Holdout by Jacqueline Snowe [Review]

Holdout (Moo U #4) by Jaqueline Snowe
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: March 1, 2023

Moo U
1. Boyfriend
2. Blindsided
3. Slapshot
4. Holdout - Paperback | Kindle
5. Gametime
6. Overtime
7. Halftime
8. Darkroom
9. Playmaker
10. Snowballed
11. Goalkeeper

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
The Busy Bean
1. Sweetheart

In Vino Veritas
1. Wildfire

Speakeasy
1. Touchstone

True North
1. Bittersweet

Vino and Veritas
1. Roommate

Jacqueline Snowe
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Jonah Daniels has enough to do during hockey season without spending time interviewing a roommate to help share expenses. So when some dude answers J.D.’s ad and agrees to his terms, he puts a key under the mat and leaves for practice.

What he doesn’t expect is that his new roommate is not a dude at all, but an overtalkative, energetic hottie. What’s worse? She’s the younger sister of his friend on the team, and she’s sworn him to secrecy.

Ryann Reiner needs a place to live, stat. After an incident at the dorms that almost tanked her scholarship, Ryann wants a boring roommate who’ll leave her alone. J.D. almost fits the bill. He lives and breathes hockey, just like her brother, and he wouldn’t know a joke unless it checked him against the boards.

He’s also gorgeous. And broody. And he looks fine on laundry day, in too little clothing. Soon, late night study sessions turn into dangerous flirting. And then a kiss turns into more. But they’re determined to keep things in the feelings-free zone.

Until lines blur and tensions rise when Ryann’s brother learns the truth. And both their hearts are skating on thin ice...

Thoughts on Holdout: Oh, man. Jonah just might be joining my list of favorite intense, focused individuals who comes across as a grump to most because of all their intensity. He was broody and grunty and gave good smolder. I honestly don't think I can overstate that the guy has focus. Sure, Ryann disrupts some of that focus, but it works for the best (for her, at least) since soon he's turning a BIG chunk of said focus on her.

Okay, I'm going to back up a little and say that the aforementioned smolder Jonah was giving was ALL for Ryann. No one else heated him up like she did. And Jonah is adorably awkward in social situations.

On the other hand, Ryann is good with social stuff, so she acts as a bit of a buffer for the big guy. You know, once they got past the mix-up with their names and genders and tried to be friends. Emphasis on "tried" because HOO-BOY...smolder. These two sparked off one another from the start. Once the kissing started, it was all over.

Painful family dynamics, siblings trying to figure things out on their own, a big, broody hockey player with a lot on his shoulders, and a lady who is working on landing on her feet when things get tough. GOOD STUFF!