Review Tour: Tacker: Sawyer Bennett
TACKER
Add to Goodreads
Release Date November 5, 2019
I am not okay.
Fifteen months ago, my life was turned upside down when the plane I was piloting went down. Injured and trapped in the wreckage, I had to watch my fiancée die a painfully slow death, which is something that can really mess with your head.
Since that day, I’ve had little desire to do much of anything. Except play hockey, that is. Because that is the one place where the bad memories are banished and I can escape my pain.
But off the ice, I’m spiraling out of control. Losing the grip on my life and putting myself and my career in danger. Now, thanks to a string of bad decisions, I’ve been ordered to complete therapy in order to stay on the team.
The problem? Nora Wayne, my beautiful and somewhat unconventional therapist. I can’t buy into the brand of happy clappy crap this woman is feeding me. What could she possibly understand about the type of loss that I’ve suffered? How does she know anything about finding happiness after losing the most important person in your life?
Turns out, I’ve got a lot to learn, and she’s just the person I need to break through those walls I’ve erected.
I am not okay.
But for the first time in a long time, I know that I will be.
I have been waiting for Tacker's book since the beginning of this series and my interest has only grown in each book as he spiraled out of control. I was both excited and a bit scared to read this one, but it did not disappoint. I actually read it a bit slower since I wanted to stay with the characters longer and did not want it to be over. The author did a good job explaining all of the pertinent information and past events so that you would not be lost if you read it as a standalone.
Tacker Hall is a mess. Fifteen months ago he lost his fiancee' in a private plane crash and has been drowning in grief, guilt, self-loathing, anger, and hopelessness ever since. His demons keep coming after him causing him to be depressed and is only really living for his time on the ice. But his attitude and recent behavior have now caused the team to give him an ultimatum: get help or lose his spot on the team.
Nora Wayne is a therapist who runs a ranch and also does equine therapy. She is used to challenging cases. Despite her current optimism and sunshiney personality, she has also suffered terribly in her life, but she found a way to persevere with the help of some special people.
Nora is the only person that seems to find a way to tap into the inner Tacker. These two sharing their pasts and their pain is so poignant. I loved seeing them develop a sense of trust, friendship, and an unexpected connection. And the slow burn attraction and feelings, progressive healing, and finding hope again was beautiful to see. I loved seeing Tacker start to emerge from his hard shell and show his true personality. He is such a generous, caring, and loving man who was paralyzed by hopelessness and guilt. But Nora is like a light that draws him and begins to infiltrate his soul. I just adored these two together. But I was also scared of possible setbacks or emotional turmoil.
Nora Wayne is a therapist who runs a ranch and also does equine therapy. She is used to challenging cases. Despite her current optimism and sunshiney personality, she has also suffered terribly in her life, but she found a way to persevere with the help of some special people.
Nora is the only person that seems to find a way to tap into the inner Tacker. These two sharing their pasts and their pain is so poignant. I loved seeing them develop a sense of trust, friendship, and an unexpected connection. And the slow burn attraction and feelings, progressive healing, and finding hope again was beautiful to see. I loved seeing Tacker start to emerge from his hard shell and show his true personality. He is such a generous, caring, and loving man who was paralyzed by hopelessness and guilt. But Nora is like a light that draws him and begins to infiltrate his soul. I just adored these two together. But I was also scared of possible setbacks or emotional turmoil.
This is a slow burn, emotional, heartwarming romance with a forbidden element and characters with a lot of baggage. This is a book about two survivors still working on how to handle challenges while finding their inner strength and internalizing available support. I loved seeing Tacker build his relationships with the team, the coaches and Dominik, her friend, Raul, and the arrival of his old best friend, Wylde. He is opening himself up to actually living life again. This is not just about Tacker finding love and romance with a woman. It is about him finding himself again, and his own passion and self-love. And also sharing with his friends and teammates and gaining an appreciation for having a support system.
This book made my heart happy. I did not want it to end. And I cannot wait for both Dominik and Wylde's stories.
