Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


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The figure skater and the hockey player

Thrown for a Loop by Sarina Bowen

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I read my first Sarina Bowen novel over ten years ago. The Year We Fell Down (2014) involved romance, college, and hockey, and I really enjoyed it. I continued to read Bowen’s romance novels, and I thought I’d read all of them. But when I was hunting for good romance novels to take camping with me, I discovered that I’d missed some. I guess I forgot that Bowen might continue writing, and I hadn’t checked if she had anything new. And that’s how I found Thrown […]

Hockey and romance

Bombshells by Sarina Bowen

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I went through a phase some years ago where I read a lot of books by Sarina Bowen because I found them fun and entertaining. Recently, I was looking for good road trip books, and I looked her up again. I realized that I had missed a couple, and decided now was the time to do some catch up. I’m not sure if I intentionally skipped over Bombshells (2021) or I somehow missed it, but I was happy to find another Bowen book that I had not […]

Now they can go and be awful together

Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy

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Jamie Canning always wondered why his best friend from elite summer hockey camp ghosted him. He has an idea though, and it’s the semi-drunken hookup they had during their last week of camp. Still, to Jamie, one bad decision shouldn’t break up a seven-year friendship. Years later at the Frozen Four (cringe) college national championship, Jamie and Wes manage to chat a bit. It is still awkward, but they both push through it with the hopes that they can at least be friendly acquaintances. So, […]

“Even in the midst of a bad decision, I could still live in the moment. And the moment was fine.”

Bittersweet by Sarina Bowen

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This book was a trial. I’ve enjoyed a lot of Bowen’s writing and so kept waiting for this book to pull up. To be fair, it did a little at the end, but it didn’t save it for me. Plot: Griff was a promising college athlete who, just as he was about to make the leap into professional sports, had to quit to go back to take care of the family farm. There he made a life for himself, which he was satisfied with. Until […]

Beach Reads Box Set

Mr Mayfair by Louise Bay

Dear Sexy Ex Boyfriend by Lauren Blakely

The Year We Fell Down by Sarina Bowen

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The Beach Reads Box Set (Vol Two) was offered via the Penny Reid newsletter again this year, I think I picked it up either for free or for $1?  It’s no longer available on Amazon (but resides happily on my kindle).  Of note: I have still not finished Beach Reads Vol One, since I’ve spent the interval following the back catalogues of the authors around. Mr Mayfair was the first story, and properly sucked me in.  Our protagonists are Stella, who was dumped by her […]

I’d like a friend who takes me to Lake Como on a private jet.

Love Lessons by Sarina Bowen

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I saw that Sarina Bowen had a new Brooklyn Bruisers hockey romance out. I’ve read them all so far, and I knew this one would be no exception. Love Lessons (2022) is Book 7 of this hockey series, and Bowen is quickly pairing up anyone and everyone involved with the team–although it’s most often the players. Like I’ve said in my other reviews, I’ve been a hockey fan, so reading about the inner workings of a professional team is good, escapist fun. Vera is a stylist who […]



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