Review: Scoring Lacey by Jenna Howard

Scoring Lacey by Jenna Howard

Publisher: Liquid Silver Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Heat Rating: 2

Blurb

Lacey Magerin never expected her husband of twenty years to leave her for a twenty-two year old. She never expected her fifteen-year-old daughter to blame her for the divorce. Lacey also never expected Shayne Donnelly. The NHL goalie is her brother's best friend and is ten years younger than her. Neither of them know the rules in this new game but that's not stopping either of them from playing or finding love in the least likely place - on home ice.


Claudette's Review

I love when a novel has the emotional depth to really draw you into the story and make the characters seem real to you. This is definitely one of those. This novel isn’t so much about an older woman and a younger man, but about two people who’ve known each other for years, who suddenly really look at each other and it’s as if they are meeting for the first time. Hockey player, Shane Donnelly sees Lacey Magerin at a charity fundraiser and just looking at her with her back to him is nearly floored by the jarring bolt of lust he feels for her. Their attraction is complicated by the fact that his best friend is her brother, and that her youngest child, fifteen year old Carmen, is both bitter and acting out after her parents divorce.

This isn’t a rebound affair; Lacey’s marriage had been over long before she formally ended it. Her ex’s adultery really knocked her self-confidence and she has two daughters to concentrate on. Lacey is a woman dealing with all the smelly brown stuff that life throws at her, and doing it with strength and maturity. In many ways she could be anyone of us. And Shane looks at her and sees a goddess. No matter how much of an ego boost it is to be pursued by a younger man, in many ways the timing is all wrong. Her daughter’s attitude and behavior is making every day a battle. I love how sensitive Shane is to Lacey’s pain. Even before he admits to himself how he feels about her, he’s always there to comfort and support her. Shane is great hero material, sexy, funny, and understanding, I could go on but I won’t. His father was an abusive drunk, so hockey was his means of shaking the town’s dust off his feet; he rarely comes back as a result.

I enjoyed how Ms Howard makes it really obvious to the reader that these two people are in love, long before they realize it or admit it to themselves. I am making a note of this author’s name, as Ms Howard knows how to write a hotly erotic romance and combine it with well defined characterization and a really great story. I rate this one with the full five teacups.

5 Tea Cups!