Review: Trying To Score by Toni Aleo

Totally devoted

Not since Beautiful Disaster has a book complete taken over my life and completely changed it for the better. Toni had a game-winning goal with Taking Shots, but Trying To Score gives you a overtime win!

Trying To Score

By Toni Aleo

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. No money was exchanged for this review.

Fallon Parker’s dream was to have her family’s wine company at the top of all wine magazines and to have a cellar of her own. After graduating from college, she has worked hard to make that dream a reality, even if that meant having a nonexistent love life. She had her chance at love and that was a bust, so she put everything into the wine company. After becoming the official sponsor of the Nashville Assassins, Fallon finally feels like everything is falling in place, that is until Lucas Brooks comes back into her life. 

Lucas Brooks hates his life. He is lonely, he is sober, and he is angry. On the ice, when he’s not in the sin bin, he the leading scorer in the NHL but off the ice, he is a mess. He threw away the most important person in his life, and has regretted it ever since but when Lucas sees Fallon again after being traded to the Assassins; he is bound and determined to get her back. Even if she wants nothing to do with him. 

The sexual tension between Fallon and Lucas is electrifying as Lucas tries to convince Fallon that he is a changed man. Fallon tries to resist Lucas, but it is so hard when all her body wants is his. But when Lucas finds out that Fallon has been keeping a huge secret from him, the game he is playing stops and penalties are called. 

With new rules and new players on the ice, will Fallon and Lucas be able to work out their differences and work as a team or will they be left trying to score alone. 

GO SHARKS!

Fallon and Lucas had the love that everyone dreams of. Locking eyes across the room at a club, the both go balls to the wall and have the most amazing time of their life. Until the day that it all comes to an end. One mistake cost Lucas and Fallon their chance at happiness, or did it? 

Seven year later Lucas and Fallon are more mature and living two complete different lives. Lucas lived his life play for the Sharks (OH YEA BABY!!!) and Fallon went home to a not so warm welcome. Lucas broke Fallon, to the point where she will be glad to live the rest of her life without having to ever see him. Too bad he was just traded to play for the Assassins, with whom she sort of works for. Fallon knows she is in big trouble when she learned about his trade, because Fallon has been keeping a secret from Lucas, one she was hoping he would never have to know about. Fallon wants nothing more than to keep his away from her and her life, but she knows Lucas so well, she knows its only a matter of time before he get what he wants. And all Lucas wants is Fallon back. 

Fallon Parker

Lucas has been having some hell of a time lately. Still not over the love of his life, he is hoping for that to change when he is traded to the Assassins, the team in Fallon’s hometown. He knows she is there, she ran after what he did to her. They didn’t end on the greatest terms and he was not in the best place of his life either. Choosing to cope the wrong way, Lucas is finally turning his life around, and he wants nothing more than to prove to Fallon that he is a changed man. But she doesn’t want to give him the time of day. Still raw and hurt after so many years, these two have their work cut out. Can Fallon learn to trust the man that destroyed her? Even when her secret is begging for a chance? Can Lucas prove that he is a changed man? Can he handle her secret? Can he trust her for her deceitfulness? Will these two have their happy ever after? Or will they be forced to miss their shot at love? 

Lucas too was shoveling pancakes into his mouth. Syrup dripped from the sexy stubble that covered his chin and her mouth watered at the sight. Fallon no longer wanted the syrup that covered her pancakes. More like the syrup from his chin, and lips, or hell just dump it on him!!! ~eARC p. 157 

So if you think my Taking Shots review was crazy and all over the place, then you are in for a ride! This book is still on my brain and I just gha!!!!! Oh Lucas!!!!! How you have changed my life! I was in a total reading funk before reading this book. And oh man!!! As when I was reading Beautiful Disaster a few months ago, Trying To Score just woke up my insides and brought me back to life! It gives you everything you want out of a book. It gives you two amazing people, a support system that can stand on their own and it awakens emotions in you that make you feel alive and understand what it means to live and love! 

Lucas Brooks

After Taking Shots, I wanted more of Elli and Shea. I didn’t think any couple could be able to be as amazing as they were. And when I knew that Toni was writing more in this series, I was so upset that it was going to be about two different people. But knowing Toni, I had faith in her. She told me, Hey Lucas plays for the Shark and I was like I LOVE HIM ALREADY!!!! And I have to say now I want more of Lucas and Fallon!!! I cannot get enough!!! This book and these characters have quickly become my favorite! Their complexity is outstanding and you can’t help but fall in love with them! Even when they drive you crazy!!! But I always love a story that can awaken the full spectrum of emotions within yourself and not just the easy one of excitement. 

Blanch is working over time!

