I have read a couple of Kate Meader's books and since then I have been hooked! The characters and story line are very well-developed. Isobel and Vadim knew each other as teenagers and had one night together. Her father had Vadim sent back to Russia and blocked from joining the professional hockey league in the US while he was alive. Isobel's dreams playing in the Women's Hockey League ended in the first half hour of her debut in the league. Now she is trying to run the Hockey team, The Chicago Rebels, that she inherited with her sisters from their Father. Isobel is coaching Vadim one on one, and the chemistry they had as teenagers is once again blazing hotter than ever. This is one sexy hot read! Kate Meader is definitely one to keep on your TBR shelf. I cannot wait for the next book in this series! I give So Over You (The Chicago Rebels Series Book 2) 5/5 stars. I recommend this book and series to everyone.

Hockey, hot Russian and some chemistry make for a good book,
Vadim and Isobel had a brief encounter in the past and, that's where he should have stayed. But now he is a part of her present because he was acquired for the hockey team that her and her sister's co own. Vadim is bitter when they meet again due to how they left things, or didn't, the last time they were in a room together and now he has to deal with the fact that she his one on one coach to try to improve him! The more they are around each other the more their chemistry melts the ice! Isobel secretly wants to try out again for the USA team even though her doctor told her it could be deadly and Vad want's to change how their last encounter went down. The back and fourth with the two was fun and with both of them being stubborn, it was also frustrating.
All in all a great read!

This was such a well written story with so much depth and emotion and the perfect amount of playfulness. Vadim and Isobel were excellent characters. A truly fantastic read!

I loved the animosity and tension between Vadim and Isobel, you could feel the tension between these two but also their chemistry that was simmering just underneath. I loved learning their histories and all the details about them. Isobel was so strong and determined but a bit lost and I enjoyed her battle as she found her way. Vadim was awesome. Seriously, the more the story went on, the more I loved him. He had this cocky confidence that I found enduring but also this dry humor that had me smiling. How it was written, I could hear him speaking in a Russian accent in my head, which was awesome and added another layer to the story. There are major ups and downs, drama, tension, and sexy times, but there were these perfect moments of playfulness too rounding it all out.

Besides this fantastic second chance romance between Vadim and Isobel, they had their own personal struggles they were dealing with and working through. There was just so much emotion behind it all, I could feel their pain and felt for them. Besides a story of love, I got this huge sense of healing and forgiveness that really resonated with me.

I loved all the secondary characters as well and really enjoyed the developing relationships between Isobel and her sisters. It's like a ton of stories happening in one book and I loved all the layers. I love the guys on the hockey team and how they play into everything too. I adored the foreshadowing for the next two stories, needless to say, I am completely hooked and excited for more.

This story had it all: tension, drama, fun, sexiness, emotion, animosity, and most of all love and heart. I thought there was a excellent flow, it had great details and descriptions and there was an awesome build. I am a sucker for a great build that leads up to an awesome ending and this ending pretty much had me choking back tears with my heart in my throat. Excellent read!

“That’s some twisted imagination you got there, Petrov.”
“I am Russian. We do not fuck around when it comes to revenge fantasies.”

If I were to delve into all the things I love about Kate Meader’s books, we’d be here for quite a while. Needless to say, I’ve yet to read one of hers that I didn’t adore, and that streak continued with the emotional and epic So Over You.

Look, many of Ms. Meader’s men have been memorable, but Vadim Petrov may—may—just top them all. He was intense and dramatic in that swoony Russian way of his, not to mention drily hilarious and straight-up HOT, and I could not get enough of him. Truly, as a hero, he was everything I like. Alpha but not an asshole. Strong in all the ways—except when it comes to heart, his woman.

His Isobel. Who is also strong in all the ways. Lost, certainly. But despite being somewhat adrift, she’s also smart and talented and incredibly likable. Which made her relationship with the Russian, as well as her developing (and endearing) relationship with her sisters, that much more touching.

Guys, I DEVOURED this book. I loved it from start to finish. It was sharper than a hockey skate, exceptionally well-written and I simply loved how it set up the coming installments in the Chicago Rebels series, as well as touched on events and characters from the previous ones. It all came together to make me want to cry and then smile and then tell everyone about how much I love Ms. Meader’s books.

Which is more than I can possibly list here.

"My woman is the North Star in my night sky, but also in her own. If she is not there to guide me, there is only darkness. For us both."

