ARC Review – Simmering Ice by Veronica Forand

Posted July 6, 2015 by smutmatters in ARC, Contemporary, Reviews, Sports / 0 Comments

I received this book for free from Entangled Publishing, Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

ARC Review – Simmering Ice by Veronica ForandSimmering Ice by Veronica Forand, Susan Scott Shelley
Series: Atlanta City Hustlers #2
Series Rating: four-stars
Published by Entangled Publishing, LLC on July 7th 2015
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Sports
Pages: 129
Format: eARC
Source: Entangled Publishing, Netgalley
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Amazon
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four-stars
two-flames

When the gloves come off, she's worth the penalty...Physical therapist Annie Davidson is great at her job but unlucky when it comes to love. She's just out of a bad relationship. A really bad relationship. All she can do is focus on work...that is until she runs into professional hockey player Alec O'Meara. She's a touch insecure and doesn't understand why he's interested in her.Despite being one of the biggest players on the team, right wing Alec O'Meara prefers finesse over force. After the tragic death of his wife, he likes to keep things loose on and off the ice. But the red-headed Annie challenges his beliefs and makes him think about taking their relationship to the net. The passion and fun they share is addicting and makes them long for more. But her insecurities that she's not good enough, and his anxiety over a long-term commitment will keep them apart, unless they can find a way to break through the defenses they've built around their hearts.

Simmering Ice was a light, fun novella in the Atlanta City Hustlers series. Annie Davidson is a physical therapist who has pretty much given up on love after a string of terrible relationships. She’s pretty focused on her work and her clients when she meets Alex O’Meara, a professional hockey player, through a common acquaintance. Alex’s wife Tamara died a year or so ago, and while he’s gotten through his grief and dated some since then, he hasn’t really been looking for anything serious. Until he meets Annie.

There’s a lot he likes about her. She’s gorgeous, smart, athletic, funny, and competitive in a fun way. But, man, he really had to work hard to convince her that they could be a couple. Annie is very insecure, and can’t imagine why Alex is with her. It doesn’t help that as soon as her mother finds out who Annie’s dating, she pulls up pictures of Alex’s latest dates on her phone and shows them to Annie, telling Annie that there’s no way a man who dates women that gorgeous would be interested in her. Annie’s mother was horrible. She would have been more of a caricature, but it’s pretty clear that she’s still scarred from Annie’s father walking out on her when Annie was young. He was the type of man who was never satisfied or settled, hopping from relationship to relationship. Annie’s mother has obviously decided that Alex is the same, though she has no real evidence of this. Apparently Annie looks a lot like her father, which I’m sure doesn’t help endear her to her mother. Her mother points out to Annie that Tamara, Alex’s late wife, was also a redhead and implies that he’s using Annie as a substitute. This is the one thing that disappointed me with this book. I really wanted Annie to tell her mother exactly what she could do with her critiques and insinuations. Even if it wouldn’t have changed anything, I wanted her to show that much backbone with her mother. Instead she lets her mother’s comments burrow their way into her brain and her heart and it causes her to doubt Alex way more than he deserves

Alex tells Annie everything he can think of to assure her that his feelings are really. He never does anything to give her the idea that he’s using her or not in it for the long haul. He may get a little overzealous at times, but he’s never anything but kind and patient with her. For example, when inviting her to a formal party his team is throwing, he mentions that he can’t wait to see her in a black-tie formal dress. She instantly decides this means he hates her everyday no makeup, comfortable clothes and shoes, hair in a ponytail look. Well, no. It doesn’t. It means that he can’t wait to see her in a gorgeous dress. My husband looks fantastic in formal clothes. That doesn’t mean I want or expect to see him in it on an average Tuesday. Alex tells Annie repeatedly that other than the red hair, she’s nothing like his late wife, he’s not using her as a substitute, but her mother’s crap is just so ingrained in her head that she can’t accept what he’s telling her.

Overall, I really liked this novella. It was perfect for a long summer weekend sitting on the deck and enjoying the weather. I liked the side characters, too, at least some of whom I’m guessing will be getting their own books if the series keeps going.

About Susan Scott Shelley

Susan Scott Shelley is an award-winning author of contemporary romance who spends her days writing about tough heroes, smart heroines, and love being the strongest magic there is.
For as long as she can remember, she has been in love with Love, and the sweeping grand gestures, heart-sighing moments, fiery passion, and quiet comforts it entails.
Her favorite things include running, sports,
hard rock and old Hollywood movies.
She lives in Philadelphia with her very own Superhero, and believes life should be lived with laughter, enthusiasm, and a sense of wonder.

About Veronica Forand

A Bostonian by birth, Veronica Forand regrettably lost her Boston accent while moving from state to state and country to country. Cleveland probably had the most profound effect on her ability to pronounce the “r” in the word “park.”
She does try to return now and then to visit family and eat long neck clams and lobster. Summers on Cape Cod are also high on the priority list.
Her experience in crime involves time as a court appointed attorney. Eventually, she switched fields to where bigger crimes take place, corporate tax. The allure of spending mornings in her pajamas homeschooling her children and writing fascinating fiction caused her to change careers again. Now that the kids are out of the house (in school), she writes romantic thrillers by day and is the perfect wife and mother at night.
Her experience in romance is limited to one man. Luckily, he’s still finding ways to charm her by taking her on vacations to the south of France, Fiji, and the Green Mountains when time is short. Avid travelers, they love to roam with their kids across continents in pursuit of skiing, scuba diving, and the perfect piece of chocolate.
She’s lived in London, Paris, Geneva, Washington D.C., and the accent destroying city of Cleveland. She currently resides near Philadelphia.