Nico Merryweather loves women—all women. Sure, they’re sexy and fun. But “Player” is an easy reputation to hide behind, a way to keep the good times rolling and reality at bay. He’s loud, he’s cocky, he says exactly what he’s thinking, and people just laugh it off because they think they know him. But Nico makes sure no one is close enough to know the truth. With a new season starting, he is … ready to play the game he can control. They’ll all be watching Nico, the goalie, but they’ll never know the man behind the mask who is just trying to breathe. He hasn’t ever wanted anyone close enough to him to see the truth, until Aviva rams herself into his ass. Literally.
Aviva Pearce’s life is a collection of bad days all wrapped up without a bow. If it can go wrong, it will. All she wants is to run her business, take care of her sister, and keep her head above water. But with a father who is out to ruin her like he has himself and debt trying to drown her, it’s hard to stay afloat. Aviva isn’t the type to waste time dwelling on her misfortunes or to give up, though. She’s got too much fight in her. And she definitely doesn’t have time to waste on the wildly sexy, rich, showboating goaltender everyone wants. She’s got goals.
What she doesn’t know is that Nico has goals of his own.
And she’s number one on his list.
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If you know me, you know I’m a huge Toni Aleo fan. This woman is everything a writer should be. She’s inspirational, has great word building and structure flow. She’s not afraid to take on tough topics that will yank your heartstrings and with Wild Trendy, it was no different!
This story is about the infamous Nico Merryweather that we all know and love. It’s his journey of self-love and discovery and how one accident and two feisty women can forever change his life.
We all think we know Nico but truly no one does, truly. Nico is a complex character who needs love and unconditional support. He has the best heart and loves so hard. I’d marry him if I could (Shea, you have some competition now) He has a lot of insecurities that affect his willingness to open up to people but it just makes him so much more loveable when he does trust you.
I know I should be gushing of Aviva and I will but I just LOVEEEE his bromance with Chandler. These two are the very definition of what friendships should be. It’s the kind of friendship that everyone should have not to settle for anything less! Chandler has such a great loving heart and how Nico admires him is simply beautiful!
Back to Aviva, she has to be the toughest, if not one of the toughest characters Toni has ever written. She’s independent, doesn’t take handouts and is incredibly brave not to mention fierce! This woman has handled everything life has thrown to her all while taking care of her sister Callie, whom I adore. The only person who could’ve broken through her walls was the one that loved her like no, Nico.
Their relationship is all about growth and self-love. Nico helps Aviva see how truly wonderful she really is, regardless of the scars she carries. We also get a cameo of a person from the Assassin series. That scene alone had me blubbering like a baby.
Also, Nico’s relationship with Callie was purely beautiful. He truly loves Callie as if she were his sister/daughter. Their bond is so precious and how she loves and defends him is magical. There need to be more souls like Callie.
This book has everything you’d expect in an Aleo book, heartfelt moments, sexy times, and a story that takes on situations we should talk about more. This book has to be one of Toni’s best books, if not her best book. It was perfection. Toni, please keep writing like this and talking about all the important issues. You truly are an inspiration!
5 star Review Wild Tendy (IceCats #2) by Toni Aleo
Wow. I got this late last night and spent most of the early hours of this morning reading Wild Tendy as I simply could not put it down.
If you are expecting this to be just another hockey story with a hot player who has the world at his feet and can and does anything he wants too, then you are in for a shock. This book has heart and soul with characters that will draw you in and is an outstanding story; this is one of my favourite reads of 2019 and one that I highly recommend.
Nico Merryweather, where do I start? He captivated me from the very start and I fear I have yet another new book boyfriend. Aviva Pearce, what a strong, independent, wonderful woman she is. I loved these two characters separately and even more when they got together, they are absolutely perfect for each another.
Nico is so swoon worthy that he just about melted my heart at times. All the characters. were well developed and easy to relate too; I loved Aviva and the relationship she has with her sister Callie and Nico’s interactions and support of Callie is heartwarming. It was also fun to catch up with Chandler, Amelia and their twins and see how they are going.
This is a story like no other, it is about people who are flawed and yet through strength and determination they fight their way back from what life has dealt them and achieve goals that many thought would never happen. If anyone deserved to fall in love and live happily ever after it is Nico and Aviva.
