Jamison writes great hockey romance. All the tough guys on the ice can be softies when they're off and when they fall in love they fall hard. When a two year old little girl is part of the game, Nick has even less of a chance of not falling, especially when her mother is the one he wants. An emotional rollercoaster with humor and a two year old who will melt your heart.

Fun fact: I actually put this down the first time I tried to read it. The characters bugged me and the whole thing just rubbed me the wrong way. But I kept seeing promotions for it, so I decided to give it another go. I re-downloaded the ARC and immediately fell in love. Once I got past the first few chapters it was a really fun story. This is definitely a book that takes a little bit to get going, but once it does it's great.

this is the second book titled big stick that i've read in the last month. the first one didn't really do it for me, but this one i liked much better. we met nick in previous breakaway books, and he finds his match in jodie, a big-hearted, chatterbox who lives life believing things will work out for the best.

as a single mom, her relentless optimism is pure defense mechanism. but the more time she spends in nick's company, the more she realizes that his grouchy personality hides a big old softie at heart. the guys on the chicago aces are seriously the best. they're broody and sweet and i just love them. and there's always new teammates who have stories waiting in the wings. they're all basically one-click buys.

**big stick published on october 23, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/random house publishing group (loveswept) in exchange for my honest review.

I love a good hockey romance. I liked that this showed a heroine who was independent, with her own career. I did find it problematic that she didn't seem to then have her life very together. I know this is a small detail, but at one point she tells the hero that she doesn't want her daughter drinking juice. I found it funny that the kid proceeds to drink it like 5 more times throughout the book.

When Jodie decides to move her business to Chicago with her 2 year old, certain doubts come to her, but her business partner has already made the move, so why not follow. She has no family, other than her two year old. However, finding an apartment that she can afford in a good and safe neighborhood, is not easy. Now she’s been living in her best friends home, along with her boyfriend, and Jodie needs to find something quick. Kendra and Hallsey have been very understanding, specially since they’re romance is so new. Then Nick, Hallsey’s friend, offers his coach house to Jodie and her daughter.
Jodie represents everything that Nick doesn’t want or need. Except, he can’t stop thinking about her and her sweet daughter. When a massive snow storm hits Chicago, Nick brings them to his house to stay. With no electricity, there is no way he would let them stay in the coach house, when he has a fireplace. Nick realizes how much he wants Jodie, and it seems by some strange miracle, she also wants him.
What kind of future can he offer them when he is so broken inside. Can Jodie be strong enough for both of them to make this work.
Great story. Kelly Jamieson never disappoints!

There are few authors that I will read whatever they write and this author is one of them. This book is a continuation of the amazing Aces series. In this book, it is finally Nick’s turn. He and Jodie get off on a not so great foot. But when Jodie and her daughter need someplace to stay for a bit, he ends up with them in his guest house. That means they are either going to hate each other or fall in love. Cheers to reading which way it goes!!
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Beautiful cover. Heartwarming story. Jodie and Nick are polar opposites temperamentally but are physically attracted to each other. Circumstances throw them together because they belong to the same close knit group of friends. As they share close living quarters and spend more time together things progress to the bedroom where there is overwhelming heat. Her daughter Zyana is incredibly adorable and is responsible for some of the funniest moments in the story. There is a great mix of humor, wit, and steam to make the this an amazing book to snuggle up to.

Jodie and Nick are definitely opposites who attract but find each other annoying. Nick is quiet, reserved and a loner, while Jodie is a bull in a china shop who thinks nothing of inserting herself into people's lives. Nick is still struggling with the death of his brother and has gotten into the habit of walling himself off from many situations where he could find himself feeling more than he is ready for. Jodie is a single mom who decided to have a child and be a single mom. Nick gets talked into letting Jodie and her daughter, Zyanna, move into his coach house. Jodie and Zyanna eventually find themselves needing Nick's help with a snow storm, power outage. Nick more than steps up and I thought it was admirable how he took right over taking care of them. The story was well told and enjoyable. I have read the other books in this series and found that, even if I hadn't, this book would have still made sense to me. If you are looking for a hockey romance, I would recommend this one.

