Review: Center Ice by Cate Cameron

Title: Center Ice
Author: Cate Cameron
Published: May 19th 2015
Source: Copy given by author for honest review
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Buy: Amazon ~*~ Barnes & Noble
Add to your Goodreads shelf
Caution: May contain spoilers

The hometown hockey hero won’t know what hit him…

Karen Webber is in small-town hell. After her mother’s death, she moved to Corrigan Falls to live with strangers—her dad and his perfect, shiny new family—and there doesn’t seem to be room for a city girl with a chip on her shoulder. The only person who makes her feel like a real human being is Tyler MacDonald.

But Karen isn’t interested in starting something with a player. And that’s all she keeps hearing about Tyler.

Corrigan Falls is a hockey town, and Tyler’s the star player. But the viselike pressure from his father and his agent are sending him dangerously close to the edge. All people see is hockey—except Karen. Now they’ve managed to find something in each other that they both desperately need. And for the first time, Tyler is playing for keeps…

My Thoughts:

This is my second Entangled Crush book... and will most certainly not be the last. I went into it expecting a sweet little romantic story, and ended up discovering there was so much more below the surface.

Karen has moved from the big city to a small town to live with her father after her mother died. She hasn't had anything to do with him all her life, but now she's forced into it. It's not easy for any of them to adjust to, especially her step-mom, Natalie, and her half-siblings. Stories are being told all over town about Karen, the new arrival to the family, along with some not-so-nice rumors about her family. The transition isn't easy, but Karen finds a friend in Tyler when he rescues her from a squirrel (completely hilarious and adorable scene, by the way). The two of them have this level of understanding, and they each grow throughout the story.

Center Ice was brilliant squared. I mean, I was so enraptured by this book--the romance, the emotion, the overall feel of learning about life--the author did an amazing job. I caught myself tearing up numerous times, my heart going out to Karen and her family and even Tyler. Karen was a great protagonist--she was real, like REALLY real--not a pushover and willing to stand up for herself and speak her mind regardless of how anyone reacts. Cate Cameron has definitely made her way up there when it comes to authors for me. Amazing job--keep them coming!

My Rating:

Release Blitz: Center Ice by Cate Cameron

Welcome to the Center Ice release day blitz!

Center Ice (Corrigan Falls Raiders)
by Cate Cameron

Release Date: 05/19/15

Entangled Crush

Summary from Goodreads:

The hometown hockey hero won’t know what hit him…

Karen Webber is in small-town

hell. After her mother’s death, she moved to Corrigan Falls to live with strangers—her dad and his perfect, shiny new family—and there doesn’t seem to be room for a city girl with a chip on her shoulder. The only person who makes her feel like a real human being is Tyler MacDonald.

But Karen isn’t interested in starting something with a player. And that’s all she keeps hearing about Tyler.

Corrigan Falls is a hockey town, and Tyler’s the star player. But the viselike pressure from his father and his agent are sending him dangerously close to the edge. All people see is hockey—except Karen. Now they’ve managed to find something in each other that they both desperately need. And for the first time, Tyler is playing for keeps…

Buy Links:

Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books│iBooks

About the Author

Cate Cameron grew up in the city but moved to the country in her mid-twenties and isn't looking back. Most of her writing deals with people living and loving in small towns or right out in the sticks - when there aren't entertainment options on every corner, other people get a lot more interesting!

She likes to write stories about real people struggling with real issues. YA, NA, or contemporary romance, her books are connected by their emphasis on subtle humor and characters who are trying to do the right thing, even when it would be a lot easier to do something wrong.

Author Links:

   


Interview:

What do you like best about being a writer? What is the most challenging part?

I like getting to live all the different lives with my characters, creating people who I’d love to hang out with in real life.

I hate… well, honestly, I’m not crazy about promo. I love chatting with people and just getting excited about books and stories and whatever, but I’m always a bit torn when it comes time to mention my own work. I feel like I’ve just made all these nice friends and now I’m cheapening that by trying to make them spend money! I’m just not a natural salesperson at ALL. So generally I follow the “Best promotion is the next book” approach, and try to do most of my promo via writing more stories!

What does a typical writing day look for you?

When I’ve got the chance to write full time, I tend to be pretty scattered. Half-an-hour working on a story, then check e-mail and Facebook and writers’ boards, then back to the story, then I have to check something out on the internet, then back to writing, then pick up and move to another location, then put in in a load of laundry, then write some more, then check e-mail, etc. I don’t really isolate myself and get immersive.

Describe your writing cave.

Have laptop, will travel. I have a home office, but in the winter I’ll work in front of the fireplace a lot, and in the summer I like to write outside. I also often get ideas when I’m driving, and will pull over and dictate ideas into my phone so I can try them out when I get home.

The one thing that’s in common with all of my writing locations, except for maybe the car, is Jack, my yellow lab. He hears all my story ideas before I type them up, and he approves of every single one. (Which actually shows that he’s not a very critical thinker, because some of my ideas are just plain stupid. This is why dogs are very rarely hired to be editors.)

Who is your favorite book boyfriend?

I’m going with Austen, but NOT Mr. Darcy! Persuasion is my favourite Austen novel, and despite the less-than-sexy name, Frederick Wentworth is my favourite Austen hero. He’s so patient, and strong, and he forgives Anne and sees her in ways no one else does. Sigh. So romantic!

Speed Round

Coffee or Tea?   Diet Coke!
Beach or Ski slopes?   Beach
Paperback or ebook?   ebook
Movie adaptation or book?   book
Sweet or savory?   savory


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