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Vegas Crush #1
Crushed: A Hockey Love Story
Pucks fly when a Ukrainian/American hockey god tries to shoot around the 'no-fraternization' policy with the new social media manager for the team. Twitter is about to explode in this steamy hockey love story!!
"That 'no-fraternization' policy is about to get broken." —Evan Kazmeirowicz, VEGAS CRUSH
Definitely the goal in mind for the star winger and team captain of the Vegas Crush the day he lays eyes on the new social media manager for the team. But for Holly Laurent, it’s something more along the lines never-ever-gonna-happen-Mr.-Hottie-McHockeypants. Dating a “player” is a risky business, especially if she wants to keep the job she just landed with the hottest team in the NHL.
Holly loves her independence and her career. She’s doing just fine on her own, thank you very much.
Allowing her head to be turned by a hot hockey player and putting her job at risk?
Not. Happening. Ever.
Not even if he looks like a god.
Not even if he possesses enough charm to tempt the panties from a nun.
Not even if she has to cross her fingers behind her back every time she tells him she’s not interested.
Policies exist for a reason.
Rules are not meant to be broken and sexy players are not to be trusted.
Right?
**CRUSHED can be read as a complete standalone sports romance. Each book in the Vegas Crush series is about a different couple.
"That 'no-fraternization' policy is about to get broken." —Evan Kazmeirowicz, VEGAS CRUSH
Definitely the goal in mind for the star winger and team captain of the Vegas Crush the day he lays eyes on the new social media manager for the team. But for Holly Laurent, it’s something more along the lines never-ever-gonna-happen-Mr.-Hottie-McHockeypants. Dating a “player” is a risky business, especially if she wants to keep the job she just landed with the hottest team in the NHL.
Holly loves her independence and her career. She’s doing just fine on her own, thank you very much.
Allowing her head to be turned by a hot hockey player and putting her job at risk?
Not. Happening. Ever.
Not even if he looks like a god.
Not even if he possesses enough charm to tempt the panties from a nun.
Not even if she has to cross her fingers behind her back every time she tells him she’s not interested.
Policies exist for a reason.
Rules are not meant to be broken and sexy players are not to be trusted.
Right?
**CRUSHED can be read as a complete standalone sports romance. Each book in the Vegas Crush series is about a different couple.
304 pages, Paperback
First published May 28, 2018
About the author
Brit DeMille
16 books452 followersBrit DeMille is the alter ego of NYT Bestselling author Raine Miller writing something new and different from what she usually writes. Stories about sexy billionaires [millionaires make the cut too] who fall in instalove with young women who may or may not be virgins, and then go on to make adorable babies together. In addition to the billionaires, hot hockey players are at the top of her list of favorite heroes, along with royals and ex-military bodyguards.
Most important when she writes a story is a happily ever after. But during the actual writing of the story, the most important thing is a cup of hot tea with a splash of milk, (and don't forget the stash of cherry Jolly Ranchers). A dog or two will likely be in between her and the chair at any given moment, which is very handy because they are the ones who approve everything she writes.
Most important when she writes a story is a happily ever after. But during the actual writing of the story, the most important thing is a cup of hot tea with a splash of milk, (and don't forget the stash of cherry Jolly Ranchers). A dog or two will likely be in between her and the chair at any given moment, which is very handy because they are the ones who approve everything she writes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 246 reviews
January 9, 2019
'She looks back at me as she leaves and I legit want to jump the barrier, skate to the glass, and beg her to let me sink my biscuit into her net.'Like...page 4.
I bought this. I ACTUALLY SPENT MONEY ON THIS AND I WOULD LIKE A REFUND.
I'm finding it hard to rate this any more than one star. It feels harsh in one way, because I've definitely read texts that were more offensive and badly written then this . . . but wow.
I mean, where was the editor for this? At one point the MC remarks that 'he kissed from my belly to by public bone.' Her PUBLIC bone???? P U B L I C BONE? Do not get me started on the amount of issues with the speech marks. How did they manage to miss it like FOURTEEN TIMES???? So, a character would start talking, "Hi my name is Gabby," she said, I think this is a badly edited book," she finished. DO YOU SEE WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT SENTENCE? I am no grammatical wizard but when this is meant to a published book (that I spent money on!!!!) it's unacceptable for this 'mistake' to happen SO FREAKING OFTEN.
Sometimes insta-love stories can work out but this one was a right lol.
The characters were just . . . wow. They were alright I guess, but where was the character development? Evan stopped sleeping with multiple girls and Holly slept with one? Cool cool cool cool.
Not every character has to be likeable/perfectly/politically correct, but I did not like the discourse surrounding womanly bodies. I'm not sure if the author was trying to do some sort of subverting to the typical norms of what we as a society deem attractive, but the phrase "skinny bitches" is used, and later on Holly (the mc) remarks that she isn't as "womanly as her" friend because she is too skinny and athletic (where her friend is curvy) Just . . . next.
Not to mention the usual slut thing (oh haha you slut, the character will exclaim. It's meant to be in a joking way but you can tell the standards for the female characters and the male characters on sex are different.)
(Also this book would not past the Bechdel test AT ALL).