I want to clue you all in for my first paragraph. Usually, when I say that, it is because the book has made me bawl my eyes out or it sucks. Well, in this case, it is neither. This clue is about the timeline of the book. I am going to assume that most of you have read the earlier books in the Aces Hockey series. Big Stick’s plotline coincides with Playing Hurt’s. Actually, Big Stick starts off with what was mid-book for Playing Hurt. What clued me in? The party where Nick met Jodie was one of Chase and Jordyn’s first dates. Then little hints of their relationship showed up in Big Stick. Like when they broke up and Nick had that talk with Chase. It was mentioned in this book after it happened. So, if you are reading Big Stick and happen to see Chase and Jordyn’s names come up, don’t be “WTF“. The author chose to start Nick and Jodie’s story around the same time. It was also a smart move on the author’s part. That would make me look into buying the other books in the series.

Playing Hurt is Nick and Jodie’s story. Nick is a loner. He is a grouch. He hates little kids (his words, not mine). He wants to be left alone. Nick is still dealing with the death of his brother, 3 years later. A death that he feels responsible for. He figures that he is better off keeping to himself. Then he meets Jodie. Jodie is the complete opposite of Nick. She loves to socialize. She is the complete opposite of a grouch. She likes to surround herself with people. She also has a 2-year-old daughter. After a disastrous run-in at a party hosted by Hallsy and Kendra, Jodie is left with the wrong impression of Nick. When Jodie decides she is outstaying her welcome at Hallsy and Kendra’s apartment, Nick makes her an offer. Live in his coach house for minimal rent until she can get on her feet. What could happen? Well, hot monkey sex and falling in love. But can it last? Can Nick decide that he needs Jodie and her daughter in his life or will he let them go?

The two main characters, Nick and Jodie, were complete polar opposites. Since this is a romance novel, they were going to get together. But man, they were like night and day. Nick was serious and kept to himself. Jodie was not serious and loved to socialize. If this was going to be a real-life couple, I would say that their relationship wouldn’t have lasted for very long. But it did. The author, somehow, made them being opposites work in their favor. He was able to come around to being more social and she tried being a bit more serious.

I will say that I loved Jodie’s daughter. I wanted to reach through the screen and squeeze her. Her reaction to Nick was hilarious. “A big giant” was one of the best lines in the book. I also loved her “face fur” comment. That sounded like something one of my kids would have said about their father. I did feel bad for what happened to her in the book. I would have had the same reaction as Nick.

Jodie and Nick had some serious chemistry going on. Sparks flew when they first met. I had a mental bet going on with myself (so sad, huh) about how long it would take for them to start having sex. I lost the bet. They actually held out longer than I thought they would have. Speaking of sex, it was hot. So very hot. My only complaint is that they went bareback so soon after becoming “friends” (hint). I eye-rolled at that. Other than that, I enjoyed the sex scenes. The butt play scenes were my favorite. Only because few authors go there. It’s like its taboo to do it.

I like how the author chose to discuss Nick’s issues. Suicide and depression are hard to write about and I thought she did a great job at handling it. Aleks story was heartbreaking and Nick’s guilt over not being there for him was even more so. I liked seeing Nick coming to realize that to get on with his life, he needs to get over Aleks death.

The end of the book was great. I had thought that Nick was a jerk to end things the way he did with Jodie. I understood that he was scared to death but still, he could have had more finesse. I loved the talk that Hallsy had with him. Love, love, loved it. It was stuff that Nick needed to hear, no matter how hard it was to listen to. I am not going to talk about the end of the book. Let’s say that I was pretty happy with what happened. What Zyanna asked Nick in the epilogue made my heart melt.

I gave Big Stick a 4-star rating. This was a sexy, fun read with some serious topics discussed. The author handled the topics of depression and suicide tactfully. She handled the aftermath tactfully too. I loved the ending and the epilogue.

I would give Big Stick an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is mild violence. There are also trigger warnings. They would be suicide and depression. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 or who is triggered by the trigger warnings read this book.

