, funny, and an excellent listener. She's so good at keeping secrets, her friends call her "the vault." She hates being the centre of attention but she'll push you to take the stage.

Odette writes real, honest and intense romance novels. If you like hot, intelligent Alpha males, you've come to the right place! Her writing goal is to keep her readers up late at night, because they keep saying, "Just one more chapter, I'm just going to read one more chapter."

Reviews

[Tish · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5-4 stars

I’m frustrated. I’ll be honest, I love this series so much and Odette Stone just does it for me but this book did not. There were so many loose ends. For one, Krista’s family is absolutely terrible. Like I wanted to scream. I wanted to slam my kindle down at how abusive they were and we never got resolution for it. Krista should never talk to her family ever again.

Also, Levi’s backstory was so short. I needed more. I wanted to know more about him. He’s 22 and we never find out how old Krista is, just there is an age-gap that’s discussed from time to time but how much? Also there’s like 3 whole different sub-plots going on at once and while im fine with that, I need them all to wrap up properly and not abrutly. Also, I needed there to be more...steam? I don’t know. This book just fell short for me in so many ways and that makes me sad because I love this series. Also I need Odette to mention the other players and their love stories because I was so attached to them. We get to see Charlie and her man but that’s it, and they barely have interaction with each other.

The saving grace for this book and why it was rounded up to four stars was that Levi and Krista have an awesome chemistry. I loved how much Levi was there for her. Man, he was so soft. I love how much Krista broke down and wasn’t too afraid to lean on Levi. I just wish we got more, so much more. This might be my lowest rated Odette Stone book yet and I’m bummed about it.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am obsessed with this series and have given most (if not all?) books five stars. This one was such a good ending!! This book was so fun and was a forbidden romance with a sports agent and a rookie hockey player. Levi has been playing in Europe and wants to earn a spot on the Vancouver Wolves team, and he knows that Krista is the key to getting there. Krista wants Levi as a client because she is determined to make it as one of the most successful agents in the business. What they don't count on, though, is getting drunk in Mexico and waking up married. To save her reputation, Krista knows they have to keep their marriage quiet. She hires a lawyer and is doing everything she can to get Levi on the Vancouver team. I loved their chemistry and how hard it was for them to stay away from each other. Levi was such a swoony hero and I loved how protective he was over Krista. I really loved Krista, though, and how successful and determined she was. She wasn't going to let anyone stop her from getting what she wanted and she knew she could get Levi on the team he wanted to be on. And the friendships she and Levi formed with people on the team were just so cute. I definitely recommend reading this series in order because you get to see so many past characters and it just feels like catching up with old friends. I loved this book so much and I'm so sad it's over!

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

What a way to end this series on a high note! Krista and Levi's book is one of the best in the series IMO. Krista is the no-nonsense sports agent we've seen through this series and Levi is a rookie in his early twenties who's out of control. Krista is sent to sign Levi and get him on track. If anyone can whip him into shape, she can. He is so much more than she bargained for. And in the best way possible. I loved Levi and Krista together. Levi was the best and I loved how much he loved and cared for Krista. He would do anything for her. Even though Krista went through a lot in this book, I was so happy with how her story ended up.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only issues are the main character's lack of fortitude regarding her immediate family and ex. 7 of 10 stars

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐

Book 4 ~ the final book in the Vancouver Wolves Hockey series ~ fine as a standalone. Charlie from book 3 makes a few appearances because she is Krista's assistant. But I'm wondering where Max and Ryan are from #1 & 2 ~ have they been traded? because we haven't heard a peep about them.

Featuring ~ dual 1st person POV, sports romance ~ hockey/NHL, sports agent, accidental drugging, drunken wedding, some steamage

Krista & Levi
We've met Krista in previous books, so I'm happy she gets her own story. She's a sport agent looking to sign the new rookie, Levi. There's an accidental drugging and the next morning they wake up married.

