USA TODAY BESTSELLER • Score one for the Carolina Cold Fury hockey team as a stone-cold badass melts for a woman who makes his blood run hot. As one of the league’s toughest enforcers, Van Turner is ruthless on the ice. He plays hard because it’s the only way to channel the rage boiling inside, and a reputation as an A-hole is better than everyone knowing the truth. Van has spent his entire life … has spent his entire life running from a secret that’s kept him from getting involved in relationships—or accepting lucrative deals with East Coast teams. Then the Carolina Cold Fury makes him an offer he can’t refuse . . . and Van meets a woman he can’t resist.
Simone Fournier is the stubborn one in her family—and that’s saying something, considering her brothers are two of the Cold Fury’s biggest stars. Simone gets what she wants, and what she wants is Van. Still, there’s a part of him Simone can’t reach, no matter how hard she tries. In private, he’s all fire and passion. In public, he freezes her out. Van may want to push her away, but Simone won’t let him go that easily. Because this time, she’s playing for keeps.
Praise for Van
“Easily read as a standalone. Trust me, you want to read this extremely hot hockey book!”—Red Cheeks Reads
“I swear that from the second I cracked open [Van] I was immediately in love with this book. . . . Sawyer Bennett knocked it out of the park with the newest story in the Cold Fury series. I couldn’t get enough!”—About That Story (five stars)
“Van by Sawyer Bennett will make you fall in love with the Cold Fury Hockey series all over again!”—Hypable
“A hot, fast-paced contemporary romance . . . with characters you want to get to know better, as well as a storyline to keep you invested.”—(un)Conventional Bookviews
“Van is a bold and lively addition to the author’s Cold Fury Hockey series.”—The Reading Cafe
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
more
Another great addition to the series.
i love the whole series!!
‘Cold Fury’ series by Sawyer Bennett was my first hockey romance series/books, which became my favorite sports romance type Thank you Sawyer Bennett for turning me into a hockey fan ‘Van’ is the 9th book of the series and it’s my favorite so far! If you read ‘Lucas’, the previous book of the series, you are familiar with our hero and heroine. If you didn’t read any of the books from the series no worries because ‘Van’ can also be read as a standalone
Van Turner is one of the toughest enforcers in NHL. He is hot, smart, brooding and a loner. He doesn’t get close to anyone or allow anyone to get close to him. There is only one person that is close to him, his aunt, who basically raised him. However, his life will turn upside down thanks to his teammates Max and Lucas’s little sister. Simone Fournier is the baby of the Fournier family. She is beautiful, smart, stubborn, sassy and little lost. When she realizes that the career path she was following is not really for her, she drops out of college and decides to crash at his brothers’ places until she starts making enough money to support herself. Van’s struggle starts when Simone claims his roommate Lucas’s couch Simone is instantly attracted to Van and very persistent with her pursuit. Van does everything to avoid Simone. However, she relentlessly flirts with him every chance she gets, which mostly annoys the hell out of Van but at the end she somehow finds a way to get under his skin. Their secret one nightstand turns into no strings attached sex but with Simone starts to crack his walls and emotions getting involve, their no strings turns into a relationship. Van was really hard to like at the beginning but when you start figuring out his struggles and why he is the way he is, he grows on you He is one complicated and broken fellow. Being with carefree and happy Simone will help him to show the man he hides underneath his hard exterior. I loved the banter between them and all the hilarious moments caused mostly by Simone Van has a huge secret that he is ashamed of and it is the reason he doesn’t get close to people but once his secret is out, what will happen to his relationship with Simone or his career? Will he turn his back to everyone and everything?
The ‘Cold Fury’ series keeps getting better and better! I enjoyed reading all the books in the series but as I mentioned before, ‘Van’ is my favorite ‘Van’ is captivating, funny, emotional and steamy read that you won’t be able to put it down until you are done with it. Stay tuned for the next book of the series ‘Reed’ that is expected to be published on February 6th, 2018.
Would I recommend this book: Yes.
Would I re-read this book: Yes.
Would I read future books by this author: Yes.
The review was originally posted on: http://miabookaddict.com/
Let me say wow! I love the cover and the guy that is Van on the cover, whew! I think that’s my favorite cover of all time for the Cold Fury series! I know this story is my favorite! The Cold Fury Series are all standalone novels. Van runs concurrently with Lucas, but you don’t have to read Lucas for this book to make sense.