~ FIVE Bella STARS ~

Not an instant love story!

Isobel Chase is a coach and part owner of the Chicago Rebels hockey teams when she is assigned to help the rehab of star player Vadim Petrov after he is traded to the team. What the team doesn’t know is that Isobel and Vadim have a history when he was starting out and she was training for her star turn in women’s hockey.

Vadim doesn’t want her to help with his rehab and she has issues from when they slept together and then he left the country without telling her. They are at cross purposes to each other because he’s still pissed about being kicked out of the country when his visa was revoked and she doesn’t see what sex is all about.

I really enjoyed the story because it wasn’t instant love with bells and whistles but something that the couple had to work through. Finding out that Vadim’s mother is dating his employee was really funny plus her conversations with her sisters that she really didn’t know until being forced together by their father’s will.

So Over You is the second book in the Chicago Rebels series but can easily be read as a stand alone book. I love a good sports romance if it's done right and this one hits all the marks! Plenty of sports - check, hot/sexy Alpha sports hero - check, strong heroine - check, steamy sex - check, humor - double check!

First of all I love the concept of the three estranged sisters who are thrown together after the death of their father to try to hold on to the hockey team he left them with some very difficult stipulations. They are fighting to enter a man's domain and still stay true to themselves and on top of that navigate a relationship with each other. I really loved the relationship/banter between the three sisters.

The second book features Isobel Chase. Isobel was the closest to their father since she was an amazing hockey player who won a silver medal and who was very briefly a professional hockey player until a horrible injury took away her chance to play professionally. Isobel was pushed hard to be a great hockey player and her whole life revolved around that. She had a brief fling with a Russian hockey player who took her virginity (and it was an experience easily forgotten) but hockey was always first for her.

Now she's part owner of her family's hockey team, the Russian has been traded to the team and she will be coaching him since he is coming off of an injury as well. Isobel has a lot on her plate and she still hasn't adjusted to her loss. She isn't sure where she belongs and how she fits in and those struggles play out in this book.

Vadim fell hard for Isobel as a young man but their brief time together cost him alot as well. Isobel's dad forced his return to Russia to keep him away from Isobel so she could concentrate on hockey and Vadim lost three years that he would have been playing for the NHL. At first, Vadim is angry with Isobel and the two start off as enemies but it isn't long before the sexual chemistry is heating things up!

I loved Vadim (and honestly he could be a bit of a overpowering, grumpy jerk) but somehow he was also endearing, funny and sweet. I couldn't get enough of him and I loved the banter between him and Isobel. There was also plenty of humor and when Vadim was told by another player who overheard Isobel telling her sister that her one time with Vadim was not good and that she didn't have an orgasm his reaction was priceless.

Vadim desperately wants to make up for his first time with Isobel and prove that he can be an amazing lover. The sexual tension between Isobel and Vadim was hot and I couldn't wait for the two of them to give in to their attraction. Both Isobel and Vadim made a few pour decisions along the way but their motivations where realistic and it just made these not perfect characters realistic. Although I didn't like Isobel's decisions at times I completely understood where she was coming from and her anger was justified. I also understood where Vadim was coming from and his frustration with Isobel's stubbornness.

This was a very sexy, funny second chance romance with a good mix of sports, humor and romance. I couldn't put it down once I started it! If you're looking for an entertaining, fun, fast paced and hot sports romance look no further! Can't wait for the next book.

Isobel and Vadim have a connection, and it is more than the chemistry between them; the man who took her virginity and is living the dream of playing hockey professionally, a dream that lasted for 37 minutes for Isobel.

I loved the history, and that it was a little messy. I loved that it made Vadim question himself, and ask around, and I loved that he cared enough to wonder if there really was an issue. While it was amusing, it also gave you a glimpse into who he really is, and how much he actually does care about Isobel.

The pacing was strong, and their initial meeting, where you can feel both the hostility and the pent up attraction was perfect and it makes you want to continue reading. The story, while a standalone, is interconnected with the 1st in the series, which is also great as you get to see what happens after the 1st story and it also lets you see the progression of the Rebels as a franchise and moves you closer to the answer as to whether the women will be able to keep the team.

I enjoyed this title, the build up of both the relationship and the progression of the storyline with the Rebels made for an interesting and great read.

I've really struggled with this author in the past, so when I was approached to read this book, I agreed to do so with a fair amount of trepidation. Then, in the midst of a disaster with my home, I promptly forgot about reading it, until I wake up to an e-mail with information regarding my promised blog post of it, scheduled for today! I sat down with it quickly, and wound up very pleasantly surprised by it!

