Time Out

Feb 02, 2012 UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: format-ebook-for-netgalley, author-jill-shalvis, 2012-reads, hero-famous-hockey-coach, harlequin-blaze, sizzzzzle, must-reread, kids-in-need, heroine-awesome, friends-since-childhood, friends-to-lovers, ebook-own-have-read, reviewed-for-netgalley, reviewed-by-me

It’s official! Jill Shalvis can write nothing wrong.

Well, official as far as I’m concerned, anyway.

Coach Mark Diego is in the midst of a public relations nightmare when two of his NHL Mammoths team members are involved, on camera, in a brawl against two rival Anaheim Ducks team members. As penance, and hoping to show the teams in a better light, Mark and the other coach agree that the guilty parties will be required to spend their off season providing community service to areas in need. Mark c...more
It’s official! Jill Shalvis can write nothing wrong.

Well, official as far as I’m concerned, anyway.

Coach Mark Diego is in the midst of a public relations nightmare when two of his NHL Mammoths team members are involved, on camera, in a brawl against two rival Anaheim Ducks team members. As penance, and hoping to show the teams in a better light, Mark and the other coach agree that the guilty parties will be required to spend their off season providing community service to areas in need. Mark chooses his burned out hometown of Santa Rey, California, where during the day his players will help construction crews rebuild homes devastated by wildfires, and they’ll spend their evenings and weekends coaching the community’s recreation center youth baseball team. And of course, just as he had expected, given the choice between community service or suspension, the Mammoths team members are on board the plan, too. But what he didn’t expect was his powerful attraction to the recreation center’s coordinator, Rainey Saunders.

Once upon a time, during her jailbait years, Rainey Saunders had a major crush on Mark Diego, her brother’s best friend. She crushed so hard, in fact, that in her attempt to get him to notice her as more than just a kid, she not only embarrassed herself, but in the end, ruined her’s and Mark’s friendship. It wasn’t that Mark was being a jerk, not at all - he was trying to avoid being a felon, and even though her mind knows it, her heart can’t get on board with it at all. She would have thought that the years and time apart would have lessened her humiliation, but when Mark shows up to do the volunteer work, and he’s reporting to her, the only thing more embarrassing than what happened all those years ago is how badly she still wants him, now.

Time Out is everything I’ve come to expect from Jill Shalvis, and then some! Romantic, funny, heartwarming, poignant… and holy hell!!! She more than provided the “blaze” in this Harlequin Blaze novel!

I fell, absolutely, unequivocally, madly, passionately in love with Mark Diego, not in spite of his flaws but because of them. He’s an amazing, honorable, sexy man and one of my favorite heroes, ever! Rainey Saunders is a strong, passionate, savvy force to be reckoned with, the perfect woman to have by his side. Apart they are wonderful, together they are amazing!

The bottom line – I seem to say this a lot about stories by Jill Shalvis, but here goes again; Buy this book. Stop thinking about it and just do it. You won’t regret it.

My thanks to netgalley.com and Harlequin Blaze for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Mar 06, 2012 Jodie Riverina Romantics rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-copy, contemporary, on-blog, on-kindle, on-amazon

You can see this and more of my reviews at Riverina Romantics

EXACTLY. WHAT. I. NEEDED.

Time Out definitely pulled me out of my somber mood and left me smiling. It was sweet, it was sexy and it was thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.

Rainey starts off having one of those common moments where she is looking disheveled and dreary (actually soaked to the bone after spending a day at the fundraising car wash) when the love of her teenage years drives up.

And like you can imagine as clear as da...more

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Feb 21, 2012 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, for_review, sports_romance

Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads

Having to teach two of his NHL hockey players a lesson, Mark forces them into community service to make amends for getting into a fight. It’s either community service or suspension and the players don’t want that. They head back to Mark’s hometown to help rebuild homes that were lost in recent fires as well as all three men are volunteering as coaches at the local rec center. A center that’s run by Rainey – Mark’s childhood friend who had a huge crush on...more Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads

Having to teach two of his NHL hockey players a lesson, Mark forces them into community service to make amends for getting into a fight. It’s either community service or suspension and the players don’t want that. They head back to Mark’s hometown to help rebuild homes that were lost in recent fires as well as all three men are volunteering as coaches at the local rec center. A center that’s run by Rainey – Mark’s childhood friend who had a huge crush on Mark; a crush that Mark couldn’t act on thinking their age difference at the time to be too much. The difference isn’t an issue now and Rainey signs Mark up to coach the girls softball team, much to his non-delight.

TIME OUT is a very fun, sweet romantic contemporary that packs a punch in not a lot of pages. I loved the storyline of Mark coaching the girls. He’s so out of his element with them, but quickly goes into “Coach” mode and has them appropriately suited up with practice clothes, running drills and practicing hard. Seeing him as Coach Mark, it’s a role he’s perfect for. But when Mark finds himself in the middle of teenage girl talk, he’s so uncomfortable and tries to give out the best advice he can, “boys are like drugs, just say no.”

The main focus of the story is the relationship between Mark and Rainey. She had a teenage crush on the older Mark for much of her childhood and when she turned sixteen she thought she’d try to make Mark understand how she felt and went to his college apartment, dressed in next to nothing only to find him already…occupied – she turned and ran. Their paths had crossed a few times since then over the years, but this is the first time they’ll be around each other for an extended period of time. Mark is instantly taken with Rainey but it takes her a little bit of time to be ok with taking a chance on Mark. He broke her heart once and she doesn’t want to experience that again.

He grinned. “Aw, Rainey. You like me. You like me a whole hell of a lot.”

“We really need to work on your self-confidence.”

But she blew out a breath and relaxed into him a little. “You’ve read your press, right? You know they call you a hard-ass.” She lifted her hand and touched his face. “But they’re wrong.” She pressed her face to his throat and inhaled him in, like maybe he was her air and she needed more. And when her hands slid around his waist, beneath his shirt, and up his back, he knew he was a goner.

