How timely that this was published during the Olympics! This novel features the classic hockey player/figure skater match-up from Cutting Edge, set during the Olympic games in Vancouver. Will plays for the St. Louis Ice, and Amber is a figure skater returning to her final Olympic games to hopefully win gold. There was a bit of insta-love, with Will being intrigued by Amber without her having a whole lot of personality, and I found their interactions to fall a bit flat at times. One of Amber's goals at the Olympics is to relax and hook up with someone, and I appreciated that she was forward thinking about sex. This was a fun and fluffy read appropriate for the times. There was a bit of predictability, and at times, Will and Amber did not have a lot of chemistry, but this was fun.

4 Gold Medal Stars!!!

The minute I started this book I knew that I was not going to be able to put it down. The first chapter just grabbed me and didn't let go until I turned the last page. Will and Amber are two athletes competing at the Olympics pursuing that ultimate prize during the games the Gold Medal.

I immediately felt for Amber because while she's bound and determined to get this medal, it's clear to me that her heart really isn't in it but she's never had the guts to stand up to her mother letting her know that she has other dreams. Their relationship is a complex one and Ms. Burton does a fabulous job of bringing us front and center for all the angst and drama in their lives.

Will on the other hand LOVES hockey and is in fact a professional hockey player so getting to play for his country is something he's extremely proud of. And when these two meet it's clear their attraction can't be denied so what's a couple of athletes to do to burn extra energy when they're so far from home...yep they hook-up a LOT!!! But it's understood it's while they're at the Olympics only....or is it?

This book has it all, action, love, friendship, steamy sex, angst and so many other adverbs. Ms. Burton has written a book that draws the reader in and lets us experience those awe-inspiring moments we all wonder about when competing. It's another great addition to this series!

Shot on Gold is a book centered around the Winter Olympics and I have to admit it is up there with my favorites in this series. Will is back for his second attempt at Gold with Team USA and although he wants to have fun he is determined to enjoy more than just the party scene this time on his way to helping his team achieve ultimate goal of winning the gold. Amber has always dreamed of winning the gold, but pressure from outside stress takes some of the fun out of this journey. She decides to just try to enjoy herself and experience life a little while she is at the games and hopefully that will help her achieve her ultimate dream.

I love Will and Amber together they have a great relationship even if it is on super-speed, but sometimes love just happens.

This book's release is well timed with it being right in the middle of the Winter Olympics. I read this book as I watched the ice skating and the ski events and imagined the lives of the athletes outside the bright lights of competition as they came together to live, love and celebrate as written by Ms. Burton within the pages of this book with her fictional characters.
This is Amber's third time at the Olympics and her last shot at the Gold. She has worked hard all her life making umpteen sacrifices to get to this point. Will her budding romance with American hockey player Will and her emerging friendships with various athletes change her focus away from the "Gold"?Amber has lived a very restricted life. All her efforts and energy has been dedicated towards being the best at her sport. Yet despite two previous tries the all elusive Olympic Gold has eluded her. This is her third and final chance. She's ready to rebel, experience life a little and if the right person comes along she might even give up her "v" card. Amber is definitely up for the challenge as she sails through practice and team competitions and nights out with Will.
Hmm so the Olympic village housing is well supplied with condoms! I guess all that energy and adrenaline needs an outlet. As we witness both friendships and scratch the itch type encounters between the various competitors as well as the strong camaraderie which enables them to rejoice in each other's successes and commiserate where needed. Each athlete has dedicated the last 4 years of their lives towards winning, and it's fun to read about lucky underwear and other superstitions they deploy on the day of the competition to assure success.
Does the intensity of the three weeks of the Olympic Games create a cocoon that dissolves when it comes into contact with the real world? Does Amber and Amber's story have a shelf life that expires with the end of the games? This is a great contemporary romance with the added glamor of the Olympic games and glimpses into some of the popular competitions. I certainly encourage readers to pick up the book and read it.

As longtime fans of this series, when a new book comes out we always get excited.  This release in particular was exciting as it comes during the Winter Olympics and feels like just the right kind of book for the season.  And as always, Jaci Burton doesn't disappoint.  SHOT ON GOLD is the perfect winter sports romance.

