4.5
Lucas is the eighth book in the Cold Fury Hockey series. I'm a huge fan of this series, Sawyer and hockey romance. I love that there's actual hockey in these stories! This is Lucas's story. He's Max's brother and I've been looking forward to seeing what shenanigans he was going to get into. And boy did he ever! Luc is fun, silly, sexy and loves hockey. He also loves his family. They are close and I loved watching them interact. He's young and not looking to settle down, but when he meets Stephanie, things start to shift. His life changes in an instant and he wants to be with her. Maybe forever. At least for the short term because she's funny, sexy and he can't stop wanting her. Will Luc be able to keep it casual? Will Stephanie's past ruin her future. I really enjoyed this story. I love Lucas. He's so great! The things he said to Stephy…swoon! Stephanie on the other hand was really annoying! I wanted to slap her and tell her to snap out of it. I just didn't connect with her, but I loved them together and Lucas made up for it in the end. I want to be Lucas's mom when I grow up! I loved the way she was with her sons. She said all the right things and supports them just like I want to support my own sons!

Slowly but surely, I'll get her wanting more from me than just the best sex I know either of us has ever had. I can live with just that, but I don't want to, and I want her to want more too.

The attracting we share is tangible, and I've never felt anything like this before.

"But as your mother, I only want the best for you. I don't want you to have to adapt. I want you to have everything you ever dreamed of, and if you can't have it, I want to help you to be at peace with it."

Lucas by Sawyer Bennett continues the Cold Fury Hockey Series with Lucas Fournier and Stephanie Frazier. Lucas, a star hockey player has joined his brother Max on the Cold Fury. He meets Stephanie at a fundraiser hosted at the museum she works at. When one night of passion leads to an unexpected pregnancy they feel they should get to know each other better, but Stephanie has been raised with some serious trust issues and doesn't know how to let anyone in, so friends, with lots of benefits will have to do with the soon to be parents. 

I liked how the issues which plague Stephanie were given on slowly, showing her real hesitancy to reveal her self and let anyone in. This gave them more weight. Lucas giving her time and space, while falling inexplicably in love with her, made him that much more genuine. Stephanie never had anyone in her life and Lucas is exactly what she needs, but can't recognize that she does. 

Overall, Lucas by Sawyer Bennett is a very emotional, passionate, deep story about love, family and yes there is hockey too. I very much recommend.

(I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book I received for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my open and honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.)

Always love Sawyer's books. This one's is no different. One night can change your life in an instance. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse and sometimes one can turn to the other. I think for Lucas and Stephanie it is the latter.. Money doesn't buy happiness. Stephanie's childhood could attest to that. I love how Luc just supported her and loved her. This book was entertaining, and I can't wait for Van's book.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Romance
Triggers: Click HERE to see Avid Reader’s review on Goodreads for trigger warnings.

This is Lucas' story. He is the typical hockey player, on top of the world, and loves the attention. He loves that he is able to play with his brother, has a great family, and can't think of anything else he wants at the moment. However, that changes when he meets Stephanie. The instant attraction – lust is strong and he can't wait to see what their night can bring.

Stephanie is lonely. But, for all her loneliness, she is actually a pretty put together woman. She knows what she likes and goes after it with Lucas. Despite the damage that her parents have inflicted on her for years, she doesn't know anything else, so she doesn't know how to see when someone or something else is a good thing.

When Stephanie shows back up in Lucas' life, pregnant, it will take a game much more serious than hockey that Lucas will have to play. Can he show her that there is a life beyond what her parents have given her? Stephanie will have to learn whether or not taking a chance is worth it.

I felt that this was a sweet story, but it ended rather abruptly for me. I hope we get to see a better conclusion in the next story.


Jordan – ☆☆☆☆
Lucas by Sawyer Bennett is book #8 in the Cold Fury Hockey series, but can be read as a standalone, which is how I read it. In fact, Lucas was my first introduction to Sawyer Bennett and this series. I have to say that I didn't enjoy this book as much as I hoped I would, but it was still a great read and it did make me curious about the rest of the Cold Fury Hockey series. It's not that I didn't like it because I did, but I guess I just kind of expected to be a little more wowed. The story kind of dragged a bit for me and didn't quite suck me in the way I thought it would.