First of all, I couldn't put it down, and it wasn't just because I was on a shortened timetable! The book actually engaged me completely, to the point where I just HAD to know what was happening with Isobel and Vadim! I was totally consumed with their romance, and loved the banter between the two of them. Some of Vadim's actions made him kind of a douche bag in my opinion, but I could understand his reasons for his actions. Isobel was also a good bit reckless, so she wasn't without fault either. My point is, I could actually connect with these characters, and care about what happens to them, something I've struggled with in some of the author's other works.

Secondly, while this is the second book in the series, I didn't feel lost jumping in at this point in the overall story arc. While my normal tendency is to read the books in order, I did not have a chance to do so prior to reading this story, and I have to commend the author or making things easy to follow.

This was a great read, and I can't wait to go back and read the first book in the series!

Kate Meader's Chicago Rebels series continues with Isobel and Vadim's story. A delightfully entertaining second chance romance that had me laughing consistently from her trademark witty humor. Ever since getting a little bit of everyone's backstories in the previous book, Irresistible You, Isobel's was the one I was most interested in reading next.

Out of the three sisters who have taken over ownership of the Rebels from their father Clifford Chase, Isobel was "the golden child". When she showed a natural affinity for hockey as a young girl, he focused all of his affection and attention on her. He had lofty ambitions for her: reaching the pinnacle of women's hockey and all of the glory that entailed to his name. Sure, it seemed like she was the one who had it easy. To be the favored one. But with his favor, came lofty expectations that she worked herself to the bone to reach. When she climbed as high as she could go, the crash from grace was even more painful from the top.

Isobel is still coming to terms with her professional hockey career abruptly ending. Her entire identity, her passion, and her whole heart had been centered around playing the sport she loved. With one serious injury two years before, she was set adrift and without direction. Throw Vadim Petrov into the equation as the new player on the team, and you have one very unsettled woman. Vadim was her teenage crush, first lover, and forced out of the US by her father when his feelings for her were threatening to become too much of a distraction. They never got to have one last conversation before they were separated. She was in the hospital recovering from her head injury, and he was deported back to Russia. So to say that there were loads of unresolved feelings between them would be an understatement.

I have to say, I thought Isobel would be the star character here, but I think Vadim stole the spotlight from her. He was such an original character with a personality that kept me on my toes. On one hand, he was stiff and formal with people, almost a little haughty. But then he'd turn around and surprise you with these glimpses of humor that were even funnier because of the contrast. You'd think some of these traits would make him unlikable, but it had the opposite effect. Isobel was also enjoyable in her own right. She was disciplined, strong, and independent. I think a lot of readers could identify with her journey in having to rebuild her life from scratch. One event can forever alter the path you have mapped out for yourself, and there's nothing you can do but scramble to reroute and woman up.

Isobel is coaching a youth hockey team, but hopes to move towards coaching the Rebels eventually. Getting wrapped up in Vadim as she acts as a consultant for him would be foolish inadvisable. Not only would she lose respect for dating a team member and risk her chances of coaching, but their one time together as teens was not exactly fireworks and earth shattering passion. Which brings us to one of the more unique aspects of this story. The fact that teenage Isobel was left unsatisfied all those years ago makes for a very quirky and entertaining twist. He may have a playboy rep now, but he certainly wasn't the "Czar of Pleasure". More like, the Czar of One Minute. Seeing him try to piece back together his shattered manhood was entertaining to say the least.

My only issues being that I would have liked to have seen the conflict go in a different direction. The forbidden aspect due to the owner wanting a relationship with a team member seems to be a repeating theme, and I wish we could get a little more variety in there. I don't really buy that her reputation would take that much of a hit for being in a relationship with Vadim. After Harper went public, everyone seems to be dealing just fine. The fact that one player talks smack about them, does not mean that that is the general consensus of all.

Then there was one point where Isobel was pretty hypocritical in an attempt to keep Vadim at a distance. One moment she was telling him that they never had a chance as teens because hockey would always be her first priority. Then pages later, she was internally judging him by saying that she couldn't be with him because she would never be her first priority. Not a game changer for me by any means, but it a little nitpick that bothered me.

Overall, I thought this book was funny, fast paced (despite the 400 pg. count), and a welcome addition to the series. If you're a sports romance fan, I highly recommend this series. Even if you haven't read the first book, this is easily read as a standalone.

