Stay - Book Review

By Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy

Synopsis

Can you fall for someone you’ve never even met?

Hailey Taylor Emery has a hunch that her favorite client at Fetch–an anonymous virtual assistant service–is actually hockey star Matt Eriksson.

Although it’s against the rules for her to check his file, she’s 95% sure she spends at least part of each day texting with her lifelong crush and catering to his every need. Still nursing a wounded heart thanks to her recent breakup, Hailey is perfectly content with some harmless online flirting…until she has to meet her client. Face to face. Cue: utter panic.

Matt Eriksson is no stranger to heartbreak. He’s still not over the destruction of his marriage, and it sucks to be the only guy on the team who knows the truth–that hockey and long-term relationships are a toxic mix. He barely sees his kids, and dealing with his ex makes him feel insane. The only person in his life who seems to understand is someone who won’t show her pretty face.

But it’s nothing that a pair of fourth row hockey seats can’t fix. Hailey can’t resist the offer. Matt can’t resist Hailey. Good thing he doesn’t have to. Fire up the kiss cam!

Warning: Contains rabid hockey fans, misunderstood dick pics, hockey players at the opera and exploding ovaries.

Review

STAY is book 2 in the WAGs series and once again, Sarina and Elle did not disappoint. The story. The main characters. The secondary characters. I loved it all.

“I was thinking about what you said yesterday at the store. About how you’ve never really dated?”
“Oh. That.”
“I don’t know, it seems kind of unfair that you’ve never been on a real date. I thought I’d change that.”

I don’t know how they manage to do it, but Sarina and Elle have an amazing way of writing male leads that are so easy to love, and Matt is no exception. He’s funny, sweet and a great father to his two daughters. He’s also good husband material, despite his ex-wife’s claims and the emotional abuse she dumped on him throughout⎯and after⎯their marriage. Hailey, having recently gone through a divorce herself, was a great match for Matt. They both lost confidence in themselves when their spouses left, so I felt they were on equal footing when it came to their relationship, and both knew they had to tread lightly. I loved their online flirting in the beginning, but my favourite scene was when Matt texted Hailey during their dinner date because she was so nervous. It was the perfect blend of sweet, endearing and hot.

We got a couple of scenes with the hockey WAGs, who are loyal and supportive, and just a great group of women all around. A special shout out has to go to Hailey’s best friend, Jenny, as well as Mr Dick. In fact, if Sarina and Elle are reading this review, I’d like to put in a request for Jenny and Mr Dick to get their own story.

STAY is told in dual POVs and while it’s part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. I get the feeling that Matt’s teammate, O’Connor, will get the next book and, judging by his reaction to a certain woman in this story, it should be interesting. I’m looking forward to it and it can’t come soon enough.