Wow, this story was beautifully written and touched my heart. Kelly Jamieson did a terrific job with this story and a group of easy to like characters. There were moments when I choked up, but there were also heartwarming moments too. Thank you Kelly for such a beautiful story. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy that I never got around to reading, sorry. I read this book after purchasing it for myself from Amazon, but wanted to make sure I still posted my review.

Enter the world of a former hockey player, Drew, and the daughter he never knew. She comes into his world with her Aunt, and Drew and she can't see anything in the same way. This is a fun romance with a bit of hockey thrown in.

I loved the characters and the storyline development of this book. It was absolutely one of my favorites so far and I can't wait to delve in to the next one that this author writes. The storyline was simple, enjoyable, and entertaining.

Wow. I was not expecting this story when I signed up to read and review this title. I laughed, I cried and ultimately fell in love with the characters.

Drew and Payton were both skeptical about love and quick to not give love a try. I loved that the author decided on a slow-burn approach, which gave way for Drew and Payton's connection to really develop and grow as the story progressed. Through all their shared moments, I was able to see them growing closer. I enjoyed their banter, their candid moments and their honest exchanges. Of course, I enjoyed seeing their steamy chemistry on the page too. 😉

All in all, a romantic, emotion-filled story with plenty of heat.

I’m a blubbering mess after reading Dancing in the Rain by Kelly Jamieson, but in the best of ways. This book was a serious journey and it deals with all kinds of life changing moments in people’s lives; death, grief, divorce, career changes, a surprise “baby,” new love, and so much else and it would be easy to assume that a romance thrown into all of that would be lost, but it absolutely was not. Ms. Jamieson did a fantastic job of writing these two people building a relationship while they dealt with more things going on in their lives than any two people should have to deal with in a lifetime. I’m actually in awe of the way this story was crafted; there were many layers to it and each one was intricate to the big picture. Speaking of which this is the type of book that would absolutely make a wonderful movie. Heartbreaking yet uplifting, sweet yet sexy, and profound, Dancing In the Rain was impossible to put down.

Drew Sellers life in on a downward spiral; an injury has ended his hockey career, he has no back-up plan, he divorced his wife after she cheated on him with a teammate, and as his teammates begin to return for the start of the season he is feeling down and useless. Drinking way too much, taking risks, and starting fights seems to be the only thing that dulls the pain until he meets a woman that changes his life trajectory with one sentence, “Yes, you have a nearly twelve-year old daughter.”

This book was intriguing and different because it does not play out the way most in this trope do. Finding out he has a daughter is a bit of a wake-up call for him and her protective and “tells it like she sees it” aunt turns out to be just what he needs to leave his pity party behind and figure out his life.

The romance between Drew and Peyton moves at a slow burn because of the circumstances surrounding them, but I found that quite enjoyable. It forced them to get to know one another and really see they type of people they are. Both Drew and Peyton have his daughter, Chloe’s best interest at heart and I loved watching Drew learn how to parent, make some mistakes, but also understand he wasn’t her friend and tough decisions might not be easy, but were necessary. I really felt that Drew and Peyton brought out the best in each other; they both grew so much during the course of this book.

As a reader, I experienced so many emotions reading this book and was a bit exhausted when I finished, but I was also extremely satisfied. This book is very different from Ms. Jamieson’s usual work, however it is one of her best; her emotional storytelling brought realism to this book, her characters brought it alive, and the message of life is short and hard so take time to dance in the rain is something everyone should embrace.

I think the author did a wonderful job at making this story work. I understood why Drew didn’t know about Chloe, I understand why her mother couldn’t find him and I really understand why now, why in the moments we meet Drew did she step forward.

This book made me feel. It did have me shedding a tear or two and I closed it with a full heart!

By the end of this one, I loved Drew for more reason that I can even list!

Thank you for the opportunity to review this title. Unfortunately, I found it difficult to connect to the story. As I didn't completely finish this book, I will not be publishing a review. We do not feature uncompleted books on the blog. Although this title didn't work for me, I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

How could I not love Peyton and Drew. And Chloe, we’ll, she’s just the best. A great story with characters you can’t help but fall in love with!

I enjoyed this book. It pulled you right in and kept you turning the pages. This book was well written and I had no issues following the story.

Dancing in the Rain is a sweet and enjoyable present day take on the rake who needs reforming. In this case, it's a hockey player who finds out he's the father of a pre-teen girl. Creative plotting and great characters.

I've become a fan of Jamieson's but I could not finish this one. It just got to be way too much and never seemed to end. With that said I'm still a fan and will continue to read this one just wasn't for me.

Couldn’t finish this book. It was too much for me. And it just seem to go on and on.

DANCING IN THE RAIN Kelly Jamieson

WARM FAMILY FEELINGS - 4.5 stars

Plot - 4.5 stars - Drew is a well-known hockey player who was forced to retire because of a bad knee. He's shocked to discover that he's the father of an 11-year-old girl from a woman he had a one-night stand with. When they get to know each other better, he finds himself embroiled in a family emergency as Sara is dying of cancer. He gets totally involved in his daughter Chloe's life, as well as the life of Chloe's aunt Peyton. And he's starting to wonder what he can do to make his life have more purpose.

Writing - 4.5 stars - I was drawn into the story from the first page. It is an amazing combination of frustrating and funny, warm and fuzzy, sad and tragic--basically a rollercoaster of emotions. Jamieson definitely caught me up in the magic of the family and their struggles to do the right thing, improve themselves, and work together to make Chloe happy.

