In the game of love, winning is harder than it looks. River Baldwin is sexy as puck.Carved abs, strong muscles. His talent with his hockey stick elevates him to godlike status. He’s also in trouble.The center for the Brooklyn Cobras has a PR crisis only I can solve.But he’s arrogant, stubborn, and used to getting his way—all things that make my job harder.His attitude should drive me away, but … harder.
His attitude should drive me away, but instead, attraction sizzles between us.
Somehow, while I try to salvage his image, I fail to defend my heart.
Can I risk letting the cocky player who dominates the game into my heart?
Or are the moves River is using on and off the ice going to leave me defenseless and alone?
Note: Defenseless Hearts is a standalone sports romance that will give you all the feels. It’s filled with scorching banter, sexy scenes, and several laugh-out-loud moments. No cheating. No cliffhangers. Guaranteed HEA.
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Sexy, bad boy hockey player and jaded PR rep come together and ensue the drama. What starts as a way to keep him out of the tabloids ends him right back there! It’s good to see the guy Pine after the girl. Especially the hot playboy!!
This book was fantastic! I love River and Samantha’s story! I can’t wait to see what more Ms. Jolie has next!
Another amazing book by author Mika Jolie. There is just something about a good sports romance book that just draws me in and this book just topped my 2020 list. I really enjoyed reading this book and I highly recommend it.
Loved, loved, loved!!
I didn’t think anyone could be hotter than Hudson Baldwin. Then I met River.
River Baldwin is the twin brother of Hudson from book one. And he’s a bad boy. And he has tattoos. And he’s a hockey player. The black sheep of the two. *insert heart eyes*
Hot, HOT, and MORE HOT.
Samantha is hired as PR for River to smooth things over when some rumors break out in the news about him that don’t paint him in a very good light.
Neither one is happy she’s there.
And neither of them want to be attracted to the other. But ya know what? Lust happens.
And neither of them can stop it.
And my goodness, the sexual tension was thick.
I loved these two together! The connection, banter, the chemistry…the tingles! All of it was so satisfying. I devoured this delicious novella and enjoyed every page.
“It’s hard to resist a bad boy who’s a good man.”
Yes. Yes it sure is.
A solid 3.5. While the story was enjoyable as a quick read I didn’t feel the same connection to the characters as I did in the first book if the series. River and Sam don’t feel like they have the same chemistry as Natalie and Hudson did. Still worth read though.
River is one of the sexiest hockey players I could ever think of. Yes, he may be the spitting image of his sexy twin Hudson who plays football, but you can tell them apart. River has gotten himself into an image nightmare. His manager hires an agency to clean up his appearance.
Sam aka Samantha is not a pushover for River. She has had a broken heart from a jock and she wants none of River’s mess. However, these two are drawn to each other like moths’ to a flame. Each begins to dream of each other.
However, a vindictive person nearly causes Sam to give up all of her hard work.
Will the haters win? Can River get behind the hard shell that covers Sam?
There is heat and intrigue in these pages and I love it..
Thanks Ms. Jolie for another great read..
Who can resist the bad boy who is really good at heart? It was a great read and was nice to watch Samantha and River come to realize what they have and admit their love. It’s another sweet, sexy, beautiful read from Mika.
Samantha is hard working and smart but has been hurt in the past. River is sexy, strong and confident. This is a good story about rising above the hurt and taking a chance on loving again!
Wow what a very hot steamy push pull read book that will have you dreaming of love story’s that are amazing read.
Defenseless Hearts is easy to fall in love with. River is that bad boy of the family, of the Hockey world and in the public eye. He has a reputation and the current scandal needs fixing fast. Samantha has her work cut out for her in repairing River’s image. It doesn’t help that he’s handsome and built for sin. She’s tempted to put her image on the line to see what all the fuss is about, but her career is more important.
These two have intense chemistry. Their attraction makes this story fast and all consuming. Grab it now.
Mika Jolie’s new hockey romance has fun banter and characters with chemistry. After reading Intercepted Hearts, about Hudson Baldwin, I was excited to read this novella about his brother, River. This book did not disappoint. I enjoyed learning more about the Baldwin family as I watched the relationship between River and Sam develop. For another fun sports romance, make sure you read Defenseless Hearts!
