...Bookfanatic

'The Harrisburg Railers' came to an end...but all that changed with 'Coast to Coast' the first book in the 'Arizona Raptors', RJ Scott and V.L. Locey's latest series and the much awaited  spin off to 'The Harrisburg Railers'.

Before Mark Westman-Reid's father died, he did two things that at first notice most would consider to be more than a little foolish...first... he signed Rowan Carmichael to leave his job coaching university level hockey and move to Arizona to try and save what most would consider one of, if not the worst team in professional hockey...The Arizona Raptors. It would take less time to explain what was good about this team than what isn't. The Raptors are a disaster of epic proportions and the second thing that father Westman-Reid did was in his will because if his brothers can't convince Mark to come home for one year and help them try to save the Raptors...the family will loose everything...well, everyone except Mark that is because when his father rejected him for being gay, Mark made his own way in the world and has managed to create a very successful modelling agency that doesn't depend on the wealth of the Westman-Reid family or the success of a failing hockey team.

I've been anxiously awaiting this newest venture into the world of hockey by this writing duo and I can happily say that I have not been disappointed. 'Coast to Coast' has laid the groundwork for a series that promises to deliver stories and characters that are every bit as enjoyable as we were treated to with 'The Harrisburg Railers' stories. 

In 'Coast to Coast' as well as meeting Mark and Rowan we are introduced to the rest of the Westman-Reid family and several members of the Raptors including some that we have met before in both 'The Harrisburg Railers' and 'Owatonna U Hockey' series. 

I really liked Mark and Rowan...their personalities, the banter and interaction between them, the way they challenged each other...this pairing worked for me and I'm really hoping that the trend of having characters recur in subsequent stories continues and we get to see more of these two. 

Mark may not know hockey, but when it comes to running a successful business he's no slouch and if the Raptors want to have a hope in hades of getting back on their feet they're going to need all the help they can get. It's going to take Mark, his brothers and the sister that is not only determined to see the Raptors turn around as a team but to see her family reunited as well.

The Raptors are a mess and as well as proving to the upper management (code talk for the Westman-Reid family) that he is the man they need to get their team back on track but it's going to take a lot of changes the least of which is getting some fresh blood among the players, losing some of the more toxic veterans on the team...members that those who have read the Railers series will be more than happy to see go the way of the dodo bird and then there's the coaching staff that needs to be sorted out as well...it's going to be a challenging job and then some.

It's not always a given that enjoying a series will mean you like anything that spins off from it, so I'm definitely calling it a win that for me 'Coast to Coast' has gotten this series off to as good of a start as I had with 'The Harrisburg Railers' and I'm already anticipating reading whatever comes next for this team.

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An ARC of 'Coast to Coast' was graciously provided by the authors in exchange for an honest review.