Ryder and Lindsay's story was my favorite in the series so far. I liked Ryder's character a lot and he has been my favorite guy so far. I enjoyed that their relationship was more pursued by him than her. She has a much different situation than the other women. She wants nothing to do with the team or Ryder. I liked the storyline and enjoyed them together a lot. Definitely happy I read it!

This was a fab, NA sports romance.

“Lately I’d had to remind myself of the hard lessons I’d learned more than usual, because for some reason, Ryder Maddox had set his sights on me, and the guy was intense with a side of intense.”

Lindsay Rivera is a former puck bunny – she was addicted to the hockey, the players, the booze, the sex, the attention. After having her heart broken, she’s sworn off the whole hockey scene. Like any recovering addict, she’s removed herself completely from temptation, preferring to focus on finishing her senior year, and working on the college paper. However, Ryder ‘Ox’ Maddox has his eye on her, and no matter what she does, she can’t help noticing him back.

“In the moments she laughed and fired off those quick comebacks, I was sure she felt the same spark I did, but before she let herself fully enjoy it, she’d quickly pull away.”

Ryder doesn’t really know Lindsay or about her previous reputation. And, he doesn’t really care. There’s something about her that has him hooked from the first moment he laid eyes on her, and once he sets his mind to something, he’ll do whatever it takes to achieve it. And, he wants Lindsay. When he finds the perfect opening to spend time with her, he grabs it – partly through determined persuasion and partly through some clever negotiation.

“If things were different…I could really see myself slipping.”
“Just slip…I’ll catch you.”

This was a pretty humorous read, full of sexy charged moments between the main characters. I loved the connection and witty banter between them.

Ryder has a lot of pressure in his life from all sides. He’s learned to keep his emotions in check, which makes him appear intense and quiet, but strong. I enjoyed how he surprised Lindsay with his playfulness and his sense of humour. I also loved how patient he was with her and her skittishness, and he learned to read her body language and was prepared to go gently to win her over. Lindsay’s upbringing has shaped a lot of her life and perceptions. However, after she realised that she’d been looking for validation in all the wrong places, she’s determined to be her own person, have a successful career, and not be dependent on anyone. Although she’s sworn off the whole hockey scene, Ryder’s gorgeousness, kindness and thoughtfulness has her resolve weakening. I enjoyed watching her letting go of her control, and start living her life again and making real friends. These two characters really needed each other - they could both see beneath the surface to the real person below. I loved them!

Confessions of a former PB (Puck Bunny) is book 4 in the Taking Shots series but you can read it as a stand alone. The former PB is Lindsay, the editor of the school paper. The hockey player is Ryder aka 'Ox'. Lindsay and Ryder are pretty different. She is about to graduate; he is a sophomore. She is all about words and language; he loves math. His dad was a pro hockey player; her mom is a gold digger. And Ryder is pretty much the only guy who doesn't know she slept with half the hockey team...

I liked Lindsay's approach to treating her addiction to hockey players. She didn't like the person she was becoming and she really does treat it similar to a drug addiction! She decides that she must quit cold turkey. However, like most addicts, she slips every once in a while...by looking at pro hockey players photos online! She wants to be different; she fears turning into her mother. So, when Ryder starts to show her some attention and interest, she panics and tries to bolt on him repeatedly. Ryder is determined though and makes a deal with her: he tutors her in math so she can pass the class and graduate and in return, she agrees to do fun things with him. I kind of loved Ryder's tenacity when it came to Lindsay. However, I could see the writing on the wall as to how this would play out...eventually he is going to find out she was a PB. Eventually his dad is going to find out Ryder is giving his time and attention to something other than hockey. Eventually Lindsay's mom will do something awful.