Lucas Fournier is the little brother to Max and he just made it onto Raleigh's Cold Fury hockey team. Now, Luc will get to play alongside his brother, Max. The Cold Fury finally has a shot at the Stanley Cup and Luc is determined to not let his teammates down, which means keeping his head in the game. But then Stephanie Frazier, a museum curator, catches Luc’s eye at a gala and they share a crazy night filled with passion. Stephanie has always put business before pleasure, but at the gala she finds herself shamelessly flirting and suddenly going home with the hockey player. She just didn't plan on Luc leaving behind a little surprise.

Although this particular story didn't exactly win me over, I think I see the appeal of Bennett's Cold Fury Hockey series and I haven't written her off yet. Plus, I am definitely looking forward to Van's story and I may just go back and look into some of the other books in this series!

3.5 stars for Lucas


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
The latest installment from Ms. Bennett about the Cold Fury hockey team.

Lucas is on top of the world. Playing with the Carolina Cold Fury with his brother Max is a dream come true. Meeting Stephanie Frazier led to one night of the hottest nights of his life, until the condom broke. What are the odds, right?

Imagine his surprise a month later when Stephanie appears with the news that he’s going to be a father. Doubt filters though his mind that the child is his, but there’s something about Stephanie that makes him believe her.

The last thing Stephanie wants is to be a mother. Her unorthodox upbringing led her to believe that she’s incapable of being loved or loving someone else. Yet, she can’t help but want this child.

As Lucas gets to know Stephanie and realizes that the way she is because she’s never known love, either as a child or an adult, it makes him even more determined to be the man his parents raised him to be. Stephanie’s resistant to many of the overtures that Lucas makes, but soon realizes that he is exactly who he seems to be: a good guy.

Pushing him away in an effort to save herself only makes her realize that she could have it all if only she lets him in.

Lucas is awesome!! Another great team player for The Cold Fury and another man to swoon over.
Gorgeous, passionate and a loveable, caring and relaxed kind of guy who will roll with the changes in his life with ease and a smile.
A fabulous and charming read.

THIS BOOK!!! Gah! This book is Sawyer Bennett at her absolute finest. Luc and Stephy are hands down a perfect storm. An erotic, tumultuous, lovely storm. This book is raw. So raw thanks so Luc and Stephy's flaws, but it makes them so damn relatable. And these two are as hot in their physical attraction as they are with their emotions. They're volatile. And when the tensions rise they throw the very insults to the weaknesses they see in themselves. It's what makes this story so good and heart-wrenching. They know each other too well, they fit together almost too perfectly. They know exactly what to say that hurts the most. But in the end this book offers a perfectly crafted HEA for these two strong, yet love-thirsty, individuals. LUCAS is a wonderful read. Each and every single one of the Cold Fury books has stolen my breath, but this one may have edge its way to the top.

Happy Reading!
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*

3.5 stars
Lucas has joined big brother Max on the Cold Fury and has the perfect playboy life - he even meets the perfect playgirl for one night of fun, until life has a huge change in store for both of them.

While the Cold Fury and hockey are present and add some challenges to the relationship in this book, I wouldn't say this is a sports romance. This is more a story where the hero happens to be an athlete. I know it sounds like I am splitting hairs with that, but there is a difference and people looking for a pure sports romance might be a little disappointed.

Lucas is a swoon worthy hero and almost impossible not to like. His love interest, Stephanie, is a little more standoffish, but I found myself liking her too and rooting for both of them.
The secondary cast isn't huge and those that are present play a key role in the story (or are part of the set up for the next book) which means team cameos are fairly limited.

This is definitely a good book, but almost feels more than something that should have been a stand- alone vs an addition to the Cold Fury series. It has all of the things one expects from a Ms. Bennett book and I will definitely be back to see what our favorite hockey team is up to next.