I was rolling along with this book, not quite enjoying it as much as I had the first book in the series, Irresistible You, but still enjoying it, when we got toward the end, and Vadim did something to Isobel that I don’t think I’m over yet. Frankly, the fact that he could do it at all, and the fact that Isobel was ok with it, and everyone else in Isobel’s life ended up telling her that he was in the right and she needed to get over it and just let it go, really pissed me off.

Seriously – romance characters. Just stop going behind each other’s backs and pulling bullshit shenanigans because it’s for the other’s “own good”. Seriously. Just fucking stop it. These are fully grown, fully functional adults. Just because you don’t like a decision they’ve made or something they’re going to do, that doesn’t give you the right to go behind their backs and make a unilateral decision that is in no way any of your goddamn business. Yes, the decision Isobel had made was bone-headed. She wasn’t right. But neither was Vadim, and I have absolutely no confidence that he realizes it and wouldn’t do it again if the same situation presented itself again. Or a similar situation. That specific one was pretty once-in-a-lifetime. Which makes it worse. I think Isobel would have figured it out eventually and changed her mind, but Vadim had to go behind her back and sabotage it from the beginning, so she never had the chance.

And then. And then!!! Isobel was the one who ended up groveling, trying to soothe poor Vadim’s fragile ego so he could quit pouting on the ice and possibly help his team win the game that would gOt them into the playoffs. The playoffs that the Rebels absolutely have to get into in order for the team to stay with the three sisters and not be sold off to an unnamed conglomerate that’s waiting in the wings to buy it. (Vadim didn’t actually know about this stipulation, but if your team has to win this game to get into the playoffs, you leave your personal shit at home and make it happen.)

Grr. The ending of this book ruined it for me. I like a good second-chance romance, and these two definitely deserved that second chance. Isobel’s asshole dad ruined it the first time (of course he did) and Isobel and Vadim were pretty needed a second chance more than most couples. Even if they’d only gotten one night together so that Vadim could correct what he considered a pretty grievous wrong he’d done to Isobel during their first and only time together. Which was also Isobel’s first time all together.

Although, this bugged me, too. Isobel’s big secret was that the first time she had sex, which was with Vadim, it wasn’t very good, and she didn’t get off. Well, no shit. Vadim was a 19-year-old kid who hadn’t had many more partners than she had, and it was her first time. I’m sure there are women out there who got off their first time having sex. I wasn’t one of them, and I don’t know any of them, but I’m sure they exist. But the fact that you didn’t get off the first time you have sex shouldn’t be a huge secret. Vadim, of course, took it as a challenge to prove his virility now, and wouldn’t rest until Isobel gave him another chance to prove that his penis is Thor’s hammer.

I liked getting to know the three sisters more in this book. It seems like Kate Meader, while focusing on a different sister in each book, won’t ignore the other two. I loved getting glimpses of Harper and Remy from Irresistible You, and I absolutely loved that it was clear that the end of their book wasn’t the end of Harper having to deal with shit from the media and the general public about a team owner dating a player. There’s no way one happy “Look how great they are” article would be the end of the crap she’d have to put up with, and I was so happy to see that Kate Meader didn’t intend to make it seem like it was.

And, oh, Violet. I assume she’s next, and wow. I cannot wait for her story. I think she and her hockey player are going to burn up my Kindle and I’m very much looking forward to that. I don’t know if Dante and Cade are going to get their own book or not, but I really hope so. This is the Chicago Rebels series, after all, not the Chase sisters series, so they might.

Bottom line – if you’re determined to read everything Kate Meader writes, and I can’t blame you if you are, this book will fill that space. But you could also skip it and be ok. Isobel and Vadim just weren’t a great couple.

Audiobook Review: 4,5 Stars
Performance: 5 Stars
Story: 4 Stars

If you could sum up So Over You in three words, what would they be?

Pure Russian Hotness!

What did you like best about this story?

So Over You featured the second chance romance of Isobel Chase and Vadim Petrov. Back when they were teens, and their hockey careers were starting, they had a secret relationship, but things got messy when Isobel’s dad found out about them and Vadim was sent away. Seven years later, their paths met again. Isobel was chasing a coaching position in the Chicago Rebels—even though she owned the team, she wanted to earn that position by merit and not because of her last name—and she was assigned to train personally with the Czar of Pleasure, who was injured and needed to be ready to play. Their reunion wasn’t easy and there was resentment from both of them. But they couldn’t fight the attraction and ended up having a relationship again. Which was exactly what I loved the most about this story. Their love was intense and strong and protective and beautiful.