Krista's mom and sister might possibly be the most awfullest characters I have ever read. It's a shame that so many pages were wasted on them and we hardly learned anything about Levi's family. He was really there for her when she needed it the most. There was a constant push and pull in their relationship that I didn't really care for. They were attracted to each other, but their professional relationship was holding them back. But we know they'll figure it out.

Rival rookie, Brody, was such a tool and acting like a douche canoe.

Overall, not my favorite, but a fine series ender.

Narration:
Madeleine Dauer & Alex Kydd ~ 10 hours 31 minutes ~ a fine job

Follow me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook

[Elle ♡ [semi-hiatus] · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 (maybe 2.5) stars. I rambled way too long in this review, just a heads up haha.

As I was reading this I was desperate to give it 3-stars, but it just never got better for me and in fact, got worse. I like Odette Stone, I think her books 'Home Game' and 'The Penalty Box', books 2&3 of this series, which I rated 4 stars each are why because honestly haven't loved anything of hers since so I may need to reassess my hype around her new releases.

First things first, big pet peeve so I'm just going to get it out of the way...how the fuck old is Krista?! Levi's age is mentioned in like the first sentence of the book, but in all 383 pages, Krista age is not mentioned once or even alluded to with context clues like 'I was X years old when I started my business' or 'I graduated from college X years ago' NOTHING. Yet they mention she's 'older' and her mom decries their 'age gap'. Levi is 22 years old, a veritable baby, so this woman with an established business trying to make the Forbes list I have to assume is at least 30, right?? I don't know! She could be some girl boss genius and she's 28 and the age gap isn't a big deal or she could be 35... like there are literally no clues. So long story short, that was annoying and focused on enough that we really should know her age.

This book left me feeling frustrated in general. Krista was a borderline TSTL heroine, her family is truly awful, I still feel like Odette Stone doesn't really hit the nail on the head for sports romance and there were loose ends that were never wrapped up.

So first, Krista... this woman was constantly contradicting herself. I'm all about a little cat-and-mouse, will they or won't they, tension building, but KRISTA... for example said, "I needed to move forward in a professional capacity only..." and then literally sentences later on the same page he tugs her into bed and cuddles her and she's like 'bemused' and says "Thanks." LIKE GIRL FUCKING 'FISH OR CUT BAIT' as Mica told you to do. This kind of scene happened like 10 times. She's constantly saying and thinking "we need to be professional", but then one second later he pokes her and she's making out with him. Seriously, there was no coercion or seduction, which then I could understand her capitulation, but she just automatically folds. Then Levi waits for her full consent which she withholds even though she doesn't want to, and leaves saying "we'll talk in a few days". She said that sooo many times and it got really repetitive and annoying. It would have been nice to see her stick to her ground and for them to only get physical once she was ready to go farther than a kiss because there were way too many scenes of her being super contradictory, wishy-washy, and unprofessional. The unprofessionalism really annoyed me because she's a big deal, she's a female sports agent in a male-dominated field that *spoilers* literally loses it all for this guy, which okay, that happens, but it was so sad that he has zero repercussions and she is shunned (which is a reality of our society, I know), I just feel like she should have fought way harder to protect herself.

Krista's family... omg. Her mother and sister were so cruel to her it's unreal. *spoilers* Krista's sister, Helene, had an affair with Krista's boyfriend of 2-years and then when he wanted to end it so he could stop cheating on Krista she deliberately gets pregnant. WOW, you'd think Krista's mom, Bea, would be on her side, show a little compassion for the daughter who was wronged, but nope, not even a little bit. In fact, Helene never even apologizes. Yet Krista still loves these people and tries to goes to Helene's baby showers and holidays where her sister and ex are in attendance and it always goes horribly wrong with people berating and belittling Krista and making her leave. She was cornered in rooms by her ex, slapped by her mom, berated by her family. Her ex won't leave her alone and is very stalker-y yet her family believes she's in the wrong and trying to lure him away from Helene because she's "jealous"... Y'all the DELUSION of her mom and sister is crazy. The entire book any interaction with her family was abusive and showed no compassion, love, or respect for Krista from any of them, yet, *More spoilers* at the end, Krista is attacked by her ex and we assume that her family now knows they were in the wrong and apologizes, but that's not shown at all or even alluded to, HOWEVER, in the epilogue, Levi mentions he's planning their huge wedding with Bea, EXCUSE ME, no... that woman is the worst excuse for a mom on the planet. We were not shown any redemption at all, but I'm supposed to be like, 'Aww, yay, her mom likes her now'?? How?? Why??

