He’s a hockey star with a headboard full of notches. She’s a shy NHL concession worker who’s never been kissed. LindyThey don’t call me Belinda Boring for nothing. It’s my name, after all. And for a 23-year-old with plain brown hair who still lives at home and gets tongue tied over nothing, it’s a fitting one. I’m not even one of those quiet girls with a hidden talent, unless making a mean order … making a mean order of nachos at the NHL arena I work at counts. My life consists of working, reading and harboring a secret crush on a hockey player who doesn’t know I exist. At least, until we accidentally meet and become unlikely friends.
Victor
I’m living the dream. A poor kid who worked his way into the NHL, I’ll never forget where I came from, though I try to. My past follows me, a nagging reminder that I’ll never be what everyone thinks I am. As the threat of my secret being exposed looms closer, my game slips, leaving me in danger of being cut from my team–the only family I have. I’m losing my hold on everything when a new friend helps me find hope. She’s nothing like the women I’m used to, but by the time I figure out that’s exactly why she’s right for me, I’ve lost my chance with her. Somehow, I have to convince a woman who thinks she’s invisible that she’s the only one I see.
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Great read…love this series!
Lindy and Victor light up the pages in the third installment of her Chicago blaze books. There story truly shows such hope and light and I absolutely love it.
I’m liking this series by this author, it’s a different style from what I usually read, but I’m finding it very enjoyable. It’s a straightforward plot, with just a little bit of angst, wonderfully likeable characters with honor, sincerity, generosity and a desire to find their soulmate. I like that the pace is steady and it never lags, so it doesn’t bore at any time. There’s a great balance between dialogues, action and the characters’ musings so that is a high point for me. Also, the plot is believable.
Victor is having problems with his play on the ice. For the last few games, he’s lost focus and his numbers are terrible to the extent he’s in fear of losing his place in the team to a new player. Even though he’s having problems, he’s still nice to the teamplayer who may substitute him, which tells you what a great guy he is. We know someone’s calling him to ask for money, and we suspect that’s the root of his problems.
Lindy works in the concessionary unit of the Carson Center, where Victor plays hockey. She’s had a crush for Victor since her teen years, so for her it’s a joy to work in the place where he plays and she can see him from a distance. This separation of jobs is breached one night when she’s taking a break from work and wanders over to the stands and finds Victor practicing overtime, trying to improve his game. He wanders over to her and they chat. Lindy ends giving him advice about his game and offers so much support and assurance that he’s got what it takes, that it pivots his focus and improves his game. This marks the start of a lovely friendship and from here on we get to enjoy a friends to lovers story.
I loved that Victor wants to share all the gritty details of his childhood with Lindy so there are no secrets between them. We don’t get characters who hold secrets against each other that later explode in their faces. Lindy is a great character, she’s supportive, wise, and accepting. She had a great childhood, and even though she lost her mother very early, her father was there for her. From the vantage point of having a solid upbringing, she was able to give Victor the family sense that he’s always lacked.
This story was sweet, straightforward, and enjoyable. You don’t get fireworks and depths of despair, but you do end with a sense of peace and warm feelings. There’s a strong sense of family between the players, so I sense more stories coming up, yay!
If you’re a fan of not only hot hockey players, but Cinderella stories with healing and redemption, you have found your book. VICTOR, the third installment in author Brenda Rothert’s Chicago Blaze series, will absolutely hit you in the feels, and leave your cheering.
There is a lot packed into this book, and definitely some things that must absolutely be uncovered whist reading, so I can’t really go into a lot of detail. Plus, who wants a lengthy plot rehash, when the fun and magic of reading a book are so personal to each individual person? Suffice to say that there is all of the on-ice magic that Brenda’s hockey players are famous for, unexpected love, plenty of passion, and an emotional twist that shows what people are truly made of. In a nutshell, VICTOR is a melding of the steamy sports reads that we’ve come to know and love, with some of the angst and uncomfortable spots that Brenda has brought into her non-sports romances. All in all, a perfect pairing, and one that serves us up a couple that I was cheering from from start to finish.
Not having a family to support you and then finding a perfect stranger who treats you like the person you are and not the athlete that you are can make all the difference. This is what Victor finds with “Boring”.
Blue ICEE and 3 old men will keep you laughing.
Who doesn’t love to see great things happen to good people? I know I do! And I loved to see Lindy and Victor find their happily ever after!
But it wasn’t easy. Not at all.