I would reread Big Stick. I would also recommend this book to family and friends. I would give a heads up about the trigger warning.



If you or anyone you love is depressed or thinking of suicide, please don’t. Contact a friend, a doctor or call the National Suicide Hotline (1-800-273-8255). You matter your life matters.

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Big Stick.

All opinions stated in this review of Big Stick are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

4.25 Stars for Big Stick! This Aces Hockey Series is really good! The story hit so many feelings as it dealt with Nick’s struggles in dealing with loss, as well as his fears. I think Kelly did a beautiful job addressing mental illness. I really liked Nick and Jodie. They started off not liking each other, but in the end they found in each other the pieces they’d each been missing. Jodie was an amazing single parent, and Zyana was just the most adorable tot ever! This series has great relationships amongst the players and their significant others. The hockey is well written and you get a true sense of team in every book.

Really enjoyed this book I love reading hockey romance novels, Cant wait for what comes next from Kelly Jamieson

Sex toy entrepreneur single mom needs a place to stay until she can find an affordable home. A cottage on Nicks’s propert is volunteered by their mutual friends. Nick is a loner with a lot of self-blame going on in his head. He finds himself more and more drawn to Jodie and her daughter, Zyana. Everything is complicated by his doubts and her reluctance to try to lean on people. Great love story, not just them falling for watch other, but him falling for her daughter.

Very fun romance of Nick, a loner hockey player, and Jodie, a single mom that moves into the carriage house on his property. I enjoyed watching them get to know each other and overcome their initial impressions of each other. Jodie's daughter is adorable, and the story was heartwarming and fun, set against the backdrop of late spring in Chicago with some weather surprises and hockey playoffs. Look forward to reading other books from this author.

From the moment hockey star Nick Balachov waltzes into his friends party and his eyes land on Jodie he's hit with an attraction he wasn't looking to find, so he does what he always does, and becomes the jerk needed to send her packing. He's not looking for a roll between the sheets, he's become accustom to the quiet and he intends to keep it that way, and no woman is going to change that. But then again he has never met a woman quite like Jodie, she represents everything he thinks he doesn't want, not to mention she has a child, and that alone has him wanting to run for the hills!

Being a parent isn't even on his radar for the future, but when they need a place to stay for a bit he finds himself going against everything he believes and offering up his carriage house to them. Which he is certain is going to come back and bite him big time... and it does, the more time he spends with her and her young daughter the more he starts to see the possibilities a life with them could hold!

Between the pages of Big Stick you will find a delightfully crafted tale that is sure to tug on heartstrings and leave you swimming in feels! From the very first page this one pulled me in, the words gripped me tightly and just wouldn't let go. I cannot say enough wonderful things about these characters, I found myself instantly connecting with them, and soon after falling head over heels for them... especially little Miss Zyana, she was a hoot! I have read a few of the Aces Hockeys books, and I have to say this one just took the lead as my favorite, it was sweet, sexy, and so good for the heart!!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.

This was the first book I’ve read by Kelly Jamieson and I will definitely be going back and reading the rest of the books in this series. I loved Big Stick and loved Nick and Jodie.

Jodie has just moved to Chicago. As a single mom and new business owner she doesn’t have a lot of time for herself. So when her friend invites her to a party, even though she thought she would have nothing in common with the people hanging there, she went.

Nick likes hanging out with his friends but he just hasn’t been feeling very social, especially since it’s getting near that time of year when his life started to fall apart. So he goes to the party… but keeps to himself. Or at least tries to. But there is a woman there that intrigues him and also annoys the crap out of him. She’s pretty but boy she talks a lot and she likes to call him out too… yeah no thanks.

Nick later finds out that Jodie and her daughter are new to town and they are looking for a place to live… he just so happens to have a coach house that’s empty and so he agrees to let her live there until she can find a better place to stay. What he didn’t expect was for Jodie to break down all the barriers he’s been building over the past few years. There is a draw between the two of them that they just can’t resist. But Nick knows he can’t be the man that Jodie and her daughter need. Or can he?