Now moving on to Levi. For being some crazy, off-the-rails, problem child he was the epitome of cool, calm, and collected. I really thought his partying, winsome ways would be a bigger plot element, but no that stopped immediately. His only issue was with a horrible prospective player Brody, who he fought with a lot, yes, but deservedly and anyone with a brain would've seen Brody was always instigating and placed the blame at his feet.
A sports-related comment that really annoyed was when Levi said, "I stood alone in a room filled with other hockey players, and I didn't recognize a single face. In Europe, I knew most of the players in my league. Here, I didn't know anyone." You expect me to believe a professional hockey player (in Germany, but still), who lived and grew up in Canada until he was 15 (only 7 years ago) and is now back in Canada hoping to join a Canadian team hasn't watched any hockey?? He doesn't recognize or know who ANY of these players are? That's insane, 5-year-olds would know who every player in that room was and what their stats are, I find it super hard to believe a professional hockey player knows nothing about hockey players in the biggest league in the world...but okay.
I've said in other reviews of Odette Stone's hockey books that I feel like she misses out on one of my favorite aspects of sports romance: the team. The camaraderie, the friendships, the enemies, all of it. She focuses too much on the couple and not the fact that the player is integrating into a new team and meeting and interacting with a lot of people. This is also a great way for authors to get readers excited about the next books because you can't wait for ____'s story. But Odette just keeps having brand new players join the team whereas if she had introduced us to the team at all she could just draw on established characters. In this book Mica and Charlie are heavily featured so that's nice, but what about the players we met in books 1&2? We didn't interact with them at all. So not only is it nice to get excited about players who might have books in the future, but it's great for fans to get to check back in with previous characters.

I feel like there were loose ends that were never tied up, namely Brody. He's on the Wolves, and at the very end we find out *spoilers* Levi is joining the Wolves, how's that going to work out? They hate each other, Brody is a douche and a horrible person. And like I mentioned before there was no resolution with Krista's family so no all these sub-plots: their abuse towards her, her ex, just didn't feel resolved.

Overall, I think I had too high of expectations for this book. It was the first release of 2021 I was anticipating so it made it more of a let down that I didn't love it. I looked at the reviews and there's a sea of 4 and 5 stars so others obviously didn't have the same hang-ups as me. It just wasn't an enjoyable read for me, unfortunately.

[Syndi · Rating 3 out of 5]

High Risk Rookie is a really high risk for me to read. And the bet is... not paying off as expected. Don't get ne wrong, this book is OK.
My only complain is too much drama. Especially from Krista.

Her attitude toward Levi, hot and cold really gets into my nerve. For someone who works at high pressure industry, she seems can not make up her mind. Her attittude toward her family is also.... too much drama. She knows her family is shit and yet she is asking for their shitty treatment.

Levi, meanwhile is just hovering in the background. He is a hero who is not sure what to do, except being brooding.

Overall, this is not a bad read nor very good read. It is just OK read.

3 stars

[Rozberry🍓 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25-.5 stars

The element of Krista’s family nearly ruined the book entirely. I’m not saying it’s 5 stars read without them, BUT had her family been completely absent from the story, HRR had potential & my star rating would’ve very easily been 4 stars or better. They were absolutely awful to her. They are the kind you do not see or speak to ever - EVER- again & you would be completely justified. Seriously, it would be the appropriate decision for her own mental health. They were THAT bad. They have no decency whatsoever to be remorseful. She sort of defends herself once, but she doesn’t stick to her guns & continues allowing their behavior. Krista’s so headstrong & feisty otherwise, which makes it all the more maddening she’s a doormat just for them.

