Good Guy by Kate MeaderMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Levi Hunt is the Chicago Rebels hockey team's oldest rookie, having chosen to join the Green Berets rather than start his pro-hockey career out of college. He may be the strong silent type but he also volunteers at a homeless shelter and acts as a mentor to the younger rookies.
Jordan Cooke gets her big break from local sports when the opportunity comes to cover a fellow journalist's spot while he recovers from a heart attack, reporting on hockey, especially the Chicago Rebels for Chicago SportsNet. At the interview Jordan discovers that what gave her the edge was her previous association with Levi Hunt, her late husband's best friend and Green Berets team-mate, pity Chicago SportsNet don't know that Levi hates her guts. He never liked her, never thought she was good enough for Cookie, always had a sneer on his face, especially after she climbed him like a monkey the evening after Cookie's funeral. It may have been inappropriate and fuelled by grief but that steamy kiss five years ago still gets her a bit hot and bothered all these years later. But if an in-depth article on the Rebels' newest rookie is what they want Jordan will pull up her big girl panties and deliver it.
Levi doesn't hate Jordan, not even a little bit, not even at all (sorry, channelling Ten Things I Hate About You), he fell for her the first moment he heard her gorgeous laugh, but he was too slow and she only had eyes for his mate Cookie. Ever since then he has felt guilty for the feelings he has for his best friend's wife, but he never did anything about it, well not until after Cookie's funeral when there may have been a kiss which haunts Levi to this day. Now Jordan is back, digging into his private life that he wants to stay hidden, and just as beautiful as ever.
I always laugh when I see the titles of some of the category romances, you know the "Cowboy Sheikh Billionaire's Secret Baby" variety, but honestly I kind of see their point. Kate Meader had me at former special forces, best-friend's girl, sports-romance - when she threw in a dog I just about squealed with joy!
Reading about Jordan and Levi's romance as she tries to dig into his personality and he does all he can to resist her was pure joy, there's a backdrop of casual sexism and harassment which Jordan and the other women working in the sports world face on a daily basis, as well as some thoughts about letting women fight their own battles.
I loved this start to a new series and I can't believe I have missed three books from the last series - off to Amazon I trot!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
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