Reviewed by Jen
TITLE: Breaking Through the Pain
SERIES: Espen Jetties #1
AUTHOR: Haven Hadley
PUBLISHER: Hadley Books, LLC
LENGTH: 246 Pages
RELEASE DATE: July 25, 2024
BLURB:
A star player who thrived on the ice. That was how the sports world saw Devon D’Agostino.
But that was hockey. Shy and caring, Devon wanted to find a partner. Someone to spend his nights with.
Easier said than done when he was a professional athlete who liked his privacy. Finding a date didn’t come easy. On the road, he’d rather be in the hotel than partying with his teammates.
Then again, someone could appear when he least expected it. For example, in the clinic his mom worked in.
Lincoln Newland was everything Devon wanted in a partner, except there were secrets Lincoln wasn’t ready to share.
An honorably discharged veteran, Lincoln knew it wasn’t smart to go out with Devon. Given his PTSD, they led very different lives.
Breaking through the pain meant possibly having the man of Lincoln’s dreams.
REVIEW: This story has a number of buttons pushed for me – hockey, ex-military, damaged characters, to name a few. I was not disappointed. Devon and Lincoln were perfect for each other, and that was apparent almost from the get go. Unfortunately, Lincoln’s issues prevent him from accepting that without a little pushback, but they get there eventually.
Devon is a super sweet, shy NHL player who comes alive on the ice. Lincoln is now an urgent care nurse working with Devon’s mother, a doctor at the same facility. Lincoln keeps his problems to himself and not wanting to burden Devon, pushes him away. But, Devon is ever patient and understanding and waits for Lincoln to get there in his own time. I loved this about him. They are tested a time or two when Lincoln’s PTSD kicks in, but that basically opens the door to Lincoln having to face his issues while giving Devon more of an understanding at the same time.
I really enjoyed the story telling in this one, although I found myself skimming at times early on when there seemed to be an abundance of oversharing details. This lessens as the story goes on though, and I was fully vested in seeing this relationship play out. I’m already excited for the next installment about a few other teammates of Devon and to see if they end up winning the Cup!
RATING: 
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