Honestly, - even putting my disdain for them aside - there were more than enough plots elsewhere, so her family contribution to the whole truly was unnecessary. To be frank, OS kinda overdid it with plot devices generally speaking. I don’t wanna say having multiple plots is a flat no-no, but so many like HRR has tends to create more loose ends & plot holes resulting in what feels a bit of a lack in cohesion for the overall story. That said, I would be much more amenable to look past at least a few of the rest without the inclusion of her family.

One of those things, albeit sort of silly & not all a deal breaker, gradually drove me nuts is we never learn Krista’s age. It’s an age gap romance & it’s regularly mentioned Levi is just 22, but not a peep about her age. People react to their age difference & it just taunts my curiosity 😂. She has her own established sports agency, so I’d think she was 30 at the very least, but truly idk, dammit 🤷‍♀️😂. A couple of others…Sometimes I also would’ve appreciated more of a breather before the next drama unfolded. At times it felt a little like rapid fire…hot, cold, hot, cold, etc. I wish we had gotten little check ins with other Wolves series couples besides Mica & Charlie. It kinda weird Rory doesn’t pop up more when it comes to team stuff for the Wolves. Her dad is grooming her to the gm if I remember correctly.

After all of that. Believe it or not, I did enjoy Krista & Levi together. Their chemistry was actually pretty good. It was sorta cute how much he liked her bossiness & it was a turn on for him. I also loved when push comes to shove they had each other’s backs. Even with its flaws, HRR was an improvement over the previous book in the series.

[CassDamm · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ✨

It was good but I really dislike how this author feels the need to break every single couple up for weeks or month at the end of the book then get them back together.
Every book, same thing. It’s predictable, we all know it is coming and I just don’t like the temporary split. There’s no need for it at all.

I also didn’t like the female mc in this book. I actually liked her as a side character in all the other books in the series. But for her own book the author changed her personality and basically turned her into something else entirely…. I mean she literally changed her story. In book 2 she says she just broke up with her bf who had a kid and missed his kid. But in this one she had a cheating ex with no kid lol PLUS The way she let her entire family treat her was ridiculous bc she had a “didn’t take shit from anyone” personality in every book only to let them literally insult her and ruin her life lol.

In addition to this, this is a 4 book stand alone series and all the characters are friends so they’re all in each book however, the author reuses so many names its confusing. In book 2 there was a stalker named Terrance and in book 4 there was a PI named Terrance? In book 3 there was a killer named Andrew and in book 4 there was a bestfriend named Andrew? There are literally millions of names in the world yet the author keeps reusing the same ones and confusing things.

[Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately my least favorite book in this amazing series. The rest of the series will be among my favorite sports romance. Just not this. I didn't care about Krista or Levi.



Rating 2 stars 🌟

[Rosabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started to read this series in 2019, and a year and some months later the latest book comes out. It was a really long wait and it was an entertaining read but I forgot most of the other characters, I know they were important in other books but I don't remember why, so please Miss Odette, don't take too long with the next. Thank you! 🥰❤

With that out of the way I really enjoyed this, I don't know why Levi is so attractive to me, I can't pinpoint what, maybe he's a little bit of a bad boy but still. I liked Krista as a female character, she was strong, bossy and smart, she handled her shit and she solved every issue with confidence and she's a cougar here. GOALS! The only thing I can't excuse her from is not cutting ties with her family, they were toxic as hell.

Did I think the: "I can't be with you but I still end up in your bed" trope was tiring? Yes, yes I did, that's why the 4 stars, I think they should have been exposed earlier so we could pass that, but I can't say I didn't enjoy it because I did.

Lovely stuff. 🥰❤

[Kors Chick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way Too Much Going On

It was a very busy book. Krista was so damaged, and not in a good way. It made her character unbelievable and unlikable. How are you this tough as nails agent, that can control big bad hockey players, but get push around and disrespected by EVERYONE in your family? I like my heroines tough, and Krista disappointed me. Then you have multiple “possible” bad guys, and an unnecessarily long and convoluted storyline. So much going on. At times I got so frustrated with the characters’ stupidity that I wanted to stop reading. I don’t enjoy seeing bad decision after bad decision. Was left disappointed with the resolution of the story. Overall, not my favorite of this author’s books.

