When opposites attract, it’s not just the team that’s in for a shake-up.When a stipulation in his father’s will throws Mark back into a family that disowned him, he has only two things on his mind; buying his way out of contractual obligations and running in the opposite direction as fast as he can. When neither option pans out, he finds he is now a one third owner of the struggling Arizona … struggling Arizona Raptors hockey team, and that is just about the worst thing he could have happened to him. Not only does he hate hockey, but the Raptors are a bottom-of-the-league team, rife with jealousies and anger in a locker room that only knows self-pity. How is he supposed to help turn things around when the only way to start fixing things is to form an alliance with the estranged siblings he’d run from fifteen years earlier?
Then there’s Rowen Carmichael, a stubborn, opinionated, irritating man with superiority issues and questionable taste in music. Butting heads with Rowen, who he’d never even wanted to hire in the first place, is one thing, but there is no way in hell that he will allow the growing attraction to the new coach become anything more. Until with everything on the line, he has to make decisions that will change his life forever.
After years of collegiate coaching, Rowen is given an offer that he simply can’t refuse, although perhaps he should. When he’s presented with the chance to take one of the worst teams in the league and mold them into a future cup contender, the challenge is just too alluring to pass up. He leaves his beloved Ontario behind and moves west to the arid city of Tucson where he is faced with a broken team, shoddy management, and players overflowing with resentment and bigotry.
Never in his twenty years of hockey has he ever seen such a raging dumpster fire of an organization. Yet there’s something about this team and this city that compels him to roll up his sleeves and start dismantling. He has his eye on a new associate coach that’s bound to makes waves, and several key players who should be sent packing. Now all he has to do is convince the new owners of the team that his choices are for the best. If only Mark Westman-Reid, one of three siblings who now own the Raptors, wasn’t so damned rock-headed, so damned snooty, and so damned appealing his job might be a bit easier.
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I loved this first book in the new Raptors series. I may in fact like this better than the beginning of the other series. The characters were both complicated and there is the potential for a lot of redemption and interesting match-ups in books to come. Great start. I’m in.
Mark is called home to save the jobs of hundreds of people. A home he never planned on returning to. Not only is he forced to return to the brothers who let his parents disown him, but now he has to work with a man totally different from him. Sparks are flying…on and off the ice!
4.5 stars Mark is furious, his brothers who were never there for him when he got thrown out of the house by his father at sixteen, wants him to come back and help to rebuild the family ice hockey club The Raptors business. No way!
His sister convinced him to take action. And there is coach Rowen Carmichael.
Mark can’t get his eyes off the older arrogant man. Rowen can’t either. They hate each other!
But there is a business to run. Because besides the club is doing bad, there is a rotten apple who is getting uglier and dirtier.
Mark has so much anger in him, anger to his brothers, his dead father, his sick mother and last but not least hate to freaking Rowen Carmichael!
“I closed my eyes, inhaled deeply, and exorcised his highness from my mind.”
I loved both men, I loved the strong language, filthy-mouthed and snarky, witty comments. I loved the passionate ‘hate’ between them. I was so happy for Mark how it all turned out well for him at the end,
The story had a rollercoaster pace, it was entertaining and captivating. I loved the passionate way of writing!
This is a great start to the new series from my hockey go-to colab of Scott and Locey. I don’t even do sports but the draw me in every single time and Coast to Coast was no different. Mark and Rowen were great characters and the heat simmering between them had a 50/50 chance of ending in a bed for smexy times or landing somebody in the hospital. I cannot wait to read more in this new series.
*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book*
I loved this romance between a hockey coach and a new team owner. Their chemistry was amazing. Plenty of hockey scenes within the storyline. Great storytelling overall. Looking forward to more in this series.
This book sets the stage for the rebuilding of the Raptors after the late owner stipulates in his will that his three sons must take ownership for one year, or everything goes to charity. The only problem with this is the fact that the youngest brother was thrown out of the family for being gay. He’s rightfully angry and bitter, and wants nothing to do with the family, let alone the fact he knows nothing about hockey.
After being thrown out onto the streets, Mark worked hard to get to where he is. He is a very successful business owner, and has no interest in leaving his life behind for a year. But a talk with his sister convinces him to give it a chance, so he decides to go in guns blazing, ready to make changes that he might not really understand.
Rowen signed what appears to be an iron clad contract with the heirs’ father; with one small caveat. He is certain that he has what it takes to turn things around for this failing hockey team. He is very open-minded about his staff and potential players, but he is also very set in his ways about who should stay on the team and who should go.
Mark makes up his mind that Rowen has no business being the coach, and is determined to thwart him at every turn. What he doesn’t expect is the animal magnetism between them to be off the charts. They’re both convinced they don’t like each other, but some excellent sexy times between enemies can’t hurt anyone. Right?
There is one problem everyone agrees upon with the team, and Rowen and the potential sponsors want it taken care of sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, the brothers don’t act quickly enough, and tragedy strikes. There is a lot of self-recrimination and angst over this, but the game must go on. One thing that struck me as sad and disappointing was the fans. Their behavior and reactions to things throughout the story show that it’s not just the team that needs a reboot.