What also annoyed me - in relation to the woman/slut thing - is that men are being presented and promoted as sex craved monsters that are starved without it???? Evans (the MC) manager suggests he sleeps with the reporter to give her what she wants and implies that because he is a man he should just do it . . . and that's so wrong. Like what the heck. We shame women for having 'too much sex' and then we shame men for 'not having enough sex' and we value people based on their sexual experience and ???? NO.
(Evan expresses how he feels 'personally victimised by this statement' but haha yeah let's just laugh it off...UGH. DEMILLE I AM FRUSTRATED WITH YOU.)
I think this could've been very sexually liberating for Holly (personal pleasure, sexual experiences) and for Evan, challenging the tropes surrounding sex and the stigma...but no. It went one step forward, and then just jumped ten steps backwards. AND FOR WHAT?
Like look, I shamelessly love my steamy NA hockey player romances . . .
But not like this.
Not when it is just shady all the way through, lacks any sort of plot (will they 'bone' or won't they?!?! Will the married female boss lady to Holly fire her for her relationship with Evan???? Because she's jealous as her 'hard nipples' in a convo with Evan indicate!!!! Wait no???? It's because her husband and her are having issues and a bunch of other thrown in backstory which is all to influence and inspire Holly to GO AND GET HER MAN!!!!)
I think the decent relationship in this is probably Holly and her Uncle Troy.
But yeah, this book was badly edited, not greatly written, shaming to multiple different groups of people (like, it didn't even have a point to work on body image - beautiful comes in all shapes and sizes, or to talk about the double standards of sex, etc. It was just like hah I think I'm doing something clever but really I'm kind of an arsehole).
ONE LAST POINT!!!! Could the author make up what type of character they wanted Evan to be???? Sure characters are multi-faceted and come from diverse backgrounds but WOW. Here he is, showing off his fancy sport car (I think he even says how much it is lmao) but then oh no he lives in a humble apartment...and guess what. He's Russian, but he's American, BUT HE HAS A BRITISH ACCENT? WAIT - EUROPEAN. WAIT - SLIGHTLY RUSSIAN. I don't know. I'm confused. His mums from Boston I think, his dad from Russia, and his mum wanted him to go to school in Britain. I don't know. There wasn't much about his family but a couple of throw away comments to *layer* his character but they were so brief in passing that it did jackshit but make me like ????
Yeah...I think the one star suits this and I want my money back.
June 4, 2019
Crushed is Evan and Holly's story. Evan, the star winger for the Vegas Crush is a well known player on the ice and off it. He's never been given a reason to settle down until he takes one look at Holly.
Holly is fresh out of college embarking on a new job as the social media manager for the Vegas Crush. She's intrigued by Evan but no way is she going to risk her job.
This started off a little rocky for me just because a few random thoughts from Evans head and some conversations with Georg about women were a bit much for me. I don't really want to know how men think. Their minds are a scary place.
Once Evan started realizing how much Holly was different from other women, I really started to love it. I do enjoy when a known womanizer changes his ways for that one woman. I also really love it when the hero does the chasing.
Holly is fresh out of college embarking on a new job as the social media manager for the Vegas Crush. She's intrigued by Evan but no way is she going to risk her job.
This started off a little rocky for me just because a few random thoughts from Evans head and some conversations with Georg about women were a bit much for me. I don't really want to know how men think. Their minds are a scary place.
Once Evan started realizing how much Holly was different from other women, I really started to love it. I do enjoy when a known womanizer changes his ways for that one woman. I also really love it when the hero does the chasing.
January 23, 2020
I admit that I have an addiction to hockey romance
But OMG what a nice surprise was this to me
Cook it like you want but well cooked Cinderella meets prince is a plot that I can’t resist
1 star less for useless stalking fan
But OMG what a nice surprise was this to me
Cook it like you want but well cooked Cinderella meets prince is a plot that I can’t resist
1 star less for useless stalking fan
June 8, 2018
Hockey romances have become one of my new favorite tropes over the past year, and Crushed pushes all the right buttons for me. A to-die for hockey player with a reputation for being a bad boy. A young heroine who's just starting a brand new career. The chemistry and attraction are undeniable. But there's that pesky no-fraternization policy...
I really enjoyed this story! The way that Evan pursued Holly was very endearing. Here's a guy who is used to women falling at his feet, but Holly is not anything like the type of women who throw themselves at him. He's never wanted any woman for more than a one night stand, but he finds himself looking at Holly like he could find his forever with her.
Holly is such a strong young woman. She's been burned in the past so her guard is up in full force with Evan. She's not the type of women he normally spends time with. As attracted as she is to him, she's just not that kind of girl. And especially since they have to work together? It would be so awkward for her after...
Brit does a great job of weaving the sport of hockey through this romance. Being an avid fan of the new Las Vegas Golden Knights hockey team and watching the games, Brit pulled me straight into every game the Crush played. I could visualize every move they made on the ice, and the excitement I felt while reading had me tearing through the pages, holding my breath to see if they won each game. Crazy right? I know, I know, but I live in the books I read, and this was so exciting!!
Holly and Evan are so good together! Both have struggles to overcome, and once they climb those final hurdles and accept what their hearts are telling them? Yeah, together they are a force to be reckoned with. The sexy times were oh so hot!! I had to fan myself a few times!!
I love the secondary characters we're introduced to as well. Pam is an amazing bestie to Holly and Georg? Well I can't wait to get the real story on him in book 2, Sin Shot.
