Review: The Graham Effect

The Graham Effect by Elle Kennedy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Pretty formulaic college sports romance with all the YA/NA cliches.

Luke Ryder is the sexy handsome taciturn ice hockey player who gets the girl without even trying, his former college Eastwood has gone bust and the team has been transferred wholesale to their biggest rival Briar - now he and his teammates are fighting their rivals for their positions. To make things worse, his teammates have nominated him cocaptain just because he's their strongest player and he has no desire to lead. Even worse, he's late for his first day of official practice, in front of Garrett Graham, because his one-night stand switched off his alarm clock! Now everyone thinks he's a slacker when normally he's the first on the ice.

Gigi Graham is the daughter of former Briar legend Garrett Graham and she is determined to get a place on the Women's USA hockey team and play at the Olympics - its the only thing her dad hasn't done! But when she discovers that the new Team USA coach is the father of a girl who has gone scorched earth on her she knows it's going to be an uphill battle, especially when he cites her 'issues' behind the goal as being her weak spot.

Ryder and Gigi clashed a few years back, he thought she was a figure skater and ordered her off the ice (of the rink her father funded), when they meet up again she seems to be the only woman immune to his charms, especially when he points out that she's weak behind goal. But maybe the two of them can help each other out; he can coach Gigi on her weak spot and she can put in a good word for Ryder with her dad?

Throw in a few cliches like a cheating boyfriend (yep, the other cocaptain) who her father adores, a secret family, rich girl/poor boy, a reputation for a bad temper that isn't deserved, in-team aggro, and exhibitionist behaviour and you have a steamy YA/NA romance.

Could have done with more hockey TBH.

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