Anatoli “Toli” Petrov is at the height of his career—and unexpectedly single–after earning a spot on a new NHL expansion team in Las Vegas. But navigating the dating world is a totally foreign experience for the sexy Russian hockey player.Tessa Barber is also suddenly single after her husband blindsides her with divorce papers. A spur-of-the moment trip to Las Vegas is just the thing she needs … she needs to take her mind off her troubles.
When an awkward encounter in a bar leads Toli and Tessa into a week of genuine passion, things become more complicated than they ever imagined. Keeping score has never been such a dangerous game!
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Of all the Sidewinders Hockey Player’s Toli is totally the Romantic one! ~ 5 Stars of Swoony Sighs
Toli can get any woman that he wants, but has never been luck to find the right woman for him! Toli is ready to find his forever and when he finds the beautiful woman at the bar he knows instantly.
Tessa has recently been handed her divorce papers from a marriage of 11 year resulting in a beautiful daughter, Raina. So when she heads to Vegas to see her best friends Erin and Kate. She takes one night for herself and she plans to get laid.
Toli & Tessa are a beautiful match for each other, Toli is patient and kind while she works through everything that she has to come to terms with for her Divorce. Even when the creepy husband shows back up, making her feel guilty for being happy. Toli allows her the time she needs to do what she needs so that they can be together.
Toli may be my favorate Sidewinders (besides Jaime…. cause its Jamie)!!
One of my favorate things is Zakk and Raina’s friendship… That little girl loves her Jazzy!
A new book in the Las Vegas Sidewinders world. It can be read as a standalone and even if you are not a ice hockey ( like me) it is a great read. The focus of the story is with the main characters and their relationship.
Tessa goes to Vegas to visit with her friends after her husband files for divorce. Meeting Toli was not planned, but it turns her whole world and perceptions around. It is a very emotional journey with ups and down. It is a whirlwirl romance with leads to questions it is going to fast too soon. And when her ex threatens to take their child, tessa has to make a choice.
It is a beautiful, well written book, with funny, sweet, tender and sexy moments.
I struggled a little with how many stars to give this because the parts of the story that didn’t totally work for me are very subjective and my dislikes. That this isn’t my favourite Sidewinder’s book is more to do with personal taste than anything else. Quality wise this is of the high standard you can expect from the author. The writing is very good, it holds you in the story and flows really smoothly. I always knew who was talking, the descriptions give enough detail without being overlong and the dialogue feels very natural.
I’m just not a fan of insta-love, which this whole book hinges on, and personally I just didn’t ‘feel’ it either (definitely a case of it’s me, not you). I felt the lust and chemistry between Toli and Tessa but not quite the emotional depth I’d want to see/feel/experience. That said I do think their love became much more believable as the story progressed. I’m fairly certain that this was just because enough time had passed for me to accept their feelings were genuine. If you don’t mind the couple falling in love really quickly then you would really enjoy this book.
I loved Toli, he is strong, sexy and protective, with a sweet and gentle side that stopped him being an alpha-hole. Tessa I liked, though personally I felt some of her decisions were immature and not thought through. She is the mother of a young toddler, who quickly decides to move in with a man she has known only a few weeks. Sorry but that was a big no for me on just so many levels and as a result it made it difficult to respect her as a character. I liked and appreciated that the author did include concerns about the speed that things moved, and the situation Tessa was in. I would have liked a little more angst and depth though. Tessa had all these concerns and fears surrounding the relationship, but then suddenly made the decision to move in, and it felt as though *poof*, all those worries had disappeared.
The second half of the book drew me in much more, and we get quite a few plot twists, some suspense and a dollop of angst. There is also a sub-plot involving Toli and his family in Russia that is left ‘hanging’ but I know this is picked up in the book Tessa and Toli – which I am looking forward to reading. Whilst there is the follow up book, this is very much a story that can be read as stand-alone. If you are planning on reading the whole series I would recommend doing so in order, as there are (minor) spoilers in subsequent books.