A pastry chef and hockey player, SOLD! Way to combine some of my favorite things in one book. Then Pace gave it emotional depth with the skeletons in Gabriella and Bryant's past. When two broken people find each other, their cracks fill in the others perfectly. The side characters were so good. Saint needs his own story.

Slap Shot is another fantastic read by Alicia Hunter Pace. The author is a new favorite- the first book in the Nashville Sound series hooked me & I was so excited to read Slap Shot. This book can be read as a stand alone but does have crossover characters from the first book.

I love how this book has an emotional depth that is not always found in romance books.And I love the HEA. I look forward to the next book in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

I haven't read the first book in the series but that didn't stop me from enjoying this story.

The two main characters definitely have issues which made a great back story but I was rooting for them to work through everything so they could have their happily ever after. I would definitely read the other books in the series

Bryant Taylor is defenseman for the Nashville Sound. He is a love 'em and leave 'em type of guy, but after a hook up with a teammate and friend's sister, Bryant cannot seem to walk away. There is just something about Gabriella Charbonnet that makes him want more.

Gabriella Charbonnet has been abused before, and other than her brother Emile, she never lets herself get close to men. A mutual attraction leads to more with a friend, Bryant. Gabriella is terrified and resists her feelings for as long as she can. Should she try to let the past go and take a chance on a man she is starting to fall desperately in love with?

SLAP SHOT is a fun read. The humor and wit is there as well as the pain, sadness, passion and blossoming love between Gabriella and Bryant. These two are both caught up in their pasts and not prepared for the turn life is about to take for them both. Getting to see them open up to one another and learn to trust again is something! I look forward to reading more by author Alicia Hunter Pace.

I love books that start right where the previous book ends; it really helps me get back into the world of the book. This was a sad at times and incredible at times book. A few times there was some irritation, but not too much. I loved Bryant. His and Gabriella's relationship was very spirited and fun. Bring on more Sound!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I loved how this story built on the last one. He has been in secret mourning for five years and she has promised her hockey player brother that she will never be involved with a hockey player or a teammate. They help each other realize that their individual problems are not insurmountable. They realize that they like each other and have fun spending time together. A great love story featuring hockey.

Eh....this book was just okay for me. Typical, boy meets girl, boy fights attraction for girl who starts to fall for him anyway then boy tells girl all the reasons they can't be together.

Gabriella annoyed me. Yes her stepfather abused her (broke her arm), but honestly she acted like a teenager half the time rather than a college graduate. She relied on her brother for absolutely everything, rather than standing on her own two feet. I found her very difficult to relate to because of her immaturity.

Bryant...my heart broke for him. For what he went through, for what he was struggling with at the time and for what he was still struggling with. I found his character much easier to relate to than Gabriella.

The end seemed very sudden for me...I didn't feel like their love really had a chance to grow considering how much they fought the attraction to one another.

Gabriella has reason to not trust hockey players despite the fact that her brother is one. When Bryant, her brother’s best friend and team mate, demands ice cream from the bakery where she works she begins to look at him in a different light. She might be able to have a one and done with him, but she could never trust him enough to have more.

Bryant’s life hasn’t turned out exactly as he had planned when he graduated high school. His family makes emotional demands on him that are taking their toll. Suddenly however, Gabriella seems to make the weight on his shoulders a little less heavy.

This couple has quite a spark going between them and despite the promises they make to themselves and each other to remain friends only, you just know it’s all going to blow up in their face spectacularly. I enjoyed their light hearted banter and easy camaraderie they shared.

On the other hand, I just wanted to yell at Bryant’s mother. She was so passive aggressive and controlling when she spoke to him. This is all part of the plot, and these authors totally made it believable, thus my anger at his family.

The end was wrapped up a little too neatly for my taste and an epilogue would’ve gone a long way toward making me feel better about it. However, with Emile and Amy from the first book playing a large role here, I assume we’ll get more of Bryant and Gabriella in the next installment.

This is an honest review of an advanced copy provided by NetGalley and Adams Media.

Dual POV
Safe
No apparent triggers

3.5 Stars

Slap Shot is the second title in the Nashville Sound series. This was my first time reading anything written by Alicia Hunter Pace, and whilst I usually love a sports romance, or brother's best friend trope I struggled to connect with this story.

Overall Gabriella and Bryan't story is fun and emotional, slow burn romance, told from a dual point of view. Their story pulls at your heart strings, and I could completely empathize with both of these like-able and complex characters. Both characters are haunted by events of their past, and struggle with change and moving forward with their lives.

Bryant is a nice guy but his family leaves something to be desired, they were overbearing, controlling and kind of quirky but not in an endearing way.

I hope that I will connect more with future titles by this author as it's well paced and overall well written.

