When a small, life-changing bundle is left on Legend’s doorstep, he immediately runs to the one woman who’s been causing him nothing but grief for months, his next-door neighbor Pepper. You won’t want to miss out on this swoon-worthy, enemies-to-lovers, neighbors romance.
What’s it About?
Everything is clicking for the Vengeance. We may be new, but we’re well on our way to winning the championship, and I’m having the time of my life headlining the sports media as the hottest goalie—hell, player—ever. I for one am going to live up to my name . . . because I am Legend Bay.
Dragging my ass home from the gym, I’m blinded by some gaudy, glowing holiday lights. As usual, my hot-as-hell neighbor Pepper Nantais has gone way over the top. But just as I’m about to tell her off, something else catches my eye . . . Seems like Santa left me a present, and not one I was expecting.
As life takes an unexpected turn, I realize that there’s much more to Pepper than meets the eye. Sure, she’s gorgeous. And exasperating. And her taste in decorating may be a bit . . . unique.
But beneath her carefree demeanor is a fierce determination and a heart of gold. And before I know it I’ve fallen for her. Hard . . .
Pepper is exactly the woman I never knew I needed.
Quick Review
We were first introduced to the seductive tension simmering between Legend and his quirky neighbor, Pepper, in previous novels in the Arizona Vengeance hockey romance series. Although he might be a ladies man, Legend is also a rule-follower who likes to have his personal space in pristine order. The fact Pepper likes to flood her yard with cheesy lawn ornaments and bright colors has had him complaining to the homeowner’s association more than once, but that won’t stop her from continuing to torment the gorgeous hockey player she’s had a crush on ever since moving in next door. I will say I was slightly disappointed that we didn’t get to see more of Pepper’s prankster shenanigans that have been known to grind Legend’s gears to boiling levels of frustration, but it’s such a minimal complaint for what was overall a rather faultless story. The true focus of the novel is instead centered on Legend’s unexpected thrust into fatherhood, and it’s in this moment of utter shock, and even fear, that he finds himself immediately turning to one person without pause.
Sure, he could have called one of his many teammates, the men he considers brothers, but instead he stumbles next door to seek help from the one woman he has struggled to push from his every waking thought for months. Pepper not only assists him with caring for his daughter, but she also offers him a distraction in what initially starts as a casual fling, but quickly evolves into something much stronger. The natural progression of their connection from physical chemistry to emotional trust, and finally true love, was perhaps the strongest display in the series so far. However, that wasn’t the only reason this third novel has stood out as my favorite in the Arizona Vengeance. We finally, FINALLY, get to see a level of drama incorporated into the story that steadily progressed to a climactic point of combustion, and it refreshingly had nothing to do with a misunderstanding or petty argument between our two lovebirds. The connection between Legend and Pepper felt so real, that it would have seemed like a disservice to have their relationship threatened by some of the trivial disagreements of the previous two novels. We are instead presented with a legitimate point of conflict from a secondary character, and rather than push Legend and Pepper apart, it succeeds in strengthening their link even further.
Series: Arizona Vengeance, book 3. Every book in this series manages to build the emotional torment of some of our other hockey players on the team, and I am chomping at the bit to ultimately see each of them featured in their very own novel.
Final Impressions: This series is proving to get better and better with each new addition. The chemistry between Pepper and Legend practically leaps off the page, and while it was a pleasure to witness them falling in love, it was just as delightful to watch Legend fall in love with the daughter who was unexpectedly dropped on his front door step. While I did miss some of the teasing fun I thought we’d see carry over from the previous novels, on the whole you have to appreciate the seamless progression of this romance between neighbors, as well as the growing desperation of our secondary character who encroaches upon the happiness of our loving leads. This was probably the most serious of the Arizona Vengeance novels so far, especially considering some of the dramatic developments with a few other players on the team, but it’s a wild ride for which I was fully on board.
Smut Level: Let’s just say this daddy is a dirty talker, and Pepper is more than happy to bring out the filthy side of him.
Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $7.99 Kindle Price. Loveswept Publishing. 218 Pages.
Romance Novels for the Beach 