Any Man of Mine (Chinooks Hockey Team, #6)

Nov 23, 2011 Auntee rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of contemporary sports romance

Shelves: contemporary-romance, sports-romance, part-of-a-series, 2011_reads, rachel_gibson

Despite the horn dog, rather immature (for a 35(?) year old man) hero, Any Man of Mine is yet another winner in the Chinooks hockey series...

Responsible, pretty red-head 25-year-old Autumn Haven is taking a much needed weeklong vacation in Las Vegas with a list of attractions she'd like to see/do. Not on that list is hooking up with a sinfully handsome, powerfully built blond stud like hockey player Sam LeClaire. But with the way Sam looks at her, and with the sparks flying, Autumn indulges her...more

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Sep 09, 2011 Patricia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, _adult, review-on-old-blog, genre_contemporary-and-suspense

To review this is weird for a couple of reasons, several of them I'll try to point out. Some are just personal crap. While I truly liked how Gibson was able to make the reader feel what the heroine, Autumn, felt, this is precisely the point that makes it hard to actually like the story.

Five or six years ago, after her mother died: Autumn spends a week in Las Vegas where she meets Sam, has sex, falls in love and marries him. And he's a jerk, gone before she's up without any note or reason.

Now s...more To review this is weird for a couple of reasons, several of them I'll try to point out. Some are just personal crap. While I truly liked how Gibson was able to make the reader feel what the heroine, Autumn, felt, this is precisely the point that makes it hard to actually like the story.

Five or six years ago, after her mother died: Autumn spends a week in Las Vegas where she meets Sam, has sex, falls in love and marries him. And he's a jerk, gone before she's up without any note or reason.

Now she's a wedding planner, has his son, Connor and tries to not hate him, which is hard considering that she's been alone through her pregnancy and he's not exactly the father of the year. (Thanks, by the way. My own daddy issues are very present right now.. oô)

So, when he notices what a bad dad he actually is, he wants to change and tries. He doesn't do bad, but along the way he starts feeling something. He wants to be with Autumn, but he doesn't know why, how long etc. - Once bitte, twice shy-Autumn doesn't trust him and why would she? Why should she? She does feel attracted to him, but she also was hurt badly. And her son as well.

Sam was constantly putting other things over his son, he spent his summer with some bikini-barbies, only met his son when the schedule fit and when he felt like it, while he could have taken the time if he really wanted to. His son, 5 years old, just longs for something like stability. A father, a mother, a family. He adores his dad, but he also noticed that his father isn't there. He's off playing hockey and screwing topmodels, but he's not there for him. And still, he loves him.

This made him unlikeable. I mean, really. When I read things from his perspective I often tried to like him, tried to see his point and after all he accepted the fact that he's been not the best person in the world, but the development was a little too flat and I was a little too involved with Autumn and Connor to forgive and forget. Also, Autumn has had time to deal with the shit he put her through while the reader hasn't.

Although I thought some of the romantic scenes were cute I'd much rather seen another ending. I know it's probably a bitchy thing to say but Sam should have suffered more for what he's done. And if that's making me a vengeful person, so be it. ;p

On the other side, I can see that people aren't perfect. Life is about making mistakes and learning from them. I suppose being a human myself (who would have thought, I know) I should be less unforgiving and as I've said, I tried. When I read Sam's parts, I mean.. the parts written in his POV I was able to relate a little. I thought: "Yeah, he regrets what he put them through" but this regret wasn't enough for me. I wanted Connor to step up and tell his dad what a jerk he was. It's stupid, because Connor is five and he doesn't really see the flaws of his father, but I still thought that someone - other than Autumn and her brother - should have made Sam's life a little less easy. (Admittedly, his life wasn't easy when he was younger, but in the present it actually was. He had his playmates, he had his friends, he had his career..)

As you can see, it's been a struggle.. I could relate to all of the characters, one way or another and that made it a good read. It was a believable story and the plot wasn't bad either, very character-driven. But I'm not quite satisfied with the end. I'd have rather seen the heroine find another man and Sam being just a good father.

I'm very interested in the other couples that have been mentioned in the book and I need, need, need to know what's up with Autumns brother, Vince. I hope Gibson'll write (or has already written) his story. (less)

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Apr 26, 2011 Jess rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Review posted at: www.happilyeverafter-reads.blogspot.com

2.5/5 stars:

This series has a few things going for it that I really enjoy:

1. Hockey players – Yummy
2. Seattle – Maybe it’s just me, but when a story is set in my city, I love reading about a character walking down the street and thinking, hey! I was walking down that same street during lunch. Yeah, it’s probably just me.
3. Hockey IN Seattle – which we don’t have. Go Vancouver!

So all that said, this series setting is one for me. I’ve enjoye...more Review posted at: www.happilyeverafter-reads.blogspot.com

2.5/5 stars:

This series has a few things going for it that I really enjoy:

1. Hockey players – Yummy
2. Seattle – Maybe it’s just me, but when a story is set in my city, I love reading about a character walking down the street and thinking, hey! I was walking down that same street during lunch. Yeah, it’s probably just me.
3. Hockey IN Seattle – which we don’t have. Go Vancouver!

So all that said, this series setting is one for me. I’ve enjoyed the past books in the Chinook Hockey series, they’re fun, light, ‘finish the book in one sitting’ kind of reads. The H/h are enjoyable pairings and the angst level is super low. But, Any Man of Mine is a disappointment. It doesn’t fit in with other books in the series mainly because the characters, namely Sam, are so unlikable. Sam borders on total ass-iness through the first 60% of the book and by that point, the amount of story time left for him to truly redeem himself is just not enough.

The set-up is this: 5 years ago the H/h head to Vegas for a getaway, each with their own sad reasons for needing a break from life. They meet, Sam is drunk, Autumn is head over heels in love, 3 days later Elvis marries them, the next morning Sam finally sobers up, leaves her alone in the hotel room and disappears. Cue the messy divorce, Autumn finding out she’s pregnant, Sam basically being a Dad when it’s convenient for him and we’ve got 5 years of complete hatred between the two.

I normally enjoy the whole story arc for couples of: hate to dislike to witty banter turning finally into love - story. It’s fun to watch characters go at each other early on, because as readers we wait. We wait for THAT moment when they realize that all the dancing around each other and bantering back and forth is just their foreplay. We wait for that ONE moment that the whole book builds up to and the payoff is so sweet because of what we just went through with our H/h.

