Sarina Bowen is one of those authors whose books I know I will love before I even start them. This novel did not disappoint the story drew me in from the first and I was instantly intrigued by and rooting for the characters. Brooklyn Bruisers is a series for which I am eagerly awaiting the next installment. ( )

CW: a character is roofied

I always put off reading a Sarina Bowen book for months after it’s release, and when I finally do, I wonder what the hell was I thinking. The same thing happened here, but I’m also glad to have read it now because I need a little happiness among all the intense fantasy books I’m planning to read this month.

I’ve wanted to know more about Silas since we met him last in Overnight Sensation and I thought he was a wonderful friend to Jason. And he is just amazing. We have this impression of what a jock in a romance will be like, and he is exactly the opposite of all our assumptions. He is the sweetest and nicest guy I’ve read about in a long while and I fell completely in love with him from page 1. He is a great friend, a very thoughtful and supportive boyfriend who will do absolutely anything that his girlfriend needs and a good hockey player without any pretensions or ego.

On the other hand, Delilah is a rising pop star but has some severe phobias and low self esteem issues due to past trauma and a very toxic relationship. Even when she is being unfairly treated by her label who’s executive also happens to be her douche ex, she always maintains her dignity and handles herself with grace and poise. She is a lovely and immensely talented young woman and I loved watching her work through and overcome her issues slowly as the story progressed.

Theirs is a love story about missed connections and destiny and how sometimes life comes full circle. While the majority of the story occurs in a short timeline, the feelings they have for each other are quite old and have been lurking in a corner of their hearts - so this feels more like a slow burn than instalove. I loved their initial meeting years ago and their absolutely adorable twitter meet cute in the present day, and the story just goes on to be more wonderful from there on.

As I mentioned that Silas is a great friend, its impossible not to find him surrounded by the whole Brooklyn gang and I loved watching them all together. We get to meet Leo and Gigi, Heidi and Jason, Becca, Ari and few more of the team and it was a joy to be among them all again. Their dynamic is hilarious and they also connect with Delilah almost instantaneously, so it was lovely to see her make some friends. Her only closest friend is also her PR manager Becky, and she was a great support. And her new manager Charla is this fierce powerhouse of a woman who scared Delilah as well as me, but was just the right person she needed to negotiate the best deal for her career.

I’ve read so many books by Sarina but I’ve hardly reviewed any, and I don’t even have a logical reason for it. Maybe it’s just that I fly through her books and they make me very happy but I’m at a loss for words when it comes to describing my feelings. It’s nothing different this time because I didn’t wanna put it down once I started reading, and stayed up very very late to finish. Despite being part of a hockey romance series, hockey takes a backseat here because the story takes place during the off-season. Also, it’s Delilah’s story that’s at the forefront and Silas is present to be her emotional support. The pacing is perfect, the love story is very easy to connect to and while it might not feel relatable, it’s very aspirational and beautiful. The only thing missing was a conflict because they both are too perfect for each other, and while the villain was kind of a cliche, I guess he was needed to up the stakes a bit.

What more can I say about this book. It’s a beautiful love story and I believe something you should read when you need some sweetness in your life. I don’t think it works as a stand-alone because many previous characters make significant appearances, but if you are a fan of sports romances, you must checkout the Brooklyn Bruisers series from the beginning. This one is not particularly angsty but it was perfect for me. And one thing I promise, you will find an amazing book boyfriend in these pages. ( )

Not for me.

Based on [b:Overnight Sensation|42630081|Overnight Sensation (Brooklyn, #2)|Sarina Bowen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1544443581l/42630081._SY75_.jpg|65236341], I had been expecting more of a second chance romance than we actually got in here, but overall I still enjoyed Silas and Delilah's story. I loved the way they reconnected, but the drama-before-the-end was stupider than it really needed to be. ( )

I like Bowen's hockey books a lot because they feel very contemporary and set in a location I know: Brooklyn. The very explicit sex sometimes makes me uncomfortable but I just skim past that and try not to lose the thread of the story. The lead female character was interesting because she was a pop singer and put in a situation that a lot of pop singers seem to get into -- being exploited by a male manager. But she didn't wait for a male to help her -- she was making her own way to freedom. However, the male character, Silas, was a really good guy and was giving her the emotional support she needed when she needed it. She did made a couple of stupid decisions though but recognized them as as such. ( )