Another winner in the Carolina Cold Fury Hockey series with compelling characters and well-crafted plot that kept me entertained and intrigued from the first word to the last. I enjoyed the emotion, humor, and spicy romance of this can't-put-down book.

I really liked the sizzling chemistry, repartee and dynamic between Van Turner, one of the league's toughest enforcers, and Simone Fournier, stubborn sister of two of Cold Fury's biggest stars. There were times I thought my Kindle would melt.

I received a free advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my unbiased review.

Good storyline and well defined characters pulled me right into the story from the very beginning and Simone and Van kept me totally engaged until the end!

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

Loved every minute of this! Well, I was a little iffy on Simone at first because she was so.... aggressive? Forward? But then I decided I loved that about her. It was exactly what Van needed. And Van is one of my new favorite men. He was beautiful and sexy but broken by a past that I've never seen done in a book before. Another great installment in the Cold Fury world.

Rude. Closed Off. Weird. Introvert. A-hole.

This is the type of man that Van Turner portrays himself to be, not only on the ice as an Enforcer for the Carolina Cold Fury, but also in his private life because he’s unwilling to allow anyone past the impenetrable wall he’s constructed. Van’s a pro at icing people out of his life, and because no one’s willing to look past his cold exterior, he lives a solitary life.

But Van’s cool demeanor is about to be turned upside down by a woman who is a relentless flirt and stubborn enough to penetrate his defenses one sexual innuendo at a time.

Simone Fournier is probably one of the most aggressive and outspoken heroines that I’ve encountered since delving into the romance genre, and I have to admit that it was a little off putting at the beginning. A lot of the time this type of behavior is portrayed by the other woman/women who want(s) the hero’s attention and is willing to throw herself/themselves at her/their male conquest regardless of how desperate she/they appear(s). But as Sawyer Bennett continues to explore who Simone is and how she became the self-assured woman who she is, I understood Simone’s personality better and her words and actions made perfect sense to me when it came to dealing with a tortured soul like Van Turner.

It also took me a bit to warm up to Van’s character, which actually caught me off guard because I usually adore Sawyer Bennett’s alpha males, even the assholes who have never seen women as more than a good time. I’m not sure if it was because Van was so withdrawn and so introverted that I couldn’t get a good read on him or if my initial judgment was skewed based on how blunt he had to be in order to sidestep Simone’s advances.

As Van and Simone’s story continues, though, Bennett provides much needed insight into what Van had to deal with growing up and how his view of himself forced him to become a bit of a recluse and an extremely private person.

Both Van and Simone are stubborn as hell, so it’s interesting to watch them circle around each other, both refusing to be the loser of this seductive power play, but once Van gives into his attraction and allows lust to fog his brain, he finds that Simone just might be the one person capable of being his biggest supporter even when she learns the truth that he has fought to hide for many years.

Sawyer Bennett’s Cold Fury Hockey series is one of my absolute favorites. Each hero and heroine has a unique personality and the couple’s story line is always completely different from its predecessors, which is sometimes difficult to accomplish in a series that has already released 8 players’ stories. And while Van and Simone’s story wasn’t one of my favorites, I still enjoyed the push and pull between them and the way Simone interacted with her big brothers who just happen to both be members of the Carolina Cold Fury just like the man who she wants to be ‘shiny’ for, for the rest of her life.

4 Poison Apples (The Fairest of All Book Reviews)

If you’ve read this author before, you know she doesn’t shy away from adding loads of graphic, steamy scenes to this particular series. In this case, it went above and beyond what I expected. In fact, it took up most of the storyline here long before there was any kind of emotional connection or any inkling there ever would be one. Simone, the heroine, jokingly referred to herself as a stalker, but some may feel it bordered sexual harassment. Some may feel she’s just empowered herself to be what we often see male leading men act out in this genre. It’ll be up to you to label it as you see fit.

Just know Ms. Bennett also has a way of turning an overly steamy storyline into something that eventually tugs at my romantic heart strings. That’s what really keeps me coming back for more. In this case, the last 20% is what I enjoyed the most, as I prefer substance over steam.

