Title | : | Delay of Game (Portland Storm, #4) |
Author | : | |
Rating | : | |
ISBN | : | - |
Language | : | English |
Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
Number of Pages | : | 318 |
Publication | : | First published August 14, 2014 |
Terrified that her father’s job as coach of the Storm will be the death of him, Sara Thomas wants nothing to do with the sexy hotheaded player who caused her dad to end up in the hospital. And Cam will do anything to rectify the damage he caused—even if it means taking the fall for something he didn’t do. After all, he’s the team enforcer. What he offers up just might save him, his coach, and Sara, too.
Delay of Game (Portland Storm, #4) Reviews
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I loved Cam, but Sara was too harsh for too long. I enjoyed the secondary characters and all the hockey games!
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💝 FREE on Amazon today (4/11/2018)!💝
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5 big Captain Canada stars and it's almost here!
A steady and inexorable romance. A story as sweet as molasses in the midst of a storm of uncertainty and upheaval. Catherine Gayle writes lovely stories with engaging characters you can’t not fall for. And of all the Portland Storm stories so far, this one resonated with me the most.“My heart felt like it was going to thunder out of my chest because of all the feels he was making me feel”
When Cam decided to defend his teammates, he never imagined the chain of events that it would unravel. But being the kind of man he is, he’s dealing with the consequences and trying to put everything to rights especially where Sara, his coach’s daughter, are concerned.
The very confident and self-assured Sara was used to taking care of her father and herself. She’s never looked for love and if she had, she certainly wouldn’t look for it within her father’s players, they were completely off limits. But when circumstances force her hand, she finds herself second guessing everything and powerless to the fact that she must learn to let go of control and accept the helping hand of the people in her hockey family, especially Cam’s.
I liked Sara very much, she made me laugh and there were several character traits I identified with. I could also understand her reluctance and uncertainty to accept the pace at which her relationship with Cam was moving.“When I was ready, he took my hand and stayed right with me. Strong. Steady. Quietly determined. He was like a rock at my side. My rock.”
But just like Sara, I was defenseless against Cam’s charms. He has a soft yet commanding personality. I couldn’t exactly place him in an alpha male role, but rather a very attractive mix between big protector and sweet tender lover.“Was it possible for him to come across as both fierce and soft at the same time? He looked like an avenging teddy bear, like a man determined to love me into submission until I couldn’t help but love him back.”
And for a silent man, he certainly knew how to express his feeling towards Sara. And every time he did, it was completely swoon worthy. And I haven’t even mentioned their physical attraction!
There were very real and unexpected turn of events in the lives of Sara and Cam that it would seem their relationship went from zero to love in the blink of an eye, but the reality was that they’d known each other for several years and Cam had been paying attention.
Catherine incorporates several components seamlessly that make these stories full of emotion and just plain fuller. The hockey element that surrounds the story giving it an up-tempo. The family these hockey players have formed with whom they can count on. The continued storylines of past characters. Jamie Babcock who I’m completely enamored with is shaping up to be an amazing man both on and off the ice. And how to forget Buster, a deaf Pomeranian. Can you guess who he belongs to?
There are so many other aspects I loved about this book and haven’t mentioned. This is a series with which you fall in love every single time.
** ARC graciously provided by author. Thank you so much for the cover! **
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I know 12-year olds who are more mature than this h. What makes it worse is that she knows she is being a whiny bitch, tells herself she is acting like a child, and continues to be a whiny bitch. There is absolutely no connection between the h and H, and no reason is given for him to want to pursue her except that he apparently has a shoe fetish. Seriously, he has a picture on his phone of her shoes that he took without her knowledge, and which he uses as her caller id.
That she is carrying another man's baby, whom she has not informed is going to be dad, rarely appears as even a vague afterthought in either the h or H's repetitive and long-winded inner dialogue.
Oh yeah, this one was a dnf if you haven't guessed by now. I wanted to give this series one more chance. Every author should improve with practice, right? Nope. Didn't happen. -
I just don't have the energy, so I'll just say: Johnny is as lovely as you knew he'd be...
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2.5 Stars
It has a promising start- it even went well for awhile then it just didn't work for me.