WOW! This story is just leaves me speechless! Ashley @ Carolina Chic’s Read
I love all Toni Aleo’s books but this one is number one and I don’t know how she is ever going to top this! Everyone is different but when you write about a subject that is close to home for so many. Nico is the hot sexy in love with women and has his own ‘extra-ness’. Aviva is the big sister, taking care of the family business after her mother dies of cancer and can’t see past today! These two find each other by chance but is chance all they need to find their happily ever after!!!
READ THIS BOOK!!! IT WILL NOT DISAPPOINT!!! You will need tissues!!!! You will fall in love!!! You will want MORE!!!
10 WONDERFULLY! AMAZING!!! STARS!!!!
Wow, I don’t know that I could do justice to this story in a review! 5 of the brightest hockey stars for this story, grab it asap!
You’ve somewhat met Nico Merryweather in previous stories, and you may think you know who he really is….Well I’m here to tell you, you don’t! You may have grown to dislike him from those other stories, and let me tell you, by the time you finish this book, you will have a new understanding of Nico, and you will absolutely fall in love with him and defend and cheer for him right along side Aviva, who he meets, and her sister Calli!
Toni took two very precious stories, and did them so well, I won’t get into the specifics, you need to read along with the story and experience it all as it unfolds!
Kudos to Toni for tackling these subjects and doing an amazing job!
Nico Merryweather is a dedicated player, on the ice and off, he loves the attention his time on the ice gets him from the ladies and he use to love the one night stands it brought him too… but these days they are starting to all end the same. Woman who only want him for his status and money, and not for his heart. He sees his best friend happily engaged, and with children, and he is starting to realize that he could have that too, provided he give up the one night stands and find himself a good woman. One who doesn’t care about the check he brings home, just that he is coming home to her and that his presence alone makes her happy. But the dating websites aren’t going to bring him a woman like that, he needs to put the serious work in to find one… or accidentally be ran into by one!
When Aviva Pearce runs into his car, he is instantly smitten with her, she is beautiful, feisty, and quite funny. But she doesn’t seem to think the same thing about him. They quickly exchange insurance information and she is on her way to her shop, claiming she doesn’t have time for small talk or anything else he is offering. But he is a determined man with a plan, and he doesn’t plan on letting her get away a second time without agreeing to a date!
Within the pages of Wild Tendy you will find a unique story about a couple brought together by accident, but within minutes you can easily see divine intervention helped join them together. Nico is a strong and determined man with a secret that he is certain no one will accept. Then he meets Aviva and she not only accepts his secret, but also accepts him for the man he is, not for what his lifestyle can give her. She has had a rough start at life, one that is riddled with pain, but she has fought hard to overcome it, and give her and her sister a better life. Once these two come together you can see that they are each other’s true halves, giving support where it’s needed, and bringing an unconditional love to one another’s lives that they have never known. This is such a deeply moving story, it’s words are expertly penned and saturated in emotion, and the natural progression of their complicated relationship is inspiring and quite beautiful to watch unfold. I loved this newest offering from Ms. Aleo it squeezed my heart in all the right places!! Highly recommend!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.
Confession Time. Moving to Italy to live and teach meant that it had been a long time since I picked up an actual adult book. In January I cracked open my brand new Kindle and for the first time in years started reading contemporary romance novels. I quickly discovered I love sports romance books especially hockey ones. This book by Toni Aleo is not only a FANTASTIC hockey romance, it’s also an incredible story that talks about not one but two social issues relevant today.
We meet Aviva, a woman who has overcome incredible tragedies and has made it her life’s mission to simply survive. She’s driven, headstrong and determined to give her sister the life she deserves at whatever personal cost. Slightly pessimistic and often self destructive, you can’t help but relate to her and feel everything that she’s feeling.
Nico – My.God.Nico. Where do I begin? I think I’m in love with him. He is a hot, sexy, playboy hockey player with a heart of gold. Living the bachelor life to the fullest, until he meets Aviva and is captivated by her. Aching for a more meaningful relationship despite his personal issues, Nico persues her relentlessly. With her little sister Callie’s help, Nico manages to get the date he craves for and so much more.
I loved this book and enjoyed following Nico and Aviva’s journey towards their much deserved happily ever after.
ARC received for an honest review
Wow! Just Wow! I didn’t think any of Toni Aleo’s men could make me love them more than I love those Assassin boys, but Nico Merryweather just blew them out of the water in Wild Tendy.
He is a wonderful combination of cocky and arrogant, mixed with a vulnerability that makes you fall for him, and fall hard.
I loved the Nico and the lovely Aviva aren’t perfect. We read all these stories where the hockey hottie has everything fall at his feet, doesn’t have to work for anything and always gets the girl. I love that Nico has flaws that make him so much more relatable.