I absolutely fell in love with River and Sam! Their story had great chemistry and honesty. I totally devoured their story.
I really liked this book. It is about River who is a hockey player. He is hot and a known as a bad boy.
Samantha is working as a PR consultant. That is where they meet. He needs her help.
They have an instant hate for each other. But we all know how thin line is between hatred and love.
A great read, full of tension and passion
You should read it!
I received an earc from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest opinion.
More proof that opposites attract! I loved the push and pull between River and Sam! Sam is a PR agent, assigned to the hockey star, to help clean up his image as a bad boy player, off the ice. As much as they hated each other in the beginning, there was no denying the attraction. Sam has one important rule though: Don’t date a client. Wil she be able to stick to that rule, or are River’s charms too hard to resist?
River is a cocky, arrogant hockey player at least at first, he meets Samantha a strong, independent publicist who is hired to fix Rivers public appearance. The two start off disliking each other but then rapidly fall in love. River is rude and cocky from the first minute he meets Samantha. He is sexist in his remarks and actions. They spend more time together because, they have to work together and they fall in love. The storyline was good but I just couldn’t get over how full of himself River is, he enjoys jabbing at Samantha. He is not my favorite character.
This is Book 2 in the Playing for Keeps Series by this author, and can be read as a standalone. It is a sweet romance between PR consultant Sam and hockey player River. The build up of the sexual tension between them, and the predictable premise to help force them into each other’s orbit is extremely entertaining. This fast-paced story with insane chemistry that’s sexy to read does not disappoint. It is an emotional, complicated read with combustible attraction, frustrating moments, and sweet, sizzling sex. Overall, it has the perfect amount of everything – sexual tension and chemistry, secrets and drama, engaging secondary characters, and a happy for now ending.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
I enjoyed this second book in this series. I liked the undeniable chemistry between River & Sam. I read an arc for a voluntary review.
River is the twin of Hudson we loved in book one. River plays hockey and parties a little to hard. He gets into some trouble and his manager hires a PR firm to do damage control. Sam the daughter of the owner of the firm meets River and he throws her feelings for a loop. She has to stay professional. River wants Sam and he’s going to surprise her in more ways the one! An amazing romance book!
This is a fast paced quick read. If you are looking for a bad boy hockey player that falls hard, this story is for you!
Defenseless Hearts by Mika Jolie is the second book in the Playing for Keeps series. This installment features River Baldwin. I first met him in book one (Intercepted Hearts), which featured his twin brother. Unlike his twin who was a NFL player River was a star hockey player. Considered a bad boy by the media, which was the complete opposite of his twin. When a scandal threatened to derail his career, his agent brought out the big guns, by hiring a PR consultant to clean up his image.
Samantha Loren, PR consultant to the stars was not looking forward to her new assignment of cleaning up River’s image. She believes he is an entitled prick, but she had a job to do. Having been burnt in the past by a pro-athlete and former client, she was determined not to fall under River Baldwin’s spell.
The connection between them could not be denied. From the moment they met sparks flew, but their preconceived notions of each other threatened to extinguish said sparks.
I loved both River and Sam as individuals and as a couple. To the media and the public, River appeared to be a bad boy, but in reality he was a man with a good heart. He was a person who didn’t care what people thought of him.
Samantha is smart, strong willed and driven. She displayed a tough as nails demeanour, but beneath those layers was a woman who feared risking her.
The romance featured here was sweet with a lot of sizzle. However, it was not without its challenges. The media and Samantha’s fears proved a threat.
Once again, Mika Jolie did not disappoint. She created a heart-warming story about two people who had to fight against the odds to be together. A short and fast paced read, that had me turning the pages. Despite the brevity, Defenseless Hearts packed a punch. It shows that love has the power to melt even the coldest of hearts.
Conclusion/Recommendation.
I had a good time with this story. Fans of sports romance, featuring a sexy hockey player and a tough as nails heroine will love Defenseless Hearts.