ReeseI’m done. Getting ditched at the altar is nothing compared to being humiliated there in front of three hundred shocked guests. Apparently I’m no good at spotting the signs your man’s a cheating liar. So I set off solo on my honeymoon to Hawaii, where I realize I’ve got this life thing down just fine on my own. Friendships and laughter? Yes.Adventures? Absolutely.But relationships? Hell no. … relationships? Hell no. Never again.
Knox
I’m a man of few words. My reputation as a moody prick is deserved, but only the handful of people who really know me see the man beneath the professional mask.
I’m a protector. A warrior. That part is true. But the world doesn’t get to see the rest of me. And women don’t seem to mind my gruff exterior—my bed’s always warm.
I’m content with life—loving it, even—or so I thought. But when I meet a beautiful pastry chef with a broken heart and a smile that softens me down to my soul, I realize I wasn’t really content at all before her.
I only wish I had the words to let her know.
more
“I don’t want perfection, Reese. I never did. I just want you.”
Reese got ditched at the altar by her cheating ex-fiance. So she sets out on her honeymoon to Hawaii solo and plans to reassess her life. While there she meets Knox, who rescues her from an embarrassing situation. These two spend a few days together then go their separate ways but they never stop thinking about each other.
Who knew grumpy Knox was such a sweetheart. I loved him. He was protective, sweet, and surprisingly talkative. While he doesn’t open up all the way and tell her everything, which does cause problems for them, he does talk to her more than anyone else. I really adored Knox and his protectiveness.
Reese took her experience with her ex and pushed herself into her career. She traveled, she made great baking treats, and she found a new passion. She also became obsessed with not being in a relationship, which causes her problems when she ends up in a relationship with Knox. They both struggle to let go of their pasts and lean on each other through tough times. Eventually they got it but it was a very emotional and tense time for a little bit.
I think Rothert is my new favorite author for emotional contemporary romances. She really knows how to pack a punch with her books. With every couple in this series, there is a lot of emotion and heart in the story, which just makes it so easy to be sucked into a great story.
Trigger Warnings:
– Parent with cancer
– Grieving
I absolutely adore this story, this series and these characters! When I read each new Chicago Blaze story I think, Oh, this one is my favorite, but then along comes the next hunky hockey player in the series and I’m swooning again! I definitely have fallen for Knox and his “resting broody-man face”!!
Knox is the “enforcer” on the Chicago Blaze hockey team. As rough and gruff and they come on the outside, but when he falls for Reese, he falls hard and fast!
Reese finds out AT THE ALTAR that her fiancé has been cheating on her WITH HER BRIDESMAIDS so she runs off to escape a bit of her reality. She goes on her honeymoon trip to Hawaii alone planning to swear off men. But Reese can’t resist the immediate and blazing hot attraction she feels when she meets Knox. What promises to be a super hot vacation fling soon feels like a whole lot more.
“Love is like a wheel of colors, each one representing an emotion. And Knox brings all of them out of me. I’ve been sunshine yellow with joy, the brightest shade of pink with arousal and the deepest red with anger.”
I loved the little peeks into the lives of the other players on the team and especially the hints about the Hero for the next book in this series.
-5 Stars!!-
KNOX WANTS REESE…LUCKY REESE
Knox is the enforcer for Chicago’s NHL team, the Blaze, and, he’s big…and mean…and just…hot!! He’s broody and growly and…(I know I said this before) hot…Knox is starting to think about retirement, and watching his friends settle down and get married has made him start to see the benefits of a relationship….especially after meeting Reese while on a team vacay in Kauai…But Knox, who is never told no, has his work cut out for him….
Reese is a sweet, talented professional pastry chef who was with her fiancé for a long time, and at the altar, on their wedding day, he tells Reese he’s been cheating with two of her bridesmaids…(Jerk)..Anyway, Reese takes the “honeymoon” trip to Hawaii, alone, to process and heal…and that’s where she meets Knox…
Knox and Reese have an immediate and intense connection…and have what is supposed to be a quick fling…..Reese is on the rebound from her almost-wedding, and while Knox is so head over heels, he’s ready to go all in, Reese is in a different space and not ready to jump back into a relationship no matter what she feels for Knox…. Knox’s patience with Reese just makes him sexier…..
Let me just say….I started this series, because the book covers are all so hot…but I’ve continued reading the series, because these Chicago Blaze guys just keep getting hotter….I love this series…
I do love those Chicago Blaze boys. These books give you plenty of feels along with heat. I’m not gonna lie I teared up a few times while reading this one. There are some parts that just it you right in the heart. Reese experiencing what is one of the wort days of her life, but it may just be a blessing in disguise. The result of all of it brings Knox in her life. Knox and Reese have a lot of chemistry and the best part is they start out as friends. Knox has a lot of work ahead of him if he wants to get out of the friend zone when it comes to Reese. She has harden up her heart for the betrayal she has gone through, but if anyone can break down those walls it’s Knox.
