Moonlighter (Brooklyn Bruisers, #6)

by Sarina Bowen

Only in my family could a professional hockey player earning seven million dollars a year be considered a slacker.

I'm at the height of my athletic career. Yet my arrogant brother is always trying to recruit me into the family business: a global security company so secretive that I don't even know its name. Pass, thanks. I don't need a summer job.

But the jerk ambushes me with a damsel in distress. That damsel is Alex, the competitive, sassy girl I knew when we were kids. Now she's a drop-dead gorgeous woman in deep trouble. So guess who's on a flight to Hawaii?

It's going to be a long week in paradise. My job is keeping Alex safe, while her job is torturing me with her tiny bikinis. Or maybe we're torturing each other. It's all snark and flirting until the threat against Alex gets serious. And this jock must become her major league protector.

Moonlighter is a stand-alone novel. No cliff-hangers, no prior experience necessary. Contains: hackers, hockey players, and a hotel room with only one bed.

• ISBN10: 1942444834
• ISBN13: 9781942444831
• Publish Date: 22 October 2019
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Tuxbury Publishing LLC
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 332
• Language: English

Reviews

[Romance Schmomance]

OK, don't hate me, but I haven't read majority of Sarina Bowen's hockey series. I know Moonlighter is book 1 in her spin-off series (of sorts), The Company. As someone who hasn't read the series that this is somewhat tied to, it's a complete standalone. Yeah, other characters are mentioned, but I wasn't confused at all by who was who.

I truly enjoyed this one! I enjoy a good hockey read like anyone else does. But I'm always curious about life outside of the rink. I kind of loved that this wasn't really a sports romance, how about we add on fake relationship and bodyguard trope. How do you like them apples?! OH, and childhood friends to lovers, talk about adorable.CHECK OUT THE REST OF MY REVIEW | HERE

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[leelu92]

I flew through this one and I absolutely LOVED it.
After reading Eric and Alex's book, I absolutely cannot wait for more from The Company series!

[stacey_is_sassy]

Some walk by night…or sled

Who else had the theme song from Moonlighting in their heads when they saw the title of this story? For me, every time I started reading Moonlighter, I was singing it in my head. Of course, I then had to google the lyrics because I knew I was singing it wrong and realised that it had a little relevance to Moonlighter.

Some walk by night
Some fly by day
Nothing could change you
Set and sure of the way…

Moonlighter is about Alex and Eric living their lives and doing what they need, to get to where they want to get. By the end of the song, it changes to -

So come walk the night
Come fly by day
Something is sweeter
‘Cause we met ‘long the way
We’ll walk the night
We’ll fly by day…

Moonlighting by Al Jarreau

I guess you could say that a lot of love stories are a little like this. You don’t always plan to walk your path with someone beside you, but when the right person comes along, you can’t imagine walking it alone anymore.

I think I hold a grudge against Alex because she nearly ruined Nate and Rebecca’s happiness in Brooklynaire (which is my favourite in the series). Yes, by the end of Brooklynaire I sorta kinda forgave her, but Moonlighter showed her in a better light. The more I got to know Alex, her strength, determination and intelligence shined through. What made her even more lovable was seeing her vulnerability while under attack. It’s hard to be a woman in a male-dominated work world at the best of times, let alone when you have a target on your back. Even the toughest of us needs a helping hand sometimes.

With Eric, I liked him sorta kinda, but the start of Moonlighter made his single-minded focus on his career a little unappealing. This could have something to do with my lack of understanding and dedication to ANY sport. If sport was removed from my life, the only thing I would miss is the valuable uninterrupted reading time I get when Hubby is consumed with watching it. By the end, I think my love for Eric increased because he finally worked out that SPORT ISN’T EVERYTHING!! Well, in his case, it was more about realising that there were options when you leave the ice that doesn’t have to be separate from hockey. Priorities changed when a little lady entered his life.

I really enjoyed reading Moonlighter. Sarina Bowen has taken two characters that I didn’t particularly like, and made them so lovable, I want more of them. If I was to have any complaints it would be that I can’t get David Hasselhoff’s image out of my head for Eric. I’m not sure why, but I think the cover model looks like David Hasselhoff. Then, when Eric is running on the beach in Hawaii, I was thinking red trunks the whole time. I didn’t particularly want that imagery in my head, unfortunately. I also felt like things were left a little in the air regarding Alex’s “issues” with her business. I’m guessing that The Company may be still dealing with her issues in future instalments.