It's always such a joy to dive back into the world of the Cold Fury gang and see what they're all up to.

Let me tell you, I could see the plot coming a mile away! It's pretty obvious. Did it deter me from the book though?! No. Just keep in mind that if you're not into that kind of plot line (I don't want to give it away, but you can easily guess from the synopsis alone), you might want to avoid this book. In any case, Bennett's writing and characters always draw me and I'm always in for a good time, regardless of what's actually going on in the book. Also, I'm a sucker for these Cold Fury guys. There's just something about them that I can't resist.

Overall, I liked Lucas and Stephanie. Lucas had a good mix of playboy with good guy. He comes from a loving and caring family, plus he's Max's brother, so he's good people. I like that he's smart, doesn't do the BS, and he's just cool. He's not without his faults, of course, but for the most part, him and his drama are pretty tame. Stephanie basically comes from the exact opposite lifestyle he did growing up, and it showed many times throughout the book. Luckily, she didn't annoy me as much as she would have, given her character and backstory. Trust me, it could've been much worse. I really like that each book in this series has just the right amount of drama and even though a lot of the plot lines and the story arcs are cliche, Bennett executes it in a way that keeps the eyerolls at bay.

While not my favorite couple of the Cold Fury family, it was definitely a fun read and I really enjoyed it. I'm a bit more intrigued by Van and his story, just to let you know, the epilogue kind of gives you a taste of his story, and it definitely left me wanting more. He's very different from the other guys and I'm so excited to see what his deal is.

It's been a long time since I read Sawyer Bennett and I was a little nervous jumping into the Cold Fury series on Book 8 but I'm so glad that I did!! I didn't feel at all lost for not having read the books 1-7 but they have definitely been added to my TBR.

When Lucas and Stephanie meet, the chemistry is off the charts. Neither wants anything more than one explosive night together. Lucas needs to focus on his new team and getting to the Stanley Cup. Stephanie just wants to focus on her job. Things don't turn out as planned and the rollercoaster relationship that follows kept me glued to the page, not able to go to sleep until I finished.

I loved Stephanie's independence and intelligence. Being with a star is never easy but she handled everything thrown at her. Lucas was totally swoon worthy, changing everything about his previous plans to be with Stephanie. The ups kept me smiling and the downs had me shedding more than a few tears but I loved pretty much everything about this story. I can't wait to read the first seven books in this series and get to know everyone else from Cold Fury!

*This is my voluntary review of an advanced reader copy*

Wow! Lucas was hotter than an overtime goal in the playoffs! I was already in love with the Fournier family ( and I suspect the next family member will fall in line with that!) but LUCAS steals the cake. He was so fun loving, laid back, and everything I thought he wasn't. (HEllO ,self proclaimed playboy basically) Let me also say that I didn't have much in the way of "reliability" with Stephanie, but I absolutely adored everything about her. The push and pull was the perfect amount of angst, tension, heat, all rolled into one!

FIVE Stars & ONE Sitter! Yes Peeps this is my new rating system. Unless of course Life throws me a curveball and I have to adult in the middle of a book! But NOTHING can tear me away from a Sawyer Bennett book especially a Cold Fury book!

When a one night stand turns into a baby on the way, Lucas wants to make it work with Stephanie, you know for the baby’s sake! Growing to love each other in the process is what it is all about. When you have a head strong woman and a young immature hockey star about to have a baby, these two go through all the ups and downs. It gave me the giggles, laughs and tears, just like a typical Bennett book! Throw in the little sister that drops in and takes up sleeping on the couch and the roommate that seems to hate it all, and you have the perfect book!

But waiting so long for the next book… UGH!!!

Sawyer Bennett has a knack for creating engaging and positive characters. And Lucas Fournier is definitely a great addition to her Cold Fury Hockey heroes! One of the newest members of the team, he is everything you want in a romance hero, and then some!