Will is part of the US Hockey team and at the Olympics for a second time.  He wants to leave behind his party days of the first time and focus on his sport.  Maybe have some responsible fun because he's just a friendly guy!  Before the games start he's immediately drawn to a shy figure skater who is at the Olympics for the third time and trying to finally get a gold medal.  Amber has been very sheltered by her mother her whole life.  No friends, no distractions, no fun.  Her whole life has been about skating.  But maybe it's time she lets herself have just a bit of fun, and maybe get rid of that pesky virginity.  Will seems like just the guy for the job.

I don't think there could be a pair of more lovable characters.  Seriously.  I genuinely liked both of them and while there isn't a whole lot of angst in their story, I actually enjoyed the build up of their romance and relationship.  It had me smiling and wanting to see what would happen next.  Granted, I may have been expecting something to shake up their path of roses during the three weeks at the Olympics but the shoe never dropped.  In the end, I can't be upset about that.

Don't let this sweet description fool you.  SHOT ON GOLD is packed full of heat.  For a heroine who is just starting to explore her sexuality, Amber is extremely confident and goes for what she wants.  Much like in her career, I guess.  I think she made the perfect match for Will.

Definitely a recommendation to pick up this time of year.  It'll leave you with a smile on your face.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Will “Mad Dog” Madigan has been selected to be part of the United States men’s hockey team during the International Games in Vancouver. This is the second time he’s been selected to represent his country and he has his eyes on the gold medal!

Amber Sloane is also at the games, her third appearance. She’s getting old by figure skater standards and this is her last chance to bring home the gold. She has been working her whole life for this and she can’t fail now. In the past, she’s followed her mother’s directives of keeping to herself, but this time she’s decided she wants to have some fun! She saw Will four years ago at the last Winter Games, and he never even noticed her, so imagine her surprise when he starts giving her attention this time. They spend all their free time together, but what will become of them once the games are over?

I couldn’t have timed my reading of this book any better. I started reading this right as the Olympics were starting up in real life! When Burton started writing this book, it hadn’t been decided if the NHL players would be participating, so in her book the professional hockey players were in it. I’m a huge hockey fan and reading about Will’s experience at the games, it made me that much sadder for the real hockey players that had their opportunity to represent their country taken from them this year. Will had such pride representing his country and working beside players that are usually his opponent and playing against people that are usually on his team. It’s an interesting dynamic for sure, one that I’ve never given much thought to.

I found Will and Amber’s coming together to be rather awkward and sudden. I thought it was strange that the virgin, Amber, told Will about the guys in the past that tried to get in her pants and how she won’t sleep with just anybody, was so quick to suggest having sex with Will! And, it was actually he who needed the time to think about if he really wanted to go there with her.

I liked Will. He was a typical Burton male, loyal to his family and friends and a great all around guy! And, of course he was a stud on the ice as well!

However, I can’t say I really cared for Amber all that much. I found her to be quite boring and a total stick-in-the-mud. I understand that her mother was strict on her up to this point, but I found she treated her mom pretty badly. Her mom comes all the way to Vancouver to see her perform and she didn’t even want to be bothered to spend any time with her. She’d rather go partying with her brand new friends then have dinner with her mom, and then was upset that her mom insisted on coming to the hockey game. Her friends seemed more accepting of her mother than Amber ever was. Amber acted like an embarrassed teenager instead of a grown woman.

The romance in this book was okay, but it felt incomplete to me. I kept waiting for that one big romantic gesture at the end of the book, or a glimpse of how Amber and Will were making things works, but it never came … the book just stopped!

This was still an okay read, but not nearly as good as I was expecting.

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

3.5 stars
Shot on Gold was a fine read. Two passionate and driven people develop a friendship and love. With the backdrop of the Winter Olympics, the romance between Will and Amber was cute and unexpected. It was interesting to see how their relationship progressed as the story went on. Their interactions were sweet and they were really good together. There was also a little sports action happening in the book. It was fun and pleasant to see the Olympic events and the friendships that go on with these athletes. I was intrigued to see what would happen with these characters as the story played out. Overall, a nice easy read.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
Often, two characters meet and fall into insta-love. Not these two. They talk, they trade witty barbs, and think about what they are going to do. That's not to say these characters don't hop into bed, they do, but it’s the thought processes that get them there that made this story for me.