Characters - 4.5 stars - This is definitely an area that shone for me. Drew is such a complex but likeable guy. He was a star hockey player from a young age, building his identity and his confidence from his skill. When it is taken away from him, he's lost and floundering, making bad decisions and wasting his life. It's sad to watch him struggling to decide what to do with his life. And Peyton is the strong sister/aunt figure to Sara and Chloe. She is a successful professional in New York, but she feels strongly about family and has come home to Chicago to take care of them. But she's torn between what she thinks she should do vs what she really wants to do. I really loved the easy camaraderie between Drew and Peyton, and the chemistry between them was passionate, but I admired how they controlled themselves.

Title - 5 stars - I totally love this title since it shows the hope that the family feels rather than being dragged down into sadness. Chloe is a dancer who, while her mother is very sick, ends up running outside into the rain after a dance class. And it strikes Drew and Peyton that sometimes it's good to dance in the rain, letting go and just allowing yourself to relax and be silly.

Cover - 4.5 stars - The cover shows an attractive couple, fairly generic. But I like the sense of storminess since, of course, much of the book is about the darkness of Sara's illness. But they're smiling, so it's not all sad. And they're together under the umbrella--a symbol of their togetherness no matter what's happened around them.

Overview - 4.5 stars - I'm a big Kelly Jamieson fan, mostly because she writes about hot alpha hockey players and their romances. I'm a fan of her writing and her characters. And this book was no exception. But it was so much more. There was a boatload of emotion in this book, drawing me into the family and their struggles. It was heartbreakingly sad, both when Sara died as well as the decisions and difficulties afterwards. But it's also imbued with a sense of hope, the idea that families can get through the hard times as long as they work together and love each other and hold on to each other. This book was a total surprise and really struck me with Jamieson's range of skill in writing such a warm and caring book.

Jamieson has become a favorite author of mine. She did a great job with a tough subject matter in this story. Peyton and Drew had several obstacles to overcome in a new relationship but anything worth having is worth giving extreme effort.

Drew is a retired ice hockey player struggling with the loss of his career. His world is further turned upside when he finds out that he is the father of a 12-year-old girl courtesy of a one-night stand in college. As he gets to know his daughter, he also gets to know her aunt Peyton. As they learn to cope with loss and life’s changes they also learn to love each other. This is not your typical hockey romance. It will make you cry, smile and swoon.

Kelly Jamieson does not disappoint! She provides the perfect combination of laughter, romance and flirty-ness.

Warning, you WILL cry. I know I sure did. Just when Drew thought his world was over, Fate showed him that there is more to life than just football. Life is precious. It is created and to be nurtured. Sometimes you travel through hairpin turns and hit dead ends. It is how you keep traveling that is key. Rain can be difficult and hard to travel though, but, at times, it can be peaceful and healing. Rain can be a blessing from above. Loved how it rained on Drew and Peyton at the end. It was a blessing and a healing all at once.

Peyton is just trying to get through this tough phase in her life. When her niece calls her to tell that her sister's cancer is getting worse, Peyton rushes to Chicago to be with them. As they prepare for her sister Sara's death, Peyton also has to deal with a boss back in NYC who isn't so understanding and she also must figure out how she will take care of a twelve year old. To complicate the situation, Sara just located her daughter's father and dropped the news on him and Peyton finds herself helping him deal with his new fatherhood status as well.

Sara is dying of cancer. During her last few weeks she prepares for her death and finally locates her one night stand from college and informs him that he has a daughter.

Chloe is an adorable 12 year old just trying to get through life while having to watch her mother wither away. She also has to adjust to finally meeting her father after 12 years.

Drew just found out he has a child from a one night stand he had in college. He is trying to deal with his own emotional baggage as he tries to navigate life post retirement from the NHL. Peyton brings much needed happiness to his life, but how can he be with her? Her sister is the mother of his child and that complicates things. He has to decide whether to fight for Peyton or to try and fight through feelings and keep her in the friend zone.

I loved his book. It took you on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster and I shed a few tears a long the way. I just loved the characters and the story!

Drew is at a crossroads in his life – his hockey career is over and he has no idea where he’s going to go next.  He’s wallowing in self-pity and just treading water.  And then he finds out he has a 12 years old daughter he never knew about and he’s got to decide whether he is ready to part of her life.  It’s not easy for him, especially since her mother is facing a serious health crisis so whatever decision he makes has to be made soon. 

Peyton is kinda at a crossroads of her own.  Her job is in NYC but her sister and niece need her in Chicago.  She’s doing the best she can to juggle caring for her sister, helping her niece, and keeping up with her work.  Bringing in a former hockey player with lots of baggage just adds to her load.  Especially when there are sparks between them that are hard to ignore. 

This is an emotion packed book – between the health issue, the newly found dad, work problems, life problems, tween problems … there’s a lot going on here but Jamieson keeps it real.  While I doubt a lot of people ever have to worry about a long-lost child appearing, there are all sorts of forks in the road that we have to face.  These are very relatable events and they are delivered in a way that draws you in, keeping your heart engaged & your tear ducts on notice  :)  These people aren’t perfect and they make mistakes along the way, but they face things head on, do the best they can and work it out.  We should all hope that we have their strength, courage, and heart when we need them.