This book made me want to have babies, it made me want more hockey and it made me want my boyfriend's beard!!! Which is really surprising because aside form the hockey, the others I'm not always crazy for!!! The whole book its just beyond fantastic and amazing, it’s really one of the most amazing books I have read lately. And I have read Hunger Games!! Now Trying To Score and Hunger Games are epic on their own for amazing reasons!!! And of course it’s like trying to compare any book to Harry Potter. But without Hunger Games in the photo, Trying To Score is my favorite read of the year! Trying To Score is a book that was made just for me! I can’t wait to be able to have this book in paperback and be able to touch the words on the pages! I just want more!! 

This was me pretty much the whole damn time!

A slow sly smirk formed on Lucas’ lips and Fallon took in a sharp breath. “I'm not playing daddy. I am daddy and you are mommy. Shouldn’t we be making out instead of fighting?” Fallon rolled her eyes, poking him harder in the chest. “get your mind out of the gutter Lucas!” She poked him again, and he took her finger in his hand as he grinned down at her. “Poke me one more time Fallon parker, and I’ll poke you back, and not with my finger.” ~eARC p. 189

"Aiden's heart, and mine." ~Lucas

Now Fallon did drive me crazy. Her issues run deep and she was burnt to the core by Lucas. All Fallon wants is to prove herself worthy of her dad’s love and to show that she is not a fuck up but a successful strong independent mother and woman. Audrey (younger sister) and Aiden (awww super big secret) have been her support system and she would lay down her life for those two. And her love and compassion for them is so enduring but damn it Fallon!!! Sometimes I just wanted to shake her! She goes back and forth so much in this book it makes your head spin. But she is a life long Sharks fan and she redeems her self but at times I just wanted to scream! And I think I did a few times. I ended up loving Fallon in the end and going along with her on her journey to trust Lucas was one hell of a ride! 

When you read a book, most of the time you associate with the main character and the book usually it’s centered on just them. Even when a book is told in dual POV, there is still more focus on one character. And you focus on their journey, their issues and discovery as they develop though the pages. But in this book, it’s almost three different journeys. The book is again beautifully told in dual POV with both Fallon and Lucas. Toni is slowly making me love dual POV and I have a feeling I will have a hard time going back. With TTS, you follow Fallon on her journey of developing trust. You get to follow Lucas on his journey to get Fallon back and be in her life. And you follow them together as they try to make things works! I mean anytime I think of this book and what happens my face just lights up and I grin like the cat that ate the canary! 

Oh Lucas! You are just mmmmM!!!!

And what the biggest surprise for me was how much I related to Lucas and was really rooting for him! Now a hot, sexy confident hockey player covered in tattoos and extremely confident, Lucas is hard for me to resists! But what was most touching about his story and journey is what he discovered about him self. I mean times with him and Aiden just broke my heart and oh damn! He is just damn!!! I seriously can’t say enough about him! He makes your panties drop and your hearts swell! I mean honestly I can talk all day and night about Lucas! He is just mmmmmmmm yea that’s ugh!!!!! When I can only make sex noises about someone, you know its good!!! 

Lucas hated the word. It was so easy to say, but it could honestly cut someone in half if they thought for a second that they were. Lucas was a confident man, but with his dyslexia, he never felt like he was smart. Fallon had never made him feel like he was less of a man; she always treated him like he was the smartest man in the room, until now. Now she had called him it. ~ eARC p. 392 

Toni has once again written an amazing book filled with steamy parts but also filled to the core with intense life topics and difficult decisions. You work with Fallon on her trust issues. You discover the joys of life with Lucas and Aiden. And you feel the love and innocents of Aiden and Audrey. She also touches a core on sensitive topics. Like how just one small word can destroy someone. 

I still want to be wrapped up in the sheet with Lucas! Again I was up most of the night and early morning with this book and just couldn’t get enough! It’s a long book but these two have some issues to get though. It’s not about love at first sight, it’s about the love after first sight. It’s about two people that are meant to be together but are kept apart by their choices. 

As every paged moved further, the tension between these two grew and grew. These two are meant to be, even when they doubt it. They are made for each other and it’s a gift to be able to be in their lives! And when that tension is released, it’s EXPLOSIVE! 

Stupid thumb! Stupid boy! Step away Fallon, step away! ~eARC p. 297 

Toni wrote another book that I couldn’t put down and was fighting with my need for sleep and my undying passion to know where Lucas and Fallon would take me. The world is built beautifully and I can always picture myself right there. And even better, we still get to know more about Shea and Elli!!!! EEEEP!!!! 

This book is so much better than Taking Shots. I mean Taking Shots was amazing, but this book just takes it to the next level! The characters are better, the issues are better and the steam is oh man the steam is so much better! I will forever read anything by Toni knowing that she will deliver a wonderful story about people in love, and about what it means to live life! 

This is about us. This is about an intense, deep connection we have. I have loved you since I first laid eyes on you Fallon, and I haven’t stopped. I started to fall for you all over again Saturday night and even with how this afternoon went down, I still feel the same way. I am never going to hurt you. I will earn your trust again because I am only going to love you and our son for the rest of our lives. ~ eARC p. 398 

I seriously die a bit inside because of that part every time! ugh!