Victoria Denault's Game On is a perfect addition to the Hometown Players.

3.5 stars.. I liked this one, I didn't love it as much as others in this series.
Alex Larue broke my heart....

10 Amazing Stars

GAME ON is by far, one of the best reads of 2017!

I absolutely LOVE Alex and Brie’s story. So much heart, heartache, amazing feels, struggles, emotions, and so much love! This is book exemplifies love in its truest form.

The synopsis of the story only cracks the surface of this amazing journey of suffering and strength. The book is brilliantly written. I was immediately drawn into the story and couldn’t put the book down! The characters are real, flawed, loveable and easily relatable. The storyline is beautifully fragile and yet immersed in quiet strength.

I laughed, I cried and I loved every emotions-churning minute of this story. I whole-heartedly recommend it to any fan of romance, of love and of family. An absolute must-read!

***I voluntarily read a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own***

Loved it so much I can’t wait for the next book!! I’m so excited for people to read this book it is my favorite one!!

I love myself a good hockey romance, so when I discovered Victoria Denault had a hockey romance series, I knew that I had to read the newest release.

Alex Larue might not be the best hockey player in the league, but he knows his dedication and charisma has teams wanting to keep him on their roster. Alex gives his career his all to forget the past that almost broke him. Brie Bennett is not impressed with the Canadian hockey player who hit on her at Starbucks. He has player written all over him and Brie needs to focus on the charity she runs. The handsome hockey player is hard to ignore, though, when he shows up to volunteer. Brie can't stand his judgmental, condescending view of her. But as the two continue to crash into each other's lives, they realize there is more under the surface and they may have more in common than they think.

From the start, I was hooked on Alex's flirty, confident attitude and how Brie completely shut him down. Brie is such a confident woman who is so dedicated to her cause and I admired her drive and heart. While Brie saw Alex as a flighty player who had no care in the world, I really enjoyed seeing his side of the story and how much pain he was still dealing with over his past.

Alex and Brie were really amazing characters, but I also loved the side characters and the new characters that became important to them both. I don't want to spoil anything, but Brie and Alex really opened their hearts to people in this book and it just made my heart warm. Of course, they both had to then spend more time together and realize their preconceptions of one another were very wrong.

Overall, I absolutely loved this hockey romance. We got so much sports talk and play while still getting an emotional romance between our main characters. I loved how foster care was a huge part of Brie's charity and how Alex went out of his way to help those in need. For a sweet romance with a hot hockey player, you need to pick this book up!

Game On begins with Alex Larue on a new team, in a new city. His new team picked an old friend and fellow Frenchman, Luc, to be his “buddy” to show him around and also to show him the ropes as far as his new team goes. After Alex is shot down in hilarious fashion at Starbucks, they head to the arena for practice. Once practice is over, he finds out that his coach isn’t really game (pardon the pun) on having him on his team. He knows he’ll have to work harder than ever…… The one constant that keeps him sane is his work with children who’ve not had an ideal childhood. After all, why would he not try and stop kids from going through things that still, all these years later, give him nightmares.

Brie Bennett is bound and determined to keep the charity she founded afloat without asking her parents for help. She knows they’re in a bit of a jam financially, but vows to make ends meet one way or another. Enter Alex Larue, mega hockey star, and the guy that she shot down at Starbucks, wanting to volunteer for none other than her charity. What are the odds? She finally backs down and lets him volunteer when her best friend hammers it home that he can bring in a lot of money for them. Even though she doesn’t trust his motives, she does trust in the fact that big names draw big money.

Once Alex and Brie agree to be a team, and Brie lowers her guard, they come together to get a kid off of the streets. Not only does that help the kid, it helps Alex and Brie see that maybe they need to give their growing mutual attraction a chance. When obstacles hinder their progress, both professionally and personally, they both face them head on…….kind of.

