USA TODAY BESTSELLER • When the Carolina Cold Fury’s hottest young star gets blindsided by an ex with a scandalous secret, it’s game on. “One of the best voices in contemporary romance.”—New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne Marek Fabritis is used to delivering blows, not receiving them. But when he gets tipped off by an anonymous email about his ex-girlfriend, the news leaves him … anonymous email about his ex-girlfriend, the news leaves him ice cold—and it’s not because Gracen Moore is getting married to a total jerk. It’s the fact that Marek has a three-year-old daughter he never knew about. Now he’s going back home, not to play knight in shining armor but to make damn sure that no man takes what’s his. For the first time, there might be something more important than hockey.
Gracen Moore has always loved Marek. That’s why she let him go, so he could pursue a career in the NHL. And that’s why she never told him about Lilly. Only now does Gracen realize that she made an unforgivable mistake. But is that any reason for Marek to crash her wedding and make an epic scene? If the spark that still smolders between them is to be trusted, maybe. Still, Gracen’s not getting her hopes up. Because she knows better than anyone that appearances aren’t always what they seem. . . .
Praise for Marek
“Another five-star read from Sawyer Bennett! A second-chance roller coaster of emotions. I was cheering for Marek from page one. Loved it.”—USA Today bestselling author Sidney Halston
“Marek is a steamy, emotional, second-chance romance that had me rooting for both deeply scarred characters. Sawyer Bennett neverdisappoints.”—Gillian Archer, author of Rough Ride
“Just when I think the Carolina Cold Fury Hockey series couldn’t possibly get any better, Sawyer Bennett gives us Marek!”—Steph and Chris’s Book Review (five stars)
The Carolina Cold Fury series from New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett can be read together or separately:
ALEX
GARRETT
ZACK
RYKER
HAWKE
MAX
ROMAN
LUCAS
VAN
REED
MAREK
And don’t miss her Arizona Vengeance series:
BISHOP
ERIK
LEGEND
The Love Hurts series features sexy standalone novels:
SEX IN THE STICKS
JILTED
And the Sugar Bowl series is one treat you’ll want to read in order:
SUGAR DADDY
SUGAR RUSH
SUGAR FREE
Includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.
more
4 star Review Marek (Cold Fury Hockey # 11) by Sawyer Bennett
This is book 11 in one of my favourite series and this time it is all about Marek Fabritis and
Gracen Moore.
Marek is shocked and furious to find out that he has a daughter Lilly whose existence he knew nothing of and that Gracen is about to marry.
Returning home Marek is determined to get answers and creates chaos at Gracen’s wedding. He is also planning on getting his daughter as there is no way he will let another man raise her.
Gracen has always loved Marek. That’s why she never told him about Lilly, she knew he was destined for great things as a professional hockey player.
However when Marek storms her wedding she realises that she has made a terrible mistake.
Not only that but the she is terrified to realise that the chemistry between them is still there.
I have to say Marek acted like a jerk, sure I understood his reactions but honestly I wasn’t a huge fan initially.
To me this was a more intense story line than the last few books. It was at times raw, gritty and rather emotional as Marek, Gracen and Lilly all had to learn to deal with the reality of the life which they found themselves facing.
I did feel that there was perhaps too much focus on Macen keeping Lilly from Marek and not enough of Marek being held accountable for his past behaviour. Both needed to confront the past and realise how their actions affected those around them.
Relationships take a lot of hard work and it was good that the struggles were realistic that Ms. Bennett did not sugar coat it.I also love how Reed kept getting in Marek’s face over his treatment of Macen.
Not my favourite book of the series but it was well written and I loved catching up on the previous couples and seeing what is happening in their lives.
Marek is the 11th book in the Cold Fury Hockey series and this one would have to be the most angsty and emotional story to date. This second chance romance will take you on a journey between two people who have suffered at the decisions they made, ones that they will forever regret. As the hurt and pain is forced to the surface by an anonymous email, it might just end up bringing them both the ultimate love and happiness. Marek and Gracen’s story will tear at your heart, have you clinging onto hope and falling in love with this couple. The chemistry between these two will have the ice melting at a skating rink. A story that will have you gripped from the start and leaving your heart full by the end.
