Bøker av Gina Azzi

There's only one woman I truly care about: my daughter. Until Maisy Stratford flounces into the front office of the Tennessee Thunderbolts with a heartfelt smile and a tray of baked goods. As the Bolts' newest hire, Maisy is optimistic, enthusiastic, and a goddess at manifestation.Everything I'm not.Known as Brawler, I'm a gruff, quiet, rough-around-the-edges, NHL defenseman. I haven't dated in decades. I've never been married and my daughter's a twenty-one-year-old mischief maker. I don't know how to talk about feelings or place my trust in the hands of a woman. Even one with a heart of gold.With my daughter Lola egging me on, I finally ask Maisy out.But I don't want to be her rebound; I want to be her forever. Even if I don't know how to tell her that. Even if she's not ready for me.If I'm being honest, I'm not ready for her either.

Word on the ice: the only thing worse than knocking up your teammate's sister is knocking up his daughter.I have no business tangling up with Lola Daire. She's a smart, idealistic, college senior planning to take on Silicon Valley. I'm an angry NHL player with a chip on my shoulder.She smiles rainbows; I spit fire. She's a daddy's girl; I'm the last guy her father wants her to date.A man with my past and demons will only corrupt a good woman. I know better than to give in to her playful flirting, but when Lola finds herself in a compromising situation, I break the rules to keep her safe.We have nothing in common, save for the attraction we feel. We have no future, except for the moments that stretch between us. But our desire is insatiable. Our chemistry, off-the-charts.One night turns into more and our casual understanding takes an unexpected turn.I may be the cliché bad boy, but my downfall is the good girl with a baby on the way.

As Boston's most eligible nanny, I'm nurturing, trustworthy, and professional. Until my one-night stand turns out to be my new boss. Hawks defenseman James Ryan is Boston's most eligible single-dad. He's solemn, gorgeous, and an incredible father. But I'm drawn to him for other reasons. James's eyes reflect the same grief and hurt I'm drowning in. His twins struggle with the same pain that once destroyed me. Living with the Ryan family and caring for James's twins are both a salve and a curse. Soon, what made us click one summer night over whiskey is wreaking havoc on our commitment to remain professional. Our friendship blossoms into something more. Something searching, healing, and unbelievably complicated. Falling in love with Milly and Mason Ryan is easy. Falling in love with their father is something I never saw coming. If I give my heart to James, will he put it back together? Or will I end up more shattered than I already am?

Boston Hawks owner Scott Reland is my father's biggest rival and the last man who should catch my eye. But when he does, I don't look away.We've circled each other for years, two outliers in a small club of NHL owners. We know the rules, manage similar pressures, and understand that this lifestyle - hockey over everything - isn't for everyone. Which is why I want out. To prove to my father that I have a future beyond the New York Sharks, I score one for me and open a bakery in Boston, the city that reveres Scott. It isn't long until the dynamic and perceptive Hawk pursues me. And I'm entirely unprepared to be swept off my feet, cared for and supported after so many years on my own. Scott easily draws me back into the hockey life I thought I didn't want. But can our relationship survive the demands of this industry? Or will I always be keeping score, second to the game that dictates everything?

Theodore Edward Sims was supposed to be my hot summer hook-up, a stranger I slept with in Hawaii. Now, he's my stepbrother's new hockey teammate. When we met, Theo was a sexy surfer in Maui, riding waves by day and rocking my world at night. After being played for a fool by my ex-fiancé, Theo proved to be a source of instant gratification. He was refreshingly honest, engaging, and incredibly charming. Theo built me up when it felt like my world was crumbling down.Turns out, he's just like my ex. A liar.To avoid the gossip of my failed engagement, I hightail it to Boston, where I'm forced to cross paths with a new version of Theo, aka Eddie Sims, Boston Hawks right wing. Here, he isn't the well-connected, alluring surfer but a determined, angry hockey hunk with something to prove. Especially to me.Except I've written him off. Once a liar, always a liar.But Theo isn't backing down. Instead, he's hustling for my forgiveness. If I give him another chance, will he live up to his apologies? Or am I just lying to myself?

I always knew I'd marry my first everything, Declan Yaeger, the Southern boy with Irish roots. That was before he became my first heartbreak, a NHL superstar with a playboy reputation I no longer recognize. The summer he left our small, Tennessee town, to pursue his hockey dream is the summer my life changed. That was seven years ago, before he became a defenseman for the Boston Hawks. Before I became a hardened, desperate woman, trying to survive.To protect my grandfather's legacy, I agree to marry my oldest childhood friend, Henry. But when I enter the Church on my wedding day, the grey eyes piercing mine aren't my fiancé's.They're Declan's, the last person I expect to show up with an offer of his own. One I can't refuse even though my heart should know better than to accept.Will my marriage to Declan heal the broken between us? Or are we destined to repeat the mistakes of our past?

Knoxville Coyotes rookie, West Crawford, is a celebrated, lightning-fast football god on the field. Off the field? He's my ex-boyfriend and greatest heartache.I didn't think long-distance would break us when West was drafted to Tennessee, and I was called home to Paris for a family emergency. But it did.Fast-forward six months and West is playing in the Super Bowl, I'm rooting for him to win, and our worlds re-collide.Celebrating West's success is supposed to be a one-night, free-for-all that ends with closure. Instead, it births a new beginning. Literally.I'm having a baby with my ex, our lives are still thousands of miles apart, and nothing has changed. I mean, except the obvious.Between West's flourishing career, my familial responsibilities abroad, and a positive pregnancy test that surprises us both, our relationship is bound to be sacked before it has the chance to soar.

Lioness. That's the first word that comes to mind when I see the brilliant redhead selling cupcakes at the hockey arena.With the soul of an artist and the spirit of a nomad, Bea Turner is gorgeous, quirky, and refreshing.She's also my teammate's little sister.As the Tennessee Thunderbolts' Rookie, I should steer clear. I'm here to play hockey and provide much-needed financial security for my family. To do that, I need to avoid distractions.Bea doesn't just distract me; she flips my world upside down. One bad joke has me pursuing her. One date and I crave more. Calling her mine? Well, now I'm dreaming of a future.The life of a hockey player - trades, travel, uncertainty - isn't for the heart of a creative. Bea desires adventure and possibility, not early morning skates and strict exercise regimens.When I'm thrust into a situation at odds with Bea's dream career, I know I can't hold her back. If we're meant to be, we'll make it work. But what if we're not?What if my greatest regret is letting my lioness go?

I've sworn off hockey players. Until the pregnancy test turns pink.Noah Scotch is revered in Boston, a veritable god on the ice. I'm a nerdy, newly minted college professor who would rather color code my planner than hit the club scene. Noah shouldn't look at me twice but when he does, I falter.Who can blame me?The sweet talker with the deliciously chiseled abs and sinful chocolate eyes is a force. On and off the ice. One hot and intense night with Noah has me second guessing my lack of a dating life.Friends with benefits? He offers, I dive in headfirst.Growing up in a hockey family, I know better than to get serious with a player. But the more time I spend getting to know Noah, the more my intention to keep things casual rings false. Now, I've got a hopeful heart and a baby on the way.I just need to tell Noah. But when I do, will I end up with everything I never knew I wanted? Or on my own?

NHL hotshot Torsten Hansen is a lot of things. My husband shouldn't be one of them.One emotional night slinging tequila shots and singing karaoke with the Hawks defenseman turns into more than I bargained for. A wicked hangover, an eviction notice, and a marriage proposal.If Torsten and I wed, he can fulfill a promise to his grandmother and the debt I'm drowning in will be paid by his trust fund. It's a win-win, an easy and straightforward arrangement between friends.So what if my friend has piercing blue eyes, a sensual smirk, and a body that occupies my dreams? It shouldn't matter that Torsten understands my past and makes me feel safe.Except it does. Because if I give my heart to my husband, how will I survive our eventual divorce?

Nine years ago, Celine Hernandez broke my heart. Eight years ago, she stomped on it for good measure. When Celine moved to LA after high school, I enlisted in the Marines.After an honorable discharge, I'm home, in Tennessee, living out my dream as a professional hockey player. Now, she's back in our hometown, filming a movie, and reminding me of a past I've tried to forget.She's got her name up in lights. She's shining so bright; she's acting like she never left. Celine's everywhere I go - visiting my Gran, having coffee dates with my sister - and forcing me to remember a time when life wasn't so harsh. When I was whole and thriving. Happy.But I can't trust those feelings anymore. I'm not the same man Celine remembers. I've lost too much, grieved too hard, and am too broken down for do-overs.Is my ex-everything a risk my heart can handle? Or is our second chance more sacrifice than salvation?

It was supposed to be a favor between neighbors...When sexy-as-sin Harper Henderson launches profanities into the night sky from the balcony below mine, I intervene. I volunteer to be her date to her ten-year high school reunion. I may be a professional hockey player with a playboy reputation, but I'm also a good guy and I make an exceptional plus-one.Being Harper's fake date is easy. Pretending not to fall for her when our innocent kisses turn passionate is a little more challenging.But when Harper returns the fake date favor and accompanies me to my parents' anniversary party, everything changes. She garners my dad's respect and eases the familial pressure I drown under. She makes me crave the things I used to laugh off.Tangling up with Harper was supposed to be a fun way to pass the summer. So, why does it feel like she's the real prize? The elusive, fleeting kind of real I've avoided for years?And how can I prove that this playboy wants a different kind of reward? One that sounds a lot like commitment...