[Sibel Gandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 / 5

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

One thing Odette Stone knows how to do is ✨drama✨.

Did I like this? Eh.
Did I hate this? Eh.
Am I glad this series is over? Yes.

[Karsyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/6/24 re-read:
Okay so this is still my third favorite of the series, but I will admit I enjoyed this re-read more than I thought I would. I contemplated upping my rating by one, but here’s what I still take issue with in this book: there should be waaaaayyyyy more resolution with Krista vs her mom/sister. Cause LORD everything about those two characters made me want to reach through the book and wring them by the neck. Either Krista goes no contact with them (cause why is her mother included in the epilogue) OR there needed to be a REAL TALK convo. Very bothered that either of those things never happened on page. As for the mains, yea age gap in the workplace still isn’t my fave trope, but if I’m gonna read it then I guess I’ll take it this way! 😂


OG review:
Personally, age gap is just not my thing. Despite that, I still really enjoyed High Risk Rookie, it had great comedic moments, stressful moments, and the spiced scenes were prettttyyy dang good! I will also say this was the first age gap I’ve come across where it was the female MC that was the older of the two, and I think maybe since we got tastes of Krista in the other books of this series, it didn’t quite weird me out as much as other age gap stories did. I will say that by this fourth book, the big climactic moment at the end was pretty predictable, but regardless, enjoyable still. Definitely enjoyed this series overall 👌🏻

[Diane McConnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Krista finds love!

Agent Krista Taylor is asked to take a risk and try to find rookie Levi Zeigler at his last known location surfing in Mexico and get him to sign or at least try out for the Vancouver Wolves. But like any book written by Odette Stone, you know it \ isn’t the usual hockey story. It has parts that make you laugh especially at the Thanksgiving dinner (it is classic comedy) and parts that will make you cheer for Levi is getting his act together to deserve Krista.

I’ve been wanting High Risk Rookie since reading the preview chapter in The Penalty Box but it’s worth the wait.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Angelica · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 76%. I just couldn’t keep going. I tried so hard to like it because I loved the previous books in the series, but I simply couldn’t. I loathed Krista and the mind games she kept playing with Levi. And why did he keep coming back for more? Seriously, you’re a hot, young hockey player and you’re going to take that mental beating from an older woman?! Speaking of older women, it was never mention how much older Krista was, but cougar-action disgusts me.

All that on top of the choppy way/instruction manual-style the writer uses, it was a pretty horrible read for me. A waste of time I can’t get back.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the hero but disliked the heroine.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC for this book and I am so glad I did. The author sucks you in and you become invested in the characters quickly. When I read her books, this one included, I feel like I could read so much more about the couples! I loved how protective Levi was. Levi comes to Krista's rescue when dealing with her family. I seriously wanted to smack a few of her family members. I do wish Krista had her moment of putting them in their place. If I had to say if anything was missing from this book it would be that, my wish for her to go off on them. Krista is a strong character and I wanted her to have that shinning moment against her family as well. Love this series, I hope there will be more books for it.

[Destiney Bomberry · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.8⭐️ 2.5🌶

Honestly I don’t have many thoughts on this book, it overall was a pretty decent read. Levi sounded hottttt so I was here for that and it was a hockey romance. Not a book to remember though!

[🦉Maggie Whitworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋💋

Lots of tension, passion and a devious enemy thrown in , just how I like my books.

Really great story and the characters are perfect with an edge to them as well as spectacular chemistry.

Brilliant series that keeps to interested.
More soon please!

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this one. Loved the trope, Levi is so iconic. The plot in this book was CRAZY to me. The smut was super boss, I’d rec for sure

[Anna Bruhn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sad to be finishing the Vancouver Wolves series. Another banger by Odette Stone.