Tacker Hall has recovered physically from the plane crash that killed his fiance only weeks before they were to be wed, but his mental recovery is stalled. After crashing his truck into a cement barrier at the arena, team management has put some requirements in place for Tacker to remain a part of the team. If he doesn’t get help and work through his grief, he is off the team.
Nora Wayne is an equine therapist, using horses to help her clients work through their own issues. She has her own history of pain and anguish and learned the healing value of horses during her own healing process.
These two build a shaky relationship as Tacker learns to trust and let people in again. He has spent so much of the previous 15 months shutting everyone else that he isn’t sure how to be vulnerable, how to share with another person exactly what he is feeling and thinking. Nora is the perfect match for him, challenging him to think further than himself and reflect on what is truly important. But I also spent a good deal of the story worried about how they would be able to really have a relationship with their start as therapist/patient. As Tacker grew attached to her, I couldn’t help but worry about how their working relationship would impact anything personal that was developing.
I’ve been waiting for Tacker’s story since we met him at the beginning of the series. His pain is palpable and his teammates are supportive, allowing him to have his moments as he deals with his grief. But they are also aware he needs help, and we have long seen them all at a loss as to how to help him. The Arizona Vengeance team is really gelling into a family unit, but Tacker’s problems needed outside help. I loved watching as the entire organization rallied with him, trying to find exactly what kind of push he needed to find peace. There is still more to come from this team and I can’t wait to see what’s next!
Nora Wayne is an equine therapist, using horses to help her clients work through their own issues. She has her own history of pain and anguish and learned the healing value of horses during her own healing process.
These two build a shaky relationship as Tacker learns to trust and let people in again. He has spent so much of the previous 15 months shutting everyone else that he isn’t sure how to be vulnerable, how to share with another person exactly what he is feeling and thinking. Nora is the perfect match for him, challenging him to think further than himself and reflect on what is truly important. But I also spent a good deal of the story worried about how they would be able to really have a relationship with their start as therapist/patient. As Tacker grew attached to her, I couldn’t help but worry about how their working relationship would impact anything personal that was developing.
I’ve been waiting for Tacker’s story since we met him at the beginning of the series. His pain is palpable and his teammates are supportive, allowing him to have his moments as he deals with his grief. But they are also aware he needs help, and we have long seen them all at a loss as to how to help him. The Arizona Vengeance team is really gelling into a family unit, but Tacker’s problems needed outside help. I loved watching as the entire organization rallied with him, trying to find exactly what kind of push he needed to find peace. There is still more to come from this team and I can’t wait to see what’s next!
The Arizona Vengeance series from New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett can be read together or separately:
BISHOP
Add to Goodreads
Our 4 star reviews
LEGEND
Add to Goodreads
Buy Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Google Play | Kobo | Audible
Our 4 star reviews
Buy Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Google Play | Kobo | Audible
Our 4 star reviews
DAX
Since the release of her debut contemporary romance novel, Off Sides, in January 2013, Sawyer Bennett has released multiple books, many of which have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists.
A reformed trial lawyer from North Carolina, Sawyer uses real life experience to create relatable, sexy stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From new adult to erotic contemporary romance, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.
Sawyer likes her Bloody Marys strong, her martinis dirty, and her heroes a combination of the two. When not bringing fictional romance to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to a very active daughter, as well as full-time servant to her adorably naughty dogs. She believes in the good of others, and that a bad day can be cured with a great work-out, cake, or even better, both.
Sawyer also writes general and women’s fiction under the pen name S. Bennett and sweet romance under the name Juliette Poe.
A reformed trial lawyer from North Carolina, Sawyer uses real life experience to create relatable, sexy stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From new adult to erotic contemporary romance, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.
Sawyer likes her Bloody Marys strong, her martinis dirty, and her heroes a combination of the two. When not bringing fictional romance to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to a very active daughter, as well as full-time servant to her adorably naughty dogs. She believes in the good of others, and that a bad day can be cured with a great work-out, cake, or even better, both.
Sawyer also writes general and women’s fiction under the pen name S. Bennett and sweet romance under the name Juliette Poe.
1 comments
Nice reviews, especially Kim's....I felt the same way!
ReplyDelete