Game On is a great story. Brie shatters that “pampered princess” persona so many of her ilk are known for. She’s ferocious when it comes to those she considers hers in the home that she runs for the homeless. She’s a great daughter to her parents and she’s a great friend. She is also very protective of her past. Alex is not your typical mega sports star. Yes, his reputation precedes him, but it is also a mask that hides a horrendous childhood that he is bound and determined to keep hidden. When he rises to the occasion and faces his past and puts it out there for all to see? Amazing. But, let me tell you….when you see how his and Brie’s lives were intertwined? Get a tissue. Game On is ultimately a story about facing your past in order to leave it there…in the past. It is also a story that shows that more times than not, karma can actually be your friend. I’ve not read any of Denault’s books in this series before this one, but I will rectify that as soon as I can. I didn’t see a problem with this being read as a standalone. I look forward to the next installment. Well done, Victoria Denault! Very well done.

This book was not at all what I signed up for, in the best possible of ways. See, this totally one track reader saw the quote on the blurb and thought, “eeee!!! Another manwhore! GIMME!” And then what I got was an engrossing, unforgettable, and beautiful story that was full of depth and meaning.

You’re this amazing, stubborn, gorgeous woman who wants more than the one thing I know I can give. And as much as I suddenly, for the first time in my life, want to try and give more, I’m also so fucking clueless as to how.”
Alex Larue is the darling of the hockey league. He’s always got a woman on his arm and a quick smile on his lips. Traded numerous times in his career, his one constant is his love for the game and the love the fans have for him. He’s talented, hard-working, and completely shut off emotionally.
I want things from you I shouldn’t want.”

When Alex first notices the gorgeous Brie, she shoots him down in a way that’s hard to forget. The sparks of attraction that ignite between them are almost as hot as their opposites attract interactions. When Alex realizes who Brie is, the animosity between them rises. After all, Brie is the complete antithesis to the life he’s lived and the demons he hides. Being the darling daughter of two wealthy parents, she hasn’t known a struggle in her life. But not is as it seems.

His fingers grip my hips so tight I’ll probably have marks, and I like that idea. That his fingers will leave their imprint on my body the way his soul seems to be leaving an imprint on my heart.

I really don’t want to give much more than that away because it makes the story that much better to discover the small details as you read. What I can tell you is this book has so much more depth than the blurb implies. Both of the main characters are incredibly multi-layered and impossible not to love. Alex and his easy smile and hidden vulnerability will pull at your heart strings. Brie with her quiet and understated strength and the way she doesn’t give up on Alex will make you smile.

Alex makes it clear to Brie that he can’t offer her what she deserves. But after seeing peeks of the man beneath the tenacious flirt, Brie knows what she wants and she knows that she can’t give up on him. There’s something about Alex that pulls her in, and impossible to forget.

You’re going to wreck me,” he whispers into the crook of my neck. “And I’m going to let you.”

With a wonderful cast of secondary characters, Game On was an unputdownable read from beginning to finish. It was full of meaning, emotion, and so much depth, it was impossible not to love. This just may be my favorite Victoria Denault book yet and I can’t recommend it enough.

<b>3.5 Two sides on the Same Coin Stars
* * *1/2 <i> Spoiler Free
Victoria Denault... How are you a new to me author</i>
Like always seems to find like...We have a heart throb Hockey Player Alex Larue... a guy who is great on the ice as well as great with the ladies... He puts out there he is a fun guy... the party fella who always is up for a good time...</b>

But when he tries to play this part with Brie Bennett... it doesn't land like it usually does... Alex is willing and happy to help with Brie's charity. It is a way to get to know her better and be closer to her...

That should have worked for Alex... but Brie senses something about Alex that puts her off. She feels he is hiding something... that this happy-go-lucky sexy fella is not all he seems...

And why would Brie feels this way... Well, Brie has her own dark secrets she keeps hidden...and when someone has worked really hard to hide things... They have that true sense when another is doing the same thing.

This tale follows the two of them getting to know each other and how they learn to trust and reveal all they must.

<i>A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.</i>

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Game On
Victoria Denault
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Excellent hockey romance story. 2 people with similar backgrounds fall in love and save a homeless teen.
This is part of a series but can definitely be read as a standalone. Can't wait to get my hands on more books by Ms. Denault.
Thanks NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is the sixth book in the the Hometown Players series and each one is a standalone, although there are recurring characters. This book caught my attention because I love stories about hockey players. It is the first Victoria Denault I have read and I really enjoyed it and now I want to read all the other books in this series.

