New York Times bestselling author K. Bromberg is back with an all new second-chance, standalone hockey romance.
At first, the request seemed simple—sign a new athlete to the agency.
Then I found out the new athlete was none other than the most wanted man in hockey today: Hunter Maddox
Gifted. Sexy. At the top of his game. And the only man who has ever broken my heart.
If signing him will help … has ever broken my heart.
If signing him will help save our family business, I’ll swallow my pride and do what’s asked.
But when it becomes clear his uncharacteristic antics off the ice are a hint of something deeper, keeping things strictly professional between us becomes more than complicated. But I know better than to cross that line.
I’ll never date a client. Not even for him.
***
Win the Stanley Cup and do it before time runs out.
Not a small feat, but it’s what’s motivated me since the start of my career.
And time is running out.
Enter Dekker Kincade.
Feisty. Dogged. Damn gorgeous. The one I let get away.
I have no idea why she’s traveling with the team, but hell if resisting her is going to be easy.
But I have a job to do, and I refuse to lose sight of that end game. Even if she confuses me. Even if she sees parts of me I’ve hidden from the world.
I can’t lose focus. Not even for her.
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This is truly an emotional love story.
This is the story of Hunter & Dekker. Hunter is a hockey player. Dekker works for dad’s busness, which is an agent for sports players. Hunter’s agent has taken away twelve of their clients, and now they’re going to fight to get them back. Hunter is full of anger and hurt and guilt that stems from his past. There is a variety of emotions in this story. This story is amazing. The tears just keep falling throughout. Such a different story all the way around. This story deserves to be given a 10 rating, not a 5. Please read.
This book is another. win by Bromberg. I love how she manages to put real life issues into her storylines. They don’t feel like an commercial or medical pamphlet but it’s still something to bring awareness to her readers. This book had everything you could want love, lust, anger, sadness, anticipation, a couple of characters that you root for, sports and bittersweet ending.
Dekker is a woman in a man’s world. She helps run her family’s sports agency and her new assigned target is Hunter. Hunter who she once upon a time had a thing with. However, that doesn’t even turn out to be the biggest issue. He’s angry and playing with fire but why?
Hunter is going to win the Stanley Cup, end of story, even if it kills him. His career is on the line thanks to his antics and the last person he wants back in his life is the woman who walked away last time. The one he’s drawn to and can’t seem to stay away from.
They are forced together and that causes them to face their past and present in hopes that they may can have a future. This book made me laugh and cry. Truly amazing read.
WOW!! What an absolutely amazing book. The author did a fantastic job keeping me on the edge, teetering between pure bliss and tears. My heart hurt for the emotional pain that Hunter was dealing with, but seeing him heal was inspiring to watch. There was passion, deep feels, steam, and laugh out loud moments. Both Hunter and Dekker, with their beautiful and kind hearts, stole my heart from the very beginning of their journey.
Holy sports romance! The queen of romance gives us another amazing story. And this is the start to a series. I am so excited! This is the story about hockey star Hunter and sports agent Dekker. Hunter is focused on winning the Stanley Cup. Dekker has been given the assignment to sign Hunter to her father’s sports agency she works for. The issue? Hunter has an agent and Dekker and Hunter have a history. A steamy one. One where Dekker felt too much and walked away. Now she is showing up “checking on other clients” but also being just what Hunter needs. Of course these two are too stubborn to admit true feelings and the unfair events in life get in the way. This story is full of so much raw emotion, passion, and moments that gripped my heart so tight. I found myself in tears of sadness and tears of joy a few times. This is a must read. Romance fans, get ready for your favorite new book. I can’t wait for more in this series! These narrators brought these characters to life. They did an amazing job representing them. I thought they were Dekker and Hunter!
If there was ever a fictional character I wanted to wrap up in a warm hug it would be Hunter. My heart just wept for him with all his personal struggles, the life long guilt and feelings of not being good enough. Bromberg knows how to write a broken hero so that you want to piece him all back together to make him whole again.