He knows how to use his stick.
Hockey and Brenda Rothert come together like peanutbutter and jelly it is so awesome. We have the next sexy hockey player in her Chicago Blaze team and he is worth waiting for. Knox is more than a player he is loyal to family and those he love. We see the hockey player, the lover but most of all a son wanting more time with his father. It is a time he cannot control and it kills him. Reese is a woman trying to well find real love and not just a position in her wealth. These two are opposite yet they complete each other in a way they know how by friendship first. Loved it and cannot wait to see who is next in this team.
“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.”
Chicago Blaze Series continues….this time its Knox’s book! Dont you just love the cover? I totally licked it!
Wow…amazing and wonderfully written book. These alpha hockey players are really falling hard for their women and its been such joy reading about them!
Reese, after having been dealt with a devastating blow, is in Hawaii solo, for a few days before travelling again. After losing her bikini top in the sea a handsome and very muscled stranger comes to her rescue. The next day Reese decides to have a short fling with him and the two had mind blowing, powerful sex! Then she catches a plane and begins her “new” life.
Knox Deveraux still remembers the one night he spent in Hawaii with Reese and her thinks about her constantly. Dining at a top resturant in Chicago, Knox sees an artivle involving Reede and sets out to find her and makes her his but theres one catch though, Reese doesnt want a relationship with Knox….
This book is so good. I absolutely love both characters and the way they met. I cant wait to meet more of the Chicago Blaze hockey heroes!!
This book had me in my feelings from the very beginning. I mean, it starts off with the perfect wedding until it isn’t so perfect. A woman gets broken and it takes a persistent man to come and encourage her to love again. Love this book and most of all Knox. Of course I love this series because some of the other (previous) characters make small appearances.
ARC provided in exchange of an honest review.
Knox is a part of the Chicago Blaze series, and can be read as a stand-alone without any confusion. But, you will be exposed to spoilers for the previous books.
This is going to be a weird review.
The first 50% was SO enjoyable, my heart fluttered every time I thought about having time to read it. It’s just a feel-good, Hallmark-ish book. A bit of a lackluster plot, though.
The final 50%, I was thoroughly annoyed by Reese. Her “issues” lacked depth, her actions were all over the place, and her treatment of Knox was down right crappy.
I’m torn over this one. Although I did find my new favorite phrase, “resting brooding-man face.”
With Knox, Ms Rothert returns us to the world of the Chicago Blaze in a heavily connected stand alone story.
Knox is a character that honestly don’t recall seeing too much in the previous books, but I loved getting to know him here. Over the course of the book we find out that Know is really like a truffle – hard deliciousness on the outside with a sweet, soft center.
His love interest, Reese, is a fun character to get to know. I appreciated the way she responded to adversity and channeled that into something bigger and better for herself.
Together, this couple was awesome. They were the perfect combination of instant chemistry combined with a slow burn/friendship. Knox is a well written and fast paced book. There were some things I would have liked to have more time with, but overall things were well balanced. The conflicts in the story were organic to who the couple is and flowed well with the rest of the story.
My one caution would be for readers new to the series. The secondary cast (primarily the other players) is heavy with people who have been in previous books in either a primary or secondary role. Having read some of the previous books would definitely help with understanding the relationships discussed. Having said that, don’t let it stop you from reading Knox if this is the best place to start.
I have become a fan of Brenda Rothert’s books recently. I love her sweet and straightforward stories so much. The plot line is just one: a guy meets a girl, falls for her, she falls for him, they have some issues, the issues are resolved throughout the book, and they can be together forever. In this series, there’s the added incentive that the guys in the series are professional hockey players in the Chicago Blaze team. Therefore, yum. And the best part is that we get to see old friends, former book boyfriends from the previous stories.
Knox’s father was a hockey legend, and now he’s dying of colon cancer. Knox is torn, wanting to be with his father during his last months but his father is adamant that he wants his son to go on playing. So, he goes with his friends to their offseason Hawaii vacation. They’re staying at Luca’s and Abbie’s house, which is like a small hotel, it’s so big.
Meanwhile, Reese is on her honeymoon, alone. Her almost future husband confessed at the altar that he had sex with two of her bridesmaids. After this shit show, her father helped her escape the fracas and she decided she needed some alone time to process. Hence, Hawaii, perfect place to enjoy a honeymoon alone.
Reese and Knox meet when Knox is running at the beach shore and Reese lost her bikini top while swimming at sea. Knox takes her t-shirt to her and turns his back so she can dress. From that first interaction, Knox is riveted by this woman.
“She’s fucking amazing. Sweet and sexy. Strong, yet vulnerable. Everything any man could ever dream to find in a woman.”
