by Ruth Stilling
Published
May 9, 2024
Pages
312 pages
Language
English
Publisher
Not found
Paperback
$17.21
Audiobook
$0.00
Audio CD
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My whole life I’ve come out on top. One of the finest players ever to grace the NHL? Check.
Most prolific playboy with an enviable reputation between the sheets? Check. Award for the cockiest athlete in America?
Also check, and well deserved I’d say. So why does my life feel anything but the perfect image I project? And why won’t the one woman who came crashing into my life and knocked me on my six-foot-four ass take me seriously?
She doesn’t even recognize me, let alone worship the ground I walk on. I’m in uncharted territory, tearing up my rule book and unearthing buried demons in my pursuit of her affection. I always get what I want in life, but apparently, Felicity Thompson didn’t get the memo.
I want her in my bed, but all she offers me is her witty British tongue and no-nonsense attitude. It isn’t supposed to be this way. She’s supposed to unravel for me.
Yet the harder I pursue her, the more my own layers peel away. Felicity Thompson is fast becoming not just what I want but the very woman I need in my life, and I’m terrified to admit that when it truly matters, I might not be coming out on top after all.
In the thrilling world of the Seattle Scorpions, love can be as unpredictable as the next power play. When reformed playboy and star hockey player Alex Collins is thrown back into the rink of romance, his heart unexpectedly collides with Emily Anderson, a single mom dedicated to her young son. This unlikely pairing sets the stage for a game-changing journey of love, trust, and redemption.
As Alex and Emily navigate the challenges of blending their worlds, they discover that the greatest triumphs are often won off the ice.
Love even in the fast-paced sports world demands vulnerability and courage. Redemption is a journey best taken with an open heart. Second chances in love require letting go of past fears.
Enter the roaring world of professional hockey where Alex Collins’ reputation precedes him as a once-swaggering lothario. After years of scoring on and off the ice he seeks something more meaningful. His redemption journey leads him to Emily Anderson a strong-willed single mom determined to prioritize her son's happiness above anything else.
Navigating the ups and downs of newfound romance both Alex and Emily must confront their pasts and challenge their preconceived notions of love. Their chemistry ignites both tension and tenderness as they confront the realities of blending their lives risking it all for a chance at happiness. As the stakes rise Alex and Emily discover the profound strength found in love and family proving that the heart can triumph even when the scoreboard suggests otherwise.
Boarded Hearts beautifully intertwines the high-octane world of professional sports with the delicate nuances of love and family creating a captivating romance The characters possess depth and authenticity with Alex and Emily easily relatable through their struggles and triumphs making the story emotionally resonant Seamless storytelling matched with vibrant settings and dynamic interactions makes this hockey romance not just a tale of love but a celebration of personal growth and courage.
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Based on 1536 ratings
I have been wanting to read this series ever since seeing their gorgeous covers and I’m so glad I did! I devoured this book…literally dropped what I was reading once I started and loved every minute of it! I know we all love the single dad romances but single moms deserve ALL the love and then some! I felt a lot of connection to Felicity and the marriage she got herself out of having dealt with something similar myself. I love how strong she is and that since finding her voice, she holds on to what she wants for herself. And then there’s Jon Morgan….he is so beyond down bad for Felicity and I loved that for her and for him. The way she captures his whole heart and the way he wants to give her everything she deserves. They are just perfect for each other. I cannot wait to jump into the rest of this series! TROPES 🧍🏻♀️Single Mom ❣️ Reformed Playboy 🏒 Hockey Romance ❤️🔥Boy Obsessed 💘 Soul Mates ☠️ Touch Her & Die 💙 He Falls First 🌶️ Spicy
Let me set the scene. FMC Felicity and MMC Jon quite literally run into one another in a hallway at a hockey arena. Insta-love, meet Jon Morgan. Jon Morgan, Insta-love. Insta-love isn't my favorite trope in the whole world, I can deal if it's well done but when I say I've never seen a character go insta-love so fast, I mean it. The insta-love on Jon's part was pretty eye-rolling at times given this man was supposed to be the biggest playboy in the NHL. Honestly, I really don't have much to say. I didn't overly connect with either the FMC or MMC and my favorite characters were actually two of the secondary hockey teammates (Zach being one of them who's story is next). I'm holding out hope Zach's story is more exciting as I'll be diving into an ARC of that book next. (less) [edit]