Will "Mad Dog" Madigan is at his second Olympic games, eager to bring home the gold for the US hockey team. Amber Sloane is at her third and final Olympics, hoping against hope that she will bring home the hold in women's figure skating.

Amber is a loner, not by choice, but by circumstance. Her mother's controlling attitude about her career has left her lonely and virtually friendless. At these games, she's once again partnered with Lisa as her roommate, who's bound and determined to bring Amber out of her shell. On her first night at the Village, Amber meets Will and is amazed that his handsome guy wants to talk to her. Will thinks Amber is beautiful and great to talk to. They click.

As the games begin, so does a relationship between Amber and Will. Neither knowing how the games or the passion will end, but each knowing that their lives will never be the same once the closing ceremonies come to a close.


Sarah – ☆☆☆
This is a sweet story about a romance that blossoms between a hockey player and a figure skater at the Winter Olympics.

The storyline will be familiar to fans of sports romance – both Will and Amber face huge pressure to secure a gold medal. Amber is a fairly stereotypical figure skater. She lives in the shadow of a pushy mother and a domineering coach and she has never been able to focus on anything but skating. Honestly, her story is so predictable I felt like I’d read it before.

Similarly, Will is determined to secure the gold medal that has eluded him at previous Olympics. A professional hockey player, he finds himself intrigued by the ice princess he can’t quite win over.

This is a fun story with some sports action to keep it exciting. The romance is sweet, there is some steam but there isn’t much that is either memorable or original about the book. I enjoyed it as an easy beach read.

This is the first book I’ve read in this series and it definitely stands alone – I didn’t realise this was part of a series until I sat down to review it.


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F YA-type of Romance

Will and Amber are not your typical romance couple. Will is excited to be back in the Olympics. He knows that playing hard and winning a gold is the ultimate goal and doing so alongside his fellow teammates is just icing on the cake. While he is very sociable and knows how to have a good time with his fellow Olympians, when he sees Amber, his priorities of hooking up with someone for the games shift a little.

Amber has lived a very sheltered life. She has known only skating. While her mom is her manager, Amber knows that living in the Olympic village is her break from her mom and the constant scrutiny she is used to. When she meets Will, she takes a leap and comes on to him with the hope that she will leave these games, her last, no longer a virgin.

This book had a very young adult feel to it. Despite the characters being in their early to mid-twenties, the characters’ behaviors, and their life experience, these are very stunted adults.

Will and Amber begin their relationship and learn a lot about each other. Will encourages Amber to make up her own mind and tries very hard not to judge her and her parents’ relationship. Amber learns that having friends and being nice to her fellow skaters is amazing and not at all the distraction that her mom thinks it will be.

Will learns that sometimes love is worth the risk and Amber learns that standing up to her mom is definitely what she needed to do.

This is a very typical romance in that there are steamy encounters, some trust issues and overall, a couple who must decide if their relationship is worth fighting for.


Lee’Anne – ☆☆☆
This was just an okay read for me, I didn't get sucked into it like I have the previous books. Amber and Will’s story is good, but I just didn't feel a connection between the two and it was almost awkward to read about them.

Amber Sloane is figure skater who has reached the age of retirement but wants to win one gold before hanging up her skates. Since she's focused every moment of her entire life on figure skating, she's never had a chance to really live and definitely never had a chance to date which equals a 24-year-old virgin who just wants it to be done with. Being at the Winter Olympics is the perfect time to punch that card as her overbearing mother isn't allowed into the Village. Enter the gorgeous hockey god, Will. Will loves hockey, family, and friends. In that order and he's intrigued by Amber, especially when she offers up her virginity to him.

I feel as though this book focused more on Amber just wanting to "get it over with" then the point where she gets past that and falls for Will. I just didn't feel like they belonged together at the end. There are definitely a lot of steamy scenes in this book though, so if you like that, I’d say this is the book for you!

P.S. The cover is a solid five stars!


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This book is perfectly timed as the Winter Olympics start tomorrow. For me, they will be all the richer for having read this book. Firstly, undoubtedly, because I will be looking for romantic intrigue at the end of the ski run or after a hockey match. And I shall be hoping that in their off time, they all have friends and fellow competitors to hang out with and enjoy the atmosphere. And secondly, I will be focusing on the confidence and determination shown by those who truly believe in themselves and have given everything to show the world, on one day in their lives, they are worthy of gold.

