The Rival - Kendall Ryan

The Rival

By Kendall Ryan

  • Release Date: 2021-06-01
  • Genre: Romance
4.5 Score: 4.5 (From 751 Ratings)

Description

Being stranded in remote Canada with a hottie?
Wasn’t part of my summer plans.

Dump my cheating ex? Check.

Land an amazing job with Boston’s professional hockey franchise? Check.

Fall stupidly in love with hockey’s favorite bad boy? Ugh.

After wasting years of my life with the wrong person, I told myself all I wanted was a little no-strings fun. Enter Alex Braun—a wealthy, handsome, notorious playboy who’s equal parts charming and dangerous as hell to my wounded heart.

After enduring a very public breakup of his own, the sexy player doesn’t want to be anyone’s forever. Too bad he barreled his way into my heart, instead of just my bed.

But this professional athlete knows a thing or two about competing, and he won’t let go so easily.

Warning: This romance contains one grumpy, emotionally damaged, but gorgeous-as-hell hockey player, and a whip-smart, hardworking heroine who has never quite fit in. It should only be read by those who like their men brawny and their romances red-hot!

Reviews

  • .

    5
    By ajlovo
    .
  • As always…

    5
    By lynsieiscool
    Amazing. Thank you Kendall for all of the steamy beautiful heart wrenching romance you bring to my life
  • Bad Boys CAN Be Redeemed

    4
    By coffeegoddesstmk
    Redeemed bad boys are some of the best. They've done their thing, they've broken hearts, they've made the headlines, but then, then it's time to settle down. You know, put the shenanigans aside and show their true colors. In THE RIVAL by author Kendall Ryan, Alex Braun has some serious damage control to handle, and I wasn't sure how in the world Kendall could turn his story around, but she did it, and did it well. There was truly not much to like about Alex in THE REBEL. I mean, he was pretty much the whole reason that Eden and Holt had a story to tell, and the fact that he was such a jerk made it easy to root for the two of them. But now, in this second book, Kendall develops Alex's story and we can see how much more there is to him than the quintessential bad boy, and allow him the space to grow into a person with much more depth and character. Aspen Ford is Eden's right hand, and she is fantastic at keeping her boss on track. Aspen's personal life, though, could use some help, and no one is more surprised than she is when Alex steps in to save the proverbial day by getting her the chance to step away from it all for the summer. And to make things really interesting, she won't be doing it alone. What happens in Canada, stays in Canada, I suppose, because mum's the word on these two...until it's not. I continue to enjoy this new hockey series very much, and, although there are only a few books slated for it, I'm really hoping to get stories for all the main characters. Both THE REBEL and THE RIVAL showcase Kendall's gift for writing a sweet and sexy tale that is guaranteed to deliver characters whose stories draw you in. I was hooked from the set-up with this book, and look forward to getting to know more about all of the Boston Titans. Steamy, sweet, and sure to satisfy, THE RIVAL is one date with your TBR that you should absolutely not miss. ❤️
  • Love this author and series

    5
    By Amy L Van
    I loved every minute of this book. The story line keeps me interested and I just want to keep reading the entire series and get sad when they end.
  • So excited for this story!

    5
    By Samantha B. Sokol
    So excited for this story! After getting to know a different side of Alex through the eyes of his ex-girlfriend in the previous book, I was very interested to see how Kendall was going to change our minds about him and show us the real him – but she didn’t disappoint! After a bad breakup, Aspen is staying with her boss while she tries to get back on her feet, and somehow, she keeps running into Alex and can feel the sparks flying. Unfortunately, she doesn’t think it’s a great idea because she’s living with his ex-girlfriend as well as her first-hand knowledge of what happened between the two during their breakup. But when he helps to get her a summer job away from the city, she doesn’t know that he is going to tag along – and the more time they spend alone together, the more she realizes that he’s got a very different side to him that nobody else gets to see. I loved getting to see Alex become his true self and show who he really is – under that tough guy exterior is a caring and generous person. I was so glad that these two were able to make things work even when both of them got spooked at different times, and I cannot wait for the next book in this series! I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
  • Another great hockey romance from Kendall Ryan!