Which character–as performed by Pippa Jayne–was your favorite?

Pippa’s narration was amazing. I loved particularly her Russian accent. Her voice for Vadim was flawless. There were moments when I didn’t notice it was a woman narrating. Her voice for Vadim was strong and commanding and sexy as hell, perfect for his personality. And of course, Pippa did a great performance for Isobel too. There was one particular scene when she was crying and heartbroken over what happened to her Hockey career and I could listen to the sorrow and devastation in Pippa’s narration.

The audiobook definitely made So Over You A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

Any additional comments?

Overall, So Over You was a beautiful, romantic and sexy second chance romance. I loved the mix of strong personalities between Isobel and Vadim. That saying “opposite attract” won’t work with them. They are so much alike in so many ways and that’s what made them more compatible. I also loved their separate backgrounds, they were heartbreaking but that is what make them strong and amazing characters. I also loved their families. Vadim’s sister was my favorite.

100% recommended.

Isobel and Vadim have a history that very few people know about, and Isobel's 2 sisters Harper and Violet are on the do-not-need-to-know list when Harper negotiates his trade to the Rebels.  The big brooding Russian suffered an injury that has slowed his game, so Isobel is assigned to him as his skating coach to get him back on the ice sooner rather than later.  She needs this assignment to go well to help build her credibility as a coach, but old hurts and male ego may derail her plans before they ever get off the ground.

The battle of wills is on from the first moment they reconnect but there is no question that sparks still fly between these two hotheaded athletes! Vadim is determined to be a hard case given how they parted several years ago thanks to Isobel's father, and she is determined to play it cool to show him that he has absolutely no power over her anymore. Unfortunately when she lets a reference to their past slip in a conversation with Violet in her office at the arena, she has no idea that the thin walls allow unintended audiences a glimpse into her less than earth-shattering first time with the current Czar of Pleasure. Since one of those eavesdroppers is team bigot and troublemaker Leon Shay who is also in danger of losing his spot on the first line to Vadim, it is not going to be a secret for long.

Vad's ego is bruised and he is determined to show his Bella just how skilled he has become in the time they have been apart, but they are playing a dangerous game. If she gives in and word gets out, it is not just her reputation that will be on the line as a coach but her sisters and the team will be under more media scrutiny given Harper's relationship with Remy. That sizzling chemistry boils over though and Vadim is sure to make up for lost time in memorable fashion.  It seems the stars may finally be aligning for them, but it is not going to be an easy path. Vad's play is easily influenced by his mood, and dealing with his newly discovered sister as well as his estranged mother while trying to tamp down the distraction of having Isobel constantly nearby is wreaking havoc on his concentration. Throw in random snide remarks and taunting from Shay in an effort to get Vad to lose his cool and he has to work on mastering that Russian mask of indifference, at least on the outside.

Isobel is not having such an easy time of it either. A lifetime of observing men in and around the hockey world as well as her encounters with players has taught her that fidelity is not something that comes easily to most guys in the game. Her own father was a glaring example of what not to do when it comes to love and relationships. Vadim's reputation is only part of the issue for her even though he has given her no reason to question his integrity.  Ever since that fateful night on the ice that cost Isobel the bright future she envisioned, she has been feeling lost and adrift as she searches for a new place to fit in. Being an owner and potentially a coach is something she never imagined and it just doesn't feel quite right to her, especially as she works to rehab stars into . When a potential opportunity to play at a national level again presents itself, she quietly throws herself into going after one more chance at greatness.  Hopes and dreams are on the line for the team too.  If they don't make the playoffs, the team will be sold and all three sisters will be left trying to find a new path to the future once again.

I have to admit I didn't love the first book in this series featuring Harper and Remy as my strong dislike of Harper overruled the Cajun goodness that was Remy. And she really didn't grow on me much more in this book either. But fortunately Harper had limited appearance in So Over You, and I definitely enjoyed the yumminess of the sly banter between Isobel and Vadim! Isobel has a fierce wit and an independent streak a mile wide (almost to a fault) and Vad's dominant occasionally know-it-all personality provided moments of frustration, but in the end there is no doubt that the years apart have been important to shaping both of them into people who are right for each other.  Of course that know-it-all attitude gives them one heckuva pothole in the road to happiness but it all works out in the end! Kate Meader has given us another winner in So Over You, and I will be eagerly awaiting the next book in the series featuring the Rebels coach Dante Moretti and one of the Rebels players.