Any Man of Mine just fell flat. Sam was unlikeable for more than half the story, I mean really, truly unlikeable. To point where I think I would have been fine with an ending of him stepping up and being a good dad to Conner, and no reunion with Autumn. GASP. Yeah, that’s right, I said it, I would have been fine without the HEA. Rest assured that there is an HEA, but the story went from hate to love in a matter of a few pages. Maybe there needed to be more woo’ing on Sam’s part, or maybe the rebuilding of their relationship needed to start happening earlier in the book, as opposed to the last quarter of it.

As is usually the case for me, the side characters kept most of my attention. Their 5 year old son Conner is a cute kid, Autumn’s brother Vince has interesting potential and I hope at some point he possibly gets his own book in a spinoff. We get caught up with a few past friends, and it was nice to have a few scenes at Faith and Ty’s wedding.

I rounded up to 3 stars because Rachel Gibson’s Chinook Hockey series is filled with fun, enjoyable characters and their stories but this newest edition was a letdown.(less)

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Apr 24, 2012 Meredith rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, contemporary-fiction, romance, 2012

I re-read this book recently and liked it a lot more than I did the first time. My original review is below, but I think I just allowed myself to enjoy the romance this time and stopped thinking too much about the details.

Originally published on The Librarian Next Door:

Needing a break after her mother’s death, Autumn Haven heads to Las Vegas to blow off some steam. She doesn’t except to meet Sam LeClaire, bad boy hockey player. She really doesn’t except their whirlwind affair to lead to a quick...more I re-read this book recently and liked it a lot more than I did the first time. My original review is below, but I think I just allowed myself to enjoy the romance this time and stopped thinking too much about the details.

Originally published on The Librarian Next Door:

Needing a break after her mother’s death, Autumn Haven heads to Las Vegas to blow off some steam. She doesn’t except to meet Sam LeClaire, bad boy hockey player. She really doesn’t except their whirlwind affair to lead to a quickie Vegas wedding and an equally quick – and bitter – divorce. They would never have to see each other again – if it weren’t for their son, Connor. Six years after the disaster in Vegas, Autumn and Sam barely communicate and rarely see each other. The only thing they have in common is Connor. But when a work event brings them together, both are forced into a new, uncertain relationship with one another. They might have a future together, if only they can let go of the past.

I’ve read a number of Rachel Gibson’s books revolving around the players and staff of the Seattle Chinooks hockey team. Some of them are great, some not-so-great. Unfortunately, Any Man of Mine falls into the “not-so-great” category. I definitely didn’t hate it, but I had a hard time warming up to both Autumn and Sam. Autumn is understandably quite guarded with her heart, but she also holds too tightly to grudges and resentments from years past. She’s willing to risk losing Sam because she can’t (or won’t) let herself move past everything that happened all those years ago. Sam, meanwhile, is a self-admitted jerk and a mostly absentee father. While I really liked his determination to make up for his past mistakes, especially when it came to Connor, I never really bought the reason why – the change from carefree hockey player to devoted dad seemed so sudden that I just never thought it made a lot of sense. Though I wanted to like Any Many of Mine more than I did, I realized about halfway through the book that I was more interested in the periphery characters from past books than I was in the two main characters. If you’re a Rachel Gibson fan or have read the other Chinook books, you’ll probably like this one. Otherwise, feel free to skip it.(less)

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Feb 08, 2011 Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, favorite-authors, romance, for-review, net-galley

At First Sight: At 25, and following the death of her mother, all Autumn Haven wanted was to relax in Vegas and do all the silly, touristy things you can do in there. She didn't plan on running into Sam LeClaire. Already a successful hockey player based in Seattle, Sam was just looking at a few days of mindless entertainment in Vegas, anything to keep his mind occupied on a day that is difficult to him. But, from the moment he saw Autumn at a club, he became a little bit obsessed with having her...more At First Sight: At 25, and following the death of her mother, all Autumn Haven wanted was to relax in Vegas and do all the silly, touristy things you can do in there. She didn't plan on running into Sam LeClaire. Already a successful hockey player based in Seattle, Sam was just looking at a few days of mindless entertainment in Vegas, anything to keep his mind occupied on a day that is difficult to him. But, from the moment he saw Autumn at a club, he became a little bit obsessed with having her.

A few days later, things had spiraled out of control, and their hook up ended up on a quickie marriage and a bitter divorce. And they would have rather never seen each other again, but with a young son between them that was impossible. Not that they didn't try to stay away from each other, but after a few years without seeing each other, an small work emergency (Autumn is an event planner) forces Autumn to be around Sam more than she had in years.

Having matured a little in the years past, and with the realization that he hasn't been the best of father - that in fact, he's turning into his own father - Sam is determined to do better by his son, which forces him an Autumn together, something that in turn forces them to examine their relationship and what exactly they feel for each other, even after all the years that have passed.

Second Glance: I was both reluctant and excited to read Any Man Of Mine, I'm a long time fan of Rachel Gibson, but I haven't loved her latest books. I'm happy to say that I liked Any Man of Mine a bit more. It wasn't exactly what I expected - for some reason I thought it was more of a secret baby plot - but it was a nice story. Gibson knows how to write a funny story, and I really liked how she wrote Conner - Sam and Autumn's son - and made him sound like a 5 year old.

I liked Autumn, I just did, even though she could hold a hell of a grudge for a really long time, usually I wouldn't like that, but I liked it on her because it made sense due to the stuff Sam had done to her in the past. Sam was harder, he was a big jerk for a large part of the book and his transformation was very slow (which sort of made sense for who he was, but I thought he was a jerk for more than half of the book, which put off some of the enjoyment).

But by the end, I was happy of how things had progressed.

Bottom Line: Over all, I think that the characters could have been developed a bit more and a bit better, but I still enjoyed the book (though I did roll my eyes a few times). Some things were left hanging - sort of fell by the side and were forgotten and never explained, through out the story. But I did have a good time reading it. It was fun. Just not the best book by Rachel Gibson, but not so bad either.

Cover Comment: I really liked this cover, mostly because Autumn it's supposed to look like that! The guy isn't really like Sam - because Sam is blond - but it's still nice. I like it better than the covers for the last couple books by this author. (less)

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Jun 22, 2011 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, contemporary, sports, 3-stars, 3-and-a-half-stars, reviewed-on-blog, comedies-funny-stuff, series-completed

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Setting: Present-day Seattle, Washington
Hero: Sam LeClaire
Heroine: Autumn Haven
Sensuality Rating: Hot

Overall Ranking: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

See Full Review Here: http://feministfairytalereviews.blogs...

