SEXY SATURDAYS: MELTING THE ICE by JACI BURTON

 

Sexy Saturdays with Andrea and Autumn is a weekly meme created to spread the word about spicy reads. 

 

Participating blogs:
The Autumn Review
The Bookish Babe

Series: Play by Play #7
Genre: Contemporary/Sports Romance
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: 2/4/14
Format: eARC
Pages: 336
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3.5 stars

Carolina Preston has only one goal in mind—launching her new fashion line. She needs only one last thing to make it perfect—hockey phenom Drew Hogan. But Carolina and Drew have a history that goes back to their college days, and Carolina doesn’t want the embarrassment of her past to cloud the brightness of her future.

Drew is eager for the chance to show Carolina he isn’t the boy who hurt her back then, but a man now, with the skills necessary to melt the icy exterior of her cold heart.

First Impression... Love that cover. Hot guy holding a hockey stick? Yes. I've heard good things about this series.

 

The Story... Melting the Ice has a favorite trope of mine, the playboy who falls for his best friend's little sister. That almost always makes for a good time, for me, with the fun all the fun of a new romance, along with the addition of the guilt of getting it on with little sister.

 

Carolina is working furiously to launch a new fashion line, and she wants the help of her inspiration, Drew. Drew, a pro hockey player, is her older brother's best friend, and the subject of her long-ago fantasies. A fantasy that came to life in a one night stand during college. Drew walked away without looking back, and Carolina never forgave him. When they reconnect, Drew is all about hooking up again, but Carolina isn't so willing to set herself up for another heartbreak. The continued close encounters put the two on the edge, and it's not long before they begin an affair hot enough to melt.

 

The Characters... Carolina was a very likable heroine. She's driven and very focused on her career. I like that she didn't crumble when Drew came back into her life and started laying the charm on her. She's never forgotten how he hurt her, but did also recognize that it was his way, then. It's no spoiler to say that Drew does manage to work his way back into her life and bed, but Carolina never lost focus of her goals. I found that admirable. I love a strong heroine, but there is nothing wrong with being soft in some areas as well.

 

On the surface, Drew seems like an arrogant playboy athlete. It quickly becomes clear that Drew is a very nice guy who has a fun sense of humor. Sure, he's arrogant to an extent, but it was pretty charming. And it seem that Drew has changed his ways for the most part, and isn't looking for another one night stand with Carolina. He wants more, and he's willing to do what it takes to get it. I love that in a hero.

 

Fans of One Sweet Ride will be happy to see Gray and Evelyn have quite a bit of time in Melting the Ice.

 

The Writing... This is the second book of Burton's I've read, and while I like the writing in both, I enjoyed this one a lot more. The characters were fun and engaging, the story wasn't particularly surprising or new, but it had a good hook that kept me reading.

 

Melting the Ice is the seventh book in the Play by Play series, one I haven't picked up before. I will say you can definitely pick this up and jump right in, though having read it, I definitely want to read the previous book, One Sweet Ride. The couple from that book seems really great. There's also a nice lead-in to the next book in the series, Straddling the Line.

 

The Heat... was pretty darn steamy. Caroline and Drew had a really good chemistry, and you could tell it was just a matter of time before they were going to combust. Each intimate scene was used to progress the story or relationship, and I liked that each time really meant something to them. Drew had a pretty filthy mouth and a good imagination. That's always a check in the "win" category for me. Good stuff.

 

In the End... Melting the Ice was a fun and sexy love story. I had a good time reading it, now want to pick up the rest of the series. I love a good sports romance and this one completely fit the bill.

 

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

  "I suppose the first thing I need to do is measure you."

  His eyes gleamed and she could read the dirty thoughts in his head as if he were telegraphing them from his brain directly to hers.

  "No, not that. Already seen it."

  "Yeah, but one, you haven't seen it in a very long time. And two, have you ever measured it?"

 

 

  Just like now, as he pulled off his shirt, revealing a body she had spent hours exploring, and years remembering.

  Except now that he'd stripped down to his boxers, she realized how much he'd changed since the last time. He'd been gorgeous then, a young man just waiting to fulfill his destiny.

  Now he was the man she'd always known he'd become. His body had filled out, become leaner in spots, more muscled in others. And as she forced herself down the stairs and came closer, she realized he bore scars he hadn't before, because she still remembered mapping that body all those years ago, touching every part of him, committing every inch of his skin to memory.

 

The Play by Play Series

 

           

 

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About the author

Jaci Burton is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of over 50 books. She lives in Oklahoma and when she isn’t on deadline (which is often), she can usually be found wrestling with her uncooperative garden, wrangling her dogs, watching an unhealthy amount of television, or completely losing track of time reading a great book. She’s a total romantic and longs for the happily ever after in every story, which you’ll find in all her books.. Visit her website at www.jaciburton.com for excerpts, her blog and contest information.

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