I love a good hockey romance. I love a good second chance romance. This is both, therefore I loved it.
Awesome storyline, great writing and wonderful characters both main and supporting, make for a very enjoyable read. Vadim and Bella have the type of chemistry that leads to some seriously steamy scenes. They have to work at their HEA, which I like because nothing worth having comes easy, right?
This series is addictive and I need the third book please!

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

So Over You is book two in Kate Meader's Chicago Rebels series. Three half sisters, daughters of a hockey legend, who must work together to keep the hockey team. According to the requirements in the will the Rebels must make the playoffs that year or be sold out to a conglomerate. For two of the sister it's their legacy, one the managerial role and the other a coaching role. Irresistible You, the first book, is about the oldest sister Harper Chase, she is bound and determined to make it to the playoff this year and keep her team. I wouldn't say this is a standalone, but it could be the events of the first book have only a minor impact of this story but most of the emotional development between the sister happens in the first one. Isobel was the apple of her father's eye she was born to continue on his legacy on the ice and Isobel wanted nothing more than to be the best on the ice. Until her dreams came to an end after an accident now she just wants to coach. Vadim has to redeem himself after a knee injury but first he has to get back on the ice only one thing is standing in his way, the only woman who has ever mattered to him and the same one whose father blackballed him from the NHL.

To prove herself Isobel is assigned to privately coach Vadim so he can get back into skating form. Vadim thinks it's a bad idea not because she's a woman but he doesn't trust himself around her and Isobel can afford to have gossip that she's sleeping with players tied to her name especially if she wants the head coaching job. Isobel thinks she can handle coaching Vadim even if he still makes her feel all a flutter but after the one and only one time they were together left her wanting she didn't think they were compatible. Once Vadim finds this out he makes a point to prove to her that they are, over and over again.

Their sexual attraction isn't the problem between one particularly cruel player on the team, Vadim's little sister and his mother, and the big one Isobel has the chance to play for the gold again. She was asked to audition for the NCAA, she told no one but Vadim expecting him to be excited for her only to get the opposite reaction. This is her last chance to achieve her dream and as much of a bastard her father was and even though he's dead she still feels like she's disappointing him by not playing hockey. Vadim and Isobel have a bunch of issues to work out before they can achieve their HEA.

Overall, I loved this one. Vadim be still my heart that smokin' hot Russian is not only great with kids but once he realizes he left Isobel wanting he sees his way into her heart again. There is a lot of personal growth in this book as with the first one and as always Kate Meader is exceptional with it and the sex is so freakin' hot. I very much recommend anything she written.

I just went down a women's hockey rabbit trail and it's all Kate Meader's fault. While her Chicago Rebels are part of the NHL, Isobel was a female hockey player who made it all the way to the National Women's Hockey League before an injury shut down her burgeoning dream.

My friend Kat plays on a men's league for fun so I know women enjoy playing hockey but the Olympics and NWHL? I didn't know women's hockey was this level of a thing. It's relatively recent development in the sports world and I love the way Meader incorporated it into this story. It also highlighted the sexism and misogyny in the hockey world in a different way, which is a theme I'm glad Meader is exploring. One of the beauties of this series is how the women defy and exceed expectations, especially when the deck is stacked against them.

Not only is Isobel dealing with the death of her father and the strange terms in his will, she's dealing with the loss of her career and figuring out what's next when her whole life has only ever been about playing hockey and living up to her dad's expectations. I loved watching Isobel wrestle with all of this, in addition to dealing with the sexy ghost from her past, Vadim.

Vadim was a breath of fresh air! He was confident, bossy, and often unintentionally funny. He had some hard things to work through from his past and his storyline proved to be incredibly moving. I really liked how Vadim and Isobel pushed one another and were there for one another, in spite of the things that could have kept them apart.

With each book in this series, the relationship between Isobel and her previously estranged sisters grows stronger. In this book, they're really starting to deliver the hard truths and be more honest with each other. I'm really looking forward to Violet's book, not only to learn more of her secrets but to see how the ladies become more like sisters and less like strangers.

So Over You was such a fun read and I'm really looking forward to seeing where Meader takes this series next.