Aviva, I love how strong she is, how she does anything and everything for her sister, and doesn’t give up. Not going to lie, I may have shed a tear or two at times with her story – that was when I wasn’t getting frustrated with her for being so darn independent.
Our lovelies were nothing like I was expecting – and I loved it that way.
A beautiful, unique story of falling in love when you think it is never going to happen for you – gives us all a bit of hope.
I can’t wait to see what Ms Aleo brings us next.
I ended the book and felt in awe. I was a little speechless. Toni blew me away with her powerful words and creative writing. She penned such a beautiful story to pull on the heartstrings and opening your eyes to the unexpected.
You may have thought you know who the real Nico Merryweather is, with his love for woman and playboy ways, but you don’t know the half of it. This man is special and has so many layers that I couldn’t wait to see what he’d come up with next.
You want to find out who the real Nico is then you need to pick up Wild Tendy and hang on for one wild ride. He has a special place in my heart and I’m really not ready to share him but I might just so you can get a glimpse of this remarkable man.
Aviva is a warrior who is strong and independent and I couldn’t have picked a better woman to knock Nico on his butt. And let me tell you about that spitfire Callie. She is sassy and smart and going places. Nico didn’t have any chance but to love these two.
This story will surprise you in the best way possible. You don’t want to miss any of the action in this Ice Cats series. Toni is the queen of hockey with a mix of endearing romance and sexiness.
Toni Aleo has outdone herself with this book! In my opinion, it is her best story yet! It brought tears to my eyes and a smile to my lips and I didn’t want to put it down. You will have no choice but to fall in love with Nico, Aviva and her sassy sister Callie.
There is so much depth to these characters and they each have a story to share, but you will need to read this for yourself and I know you will enjoy every word as their story unfolds.
Aviva and Nico are both vulnerable, yet strong and have been hurt in their past that effects their perceptions and reactions today and they each have their own challenges but they are both hard workers, protectors of those they love and absolutely perfect for each other.
Nico was a huge surprise that I never saw coming . The characterisation for Nico is absolutely phenomenal. When Aviva and Cassie come into Nico’s life it is going to change everything. The friendship and bond that Nico and Cassie form was one of my favourite aspects of the book. The angle that the author took for Nico was unique, unexpected and written with such depth and knowledge. The whole story flowed beautifully and kept me invested from beginning to end.
Never saw Nico’s story coming but I’m obsessed! Nico has lived his life focused on his outlet of hockey after being diagnosed on the Autism spectrum. While he is high functioning as an adult, he exhibits some quirks that only add to his character. Aviva has had a rough time since the death of her mother years ago. It seems that punch after punch happens in her life that go wrong and she can never catch up. When she crashes her car into Nico’s, he is enthralled while she is mortified. After tracking her down, Nico is determined to get involved with Aviva, while she is worried about taking care of her little sister and running her family’s sub shop. Wearing her down to be more than a one-night stand, the pair finally gets their chance, and they build their relationship deeply from the first time. As their relationship continues and they get to know each other and more engrained in the other’s lives, someone starts paying off the outrageous debts that Aviva has, and they cannot figure out who it is. This all comes to a head though when Nico’s overbearing and possessive mother comes to town, and she informs Aviva of Nico’s diagnosis. While she’s not upset over his diagnosis, she is upset with how she was informed, especially after she shared her deepest secrets and thoughts with him. But when she finds out who’s been paying off her debts, it’s a make or break situation with Aviva determined to pay her own way and give her sister everything she wants and more. In addition, we also get to hear some more from Chandler and Amelia and the continuation of their relationship. I really loved the dynamic of this couple as well as this book’s storyline! I was enthralled from page one (per usual), and I can’t wait to see who’s next in this series!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
How do you write a review for a book that has left you completely speechless. I amiterally sitting here with tears in my eyes and a huge smile on my face…
Wild Tendy may be Ms. Aleo’s best book to date. The writing is superb and the story well she has taken the romance genre and flipped it on its ear. Wild Tendy is so very unique and utterly beautiful.
Not only has Ms. Aleo written a beautiful and unique romance she has written a story full of hope. Wild Tendy has everything you except from a Toni Aleo novel and so much more… words cannot describe the emotions I feel for this book.
