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In all the years I’ve been reading and doing reviews I’ve never done this before, it is a first. I’m giving this book 2 grades, one for the outside and one for the inside.

Outside first. Two words. Ohhhh Myyyy. This is without question the most gorgeous and sexy yet tasteful cover I’ve ever seen on a book. Look at it. Study it. Enlarge it. Now try and disagree with me. It’s pure perfection with the model, the tattoos the pose, the title in the most appropriate of places � perfection. I find the cover model to die for handsome and if he were to ever notice me and ask me out on a date I’d be torn. Om the one hand I couldn’t say yes fast enough, on the other hand should I say yes, I’m afraid I would simply gaze in awe the entire date. And that would ruin it and he’s never ask me out again. So I’m left to long from afar. Oh, and save it as my wallpaper. Yes, I did do that. Needless to say the outside gets a A+ x’s infinity even though it’s only electronic and I can’t post it on my bedroom wall. And since I’m well over legal age, that would just be weird anyway.

Inside now. I love the story. I’m quite a fan of Brenda Rothert and have read and loved many of her previous books so I was planning on getting this one anyway since it’s been a while it seems since I read one of her books. And then I saw the cover � but I already covered the cover.
Anton is our hero and what a heart melting hero he is. He’s a pro hockey player and captain of The Chicago Blaze. There are a number of things that make him dreamy but one of the big reasons is he’s gone and fallen in love with the wife of a fellow team member. And that makes completely off limits. What makes it harder though she stays off limits is he husband and Anton’s team mate is a total and complete a-hole. And because Anton is so gone for Mia Marceau it’s her he wants and longs for and only her. So he’s been celibate for quite some time. And for some reason that really amps up his appeal, a guy who’s holding out for a lost cause.

BUT

As this is a romance it turns out it’s not such a lost cause after all. Anton runs into Mia as she’s bartending. He ends up driving her home; it’s late and he worries for her. He discovers that she and her husband have split with no chance of them getting back together and because her husband is being the Snidely Whiplash of villains, he’s holding out any and all funds and Mia is all on her own, trying to keep herself going as well as keeping her grandfather in a good home.

Anton sees light at the end of his tunnel. She’s still off limits as she is only separated and not divorced so he becomes her friend and protector. He hires her to look after his grouch of an uncle and is there for her in a number of different ways. As they spend more and more time together, he falls deeper and she begins to reciprocate his feelings.

Overall I very much enjoyed this book. There were a few things that didn’t work quite as well as most of the book but that’s kind of nitpicking to be honest. I found her husband and the villain of the story too over the top in his villainess. I didn’t like the lengths she went to for money to help her grandfather, but overall I enjoyed it. Anton was beyond a great hero; his Russianness most appealing and I quite admired the grit that Mia had. I love that they both had strong morals and wanted to wait until Mia was no longer a married woman before acting on their very strong attraction.
This is the first book in a series and as Anton has a twin brother who also plays hockey…�.

Quick update - next book is not about Anton's brother but a team member and I've already pre-ordered it.