Knox is a loner, he likes his teammates, can go party with them, but he needs frequent alone times. So far, at thirty-four years, he has eluded relationships because he can’t stand to be with the same woman for long periods.
“Easy women used to be fun, but nowadays I’d rather just spend the evening alone with good takeout and some baseball on TV. Or I indulge in my guilty pleasure…catching up on Days of Our Lives.“
And yet, he thinks about Reese all the time, wants to be with her all the time. In short, he found THE ONE. But Reese is on the rebound and she doesn’t trust her feelings, her instincts, and still needs to process. They have a few fantastic days together, and at the end, they depart, each to their own lives.
Fast forward, one year and a half later, Reese is working at Magnolia, a fancy restaurant in Chicago. When Knox finds out, he’s on the warpath, decided to conquer. Reese is happy in her life, living alone, working as pastry chef and volunteering at a woman’s shelter. She’s reluctant but Knox is decided and we have a fun time of watching two wonderful characters sort it out. There are frustrations, losses, fun times, sexy times, lots of food, and a love that cannot be denied. I loved both characters, and what I loved most was the support that Knox gave to Reese on her career. Even though he’s famous and wealthy, he thinks very highly of Reese’s work and deems it every bit as important and necessary as his. Likewise, I thought very highly of Reese when she realized that even though her career is important to her, Knox was more.
“He rescued me that day in Kauai, but he also did so much more. He healed me and listened to me. He doesn’t just let me be unapologetically me, he wants me to be.”
“Since the day I first saw Reese a year and a half ago in Kauai, no woman has drawn me in the way she does. She’s got a way of making me feel more—more happy, more passionate, more alive.”
This was one of those comfortable reads, totally enjoyable, very uplifting, sweet and entertaining. I’m looking forward to the next book, Alexei’s, which promises to be turbulent!
I”ve loved every book in this series and I can’t wait to see what is up next for the men of the Chicago Blaze and the women who love them.
Knox is book 4 in the Chicago Blaze series. Knox is on a trip to Hawaii with his teammates when he meets a beautiful woman on the beach. The woman, Reese, is there by herself, on what would be her honeymoon, after finding out her fiancé cheated on her. The two had instant chemistry and spent the rest of their time In Hawaii together. A little over a year later they cross paths again and perpetual bachelor, Knox, is interested in having a relationship with Reese. I enjoyed seeing these two find their balance in their relationship and their individual lives. I liked that Reese was a strong, independent woman and that Knox was willing to work at making their relationship work. Great Story, I highly recommend it to everyone!
Let’s be honest here… I wanted to hit Reese over the head so many times!!!
So many!!!
Geez!!!
Wake up and see what is right in front of you! Or who.
I’m talking about Knox.
Knox was a great character! I loved him from start to finish! We had little pieces of him in the prior stories – glad he got his own book.
Together, when she wasn’t doubting herself, these two are a dynamite couple.
I highly recommend this one! Yes, it is part of a series, but each story is about a different couple and can be read on there own with no issues.
Side note – I’m so excited the next story is Alexei’s. 🙂
Love this series…love the covers even more!!
Knox is a great addition to this awesome series. I liked that Reese was independent and her relationship with Knox wasn’t rushed. Reese is bitterly betrayed on her wedding day and meets Knox in paradise (aka Kauai) and they have a brief affair. But then they both move on with their lives.
“Oh, Knox. I’m jealous of the woman who ends up with you.” Brought tears to my eyes!
As fate would have it – they meet again and that’s when the story really gets interesting. It dealt with real subjects surrounding the women’s shelter and of course, had a little bit of hockey although I would have liked more of that part.
I thought their romance was beyond sweet and seeing Knox fall in love was a sight to behold. Swoon!!
I voluntarily requested and read an advance reader copy.
At this point in the series I’m convinced that there’s no member of the Chicago Blaze I wouldn’t fall for if they turned even the slightest bit of attention my way. FYI, this is book 4 and you can read any and all of these as standalones, but I highly recommend the whole series!
Knox is the resident grumpy grizzly. A chance encounter in Kauai with recently left-at-the-altar Reese leads to a couple days of intense fling and they go their separate ways… until more than a year later they find one another again.
These two characters are interesting to watch fall in love because the chemistry is SO THERE and is from the get go, but they both have some stuff to work through in a big way to figure out what they want and what they need. Such a fantastic addition to the series! Love them all!
Already head over heels in love with this series, Brenda Rothert managed to steal my breath and my heart with this book. This is such a beautiful story and certainly one of the BEST sports romance books I’ve ever experienced. I had no intention of reading this in one fell swoop, but once I started, it was unputdownable. My heart beats a little faster thinking about it and I’m already contemplating the re-read.