The second half of Moonlighter was my favourite. There are scenes that left me with a big goofy smile on my face. I was even a little emotional towards the end when an emergency dash to the hospital brings Alex and Eric even closer. Sarina Bowen has treated us to another excellent story that made me smile, sigh and squirm in delight. I can’t wait for more in The Company series.

[Linda]

Bowen did it again! She blew my mind with this story, because both Eric and Alex were such wonderful, strong characters to follow. And I have to admit that the circumstances surrounding their meeting again really did it for me, too.
This is a mix between the Brooklyn Bruisers series and the new series, and I found it to be interesting to see some of the hockey while still moving on to something completely different.

[thebookdisciple]

Moonlighter is book one in a delightful new series by one of my favorite authors, Sarina Bowen!! This is a spinoff of sorts from the Brooklyn Bruisers (my favorite). Eric Bayer is an aging hockey player who is the black sheep of his uber successful family. He gets suckered into helping his brother with "The Company". All he has to do is a be a fake boyfriend to an old family friend...that always ends well!

Max's (Eric's brother) company is super secret and part of what they do is provide security. Max is providing security for Alex, and he needs Eric's help. See, turns out Alex has an idiot of an ex who can't take no for an answer. Oh, and she is pregnant with his baby. Eric doesn't want to help, but Max sort of forces his hand. He gets a free trip to Hawaii out of it! Of course Eric and Alex hit it off.

Eric is genuinely funny throughout the story. He has lots of quippy lines and his banter with Alex is great. She has a deadpan type of humor. She's also a brilliant, fierce girl boss CEO! I love that a pro hockey player is the least successful person in this book. I also loved how Eric loves Alex. Their story is full of the unexpected but Eric just seems to roll with it, no matter what and then one day he realizes he loves her. I also liked that Eric's hockey career was coming to an end and he had to face that. In most sports books, the heroes are top notch and if they get injured, they bounce back triumphantly. Eric is dealing with the decision no pro athlete wants to make and he struggles.

Moonlighter gives you a touch of danger as well which I always appreciate. Alex and Eric build a relationship over months and their chemistry is great. You really believe in their feelings for one another. I was completely engrossed in Moonlighter and I can't wait to see where Bowen takes "The Company" next!

 

•   POV: dual 1st


•   Tears: no


•   Trope: fake relationship


•   Triggers: Alex's ex hit her in the face. It happens before the story starts.


•   Series/Standalone: stand alone


•   Cliffhanger: no


•   HEA: yes

A Lie for a Lie by Helena Hunting, Faker by Sarah Smith, Call Her Mine by Melissa Foster ...then you will probably like Moonlighter!

 

Moonlighter

 

See full review on The Book Disciple

[whisperingchapters]

Sarina delivered more than what I was expecting. She nailed the grump hockey player, the smart and independent woman, and a whole company read to take down whoever is terrorizing said woman. It was hot, it had action-packed scenes, it was fun, giggly, swoon-worthy, it got my adrenaline going and my heart racing!

It's the most successful company you've never heard of.

Alex, a childhood friend of Eric's, needs protection, and who better to be the bodyguard and fit the boyfriend role than Eric Bayer. He does not want this at all, but he doesn't have much of a choice. Off they go to Hawaii where there's only one bed in their room to share and tensions are running high!

"She definitely notices when my flag is hoisted. I mean, it's hard to hide this kickstand when the bike is in gear."

Eric was ever the gentleman with Alex. He treated her like a queen. All the food he gave her, like yes! Food is the way to my heart! The attention, the care, the admiration he had for her was palpable and shining through every page.

No man has ever overwhelmed me like Hurricane Eric. That was a Category 5 experience.

Alex is the independent woman I was looking forward to reading. She's strong, knows what she wants, has worked hard to become the CEO of a company, knows the technology world like she knows how to breathe. She stands up for herself and leaves men jaw-slacked in her wake. She's full of the snark that I was here for!

"Alexandra," the twit says as he approaches. "Long time no see."

"That was intentional," she says, taking a sip of her drink.

The chemistry is absolutely there. And the maturity these characters exerted was refreshing. My problem with this novel was that I was expecting suspense, which was there, but not enough. And we were kind of left hanging in the resolve of the story. I'm seriously hoping the author continues this part of the story in another book because we can't be left like this.

Overall, Moonlighter was a beautiful and fun start to the spin-off of the spin-off. You see characters from the other series, which I thought was great. I can't wait to read more from this series! I need a book for Max and Scout! I felt something there and I'm not letting it go!