Persistent Tender…
Nico Merryweather captured my heart. When you first meet him you think he is an arrogant hockey player that thrives on women throwing themselves at him. While he does love the ladies and all the hot times he has with them, like the hockey mask he wears as a goalie, it hides what is really happening to him emotionally. He never lets himself believe he could find what his best friend Chandler has, an amazing wife and children. That all changes when Aviva Pearce crashes into his world, literally.
Aviva is like no other woman he has ever met. She does not fall for his good looks and charms like all the other ladies. She is bossy, sassy and a no nonsense strong willed woman. Oh, and totally gorgeous. Nico sets his sights on Aviva with all the confidence in the world that he will win her over. Aviva has led a tough life. She has debt off the charts and she strives to make sure her little sister does not miss out on everything that Aviva herself did. She takes one look at the gorgeous Nico, sexy as hell Nico and dismisses the idea that they could have a serious relationship. At best, all he wants from her is a quickie in the sack. She underestimates his drive to win her and her sister over.
This story was a beautiful heartfelt journey for both Nico and Aviva. Together they are steamy and smoking hot, but you can sense they have much more than that together. Toni Aleo does a fantastic job of bringing this couple together even with all the personal and emotional ups and down they have to deal with. Definitely an “all the feels” must read story.
I thought I loved the first book in the IceCats series, but Wild Tendy has definitely risen to the top spot. Nico Merryweather may be my favorite Toni Aleo hero ever. I just fell so hard for him!
Nico is the star goalie for the IceCats and it’s no secret that he loves women. He’s one of those guys that tells you exactly what he’s thinking and he’s got a giant ego, as one might expect. When he meets Aviva Pearce in the most unlikely of ways, there is absolutely no way that he would have ever thought that he could be meeting his match.
Aviva is a hard-working and prideful businesswoman who is caring for her seventeen year old sister, Callie, and trying to make ends meet. She’s in a period of her life where it seems like every single thing is going wrong and while she is hoping it will get better, the past leads her to think differently.
This is one of those books you just need to enjoy for yourself. The chemistry is amazing, the friendships in the book are equally amazing and you will feel every single emotion as the stories of these two amazing people unfold before you.
Kudos to Toni Aleo for crafting a story that drew me in from the very first pages and kept me salivating for more as the book went on. There was something about this one that is going to stay with me for a while and I love it when I read books like that. This one is definitely worth your time to pick it up and enjoy it!
Wild Tendy is Book Two In Toni Aleo’s Ice Cats Series and all I Can Say is that Nico Merryweather has most certainly has stolen a piece of my heart. Nico is an outstanding goalie with an outstanding ego, but when he meets Aviva Pearce in the most unlikely of circumstances you can’t help know he has met his match.
Aviva Pearce is a strong minded woman who not only takes care of her incredible sister Callie but runs her own business without the help of no one, until Nico Merryweather comes into her life do you see her walls start to crumble.
Nico & Aviva both have their own stories to tell but you have to just sit back and enjoy their words and watch how the whole story unfolds. You will find yourself laughing out loud with the antics they get into but you will also find yourself sighing at how incredible they are together but what you will definitely feel is the love you will see when you watch this Amazing Couple realize it too.
Nico Merryweather likes women, there’s no doubt about that. However, he doesn’t like most women for more than one night, he can keep himself hidden that way. He’s in your face loud and cocky, and he likes it that way. People think they know him, but they have no idea. He’s never let anybody get too close to him for fear they find out what he’s hiding, that is until Aviva crashes into his life.
Aviva can’t seem to win. She owns a sub shop and takes care of her little sister, all she wants is for life to go her way. When she crashes into Nico, she never would have expected him to insert himself in her life the way he has. As the two spend more time together their attraction is hard to ignore, when secrets are revealed can the two move forward, or are they meant to be single forever?
I’ve been curious about Nico since the first IceCats book, and I was super worried I wasn’t going to like him after Shelli’s book. I don’t know why I worry, Toni always has me falling in love with her characters. This story was absolutely amazing from start to finish. I absolutely loved getting to see more of the bromance between Nico and Chandler, and seeing how Nico and Callie got along was amazing. The best part was watching the romance blossom between Nico and Aviva. Toni writes in such a way that it sucks you in, and you go on the journey with the characters. The highs and the lows they feel, you as the reader, feel them too. I also love that Toni doesn’t shy away from tough topics. She talks about them in such a way that it makes you understand the light and the dark side of it. Such a beautifully written story, Toni never disappoints. Trust me, you need this book in your life. The fact that we also got to see characters from previous books was just the icing on the cake!