Rose's Food & Book Blog: Blog Tour Stop: Off the Record by Sawyer Bennett Review

Title: Off the Record

Author: Sawyer Bennett

Release date: June 11, 2013

Publisher: Big Dog Books

Age Group: New Adult

Genre: Contemporay Romance

Tour organized by: AToMR Tours

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.

Amazon

Ever Montgomery has been hurt and betrayed, left unable to trust men and the ability to spot a liar a mile away when she found her fiance in bed with her classmate when she came home early one day. Lincoln Caldwell is the hot goalie for the New York Rangers who is carefree and loves life. Ever's past as allowed her to become a great reporter with the ability to write great material. When her friend Emily, who just so happens to be the girlfriend of Linc's brother gets her the chance of a lifetime to interview Linc she jumps at the chance to write a lifestyle piece on him.

The second Ever sees Lic at the party he is throwing for his hockey team at his condo she is drawn to him, her eyes never leaving his. But when he is stopped by a group of three women who are barely dressed and hanging all over him, she starts to sense he is a playboy. During the interview, Linc is very comfortable with Ever and tells her things on and off the record, feeling a connection with her. When Linc asks Ever out of a date during the interview she declines since she will be leaving to do a story about the homeless in a few days. Ever is very happy with the interview and Linc continues to watch Ever throughout the night never getting the chance to speak to her again. When events fold at the end of the night and Ever hears women saying things about him in the bathroom and finding him with a woman up against the wall in his bedroom, Ever feels betrayed and goes home and does the unthinkable. She writes an article on him that not only twists certain facts but ruins the image that Lic has created for himself, labeling him a playboy who only chases after women's skirts.

Linc is furious when his brother shows him the article and he calls a meeting with Ever and her boss. Originally his idea was to get her to apologize and demand she be fired, but before he realizes the words have left his mouth, he finds himself demanding that Ever come and live with him for six whole weeks. At this point I was thinking to myself this is going to be interesting. You have two people her hate one another. One who's furious she has to stay with him, the other for the article she wrote about him. But Linc is determined to show Ever the real him. He takes her on the journey of his everyday life and Ever discovers that he's a dedicated athlete and caring person who loves his family. But is it truly how he is as a person or is he acting for her benefit so she doesn't write another horrible article about him?

Beneath the tension, Ever and Linc are fighting their growing attraction to one another. Ever, for the past that has caused her so much pain and Linc because he can't be sure she's serious about him or if she's playing a game to write another bad article about him. While volunteering at a disaster site, Ever and Linc grow closer to one another but still they can't seem to trust one another. When Ever takes Linc home to meet her mom and tells Linc more about her life and what her dad did to the family, Linc begins to see that he might just be able to trust her and that Ever has a very sad and emotional past that has played a big part of her mistrust in men now. But still brewing beneath the surface is there mistrust for one another and left me wondering when they would really see who the other was beneath the surface.

When their feelings ignite for one another can Ever learn to trust Linc and can Linc finally learn to trust Ever with her true intentions toward him?

This book was great. I loved the relationship between Ever and Linc. I laughed and enjoyed every moment they were living together and learning to grow and trust one another. I especially enjoyed what she wrote in the article about Linc and when she got to see who he really was as a person. This was my first novel by Sawyer Bennett, but I will definitely be going back to read Off Sides and her new novel coming out soon Off Course. I have loved all her covers so far and loved this book so I know her other work will be just as amazing, 5 stars!

***Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review***

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.