[BAK · Rating 1 out of 5]

The heroine from hell.
I recommend books 2 and 3 in this series. One is so so only because book one is only single POV.
This installment had one of the worst heroines I've come across lately! Krista is in books two and three in this series and she seemed like a kind person and I was interested in her story. However, there was a HUGE discrepancy in this story. In Book two it's said she was recently dating and living with someone for two years who also had a child. The heroine in book two tells the H and he's surprised he had no idea.
BUT IN THIS ONE with this actual heroine, Krista, that is never mentioned and it turns out....S poi ler c on tent ahead!....that she was with man who cheats on her with her SISTER.
Her mother and sister treat her LIKE GARBAGE. Okay, no big deal, right? After all , just because someones blood relation does not mean they get to treat you poorly and you keep doing for them. Well, IN THIS BOOK IT DOES. They treat her terrible and she keeps doing for them and being nice trying to make a relationship work. WHYYYYY?! WHY?
And then to top it all off, the heroine, Krista, treats the Hero, Levi like garbage! She constantly pushes him away OVER AND OVER again in this book. It's not till the end of the book she's finally open to him and their accidental turned real marriage. When basically in the whole book he keeps treating her amazingly and is loving and wants to be with her. She keeps kicking him like he's an abused puppy over and over. Why did he want her?! He deserved so much better.
Are these books being ghost wrote? Because two and three weren't terrible and book one was single POV, but this one went off the rails and details missed.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't too sure about this one as it started. Krista has always come off as a ball buster and Levi, he didn't come across good at the start at all. But the more that I read, the more that I ended up liking both characters. I got why Krista tried to keep Levi at arm's length, women are judged differently, especially if their career is considered "men's" work. I felt bad for Levi that he kept getting pushed aside. I was also stunned at how each time Mark asked Levi to step up and do something he did, even when it was the hard thing to do. I really loved how as things went on Krista realized Levi always had her back, something she needed, something her family didn't. And what a family that was! Krista needs to get rid of them all for her own sanity.

I really liked how this one ended, that despite going through tough times, both Krista and Levi know exactly where they stand with each and can live their lives happy.

[Cheryl Graham-Petit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Odette Stone has give her readers a well written, action-packed sports romance filled with suspense, a bit of mystery, undeniable chemistry, unexpected twists and turns, sexual attraction, a touch of angst, LOL moments, and a guaranteed HEA.

I volunteered to review an advance reader copy of this book.

[Safaereads]

Someone wanna tell me why she still is in contact with her family???

[Moonlight 🌸 · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars ⭐️ This story turned out to be disappointing. I was really excited for Krista’s book because she’s such a badass and had been such a solid presence since she appeared in the series. I started the book liking both her and Levi, but that eventually changed.

I felt like Krista got too careless and lost the spunk that made her Krista. The author really shattered her and gave her way too many low moments. I understand wanting to show that there’s a soft side behind all the steel and spunk, but you don’t have to completely grind a strong and beloved character to ash to prove that. This is also lowkey an issue I had with the entire series in that the ladies always start off badass in the early chapters, but then five chapters in when the guys step in, they become sort of like doormats to the heroes. With Zoe’s book it was still manageable. With Charlie it was terrible because Charlie just turned into water and lost every fire once she had to marry Mica. With Krista though, I hoped that would be different. I mean, Krista was the agent in earlier books that swooped in and saved the day when all else failed; she had every situation under control. She was smart and sharp and didn’t take nonsense from anyone. But here in her book, she was constantly making wrong, emotionally-driven decisions, just to regret them later. I couldn’t find the Krista smartness or confidence in this character, and it sucked.

Going further, I honestly couldn’t feel sympathy for her when the ax fell and her career crashed and burned. She knew better. She’d worked hard for over a decade to build a strong reputation and a reliable agency. And then a guy comes in, and she just throws all of that away. And this is pretty tricky because it IS a romance novel so there ought to be relationship between the H and h. Yet, because of the storyline, each time she told herself she’d stay away from Levi because doing otherwise would destroy both their careers, and then caved in to his advances in the next breath, I was just so disappointed in her. So when she basically lost everything as a result, I didn’t feel sympathy. Rather I felt she had it coming and was a lesson she should learn.

