He’s a Special Forces veteran making his pro hockey debut. She’s a dogged sports reporter determined to get a scoop. She’s also his best friend’s widow . . .Fans can’t get enough of Levi Hunt, the Special Forces veteran who put his NHL career on hold to serve his country and fight the bad guys. So when his new Chicago Rebels bosses tell him to cooperate with the press on a profile, he’s ready to … profile, he’s ready to do his duty. Until he finds out who he has to work with: flame-haired, freckle-splashed, impossibly perky Jordan Cooke.
The woman he should not have kissed the night she buried her husband, Levi’s best friend in the service.
Hockey-stick-up-his-butt-serious Levi Hunt might despise Jordan for reasons she can’t fathom–okay, it’s to do with kissing–but her future in the cutthroat world of sports reporting hangs on delivering the goods on the league’s hottest, grumpiest rookie. So what if he’s not interested in having his life plated up for public consumption. Too bad. Jordan will have to play dirty to get her scoop and even dirtier to get her man.
Only in winning the story, she might just lose her heart …
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I am a sucker for hockey romances and I love Kate Meader’s writing so when I saw she had a new series coming out I knew I had to read it. I love that these rookies aren’t just college aged jocks, but men who have grown up and experienced life outside of hockey.
Levi Hunt is a former special forces officer and but hockey on hold to fight. He is done with his service and now is back playing hockey for the Chicago Rebels. The public wants to know more about this man and every journalist wants a chance to be the one to tell his story. Enter Jordan Cooke, journalist with a a personal connection to Levi. Her husband was in the Green Berets with Levi and his best friend. These two are given a second chance, but will they be able to give into the chemistry or will their careers be more important in the end?
I loved this second chance romance. I love the chemistry between Levi and Jordan. It was a classic he saw her first, but knew there was something between her and his best friend so he stepped back. There is so much more to Levi than what meets the eye. The more we learn about Levi throughout the story the more and more you fall in love with him. I also loved Jordan. She has experienced a lot of loss at her young age and the things she has to go through and the things that she experiences in her career are so relatable.
I can’t wait to read the rest of this series and get more glimpses into the Chicago Rebel’s hockey team.
“He’s pretty hot. Got that grouchy, needs-a-hug thing going on. Total GILF.”
The author won me over when I got a taste of her Chicago Rebels series and I’ve been stalking her ever since. Those #HockeyHunks are so full of personality and sex appeal that they practically melt the ice they skate on. And the three sisters that inherited the team are so strong and sassy. Their banter keeps me in stitches, especially Violet.
This new Rookie Rebels series is so good. Not only does it have fresh meat, but all of my favorite characters are still present and continue to make me swoon. If you enjoy hockey romance you are in for a treat, Good Guy will tick all your boxes and then some.
Levi is the ‘good guy’ but only in other’s opinion, not his own. All he can see is the mistakes he’s made in the past. He doesn’t feel deserving of what his heart desires… his best friend’s widow. It’s been years since he last saw her at his friend’s funeral, but that connection he feels in her presence is still present. Of course, she wants the only thing he’s not willing to give. She’s a reporter and wants to know everything about him, things he wants to keep to himself.
Jordan has been through a lot and has worked hard to reach a level in her career that she’s proud of. She hates the idea of using her past connection to Levi to get an interview, but it’s hard for a woman trying to succeed in a sports career. Surely he doesn’t still hold a grudge over that one little kiss, right? Only one way to find out, grab your copy and join the #RebelFanClub. The line forms here…
Good guy is a fabulous begining to the Chicago Rebels spin off series Rookie Rebels. You will first off love that you get a little of all your favorites in this one. In Good Guy you get Special Forces veteran Levi. He is on his way back up in his hockey career. He may be older then most Rookies but he is a force to be reconned with. I love Levi and his heart to keep pushing himself to get better and to show the younger guys how it is done. He will make you smile and giggle at times too. Oh and fan yourself. His connection with Jordan is so hot. You can feel the pull between them and the fight that they take to not give in. Jordan is trying to put her journalism career first. She is sweet and knows her hockey. You will love watching Jordan and Levi fall together. I love Good Guy and I can’t wait for more Rookie Rebels.
Just gets better and better!
Jordan’s character was awesome, as was Levi’s. Without getting in too deep into the controversy of women in what was once man’s sacred territory of sports, this was very well written of the dilemmas women face, and men face as well, when mixing it up. Blurred Lines for sure. There are jerks among both sexes!
