Reviews – Moo U Hockey – Blindsided, Slapshot, and Holdout

Posted February 15, 2021 by Carole in Book Reviews / 8 Comments

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to read and review the first three books in the Moo U Hockey series and I have to tell you that I loved all three of these books. These books are all stand-alone romances so they can be read in any order. I love that they are set in Sarina Bowen’s World of True North and felt almost giddy when there was a Shipley mention but you do not need to be familiar with that series to enjoy these books. If you love hockey romances like I do, you will not want to miss this series!

Blindsided by Victoria Denault
Series: Moo U Hockey #1
Publisher: Heart Eyes Press
Publication Date: February 15, 2021
Date Read: February 14, 2021
Length: 278 pages
Source: Publicist
★★★★★

What if Romeo wore hockey skates, and Juliet was raised on a farm next door?

As a life-long Vermonter, there are three beliefs I’ve always held true:
1. Our family farm is everything
2. Hockey is a close second
3. The Todds next door are our sworn enemies

But this season will test everything I stand for.

I have an illicit side job that could cost me my hockey scholarship. And now Maggie Todd knows my secret. She’s waiting for the right moment to use it against me. But every time I face off against her, I learn things I shouldn’t want to know. Like how deeply her competitive streak runs, and how sexy that is. And how easy it is to make her blush… everywhere.

An Adler and a Todd cannot be lovers. Breaking that rule is like pulling a pin on a grenade–everything in my life could blow up. Can we surrender to these feelings… or will our families’ feud make us its next casualty?

Amazon | Audible

My Review

This was a wonderful romance! I have read and enjoyed Victoria Denault’s work in the past so I was really excited when I learned that her book would kick off the new Moo U Hockey series set in Sarina Bowen’s World of True North. I went into this book with fairly high expectations and they were all met. This book had everything that I was looking for and I had a great time with it.

Maggie Todd and Tate Adler can never be together. The Todds and Addlers both own farms that happen to be right next to one another. These two families have hated each other for as long as anyone can remember. The story opens with Maggie and Tate picking up their two grandfathers from jail after they got into a fight at city hall over the last spot at the farmer’s market. Both families need that spot.

Tate does what he needs to do to help support his family and the farm with going to school and playing hockey. His job leads him to cross paths with Maggie and gives her the blackmail material she needs to convince him to share the spot at the farmers market. These two know that they are supposed to hate each other but they can’t fight the pull that they have anytime they are together.

I loved Tate and Maggie together. I had such a good time with this enemies to lovers story. The chemistry between these two was off the charts and the banter was a whole lot of fun. They actually had a whole lot to overcome in order to have the chance to be together. They were perfect together every time they had the chance to be alone together but their families didn’t make things easy for them. I really enjoyed watching them fight for each other.

I would definitely recommend this book to others. This was a very well done hockey romance with a fantastic cast of characters and a wonderful romance. I cannot wait to read more of this talented author’s work and future installments in the Moo U Hockey series.

I received a digital review copy of this book from the author/publicist.

Slapshot by Rebecca Jenshak
Narrated by Emma Wilder and John Lane
Series: Moo U Hockey #2
Publisher: Heart Eyes Press
Publication Date: February 15, 2021
Date Read: February 10, 2020
Length: 6 hours and 1 minute
Source: Publicist
★★★★★

I’m banished to Vermont for a scandal that wasn’t my fault, and broke because my famous father cut me off. And did I mention my roommate stole my boyfriend? Yeah, I’m loving my Moo U experience.

Now I need a job, because this gel manicure won’t upkeep itself. The only available option is the last one I’d ever want–a job as the hockey team’s equipment manager. My plan is to do the bare minimum, get paid, and find my way back into my father’s good graces.

I will not get involved with a hockey player, no matter how hot. They’re cocky. And obnoxious. I know their type, and I’m not willing to risk getting hurt again. Until Lex Vonne glides into my life looking like sin on a stick.

He thinks I’m a spoiled brat.
I think he’s using me to get ahead.
But the fire I feel when we’re together is like a slapshot to my heart…

Amazon | Audible

My Review

This was such a good listen! If you follow my reviews, you already know that I love a good hockey romance and that I have really enjoyed Sarina Bowen’s World of True North so I was eager to listen to this book. Rebecca Jenshak is a new to me author so I was also looking forward to sampling her writing. This book turned out to be a very enjoyable listen from beginning to end.