For her family, those people were absolute trash. Goodness. Her mother was a disgusting person and I’m not even going to get into her sister. They treated her like CRAP and each time, they still claimed to be right???!!! When her sister came to her office after Krista lost all her staff, and told Krista it was karma for Krista cheating with Eduard (FREAKING EDUARD!), I was prepared to give this book one star! You cheated with your sister’s boyfriend, got pregnant for him, told your sister it was what she deserved, and then when he starts cheating on you with some unknown woman, you have the guts to whine about it to your sister and even try to lay blame on her?? Argh. I was sooo mad! Worse, her family was never handled. They never apologized for being trash humans and never ate their horrible words.

For Levi, he was a cool character, I liked him a lot of the time. He was just too immature sometimes and it really irked me. Like bro, why did you keep the freaking wedding tape??? His reasoning hardly even made sense when there was so much at risk. Why didn’t you tell Krista about it? It was also annoying how he kept claiming he wanted to play hockey badly, yet kept pursuing his agent, knowing fully well that if they got caught he would lose the chance to play hockey. Besides, he knew her career was at stake and that that was partly why she was refusing to sleep with him, yet he kept pushing.

One other issue I had (here, and with the entire series) was the lack of camaraderie between the teammates. I think that’s one of the reasons sports romance is fun. We get to know the whole team—or most of them—and the friendship/banter between them on and off the ice is a part of what makes the books heartwarming. So far, the players in the series don’t have relationships with each other. Rather, the teammates are just faceless guys who act like rivals or jerks to each other most of the time. It would’ve been great to see that friendship here so we could’ve really understood and empathized with Levi’s reluctance to leave the Wolves team when he was kicked out.

There were also plot threads that were left untied, like Levi’s history. He HAD mentioned an issue with his agent that antagonized them to each other but that was never explained. Why Brody was house sitting the coach’s house was never explained, and so on. Sometimes, the book felt haphazardly woven.

In the end, Krista and Levi’s relationship was cool but I think I would’ve preferred this book more if Krista had been paired with a mature hero who didn’t pull her to acts of immaturity and recklessness, but complemented her and made her a stronger woman.

[imaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

and just like that i've read all four books in two days. that's how good each and every book was in this series (puck me secretly is and always will be my favourite one) odette has become one of my favourite authors for making the best sports romances (imo, simply because i never really used to be a fan of sports romances) to fall in love with.

i'm not going to lie i didn't enjoy this book as much as i did with the other ones simply because the format of each book is repetitive. the first one was amazing since it was all still new to me until each book just repeated the same plot: man meets a woman (always off limits for one reason or another), they enjoy some risky time together, something happens and they move apart and are brought back together at the end with the hockey player being offered a new contract for the next few years and everything is good. however i'm not letting this affect my rating of the book simply because most romance stories follow the same storyline. i just was a bit disappointed because this series has such great potential. the characters though are amazing, i love how each love interest acts differently but they all have one thing in common: going insane over their girl. i also love how all the books are intertwined with the others so smoothly it feels like you're reading one long book with different perspectives. in this book, i love how they accidentally got married at the beginning and they were husband and wife for the majority of the book, that just makes it so much better imo.

these are my ratings for all the books in the stories:
1. puck me secretly
2. home game
3. high risk rookie
4. the penalty box

ps. we need a story about kashimoto falling in love, please odette stone !!!

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great hockey romance in the Vancouver Wolves series!

This one was steamy! It also had some good angst. I didn’t see the twist at the end coming, so it was a nice surprise.

I liked the sports agent angle, and who doesn’t love a secret marriage. 🥰

My main issue was her family. I understand that we’re not supposed to like them much, but I hated them. They were toxic and I spent the whole book waiting for her to give up on them completely, but she never did. Her mom was even referenced in the epilogue, so she’s clearly still trying to have a relationship with her mom and sister. For her own mental health, she needed to cut them out of her life entirely.

But besides that, I loved both the main characters, and it was really nice to have Micah and Charlie back, playing not insignificant side character roles.

Overall, would recommend!