I have enjoyed this series a great deal! Anatomy of a Player was my favorite and ironically, the hero from that book, Hudson, is the hockey boy who broke Lindsay's heart and is now the reason for her former PB status. You get cameos from Beck and Lyla, Hudson and Whitney, and Dane and Megan which always makes me happy to see in a series. I didn't expect to like Lindsay quite so much. PB have a terrible reputation in any book about hockey players! They are always the sluts trying to steal away other girls' boyfriends. They are the sleazy girls who show up to a hockey game (where there is ICE) in tiny skirts that show their ass cheeks and hold signs letting every player know they are willing to 'ease their pain' after a game. So, picking up a book where the heroine was one of those girls? Yeah, I was skeptical that she would come across as vapid and narcissistic. However, Lindsay has realized the error of her ways. She still admits that she is physically attracted to the look of a hockey player but she doesn't want to be 'that girl' any more. Her struggle to 'stay clean' was actually a fairly enjoyable twist on the PB trope. My biggest issues with the story stemmed from the overall predictability of the plot.
(Link live on 5/10/17)

I have loved the other three books in this series and happily this one did not disappoint!! I was afraid I wouldn't like the heroine in the story but I so did. For a lot of years Lindsay Rivera was that girl. The girl that threw herself at hockey players. Yep, a real puck bunny. After realizing she would never find her forever guy this way and also that she was acting way too much like her mother, Lindsay has sworn off hockey players. Apparently that also meant giving up on men since no one else seems to rev her up in the same way. Now of all times Ryder "Ox" Maddox seems to be putting himself in her path. Relentlessly! He's determined to get her to give him a chance. She's determined to stay strong and resist him. Let the fun begin!

This is a fantastic college hockey series and this book is one I would recommend to everyone.

Fun, flirty, sexy... a sweet hockey college romance!

After wasting too much time pursuing hockey players and one in particular who broke her heart, Lindsay Rivera decided to forsake all things hockey and put school first and now all she has to do is pass her Math class to finish college and move to New York to start her dream internship. Easy peasy, right? There’s only one catch, she’s not good at Math and the only available tutor is a sexy as sin hockey player.

Ryder “Ox” Maddox’s plan A is to go to NHL and break more records than his famous NHL father did, his plan B is to become a math teacher, his plan for now is to give his team and teammates his all to help them win the championship tournament and to use his Math knowledge to get the lovely newspaper’s editor to give him a chance. She’s about to graduate, he’s still got two years to before he finishes college, can they find a way to make it work?

This is my first Cindi Madsen book and hopefully it won’t be the last. I’m going to make a confession of my own, I added this book to my reading list because of its title and the fact that it was set in a college background. I’ve read my fair share of professional hockey romances and enjoyed them very much, but I hadn’t read one where the hero hasn’t reached that level of achievement and I was curious.

I’m happy to say that my curiosity was rewarded with this very cute, fun and flirty new adult read. I loved getting to know both Lindsay and Ryder as individuals and as a couple who had great chemistry and banter.

Ryder is a big cuddly teddy bear wrapped up in a magnetically charming and sexy package that also includes a smart, hardworking, determined and chivalrous man. Even though she knew mother loved her, Lindsay grew up with some abandonment and self-esteem issued. During her puck bunny phase she sould self-esteem from other people, but after having her heart broken she picked herself up and took on life by the horns. It was fun to read her confessions and perspective in general.

As Lindsay and Ryder decide to take a chance on each other even when their worlds and goals don’t align, their relationship builds in a very enjoyable way. That’s not to say they have smooth sailing along the way.

The writing was solid, the pace flowed nicely and the main characters where fleshed out nicely. I liked having the characters from previous books as an added layer.

Confessions of a Former Puck Bunny is book #4 in the Taking Shots series by Cindi Madsen. It is a standalone sports romance. Told in first person from both points of view and has a happy ending.

3.5 stars

If you haven't follow me or our blog for long, you might not know of my prior life as a puck bunny. Now, before you freak out about that revelation, let me be clear that my puck bunny life, follows the innocent definition of the term, a woman who enjoys hockey and finds the players attractive. I haven't been close enough other than a posed picture or two, so no grand stories to tell.

