Nothing But Trouble (Chinooks Hockey Team, #5) in Dangerous Hero Addict Support Group

Oct 06, 2009 ♡Karlyn P♡ rated it it was ok

Shelves: read-2010, steam-hot, genre-contemporary, published-2010

Sadly, I was bored through most of the book. In five words? Boring. Uneventful. Lackluster. Forgettable. Predictable.

I used to be a huge fan of Rachel Gibson, but a few years back she changed her writing style and now her books are noticably shorter and have far less layers and plot development. The characters are more one dimensional than her earlier books too, and the heat just doesn't sizzle as well because of it. BUT, on the plus side she was always able to keep the dialog, heat and storyli Sadly, I was bored through most of the book. In five words? Boring. Uneventful. Lackluster. Forgettable. Predictable.

I used to be a huge fan of Rachel Gibson, but a few years back she changed her writing style and now her books are noticably shorter and have far less layers and plot development. The characters are more one dimensional than her earlier books too, and the heat just doesn't sizzle as well because of it. BUT, on the plus side she was always able to keep the dialog, heat and storyline interesting enough for me. Despite not loving them as much as her earlier books, I kept reading and anticipating more. However, in this one everything pretty much failed. A quick forgettable read with a boring plot, no funny dialog, a lackluster romance that didn't feel genuine, and a just OK hero/heroine that in my mind didn't really fit together. I wasn't sold. Oh well, at least it was a quick read.

I long for the Rachel Gibson of before, but I guess I will have to give up on that wish. Luckily, authors like Toni Blake are picking up the slack and writing some fun, interesting and hot romance contemporaries.

**Edited to added my full review, as posted on Amazon**

Mark Bressler is recovering from a terrible auto accident and lucky to be alive. He was the captain of a Seattle hockey team before his accident, and his team even went on to win the Stanley Cup without him. Chelsea is a struggling scream-queen horror movie actress and a Hollywood personal assistant who comes to Seattle to see her sister (the PR agent for the hockey team) and takes a 3-month job helping Mark recover. If she can manage 3-months, she will get a $10K bonus check and a chance to change her life for the better.

The premise of this story was shaky to start, but I was willing to buy Chelsea being hired by the team as a personal assistant (when he needed a nurse assistant but he ran all of the ones in Seattle off with his a-hole personality), if only the humor and romance made up for it. Most of the story takes place at Mark's house or showing the two of them running errands and her doing his personal secretarial work. Boring. I did not find much of this interesting or humorous, as Mark was just a jerk trying to get rid of her. We mostly see his bad side, and therefore must believe Chelsea falls for that kind of guy. There are some scenes with him coaching a young kid, but Chelsea is not around for many of those so she really does not get to see the brief glimpses of his good side.

Chelsea was a likable and different heroine, and she was great at letting his many insults roll off of her. However, I would have liked to see her spit back a few insults at times as he really had it coming. She was too passive at times and wishy-washy. They liked each other's physical look and had some sexual dream fantasies about each other, but I never got the feeling of a budding romance. The need to scratch an itch? Yes. A romance? No. The sexual tension was mostly missing, so when they finally do come together it seemed a bit sudden. His declaration that he is only good at hockey and sex was his odd way of wooing her. In his mind his reasoning is since he can't play hockey, let's have sex and see if that part of him still works after the accident. Ugh. Not romantic.

As with all romances, there is the conflict and resolution. Without spoiling it, let's just say I didn't buy it at all. The conflict was a minor issue that is blown out of proportion. The resolution was too quick, too easy, and too who-gives-a-hoot.

In the end, I never cared for Mark, Chelsea was OK, and the relationship just did not feel like one that would work past six months. There was a secondary storyline with her sister, but it was glossed over. It was not a strong secondary romance story. There were a few cameos from past players and their wives, but we see very little of them.

Overall, I thought it lacked all the normal Rachel Gibson magic. It had little humor, boring characters, no honest sexual tension, a boring storyline, and a lackluster romance that didn't convince me at all. I've read everything Rachel Gibson, many books multiple times, but this will not be one of them. I long for her more layered, heart-felt, sizzling romantic stories from her earlier writing days, but that may just be a thing of the past.
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May 06, 2010 Auntee rated it it was amazing

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

Hot, funny, sexy contemporary romance + hockey = one happy reader!

I'm lovin' this series--I haven't read a bad one yet! Rachel Gibson has me hooked and I couldn't be happier. I'm having a blast reading this series, and devour each one and can't wait to start the next. I'm a sucker for a sports romance, and a sports romance where the heroes are all studly, somewhat grumpy but ultimately sweet hockey players in love with their spunky heroines? I'm sold!

