Blurb:
She’s good at achieving her goals…
College senior Sabrina James has her whole future planned out: graduate from college, kick butt in law school, and land a high-paying job at a cutthroat firm. Her path to escaping her shameful past certainly doesn’t include a gorgeous hockey player who believes in love at first sight. One night of sizzling heat and surprising tenderness is all she’s willing to give John Tucker, but sometimes, one night is all it takes for your entire life to change.
But the game just got a whole lot more complicated…
Tucker believes being a team player is as important as being the star. On the ice, he’s fine staying out of the spotlight, but when it comes to becoming a daddy at the age of twenty-two, he refuses to be a bench warmer. It doesn’t hurt that the soon-to-be mother of his child is beautiful, whip-smart, and keeps him on his toes. The problem is, Sabrina’s heart is locked up tight, and the fiery brunette is too stubborn to accept his help. If he wants a life with the woman of his dreams, he’ll have to convince her that some goals can only be made with an assist.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Side Notes:
- Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Adult Fiction
- Highly recommend for 16 years and above
- TW: Abortion (mentioned), Alcohol use, Attempted sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy
- 4th book in the Off Campus Series
Book Quotes:
- “My goal, once upon a time, was to succeed. I didn’t realise that success wasn’t grades or scholarships or achievements, but the people I was lucky enough to have in my life.”
- “You’re the only one for me. My sun rises and sets on your smile. My heart beats because yours does.”
- “We all hurt. We all love. We’re the same. And your past, who you live with, where you came from, it doesn’t have to matter. You’re creating your own future, and I want to see where the road forward takes you.”
- “I love you,” she confirms. I take a step closer. “Since when?” “Since fucking always.”
- “Rules are for suckers and boring people,”
- “Just out of curiosity, what were the boy names?” Grace hedges, clearly fighting a smile. He cheers up again. “Well, the top contender was Garrett.” I snicker loud enough to rattle Sabrina’s water glass. “Uh-huh,” I say, playing along. “And what was the runner-up?” “Graham.”
- “I fight the grin that’s trying to surface. For all his sweet words and aw shucks smiles, Tucker really is an alpha fucker. I don’t know why that thrills me so much, but it does.”
- “Sometimes I worry that we’re too happy, but then a visit to Nana’s house brings things into focus. We’re happy because we want to be, because we’re pouring our energy and emotion into each other in the best possible way. ”
- “Girl, someone with your schedule isn’t allowed to go a month without sex,” Hope counters. “You’re a walking ball of stress, which means you need a good dicking at least…daily,” she decides. “Every other day,” Carin argues. “Give her lady garden some time to rest.”
- “Mom’s going to love you,” I assure her. “You’ll see.” Mom hates her. Or at least, she’s doing a good job of hiding her love.”
- “She does love me, but sometimes that love is so tainted, I don’t know if it’s hurting me or helping me.”
- “I will up some of that patience and wait for him to open my door. This guy refuses to let me open doors. It’s like he doesn’t understand that I have hands”
- “We’ve both read the same books, so I know direct sunlight is harmful for babies. Whenever I take Jamie out, I make sure she’s wearing her hat and is hidden safely beneath the stroller’s shade screen. I pretty much treat her like she’s a vampire.”
- “There is no worse feeling in this world than seeing the woman you love in pain and being unable to do a damn thing about it.”
- “I don’t want to be a distraction, but I do want you. I think there’s something here, but I’m a patient guy and I’ll take what you have right now. I’m not here to add pressure on you or make things harder. I want to ease your load.”
- “For the past eight hours, I’ve been about as helpful as a fish out of water. Or a fish in water, because what the fuck do fish really offer to society?”
- “Custom-made, of course. Tucker likes to get things custom-made. Probably because the ridiculous shit he comes up with in his head isn’t available to normal consumers.”
- “I’d rather go my whole life in limbo than have him tell me that he’s fallen in love with a woman who isn’t me.”
- “the more I get to know Ray, the more I hate him. The bastard is rude, crude and lewd. He’s not a good dude. Yep, Dr. Seuss could write a series of adult rhyming books about that creep.”
- “Motherhood is hard. Harder than I ever imagined anything could be. It’s harder than studying for my SATs. My LSAT. More challenging than that paper I had to write for the Women’s Studies course in my freshman year that came back to me looking like two red pens had engaged in a murder/suicide all over my typewritten words.”
- “Because love is the ultimate goal. It’s not the one I had strived for, but I was lucky enough, so damn lucky, to achieve it.”
- “Got a moment?” “For you, always.” My heart squeezes. I’ve been AWOL for weeks and he still finds a way to look at me like I’m the only girl in his orbit. I don’t fucking deserve him.”
- “It would be so easy to fall in love with Tucker and allow him to take care of everything.”
- “He’s holding a squirming Jamie in his arms, but her efforts to wiggle out of his grip are futile, because her daddy’s strong as fuck.”
- “His biceps is bigger than her head, but he’s as gentle as a lamb with her.”
- “There’s no one else for me in this world, nobody but you. If I was driving and saw you on the side of the road? You better believe I’d rip out a spark plug or two if it meant getting to spend even five minutes in your presence.”
- “Time is a concept that doesn’t exist in my life.”
- “I pick up my sandwich and take a small bite, chewing extra slow in order to delay having to respond. He’s freaking me out again, with his confident gaze and his matter-of-fact tone. I’ve never met a guy who can throw out phrases like “love at first sight” and “something magical happened” without at least having the decency to blush or look mortified”
- “Trust me,” Fitzy mutters from the couch. “You’re lucky you didn’t.” Logan snickers. “You poor thing—a hot blonde was throwing herself at you. How dare she!” The other guy flushes. “She asked to see my dick!” “And that’s a problem because…?”
- “With each press of his lips against mine, he’s repeating his promise to give me nothing more than what I ask for.”
- “What my new roommate doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Now strip. I’m hungry, woman.”
- “Because I’m going to ruin you for all future guys. I apologise in advance.”