Marek Fabritis is used to delivering blows, not receiving them. But when he gets tipped off by an anonymous email about his ex-girlfriend, the news leaves him ice cold—and it’s not because Gracen Moore is getting married to a total jerk. It’s the fact that Marek has a three-year-old daughter he never knew about. Now he’s going back home, not to play knight in shining armor but to make damn sure that no man takes what’s his. For the first time, there might be something more important than hockey.

Gracen Moore has always loved Marek. That’s why she let him go, so he could pursue a career in the NHL. And that’s why she never told him about Lilly. Only now does Gracen realize that she made an unforgivable mistake. But is that any reason for Marek to crash her wedding and make an epic scene? If the spark that still smolders between them is to be trusted, maybe. Still, Gracen’s not getting her hopes up. Because she knows better than anyone that appearances aren’t always what they seem. . . .

MAREK

by Sawyer Bennett

I don’t even know where to start with this review. I’ve read a lot of Sawyer Bennett books and most of the Cold Fury series and many I enjoyed a lot. The last I read in this series, Van, is one of my favorites but this one is a tough one. I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it at all – I read Marek in a day so I was pretty invested. My issues come from the characters in this story.

Gracen and Marek used to be in love. They had everything and everything pointed toward a rich life full of love and happiness until Marek decided that he needed freedom when his professional career in the NHL started. A couple years later Marek is back in Gracen’s life – he just found out that he has a daughter who his ex-girlfriend had kept secret and he basically kidnapped them to stay with him in Raleigh.

Now I get that Marek’s mad as hell. I probably would be too. But the way he treated Gracen, especially in the beginning, was despicable. I know he was angry but I completely understood why Gracen would not tell him, after he told her he didn’t want the responsibility of a relationship and basically insinuating that he wanted to screw other women. Damn, that man got my blood boiling. His anger wasn’t righteous or justified. He threw her away, he threw her love away. Argh! And once he had her and his daughter in his home he kept throwing her mistake in her face and it started to become a toxic environment.

There was too much pushing away and pulling on Marek’s side and I never felt that these two should have a relationship ever again. I wouldn’t be able to forgive this man, who so thoroughly broke my heart. How can I ever believe that he won’t do it again? I couldn’t get on board with it…until the end I never felt that this relationship could be mended. Too much resentment was between them and after they came to blows for the last time I actually thought that they had burned the last bridges.

“It may be a good thing I kept her hidden,” I say in a deathly quiet voice. “Because your father skills suck.”
“Fuck, it’s no wonder I wanted out from underneath that fiasco of a relationship we had. You’re a goddamn shrew, Gracie. I just couldn’t imagine being shackled to that for the rest of my life.”

Words have power. And this came in the last 10 percent of the story. How can you come back from that? I’m sorry but I didn’t buy it.

Gracen never forgot Marek, despite him hurting her so horribly. While she stood up for herself when he treated her badly she was back in his bed pretty fast again. She was holding out hope, that one day Marek would fall in love with her again. How could she ever believe that, after he threw her away for effing ice hockey and women? It just didn’t add up.

I kiss him back because I never stopped loving him. Even when he broke my heart and left me in ruins, so utterly alone and abandoned, I never once turned my heart away from what we had.

Also, the side plot-line about her parents’ house made me think that Gracen was a little on the dumb side. She never talked with her parents about their issues and just made assumptions and was ready to marry the person who black-mailed them!

Now, I did love Lilly, their daughter, she was really cute. I also thought Marek’s parents were really cool.

These books are supposed to be standalones but I feel like I’m missing out on some information of things that happened in Reed’s book. The whole kidnapping thing is only mentioned but I feel it’s important to explain that a little more. It was only glossed over in this one.

This might be a it’s-me-not-the-book kind of thing. For some reason I still couldn’t stop reading, the angst was, while a little annoying, still delicious, if that  makes any sense. Marek and Gracen weren’t my favorite couple in the Cold Fury series but I know what Sawyer Bennett can do. I read brilliant stories by her. I’m pretty sure that this was only a fluke.

Please check out other reviews of this book – many reviewers loved this story and this is just one opinion!