What happens when you find out that your ex girlfriend has been keeping a baby from you? Stop her wedding of course!
This is exactly what happens to Marek, Cold Fury superstar, when he gets a suspicious email telling him that his ex girlfriend is getting married and he has a daughter called Lilly that he doesn’t know about!
I’m always excited when I get a chance to read and review for Sawyer Bennett, I always say that she is one of the most consistent authors I read from. Every book is enjoyable and knocks me out of the park. I really loved and enjoyed Marek but I thought that it came off lazy at times.
The beginning could have started off better, beginning at the wedding where Marek comes in and disrupts everything, or it could have started with Marek receiving the email!
I also think the ending could have been a little longer, it felt to me that it ended very abruptly. Those two things are my only complaints with the book.
The characters themselves were very likeable which is always important!! Gracen felt remorseful for what she did and never came across as cold hearted! She had her reasons for doing what she did and maybe it wasn’t right to make those decisions but Gracen ultimately felt bad!
Marek finds it hard adjusting to having a daughter and ex girlfriend living with him now and we definitely see that at the beginning! As I read on it becomes clear that he really wants to make an effort with Lilly!
Lilly adds a lot of comic relief with her funny comments. I would have loved to have had more of her in the book, she was totally adorable.
There was a lot of sexual tension between Marek and Gracen. Marek was attentive to Gracen and treated her like his princess. He learned to forgive her and Gracen learns to forgive herself.
I always love seeing the secondary characters from previous books, they add so much more fun to the story!
Overall Marek was a quick fun read that will make you smile at your kindle! I would read this again after an emotional tear jerker, to lift my spirits a little.
An excellent addition to the Cold Fury lineup.
Sawyer Bennett’s Cold Fury Hockey series is one of my absolute favorites, and the fact that it’s still going strong after 11 books speaks to Bennett’s ability to write great sports romance stories that entertain readers and introduce them to a bevy of hot alpha males whose athletic prowess matches their dirty talking and swoon worthy personalities.
At the end of Reed’s book, readers were offered insight into Marek Fabritis’ past and the girl he left in order to pursue a professional hockey career, but one anonymous email brings his past into his present and as Marek crashes Gracen’s wedding, he learns a secret that irrevocably changes his life, proving that his love for hockey just might come in second place, which is not something he would have ever thought possible.
I get why Gracen Moore made the decision she did after she let Marek go so that he could fight for his dream, but I definitely do not condone her keeping Marek’s daughter from him or the way she handles everything when Marek re-enters her life and learns the truth about his daughter, Lilly. I hate to say it but Gracen frustrated and annoyed me because I just couldn’t figure out why she did the things she did and why she couldn’t see things from Marek’s perspective or at least learn to communicate with him in a mature way.
I have to admit that even after reading Marek, I’m not completely sure how I feel about Marek or Gracen. Both of them were extremely immature and had unrealistic expectations when it came to their relationship with each other and their daughter. Their inability to address all of the issues between them and simply remain singularly focused on the fact that Gracen kept Marek’s daughter from him for the first three years of Lilly’s life was counterproductive and it was a huge obstacle for them to get through if they truly wanted a second chance with the true love of their life.
I loved watching Marek with Lilly. She ‘humanizes’ Marek for lack of a better word and she makes him want to be a better man even if it takes a while for that concept to sink in. I would have liked to understand Marek’s actions a bit more because I feel like who he was back when he was with Gracen and who he became without her only presented him as young and wanting freedom that he wouldn’t have if he didn’t break things off with Gracen.
Even though I had some issues with this installment of Bennett’s Cold Fury Hockey series, I’m still a huge fan of the characters and the story lines that she created, and I will be waiting impatiently more of her hockey sports romances!
