As a sports romance girlie, I have been hunting around for some good series that consist of the perfect balance between a hearty romance book and a sports fiction novel. The Windy City series started me off on a good note, and while I did enjoy them, the Vancouver Storm series has sports romance take a little dip in the ratings. Becka Mack’s Playing For Keeps series, however, is knocking that rating back up in my books, and Consider Me is certainly making a name for itself in the romance category alone.

Carter Beckett is the NHL’s resident bad boy, top player both on the ice and in the bedroom, and quite possibly the sexiest man to ever grace my field of vision. But worst of all? He knows it. He’s arrogant, self-centred, and the man doesn’t seem to know what a filter is, let alone how to use one. He’s had everything served to him on a silver platter, including endless strings of women, and apparently, I’m up next. His only problem? I have no intention of falling for his shi—um, charm. I have the solution to all my sexual frustrations in a drawer at home, and it’s far less complicated than Carter Beckett. Sure, he may be pretty, but he’s also a walking, talking reminder for you to wrap it before you tap it. But then I start letting my guard down, and he starts showing me pieces of himself I had no intention of seeing. The bricks surrounding me may be tumbling down one by one, but I’m not sold yet, which means for the first time in his life, Carter’s the one begging. For my time, my trust, for a single chance. For me to just…consider him.

As with all the sports romances I have read recently, the spice is present in Consider Me. What I will say on that matter is that with most adult romances these days you are going to find spice, and as far as the steamy scenes go in Consider Me, they feel well placed and fitting for the characters, their relationship, and the context surrounding them. I am not rating the book based off the spice, but I do have to preface this review by saying it is there.

I really like the characterisation we get with Carter and how emotionally available and mature he is when it comes to communication. This is maybe the first romance book I have picked up where the male character is asking for strong communication and trust built through communication so early on in their relationship. It usually is the female character, so that is a pleasant surprise. What’s more is the fact that we see a real deliberate change from him in his behaviour from the get-go and we can see him makes choices that consciously fit in with his intentions with Olivia.

I know they al start to sound the same once you’ve read enough sports romance books, especially the ice hockey ones, but I genuinely feel that these boys have more emotional depth and connection in their cards than I have seen with others. The vulnerability I read in Consider Me did not just come from Olivia and Carter, and I am actually quite excited to see how the rest of the series goes with these guys considering the potential for their relationships and character arcs.

I highly encourage you romance readers and sports romance fans to pick up Consider Me if you have not done so already. It is sweet, spicy, sentimental, and contains so many incredible interactions between characters. The found family vibes are strong and I just know so many people would enjoy this series.