On the Surface by Kate Willoughby (In the Zone #1)
Contemporary Romance
Released: April 14, 2014
Carina Press

Reviewed by Mandi

I’m always on the lookout for a good sports romance, and On the Surface does a nice job of balancing the sport of hockey while also giving us a fulfilling romance. Tim Hollander has recently been traded to San Diego from Chicago, where for many years he was a star player. While in Chicago, his five-year old daughter died from Leukemia and his marriage fell apart. His last season or two were not so great either and his temper gets the best of him. During one game a fan makes a cruel remark about his daughter while he was sitting in the penalty box and he ends up assaulting the fan with a water bottle – named ‘bottlegate’ by the press. Ready for a new start in San Diego with the Barracudas, Tim is excited to be playing with some good friends of his too. He moves out west during the offseason to start training with his buddies and settles into a new routine. It is here he meets pediatric nurse Erin Collier.

Erin loves her job and the kids she cares for. She also lusts after a hottie doctor that is recently divorced. She only has eyes for him so it surprises her when she runs out to lunch one day and into Tim Hollander. She has no idea who he is as she is not a hockey fan, but when an obnoxious fan gets in Tim’s buisness, Erin is the one to stand up for him. This kind of forces them together, and a flirty friendship develops. Tim falls head over heels in love with her but it takes Erin a little longer to forget hottie doctor and to believe this gorgeous, talented guy is so into her.

I think the sports aspect works so well in this book for two reasons. First, Erin is a hockey virgin, so Tim has to explain a lot of things to her as the book goes on. So if the reader is also a hockey newbie, he/she can follow along. The culture of hockey and the excitement are portrayed well in this one. But also, my favorite thing about this book is Tim’s relationship with his teammates. They give each other a hard time, lots of joking and dirty stories and such. I love a good bromance and this one brings that on well.

This is also a very romantic book. Tim has it bad for Erin and while she hesitates at first, she doesn’t stand much of a chance to play shy for long. Tim is very persistent in his courtship of her.

“I had a really nice time,” she said. What a lame statement.

“But…”

She blinked in surprise. “There’s no but. I don’t have a but.”

“Oh yes, you do. Your butt is the stuff of dreams.”

She smiled. That was lamer than what she’d said, but it still made her feel appreciated. “You’ve been watching my butt?”

“Every chance I get. If it were New Year’s, that would be my resolution. ‘Watch Erin’s butt more.”

“Yours is pretty nice too.”

He grinned. “You think? It’s the skating.” He turned around and, with his hands on his hips, flexed his ass. “You can touch it if you want to.”

I think the first half of this book is very strong. The second half dragged a bit for me. By the second half of the book they are in love and it felt like the book lost some of its momentum. It turns from courting to the question of whether Tim would want kids in the future (having lost his daughter he doesn’t). It just felt like this issue dragged the book down some.

But I still recommend this book. I really hope some of Tim’s teammates get books. I enjoyed them.

Rating: B-

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