{"id":65449,"date":"2022-07-12T08:00:44","date_gmt":"2022-07-12T12:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=65449"},"modified":"2024-11-04T23:38:07","modified_gmt":"2024-11-05T04:38:07","slug":"release-arc-review-love-lessons-brooklyn-bruisers-10-by-sarina-bowen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=65449","title":{"rendered":"Release & ARC Review: Love Lessons (Brooklyn Hockey, #7) by Sarina Bowen"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Love Lessons by Sarina Bowen is live!<\/strong><\/h4>\n

A no-strings, lessons-in-seduction sports romance with an irresistible hero, a relatable heroine and a stunning Italian backdrop, this book was the perfect reading escape, and I loved it!<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Amazon<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Apple\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Kobo\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Nook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Google<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n

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Blurb<\/strong><\/h4>\n

He needs an image makeover, she needs a mojo upgrade. A new lessons-in-seduction hockey romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Sarina Bowen.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

After I\u2019m arrested for throwing a raucous party, my hockey team says I have an image problem. And I need to fix it, stat.<\/p>\n

Charity work? Check. Haircut? Sure. But I draw the line at hiring my neighbor to style me. In the first place \u201cstyle\u201d shouldn\u2019t be a verb. And I\u2019m tired of people who\u2019d judge me on appearances.<\/p>\n

Vera and I don\u2019t see eye to eye on anything. She wants me to try on clothes, while I just want to remove hers. She’s distractingly pretty, with soulful eyes and a sinful mouth that likes to argue with me.<\/p>\n

But when management threatens my summer vacation, I grudgingly agree to Vera\u2019s unusual proposal: she\u2019ll give me an image makeover. But in return, she wants lessons in the art of seduction.<\/p>\n

It sounds a little nutty, but I know a good opening when I hear it. Besides, it\u2019s not like I\u2019ll ever fall for her\u2026<\/p>\n

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Add to Goodreads<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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Review<\/strong><\/h4>\n

4.5 stars!<\/b><\/p>\n

The latest in the Brooklyn Hockey <\/i>series, this book is a lot of fun. A no-strings, lessons-in-seduction sports romance with an irresistible hero, a relatable heroine and a stunning Italian backdrop, this book was the perfect reading escape, and I loved it!<\/p>\n

Ian Crikey is a veteran of the Brooklyn Bruisers NHL team, but just recently, his image has started to come into question. A recent arrest, coupled with his sloppy appearance, and the team is on his back to fix himself up. Rumors of a supposed transfer within the team also has him freaking out, and he knows he needs to shape up quickly.<\/p>\n

Vera has appeared as a side character in previous books. She\u2019s a fashion-loving stylist who is friends with other members of the team and just happens to live next door to Crikey, and when she hears about his issues, she knows she can help. Crikey is not on board \u2013 firstly because he doesn\u2019t care about things like clothes and general grooming, and secondly, because it\u2019s Vera, and working together will lead to problems.<\/p>\n

She doesn\u2019t see the problem \u2013 that she\u2019ll be measuring my inseam for a suit, and I\u2019ll be thinking dirty thoughts about tying her up with her tape measure and whipping out my dick. <\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Crikey had me laughing so many times. He\u2019s a complete straight shooter who says whatever is on his mind, and he\u2019s so freaking funny.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait \u2026 You won\u2019t make me look like a fashion slut, right? I mean, the <\/i>slut part would be fine. I\u2019m just not sure about the fashion.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

When the two of them end up as the lone single people on a trip to Italy with four other couples (all from the series), their attraction sizzles and Crikey \u2013 true to form \u2013 makes his desires known.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo tell me \u2026 What are you going to do first in Italy? And keep in mind that I\u2019m still an option.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It\u2019s a fun set-up, and when the bliss of a summer holiday, the beautiful Italian setting, and too much wine lead to Vera confessing her lacklustre sex life and lack of confidence with all things sexual, she propositions Crikey for lessons in sex and how to seduce a man. Not one to turn down an offer like that from a woman he can\u2019t stop thinking about, and with her insistence on their arrangement coming to an end when their holiday does, he whole-heartedly throws himself into the task. Let the fun begin.<\/p>\n

What was I thinking? I can\u2019t believe I asked him for seduction lessons. Only a loser would do that.
\nOh wait, that\u2019s me. A confident girl would just\u2026 wink at him or something and invite him over later. But me? I give a living demonstration of my awkwardness and then beg him for help.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I love the teach-me-about-sex trope in a romcom. It\u2019s so much fun, and I reveled in all of the chemistry and sexual tension. Even when you know where it\u2019s going, the sense of anticipation is fantastic, and I was fully on board and so excited as Crikey and Vera dive on in. It\u2019s fun, light-hearted and so freaking sexy. They are completely open and honest with each other, making the whole experience playful yet intense, and the dynamic between them is so much fun to watch.<\/p>\n

