Hooked On You

HOOKED ON YOU is the third and final full-length instalment in Kate Meader’s contemporary, adult THE CHICAGO REBELS erotic, romance, hockey series focusing on the men and women of the professional hockey team the Chicago Rebels. This is team co-owner Violet Vasquez, and team captain Bren St. James’s story line. HOOKED ON YOU can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion. For fans of Kate Meader there is a slight cross-over with the author’s Hot in Chicago series with the cameo appearance of Alexandra and Eli Cooper (Playing with Fire #2). SOME BACKGROUND: Upon their father’s death, estranged sisters Harper Chase, Isobel Chase and Violet Vasquez inherited the ownership of the struggling NHL hockey franchise-the Chicago Rebels. With only months remaining in the current season, the sisters are tasked with turning the team into a play-off bound franchise or risk loosing everything, including their father’s legacy, one piece at a time. Told from dual third person perspectives (Violet and Bren) HOOKED ON YOU follows the building relationship between The Chicago Rebels co-owner Violet Vasquez, and team captain Bren St. James. Months earlier Violet hit on the stranger in a bar not realizing the stranger was the Chicago Rebels troubled captain, and essentially her new employee. With the death of her absentee father, Violet inherited one-third of the mantle of ownership of professional hockey’s struggling Chicago Rebels, and subsequently, along with two half-sisters she knew little about. But when troubled team captain Bren St. James found himself in desperate need of childcare for his two young daughters, Violet reluctantly stepped in knowing Bren didn’t feel the same way about her as she did about the handsome Scot. What ensues is the building relationship between Bren and Violet, and the potential fall-out as Bren’s past comes looking for a second chance forcing Violet to step aside to protect her heart and Bren’s future with his beloved daughters. Bren St. James’ personal life had spiralled out of control but close to a year of sobriety finds our hero looking towards the future with the children he loves, and the woman that calls to his heart. Violet Vasquez had no plans to stick around past the current hockey season; falling in love was never on the agenda, but having her heart broken meant moving on was more of necessity than previously planned. All of the previous story line couples and characters play secondary and supporting roles. We are introduced to Bren’s daughters, nine year old Franky, and eleven year old Cat, as well as Violet’s mother, whose own history with Violet’s father was nothing more than a one-night stand. HOOKED ON YOU is a story of family and friendship; struggling against the demons from the past; romance and love. The premise is entertaining, encouraging and captivating; the romance is hot, erotic and intense; the characters are broken, colorful and real. HOOKED ON YOU is a sassy, sexy and heart-warming story; an energetic conclusion to an addicting series.

If your looking for a fun, super sexy, sizzling, romance with some family drama, personal conflict and an ex that just wont go away, Hooked on You, the third installment of the Chicago Rebels series, by Kate Meader is the book for you. Meader takes to the ice again but I'm surprised the ice has not melted with this one!!! Right from the start you are off and running with chemistry that is jumping off the pages. The "pull" between Bren and Violet that is undeniable, but the story to the end is remarkable. This story is filled with real-life situations, many that sadly are very relatable. Bren is a recovering alcoholic and Violet a survivor of cancer. The way Meader writes: the angst, the humor when needed, the touch of serious issues, makes this story that much more. Violet is just surviving, nearly broke and dealing with cancer. When she discovers who her father is and the stipulations that go with, it brings Violet into a whole new family. Trying to make the most out of this unique situation, brings Bren into her life. Bren, "the washed-up alcoholic has been", has something to strive for now, his daughters, But having a chance encounter with Violet makes his struggle a little harder. These Violet and Bren encounters are nothing more than trying to push each other away, but they are thrown together when Bren needs a nanny. It is hard to push someone away that you are pulled to, so the sparks fly, truths are revealed and that line that you shouldn't cross becomes a little blurry!!! Another aspect of this book that I really enjoyed was the cultural aspects. Violet's Latina background with the food and Bren's Scottish heritage, makes this book just that much better. 4 sizzling stars **Review by Lisa, Late Night Reviewer for Up All Night with Books**

Violet Vasquez is the illegitimate daughter of Clifford Chase, the result of her mother's scheming to net a wealthy NHL player/owner in a one-night stand in Las Vegas. Following his death Violet and her two half sisters jointly inherit the Chicago Rebels. Oldest sister Harper manages the Rebels, middle sister Isobel coaches some of the players but Violet drifts from job to job, never finding a career. Of course having cancer and a preemptive double mastectomy can mess with your head a bit too. Bren St James is the captain of the Rebels. A divorced father of two little girls his life imploded after years of heavy drinking and he checked himself into rehab. He and Violet met when she first moved to Chicago, she was looking for a quick hook-up with a hot stranger following the reading of Clifford's will and he was sitting in a bar after leaving rehab, looking for some self-respect which wouldn't come from a random hook-up with a tattooed bad girl, even if every part of her appearance speaks deep into his soul. Then Bren found out that Violet was technically his boss, ever since then the two of them have been at loggerheads. Now Bren's ex-wife needs to 'look after herself' and has checked herself into a facility leaving Bren to look after his two daughters alone. The Rebels rally round but it ends up with Violet acting as temporary nanny, can the two of them put aside their attraction (and their animosity) to co-parent two cute but difficult little girls? Loved it, just loved it. Sassy heroine, sexy hero, cute kids, a dog and hockey!!