    5
    By eladiolymari
    Beautiful story about finding yourself and finding love in the process. I’ve been wanting to know Alex’s story since book one, and it did not disappoint! Such a great redemption arc for him. Loved the backdrop of the Canadian wilderness, it added something extra special. Definitely spicy, but with a tenderness behind it that was heart squeezing-ly good. The chemistry between these two could have kept the fireplace lit for the entire Canadian winter!
  • Loved this. Big time!

    5
    By Ashel05
    Whhhoooooossshhhhhhh! This book! I loved me some Alex. After The Rebel. I was prepared to hate Alex on principle. Team Eden. Boy i was wrong. M He’s sweet. And sexy. And caring. And everything Aspen needs. Aspen is Eden’s assistant and has some preconceived notions on Alex. When they end up at the same place for the summer, let’s say chemistry and sparks fly! I loved this story and cannot wait for Saints turn! Highly recommend.
  • Falling for the bad boy

    5
    By mowall
    This is book 2 in the Looking to Score Series and it is Alex and Aspen’s story. It isn’t necessary to read the first book The Rebel but I would recommend it since this one has characters that crossover and it will help you make the connections. Alex is known as the bad boy of his hockey team and he is also the ex-boyfriend of the owner of the team Eden. Aspen works as Eden’s assistant and is coming off of a bad break up. That is one thing that she and Alex have in common. When they both attend Eden and Holt’s engagement party, they find themselves hanging out together. The season is over and Alex is helping out a guy on the team by looking after his cabin in Canada and he suggests that Aspen should go to the cabin as well to do some cleaning. What will happen when these two spend their summer in the same cabin? Will Alex show Aspen that he isn’t the bad boy that Eden made him out to be? Kendall does a great job with Alex’s story and you can’t help but to fall in love with him especially since he was painted the bad guy in the previous book. I loved his sweetness and the chemistry he shares with Aspen is explosive. I didn’t want their story to end. I loved this book and can’t wait for the next one in this series. I also purchased the audible version as well and I have to say it is so worth the credit. Jacob Morgan and Vanessa Edwin did an outstanding job narrating this book.
  • Likable

    3
    By Lady raven rave
    3.50⭐️⭐️⭐️ Style: Contemporary Romance Story: 3/5 Enjoyment: 3.5/5 Dark Level: 0/5 Sexual Level: OK-GOOD Triggers: No Violence: No Male: Really Nice & Sexy Series: Book 2 Pages: loc. 3333 Audio: N/A Kindle Unlimited: N/A STORY: So, this was a very light read for me. I have to say, Alex is not what I expected. Reading Book 1 and Alex’s character, I was expecting someone a little more intense for the first part of the book. I thought Alex was really really really nice. That’s not a bad thing, but my mindset was expecting something different, the angry hockey player who can’t stay out of the tabloids. Aspen was just the sweetest thing. I loved her and thought she was good for Alex. Watching their story unfold was nice, especially in a remote cabin away from everyone. I did feel some areas may have dragged a bit, but it was nice to see. SEXUAL CHEMISTRY: Like the first book and now this book, I wanted a bit more sexually. I am not expecting erotica, but when that sexual chemistry is ignited its over in the blink of an eye and not able to fully enjoy it. SECONDARY CHARACTERS: It was mainly Alex and Aspen. But we did get a bit of Saint another team member and Eden. OVERALL: I like it, and it’s a nice and light read. Would have liked a bit more intensity from Alex to match some of his intensity in book 1. The college guy get any girl I want to the jerk boyfriend he was to Eden. I like seeing the softer side but wanted a little more, or it could be I am not fully connecting with this series. ✰✰TRIGGERS: none ****I don’t equate these stories to real life. It’s about personal taste and what you would or want to tolerate with the books you read. I know we all have different opinions and preferences with what we read. I based my book reviews on my preferences and what I like, and while these preferences may not be the same for others, I hope this review was still helpful. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
  • A sports romance must read!

    5
    By RowenaB10
    Wow! This was swoon worthy from start to finish. Having not read the first book in this series, I can see where Alex’s character was misunderstood, but this newest release brings him forward in a new light. When he finds himself helping Aspen, it takes an unexpected turn he didn’t know he was ready for, but a sweet chemistry and a friendship that became more made for an delightful read. This is a definite must read for sports fan with a great storyline.

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