An amazing first book for Brit DeMille!! I am excited to read more!!
I really enjoyed this story! The way that Evan pursued Holly was very endearing. Here's a guy who is used to women falling at his feet, but Holly is not anything like the type of women who throw themselves at him. He's never wanted any woman for more than a one night stand, but he finds himself looking at Holly like he could find his forever with her.
Holly is such a strong young woman. She's been burned in the past so her guard is up in full force with Evan. She's not the type of women he normally spends time with. As attracted as she is to him, she's just not that kind of girl. And especially since they have to work together? It would be so awkward for her after...
Brit does a great job of weaving the sport of hockey through this romance. Being an avid fan of the new Las Vegas Golden Knights hockey team and watching the games, Brit pulled me straight into every game the Crush played. I could visualize every move they made on the ice, and the excitement I felt while reading had me tearing through the pages, holding my breath to see if they won each game. Crazy right? I know, I know, but I live in the books I read, and this was so exciting!!
Holly and Evan are so good together! Both have struggles to overcome, and once they climb those final hurdles and accept what their hearts are telling them? Yeah, together they are a force to be reckoned with. The sexy times were oh so hot!! I had to fan myself a few times!!
I love the secondary characters we're introduced to as well. Pam is an amazing bestie to Holly and Georg? Well I can't wait to get the real story on him in book 2, Sin Shot.
An amazing first book for Brit DeMille!! I am excited to read more!!
February 17, 2020
Holly ,laureata in scienze della comunicazione,grazie a suo zio,viene assunta come social media manager per la locale squadra di hockey :i Crush.
Nella squadra ci gioca Evan Kazmeirowicz di origini ucraine. Un marcantonio di un metro e novantadue alto e di una bellezza sconvolgente. Tra i due basta uno sguardo e sono persi. Lui non è tipo da relazioni serie,passa da una donna all'altra,mentre lei è fin troppo seria e tra l'altro non vuole rischiare il suo lavoro perché la società non vede di buon occhio la fraternizzazione dei dipendenti...
Alla fine della fiera mi rendo conto che il protagonista in assoluto di questo romanzo è l'hockey,infatti le varie partite vengono descritte con dovizia di particolari. Mentre per i personaggi ho notato una certa superficialita',sono poco introspettivi. Ha un inizio lento mentre il finale è un po' troppo veloce ma decisamente romantico.
⭐⭐⭐,5
Nella squadra ci gioca Evan Kazmeirowicz di origini ucraine. Un marcantonio di un metro e novantadue alto e di una bellezza sconvolgente. Tra i due basta uno sguardo e sono persi. Lui non è tipo da relazioni serie,passa da una donna all'altra,mentre lei è fin troppo seria e tra l'altro non vuole rischiare il suo lavoro perché la società non vede di buon occhio la fraternizzazione dei dipendenti...
Alla fine della fiera mi rendo conto che il protagonista in assoluto di questo romanzo è l'hockey,infatti le varie partite vengono descritte con dovizia di particolari. Mentre per i personaggi ho notato una certa superficialita',sono poco introspettivi. Ha un inizio lento mentre il finale è un po' troppo veloce ma decisamente romantico.
⭐⭐⭐,5
June 7, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel by Brit DeMille even though I have never watched a hockey game in my life. Most of all I loved the connection between Evan and Holly. I really got into their relationship from the beginning and was waiting so anxiously for that first kiss. When I read a book it's so important that above all I want to continue to turn the pages to know where the story is going to go, how those walls are going to come down, and of course looking for those special 'firsts' moments. I wanted to keep devouring the pages to see Holly and Evan move from that professional relationship and how it was going to happen. In addition, I love secondary characters and Pam and Georg were perfect. I can't wait for their story in Sin Shot.
June 17, 2019
Evan è un promettente giocatore di hockey di Las Vegas, città di eccesso e di sfarzo, sfavillante cornice di tante storie d'amore. Holly è la social media della sua squadra, ragazza in carriera che sa svolgere bene il suo lavoro. Per etica professionale tra i due non dovrebbe nascere nulla, neppure una semplice frequentazione ma i ragazzi sono attratti l'uno dall'altra. Ma dovrà scegliere se continuare la storia col bel giocatore oppure dedicarsi al suo avanzamento professionale. Molto bello, pulito, scorrevole e veloce da leggere come sport romance, scritto da Raine Miller (che apprezzo molto) insieme al marito, sotto pseudonimo.
June 15, 2018
Holly and Evan were two souls that needed each other. Evan is gunning for team captain of Vegas Crush NHL hockey team. This is his year to achieve his goals on the team. When Evan sees Holly at practice as the new social media person for the team means she will be around him all the time. Evan goes to great lengths to break down the walls that Holly erected around her heart.
Great start to a new series with good character development and nice plot twists to keep the pace going.
Great start to a new series with good character development and nice plot twists to keep the pace going.
June 6, 2018
I love a good hockey romance, but this one fell short with me. Not sure if it was the romance between Evan and Holly or the hockey itself when inserted into the story.