As a huge fan of sports romances, I count Ms. Burton and this series as one of the most reliable for a guaranteed good read. This was a good addition to the series. Will is such a lovely lead, with wonderful manners and a clear appreciation for the dedication and devotion that Amber has paid to her sport. I love that he is understanding, kind, and also sexy as ever. He does Amber's self-esteem with regards to sex no harm at all, and she blossoms with the attention and feelings he shows her.

There are some great side characters too, who move the story on, are supportive, fair minded, and encouraging. Even Amber's parents get the chance to show themselves in a better light! Ms Burton has once again given a full picture, all the better for us to be invested in the outcome of the book.

If you enjoy a sports romance with two well matched, competitive, intelligent, and good people, then this is an obvious book to pick up and enjoy.

What perfect timing for Shot on Gold to come out. This is a romance set during the winter Olympics between a hockey player and a figure skater. I loved getting to read this book, and then watch the Olympic games. It was as if I was watching these characters perform live.

Amber is attending her last year at the Olympics. She's preformed in the previous two Olympics, but has yet to walk away with a gold medal. This year she intends to not only win the gold, but she also plans to let loose, as well. She's lived a very sheltered life that consisted of figure skating, and figure skating alone. No friends. No boyfriends. No fun. However, since this will be her last year, she plans to soak it all in. Which is how she finds herself not only making a bunch of new friends, but also falling in love with a certain hockey player. I absolutely loved that Amber was not only an introvert who liked to read, but she was a knitter, too. Knitters for the win!

This isn't Will's first time at the Olympics either. He knows how it all goes down. There are lots of laughs, lots of parties, and lots of condoms getting used. This year he plans to cool it on the partying and hooking up, and take everything in. He wants to remember his time at the winter Olympics instead of it being one big blur. However, when he's introduced to Amber, there's just something about her that calls to him.

I loved these two characters together. Will is immediately drawn to Amber. He can tell that she's extremely shy, out of her element around others, and seems really innocent. He immediately takes a protective stance over her, and seems to take it upon himself to keep her safe and show her a good time. I loved that Will wasn't some huge skirt chasing player or overly aggressive when it came to Amber. So imagine my surprise when sweet innocent Amber turned out to be the aggressor behind closed doors. Good lord, when that girl got her mind on something, she went for it. Which made for some pretty fun and very steamy scenes.

I loved that the author didn't just write about these two as if they were just randomly meeting in an everyday situation. There's a lot of talk about the games. We are there when the characters practice and compete. We're there when they go to cheer on their friends. We also go with them as they go to various places inside the village as well as out in town. I really liked that the author incorporated so much outside information when it came to this story. I felt like I was getting some inside scoop on what's happening right now at the winter Olympics.

I really enjoyed my time reading Shot on Gold. These two were adorable together. I loved watching them build a friendship while competing in the Olympics. As with anything from the Play by Play series, expect some insane bedroom scenes. These two know how to heat up the sheets when they are not out on the ice. However, I loved that feel good vibe this story had. An introvert who makes friends, falls in love, and competes in her final Olympic games? It doesn't get better than that.

Spending your days and nights devoted to the sport that has dominated your life is nothing new for Amber Sloane. As a competitive figure skater, Amber was never exposed to summer camps, sleepovers, or any of the other rites of passage in a child’s life. Amber spent her time practicing and training for one goal….the Olympics.

Now the 24 yr old veteran in the figure skating world is vying for her third and final time at the Olympics. One last chance for the gold. A chance to show the world that Amber still has what it takes to stand on that podium. During this trip, Amber decides to forgo her normal routine and ‘let loose’ a little. The result? A chance meeting with Will ‘Mad Dog’ Madigan.

Life on the ice is nothing new for Will. As an ice hockey player, Will spends his time away from the Olympics playing professional hockey. Since this is Will’s second Olympics, he is a bit more casual in his time off the ice. With the goal of having fun and taking home a medal, Will knows that mingling with other competitors is a way to decompress off the ice. Then Will crosses paths with Amber. An unexpected treat on her own pair of skates.

As the two athletes begin to spend more time together, they both realize that they have more in common than was initially thought. With their romantic attraction being the focal point between them, Amber and Will slowly realize that this might be more than a sexual attraction. The quest for gold is on for both competitors. Now they must discover where their relationship lies when the thrill of the Olympics is over.

What perfect timing!!! Shot on Gold couldn’t have been released at a better time!!! The quest for a medal at the Olympics is currently on our television sets and now on our readers!! Jaci Burton has taken her fans into the world of the greatest athletes in the world. A journey that follows Amber and Will through their quest for the GOLD!! What they discovered was the thrill of the chase, as well as an added interest in one another.

Burton has thrilled fans with all of the engaging characters in her Play-By-Play series. Amber and Will are no exception. What I enjoyed was how realistic the story was between the two main characters. Such a wonderful insight into the lives of athletes as they honor the US at the Olympics. A great wrap up to an amazing series from Jaci Burton!! Go Team USA!!

The fact that the Winter Olympics are happening right now makes Jaci Burton’s latest story in her Play-by-Play series, Shot on Gold, that much more poignant and relatable, and because I’m a huge fan of sports romances as well as Burton’s series, I couldn’t wait to dive into all that is Will "Mad Dog" Madigan and Amber Sloane’s story, and once again, Burton did a great job of interweaving that action of the characters’ professions with the steamy and sweet encounters that they experience once their day of competing is over.

Both Will and Amber are no strangers to the Winter Olympics. They’ve already participated in at least one each, but that doesn’t mean that still don’t have something to prove when it comes to competing in USA hockey and figure skating respectively.

Jaci Burton provides readers with a front row seat to the competition on the ice as well as what heats up between Will and Amber when they have the time to get to know one another and build a connection that just might feel like winning gold.

At face value, Mr. Extrovert and Ms. Introvert don’t seem like a good match, but Will is the perfect person to teach Amber just how fun it can be to let herself go and not worry about her schedule, her training, or her loner lifestyle, which is exactly what she needs to remind herself that there is life after the Olympics and it’s up to her to decide what kind of life she wants to lead after the closing ceremonies are over and she heads back to a reality that doesn’t have Will in it.

Jaci Burton delivers a gold medal story in Shot on Gold; it has the perfect mix of sports’ insights weaved with the Winter Olympics’ atmosphere and the steps Will takes to show Amber how to let loose and still focus on her goals, making her feel more alive and freer than she’s ever felt, and while there’s a bit of logistics they need to work through once they leave Vancouver, it’s beyond clear that these two having something worth fighting for regardless of the distance between them and how their lives have been led up to this point.

Even 14 books in, Jaci Burton still creates sports romance stories that are fresh and relatable, and I can’t wait to see what sports’ studs she’ll match up next.

4.5 Poison Apples (The Fairest of All Book Reviews)

What a great book to read RIGHT NOW! I had such a blast reading this book while watching the Olympic's on TV and imagining such things happening there. The characters hook you quickly and the story line is sweet, sassy and competitive!

Hockey extraordinaire Will "Mad Dog" Madigan is extremely proud to represent the US in the Vancouver Winter Games and plans to have the time of his life while he's there. He's a friendly guy and the life of the party so it's not a surprise that everyone wants to party with Will!

Figure skater Amber Sloane is back for her final attempt at bringing home the gold. She's decided to make this third trip to the Games her very best, and meeting Will early on puts her on the right track. Their attraction to each other proves to be a bit of a distraction, but their early devotion to supporting each other's journey helps keep them focused on what they're really there for!

Here is another book in the play by play series from Jaci that I liked! You have Will and Amber; two people focused on their goals to getting that gold medal! Will is sex on a stick, obvi he's a hockey player, who meets Amber who is a figure skater, aka, also hot! He is a charmer and Amber tries to put up her defenses and focus on her goal, but Will is bent on showing Amber a good time. What will it hurt if it's just temporary? No harm in just having a little fun right? That's what they tell themselves until, they get to know each other and feelings get in the way. I may be dating myself here but this book reminded me SO much of this movie about an uptight figure skater and a bad boy hockey player, but this one was, a little steamier.  It was great to watch their journey. I connected with other characters in the play by play series more than these characters but that's not to say they weren't great. While this story wasn't my fav, it was still gold!

I do love sports romance and I have been reading more of them in the past couple of year.