This series has a good portion of "tell me" as it does with "show me" moments but this time I didn't love all of the "tell me" parts half way through the book. I got a bit bored. Which stinks because I loved Cam and Sara in the first book of this series.
What I liked:
1. Cam- rough on the ice and soft off the ice when it comes to Sara. I loved how he never blew up at her, never fought with her, and never gave up on her.
2. How everyone cared for Scotty and Sara.
3. No: cheating, drugs, puck bunnies, unnecessary drinking-parties or other stupid drama to make things over the top.
4. Sara- for the most part
5. Scotty -
This one was much better than the last one. I liked Jonny, the hero, especially. I was prepared to like the heroine but she got on my nerves after a while. She was just unnecessarily bitchy. I got tired of her drama. And as I've said before It also bothered me that she didn't even give a passing thought to telling the guy who knocked her up about his baby. How responsible and ethical is that? At least think about it.
The rest of the story was nice. Nice hockey bits. A little too sicky sweet on the everyone loves everyone on the hockey team and all their family too. But that's normal for this series.
I will more than likely continue on with the series. -
The heroine finds out that she is pregnant (by some one night stand) in the beginning of the book, her father, the coach of the team is in hospital with heart trouble and she is getting closer to one of the players.
Hm... I loved all the characters in this book, there were funny, emotional and sexy moments, the hero was a dream! Sigh and I liked the lack of drama but somehow the book never went beyond 'nice' to me. It is an ok read but surely nothing I would recommend to anybody given the fact that there are so many great books out there. -
DNF @ 53%... 2.5 DNF stars.
I'm so tired of DNFing books, but I just can't take forcing myself through them at the same time. I need to make a bookshelf for DNF-rated books just so I can rate them because I also don't like repeatedly using the 'no rating' option.
This sucks because I was so liking this book at first. Cam, the hero, is made out to be this super sweet, caring, and loving dude whereas the heroine is crappy, oddly potty-mouthed, and really just unnecessarily rude and mean.
The plot I'm finding to be cliche and just not surprised by any of it. Everyone just magically loves each other and has these amazing connections while simultaneously randomly dropping the f-bomb in every other word in dialogue, which gets tiring.
Ah... yeah. Just not for me. -
Sara drove me NUTS!!!!!!!!!!!
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IS THIS 'EFFIN AWESOME OR WHAT?
To notice a quote from one of our reviews on a cover!!! This just made our day.
Thank You! -
3.5 stars. Sara just fought Cam too hard for too long. Mixed signals galore. It was a sweet story and Cam could not have been sweeter. But Sara just was a bit too closed off for me.
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I absolutely love Cam!
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I loved Cam, but Sara was too rough for too long. I enjoyed the secondary characters.
Situation get worse is that she knows she is acting like a child, and continues to be like that and throwing tantrums.
Johnny is as good as you knew he'd be...
Seriously, he has a picture on his phone of her shoes that he took without her knowledge, and which he uses as her caller id.
That she is carrying another man's baby, whom she has not informed is going to be dad, appears to us even a vague , as if she tells at the start it would be good and problems are self created by the characters and suspension of 10 games was really harsh on boy...
Johnny is sincerely a love every girl want.. -
I was so happy to be reading about Sara and Cam! I already loved them from the beginning of this series so them getting book was great! I loved how Cam took his time with Sara when she was having a hard time. I loved how he never gave up on her. They totally made sense as a couple. Oh plus I love how everyone always there for one another not just on the ice but off it too. 💙
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3.5 - The story is a little strange, but especially Cam is a great hero. I just like Catherine Gayle's writing style and the whole Portland Storm setting, it's fun to read.
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Ausführliche Rezension:
http://buecher.ueber-alles.net/?p=20280 -
Delay of Game
Portland Storm book 4
by Catherine Gayle
Audible edition narrated by Angel Clark
Delay of Game, book four in Catherine Gayle’s Portland Storm Hockey series is fantastic and addicting. Using a fast-paced, non-stop energy filled dialogue she continues her spot on hockey tutorial while spinning this super story. Her couple are complex and well developed and while the choice may be surprising at first she soon shows readers how well they fit together, plus it doesn’t hurt that their first love scene was a sensual symphony. Her character catch ups keep fans informed but its definitely her captivating couple and how they fall in love that takes center ice in this fast-paced, page-turning keeper shelf read.