Rachel Gibson is one of the few contemporary romance authors that I read. This is not a genre that usually appeals to me so she is in an exclusive group. I especially enjoy her Chinooks hockey series due to my love affair with athletes and romance. "Any Man of Mine" is not...more

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Nov 10, 2012 Steamywindows♥♫ rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: hockey fans who love a second chance romance

Shelves: ereader, author-to-watch, baby-or-children-factor, bad-ass-hottie, estranged-or-divorced, grovel-worthy, hero-with-bad-relationship-history, infidelity-factor, jerk-hero, second-chance-romance

I wasn't a hockey fan. I am not always a fan of second chance story lines. I don't like it when children are affected by their parents acrimony. So how come when I find myself sitting here to write this review, a number of weeks after I finished reading this book, I want to dive back into it, the images strong and clear, the emotions compelling? I find I have to rate this book a five star DIK because I will read this again.

If you are amongst the group of people who do not read books which the c...more I wasn't a hockey fan. I am not always a fan of second chance story lines. I don't like it when children are affected by their parents acrimony. So how come when I find myself sitting here to write this review, a number of weeks after I finished reading this book, I want to dive back into it, the images strong and clear, the emotions compelling? I find I have to rate this book a five star DIK because I will read this again.

If you are amongst the group of people who do not read books which the couple doesn't stay together, and at least one of them plays the hound dog role, I don't know if you will enjoy this one. If however, you feel like giving it a shot, (hockey pun not intended *winks*) I think you will be deeply affected by the story of a couple who even though meant for one another, loose their way and despite a BIG detour, eventually find a way to heal and come together again.

This is a story of Autumn, a young woman who has had more than her share of struggles, caring for a dying parent, being on her own at a young age, but who finds herself in Vegas, the object of a very sexy, very hot male''s singularly charming attentions. She falls. They get tattoos, have a hound dog wedding and she wakes up with him gone. Woof. I'm thinking, oh boy this isn't something I would forgive. But wait, it gets worse! He divorces her sorry self without a backward glance. End of story? Well if it was it would be a four chapter novel.

Enter an unplanned and unexpected pregnancy. Connor ends up being the light of his mother's life, and indeed he captured my heart. I was so happy when Sam started to see that his son was old enough, at five now, to feel his absences. Being a hockey player, he had to be away, but Connor was missing his dad for more than the Disney land Dad visits. And Sam clues in. My god, when Connor announced he no longer liked his formerly beloved Barney, stating "Barney is for babies", I totally felt Autumn's pain. Regardless of her painful history with an asshat ex, her baby was growing up. And it was obvious to her, that he needed more from his dad. She bends for him. Poignant.

As a reader, I wondered right along with our heroine,how she would ever be able to get past the "patches she had had to sew into her life", to get past the damage Sam had caused her. Through the first part of the book, Sam compulsively womanizes. He thinks of his "ex" as a bitch he justifiably escaped from. Well, that warmed me up to him. Humph. This "hockey hero" has his own set of baggage from some serious family trauma and is not very good at opening up. It would do no good to tell you that I thought that this justified his behaviour. It. Did. Not. I ended up liking him anyway. The author very cleverly starts to herd us towards empathy for this damaged fellow when he comes to some powerful, if grossly LATE, insights. I loved their interchanges when they finally started to get past their history:

"You covered my name with wings." He raised her hand and kissed her pulse. "Does that mean you think I'm an angel?"
She laughed, "A dark angel from hell."

This signals a tipping point in which he starts to see himself as part of a family. His family. But Autumn does not fall in weakly,

"There you go again, trying to charm me into falling in love with you."
"What if I fall in love with you?" His hand slid up and cupped her breast.
Her gaze met his. "You won't."
He didn't like the way she said it. As if it wasn't possible. As if he wasn't capable of falling in love with a woman. As if he wasn't capable of loving her."

Angsty? Yes. Good hockey? You bet. (that has to be the Canadian in me!) A great second chance? Most assuredly. A shot at redemption? I think so.

"You are the pinch in my heart. The catch in my breath. The reason my stomach tumbles..."

And I did tumble...(less)

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Dec 03, 2011 Noelle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, owned, 2011-reads, alpha-male-that-i-love, children-in-the-mix, contemp, great-love-scenes, hero-with-a-tortured-past, romance, second-chance-romance

This is the first book by Rachel Gibson and I LOVED it......I might have just "found" a new author. :)

Autumn (h) having just hurried her mother after a long fight against cancer, her only sibling, Vince, is in Iraq and never really knowing her father, has found herself alone for the first time in her life. She decides to take a trip to Las Vegas and do everything on her list.....she writes a list for everything. One thing however that wasn't on her list was hunky Pro Hockey player Sam LeClaire....more This is the first book by Rachel Gibson and I LOVED it......I might have just "found" a new author. :)

Autumn (h) having just hurried her mother after a long fight against cancer, her only sibling, Vince, is in Iraq and never really knowing her father, has found herself alone for the first time in her life. She decides to take a trip to Las Vegas and do everything on her list.....she writes a list for everything. One thing however that wasn't on her list was hunky Pro Hockey player Sam LeClaire. They have a short but hot romance and on one crazy night. before the end of their trip,they find themselves married......and the next morning Autumn finds herself left all alone again. The next time she hears from Sam was through an attorney for a divorce. It was through the same attorney that she informs him that she's pregnant.

Sam didn't know what it was about Autumn that attracted him to her but for some reason he couldn't get enough of her. When he wakes and finds himself married to her,he tries to blame it on the booze but he knew there was more to it. But before he gives it too much more thought,he runs. When he finds out that he's going to be a dad, he's thrown off balance again. As time goes by he sees his son when ever he has time,wich isn't much. ut he does provide for him with a hefty child support,wich he doesn't resent, he wants to know that Autumn and Connor have everything they need.

Year have gone by and though he sees Conner somewhat he hasn't seen Autunm in years, so when he sees her at his friends wedding he's not sure what to say to her or how she'll act......she always looks like she wants to kick him in the balls and that's something that he likes to avoid at all cost.

Autumn knew when she took the job to plan this wedding that she would see Sam, after all it was the owner of his Hockey team that was getting married. As long as she sees to the details and stays in the back she should be okay. As Sam approaches her to let her know he's there and get the awkward meating over with, he over hears that there is a problem picking up Connor so he offers to have his assistant pick him up and take him to his home and he would return him in the morning. Problem solved, but Connor's getting older and Sam can see that he needs to spend more time with his son,he needs to be a better father.