I also enjoy a great storyline between best friends, and Rainey has that with her best friend Lena, who’s also dating Mark’s brother Rick. No one tells it like it is, quite like a friend and Lena says the things that Rainey needs to hear and also says things that have Rainey blushing, especially when Lena’s drooling over Mark:

“I’ve never gotten to see the glory that would be the Diego brothers in stereo.” Lena hadn’t grown up in Santa Rey. “Mark hasn’t come home since I’ve been with Rick. Being the youngest, baddest, sexiest head coach in all the NHL must be time-consuming.”

“Trust me, he’s not your type.”

“Because he’s rich and famous? Because he’s tough as hell and cool as ice?”

“Because he’s missing a vital organ.”

Lena gasped in horror. “He doesn’t have a d-”

“A heart! He’s missing a heart! Jeez, get your mind out of the gutter.”

The tension in the book comes from one of the young teens at the rec center, Sharee, and her abusive father. Rainey tries desperately to get Sharee to come to her when she finds herself home alone with her dad, but Sharee ends up coming to the rec center with new bruises. Rainey warns Sharee’s dad that she’s going to report him and call the cops, which doesn’t go over well. This is just one of the many ways that Rainey is trying to make a difference in the lives of the kids who come to the rec center because they have nowhere else to go during the day. Mark is impressed with what she’s doing and amazed at the reach she has with helping people in the community and he slowly starts to give back as well. He had never thought that coming back home was something he’d want to do, but watching Rainey and visiting with his brother and father, gives him a different outlook and has him helping out in different ways as well.

This was a very fast, nice read by Jill Shalvis. The banter is always witty and charming, like a Shalvis book always delivers on. Like I mentioned earlier, there’s a lot packed into about 200 pages: a hot romance, a nice overall story (including two gorgeous hockey players, that I think may need their own stories someday!) and characters that I really, really enjoyed. They’re all so likable and that doesn’t happen very often; from the leads to the supporting characters, it all worked.(less)

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Feb 19, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, 2012-reads, contemporary-romance, e-book, favorites, reunited, smokin-hotness, steamy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 12, 2012 Kelly22 rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of small town 'second-chance-in-lov' themes/Fans of Jill Shalvis.

Shelves: jill-shalvis, alpha-hero, bad-boy-rake-rogue-casanova, contemporary-romance, family-moments, gorgeous-handsome-attractive-hero, hero-athlete-jock, hero-flirt-playful-skilled-charmer, hh-iconic-celeb-bigshot, hottest-love-scenes-ever, notorious-playboy-commitment-phobic, small-town-setup, sports-romance, witty-humerous-funny-comedy, sweet-reunions-second-chances, previous-ties, silver-tongued-sweet-talker-hero, overtly-possessive-jealous-hero, hero-gods-gift-to-woman, friends-to-lover, favorite-hero, childhood-ties, 2012-releases, 2012-contemporaries

4.00 Stars - Contemporary Small Town Romance!

The book amounts to:

1) a rapid, peppery, fun read featuring a gorgeous magnetic jock hero with all the skills needed to win the score...

2) a plucky spirited heroine on whom the hero plans to practice all his said ‘skills’...

3) a series of snarky, cocky banter between the two protagonists in Jill Shalvis’s usual keen wording...

4) and, a sweet romance with the perfect chemistry and the ‘proper’ steamy love scenes, warranting to heat up the pages.

Now, yo...more

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Feb 17, 2012 Maldivianbookreviewer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Jill Shalvis, Fans of contemporary romances.

Shelves: abrupt-endings, against-the-door-smexing, against-the-wall-smexing, against-the-window-smexing, ambitious-hero, angsty-read, arcs, charming-hero, commitment-phobic-hero, commitment-phobic-heroine, controlled-hero, emotional-wrangler, endearing-hero, endearing-heroine, explosive-passion, fabulous-cover, favorite-alpha-heroes, favorite-heroes, favorite-heroines, favorites, harlequin-romances, haunted-by-the-past-heroine, hot-as-sin-hero, hottest-first-kiss, hottest-sex-scenes-ever, independent-heroine, intense-connection-between-hh, jill-shalvis, larger-than-life-hero, laugh-out-loud-moments, netgalley-reads, not-yet-released, opposites-attract, possessive-hero, protective-hero, shared-past, shower-smexing, sizzling-sexual-tension, small-town-setting, unforgettable-hero

I am finding out that whether it be a short length or a full length novel, if it is Jill Shalvis that holds the steering wheel, there is no wrong turn the story can take. Time Out which is set to be released sometime within this month is one wild and enjoyable ride, a romance that just completely reeled me in and I couldn’t have found a better way to drop off to sleep afterwards, dreaming of a Mark that was all my own to do whatever I please with. *sigh*

Rainey Saunders has just turned thirty yea...more I am finding out that whether it be a short length or a full length novel, if it is Jill Shalvis that holds the steering wheel, there is no wrong turn the story can take. Time Out which is set to be released sometime within this month is one wild and enjoyable ride, a romance that just completely reeled me in and I couldn’t have found a better way to drop off to sleep afterwards, dreaming of a Mark that was all my own to do whatever I please with. *sigh*

Rainey Saunders has just turned thirty years old and is single, looking for that special someone. She and her best friend Lena both work at the North District Rec Center in Santa Rey, a small mid-California beach town. Rainey is a bit of a control freak, has the frizzy hair thing going for her and has a heart of gold that shines through right from the very start. She might have a hard time connecting with anyone in her dating life the way she did when she was dumb and crushing so hard on the delectable Mark Diego when she was just 16 years old. But she is way past that crush, or so she tells herself until Mark walks in, more delectable than ever, tempting her to take just a little bite out of him to satisfy all those cravings that practically fall all over themselves trying to get closer to him.

