The Trouble With Valentine's Day (2012) - Plot & Excerpts
Romance and Fantasy for Cosmopolitan GirlsTerzo appuntamento con la serie “Chinooks Hockey team” di Rachel Gibson. Protagonisti questa volta sono Kate Hamilton e l'ex giocatore di hockey Rob Sutter.Kate si trova in viaggio per raggiungere un paesino dello Stato dell'Idaho dove vive il nonno. Ha lasciato Las Vegas e il suo lavoro di detective privata, perché ha bisogno di staccare e capire cosa vuole davvero dalla vita. Alle spalle ha un relazione finita male. L'ex fidanzato l'ha lasciata dopo due anni perché non ancora pronto per il matrimonio, mentre lei avendo superato la trentina, si sentiva pronta a compiere quel passo. La delusione più grande l'ha avuta però quando si è ritrovata a leggere su un rotocalco, che alla fine il suo ex è convolato a nozze dopo pochi mesi che frequentava la futura moglie. Questo ha gettato Kate nello sconforto, cominciando a farle pensare che qualcosa in lei è sbagliato. Per tagliare i ponti con tutto e tutti, decide di trascorrere del tempo con il nonno e aiutarlo a riprendersi dalla morte della adorata moglie anche se ormai sono trascorsi due anni.Durante il viaggio, una tempesta la obbliga a fermarsi a dormire in un paese di montagna. Si ritrova seduta da sola al bar del Duchin Lounge nella serata di San Valentino, e dopo diverse tazze di rum caldo, prende la decisione e il coraggio di abbordare il ragazzo che le siede sullo sgabello di fianco al suo. Rob è a Sun Valley per trascorrere una vacanza sulla neve insieme ad alcuni amici ma quando Kate fa la prima mossa, lui, nonostante ammetta a se stesso di esserne attratto, la rifiuta senza troppi complimenti.Dopo quella batosta Kate si ritira nella sua stanza e il mattino seguente riprende il viaggio.Inizia a lavorare nel negozio del nonno e lo aiuta nella gestione quando un giorno si ritrova davanti lo stesso sconosciuto incontrato al bar. Rob gestisce il negozio di attrezzature sportive dall'altra parte della piazza ed è un amico del nonno.Kate cerca di evitarlo, troppo imbarazzata per il rifiuto ricevuto ma si tranquillizza quando vede che lui non fa nessun accenno a ciò che è avvenuto in quel bar.I protagonisti sono entrambi due persone con un carattere molto forte e deciso, e lo scontro tra loro avviene in più di un'occasione. Ci sono una serie di battibecchi interessanti tra di loro ma è innegabile l'attrazione che li lega e alla fine nessuno dei due riesce ad evitare di restare coinvolto dall'altro.“Sono venuta a Gospel per rifarmi una vita, e ho trovato te, il protagonista delle mie fantasie erotiche.”Ammettere di amarsi però non è semplice visto le delusioni che entrambi hanno alle spalle e quando la ex moglie di Rob gli propone di tornare insieme, quello che lo lega a Kate sembra vacillare pericolosamente tanto che li porterà ad allontanarli.La decisione da prendere a questo punto è solo una.Rob lascerà che la paura di impegnarsi lo faccia rinunciare a l'unica donna di cui si sia mai innamorato?“Mi sono chiuso in me stesso. Finché non sei arrivata tu e hai riportato il sole nella mia vita. Non voglio tornare alla triste esistenza che conducevo prima che tu mi facessi le avances quella sera. “Molto tenera è la storia tra il nonno di Kate e la mamma di Rob, a dimostrazione che l'amore non ha età e che può arrivare in ogni momento.Questa lettura scorre veloce ed è perfetta per chi ama le storie romantiche, ideale per una giornata al mare. Non ci sono riferimenti agli altri due libri che lo precedono, fatta eccezione a qualche nome riportato di un giocatore di hockey, quindi ogni libro è conclusivo e non necessita di essere letto seguendo la pubblicazione della serie.