3.5/4 Poison Apples
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Avid Reader –
M/F Romance
Triggers: Blackmail
Marek is angry and hurt that Gracen decided to keep the fact that he was a father hidden from him for so many years. When he finds out, he is so angry, yet happy and those conflicting emotions make him march right to them and demand that Gracen and Lilly move in with him so that he can get to know his daughter. Marek’s on ice persona is tough and rugged. So when he is unable to curb his snide remarks and continues to hurt Gracen, despite her regret for not telling him, he finds that he’s confusing both himself and his daughter.
Gracen is very upset with her decision to hide that fact that she was pregnant from Marek. However, after a few weeks of abuse by him, she stands up for herself and points out that he was the one who wanted a different life… a life without her in it. It was her decision, but it was also based on his own actions. After she stopped allowing Marek to treat her poorly, then her ex shows up and threatens her! This poor lady’s love life is kind of a mess. But one thing that she never waivers on is her love for Lilly and her commitment to allowing Marek and Lilly to bond.
This was a sweet, second chance romance story. I think that Lilly helped to sweeten the story a lot. I wonder if there will be more in this series, but have enjoyed all of the ones that I’ve read.
Mary Jo –
Marek’s anger at having been denied the knowledge of his child jumps off the page. You can feel the devastation in him, at knowing Gracen chose not to tell him that she was pregnant, at the loss of never holding his daughter as a newborn.
Gracen’s guilt at not telling Marek is evident. She regrets her decision but after the way Marek ended their relationship, she truly felt that if she told him, he would believe that she was trying to “trap” him or “hold” him back in some way. She didn’t want that for him. Now, both she and Lilly are paying the price for her mistake. Marek demanded that Gracen move them to North Carolina so he could get to know Lilly, but his anger towards her is only confusing their daughter.
As with any tough situation, it’s the child who suffers when parents can’t get along, luckily for us, children are wonderful teachers and in this case, Lilly soon has Marek wrapped around her little finger. Gracen is happy to see Marek and Lilly becoming closer and she only wishes that Marek still felt the same about her.
Lee’Anne –
I really loved this book – it’s one that I didn’t like the main character at the beginning but the more I read, the more I fell in love.
Marek is a hockey player, play boy. When he finds out that his ex, that he never got over, is getting married, he decides to step up and stop things. He winds up getting the surprise of a lifetime in the form a 3-year-old daughter he never knew of. He immediately snatches up both Gracen, his ex, and the daughter he’s just met and moves them back to his house, where he proceeds to be a total dick to Gracen. In the beginning, Gracen feels she deserves Marek’s anger for hiding his daughter from him for so long, but she can only take so much – and when she snaps, things really heat up.
I love the pace of this book, it’s so packed with drama I couldn’t put it down. Gracen is dealing with her crazy ex-fiancé who has been blackmailing her, Marek being less-than welcoming to her being in his home, worry for her parents, and starting a new job. Her character is so relatable with life throwing her every curveball and her facing it all with a smile on her face. I think this book stands out from the series, with less hockey than some of the previous books but still action packed enough that I’m already highly anticipating more from this author.
Ruthie –
This is the eleventh book in the series – and I have enjoyed every single one! This one was much anticipated after the ending of Reed…
There is much to enjoy in this story – even if Marek and Gracen take an awfully long time to sort out their feelings for each other and offer real forgiveness. It certainly needed Lilly as the lynchpin to hold them together. Even serious conversation with Reed did not get Marek to behave!
What did really work was the threads which gave form to Gracen’s nature – her willingness to self-sacrifice when it probably wasn’t entirely necessary, if honest, open conversations could be had – this was reinforced by the situation with Owen and her parents. Couple her inability to upset others and Marek’s decision to leave for his freedom, and it was easy to see how the whole scenario unfolded.
There are some quite moving and sad moments which made you really think about how complex and unexpected life can be at times. It was interesting to see how their parents behaved too. As Lilly gets to know her daddy and they reconnect, there is hope – especially when she starts to attend his hockey games again.
Thankfully they had grown up enough to move forward – and the revelation at the end by Gracen was perfect!
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Marek (Cold Fury Hockey #11) by Sawyer Bennett to read and review.