The bathroom door opens after a polite tap. He peers into the room, spots me in the bath, and smiles. \u201c<\/i>Nice work, contessa. It\u2019s a simple setup, but classic.\u201d
\n\u201cRight?\u201d I agree. \u201cI\u2019m all, \u2018Oh, I\u2019m just here taking a bath, don\u2019t mind me\u2019.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Against the beautiful backdrop of northern Italy, their simple arrangement starts to become deeper than either of them anticipated. Watching their friends all loved-up around them, wanting that same connection with somebody, and all of that passion, intimacy and sweetness, the lines soon blur, and it\u2019s beautiful to watch them fall for each other.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not used to so much raw connection \u2013 all that eye contact and deep, deep kisses.
\nI\u2019m supposed to be the teacher here \u2013 the one who knows what he\u2019s doing. But when she whispers my name, I\u2019m lost.
\nAnd I don\u2019t even think I care.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But their arrangement was only meant to last the summer. And with Crikey\u2019s career up in the air, they have some uncertainty to overcome. But Bowen totally delivers on their story, without angst and drama, just a little bit of soul-searching, and I loved watching them figure it all out and find their happy ending.<\/p>\n

This is a great addition to the series. Like the other books, it can completely standalone, but the cameos will be a real treat for fans of the previous books, and I loved being back in this world.<\/p>\n

So much fun with lots of heart, I loved this one!<\/p>\n

4.5 stars!<\/p>\n

An Advanced Review copy was generously provided by the author for an honest review.<\/i><\/p>\n

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Brooklyn Bruisers \/\u00a0<\/strong>Brooklyn Hockey<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Technically, Brooklyn Bruisers and Brooklyn Hockey are two different series, however these series are closely interconnected, all within the one hockey team, and reads like one continuous series. We have included them here on one page to help you orient yourself to this world.<\/p>\n

Brooklyn Bruisers<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0 \"\"\u00a0 \"\"<\/p>\n

Rookie Move (Brooklyn Bruisers, #1) <\/strong>(Leo & Georgia)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon \u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0 Paperback\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Audio<\/a><\/p>\n

Hard Hitter (Brooklyn Bruisers, #2)<\/strong> (Patrick & Ari)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon \u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0 Paperback\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Audio<\/a><\/p>\n

Pipe Dreams (Brooklyn Bruisers, #3) <\/strong>(Mike & Lauren)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon \u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0 Paperback\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Audio<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Brooklyn Hockey<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\" \u00a0\"\" \u00a0\"\" \u00a0\"\" \u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\" \u00a0\"\" \u00a0\"\" \u00a0\"\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

Brooklynaire (Brooklyn Hockey, #1) <\/strong>(Nate & Rebecca)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon \u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0 Paperback\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Audio<\/a><\/p>\n

Overnight Sensation (Brooklyn Hockey, #2) <\/strong>(Jason & Heidi)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon \u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0 Paperback<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Audio<\/a><\/p>\n

Superfan (Brooklyn Hockey, #3) <\/strong>(Silas & Delilah)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon \u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0 Paperback<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Audio<\/a><\/p>\n

Lucky Shot (Brooklyn Hockey, #3.5)<\/strong> (Tank & Bess – A Sure Shot Prequel)
\nFreebie:\u00a0 Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

Sure Shot (Brooklyn Hockey, #4)<\/strong> (Tank & Bess)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon \u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0 Paperback<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Audio<\/a><\/p>\n

Bombshells (Brooklyn Hockey, #5)<\/strong> (Anton & Sylvie)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Audio<\/a><\/p>\n

Must Love Hockey<\/strong> (Novella – Jimbo & Emily)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

Shenanigans (Brooklyn Hockey, #6)<\/strong> (Neil & Charli)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Audio<\/a><\/p>\n

Love Lessons (Brooklyn Hockey, #7)<\/strong> (Crikey & Vera)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Audio<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

For more great reads, check out our\u00a0Sarina Bowen Author Spotlight<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Love Lessons by Sarina Bowen is live! A no-strings, lessons-in-seduction sports romance with an irresistible hero, a relatable heroine and a stunning Italian backdrop, this book was the perfect reading escape, and I loved […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":64576,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","yasr_overall_rating":4.5,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[65,9,58,29],"tags":[59,1064,48,378],"class_list":["post-65449","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lol-funny","category-romance","category-sports-star","category-steamy","tag-arc","tag-brooklyn-bruisers","tag-review","tag-sarina-bowen"],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Love-Lessons.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7gaNL-h1D","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65449","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=65449"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65449\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/64576"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=65449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=65449"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=65449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}