Locke is book 2 in the Portland Wildfire series and follows loner Locke Donovan as he does the one thing he swore he never would: fall in love with Livia Cross.
About Locke
Locke Donovan grew up the only child of parents who were cold and absent. In his family, the oldest son is expected to take over the family business, but his father has never wanted anything to do with him. He was raised by nannies and traveled the world at the whim of his parents, but never spent time with them. Holidays were a spectacle of displaying wealth when they were home for them. So when he got his chance to get away and play hockey, he left.
Livia Cross grew up in a loving family. She still spends time with her family, especially on holidays. She is a quiet person, but not because she is shy. Her last relationship ended badly and she found herself with a new job and returning home. She makes friends easily, but she is in Portland to do a job, not make friends. She is well trained in her field which is why she is in Portland; to get to the bottom of a problem.
The Wildfire picked up Locke during the expansion draft. He has great stats, except for his penalty minutes, which is why he was acquired. But his penalty minutes are costing the team. He is known as the league bad boy and if this team does not work out, he will be out of a job.
Livia was brought in to determine if Locke is worth keeping on the team. But Mr Rowe, the owner, wants the team to think she is there to improve their performance. She is trained on both fronts and has not problem working with the team, while trying to determine what is causing Locke to act out on the ice and not engage with his teammates.
Locke is forced to see Livia by the owner of the Wildfire. Talk about being unhappy. But if he wants to continue playing hockey, he must acquiesce. But he is not willing to see her indefinitely. So they negotiate. Three sessions, plus he must attend team events and interact with his team members. Livia has her work cut out for her.
But Locke follows Livia’s requirements. He attends the team Thanksgiving get together. And he agrees to go to her parents home for Thanksgiving dinner. He interacts perfectly with her parents and her which intrigues her.
But when a threat from Livvy’s past presents itself at the worst possible moment, she will have to deal with it in front of everyone on the team. Instead of her standing on her own, every one of the guys has her back. But Locke is the one leading the crusade.
Locke provides an outlet for Livia to release the stress from the confrontation. It is just a one and done. Locke does not do relationships. But he is unable to resist this woman.
Will their relationship put Livia’s job at risk? Will Locke tell her about his past? Will he figure out that trust is a two way street? Will he learn to trust her? Will he learn to trust his teammates?
Impressions
I loved so many pieces of this book. Locke and Van have the closest thing to a relationship and trust. Van shares his history with Locke and tells him not to wait too long to figure out what he really wants. I loved seeing Van being honest about what happened in his past and being willing to talk about it. He goes above and beyond to help Locke.
Seeing how protective Locke, and the entire team, is of Livia made me smile. She has always had to be the strong one, but they have her back. Even though she does not like bringing her personal life into the workplace, sometimes I can’t be avoided. She is lucky to be part of the Wildfire family.
Locke has a dream for the future. And I absolutely love his dream. He has thought about it for some time and his motivations are pure. The future is bright for Locke and Livia.
Narration
Alistair Haynesbridge and Samantha Summers are both new to me narrators. Such a joy listening to fresh voices for Locke and Livia. The tenor of his voice is smooth, but has emotion in it. She portrays the professional side of Livia, while bringing out the teenaged daydreamer in her at the same time. I am looking forward to more books by these two.
Availability
Locke is currently available for purchase in eBook and Audiobook formats on Amazon.
Series Listing
- Crosby (Portland Wildfire Book 1)
- Locke (Portland Wildfire Book 2)
- Arch (Portland Wildfire Book 3)
- Coach (Portland Wildfire Book 4)
About Sawyer Bennett
New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.
A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.
If you’d like to receive a notification when Sawyer releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter (sawyerbennett.com/signup).