34 year old Mark Diego is the youngest, most popular NHL head coach in the country. With fame and fortune in his hands, Mark doesn’t allow himself to feel those niggling bouts of “emptiness” that hits him once in a while. Mark has always been ambitious, wanting to rise above the poverty in which he had grown up. Wanting to teach two of his players a lesson Mark makes his way towards his hometown, not at all expecting his life to take a totally unforeseen turn when he butts heads with the altogether grown up and too alluring for her own good Rainey who pierces through the rough and tough armor of his to lay siege on his heart.

The story that unfolds is what only Jill Shalvis herself can deliver. Though Rainey keeps reminding herself that she doesn’t want anything to do with Mark, her hormones keep sending the opposite signal, and time and yet again, both Mark and Rainey finds themselves in one clandestine position after the other which serves to be such a feast for the senses. There wasn’t one part of me that wasn’t clamoring to swallow Mark Diego in all his glory in one big gulp or should I say I wanted to savor him in nibbling bites so that the whole feast would last for a lifetime.

The thread of humor that is always a part of a Jill Shalvis book is there in this story as well, and the underlying issues that are much serious in nature also makes their impact on the reader as Jill takes the reader through stories of families hard hit by ravaging forest fires, abusive fathers and all that is brushed under the carpet by people who are mostly at the receiving end of such violent physical and emotional abuse.

The only thing that I was a teeny bit peeved about was the abruptness of the ending of the story. Though Jill managed to deliver that happily ever after I was clamoring for right from the very start, Mark and Rainey’s story ended a bit too hastily for my taste. But apart from that, everything in this story, and I mean everything was top notch, the type of contemporary romance that is too far and few in between these days.

Delivering a Harlequin Blaze as it should be, Jill certainly packs a punch with Time Out. Intense and sexy as sin with characters of the caliber that only Jill can create, Time Out comes most highly recommended from the sunny side of life!

Rating=4.75/5

My quote(s) included below!(less)

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Aug 21, 2012 Cocktails and Books rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: cnb-reviewers

Mark Diego is a hotshot NHL coach from a small town. Rainey never left their small town and she's never forgotten her ""crush"" on Mark. He takes notice of Rainey, but she's always been off limits as the friend of his younger brother--and he's too busy for a relationship.

When Mark comes home to right some wrongs and help improve his hometown, he can't help but make a move on Rainey. They definitely have chemistry, but is that all that either of them can hope for?

Even though this story is prett...more

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Feb 21, 2012 Mandi Schreiner rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

In high school, Rainey had a crush on Mark who was a few years older than she was. So much of a crush that one night she decided to go to his place for a surprise strip tease. But to her surprise, when she walked in, Mark was busy with another woman. Embarrassed, Rainey fled and they each went their separate ways. Now, Mark is the head coach of NHL team The Mammoths, while Rainey spends her days working at the sports rec center. This rec center is located in the part of California devastated by...more In high school, Rainey had a crush on Mark who was a few years older than she was. So much of a crush that one night she decided to go to his place for a surprise strip tease. But to her surprise, when she walked in, Mark was busy with another woman. Embarrassed, Rainey fled and they each went their separate ways. Now, Mark is the head coach of NHL team The Mammoths, while Rainey spends her days working at the sports rec center. This rec center is located in the part of California devastated by recent forest fires, and many of the youth come from poorer families. The rec center is in need of some cash to keep the program going, something Rainey is much invested in.

Mark's NHL team just lost the Stanley Cup, and while letting off some steam, a few of his players got in a bad bar fight, which then got posted all over the media and YouTube. Mark is looking to teach his players a lesson in a more positive role, so when he learns the rec center (which his brother owns) needs some help coaching their baseball teams, he brings the two hot-headed hockey players to Rainey's center to help out for the summer. Mark and Rainey haven't seen each other for a while, but now they are in a point in their lives where they might make that move toward romance.

I really enjoy books by Jill Shalvis but have never read any of her Harlequin Blazes, so I was happy to try this one out. She gives us a very alpha, protective male in Mark. He is wealthy, powerful, always in control, and gorgeous. He is also very popular in the sports world, appears on many television programs and dates lots of supermodels. And when Rainey sees him again for the first time in a long time, she immediately feels like her old teenage self with a massive crush. No matter how much she tries to tell herself that Mark isn't good for her, her body doesn't listen. Plus, she doesn't stand much of a chance when this unfolds in the first chapter:

He went still at the contact, then instead of trying to pull free, merely folded her into his arms, trapping her against him. And damn if her body didn't burst to life, as if all this time it'd been just waiting for him to come back.

"Yeah, you're different," he murmured, doing as she had, pressing his mouth to her ear, giving her a shiver. "The little kitten grew up and got claws."

When she choked out a laugh, he closed his teeth over her earlobe.

The chemistry jumps off the pages quickly in this one. I really enjoyed Rainey. She is a down-to-earth sort of heroine. Works hard, likes to laugh and it is fun to watch her try to resist the very charming Mark.

Mark is very over the top in his alpha status. It almost feels as though he claims Rainey a little too quickly. He becomes extremely protective of her and even makes some decisions for her that sometimes made me frown. At least twice, Rainey starts a date, and Mark comes along and makes the other guy go home. He just may have been a tiny bit too pushy for me. That doesn't mean he doesn't have his suave, charming moments. I like how their romance plays out. I just wanted him to take it a step down at some points.

Time Out is a quick read and has that fantasy of the rich, no excuses, gorgeous, overprotective male who knows all the right moves. It's a sexy, fun book.(less)

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Feb 28, 2012 Natasha A. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

What I Learned:

- is that people stare at you when you laugh out loud and are constantly grinning while reading a book. Some people, you know? They just don't get the enjoyment people get from books!
- is that Ms. Shalvis writes amazing characters. I love both Mark and Rainey. Mark.... he... um..... *drool*... He is very good at being dominant and caring and just so damn sexy!
- is that I have a huge huge huge HUGE love for sports books. Despite not watching any of it on TV or playing it myself, I...more

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Feb 12, 2012 Liza rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Hot, fun and sexy!

Time Out is set for release on February 21, 2012, but I was lucky enough to get an early copy from NetGalley. Jill Shalvis is an auto-buy author for me and I will admit I go a bit fan-girl over her books and series. That being said, Jill always delivers with a fun and sexy story, so I’m fine with admitting to my fan-girl status.

I really loved Time Out. Rainey and Mark have known each other pretty much their entire lives. Rainey even tried to lose her virginity to Mark when she...more

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Jun 11, 2012 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-books-read, romance, series-romance

Good book. Mark has come to his hometown with two of his players. They got into hot water, and now he has them doing volunteer work to help clean up their acts and their images. They will be coaching the youth teams at the rec center - and working for an old friend of Mark's. Rainey can't believe she's stuck with him. She'd had a crush on him when she was a teenager, and made a fool of herself. Now they are setting off all kinds of sparks. Rainey can't believe she is still attracted to him. She...more

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May 09, 2012 Romancing the Book rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, romance

Posted on Romancing the Book's blog
Reviewed By~Marissa
Review Copy Provided by~Netgalley

I have loved Jill Shalvis’ writing ever since I picked up my first book of hers, Out of This World. It was quirky, the hero was a nerd (for part of the book, anyway), and I loved every page of it. Since then I have caught up on most of her books and have enjoyed every one of them, including Time Out.

I loved the fact that a big hockey star comes home to help his teammates and his family. Mark Diego doesn’t let...more

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Mar 26, 2012 Guilty Pleasures rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: guiltypleasures-slick, netgalley

This review posted on Guilty Pleasures

4.5 Stars

As a contemporary romance author, Jill Shavis is one of my favorites. I know that when I read one of her books I’m going to meet some great characters, there will be some smokin’ sex, and the characters will overcome their obstacles to be together. What I love is the path to their happily ever after will have twists and turns and there will be some great banter along the way. Jill is just one of those authors who continually makes me smile when I re...more This review posted on Guilty Pleasures

4.5 Stars

As a contemporary romance author, Jill Shavis is one of my favorites. I know that when I read one of her books I’m going to meet some great characters, there will be some smokin’ sex, and the characters will overcome their obstacles to be together. What I love is the path to their happily ever after will have twists and turns and there will be some great banter along the way. Jill is just one of those authors who continually makes me smile when I read and let’s face it, if you aren’t enjoying a book enough to smile then why read it? When I first read the synopsis, I wasn’t sure if I would like this book because I’m really not a hockey fan but as it turns out this book was more about softball and baseball which was the icing on the cake for me.

This story takes place in California following the devastating wild fires. The town has been decimated with many families displaced, businesses in shambles, and much rebuilding left to do. Rainey runs a recreation center in the town where many of the underprivileged youths hang out. The center has fallen on hard times, it is short on money, short on staff, and may be forced to shut down if they can’t find a new location. Rainey’s boss and life long friend, Rick, has promised her some help for her summer baseball and softball leagues. What Rainey doesn’t expect is the help to be in the form of her childhood crush (and Rick’s big brother), Mark. Mark is now a well known and highly liked NHL Hockey coach and he brings along two of his young players who must provide some community service following a fight after loosing the Stanley Cup.

Rainey is a completely likeable although fairly neurotic heroine. She’s smart, sassy, down to earth, and she has an obvious love for her job and the kids she works with. Reading about her life long crush and awkward teenage moment with Mark really made me understand why she didn’t want to get involved with Mark as an adult. Of course sometimes those pesky hormones overrule the brain and in this case, that was nothing but the truth.

Mark….what can I say about Mark? Seems like the whole world loves this uber alpha male but to paraphrase Rainey he is awfully full of himself. Does that make him any less likeable? Not really because we see many layers to him throughout this story. We know he helps his family, he’s committed to charities, he gives his time to others but we also know he has no interest in a long term relationship. His “love life” displayed for the world to see and Rainey feels he has no plans to change the way he lives his life.

They sparks fly right away in this book and in no time these two wind up having hot sex against the door. Rainey realizes immediately that she needs to set the parameters for their relationship because she already knows it means more to her than it ever will be Mark. But right from the start, Mark is experiencing feelings and emotions he’s never wanted to have. There are so many obstacles in their way but the more time they spend together the more they both realize that what’s going on is more than a month long fling. Both being fairly stubborn neither wants to admit their hearts are engaged which leads to some entertaining and interesting discussions as well as some oh so sexy moments.

Besides the really well written love story between Rainey and Mark, there are some other areas of the books I feel the need to mention. I absolutely love the interaction with Mark and the teenage girls. I found myself laughing over and over as he listened to what they discussed and how he had such a hard time with their choices when we all know he was the exact type of boy these girls were discussing. I also loved that he took a vested interest in the girls and in the recreation center in general. I enjoyed the relationship between Mark and his two wayward players. He set out to teach them a lesson and I think it was one they not only learned but embraced. We see so many real life sport heroes who screw up and get a slap on the wrist, I for one liked that these guys did not get away with their bad behavior. Then there are Rainey’s friends Rick and Lena, I loved them so much I rushed to Jill’s website to make sure I hadn’t missed their story. Apparently I didn’t, but now I want their story. I have to know how they got together! I also love the obvious love and respect between Mark and Rick and their father.

For this being a Harlequin Blaze offering, I found so much depth in this story and I found it a truly enjoyable read. It’s truly a feel good story with great character development, fantastic relationships, and of course that happily ever after everyone wants in their life. Jill Shavis never ceases to deliver and with Time Out she has once again delivered a home run or what’s that hockey term…..a hat trick?(less)

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Mar 23, 2012 Wminbc rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: football-sports

I am torn...

