Review – On the Fly (Portland Storm #2) by Catherine Gayle

Ms. Gayle writes thought provoking, exciting, and sexy romances that will leave you cheering and have you anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. ~ Slick, Guilty Pleasures 

Description:
Injury after injury has put Brenden Campbell’s NHL career on hold for years. Now he’s playing for the Portland Storm and determined to make it stick. Few things in life drive him more than being told he can’t have something he wants, and what he wants most is to prove he belongs. Brenden also wants Rachel Shaw, the cute, little redhead who just got hired as the general manager’s new assistant. But then she went and made herself off-limits, telling him: “I don’t date.” Those three words pretty much guarantee that he’ll do everything he can to change her mind. Rachel is changing things up on the fly for her family, moving them somewhere she can be the kind of mom her kids deserve. Allowing anyone else to be in their lives is out of the question, at least until her instincts get back on track. How else can she be sure who to steer the kids clear of? Right now she trusts no one, including herself, and especially not a man like Brenden Campbell. He’s way too handsome and a little bit cocky. Falling for a guy like him is a mistake she can’t afford to make twice.

With each book I read by Catherine Gayle I grow more enamored with her no holds barred writing style and the way she tackles issues that people face every day. On The fly is the second book in her Portland Storm series and it is every bit as good as the first book. While this is a romance it is so much more than that; it is learning to trust, overcoming the past, embracing the future, and accepting love and support.

I’ll admit in the first book Brenden Campbell wasn’t my favorite character however I greatly admired the way he stepped up in this book, the way he took charge, and the way he chooses to pursue a single mother of two small children who capture his heart from the minute he lays eyes on them. It isn’t easy because Rachel Shaw trusts no one; not with herself and especially not with her children.

With two small children a big part of this story the romance aspect moves fairly slowly but it was perfect for this couple because Brenden had to earn Rachel’s trust and help her to build a life with the Portland Storm family.

The secondary characters were so important to this story and Brenden’s family often had me laughing out loud, the players and their significant others added depth especially Jamie (Babs) Babcock who has impressed me from the first book with the way he handles himself and life at such a young age. I have so much admiration for him and I can only hope when he gets his own story it’s everything he deserves and more.

While written in first person, we got to see the story from both the hero and heroine’s perspective which only added to the beauty of this story. In addition the hockey sequences added excitement and brought another dimension to an already full plot.

Whether you are a hockey fan or not, this is a series you do not want to miss. Ms. Gayle writes thought provoking, exciting, and sexy romances that will leave you cheering and have you anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.

4.5 Stars

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