Today, I’m hosting USA Today bestselling author Kate O’Keeffe’s latest release The Rebound Play, book two in the Love on Thin Ice series, a contemporary, comedic, sports romance. Be sure to read my review. And don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway.
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Title: The Rebound Play
Series: Love on Thin Ice, book #2
Author: Kate O’Keeffe
Genres: Adult, Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance
Length: 176 pages
Publication Date: August 29, 2024
Publisher: Wild Lime Books
If you get a second chance at love with your hockey star ex, should you take it?
Keira
What do you do when your NHL superstar ex skates back into your small town? Drop to the ground and hide behind the bleachers, hoping he doesn’t see you. But Lady Luck must be in a bad mood today because Dan spots me, my hood over my eyes, pretending I’m not there.
Mature? No.
Necessary? Oh, yes.
Humiliation washes over me, and the wall around my heart stands firm. Dan might be back, but I can’t afford to let him in again. Not after the heartbreak of losing him once before.
When he offers to coach my nephew, I reluctantly agree. Every smile he flashes at me, every kind word, threatens to crack my resolve. But I can’t go through that again. I have to protect my heart.
Dan
I want Keira back. End of story.
THE REBOUND PLAY is part of the LOVE ON THIN ICE sweet hockey romcom series. It’s a second chance at love story about a jock and a nerd who get a second chance in this small town romance with all the sizzle and chemistry, but none of the spice.
I got the fright of my life when I looked up from my book, mid-bite of my cinnamon roll, to see Dan Roberts standing in front of me, chatting with the moms as though he doesn’t have a care in the world. Because of course he doesn’t have a care in the world. He’s a famous and wealthy NHL star. He’s got it made. And he’s looking shockingly good, with his dark hair kind of messed up but sexy, his tan skin glowing as though he just stepped off the beach. His jacket is open, revealing a white T-shirt that more than hints at the muscular torso beneath. He looks effortlessly hot in that unattainable, famous person way, like he’s from another planet, simply visiting us mere mortals here on Earth.
So, what did I do? I panicked. Big time.
I knew it was only seconds before he would look up and clock me. I also knew that I had successfully managed to dodge the guy every time he visited town for the past ten years, and I needed to keep that record for my sanity.
So, I did what every self-respecting, twenty-seven-year-old woman would do: I dropped to the floor and pretended like I wasn’t there, clutching my half-eaten cinnamon roll to my chest as though it was Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak.
Sadly for me, it’s just a cinnamon roll.
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I liked the blurb. It sounded like a cute read, so I was in. It’s a short, second-chance romance. If you adore kids, you’ll adore this book.
Kiara wanted Dan to capture his dream after his parents sacrificed so much for him to become an NHL superstar (hockey is not the least bit cheap). She made a big sacrifice and told him to become a pro hockey player, even though she loved him and wanted to spend her life with Dan.
Dan did chase his dream. He’s a famous NHL superstar. He’s got everything a man could ask for except for Kiara. Out with an injury, Dan heads home, determined to win back the one who got away.
I enjoyed this pairing. Kiara and Dan did the right thing in their youth by ending things so Dan could find out if being an NHL hockey player is what he truly wanted. But after having everything he could want, including being able to repay his parents for their many sacrifices, he’s merely content. Not overjoyed and happy. Probably because he’s reached a point where he wants a wife and kids.
Kiara is content with her life. Is she truly happy? She doesn’t come across that way. Content? Yeah. But happy? Not really. It’s not until Dan bursts back into her life that she begins to realize what’s missing—the man she told to chase his dream.
It’s a sweet romance, and Dan is the kind of guy every girl wants and every guy wants to be. Just a really nice hero who’s great with kids and fits right back in with his hometown he kissed off in his youth.
At first, a decision didn’t sit right with me made by a character, but now while I write this review, I realize the author made the right choice (I won’t say much more or I’ll spoil it). Or should I say the character made the right choice.
It’s a sweet read, perfect for a quick afternoon curled on the couch. Do yourself a favour and get a copy.
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USA TODAY Bestselling Author Kate O’Keeffe writes exactly what she loves to read: laugh-out-loud romantic comedies with swoon-worthy heroes and gorgeous feel-good happily ever afters. She lives and loves in beautiful Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand with her family.
When she’s not penning her latest story, Kate can be found hiking up hills (slowly), traveling to different countries, and eating chocolate. A lot of it.
Visit kateokeeffe dot com to sign up to her newsletter and you’ll receive a FREE romcom.
Follow Kate: Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | BookBub | Goodreads
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Maggie Blackbird 