Rainbow Dorset University Book 1: Collide by Crea Reitan

 

Rainbow Dorset University Book 1

Hockey and football coaches on a collision course….

Lemon

With years of hard work, I’ve made the Rainbow Dorset University Unicorns football team the pride of the state. My reputation speaks for itself, so the school stays out of my way, and that’s how I like it. If they can’t handle my sparkle, they have no business in my shine.

Now there's someone new on campus—a washed up hockey player hired to whip the team into shape. The school had the audacity to cut my budget to pay him!

Needless to say, I’m furious. He just made an enemy he definitely doesn’t want. But why does he have to be so gorgeous?! Why does he have to have a beautiful wife and a perfect life? And why can’t I keep my hands off him and just yell at him like I intend?

Hansley

I was directionless when I retired from hockey. So I jumped on the offer from Rainbow Dorset University to be their head hockey coach. The campus is like nothing I’ve ever seen; full of rainbows, community, kindness, inclusivity. It feels like I’m in a brand new world—a better world—and I’m excited to be a part of it.

Everything is amazing until I meet Coach Lemon Frost, who clearly despises me, though I don’t know why. He’s definitely out for my job. But then he keeps kissing me and sending my entire world spinning on its axis.

I can’t tell if he hates me or wants me. The line is blurred. All I know is Lemon is about to make my entire world implode when I tell my wife I’ve been having an affair. Yet… I think I’m here for it.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/215702141-collide

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My Review: 4/5 Stars

A new series from Crea and I’m excited to see where it goes! I will say that part of me wishes I did read the For Your Love series before this book because so many characters from that one is involved. I have only read book 4 of that series, but you didn’t have to read them to read this new book. But I can see there was some background things that would have made me understand this one better and appreciate it more. So if you are someone who likes to be caught up and all that, you might want to consider! Again, definitely don’t have to! But I reached the point where I know I gotta go back since I’ve read everything else in this whole Crea Universe! LOL. So back to this story. Lemon and Hansley! I will say, like Crea’s author note, it did take me a bit to like Lemon and get into their story. But like all of her characters, there is always more below the surface and I love to see them grow. The story starts with Lemon being his very cranky and dramatic self and being upset that his budget for his football team is cut. Though the money is being split more between the other sports, he is especially surly because part of it going to the new hockey coach, Hansley, and his team. Lemon is used to getting what he wants and believes his team has earned it. And he will do anything for his team. While he keeps everyone at a distance, his team, his kids, they are everything to him. Hansley doesn’t get Lemon’s problem with him but he’ll still be nice. But what baffles him more is when an angry Lemon kisses him. And Hansley realizes he wants to kiss him back and not stop. This is just one thing that makes Hansley realize how much he has changed since he has retired from hockey and took this job. And that includes the relationship with his wife. Yeah, there is cheating (but not between our two MCs) but this was handled so well. Hansley knows immediately that he has to end his marriage and that they were always going down this path. And the more time Hansley and Lemon spend together, the more they are able to get to know one another and break down the walls they keep within. I really loved the development between the two of them. By the end you are rooting for these two and can’t help but love them even if they didn’t give you a reason to when you first start. But they are complex characters who deserve all the love in the world! I couldn’t put their story down. I loved the environment of RDU as well! There are several characters I would love to get stories from. This was just a really great story and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.