This book follows the more blunt definition of the term:
A female ice hockey fan whose interest in the sport is primarily motivated by sexual attraction to the players rather than enjoyment of the game itself.

I've heard plenty of stories of these puck bunnies, particularly in the Canadian junior leagues. And for the most part, these women are looked down on by anyone outside the sport. Basically considered slutty. So this story was of interest because a woman, Lindsay Rivera, learned from her mistakes and wanted to move on, far far away from the sport and its players. Only problem was, that one, Ryder Maddox, wouldn't leave her alone.

This guy is persistent, that's for sure. Lindsay turns him away time and time again. However, desperation required her to reach out to him, or potentially fail her math class. So Ryder became her tutor. This was pretty shocking to me, as from my knowledge of hockey players at my college, they do everything they can to not actually study. Sure there are exceptions, and I guess Ryder was one. And for the purposes of this book, it gave him the desired opportunity to spend more time with this woman he couldn't get out of his head.

There were some interesting complications to this story:
Lindsay is actually two years older than Ryder and about to graduate.
Lindsay has slept with some of Ryder's teammates.
Lindsay's mom is a well-known gold digger.
Ryder's dad is a former NHL player, all too familiar with puck bunnies.

While Lindsay fights her own attraction to Ryder, for some of the reasons listed above, he does eventually wear her down. I liked the connection between the two of them and felt the progression of their relationship worked well for the story.

Can a player with impossibly high expectations put on him by his parents ever find happiness with a girl like Lindsay?
Can Lindsay outrun her past and make a go with a player that makes her willing to give up her heart once again?

Without spoiling things, it is a rocky road, but the path to happiness comes with time and a little begging.

This was a sweet story and I thought the author did a good job covering the sport at the college level. As this was the fourth book in the series, but my first read from this author, I'll definitely look into the other books in the series, which feature the couples featured within this story.

it's always bittersweet when you reach the end of a series. i binge-read the taking shots series and enjoyed each and every one of these books a lot. as a series capper, confessions of a former puck bunny, does a great job of closing out the series.

ryder maddox belongs to hockey royalty. his father was a former nhl player. lindsay rivera is the daughter of a puck bunny.

even worse, she was a puck bunny. until she realized that losing her dignity and sleeping around with hockey players was not going to help with her self-esteem issues. so she swears off hockey players. and until she meets ryder maddox she's doing okay. on ryder's part he's been crushing on lindsay for a while. everyone keeps telling him it's a lost cause, but he doesn't believe in lost causes. he doesn't care about lindsay's history with the hockey team as long as the story ends with him.

it is only a matter of time before ryder wears her down. the fact that he is some sort of math genius and she needs to pass one last math class before she can graduate also plays into things. it's just that he is the only person who has ever been able to explain math concepts to her in a way she understands. and the more she resists their attraction the more compelled she is to be close to him. so maybe if she gives in, things will be different? maybe she's not just a puck bunny. maybe she's a proper girlfriend.

history plays into their relationship more than they ever expected. the reality is that their parents have a history that shouldn't affect them, but does. and ryder has to prove that he really cares nothing about lindsay's past in order for her to trust that they can have a future together. when ryder reveals that he is willing to give up everything just to be with her, lindsay ensures that he doesn't. and the series closes out with all the main characters hanging out together in a scene that leaves you with the sense that no matter where their stories go, all will be well in the end.

"Confession #1: I used to be a puck bunny, but after a hockey player broke my heart, I gave up all things hockey. Now I'm just focused on finding a way to pass my math class so I can graduate college.

Confession #2: Ryder "Ox" Maddox's deep, sexy voice sends fuzzy tingles through my entire body, and I'm powerless to stop it. Which is a big problem since the hot, surprisingly funny hockey player is my new math tutor.

Confession #3: I can't stop thinking about how ripped Ryder is from all his hockey training, and how fun it'd be to cross lines with him.

Confession #4: I kissed a hockey player and I liked it.