Jordan loved hockey and was very good at what she did, reporting it. The interactions between her and Levi had all the feels, their chemistry was undeniable, but deny they did just because of their positions, or hers anyway. Their past didn’t help either.
I loved reading this as it brought out my feels on everything written. I honestly felt sorry for Jordan and Levi both, being exploited for no good reason, except a story that truly doesn’t even matter in the grand scheme. See, I’m getting emotional just writing this–and that to me is a very good journey! When it ends in Happily Ever After, I’m good!!
I received an advance reader’s copy thru Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my honest opinions
Jordan is a sports reporter who covers hockey. Levi is former Green Beret turned pro hockey player. He was Jordan’s husbands best friend and served with him in the Special Forces. Jordan has been hired to do a profile on Levi but he is not an outgoing or talkative person. She has always thought Levi hated her but he really cared about her. When some things come out about Levi and the Rebels manager. Can Levi forgive her for telling his secrets and finally realize he is good enough for her?
Good story about hockey, journalism, secrets. It also touches on discrimination of women in a mans world. Abuse. Second chance at love. Some sexy scenes.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for NetGalley *
An absolutely fabulous book! I expected a somewhat light and fun read, but this story was so much more! I laughed, felt the characters heartbreak and swooned throughout Levi and Jordan’s journey. I cannot wait to read about the other characters in this series.
Ms. Meader digs into real-life issues with “Good Guy” (nook). Issues such as men’s treatment of women; homelessness and; veterans. She presented everything with love, angst, sex and tears. A worthwhile read.
I really loved this book. This was my first Kate Meader book and I know I have to go back and read her library, because this book has me hooked on her writing. Levi and Jordan have a past, but it’s their present that will have you turning pages faster than you realize when they are thrown into a situation that neither can ignore. There’s tension, tears, and both are so stubborn you will laugh out loud.
Loved this story about Levi and Jordan. Small connection to her late husband and his best friend from the service as a green beret. But now as a covering reporter on his new rookie status on the hockey rebels team. He has always had a thing for her but never felt he had anything to offer her. I really liked their chemistry. And they seemed to really balance each other out. Love all the other guys on the team. This is my first rebels story so now I’m going back to read about everything from the beginning.
4.5 stars.
This is the first time I have read Ms Meader’s books. I loved the characters! You get a good feel for who they are and become invested in their stories. Entertaining, sometimes steamy but engaging read.
Some extra proofreading would have been great, some sentences are repeated and other little grammar errors noted. Fortunately it didn’t affect the flow of the story.
So much more than just the typical sports romance, Good Guy touches on love, loss, service, sexual harassment, accepting yourself… it’s a fantastic book full of deep emotion and features a hero who is so, so swoonworthy (even if he doesn’t see himself that way). The story follows Jordan, a young widow who finally gets her big break in sports reporting when she is tasked with interviewing Levi, a 30-year-old rookie pro hockey player. Levi was Jordan’s husband’s best friend – the best man at her wedding – a Green Beret who has now left the service and is pursuing his career in hockey. They’ve never got along, and the only time they really connected was following her husband’s funeral – when they shared a steamy but ill-advised kiss. Now that Levi and Jordan are coming face to face for the first time since, they have to navigate the awkwardness of having leaned on each other in their grief while also dealing with the story Jordan is trying to write.
I’ve read books by Kate Meader before but none of her sports romances, and I’ve got to say that this was awesome. The dual perspectives really added depth to the story – their interactions have totally different interpretations depending on whose view it is. Levi is a stoic guy, taught to focus on his mission and guard his emotions, so Jordan has very little understanding of how he really feels. Turns out he is the ultimate good guy, and it was so satisfying to watch him find love. There’s also more to this story than just their romance (though that is truly the heart of the book). As a female sports reporter, Jordan has to deal with plenty of things that her male coworkers do not. Gender dynamics are a focus of the book, taking this story to another level. Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I have a guess as to who the next book will feature, and I am so excited to read that story.
Rookie Rebels #1, Yay Kate Meader!!! I am happy there are more Rebels, I love Kate Meader’s books.
