Alisa Jean

After a couple of misses with other ARCs earlier this year, I tried to temper my expectations going into this one. I needn’t have worried, though; this book is very well done, and I really enjoyed it. The characters are well-rounded and complex, and the plot is compelling and engaging. They use the tropes well, and they’re not super in your face about the fact that they’re using the tropes. The owner’s daughter, soon to be his boss angle, was interesting. It made for a solid conflict show more for them to overcome, especially given how poorly Linc is playing at the start of the book.



For a guy with the nickname Caveman, you’d expect that Linc might be a bit misogynistic or very controlling, and that’s not the case. He’s fiercely protective and does have some caveman-like tendencies when it comes to protecting his people and his net; that’s where the nickname comes from. The way he is always solidly in Catherine’s corner but doesn’t step on her toes to protect her is a green flag for sure.



Catherine is a very interesting character. I really liked her and the way she handled herself and the situations she found herself in. Her brother Daniel was the worst, and I know he was written to be completely unsympathetic, and they succeeded in portraying him that way. The first clue is when he sets Catherine up to be assaulted by one of his business colleagues to further a deal. Luckily, Linc happened to be around for that before it went too far, but just a warning that the content is there.



The supporting cast of Linc’s teammates is fantastic; I can’t wait for their books. The horrifying way that the authors write in a hockey injury towards the end to set up book 2 is a little too realistic, so if medical trauma is not your jam, be warned there’s some of that near the end of this book. I’m still gonna read it. show less

I enjoyed this much more than I expected too! For those who are not into the romance genre, this is a great book to get your feet wet! It had just enough spice and was not overly cheesy on the romance, which is why I tend to stay away from romance books. It had a well thought out story with substance. I highly enjoyed all of the hockey references. It was written so hockey fans would enjoy the underlying story but would not lose those who are not fans. Although being a Flyers fan I'm mad that show more the dirty hit and injury scene came while they were playing the Philadelphia team, however.....being a Philadelphia sports fan....I get it and it makes sense. I was most excited when I got to the end and saw that there are books for the other characters as well in this series!!!! show less

As a fan of the sport of hockey and a lover of a good romance, Alisa Jean's Lincoln marries these two passions into a story with a lot of heart. You can tell that there is a love for the sport and that the authors aren't just trying to cash in on a "hot trope." I enjoyed the game being featured as it was.
The love story is also endearing. At times, I felt that their connection was rushed; but, then again, that's the way things go sometimes. Both Lincoln and Catherine are likable characters, show more even if they don't always make the best decisions (but we've all been there, right!)
There is some setup for future books in the series, and I'm looking forward to reading more about this Quakes hockey team. show less

This was a really fun read! If you're into hockey romance, this one definitely hits the mark. You've got Lincoln, this aging goalie who’s facing a bunch of rumors about being traded, and then there's Catherine, the owner’s daughter who's got some serious ambitions of her own.



I love how the book weaves in the hockey gameplay – it made everything feel more real and exciting. The whole "team player falling for the boss's daughter" trope? Yeah, it's been done before, but this story show more didn’t feel like a copy-paste of others, which was a nice surprise.



The drama between Lincoln and Catherine felt genuine. It wasn’t one of those quick-fix conflicts either. Catherine actually messed up, and she had to do some groveling, which I honestly liked. It wasn’t all on the guy this time! Plus, there are some cool side characters introduced to keep things going for future books, so I’m excited to see where the series heads.



The spice, ate.



Big thanks to LibraryThing for the free copy – it was a solid 4-star read for me! show less