I just love Kate's books. They make you swoon, they make you laugh, and they make you fall for all the characters in the book. It doesn't matter if it's the hero or his best friend, the heroine or her sister, you love them all.

Kate can write banter and she nails sexual tension. There was plenty of both of these in this latest book in the Chicago Rebels series. I loved how much the relationship between the sister grew in this book. I was drawn in and more invested then the previous books. I was thrilled with how much we got to spend with the guys as well. I'm so excited for the next book in this series now.

I love this series and that's not just because I'm from IL and Chicago is a city I love. I look forward to each of Kate's releases and recommend everyone checking out her work

4 “Blazing Skates” Stars!
I love sports romance and second chances happen to be my kryptonite.
The author did not disappoint in delivering on all the feels with this second installment in the Chicago Rebels series!

To Isobel, hockey is her life. When a near fatal sports injury ends her career before it has the chance to begin, she’s lead to couch.

Here comes brooding deliciousness, Vadim Petrov. She’s assigned to get him into shape after his injury. Easy, right? Nope!
You see, these two have history and lots of unfinished business.
Where Isobel wants to keep things professional and prove herself, Vadim wants to prove to her that she can have it all.

I loved the relationship between them and how they understood each other and the true connection they shared beyond the physical. (Though, the physical was pretty HOT)

Isobel and Vadim were endearing, it was easy to relate to them and their banter was incredible.

They both had a lot going on individually, which didn’t bother me. I think it’s important for the characters to have their own struggles and their our identity. The thing is, I felt at times it veered a bit away from the main focus: the romance. Which in turn had me longing for more. But, the author brought it home in the end.

The writing was excellent and engaging and I can’t wait to read more in this series.

Loved, loved, LOVED this story! Isobel is the middle sister in this dysfunctional family who have inherited a hockey team but only if they actually make the playoffs. Isobel is the only actual hockey player of the sisters and has lived, breathed, and bled hockey since she was old enough to walk, err, skate but never felt she felt she lived up to her potential and it was taken away before she could. Now she is coaching, personal coaching, Vadim Petrov, a blast from her past, the one she could out skate but crushed on and who loved her and her dad black balled from the NHL and he ended up back in Russia playing hockey. This was a heart wrenchingly beautiful story of love and loss and finding again. Will these two strong willed athletes be able to find their way?

I definitely recommend this one. This can be read as a standalone but I really recommend the first in the series as that one is just a good! I cannot wait for more!

**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**

Who knew the Russian accent could be so sexy?

I love a good second chance romance but I love it more when an author can write one with just enough of a twist to make the trope feel fresh and unique. It’s not often that you read about Heroes who made less than a stellar impression on the heroine. In bed. It’s kind of refreshing to see less than perfect, not multi-orgasmic first time sex.

Isobel and Vadim’s story was also bordering on a hate/love story and those tend to be my favorite. I love the sexual tension that was building up as Isobel and Vadim battled between keeping her coaching reputation in tact and the clear and palpable feelings brewing between them.

I’m not usually in favor of the whole alpha male taking charge and making choices FOR their heroine but somehow this part of the story worked well for me. Mostly because I didn’t agree with the reasoning behind most if the decisions Isobel was making for herself.

Outside of the romance aspect of the story, I love watching the three Chase sisters forming a real bond after being estranged for so long. I’m invested in seeing each of them break out of the shadow of their dear old dad and find themselves and how they fit into the whole Rebel franchise. The sign of a great series for me is when it gets me invested in all the secondary characters too. Kate Meader does this well.

This story has everything I love in a great second chance romance. Tension, heat, just a touch of angst and a true love story destined to be.

I can’t wait to read Violet and Bren’s story but I’m really excited to read Dante’s story, coming up next with...I will not spoil it but you’ll find out in this book!

Kate Meader has been a reliable source of sexy contemporary romances for me, having written about chefs, firefighters, and now hockey players taking center ice. The Chicago Rebels series, all standalone romances but with a continuing background story arc, details a struggling NHL franchise and their make or break it year. Having thoroughly enjoyed book one, Irresistible You, and the prequel novella In Skates Trouble, I can now add So Over You to the list of recommended reads. It's an entertaining second chance romance with a talented female hockey player now turned coach due to fateful circumstances, and the man whose reputation in the bedroom equals that of his time on the ice – except with her.

