Rating: 5 stars
Release Date: June 25, 2019
Publisher: Tuxbury Publishing, LLC
Genre: adult contemporary sports romance
Format/Source: eARC, from the author
audiobook, purchased
audiobook, purchased
Status: book 3 of the Brooklyn companion series
(spinoff of the Brooklyn Bruisers series)
(spinoff of the Brooklyn Bruisers series)
Summary:
Sometimes lady luck shakes your hand, and sometimes she smacks your face. Sometimes she does both on the same day.
Three years ago I met the most amazing girl in the world. We were both down on our luck. Then I got that call—the one that tells you to get your buns on a plane to go meet your destiny.
But the girl was left behind. I didn’t have her phone number, and she didn’t know my real name.
While I became a professional hockey player, she became a superstar, with platinum records and legions of fans. And a slick, music producer boyfriend who treated her badly.
But fate wasn’t done with us yet. When Delilah turns up at a hockey game, I can’t resist making contact. The internet swoons when I ask her out on a date.
She might not remember me. But her jerkface ex does. He’ll do anything to keep us apart.
Good thing athletes never give up. This time I’m playing for keeps.
Three years ago I met the most amazing girl in the world. We were both down on our luck. Then I got that call—the one that tells you to get your buns on a plane to go meet your destiny.
But the girl was left behind. I didn’t have her phone number, and she didn’t know my real name.
While I became a professional hockey player, she became a superstar, with platinum records and legions of fans. And a slick, music producer boyfriend who treated her badly.
But fate wasn’t done with us yet. When Delilah turns up at a hockey game, I can’t resist making contact. The internet swoons when I ask her out on a date.
She might not remember me. But her jerkface ex does. He’ll do anything to keep us apart.
Good thing athletes never give up. This time I’m playing for keeps.
Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book by the author. This does not affect the content of my review.
Review:
YOU GUYS. I love this book. I love this book a LOT. Sarina has been a fave author of mine for a few years now, and I'm always eagerly awaiting her next release. They always meet my expectations, but every now and then, there's one that just blows away the rest of the books in its series and goes far beyond my expectations. Superfan is that book.
Sarina readers met hero Silas 3 years ago in Rookie Move, the first of Sarina's books set in Brooklyn and centered on the Brooklyn Bruisers hockey team. Each time I read a companion series, there's always that one secondary character who stands out for one reason or another whose book I'm DYING for, and in the Brooklyn books, Silas has been that character. In Rookie Move, he was mc Leo's new roommate who got sent back down to a minor hockey team, then was recalled back to the team 2 books later in Pipe Dreams to once again be the Bruisers backup goalie. During that time, I had two burning questions 1. is Silas really is that nice (spoiler alert: yes) and 2. what his deal is with Delilah Spark (spoiler alert: missed opportunities, mistaken identities, and a stood-up surfing date).
Romance is a treasure trove of delight for many reasons, including the different kinds of character combinations from fairly stereotypical character types. I know some readers don't care for romance because they feel it's old and everything's been done a million times, but I think romance writers are incredibly talented BECAUSE they can take types and tropes that have been done a million times and make them new and exciting. I know what I'm going to get at the end (an HEA), but I don't know how they're going to get there. I know the kind of characters present in the book, but I don't know how the combination will play out.
In this case, Silas really is a Very Good Boy. He's incredibly kind and thoughtful and sweet. Not in a too-sweet way, but in a way that will have you saying "awwwww!" with heart eyes at least once each chapter. In contrast, Delilah is a cynical woman with a soft heart for those who need (and deserve) her kindness, but with a shell that has been hardened because of a difficult early life and years in a tough business.
These two types play out like gangbusters in Superfan. Silas was quite a bit goofier than I'd expected, and it works brilliantly by bringing lightness to the story. His and Delilah's relationship is really playful and cute in addition to the sizzling chemistry I expect from Sarina. Sarina's characters tend to have very serious and intense relationships, which is not at all a bad thing. Also, with a more skeptical heroine with a pretty serious nervous tic brought on by a bad past experience (Delilah won't drink beverages she doesn't open herself), it would have been really easy for this book to have a more somber tone. But that also makes Silas and Delilah's flirty banter so much FUN and really makes them stand out. The end result is a book that feels fizzy and bubbly, like drinking the best sparkling lemonade: a little tart, a lot sweet, and plenty of tiny dancing bubbles that burst so delightfully on your tongue.
I am absolutely hooked on Sarina Bowen books, and seriously: if you haven't read her yet, you MUST. I'm already dying for her next projects which includes Moonlighter, a spinoff book in a new series with Eric Bayer, a retired Brooklyn Bruiser player, and Man Cuffed, another in Sarina and Tanya Eby's side-splitting, rolling-on-the-floor-laughing-your-ass-off hilarious Man Hands series.