When museum curator Stephanie Frazier meets Lucas at a fundraiser, she can’t resist his GQ model’s charm. Stephanie is pretty much a loner, she never had close friends. Her family is dysfunctional, her parents are distant and unsupportive, they never looked out for her. On the contrary, Lucas is a family man, he grew up in a warm and close-knit family. The Fournier are close and supportive of each other, and his older brother Max is his best friend. When Stephanie and Lucas decide to start a friends-with-benefits type of relationship,
Stephanie isn’t sure she can handle Lucas’ attention. She has abandonment issues, she is afraid to get into a relationship and getting hurt. Lucas is falling in love with a woman who isn't giving her full heart to him.
I absolutely have a crush on Lucas he was a fantastic hero. He is so understanding, strong and reliable. He shows Stephanie that her past doesn’t define her future.

“Lucas” is very much a character/relationship driven story. I found that the pacing and growth of Lucas and Stephanie’s relationship was good. Overall, I really enjoyed this story.

LUCAS by Sawyer Bennett. Well, Ms. Bennett amazes me! She has, once again, made my heart grow and swell with the emotions I felt throughout. I adored Lucas! He's sweet and sexy and darn near perfect (of course, he's not, but pretty close). Stephanie took a while to warm up to but Ms. Bennett once again makes sure the reader gets where the character is coming from. This helped in getting me to like Stephanie better. The story is fulfilling in so many ways - I laughed, I cried and cheered and booed. While both Lucas and Stephanie believe they only want a fling, a baby puts a bit of a kink in that plan. Watching these two maneuver their way through the path of impending parenthood and what that means for them as a possible couple caught my undivided attention and I couldn't put it down. It was also wonderful to visit some of the previous Cold Fury players, however, it is not necessary to read the previous books but I highly recommend them. This is one of the only series that I have read each and every book and cannot wait for the next. That's because Ms. Bennett creates characters that are so different in each tale - both the Hero and heroine. And not only are the characters different but the plots vary tremendously too. Yes, I'm a big Sawyer Bennett fan, especially the Cold Fury series, because I know that when I pick up one of her books, I will finish it with a smile on my face and a warmth in my heart.

I loved this book. From start to end I pretty much devoured this book. I loved the two main characters and getting both their sides of the story. I loved seeing the relationship between the two and there was plenty of steamy scenes to go along with the story. I loved that this author managed to turned a basic plot of one night stand leading to pregnancy in her own way without making it predictable. There was plenty of books with that same main idea and end up leading to the same tired story but this author seemed to make that story line into her own and make it unique. I thought that this book had an interesting set of main characters. I loved getting to see the family sides of this book, seeing how different they truly where and getting that glimpse into the people who raised the two and seeing how it impacted their lives to making them who they currently were. It was also interesting seeing what the family thought about the pregnancy and how each side felt about it. I really wasn't a fan of Stephanie's parents and if you want to know why just read the book. There was so much to love about this book but its hard to explain without spoiling the book.

Overall this book was pretty fantastic. I loved getting to see previous characters from previous books make their way into this book and am really enjoying this series. Highly Recommend you readers to check out this book. (Read them all if you can though, if you don't you really will miss out on some great books)

Lucas is another entertaining read from Sawyer Bennett in the Cold Fury Hockey series.

I did have some issues with Lucas to some extent. He seemed immature for 27 at times and he was kind of a jackass at other times. However, he never went full jackass and he did mature when the situation demanded it. Overall, he was a believable character and I did like him and feel that Stephanie, our heroine, belonged with him.

Stephanie was always a likable well written character. She was flawed but I was always sympathetic to her past and the struggles she carried with her into adulthood. She did her best with what she had and she also grew when the situation demanded it.

By the end of the book I did believe that Lucas and Stephanie belonged together and were good for each other.

I would recommend Lucas to any fan of contemporary romance.

I’m going to be honest here. I skipped Max’s book so I really hadn’t built up any anticipation for his brother’s story. Lucas is new to the Cold Fury team and performing well is his only focus. He mostly keeps his head in the game except for one night that he was at a team event and met museum curator Stephanie Frazier. Stephanie has the same view on sex as he does. Which is all about no strings. They have one hot night together and don’t communicate afterwards. Which was what both wanted, even though he can’t stop thinking about her and all the fun they had. That is until she shows up…pregnant. Lucas then has to re-evaluate his life plan quickly.