The Chicago Rebels hockey team has been left to the care of three half sisters, Harper, Isobel and Violet, after their philandering father passed away. He's left specific instructions in his will – they must work together and ensure the team makes it to the playoffs this year or it will be sold off to the highest bidder. In order to do so, they've made deals to add players to their roster, including Russian hockey star Vadim Petrov. An injury has left him sidelined, and thus vulnerable to trade. But that's not the only thing he's vulnerable about.

Isobel had her 37 minutes of fame in the women's national hockey league after years of hard work and sacrifices, only to see her dreams go down the drain with a head slash from a hockey skate that left her bleeding on the ice. Despite making a full recovery, doctors have warned her that any kind of fall could result in permanent brain damage. Resigned to her fate, she's taken to coaching instead. When she finds out she'll be giving Vadim some one on one lessons to help with his rehabilitation, she knows she can deal with him professionally. But personally? That's another matter.

At one time, as an impressionable teenager, she and Vadim had been involved in a teenaged love affair that resulted in him taking her virginity, but sadly not impressing her otherwise. She'd never told him that he'd failed in the satisfaction department because her father had caught them together, and worried that Vadim would derail his own plans for Isobel, had Vadim exiled from the US. It delayed Vadim's own NHL career by several years while he built his way back up in Russia and left him with a bitter taste when thinking of the girl who'd stolen his heart, then effectively ruined his life. Now they have to work together with a common goal in mind, for the good of the team. When Vadim hears second hand that he left Isobel hanging, he's horrified, especially with his current reputation as the 'Czar of Pleasure'. Discovering that it was Isobel's father who was responsible for his exile and not Isobel herself, his feelings of betrayal are replaced with the need to recapture what they first had – and to make up for his failure to rock her world. But with the success of the team and Isobel's career on the line, will rekindling their relationship come at too great a cost?

The backstory of Isobel and Vadim makes for a great setup for them as they have to deal with each other after several years apart, and under quite different circumstances. While they may say that they have put the past behind them, it's still there as the elephant in the room until they address it. The scene where Vadim discovers that he didn't satisfy Isobel in bed is quite funny and sets his resolve to turn things around. It also brings up the very real complications that will occur if they get involved again. Isobel's reputation as a coach is the only thing she has going for her now, and a relationship with a player, no matter that they were together in the past, could damage her job prospects with the Rebels (despite being part owner, she's only been hired as a temporary coach). It could also affect any future coaching jobs with other teams, if word got out. Vadim wishes to make amends with Isobel, but knows that ultimately the choice will be hers. He's pretty persuasive though and while they are able to keep things secret for a while (because these things always come out), they share some pretty intense and sexy scenes.

Isobel's character is my favorite in this story. She's the one who is the most affected by her father's death. In this she also feels guilt because she knows that he treated her much better than her two half siblings. Harper was discarded once Isobel came along, and Violet was the product of an adulterous affair their father had when married to his second wife, Isobel's mother. The relationship between Isobel and Violet is a key part of the story, especially because Violet and Isobel have both had life threatening health concerns that bond them together. Early in the story, a chance comes up for Isobel to revive her hockey career, a dream that she's put aside but not forgotten. This directly impacts her relationship with Violet, and with Vadim. Isobel must weigh her choices against the possible consequences, not just to her, but to those she loves.

Vadim is also man with flaws. At certain times he comes across as a bit of a caricature of a Russian man. This could be in how the author chooses to express his English language skills, which are somewhat stilted and formal. But then at other times, and certainly later on in the story, he appears more well rounded. He has his own family complications – a deceased father (like Isobel), a mother who abandoned him as a child, a sister he's only gotten to know recently whom he adores. Equal time is spent dwelling on his family issues as on Isobels. He's protective, defensive, stubborn, and arrogant. He makes choices that impact everyone, including Isobel, and to be honest, I'm still kind of on the fence as to whether I've forgiven him entirely for them. Yes, he has significant and understandable reasons but Isobel is a better woman than me for giving him the benefit of the doubt. Still, I am pleased with how the plot progressed, the conflict and the ultimate resolution.

As with any hockey romance, there are a good portion of on-ice and off-ice scenes, teammate camaraderie and in this case, significant conflict too. As part of the story arc, there is good progression of the hockey season with the Rebels gaining ground in their quest for the Stanley Cup. Isobel and Vadim get their happy ending and discover that second chances come with risks but also great reward. So Over You is an entertaining, sexy, and enjoyable addition to the Chicago Rebels series.

This review has been posted at All About Romance and feedback updated with the link. An abbreviated version will be posted at sale sites during release week.