There were some parts that I really enjoyed and others...I wanted to smack that girl upside the head and shake some sense into her.

Rainey and Mark have known each other since forever...the misunderstanding between them started when Rainey showed up at his apartment, nekked! She was 16 and he was 20, so rightly so, he said no and then had to chase her nekked ass down the street and stop her from giving it away to the first drunk college boy she met (literally, minutes after offering i...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Juli rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed the setting and the secondary characters in this book. The hockey players doing community service to repair their public image was a great device; the small town suffering from natural disaster, and the kids who need the youth center, felt genuine to me. This small town didn't feel cloying or idealized in the way of a lot of "small-town romances" that don't work for me. So overall I enjoyed reading the book.

Unfortunately, I can't say the same about the central romance. Partly I...more

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Mar 02, 2012 Susanna Carr rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: blaze

Rainey Saunders is a bit of a control freak and she's having a dry spell in her dating life. Maybe it's because she wants to have a plan but dating doesn't work that way. Or maybe it's because she's not looking for a hook-up but a connection. But it's probably because she would always be attracted to Mark Diego, but he's unattainable.

Mark is temporarily back in town and volunteering to coach the summer league for teenagers. He's interested in Rainey and feels like they have some unfinished busin...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, reviewed, category-romance, contemporary-romance

You can also read this review at Reflections on Reading Romance

As I’ve mentioned before, if a book has Jill Shalvis’s name on it, it’s pretty much an auto-buy for me! Time Out is her latest category romance published by Harlequin Blaze, and it’s also a reunion romance of sorts, making this a win-win for me. Time Out is just under 200 pages, so it’s a short and sweet book that’s lots of fun.

Rainey Saunders is a community youth center coordinator in a town ravaged by wild fires. She’s scrambling...more You can also read this review at Reflections on Reading Romance

As I’ve mentioned before, if a book has Jill Shalvis’s name on it, it’s pretty much an auto-buy for me! Time Out is her latest category romance published by Harlequin Blaze, and it’s also a reunion romance of sorts, making this a win-win for me. Time Out is just under 200 pages, so it’s a short and sweet book that’s lots of fun.

Rainey Saunders is a community youth center coordinator in a town ravaged by wild fires. She’s scrambling to find coaches to help keep the town’s teens busy, but because so many houses were destroyed, many of the parents are struggling to make ends meet, making it difficult to scrounge up volunteers. When NHL coach and hometown boy made good Mark Diego shows up with several of his players to offer their services, it’s the perfect solution for Rainey and Mark. Two of Mark’s players got into a knock-down, drag out fight, and they’re assigned community service to help improve the league’s image, and since Mark’s brother runs the community center, it’s an easy way for Mark to spend time with his family while keeping an eye on his players.

Rainey’s had a thing for Mark for years, although she’s tried hard not to show it, since she managed to humiliate herself thoroughly when the two were teens. Assigning Mark to coach the teenage girls’s softball team seems like the perfect revenge and a great way to keep Mark busy and out of her hair. Mark has different ideas, though. He’s always been attracted to Rainey, and his summer at home seems like a great time to act on that attraction. He’s not into anything long term, though, and Rainey knows it. When the summer’s up and hockey seasons starts again, can these two find a way to be together?

What I love about Ms. Shalvis’s romances is that her characters always come across as real people. Rainey is the girl next door, and she’s a lot of fun, and, while Mark may be a superstar NHL coach, he’s still just the boy next door at heart. The sparks between the two of them are undeniable, even though both make desperate attempts to deny it. The secondary characters are hilarious, especially the two hockey players forced to perform community service in what they consider to be a Podunk town. However, it’s clear that they get as much out of their time there as the kids the players are coaching, which is nice.

My only criticism of the novel is that the ending is very, very abrupt. In fact, I kept trying to turn the page, thinking something was wrong with my Kindle, because I didn’t realize that was the end! It resolved both the romance between Rainey and Mark and a secondary plot line quickly and in a way that struck me as a bit too convenient. However, I suspect that the format and length of the category romance genre have much to do with this particular ending.

That said, this is definitely a keeper! The romance is sizzling, the characters are engaging, and the reading so easy that the pages just fly by. Time Out is a fun, quick escape that I highly recommend.

I received this book for review from the publisher through NetGalley.(less)

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Feb 22, 2012 Brie C. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

If you’re a fan of this author you probably know that besides writing great small town series, she also writes steamy books for Harlequin’s Blaze line, books such as this. A sexy and fun contemporary romance that’s great for those days where you’re feeling bored and want something entertaining to do that won’t take much time or effort.

Famous NHL coach, Mark Diegos, is in his hometown with a couple of his teammates to coach some kids. When he arrives...more Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

If you’re a fan of this author you probably know that besides writing great small town series, she also writes steamy books for Harlequin’s Blaze line, books such as this. A sexy and fun contemporary romance that’s great for those days where you’re feeling bored and want something entertaining to do that won’t take much time or effort.

Famous NHL coach, Mark Diegos, is in his hometown with a couple of his teammates to coach some kids. When he arrives he gets a couple of surprises: first the kids are girls, and second the person running the program is Rainey Saunders. Mark and Rainey have a bit of a past, she used to be in love with him but because she was so young he kept her at arm’s length. However, she was persistent and one day she decided to seduce him. The problem was that she chose the wrong day to do it because when she got to his College dorm room he was having sex with a girl. The shock and humiliation of the event ended up separating them and it’s been years since they last saw each other. Now they must work together while trying to figure out what to do with the attraction that still remains between them.

To be perfectly honest the first thought that crossed my mind when I finished the book was “nothing new here”. Perhaps I’m being unfair because the book delivers exactly what the blurb promised, but I felt like I had read this book before. Girl used to have painful crush on guy; guy liked the girl but she was too young so he becomes a star in (insert profession here) and sleeps with lots of women; years later they reunite and are forced to work together; they have magic sex and discover they love each other; The End. Been there, done that a hundred times. I’m not as annoyed as it may seem, but I think it’s time for originality and freshness. Having said that, Ms. Shalvis is an excellent writer and I was able to enjoy the book regardless of the overused plot.