The more time Autumn spends around Sam the more she can feel herself falling for him all over again and that scares the shit out of her. Can she do that to herself again....can she do that to Connor??

Though my review is mostly about Autumn the author lets you know both Autumn and Sam and what makes them tick. Both are very likable characers and Rachel Gibson. does a great job in helping the reader understand the choices each of them make and why. For those who cant stand a second chance Romance were the Hero see lots of women while they are divorced and the heroine sees no one at all,there is that element in this book but again I think the author makes it work.(less)

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Jan 01, 2012 Sian rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After reading some of the reviews for this book I have to say I was a bit dubious to whether I would enjoy this or not.
I really worried I was going to hate the main character of Sam and find him lacking compared with the other "hero's" from Miss Gibson's previous books but I actually quite liked him. Yes he definately wasnt like previous male characters but he had his own charm....or rather lack of it.

I thought Autumn was a bit odd and I definately would have kept a grudge much longer and certai...more

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Oct 03, 2011 Starry rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Autumn Haven-main character,wedding planner
sam leclaire-hockey player
connor-autumn and sams child,5 years old
vince-autumn's brother,built for killing(figure of speech btw),puts his family above anthing else first

#48

INFO:
sam still remember the time where he married autumn mostly because he was drunk and didnt know what he was doing.to think that he also had a son that he never saw often because he was always on the road or going to hockey games makes him feel alittle guilty.and now 2 years later...more Autumn Haven-main character,wedding planner
sam leclaire-hockey player
connor-autumn and sams child,5 years old
vince-autumn's brother,built for killing(figure of speech btw),puts his family above anthing else first

#48

INFO:
sam still remember the time where he married autumn mostly because he was drunk and didnt know what he was doing.to think that he also had a son that he never saw often because he was always on the road or going to hockey games makes him feel alittle guilty.and now 2 years later he is at a wedding that was arranged by autumn and seeing her just brings guilt to him for ditching her in the hotel without looking back and sending her their divorce papers while she was pregnant with connor.Autumn wasnt surprised to see sam at the wedding that she arranged nor shall she be.since shes been immune to his "charming" looks everythings going alright in her life.she has a great 5 year old son and a lovely job to work for for a living.nothing can get better than that.later on after sam spent a day with his son and coming home off time with connor did autumn tell sam what a bad father he was and all that.when sam went home later on, he finally did relize what a bad father he was and a bad person he was, to both his son and autumn...and he decides to change everything,start making some arrangements that would prove him worthy of a person and a father.so sam starts hanging out more with conner whch means also more with autumn and sometimes vince*who hates sam).sam also starts to take connor to more hockey games and places where sam likes to go.there is alot of jelousy and funny things that happens in this book between sam and autumn or even sam and conner.and sam also gets to teach conner how to skate just like he dreamed to do for his son.Sam and Autumn also keeps on having daydreams about the time they hooked up in vegas along time ago.throuh this book there is two people who hate each other and ends up going from hate to love. One of the fun parts was after sam hanging with autumn and connor for a few months did connor tell autumn he wants sam to move in and make a baby brother for him xD
but at the end of the book, all goes well.autumn keeps pushing and pushing sam away from her and when sam finally left autumn alone, she relized just how much she loves him this time. sam later on feels the same way too and so autumn and sam ends up getting married in the end..happy and loving their family and each other, and dont forget...conner expects a baby brother for sure now:)(less)

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Jan 09, 2012 Nan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Joy & Molly

Shelves: nook, chick-lit, romance

I picked up this book due to Avon's aggressive marketing campaign. I get emails from the publisher, and they were pushing this title pretty heavily. After reading the summary, I was intrigued, and since I felt like rewarding myself with a fun romance, I bought it.

The cover copy tells the bare bones of the plot. A few years ago, Autumn and Sam had a fling in Vegas which ended badly--and she's hated him for years because of what happened. When they run into each other at a wedding, they find thems...more I picked up this book due to Avon's aggressive marketing campaign. I get emails from the publisher, and they were pushing this title pretty heavily. After reading the summary, I was intrigued, and since I felt like rewarding myself with a fun romance, I bought it.

The cover copy tells the bare bones of the plot. A few years ago, Autumn and Sam had a fling in Vegas which ended badly--and she's hated him for years because of what happened. When they run into each other at a wedding, they find themselves talking and being civil, and Sam volunteers to help Autumn with a situation that brings him back into her life.

The cover copy also obscures several key facts about the story, and I'm not going to spoil them here. I think they make the story richer and complicate the relationship. What I can say is that when Sam and Autumn run into each other, neither one is looking to resume their fling. However, their increased contact leads them to remember just what drew them to each other in the first place, and as they come to know each other better, sparks begin to fly anew.

When I picked up the book, I had no idea that it was in a series, or that the series was based around a fictional Seattle hockey team. Both facts were delightful. I work in Detroit, and I come from a hockey family. Passages like this one just made me smile:

Sam stood in the tunnel of the Joe Louis Arena and waited to hit the ice. He hated playing in Detroit. Hated the stinking octopus.

He stood behind Logan Dumont and in front of Blake Conte. Captain Walker Brooks hit the ice first admist a wall of booing Red Wings fans. Sam had always found jeering crowds amusing. He fed off all that passion, and no one was more passionate about a sport than hockey fans. When it was his turn to step on the ice, he stuck his glove under one arm and skated across the ice, waving like he was a conquering hero. He looked up at the filled seats and laughed. He might hate playing at the Joe Louis, but he loved playing hockey. He'd been on the road for over a week and was exhausted and jet lagged, but the second the puck dropped, that all went away. Adrenaline pounded through his veins and rushed across his skin. He dominated behind the blue line, using his body to agitate and intimidate. He closed firing lanes and spent four minutes in the sin bin for cross-checking and hooking. The latter was complete bullshit. It wasn't his fault that Zetterberg got tangled up in Sam's stick. He should go back to Sweden and learn how to skate like a big boy.

Pansy ass.

I will add that any Red Wings fan wouldn't call the arena "the Joe Louis." We call it "the Joe" and leave it at that. But, since Sam isn't a Red Wing, I'm willing to forgive his lapse. I'm also willing to forgive his hatred of octopus. While I adore the tradition and cheer whenever I see a squid hit the ice, I'm sure it's disgusting to other teams. (Thankfully, we only throw squid, not rats like some fans!)

