Jacob Flass's dream has been to play for the NHL but when a scandal erupts he is dropped from the draft and transferred to a university in the US. This year he vows to stay out of trouble focus on studies and hockey. But when he meets the mysterious Skylar Lynwood his plans fall apart and everywhere he happens to go, there's Skylar. When she agrees to pretend to be his girlfriend Jacob thinks his troubles are over. But they are only just beginning.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Shut Out by Kelly Jamieson
Book #1: Bayard Hockey Series
Source: Purchase
My Rating: 3½/5 stars
My Review:

After an extremely rough year, Skylar Lynwood has resolved to do and be better. Her grades are going to come up, her relationship with her best friend is going to be righted, her volunteer work is going to increase, and there will be no boys to distract from any of her resolutions. Absolutely no boys!

And then Fate giggled . . . .

Jacob Flass had one tremendously bad night which has landed him in the one place be never thought he’d be, college. From the time he could skate, Jacob has been on the ice and has developed a deep and abiding love for hockey. His talent has taken him to the brink of the NHL draft and if it weren’t for that one seriously awful night, he’d be well on his way to forging his future in the NHL. To make matters far, far worse, Jacob’s stint in college has come with conditions and if he doesn’t meet those conditions and keep his nose clean, his chance at a hockey career will be permanently erased. That means good grades, no partying, hard work on the ice, and absolutely no girls.

And then Fate giggled . . . .

To keep one another on track, Jacob and Skylar hatch a plan to fake date. Once word gets out, the puck bunnies will leave Jacob alone and Skylar gets the benefit of a new friend. On the surface, fake dating is super easy. All you must do is convince others you’re a couple and that’s simple when you’re already incredibly attracted to one another. Fake dating behind the scenes is far harder and keeping your feelings at bay is a tremendous effort. For Jacob, he finds comfort in just being near Skylar and for Skylar, Jacob offers not only friendship, but the reawakening of feelings she thought gone after a horrifying event at the hands of her now dead friend. It only takes a hot minute for all the lines to become blurred, the clothes to come off, and all the resolutions to be thrown out the window.

It’s when the clothes come off and the lines become blurred that things go from good to great to ridiculously awful! Friends with benefits/fake dating doesn’t really suit either Jacob or Skylar, but both are too afraid to share their true feelings and reveal all the secrets of their respective pasts. Throw in an angry and vengeful best friend (Skylar’s!) and there is nothing to do, but wait for the inevitable train wreck to happen. What no one counts on is both Skylar and Jacob’s resilience and their intense desire to overcome their obstacles and be together.

The Bottom Line: Overall, I enjoyed most of this read, but found it to be a bit soap-boxy in some areas. Skylar and Jacob are both solid characters I had no trouble getting behind and rooting for, but where I fell a bit off the Skylar-loving band wagon is any time beyond the first one or two times she preaches about the instances of rape and sexual abuse on college campuses. Do NOT misunderstand me, this is a critical and timely topic, but the reader is a bit hit over the head with it too many times in this read. Skylar’s position is made clear early on and reiterated with her volunteer work and activities. She doesn’t need to talk about it at every turn and when coupled with Jacob’s own past, it just becomes a bit too much. The point could have very much been made with a few less beatings of the dead horse. With that being said, I liked nearly every other aspect of this read from the fake dating to real dating trope, the team of hot, sexy, funny, and intelligent hockey players, and the troubled roommates. I can’t say I would recommend moving this book to the top of your TBR, but I wouldn’t ignore it either. After all, there’s a whole team of hockey players . . . . . ( )

I originally chose this book because of the hockey setting and it sounded interesting. However, the blurb for this book doesn't even begin to touch on everything that is going on with the storyline. There are many other issues Skylar and Jacob have to overcome before they can be happy. This book is full of emotional issues and some surprises as well, but also a bit of humor to lighten things. Ms. Jamieson does a wonderful job writing about a tough, true to life topic. The characters are realistic and easy to connect with. The chemistry between Skylar and Jacob is immediate and steamy. They complement each other well. I look forward to reading more stories in this series.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )

I originally chose this book because of the hockey setting and it sounded interesting. However, the blurb for this book doesn't even begin to touch on everything that is going on with the storyline. There are many other issues Skylar and Jacob have to overcome before they can be happy. This book is full of emotional issues and some surprises as well, but also a bit of humor to lighten things. Ms. Jamieson does a wonderful job writing about a tough, true to life topic. The characters are realistic and easy to connect with. The chemistry between Skylar and Jacob is immediate and steamy. They complement each other well. I look forward to reading more stories in this series.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Kelly Jamieson notches a win with Shut Out the first book in the Bayard Hockey Series. Rising hockey Star, Jacob Flass, attends Bayard College after having no other playing options. He wants to stay out of trouble and convinces, Skylar Lynwood, to pretend that she is her girlfriend to keep the puck bunnies away. This new adult sports romance takes place at Bayard College.

Sophomores Jacob and Skylar met at a party and then again, at a school required Sexual Assault and Prevention and Awareness Program (SAPAP) for incoming freshman and transfer student. Skylar is a facilitator; Jacob is attending the program. I thought it was interesting that each character portrayed two different scenarios on the same topic in this story. My heart went out to both characters. Kelly Jamieson does an incredible job tackling a sensitive topic and showing multiple viewpoints.

I loved the characters so much I didn’t want the story to end. The characters are very well-developed and genuine. They are people that I would want to know in real life. Jacob is a good guy. He cares about his friends, family, and team. He doesn’t want to disappoint people. I like Skylar. She is still struggling with the suicide of one of her best friends, Brendan, that happened the second semester of her freshman year. She has a lot to deal with and has high expectations for herself. I love that Jacob and Skylar help each other develop into better people.

The sports side of the story is well done. Jacob plays left wing. Skylar knows nothing about hockey until she starts to attend some of Jacob's games. Kelly Jamieson does a great job depicting the team comradery, play, and fans. I loved the dance off at the practice.

Shut Out is an amazing start to the Bayard Hockey Series. Kelly Jamieson is a talented writer. Her stories flow well. At 272 pages, Shut Out was still a fast read because I was so mesmerized I could not put the book down. I highly recommend this story to people that enjoy sports romances that also contain sensitive real-world issues. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.

Complimentary copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )