Series: Barker Triplets #1
Released: October 1, 2012
Contemporary Romance
Self Published

Reviewed by Mandi

I love a contemporary romance with a hockey hero and Logan Forest is a pretty good hockey player in this book. But when I found very intriguing when I heard about this book, is that Billie Jo, the heroine, is the true hockey star. Billie Jo was so good at hockey, she left her small town and moved to Sweden to play on a professional men’s team that allowed women to play as well. But when she gets a very serious concussion, she comes home, saddened that she is done with professional hockey.

She also comes home to drama and conflict. Her sister (Billie Jo is part of identical triplets also including Betty Jo and Bobbie Jo – the names are soooo not my favorite). Billie’s sister, Bobbie Jo has changed since she has been gone. She is now super conservative, with an uptight boyfriend. She has also been taking care of their father who appears to be in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. All of this has made Bobbie Jo bitter, and she takes it all out on Billie.

When Billie hears that there is a ‘beer league’ hockey team that plays every Friday night, she wants in. The rules state that it is a no contact league (good for her head injury) and she also notices there is not a rule that says girls can’t play. But when she signs up, the other men are not happy at all. They do not want any girls stepping into their Friday night fun. She does find one ally though. Logan Forest has lived in this small town all his life. He went to school with the Barker triplets. He has a soft spot for Billie and has her back in the league. And she is going to need it because the men in this town are not happy.

I liked both Billie and Logan, although I wish Logan had had more of a bigger presence in this book or a bigger personality. I liked Billie better. She is strong, and stubborn and never gives up on her quest to find happiness after her concussion. The men in this town are really nasty to her. I actually thought it was a little over-dramatic how they seem to all treat her so poorly. Maybe in these small towns this would really happen, but it seemed a little extreme to me. But I liked the way she handled them. I also liked her relationship with her sister Bobbie. It is very strained, but it felt realistic. The resentment Bobbie has of Billie going off to pursue her dreams while she is stuck at home caring for their ailing father came across well. There are also big hints about Bobbie and maybe someone who is not her current boyfriend who may be appearing in a future book.

Logan and Billie have hot sex in this book, but the one big thing I feel was missing was a glimpse more into an actual relationship, rather than just sex. I wanted to see them go a little deeper into their emotions. I feel like that depth was missing. I liked them together, but the ‘love’ announcement seemed to come too quickly for them. I think their physical relationship is done well, but I needed a little more emotional depth. I never felt a strong connection between them.

Otherwise, I liked this one. I like Juliana Stone’s voice and I’m looking forward to the other two Barker triplet stories.

Rating: C+

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