--back to the review--

Sam and Autumn felt real to me. They each had their reasons for behaving so recklessly in Vegas, and the wounds and regrets they carry from that meeting are lifelike. They are not always likeable, but they're also believably flawed.

The sex was fairly graphic at times, but that's also in character. Neither or these characters does anything by half--once they've mad a decision, they throw all their energy into it. Once they decide to have sex, they aren't tame about it.

Overall, I liked this novel enough to read it in one night. (I finished it after midnight, hence the two-day spread in my dates.) It was fast paced and fun, and exactly what I wanted at the time.(less)

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Feb 01, 2012 Michelle [Helen Geek] rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nook-tbr, 4-5-stars, ntm_authors_2012, sports

4.5 Stars

I really loved this story. It was lighthearted, but not. I hadn't read anything by this author, but had heard really good things. I would have started this series at the beginning, but very few available for my Nook and I try not to do paper anymore; leaves too much clutter on my desk and bookshelf.

I'm a real sucker for a sports related romance. I'm not big into hockey, but love sports, so this was nice. I liked the premise of the story. A guy in Las Vegas to blow of a bit of steam meet...more

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Apr 26, 2013 Holly marked it as to-read

Shelves: 2011-out-do-yourself, 211-books-in-2011, january-2011, read-in-2011, giveaways, stack-5

Gibson is known for writing smart, sexy contemporary romances. There was a lot to like about this book. When done well I love the reunited lovers theme and Gibson has always done it well in the past. For the most part Gibson delivered. The characters were just as smart and sexy as always. The storyline was interesting and the hints of their past added just the right amount of tension and mystery. The relationship both characters had with their son really worked.

I struggled with some of Sam's ac...more

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Jun 18, 2013 Ifnur Hikmah added it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Warning: Jika dalam keadaan jomblo akut, silakan berpikir seribu kali lipat sebelum membaca buku ini.
Autumn Haven, 30 tahun, single mother, yang sukses dengan bisnis wedding organizer miliknya. Karena sebuah kebodohan hampir enam tahun lalu di Las Vegas, the sin city, Autumn jatuh cinta sama Samuel LeClaire, pemain hockey terkenal, dan menikah. Namun besoknya, Sam meninggalkannya di kamar hotel. Tanpa penjelasan. Hanya selembar wedding certificate. Beberapa minggu kemudian hanya lawyer Sam yang...more Warning: Jika dalam keadaan jomblo akut, silakan berpikir seribu kali lipat sebelum membaca buku ini.
Autumn Haven, 30 tahun, single mother, yang sukses dengan bisnis wedding organizer miliknya. Karena sebuah kebodohan hampir enam tahun lalu di Las Vegas, the sin city, Autumn jatuh cinta sama Samuel LeClaire, pemain hockey terkenal, dan menikah. Namun besoknya, Sam meninggalkannya di kamar hotel. Tanpa penjelasan. Hanya selembar wedding certificate. Beberapa minggu kemudian hanya lawyer Sam yang menghubunginya dengan tujuan mengurus perceraian.
Dan Autumn hamil.
Sam memang bertanggungjawab sih dengan masih membiayai Conner, anak mereka. Sam tetap dengan kehidupannya yang glamour dan suka gonta ganti pacar. Autumn sendiri terus bekerja keras demi kehidupannya dan Conner dan sejak hamil sampai sekarang nggak pernah pacaran lagi.
Lalu mereka bertemu lagi ketika Conner berumur lima tahun di salah satu pernikahan teman Sam yang di-handle Autumn.
Sam mulai menunjukkan gejala ingin menghabiskan waktu sebagai ayah yang baik. Autumn mulai menyadari bahwa dia masih mencintai Sam. Bahkan lebih. Cinta yang lebih dewasa.
*hela napas dulu*
Any Man of Mine. Novel Rachel Gibson pertama yang gue baca. Gue sering melihat novel Gibson tiap kali ke Periplus atau Kinokuniya dan suka dengan covernya yang manis. Setelah sekian lama penasaran, akhirnya gue punya juga satu buku dia dan baca.
And I loooooveeee it.
She’s a lil bit like Nora Roberts with a taste of Lauren Weisberger. Nah loh. Maksudnya, romantisme yang dihadirkannya seperti Nora Roberts tapi gaya berceritanya lugas dan detail dengan lebih mengutamakan perasaan tokoh-tokohnya, just like Lauren Weisberger. This is a light book. Gue selesai baca dalam waktu kurang dari lima jam. Selain karena ceritanya yang bagus, cara bercerita Rachel begitu engaging. Terlebih interaksi Sam dan Conner. Ohmigod! FILF alert.
Why I love imported book is idenya yang kaya. Las Vegas as a sin city benar-benar digambarkan penuh dosa. Club and wine and alcohol and dance and man and woman. At the bed, hanging at the wall, at the couch, poolside, at the pool even at the limo around the city. Ohmigod. Panas bo, haha.
Dannn… adegan seks-nya bisa digambarkan dengan manis. Like Nora Roberts. Nggak jijik seperti 50 something dan kawan-kawan itu, hihi.
Samuel LeClaire. A Canadian. Hockey player. Yang benar-benar sadar dengan uangnya yang banyak dan kerja kerasnya selama di pertandingan, dia harus bersenang-senang. Namun ada turning point ketika bersenang-senang versi Sam bukan lagi party and woman but having a great time with his son. Dan Autumn.
Sam has a high cheekbone. Dan ada satu kalimat di sini: He wanted to eat her up. This sentence reminds me of Benedict Cumberbatch and his kind of kissing. And of course, his cheekbone. Oh, his blue eyes and golden hair too.
Sayangnya Kak Ben badannya nggak segede badan Sam. Pemain hockey kan badannya gede banget, hihi. Tapi gue masih ngebayangin Kak Ben selama membaca buku ini.
Autumn sendiri digambarkan berambut merah alami dank arena lagi nonton Game of Throne, mau nggak mau ngebayangin Rose Leslie sebagai Autumn, hihi. *kadang Autumn as gengges as Ygritte juga sih hihi*
Gue suka interaksi antar tokoh yang dihasilkan.
Sebagai percobaan pertama, gue puas dengan Rachel Gibson dan masih mencari novelnya yang lain, termasuk novel yang menuai banyak review dan menjadi bacaan wajib seorang hopeless romantic; Sex, Lies, and Online Dating.
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May 19, 2013 Mary Joie Vergara rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the first Chinooks book I’ve ever read and my most favorite one. It really portrayed separated parents. Sam LeClaire and Autumn Haven didn’t stop fighting during the first year of their divorce, not until they decided not to be in the same room. I cannot blame Autumn for hating Sam so much because of how things went for the two of them. She has every right to despise Sam .But what I loved most about her is that she did everything to ma herself and her child better. She didn’t stop workin...more

