Ballsy: 4 (Breakers Hockey)

Kailey isn't interested in the big hockey player Smitty, who seems to be on a quest to get her to go out with him. She has so many triggers that could set her off at any second that to be in the spotlight because she's dating a professional athlete is just...not her thing. But she can only put him off for so long before he amps up his pursuit so much that she has to give in to the attraction she feels, the way he makes her feel safe. Will Smitty be the one guy who sticks around once he realizes the work it will take to be with someone like her?Smitty too has baggage. He might not have social anxiety like his love, Kailey, but he has scars of his own brought upon by never feeling enough, always feeling as if he has to hide certain things about himself. The first time he saw Kailey, he was struck mute. Now he has to convince her they are meant to be. Once he finds out she suffers from social anxiety, has triggers that could be obstacles to a long-term relationship, he has to decide if he can make it work. If he has anything to say about it, though, they'll be together permanently.Smitty and Kailey are perfect for each other. They don't seem like they'd work on paper, but they actually complemented each other so well. He saw her, loved her, made her feel free to be herself, to love herself and know she was worth loving, something she had never gotten from her father. In turn, she made him feel like he was enough, wasn't a disappointment, was perfect for her. This story is at times heartbreaking, but sweet and so emotionally satisfying at the end when both of them come into their own and are on their way to resolving their issues. I have been loving the Breakers Hockey world - can't wait for Raph and Beth's story, Bewitched now.

I love all of Elise Faber's but as a dyslexia specialist I loved how she brought in dyslexia... it isn't anything to be ashamed of and yet those who don't get the help early and have severe dyslexia can have stigma. She also brought in real things that they use for coping skills. I believed this love story and the ups and downs these two faced.

Elise Faber is one of my favourite authors, but this book fell a little flat for me. For whatever reason, it just didn’t feel as cohesive as her other books. I also didn’t love Kailey. She struggles with a health condition that I can relate to, but I just didn’t feel like all of her behaviour reflected the person I imagined her to be. Maybe I’m alone in that, but I suspect that’s part of what threw off my enjoyment of the book.

I read this story out of order of the others, but that’s ok. It was nice catching up with some of the previous characters I had read.Smitty is by far my favorite member of this Breakers team. (Actually Luc, the GM, is my favorite, but he’s not a player anymore.) So as far as the roster goes, Smitty is number one in my book. He’s the team jokester, keeps things light, keeps people on their toes with his constant pranks. And he’s a man who loves love. He wants love, recognizes when it happens to others, and is determined to hold onto it when it happens to him.He falls in love with Kailey at first sight. He knows he will do anything to make her his because they are meant to be together. She is the other half of his soul.Kailey suffers from anxiety attacks, and cannot handle the simplest conversations with people. She is a computer programer because she doesn’t like people, doesn’t want to be around people, and doesn’t have a clue how to handle someone like Smitty who won’t take no for an answer.He tears down her walls bit by bit, and in the process allows her to heal the broken part of him that he shares with no one else.This is a fantastic story, a steamy story, and one that you can’t put down.

Kailey and Conner are so adorable. They are just perfect for one another and they both have to overcome similar struggles. Absolutely loved this book and this series. I love that others are pulled in. Great job!