Review: Simmering Ice by Veronica Forand & Susan Scott Shelley
Simmering Ice
Book Two
Veronica Forand
Susan Scott Shelley
129 Pages
Release Date: 07/07/2015
PUBLISHER: ENTANGLED PUBLISHING | IMPRINT: LOVESTRUCK
GENRE: CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE | SERIES ROMANCE
SERIES: ATLANTIC CITY HUSTLERS | HEAT LEVEL: SWEET & MILD
When the gloves come off, she’s worth the penalty…
Physical therapist Annie Davidson is great at her job but unlucky when it comes to love. She’s just out of a bad relationship. A really bad relationship. All she can do is focus on work…that is until she runs into professional hockey player Alec O’Meara. She’s a touch insecure and doesn’t understand why he’s interested in her.
Despite being one of the biggest players on the team, right wing Alec O’Meara prefers finesse over force. After the tragic death of his wife, he likes to keep things loose on and off the ice. But the red-headed Annie challenges his beliefs and makes him think about taking their relationship to the net.
The passion and fun they share is addicting and makes them long for more. But her insecurities that she’s not good enough, and his anxiety over a long-term commitment will keep them apart, unless they can find a way to break through the defenses they’ve built around their hearts.
Simmering Ice is the second book in the Atlantic City Hustlers series by Veronica Forand and Susan Scott Shelley for Entangled Publishing’s Lovestruck imprint. In the book, Alec O’Meara meets physical therapist Annie Davidson during a team visit to the children’s ward at the hospital. There’s an attraction right away between them, but both have their doubts about exploring it for different reasons.
Like the first book in the Atlantic City Hustlers series, I enjoyed this read a lot, but unlike Flirting On Ice, Simmering Ice has much deeper characterization and a deeper, more complex overall feel to it. Where the first book had somewhat of a flirtatiousness to it, this book holds a more serious vibe, which actually served to make me love Alec and Annie’s story more than Zac and Heather’s story.
I love that a part of Alec still grieves for his late wife because it shows how deeply he cared about her. I also love that Annie understands his grief and feels for him on it, because it made for a deeper emotional connection in their budding relationship while also serving as a point of worry for Annie. She knows what Alec has been through–everyone knows what Alec has been through–and she doesn’t push him just to move on with his life, the same way Alec doesn’t push himself to rush his growing attraction to Annie, or his desire to take her to bed The slow-build relationship worked well for these characters, and the overall story, which makes me really glad the authors chose to go that route with the book.
Simmering Ice is a lot like one of those really good two hour romance movies that just make you smile and sigh and love the fact that two people who needed someone in their lives were able to find each other at the right time and make it work.
If you like sweet love stories with depth and slow-build relationships with substance, Simmering Ice is a terrific, satisfying romance story, and the best kind of quick weekend read. I highly recommend giving it a shot.
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About Veronica Forand
Veronica Forand is an attorney and an award-winning writer of romantic suspense. She’s lived in Boston, London, Paris, Geneva, and Washington, DC and currently resides near Philadelphia. An avid traveler, she loves to roam across continents with her husband and kids in pursuit of skiing, scuba diving, and finding the perfect piece of chocolate.
She’s lived in London, Paris, Geneva, Washington D.C., and the accent destroying city of Cleveland. She currently resides near Philadelphia.
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About Susan Scott Shelley
Susan Scott Shelley is an award-winning author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense who spends her days writing about tough heroes, smart heroines, and love being the strongest magic there is.
For as long as she can remember, she has been in love with Love, and the sweeping grand gestures, heart-sighing moments, fiery passion, and quiet comforts it entails.
In addition to writing romances, she is also a profession voice over artist. Her favorite things include running, sports (especially football and hockey), hard rock and old Hollywood movies. She resides outside Philadelphia with her very own Superhero and believes life should be lived with laughter, enthusiasm, and a sense of wonder.
