A deeply emotional standalone romance set in the worlds of professional basketball and high fashion.
Divorced. Single dad. Traded to a losing squad.
Cheated on, betrayed, exposed.
My perfect life blew up in my face and I'm still picking up the pieces.
The last thing I need is her.
A wildflower. A storm. A woman I can't resist.
Lotus DuPree is a kick to my gut and a wrench in my plans
from the moment our eyes meet.
I promised myself I wouldn't trust a woman again,
but I've never wanted anyone the way I want Lo.
She's not the plan I made, but she's the risk I have to take.
A warrior. A baller. The one they call Gladiator.
Kenan Ross charged into my life smelling all good, looking even better and snatching my breath from the moment we met. The last thing I need is him.
I’m working on me. Facing my pain and conquering my demons.
I've seen what trusting a man gets you.
I. Don't. Have. Time. For. This.
But he just keeps coming for me.
Keeps knocking down my defenses and stealing my excuses
one by one.
He never gives up, and now...I'm not sure I want him to.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
MY THOUGHTS
As I was
reading HOOK SHOT the words going through my head included sigh-worthy, swoony,
a delicious slow-burn, sexy, sultry, sumptuous, steamy and electric. OK, I went
overboard with the ‘S’ words but they fit!
I loved
Lotus DuPree. I loved Kenan Ross. I loved Lotus and Kenan together.
Let’s talk
about Lotus first. She is such a strong and capable woman. She’s heading for
emotionally turbulent times and Ryan does an excellent job in portraying her
vulnerability and confusion as she works her way through issues that stem from
childhood. I really liked that even during times of uncertainty she was an open
and clear communicator. She was never coy or timid in her interactions with
people, especially Kenan. She handles herself well, making her one of the
strongest romance book heroines that I have read.
Kenan really
piqued my interest when he appeared in the previous Hoops books. I do enjoy
reading books about heroes who’ve been previously betrayed by a woman. I wonder
how they’ll react when they show an interest in another woman that’s beyond the
physical. Kenan is a basketball player yet his on-court confidence is not
mirrored in his personal life; he’s been betrayed by his now ex-wife and the daughter
they share is struggling to find her equilibrium as a result of all the
upheaval. Kenan is definitely attracted to Lotus, and he wants to spend time
with her but he is not offering anything beyond a short term arrangement.
And then
there’s Lotus and Kenan together. They are so good! Their chemistry is certainly
combustible but what I enjoyed even more is the time they spent getting to know
one another. They talked, they communicated, and they did not play games. They
spent time together but did not cling. They appreciated each other and they
supported each other. These are relationship goals!
I am a bit
of a latecomer to Kennedy Ryan’s Hoops series. I’ve heard only good things but
somehow placed them on my ‘one of these days’ pile. Perhaps it’s not so foolish
a decision because I got to indulge in these books one after the other without
having to wait for a new release. I
highly recommend the Hoops series but for me, HOOK SHOT stands slightly above
the others. I absolutely loved this book.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
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“Kennedy Ryan further solidifies her spot as not only a top tier writer, but one with heart and perspective that resonates, with her latest novel, Hook Shot.”
Jacinta Howard, USA Today Must Read Author
She is a wife to her lifetime lover and mother to an extraordinary son. She has always leveraged her journalism background to write for charity and non-profit organizations, but enjoys writing to raise Autism awareness most. A contributor for Modern Mom Magazine, Kennedy's writings have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, USA Today and many others. The founder and executive director of a foundation serving Atlanta families living with Autism, she has appeared on Headline News, Montel Williams, NPR and other media outlets as an advocate for families living with autism.