Levi Hunt truly is a good guy a former Green Beret a talented hockey play who could have gone pro but instead enlisted when he got out despite his age NHL and the Rebels called. All Levi wanted to do was leave his life the Special Forces behind him, he didn’t want a lot of publicity only doing the obligatory interviews when needed, but then the bosses tell him a reporter is going to be following him around for a profile piece. Jordan Cooke loved Josh but she had put her life on hold for him when she married him and she can’t spent her life grieving so she decided to finally live the life she wanted. She’s making her way up the sports media chain with her podcast growing in popularity she’s even been asked to fill in for the hockey writer on a larger network, all she has to do is follow Levi Hunt around for a month. It should have been an easy job, and the only way she got the job was because her history with Levi but the last time they saw each other Jordan had just buried her husband.
Jordan always assumed Levi didn’t like her little did she know Levi has been half way in love with her since the moment he saw her, which happened to be moments before Josh did. Levi tries to avoid her but she still manages to insert herself into his life even uncovering the secrets he would rather remain hidden. The sexual tension builds until finally they both give in but with Jordan’s reputation on the line they agree to keep it secret until after the article is published. But misogyny runs rampant when another sports reporter sabotages Jordan to the point where it not only damages her integrity as a reporter but also her relationship with Levi.
Overall, such a good read. I loved how sweet Levi could be and how Jordan was so determined. I loved their past history with each other and the female friendships and how they all stood by each other especially when the shit hit the fan. I really enjoy reading Kate Meader books, she’s so great at character building and developing the friendship between the characters. I loved how we continue to see Remy and the OG Rebels.
Really loved reading this action packed, sexy, funny and emotional journey that is filled with insightful charters, emotional thrills, witty banter and exciting will not be ignored passion… was a could not put it down kinda read. I am looking forward to the next Rebels adventure.
5 star!! Great start to a new hockey series! Loved seeing the characters from the Chicago Rebels series again too. Swooney hero, sweet heroine. If you love grumpy heroes this is a definite must read!
This is book one in the new Rookie Rebels Series a spin off from the Chicago Rebels and what a great start the Good Guy is to what looks like yet another must read series for hockey fans, it’s a book that will steal your heart as you get you know Levi and Jordan whilst reading their love story.
Levi is a Special Forces veteran making his pro hockey debut, a man who put his hockey career on hold so he could serve his country but now he is back with the Chicago Rebels and his bosses expect him to cooperate with the press and that means talking to Jordan who is not only a sports writer determined to get her story but she is also his best friends widow…..
A couple you can’t help loving and feeling for because they have gone through so much in the past but now it’s the present and maybe they can learn from each other as they trust each other with secrets they thought they could never share. This book will appeal to lovers of Sports Romance and Second Chance Romance, it can be read as a stand-alone but I’m sure once you read this one you will want to catch up with the other Chicago Rebels. Looking forward to more in this series.
*I received an arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review* This is my first Kate Meader book & I really enjoyed it!! In the beginning I really didn’t like Levi Hunt & didn’t see any chemistry between him and Jordan Cooke. However the more I read & got to know him changed my mind and I ended up loving Levi & Jordan along with all of the supporting characters (especially Cookie the dog!). Hoping Theo’s story is next! I will definitely be reading more of her books after reading “Good Guy” & highly recommend this book.
Good Guy is the first book in the Rookie Rebel series which happens to be a spin off from Ms. Meader’s popular Chicago Rebel series. Good Guy centers on Levi and Jordan who reconnect after five years in the most uncomfortable circumstances. Levi is the oldest rookie to play in the NHL and he happens to be on the most controversial team, the Chicago Rebels, he becomes the subject of interest that the press would just love to uncover. Enter Jordan, a female sports reporter who needs a break to get into the big leagues. But when its her connection to Levi that gets her a stint in one of the major sports news outlets things become not so straightforward and gets both of them in the most awkward situations. Good Guy is a wonderful way of getting introduced to the world of the Chicago Rebels, it briefly touches on the history of the team and how they’ve gotten the reputation of being the oddball of the NHL but this book also puts a line saying this is the generation that comes after. Levi and Jordan’s romance straddles their past and the present and the journey to their HEA was all sweet, funny, sexy and also full of self discovery for both characters. Can’t wait which character gets their own story next!
Loved!
I mean, it’s a continuation of the Chicago Rebels series (hockey players!!!) with a slight crossover with Hot in Chicago series (firefighters!!!) thrown in for flavor, so my at least liking it was probably pretty much a given, but still.
So. Good!