I know they say not to judge a book by it's cover but I really can't resist these cartoon covers!! And wonderfully enough the cover was on par with the book. It was great. I enjoyed this intro to a new world and these characters. I liked the reverse age gap (I am on the hunt for more of these), the fact that Felicity had no idea who Jon was, the way that Jon helped her with her confidence without even knowing it was exactly what she needed in that time of her life. I also liked Felicity having older children. Most of the time when you read a single parent story it is with younger kids. The older kids gave it a little bit of a different dynamic. I also of course loved the he falls first and HARD coming from a reformed playboy was icing on the cake. UGH that just made me swoon. Felicity has made some tough decisions. She decided after being married to the same person for forever to get a divorce and move across the world to support her son's dream of being a hockey player. Which is how she finds herself in Seattle where she has to learn how to be herself again. She has made some friends at the office but really hasn't dipped her toe into the dating pool again. All of that changes when she literally runs into Jon Morgan at the hockey arena when picking up tickets for her and her son. Of course she doesn't know who he is. She just knows he is hot and that she is flustered which is why she runs. But then she sees him at the game and he can't seem to keep his eyes off of her. And now she has found herself in this whirlwind where Jon is actively pursuing her to be in his life. Now he has a reputation she is learning. So she doesn't want to be just another girl. She holds him off. Decides they can be friends and that she will just have to ignore this growing attraction between them. But of course that only lasts for so long. He is treating her so differently from her ex husband. He is supportive of her and challenges her in a way that is invigorating. So she decides to go for it. What does she have to lose? She knows what her standards are. She just has to hold him to those. But then something tragic happens and their relationship is put to the test. She just has to show Jon that with the right people in your life, you can survive more than you think. Jon is getting tired of the same old same old. He is sick of going out and having a different girl in his bed all the time. He finds himself wondering what it would be like to have someone who was always there cheering for you and challenging you. But he doesn't have the time to invest with his hockey schedule. He has also never found himself captivated by a woman until her. He doesn't catch her name but is entranced by her green eyes. He doesn't know if he will see her again but seeing as he saw her at the arena picking up tickets maybe he will see her at one of his games. And then he does. And he can't look away. He finds himself doing things he has never done before like taking time to get to know her. He finds himself wanting to prove he is better than the rumors about him. He finds himself wanting to be better because of her. She is playing hard to get. She tells him they can only be friends, but friends don't look at each other or kiss each other the way they have. He just has to wait her out. It will be worth it, and when things shift it is everything he thought and more. But then the worst case happens out on the ice in a game to one of his teammates that he takes HARD. He finds himself feeling the anxiety and depression he has worked so hard to stay ahead of take over. He is losing himself and knows he will lose Felicity too. No one wants to deal with someone in this state, but then she shocks him and shows him what true love is really all about. I liked the mental health rep coming from the MMC not the FMC in this one. I would check the triggers here- there is gaslighting, emotional abuse and the death of parents (not depicted in the book). I thought Ruth did a great job dealing with all of these categories. Felicity's husband was awful and seeing how he was versus how Jon was so eye opening to Felicity. It was a growing moment in the best way. I loved how Felicity didn't turn tail during the kind of third act breakup. She stuck it out which was the harder decision to make in my opinion. I enjoyed meeting our future characters and can't WAIT to see what happens with Kate and Jensen (I know there is more than we think going on there). My heart broke for Zach, but I am pumped to meet Luna put him back together. This was a great intro to a series and debut novel!
Why can’t I give this more than five stars, because that is what this story deserves!!! Legit infinity stars! ♾️⭐️ How is this Ruth’s debut novel? This is incredible. The characters are phenomenal! The story is soooo heartfelt and beautifully written. Wow, absolutely amazing!!!! 🏒Hockey Romance 💖Incredible FMC 🏒Reformed Playboy 💖Single Mom 🏒He Falls First, & Hard 💖Reverse Age Gap 🏒Mental Health Rep Felicity sweet, strong, incredible Felicity! You are soooo relatable! There were moments I felt myself nodding along with everything you were saying. Everything you are put through you stomp over and persevere!!! Jon, you wonderful, fantastic, incredible character! Everything you did, everything you are, is absolutely amazing. Reformed Playboy, so hot! Protective, yesss please! An incredible brother, son, teammate, partner and man! I love you fiercely! You had me wanting to read so fast to see what you would do next. And yet, I didn’t want the book to end because of your amazingness!!! I love you, you spicy mmc! Again Ruth are you real? I am still so blown away that this was your first book! You deserve all the praise and high fives for how incredible this book is. I am sooooo excited to see what is next! But mostly, thank you for bearing your soul to us in this story. It is the perfect amount of spice, humor, heartfelt, and soooo much love! Jon & Felicity are perfection! ♾️⭐️