I have read this entire series and I don’t know how it can get better, but for me it sure did! Van is closed off and such a grump. He is not a social guy at all and is even socially awkward at times, but that just endeared him to me all the more. When you finally hear about Van’s issues, it will break your heart.
Then the firecracker that is Simone! I adored her. She is relentless in her pursuit of Van. She wanted him and made no secret about it. The problem is she moved in with her brother Lucas, who just so happens to share a two-bedroom house with Van. On top of that, they are teammates, so that is forbidden as far as Van is concerned. Plus, she is a pain in the ass. I laughed out loud many times when Simone was so blatant in her moves on Van, and when the refrigerator fell on her because she was climbing it to clean behind it, I laughed until I had tears. I should have been alarmed, but holy heck, what was she thinking!
I don’t want to give anything away because this book is so good and needs to be taken without any preconceived ideas. If you want to read a book that has a heroine that has no fear, is outspoken, confident in her sexual prowess, and really insightful and a sexy, broody hockey player, then this is the sports romance for you. Their chemistry is off the charts and had me fanning my face a few times! Smoking hot!
I highly recommend this terrific sports romance, give it a try, I promise you’ll enjoy it!
Van Turner … Good Lord, how much I love this man!! Brooding, grumpy to the point of rudeness, closed-off – yeah, I absolutely have a thing for broken loners with a##hole tendencies. Even before starting VAN, I felt it in my gut he would become my favorite – and, boy, did he! He wasn’t at all what I expected, no, he was much more complex than I could have imagined.
All members of the Cold Fury team have their own baggage, have to deal with their own pasts, but none of their stories compare to the brutal nightmare Van had to life through – and still, to some degree, does. Nobody can ever discover his sordid secret; it has to stay hidden at all costs, which is exactly why he prefers to keep to himself, to avoid socializing – unless it is required of him as part of the team. He does not do relationships – in fact, he does not even do friends, not really. Encounters with women are always brief, always cold and brusque: in and out with one goal in mind, all while keeping touches and caresses to a bare minimum, best back to front. And once it’s done, he’s gone.
I knew closed-off bad boys before, but Van tops them all – his determination to stay alone is unrivaled… my heart hurt for him – badly, severely. But I also understood his reasoning: Letting someone get close to him would mean them finding out who he really is…
His teammate, Lucas Fournier was the one who got the closest to him in years – a natural development when sharing an apartment. Yeah, he is brutish, and not really kind to him, but when Lucas struggles through a rough time, Van finds himself wanting to help him somewhat.
And then whirlwind Simone Fournier bursts into his life… Little sister to his teammates Max and Lucas, she freshly dropped out of Ivy League School, just months away from graduating and turned up on their apartment’s doorstep. And as funny as it might seem, as how little of a plan she has about what to do with the rest of her life, she is pretty damn positive when it comes to knowing who is the man for her – and that’s Van. She is relentless, blunt and downright aggressive in her pursuit of him, constantly flirting, throwing subtle and not-so subtle innuendos his way, every-so slowly gaining ground and breaking down Van’s otherwise iron-clad resistance. Her resilience and unwillingness to give up, no matter how hard he tries to push her away, how nasty he is toward her, really is admirable. It also is quite a nice change of pace, as in most romances it’s the other way around – the man pursuing the woman.
And even after she got what she wanted and discovers how shut off he really is, she does not give up and runs, not even when she learns the whole truth about him – quite the contrary, she is standing her ground and only pushing harder, feeling that, despite his acting, Van wants her just as much as she does him. But she also sees when she needs to back off and give him some space, and that’s what I really admire about her.
I cheered these two on, so, so much. It’s one beautiful story through and through, one I’ll be thinking about and smiling for a long time to come. Simone’s wild and spunky but loving craziness and Van’s grumpy-azz and rough around the edges, yet so broken and insecure character – I loved them both to pieces! Add to that a hint of forbidden (teammate’s little sister) and the fact that their story already began and ran concurrently to Lucas’ makes it even more special.
But even if you haven’t read Lucas’ story – or any of the Cold Fury’s for that matter – this book, Van’s story, is the one I urge you to read!
I claim Van as MINE!