Right off the bat, Van was very clear on how he wasn’t interested in violating his teammate/roommate’s bro code by messing around with his baby sis, who invited herself to move into their apartment unannounced. But this girl would not let up to the point it was rather embarrassing for our sisterhood, folks. Yeah, she had no shame, self-respect, dignity, nor boundaries it would seem, including her decision to drop out of college as a pre-med student, and instead left her parents hanging for all that dough they rolled out paying for those three undergrad years. Instead she got a low paying job bartending at a seedy nightclub and briefly worked topless as a strip club waitress, all until she figures out what she wants to do with her life and earn a few bucks to keep her afloat.

If you like an uninhibited, aggressive, unrelentless, chases after him until she wears him down out of frustration heroine, up for anything/anywhere/any time kind of kinkiness but makes him agree to be exclusive heroine, you’ll love Simone. It wasn’t surprisingly their first intimate time together felt more like she was a random backroom puck bunny than a love interest, folks.

Surprisingly, I was impressed at the bitter end when everything went to heck in a handbasket, she said and did the right thing. This feisty gal took him at his own regrettable words and did what a self-respecting woman should do, which lead to my favorite kind of ending (a groveling hero).

Book 10 will feature Reed, the nice guy who wanted to take Simone on a date. The heroine there is an ER doctor, a role I’m extremely partial to. Looks like we will briefly have to endure some random OW scenes as they first met as neighbors, and he’s rocking it so much in his bedroom she has to go over to his door and ask him to reign the noise in so she can sleep, go to work, and save lives. Also sounds like they become friends first and establish a real relationship before becoming intimate.

So, yeah, there was more steam than substance for quite some time. My patience was rewarded though with a sweet, endearing HEA.

Title: Van, Series: Cold Fury Hockey (Book 9), Author: Sawyer Bennett, Pages: 224, stand-alone but part of a series, excessive graphic steamy scenes, slow to build emotional connection, lusty language, unrelentless in her smexy pursuit of the hero, typical backfire when bro finds out, sweet ending.

Rating: Difficult to rate. Probably a 2 star for being more steam than substance the first 77%, but I really enjoyed the ending enough to bump it up to dramatically. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a heroine who comes to her senses and decides to make the hero work for their HEA, which includes a groveling hero finally ready to admit he can't live without her.

(I received a free advanced reader copy provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No type of compensation was given to this reviewer. There is no relationship or affiliation between the reviewer and the author/publisher.)

If you love this author then you are going to love it!!Van was a really fun read with a touch of darkness.Van Turner is a tough on and off the ice. He uses hockey as an outlet for his anger and frustration. Until Simone saunters into his life.Both Van and Simone are definitely flawed and it took me a bit to warm up to them , but when it finally happened I enjoyed even more this story!

DNF at 20%.

I hate to abandon a book so early on but I had to for my mental health. In my defence I started reading this THREE times and each time a put it down in irritation.

Van Turner shares a home with his Carolina Cold Fury team mate Lucas, he's got a tortured past blah, blah, blah which I read about so long ago I can't remember. Whatever it is means he can never get close to anyone yadda, yadda, yadda. Lucas' sister Simone lands on their doorstep unannounced and insists on sleeping on their sofa - because her brothers are hockey players and couldn't afford a hotel room, right? She's a bit of a loser, dropped out of college and is making a 'living' as a waitress in a bar which makes the Hooters' waitresses' uniforms look like nun's habits (although I'll have to take that on faith as I have no idea what the waitresses wear at Hooters).

Simone thinks being aggressive and having a filthy mouth will wear Van down into sleeping with her, under her brother's roof because that's the kind of classy gal she is. Van of course is all deny, deny, deny and avoidance. Every so often she breaks down his resistance, they share a hot kiss and grope then he is disgusted with himself and walks away (usually to masturbate in his room).

You've probably guessed it already but I found Van to be a whiny cry baby and Simone to be (frankly) a sex pest. I have real trouble when female characters behave in a way that we would find objectionable if a man did the same. You just can't have different standards and she was harassing Van, okay he fancied her too but she was pushy and wouldn't take no for an answer. How many times do we women say "No, means no" and then allow female characters to ignore a very loud, clear "NO"? Sorry, I had a lot of spleen to vent for not very much reading.

