Off the Record Blog Tour: review and giveaway

Welcome to Reader Girls. We are one of today's stops on the Off The Record Blog Tour. My review is below and there is a giveaway. To see other stops on the tour for reviews, guest posts, and excerpt click here.

Off the Record (Off series, Book Three) by Sawyer Bennett

New Adult Contemporay Romance

Publisher: Big Dog Books (Release date: June 11, 2013)

Purchase: Amazon

The sparks of dislike burn hot, but the sparks of mutual attraction burn even hotter.

Ever Montgomery suffered the ultimate betrayal by the one man who she should have been able to count on for anything. It has left her hurt, jaded and incapable of forming relationships, but it also means that she can spot a liar a mile away. These traits are earning her a reputation as a reporter with a keen nose for a good story and a complete understanding of the extreme power of the written word.

Lincoln Caldwell, is the hot goalie for the New York Rangers. At twenty-four and a rising star, he works hard and he plays even harder. He’s gorgeous and carefree—the ultimate charmer. Ladies fall at his feet and the single life has never been lived the way Linc Caldwell does it.

When Ever publishes an article about Linc containing information that she received off the record, she finds herself on the receiving end of the athelete’s fury. Rather than basking in the glory of exposing Linc as a shameless user of women, she finds herself at his mercy when he demands and receives retribution. Required by her editor to trail Linc for six weeks, Ever is forced to look at the real Linc Caldwell.

And she just might find that she has misjudged him.

Linc. Linc. Linc. This NHL celebrity caught my eye in Off Limits, book two in the Off series. Sexy, confidant with a touch of vulnerability, it was only a matter of time before he had his story told. Off the Record is all his. In the middle of throwing a party, he spots a pretty young woman and learns she is there to interview him. In true Linc fashion, he grabs two beers, offers her one and whisks her away to talk somewhere private. He flirts, he turns the tables by acting like a reporter himself, and looks good when he smiles. Linc has the bad boy attitude and a heart of a great guy.

Emily has closed her heart off to guys ever since her dad walked out on her cancer-stricken mom and her. She was sixteen and took on the role of caregiver as well. She never forgave her father. When she catches her fiancee having sex with her friend, her heart freezes a bit more. What guy hasn't let her down? When she meets Linc, there's a spark of attraction which is quickly dashed when she overhears a woman boasting about her sexual escapades with the hockey player Emily just interviewed. Instead of writing a feature on Linc, Emily pens a flaming tirade on Linc's boudoir behavior. Outraged, Linc threatens a lawsuit and Emily's editor is telling her she has to rewrite an honest piece. Oh, and follow Linc around for six weeks. 

Of course that spark will increase and the tension between them will practically explode. Both characters are likable but Linc stole this story. His actions, his thoughts, his love fuel Off The Record, making it my favorite in the Off series by Sawyer Bennett. Emily was a good character but it took awhile to warm up to her standoffish way. She is unflinchingly stubborn in her feelings for her father and guys in general. Linc and Emily spend a lot of time making love and though the scenes were entertaining, they did become tiresome (some will disagree and that's okay--reading is subjective). 

I did take offense at Emily's 'job' as a rookie reporter for the New York Post. With her educational credentials, I found it hard to believe a professional journalist looking to create her reputation would take a feature assignment and because of a personal experience, turn in a scathing commentary. As a trained journalist myself, I would never think of doing that to my editor. And as an editor of a seasoned New York newspaper, any credible editor would not have accepted an obvious commentary, not jeopardizing the reputation of the company nor risking a lawsuit from such a high-profile person like a NHL player for the Rangers. This aspect of the story made me lose trust in Emily.

But as I said in my opening paragraph, Off The Record is Linc's story and here he is able to shine. I loved reading about him. His sensitivity with the sick boy, his love for his dad, respect for Nix, his apparent adoration of a certain black haired, blue-eyed reporter, Linc is the kind of guy/hero females love to love in contemporary romances. I did regain my trust in Emily by the end when she begins to feel, forgive, and grasp the life Linc is offering her so I give her my fictional blessing to stay and make Linc happy.

Rating: 4

Cover comment:

All LINC on this cover. Excuse me while I gawk. This is how I imagined him looking. Works for me!

Book source:

I received a promotional copy in return for my honest review during a book tour.

About the Author

Sawyer Bennett is the pen name for a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. She is married to a mobster (well, a market researcher) and they have two big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn't have many weakness but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Author Social Media Links:

www.sawyerbennett.com

www.facebook.com/bennettbooks

www.twitter.com/bennettbooks

Tour Giveaway: 

There is a tour giveaway of 10 copies of Off Sides/Off Limits Combo  and a $100 gift card from Amazon.

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