Rookie Recovery: Bobcat Boys Book 1 Authors Lex Veia & Jemma Croft
Book Review
4.5 out of 5 stars!
"Can’t stay off the ice. Oh, I fucking knew it. Can’t stay off, and when you can’t physically get back on, you lurk around the edges like a ghost." - Jamie
Jamie's trying to move on with his life since his pro hockey career came to an end. With a future semi-barely planned out he continues to be the Bobcat's PT. He has strict rules set for himself and to keep him from getting off track. That includes never, ever dating hockey players, he used to be one he knows how they are!
Only when a famed rookie with a British accent saunters into his life. . .Jamie may have to rethink his rules. An old shoulder injury may just be the thing to bring the two opposites closer together. But Bowie's career is on the line and the season is about to start! Can Jamie get Bowie back out on the ice in time? Or will judgements be questionable. . ?
"He probably hated Monsters, Inc. Or worse still, never watched it. Dismissed it as childish nonsense. Oh, my God, what if he’d never seen Shrek?!" - Bowie
This is honestly my first Hockey Romance, and I loved it! The writing styles flowed into one another seamlessly and helped to bring the two male leads to life! With depth, character development, and healing arcs!
Even if you're not a big fan of sports you know of them and what they are. We forget that those big names we see plastered all over social media and more are actually people. I hear coworkers talk so nonchalantly about this team trading in A for B. Excited about what B can bring for the team and potentially winning this or that.
I know this is a work of fiction, but you get to understand how B really feels about moving and being constantly traded. Bowie is a famous Rookie even though he's been in the game for years! He hopes this will be the last time he's drafted. Hockey is life and he wouldn't trade it for anything! But staying in one spot for a long while, what would that mean or look like for him?
"Why was it so satisfying watching this giant, incredible, intellectual man lose his cool? I wanted to stop. Really, I did. But the rush of endorphins. . ." - Bowie
I knew from this line forward we were going to have so much fun banter! Jamie's a very serious grump and Bowie our beautiful, cocky, sunshine! I laughed so much with the dialogue between them and their monologues regarding one another. Dual POVs helping to really showcase just how much they're "not" catching feelings for one another. I also desperately want to have a movie night or a hundred with Bowie!
One of the themes of this book is major injuries in sports that result in a careers being shut down. I could relate a lot to the characters and their fears. How everything was handled and written was fantastic. Getting to see the inside view of the sport and the not so fun side. I loved coming full circle with things and Jamie's drive to ensure no one else ended up like him. Katie stepping in to give him a hard dose of sage wisdom and a reality check. Yes, Katie was a favorite of mine!
Check TWs. This book does handle depression and trying to overcome said depression. Language is present throughout the entire book especially when Jamie's trying to cope with Bowie. Cultural differences that I so enjoyed, Bowie being a Brit in America. Hangovers and throwing up.
Bowie so enjoys making everything dirty, innuendos galore! Listen, when you have someone, you can get fun reactions out of, it's very difficult to stop! This is a SLOW burn; sexual tension romance and you will be frustrated on multiple occasions. I absolutely LOVED their museum visit that resulted in hilarious consequences that continued to trickle throughout the book. We do get spicy MM action. Age gap romance, opposites, very fun chase--I mean endurance training in the woods, and more!
For me, I felt like in some areas their inner monologues were a little too long. I'm sorry, especially toward the end of any read when things are about to be healed, wrapped up, concluded, etc. I want to get there! I understood the inner monologues and the dilemmas because I teared up multiple times with this read but I just wanted my babes to have an HEA! They do have an HEA and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!
First read from these two authors and I loved it! Want to read more from them as separate authors and more of their collabs! I do believe Rowan's story is next and I'm so there!
Enjoy the hockey romance with healing arcs, great banter, cute nicknames, and so much more! Don't forget to give the authors some stars!
Lex Veia
Jemma Croft
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