Monday, May 7, 2018

Hooked On You by Kate Meader



Title: Hooked On You Series: Chicago Rebels #3
Author: Kate Meader
Publisher: Pocket Books
Release Date: May 7, 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Sports Romance





The steamy Chicago Rebels series returns with this racy and sassy tale of embittered hearts, second chances, and going for the goal—on and off the ice.

Violet Vasquez never met her biological father, so learning he left his beloved hockey franchise—the Chicago Rebels—to her is, well, unexpected. Flat broke and close to homeless, Violet is determined to make the most of this sudden opportunity. Except dear old dad set conditions that require she takes part in actually running the team with the half-sisters she barely knows. Working with these two strangers and overseeing a band of hockey-playing lugs is not on her agenda…until she lays eyes on the Rebels captain and knows she has to have him.

Bren St. James has been labeled a lot of things: the Puck Prince, Lord of the Ice, Hell’s Highlander...but it’s the latest tag that’s making headlines: washed-up alcoholic has-been. This season, getting his life back on track and winning the Cup are his only goals. With no time for relationships—except the fractured ones he needs to rebuild with his beautiful daughters—he’s finding it increasingly hard to ignore sexy, all-up-in-his-beard Violet Vasquez. And when he finds himself in need of a nanny just as the playoffs are starting, he’s faced with a temptation he could so easily get hooked on.

For two lost souls, there’s more on the line than just making the best of a bad situation… there might also be a shot at the biggest prize of all: love.






You’re this vibrant force, a woman who lights up every room she enters. You can’t be expected to dim your sun.”

Great ending for a great series! I'm a huge Kate Meader's fan. So far, I have enjoyed every single one of her books and Hooked On You is not any different. 

I have come to love the three sisters: Harper, Isobel, and Violet. Together they owned the hockey team the Chicago Rebels and for the last season, they have helped the team get to the playoffs in one way or another. They also have become stronger as a family while helping each other overcome their own perceived shortcomings. Lastly, they all have a weakness. They seem to have problems not sleeping with a hockey player.

Sheesh, I’m thinking we need to put something in the players’ contracts.” She mimicked writing something. “Must be willing to sleep with management.”

From the three, Violet has been the one who knows the least about hockey but who likes to give the team her enthusiasm before each game. She also loves to poke "Nessie" aka the Rebels Captain, Bren St. James. What her sisters don't know is that months ago, she propositioned him before she knew who he was and he turned her down. Of course, the Highlander didn't know she was recuperating from a double mastectomy and he would have been the first guy to "see" her in all her glory.

Bren St James is a recovering alcoholic. He has been sober for a year and besides playing the best hockey he can and trying to be a good captain for the Rebels, he wants to rebuild his relationship with his two daughters. He carries a lot of guilt from what he put them through and he doesn't want to mess up his second chance. 

What Violet doesn't know is that Bren turned her down as part of his recovery not because he was not interested. But now months later, he doesn't know for how long he can keep on ignoring his attraction for her. Yet, when he suddenly needs someone to take care of his two girls, Violet steps up. Keeping himself away from her is not feasible any longer.


“So sure it’s going to happen, Scot?”
“It’s inevitable, lass. We can fight it or accept it.

I love Violet and Bren together. Their banter and texting were great!. They were very different but together they made perfect sense. Violet projected this confident personality while hiding her insecurities. Bren was determined to save his relationship with his two daughters and knew that alcohol was not the answer. He also realized he wanted Violet in his life and he stopped fighting it. 

“But when you’re ready, I’ll be here. Waiting with my girls for the one person who made us whole again. Who gives me hope and makes me smile.”

As always, the rest of the cast of characters were present to help this couple realize what they had and to fight for each other.  

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Pocket Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.






She blew out a breath that was half growl, picked up a can of Italian wedding soup, and examined the ingredient list like she was studying for a test. Why wasn’t she taking this opportunity to get under his skin using those taunts that tripped off her tongue like sensual ninja knives? 

“Have I offended you in some way, Violet?”

Keeping her chin dipped, she shook her head, but it was a shake of disbelief, not of disagreement with his question.

“Violet, look at me.”

Glittering eyes snapped to his, in them a flash of something—a visceral response to his demand—but it was gone so quickly that even the rewind called him a liar.

“Has something happened?”

“Look, St. James, you and I have never meshed, so we don’t need to pretend to get along. We just ran into each other at the store and you ‘saved’ me from the unseemly interest of a fellow shopper. ¡Maravilloso! ¡Gracias! Now you can take your steel buns and your sexy scowl off in the opposite direction.”

Color flagged her cheeks, making her olive skin glow. She was furious, and he still didn’t know why. He was also furious, and he had a better idea of the reason.

She’d changed the social contract. They’d been moseying along with her teasing and taunting and flirting, and him acting like it was the worst thing ever to happen to him. Like Violet’s attention was a fresh slice of hell, because in a way it was. She reminded him of everything he couldn’t have. She reminded him of the man he used to be. His body came alive around her, and alive was dangerous. Alive was the opposite of numb, and numb was his best defense against the demons whispering in his ear.

One drink won’t hurt. Thirst like yours can’t be quenched with anything but whiskey. 

If he allowed himself to want her, it was a slippery slope to succumbing to the demons at the door. Of course he couldn’t tell her this, so instead he latched on to her words.

“Steel buns?” There was also “sexy scowl,” but he figured he’d start with the ass stuff.

She rolled her eyes, then coasted those same eyes down his body, half hidden by the grocery cart. “As if you don’t know.”

“That I have an ass you could bounce a puck off of?” He twisted to check himself out. “S’pose I do, lass.”

She burst out laughing and muttered something in Spanish.

“What’s that?”

“Not for your ears, Scot.”

One day she’d tell him. One day, he’d get it out of her, preferably while her body arched into his and his body drove into hers.




DON'T MISS THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE CHICAGO REBELS SERIES!


Audio Amazon: https://amzn.to/2JJKtj6


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Originally from Ireland, USA Today bestselling author Kate Meader cut her romance reader teeth on Maeve Binchy and Jilly Cooper novels, with some Harlequins thrown in for variety. Give her tales about brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron or a fire hose, and she’s there. Now based in Chicago, she writes sexy contemporary romance with alpha heroes and strong heroines who can match their men quip for quip.


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