Shot on Gold is book fourteen of the Play by Play series by Jaci Burton . This book features the Olympics and features 2 of my favourite sports (hockey and figure skating).

Shot on Gold is a hot fun read that got me hooked from the very beginning. I do love Will and Amber together.

You do not have to read any of the previous books in the Play by Play series to read this book

I am giving this 4 out of 5

This is the first Play-by-Play novel that I’ve picked up, and I was interested in it because of the backdrop of the international games. Even I knew that the Winter Olympics were looming when I started reading this, and even though I haven’t watched much of the Games since I was in high school, I still remember with fondness sitting in the family room and cheering on the home team with the family (how we all saw the action on that little screen, I’ll never fully comprehend). Two of my favorite events are represented here – hockey and figure skating. What could go wrong?

NFL hockey player Will “Mad Dog” Madigan is hyped for his second opportunity to play in the Winter Games. Last time he was a little casual about the partying and having a good time, but this time he’s going to savor the experience. He wants to play and represent the US and take home the gold. When he meets figure skater Amber Sloane, his interest is piqued.

Amber is at her third, and probably last, Winter Games. She is determined to win the gold medal that has eluded her in the past. Constantly under pressure from her mother to train harder, she’s overcome with a sense of freedom once she steps into the athletes’ village. Her mother and her hurtful nagging aren’t allowed inside, and Amber is going to loosen up and have some fun this year. She is going to make friends and mingle, and be a part of the whole experience, which she had missed out on in her previous Winter Games. When she meets Will, he seems like the answer to some of her prayers. They can have some no strings attached fun, and then go back to their lives when the Games are over.

I have a weird relationship with this book. When I would first pick it up after setting it down (to let the dogs out, to fix dinner, to go to work, whatever) I would have a really hard time getting back into the story. But once I had a chapter or two behind me, I was caught up in the book again. I don’t know if that’s because the past few weeks have been hard for me to become really engaged in anything other than buying more aquarium fixtures for my fish in Fishdom, or because parts of the story weren’t as interesting to me.

Amber kind of drove me nuts, but with her overprotective, shrew of a mother, I guess it’s understandable that she would have some issues. Her mother is awful to her, pushing her to do her best, to not eat because she’s looking a little heavy, to putting her skating career ahead of all else. When Amber, at 23 years of age, rebels against the constant pressure, her mother isn’t hesitant to threaten to withhold funding her skating as punishment for her behavior. So Amber, who isn’t a teenager, sort of acts like one because she has basically lived in the box her mother locked her in, expecting her to think only of skating and obey her every demand.

I had a hard time relating to Amber. At 23 I was already a homeowner. I worked two jobs and went to school, carrying a full course load. Amber has no source of income, is completely depend on her parents for every little thing, and, understandably, kowtows to her mother’s every demand. I wanted to fist pump when she finally dug her heels in and stood up for herself.

I found the backdrop of the Games very fun. It gave Will and Amber’s romance a fun setting. Amber’s roommate is a snowboarder, and as Amber lets down her guard and starts befriending other athletes, she gets more involved in the activity around her, instead of hanging out in her room during her time off the ice. Will also pulls her out of her shell, as their romance heats up and they start spending more and more time together. I enjoyed the feeling of camaraderie that developed between Amber and the other athletes, and that by the time the Games were over, she finally had some good friends she could rely on.

Not everything worked for me here, but unique setting and sexy hockey hero kept me entertained.

Shot on Gold is an Olympic hopeful story. But it's also a hockey player and a figure skater...sigh. I love the brawny, tough guy and the statuesque woman.

The rough and tumble of a hockey player in contrast to the grace and elegance of a figure skater is just so visually appealing...in my head at least. Add some great new friends, some great games, and adrenaline, it will keep you smiling.

From greeting to goodbye, Shot on Gold is sweet with plenty of sultry, a side of naughty, and a whole lot of confidence.

Amber Sloane has focused on figure skating her entire life. At 24, she knows this year's Olympics will be her last and she's determined to do things differently. Instead of closing herself off she begins making friends and emerging from the isolated cocoon her mother has forced her to stay in her whole life. Romance has never been in the plans, but hockey player Will Madigan may just change her mind.