Alex Larue has just been traded to the Brooklyn Barons hockey team. He is a cocky playboy with a sexy French accent but Alex has deep, emotional scars he doesn't share with anyone. He is vulnerable and has low self esteem but hides it behind a cocky attitude. Outside he seems like a player but he is a nice guy who has a had a lot of bad breaks. He can be caring and sensitive but he keeps that side of himself hidden from most people. Outwardly, he appears to have everything but inside, he is a broken man and he thinks he is incapable of love.

Brie Bennett is a strong, caring and beautiful woman and doesn't trust Alex from the moment he unsuccessfully tries to pick her up in Starbucks. They are brought together again when Alex volunteers at a homeless teen program. Brie, a psychologist is in charge of the organization and totally committed to helping kids.

This is a captivating story full of heartbreak and emotion and it also has fun, flirty parts to it. The characters are realistic and I enjoyed all the characters in this story, including the secondary ones. Victoria Denault is a great storyteller. There is a lot chemistry sparking between Alex and Brie as they go from disliking each other to falling in love. Brie is just what Alex needs.

Alex and Brie were sexy yet soulful…

Thank goodness first impressions are not always correct. Especially for Alex and Brie! From a first meeting that set the tone, as well as a low, low bar, their relationship was going to be confrontational and highly entertaining…

Alex was my kind of hockey player. He was sexy on skates with a reputation on and off the ice. His personal persona didn’t capture all of him and though he earned that reputation what he hid from the world was mesmerizing. He never ever forgot where he came from and showed his true self in his actions as well as his words. He was soulful and deserved more than he thought he did. I’m so glad Brie recognized that because the two of them were perfect in all their #awks togetherness.

Brie was not the stereotypical rich girl with heart and compassion driving her to do all she could for kids that needed it. She was all business but also knew how to admit she was wrong. Hiding her own fears and insecurities, she was going to force Alex to see her and himself in a whole new light…

“Alex, I’m falling in love with you,” I confess and it’s terrifying.”

This series is all about family, love and making it work. Alex and Brie had some pretty big issues to sort out but with humour, heart and some best friends (and new ones) they were going to laugh and love their way to an epilogue that made my heart happy… ~Diane, 4.5 stars

I have really enjoyed the Hometown Players series by Victoria Denault. She’s a talented writer and the characters she creates are so likeable. And while I don’t think you have to be even remotely a hockey fan to enjoy these books, it certainly doesn’t hurt. Reading this book was even more enjoyable for me now that the hockey season has started. It’s easy to picture my favorite hockey players as these characters and I just love it.

With all of that said, this book wasn’t my favorite in the series, though I did enjoy it. It took me almost a month to read it. That’s unheard of for me. And while a lot of it can be attributed to life – being sick, having a sick kid, work being busy, travel, and a book signing – I feel as though some of it had to do with the lack of engagement at times. This book was one of those that I enjoyed while I was reading it, but when I put it down it wasn’t begging me to pick it back up.

It was well-written, the story was solid, and I really liked Brie and Alex (and Mac!). But there was something about their story that left me wanting just a tad more. I wish I could put my finger on exactly what that was, but I’m having a hard time doing so.

I loved their meet-cute and the tension between Brie and Alex early on in the book. I also enjoyed them kind of getting to know each other. But it seemed they went pretty quickly to love without a lot of groundwork for it being laid. I would have liked some more development there.

All in all, it was enjoyable and if you’ve enjoyed the other books in this series, then I think you’ll enjoy this one. If you haven’t read any of these books, I do recommend them, whether you’re a hockey fan or not. But especially if you are.

I enjoyed this book while I was reading it, but it was rather forgettable. Brie and Alex didn't have a lot of tension/conflict once they finally got together. It was all a bit anticlimactic.

Game On is my very first Victoria Denault by book so when I got the chance to read this book I was thrilled and I dived into this book as soon as I could .Watching Alex and Brie story unfold over the course of this book was just fantastic. This book was sexy , fun but at the same filled with moments that are filled with emotion and heartwarming moments and the way that Victoria Denault is able to balance all that is just fantastic. I could go on and about how good this book was, it was so hard to put down and throughly enjoyed it .I felt that this was the perfect story for this couple and the epilogue omg that epilogue just made me so happy .Iam sad to be ending this story but happy to see what Victoria Denault will have instore for us next.If you love all these in your books you should definately get a copy of Game On as soon as you.

