Shot on Gold
(Play-by-Play #14)
by Jaci Burton
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: Feb. 13, 2018
Genre: Romance
Rating:
Will “Mad Dog” Madigan is making his second trip to the Winter Games, and he couldn’t be happier. Hockey is his life and playing for the U.S. team is a privilege. Then he meets U.S. figure skater Amber Sloane. She’s beautiful, ambitious and driven–everything Will desires in a woman. He would love to show Amber how hot life off the ice can be.
Amber has skated her entire life, sacrificing everything in the hopes of one day winning gold. Now she’s competing for the third and final time. She intends to win, and nothing’s going to get in her way–until she meets Will. He’s an irresistible charmer, and before long Amber is wondering if this sexy hockey player is the perfect guy to show her some moves outside the rink.
But after all the medals have been awarded, Will and Amber will have to decide if what they have together is just a fling or a real shot at true love.
What perfect timing for Shot on Gold to come out. This is a romance set during the winter Olympics between a hockey player and a figure skater. I loved getting to read this book, and then watch the Olympic games. It was as if I was watching these characters perform live.
Amber is attending her last year at the Olympics. She’s preformed in the previous two Olympics, but has yet to walk away with a gold medal. This year she intends to not only win the gold, but she also plans to let loose, as well. She’s lived a very sheltered life that consisted of figure skating, and figure skating alone. No friends. No boyfriends. No fun. However, since this will be her last year, she plans to soak it all in. Which is how she finds herself not only making a bunch of new friends, but also falling in love with a certain hockey player. I absolutely loved that Amber was not only an introvert who liked to read, but she was a knitter, too. Knitters for the win!
This isn’t Will’s first time at the Olympics either. He knows how it all goes down. There are lots of laughs, lots of parties, and lots of condoms getting used. This year he plans to cool it on the partying and hooking up, and take everything in. He wants to remember his time at the winter Olympics instead of it being one big blur. However, when he’s introduced to Amber, there’s just something about her that calls to him.
“Six A.M. runs sucked, especially when you didn’t have to get up that early, and especially when you were only doing it to impress a woman.
Sometimes Will was a moron.”
I loved these two characters together. Will is immediately drawn to Amber. He can tell that she’s extremely shy, out of her element around others, and seems really innocent. He immediately takes a protective stance over her, and seems to take it upon himself to keep her safe and show her a good time. I loved that Will wasn’t some huge skirt chasing player or overly aggressive when it came to Amber. So imagine my surprise when sweet innocent Amber turned out to be the aggressor behind closed doors. Good lord, when that girl got her mind on something, she went for it. Which made for some pretty fun and very steamy scenes.
I loved that the author didn’t just write about these two as if they were just randomly meeting in an everyday situation. There’s a lot of talk about the games. We are there when the characters practice and compete. We’re there when they go to cheer on their friends. We also go with them as they go to various places inside the village as well as out in town. I really liked that the author incorporated so much outside information when it came to this story. I felt like I was getting some inside scoop on what’s happening right now at the winter Olympics.
I really enjoyed my time reading Shot on Gold. These two were adorable together. I loved watching them build a friendship while competing in the Olympics. As with anything from the Play by Play series, expect some insane bedroom scenes. These two know how to heat up the sheets when they are not out on the ice. However, I loved that feel good vibe this story had. An introvert who makes friends, falls in love, and competes in her final Olympic games? It doesn’t get better than that.
Favorite quote…
“Sometimes we have to start out in the wrong place to find our right place.”
Previous reviews from Play by Play
Changing the Game
Straddling the Line
Rules of Contact
The Final Score
I stopped at some point in this series but I should try again
I bounce around a lot in the series. They are hit or miss for me. Some of them I enjoy and some just come off as too much for me. I think what I loved about this one was that it coincided with the Olympics and that the romance and sex wasn’t the first thing that happens in the story. While it was there, I didn’t feel like it overpowered the awesomeness of watching athletes compete in the Olympics.
Sounds like a perfect book this season especially with the Winter Olympic being held in Korea this year. I don’t think I have read a book with a heroine as a figure skater so I think I’ll give this one a chance, plus, Will sounds really sexy hihi
It was a lot of fun to read while the Olympics were going on. It was the first one I’ve read about a figure skater, but I hope it won’t be the last. It was interesting to see the training that went into it and the discipline these girls have in order to keep in shape and leave their troubles off the ice in order to skate.
That sounds like a good one. I haven’t read a book with that kind of story line before.
Neither have I. I’ve read hockey romance before but never a romance with a figure skater.
Love Olympics romances that really take advantage of the setting. I haven’t’ read any this year but had read several fun ones the last go round.
Karen @ For What It’s Worth
Really?! This is the first one I’ve read. You will have to share the ones you enjoyed with me so that I can add them to my list. 🙂
Sounds like a really good book. I love how it has the olympics in it. Cover is pretty cool also. I have not started this series yet. I think I should she is on her 14th book! Great review!
Mary
I think the fact that it revolved around the Olympics was the best part. I’ve been skipping around in this series depending on which ones interest me. So, you can totally jump in on this one if you didn’t want to have to catch up.
Yes! The Winter Olympics backdrop would hook me in. I’ve read a couple from this series and find them hit or miss. I’m guessing the way this one takes the time to describe their time and also give them a good romance that it would be one of the hits.
Thanks, Kristin!
They are hit or miss for me, too. I think what ruins them for me is when the couples get hot and heavy at the beginning with no build up. I need time to connect with them first, and I don’t always get that with this series. So, I really liked that these two took it slow.
Shot on Gold sounds good and I like that the author incorporated the Olympics into it. Nice fav quote!
It was pretty cool reading the book and then watching the figure skating competition at the end of the day. It was like I was getting a behind the scenes look at what their day was like before they went on to perform.
I love that an Olympic romance has hit the shelves during the Olympics. Marketing genius right there! And I’ll admit that even though I don’t read much romance, I do have a soft sport for sports-themed romances so thanks for putting this one on my radar 🙂
That’s what I thought! She wrote it to be released at this time because the author note at the beginning talked about how at the time she wrote the story, the NHL hadn’t decided that they weren’t going to participate in the Olympics. So, it was very good planning ahead on her part.
The other day I was just saying I want a romance where both of the characters are athletes and not just one and now I see this beautiful cover and I’m going to have to read this one. It sounds like it is exactly what I am looking for. Great review!
It definitely sounds like what you’re looking for. I loved that they both played sports, because you’re right, usually it’s only one character who plays. I hope you enjoy it if you decide to give it a read.
I was all in to try this series last year but was never in the mood for a sport romance. Crazy I know. I have read some great reviews for this series and pretty much enjoy the Olympics setting. Love your favorite quote as it is so true.
The books in the series are hit or miss for me. However, I loved the slow build up to their romance and the Olympic setting.
It was a fun one. She always does an awesome job incorporating friends and family depending on the book. 🙂
Usually I like that in my books, especially when I know the other characters. However, I think what got me was the tie-in with the Olympics. I thought it was very brilliant of her to have the foresight to have her next installment connected to something that the whole world stops and takes notice of.