Why you ask? Knox Deveraux. This man is everything! He’s the most endearing character, with soooo much heart and soul. I could run through the expansive list of his awesomeness but I think I should just take the moment to give my recommendation. Okay, that’s already obvious. But onto the other reasons that I loved this story. It all starts with the runaway bride trope, as at the altar, Reese Dalton discovers that her fiancé Eric is a deplorable lizard. When she takes off for her solo honeymoon and finds herself in Knox’s orbit, I couldn’t have been any happier for her, and simultaneously jealous of her.
What follows is pure magic. Separated by time and space, they find themselves earning a second chance to build something. They both hold back a bit for different and understandable reasons, but Knox is not about to let go. It gives me the chills to think about how sweet, funny, lionhearted, and respectful he is. The chemistry between these two is stunning – off the charts sexy and heartfelt. They share the same sense of humor and are both genuine and good-natured. In the face of adversity, Knox is strong but breakable and we will witness this a time or two and left me bawling my eyes out.
They are indeed among my favorite couples and I loved their journey. That said, I am ruined and sporting a few days long book hangover. I just can’t recommend this enough. It was an utterly perfect read; the challenges they face, the pacing of their relationship, the flirting, the longing, the schmexy times, the dialogue, and the flame of their slow-burn love story, with an HEA that left me dazzled!
Favorite quotes:
“Reese. I’ve never in my life pressured a woman to have sex with me.”
She shakes her head and laughs. “I’m sure you don’t have to. You just take off your shirt and give them that brooding look and suddenly their panties are on the ground.”
Now I’m the one laughing . “I don’t have a brooding look.”
Reese lets out a loud belly laugh. “Are you kidding me? You have resting broody-man face.”
“Love is like a wheel of colors, each one representing an emotion. And Knox brings all of them out of me. I’ve been sunshine yellow with joy, the brightest shade of pink with arousal and the deepest red with anger. Right now, though, I’m not sure what color I am. I just know I hate it.” ~ Reese
Text session:
Me: We can LIGHTLY JOG to a new bakery I want to try.
Knox: Deal.
Me: Where are you?
Knox: Toronto. We got our asses kicked in the game, don’t watch the highlights on SportsCenter.
Me: Lol, do you think you should win every single game?
Knox: Yes.
Me: Glad you’ve got a healthy mindset on winning…
Knox: How was the shelter today?
Me: Exhausting. I didn’t even sit down when I ate dinner. It’s almost 10 pm here, what time is it there?
Knox: An hour later. I’ll let you get to bed.
Me: Okay. See you Sunday.
Knox: Sweet dreams, sweet girl.
FIRST: let me just get this out of the way … THIS IS HOW YOU #CoverWIN and you get me to download the previous three books in the series before I’ve even read a single word!! holy hotballs cover!!
SECOND: Where has Brenda Rothert been all my life why have NONE of you let me know of this talent?!?!
I loved everything about this story! It was funny when it was supposed to be. It was sexy and electric all the time. It was emotional in all the right places. It had all the makings of one heck of a sweet and sexy until we meet again story. I was drawn to both Knox and Reese. I wanted them to succeed so badly! I was invested. I didn’t just read their story, I experienced it. GAH, I need to read more words by this author immediately!!
Hot and funny, engaging characters with plenty of emotion
I love a good hockey romance, and so I was excited to get this latest for the Chicago Blaze on my e-reader. Book 4 in the series, while characters carryover throughout the series (and reading the earlier books first helps fill in the background on those characters), you can easily read this as a standalone.
There’s plenty of heat and humor (“Resting broody-man face” ) in this newest Chicago Blaze story, and I loved how Reese and Knox meet. Reese is understandably gun shy about relationships but I was really cheering for Knox to win her over in spite of the obstacles when he proves to be just the man Reese needs after her a-hole ex: hot, supportive, and determined, and Reese is charmed in spite of herself.
Hot and funny as the story is, there are darker themes, too. Knox’s father has cancer while Reese volunteers at a women’s shelter, both storylines providing depth to the characters and balance to the main storyline, as well as subtly reminding you to count your blessings. As for secondary characters, series fans will enjoy the chance to touch base with some of their favorite players and their ladies. We also get a few new characters—I loved Angelia, and the team’s new owner has me intrigued.
Brenda Rothert consistently delivers great stories, filled with engaging characters and plenty of emotion, and Knox is no exception. I’m looking forward to reading Alexei’s story next. 4.5 stars
B2B Kelly
Knox was a great sports romance with insta connection. Reese and Knox met on vacation. It was instant connection and had great chemistry. Little did they know their paths would cross again.
It was an entertaining read with fun loving characters. Beautifully written story that flowed well.
This is the 4th book in the series but be rest assured it can be read as a standalone. Told in a dual POV with an HEA. I recommend this story.