Kaitlyn is new to Moo U after a bad situation. She is living in the dorm and her roommate stole her boyfriend. Now she has been cut off financially by her famous father and has to get a job. She ends up with the last job she would have wanted working as the equipment manager for the Moo U hockey team. The fact that her father turned hockey pro after attending Moo U probably didn’t hurt her in getting the job. Lex is focused on hockey and moving up in the team. Lex didn’t pick up a hockey stick until high school so he feels like he is a bit behind the other guys on the team when it comes to experience. He is a genuinely nice guy who happens to be drawn to the new equipment manager and somehow is able to break through her shields.

I loved Lex and Kaitlyn together. Kaitlyn is always worried that people only want to get close to her in order to get close to her famous father. Lex somehow worked his way past her defenses and the sparks really flew every time they were together. I thought that these two had fantastic chemistry together and I felt like their personalities fit together perfectly. I loved seeing them together and it was fun watching their relationship develop over the course of the story.

Emma Wilder and John Lane did a wonderful job with the narration of this story. I thought that their voices complimented each other very well. I loved how they were both able to add a lot of emotion to the story in their reading and I thought that they were able to bring the characters to life. I found myself wanting to listen to this book for hours at a time and believe that their narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.

I would highly recommend this book to hockey romance fans. I loved that a lot of that hockey played a big role in this story and I had a great time watching these characters fall for each other. I cannot wait to read more of Rebecca Jenshak’s work as well as future installments in the Moo U Hockey series.

I received a digital review copy of this audiobook from the author/publicist.

Holdout by Jaqueline Snowe
Narrated by Jason Clarke and Savannah Peachwood
Series: Moo U Hockey #3
Publisher: Heart Eyes Press LLC
Publication Date: February 15, 2021
Date Read: February 4, 2021
Length: 7 hours and 33 minutes
Source: Publicist
★★★★★

Jonah Daniels has enough work preparing for his hockey season without spending time interviewing a roommate to help share expenses. So when some dude answers J.D.’s ad and agrees to his terms, he puts a key under the mat and leaves for practice.

What he doesn’t expect is that his new roommate is not a dude at all, but an overtalkative, energetic hottie. What’s worse? She’s the younger sister of his friend on the team, and she’s sworn him to secrecy.

Ryann Reiner needs a place to live, stat. After an incident at the dorms that almost tanked her scholarship, Ryann wants a boring roommate who’ll leave her alone. J.D. almost fits the bill. He lives and breathes hockey, just like her brother, and he wouldn’t know a joke unless it hip checked him against the boards.

He’s also gorgeous. And broody. And he looks fine on laundry day, in too little clothing. Soon, late-night study sessions turn into dangerous flirting. And then a kiss turns into more. But they’re determined to keep things in the feelings-free zone.

Until lines blur and tensions rise when Ryann’s brother learns the truth. And both their hearts are skating on thin ice…

Amazon | Audible

My Review

Oh, I just loved this book! I jumped at the chance to listen to this audiobook because I just cannot seem to resist a good hockey romance. Set it in the World of True North and it is even more appealing. I had a fantastic time escaping life for a while with this book and found myself looking forward to listening to it during every free moment I could find. I fell hard for Jonah and Ryann and am so glad that I decided to give this book a try.

Jonah and Ryann both need a roommate. A bit of confusion over names leads to the pair sharing an apartment. Jonah has a list of rules to go with their new living arrangement and is determined to make sure that they both follow those rules. To complicate matters more, Ryann happens to be the little sister of a member of Jonah’s hockey team. They have both been through quite a bit in life and have a lot in common and they both have a lot at stake. Jonah is very focused on hockey while Ryann is determined to do well in school and keep her scholarship.

I loved Jonah and Ryann as a couple. These two had fantastic chemistry together and they seemed to really understand each other. It felt like they were just meant to be together. I enjoyed every moment of watching them fall for each other and they stole my heart in the process. It was evident how much they cared for each other and I loved the way that they sometimes pushed each other just a bit.

Jason Clarke and Savannah Peachwood did a fantastic job with the narration of this book. I think that they both were able to bring their characters to life and I loved how much emotion they were able to add to the story. I thought that their voices complimented each other very well in this romance. I believe that their narration added to my overall enjoyment of this book.

I would highly recommend this book to fans of hockey romances. I had a fantastic time with this book and cannot wait to read more of Jaqueline Snowe’s work and future installments in the Moo U Hockey series.

I received a digital review copy of this audiobook from the author/publicist.

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Samantha@WLABB

I was definitely checking out the Denault book in this series, because I have enjoyed her hockey romances, but you have me interested in all of them now. I love that we are getting to see different parts of the True North world too