I have been a huge fan of this series from the very start, however I think Van just became my favourite. This broody hockey player who keeps to himself and doesn’t do relationships including any real social interaction with his team mates will get under your skin and grab hold of your heart. As Van struggles with a past he has been running away from since he was 8 years old it will take a pushy woman who can’t take the word no to make him realize that he is not the man that he thinks he is but so much more. The harder Van pushes Simone to stay away from him the more this strong woman digs her heels in and she might just be what he has been waiting for all this time. Van and Simone’s story is one that will reach deep into your soul and make you forget that this is a sports romance because it is way more than that. However let me prepare you this is one of the hottest books I have read by Sawyer Bennett and Van will have you needing to take a cold shower on more than one occasion. My favourite scene in this book would have to be the interview that Van gives in the end of the book because even the coldest of hearts would have melted at this man’s words. Van you are my everything in the Cold Fury Series.
I joined the Cold Fury game way late but I’m so glad I’ve discovered this series. Van is one of my favorite books this year!
Van is a beast on the ice, one of the best in the league. But off the ice, he’s standoffish and a little cold to those around him. He’s not really friends with his teammates and he doesn’t let any woman get close. He’s holding a secret that he doesn’t want anyone to know and the only way to ensure that is to never get close to anyone. Simone drops the bomb on her family that with less than a year left, she’s dropping out of college and needs a place to stay. This finds her crashing on her brother, Lucas, and Van’s couch. Simone’s pursuit of Van is one of my favorite parts of this story. When she learns Van’s secrets, it pushes their relationship from secret fun to out in the open commitment.
The personal conflicts that Van and Simone were experiencing were what kept me riveted to this story and unable to put the book down once I started. This series has become an obsession of mine and I can’t wait to go back and read the rest and see whatever comes next for the Cold Fury team.
This series just keeps getting better and better! Van could be so easy to hate but the more you get to know him the easier he is to love because there are reasons for him to be the way he is. He is naturally introverted and standoffish but he is also grouchy and short tempered…until Simone starts to knock down his walls. Simone is the sister of Lucas and Max who we met in previous books and they are members of the Cold Fury team. She showed up on the doorstep in the last book and to stay with Lucas and Van much to their dismay. Van tries so hard to stay away from Simone but she is having none of that and seduces him and when he cannot resist any longer all bets are off. I love these two together. What starts off as a casual affair turns hot and heavy and healing for both. Definitely a must read for anyone who has been reading this series but it could be read as a standalone!
**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**
Hands down, Van Turner’s backstory is the most compelling of all the Cold Fury men so far. I did not see that coming, but I couldn’t put it down. I kept wanting to learn more, dig deeper into him and crack open that tough, thorny outer shell to get to the ooey gooey underbelly.
Y’all, I wasn’t actually sure there was going to be an ooey gooey underbelly for a while. Surly heroes are my favorite – and having first met Van as a secondary character in Lucas, I knew I was in for a treat with this one. Only – nothing about this book played out the way I anticipated that it would. That’s not a complaint. If anything it’s a nod of respect to Ms. Bennett who is dealing out surprises even nine books into this (fantastic) series.
There wasn’t a whole lot of sweetness to this story, which actually made the sweet spots, when they were delivered, so much sweeter. I was frustrated sometimes. I didn’t always know what to make of Simone – who tested my boundaries when it comes to strong female heroines – and there were for sure moments where I felt like Van needed a swift kick in the rear end. That is – these characters weren’t always likeable to me. But they were fascinating. And as their stories unfolded, they wormed their way into my heart and by the end? Near full on swooning, you guys. Such a tremendous payoff.
The Cold Fury Hockey series is one of my favorites and Van was a fantastic addition. This one is a little darker, and a little kinkier than the others. It didn’t always give me the swoony feels that I crave – I mean, until it did. And then they came in spades (and tears, and goobery smiles). This is definitely not one to be missed! And, as always, my greedy little grabby hands are already out for more (Reed!).
VAN is the ninth instalment in Sawyer Bennett’s contemporary, adult COLD FURY HOCKEY erotic, romance series focusing on the men and women of the Cold Fury Hockey team. This is twenty eight year old, team enforcer Van Turner, and Simone Fournier’s story line. VAN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary. Some of the events of VAN run parallel to and cross over with book eight LUCAS where we are first introduced to our story line couple. Simone is Lucas (#8) and Max’s (#6) younger sister.