When Van decides to spend his downtime in Simone's bar drowning his sorrows and is simultaneously (i) indignant on behalf of Simone's brothers that she is working there, (ii) turned on by barely there bikini top and micro shorts, and (iii) angry that other en are ogling her - so he takes her into the car park where he decides to dry hump her against a wall I decided to bail.

I have read quite a few Sawyer Bennett books before, I've even read one of the other books in the Cold Fury series and really enjoyed it so I'll chalk this up to experience. You can't love them all.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review.

Van


*received an arc in exchange for an honest review*

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Cold Fury boys are back and it’s time to meet Van! Sawyer Bennett’s Cold Fury Series never disappoints and she will take you on another wild ride with Van. He is the guy you want to hate because he doesn’t care about relationships but there is a small part of you wanting to like him no matter what. And when you add a sassy,opinionated woman like Simone there is definitely going to be sparks flying. If you are looking for a hot, sexy, hockey book, this one is for you.

Van has pushed everyone away in his life. He won’t get close to anyone or start any relationships because he doesn’t want to end up like his father. But it begins to take its toll and soon he can’t ignore Simone. He knows he should stay away from her, especially because he is teammates and roommates with her brothers but there is no denying the pull he feels when he is around her.

Simone has thrown her family a curveball by not finishing school and having no clue what she wants to do with her life. While staying with Lucas she can’t help but notice Van and feel the chemistry between them. But when he continues to push her advances away she knows soon he will break. And when he does she will be ready for it.

As they continue to dance around each other Van’s past comes back to haunt him and he knows he has to change something. Simone takes the opportunity when he is distracted and finally gets what she wants, him. Soon she is breaking down his walls and giving him hope of things that he thought he would never have. But will it be enough? Or will insecurities and the past come back and once again dictate how Van will live his life?

QueenZany 4 Star Review
Van
By Sawyer Bennett


Van is a storm of pure sultry, delectable goodness!
Magnifying the depth of one's own past and changing one's true future if it is truly fated!
This blazing instalment of the the Cold Fury series is one that you will want to reread over and over again. Staking a claim to your aching heart!

4.5 Well Deserved STARS!!

Absolutely Fantastic. This series is getting better and better and has become one of my most favorite sport series, ever!!

Even though this is a series, you can enjoy each story as standalone. However, you're going to love how beautifully well-built and written they're are. Each story has a life of their own, and if you listened to them in addition to the useal reading, you're going to fall in love all over again.

I highly recommend this fabulous story and the 8th previous ones!!

Van and Lucas are traded to Cold Fury with hopes of winning the Stanley Cup. Since they joined the team at the same time, they agreed to share a house until they decided where they wanted to live. Lucas, the more social of the two, has a younger sister. Simone shows up on their porch, unannounced, proclaiming she's dropped out of college and moving in until she decides what she wants to do with her life. Lucas is furious. He can't believe she's dropped out of Dartmouth with only one year left on her undergraduate degree. Simone, the baby and only girl in the family, has decided she doesn't want to become a doctor, but doesn't know what she wants to do yet either. Lucas allows her to stay on the couch until she finds something else.

Van, a virtual recluse, doesn't really care if Simone stays or not as he just wants to be left alone. Van has secrets and knows if he opens himself up to Simone, she'll run as fast as she can in the opposite direction. Van, after having an extremely rough childhood, was introduced to hockey after moving in with his Aunt Etta. Hockey became his saving grace at a time when he needed it most, but he always regretted not going to college to study psychology. He wants to win the Stanley Cup, but is open to other ventures after he obtains his dream. What he doesn't expect is Simone. Simone is a force unto herself. If she wants something, she goes after it until she gets it and she wants Van....