Confession #5: If I'm not careful, I might relapse and fall for Ryder, and then I'll be totally pucked."

This book was such a cute and fun book. Lindsay is trying to go away from her ways of being a puck bunny and is trying her hardest to get out of that scene that she is so used to and trying to graduate. But when Ryder the defensive man on the school h0ockey team come into the picture she try's her hardest to not be attracted. But he has a way of winning her over. Their relationship definitely has its bumps but they truly are so sweet together.
This book will have you laughing and swooning over Ryder. I loved it.

Super swoony. Super cute. All fun. I loved this story. It made me smile. It made me laugh. It made me fall in love with the characters. This was a quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Ryder is definitely on my list of new book boyfriends. He was relentless in his pursuits and I love a man who goes after what he wants.

I have not read all of the other stories in this series, but I absolutely loved this book and will definitely be going back to read more!

10 CONFESSION STARS!!!! Oh my goodness, I could not put this book down, I was attached from the first page until the last word. Wow, Ryder is the perfect book boyfriend hot, sexy, hockey players, sweet and fun. Lindsay was a puck bunny that swore off hockey players, but when she need a math tutor and Ryder walks in, well all bets are off. I loved Ryder and Lindsay they were a fun couple with all their bantering and Ryder trying so hard to win Lindsay over. I love Cindi Madsen storytelling what an amazing job she has done. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book from publisher via NetGalley.

Confessions of a Former Puck Bunny is Book 4 of the Taking Shots Series by Cindi Madsen. Although this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone.

A+ for this flirty and fun read. As usual, Ms. Madsen delivers time and time again. Even more enjoyable is the dual POV you get...a nice touch that really let’s us see things from both perspectives.

Please note that an ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review of which this is both honest and completely voluntary.

This is book four in the Taking Shots series, but all books including this one can be read as a standalone. It helps to know all the people in the world of college, hockey and life that Cindi Madsen so wonderfully created.
We have met Ryder and Lindsay in previous books and now finally get their own story.
While I loved all books in the series I must say this one was my favorite one so far.
I really enjoyed Lindsay and her backstory, even the not so fun parts of her past, but it made her to what we know and love now.
Ryder. Oh My Swoon. He has his eyes on Lindsay and is pulling out all the stops to win her over.
Their journey was sooo much fun to read. Though, of course not all is rainbows and unicorns for them and they are hitting a rough spot. I love how Cindi Madsen always finds the most sweetest and romantic ways to make it up not only to the characters but also the readers.
Overall, great funny, sweet, romantic but also heartfelt and sexy read. I really enjoyed it.
Rating 5★

Once upon a time Lindsay Rivera fell hard for a hockey player, then said player broke her heart, and from that point on she was a puck bunny no more! As much as she likes them, she knows that they are bad for her, and certain to break her heart, so she decides her best course of action is to avoid them at all costs, and focus on her job and schoolwork. But being a editor for the school newspaper makes that a little difficult since they are usually splashed on the pages of the paper, so she decides to keep her ogling on paper and not in person. When it comes to her studies no amount of buckling down is going to help her pass math, she needs help, lucky for her Ryder Maddox is willing to tutor her, problem is the man is one of the finest hockey players their school has to offer! She tries to deny she needs his help for fear of becoming a repeat offender, but for some reason Ryder just won't walk away!

The moment Ryder meets Lindsay Rivera he is intrigued with her, and wants to know more, problem is his flirting skills need some work, and she seems completely uninterested in anything he has to offer! But he is a persistent man, and always finds a way to get what he wants, he decides he'll just have to get creative about it! When he learns that she is needing some tutoring in math, he decides that is his ticket into her world, now he just has to bide his time and slowly implement a sneaky little plan to lure her in. With some serious pestering he finally convinces her to let him help, but she has rules... question is when he turns on his charm will she be able to abide by them?