I adored this story! Who would have guessed that bad boy hockey player Alex Larue would be turn out to be such a nice guy? He's smooth, he's gritty, he's the player to end all players ... most likely to score -- off the ice! ... and more damaged than anyone could ever imagine. He plays the party guy just right and even though he's made some great friends in the league, he's hidden his true life from them all. When an apparent rich girl princess comes into his life, he never thinks she'll be the one that brings him to his knees ... but with more in common than either of them think, they are drawn to each other. It's a fast paced read with hockey as the back drop, but more important in this particular book in the series is the underlying healing of bringing two scarred hearts together to help each other and another. Really great read!

Brie Bennett is totally put off by the latest guy to stop by and "pretend" he wants to volunteer at her charity for teens. She's sure he's just one more pro athlete that wants the glamour he thinks he'll rake in by devoting a little time to a bunch of down on their luck kids and then will never show up again after a time or two. She's seen her fill of guys like him!

Alex Larue can't figure out quite what it is about him that makes Brie so irritated, but he's happy to see the sparks fly in her eyes because he thinks she's hot! He's more than happy to inspire her ire a little more if it means making her mad enough that she won't be able to resist the fact that she's attracted to him!

I have read the previous five books before this one and I must say Victoria Denault the author once again delivered a very good book. She grab my attention from the opening scene when you are introduced to Alex Laurie, he is in a coffee shop in Brooklyn talking to one of his teammates having just been traded. He is speaking French and talking about the women a little in front of him and the way she looks in her pencil skirt, and just overall a beautiful women. Brie Bennet figures the two men behind are hockey players and after getting her coffee she says back in French thanks for the complement and that she always likes the way he fills out his jeans, all in French. The story goes along and you begin to find out about Alex’s past and that when he was younger he was homeless. He wants to give back and volunteers in every town that he has played in and when he walks in to the place he has chosen you guessed it Brie is the director. Their first meeting is not so good but it does get better. Each have opinions about the other one that are not fact and begin to change. Brie is dealing with a boyfriend who wants to change her and when she over hears him talking not so well about her she must decide to take action. The more you get into the story and the characters all of them begin to take shape the author is reviling the past of both Alex and Brie and you the reader are drawn into them as someone who has gone days without water. When she describes his tattoo you are left with and ache and you as the reader want happiness if possible. When Mac is taken in by Brie because of Alex you can see maybe there is hope, but work still must be done. There are characters from the other books and of course you are brought up with the characters from the first three books the original series which were very good. This book falls in line and does not disappoint. An excellent story.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

*Beware of possible Spoilers*

Alex Larue has never had an easy life. Growing up in an abusive foster home, and then running away and living on the streets has scarred him in ways that nobody realizes, even those that call him friend. Luckily some coaches saw the potential in him when he was a kid, and made sure to keep developing his skill. He didn’t make it into the NHL the normal way, but clawed his way in fighting and kicking! Now, he’s been traded once again. At least he has friends on his new team, The Brooklyn Barons. Unfortunately, the coach is not among them! He didn’t want Alex on his team, and makes sure Alex knows it!

Alex doesn’t believe he’s relationship material, with all the demons he has from his past. Instead he’s become the stereotypical playboy athlete, bragging about having the most sleepovers in the league and stating that he breaks headboards, not hearts!

Alex meets Brie in the local Starbucks. Unfortunately, she heard his crass remarks about her body, spoken in French, and understood every word! So imagine his dismay to discover that she runs the charity that he’s decided to volunteer at, Daphne’s House, that helps get homeless kids off the streets. Brie doesn’t like him, and is quite blunt about it! However, he grows on her once she sees how he is with the kids. He even brings a girl to her that desperately needs the help of Daphne’s House, if only the courts would cooperate.

And, as time passes, Brie and Alex learn that they have more in common than either could have ever dreamed of.

I wasn’t going to read this book. I was worried that it would be too similar to Jaci Burton’s Play-by-Play series, and I didn’t want to get the two confused! But I’m so glad I gave this book a chance! I absolutely loved it!!

The characters are engaging and well-developed! I loved our tortured hero, Alex! He hides his pain with a cocky smile and humor.

“Every house needs a party to break it in, make it feel loved.”