Even with Rowen’s past experiences and Mark’s snarky comments, the relationship between the two men is a slow burn that once ignited is very sweet. The love and support shown definitely let the reader know that they have a happily ever after for now ending…It is a series, after all. You never know what could happen in the future. But I’m leaning more toward the HEA ending, myself.
Happy reading!
* I received an ARC of this book and I am leaving my honest review. *
What a great start to a new series. Rowan is the new head coach and Mark is one of the owners of the Raptors hockey team. Both of these men try to fight their attraction to each other by constantly butting heads about how to handle things were the team is concerned. I loved seeing the progression of their relationship. These ladies did another great job and I can’t want for the next book in this series.
YES, YES, YES!!
I was sad for the end of the Harrisburg Railers series, but this first book in the Arizona Raptors series checked all my boxes and I look forward to the rest of the series and having some of the players as MCs.
Coast to Coast has family drama, an age gap romance between the coach and one of the owners, and lots of great supporting characters, including Ryker Madsen. If you are a fan of the Harrisburg Railers, get this book. If you have not read the Railers yet, start there and work your way through.
Love, love, loved it!
This is a great introduction to a new team (and series) while keeping connections to beloved characters from the Harrisburg Railers. Since neither MC is a hockey player, there’s less play by play than in some of the previous books but the coach and owner perspectives on games are interesting.
I liked both Rowen and Mark, especially seeing them develop from chemistry to a full-fledged relationship. I’m looking forward to seeing them as characters in future books.
I don’t know what author protocols are, but it felt a bit odd for Terri to be recruited from the Seattle Thunder, described as an AHL team, when another author has a long-standing Seattle Thunder fictional NHL team.
This is the best enemies to lovers story.
Mark Westman-Reid was thrown out of his home at 16 for being gay by his father. But,ten years later, the old man dies and his will kind of forces Mark to get involved in the management of the family’s hockey team,The Raptors. So you can only imagine Mark’s lack of enthusiasm at the prospect.
But wait, it gets worse for him,because he has to deal with couch Rowen Carmicheal. And let me tell you,their interactions are hilarious. Snarky,headstrong, irreverent, insufferable,at times insulting,Rowen does everything in his power to rile up Mark,just to get a reaction out of the younger man : ” , , , ? , . . . .”
I loved Mark and Rowen together. Their personalities clash and when they’re not at each other’s throats, they can’t keep their hands off one another. It’s all around passion and fierceness, whether they love or hate,collaborate or antagonize each other. These two are fire burning hot,and so darn cute when they finally admit they have fallen in love.
Reading was so much fun. Mostly thanks to Mark and Rowen’s antics, but I also enjoyed watching the rebuild of The Raptors. Not an easy endeavor,definitely, and considering that this is the first book in the Arizona Raptors series,I’m looking forward to the next ones to see the team grow.
This is the first book in the new hockey series Raptors. It is a MM sports romance with lots of angst and hockey. I loved that the characters were at such odds at times but in the end worked it out. The characters are well developed and oh so interesting. The pace keeps you sucked in from the very beginning and makes it hard to put down. It was a great story and one I would high recommend. I can’t wait for the next in the series.
A great start to a new series!
Coast to Coast is book one in the new Arizona Raptors series by RJ Scott and V.L. Locey. It’s a great start with lots of action on the ice and between the sheets.
New coach, Rowan Carmichael, and one-third team owner, Mark Westman-Reid, couldn’t be more opposite but they need to learn to work together to rebuild the Arizona Raptors. It would be easier to do if they didn’t hate each other.
Mark isn’t happy being forced to help his other family members because they stood by and did nothing when his father threw him out for being gay. The terms of his father’s will say that he and his two brothers must work together for at least 12 months or the Raptors will be sold and the money given to charity.
Owen just wants to coach hockey and acquire the player talent and coaching staff he needs to help the team be successful. He can’t stand the arrogant Westman-Reid brothers but he has to work with them in order to get who and what he wants for the team. There’s also something sparking between Owen and Mark. When these two finally act on their attraction, oh boy, watch out! I thought my ereader was going to burn my hands.
If you’re a fan of RJ and V.L. you will be thrilled at the little glimpses of Harrisburg Railers team members that are sprinkled throughout the story. One bad actor, whom we met in the Railer’s series, Aarni Lankinen, hasn’t cleaned up his act; in fact he’s gotten even nastier. While I’m certain you’ll enjoy this new series even if you haven’t read the Harrisburg Railers, I highly recommend reading them if you want the back story on Aarni.
RJ and V.L. have formed a great writing partnership that has taught me more about hockey than I ever thought I’d want to know. I hope they keep writing together for a long, long, time.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
Great start to a new series!!
I have been waiting for this book since the last Railers book came out. It does not disappoint.
When the Family Patriarch dies and his will stipulates that his 3 sons must work together for a year as owners of the Arizona Raptor’s the youngest brother Mark finally comes home after being kicked out when he was younger. The brothers have to work together to make the Raptors a profitable team and turn their reputation around from being the dirtiest/most hated team in the league so a coaching change is made as the team hits rock bottom.