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Mar 14, 2013 Amylynn Bright rated it 5 of 5 stars

Any Man of Mine, the latest in Rachel Gibson’s series centering around ridiculously hot hockey players, is a great addition to the series. Rachel has created yet another larger-than-life hockey star and the frustrated woman who loves him. Sam LeClaire has been a background character in earlier books, but this time Ms. Gibson has moved him front and center, fleshing out his personality with plenty of both wit and anguish. Our heroine, Autumn Haven, is another likable woman written with empathy wh...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Pack-it-up rated it 1 of 5 stars

This book pisses me the hell off. I don't think that Autumn should of had taken him back. He's a a complete dick and I hate him. His flaws are just too many, too great, and he doesn't deserve a happily-ever-after. He is every woman's worst relationship nightmare. A wild fling that makes you feel something, impregnation, and then desertion.It's complete bullshit what Sam said about falling in love with her 5 years ago, and Autumn, as a smart, well written character really broke my heart when she...more This book pisses me the hell off. I don't think that Autumn should of had taken him back. He's a a complete dick and I hate him. His flaws are just too many, too great, and he doesn't deserve a happily-ever-after. He is every woman's worst relationship nightmare. A wild fling that makes you feel something, impregnation, and then desertion.It's complete bullshit what Sam said about falling in love with her 5 years ago, and Autumn, as a smart, well written character really broke my heart when she decided to take back such a complete and utter tool. I think that Rachel Gibson should of had reconsidered the ending, hell, reconsidered writing his story at all.

Men like this exist in real life. And men like this get a free ride, just like Sam and his HEA in this book all too often in real life. If I wanted to read a tragedy I would of had just needed to call up my girlfriends in high school and asked how they were doing.

I read through over two hundred pages, waiting for Sam to redeem himself to me, all the way to the bullshit ending where Autumn goes wildly OOC and gives herself to him. What. An. Idiot.

The worst thing about this book is that it was pretty well written. It was written well enough that I was able to get sucked into Autumn's character and her feelings and made me wonder about how I would feel if I met someone who did that to me. And at the end, I was disgusted with Autumn's actions. I was disgusted with myself because I found myself relating so well with her up until that point.

I would NEVER forgive a man who did something to me like that. Never mind the humiliating, emotionally scarring desertion in the hotel room. Never mind the impregnation, the insulting paternity test.

A man who would treat his own son like that, as a convenient toy who could play with when ever he felt like it. A man like that?

I could forgive his actions towards me, because that's the past. But I would never put myself or a child in a close relationship with such an emotionly stunted ass wipe.

In the mindset of Autumn, I would forgive him, and I would take that five years late apology. I could even be civil with him for the sake of our child, but I would not marry him again.

I'd find myself a better man who loves and respects me.

Fuck you Sam.

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Jul 11, 2012 Eyre rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, somebody-needs-to-be-smacked

Sam is a jerk, and he is supposed to be one. He has a five-year-old son whom he rarely sees. In fact, he has skipped visitation with his son on more than one occasion to party with his teammates. That's okay. That's part of the conflict. Sam is supposed to be a jerk, and he does realize the error of most of his ways as the story progresses. However, there were two bothersome events that made me unable to say I liked this story.

Sometimes a story will contain an element that distracts me so much...more Sam is a jerk, and he is supposed to be one. He has a five-year-old son whom he rarely sees. In fact, he has skipped visitation with his son on more than one occasion to party with his teammates. That's okay. That's part of the conflict. Sam is supposed to be a jerk, and he does realize the error of most of his ways as the story progresses. However, there were two bothersome events that made me unable to say I liked this story.

Sometimes a story will contain an element that distracts me so much that I cannot really enjoy the story as a whole. In this book, Rachel Gibson truly disappointed me. It wasn't her writing style. I've read enough of her books to know what to expect when it comes to that, and I generally enjoy it. No, Ms. Gibson had Sam say some things that truly bothered me.

I realize that Sam is a hockey player, and I have been to enough NHL and minor league hockey games to know exactly how hockey players talk to each other on the ice. I expect that, and I admit that I find it amusing. What I don't find amusing but do find reprehensible is the use of the word "gay" to describe something as awful, disgusting, or negative. At one point in the story, Autumn, Sam's ex-wife and love interest, is wearing a Pittsburgh Jersey. Sam, who plays for the fictional Chinooks, tells her (in front of their five-year-old) to take off the jersey because it's "gay." Sam changes throughout the story, but he never shows regret for his word choice. Autumn doesn't point out how bigoted and inappropriate it is either. It's a non-issue when it should be a huge issue. "Gay" is not synonymous with "bad," and it is not okay to use it that way.

Also, I know in the world of sports importance is placed on being "manly" or tough. When your main characters are hockey players, I expect some testosterone-filled grunting and posturing. When Sam tells his five-year-old son not to tell other kids that his mom makes him heart-shaped pancakes because they'll think he's a "sissy" and might kick his butt, I hurt for that child. There are all different types of men in this world, and it's narrow-minded say that only physically strong men who hide their emotions are "manly." It's reprehensible to teach a child that certain things will make him a "sissy." Comments like that can having devastating effects on kids as they grow. What if Connor doesn't turn out to be a big, tough, athlete? What if he has different talents? What if *gasp* the child is gay? All those years of hearing his dad say things like "that's gay" or that will make him a "sissy" can't be good for the child's self-esteem and emotional well-being. Also, since kids often emulate their parents, it can encourage name calling and bullying. Why shouldn't little Connor tell another kid he's a sissy for doing something? His dad says those things.

Sam is never called to task for his comments. Ms. Gibson never points out in any way that the things he says are inappropriate and potentially hurtful. It gives the impression that what Sam says is okay, and it isn't. Ms. Gibson is a popular author. Many people read her books, and I expect someone in her position to set a good example. It saddens me that Sam is a character who is allowed to act in ways that are hurtful without any consequences just in order to be funny. (less)

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Jul 08, 2012 willaful rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: series, reunited-or-have-history, heroes-behaving-badly

3.5 stars. As I started this book, I wondered how Gibson was going to redeem Sam, a man who not only treated his ex-wife Autumn very badly, but has chosen his playboy lifestyle over being with his son many times. How could such a crummy dad be a romance hero? In a very simple and believable way: Sam becomes aware that he's been making his son unhappy, decides to change, and works at their relationship. A situation which also brings him into a lot more contact with Autumn...

