The rugged men of the Carolina Cold Fury hockey team are winning hearts once again in another scorching novel fromNew York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett.

The stakes have never been higher for Carolina Cold Fury goalie Ryker Evans. With his contract running out, he’s got a year left to prove he’s still at the top of his game. And since his wife left him, Ryker has been balancing life as a pro-hockey star and a single parent to two daughters. Management is waiting for him to screw up. The fans are ready to pounce. Everybody’s taking dirty shots—except for the fiery redhead whose faith in Ryker gives him a fresh start.

As the league’s only female general manager, Gray Brannon has learned not to mix business with pleasure. And yet even this tough, talented career woman can’t help breaking her own rules as she gives Ryker everything she’s got. She hopes their hot streak will last forever, but with Ryker’s conniving ex plotting to reclaim her man, the pressure’s on Gray to step up and save a tender new love before it’s too late.

Gray Brannon believed in Ryker Evans' goalie abilities so much that she convinced he father, GM for the Cold Fury hockey team to hire him even under challenging circumstances. There were dissenters, but she had faith in him. Now her Dad has retired and she has been promoted to team General Manager. Ryker is one of the few on the team to support her and her unique anayltical strategies.

But they also begin harboring an attraction to one another that is strictly inappropriate. She already has a lot to prove so being caught would be hazardous to her career. It could ruin both of their credibility and affect their jobs. But they find it hard to resist.

After ruining their chance at the Stanley Cup last year, Ryker is now having a hot season as the Cold Fury goalie. He is a  recently single parent of his two young daughters and is starting to find his groove on the home front. He is a good guy with strong protective instincts. I loved his softer sensitive side as well as his tough, protective, alpha side. He is sexy, sweet, humorous, and an all around likable guy and good friend. But he has been lacking love, lust, and companionship since his separation. But he is a man that knows what he wants and is not afraid to go after it. And Gray is definitely one of his goals whether it is a good idea or not.

Gray is highly intelligent, funny, talented, and understands the stress of being a goalie. But she is under a lot of pressure as the new GM and the only female in a male dominated profession. Her business side and womanly side often conflict. She is a bit nerdy and inexperienced at relationships, but that made her more endearing.

I loved their rapport and chemistry. I enjoyed seeing Gray out of her comfort zone. And my heart really wanted Ryker to find happiness after all he has been through. Most of the drama was extrinsic to their actual relationship. They are happy together in their little bubble,  but literally have to hide it to avoid any negative consequences and publicity. They yearn for normalcy, but there are plenty of obstacles in their way. And Gray already has enemies and many eyes on her. It is all very precarious and could fall apart at any moment.

It comes down to love of a career versus love of another person. It's about goals, priorities, and sacrifice. It is humorous, sexy, romantic, and sweet with just enough drama to keep it interesting.

I loved getting more with Zack and Kate, Alex and Sutton, and Garrett. I love the banter with the team mates. Zack especially had me laughing and I enjoyed more progression with him and Kate. Ryker's girls Violet and Ruby, and Gray's Dad Brian often made me smile. Their interactions were so heartfelt.  There were also several antagonists that added drama to the story.

I am so glad that there are going to be two more books in this series and I can't wait to see who they will be about! 

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Gray is a genius level thinker -- focused and career driven, she is breaking ground at work and at a high point in her career. As the first female general manager in the NHL, she faces scrutiny and second guessing as the uproar over her promotion rocks the Cold Fury.

Ryker is making up for missing the Cup winning shot. He has something to prove on the ice, despite being at the upper end of the average age of hockey players. especially as he reaches the end of his current contract and waits to learn if he will be resigned by the Cold Fury. He is also waiting for his divorce to be final, finding balance raising his two girls, and moving on with his life.

There is one person on the management that doesn’t question Ryker’s ability to perform and maintain his current strong streak. And one person who doesn’t question Gray’s ability to handle the business side of the team.

Can these two build a personal relationship despite their working relationship? And can they survive the attention their respective careers place on their personal lives?

There was a lot going on in the conflict of this book. The stress of the media and team attention Gray garnered as the first female general manager gave her a lot of things to sort through and maintain. Ryker’s own stresses as his contract neared it’s end and the wait for the final divorce decree (and a reappearance by his ex) add pressure from his end. With all these stressors on both of them, as well as the potential taboo of the goalie dating the GM, the decision to keep their relationship a secret was understandable. While it chaffed to read about their developing relationship being kept a secret, their reasoning made sense in the moment.

I love a great single father, and though Ryker went through a bumpy adjustment to his single father role, he is a fantastic example. I love the balance he has with the girls. He has learned not to take things *too* seriously when plans fall through or have to be changed. His reaction to laundry detergent in one particular scene had me laughing out loud as I read.

Gray and Ryker make some lovely gestures to each other throughout the book as well. Both grand and small, these two just click and aren’t afraid to take risks when necessary to show the other just what they mean.

Fans of the series will love all the interaction from the Cold Fury team. Zack and Kate are particularly present in this story, with as close as the two men became while Zack found Kate. But Alex, Garrett, and their significant others are also back for more.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.