By now Angel Clark has all the voices in the audible edition of this super series down pat almost to where fans can tell who’s speaking without being told. Her display of the myriad of emotions in this novel is brilliant and will have listeners fully invested in this fantastic read.
Just when Sarah Thomas, PA/daughter of the head coach of the NHL team the Portland Storm learns she’s pregnant, the result of a broken condom from a date best forgotten, her father suffers a heart attack and her problems have to take a backseat to his. Then she makes matters a hundred times worse when she breaks her ironclad rule and gives into her secret and forbidden desires for one of his players.
Cam (Johnny) Johnson has always had the hots for his head coach’s daughter; when she comes to him for comfort and confides some secrets after her dad’s heart attack he wants to console her without taking advantage of his deep-seated feelings. And he’s determined to keep her in his life when things go farther than they both expect.
Can there be a winner when steely determination meets iron will? -
I have loved this series since the very first book! Hockey and romance and real issues... what's not to love?! Cam is a fabulous romantic hero, strong and powerful, yet a big softie at heart. Sara is a great character, totally devoted to her father and carrying a bit of baggage of her own.
I love that the author brings the whole hockey "family" from book to book, just focusing on a new couple each time. This one was interesting because it brought together two people we already knew from the other books. For me, this book was the most intense emotionally. There is some real sadness and heartache in the midst of a beautiful story, and it really resonated within me.
That is one of my favorite things about the books in this series, that the author doesn't shy away from real subjects and real emotions. Not everything is blissful in Romance Land; there is heartache and pain and loss right along with the love. I can't stand a romance where things come to pass too easily. That doesn't feel real. That isn't something that I can relate to because real love and relationships, life, is messy. These books have all of this.
I have a hard time deciding which of the series is my favorite. Each one brings a new part of the story of the Portland Storms family. This one was emotionally hard for me to read but the story was beautiful!
My Recommendation: The others in the series should be read in order to fully appreciate the story. But this is a fabulous addition to the story! I gave it 4.5 mugs! -
After the uninspiring previous book, I worried that I would also be disappointed with that one, even though both characters had seemed promising before.
Luckily, this was not the case. I really liked the way this book started, with an unexpected (though almost realistically explained) pregnancy discovery by Sara and 10-game suspension for Cam which raised the ire of the team's coach, Sara's father, who end up having a coronary incident in the locker room. Obviously Cam felt responsible for that incident, Sara as well. And both start to spend more and more time together.
The romance was progressive, had quite hot undertone (lots of very obvious chemistry, even though they do not end up behaving like rabbits every other page or chapter) and overall very sweet and convincing.
I also liked how Cam helped Sara growing, accepting her pregnancy, building a first relationship... And I definitely liked that Sara also brought something to Cam that used to miss in his life.
A very good book and among my favorites so far. -
Too me forever to finish this book. The story was so boring which caused me to skip a lot of pages.
I didn't care for Sara that much. The whole my mommy left me and my daddy so I can't love anyone got really tiring. She seemed like she really didn't like Cam at all & that he annoyed the shit out of her. Cam was a little too pushy & manipulated Sara to get what he wanted. -
I loved the first two books in the Portland Storm series, even if some of the topics covered were a little too heavy for my taste. But there was SO much drama in this book. Like, crisis after crisis. I love me some drama but to have things recover only to have something else earth-shattering happen that leaves the characters devastated? I know life throws crap at you but this was too much and took me out of the story. I don't think I'm going to pick up another book in this series thanks to that.
On a good note, I have to applaud how much went into the actual hockey parts. That's what kept me reading, the loving, accurate detail that went into those scenes. -
Delay of the Game 3.5 Stars
Ok I don’t want to give too much away with this review and it would be easy to do. Cam strong silent type, he falls for the head coach’s daughter Sara. Sara is in a bit of a pickle, and Cam wants to step up to the plate and help her through it. Coach has a pretty bad heart attack and has to undergo major surgery.