June 26, 2023
DNF @ 54%
September 20, 2020
Hmmmmm, ya, sadly this story left me feeling underwhelmed with Evan and Holly's story. I just couldn't truly immerse myself in them. Well, I could with Evan but could have done without hearing about his manwhore past...but Holly, hmmmm, I liked her but just didn't love her. I wanted more steamy time with them as a couple I think because the ending sort of felt rushed because for me the story dragged just a smidgen and then BOOM, everything at once.
I still enjoy this author so will definitely give the rest of the series a shot...just not sure about the next book with Pam and Georg.....But who knows maybe I will be pleasantly surprised.
I still enjoy this author so will definitely give the rest of the series a shot...just not sure about the next book with Pam and Georg.....But who knows maybe I will be pleasantly surprised.
June 10, 2018
I'm a sucker for sports romance books especially if they're featuring sexy, sweaty and bulky hockey dudes and sweet, flirty and smart women. The mixture of speed and strength on ice is what fascinates me about this particular sport. It's competitive and sometimes even brutal but very entertaining. Brit DeMille's first book in the Vegas Crush series was a winner for me in every aspect: intriguing storyline - check, endearing characters - check, instalove - check and HEA - double check. This is the perfect read for a lazy weekend day - light and funny and without much angst or drama. It left me with a huge smile on my face.
In case you're wondering who Brit DeMille is - she's the New York Times bestselling author Raine Miller writing under a different pen name. Now I need to emphasize that I'm a die-hard fan of her work. I would read anything she writes. I'm so glad that she tried out something new with this hockey sports romance. Raine is truly a very versatile and exceptionally talented author who always strives to give her readers her best.
Holly Laurent has landed a job as the social media manager of NHL's hottest hockey team - Vegas Crush. She is capable, independant and eager to start and impress her bosses. What she doesn't need is distraction in form of the sexy and gorgeous star winger - Evan Kazmeirowicz. He is charming and a great flirt. Talking to him comes easily for the usually introverted Holly. But she can't erase the well known fact that he is a womanizer. She has trust issues since her heart has once been broken by a man she cared about.
Evan is a highly successful hockey player whose focus is on becoming his team's next captain and securing a spot on the All-Star team. He is a fan favorite and a pug bunny magnet. Evan is used to getting what he wants. Until he meets beautiful and shy Holly who blatantly refuses to give him a shot. Not because she's not interested but because there's a strict non-fraternization rule that applies for all members of the staff. Evan will have to bring up his A game in order to convince Holly that rules are meant to be broken.
I loved these two so much! Evan and Holly had great chemistry and the sexual tension between them was hot enough to set the hockey rink on fire. I loved their funny banter and how easily they interacted with each other. It was hard for Holly to oversee Evan's past and to accept that he's no longer the man he used to be. Her own issues and insecurities were standing in their way to a happy future together. I adored Evan for taking his time with Holly and showing her that he's not only interested in sex but so much more.
I want to give a big shout out and a round of applause to Brit for creating amazing secondary characters like Georg and Pam. I'm so looking forward to find out what happend between Evan's troubled teammate and Holly's feisty best friend. Now that these two have to work closely with each other it will be interesting to see how long they can stay away from each other. There is lot of pent-up desire and unfinished business here.
I've enjoyed this amazing story thoroughly and highly recommend it. Brit did a great job with the first installment in the Vegas Crush series and I can't wait to see what she has in tow for us in the future. I'm definitely one-clicking her next book! I'm giving Crushed 5 well deserved puck stars.
In case you're wondering who Brit DeMille is - she's the New York Times bestselling author Raine Miller writing under a different pen name. Now I need to emphasize that I'm a die-hard fan of her work. I would read anything she writes. I'm so glad that she tried out something new with this hockey sports romance. Raine is truly a very versatile and exceptionally talented author who always strives to give her readers her best.
Holly Laurent has landed a job as the social media manager of NHL's hottest hockey team - Vegas Crush. She is capable, independant and eager to start and impress her bosses. What she doesn't need is distraction in form of the sexy and gorgeous star winger - Evan Kazmeirowicz. He is charming and a great flirt. Talking to him comes easily for the usually introverted Holly. But she can't erase the well known fact that he is a womanizer. She has trust issues since her heart has once been broken by a man she cared about.
Evan is a highly successful hockey player whose focus is on becoming his team's next captain and securing a spot on the All-Star team. He is a fan favorite and a pug bunny magnet. Evan is used to getting what he wants. Until he meets beautiful and shy Holly who blatantly refuses to give him a shot. Not because she's not interested but because there's a strict non-fraternization rule that applies for all members of the staff. Evan will have to bring up his A game in order to convince Holly that rules are meant to be broken.
I loved these two so much! Evan and Holly had great chemistry and the sexual tension between them was hot enough to set the hockey rink on fire. I loved their funny banter and how easily they interacted with each other. It was hard for Holly to oversee Evan's past and to accept that he's no longer the man he used to be. Her own issues and insecurities were standing in their way to a happy future together. I adored Evan for taking his time with Holly and showing her that he's not only interested in sex but so much more.
I want to give a big shout out and a round of applause to Brit for creating amazing secondary characters like Georg and Pam. I'm so looking forward to find out what happend between Evan's troubled teammate and Holly's feisty best friend. Now that these two have to work closely with each other it will be interesting to see how long they can stay away from each other. There is lot of pent-up desire and unfinished business here.
