Victor (Chicago Blaze, #3) (ARC) was graciously provided to me by Inkslinger PR for an honest review. I have voluntarily read this book and have provided my honest opinion.
“A Heart-Breaking, Gripping, and, Heart-Warming Read”
A sweet, heart-warming, squeal-worthy, yet absolutely gut-wrenching, addicting read has the emotions of this reader vying for attention as the after-affects of this new read vary between greatly stunned to a desperate needy state of warmed loving goo that teeter back and forth as a result of a recent read of a particular hockey team once again..
WHOOP! WHOOP! “He passes the puck to Anton..to Luca..and..what’s this?? What’s happening sports fans?? The lightening fast missile goes right back to Victor and he..he…SCORES!!!” *fans cheer loudly* This is what it feels like when I read a new story from one of my most favorite tropes..Hockey! Pure excitement fueled by high-levels of adrenaline..YES!! *fist pump*
For this, I may have screamed just a wee bit upon discovering the next release from the Chicago Blaze Series was due to come out because each of my reads from this series has been a great one..
Victor..oh sweetheart Victor..I have waited not-so-patiently, ever since the first book of the series, to read about this mysterious yet very intriguing character. And, boy, it has not been easy to wait as there have been tiny snippets throughout the previous books as to the character’s great potentiality. But..BUT…once his story presented itself, it’s overall storyline was so incredibly mind-blowing and beautiful and one of those that had me needing to squeeeze hug not only Victor but also sooo many other characters of this story.
Victor, by Brenda Rothert, was quite the read. This friends-to-lovers story was such an endearingly heart-warming read that I actually didn’t mind it’s slow pace and slight steam. But, one thing I can attest to are the shocking blast-in-the-face kind-of-moments that are typically rare for this reader and for this are generally avoided whenever possible. This story has major triggers that were beyond shocking that blindsided this reader like a quickly moving intermittent and painful storm. Moments filled with childhood abuse and illness, death, and, extortion were severely difficult to read.
I loved the overall theme of this story. Victor, is a strong, gorgeous and mighty hockey player on the exterior. But, on the interior, a deeply hidden tortured individual as he is a product of an indescribable childhood filled with pain, isolation, and abuse. He is someone who, understandably, has spent his life looking for some sort of validation that he is actually worth more than what he had experienced. In his quest for that security blanket kind of love, comfort, and success, he runs into Lindy. As a walking encyclopedia of hockey knowledge, this hard-working, multi-talented, humble, kind concession stand worker, Lindy turns into this Florence Nightingale of warmed-comfort for Victor just at the right time, as the beginning of the end for him, in more ways than one, was quickly approaching. As discussions at the rink turn into dinner and movies, as both seemingly different individuals begin to unearth actual similarities, quiet insecurities and hidden fears turn into a strengthening loving bond for them both..
Throughout this story, there were plentiful cameos from characters from previous books, and, it was no surprise how much I continue to squishy-love the main and secondary characters from this series. They are all wonderfully realistic and unique that it is super easy to quickly become addicted to their lives as well.
Therefore, like a frigid blast to the face during a blizzard, as I read through this story, full of so many sub-plots, some that were massive and heart-breakingly brutal, it was difficult for this reader to completely understand the purpose of some of them and their connection to the main plot as that which was indicated was slight and limited. With a need for more depth and development to some of the sub-plots as well as the actual main plot, a true connection between the main characters as well as an overall storyline connection would be more clear. It is also in this reader’s opinion that to have the actual moments described in detail rather than glanced over would be beneficial for that overall well-rounded connection between the characters and the actual storyline as well.
Despite the shocked confusion of this storyline, in the end, it was truly an intrinsically beautiful, gripping, and, heart-warming story. There were so many uplifting and encouraging security-blanket type-of-support, that these loving times had me gushing all over my kindle. I adore the main characters from this series and am glad to have read more of their hockey world..:)
*star rating: 4.30 ‘I really liked it” stars*
