Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: October 18th, 2016

Genre: Romance

Series: Pilots Hockey

Delayed Penalty – Book 1

Power Play – Book 2

Interference – Book 3

Unsportsmanlike Conduct – Book 4

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

The author of Delayed Penalty returns with the story of a free spirit who believes she’s found forever with a playboy on a singles cruise. Discover why Kelly Jamieson calls the Pilots Hockey series “fun and flirty, warm and sweet.”

Kristen Katsaros wants a life full of adventure and laughter. After a difficult childhood, her motto is to live each day like it’s her last—because it just might be. So when Kristen’s parents send her on a post-grad singles cruise in the Caribbean to meet a Greek husband, she promptly hooks up with the hottest guy she’s ever met. Pasha’s decidedly not Greek, but Kristen gives him a pass because he’s got fun written all over his rock-hard abs.

Pavel Gribov, the cocky playboy of the Detroit Pilots hockey team, can score any girl he wants. But when a teammate drags him on a singles cruise, he can’t resist the chance to help out a drop-dead gorgeous damsel in distress by pretending to be her boyfriend. Before long, the fake fling turns intimate, fueled by something much deeper than lust.

Kristen and Pasha both agree to walk away once the cruise is over, but reality hits like a slap shot when Kristen finds out Pasha lied about everything. Just when she’s ready to start living again, the two stubborn survivors must decide if they can bear to lose the best thing that ever happened to either of them

My review:

Do not judge this book by the blurb or the cover. Please don’t because they are misleading (even though the guy is uber hot on the cover).

I went into this book, thinking that it was going to be about a cruise ship romance that continued after the cruise. And it does but (and stress but) the story is so much more. There is an actual story in this book. It isn’t all about sex after Kristin and Pasha do the dirty, and that is what I loved about this book.

I am not one to give spoilers, at all, but to provide an honest review, I am going to have to let one slip here. So, stop reading here and skip to the end if you don’t want spoilers.

I loved Kristin’s attitude towards life and in general. She was the most upbeat, positive person that I have ever read in a book. She has Cystic Fibrosis. Her outlook on Cystic Fibrosis is positive. While she will die from it, she manages it through medications, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle. She also believes that she will not find a man who will stick by her after her HS boyfriend dumped her and told her that.

The only reason she was on that cruise was to please her parents. It was a singles cruise, and the man who her parents want her to marry went on it too, which didn’t please Kristin too much. To get him off her back, she starts flirting with the first guy she crashes into which happens to be Pavel Gribov.

Oh my, let’s talk about Pavel (aka Pasha) for a minute. He is a hot mess. I mean, someone who tries to screw up his best friend’s relationship has issues, which he has. He blames himself for the deaths of his mother and abusive father. He drinks too much, has casual sex with too many ladies (manwhore alert!!) and throws himself into hockey. He was only on the ship to accompany his friend, not to meet anyone. But he meets Kristin, and his world (and hers) gets turned upside down.

He isn’t honest with her at all, which is a pretty sucky way to start any relationship. She knows this but is still surprised when she finds out WHO he is and WHAT he does for a living. Remember the best friend, well, his best friend is getting married to Kristin’s best friend. So, yeah, I can see why he wouldn’t mention it to Kristin. And when she finds out, she is beyond upset.

The sex was hot, but as I said above, the focus of this book was more on the relationship between Pasha and Kristin. While it started as instalust, it evolved into love (and not within the week…over 3-4 or so months). It was sweet, it was sad, and it was perfect.

The ending was what I thought it would be, and the epilogue made me happy for both of them. I might have to buy the next book to see if there is any mention of them.

How many stars will I give Unsportsmanlike? 4

Why? It was more than a boy meets girl/has sex/falls in love/finds her outside of the cruise. So much more and I loved it!!!

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and language

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**