Joint Review – Taking a Shot by Jaci Burton

Publisher: Berkley Trade
Release Date: March 6th
How We Got this Book: From the Author via Novel Sidekick

If you want to score, you have to get in the game…

The last thing Jenna Riley needs is more sports in her life. While her brothers are off being athletic superstars, she’s stuck running the family’s sports bar, whether she likes it or not. Then in walks pro hockey stud Tyler Anderson. As much as Jenna would like to go to the boards with him, she’s vowed to never fall for a jock—even one as hot as Ty.

Ty, intrigued by the beautiful bar owner, becomes a regular. He senses that Jenna wants to do something more with her life. And as he gains her trust, the passion between them grows, as does Ty’s insistence that Jenna should start living for herself. With his encouragement, Jenna starts to believe it, too…

But first, Jenna has to figure out what she wants, what she needs, who she loves, and if she has the passion and pride to take a shot at having it all—including Ty…
*Blurb from Goodreads*

MinnChica: It’s no secret that I’ve looked for every possible sports romance available, and read most of them (good and bad). So when Jaci Burton first announced her Play-by-Play series, I knew instantly that I would read these books ASAP. When E told me we were able to do a joint review, I read it the moment it hit my inbox. I was anxious to see where Ty and Jenna’s relationship would take them, especially knowing how hesitant Jenna would be to even HAVING a relationship with Ty. Let me just say that this book is probably my favorite in the series so far, and I LOVED the relationship developments between these two.

E: I am not a huge sports romance fan but a few authors have certainly captured me. Ms Burton with her Play-by-Play series is one of those. I really enjoyed the first book and while I liked the second I found I was really looking forward to this one. I knew Ty was going to have his work cut out for him convincing Jenna that she wanted a relationship with Ty DESPITE the fact that he is a professional athlete. When I was offered the chance to review Taking a Shot of course I leapt at it and wanted to drag MinnChica along with me. When she told me she had finished reading it the very next day I couldn’t wait any longer. And like MinnChica this installment is my favorite! It was certainly worth the wait and I am looking forward to re-reading it. *grin*

MinnChica: One of my favorite aspects of this book was Jenna – just everything about her. I thought she was such a great leading lady. Although she seemed passionate about her obligation to the family and running the bar, there was also this whole other layer to her. That layer was filled with guilt over having her own dreams, passion for music and love and the people she surrounded herself with. After reading Liz, the heroine of book two, it was refreshing for me to read about a woman with such a genuine level of softness that I never saw with Liz. Although Jenna acted tough and came across as a bit of a tomboy, she was a little bit of a girly-girl at heart. I loved that about her!

E: Jenna was a very complex character torn between her love and support for her family and herself, which is something I think made her very believable. However, I have to state that I really loved Ty. I think he demonstrated the perfect mix between strong take charge Alpha and the Alpha who does that because he wants his woman happy. He refused to let Jenna remain in her martyrdom yet he also kept what she had told him in confidence and just continued to try different methods to get her to decide to go after her dreams. I thought it was so neat that while he denied wanting anything to do with love to himself all of his words and actions towards Jenna said that he really was a romantic.

MinnChica: Oh Ty… *sigh* He really was such a romantic at heart, and you are totally right. Every action he took, every word he said was for Jenna. It almost seemed as if every decision he made, every thought he had was devoted to her. It was very romantic, and yet the story was extremely sexy as well! Burton continues to amaze me with how much I fall in love with her characters. Their romance was so great as well. It seemed to slowly develop over time, with them each coming to their own “ah-ha” moments in their own time. I do have to say though, I kinda wish that Jenna would have had to grovel a bit more. When the guy is too scared to commit at the end, I like getting a big gesture from him. For me, I could have gotten something a bit bigger from Jenna.

E: Ooh very good point MinnChica. I agree that I would have loved a proper grovel scene from Jenna. Yes she had to reach out and convince Ty to spend time with her, which given her character was difficult, but she needed to grovel. Ty had continually been the pursuer which I do like but I think he needed some reassurance that Jenna was as committed to him and I don’t think she quite demonstrated that. Despite that quibble I really loved how their relationship developed. What Jenna did for Ty when she met his family really gripped my heartstrings because she allowed him to release some of what caged him emotionally.

MinnChica: Oh yeah, that was so sweet and wonderful on Jenna’s part. All in all I thought that this was the strongest book in the series romance wise, and like I said, my favorite. I absolutely adored Ty and Jenna and was sad to see the book come to an end. There were wonderful moments across the emotional spectrum: moments that made me smile and cry and laugh and fan myself. This series continues to be a favorite for me, and with this book, Burton has made it to the top of my auto-buy list.
I give Taking A Shot an A-

E: At first I wasn’t sure that Ms Burton could top A PERFECT PLAY, book 1, but she certainly did. This was one of those stories that when I was finished I looked up and wondered what happened to the sunlight because I could barely see. I really think this one highlighted just how far friends and family will go trying to take care of each other which led to some humorous moments. I need to thank MinnChica for introducing me to this series because it has become one of my favorites.
I give Taking a Shot an A.

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