Told from dual first person perspectives (Van and Simone) VAN follow the building relationship between the Cold Fury’s enforcer Van Turner, and Simone Fournier, Max and Lucas’s sister, who at the end of book eight-LUCAS-had quit university, and moved in with Lucas and Van. Simone’s parents had always planned for our heroine to attend medical school but a few months before completing her bachelor’s degree Simone walks into Lucas’s apartment and announces she wants something different for her life. Enter brooding and tormented Van Turner, Lucas’s teammate, and the man with whom Simone will fall in love. What ensues is the secret ‘friends with benefits’ relationship between Simone and Van, and the potential fall out as Van’s past is revealed for the world to see.
Van Turner is an unknown entity to the Cold Fury hockey team. A dark and dangerous past has our hero withdrawn, isolated, cold and calculating, refusing to acknowledge the elephant in the room; the demons that destroyed the family he once knew. Emotionally distant, with a temper to match, Van’s own teammates struggle with his attitude and actions, fearing reprisals if pushed too hard. Simone Fournier is a twenty-two year old young woman who struggles with a lack of direction, and her sexual attraction to a man who refuses to accept Simone, and everything she represents. Our heroine’s ‘seduction’ of Van Turner is methodical and calculating including pushing the boundaries of personal space and Van’s on-going rejection of Simone’s advances.
The relationship between Van and Simone is one of immediate attraction but saying that our heroine’s flirting and come-ons are not welcome by our story line hero. Van’s past is rife with betrayal and a darkness he prefers not to acknowledge-a darkness he believes threatens everyone he loves. The $ex scenes are numerous, erotic, intense and edgy but, once again, I take issue with the use of a certain four-letter word that I do NOT find romantic or seductive. Also, while Simone struggles with a lack of direction in her life, the choices she makes are questionable under the circumstances considering the close relationship with her family including two brothers who would do anything to help their little sister. For an intelligent woman she takes risks, and exposes herself to some controversial and problematic situations.
Several of the previous story line couples play secondary and supporting characters including Simone’s brother Lucas and Stephanie, Max and Julianne, as well as Van’s aunt Etta, a woman he loves like a mother.
VAN is an emotional story line of one man’s desperate attempts to move on from the past, and one woman’s frenzied pursuit of the man that calls to her heart. The premise is impassioned and heart-breaking; the characters are colorful but broken; the romance is highly sexual and energetic-Van and Simone like it rough in the bedroom. VAN is a bold and lively addition to the author’s Cold Fury Hockey series.
I have been in LOVE with Sawyer Bennett’s Cold Fury Hockey Series for a VERY long time. Ms. Bennett got me hooked on “Hockey” romance that is for sure. VAN, the 9th book in this fabulous series, is right there at the top of my not to be missed list of books.
Van Turner is a hard ass both on and off the ice. He has a past that has made him this way. I will not go into what his past is, but put it this way, it made me look at him in a new light. I was not very fond of him at the beginning of the story, I did not like the way he treated Simone. The more I read, the more I thought of him, and the more I thought he was better, more of a “man” than he seemed to be at the beginning of the book, a hell of a better man than he seemed to think he was. I was very happy that Simone saw him for the man he actually was. Then there was the chemistry between Simone and Van, can you say HOT!!!!!!
I really like the way Ms. Bennett develops her characters. She makes them “human” whether, a “hockey hero”, or just a plain joe.
Thank you, Ms. Bennett, for sharing your phenomenal talents with your readers.
I was gifted with an advance copy of this book for my honest opinion. Van goes live on November 28, 2017. If you like “Hockey Romance”, Van is definitely a winner.
Thank you for reading my review.
I really wasn’t expecting this kind of book when I read it.. it was mostly sex and no story line at all.. I wanted more of the sports part of it, but I didn’t get that just mentions of it and it felt forced… the story line was missing key points and more depth to it.. I wanted more from this than sex.. if they were in the playoffs how did they get there? Also, the heroine was extremely immature for her age.. some of her actions made me mad and the hero could have been better too.. something just fell off with them.
If you haven’t read Lucas yet I strongly suggest you do, not only because it was a great read but because parts of that book run along side most of this one.