This one had me hitting highs and lows and cursing Marek along the way. He found out he had a daughter but not until she was three years old and on the eve of his ex-girlfriend’s wedding. Well, he had to crash that wedding and put a stop to that and move them to his home. Once there he basically abandons them because he doesn’t know how to cope with his anger. Oh, his anger and his temper, it is not a pretty thing but eventually they manage to overcome that and when he and Gracen start to work together to parent Lillie it is fun to watch Lillie work her Daddy. It takes a lot of forgiveness on both parts and it is not until Owen showed up and everything blew up and secrets are revealed, then it really gets good. Then things really get serious. Will they be able to fully forgive each other and make it work? This series has continued to bring together strong heroes and heroines that truly deserve each other and these two are no exception and the second time around only makes it stronger.
4.25 stars–MAREK is the eleventh instalment in Sawyer Bennett’s contemporary, adult COLD FURY HOCKEY erotic, hockey romance series focusing on the members of the Carolina Cold Fury Hockey team. This is team member Marek Fabritis, and nurse Gracen Moore’s story line. MAREK can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.
Told from dual first person perspectives (Marek and Gracen) MAREK is a second chance romance between Carolina Cold Fury player Marek Fabritis, and nurse Gracen Moore. Four years earlier, as he was about to embark on a professional career in the NHL, Marek Fabritis walked away from the woman he loved destroying her heart in the process. Fast forward to present day wherein Marek will receive an anonymous email that his ex-girlfriend had birthed him a daughter, and was in the process of marrying a man she did not love. All but kidnapping Gracen and the little girl he never knew Marek will effectively tie our heroine’s hands as he comes to terms with the knowledge that Gracen kept secret the birth of their daughter.
From the outset Marek Fabritis’ anger and hatred towards Gracen is despicable and appalling. There is nothing worthy about his actions and immature attitude towards the woman he once loved, a woman he despises for keeping secret her pregnancy and the birth of their child. As the story line progresses, there are small glimpses into a man who is willing to forgive but something will trigger the memory of the secrets and lies thusly setting Marek off on a vicious tirade meant to humiliate and wound. Gracen knows she screwed up four years earlier but the man that she loved (and still loves) all but destroyed the very essence of her heart and her soul. As a single parent Gracen needed to focus on her young daughter but things go from bad to worse when she finds herself, yet again, sacrificing her own happiness for someone she loves.
The relationship between Marek and Gracen is one of second chances; a rekindling romance that struggles in the face of past sins, secrets and lies. Marek’s treatment of Gracen is embarrassing, infuriating and juvenile, and our heroine places the blame all unto herself. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense but once again, I struggle with the use of a certain four-letter word I believe serves no purpose in a romance story line.
We are introduced to Marek and Gracen’s daughter Lilly-a sweet child who could have been easily used as a pawn in her parent’s war with one another.
MAREK is a well written, fast paced, emotional and heart breaking story line made all the more painful by the hero’s actions and behavior. I had a bit of a struggle with how Gracen easily acquiesced to Marek’s accusations and tirades-for a strong, independent woman she was constantly apologizing for sins of the past. The premise is spirited and dramatic; the characters are infuriating, colorful and passionate; the romance is provocative and edgy.
Devoured in one sitting. I enjoyed this story, it’s theme being regrets and forgiveness… I love this series and Marek did not disappoint. Hindsight is 20/20 and sacrificing for family can back you into a wall. I was hooked from the beginning and loved how it unfolded. A must read series and preferably in order.
I could not wait for Marek’s story after the ending in Reed’s book. I was mind blowing how angry Marek got but you can understand why, he did after all miss out on the first three years of his daughters life. But Gracen had a reason or so she thought she did at the time. After Marek left her for hockey, all she wanted to do was hurt him like he hurt her.
Now Marek is trying to get to know his daughter and to forgive Gracen because he sees the guilt she is feeling every time he looks into her eyes. The feelings between them are still there simmering below the surface but will the pain of betrayal they both feel keep the apart? Will Marek finally forgive her and they be able to move on and build a future together? Can Lilly help them learn to love each other again?