I liked Rainey and Mark, they were good and hardworking people. They enjoyed life, had good, fulfilling jobs, and the only thing missing was love. Rainey was ready for a serious relationship, and so was Mark, but he had yet to realize it. They were likeable and great people to be with, they had chemistry and because they knew each other previously their love story was believable.

There’s no real character development or journey, just two people falling in lust and realizing that there’s more between them than sex. The book has a whole bunch of romance stereotypes like the hero and heroine deciding to have a no-strings-attached sexual relationship, then the heroine falling in love, and the hero being stubborn and blind until he has an epiphany, etc. etc. etc. Don’t expect the unexpected because you won’t get it here.

As I said before, this is the perfect beach read because it’s short, light and fun. It lacks originality but the writing makes up for it. Fans of spicy contemporary romance should enjoy it, just keep in mind that it is what it is, so enjoy it for that and don’t ask for more.

Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.(less)

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Feb 21, 2012 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review, romance, sports-romance, read-in-2012

Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/02/21/...

Publisher: Harlequin
Publish Date: Out Now!
How I got this book: NetGalley

I’m a huge fan of sports romance books, so when contemporary favorite Jill Shalvis wrote about about a professional hockey coach falling in love with a childhood friend, I knew it was a recipe for greatness.

Rainey likes life in the small town, despite the fact that the town itself is falling onto hard times. She is in desperate need of coaches for the kid...more Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/02/21/...

Publisher: Harlequin
Publish Date: Out Now!
How I got this book: NetGalley

I’m a huge fan of sports romance books, so when contemporary favorite Jill Shalvis wrote about about a professional hockey coach falling in love with a childhood friend, I knew it was a recipe for greatness.

Rainey likes life in the small town, despite the fact that the town itself is falling onto hard times. She is in desperate need of coaches for the kids sports teams, and the last person she expected was her childhood crush and the one man who still makes her weak in the knees.
Mark is a big time NHL coach, and when his players act out, he takes them back to his hometown to teach them a bit of responsibility. But while teaching his players, taking on the girls softball team, and spending time with his family, Mark still finds himself drawn to Rainey in ways he never thought possible. But will it be enough to move forward to a future?

While I enjoy Harlequin category books, they never seem to live up to the full length novels that I’ve come to crave, and while Shalvis is still one of my favorite contemporary writers out there, I didn’t think this story lived up to her others. I just seemed to want so much… more. So many times, it feels as if category length novels leave out so much of the relationship and character building in lieu of sexy times and a shorter page count. While it doesn’t necessarily make for a bad book, it often leaves me feeling as if I just need a little more time within the story.

That being said, I absolutely adored Rainey. She was a fun heroine. So practical, down to earth and small-town sweet. It was obvious that she cared for and loved those close to her with every fiber of her being. She did her best to keep those close to her safe, healthy, and on the straight and narrow. Her history with Mark had me alternately cringing and laughing at the same time. I could see why she was worried about letting him back into her life, but I adored them together.

Mark was great in his own way as well, despite the fact that there were a few times I wanted to pop him in the back of the head. He was an alpha to the extreme, coming in protective and overbearing, even occasionally trying to take over Rainey’s life. While that type of man isn’t my cuppa, I do have a soft spot for them in my romance books. Mainly because I love to see the big, bad, macho man taken down to his knees by the love of a woman.

Shalvis continues to write some incredible sexy times, and she doesn’t hold back at all in this one. Mark and Rainey start out with a very physical relationship, but it quickly becomes evident that there is so much more between them. I do wish that we would have had a bit more time from Mark’s perspective, just because I didn’t get as good of an understand for his feelings as I did Rainey’s.

All in all I thought Shalvis had another winner in this story. The hero and heroine are sexy together and have a sweet romance. While category romances can be predictable at times, I always seem to enjoy them non-the-less. Mark and Rainey were no exception.
I give Time Out a B(less)

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Feb 21, 2012 Trish rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-series-harlequin

I have yet to read a Jill Shalvis book that I haven't liked. SERIOUSLY.

I know that when I pick up her books, that I will get at least three things:
1. A solid, strong hero who is charming, sexy, and a heroine who loves to drive him crazy.
2. Smexy, steamy times that is loaded with great sexual chemistry. NEVER falls flat.
3. A great plot with funny laugh-out-loud moments.

All of these key ingredients are in Time Out.

I love to see a man squirm a bit--and Mark does this A LOT in Time Out. To see...more

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Feb 19, 2012 Madame X rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: vip-hero, contemporary-romance, meh

TIME OUT is a good book, but not to my tastes. Jill Shalvis is a good craftsman. She knows what kind of book she's writing - sweet, sexy, not too complicated - and she executes it well. This is my second Jill Shalvis, after Head Over Heels. HEAD OVER HEELS didn't strike any sparks with me but I liked it enough to think Jill Shalvis was worth another try. Having finished TIME OUT, it's safe to say she's got decent writing chops but her work isn't to my taste.

In TIME OUT, the heroine, Rainey, run...more TIME OUT is a good book, but not to my tastes. Jill Shalvis is a good craftsman. She knows what kind of book she's writing - sweet, sexy, not too complicated - and she executes it well. This is my second Jill Shalvis, after Head Over Heels. HEAD OVER HEELS didn't strike any sparks with me but I liked it enough to think Jill Shalvis was worth another try. Having finished TIME OUT, it's safe to say she's got decent writing chops but her work isn't to my taste.