This one's the story of retired (due to a hor Hot, funny, sexy contemporary romance + hockey = one happy reader!

I'm lovin' this series--I haven't read a bad one yet! Rachel Gibson has me hooked and I couldn't be happier. I'm having a blast reading this series, and devour each one and can't wait to start the next. I'm a sucker for a sports romance, and a sports romance where the heroes are all studly, somewhat grumpy but ultimately sweet hockey players in love with their spunky heroines? I'm sold!

This one's the story of retired (due to a horrifying car accident that nearly took his life) captain Mark "The Hitman" Bressler and his spunky personal assistant/part-time actress Chelsea Ross. Chelsea's twin sister is Bo from the Chinook's PR department. Bo has arranged for Chelsea, who left her last PA job in L.A. after her employer expected special "favors" not related to her job, to work for Mark as his assistant. Mark is recovering from a car accident that ended his hockey career and left him with a limp and a damaged hand and a reliance on pain killers. Mark (and his bad, cranky attitude) doesn't want the petite, funky Chelsea or anyone that the Chinooks send around him and does everything in his power to make her quit like all the other health care workers/assistants who came before her. But Chelsea's no quitter, no matter how rude Mark is--especially if a $10,000 bonus from the Chinooks is on the line if she sticks it out with him for 3 months. Chelsea has big plans for that money--breast reduction surgery for her double D's...

Mark...

I loved this one so much because of the heroine, Chelsea. I thought she was adorable, spunky, cute, funny, and very relatable--the kind of girl you'd like for a best friend. And Mark, even though he was a typical RG asshat for a lot of the book...well, I had to cut him some slack since he was in a lot of physical pain and his career was over. And I knew that he really liked Chelsea, even though he was hell bent on not admitting it. I loved the dialogue throughout the book, loved catching up with all the Chinooks, past and present, the humor (which RG does really well), loved the part about the ringtones they had for each other's cell phones--especially the one that Mark programmed on Chelsea's phone at the end of the book, and the sexual tension was off the charts! You do have to wait a long time before Chelsea and Mark get busy, but when they finally do...whew!

Of course, there is a little snag in the romance near the end just when these two are finally connecting, and the inevitable break-up and a really sweet makeup where Mark finally spills his true feelings (had me tearing up too)...but I loved it! Mark and Chelsea may be my favorite couple in this series, but honestly--it's hard not to love all RG's pairings.

Readers who love hot contemporaries with a healthy dose of sports action and well developed characters who spar and bicker but ultimately fall head-over-heels may fall in love with this series like I have. They are sexy, fun reads that leave a smile on my face and a tear or two in my eyes. I can't get enough of them! 5 stars ...more

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Jul 11, 2010 Lynsey A rated it liked it

Shelves: 2010-reads, contemporary-romance, library-book, sports-romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This was a pretty decent read. It was fast paced and a fun read. The dialog between Mark and Chelsea was witty and didn't feel forced.

However, what bothered me most about the book was Chelsea. For the most part she's a likable heroine. What bugged me is that in the beginning she's only taken the job to get the big bonus of 10 grand so she can have breast reduction surgery. Yet she wears designers like Pucci (who I never heard of before this book) and Kate Spade shoes (which I know are not cheap ...more

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Jul 03, 2010 Juliana Philippa rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: 0-reviewed, romance-contemporary

I could barely finish it. The first half went quickly, although the almost immediate lust right off the bat had me a little wary. Chelsea was an interesting heroine and kept me hooked at the beginning; Mark is the tortured type of hero, which I always have a soft spot for. All I felt they had between them though was lust, and it was hard for me to sense anything else. Definitely doesn't compare to my Gibson favorites: See Jane Score , It Must Be Love , and Truly Madly Yours .

CHINOOKS HO ...more

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Apr 08, 2011 LuvBug rated it it was ok

Shelves: boss-relationship, contemporary, 2-half-stars-not-great-but-parts-ok, kin-p, rake-playboy, kindle, zzzzzzzzzzz, sports

I was in denial with everyone else's review that said this book was boring. I thought, how could the author that wrote Simply Irresistible, Any Man of Mine and The Trouble With Valentine's Day write a boring book? I was wrong, she can write a boring book and it's called Nothing But Trouble. The premise of this book was interesting, so I have no idea how RG could have made it so boring, but she did. I hated that the heroine wanted to get breast reduction surgery because she wore double dees. Talk ...more

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Dec 27, 2009 Anne OK rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2010-reads

Another witty, sassy book about a Chinook hockey player and the one woman who finally catches him. Nothing new. It's Rachel Gibson's writing style that gets to me everytime. She can definitely write the romance and snarky, witty, funny lines! Up next in Spring 2011, another hockey player. There's a nice excerpt in the back of NBT. ...more

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May 24, 2010 Wendy rated it really liked it

Shelves: contemporary-romance, part-of-a-series, sports-bad-boy

I picked this one up on a whim and because there were a lot of the friends I have here on Goodreads that had marked it to-read. I'm not regretting that decision at all. This one surprised me and was a fun read that I will be recommending.

