The Carolina Cold Fury hockey team is stacked with hotshots. But when a new player joins their ranks, he learns that even superstars can’t go it alone when it comes to love.

Lucas Fournier is only serious about one thing: hockey. The league’s fun-loving charmer, Luc is always up for a good prank or a great lay, and he has no intention of settling down. But being traded to the Carolina Cold Fury—and to play alongside his big brother, Max—is no joke. With another title in sight, the last thing Luc wants is to let his new teammates down. To succeed, Luc will need to keep his head in the game and the most . . . er, demanding member of his anatomy in check. But when temptation hits, Luc hits back harder.

Museum curator Stephanie Frazier has always put business before pleasure, which just about explains her nonexistent sex life. But when Stephanie meets Luc at a champagne-fueled gala, she finds herself flirting like crazy—and going home with the uninhibited athlete. For one night, she learns what passion is all about. She just never counted on the little surprise Luc leaves behind. And that’s when things really start to get . . . interesting.

Sawyer Bennett’s New York Times bestselling Carolina Cold Fury series can be read together or separately.

Lucas Fournier is Max's little brother and new to the Cold Fury. He's outgoing, fun, and a total player. A wild one night stand with a museum worker, Stephanie, leaves them with a little complication. Luc vows to spend time with Stephy and get to know her more. But that is hard since she is a loner with huge walls up.

Lucas thinks he is averse to relationships, but he has no idea that Stephanie has him beat. While he begins to warm up to a friendship with benefits and even the promise of more, she is guarded and terrified of truly being vulnerable and giving herself to him. She's fun, witty, and bold on the outside, but inside is ruled by fears, insecurities, and feelings of unworthiness. She is stubborn, self limiting, resistant, and prickly. But when they spend time together in their own little bubble of passion, they are able to talk and share. And they have explosive chemistry.  

Poor Luc didn't expect to care so much and then seems to have an impossible battle to try to win her heart, even when he thinks he has won her trust and made her feel safe. She opens up some and begins to make progress, but she self sabotages very easily and is an expert at pushing him away. And these two could both be stubborn, hot-headed, and speak without thinking. They are kind of a hot mess. Add in some stress in both of lives and ramp up the drama.

I liked Luc for most of the book. He really wanted to help her and could be caring, patient, and charming, even under stress and with her fighting him. Like his brother Max, he believes in the importance of family and having support. But there was one part during a conflict where he totally made me angry and it took a bit for me to get over it.

Stephy was more frustrating because she was so locked into her negative attitude and fears that she always wanted to believe the worst and not really give him a chance. There were several times I really just wanted to shake sense into her.

I was glad to get more of his loving family with Max, Jules, Simone, and their parents as well as some more of the Cold Fury crew. . We also get to know the other new team mate Van more. He's quite the stoic, grumpy man and I am looking forward to his story next. 

The plot wasn't overly complicated, but it was current and believable. The characters had plenty of growth opportunities although some was slow or inconsistent. I enjoyed the dual points of view. It was an angsty, tense, sexy, and sweet story of two people trying to make the best of  a situation and realizing that maybe things happen for reason. They just have to get over their issues and be willing to fight for what they want without fear holding them back. 

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

Lucas Fournier has no intention of making anything in his life more important than hockey. The chance to play professionally alongside his brother, and chase a Stanley Cup is not something he is going to let anything jeopardize.

Stephanie Frazier is strong, independent, and stands on her own. When she meets Lucas at a fundraiser, she figures she is in for a night of fun. What neither counts on is what happens when one night leads to consequences that mean more time together.

Stephanie has such a hard time opening up to people, and no wonder. Her upbringing was privileged but horrific in it’s own way. She did the best she could with what she knew, but was so afraid of letting people in that she came across as cold and heartless. There were times her walls made it hard to like her, especially when she was using them against Lucas. But knowing the why behind her actions definitely helped to make me more sympathetic towards her, even in her most defensive times.
 

Lucas was always a gentleman. Even as Stephanie rocks him with unexpected news, he is considerate and caring in his reactions. He isn’t always perfect, and his rougher moments make his all the more real, but he is one of those characters that learns from mistakes and does his best to not make the same mistake twice.

Lucas’s family support is a vast difference from Stephanie’s, and seeing the two family’s reactions to their news demonstrates everything that is the basis for these two characters. I loved the way Lucas’ family welcomed Stephanie, but also challenged her at every step to protect Lucas.

I enjoyed this story as I have all the Cold Fury books before it. This is such a fun family to return to. As Lucas is Max’s little brother, Max and Jules are in the wings often, but so is Lucas’s teammate and roommate, Van. I enjoyed getting to see a little more of Van through Lucas and Stephanie’s eyes, and his darkness is very different than other Cold Fury characters we’ve seen. I’m interested in his story, coming up next, and the fireworks that are sure to explode.

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