If you'd like to get started reading Sarina's books, check here for my recommendation which book to start with. You can also check out the books-by-trope page on Sarina's website (mild spoilers) and her Reading Order page.
Sarina readers met hero Silas 3 years ago in Rookie Move, the first of Sarina's books set in Brooklyn and centered on the Brooklyn Bruisers hockey team. Each time I read a companion series, there's always that one secondary character who stands out for one reason or another whose book I'm DYING for, and in the Brooklyn books, Silas has been that character. In Rookie Move, he was mc Leo's new roommate who got sent back down to a minor hockey team, then was recalled back to the team 2 books later in Pipe Dreams to once again be the Bruisers backup goalie. During that time, I had two burning questions 1. is Silas really is that nice (spoiler alert: yes) and 2. what his deal is with Delilah Spark (spoiler alert: missed opportunities, mistaken identities, and a stood-up surfing date).
Romance is a treasure trove of delight for many reasons, including the different kinds of character combinations from fairly stereotypical character types. I know some readers don't care for romance because they feel it's old and everything's been done a million times, but I think romance writers are incredibly talented BECAUSE they can take types and tropes that have been done a million times and make them new and exciting. I know what I'm going to get at the end (an HEA), but I don't know how they're going to get there. I know the kind of characters present in the book, but I don't know how the combination will play out.
In this case, Silas really is a Very Good Boy. He's incredibly kind and thoughtful and sweet. Not in a too-sweet way, but in a way that will have you saying "awwwww!" with heart eyes at least once each chapter. In contrast, Delilah is a cynical woman with a soft heart for those who need (and deserve) her kindness, but with a shell that has been hardened because of a difficult early life and years in a tough business.
These two types play out like gangbusters in Superfan. Silas was quite a bit goofier than I'd expected, and it works brilliantly by bringing lightness to the story. His and Delilah's relationship is really playful and cute in addition to the sizzling chemistry I expect from Sarina. Sarina's characters tend to have very serious and intense relationships, which is not at all a bad thing. Also, with a more skeptical heroine with a pretty serious nervous tic brought on by a bad past experience (Delilah won't drink beverages she doesn't open herself), it would have been really easy for this book to have a more somber tone. But that also makes Silas and Delilah's flirty banter so much FUN and really makes them stand out. The end result is a book that feels fizzy and bubbly, like drinking the best sparkling lemonade: a little tart, a lot sweet, and plenty of tiny dancing bubbles that burst so delightfully on your tongue.
I am absolutely hooked on Sarina Bowen books, and seriously: if you haven't read her yet, you MUST. I'm already dying for her next projects which includes Moonlighter, a spinoff book in a new series with Eric Bayer, a retired Brooklyn Bruiser player, and Man Cuffed, another in Sarina and Tanya Eby's side-splitting, rolling-on-the-floor-laughing-your-ass-off hilarious Man Hands series.
If you'd like to get started reading Sarina's books, check here for my recommendation which book to start with. You can also check out the books-by-trope page on Sarina's website (mild spoilers) and her Reading Order page.
Depends on what you want.— Mary (@knoxdiver) July 12, 2019
NA? The Year We Fell Down
Hockey hunks & second chance romance? Rookie Move
Hot grumpy farmer? Bittersweet
Roll-on-the-ground rom-com with a hunky tv contractor? Man Hands
M/M bff-to-more? Him
Hockey hunks w/dogs? Good Boy (will spoil Him)
Purchase Links:
About the Author:
Sarina Bowen is the RITA® Award winning author of over thirty contemporary novels. She most recently hit the USA Today bestseller's list with Superfan. Formerly a derivatives trader on Wall Street, Sarina holds a BA in economics from Yale University.
Sarina Bowen is a New Englander whose Vermont ancestors cut timber and farmed the north country since the 1760s. Sarina is grateful for the invention of indoor plumbing and wi-fi during the intervening 250 years. On a few wooded acres, she lives with her husband, two boys, and an ungodly amount of ski and hockey gear.
Sarina Bowen is a New Englander whose Vermont ancestors cut timber and farmed the north country since the 1760s. Sarina is grateful for the invention of indoor plumbing and wi-fi during the intervening 250 years. On a few wooded acres, she lives with her husband, two boys, and an ungodly amount of ski and hockey gear.
Author Links:
I'm so glad you enjoyed this one! I am going to try out one of the earlier ones and go from there. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteJamie @ Books and Ladders
Yes! There are 3 places you can start: The Year We Fell Down, which the the chronological start of allllllll the connected hockey books; Rookie Move, which is the start of the Brooklyn Bruisers books (chronologically after the Ivy Years series); or Brooklynaire, which is the first of the Brooklyn Books that isn't officially part of the Bruisers series (because legal nonsense, Brooklynaire, Overnight Sensation, and Superfan aren't able to be part of the Bruisers books).
DeleteShe is one of my favorites and I pick them up when I need a bit of fun in my reads.
ReplyDelete