Gage

"𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺, 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘨𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘰."

Jenna has just moved to Pittsburgh to attempt to restart her life after a horrible accident that changed her life. Gage helps move Jenna into her new place and is completely struck by her. He knows it is going to take a miracle to make her see she is worthy but he is up to the challenge.

Gage is patient, fun and a huge sweetheart. I love how much he helped Jenna regain her confidence and bravery. The book was a little too slow of a burn for me and I felt it focused a little too much on other aspects than Gage and Jenna's relationship.

Lance Greenfeld and Virginia Rose did a good job of bringing the characters and story to life.

Gage contains... sports (hockey), friends-to-lovers, slow burn, dual first-person point of view.

4 Maple Leaf Review

4.5 stars—GAGE is the third instalment in Sawyer Bennett’s contemporary, adult PITTSBURGH TITANS erotic, hockey, romance series-a spin off from the author’s ARIZONA VENGEANCE series. This is thirty-five year old veteran hockey player Gage Heyward, and media coordinator Jenna Holland’s story line. GAGE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion, as there is an ongoing premise throughout. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Some of the events of GAGE cross over with, and run parallel to some of the events in STONE. Jenna Holland is the sister of Emory (Jett-Arizona Vengeance #10).

SOME BACKGROUND: Several weeks earlier, a devastating plane crashed claimed the lives of the entire Pittsburgh Titans hockey team including coaches and staff. Rebuilding the team, owner Brienne Norcross, offered positions to one-time professional and semi-pro players, including our story line hero.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Jenna and Gage) GAGE follows the building romance and relationship between thirty-five year old veteran hockey player Gage Heyward, and the Pittsburgh Titan’s new media coordinator Jenna Holland. Jenna Holland has been hired as the new media coordinator for the struggling PIttsburgh Titans in the wake of the plane crash that claimed the lives of the entire team but Jenna never expected to meet veteran hockey play Gage Heyward, the man that stirs something deep within our story line heroine.

Jenna Holland has struggled in the years since a devastating fire left her with both emotional and physical scars, scars that she diligently battles to hide on a daily basis. From the outset, Jenna is aware of the looks and whispers but mistakenly places Gage Heyward in the same mix as everyone else.

Gage Heyward had already retired from hockey when he was approached by the Pittsburgh Titans owner Brienne Norcross to help bring the team back into playoff contention. Meeting Jenna Holland, Gage knew immediately Jenna is the woman he is meant to claim as his own but Jenna continues to struggle with issues of low self-esteem, issues that are exacerbated by rude comments and despicable behavior by several people connected to the Pittsburgh Titans team. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Gage and Jenna, and the potential fall-out as Jenna struggles to come out from under the often cruel commentary from other people, and from within her own head.

The relationship between Jenna and Gage is one of immediate attraction but Jenna struggles with the visible scars believing herself unworthy of love. Pushed away by a former boyfriend, Jenna battles to move on from the pain, pain that is fuelled by the rude comments of everyone else. Gage Heyward fell for Jenna from the moment they met but convincing Jenna she was perfect was a tough battle for our story line hero. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top sexually graphic language and text.

We are reintroduced to the Pittsburgh Titans roster: new goal coach Baden Oulett, and medical rep Sophie Winters (Baden #1), Stone Dumelin and Harlow Austin (Stone 2), Darius Cermak and his wife Anita, Coen HIghsmith, head coach Matt Keller,and team owner Brienne Norcross, as well as the appearance of Jenna’s sister Emory and her husband Jett (Arizona Vengeance). Coen Highsmith’s story is next.

GAGE is a story of family and friendships, relationships and love; betrayal and acceptance, perseverance and struggle. The premise is emotional and captivating; the romance is seductive; the characters are charismatic.

So glad to be back in Pittsburg and visit the Titans!!! Gage came out of retirement to help rebuild the team after the tragedy and he is feeling a little restless. One day he offered to help a team member and he meets Jenna. She is a new member of the management team and new in town. After an awkward first meeting, Gage does everything in his power to make her feel welcome. Jenna has deep physical and emotional scars from an accident that happened in Phoenix and is very shy and aloof around people. Gage is very attracted to her and will force her to come out of her comfort zone and face the world ! Jenna is strong and a survivor, but will she stop hiding behind the scars and start living again??? This is an amazing story of rebirth and trust! It was an absolute pleasure to volunteer to review this story!