* * *
Escape to the palm-fringed beaches of the Canary Islands and wash your worries away.
Kat swore off dating many years ago, after her marriage ended in a catastrophic mess. Having moved to the Canary Islands for a fresh start, she has never had much time for romance, channelling all her energy into managing all-male dance troupe – the Heavenly Hunks.
With golden beaches, sparkling blue water and relaxing after work with a glass of sangria – or three – for Kat, it’s summer all year round. But despite life being postcard perfect, Kat can’t help but wonder if she is missing out on the most important thing of all… love.
The dancers are all well-known for their flirtatious antics and aren’t looking for anything serious… except Jay. Sitting by the pool, watching the sun reflecting in the water, Kat feels like she can tell him anything.
Handsome, caring and a good listener, he ignites a fire in Kat’s heart that scares her witless. But her relationship with Jay should stay strictly professional… right? There is absolutely no way that she can be his boss and his date.
As the temperature rises, will Kat be able to take the plunge, let go of her past and find romance in paradise?
Source: ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
Kat's history is interesting albeit sad that has made her a fighter. Through flashbacks we're shown that she was in a bad marriage where her husband spent the entire time gaslighting her. Once her marriage was over she took off for the Canary Islands to build a new life. It's here that she has found her independence, gained back her confidence and is now a stronger person. As a business woman who's responsible for one of the area's must-see entertainment attractions - Heavenly Hunks - she's done well for herself and she can be proud of that. Everything is going swimmingly until Jay joins the Hunks and provides a new kind of emotional connection that she hasn't had in years. He tests the boundaries that she's firmly set since her divorce. Being attracted to Jay is one thing - she can control how far that goes - but falling in love, being in a relationship signals giving up control which is frightening for someone who survived an abusive marriage. Then there's also the question of the Heavenly Hunks future - whether the show can go on as is on their island paradise or if they need to dream bigger.
Let's get this out of the way - Kat's a freaking warrior to get where she is today! It's taken so much out of her to achieve her independence and learn to rely on herself. Her recollections of her husband are heart-rending but they explain why she's hyper sensitive or quick to draw conclusions when she senses even a hint of the mistreatment she received in the past. I'm glad she and Jay became friends and gradually developed a level of intimacy that they were both in need of. The pair come with burdened hearts that require a lot of patience and sympathy, and most of all, trust - something that they're both attempting to be better at.
All that being said, I'm sad to admit that I didn't quite feel the story pull me in completely. Sometimes it felt like Kat was listing things she was doing or feeling. It's a bit confusing, really because the flashbacks from her marriage felt more poignant compared to what felt kind of robotic in the present. It seemed like whatever was going on with her took me to just the very surface without allowing me in any further so it felt more like I was observing the motions rather than experiencing along with her. It's odd that I felt that difference but that's how I interpreted things.
Overall, Sun, Sea and Sangria was fine. Aspects of it were interesting like the behind-the-scenes workings of the Heavenly Hunks, their camaraderie, and of course, Kat's metamorphosis from victim to being her own heroine. The island life is an obvious draw. It's just that I wanted something more in the in between; to delve deeper into Kat's mindset but that would probably have taken the story in a different direction than what the author intended. It's still a good read for anyone looking for fun and island love.
~ Bel
* * * * 1/2
Maxwell has finally met an opponent that he can't best in this new football romance from the author of Fumbled.
According to Brynn Larson, Maxwell Lewis is more trouble than he's worth. She doesn't care if he's a football god with a rock-hard body that brings most women to their knees. After an encounter that ends poorly, she's not interested in giving him a second chance. The last thing Brynn expects is for him to turn up at her bar months later, hat in hand. It doesn't matter if he brings more customers to her business--she's still not going on a date with him.
Maxwell knows he made a mistake. He'd been waiting to make his move on Brynn since the day he laid eyes on her and he was finally ready to go for it until he screwed up. He wishes he could tell her the truth about what happened that night, but he just can't. He can't tell anyone, so he'll make amends and hope she'll forgive him.
