Book Tour [Review & Giveaway] ~ "Off the Record" by Sawyer Bennett

Title:  Off the Record

Author:  Sawyer Bennett

Publisher:  Big Dog Books

Release date:  June 11, 2013

Genre:  Contemporary romance

Age Group:  New Adult

Event organized by: AToMR Tours

Buy link: Amazon

The sparks of dislike burn hot, but the sparks of mutual attraction burn even hotter. 

Ever Montgomery suffered the ultimate betrayal by the one man who she should have been able to count on for anything. It has left her hurt, jaded and incapable of forming relationships, but it also means that she can spot a liar a mile away. These traits are earning her a reputation as a reporter with a keen nose for a good story and a complete understanding of the extreme power of the written word. 

Lincoln Caldwell, is the hot goalie for the New York Rangers. At twenty-four and a rising star, he works hard and he plays even harder. He’s gorgeous and carefree—the ultimate charmer. Ladies fall at his feet and the single life has never been lived the way Linc Caldwell does it. 

When Ever publishes an article about Linc containing information that she received off the record, she finds herself on the receiving end of the athelete’s fury. Rather than basking in the glory of exposing Linc as a shameless user of women, she finds herself at his mercy when he demands and receives retribution. Required by her editor to trail Linc for six weeks, Ever is forced to look at the real Linc Caldwell. 

And she just might find that she has misjudged him.

You know what they say about assume, Ever? Yep, it's like that...

Okay, so this was fun! I tend to be cautious when it comes to NA, just because the ammount of angst you can easily expect to find there is not always something I look forward to. But, I read Off the Record in one sitting. Actually, I devoured it! Not to mention I found another book boyfriend (that makes me feel like a cougar, though, because he's 24). So, basically, all's well...

Ever is a journalist who interviews Linc Caldwell - the NY Rangers goalie - for her article. The attraction between them is instant, but the great start soon turns into a not-so-great thing, when Ever publishes the article without checking the facts and using off the record info. Yep, that would be the "assume" part. In order to avoid a lawsuit, Ever needs to trail Linc for six weeks - as in live with him, and follow him everywhere - get to know the real Linc, and publish a new article after that. Now, that's when things turn mighty interesting...

Off the Record is told in dual (first person) POV. Need I mention yet again how much I love that? Especially when there's a hero like Linc involved. He's awesome! Such a great, caring, devoted, fun guy. Also very mature for his age. That was the best part.
Now, Ever... I get that she's been hurt. And, I understand that it made her broken, and cautious, and suspicious and what not. But, she still managed to annoy the living hell out of me. That's my problem with most of the heroines. They make me like them, then mess things up, then turn great, then mess things up even more... You know, the usual MO, but going through the motions is still a bit annoying every time.

So, I loved Linc. I enjoyed the slower pace of their relationship, and the way they opened up to each other. Sex was hawt (of course I had to mention that!). Dual POV is great - the story simply wouldn't work without it. The style is simple and quite effective.
What bothered me  is a bit too much of telling instead of showing. Also, there were some unnecessary repetitions, so a bit more editing wouldn't hurt. Still, it's not something that would put you off.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Off the Record. It's the first book I read in this series (it can be read as a stand-alone) and my very first Sawyer Bennett book. I'm happy there are more books to read, and from what I learned about the other characters, I'll enjoy those too. Looking forward to their stories, that's for sure.
If you're looking for a nice, hot NA story, with a great hero, look no further! This is a great choice. Hope you'll give it a chance. And, I really hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

*** Copy kindly provided by the Author in exchange for an honest review ***

Sawyer Bennett is the pen name for a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. She is married to a mobster (well, a market researcher) and they have two big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn't have many weakness but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

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