Bombshells (Brooklyn Bruisers #8) by Sarina Bowen

Release date: April 13

As usual, I enjoyed the heck out of Sarina Bowen’s writing.

And this was such an easy read. The story just pulled me in and I didn’t mind being swept away at all. I really, really liked the fact that Sylvie was a professional athlete. She was so strong and capable and trying to make a name for herself in a sport which is mostly viewed as a male one. That was beyond awesome.

Synopsis: This is the story of Sylvie – a hockey goalie who’s earned a spot in a newly founded female hockey team in Brooklyn, and Anton – reformed player and also a defenseman on the Brooklyn Bruiser hockey team. Despite instant attraction on both their parts, Sylvie’s teenage crush and the one she always imagined as being the one, is also a BB player and Anton’s friend.

I’d say this romance felt more low-key than what Bowen usually writes. Not that her characters are generally prone to histrionics, but still. Or maybe it was simply that both Anton and Sylvie actually acted like adults? Yes, I think that’s it. There was no over the top drama or juvenile tantrums. There were all the feelings, some adversity and some great steam, but they were mature about it. However, they’re both in their twenties, so you could in fact say that they acted mature beyond their years.

This guy however, looks about 35:

I’m slightly conflicted about the “love triangle”. I mean, there really wasn’t a triangle, but at least two of the parts of that nonexistent triangle thought there was so… Because even if you ignore the fact that Sylvie was trying to get together with her teenage crush in the beginning of the book, there is no getting away from the fact that the first time Anton and Sylvie got it on, she had in fact planned on ending that night with someone else.

It didn’t sit entirely right with me how emotionally invested Anton was at that point, while Sylvie was mostly just horny. Or maybe she was equally infatuated but hadn’t admitted it even to herself? I don’t know.

I thought the spiritual twist, with Sylvie’s late mom, was endearing. That’s usually not my jam at all, not in a book that isn’t of the supernatural variety. But strangely enough, it worked here.

In all, I give this book 4 strong stars.

* A free copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher *