ANY MAN OF MINE by Rachel Gibson

Publisher: Avon
Date published: April 26, 2011
ISBN: 978-0061579110
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Book format: Paperback
Obtained via: Publisher
Reviewed by name and email address: Ginalrmreviews@gmail.com

Five years or so ago Autumn Haven decided it was time to start doing the things she wanted to do for a long, long time and started off by going to Las Vegas. There she met hockey hottie Sam LeClaire. Passionate, mind blowing sex led them down the road to an Elvis impersonator and marriage. When Autumn woke the morning before Sam had left without a word. The next she heard from him was through his attorney telling Autumn that Sam was filing for divorce. But it didn’t end there. Sam gave Autumn the gift of a lifetime—a baby.

Now five years later Connor is old enough to realize that his parents don’t have the most a normal relationship. While Autumn won’t say anything bad about Sam in front of Connor, she is caught between being honest with her son about how callus the hockey great is and wanting to give Sam a chance to be a father.

For all his bravado and hard as nails outlook on life Sam has his own secrets, his own pains that he’s managed to keep tucked away. But as Connor grows up and Sam learns how he has hurt the little boy, Sam begins to realize just what he has missed out on in life. But, is it too late?

I’ve read and totally enjoyed all of Rachel Gibson’s Chinooks Hockey Team series. I’m not normally a contemporary romance or sports fan but Ms. Gibson tells a fabulous tale that draws you in and involves you in the characters and their lives. Spanning a thirteen year period from the first book, SIMPLY IRRESTIBLE to the most recent ANY MAN OF MINE, readers have the opportunity to get to know each couple, experience their ups and downs, heartaches and romance and catch up with them in the next story.

You don’t have to be a sports or hockey fan to enjoy the stories although I will admit after reading SEE JANE SCORE I took a look at our local hockey team, the San Jose Sharks, and found myself rooting for them. Ms. Gibson gives you just enough information about the game to make the story interesting and include the reader, but doesn’t overwhelm with a lot of sports talk.

While all her heroines are described as gorgeous you quickly come to see that their beauty is in the eyes of the beholders. Make no mistake, they are beautiful women, but you quickly come to see them through their heroes eyes.

At one point in ANY MAN OF MINE Autumn considers that her brother, Vince, must be lonely to be calling his sister on a Friday night. It is a poignant moment and I found myself wanting to know more about Vince and hoped for his story. The happy news is he has his own story in Ms. Gibson’s Lovett, Texas series. I’m really looking forward to that one!

Each book in the series is a standalone and can be read out of order. You won’t want to miss any of them.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.