In TIME OUT, the heroine, Rainey, runs a local recreation center in a struggling Californian town. She knew the hero, Mark, way back when. He was her biggest childhood crush. But when she let him know how she felt, she was too young and he turned her down. Soon after her humiliation, Mark left town. When the book starts, he's the head coach of a major league hockey team. A couple of his players have gotten into an embarrassing brawl and Mark has arranged for a summer of penance during the off-season, doing community service in his home town.

That places Mark at the rec center, where Rainey is working. Rainey is still wildly attracted to Mark and she still feels very much at a disadvantage. When they were kids, the 4-year age difference gave Mark an edge. Now it's his success and money, an endless supply of beautiful women competing for his attention. Rainey senses danger and tries to steer clear, but the chemistry is irresistible.

For his part, Mark remembers Rainey fondly and he's very attracted to her in the present. He's eager for a fling but right from the start he feels possessive, jealous, more invested than he would with a really casual arrangement. Rainey places limits on him, explaining that she doesn't want to get hurt, and he tries to respect her wishes but they just keep getting closer.

And that's pretty much the whole thing. Rainey works over her insecurity about Mark's success and her own relationship issues. Mark really likes Rainey but it takes him a long while to consider a commitment. Personally, I wanted more. Mark worries about what will happen once he's back on the job, for example. He's a workaholic who travels constantly and he doesn't think Rainey will make do with crumbs of his attention. That seemed like a pretty valid concern to me but he and Rainey never talk - not once - about how they'll make their relationship work while he's on the road.

I know this is a Harlequin and on the shorter side, but there's so much pondering and stasis. I'd have liked to see less internal monologue and, say, a final quarter of the book that dealt with what happened after the summer of community service was over. I'd have liked to see Mark and Rainey try to build an actual relationship. Instead the book ends as soon as they decide to give it a try.

There are a ton of similar buried issues. Mark is bossy. Rainey is bossy. Each admires bossiness in the other but there are a lot of walk-outs or arguments that are cut off by sex, and I was left with the impression that these two people were in the very early stages of understanding one another. Neither is very good at give and take. Even at the end of the book, I had no sense that they'd really learned to communicate.

So, yeah. It's a cute book. It's pretty sexy, in a vanilla way (Rainey blushes about dirty talk and while she's a little turned on at the idea of being tied up, isn't at all tempted to try it), but TIME OUT avoids the kind of emotional intensity and angst that I find satisfying in a romance.

(less)

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Feb 07, 2012 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is 224 pages of great entertainment. I never worry when i read a Jill Shalvis book. I know that it will be interesting and entertaining. There will most likely be a hot man and a lot of great dialogue and depending on the book hot sex scenes and some laughs. Yeah that just about describes this book " Time Out". I love reading these smaller Harlequin books that are shorter in the pages department but big on story. I didn't feel like this book was only 224 pages. I read it on my kindle so lat...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Rhonda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review: Time Out by Jill Shalvis
4 STARS
I liked the story line a lot. It is a Harlequin Blaze so their were the love scenes that I skipped over.
Rainey works at a summer rec league in a poor part of town that was made worse by summer fires. Fires destroyed a few of the ball fields and lots of homes too.
Rainey is having a fund raser car wash and most of left when she gets a bucket of water meant for a teen, when a big fancy truck pulls in. Mark Diego NHL head coach and two of his players.
Mark real...more

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Jan 27, 2012 Becca rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-s, books-read-in-2012, contemporary-romance, sports-romance, romance, netgalley, e-book

**3.5 Stars**
Mark is the youngest NHL Hockey coach and is a big celebrity in his own right. His team just competed for the Stanley Cup but all anyone can talk about is the big fight that two of his players engaged in when they confronted some of the players from the winning team. Both coaches decided that instead of suspension each of the players in the fight would go to a local neighborhood thats in need of help. Mark decides to take his players to his hometown where fire ravaged many of the ho...more **3.5 Stars**
Mark is the youngest NHL Hockey coach and is a big celebrity in his own right. His team just competed for the Stanley Cup but all anyone can talk about is the big fight that two of his players engaged in when they confronted some of the players from the winning team. Both coaches decided that instead of suspension each of the players in the fight would go to a local neighborhood thats in need of help. Mark decides to take his players to his hometown where fire ravaged many of the homes. Mark and his players will help reconstruct homes and coach the summer recreational softball and baseball teams.

Rainy is the head coordinator for the recreation department of the youth program. She has been bugging her boss/friend for awhile to get her the coaches she needs for her teams. But when she sees that Mark is going to be helping out she immediately begins to panic. Mark, his brother, and Rainy all used to be good friends in their highschool days. Though Mark was a few years older Rainy always had a crush on him. But after a humiliating experience trying to demonstrate those feelings for Mark they were never friends again.

Rainy is still wildly attracted to Mark and Mark is now definitely returning the sentiment. But both want different things out of this relationship. Rainy wants a commitment and a lasting relationship while Mark takes things day to day. While they both can't fight their attraction to one another they also can't agree on what their relationship is and will be.

I always enjoy Jill Shalvis contemporary romance books. They are always light and romantic and always have an edge of humor in them. This story was no different. I really liked Mark but I wanted to slap him a few times and say wake up. Whenever he would start to admit that he was lying to himself about his life and his inability to have a relationship he would quickly overcome it and just continue on with I don't know what I want. Rainy was a great character with a large heart, I loved that guys kept asking her out in front of Mark. That was a continuing funny line for me. This was a very fun quick read and I look forward to anything else this author has to write.(less)

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Feb 21, 2013 Bri rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fave-authors, sports-romance

I never thought I'd see the day.

Did I just give 2 stars to a Jill Shalvis--one of my favorite contemporary authors--book? Yes. Yes, I did.

This was just...a hot, hot mess. I disliked the heroine. I disliked the hero. The plot was trite, overdone, and redundant. Jill can get away with using the same plot over and over again because her characters as well as the book settings are enough to push them over the top to something special. So when you take away those two things? You're left with the same...more

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Oct 25, 2012 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: alpha-male-vs-alpha-female, contemporary, guilty-pleasures, hea, romantica

3 1/2 stars

I know this is intended as a "blazing hot" guilty pleasure and as far as "hot" scenes go, it didn't disappoint. What was disappointing though, was the length and depth.

