Despite the fact she's written several books with the Little Black Dress publishing label, I haven't really read Rachel Gibson's work before. I was sent her first stand-alone book (in the UK), Any Man of Mine, to review earlier this year and really enjoyed it, so when I was offered the opportunity to read the prequel (although it's released after its sequel!) to that book, Nothing But Trouble, I was eager to see if the rest of the Chinooks series would match up. I have to say I really love the covers, they aren't fancy or anything overly special but I really like them and actually quite liked the darker colours in this one, it suits the darker lead character in my opinion! Rachel Gibson's books aren't serious chick lit, they are very light and fluffy reads but that doesn't at all mean to say that there isn't a darn good story inside!
This book is also based around the Chinooks hockey team that Any Man of Mine was set at too, and according to the order of publication in America, this book actually should come before Any Man of Mine, but for some reason the UK publisher have decided to publish them the other way around. Although they are a series, they don't necessarily rely on being read in order (according to what I have read of these two books anyway) since the story doesn't directly follow, rather it has the same characters and setting appearing in both. Gibson is due for another book release in March 2012, as yet untitled on Amazon, but I assume it's going to be a third title from the Chinooks series, there are 6 books in total.
The main two characters in this book are hockey player Mark Bressler, and his new PA Chelsea Ross. Mark has been in a car accident which has ended his career as a hockey player, and as such he's permanently in a bad mood through his pain and frustration. Chelsea is the opposite, bright, bubbly and always annoying Mark with her zest for helping him and for life. I thought both characters were fantastic to read about, and although you can probably guess the ending without having to pick up the book at all, I enjoyed the twists and turns it took the pair to get there, and the chemistry between them is positively sizzling throughout! I really enjoyed thier arguments, some funny and some awful but they really keep the pace of the story going. I loved Mark, he is a dark and brooding character but you can't help but like him despite his rotten attitude, and Chelsea is so bubbly and nice, you just can't not like her!
The story itself isn't anything to write home about, in fact aside from the development of Mark and Chelsea's relationship, there isn't a great deal else going on in the book. However, it didn't really seem to matter because I was so engrossed in reading about Mark and Chelsea that I didn't notice a great deal about the lack of story for the rest of it! Mark's (lack of) career is mentioned a bit, as is Chelsea wanting to be an actress but neither of these threads progress especially well. Gibson's writing is good enough for the book, she isn't going to be winning any literary prizes but for this sort of book, it works well, and I found she switched easily from comedy to sex scenes to sport scenes with ease. Overall, I felt it was a very enjoyable read, and I will definitely be looking out for more from Rachel Gibson, especially in the Chinooks series. Yes, they are very light reading and pretty fluffy but sometimes it's nice to read something easy in the evenings, and Gibson's books certainly fulfill on that. One to look out for!
Rating: 4/5
I loved this book i read it twice in one day. It's such a feel good book. I love the way chelsea acts as if nothing could touch her.
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