I have loved each of these men in this series and Marek and Gracen have become my favorites. Yeah, I say that with each book but I still love them all. Although this is a series and they are connected, they can be read as standalone but why would you want to miss out on the stories as a whole. Sawyer Bennett has a way with these Cold Fury men and the women they love. Check them out, you will not be disappointed, I’m not and want more now.
**A copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest review**
I love Sawyer Bennett and her books. I read every book in the ‘Cold Fury Hockey’ series. If I am not mistaken (because it has been forever), this series is my first hockey series I ever read. Thanks to her now I am a hockey romance junky ‘Marek’ is the 11th book of the series and after finishing ‘Reed‘, which is the previous book of the series, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on ‘Marek’.
‘Marek’ actually started at the end of the previous book, ‘Reed’, when Marek received an anonymous e-mail telling him, his ex-girlfriend Gracen is getting married. Learning the only women he ever loved getting married, Marek does what every sane person does, NOT. Marek decides that crashing his ex-girlfriend’s wedding is the best option. What he didn’t anticipate was finding out that he has a 3 years old daughter. The moment he learns the truth, he literally kidnaps Gracen and little cutie Lilly and bring them back to his house. However, instead of getting to know his daughter, he does everything he can to avoid them. Thanks to Reed kicking some sense to Marek, he decides to stop being an a**hole and starts to make an effort to get to know his daughter. Each part Lilly is in was really entertaining and put a smile on my face; however, Marek and Gracen drove me nuts. Their immaturity and lack of communication did get annoying after a while. I get that they both got hurt because of each other but why keep trying to hurt each other is beyond me. I really liked how Marek and Lilly’s relationship developed and how it changed Marek for better. Both Marek and Gracen have wonderful parents and seeing their relationships with their parents warms your heart. It was also great to see bits and pieces of Reed and Josie again.
Overall, I am sorry to say I was little disappointed with the book. In some parts it was easier to guess what will happen next and in some parts Marek/Gracen miscommunication drama was too much. You can read all ‘Cold Fury Hockey’ books as standalones but I totally recommend you to read ‘Reed’ before starting to read ‘Marek’. Sawyer Bennett is one of my favorite authors so I will definitely read the next book in the series. I also hope it will be Holt’s story.
Would I recommend this book: Yes.
Would I re-read this book: Maybe.
Would I read future books by this author: Yes.
Loved this series! The characters are perfectly imperfect and make you fall in love with them!
I have loved and enjoyed each of the Cold Fury books, this one however is not one of my favorites. I just could not bring myself to like Marek. He is one big, selfish guy. Gracen and Marek have a complicated past. His attitude and jerky behavior was hard to take. I really wanted to love this story like all the others, I pre-ordered this book a long time ago and anticipated it arriving but was a little saddened that I could not like Marek as much as I have adored all the other men of Cold Fury. I still gave this book 4 stars because it was a nice story even if there were times I was upset with the Main character.
Have I told you all how much I love Sawyer Bennett’s Cold Fury hockey team?!?! Every book that she has written within this series, I have devoured. I love that each guy on the team gets his own book. But with Marek, you knew this book was going to have to be something special. We have previously met Marek, so I feel like there was more pressure to fall in love with him. Sawyer Bennett made it so easy to fall in love with not only Marek, but his little family!
Marek (Cold Fury Hockey #11) is a second chance romance story. There are times within this book that you are not sure they are going to make it! But somehow Marek Fabritis & Gracen Moore find their way back together for not only them, but their adorable daughter Lily. It is well written that takes your heart on a journey. Not going to lie, there are some heartbreaks along the way. But isn’t that what makes a good book great?!?!
I know that Sawyer Bennett started a new hockey series, the Arizona Vengeance. Frankly, I am not a fan of that series. The characters do not resonate with me like the characters in her Cold Fury series. Please, please Sawyer, bring back the Cold Fury boys!! Each and every one of them have a special place in my heart. Such an amazing sports series!! I will totally re-read this entire series!
~ Reviewed by Heidi Pharo
Marek is the eleventh and final book in the Carolina Cold Fury series by Sawyer Bennett, can be read as a standalone or as part of the Cold Fury series and is written in the first-person point of view of both the hero and heroine.
