BOOKWORM REVIEW: Sporting Goods by Roxanne Tully
This book was not what I had expected it to be. Yes, it is still a sports romance between a single mom raising a son who wants to play hockey and a former professional player who is trying to keep hockey in his past.
But there are elements of suspense, action, and drama that I did not quite anticipate but thoroughly enjoyed.
Logan is trying to erase anything related to hockey in his present. After a serious in-game injury caused by a lousy cheap shot from an insecure rival, he walked away from the game and is managing a sporting goods store with his sister.
Rayne is also running away from her past. She is trying to raise her young son by herself. She too detests hockey, and when she and her son Jax go into Logan's store, they soon discover that their individual distaste for hockey have more in common than they think.
Full disclosure: this book did not really have many spicy scenes, so if you're in a mood for that, this is not the book for that vibe. BUT you should consider this book for the great storytelling and thoughtful exploration of how a single mother tackles verbal and emotional abuse from an ex-partner with whom she shares a child. I am grateful that Roxanne Tully presented someone who made mistakes as she worked through setting boundaries for herself and her son. She also beautifully wrote how Rayne eventually comes to terms that she could never get a psychopath to empathize even for their own kid.
The book was more focused on Rayne, and I would have loved Logan's story to be more flushed out. There were moments where he acted what I considered to be out of character, and while most did not take me out of the story, there was one instance in the end that felt too harsh coming from him.
Other than that, this was a fantastic read, and I would definitely be checking out more Roxanne Tully books.
** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. **
Sporting Goods is now available and is free with Kindle Unlimited.
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