This book picks up where the last book ended with Gabriella having to listen to other people about her brother planning for the wedding between him and his new fiancé. At the same time Emile’s teammate Bryant who has always thought Gabriella a beautiful women is working on ways to spend time with her. Wanting to date her he is slowly making time with her and making it possible for her to see him as a possible person to date. The problem he is having is that she is dealing with her and Emile’s past and their father who was an abuser, so Emile made her promise not to date any hockey players. The problem with that is even though she owns a bakery she mostly around hockey players. Bryant is dealing with his own issues from his past and you find out that he was married at a young age. Can these two become a couple you hope so because they are good for each other and you want them together if they can get past themselves and others. A very good book.

It was quite an enjoyable read but then again I'm partial to a hot looking guy gracing any book over. This makes the book far more enjoyable for me to read.

oh god have the tissues ready, why am I doing this to myself, sometimes I need a good cry, l but normally I just want to laugh, and I did with this book, but I also cried..This book had it all. some fun, a good amount of time for you to cry (boo hoo cry) and irritation times. And again we have another situation where guy does not want to have a relationship with his best friends sister, you have read it before, but they can't help themselves and they did start as friends, anyway I do not want to give anymore away, it is a good read, just prepare yourself.

This is a love story between Bryant and a successful Hockey player and his best friend sister Gabriella. Although they know each other for years, they are not secretly in love with each other. But one day everything changes and Bryant sees Gabriella more than his best friend's sister and Gabriella lets down her guard and lets Bryant in. But they are both full of scares from the past. Gabriella had learned to overcome then but Bryant because of his family still struggling. They are both well-developed characters, both likable and what happened to them in the past is really horrible. Gabriella had a great chance of having her brother on her side, but she is also afraid to be left alone. Bryant's past is also horrible and what his mother did to him I felt sorry for him. In a way, I think that the past is something that connects those two, the struggle finding the strength to live forward. And because of that Gabriella can help Bryant stand up for himself and for her and their love. A heartbreaking love story.

This book is more of a 3 1/2 star book than a 4, but I liked it so much more than the previous book in the series I scored it up instead of down.

I liked Gabriella, our heroine. I empathized with her struggles of feeling left out and not quite belonging anywhere. She was someone who needed a placid life and was staring down the barrel of change and I understood her perspective in the book. I liked Bryant, our hero, as well. He came across as a kind man who had been dealt some difficulties early in life that he was finally coming to terms with.

The relationship between the main characters felt solid and right. They did make me feel like they would make each others lives better.

There were a few things that I did not like about the book. I disliked Bryant's mother excessively. She was a truly controlling and toxic hag. People like her never really turn around or stop trying to orchestrate what goes on in their children's lives. I can't stand people who see every situation through the lens of how it affects them first and foremost. Maybe because I have known women like this, I find even reading about this type of character exhausting. Also, I really hate Amy still and I didn't like the little reminders of the previous book (there is a little something called Fiduciary duty and I really hated the entire storyline of Faceoff).

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance.

I felt disjointed as I was reading this story. The writing style unfortunately didn't capture my attention and I found it difficult to engage in the story or the MCs relationship. It's never a good sign for me as a reader when I'm skimming a lot.

I felt for the H and his annoying and overbearing family who would not let him find peace. I appreciated a H who stood up to his overbearing family while still trying to be a good guy.

Good story and characters, I liked the premise of the story and the end

A sexy read for fans of both hockey and romance, Gabriella and Bryant's story scores a goal--great character development, plot, and secondary characters. Enjoyable cozy read.

This is a sweet story about Bryant (a hockey player) and Gabriella (a baker who’s the sister to Bryant’s best friend/teammate). This story actually has a sweet buildup with both of them craving each other even though they shouldn’t. Bryant, because he feels guilty over wanting someone even though his wife and unborn child are deceased and Gabriella because she was abused as a child and wants to stay away from all hockey players. The pull between these two characters is too strong for them to stay away from each other and before you know it, they are happily in love – hidden love. What’s going to happen when her brother finds out??? Will this newly in love couple last or are there too many obstacles??? You need to read it to find out.
I greatly enjoyed this story and look forward to reading all other books from this author. This was my first book of hers to read. The subject of hockey is what appealed to me. This is book two in a series, but can be read as a standalone.

Slap Shot is a fun, sexy, emotional read. Bryant has a past that no one from his current team knows about. Gabriella’s life is changing, her brother is getting married and it will no longer be the two of them. Bryant and Gabriella form a friendship and help each other out during a rough time. They develop feelings for each other and their chemistry is scorching hot. Too bad Bryant has to worry about the “Bro Code” being that plays hockey with Gabriella’s brother and Gabriella promised her brother not to date any hockey players. I loved the first book in the series and this book did not disappoint. I can’t wait for the next book to be released.

An excellent story with great, well developed characters, a storyline that grabs your attention and holds it!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book and looking forward to reading more from this series!