Review: Faceoff – Kelly Jamieson

Faceoff by Kelly Jamieson
Series:  
Release Date:  September 9, 2011
Publisher:   Ellora Cave
Page Count / File Size:  119 / 253kb
Source:  Amazon, via my own wallet
Buy the book at: Amazon 

Kyla has tried so hard to be one of the boys. She was always like a little sister to Tag. One summer, things changed from sibling teasing to blazing sexual tension. When they’re reunited for a two-family reunion, the desire and lust are still there, simmering below the surface.

Tag is a pro hockey player who is cynical about women. He knows they’re only interested in him because of who he is. Kyla is an attorney who’s still trying to be “one of the boys” at her law firm. They’re both adults and neither of them is looking for a relationship. A hot summer week at the lake. Need. Attraction. There’s no reason they shouldn’t explore each other.

Seeing as yesterday was hockey’s version of the Super Bowl, with the Winter Classic (even though I’m a Blackhawks fan, I did have to cheer on the NY Rangers with fellow Rochester, NY native, Ryan Callahan), I thought it appropriate to read a hockey story.  And this one did not disappoint!

Kyla is an overachieving, overworked lawyer trying to make partner at her law firm.  She sacrifices everything, even outings with her family, in order to prove to the old boys network that she’s worthy of partner.  But maternal guilt and resentment of her treatment at work have her throwing her suitcase together and driving to the families lakeside cottage for a week vacation with her family and their cloth family friends, the neighbors the Hellers.

Kyla has thought of all the Heller brothers as an extension of her family, with the exception of Tag.  He was her teenage crush that went no where.  But seeing him again has stirred up all those teenage feelings and hormones into a woman’s lust filled cravings of a boy who has grown into a seriously hot man.  Kyla fights her feelings, while sneaking peeks at Tag, but keeps reminding herself that her life is her job and making partner and messing around with Tag won’t get her anywhere.

Tag, burned by women who only see him as a hockey player and the size of his wallet, has the same reaction to Kyla.  But he doesn’t get serious with women anymore and he’s afraid Kyla’s brother would beat the crap out of him for even touching their sister.  But Tag’s not as good as Kyla in fighting his feelings for her and convinces Kyla that a week long fling isn’t such a bad idea.

Kyla and Tag are hot together.  She doesn’t shy away from his kinky bag of tricks (literally) and sees Tag the man.  Tag shows Kyla how to have fun, both inside and outside of the tent, and what’s been missing in her life as she wastes away inside the four walls of her law firm.  Despite their vows that this week together was just a fling, you can see how each of them fight their feelings for each other and that when the week ends, neither of them are going to be happy.

The story was enjoyable and a way to escape to those summer months where you long to be lazy and to let loose.