I've enjoyed this amazing story thoroughly and highly recommend it. Brit did a great job with the first installment in the Vegas Crush series and I can't wait to see what she has in tow for us in the future. I'm definitely one-clicking her next book! I'm giving Crushed 5 well deserved puck stars.
June 10, 2018
Hockey romance books are my vice. When I heard that one of my most favorite authors ever Raine Miller wrote one under the pen name Brit de Mille, I was one-clicking and all over it in a second. It didn't hurt that the blurb was intriguing and the cover gorgeous. There is something sexy and super attractive about these Hockey gods with cocky personalities who slay on the ice and have bodies to die for. But what makes me crazy for these books is when these hunks are brought to their knees by love.
When Holly Lauren moves from LA to Vegas in order to start her new job as the social media manager for the local team the Vegas Crush, she never anticipated what temptation this job will bring. And this temptation comes in a package of six-foot-three Ukrainian sexiness with dark hair, green eyes and an intriguing accent.
The first time Holly and Evan Kazmeirowicz meet the sparks fly. There is a strong and undeniable pull between them. Being the star winger for the Vegas Crush, Evan is a fan favorite, especially among the puck bunnies. He has a reputation, though not as bad as his Russian right-hand man and best buddy Georg Kolochev who plays defenseman.
As they are both on the team Holly knows that starting an affair with a player would ruin her career, so she keeps her distance. She loves her job and doesn't want to jeopardize it for a guy. Not even if he looks like a god and possesses enough charizma to charm every woman's panties off.
Evan doesn't care about breaking the fraternization rule. There is something about the dark haired beauty with the pouty lips that makes him persuade her no matter what. And it's not because Evan was never let down by a woman before. It's because she's different, smart and alluring. He never felt such an interest for a woman before.
Policies exist for a reason and rules are not meant to be broken. Right? A little taste will start an inferno of want that will either make them crash into love or burn their hearts to ashes...
Crushed was such an amazing and unputdownable story! The pace was fast, the story line intriguing and the chemistry between Evan and Holly out of this world. I was holding my breath and waiting for them to finally cross the line and kiss. I wanted them together so badly! And once they gave in there was no going back. Prepare for some major hotness that will make you fan yourself to calm down!
Holly's and Evan's relationship was not the only fantastic thing about this book. It was also the bromance between Evan and Georg as much as the friendship between Holly and Pamela, who is going to be the new physio therapist for the Vegas Crush. I'm shipping Georg and Pamela so hard and can't wait for Brit's next book, Sin Shot, which will be about them two.
I recommend this book to everyone: hockey lovers and beginners. Don't worry, the rules and concept of the game are very well explained and incorporated into the story line. Thank you Raine for this fantastic book which is among my most favorites of this year! No matter if you write under your name or a pen name your exceptional talent shines through on every page. 5 stars!
When Holly Lauren moves from LA to Vegas in order to start her new job as the social media manager for the local team the Vegas Crush, she never anticipated what temptation this job will bring. And this temptation comes in a package of six-foot-three Ukrainian sexiness with dark hair, green eyes and an intriguing accent.
The first time Holly and Evan Kazmeirowicz meet the sparks fly. There is a strong and undeniable pull between them. Being the star winger for the Vegas Crush, Evan is a fan favorite, especially among the puck bunnies. He has a reputation, though not as bad as his Russian right-hand man and best buddy Georg Kolochev who plays defenseman.
As they are both on the team Holly knows that starting an affair with a player would ruin her career, so she keeps her distance. She loves her job and doesn't want to jeopardize it for a guy. Not even if he looks like a god and possesses enough charizma to charm every woman's panties off.
Evan doesn't care about breaking the fraternization rule. There is something about the dark haired beauty with the pouty lips that makes him persuade her no matter what. And it's not because Evan was never let down by a woman before. It's because she's different, smart and alluring. He never felt such an interest for a woman before.
Policies exist for a reason and rules are not meant to be broken. Right? A little taste will start an inferno of want that will either make them crash into love or burn their hearts to ashes...
Crushed was such an amazing and unputdownable story! The pace was fast, the story line intriguing and the chemistry between Evan and Holly out of this world. I was holding my breath and waiting for them to finally cross the line and kiss. I wanted them together so badly! And once they gave in there was no going back. Prepare for some major hotness that will make you fan yourself to calm down!
Holly's and Evan's relationship was not the only fantastic thing about this book. It was also the bromance between Evan and Georg as much as the friendship between Holly and Pamela, who is going to be the new physio therapist for the Vegas Crush. I'm shipping Georg and Pamela so hard and can't wait for Brit's next book, Sin Shot, which will be about them two.
I recommend this book to everyone: hockey lovers and beginners. Don't worry, the rules and concept of the game are very well explained and incorporated into the story line. Thank you Raine for this fantastic book which is among my most favorites of this year! No matter if you write under your name or a pen name your exceptional talent shines through on every page. 5 stars!
Want to Read
September 19, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (9/19/2020)! 🎁
June 15, 2019
5⭐
Datemi subito il secondo!!!
I Las Vegas Crush sono la squadra di Hockey del momento e Holly inizia il suo lavoro come responsabile dei social media della suddetta squadra, è una sportiva ma non sa come si svolga una partita di hockey.
Ovviamente, hockey equivale a giocatori sexy da urlo. Sbaglio?
