Review: Taking Shots [Assassins #1] by Toni Aleo

Taking Shots [Assassins #1]
Toni Aleo
Published By: Toni Aleo/Amazon
Release Date: October 5th 2011
( Barnes & Noble / Goodreads )

Elli Fisher has never thought she was good enough. Let it be her job, her weight, her love life, nothing, she was convinced she couldn’t do anything right. She had walked through life for the past six years in a daze, never thinking that life could be good again after the abuse she endured from her ex boyfriend. She is lonely, sad, and depressed, that is until she meets Shea Adler. After doing a promotional shoot for the NHL team, the Nashville Assassins, she meets the hunky hockey player who shoots a puck, shattering her world. 

Shea Adler was tired of the life he was living outside of the rink. The girls, the money blowing, the drinking, everything had to stop and it all did when he met Eleanor Fisher. He had never met anyone like her. She is feisty, witty, shy, and simply gorgeous. When he laid eyes on her, it was as if he was taking the hardest hit of his life into the boards, and he had to have her. 

Elli is a little skeptical of Shea, but he knows that they were meant to be together, and he needed her in his life. But Elli just doesn’t understand what Shea could see in her. She is overweight, loud, and not even that pretty, so why would someone so gorgeous and so amazing want to be with her? It seemed that no matter how hard she tried to shake Shea off, he wasn’t going anywhere, and for the first time Elli didn’t feel alone. 

But could Elli throw her insecurities out the window and love Shea with everything inside of her? Or will she let a past relationship, and her family ruin any chance of her being happy?

Would Elli miss her shot at love?

:Thoughts/Review:

I have been very fortunate lately when it comes to book recommendations and Taking Shots is no exception. Not knowing exactly what to expect when I stared, I was blown away by just about everything I read. It has been FOREVER since I read a contemporary romance that was so emotionally packed and had enough sexy action to keep those pages turning well past my bedtime. This book was a long one, but I mean that in the best possible way. There are a lot of emotional problems going on, and it was so refreshing to see a book tackle those emotional problems fully and realistically. Taking Shots took me by surprise and I just have one question…Where the hell can I get my own Shea Alder?!

What I really want to do is give Toni Aleo a giant hug and a ton of kisses for making the ultimate lead character[s]. It was so easy to identify with Elli and her problems that I was instantly in love. You often come across girls who are self-conscious in books, yet they are described as beautiful, skinny, and yadda yadda yadda. With Elli, I felt her issues, I KNOW those issues and I was eager to see how she worked through them, in a relationship with a sexy hot hockey player nonetheless.  Oh and don’t even get me started on Shea Alder. That man was meant to be in my life, and I need my own ASAP! I am no hockey fan, but I swear to you, after reading this book I am going to watch myself a few games and promptly drool all over myself while I am doing so.

I may have loved the characters first and foremost, but what comes in a close second is how real the book felt. Like I said, this is a long book, but it covers every topic it addresses realistically. There is no ‘I looked into his eyes and knew I was in love so we immediately had sex and got engaged and married within a month!’ There is depth in the relationship due to the problems these two faced together or mentally on their own. You get to see Shea and Elli grow and fight together and with each other. And the emotions Toni made me feel! Agh! I went from blissfully happy, to steamy hot, to wanting to beat someone ass in just a few pages. When I start punching pillows I know the book has made its way into my heart for good, and I wouldn’t want this one anywhere else.

When all is said and done, this book took me for the best spin I could ever imagine taking. I got to see probably my favorite female lead of all time get her dream ever after. Not only did Taking Shots fill me with giddy passion, but filled with blissful closure as well. If you are any kind of romance fan this book will take you by your teeth and have you begging for more when it is over. Toni Aleo, I will follow you anywhere you go from here on out because damn it, you have shown me and everyone else out there how real women and relationships are and I love you for it. But I still have one question for you. When and where can I get my own Shea Alder? Seriously, I’m dying here. *runs off looking for the perfect man*

:Rating:
★★★★★
Five Fever Inducing Stars
[I never knew hockey could be SO entertaining and yummy]

⚜

Wow! My first review posted in over a month. I am SO SORRY you guys! But it couldn't be over a better book I am sure! I loved this one people. I was swooning, crying, and pissed beyond belief. All you romance lovers out there have GOT to give this one a shot. Add it to your lists today and be prepared to fall head over skates for one Shea Alder.

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