Benched

Minnesota Caribou, Book 1

By: Colleen Charles

Narrated by: CJ Bloom, Teddy Hamilton

Length: 7 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

She's my friend's little sister. But I've ached for her for years...and I won't be denied.

What does the star center for the Minnesota Caribou professional hockey team do in the face of the ultimate betrayal?

Right, I've sworn off women because I caught my fiancee with my brother. Now, they're both dead to me. They represent an ache so deep, I might never recover.

I've never known a goal I couldn't score - or a girl I couldn't score with. Until I see her curled up in a sexy ball in my hospital room.

She's off-limits. Julia Wales is lush, smart, more determined than I am, and 100 percent taboo. For the first time in my life, I want someone I can't have. She's the successful business owner who obeys every rule. I'm the guy who breaks them.

Not since my injury have I shown a woman my scars. Until now...and there's no going back.

Contains mature themes.

©2016 Colleen Charles (P)2020 Tantor

hockey romance

I really liked the concept of this story but overall it fell a little flat. Julia and Adam were a very sweet couple but everything felt really rushed and every time you turned around some drama was coming to light trying to keep them apart. I will probably read the rest of the series but I'm hoping they get better from here.

A Hat Trick!

This is the first time I’ve read or listened to a book from this author. For the most part, I was entertained. I love hockey, and lived in Minnesota when I was younger, so I was able to actually picture the places mentioned in the book.

I really liked the two main characters of the book, Adam and Julia. I thought that Teddy Hamilton in CJ Bloom did a good job bringing those characters to life. They were a few places where I thought CJ got a little screechy.

The character that I loved the most was the best friend, Sue Ann. Everyone should have a friend like her. There a couple of people in the book who you would love to hate, but they get what’s coming to them.

Cute Story

Overuse of misunderstandings to advance storyline.
too many times where the FMC especially jumped to conclusions instead of asking questions when presented with conflict / tough situation. I know it's just a fluffy romance, but that's a pet perve for me and it makes it impossible to like the characters when it happens repeatedly.
Still a cute story.
*Spoiler*
And I'm happy the bad guy got arrested finally.

Narrators are great storyline is lacking

The orchestrated conflict in the story makes the female main character seem so naive and stupid.

very good

Loved it !! this story. the narrator is so fantastic it's like your really there!! good overall

I love these Narrators

This book reminded me of a Lifetime movie it was just ok. I do love both the male and female narrators.

Dear Author

Funny you quoted this line in the book, "There’s a thin line between love and hate." You created a character I liked then hated and never recovered from.

This story had potential until it didn't.
You're main female character is manic. She believed the people she knew tried to hurt her over the man she "loves" that makes no sense. She You have give the readers no reason to believe that. Why is she broken enough to believe that?

There are many places in this book that just don't make sense. I highly suggest that you get a developmental editor and rewrite.

Terrible plot, infrequent/minimal spice, great narrators.

The plot was unorganized and could have used some editing. Spice was minimal and infrequent. The redemption for me was the choice in voice actors. It was free and got me through a couple commutes to work.

Sigh

The concept of the book was good but it was confusing and like too many bad things happening back to back that made no sense or didn’t have a build up to it just popped in. Julia was good in the beginning but after heather got involved she because spineless whiny teenager like she was just annoying. After knowing that what she was told was a lie but still chose to believe it was bad on her part she just wanted something to be mad at.

Not the best.....

Love the narrators. they're two of my favorites. This story felt all over the place, and I'm glad it is included with my membership because had I paid, I would have been disappointed.

I love OW drama, love it, that did not bother me. I don't mind an insecure fmc, but this one was insecure and distrustful beyond what was reasonable. Her friend kept telling her to give him the benefit of the doubt, and she never did. She was kind of selfish, without giving away spoilers he was going through a lot woth hockey and with her being a hockey fan and a him fan along with knowing him most of her life she was really quick to believe the lies. Then, at the end, with the news interview, after they jade made up from the last time, she does it again. She got extremely upset and jumped to conclusions instead of waiting it out. Then he proposes, she says yes, but it hadn't been that long with all the situations of doubt. This is the first time I've felt marriage was too soon.

It was still entertaining.