ErikNothing rattles me. Well…almost nothing. As the most even-tempered player on the Chicago Blaze, I take everything in stride – hockey, fame and life in general. No one knows that deep down, even I’ve got a trigger. She’s a tall brunette with a gorgeous smile and an iron will. The woman who crushed my heart long ago. I never plan to return to Greentree Falls, Wisconsin and lay eyes on Allie … Allie Douglas again – until suddenly, I’m left without a choice.
Allie
Somehow, I’m keeping it all together. Raising my nieces and nephew alone and working takes everything I’ve got and then some, but I get by. I don’t have time for love, and who needs a man, anyway? I gave up the love of my life a decade ago, and now he’s just a distant memory. Until one day, he comes back home. And once I see him, I’m not keeping it together anymore.
Not even close.
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4.5 stars
Erik “Easy” Zimmerman has to head to Emery, Wisconsin during the summer break to take care of his aunt and mother. He never planned to return to his childhood home but he can’t say no to his mother. Once he lays eyes on his high school sweetheart again everything changes. It is like they never broke up and the feelings are all still there.
I loved Erik and Allie’s story! I am a sucker for a good second chance romance, especially if it is a hockey one. Allie has spent 10 years raising her nieces and nephew alone. She has no time for love but when Erik comes back to town that changes. She realizes she never stopped loving him and that they might actually make it work now. I really loved how hardworking and caring Allie was. She made a great mom to her nieces and nephew. I loved how she planned out their relationship and how they would make it work with three teenagers.
Erik was surprisingly sweet and protective. I loved how he instantly included the kids in everything and never imagined her without them. He was great stepdad material. Also, I love how he was willing to give up his career for a chance to be with Allie again. You could just always feel the love and emotion between these two. They were just a great couple!
The kids were great side characters in this one. I loved how different they all were and that Hazel was the hockey player and not her brother. The situation with their real mother was terrifying and I know I would have been just as worried as Allie had been. Rothert always does a great job at writing these terrifying and sad situations in her books, whether it is dying of cancer or child kidnapping, it’s always so well written.
Overall, I think this is my favorite book from this series so far. I loved every minute of it and all the characters were just amazing.
Trigger Warning:
– Parental kidnapping
5 star Review Easy (Chicago Blaze #6) by Brenda Rothert
The sixth book in the Chicago Blaze series and is the second change at love story story of defender Erik Zimmerman aka Easy and the woman he has always been in love with Allie Douglas. It most definitely can be read as a stand alone and it is not necessary to have read the previous books. However, do yourselves a favour if you haven’t read them yet and one click, they are a brilliant read and one of my favourite hockey series ever.
Easy is so swoon worthy, his strength and determination and his unwavering love for Allie was beautiful to read about and I was riveted from the first to the last page. Allie’s selflessness in giving up the man she loves to raise her nieces and nephew was inspiring.
Brenda Rothert has written a story that you cannot help but become invested in. There were times I laughed and times I cried and on a few occasions I was on the edge of my seat fearing for what was playing out and hoping that all would come good in the end. However throughout it all there was such a feeling of love, hope, strength and determination that I was cheering for these two wonderful people to get the love and family that they both deserve.
This is at times an emotional roller coaster of a read as Easy and Allie fight for their happily ever after and as always it was great to see the appearance of some familiar faces, it just adds that additional layer to what was truly a wonderful book to read.
I am excited for the next book in the series which is Jonah’s story.
I read this 6 star story in one sitting. I started it and couldn’t seem to be able to put down until the end.
Erik and Allie get the second chance they deserve after 10 years of being apart. This is an hockey, second chance romance.
Beautifully written with an addictive storyline that sucked me in the heart of these amazing characters. This heartfelt story attached itself to my heart. Selfless characters that were perfectly created. Bottomline this is a must read.
Standalone told in a dual POV with an HEA. I strongly recommend this story. This story is part of a series but all standalones.
I love second-chance romance!! Especially one that has been ten years in the making. It’s so satisfying to see the main characters resolve the issues and reunite—essentially picking up where they left off and finally finding their happily ever after. Sigh.
Sometimes getting to that happily ever after takes a bit of work. Erik and Allie certainly had a bit more difficult path! It wasn’t Easy by any means. But it was so worth it!
Erik and Allie fell in love as teenagers. They’d planned for their future, until that future never transpired. Erik went on to become one of the best players in the NHL. Allie shifted priorities from securing her own future to taking on the full-time care and raising of her nieces and nephew.
Ten years later, Erik and Allie reunite at last. And finally accept that the choices they made ten years ago were right at the time, but now it was time to move past the hurt and look toward the future. A future together.
I loved Allie and Erik. Loved that they were able to put the past behind them. To truly understand each other’s point of view. And then work together to decide their future. Theirs is an honest to goodness true love story. And I loved every moment spent with them!
I just love coming to the Blaze team and once again Brenda Rothert brings us another guy we have been waiting for, Erik. Here is a man, who in some ways has been playing a game without his whole heart in it though many people don’t see it. Hockey has always been his love but nothing can compare to Allie Douglas his first and only love. They were young when life made her choose and now that he has a second chance it is wow. Have to say I loved that Brenda Rothert made him be exactly what Allie needs right now yet still be the man she fell in love at first. Seeing them and the spark they had before was great making her see that maybe this is her chance for every dream she had come true at last. All in all seeing this team again was great and some of the other Blaze members come in making you wonder who will see next.
“I received an eBook copy from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own.”
Easy figured out that Allie was worth everything to him!
Erik (Easy) Zimmerman had left Greentree Falls, Wisconsin and Allie Douglas when she told him to pursue his dream of making it in the NHL because she couldn’t leave when she got the guardianship of her nieces and nephew during her senior year of high school. He never intended to return but when his mom broke her ankle, he returned to help her out. He didn’t want to see Allie but when he ran into her at the store, he realized that he had never forgotten her.
I loved Easy because the way the story made Easy and Allie figure out that making a family was hard work and worth everything.
I love the friendships and sense of community Ms. Rothert has created with the Chicago Blaze series. The way Allie’s friends and the community of Greenwood Falls support her is truly touching. Eazy and Allie have sacrificed so much it’s heartwarming to see the way they take care of each other and work together to achieve their own happily ever after.