Wild Heart (Viper's Heart #2)
by Beth Ehemann
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For Lawrence “Viper” Finkle, hockey isn’t just a sport, it’s a way of life. Since the first time he stepped onto the ice at just eight years old, he knew what he was meant to do, and he does it well. When his career takes an unexpected hit, and his relationship is pushed to the breaking point, he’s left sidelined and wondering what his future holds.
Just when he’s sure things can’t get any worse…they do.
Can Viper pull himself together in time to save his career, his girl, and his sanity? Or will he be permanently benched?
My Review
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
FINALLY! Viper is back! I feel like we have been waiting forever for his book and it was well worth the wait.
It's been a little over a year since we last saw Viper and life is great. He's extremely happy, he's playing great hockey and has found the love of his life. So what could possibly go wrong? A lot, actually.
After suffering an injury that puts him out for a good portion of the season, Viper falls apart. He not only pushes away the one person in his life that loves him the most, but he essentially turns into a jerk. Even Brody gets mad at him. He makes some poor decisions and has to do a good amount of groveling. But I will say this...when Viper says he is sorry, he really means it and is not going to stop until he is forgiven. The guy loves HARD. And when he does the aforementioned groveling it only made me love him more. There's just something about Viper laying out all his cards and showing the vulnerability that he works so hard to keep hidden. **sigh**
And the return of Viper means the return of Gam! I freaking love that woman! She is loving, hilarious and has no problem putting Viper in his place, which he needed a good helping of in this book! And I don't really know why, but I love it when she curses and drops the f bomb. I also had to laugh when she vehemently denied that she has a boyfriend because my family basically had the same conversation with my 80 something grandma. Gotta love it!
And of course Kacie and Brody are back and my love for them only grew while reading this book. They are both wonderful people and it just sealed the fact that I really need to do a reread of their series. This book is a great follow up to the first book and is definitely a must read for fans of Beth Ehemann.
Oh and before I forget there is something that happens towards the end of this book that took my breath away. It was a perfect moment that once I got my breath back made me cry buckets. God, I love when that happens.
Lucy, Piper, Matthew, and Emma ate fast and scampered off to play Ping-Pong in the basement while Grace and Maura toddled around the family room, chewing on everything they could get their hands on.
“Want a glass of wine?” Kacie asked as she put the last of the pizza in the fridge.
“Um . . . nah. I’ve been fighting a headache all day and that would just make it worse.”
Kacie nodded and filled her wine glass with Riesling. She grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and balanced the drinks carefully in her hands as she stepped over our makeshift baby gate of pillows and an ottoman.
“Thanks.” I took the bottle from her, ready to relax and watch our boys play. The second period was just starting and the Wild were already up 2—0.
I didn’t think the day could get much better.
Kacie plopped down roughly, giggling when she spilled a little wine down the front of her shirt. “Oh well.” She shrugged and took another sip.
“Thanks for tonight, Kacie. You have no idea how much I needed this.”
“Oh my goodness, don’t mention it. It’s been so fun. I think this should be our new road trip tradition.”
“I’ll drink to that,” I said as I held my water up in the air. She grinned and immediately leaned over, touching her glass with my bottle.
We relaxed back into her oversized couch happily, while our babies played and boys kicked ass on TV.
Just before the second period was ending, there was a breakaway play and Viper was all alone, dribbling the puck down the ice toward the goal. Kacie and I both sat forward in our seats, praying for another Wild goal. He skated along the boards, nearing the goalie, when out of nowhere Ricky Young from the St. Louis Blues barreled into him, sending him crashing into the glass.
“Holy shit!” I jumped up and covered my mouth.
Hard hits were nothing new in hockey, but that one was brutal, and it was obvious by the way his body flew that Viper had no idea Ricky was even near him.
“He’s okay. He’s totally fine,” Kacie tried to reassure me, taking a step closer as she put her hand on my arm.
But . . . he wasn’t okay.
Within a couple of seconds, the station cut to a commercial break and fear exploded inside of my chest.
Not again. Oh God, please not again.
“Want a glass of wine?” Kacie asked as she put the last of the pizza in the fridge.
“Um . . . nah. I’ve been fighting a headache all day and that would just make it worse.”
Kacie nodded and filled her wine glass with Riesling. She grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and balanced the drinks carefully in her hands as she stepped over our makeshift baby gate of pillows and an ottoman.
“Thanks.” I took the bottle from her, ready to relax and watch our boys play. The second period was just starting and the Wild were already up 2—0.
I didn’t think the day could get much better.
Kacie plopped down roughly, giggling when she spilled a little wine down the front of her shirt. “Oh well.” She shrugged and took another sip.
“Thanks for tonight, Kacie. You have no idea how much I needed this.”
“Oh my goodness, don’t mention it. It’s been so fun. I think this should be our new road trip tradition.”
“I’ll drink to that,” I said as I held my water up in the air. She grinned and immediately leaned over, touching her glass with my bottle.
We relaxed back into her oversized couch happily, while our babies played and boys kicked ass on TV.
Just before the second period was ending, there was a breakaway play and Viper was all alone, dribbling the puck down the ice toward the goal. Kacie and I both sat forward in our seats, praying for another Wild goal. He skated along the boards, nearing the goalie, when out of nowhere Ricky Young from the St. Louis Blues barreled into him, sending him crashing into the glass.
“Holy shit!” I jumped up and covered my mouth.
Hard hits were nothing new in hockey, but that one was brutal, and it was obvious by the way his body flew that Viper had no idea Ricky was even near him.
“He’s okay. He’s totally fine,” Kacie tried to reassure me, taking a step closer as she put her hand on my arm.
But . . . he wasn’t okay.
Within a couple of seconds, the station cut to a commercial break and fear exploded inside of my chest.
Not again. Oh God, please not again.
Cement Heart (Viper's Heart #1)
Beth Ehemann lives in the northern suburbs of Chicago with her husband and four children. When she's not sitting in front of her computer writing, or on Pinterest, she loves reading, photography, martinis and all things Chicago Cubs. She's represented by Jessica Watterson of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.
OTHER BOOKS OF BETH
Room for You
Amazon: http://goo.gl/oouprK
B&N: http://goo.gl/3n2HU5
Kobo: http://goo.gl/8b4qah
iTunes: http://goo.gl/5rKBCH
Room for More
Amazon: http://goo.gl/uvbH2t
B&N: http://goo.gl/gzIhNC
Kobo: http://goo.gl/gz7q2H
iTunes: http://goo.gl/Mszr8P
Room for Just a Little Bit More
Amazon: http://goo.gl/ejV2IZ
B&N: http://goo.gl/VB1ZSs
Kobo: http://goo.gl/4hC9ZJ
iTunes: http://goo.gl/XuLx7T