Both Jordan and Levi are starting over. He’s recently out of the Army (Special Forces) and going back to his other career choice, NHL hockey, where he immediately becomes a known thing because 1) he’s the oldest rookie of his class and 2) I mentioned the Special Forces thing, right? Jordan, a widow of five years, is trying to make it big in sports reporting. She’d put her career on hold while married (moving from base to base not being conducive with the reality of making it big as a sports reporter while female) but now an opportunity has opened up and she can’t say no. Because she knows Levi already–he served with her husband and was not only his BFF but also the best man at their wedding.
Teensy little complication–he hates her. Or does he?
I enjoyed the push and pull between Jordan and Levi, and I freaking loved the camaraderie that Levi developed with the rest of his team, especially “Superglutes” Theo Kershaw (please tell me he’s getting a book!). Ms. Meader did a fantastic job with Jordan’s past–it’s been five years, and though she loved her husband and thinks of him every day, she’s ready to move on; no vilification needed. Woot! Even Levi’s guilt had more to do with his sense of self worth than the fact that she was his best friend’s widow; I really liked how that was handled. Zero percent of my widow-story rage triggers were triggered.
Plus, hockey. And snark with a side of banter. And more hockey. And a dog. I’m not sure what else could possibly be needed…
Good Guy is the first in a new series, and would make an excellent introduction to the author. (But you did see the previous mentions of more hockey players and firefighters, right? Read this and then get on that backlist ASAP. Trust me on this!)
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
4.5 stars
I love the Chicago Rebels so I’m so excited to have the next generation of the team having a series. This series kicks off with a bang. I loved Levi. He was in the Special Forces and now starting his hockey career. That right there has me intrigued. It’s something different and there is more history when it comes to Jordan. Jordan is a sports journalist. She’s a woman in a man dominate arena, but she knows her stuff and now she needs to prove herself she belongs with the big boys. Her story on Levi could make her career. Levi and Jordan have a ton of chemistry, There is humor in the book that I just loved. I devoured this book and it was hard to put down. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
4.25 stars—GOOD GUY is the first instalment in Kate Meader’s contemporary, adult ROOKIE REBELS erotic, hockey, romance series-a spin off from the author’s Chicago Rebel series. This is former Special Forces Green Beret and Chicago Rebels newest rookie Levi Hunt, and sports reported Jordan Cooke’s story line. GOOD GUY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the original series is revealed where necessary. There is a slight cross-over with the author’s HOT IN CHICAGO firefighter series and the appearance of Kinsey Taylor-Almeida as Jordan’s best friend.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Jordan and Levi) GOOD GUY follows the best friend’s wife scenario as former Special Forces Green Beret Levi Hunt becomes the oldest rookie on the professional hockey circuit with the Chicago Rebels. Five years earlier Levi Hunt lost his best friend Josh Cooke to a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, leaving his wife Jordan a widow at twenty-three. Fast forward to present day wherein Levi Hunt has returned to the game that he loves, a game that will bring him face to face with the woman he has loved since the day they first met. Enter reporter and journalist Jordan Cooke. What ensues is the building relationship and romance between Jordan and Levi, and the potential fall-out as words said in anger trigger too many hard feelings between our leading couple.
Levi Hunt knew the moment he saw Jordan Cooke, he had fallen in love but Jordan fell for Levi’s best friend Josh, a man who would lose his life all too soon. Levi would soon discover that Jordan’s latest assignment was Levi himself, an assignment that would both push and pull our couple together and apart. Jordan Cooke knew getting the coveted story about Levi Hunt could make or break her sports reporting career but getting the real story meant going against everything she believed including the potential to destroy the man with whom she was falling in love.
The relationship between Jordan and Levi is one of second chances of a sort. Levi is a bit of a loner; a quiet but powerful hockey play who has been in love with his best friend’s wife for as long as he can remember but keeping his distance meant keeping away from the woman that called to his heart. Jordan knows that to get her story she is going to have to get close to our story line hero but getting close is about to backfire when her fellow reporters sense something else between our leading couple. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including several members of the Chicago Rebels previously introduced in the author’s CHICAGO REBELS hockey series, team manager Dante Moretti; Chicago Rebels owners-Harper and Isabel Chase, Violet Vasquez, and their significant others, as well as the introduction of several members of the sports media; hockey players Theo Kershaw and Ford Callaghan, and Special Forces support team member Elle Butler.
GOOD GUY is a story of family, friendship, heart break and betrayal; a story of loss, love and second chances. The premise is entertaining and captivating; the romance is seductive; the characters are colorful and energetic.