Risky Business by Melissa Cutler (Bomb Squad #1)
Released: August 19, 2014
Contemporary Romance
Intermix
Reviewed by Mandi
I went through a lot of emotions while reading Risky Business. The first half I almost gave up, then came about 20-30% where I really liked it, but by the end I was ready for this one to be over. First let me say, I wouldn’t really call this a hockey romance book. Theo plays on an adult hockey league outside of Buffalo for wounded veterans. While we witness a few of his games, the focus is not on hockey, but on the business Theo owns – or at least wants to own. But to explain that, I have to first explain the heroine.
Allison was married to a local government official and at nine months pregnant, he gets arrested for embezzling $500,000. Off to prison he goes. Before this, Allison had already asked for a divorce, as she never really loved him. She really just used him for a nice lifestyle and a baby, so she could be a stay at home mom. She is very upfront and honest about her reasons, and I kind of liked that about her. She feels bad about it, but she is honest about it too. You don’t always get that in a heroine. Anyway – so jump ahead eight months, she has a baby daughter and moves to Destiny Falls, where her husband was an owner of a boat company – house boats that people can rent. The manager of this boat rental company is our hero Theo. Theo wanted to buy this business from Allison’s husband and had the paperwork already going – but when he gets arrested, things go out the window. Theo is extremely angry that the company is not his, and that Allison shows up (who has no money so this company is her only option) and takes over the business and has no idea what she is doing.
I love a grumpy hero, but Theo takes his grumpiness in the first half to an entire new level. He was just plain mean. He pushes everyone away. We slowly learn that he received a traumatic brain injury while serving, and because of this he has a short temper. He has trouble reading, he can’t hear well etc.. Fine. But he goes from not wanting any friends, not wanting anything to do with Allison, not wanting to enjoy life at all – to all of a sudden falling in love. Wait, what? There was no transition. It was BOOM! Theo now wants Allison. And the thing is – when he falls for Allison and she falls for him, this is the 20% I enjoyed. They are hot together. Allison starts talking dirty. Theo is still damaged but he is approachable damaged. Why couldn’t he have been a little more like this in the beginning? Their sexing is hot. They had good chemistry. All of this was missing from the first 40-50%.
The end is more hot mess over this business that no one can agree on who owns it. I think there was wayyyyyy too much business drama and not enough fun hockey stuff. Too much altogether – between Allison’s scandalized divorce, her irresponsible sister, her baby, her claim on the business, her lack of money – Theo’s claim on the business, his traumatic brain injury, his hockey team, his ex-girlfriend and the drama that comes back to town and then what happens with the business towards the end. Too much. Theo’s move from complete and broken loner to 100% in love was not believable. I’m noy sure that brief 20% where these two really click is worth it.
Rating: C-
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