Book Review: Clean Sweep by V.L. Lockey

Clean Sweep by V.L. Lockey

Let's welcome V.L. Locey today. Clean Sweep is the first book in her exciting new series, Venom. If you like hockey, then you will absolutely love this book! Ms. Lockey is holding a Rafflecopter drawing for a $20 Amazon gift card. I have provided the link with this post. Good luck!

Publisher & Release Date: Top Ten Press, November 14, 2014

Time and setting: Present Day, Philadelphia, PA

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Sports Romance

Length:  155 pages

Heat Level: 1 Scorching Hot Flame

Rating: 4 Gold Crowns

Book Description:

Fiery, flame-haired Jane Bratkowski is catapulted from a small college town in Philadelphia to become head coach of a new women’s hockey team, The Venom. It’s a life-changing opportunity, a dream come true – in a cruel twist of fate that could turn into a nightmare – she comes face to face with her ex-husband Tore Ahlbreg, the Wildcats’ head of European Scouting.

Suddenly, Jane’s faced with more challenges than she bargained for: Will she let him distract her – and derail her big chance to coach pro hockey? Can she build a team of relatively inexperienced, irrepressible young women into champions? Can she and Tore triumph over the gut-wrenching tragedy that ripped them apart – or will the shocking truth of their passionate past threaten to destroy them once again?

Book Link:

AMAZON KINDLE US –http://www.amazon.com/Clean-Sweep-V-L-Locey-ebook/dp/B015VNMY9A/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1443800272&sr=8-10&keywords=v.l.+locey

AMAZON KINDLE UK – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Clean-Sweep-V-L-Locey-ebook/dp/B015VNMY9A/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1443800785&sr=1-3&keywords=clean+sweep

BARNES & NOBLES NOOK – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/clean-sweep-v-l-locey/1122731369?ean=2940152378740

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26096700-clean-sweep

Vikki’s Musings

This is the first book I have read by V.L. Lockey, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is a sports romance, which isn’t my normal read. I know very little about hockey, but that didn’t matter. This is a second chance love story, and it touched my heart. I always enjoy reunited past lovers. I also love a book that makes me laugh out loud!

Jane Bratkowski becomes the head coach for the female NHL team, the Venoms. A team that needs a lot of work, but she is more than up to the challenge. When she comes face to face with her ex-husband, Tore Ahlbreg, it’s the last thing she wants. The break up of their marriage is still too painful, especially when she needs to be focusing on recruiting new players for her team.

As the couple is forced to work closely together, they also have to face their heartache from their shared past. Can Jane and Tore finally overcome what tore them apart so many years ago?

Clean Sweep is written in the first person POV of Jane Bratkowski. Her character is feisty, snarky and hilarious! She had me laughing out loud on numerous occasions. Another point in her favor is her love of her little dog. Their antics added greatly to the story. When Jane confronts her loss, it brought tears to my eyes. I could feel her dread at opening that door.

I know I’m being very vague, but I don’t want to give anything away. You will need to read Clean Sweep to find out, and you definitely want to do that.

Tore Ahlbreg’s character is a mixed bag for me. Probably because Clean Sweep is written in first person, I didn’t bound with him. He came across a bit stiff, and I really didn’t understand why everything went south for him the first time around with Jane.

Clean Sweep is much more than a book about female hockey players, it’s a well-written story of overcoming unbearable loss and forgiveness. I really liked the message in this book. If you enjoy sports romances with loads of sparkling dialogue and amusing characters, then you will love Clean Sweep. Happy reading!

EXCERPT

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask him how, or why, he remembered so much from our years of wedded bliss. Instead, I marched into the bathroom, Pomeranians in hand, then shut the door on him, his tie, and those damned recollections of a time best left in the past.

                  I washed my face then set to work on detangling. I accomplished this with snarling expletives aimed at long dead ancestors. The boys were restless. I laid down my hairbrush then snuck over to the door. I couldn`t hear my ex on the other side. I cracked the door just enough to peer through. Tore was standing at the sliding glass door. He still cut a fine figure from the back even though he was now in his early fifties. Wide shoulders, lean waist, long legs. The sun made his straw-colored blonde hair look like spun gold. It was time to stop, Jane. I had thought to ask him to walk the dogs but after that Rumpelstiltskin moment, perhaps a brisk walk would do me good. I closed the door quietly. Ten minutes later I stepped out, face freshly scrubbed, hair beaten into submission, and dogs in dire need.

                  "I have to get dressed," I told Tore when he turned from the city to look at me.

                  "You want me to leave?" I nodded. "We were married, Jane. Unless you have done some alterations, there is nothing I have not seen before."

                  I felt a slight flush rushing up behind the freckles on my cheeks. "There have been no alterations. Go wait on the patio. I mean it, Tore. Don`t give me that stupid look. Go."

                  "Stupid look? I have a stupid look?" he asked, a definite twinkle in his eye. A sharp comment was resting on my tongue. I swallowed it back to be nice. It was only seven am. Even ex-husbands deserve a small kindness from time to time.

AUTHOR BIO

V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, two dogs, two cats, a flock of assorted domestic fowl, and three Jersey steers.

When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand. She can also be found online on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and GoodReads.

 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/VL-Locey/124405447678452

Twitter - https://twitter.com/vllocey

Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/vllocey/

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5807700.V_L_Locey

My blog - http://thoughtsfromayodelinggoatherder.blogspot.com/

tsú - https://www.tsu.co/vllocey

a Rafflecopter giveaway