The chemistry between Mark and Rowan is amazing and very well written. Rowan thinks Mark is a spoiled rich boy who has always gotten his way and Mark thinks Rowan is not the best coach for the job since his professional career was non-existent and his only coaching experience is college hockey.
While Mark and Rowan butt heads frequently trying to work out a way to get along with each thinking their way is best. Mark also needs to make peace with his older brothers who stood by while their father kicked him out.
This book had a lot of emotional moments and some funny moments – one of my favorite lines was when the Raptors played the Railers and Rowan decided to shove their hotshot Rookie(Ryker) up against their hotshot Vet’s(Ten) ass.
This books shows how 1 persons decisions/actions and can hurt an entire family for years.
For fans of the Railers series I’ll only say that Aarni is dealt with in this book.
*** ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review
The first of the Arizona Raptors, and this starts off amazingly! The Raptors are the most hated team at the moment. Rowan is brought in as the new coach to get the team back on it’s feet. Due to a stipulation in his father’s will, Mark has to be a part of what is going on with the team, even though he wants to just tell them all to go fly a kite. When the two meet, as new coach and new owner, Rowan rubs Mark the wrong way and they start a bit of a hate hate relationship. That is until it becomes clear that part of their problem is the attraction they both share for each other. With the crap timing can the two make something more of this attraction, or is there a line as owner and coach that they should not cross?
This was such a good read. I could not inhale the book fast enough! Drama, a tiny bit of violence, off the charts super hot naughty bits, and a few giggle moments. I give this 5 stars and am waiting patiently for the next in the series.
Coast to Coast is the first in a new Ice hockey series, following the Harrisburg Railers and Owatonna series. Once again these authors have delivered a can’t put it down story to their readers.
Mark and Rowan are such opposites yet fit together perfectly. I loved how strong Rowan was. How confident and sure. As he is somewhat older than Mark I felt this gave Mark the solid support he needed in order to deal with the hurt and memories being with his family caused.
The connection between these two is scorching hot! Melt the pages hot! What starts out as just physical quickly becomes so much more.
There is humor and fun to be had. One of my favorite lines is “So, as they say on Drag Race, sashay away!
This left me eager for the next book in this series.
The Raptors, a team out of control, one mean player everyone hates, but some good players and new ones coming in for the new season. Can Coach Rowen Carmichael turn them around? The owners of this team, left to them by their father, 3 brothers, a sister and a mother, strained relationship but they must work together. Mark comes from New York to turn them down, give up whatever was left to him, then he meets the new coach. And the manipulations of his dad had him staying.
These two snarl, bicker, argue, disagree and can’t stay away from each other. Sex only…..how long will that last and can they handle the feelings that go with?
Lots of excitement, hockey games, nastiness, tragedy and love. A must read from these ladies, as always it is a fabulous read!! Five plus stars!!!!
A new series creates a new beginning for the Raptors hockey team. Forced to leave his own business in NY, Mark Westman-Reid has no interest in the hockey team his deceased father left to his three sons to manage. Mark’s hatred is concentrated on the new coach Rowen. But with hate comes interest and with interest becomes so much more. Can Rowen take the Raptors to a new level? Will Mark find happiness in a job he just wanted nothing to do with? With so much riding on old and new characters this book was just what the reader needed to make it one they will not be able to put down. We get glimpse of Ryker, one of our favorites as well as the defense player we all want to see out of the league. Beautifully written and the perfect beginning of what will become yet another fabulous series.
I really enjoyed this first in a new series from authors I love. Not sure how I missed this series earlier but will be binging it now. I love a good sports romance, especially when the authors actually seem to know what they are talking about! Nothing annoys me more then a sports romance with very little sport or even worse, with inaccurate portrayals demonstrating lousy research. These authors always seem to get it right.
This new series makes several references to characters from previous books. It’s made me want to go back and re-read all those books so I see a big back catalog binge in my near future. You don’t need to have read those books to enjoy this one but it does give a bit more background oomph to the story.
Mark and Rowan are MCs I immediately liked and wanted to root for. Both have tough backgrounds specific to the storyline here (family issues, jerk exes) and I empathized with both of them. Mark was far more generous than I would have been.
The book definitely needed a better editor. There are two glaring errors, one of which is central to the key story element. Complete contradictions from beginning of book to later in book. Seriously annoying. The ending is a bit abrupt and part of it doesn’t make sense (can’t say more without spoilers.)
But overall the writing is good, the story arc moves well and I’m invested in seeing more of these characters.
Combine two men afraid of feelings and letting anyone emotionally close with a failing hockey team and you get an explosive read. Things get even better when Mark and Rowen start to trust each other.
I don’t know a lot about Hockey but I love these books. I have only read a couple of the previous Hockey books and I think it’s safe to say you don’t have to read in order to enjoy it. I do know there are a few recurring characters but enough information or they are small enough parts it works fine.
I really liked both of these characters. They are very opposite, Mark being wealthy and Rowen being an average guy. I liked that the team is unliked and having to fight hard to stay alive. I loved the banter between Mark and Rowe as they started out enemies and became more.
There is a lot going on in this book. Lots of action, angst and drama. It does have a happy ending. I can’t wait for the next one!