Review: ‘Second Shot with #76’ by Piper Rayne
Second Shot with #76
by Piper RayneSeries: Hockey Hotties #5
Published by Self-Published on April 19, 2022
SubGenres: Contemporary Romance, Interracial Romance, Multicultural Romance
Format: AudioBook, eBook
Pages: 256
Narrator: Vanessa Edwin, Chance Smolders
Length: 6 Hours And 34 Minutes
Source: Library - Libby, Purchased
Audience: 18+/Adult
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My mom always said you don’t get a second shot at making a first impression. I’ve remembered that my entire career. Especially since I’m one of the few black men who play professional hockey.
I’m calculated and respectful in the way I speak to my coaches, the owners, and the media. I’ve never taken a risk… until her.
I could blame it on the fact that for once I pushed away the pressure of my career for the ocean waves, the sand, and good times with my new teammates. But those are excuses because the minute I saw her at the airport, something lit up inside me and the best week of my life was spent with her in my bed.
After our week in paradise, we said goodbye, exchanged phone numbers and both assumed that unless one of us was flying through the other’s city on the opposite side of the country, our vacation fling was over.
Then one night after practice I see her. She’s here. In my city. Telling me she moved here for a job. If that’s not fate tell me what is.
I’ve never wanted a second shot more than I do this time, but she’s determined to leave what we were on the island we left behind.
Second Shot with #76 is the fifth installment in Piper Rayne’s Hockey Hotties series and features the following tropes: hockey romance, celebrity romance, and a second chance at love. As a fan of these tropes, I was eager to read Ande and Cory’s book, having been introduced to them in Tropical Hat Trick. However, despite its promising storyline, this book didn’t quite hit the mark with me, primarily due to the plot twist that happened.
I was excited that Ande and Cory were going to have a second chance at love, especially with their encounter in Tropical Hat Trick. Cory is a known player on his hockey team, but after meeting Ande, he ends up having strong feelings for her. Then she left to go back home after vacation, and he went back to his old ways until he found out she was in Florida now for her new job. Now, he has a chance to redeem himself, but unfortunately Ande makes it hard for him, especially after she finds out what happened after she was with him.
I enjoyed this book until the plot twist, and then it went downhill for me. I almost didn’t finish the book because of it, but I powered through. I didn’t even care that Cory was a player initially because he thought he would never see Ande again. The issue I had was with Ande and what she did to him due to the plot twist. (I’m trying to be vague without spoiling for readers who haven’t read this book yet.) I lost my respect for her after what she did and felt that she didn’t deserve Cory. He was trying to let her know how much he cared for her, but she had other plans, even though she was falling for him. Ande trusted the wrong person because of that person’s petty jealousy and revenge play. The book would have definitely received more stars if that plot twist never happened.
I’m sad I didn’t enjoy this book more because this is one of my favorite hockey romance series by the author duo Piper Rayne. Hopefully, the last book in the series will receive a higher rating from me.
Trope(s)/Element(s):
🏒Sports/Hockey Romance
🏒Celebrity Romance
🏒Second Chance at Love
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About Piper Rayne
Piper Rayne is a USA Today Bestselling Author duo who write "heartwarming humor with a side of sizzle" about families, whether that be blood or found. They both have e-readers full of one-clickable books, they're married to husbands who drive them to drink, and they're both chauffeurs to their kids. Most of all, they love hot heroes and quirky heroines who make them laugh, and they hope you do, too!
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