As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year. I don’t assign these specific rankings, but… Consider Me is definitely up there! I loved this playboy tamed romance so much that I happily ate up a 20+ hour audiobook by a new-to-me author and wanted more at the end. I loved it so much that I haven’t even started the next interconnected standalone in the series, because I wanted to bask in my love a little longer. So, I’d say that it was pretty, pretty good. The hero is the star of this beefy romance, and watching his progression from beginning to end was truly something special. I’m looking forward to (finally) diving into the followup when it releases in audio next month, and here’s hoping that it’s even half as good as this one.
You’ll find my original review and some quotes from the book below!
Loved it, loved it, LOVED it! You know things are going VERY well when the 20-hour runtime on an audiobook doesn’t faze me, and I spend time doing math to determine whether it’s physically possible for me to stay up late enough to finish before going to bed (sadly, no). I really wasn’t sure what to expect from this new-to-me author, but I’ll admit that I’m a softie for a manhoe who is smacked upside the head the moment he meets the right girl – and that is exactly what this story is all about. The hero at the heart of it undergoes SUCH a transformation from start to finish, and I absolutely adored seeing him work to earn his girl’s trust and love. The intimidating length is actually perfect in this instance, because this hero is working so hard to prove himself, persisting through stumbles and obstacles along the way. Mack does an excellent job of showcasing the growth in intimacy, the build of the relationship, and puts it to the test to make sure they got it right. There are SO MANY swoony, tender moments, which pair perfectly with the intensity of emotion and the delicious spice. It’s raw, real, and just the right kind of heart-wrenching, and I loved every single minute of it.
The story follows Carter, a hockey star with a playboy reputation that he doesn’t try to hide. No woman has ever made him want to change his ways, and he values his privacy and alone time, so casual encounters have always made the most sense. At least… until he meets Olivia. Intensely attracted to her from the moment they meet, it doesn’t take long for Carter to pursue her. But when the sassy brunette resists his advances, it makes Carter work harder – and spending time together makes him realize that he wouldn’t mind taking a chance with her. Unfortunately, Olivia is well aware of Carter’s reputation, and she can’t trust that his sudden change of heart is the kind that will last. Never did Carter think that his playboy ways would catch up to him in such a major way, and now he has to earn the trust that Olivia is so hesitant to give.
I’ve had this on my kindle for a few months, and it wasn’t until the audio version released that I decided to take the plunge. Devoting 20 hours to a book by a new-to-me author is always a little risky, but I am SO GLAD that I took the chance on this one. Playboys always seem to fall the hardest, and that is definitely the case here. I loved getting to know Carter, and seeing him be totally gone for his girl was immensely fulfilling. This balances swoony moments with drama and angst, ratcheting up the tension in all the best ways. We see Carter WORK for what he wants, and that was such a breath of fresh air. The page count was required to truly see their progression from strangers to lovers to soul mates with the strongest of bonds. And having a smitten hero is its own reward, with some incredibly heartwarming moments between them… and plenty of hot, SPICY moments as well. It’s such a journey from start to finish, and I can’t believe how engrossed I was the entire time.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3xQXGlx
Audio Note:
I highly recommend the audio! I’d never heard of either narrator before starting, but they both give great performances in this dual narration audiobook. The female narrator gives a solid performance, but it’s the male narrator who really takes things up a notch. He embodies Carter perfectly, this sexy hockey bro who is out of his element. Listening to the narration was a definite upgrade from simply reading the text, and it also helps makes the experience more immersive. I can’t say that I recommend this as a workday listen though – there are steamy situations throughout, lots of language, and, honestly, the story is so good that you might find it too distracting to work, lol. At least I did. The runtime is also prohibitive, because 20 hours means you’ll be listening for AT LEAST two days, probably more. So it’s much more conducive to a weekend binge, but definitely worth the experience.
Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3LKGDY9
Blurb:
Carter Beckett is the NHL’s resident bad boy, top player both on the ice and in the bedroom, and quite possibly the sexiest man to ever grace my field of vision. But worst of all? He knows it.
He’s arrogant, self-centered, and the man doesn’t seem to know what a filter is, let alone how to use one. He’s had everything served to him on a silver platter, including endless strings of women, and apparently, I’m up next.
His only problem? I have no intention of falling for his shi—um, charm.
I have the solution to all my sexual frustrations in a drawer at home, and it’s far less complicated than Carter Beckett. Sure, he may be pretty, but he’s also a walking, talking reminder for you to wrap it before you tap it.
But then I start letting my guard down, and he starts showing me pieces of himself I had no intention of seeing. The bricks surrounding me may be tumbling down one by one, but I’m not sold yet, which means for the first time in his life, Carter’s the one begging.
For my time, my trust, for a single chance.
For me to just…consider him.
Consider Me is book #1 in the Playing For Keeps series, a series of interconnected standalone mature hockey romance stories that contain lots of heat, swoon, laughs, and a ride on an emotional rollercoaster!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3xQXGlx
About the Author:
Becka is a steamy romance author, self-proclaimed sarcasm queen, professional procrastinator, and a superfan of dragging her readers through hell and back on the way to a happy ending.
When she’s not staring blankly at her computer screen or deleting close to two hundred occurrences of the word just from her manuscript, she can be found teaching kindergarten (gasp!) in Ontario, Canada, and mom-ing with her incredibly sweet and beautiful little boy (he takes after his mama) and her animals.
Though she’s always been an avid reader and forever dreamt of becoming an author, Becka didn’t begin writing books until after the loss of her brother. While she loves to include all the fun stuff like heat, humor, and alpha men who are secret teddy bears, her writing comes from a place of heavy emotions, and she often can’t resist letting those emotions seep into her pages.
Becka is so excited to share this journey with you!
Website: www.beckamack.com
Instagram: @beckamack.author
TikTok: @becka.mack
Facebook: Becka Mack Author
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