I had an extremely mixed reaction to this book, but enjoyed it enough to want to pick up the next book in the series so… Well, I gave it a three star rating. So Over You by Kate Meader is out today according to Goodreads so if you’re not turned off by my negatives and are excited about the positives, you could be in luck! If you’re in desperate need of another hockey romance, this book is here for you. Oh and standard disclaimer that I got this book from NetGalley early applies here. My opinions are very much my own because I’m too opinionated to lie.
Goodreads Blurb
Three estranged sisters struggle to sustain their late father’s failing hockey franchise in Kate Meader’s sizzling Chicago Rebels series. In this second entry, middle sister Isobel is at a crossroads in her personal and professional lives. But both are about to get a significant boost with the addition of a domineering Russian powerhouse to the Rebels….
Isobel Chase knows hockey. She played NCAA, won Olympic silver, and made it thirty-seven minutes into the new National Women’s Hockey League before an injury sidelined her dreams. Those who can’t, coach, and a position as a skating consultant to her late father’s hockey franchise, the Chicago Rebels, seems like a perfect fit. Until she’s assigned her first job: the man who skated into her heart as a teen and relieved her of her pesky virginity. These days, left-winger Vadim Petrov is known as the Czar of Pleasure, a magnet for puck bunnies and the tabloids alike. But back then… let’s just say his inability to sink the puck left Isobel frustratingly scoreless.
Vadim has a first name that means “ruler,” and it doesn’t stop at his birth certificate. He dominates on the ice, the practice rink, and in the backseat of a limo. But a knee injury has produced a bad year, and bad years in the NHL don’t go unrewarded. His penance? To be traded to a troubled team where his personal coach is Isobel Chase, the woman who drove him wild years ago when they were hormonal teens. But apparently the feeling was not entirely mutual.
That Vadim might have failed to give Isobel the pleasure that was her right is intolerable, and he plans to make it up to her—one bone-melting orgasm at a time. After all, no player can perfect his game without a helluva lot of practice…
Opinion Time
I don’t know why that gif felt necessary, but are you as confused as I am by the way this cat is dancing? It feels so wrong. But it’s so funny I can’t look away?
Anyway, I thought we would begin with what I enjoyed about the book.
1. Vadim and Isobel have some serious chemistry.
2. There’s a whole scene where Isobel is specifically instructing Vadim on how to give her pleasure and Vadim’s ego is not at all injured.
3. I enjoyed the relationship between the sisters.
4. I like that Isobel was competent; she’s the one giving coaching lessons, but it was as if they were on equal ground rather than him being so far superior to her.
5. The discussions of sexism in the work place were very centered in the narrative. That’s a (small) aspect of the overall conflict.
6. The relationship between Vadim and his sister, Mia.
7. Vadim’s relationship with his mom.
If you’re thinking, “girl, you just listed seven positives, how on earth do the negatives out weigh those?” that is an excellent question. It also requires more words. So, on to the cons:
1. Girl hate.
It is the 21st century, someone please explain to me why romance novels still have internalized misogyny at this level. PLEASE. I get that it’s tempting to allow jealousy to consume us and make us petty when another woman is gorgeous and we’re not feeling super great about ourselves, but I just feel like hockey romances especially tend to veer too far past the line into slut shaming puck bunnies and embracing that petty jealousy. I’m not here for it. It frustrates me immensely. However, this was mostly at the beginning of the novel so I was able to mostly let it go.
2. Plot holes??
Part of the story that’s more or less explained in the blurb is that Isobel’s private conversation with her sister Violet is overheard by one of the hockey players (Shay). However, Vadim later randomly knows more about that conversation than what was repeated to him in a club. Then, he ultimately confesses to not having been the one to overhear Isobel talking. It was extremely odd and I really hope it was cleaned up in the final version that you all will read. Please let me know if it is!
3. ???
I’m not sure if I have a specific third reason, there was just something that I didn’t love about this book, which was sad because I adored the only other book by Meader that I’ve read.
So, there you have it. My mixed feelings about this book explained as best as I can. If you read So Over You, let me know what you think! I’m very curious for your opinions.
xx
firewhiskeyreader 