I love a good forbidden romance, and this one totally fit the bill, these two kept me thoroughly entertained from start to finish! I have to give Lindsay props for her efforts of trying to avoid being lured in by the hockey player charm, because I am not sure I could have lasted as long as she did if I were in her shoes! I think the minute Ryder walked onto the page I lost my heart to him, he said all the right things, had all the right moves, and had me swooning instantly!! This story was so much fun to read, it had me laughing here and there, blushing a time or two, and saying ahh!! more times than I can count... it was such a sweet little romance story! I highly recommend this one, it is sure to check off all your romance must have's and certain to leave you with a happy heart!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title.

Cindi Madsen never lets me down. Confessions of a Former Puck Bunny is hilarious, romantic, and steamy. Great writing, witty banter and characters you can't help but love. I loved every second of this book!

Ms. Madsen's books are fantastic, and this series I've loved from the very first book. It's a series about hockey players falling in love and overcoming tough obstacles to win their heroine's hearts, and certainly, Ryder faces a tough challenge with Lindsay. Since the last relationship she was in with a hockey player didn't work out, and she has a lot of dislike for guys that play the sport because of it. Can Ryder overcome her hang-ups to prove to Lindsay that he's different than the last guy she was with?

As for the dialogue, it was intense due to the main characters back stories, and the obstacles these two face on their journey to happy ever after. Clearly, Ryder's parents have a huge problem with Lindsay, which had me reading quickly wanting to know what their quandary was with her? What is their deal that they're willing to have their son mad at them for interfering in his love life? However, the dialogue wasn't all intense. There were some really good light-hearted moments such as Lindsay's confessions and the teasing dialogue between Ryder and Lindsay. The hero is determined to win the heroine over and isn't afraid to get sneaky about his intentions by involving the secondary characters.

The way this story started had me laughing at Lindsay's antics. Did she really think she could avoid Ryder so easily? Then again, I could understand why she acts the way she does, because she has serious trust issues. Issues that not only stem from her last relationship, but because her mom never set a good example. Sure she did all she could to provide for Lindsay, but she did it by seducing men and that's not the way the heroine wants to live her life. Instead, she wants to be more independent than she already is and focus all her attention on her future career. Those traits made me admire the heroine, because her mom is a real piece of work that thinks what she does to men is acceptable behavior.

While Ryder, his parents aren't the nicest of people with his dad never declaring how proud he is of his son, even though Ryder's following in the man's footsteps and tries his hardest to prove his worth. Will he ever do something that will make his dad happy? Then there's his mother; a woman who thinks appearances are important and I could understand why Ryder tries his best to get along with her, because she's a good ally to have whenever he locks horns -- so to speak -- with his father. Yet, what I liked most of all about Ryder is how smart he is, his willingness to help Lindsay with passing math, and how determined he was to win Lindsay's heart, even though at times -- it seems -- there may be no hope of winning her over. Will his charm eventually work on Lindsay?

Overall, Ms. Madsen has penned a wonderful read in this book where the strong chemistry between these two definitely makes things interesting, as Lindsay is torn between what happened in the past and worried that it might happen again if she's not careful. The way this story ended left me completely satisfied, as Ryder knows just the way to get Lindsay to talk to him. Will his sneaky ways work? However, it was the epilogue that made this story worthwhile, because of the surprise Lindsay has for Ryder. He made her life better by not giving up on pursuing her and she's willing to do the same for him. I would recommend Confessions of a Former Puck Bunny by Cindi Madsen, if you enjoy New Adult Romance, the friends to lovers trope or books by authors Lisa B. Kamps, Lili Valente or Jillian Quinn.

**My thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC Publishing, for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This book is told from both points of view and is the forth book in the series, however as i have not read any of the other books can confirm that it can be read as a stand alone book.

Lindsey has been hurt by a former boyfriend and has therefore sworn off Hockey players (a kryptonite of hers) and it seems of having fun. After a year and with Ryder thrown into the mix, her resolve starts to unravel.