One of the reasons why I love the female characters K. Bromberg writes is because they are strong, independent, courageous, feisty but also a little vulnerable. You won’t find a doormat here. She doesn’t need to have a man take care of her, coddle her or be her sugar daddy. She has strong morals, a good heart amd witty comebacks.
I can’t wait for the other 3 sisters stories!! My copies will be pre-ordered as soon as they are available.
K. Bromberg has another hit with Hard to Handle! It is the first book in her new Play Hard series and if you are a fan of hockey romance than this is the perfect book for you to check out! It is well written with memorable characters and an engaging storyline. I had the added enjoyment of listening to the audio version and the narrators did a fantastic job of bringing these already amazing characters to life.
The story does have its heartbreaking moments as Hunter deals with his past that is putting pressure squarely on his shoulders. He is taking responsibility for something that was not his fault and it is now affecting his play on the ice and his life off the ice. When a fiesty spitfire from his past in the form of Dekker Kincaid shows back up in his life he finally finds that she is the one person who understands him and is trying to help him both personally as professionally. These two are both battling demons from their past so who better to help, but each other? And with that healing they can both finally open their hearts to love.
Dekker a sports agent has to sign and ex lover Hunter Maddox to a contract. The fun starts there.
A Dekker is determend not to get drawn into a relationship with Hunter. Hunter has issues with
his father. Hunter believes he thinks he would never be as good a player as his twin brother. All his
life he has fought this and has one goal the Stanley Cup. Dekker has one job can she get Hunter
to sign with her agency? I listened to the audible book and the narration by Jacob Morgan and
Emma Wilder was great and brought Hunter and Dekker to life.
Prepare for your heart to be stolen! Hard to Handle has all the feels I didn’t see coming. Each page is one roller coaster of emotion after another and I loved every moment of it. My heart wasn’t prepared for this book and it’s one I’d definitely recommend to everyone. I can’t wait to see how the rest of her sisters stories play out in this series!
This is an incredibly stunning second-chance sports romance. I was captivated from the very beginning right to the very end! Hard to Handle is emotionally raw, breathtaking, powerful, and beautifully inspiring. Hunter and Dekker have a soul-mate connection that is irresistible. Their chemistry is magnetic and undeniable. Try as they may to resist, they are powerless to stop the fall. I instantly fell in love with the characters and adored their journey back to one another. The writing is flawless and I felt like I was watching a movie unfold with each turn of the page. The banter was witty and they sparred so well with one another. The push and the pull was so natural. The storyline is a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I could feel everything the characters experienced; the emotions radiated from the pages. I laughed, cried so many tears (happy and sad), felt the butterflies, the heart palpitations, every ounce of pain and all the joy. The heartfelt moments stole my breath and the heartbreaking ones shattered my heart. Oh, and those swoon-worthy moments left me breathless! A powerful and poignant story of love, forgiveness, and living with no regrets that I didn’t want to end. The inspirational moments throughout this book left me in awe and will stay with me. This story forever left a mark on my heart and soul! A top read of 2020 and all time. Well above 5 star rating! I highly recommend reading this book!!!
Incredible, 5+ ! Audiobook review
What a story by K. Bromberg! I loved this story of Hunter’s quest for the Stanley cup and his past with Dekker. What an emotional ride following Hunter’s story of his past with his twin brother and family as well as his past with Dekker. I found myself in happy tears tears at some times and in sad tears at other times. This was just a wonderful story that I couldn’t stop listening and finished in 2 days. The narration was fantastic. I can’t wait for the next book in the series. Loves, loved, loved this book and will definitely listen to it again and highly recommend it!
“Hard to Handle” is the first book in the Play Hard series and all I can say is WOW, what a way to start a series. This is a second chance at love romance between two people who are afraid to love, for different reasons. Dekker Kincade has been given the job of signing Hunter Maddox to her family’s agency, a job given to her by her father who doesn’t know that Hunter is the only man that ever broke his daughters heart. So, ok she can suck it up and do what her dad ask, even though Hunter seems to be out of control now. Dekker knows that something is bothering Hunter and she would rather help him than sign him, even though it means disappointing her dad. Hunter, the most wanted man in hockey has one goal, to win the Stanley Cup, and he refuses to let anything get in his way.
