Play to Win (Wynn Hockey, #1)

by Kelly Jamieson

[Sam@WLABB]

I was really sad when Jamieson's Aces Hockey series ended, but am quite excited that it cleared a path for her new series. We are still in the world of professional hockey, but now we get to see from the point of view of players, coaches, owners, and management. In addition to that, we have the Wynn family, and let me tell you, this family rivals the Ewings of Dallas fame when it comes to delicious family drama.

The stars of this book are Théo Wynn, who in taking the job as GM of his grandfather's team, re-enters the dysfunctional world of the Wynns, and Lacey Olson, who was in over her head thanks to her gambling addict brother. Both Théo and Lacey had suffered a few tough years filled with many losses. Therefore, they could connect to one another in more than a physical way. Though there were sparks galore between the two, it was easy to see this paring had some substance.

The marriage of convenience trope is one I enjoy, and the union between these two started in a classic Vegas way. A fun start and a genuine effort to get to know each other plus great chemistry made me buy into this coupling. They were good together, and Lacey was able to easily slide into Théo's world. They just fit together really well, and I know I was rooting for this fauxmance to turn into the real thing.

Both Lacey and Théo were great characters too. I was so happy to see Lacey getting to finally live. She spent so many years caring for her sick mother and addict brother, that she had to give up on her own dreams and enjoyment. With Théo, she was able to chase an actual career, make friends, and have some fun. And, Théo. He was such an interesting hero. He had the body of a professional athlete, but was a nerdy numbers guy. What a perfect combination. And, I must admit, I found him even more attractive, when he was in his element, crunching numbers and negotiating trades.

As this was the first book in a family-centered series, a lot of time was dedicated to catching us up on all the family entanglements. And, wow! This was one really complicated family. I totally appreciated the family tree Jamieson supplied us with, because it helped me get some things straight before everyone made an appearance in the story. The bits and pieces of the background conflicts piqued my interest and have me looking forward to getting the full story.

Overall: A solid start to a series filled with compelling characters, messy entanglements, and LOTS of delectable family drama.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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