ARC Review: Game Play by Lynda Aicher

Game Play is the first book in Lynda Aicher's new Power Play series. I will admit that I was originally drawn in because this book centers around hockey players, and that something I just can't resist. I also loved the fact that the heroine was a hockey player as well. You don't often see a woman that is so good at such a male dominated sport, and I couldn't wait to get to know her better. I did enjoy the story and the characters, but I also thought there was something missing with this one. While it was good, it wasn't great. 

Dylan and Samantha met while at a pro charity event, and they instantly were drawn to one another. What started out as a bet to beat the other, quickly turned into a night of passion. They agreed to one night but after seeing the way Samantha was on and off the ice, Dylan knew he wanted more. Looking to lock down a contract with his team, Dylan convinced his coach to hire Samantha to help him train. When Samantha agrees to help, she knows that it will be a temporary gig. After having played for Team USA and her college, she has set her sights on a Masters program in sports psychology. She won't let anyone or anything hold her back, even hockey. But Dylan is determined to show her that the chemistry and connection between them is worth changing her plans for. Can he convince her to take a chance on a future together that is different from what she always planned? 

I liked both Dylan and Samantha. Samantha was feisty and independent, and she was such a hard worker. She was determined to be successful at whatever she did, whether it was hockey or school. I loved her dedication and the fact that she was comfortable with who she was. I felt bad for her because she struggled with what so many female athletes do. She was top of her sport, but because of her gender there just weren't opportunities like there are for men. That's part of what really drew me into this story, and I loved how Dylan wasn't afraid to ask for her help. He accepted her talent and skills and listened, and was able to benefit from it. Dylan was great, and I loved that he was such a nice guy. He projected a playboy image for the public, but he was actually quite different. He worked hard for what he wanted, and that is one of the things that really made these two click. They were able to share their love and passion for the sport, and they pushed each other to be better. They supported one another, and I felt like they were able to open each other's eyes in ways others couldn't. While I felt the chemistry and connection between them, I did feel as though Samantha pushed Dylan away far too much. She was sometimes so dead set on something that she missed out on what was right in front of her. I wanted her to take off the blinders and wake up to what she had. 

I do think that while I liked these characters as individuals and as a couple, that they both had moments that could have been better. I felt as though while Dylan was a nice guy, that he didn't really stand out much. He seemed to be sort of reliant on those around him, and didn't really seem to have much of a backbone. Samantha frustrated me at times, and I really wanted to see her a bit softer at times. I felt like these two were well on their way to a connection, but I didn't always see the emotional side to them. They were compatible, but it would have been nicer to see their relationship a bit more than their careers and ambitions. Because we saw more of that, I felt a bit disconnected from them. My favorite parts of this story is when they were training together and challenging one another. They had great banter between them, and I loved seeing them have fun and be playful together. I think if this book had focused a bit more on the growing relationship between the two of them rather than them as individuals, that this easily could have been a four or five star book for me. The writing was good, but I just felt like the story could have used a bit more of Dylan and Samantha together. If you like contemporary romance or sports romance stories though, I would recommend giving this one a shot. I will be looking for more from Lynda Aicher in the future, and I am curious to see where she takes the next book in this.

**ARC Provided by Carina Press**

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Guest Post with Author Lynda Aicher and Giveaway

Meet Lynda Aicher, author of Game Play.

Lynda Aicher has always loved to read. After years of weekly travel implementing computer software into global companies, she ended her nomadic lifestyle to raise her two children. Now her imagination is her only limitation on where she can go and her writing lets her escape from the daily duties as a mom, wife, chauffeur, scheduler, cook, teacher, volunteer, cleaner and mediator. 

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ARC Review: Bonds of Courage by Lynda Aicher

Bonds of Courage is the 6th book in Lynda Aicher's Wicked Play series. These can easily be read as standalones and do not require you to have read the rest. The characters in these books are interconnected, and it was great to see how the different character's stories are intertwined. Bonds of Courage is Vanessa Delcour (Mistress V) and Holden Hauke's story, and I really enjoyed it. Lynda Aicher's writing style was really great, and I was instantly drawn into the story. I didn't want to put this one down, and I thought that it was really well done.

Pro hockey player Holden Hauke has recently relocated after being traded for a picture of him tied to a spanking bench was released. Even though it felt right for him to give up control and be submissive, the backlash on his career wasn't worth it. Ever since he has been trying to clean up his image and avoid being the subject of any type of rumor. When he feels the need to give in to his desires, he applies for membership at The Den. The exclusive sex club is the one place he can explore his desires and keep a low profile. But when he comes face to face with the woman who helped orchestrate his trade, he begins to worry he has been found out. Vanessa Delcour is part owner of The Den and is an experienced Domme. She immediately is against taking Holden as her sub, but once he figures out what she is doing at The Den he won't take no for an answer. He sets out to prove to her that he belongs to her and that he is exactly the type of sub she needs. As they begin to explore the passion between them, they realize that the other fulfills their needs in a way no one else ever has. But Vanessa has been betrayed in the past and isn't convinced that Holden is any different than every other guy out there. Can Holden prove to Vanessa that what they have together is worth fighting for?

I really liked Holden. He was such an easy going guy, and he had complete trust in Vanessa. He gave in to his desires and didn't question what he enjoyed. I loved how comfortable he was with his sexuality, and how he was able to just lose himself in the moment. He was also really sweet and caring, and knew exactly what Vanessa needed. He was the perfect balance for her uptight personality and I thought that he brought out such a different side to her. I liked that she was able to open up to him and really be different with him than she was with anyone else. Vanessa was harder to warm up to though, and at first she definitely held up to her reputation of being an ice queen. But as the story progressed it was clear that she had been hurt and felt betrayed and it had made her put up walls and have such a tough exterior. She was just trying to protect herself from getting hurt, and I love that Holden was able to crack through her tough shell and get to the person underneath. I thought that they had really great chemistry and the sex between them was smoking hot! These two had the physical connection, but they also had the intense emotional bond as well and that is what made them work so great together.

Overall, I thought that this was a really great story. Sometimes with a BDSM story things get really dark and heavy, and it makes the story drag. But I didn't feel that way at all about Bonds of Courage, and I thought that despite it being an intense relationship that there were plenty of light hearted moments to balance the book out. Holden and Vanessa's relationship had its ups and downs, but I really felt like these two belonged together and that they worked extremely well. I loved the secondary characters, and I thought that they all added a lot to the story. I am really looking forward to seeing what happens next for Noah and Vanessa's sister Liv. I would highly recommend this book if you are looking for a sexy story with BDSM elements to it that doesn't feel as though it is super dark or heavy. I liked that this one wasn't weighed down with a ton of punishments and pain, but rather focused on the beauty of a sub giving themselves to a Domme that took care of them and looked out for them. I look forward to reading more from Lynda Aicher in the future and can't wait for more in this series.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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