Block & Tackle (Gold Hockey #1.5)

Block & Tackle                                         Faber, Fournet, Vayden

Offsides by Elise Faber

Job title:
Executive Assistant for CEO of Prestige Media Group

Job description:
(1) Deal with a massive amount of emails.
(2) Schedule conference calls and meetings with top athletes and other hugely important people.
(3) Pick up dry cleaning and food, consult on tie selection, make dinner reservations, and book flights . . . basically act as a wife-on-steroids.
(4) THE IMPORTANT ONE: Do not, under any circumstances, fall in love with Devon Scott—demanding boss, former NHL player, and all-around gorgeous specimen of the male persuasion.

Job performance:
Failing.
Absolutely failing at number four.

Off Guard by Stephanie Fournet

Life couldn’t be better for Charlie Woodruff.

After a year of holding out, she’s finally landed the job she’s always wanted in the city of her dreams. An apartment she can afford and new friends at work make the transition easy.
When she meets a gorgeous stranger who makes her laugh and steals her breath, it seems like the icing on the cake...

Until Charlie discovers he’s a client.

Hutch Barlow — newly drafted wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders — looks like an avenging angel, hangs on her every word, and is completely off-limits. The trouble is he also refuses to take “no” for an answer.

And if she’s being honest, Charlie doesn’t want him to.

But seeing him means she could lose everything — including her heart.

Off Limits by Kristin Vayden

Everything about Ava screams off-limits.
To want her is to invite disaster.
To pursue her is to risk my job.
To kiss her might cost me my best friend.
But all those risks seem small in light of the first problem.
She hates me.

To her I’m a sell-out, choosing to advance my career rather than protect my biggest client.
Her brother.
And my best friend.
She hasn’t spoken to me in over a year, but that ends now.
Because I’m done with holding back.
To hell with the consequences.
Wish me luck... 


My Reviews:

Front Matter           Elsie Faber

     This novella is about Devon an ex-hockey player who’s regular assistant is out for maternity leave. Five out of the six months have passed when we all come into meet Becca the more than qualified temp.  Here is the thing, when Devon set up the business, he put in place a no dating policy which up until now has never been a problem.  Yet, Becca is different.

     He likes everything about her.  Her work ethic, her no cussing policy, and ever her spot of stubbornness.  For some reason with her, he thinks it’s cute  He can’t wait for the month to be over so he can’t ask her out.  But when an ex-starts stocking her, he finds himself tailing her to her second job.  The thing doesn’t end well and she feels guilty.  When they have to work from his home things heat up.

     I enjoyed this short.  I enjoyed the chemistry of the short banter between Becca and Devon and that she could get him to stop cussing.  I give this: 4 stars

Off Guard               Stephanie Fournet

     Charlie is a PR person and she just started one of the policies is you “Will no date the clients.”  She has only been on the job for about three weeks when she goes out for her nightly run.

     Now, you have to understand Charlie was a long-distance runner in college so now only a year out she is having withdrawals and learning how to live and eat normally is a challenge for her.  She likes a good bit of completion so when a runner tries to come upon her she presses herself harder to outrun and win in her mind.

     This man Hutch is not even a man to run away from but toward really.  He walks her home because when her blood sugar drops, she is left down and out.  Come to find out he’s the client her new boss, Kurt is throwing the party for on Friday.  It’s never going to work she has to not see him anymore she worked too har for the job. 

     Hutch not taking no for an answer.  At the same time, Charlie was just stubborn enough to not back down.  She worked to get where she is.  Hutch, however, was pulling out all the stops to get her to trust him and see him on the side.

     Have to say at the beginning it is a slow-moving, story for me.  But then it does pick up.  So, keep on because these two grew on me for sure.  Believing.  I give this: 4 stars.

Off Limits                   Kristen Vayden

     Markus is Ava’s twin brother’s roommate in college.  Bryce played football and Markus was the brains so the two stuck together.  When Bryce goes pro he brings Markus along to be his agent.  Knowing Bryce hard not to know Ava too, they are tight twins.  So, when Bryce gets truly injured and advised not to play, he found a risky surgery and he talked it over with Markus.

     After tons of research, he knew it would work and his friend would get to do what he loved.  But by agreeing to it he knew he was losing any type of relationship dreams he did have of being with Ava.  Because as much these two cared for each other as more than just friends secretly.  She would never go near Markus again.

     She felt he was putting the percentage he gets for playing ahead of her brother’s health.  Something he would never do.  But, he did it for her too.  The thing is after a game Bryce has had enough of his friend and sister being mad at each other.  So, he becomes Markus’s wingman.  Oops! Forgets to inform Markus, Ava will be there, too funny.

     This is one spicy hot read in the way of LOL.  Ava is spunky and so caring.  She loves her men with all of her.  I give this: 5 stars.  Provided by netgalley.com.