This book has all the feels including tears and laughter. I loved all of Dekker’s sisters and her dad, along with some of the other hockey players. Get ready to lose yourself in this one because you will not be able to put it down.
Five “Skill. Stick. Finesse.” stars for this one!!
I think my favorite part of this book was the fact that both characters were flawed, and they had to fight for their happy ending. I will admit, I got scared halfway through the story; I thought this was going to be one of those “he has a lot of issues, but being in love solved them all”, but I thank God that it wasn’t that at all. Hunter was dealt a terrible hand, and even though he was a jerk at times, you couldn’t help but sympathize with him and want the best for him. His story was heartwarming and painfully real and at times legitimately brought tears to my eyes.
A decent book makes you care about the characters, and a good book makes you sympathize with the characters. A great book, like this one, makes you laugh out loud, sob like a baby and get legitimately pissed off at the characters. This author is going on my list of authors to keep an eye out for. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go and buy every single book that I can by this author, and then wait semi-patiently while she writes some more.
Hunter is a professional hockey player at the top of his game. But he’s weighed down by demons that make him self-destruct over and over and over. Dekker is a sports agent. She and Hunter had a short-term fling in the past. Dekker’s father wants her to bring Hunter on as a new client but she gets caught up in helping him overcome his problems.
This was a really engrossing story. K Bromberg always creates memorable characters. The only thing that made this a four star read instead of a five star is that it got old reading about Hunter making self-destructive choices again and again.
However, I think this series is off to a good start.
Hard to handle is a book full of Vulnerability and intimacy There are scary moments where the fear of vulnerability and intimacy led to other emotions such as anger.
The tension between Dekker and Hunter is strong. Which just adds to the depth of their story. I can not wait for the rest of the series.
Blurb:
At first, the request seemed simple—sign a new athlete to the agency.
Then I found out the new athlete was none other than the most wanted man in hockey today: Hunter Maddox
Gifted. Sexy. At the top of his game. And the only man who has ever broken my heart.
If signing him will help save our family business, I’ll swallow my pride and do what’s asked.
But when it becomes clear his uncharacteristic antics off the ice are a hint of something deeper, keeping things strictly professional between us becomes more than complicated. But I know better than to cross that line.
I’ll never date a client. Not even for him.
Win the Stanley Cup and do it before time runs out.
Not a small feat, but it’s what’s motivated me since the start of my career.
And time is running out
.Enter Dekker Kincade.
Feisty. Dogged. Damn gorgeous. The one I let get away.
I have no idea why she’s traveling with the team, but hell if resisting her is going to be easy.
But I have a job to do, and I refuse to lose sight of that end game. Even if she confuses me. Even if she sees parts of me I’ve hidden from the world. I can’t lose focus. Not even for her.
Arc Received for honest review
4.5 stars. I loved this book! It had a little bit of everything- second chance romance, enemies to lovers, sports romance. I loved Hunter and his tortured soul. And Dekker was a great character who was strong and fierce but also caring. I really loved this one and I can’t wait for the next installments in the series.
Hard to Handle is the first book in K. Bromberg’s new Play Hard series. This second chance sports romance features professional hockey player and New Jersey Lumberjacks team captain Hunter Maddox, and sports agent Dekker Kincade. There were so many things I liked about this book, but mostly the character development because I truly believe that adults are all a product of their upbringing.
Dekker and Hunter had a “friends with benefits” situation three years earlier, and then it ended when her heart wanted more. Although they never discussed their relationship, it was much deeper and more meaningful then either could admit. Hunter has so many demons and personal family drama bringing him down. He feels is tormented by an accident that happened to his twin brother, Jonah, 16 years ago, and the guilt is overwhelming. He is a good man with a giant heart, and Dekker is just the one with the patience and foresight to see what is underneath.
