'Irresistible You' Chicago Rebels, #1 by Kate Meader

From the BLURB:

Hot in Chicago series author Kate Meader returns with her all new, scorching Chicago Rebels hockey series. Three estranged sisters inherit their late father’s failing hockey franchise and are forced to confront a man’s world, their family’s demons, and the battle-hardened ice warriors skating into their hearts.

Harper Chase has just become the most powerful woman in the NHL after the death of her father Clifford Chase, maverick owner of the Chicago Rebels. But the team is a hot mess—underfunded, overweight, and close to tapping out of the league. Hell-bent on turning the luckless franchise around, Harper won’t let anything stand in her way. Not her gender, not her sisters, and especially not a veteran player with an attitude problem, a chip on his shoulder, and a smoldering gaze designed to melt her ice-compacted defenses.

Veteran center Remy “Jinx” DuPre is on the downside of a career that’s seen him win big sponsorships, fans’ hearts, and more than a few notches on his stick. Only one goal has eluded him: the Stanley Cup. Sure, he’s been labeled as the unluckiest guy in the league, but with his recent streak of good play, he knows this is his year. So why the hell is he being shunted off to a failing hockey franchise run by a ball-buster in heels? And is she seriously expecting him to lead her band of misfit losers to a coveted spot in the playoffs?

He’d have a better chance of leading Harper on a merry skate to his bed…

‘Irresistible You’ is the first book in a new ice-hockey romance series called ‘Chicago Rebels’, from author Kate Meader.

Every romance reader has their happy-tropes. Friends-to-lovers, and enemies-to-lovers are two of my faves. I am also partial to kilts and Scottish highlanders generally. I do not like fireman or ice-hockey players. Except when they’re written by Kate Meader. She hooked me on firemen with her ‘Hot in Chicago’ series, and now it looks like she’s got me flipped into a puck-bunny with this new ‘Chicago Rebels’ series.

The book is about three half-sisters whose father has recently died, leaving his bedraggled ice-hockey team in their management and care. First book is about the oldest sister who always wanted to be an NHL owner-manager, Harper Chase – and the Cajun ice-hockey player who turns her world upside down.

Now, it wasn’t just that growing up I had a total crush on X-Men cartoon character Gambit; but also that Remy “Jinx” DuPre is a fine specimen of an alpha hero. He doesn’t overstep the mark into asshole territory, but is instead a steely and considerate male who loves cooking, family and gets turned on by Harper growing into her own as bossy businesswoman. Hell. Yeah!

Harper comes with a lot of emotional hurt, having been burnt by a violent romance with an ice-hockey player in the past. She is also being emotionally dragged down by the mind-games her hurtful father played on her and her sisters when he was alive (and is still managing to play, from beyond the grave).

I loved this first book, and I thoroughly adored Remy and Harper’s chemistry and opposites-attracting heat. I will say that I’m not as excited for one of the sister’s romances, that is set up in this first book, but the second scheduled – ‘So Over You’ coming out in December – is about the athletic middle-sister taking over as coach of the NHL team and coming face-to-face with the Russian player who she had a girlhood crush on, and gave her virginity to … OMG yep. Sign me up!

Kate Meader can do no wrong in my eyes. If you aren’t reading her romances yet, please get on it!

5/5