Christopher
I came from the biggest hockey family in the NHL.
Records were set by my grandfather, my father, and now my brother.
I was taught to love the game, but more than that, I learned early the men you play with are your family.
You get on the ice every night and protect them, celebrate the wins, and pick each other up when you fall.
So when we lost Benji, I stepped in to help his wife and kids, but this pull I feel when it comes to them is something more than I can even understand.
Dakota
My life was perfect, until it wasn’t.
Gone was the husband I thought I knew and in his place was a stranger.
I saw him change before my eyes.
Then he was gone, leaving me and our girls alone.
I wanted nothing to do with anyone or anything that took him away from me.
But no matter how many times I’ve told his best friend I don’t need help.
He’s here doing things for us, and the worst part is, I want him to.
This story starts on the first page and pulls you right into the action. There’s no hint of what’s to come, no guessing, no gradual buildup because it explodes right away and only gets better. Koda is suddenly a single mom and angry at the world. She’s now raising two little girls who no longer have a father, and nothing is right in the world. She’s furious with Benji for destroying their happy family and mad at herself for not being able to stop his destruction. Christopher is her ex’s best friend who won’t quit checking up on her little family even when she takes her anger out on him or ignores him. He used to be her friend too, but she blames his friends and teammates for not intervening to save him, lashing out every time she sees him.
They were the people closest to Benji and both blame themselves to some degree, so it was only natural that they’d gravitate to one another. Christopher is always there to help with the girls and support the three of them, even when Kida makes it clear he’s not welcome. She quickly realizes that there’s a lot more to this man than she had ever realized before and they get close. He’s everything she needs: someone to talk to, someone who understands, someone who’s as angry at Benji as she is, but it’s the way he treats her girls that steals her heart.
It’s not an easy journey but the former friends turned enemies slowly find their way back to friendship and then something more. It was gradual so it felt organic and genuine as they grew closer, and I loved every minute of it. Christopher is a total cinnamon roll, which isn’t always a good thing but he’s sweet and likable and pretty darn perfect. Koda is strong and smart, staying focused for her girls to keep their lives stable even as her life collapses completely. Their story is emotional and sweet but still packs plenty of heat and I highly recommend it. I’d like to thank the author and The Author Agency for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
