Elise Faber scores with BACKHAND, the second book in the Gold Hockey series. NHL defenseman Mike Stewart is reunited with his childhood friend, disgraced Olympic figure skater, Sara Jetty. She tries to push him away, but he is persistent is perusing a relationship with her. This contemporary sports romance takes place in San Francisco. It is suitable for new adult and adult audiences.
Sara is an interesting heroine. She is a former Olympic gold figure skating medalist. Her reputation is tarnished. She can no longer participate in figure skating. Luckily, she also has a passion for art and can pursue a career in that direction. Unfortunately, her confidence has been shattered. She undergoes a great deal. I’m glad she had Mitch as a boss. He’s good for her.
Mike is a good guy. After gaining a bad-boy reputation, he decides to straighten out. He is noble, persistent, protective, and a good friend to Sara. I appreciate that he remembered so much about Sara and did thoughtful things for her. I love that Mike and Sara grew up together in Minnesota. I like their nick names for each other. My heart broke that they both had disappointing families.
Elise Faber does a great job with the plot. I like how Mike and Sara run into each other at the beginning of the story. There are a lot of interesting things that happen that kept me engaged. There are a lot of mystery and twists. BACKHAND was skillfully written and entertaining. The ending was thrilling, and the epilogue made the story feel complete. I’m looking forward to the next story in the Gold Hockey series. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
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