I tend to love books with this trope because they are usually sweet. And LUCAS was that. It’s sexy and sweet in a way that I’ve come to expect from this series. Lucas and Stephanie definitely have sexual chemistry. And while this book was sexy I should mention that Lucas is a sweety. I adored his character and how he matured and was prepared to face his new life with a good attitude. On the other hand there’s Stephanie. I had a much harder time dealing with her. She’s a smart girl but has A LOT of issues. She had a very difficult and sad upbringing and hasn’t really known the love and support of friends and family before. But the amount of time that was spent on Stephanie and her issues, the constant back and forth, felt like the whole book we made no progress and then at the end it all magically clicks and everything is well. She made me want to throttle her!

I think this is a classic example of those books that go around in circles, building up a problem to be something so big when it reality it can be dealt with easily, and then at the end that light bulb goes off and it’s all settled. Feels like we could’ve cut through half of all that running around and maybe delved deeper into an emotional connection between the characters.

While there were things about this book that I enjoyed and it was entertaining to read, I think it missed the mark a little for me. I’ll still continue reading this series, though, as it’s a quick read after I’ve read a darker book.

This was an okay read. I liked it but didn’t love it. The storyline was interesting and I wanted to see how it would all play out. Lucas and Stephanie were two people not looking for a relationship and had one sexy night together. Then they are thrown together into a circumstance so what will happen between these two? Reading about how Lucas and Stephanie navigated their relationship from beginning to end was intriguing. They seemed to bring out the best of each other whenever they were together. But there were times that I wasn’t a fan of either. So seeing how their characters would go as the story progressed kept me reading. By the end of the story, I did like them more than not. I did enjoy enough how the story went and how it flowed. It was sexy and sweet and tense. The epilogue though really has me really fascinated about Van and his story. Overall, this was a fine read.

So so good! I loved Lucas! The story was great! I love seeing all the guys again! The story about an unexpected pregnancy is kind of cliche but in this makes a great story! I loved these two together! So perfect! I couldn't put this down! I loved the romance and their chemistry is super hot! Lucas is now my new favorite! Can't wait for more of this hockey family!

Review Lucas

“Lucas” is the latest installment in Sawyer Bennett’s hot and enjoyable Cold Fury hockey series. Newly traded to the Fury, he’s excited to play alongside his big brother Max, whom we met a couple of books back. His plan is to concentrate on hockey and limit his private life to the ONS.

That might seem to make him a bad prospect for commitment, but Luc turns out to be five-star boyfriend material. He’s funny, irreverent and oh so good at charming commitment-phobe Stephanie into letting him into her life. Yes, the ONS who turns up later with a little surprise for him.

Stephanie, estranged from her parents and without other meaningful relationships, considers herself emotionally damaged and unworthy of love. Luc comes from a close, loud and loving family and that’s what he’s always wanted with a future mate.

But not so fast. “I’m like a dude when it comes to commitment,” Stephanie explains. She believes she’s “happy for what she knows happiness to be” and that’s good enough. He believes she and he, and they and their baby, can have a lot more.

What ensues is both sweet and frustrating. Luc tries not to scare her off with his attraction while inserting himself further and further into her life. Stephanie tells him repeatedly they can never be more than co-parents/friends with benefits. They do this little dance (come here, go away, come here, go away) for most of the book. I certainly couldn’t have held out that long on Lucas. And one of my least favorite romance tropes is “I can’t be with you because I would only hurt you later. I’m doing this for you!”

“Lucas” has the requisite Sawyer Bennett heat, humor, banter and pathos to make it a best seller. But in a book with no car chases, murders or mysteries, there must be some plot development and we get that in the form of Stephanie’s tortuous inner dialogue of doubt, recrimination and struggle. If you find Stephanie a compelling character bravely confronting her fears, you’ll love the book and her. If you find her stubborn with a tendency to wallow in the past, not so much. That’s how I arrived at 4 stars.

ARC received for an honest review