Non credo proprio immaginando Evan Kazmeirowicz.
Potrebbe avere ogni donna che vuole, ma ormai ha puntato gli occhi sulla sua preda. Holly.
L'attrazione è immediata e scottante fin dal loro primo sguardo.
Incalzante e coinvolgente è uno sport romance con un doppio punto di vista scorrevole.
Come dovrebbe per il suo genere, lo sport è uno degli elementi principali, prendendo parte attivamente in tutto il romanzo, così come la musica. Anche questa è una costante dall'inizio alla fine che mi ha catturata e mi ha piacevolmente sorpresa per come è stata inserita e gestita in diverse parti.
Una storia innocente e confortevole e la cosa che mi ha più colpita è sicuramente che la storia è semplice e non troppo architettata, ma ha saputo tirare fuori quel tocco in più capace di incollarmi alle pagine.
Leggendolo ho provato moltissime emozioni e sono certa che non potrete non innamorarvi di Evan.
Un ragazzo capace di corteggiare, oltre che a stare sui pattini e starci anche bene, amorevole e sincero.
Una protagonista con la testa, ma che ha anche tanto cuore.
Mi sono piaciuti molto i dialoghi, semplici ma ben costruiti. Così come i personaggi secondari che sono certa incontreremo nei prossimi libri. A proposito, datemi subito il secondo!
Georg e Pam hanno moooolto da raccontare e prevedo scintille per la loro storia!
Una storia d'Amore con la A maiuscola.
Dolce e sensibile mi ha appassionata dall'inizio alla fine!
Era il libro di cui avevo bisogno!
Datemi subito il secondo!!!
I Las Vegas Crush sono la squadra di Hockey del momento e Holly inizia il suo lavoro come responsabile dei social media della suddetta squadra, è una sportiva ma non sa come si svolga una partita di hockey.
Ovviamente, hockey equivale a giocatori sexy da urlo. Sbaglio?
Non credo proprio immaginando Evan Kazmeirowicz.
Potrebbe avere ogni donna che vuole, ma ormai ha puntato gli occhi sulla sua preda. Holly.
L'attrazione è immediata e scottante fin dal loro primo sguardo.
Incalzante e coinvolgente è uno sport romance con un doppio punto di vista scorrevole.
Come dovrebbe per il suo genere, lo sport è uno degli elementi principali, prendendo parte attivamente in tutto il romanzo, così come la musica. Anche questa è una costante dall'inizio alla fine che mi ha catturata e mi ha piacevolmente sorpresa per come è stata inserita e gestita in diverse parti.
Una storia innocente e confortevole e la cosa che mi ha più colpita è sicuramente che la storia è semplice e non troppo architettata, ma ha saputo tirare fuori quel tocco in più capace di incollarmi alle pagine.
Leggendolo ho provato moltissime emozioni e sono certa che non potrete non innamorarvi di Evan.
Un ragazzo capace di corteggiare, oltre che a stare sui pattini e starci anche bene, amorevole e sincero.
Una protagonista con la testa, ma che ha anche tanto cuore.
Mi sono piaciuti molto i dialoghi, semplici ma ben costruiti. Così come i personaggi secondari che sono certa incontreremo nei prossimi libri. A proposito, datemi subito il secondo!
Georg e Pam hanno moooolto da raccontare e prevedo scintille per la loro storia!
Una storia d'Amore con la A maiuscola.
Dolce e sensibile mi ha appassionata dall'inizio alla fine!
Era il libro di cui avevo bisogno!
July 8, 2019
3.5... molto carino ma non particolarmente degno di nota
June 2, 2023
i think i don't need any explanation, just read my notes and you will understand 🥴
June 24, 2018
I love Raine Miller so when I found out she had written under a pen name I was very excited. Now, sports romances always make me very nervous so I rarely read them. I took a step outside of my comfort zone for this one and I'm happy I did because I loved it! We hear a little bit of Evan's past and there is some mention of "puck bunnies' but it wasn't totally in your face. I just loved these two characters. Evan and Holly are great for each other and he really had some swoon worthy moments proving his love and devotion for her from the very beginning. Read this book!
June 27, 2018
It was. . .an okay, nicely researched/referenced story. . .
It isn't that I disliked the book, because parts of it were interesting. I simply didn't "feel" it, as though something was missing. There were a handful of grammatical and syntax issues that owe a lack of solid proofreading and good editing to their existence in the book. That, I found disturbing given how the blurb about the writer insinuated the writer's husband had a hand in writing, too, and was her sports consultant. Disturbing is probably an overreaction since another collaborator doesn't guarantee the work gets reviewed for errors - I just can't imagine publishing a book without checking it over thrice, four times, backward and forward. It's a product of working together, to tell a story you want to make a profit on and to do so, readers have to enjoy, appreciate and be passionate about what they're reading.
I can see how much work went into retrieving material and information, not to mention the technological details required to get the final product out on the market. This is why I don't understand how the errors left in the compilation of their story pieces even exist. There had to have been someone in charge of making sure there were no errors, another to oversee that person, and so on; yet someone messed up. And, I'm rambling about typos when my real problem with this book is that I'm ambivalent about it. Because I don't love the storyline, and found the whole "struck by figurative lightning at first glance" between Evan and Holly too smarmy and cliche for words.
