EMPTY NET (The Assassin Series) by Toni Aleo

EMPTY NET (The Assassin Series) by Toni Aleo
(U.S. Link: http://amzn.com/B00BSW7PRA)
Published : September, 2012, Random House Canada Incorp.

For most of her adult life, Audrey has had the worst taste in men, and she knows it. Last example is Levi, who constantly cheats on her, but she keeps taking him back. That is.......until she meets Tate.

Granted, she didn't know his name that first night.....just knew he was big, blond, scorching hot and had the most amazing blue eyes........oh..and a god in bed! It wasn't until a week later, at her sister's wedding, that she finds out he is her new brother in law's best friend, and the young goalie for the Assassins and to top it all off..........her new neighbour!!
She had bailed on him the morning after their one night stand and they had not even exchanged names, so when Tate spots her at the reception, he is determined to find out more about the woman he hasn't been able to stop thinking about all week. Audrey does not want to get involved with him.....yes, he is beautiful.......yes, he is amazing in bed..... but he is waaaaay to young for her and besides, she is looking for something more permanent.

Tate is not one to give up easily, he doesn't care about a difference in age, and he is much more mature than his years. In fact he seems to have his priorities pretty straight, while Audrey is still floundering. 

Audrey and Tate try hanging out as friends only, but mutual attraction and sizzling chemistry makes it impossible to keep their hands off each other for long. So despite some obvious and a few less obvious obstacles to deal with, a relationship between them is inevitable. But no one said it would be easy.....

At first I could not help but think that Audrey must be the most self destructive 29 year old around. Not blessed with very good judgement or a healthy sense of self preservation or self worth and she irritated me a bit. But as I got to know her, and her history a little better, the puzzle pieces began to slip into place and I became more sympathetic to her character. And she completely won me over towards the end of the story with her newly developed sense of self worth.

Tate, I sympathized with right off the bat, since it was clear from the beginning that he knew what he was worth, but those around him had trouble looking beyond what was on the surface. His sensitivity did not really take away from his masculinity within the sense of this story. He was a good character match up with Audrey and the heat between them was palpable!!!

I really enjoyed EMPTY NET! It was my first book by Toni Aleo and I will certainly read her again.