OFFSIDE by Kelly Jamieson

OFFSIDE (Heller Brothers #5) 
by Kelly Jamieson

Advanced Reading Copy

Published: October 1, 2013, Kelly Jamieson

My rating: 5 of 5 ⭐

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It had taken years for Honey Holbrook to try and live down her wild and well publicized days as the rebellious child of one of hockey's greats and his otherwise perfect family. All to no avail. She had managed to leave her old life behind, get her degree, stand on her own two feet and not create even a ripple, but still her past mistakes followed her wherever she went. And when she starts her first day in her new job, hopeful to make a good first impression, it is almost immediately squashed again when she is not only told the job is hers as a favor to her father, but the first person she encounters in a meeting is none other than Matt Heller, the one person who had and then threw away her heart eight years ago.

After a devastating neck and head injury, Matt Heller had been on the disabled list for months and although finally skating again, he was not cleared for full contact yet and bored out of his mind. That's why he enjoyed getting involved in these charity projects his team ran, it gave him something worthwhile to do. He was shocked to see Honey Holbrook in that meeting, and not just that, but she was to be the person he would be working with. Remembering their wild fling from years ago that ended on a bitter note, he can't help but notice how different she looks. Still beautiful, but poised and together. Surprisingly after all this time he can still feel the pull she has on him and there is something else about her, a vulnerabillity that he never saw before.

Honey tries to keep her distance from Matt. She isn't really upset with him anymore, she understands why he did what he did, but she also knows she has little resistance when it comes to him. Matt doesn't deserve to be tainted with the ongoing bad reputation that will haunt her forever. He is just about to start playing again and who knows what an association with her would do to his career. But it seems he is able to break through every one of the barriers she throws up, and it feels so good just to be accepted for who she is.

Matt senses the push and pull that goes on in Honey. He can feel her physical responses to him, they don't lie, she wants him, but once her mind gets involved, she starts pulling away. Matt is determined to dig down deep and find out exactly what is going on in her head. Because this time, he is not planning to let her go.

*****

Loved, loved, loved it!!!!

Two people who knew each other at their worst, are able to work through that to the person underneath the behavior. Oh how I wish more folks would take the time to look a little closer like that!!!

Other than that it is wrapped in a sizzling hot romance, there is also a great moral to this story and I bet if we look in our vicinity, we can pick out one or two folks at least, who are easier to judge than they are to know........ Perhaps we should put in some more time.

Living up to expectations she knew she could never meet, that's what Honey gave up on at a young age. The only way for her not to disappear into the woodwork, was to start acting out in order to be 'seen'. Something that dragged on way too long, and half decent parents would have picked up on that sooner rather than later. All kids, especially teens, at some point growing up will act out to draw attention, few will be allowed to take it as far as Honey took it. One of the draw backs of the rich and famous and unfortunately the child paid. There is a strong core there though...... otherwise Honey would have easily succumbed to that way of life, like her contemporaries did. But she pulled out, at first she was forced, but then she turned herself around and re-directed her life completely. 

For Matt, the wild days were just that, wild days. Not really rebellious or acting out, just a young guy, away from home for the first time . He was blessed with a strong sense of family, a solid base to rely on. Safety and unconditional love to come home to. Somehow he knew even then, that Honey was in trouble and that he was not the person who would be able to get her out. His accident brought home his need for stability, reliability, both from him to others and for him. So when Honey appeared in his life this time, he was ready for her, ready to show her what unconditional meant.

I adore Kelly Jamieson, some of her books are so much more than they might appear on the surface. HOW TO LOVE was one of those books for me...... OFFSIDE is now another. It has the appearance of a lighthearted romance, but under the surface offers so much emotional insight. And Ms. Jamieson is very talented when it comes to the bedroom!!! She writes the sexiest, hottest, raunchiest, most arousing sex scenes, without ever losing the sensual, erotic feel. I'm telling you.......it's a gift!!

✨A moving, steamy and seductive knockout.✨


**ARC received in return for an honest review.**