Book Review: Taking a Shot by Jaci Burton

Taking a Shot
Author: Jaci Burton
Publication: Berkley Trade; 1 edition (March 6, 2012)


Description: If you want to score, you have to get in the game...

The last thing Jenna Riley needs is more sports in her life. While her brothers are off being athletic superstars, she's stuck running the family's sports bar, whether she likes it or not. Then in walks pro hockey stud Tyler Anderson. As much as Jenna would like to go to the boards with him, she's vowed to never fall for a jock-even one as hot as Ty.

Ty, intrigued by the beautiful bar owner, becomes a regular. He senses that Jenna wants to do something more with her life. And as he gains her trust, the passion between them grows, as does Ty's insistence that Jenna should start living for herself. With his encouragement, Jenna starts to believe it, too...

But first, Jenna has to figure out what she wants, what she needs, who she loves, and if she has the passion and pride to take a shot at having it all-including Ty...

My Thoughts: This was another sexy romance in the the Play-by-play series. The youngest Riley - Jenna - is running the family sports bar. She is in charge since her father's heart attack. Her brothers are busy with their new loves and their sports careers and Jenna is stuck. While she loves her family, she doesn't really love the bar. Too much sports and too many athletes for her. She is determined not to have a relationship with any guy into sports. It is hard to find a guy to date since she spends all of her time in a sports bar.


Tyler Anderson is new in town. He plays pro hockey. He also gets under Jenna's skin. Even with her dislike of athletes, he has something. They have a powerful chemistry which Jenna tries to deny. However, they manage to hook up at her brother Mick's wedding. She thinks it will be just a one night stand to get her need for him out of her system but Ty isn't that eager to be gotten rid of.


They enter into a relationship very tentatively. He doesn't have any faith in relationships and hasn't since his parents' acrimonious divorce when he was fourteen. She doesn't want a relationship with an athlete. But they do get to know each other outside of bed too and find that they are each fascinated by the other.


Jenna shares a secret with him. She sings and writes songs but has never told her family. She has a dream of opening a second Riley's that focuses on music but feels she will disappoint her family by leaving the sports bar. Ty tries to encourage her to pursue her dreams but she is afraid of failure. Her fear of going for her dreams is the thing that causes the major tension in their relationship.


This was a great romance and it was wonderful catching up with Mick and Tara, Liz and Gavin and the Riley parents. It is also great seeing Jenna work through her problems and decide to go for her dreams. It was very satisfying to see two strong, stubborn people decide that their relationship was worth the fight. 


This was another entertaining episode in a series that has very spicy intimate scenes and also strong romance. I recommend it to those romance readers who like their stories hot.


Favorite Quote:

Damn Tyler for putting the idea of a second bar in her head. It was all she could think about now.

A crazy idea, one that would never, ever happen but now that it had been dredged up from the dark recesses of her dreams and fantasies folder, she couldn't shove it back down again.

I bought this one because I am a fan of Jaci Burton's sports romances. You can get a copy here.