Ryder may be a few years younger than her, but he makes up for it in other ways, and when he has his sight set on something, he usually gets it, and he WANTS Lindsey.

Its a fun read, that had me smiling often and really feeling sorry for Lindsey when things go a little pear shaped.

Another sports romance that seems to have become a favourite of mine.

I haven't read the previous books in this series but I didn't feel like it took away anything by not doing so. I love Madsen's writing. She is great at describing her characters in such a way that you really feel like you get to know them. I really loved Ryder's character. He had some really swoon worthy moments trying to win Lindsay over. I liked Lindsay as well, even though she was a little frustrating at times when it came to her resisting Ryder. I enjoyed this book and will definitely go back and read the previous ones in this series.

I had to get this book partly based off of the title but also because I really enjoyed the other books in this series.

So the very beginning of this book has me all smiles. Lindsay's has sworn off the Hockey men and is focusing on her schooling, Ryder has other ideas and he was relentless in his pursuit of Lindsay.
I think so far this is my fav of the series. The books have both POV's so we really get to see what each other is thinking. These two are so effing cute, there's a little bit of resistance on Lindsay's part but seriously how can one resist Ryder and his charms. Not only is he hot, he's focused, he's smart. Not your dumb stereotypical jock.

The gestures that Ryder makes towards Lindsay are SWOON worthy !!! These two manage to build a a bit of a friendship and eventually that friendship grows. I love the banter back and forth between them both and this book had me constantly smiling.

Both of them coming from completely opposite sides of the track but both have issues that are so closely similar. At one point in this book I thought my heart was going to drop but thankfully Cindi Madsen comes out with a gesture so sweet that my heart swelled.

I am actually going to quote one of the lines in this book because the it is just sooo fitting to not only how I feel about books in general but how I felt about this book.

The characters inside the pages didn't judge me, the endings were almost always happy, and if they weren't, they left my heart ripped out in a way I craved to repeat, as illogical as that was.


This book made me gush, made my heart swell and made me smile from ear to ear.
A fantastic hockey romance that will leave you buzzing.

Confession #1: I used to be a puck bunny, but after a hockey player broke my heart, I gave up all things hockey. Now I'm just focused on finding a way to pass my math class so I can graduate college.

Confession #2: Ryder "Ox" Maddox's deep, sexy voice sends fuzzy tingles through my entire body, and I'm powerless to stop it. Which is a big problem since the hot, surprisingly funny hockey player is my new math tutor.

Confession #3: I can't stop thinking about how ripped Ryder is from all his hockey training, and how fun it'd be to cross lines with him.

Confession #4: I kissed a hockey player and I liked it.

Confession #5: If I'm not careful, I might relapse and fall for Ryder, and then I'll be totally pucked.

I'm in love with Ryder...and Hockey players in general. Call me a puck bunny except I don't work my way through the whole team. I love all things hockey. This book just gave me the warm fuzzies. Don't ask me why...oh yeah that's right, it had all the things I love in it. Hockey, sexy man that knows what he wants and oh Hockey!! Yeah, see there is nothing better than a good love story than a good love story with a sexy hockey star who's a little vulnerable. Ryder had that in spades and he's open and honest with Lindsay from the start. He likes her. He wants her. She, however, is a different story - she hates hockey players because (GASP) she used to be a Puck Bunny. Now, she's sort of a Debbie downer. Boring, never has any fun and just around life existing. Until she meets Ryder and then all bets are off. What happens is a little loving....okay a lot and some misunderstandings, hurt and pain in the butt parents. Pick this up to read as part of the series or if you're reading just as a standalone. Quick, witty, and hot!!

I was given a copy of this ARC from the publisher on Netgalley for a honest review. All of the above comments are my express opinions and no one else's.

This was without a doubt my favorite of the series. Ryder and Lindsey are adorable together and Cindi does an amazing job walking you through the ups and downs of their "relationship." I love how they come together and the slow burn to begin with....sigh. I'm so sad to see this series finish!