This was a solidly enj...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Yohana Ariesta rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-own-a-copy

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

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Apr 25, 2012 Natalie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've seen Rachel Gibson's name and her books over the past few years. I decided to finally give some of her stuff a try. I love sports novels, but trying a new author always makes me a little wary. Yes, silly I know, but there you have it.

Anyway, as for this book, I did enjoy it. I gave it a four-star rating as I feel Gibson's writing is excellent. I feel she's writing (at least, for this book) in a very contemporary way. What I mean by that is referring to things like friends with benefits, bab...more I've seen Rachel Gibson's name and her books over the past few years. I decided to finally give some of her stuff a try. I love sports novels, but trying a new author always makes me a little wary. Yes, silly I know, but there you have it.

Anyway, as for this book, I did enjoy it. I gave it a four-star rating as I feel Gibson's writing is excellent. I feel she's writing (at least, for this book) in a very contemporary way. What I mean by that is referring to things like friends with benefits, baby mama/daddy, battery-operated boyfriend, and generally putting in things that we see on TV and hear in almost every day interaction.

Perhaps to some readers this isn't new. However, to someone like myself who's been reading romance novels of all kinds for fifteen years, I didn't feel this followed the same mold that romance novels have been using for years.Times are changing, I suppose.

Moving along, I wasn't disturbed with the very contemporary feel. It was a romance after all. In this book you have a man, Sam, who is a hockey player. He and the heroine, Autumn meet in Las Vegas and wind up getting married after only a few days and a lot of booze.

Sam, being a guy, wakes up the next morning and splits, eventually siccing his lawyer on Autumn. Autumn, in the meantime, finds out she's pregnant. After that, they have a volatile, but reluctant acquaintanceship for the sake of their son.

I've pretty much outlined the synopsis. I'll not give any spoilers away, but what I found very nice about this book is that while Sam started out as a horrible father--one of those good-time guys who constantly broke promises to his son--he has a sudden shock when Autumn reveals to him that their son cries himself to sleep when Sam chooses to go and have a good time rather than spend a day with his son.

I think anyone in real life who has had or have currently a neglectful parent like this, can relate and enjoy Sam's transformation from crappy dad to father-of-the-year. Perhaps it's a bit unrealistic, but I think that's the beauty of reading fiction. Anything goes.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I confess I don't care much for the characters and their no-shame attitudes over the drinking and sleeping with a variety of partners, etc, but in the end, when there's a happily-ever-after and in this case, a man and woman who didn't give their relationship a chance comes together and becomes a family, you can't help but like what the author did with this story.(less)

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Apr 04, 2012 Lizzie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, one-night-stand, rachel-gibson-fans, second-chances, divorced, sports-romance, fave-series

Whoa! Just Wow. This is the last book for the Chinooks Hockey Team Series and I think this is one of my favorites.What Sam did six years ago was unforgivable. I understand why Autumn is always mad at him. He's a son of a bitch for what he did to her. I skipped the 5th book which is Nothing But Trouble but I might read it next.

This book has a lot of similiraties with Simply Irresistible(Book 1 of this series) like:
-the H/h started out with one night stands
-both involve a child-father relationship...more

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Mar 23, 2012 Gina rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Autumn Haven is a wedding planner. She is also the single mother of a 5 year old son, Conner, who was the result of a 3 day alcohol and sex induced marriage in Vegas. Sam is the ex-husband of that scenario and a great professional hockey player. He is also a terrible father who now at the age of 35 decides to make some changes in his life - less partying, more time with his son, and finally getting to know his ex-wife. My criticisms of this book have nothing to do with the writing. It is well wr...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Heather Bokon rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

Autumn and Sam met six years ago on a wild (for Autumn) week in Vegas. They met, fell in lust, had a quickie wedding complete with wedding tattoos, and then Autumn woke up alone. Sam contacted her through his lawyer to let her know that he wanted a divorce, which would have been it, except Autumn was pregnant. Fast forward six years, and Sam barely sees Conner, their son, because he's too busy playing pro hockey, partying with his friends, and sleeping with as many women as he can, and Autumn un...more Autumn and Sam met six years ago on a wild (for Autumn) week in Vegas. They met, fell in lust, had a quickie wedding complete with wedding tattoos, and then Autumn woke up alone. Sam contacted her through his lawyer to let her know that he wanted a divorce, which would have been it, except Autumn was pregnant. Fast forward six years, and Sam barely sees Conner, their son, because he's too busy playing pro hockey, partying with his friends, and sleeping with as many women as he can, and Autumn understandably hates him.

This was my first book by Rachel Gibson, and while I didn't love it, I liked it enough to look for more. I didn't realize this was part of a series when I started it, but as I was reading, I had the feeling I should know some of the other characters from other books. I'll probably look for them.

The parts I didn't love were, unfortunately, our couple. Sam never really redeemed himself, as far as I'm concerned, but it would have been hard for him because Autumn did run as hot and cold as he accused her of. I get that she was conflicted about her feelings for him, of course she was, but the constant pull-him-close-then-push-him-away thing she had was frustrating. I felt for him as much as I understood where she was coming from.

And I really felt like Sam was a condescending jackass for most of it, and I never really saw that change. When they were still in Vegas, for example, she told him about the list of things she wanted to do. He proclaimed all of them stupid because sleeping with him wasn't on the list, and she didn't do most of them. I get that he was trying to be charming, but why couldn't he just go along with it for her sake? I would have found that more charming than "Your ideas are dumb, do me and my stuff instead". And, yes, he bought her tickets for the Cher concert, but he complained about being the only straight guy not desperate to get laid there. How he knew that, I don't know, since he sat down in his seat for the show and promptly went to sleep. When Autumn realized that, she woke him up so they could leave, since he wasn't enjoying himself. Later, when he crashes her vacation with Conner, he does it again. This is her yearly vacation with her son, and he takes it upon himself to show up uninvited, proclaim her plans for the day "dumb" and tell Conner they should build sand castles instead. Which they did. And, quite frankly, I lost a little respect for Autumn when she let him get away with it. One thing that will turn me off a hero quickly is being condescending and pushy, and with a heroine, it's allowing herself to be steamrolled.