Lindy needed to move out of her comfort zone—to embrace life more. To enjoy living in the moment versus just living. And Victor helps with that—he’s larger than life, and also her secret, long time crush. Which is something Victor doesn’t let her forget. LOL
And Victor. Man, he’s hiding in plain sight. Hiding his true self, that is. And also hiding from his past—or so he thinks. He’s afraid of losing himself and his family—his chosen family—if his secret is revealed. But with Lindy, he finds hope and acceptance and love.
And it’s awesome. I loved how Victor and Lindy’s relationship grew from friendship initially to something so much more. I loved how they loved each other, and how much they realized how much their family and friends truly supported them and loved them too.
Victor is a bit more emotional, a bit deeper than the other books in this excellent Chicago Blaze series, but it’s a fantastic addition. I can’t wait for more! ~ 4.5 stars
I think Victor is my favorite of the Chicago Blaze hockey stories. Victor is off his game and needs to get it together before he loses his position on the team. Lindy is a young girl working concessions who has crushed on Victor for years. A chance meeting has her giving him some advice on his game play. They quickly form a wonderful friendship before realizing their feelings for each other run deeper than friendship. I really enjoyed reading their story. Both characters were very likable and their relationship felt real to me. I highly recommend this story to everyone who enjoys a well written, realistic, hockey romance.
How the H E double hockey sticks does Brenda keep doing it?!?!?
I’ve moved on from Anton and Victor is now my favorite hockey man!
He. Is. Mine.
Such a dreamy man!
So needless to say, I absolutely loved this one!
Victor and Lindy are such a sweet couple. Individually, I enjoyed these two and then once they became friends, I loved them even more. I can so picture these two in my head. And her father and his friends…. yep, loved them as well. I am happy these characters were added them into the story. And let’s not forget Ari. I enjoyed her as well. I was kinda hoping she would get her own book but I’m guessing she won’t.
This story can be read on its own, but I highly recommend reading the series in order so you can officially meet Victor before getting to his story. You will not have any regrets.
P.S. Brenda, you gutted me with one part. I know you know which part I’m referring to in this book. It’s going to be a few days before I forgive you. Just saying!
I really connected with this main character. I’m totally with her on not wanting to accept what “my league” is. It sucks, but maybe I have to. I know unlike Lindy, I’ll never be lucky enough to have a hot hockey player turn out to be the guy I meet and fall in love with, and who falls in love back with me. But enough about me, let’s talk about how good this story was. It was a page-turner. I really liked both characters, they were just real, and while I totally connected with Lindy, Victor was a bit of a mystery, but a good guy, even with how his life had been and the way he felt about women to start. There was a death of a side character what seemed really early in the story, and not one I would have seen coming. But that character’s back story ended up being an integral part towards the end, that I see how the author tied it all together. I really like that we were able to get our two main characters falling in love enough before the end that the final obstacle or issue of the book was Victor’s secret/past issue coming up to be faced. I liked that it wasn’t some kind of wrench in their relationship. In some romances that just seems like how the author adds that last bit of drama, and I actually like it more like this book when it happens. I really enjoyed this one, and hope to go back and read the others in the series as well.
Sweet…
Lindy doesn’t want to be called Cinderella…but that’s what it feels like this is, a bit. Fairy tales don’t get old.
Working concessions, Lindy crosses paths with her crush…Victor. They both learn that appearances aren’t always what they seem…and what glitters isn’t always gold.
Watching the two of them come together was cute, and sweet, and a fun weekend read.
Great characters and plenty of emotion
Book 3 in the Chicago Blaze series, while there are characters carrying over from the earlier books, this works perfectly well read as a standalone.
This felt like a Cinderella story to me, with Lindy as the concessions worker nobody notices and Victor as the hockey prince, even if he is a bit down on his luck at the moment. I liked the depth and complexity of these characters. For instance, though Lindy is mostly unassuming and prefers to remain in the background, she has a passion for hockey plus a quiet strength I have to admire. Meanwhile, it turns out Victor isn’t as much of a prince as it appeared at first, as he has his own rags to riches story.
There are a couple of plot twists I didn’t expect, including one real gut punch, but it’s really the characters that drive the story as I was cheering for things to work out for them. The only criticism I have is that there were places towards the end I felt the story could have used a little more exploration: for example, Lindy handling the press and all the changes in her life, or Victor dealing with his past (I felt there would have been more fallout than we saw). It just felt a little skimmed over to me, but you may feel differently.
