Kate Francis usually keeps men like Zack at a distance. Though his athlete's body is honed to perfection, he refuses to move on with his life - and besides, he's her boss. Still, the sparks between them are undeniable, tempting Kate to turn their professional relationship into a personal one. But before she makes a power play for Zack's wounded heart, Kate will have to open him up again and show him that love is worth the fight.
©2015 Sawyer Bennett (P)2015 Tantor
The only thing keeping Zack Grantham sane is his young son Ben. After the death of Zack's long-term girlfriend and Ben's mother, Zack has been drowning in a sea of grief and guilt. Why had Zack survived the car accident that killed Gina? How could she have died without the one thing she wanted most? What was Zack going to do about raising his young son? In a cloud of grief, Zack's sister steps in to help him find a nanny so that Ben will have good care when Zack is ready to rejoin the Cold Fury hockey team. Zack only half listens to his sister's suggestions and when the nanny arrives he is shocked to find a small unkempt girl with big glasses at his door when he'd expected a matronly older woman. Instantly Zack's hackles go up as Kate, the new nanny, begins filling in where it should have been Gina. This transition is going to be even harder than Zack could have imagined.
Kate Francis really needs this nanny position. Like REALLY needs it. She's been sleeping on her good friend's couch since graduation and with little money she's unable to afford new clothes, a car, or much of anything. She's determined to make it on her own and in order to do so she'll need a job to help her get her feet under her. When she hears of the nanny opening she knows it will be a great match for her. After helping her sister to raise three boys, one little boy should be a piece of cake. His father, however, will be more of a challenge. If anyone can understand dealing with a broken-hearted man, however, Kate can. When her father lost her mother he went into a deep well of despair and Kate adjusted by making it her personal goal to bring a smile to his face as much as possible. She understands the patience she'll need to help Zack get through the pain he's dealing with, and she's committed to doing her best to keep this job. What she doesn't expect, however, is the attraction she feels towards Zack.
Living in close proximity, even Zack can't deny the growing pull he's feeling towards Kate. Part of him is glad that his cold broken heart is feeling something again, but an equal part of him feels like he's betraying Gina. His impulses draw him to Kate, but his guilt pushes him away. The last thing he wants to do is to hurt the emotionally innocent young woman living in his house and caring for his son, but despite his best intentions, he just can't stay away. When Kate makes it clear the attraction is mutual, the force needed to resist temptation may be too great for him to bear.
This story is full of passion, heartache, struggle and desire. The mix is tantalizing and irresistible. The plot is predictable, but the characters are engaging and it's a good read even if it is obvious how the story will unfold.
I listened to the audio version by Graham Halstead and Cris Dukehart. Both did an excellent job portraying the characters. They had a good mix of emotion and intonation that worked very smoothly with the story. Zack by Sawyer Bennett is a great book to listen to or read.
Narrated by : Chris Dukehart and Graham Halstead
Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins
Series: Cold Fury Hockey, Book 3
Release date: 10/07/2015
Publisher: Tantor Audio