Let's look at the "facts" provided us. This is Las Vegas, known as Sin City, and our story is also set in the 21st century. Evan, heretofore, has been a known player where women were concerned, while Holly's a recent college graduate and a "goody-two-shoes" with an ex fiance who cheated on her (it was mentioned during one of Holly's pov thoughts), yet neither the ex or the act of cheating has bearing on her actions or psyche, so why even mention it? She's athletic, so she is in shape, but though she's described as "beautiful," her brown hair and eyes aren't extraordinary, and in a city like Las Vegas Holly is not exceptional. On the other hand, Evan is a professional hockey player, APPEALING, GORGEOUS, WEALTHY -- the list of lovely, mouth-watering attributes and/or descriptors can go on indefinitely. Though she's attractive enough to garner second glances from men, we're not given ANYTHING that makes her a believable recipient of Evan's notice. She isn't in forced work proximity where he could develop feelings - we just have glances in time that they share that the writer makes a big deal of; however, not going to lie, it is LAME at best. If Holly had four feet of hair, or jewel-like eyes, or had been in the Olympics - ANYTHING that set her apart from the masses instead of being another pretty face. . .I just hate that the main characters connected so weakly.
There we go - the storyline and details of the protagonists are weak. This made the rest of the story weak to me, and I couldn't accept its improbability. Could Evan and Holly have fallen in love with a stronger plot and storyline? Perhaps. Too bad the writer didn't struggle for those stronger supporting details that I believe make or break fictional works, distinguishing the weak and mediocre from the fantastic and wonderfully transporting pieces that people enjoy rereading.
I would not read this book again. One and a half stars - rounded up equals two.
It isn't that I disliked the book, because parts of it were interesting. I simply didn't "feel" it, as though something was missing. There were a handful of grammatical and syntax issues that owe a lack of solid proofreading and good editing to their existence in the book. That, I found disturbing given how the blurb about the writer insinuated the writer's husband had a hand in writing, too, and was her sports consultant. Disturbing is probably an overreaction since another collaborator doesn't guarantee the work gets reviewed for errors - I just can't imagine publishing a book without checking it over thrice, four times, backward and forward. It's a product of working together, to tell a story you want to make a profit on and to do so, readers have to enjoy, appreciate and be passionate about what they're reading.
I can see how much work went into retrieving material and information, not to mention the technological details required to get the final product out on the market. This is why I don't understand how the errors left in the compilation of their story pieces even exist. There had to have been someone in charge of making sure there were no errors, another to oversee that person, and so on; yet someone messed up. And, I'm rambling about typos when my real problem with this book is that I'm ambivalent about it. Because I don't love the storyline, and found the whole "struck by figurative lightning at first glance" between Evan and Holly too smarmy and cliche for words.
Let's look at the "facts" provided us. This is Las Vegas, known as Sin City, and our story is also set in the 21st century. Evan, heretofore, has been a known player where women were concerned, while Holly's a recent college graduate and a "goody-two-shoes" with an ex fiance who cheated on her (it was mentioned during one of Holly's pov thoughts), yet neither the ex or the act of cheating has bearing on her actions or psyche, so why even mention it? She's athletic, so she is in shape, but though she's described as "beautiful," her brown hair and eyes aren't extraordinary, and in a city like Las Vegas Holly is not exceptional. On the other hand, Evan is a professional hockey player, APPEALING, GORGEOUS, WEALTHY -- the list of lovely, mouth-watering attributes and/or descriptors can go on indefinitely. Though she's attractive enough to garner second glances from men, we're not given ANYTHING that makes her a believable recipient of Evan's notice. She isn't in forced work proximity where he could develop feelings - we just have glances in time that they share that the writer makes a big deal of; however, not going to lie, it is LAME at best. If Holly had four feet of hair, or jewel-like eyes, or had been in the Olympics - ANYTHING that set her apart from the masses instead of being another pretty face. . .I just hate that the main characters connected so weakly.
There we go - the storyline and details of the protagonists are weak. This made the rest of the story weak to me, and I couldn't accept its improbability. Could Evan and Holly have fallen in love with a stronger plot and storyline? Perhaps. Too bad the writer didn't struggle for those stronger supporting details that I believe make or break fictional works, distinguishing the weak and mediocre from the fantastic and wonderfully transporting pieces that people enjoy rereading.
I would not read this book again. One and a half stars - rounded up equals two.
June 10, 2019
I hate giving bad reviews. I really do. But this book is terrible. Let’s start with the cover, the girl looks pained and not into it at all. That should have been my dead giveaway of the words in the book. Flat. Empty. Boring. Almost zero character development what so ever. The reader does not connect to the characters. There’s no way. I found myself skipping pages just so I could get to the end.
June 9, 2018
A delicious tale
Brit deMille’s debut hockey series book was wonderful. I was captivated from start to
finish. I’m always glad to find an author who doesn’t write cliche plot arcs, so I’ll be making sure I grab anything by this author. Great characters, great story arc, great storytelling. And we’re talking hot, hot hockey players.... sold!
Brit deMille’s debut hockey series book was wonderful. I was captivated from start to
finish. I’m always glad to find an author who doesn’t write cliche plot arcs, so I’ll be making sure I grab anything by this author. Great characters, great story arc, great storytelling. And we’re talking hot, hot hockey players.... sold!