Knoxville Coyotes football heartthrob Cohen Miller is my brother's best friend. Now, he's the man posing as my fake boyfriend. Simple, right? Wrong.I thought my luck couldn't get worse than when my long-term boyfriend publicly dumped me. Wrong again. Now, my ex is dating my cousin, and our friend group is embarking on an annual ski trip.Desperate to save face, I beg Cohen to pretend to like me. To bluff wanting me. To lay it on thick to convince my friends that I'm not heartbroken or hurt. I'm not damaged goods. That I have, in fact, moved on.But during the trip, things change. Cohen's longing glances make my heart race. His casual, familiar touches stir up new feelings. And his kiss? His kiss makes me yearn for things I've never experienced before.Toss in one bed, an epic snowstorm, and a gossip circle a mile wide, and I'm praying we don't fumble our fake relationship.

Derek Reiner is an epic, consuming, forever, kind of love.He's also at the center of my deepest heartache.While he focuses on his personal growth, I figure out my future.As much as I want him in it, I won't choose Derek at the expense of myself.Not anymore.My rockstar may be desperate and restless, but I'm calm and decisive.Some epic loves burn out before they have the chance to blaze.Sometimes, it's for the best.***Restless Rockstar is a steamy, contemporary rockstar romance. It's book 3 in The Burnt Clovers trilogy and the final installment of Derek and Allegra's emotional story.

Tangling up with my new physical therapist, Mila Lewis, is a mistake. One I can't seem to stop making.When I sign with the Tennessee Thunderbolts, I have two goals: prove my injury hasn't benched my career and get back to New York.But then, I meet Mila, the enigmatic therapist tasked with rehabbing my shoulder.With her long ponytail, professional demeanor, and girl-next-door look, Mila is nothing like my usual type. She's better-a good girl with sad eyes and a tragic past our small-town loves to dissect.With the entire town up in her business, our budding connection is far from simple. I'm not staying, and Mila will never leave.Deep down, I know I should walk away and let her find the happily-ever-after she deserves.But I can't. Not without showing her that it could be me.And that may be the biggest mistake of all.

Derek broke my heart when he left without a good-bye.Shattered and spiraling, I'm finding my footing when my rebellious rockstar barrels back into my life, upending the progress I've made.Derek's apologetic and regretful. Worried and sincere.He's everywhere, all at once, trying to prove that there's a happily-ever-after waiting for us.He's wrong.I'm too resentful for forgiveness or second chances. But, gah, I still want him.As I set the parameters of our new arrangement, Derek slowly scales the walls I've erected.Hope begins to glimmer, and our future looks brighter, until a secret from his past rips him wide open, exposing truths neither of us is prepared to handle.Turns out, it's going to take more than understanding and forgiveness to save what we started.***Resentful Rockstar is a steamy, contemporary rockstar romance. It's book 2 in The Burnt Clovers trilogy - continuing Derek and Allegra's emotional story from Rebellious Rockstar.

One summer, one rebellious rockstar, and a love that won't quit - even when it hurts.Four years ago, Derek "Reign" Reiner gave me my first kiss and flipped my world upside down. Then, my brother's bandmate catapulted to stardom, becoming a veritable rock god, while I moved across the country.The last thing Derek expects is me on his band's doorstep. Yet, here I am. Lost, uncertain about my future, and desperate to feel a connection - to my family, to my brother, to him.I'm in Boston for one summer, hoping to find my path and discover if there's something between Derek and me.And, oh, there is.Our attraction is intense and heady, fueled by a reckless need. Our chemistry is electric, brimming with a desperate passion neither of us can control.And our relationship? Well, that's complicated. Tumultuous.Derek Reiner may be my brother's best friend, an international heartthrob, and a musical genius. But he's also mine.Even if he breaks my heart.

Lioness. That's the first word that comes to mind when I see the brilliant redhead selling cupcakes at the hockey arena. With the soul of an artist and the spirit of a nomad, Bea Turner is gorgeous, quirky, and refreshing. She's also my teammate's little sister. As the Tennessee Thunderbolts' Rookie, I should steer clear. I'm here to play hockey and provide much-needed financial security for my family. To do that, I need to avoid distractions. Bea doesn't just distract me; she flips my world upside down. One bad joke has me pursuing her. One date and I crave more. Calling her mine? Well, now I'm dreaming of a future. The life of a hockey player - trades, travel, uncertainty - isn't for the heart of a creative. Bea desires adventure and possibility, not early morning skates and strict exercise regimens. When I'm thrust into a situation at odds with Bea's dream career, I know I can't hold her back. If we're meant to be, we'll make it work. But what if we're not? What if my greatest regret is letting my lioness go?