However, I really like Gibson's writing, and I'll be looking for more of her books to read. Since I know now that this was part of the Chinooks series, I think I'll start with those.
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Jan 18, 2012 KatiD rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-review-ish

Amber Haven is mourning her mother. She lived with her mom for a year, nursing her through a terminal illness and now is resolved to go to Vegas and try to do the things women in their young 20s do. She has a week's package a Caesar's Palace and is going to make the most of it. On her first night on vacation, she goes to Pure, Caesar's famous nightclub, and meets up with an incredibly handsome man named Sam LeClaire, who is a professional hockey player. They spend three torrid days and nights to...more Amber Haven is mourning her mother. She lived with her mom for a year, nursing her through a terminal illness and now is resolved to go to Vegas and try to do the things women in their young 20s do. She has a week's package a Caesar's Palace and is going to make the most of it. On her first night on vacation, she goes to Pure, Caesar's famous nightclub, and meets up with an incredibly handsome man named Sam LeClaire, who is a professional hockey player. They spend three torrid days and nights together that culminates in the two of them getting married. But Autumn wakes up after her wedding night, Sam is gone. She waits around all day, but he never shows back up. A week later, she's contacted by his attorney informing her that Sam wants a divorce. Autumn is crushed and deeply chagrined by her stupidity and impulsiveness, but of course agrees. But more bad news is coming when Autumn finds herself pregnant six weeks after her wedding. She contacts Sam's attorney, who insists on a paternity test, and endures pregnancy alone. And begins a growing loathing of Sam LeClaire.

Six years later, Autumn is a successful event planner and mother to Conner, who is the spitting image of his father. When Autumn plans the wedding of the owner of Sam's hockey club, she knows she's going to see him. Sam loves being a hockey player, and all of the fame and notoriety that goes along with it. He pays Autumn a ton to care for their son and really believes that he's doing right by his son. But when Autumn, in a fit of anger at Sam tells him that his lackadaisical visit schedule with Conner is a constant disappointment to his son and that she often has to soothe Conner while he cries himself to sleep, Sam realizes that maybe he's not been doing a good job. He resolves to do better by Conner, and this throws him and Autumn together. Sam begins to have a growing respect for Autumn, and all she does by herself. Autumn is stumped by Sam's sudden reversal. Why is he around all the time. She believes that he'll grow bored by with being his son and that sooner or later he'll be gone. But he doesn't leave, and soon Autumn is forced to admit that maybe Sam is a good father. But can she get over the hurt and anguish he's caused her and Conner and open her heart to possibility of being together?

I love Rachel Gibson's Chinooks series. This is book six in the series, and I have a great comfort level with the setting and characters. I love hockey, so it's always fun to see the game woven throughout the game. But this book left me cold. Sam is a serious ass. And in my eyes, he never really redeems himself. He's one of those guys who goes through the first half of the book really believing that throwing cash at his baby mama is enough. Of course, once he spends time with Autumn, he begins to remember why he found her so attractive. And sure, he's got a smidge of regret over the way he treated her in Vegas, but hey, he had his own big problems, and so really it was justified (except, not really).

For her part, Autumn was one of the wishy-washy heroines that aggravate me. She's pissed at Sam, and completely standoffish. Except when she wants to sleep with him. Then she does, but the next morning, like an immature child, kicks him out of bed. He accuses her of running hot and cold, and boy does she ever. To me, her actions are slightly more justified, because really, Sam is an asshat who can't take responsibility for anything. But if he's such an asshat, why the heck are you sleeping with him?

Overall, between the hero's self absorption and the heroine's hot and cold nature, the book was more of a miss for me. That being said, Rachel Gibson is still a dandy writer, and I'd imagine there are lots of her fans and readers who would enjoy the book. But for me, if I'm the heroine, and raising a kindergartener, I most certainly would not get involved with another one.

Final grade: C-(less)

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Jan 03, 2012 Victoria rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-lit

Was macht eine junge Frau, die bis zu deren Tod ihre krebskranke Mutter pflegte und deshalb kein eigenes Privatleben hatte? Sie macht Urlaub in Las Vegas und lässt es ordentlich krachen. So zumindest Autumns Plan.

In der Wüstenmetropole angekommen, lernt sie den Eishockeyprofi Sam kennen und verliebt sich trotz besseren Wissens und inneren Widerstands sofort in den Frauenhelden. Auch Sam ist Feuer und Flamme für Autumn und gemeinsam verbringen sie eine intensive Zeit, während welcher die feuchtf...more

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Dec 25, 2011 Aimee mcmillan rated it 5 of 5 stars

My summary of the book - After seeing and talking to Autumn at a wedding it jolts Sam into realising he needs to spend more time with his son but he starts to make the effort Autumn doesn't believe it is going to last and tries to protect herself and son as she knows her son will be upset. Slowly Sam makes the effort and spends more time which means more time seeing Autumn but she can't be around him without thinking about their past in Las Vegas.

Thoughts on the characters - Autumn experienced...more

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Dec 10, 2011 Tytti rated it 5 of 5 stars

I bought it yesterday, read it today. It was fun and fast read, just perfect when the weather is really crappy and you don't want to set you foot outside the door... Like today.
I've never read anything from this author, but I really liked this one. I actually thought this is the first part of the series, but it is actually the sixth...

SPOILERS:
I really liked the story in this book. A couple, Autumn and Sam, meets in Vegas, have sex, gets drunk and... married. Next morning the bride wakes up alon...more

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Nov 27, 2011 Mer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-f, a-cr

Another first read written by Rachel Gibson and apparently I read the sixth book of this series. I hope that was a wise move though. Hopefully each book isn't related to each other. Anyway, I liked the story. Everything's just lovely and sweet.

It's about Sam and Autumn who are divorced couple but found once again that they both still and always love each other. Both experienced traumatic in their lives and both are tortured souls.

I hated Sam for what he'd done to Autumn. It was unforgivable bu...more

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Aug 22, 2011 Nina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, sexy-sports, series

I liked this one. Which isn't far-fetched, because I enjoy Rachel Gibson's books. She has a voice that I find refreshingly authentic when it comes to the romantic contemporary, which sometimes can be written with a heavy hand. The "ah, I see what they're doing there" with the obvious puns, easily drawn heroes, and repetitive herewegosexytimes that just aren't sexy.

Sam LeClaire is a total asshole of a hockey player. He's a smokin' hot, fearsome athlete, yes, but he is not romanticized. He likes...more

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Any Man of Mine (Chinooks Hockey Team #6)

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