June 10, 2018
5 Stars
There are authors that just write damn good stories. I don't care if it's Raine Miller, Brit DeMille or Vivian Wilmont. Evan and Holly are everything that builds a beautiful Love Story. I loved it so much. Excited for Pam and Georg book.
There are authors that just write damn good stories. I don't care if it's Raine Miller, Brit DeMille or Vivian Wilmont. Evan and Holly are everything that builds a beautiful Love Story. I loved it so much. Excited for Pam and Georg book.
June 18, 2018
A Must Read!!! #OneClick BABY!!
May 27, 2023
Give. Me. All. The. Hockey. Romance. I don't know what it is about hockey romance that gets me. I watch football, never hockey. But here I am, hooked the second I see "hockey romance". This was another Chrip audio deal that I didn't research and jumped on.
Holly just got a job with the new Las Vegas hockey team as their social media manager. She takes it extremely seriously, but can't help her attraction to start Ukrainian player Evan. And the feeling is mutual. He flirts. She flirts back. It's against company policy to fraternize with the players though so she's got to be careful, especially with Evan pulling all the punches to get her to go out with him. The guy has a reputation as a player and after Holly's past, she's super scared to get involved with him. Will she give him a chance and put her job in jeopardy?!
Meh. It was ok. Spicy in parts, but then got a little boring with it which seems weird. Pretty predictable, but still gave me the happy ending I wanted. Not very memorable, but a decent quick listen.
⭐⭐⭐
Holly just got a job with the new Las Vegas hockey team as their social media manager. She takes it extremely seriously, but can't help her attraction to start Ukrainian player Evan. And the feeling is mutual. He flirts. She flirts back. It's against company policy to fraternize with the players though so she's got to be careful, especially with Evan pulling all the punches to get her to go out with him. The guy has a reputation as a player and after Holly's past, she's super scared to get involved with him. Will she give him a chance and put her job in jeopardy?!
Meh. It was ok. Spicy in parts, but then got a little boring with it which seems weird. Pretty predictable, but still gave me the happy ending I wanted. Not very memorable, but a decent quick listen.
⭐⭐⭐
June 6, 2021
I read this story as part of a Hockey Romance boxset, while it’s not my favorite in the set, I did enjoy the read.
Crushed by Raine Miller and her husband is a fun fast paced read. The story and characters are cute and I love the hockey details (especially from a players POV). Minor criticism: character development. Holly and Evan are a bit too perfect, so aside from some outside drama (jealous ex) and pressure (demanding boss) there’s little conflict.
I give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. And since I curious about George and Pam’s story Sin Shot is going to be on my TBR shelf.
Crushed by Raine Miller and her husband is a fun fast paced read. The story and characters are cute and I love the hockey details (especially from a players POV). Minor criticism: character development. Holly and Evan are a bit too perfect, so aside from some outside drama (jealous ex) and pressure (demanding boss) there’s little conflict.
I give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. And since I curious about George and Pam’s story Sin Shot is going to be on my TBR shelf.
June 7, 2018
Vegas Hockey
Amazing! Love any hockey romance book and considering vegas is in the finals this year it really hit the spot!
Amazing! Love any hockey romance book and considering vegas is in the finals this year it really hit the spot!
June 12, 2018
3.5 Stars!
Crushed was a quick easy read that I enjoyed. I am typically not a fan of hockey books as it is hard for authors to get it right. Crushed was not a home run for me but maybe a double. It was a little on the insta-love side. Evan chased Holly before even knowing anything about her. The hockey side of the book was frustrating for a few reasons that I will not bore you with, but it wasn’t accurate. That being said, the book is not about hockey but a hockey player. I feel like maybe it was too dumbed down.
Anyways, I enjoyed this book and will give book two a go when it releases. I’m a fan of this author so I’m not willing to give up yet.
Crushed was a quick easy read that I enjoyed. I am typically not a fan of hockey books as it is hard for authors to get it right. Crushed was not a home run for me but maybe a double. It was a little on the insta-love side. Evan chased Holly before even knowing anything about her. The hockey side of the book was frustrating for a few reasons that I will not bore you with, but it wasn’t accurate. That being said, the book is not about hockey but a hockey player. I feel like maybe it was too dumbed down.
Anyways, I enjoyed this book and will give book two a go when it releases. I’m a fan of this author so I’m not willing to give up yet.
July 31, 2018
Short, fun, sexy read.
June 16, 2018
Quite enjoyed this book about Holly, new social media manager, and ice hockey player Evan. They meet, feel the chemistry and the rest is history as they say. Both Holly and Evan are sympathetic characters and the story as a whole is low-drama.
I like the writing style of the author (this is my first book by her) but I am not sure I will remember the book for long. It is quite straightforward and a fast read.
I like the writing style of the author (this is my first book by her) but I am not sure I will remember the book for long. It is quite straightforward and a fast read.
November 20, 2019
This was a fun sports romance to read. I liked that Evan pursued Holly and their courtship at the start, that he took her reservations in mind and went slow with things. I did hate how Holly was targeted at work by her boss and another journalist. Their actions later on were out of control and even when an apology came along it didn’t seem sincere.
The ending to this one was fun, just what Evan and Holly needed and deserved.
The ending to this one was fun, just what Evan and Holly needed and deserved.
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