“She’s a crazy person,” Luc informs me with a grin that says he wouldn’t have it any other way. “But if you don’t plan one, she’ll plan it for you.”

“I’ll have one, but I can’t this weekend,” I explain. “I’m attending a fund-raiser tomorrow and besides, I don’t have any furniture other than a bed. I could still have a party with just that, but it’s not a party I’d invite old married people like you to.”

Luc laughs. Rose turns pink and shakes her head. “You single hockey players are the worst.”

None of Alex’s friends or team mates know the horrible past he has led, and Alex likes it that way. He’s ashamed and doesn’t want their pity. But he does what he can to help other kids in the same situation, he just likes to keep his charity work to himself.

Brie is a tough cookie as well. She hasn’t been through the hell that Alex has known, but she could have easily been in the same shoes, if her parents hadn’t seen her on the news and adopted her. It’s the reason she created Daphne’s House, but the charity’s financial situation is in dire straits.

I really enjoyed all the couples from the previous books that I hadn’t met since this is the first book I’ve read in the series! They were all engaging and fun! And, I love that it was Alex that figured out Callie was pregnant! Who would have figured the playboy would be the one to make the connection?

“With Ashleigh we had to try forever. But Callie and I .. we were just going to see what happens.”

“Babies.” I grin at him because he’s a doofus right now. “Babies are what happens, Captain.”

I also loved seeing how Alex was with the kids, especially Mac!

Another reason I love this book is that it’s about a hockey player, and I’m a HUGE hockey fan! In fact, I wish Alex was real so he could be on my favorite team, The St. Louis Blues! Based on the description in the book, I picture him as a Ryan Reaves or Scottie Upshall type of player, the ones that bait the other teams into taking stupid penalties!

I loved when Alex invited the kids to a game, gave them the full tour, and they even got jerseys to keep. This is something that the Blues would have totally done, making me feel like he would be a good fit for my team … if he was real (details, details). It reminds me so much of Vladimir Tarasenko and Ari! If you don’t know the story you should definitely follow the link and read up. Basically Vladi met Ari during one of the events the Blues did to help sick kids feel good and meet their favorite players and he fell in love with young Ari, who had been fighting cancer since she was three. He and his wife stayed in touch with her and her family. He then won an item the Blues had donated at a charity auction (outbidding a very determined fan in the process), The prize was to travel with the team for a two game road trip, and he gifted the trip to Ari for her birthday! The video of his surprise is below and is pretty sweet. During the trip she got to ride on the plane with the team, and go to the games as a special guest. The fan base is as smitten with Ari as Vladi is and consider her a lucky charm of sorts!


Oh the feels!

Of all the sports, I truly feel that hockey players have the biggest hearts. The things they do, make me proud to be a fan, even though it’s a truly underappreciated sport.

Back to the book though. The hockey itself took up very little of this book, as the main focus was really on the emotional side of things, specifically Alex’s horrible childhood. And, of course I love a good emotional story, which made me love the book that much more.

This book has impressed me enough that I feel I really need to go read the previous installments.

I’m also sad to report that per Denault’s website this is the final book of the series! NOOOO!!! Say it isn’t so!! I just found this series and I’m not ready for it to be over!! And, honestly this book didn’t read like a series finale, but apparently it is. Sadness.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

when alex larue first encounters brie bennett he couldn't have made a worse first impression. both of them come away from that encounter with the complete wrong idea about the other person. the truth is that alex and brie have a lot in common.

and that common ground is what brings them into each other's orbits and allows their relationship to grow. they have a lot of baggage and undiagnosed trauma to contend with. but they both have these huge hearts that are begging to be filled with love.

because they both have incredible amounts of love to give, and when they open themselves to receiving that love whole-heartedly it has the power to heal the hurts of the past. and then, and only then, is there a real chance of moving forward.

for a sports romance game on is less focused on hockey than it is on the abuses and gaps of the foster care system and how easy it is to slip through the cracks. as alex and brie work together to prevent another child from slipping through the very cracks that caused them so much trauma, the process proves as healing as falling in love.

Victoria Denault does not disappoint with her latest in the “Hometown Players” series. Fans of her previous books will fall in love with hockey journeyman, Alex Larue. He goes from “breaking headboards” to breaking hearts. Definitely recommend!