Mark Bressler is a famous Hockey player that is in a terrible accident and is recovering. When his team wins the Stanley Cup he goes even farther down hill to his dark and unhappy place. But the last straw is when the Hockey Team offices sends him a new heath c I picked this one up on a whim and because there were a lot of the friends I have here on Goodreads that had marked it to-read. I'm not regretting that decision at all. This one surprised me and was a fun read that I will be recommending.

Mark Bressler is a famous Hockey player that is in a terrible accident and is recovering. When his team wins the Stanley Cup he goes even farther down hill to his dark and unhappy place. But the last straw is when the Hockey Team offices sends him a new heath care nurse that turns out to be no nurse at all. She is a 5'1.5" bossy thing that has bad taste in clothes and way to many opinions about Mark and his life. He can't wait to get rid of her. Mark is sure that he will have her out of his hair in a day if not the hour.

Chelsea Ross is a top heavy, two toned hair, scream queen actress that is out of work and and in need of not only a job but a change of scenery. So she leaves LA to go to Seattle to stay with her twin sister who is working for the Chinook Hockey Team. After her sister helps her to find work taking care of their mending player, Chelsea goes to work thinking that she really needs this job for the next three months so she can earn the $10,000 bonus they have 0ffered her, and get the breast reduction that she has always wanted.

Sparks fly whenever Mark and Chelsea are in the same room, or even the same house. their relationship is that of star and assistant, but over the next few weeks their attraction grows and they try to work around it by avoiding each other. But when does that ever work? Attraction is attraction and they definitely are attracted. While Mark gets stronger and try's to make some decision's about where his life will go from here, he fights the attraction to Chelsea. why would he be attracted to her? She is crazier than Squirrel shit. And Chelsea is fighting with her own attraction demons as well. How can she be attracted to a man with a bad attitude and way to much money for his own good. Why does he resent everything that she tries to do for him?

while they work out these issues and find out where this all goes they help each other to see what is important and help each other follow their dreams.

I found this book worth the read and very entertaining. The humor was total fun and I would recommend it to all. I give this one 4 out of 5 stars. ...more

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May 21, 2010 Liz B rated it liked it

Shelves: romance, contemporaryrealisticfiction, sports

I enjoyed every minute of reading about this couple. Chelsea is hired as an assistant to the understandably hard-to-get-along-with Mark, who is done with professional hockey for good after a car accident.

Things I liked:

*sports--although there really wasn't any actual sports playing;
*the descriptions of the clothes;
*the personalities of the H&H;
*the light, amusing mood.

Things I didn't like/ am ambivalent about:
*the light, amusing mood. Mark seems to get over the end of his career and dreams awful ...more

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May 02, 2010 Jenny Rebecca rated it liked it

Shelves: romance-novels, contemporary

LIght and easy breezy, "Nothing But Trouble" was a good read. Nothing spectacular, yet I have no real complaints. Things got a bit rushed towards the end, although I'm not sure if she'd drawn things on for much more, it would have been a good thing either. I'm just really glad she's done with the four friends storyline. ...more

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Apr 18, 2010 Cindi rated it really liked it

What a great book! I know that from the cover, NBT looks like a total chic-lit contemporary - and it is, sorta.

It is also very well-written, thoughtful, insightful and serious, not just fun. I enjoyed Ms. Gibson's talent for speaking the guys' minds (if that's not an oxymoronic statement) in contrast to what they are actually saying or feeling.

While this book is also fun and funny, it feels so real that I expect all hockey teams and players to act like this. I am going to have to learn this gam ...more

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Apr 16, 2011 Maggie rated it liked it

3.5

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Jan 30, 2010 Norma rated it liked it

Shelves: read-2010, sports-romance

I'm a huge fan of Rachel Gibson and she's an auto buy for me. I enjoyed this book a lot and Mark and Chelsea were great to read about. The ending was a bit rushed, forced even. But the ride there made it worth the time.

Overall, I'd recommend it to a fan of RG's. It was also nice to "see" a few faces from previous books. Would like to have heard from Luc and Jane tho (I find I'm always looking for them, like I look for Nick and Delaney in anything that takes place in Idaho!). ...more

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