Oh man, I hope the soul patch the lead male (Rob Sutter) is sporting gets shaved or something, because I just can't handle a guy with a soul patch. Rachel Gibson does such a great job of balancing humor with serious issues. Plus there is no other author I have ever read who writes about hockey in such an incredibly fantastic way as she does; hands down. I don't know what it says about me but if I was known around town as the woman who men thought wanted their ball sacks as chain purses I would be delighted. Go Kate Hamilton!!! (that's the lead female characters name by the way) Right, so I'll never be able to be in a grocery store without blushing again. Whoooeeee…..Their first booty scene is caliente! Is it weird to say I felt like at times this book was to grown up for me? Rob dealing with an ex-wife wanting to get back together and missing his daughter just seemed like really heavy adult stuff. Ms. Gibson never flushed this part of the story out enough though, and left it sort of hanging with no real resolution. There were so many moments in this story that made me smile, not quite laugh out loud. I felt like I smiled the whole time I was reading it, even though I had to wait until the last thirty pages or so until the soul patch was shaved. Rob and Kate's relationship never felt completely put together. They liked to have sex together and had witty repartee; apparently a couple months of this equaled marriage for them. I just needed to see more connection between the two. The epilogue was cute, but once again this was an okay book, not great. Rob and Kate's relationship didn't have the emotional depth which makes other couples so memorable. Gibson's other two books "Simply Irresistible" and "See Jane Score" have lead characters who completely immerse you into the story. I felt those couples troubles and tribulations, not so with this book. There are plenty of other chik-lit books out there which are better, so I would suggest passing this one right on by. Well, unless you are a hockey fan and crave stories with any mention of hockey in them (which is sorely lacking in the romance genre world if you ask me). There was some great Teemu Selanne talk in this one. Oh and as much as I liked Rob's python tattoo, Luc's (See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson) horseshoe tattoo is still tops in my book. Damn…sigh.......ok back, sorry went somewhere for a second.
What do You think about The Trouble With Valentine's Day (2012)?
This one was one of my favorites of the whole Chinooks Hockey series, although there wasn't much about hockey in it. The hero, Rob Sutter, 36, is a retired Seattle Chinook now running a sporting goods store in small Gospel, Idaho. Rob is newly divorced after (view spoiler)[ cheating on his wife and experiencing his own "Fatal Attraction" and barely escaping with his life, if not his career. (hide spoiler)]
—Auntee
5 StarsJust what the doctor ordered. I was having issues getting into any book - not the books' fault but rather my state of mind. Just for this book, I also think my rating scale needs adjustment. Sometimes, if a book hits all components needed within the reader, at the time being read, it should count whether it is terribly unique, cranks on emotions, demonstrates exemplary writing, etc. Sometimes, just because, is good enough. This one is a 5 Star read for me, just because.This is my favorite of the Chinook series. It probably had the least hockey in it, which isn't why I liked it so much. It really would be a reason not to like it as much as I did. I just connected to these two individuals; their back-stories and the ultimate ending. Have you ever been in a relationship that was trouble from the start but you just couldn't get away? You know the relationship isn't good for you, you know it probably isn't the best for the other person, but rather like a bad habit, shit just keeps you there? This was the case for Rob. He finally exited out of a bad relationship, but had more than his share of baggage as a result. Then you have Kate, who had life happen and begins to doubt herself and seeks refuge. These two start out star-crossed, but eventually figure out they are the other half of each other. They have passion, but more than that, they comfort each other and in the end, neither can find their peace without the other.Life for me has been about the search for peace. These two and their story speak to that and I found it comforting and powerful. A bit of fluff? Maybe, but for me it was just what I needed, when I needed it.This will be one of my favorite reads and will be one I'll turn to time and again. For all the reasons above, I recommend it highly. Others may read this and think [she] is out of my ever lovin', but then this is why we are all so different. This book spoke to my baggage...Happy Reading! Woo Hoo -- finally available for my NOOK!!
—Michelle [Helen Geek]
I loved this story. Kate was an independent woman living in Vegas till her world was turned upside down. She moves in with her aging grandfather in a little mountain town in Gospel, Idaho. Rob Sutter lives in Gospel, Idaho now because of irreversible events. He is more than a little gun shy when it comes to forward women. They have an auspicious beginning before she ever reaches Gospel that makes Kate wish she could have disappeared. Months go by and he walks into her grandfather's store, and acts like he doesn't know her, but does he? Kate hangs on the hope that he was a roaring drunk and remembers nothing. But the scoundrel remembers everything and doesn't miss a chance in reminding her off her salacious intentions that fateful night of mere fantasy. This is a well written story. It was sexy, and funny and I visions of Joe Manganiello as Rob, yeah I could see it. I loved the characters even though sometimes Rob could be such a guy. Kate's feelings about Rob and how she tried to protect herself were spot on. Love Gibson's work.
—PepsiGirl