Without spoiling the story or the ending, I have to say that this is one of my favorite Cold Fury stories. I enjoyed Simone's quirkiness, honesty, heart, and go get 'em attitude. She wasn't whiny or weak. I loved how she was able to "help" Van without really telling how to fix things. She let him figure it out for himself. I also enjoyed the fact that hockey was not the end all for Van. I loved that he had other goals in life that had nothing to do with hockey. They made a really cute couple. I read a gifted copy and all opinions stated are my own.

Simone has dropped out of college and she is at a crossroads as she doesn’t know what direction she wants her life to take. Until she can decide what she wants she shows up on her brother’s doorstep so that he can assist her through this transition. What she didn’t expect was his sexy roommate Van.

Van is dark, brooding and doesn’t let anyone close. He has a past that he wants to remain buried and he has learnt the hard way that the best way to function is alone no matter how tempting the beautiful Simone is. There is also the complication that two of her brothers play on the same hockey team as him and that is a recipe for disaster.

Although Simone can’t make her mind up about her career the one thing she knows is that she wants Van. All she wants is some good time and is not looking for a relationship but once she gets to know the real Van all bets are off but will he be willing to let her get close?

The chemistry between the two was off the charts and with her outgoing, vivacious personality she is a perfect foil to his quiet reserved persona and together they are a perfect match. I have loved this series and this book is no exception. I voluntarily received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book.

I joined the Cold Fury game way late but I’m so glad I’ve discovered this series. Van is one of my favorite books this year!

Van is a beast on the ice, one of the best in the league. But off the ice, he’s standoffish and a little cold to those around him. He’s not really friends with his teammates and he doesn’t let any woman get close. He’s holding a secret that he doesn’t want anyone to know and the only way to ensure that is to never get close to anyone. Simone drops the bomb on her family that with less than a year left, she’s dropping out of college and needs a place to stay. This finds her crashing on her brother, Lucas, and Van’s couch. Simone’s pursuit of Van is one of my favorite parts of this story. When she learns Van’s secrets, it pushes their relationship from secret fun to out in the open commitment.

The personal conflicts that Van and Simone were experiencing were what kept me riveted to this story and unable to put the book down once I started. This series has become an obsession of mine and I can’t wait to go back and read the rest and see whatever comes next for the Cold Fury team.

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

Complicated characters and steamy scenes fill this newest story in the Cold Fury Hockey series.

Van Turner shares a house with another new player, Lucas Fournier, who he rarely sees except for on the ice and that’s just fine with him. And then Lucas’s sister Simone crashes with them after she dropped out of college. She wants him bad but her brothers, Van’s teammates, aren’t about to let him get involved with her. They always underestimate her ability to get what she wants. Great story with heart and emotion – and hot guys!

I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was promised or received for this review

Holy hotness. How do you avoid falling for your teammate and roommate's little sister when she moves in with you? Two guys and one girl living in a two bedroom, one bathroom house does not bode well for two libidos. Especially since the third member is the older brother to one and the teammate of the other.

Simone is a force of nature to be reckoned with and she has set her sights on Van. Van knows better than to get involved with anyone's little sister. But sparks fly and the two of them hit the sheets, er shed, er kitchen table - yeah, you get my drift.

Simone is a very social being whereas Van has a secret that has caused him to be anti-social. So what happens when his secret is revealed for all to see? How will he handle the revelation? Who will stand behind him? He's never had a relationship before Simone, so how will this affect them individually and as a couple? You will need to read the book to find out.

Wow! This book was off the charts hot! This book steaming up my Kindle. A definite must read.

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

Cold fury series is one of my favorite series to date! Each book will have you rooting for the couple. This one was no different. It will leave you wanting more! (And also a little remember to fan yourself at times ;))

I voluntarily read an advanced review copy of this book and I absolutely loved it!

This book made me laugh, cry, fan myself from all the explosive heat, and fall in love with this couple. I loved Simone she brought the laughs in this book with all of her crazy antics and I loved Van because he was so strong...yet so broken but it didn't make him weak it actually made him...beautiful!

Another hit for Sawyer Bennett! I hope this series never ends!