Time Out has a good plot (one of my personal favs) - a blast from the past crush (Mark), older, wiser, no longer concerned with four year age difference and finding his boyhood FRIEND all grown up and very sexy indeed, but he's living a crazy, busy life with no room for a committed relationship; the girl who had said c...more 3 1/2 stars

I know this is intended as a "blazing hot" guilty pleasure and as far as "hot" scenes go, it didn't disappoint. What was disappointing though, was the length and depth.

Time Out has a good plot (one of my personal favs) - a blast from the past crush (Mark), older, wiser, no longer concerned with four year age difference and finding his boyhood FRIEND all grown up and very sexy indeed, but he's living a crazy, busy life with no room for a committed relationship; the girl who had said crush (Rainey) not wanting to go back down that road and get hurt again. There is even an excellent sub-plot - overindulged, spoiled athletes (and coach(es)) being taken down a few pegs, giving to the community, and being genuinely good role models, for a change.

The characters were also nicely built up. Virtually everyone mentioned, from Mark and Rainey (male and female lead, respectively), to the two goofball, bad boy, professional hockey players (James and Casey), to the lady (sixty-something Celia Anderson) who owns and runs the local motel (The Welcome Inn) - while watching her soaps with a fan blowing on her full blast, was created enough to be cared about - as much as needed to move the story forward. The only flat, lifeless characters being the briefly glimpsed, female neighbor (Stacy) and the four, never seen, "bad boy" teenagers - and while they certainly could have been given more depth without too much work, they're lack of depth didn't detract from the engagement of the plot. **Hmmm... actually, I just realized that Rainey's family could have used a bit more life as well... But, I guess, since it took me this long to think of that, it wasn't too great a detriment to the overall enjoyment of the story.

Everything built up splendidly... to a far too rapid, short ending... Given the fun, sexy plot and interesting sub-plot, I would have liked to see a much more detailed wrap-up.

(view spoiler)

Basically, everything was "wrapped up" in less than ten pages... unsatisfying.(less)

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May 11, 2012 Hope rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I got this book from NetGalley for a review; I sometimes like to read Harlequin romance novels. I find them entertaining; I cannot read too many of them one after another but from time to time I like to read one or two. When I was browsing through Harlequin section on NEtGalley I saw this book and thought it looked fun.

Rainey was a fun character to read about, same for Mark. I have to say there was a lot of chemistry between the two of them. Rainey had a major crush on Mark when they were young...more

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Jan 23, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

What a hot little number this one was! I have made an “executive” decision to read everything that Jill Shalvis has written! Ms. Shalvis never fails to grab my attention in the beginning of her books and hold it there right up until the end! Although I enjoy the Lucky Harbor series best, Time Out is full of all of my favorite things about her writing: an impossible to not like heroine, a hot as hell hero, great dialogue and humor, and a truly romantic story.
After being away from his hometown for...more What a hot little number this one was! I have made an “executive” decision to read everything that Jill Shalvis has written! Ms. Shalvis never fails to grab my attention in the beginning of her books and hold it there right up until the end! Although I enjoy the Lucky Harbor series best, Time Out is full of all of my favorite things about her writing: an impossible to not like heroine, a hot as hell hero, great dialogue and humor, and a truly romantic story.
After being away from his hometown for many years, Mark Diego finds himself coming back to a town rebuilding after the devastation of wildfire’s. After an altercation with two of his NHL players, Mark has decided to take out their punishment by having them commit a solid month to community service in his hometown. Mark isn’t prepared to run into Rainey again, and he definitely isn’t prepared for all the feelings she stirs within him.
Of all the NHL coaches out there, Mark Diego has to be the one chosen to come and work for her community rec center. After embarrassingly revealing her true love for him year before at the young age of sixteen, Rainey hasn’t quite gotten over the humiliation of being rejected by the only man she’s ever truly loved. When she comes face to face with him, it’s obvious the chemistry still sizzles and, lucky for her, she’s not too young to indulge now.
Great story of reunited “almost” lovers. The chemistry between Mark and Rainey is scorching and the love scenes set the pages (and me) on fire!
Being married to a Latino hunk myself, this story was very near to my heart. I love how delicious Mark Diego is in this novel. Just saying his name is erotic and his sensuality oozes from the pages. It’s not wonder our heroine has a hard time resisting, I know I couldn’t!
Rainey is a heroine anyone can appreciate. Her fierce devotion to her job and the kids involved was admirable and I loved how the whole story centered around community service and neighborhood awareness
Really great read, and quick too; I finished it in a couple of hours. Four solid stars!!
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Jan 24, 2012 Kathy Martin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a story about people who met at the wrong time in both their lives and have a chance for a do-over now. Rainey had a crush on Mark when she was sixteen and he was twenty. When she goes to act on it, she finds him with another girl and runs off. He chases after her and finds her soon enough to keep her from being raped by the guy she chose in a moment of hurt. This embarrassed her completely and she liked avoiding him until he left town. He hadn't even recognized her crush and just saw he...more

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Jan 21, 2012 Annie the Destroyer *Leather Lust* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, author-jill-shalvis, genre-contemporary-romance, ebooks, read-in-2012, review-requests, netgalley

Posted on Under the Covers

To NHL coach, Mark Diego, there is nothing better than winning. In TIME OUT, Mark uses all his tricks to win the heart of Rainey Saunders, his childhood friend who he has hurt in the past.

When they were younger, Rainey had a huge crush on Mark but Mark was never aware of these feelings. The one night that Rainey decides she is going to tell Mark about her feelings and give herself to him, she walks in and interrupts Mark with another girl.

As time passes and hearts heal...more

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