Robyn M. RyanRezensionen

Healthy Scratch (Tampa Suns Hockey #1) by Robyn M. Ryan  
 
Forget romance. Healthy Scratch pulls back the blinders and exposes the mystery that is love. Ryan spotlights the tough moments, inspiring details and everything in between. What begins as a solid friendship becomes an expose' on the emotional whirlwind known as love. Dave and Lauren pierce through the heart in stages, but leave their mark on the soul. Healthy Scratch is a WOW moment for the soul.

Robyn M. Ryan heats it up with HEALTHY SCRATCH, the first book in the Tampa Suns Hockey series. Lauren Gentry is considering relocating to Tampa to live by her business partner, Caryn Chadwick. She is shocked to discover that her friends-with-benefits, Dave Martin, has just been traded to the Tampa Suns; and Dave wants to be more than friends. This contemporary sports romance is suitable for adult audiences.

I was thrilled when I discovered that Robyn M. Ryan wrote this spin-off of Clearing the Ice series. We originally met Lauren and Dave in that series.

I enjoyed discovering more about Lauren and Dave. They are complicated characters that have great chemistry. Lauren’s history explains a lot about her attitude and self-esteem. She is an admiral heroin that has gone through a great deal. I like Dave’s character. He is supportive and protective.

The plot was skillfully executed. I like that the story went forward and back in time. The stuff going on with Lauren’s family presented interesting challenges. The cyber-bullying was extremely pertinent to this day and age. I would have liked to read Lauren’s article. I know it was about the stuff that was mentioned in the book, but I think it would have been powerful to read her actual article instead of just hearing that there was one. I love the support that Lauren received. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series. I recommend HEALTHY SCRATCH to people that enjoy contemporary sports romances and/or books about overcoming issues like cyber-bullying. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

It can be read as a standalone but if you want the whole story start with book one. This was like a continuation of their story. This time we see the happy couple happens to be real. They have real life issues. The real ups and downs of how couples cope with life and what all get thrown in their path.

Love comes with its test and trial. Life does the same. This time around we get to see the trials of an accident and its impact on their relationship. Friends, family, foes, and more test the bounds of their relationships all the way around. These new developments/impacts makes for a very interesting turn of events and a well-rounded read.

I enjoyed this read a great deal after reading book one the week before.

Caryn wanted to make her life mean something more than being the one to take over her dad's business. She was not looking to find love but love did want her. She encounters the last man in the world that her parents would approve of for their daughter. Andrew was nothing more than a hockey player. He was not good enough for Caryn, but she was falling and hard. There romance was something that changed both their lives. I was loving these two interactions and build of their relationship.

I found the writing to be engaging and interactive.

THIS PIECE OF MY SOUL is the continuation of Andrew and Caryn Chadwick’s story. The novel starts out with the couple getting ready to go on vacation to celebrate their second anniversary. Unexpectedly, Andrew gets a lucrative offer to sign with the Tampa Suns, where they relocate from St. Louis. Andrew suffers a life-threatening injury that puts the couple’s marriage through some major tests.

The plot was very compelling and emotional. The couple truly loves one another. They are a good team. They didn’t want to hurt each other, but continually seemed to do so. They were put in a difficult situation with a lot of obstacles. My heart went out to both characters. Prior to the accident, things were going well for them. They are deeply in love, and they would do anything for each other. It was interesting to see how they reacted to things differently, like the accident.

Andrews physical therapist, Kristen Turner, caused some tension within the story. She was a manipulative character. Add in the strain from Caryn’s parents and the couple has unneeded extra stress to their situation.

Andrew and Caryn make some wonderful new friends from the Tampa Suns. I love Kelly and John Peterson. I love all the support from Andrew’s brother, Tom. I think it is great that he temporarily relocates to help the couple out. I love that Dr. Forster mentors him. I also appreciate, Lauren’s friendship with Caryn. She alleviates a lot of stress for Caryn.

I read a lot of sport fiction. I appreciated the look down the road to recovery for an athlete and how long the process can be. Recognizing the pressures, it puts on the athlete and family.

I really enjoyed THIS PIECE OF MY SOUL. It was an emotional look at how quickly things can change. It is a story about love and perseverance. I did feel the story occasionally dragged, which is why I am giving 4.5 verses five stars. However, I really enjoyed the story, and recommend the read. I like how the story ended. I cannot wait for the next book in the series. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.½

Robyn M. Ryan’s THIS PIECE OF MY HEART is a great start to the Clearing the Ice series. While attending summer school, College student, Caryn Stevens, literally runs into NHL star, Andrew Chadwick, and sparks fly. This contemporary sports romance takes place in Toronto, Ottawa, and St. Louis. It is suitable for New Adult audiences.

THIS PIECE OF MY HEART is a cute story. I like how the characters met. Andrew is a sweet guy. He is supportive and believes in Caryn. Caryn is likeable. Her father is understandably overprotective. However, he goes overboard by pretty much controlling her life. I like that she eventually does what she wants.

The characters grew throughout the story and overcame obstacles. Andrews ex, Monique, is dramatic, manipulative, and selfish. She is the opposite of Caryn. I’m glad he wised up and got rid of her. She causes some interesting complications in the story. Not to mention the stuff Caryn’s father pulls. I appreciated how Andrew was supportive during that time.

THIS PIECE OF MY HEART is an enjoyable read. The story was believable and the characters likeable. I like how the story ended and look forward to reading the couples story in the next book, THIS PIECE OF MY SOUL, scheduled to release on January 1, 2017.

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.½