Cam and the rest of the team step up to help take care of Coach and Sara after she has a mishap of her own. Cam and Sara have to work to figure out how their relationship will work with everything going on.
Ok I think I did good without giving to much away read this book! -
Review Coming Soon - but definitely fantastic!
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Could Jonny be any sweeter? Love this series and can't wait to see what happens with Nicky, Burnzie, Babs and Razor
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I really didn't like the this book ,I dislike Sara thru the story, Not enough chemistry between the couple. I had a hard time finishing this one.
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Ahh Jonny was the best!
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Loved this couple, and the book.
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I freaking loved Cam!!
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So, this book was free on Amazon and since the female lead is called Sara and dating a hockey player and my friend’s sister named Sara is actually dating a professional hockey player I thought it might be funny.
But it turned out to be really, really terrible.
Sara’s dad is the coach of a fictional hockey team (whose main rival are the Vancouver Canucks, which is already bad because they’re my favourites) and has a heart attack because Cam, one of his players, beats up one of the Canucks’ players and subsequently gets suspended for 10 games. That’s pretty ideal, because apparently, in this fictional world, hockey players don’t have to attend training sessions while they’re suspended and therefore have enough time to sex up the coaches’ daughter. Who’s pregnant from some random dude that never appears, but of course, Cam’s a gentleman and wants the baby to be his. Sara’s not so sure she also wants him to be the baby daddy and once the plot is stuck (with Sara’s dad in hospital and all his team and their wives and girlfriends and kids buzzing around him, because that’s what professional hockey players do) she’s involved in a car crash. Now Cam, still suspended, can look after her and carry (yes, because broken ribs need carrying) her around the house. Meanwhile, her father’s been released from hospital and starts bonding with Cam’s dog Buster, eben though he dislikes dogs. Everything’s good, but Sara’s still not sure if she’s in love with Cam. So enter his family, flying in to meet her and confuse her, because all three sisters’ names start with a C (also, obviously, with three younger sisters a guy just knows how to give a girl’s hair a perfect blowout, which comes in handy, because, you know, broken ribs). Unfortunately, the plot is stuck again, so why not let Sara have a miscarriage. Obviously, time for the team and the wives and the girlfriends to once again move into the hospital’s waiting room, because that’s why professional hockey players do when they’re coache’s daughter is miscarrying. I mean, at this point I was just waiting for Sara to become pregnant with Cam’s baby and the team to win the Stanley Cup, but I guess that would have been too much happening in four weeks. Have I mentioned all of the above is happening in four weeks?
If you’re into that kind of story, though, the whole team has to find true love and there are a lot of players on a hockey team so obviously, there are many more novels in the Portland Storm (that’s the team) series. If that doesn’t float your boat, the author also writes romance novels set in the Regency era, which she might know better than hockey, so maybe that’s for you.
I spend too much time reading this book and too much time typing out this review, I better stop now. -
As soon as any author writes about a woman making a choice to keep a baby’s father in the dark about a pregnancy it’s an automatic fail. No woman has the right to make that decision that the baby’s father doesn’t deserve to know about a baby’s existence, unless that father is abusive or poses a threat to that child.
This story could have been written differently and still had the same storyline. The father could have had the opportunity to opt out of the baby’s life, or he could have made the decision to be in the baby’s life but not in a relationship with the mother. Either of those options would have been fine and the storyline could have continued as written. She had obvious had his contact details in order to organise their date, so there’s no way she couldn’t contact him or track him down.
Also, I really didn’t like the heroine. At all. She just comes across as a spoiled princess who has no consideration for others. She’s very immature and doesn’t seem to have any redeeming features.
Plus, her father mentions that he had counselling for a long time after his wife (her mother) left them, so why the fuck would he not organise counselling for his 10 year old daughter?!?! That makes zero sense. He can see she is emotionally stunted but has done nothing about it. What sort of a parent does nothing to help their child adjust to parental abandonment? And how convenient that the mother is portrayed as purely a bad person. She parents her daughter for 10 years and then abandons her without any further contact at all? That doesn’t ring true either.
I am done with this series.