ARC Review: Off the Ice by Julie Cross

After a friend told me about Whatever Life Throws at You by Julie Cross and I read and loved it, I couldn't wait to read more from her. That book was so much fun to read, it was refreshing and sweet and everything I love in a good YA/NA sports romance. So I jumped when offered the chance to read Off the Ice, especially since I am a huge hockey fan. So it was a bit disappointing that I struggled so much with this book. 

Claire O'Connor returns home from college to help her dad and the family business, with the promise to herself that her time there will be short. As soon as things return to normal, she will be gone again. But once there, she finds that Tate Tanley isn't just a part of her past, and he is no longer the same guy she remembers. The attraction between them is stronger than ever, and besides the fact that she is leaving again, Tate is about to become the hockey team's new star player. While she swore off Juniper Falls hockey players, Claire soon realizes that there just might be more there between her and Tate than she can ignore.

I had a tough time relating to these characters and because of that I never felt fully invested in them. I couldn't connect with them and it felt like there was so much going on around them that they were hardly the focus of the story. I wanted more hockey and more romance, and instead we got more of Claire's struggles with her dad and the business and Tate's being scouted. It just felt like the romance and relationship were a bit lost here and I wanted to see more of that than I felt like we did. 

Overall, there were some good parts to this story but it just wasn't what I was expecting. Because I had loved everything about Whatever Life Throws at You, I expected this one to be similar and to really see Tate and Claire really shine here. Unfortunately they felt like such a small part of this story and it just ended up being okay for me when I think that I could have really loved this one.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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Feature and Giveaway: Off the Ice by Julie Cross

The NY Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of Whatever Life Throws at You kicks off a brand-new series perfect for fans of Miranda Kennealy and Abbi Glines.

All is fair in love and hockey…

Claire O’Connor is back in Juniper Falls, but that doesn’t mean she wants to be. One semester off, that’s what she promised herself. Just long enough to take care of her father and keep the family business—a hockey bar beside the ice rink—afloat. After that, she’s getting the hell out. Again.

Enter Tate Tanley. What happened between them the night before she left town resurfaces the second they lay eyes on each other. But the guy she remembers has been replaced by a total hottie. When Tate is unexpectedly called in to take over for the hockey team’s star goalie, suddenly he’s in the spotlight and on his way to becoming just another egotistical varsity hockey player. And Claire’s sworn off Juniper Falls hockey players for good.

It’s the absolute worst time to fall in love.

For Tate and Claire, hockey isn’t just a game. And they both might not survive a body check to the heart.

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Guest Post with Author Julie Cross and Giveaway

Meet Julie Cross author of Chasing Truth.

Julie Cross is a NYT and USA Today bestselling author of New Adult and Young Adult fiction, including the Tempest series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex, Timestorm (St. Martin’s Press).

She’s also the author of the Letters to Nowhere series, Whatever Life Throws at You, Third Degree, Halfway Perfect, and many more to come!

Julie lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former Gymnastics Program Director with the YMCA.

She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres.

Outside of her reading and writing cred, Julie Cross is a committed–but not talented–long distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar weather survivor, expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym shoe addict.

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Feature and Giveaway: You Before Anyone Else by Julie Cross and Mark Perini

Bestselling author Julie Cross teams up with international model Mark Perini to create You Before Anyone Else, a poignant and authentic contemporary YA novel and companion to Halfway Perfect

The supportive friend, the reliable daughter, the doting big sister: Finley is used to being the glue that holds everyone together. But while her sweet demeanor makes her the perfect confidant, her wholesome look isn’t landing her the high-paying modeling jobs, which are what Finley needs if she is going to reopen her mother’s dance studio.

Enter Eddie. He’s intense and driven, not to mention the life of every party, and he completely charms Finley. The last thing she wants is another commitment to stand in the way of her dreams, but when she’s with Eddie, their chemistry takes over and she can let go of her responsibilities and just be. After all, what’s so wrong about putting herself first once in a while?

Except Eddie is hiding a secret. A big secret. And when it surfaces, he and Finley are going to have to choose between their love for each other and everything else…

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ARC Review: Whatever Life Throws at You by Julie Cross

Fantastic! I was glued to my kindle all day. I loved everything about this story and if all of Julie Cross's books are this good I've definitely been missing out. I'm not even a baseball fan but this made me want to turn on a game and watch, especially if there are hottie pitchers like Jason Brody playing.

I really enjoyed Whatever Life Throws at You and found it hard to put down. It took me a few pages to get into the story but once I was in I was hooked. Seriously, I couldn't stop reading. I loved Jason Brody and Annie. I thought they were so damn adorable but not only that, they had great chemistry together. I was rooting for these two pretty much from the beginning and when they finally came had their "moment" I couldn't help but have a huge smile on my face. Brody and Annie were cute and charming but I just loved they way they were with each other. They were each other's support system and I loved that they just seemed to click and that they brought out the best in one another.

What I really loved about this book is that is was just an all-around great book. It had dept and emotion but at the same time it was witty and sexy. I fell in love with this world that Julie Cross created and the characters that graced the pages. I can't wait to get my hands on more from Julie Cross and I hope that we get to see more of this world that she has created. I highly recommend this one especially if you are a baseball fan. But even if you're not, don't miss this one. It's really good!

**ARC provided by NetGalley**

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