The Moo U books are coming out in flights like a starship attack or the wine pairings at an elegant restaurant. The second flight includes four books, so that means it’s time for more mini-reviews! Although each book is freestanding, I’ll review them in chronological order.
Gametime by Jami Davenport takes place in Season Two. Readers of the first books will recognize the hunky hockey twins, Paxton and Patrick Graham. Paxton is used to being the “lesser” twin—the one with less success on the ice and between the sheets. But after a passionate night with his long-time crush, Naomi Smith, he’s on Cloud Nine until he realizes that she mistook him for Patrick. Ouch. Can a guy come back from a humiliation like this? My favourite part of Gametime was seeing Paxton grow into a better hockey player.
Overtime by Kat Mizera is about the bad boy twin, Patrick. Although all the Moo U books are freestanding, I would recommend reading Gametime before Overtime, because the two brothers are so closely linked. Patrick’s partying ways have caught up with him and he has to improve his marks or he won’t get to play hockey. Enter his tutor: Ellie McGinn, genius and grad student at only 18. Of course, playboy Patrick falls hard for virginal Ellie. Whew, is it hot in here or is it all the sex? The trysts in this book run the gamut: from hot & fast to slow & romantic. And oodles of angst too.
Season Three at Moo U begins with Halftime by Kim Findlay. This book introduces the women’s hockey team through Faith Devereaux, freshman goalie. Unfortunately for Faith, her ex-boyfriend Seb Hunter, plays on the men’s team and the two of them keep crossing paths. Faith is a prickly heroine, used to competing against guys in hockey and life. In contrast Seb is a gentle cinnamon roll of a hero. Miscommunication is their biggest problem, although they have family issues too.
Finally, Kate Willoughby’s Darkroom shows off Kate’s hockey romance hallmarks: great guy banter, yummy food scenes, and steamy sex. Y’all know I adore an Asian heroine—although Indi Briscoe is probably the least Asian Asian ever—but there’s also her bff, Ruby Chang to teach Indi the ways of dim sum and dumplings. Hudson Forte is an adorable hero who combines male cluelessness with an earnest desire to make his girlfriend happy. And he has a pet hamster. Need I say more?
Again, I got a chance to work some of these characters into my book, Snowballed. Unfortunately, Paxton, Patrick, and Hudson are gone by Season Four, but I did manage to add Hudson’s best friend, AJ Scoville, to my book. And if you enjoy meeting Faith and Seb, you’ll see more of them in Snowballed. Zoe Meyers, my heroine, plays hockey with Faith. And be sure to look for Zoe’s cameo appearance in Halftime.