Shot on Gold is a sweet romance out just in time for this year's Winter Olympics. Burton captures the excitement and camaraderie of the athletes and readers get as caught up in the excitement of the games as they will watching their winter sport of choice. Amber is a sweet girl who is experiencing many things for the first time- despite this being her third Olympics. With a domineering stage mother pushing her nonstop, she's spent her whole life working towards a gold medal. There are plenty of times you just want to slap her mother for her attitude, but Amber somehow manages to be friendly and normal despite her mother's example. When Amber begins to fall in love with Will, she discovers that friendship and romance complete her and make her a better skater instead of distracting her as her mother fears. But a relationship in the bubble of the Olympic village is different from in the real world and Amber isn't sure that will work. Will is a guy with a refreshing attitude towards life: live hard, work hard, play hard, but be open to the idea of love because it's real. He's seen it in his parents and is sure he'll find it for himself some day. It frustrated me at the end that it looked like Will might not be willing to fight for a relationship with Amber, despite all his big talk. When she gets cold feet, he accepts that and walks away instead of pushing back. I was glad Amber was brave enough to (eventually) give them a chance, because they had a great chemistry between them and really brought out the best in each other.

While a good story, Burton's writing was often repetitive and I found myself skimming some sections because of that. I also kept waiting for more of a conflict than ever really came up. However,this was still a fin book. Despite being part of a series, this is a stand alone book and readers won't need to have read any other books in the series to enjoy this one (I haven't, yet). Shot on Gold was fast paced and fun, a light romantic read perfect to get readers in the mood for this year's Winter Olympic Games.

Amber Sloane has only ever been focused on one thing and that’s an Olympic Gold Medal in figure skating. This is her third and final trip to the Olympics and she has to get the Gold. She’d seen Will Madigan at previous games and was well aware of his reputation with the ladies, but after meeting him she decides they have a lot in common and he could be the one to help her achieve her goal off the ice.
Will Madigan knows he has a reputation and he doesn’t deny it, but there’s something amount Amber Sloane that has gotten under her skin. While she’s a grown woman, Amber hasn’t seen much in the way of relationships in her life. Will is determined to open her eyes to experiences and emotions she’s never known.
Unfortunately this book didn’t do it for me. It didn’t capture me at all and I found myself struggling to get through it. I think the storyline was good but the characters never grabbed me. I felt like Amber’s goal (other than the gold medal) was to lose her virginity and after she did, it seemed like EVERYTHING revolved around sex which made my hands itch to skim through pages. I’ve read a few of Burton’s books and enjoyed them but this one just didn’t make the cut for me.

Reasons you should read Shot On Gold:

1. Olympians! I am obsessed with all things Olympics!
2. I have always wondered what it would be like in the Olympic village-all those gorgeous athletes!
3. Crazy 'dance mom' type of parent. It really makes you empathize with Amber because you can see how much external pressure she has been under.
4. Low Angst! I mean, you of course wonder if they will win in their respective sports and what will happen after the Olympics are over, but otherwise, its a fairly low angst story and I appreciated that!
5. Likable characters in Will and Amber-mature, driven, and yet still relatable.

This story is light and breezy, gives me a 'behind the scenes' feel of one of my favorite sporting events (the Olympics), and left me with a smile after reading! Fans of sports romance will LOVE Shot on Gold!
blog link live on release day

The Olympics are happening in real life, and the international games are happening in this book. I love the connection to real life and the feeling of "being there". In fact, I am writing this review while waiting for the ice skating team finals to start...so, it really is like I am there with Amber.



Will and Amber. A life-of-the-party hockey player and a serious, studious, here only for the competition ice skater.



Really, they shouldn't work together and they probably don't on paper. But, in this book? It works well. I think this is because, by this point in the series, Jaci Burton knows what she is doing when she writes a sports romance. She has the balance down...the hero (and in this case the heroine) need to be in the sports world, not someone on a break, or who has retired and is sunning himself on a beach somewhere, but playing, training and living the sports world. And, the other side of this needs to have the realistic romance that you believe, the kind that makes you believe the super dedicated hero and heroine would actually get involved with the other.



This title works. Add in that Amber is so sheltered she is a virgin, and the wonderful reaction Will has to this, the overbearing skating mom, the friends and fellow athletes, and you have a book that transports you to the international games village...just in time for the Olympics.



I enjoyed this title, and I recommend it.