Marek gets tipped off that his ex-girlfriend is about to get married to a complete jerk and that he is the only one that can stop the wedding. When he arrives at the wedding to try and stop it a little girl comes into the room that looks identical to him. Marek realizes that this little girl looks a lot like him and finds out that this is his daughter. Marek tells Gracen that either his daughter and her come with him or he will fight her for Lily.
Gracen does not want to get married and when Marek comes in to stop the wedding and sees the look on his face when he sees his daughter she knows that she has made a mistake by keeping Lily from Marek so decides that she owes Marek the ability to get to know his daughter so she goes with Marek back to North Carolina. Still having feelings for Marek, she hopes that maybe he will forgive her and they can actually be a family.
Just like every other one of the Carolina Cold Fury novels this one did not disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am sad that the Carolina Cold Fury series has ended.
I have always attempted to give ‘star’ ratings on my completed reads, just as a tracking method for my titles that I have completed. I have unlimited packages for audio, kindle, and utilize the local/state library.
However, I do not check the ‘I recommend this book’ unless I am willing to reread a book and or a series.
[I read about 5-15 books a month through kindle, and I listen to about 15-30 books monthly]
I have a full life as a nurse, professor, wife, daughter [daughter in law], sister, and mother. I love to read and love a thousand other lives by turning the pages in countless books.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide a review. Happy reading 🙂
This series has been awesome. I’ve loved how all the players keep getting sprinkled in throughout the series.
This book has regret, secrets, friendship, love, anger, jealousy, hope, steaminess and second chances.
Everything isn’t always as it seems. Sometimes people who appear selfish are actually being selfless. I love getting a story from different points of views…it gets you thinking what decisions you would make if you knew all the details? How forgiving could you be?
Marek is book eleven in the Carolina Cold Fury Hockey series and Ms. Bennett has saved the best for last. This last installment picks up right after Marek moves Gracen and their daughter Lilly home with him to North Carolina. Marek and Gracen’s story had me from the first page. This was a devour in one sitting, stay up to 3am, I’m going to be a zombie at work tomorrow book. Marek struggles with his anger towards Gracen through out most of the book. Gracen struggles with her guilt and that gets worse as Lilly and Marek bond. They may “hate” each other but there’s no denying their attraction to each other and that too is something they both struggle with. I really enjoyed this series and am sad to see it end but have hope that we’ll see the guys somewhere down the road.
I could read about these hockey players all the time! I don’t ever want the Cold Fury to end, so keep thinking of new trades Ms. Bennett! Marek and Gracen’s story is a second chance romance. I will admit, I wasn’t a huge Marek fan at first. I know that what Gracen did wasn’t something to take lightly, but he really was a jerk during most of this story. My heart started to thaw though as I saw him more with Lilly and finally started to move on with Gracen. I loved catching up with other players and their wives. My favorite part of these books is always the parties where we get updates from past couples. This was another good read in this fabulous series!
This is the 11th book in the Cold Fury series and while each book is a stand alone there may be times that characters from the earlier books make guest appearances so you may have a few spoilers, but it can be read without reading the others. We get to see how this book starts in Reed’s book so I was excited for this one to come out to know how it was all going to go.
What can I say, I love this series and Marek and Gracen’s story didn’t disappoint. Of course there were plenty of times I wanted to slap the characters for their behaviors. Sure they each made mistakes and learning to overcome these mistakes and figure out how to move forward wasn’t easy for either one of them. There were many times that they just so frustrating that I found myself yelling at them as well as celebrating with them. Of course there were a couple moments that had me all emotional over what was happening, too. I found this book was mainly about the two of them trying to figure out how to deal with things now that they have a second chance together.
I am hoping that this is not the end of the series, but a part of me is worried it may be since we didn’t have something going on with one of the other players as usually do near the end of each of the other books, but there is the Stanley Cup which they could win for the third year in a row. Maybe that is what she is planning for her next book, one that is more of a compilation of all the Cold Fury in one book. Regardless of what will be next, I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.