Van is Lucas’ roommate and when Simone. Lucas’ younger sister, comes to live with them for a bit he knows she’s off limits but boy does she get under his skin.
I have been loving each and every book of the Cold Fury Hockey Series, and Van was no exception. The chemistry between Simone and Van was great but what really got me was Van’s back story….wow what a whopper of a history he has! My heart broke and totally understood why Van was so closed off and didn’t let anyone get close but all he needed was the love and support of a good, strong, self confident woman to show him the way.
I found this story to be a little different from the rest but that has to do with Van’s backstory and once you read it you will understand. Have I mentioned that I LOVE this series yet? If you haven’t read any of Sawyer Bennett’s books yet this is a great series to dive into, the only common thread between all the books is the men play for the Cold Fury Hockey Team, other than that each book can be read as a standalone and each story has a different feel to it.
**I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book**
In the sea of sports romances out there, I have to say that I didn’t have high hopes for something fresh in the genre. Happily, not only did Van far surpass my expectations, it is hands down one of the best that I’ve read in a while.
Van’s secret was one that I hadn’t really considered, so once it’s revealed, it is quite thought provoking in its own right. His cranky, loner attitude isn’t for everyone, but as his character developed and his secrets come to light, I couldn’t help but fall for him. Simone is strong-willed and sassy as she sets her sights on the elusive Van. His surliness and her determination make for some hilarious, laugh out loud banter and when they do come together, it is nothing short of scorching hot.
The story does have its serious moments, but this is one crazy good romance with just the right amount of angst sprinkled with some perfectly time levity.
Van is part of the Cold Fury Hockey series, but works well as a standalone. Sawyer Bennett was new to me when I started this one and I had no problem following the story. In fact, I enjoyed so much that I will be looking up the rest of this series. Also, kudos to the author for including some actual game play in this sports romance – something that I’ve found to be a rarity of late.
It is rare to see such self-assuredness in a female main character, going after what she wants, when she wants, however she wants it. That pretty much sums up Simone. It takes a special kind of guy to be attracted to a woman like that. She pushes and pushes and pushes Van. But in the end, that’s what Van needs – someone to force him to face his personal demons head-on. Van has a horribly tragic past – who would have thought that Simone would be the one to bring him out of his self-imposed personal exile of feeling any emotions, other than the rage within himself?
Their story isn’t an easy one. Van keeps himself away from others, shunning people except on the ice where he takes out his frustrations. He doesn’t let anyone get too close. Then comes Simone. She barrels into his life and does not give up. He throws a lot of internal anger at her even though he finds her irresistible. She’s strong enough to take that and turn it into something that can bring them together or tear them apart. This is a rollercoaster of a ride with a lot of emotion!
5 star Review Van (Cold Fury Hockey # 9) by Sawyer Bennett
This is book 9 in the series and another winner for Sawyer Bennett in my humble opinion. These books keep getting better and better. Each time I read a book I think there is no chance that he will become my favourite and yet Sawyer Bennett proves me wrong time and again.
If you haven’t read the previous book in the series Lucas, I would suggest you read it first as this story line is concurrent with it.
I may well be in the minority but I really loved Van from the beginning. Maybe because he screams bad boy with a heart of gold, I have no idea, all I know is I was drawn to him and the feisty and saucy Simone Fournier who captures his attention despite himself.
From the outset it is obvious that Van is fighting his attraction for his room mate’s sister Simone, also obvious that he has an extremely troubled past which is impacting him now. Simone is at a cross roads in her life after ditching her studies to become a doctor, she is uncertain what or where her future lies.
It is obvious that the Fournier family love and support each other , no matter what and this shines through in Van as Simone struggles with her future and her choices.
Simone is one fiercely determined, almost dominant woman, she knows what she wants and is determined to get her man; Van on the other hand is equally determined to stay away from her.
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Van and Simone together absolutely sizzle, their chemistry smoulders to a point where you expect them to explode. But is phenomenal sex enough to keep these two together or will their passion burn out? Can these lost souls, fight the demons within and come together for a happily ever after? Will they both dare to take a chance? Will Van be able to confront his past and let Simone in or will he turn away from her ? You will have to read Van to find out.
This series gets better and better and the Cold Fury team seems to me to be a family and I loved catching up on the previous couples and seeing what is happening in their lives.