Throughout this slow burn, they got to know each other again as they each let down their guard little by little. There was no denying their sexual chemistry, and those scenes were smokin’ hot mainly because they had feelings for one another. Their relationship was different this time, they are both in their 30s and more mature, and when he opened up to her, I cried real tears. I loved how she supported him emotionally and in his career, and knew there was a reason he was “hard to handle.” She helped him realize he deserved love too, and that he needed to forgive himself and that what happened in the past was not his fault.
Many families go through trials and I loved how they each learned from their mistakes and grew as a family, even after tragedy. Hunter’s father’s harsh words weighed heavily on him, and those parts were very emotional to read. Kuddos to Decker for calling his dad out on his negative behavior, and for his dad trying to make amends.
I loved Jonah’s letter to Hunter, helping him find closure and peace. I loved Dekker’s relationship with her three sisters and her dad, and learning about their sports management business, and I especially loved the ending when Hunter debuted his charity, and he and Dekker could finally put the past behind them and move forward as a couple.
I especially loved the epilogues, they are why I read romance, and am looking forward to the rest of this series as Dekker’s sisters also find love.
Kenyon Kincade runs Kincade Sports Management along with his four daughters. This series will revolve around each of his daughters and the first story is about Dekker Kincade, his oldest daughter.
Dekker had to step up and be the mother when she was fifteen years old when her mother died. Seeing what happened to her dad, Dekker was not interested in falling in love and settling down. Dekker may have come close when she started hooking up with hockey star Hunter Maddox, but like usual she turned and ran fast away from any commitment. Fast forward three years and now Dekker has found out that her dad wants her to pursue signing Hunter as a client. He is having a record breaking year and Kenyon thinks he’d be willing to move. Not happy about having to see Hunter again because of all of her unresolved feeling, Dekker agrees to try and starts to follow his hockey team around. Hunter notices Dekker immediately. Seems he has some unresolved feelings for her too!
Hunter is trying his hardest to do everything to win the Stanley Cup. He is also acting very strange and not like the guy that Dekker knew. When Dekker and Hunter start to spend some time together, she forgets about needing to sign him as a client and just wants to help him out of the funk he seems to be in. When Dekker realizes what the issue is that is affecting Hunter, she wants to do everything in her power to help him. Of course the more time these two spend together, the more all the old feelings start to reemerge. Just when it looks like everyone’s world is going to implode, everything falls into place and Dekker and Hunter will finally get their happy ending.
I loved this story. I just adored both of these characters. K. Bromberg has a way of creating characters that you just feel all of their emotions. While reading this book I laughed and I cried and just loved the road these two had to travel to get to their happy ending. Overall it was a great start to a new series and I can’t wait to read the other Kincade sister’s stories!!
This book was EVERYTHING. I laughed, cried, was so angry, and happy again. The emotional roller coaster Kristy takes you on, you are going to need that seatbelt buckled. Hunter and Dekker had a crazy journey, but with patience, love, and some life lessons, you’ll want to see the end result. Don’t wait to grab this 5 star read. I’m so looking forward to the rest of this series.
More please!
Sports agent Dekker Kincade has been picked by her family to get hockey player Hunter Maddox to change agents to their firm because they were bleeding clients. Hunter was dealing with a lot of issues off the ice trying to win a Cup when Dekker tried to help him instead of asking him to sign with the Kincade Sport Management. Hunter and Dekker had short term relationship that ended when Dekker walked away when Hunter wouldn’t let her close to him.
Hard to Handle has a lot of angst with Hunter and his demons but the author wraps it up in a good sports romance with more stories coming about Dekker’s sisters.
Hunter and Dekker’s book has all the feels and was so not I imagined. They both fight their feelings for each other because of their pasts, which is what led Dekker to flee from their ‘nonrelationship’ 3 years ago. Their chemistry is not to be reckoned with no matter how much each fights it. Once they learn to let each other in and not hide from themselves, they learn they are stronger together. Can not wait to read about Dekker’s sisters in the next books!