Van Turner is a bruiser on the Cold Fury hockey team. He keeps the players from other teams away from hurting his teammates. Simone Fournier is the little sister of his roommate Lucas. She has dropped out of school and not sure what she wants to do. When she moves in, all hell breaks loose. Van is a no to anything happening between them. Simone has other ideas. The verbal sparring is just foreplay. Until she finally gets past the wall he has put up around his heart. Anything is possible but the past has reared its ugly head. Simone is a stay and fight for your man. He is used to people running. When the tables are turned, does Van stay and fight? You will love the ending.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Lee’Anne – ☆☆☆☆☆
I have no idea why I find stand-offish guys so intriguing, but they always wind up being my favorites and Van is no exception, this was my favorite book in the Cold Fury Hockey series so far!

Van is an ass to just about everyone, he doesn’t really have friends and that includes his roommate Lucas. When Lucas’s sister, Simone, shows up on their doorstep and lets them know she’s moving in Van acts unimpressed, and though he finds her attractive, he refuses to let anything come of it. Van doesn’t let anyone in on the dark secret from his past and he keeps his “relationships” to nothing more than one-night stands. Simone finds Van not only sexy as all get out but also very intriguing, and she’s bound and determined from their very first meeting to get him in bed.

The sexual tension between these two literally builds from page one and it made for a book I couldn’t put down. This book is smoking hot, Van in all his alpha-man glory and Simone willing to try anything to get his attention, made it everything. Simone was one of my favorite heroines I’ve read in a while, she’s super sassy, sarcastic, fierce, and lets nothing get in the way of her getting what she wants. Here’s to hoping this isn’t the last book in the series, I so need more!


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars of super sexy hotness and compassion

This is the ninth book in the series, and I would definitely recommend that you read them all, as they are super hot and fun. If you like hockey romances, then this series is up there in sports quality and hotness. The stories are all linked, and this one in particular mirrors some of Lucas, so I would definitely read his story before this. In fact, you will get double the fun if you read them one after the other, as the hints in Lucas turn out to be very relevant!

Van is the introverted grumpy team member, and we discover during the course of the story just why that is – he has certainly had a tough start to life, and is still not sure whether he can dare for more. Simone, Lucas's sister, who crashes with them for a while, has decided that she is going to flirt with him till he succumbs. This leads to much fun and banter, and then a secret super sexy "benefits" scenario. He doesn't want to think about the "friends" element, as that is against the rules.

Luckily rules are meant to be broken, and after some very well crafted angst, we get everything we could want for these two lovely characters.

Ms. Bennett has excelled herself with this installment – full of feeling, scorching hot, and plenty of hockey too!


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
Van is trying to outrun his past, bury it deep and never re-open the wounds of his childhood. He does this by focusing on hockey and not connecting with any one – especially women. His aunt, Etta, is the only person in his life who knows the truth about who his biological father is.

When Simone moves in, she immediately takes an interest in Van, and the more Van pushes her away, the more she wants him. She doesn't understand why Van is playing hard to get – it can't only be because she is the little sister of two of his hockey teammates.

Van finds an unexpected ally in Simone, finding he can talk to her and trust her with his secrets. Until the world finds out his deepest darkest secret and he pushes everyone away.

The way that Van is written makes the reader experience the pain and shame as it if were fresh and real. You feel for the child that was forced to live through a nightmare, the feelings of confusion and anger toward his mother for making him live that nightmare every day for months.


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars
M/F Romance
Triggers: Murder, bad home life.

Simone is feisty. She doesn't really have a plan in her life, but knows that her current path was leading her into a life she didn't want. When she runs back to her brother's house, she also runs right to Van's house – since they are roommates.

Simone sets her sight on Van right away. He's standoffish, surly, and mean... but there's something about him… she can't help but be attracted to him.

Van knows that he should stay away from Simone. She's beautiful, strong minded, and knows that he's attracted to her. However, Van is still struggling with things in his past and when those things come back and mess with his present, Van has to decide whether or not he is going to run again or fight this time.

There is a lot of emotion in this story between Van and Simone. They made me laugh and cry because their relationship was real and honest.

I enjoyed this story a lot because the relationship was so real and the relationships around them were honest and true. I can't wait to see what's next.