With the great characters, and plenty of the emotion that I’ve come to expect from this author, this was an enjoyable read for me and I’m hoping a book for Jonah is soon to come. 4 stars
B2B Kelly
My downfall is a great hockey romance and Victor checked off everything for me. This book was everything I needed. The slow burn. The chemistry. The sexy hockey player. The innocent sweet girl. Brenda wrote a sweet slow burn romance to fill any romantic heart.
4 Stars
I think Victor and Lindy are my favorites. Both lead very different lives, but come from similar backgrounds. I loved how they became friends first with the slow build to more. This is a sweet romance with little angst, but some emotion and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This has turned into a fantastic series. Great read.
Angela – Alphas Do It Better Book Blog
Victor is the third novel in the Chicago Blaze series. Lindy is so sweet, and she has a such a positive attitude toward life. Victor is facing some challenges on and off the ice. I liked how Victor and Lindy’s friendship developed to something more. I loved her dad and his friends, they cracked me up. It was great seeing past characters, and being introduced to some new ones. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
I love Ms. Rothert’s hockey stories. This was special since Lindy was no big star or something. She was someone most of us can relate to. I did not like Lindy’s boss, but loved her best friend Ari who works with her. Victor had issues from his youth he needed to figure out, but he is a super nice guy who looks at Lindy and sees her for herself— beautiful, kind, and loyal. Lindy’s father was a hoot with his friends. This is a book that will make your heart feel good. I strongly encourage you to read the book. I voluntarily read an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book.
First of all, I devoured this book in one sitting. It was amazing! Second of all, I don’t know if I have ever loved a heroine more. Lindy is a huge sports fan who meets her crush, who is even better in person. Hello, it’s my ultimate fantasy come to life!
Victor by Brenda Rothert took me by surprise. And I’m not sure why, because we’re talking about Brenda Rothert here. She always pushes the boundaries and surprises her readers.
I love Victor and Lindy. I love that as different as their lives seem, they both have similar backgrounds.
But most of all, I love that Brenda has the strength to tackle a very difficult subject with gentleness and a warriors spirit. This will impact so many.
A phenomenal and full of feels read!
“There’s a balance to us. She likes and accepts me exactly as I am.”
4.5 Stars
Brenda Rothert delivers yet another wonderful book in the Chicago Blaze series. Her heroes ( hockey players) and heroines ( the women that love them) are complex and we see this deftly in Victor and Lindy’s story. Their meet cute centers around Victor Lane is doing a late night skate at the Ice Arena where Belinda or “Lindy” Boring works in the concessions area. While the two may have shared the same air space, it’s not until this moment where things get interesting
This was a great read on so many levels. I love that Lindy is an everyday girl who is focused on work at the stadium where her favorite team plays. She does live a simple and somewhat sheltered life. At twenty-three she mostly just works and watches sports with her father and his friends. There is nothing glamourous about her but she is such a genuinely good person. Her innocence makes her endearing and an easy heroine to root for.
Victor is a player facing a bit of a slump, one that jeopardizes his role on the team. When he and Lindy finding themselves becoming fast friends it’s clear they have a connection. But at what level? Could either of them hope for more? He’s not exactly in a place to explore this, and I love how he recognizes her as his first female friend. Her influence on him is both strong and yet subtle. He has some demons to face and in Lindy I think he finds the person who can show him the way. Seeing the transformation of Lindy and Victor as individuals, and as a team, is heartwarming.
I don’t even know if there are more books planned for this series but if so, I’ll be reading them. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know this community of players and friends and I look forward to reading more by Brenda. 4 Stars and recommendation.
Lindy never thought in a million years that she would ever meet Victor. Lindy is well aware of what others think about her. Victor was going through some things and had to turn his game around and that is were Lindy comes into play. Lindy is very different from other women he interacts with and he is very drawn to it. The first meeting between them was great.
I loved this story. This book had so many great moments and heartbreaking moments. I loved Victor and Lindy’s characters. I am really glad you got to see another side of Victor. I loved seeing the alpha side but seeing how he could be so vulnerable with Lindy it made my heart melt. This book definitely had me from the very beginning.
*Note – this can be read as a total standalone, but is the third in this series.*
The Chicago Blaze are just a bunch of swoony guys, that’s all there is to it. I fell hard for Anton, and Luca ranks right up there. Victor might actually be tied with Luca for me, and that was a big surprise. I fell hard and fast for Lindy though – she’s just an every-girl, super relatable and hard not to love!
This sports romance has it all – skeletons in the closet, a friends to lovers theme, hockey, fun old guys watching sports and great girlfriends. If any of these things appeal to you, this slow burn romance between Victor and Lindy is a perfect fit!
Recommend, all day long!