Jodie’s daughter Zyana steals the show. She is adorable and melts your heart with the way she brings Nick into their world. I loved that Jodie was a strong female who took life by the horns. And even though at time was vulnerable she wasn’t weak. Nick was the perfect blend of Alpha Male and a Douchebag with a heart. (LOL) He could rub you the wrong way but you saw the good in him, especially when he was around Zyana.

Such a good read and can’t wait to read the rest of the books in the series

There's something about hockey players that adds another level of swoon to their hero status. But Nick takes the cake as he is the grumpiest hero I've ever read...AND I LOVE HIM FOR IT! Nick is anti-social, except for his small group of friends, brash but knows when to stay quiet, and prefers the company of his home improvement tools to others, including women. But after a few years of his solitude and the upcoming anniversary of his brother's death, Nick decides to spend more time with friends and to try and socialize. In walks mouthy and sassy Jodie. She talks constantly and he can't help but stare at her perfect mouth. He's annoyed by her....but he kind of likes it. When Jodie needs a place to stay, Nick's friends offer up his coach house. Now Jodie comes with strings in addition to her extrovert attitude....she's also got an adorable daughter. Nick doesn't do well with kids, or so he thought. He needs to dedicate his time to his hockey career and not caring for two new people in his life.

Jodie took a huge leap; she's moved to Chicago to build her sex toy business with her best friend. Out on your own with a new business is had enough but mix in the fact that Jodie is a single mom and this girl is on a POWER TRIP. She mixes both sides of herself perfectly; business mom to the max. But living in the coach house of her best friend's boyfriend's teammate (whew!) isn't a cakewalk. He's grouchy and surly, and frankly he doesn't seem to like her. But he keeps finding reasons to come over and when he does, he stares longingly at her. He's hot and the more time they spend together, the more Nick begins to open up to her.

As Nick reveals more about his past and his personal motivations, Jodie sees a whole new side to the grumpy hockey player who prefers his solicitude. He's laughing and taking care of her and her daughter. Jodie could see a happily ever after happening for them/ But soon the pressure of Nick's career mixed with his pain of his brother's loss become to much to bear and threaten top break them apart. This may be a sports romance but is also a story about finding happiness, love, and family. Its about finding your own self worth and knowing you're worthy of that HEA despite circumstances around you. Its slow burn meets odd friendships in this hot new romance!

I loved this book!Aces player Nick meets single mom Jodie at a birthday party and of course this is only the beginning of a complicated relationship.Ms.Jamieson has a great ability to create a story that pulls you in from the start.Full of emotional,true to life plot made for a great read,can’t wait for the next one!I read this book as an arc and this is my honest opinion.

Nick and jodie meet a his teammates party.. They get off on the wrong foot but they do find each other attractive.. Nick has had a rough life and doesn't want anything to do with marriage or children so he just plays hockey and hooksup. Jodie grew up in foster care and decided she would have a child on her own via insemination, she is blessed with an amazing little girl named Zyana. When Jodie and her 2 year old need a place to live Nick's teammate suggests she stay in his coach house. Nick is reluctant at first but gives in and now she is around constantly and is starting to break down some barriers. when the physical attraction is more than they both can handle will they take the next step or are they both too set in their ways to make it work?

Loved watching their relationship develop and Zyana was such a fun character.

Big Stick is your typical two people who don't want to find love are completely drawn together novel. (these are my favorite) Nick is a professional hockey player who wants nothing more then to play and enjoy his quiet existence. Yet when Jodie rents out his carriage house he finds himself being thrown into situations at every turn to help her. From snowstorms to power outages there is no way for him to avoid her.

Will their connection blossom into love? Pick up a copy to find out!

Opposites really do attract is this heartbreakingly beautiful story.
Nick is a loner who doesn’t believe love and a family is in the cards for him. He likes being alone, until he meets Jodie.
Jodie is as outgoing as they come. Raising her daughter alone was her choice, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t dream of a husband and family someday. They say when you stop looking, that’s when it happens.
How can these two possibly find love together?
5 stars!!