Brynn's not like other women, though. Playing for the Mustangs doesn't impress her and gifts make her scoff. Max will have to bring his A game if he hopes to win her over.
Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review
There's nothing like landing on a series and enjoying each book more and more. That's how I feel about Alexa Martin's Playbook Series. They've been everything you want in sports romances - fun, sexy, thoughtful stories featuring strong women and impressive men. Blitzed took it to another level for me with Brynn being an entrepreneur managing a unique bar - HERS - aimed at catering to women, and Max who's the antithesis of the ego-driven sports hero.
Brynn and Max have been crushing on each other awhile now but neither has made a move. They simply engage in comfortable chit chat until one night when Max receives a phone call that turns the otherwise laid back, quiet guy into Godzilla. His change in demeanour wreaks havoc on her bar and she hopes never to see him again. When he finally comes back months later, he doesn't bother with an explanation but does attempt to make things right. Brynn, though is not ready to forgive and forget no matter how good looking or sweet he's being. Her guard's up and Max knows how much he screwed up and has to get back into her good graces. The best way to do that is to get to know what she loves the most: her bar. All her blood, sweat and tears have gone into HERS and it's always going to be her top priority.
Getting to know Brynn and learning about how she manages HERS was fascinating for me as I'm not a beer drinker or much of a bar person, really. Her explaining how she feels women have been overlooked when it comes to specialty beers and how she determines what to serve shows that she's a pragmatic person who reads the market well and knows her client base. I enjoyed tagging along on those beer tastings. Brynn's also such a steadfast supporter of her hometown, still in love with all that it has to offer. I just think that's a wonderful feeling to have - to be proud of where you live and excited to discover new things about it. Where she's a force to be reckoned with business-wise, her personal life has been neglected a bit. There's no time for a full on relationship so she's looking for a no strings attached situation. Max is a confounding presence in her life because he's not pushy but rather gentle about insinuating himself into her sphere. Despite that one encounter, even Brynn can see for herself that it was completely out of character for him and their friendship deepens.
I think what Blitzed does best is showcase female camaraderie in such a positive light. Brynn's bar attracts some famous clientele - the wives and girlfriends of the Mustangs - and she's either developed friendships or fondness for the ladies. She even surprised me in how she coped with a potential rival for Max's attention. Initially she was not a fan of this person but eventually came to like her adversary and I was so impressed that she left any kind of cattiness behind to treat this person fairly. I just think that's so impressive and it's nice to see that subtly affirmed in this story. However, our confident, trailblazing entrepreneur is not as brave when it comes to her own feelings and relationships thanks to abandonment issues and general distrust of commitment, which is why I'm so grateful that Max is patient and so low key.
I love how Martin allowed Brynn and Max to take their time, letting them develop their relationship in a natural way that felt right for both their personalities. Plus, they have Parks and Recreation to thank for helping to move things along. People, I love Parks and Rec and that they were bingeing it, too made me so incredibly happy! My only hesitation is the ending which has me conflicted. That phone call at the beginning that set off Max? When the details finally come to light it's a seismic event that throws Brynn into a further spiral after the stress of other recent events. She handles it poorly and I understand why. What felt off to me was how quickly it was resolved, kind of like a hurry-to-the-finish-line move. I think I just needed for Brynn and Max to hash it out a little longer since it dug so deep into her own insecurities.
Blitzed is a terrific novel and I enjoyed every moment of reading it. Martin's writing is so inviting and I can't help but feel like one of the girls whenever I read any of the books in this series. You might have heard that the first book, Intercepted, has been optioned for TV and will air on Starz. I am so over the moon thrilled about it because I think it'll make a fantastic show, especially as I said earlier, there are some strong women in these books. Until then, we have Blitzed to keep us in good company.
~ Bel
