Van - Sawyer Bennett

Van

By Sawyer Bennett

  • Release Date: 2017-11-28
  • Genre: Contemporary Romance
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 323 Ratings

Description

USA TODAY BESTSELLER • Score one for the Carolina Cold Fury hockey team as a stone-cold badass melts for a woman who makes his blood run hot.

As one of the league’s toughest enforcers, Van Turner is ruthless on the ice. He plays hard because it’s the only way to channel the rage boiling inside, and a reputation as an A-hole is better than everyone knowing the truth. Van has spent his entire life running from a secret that’s kept him from getting involved in relationships—or accepting lucrative deals with East Coast teams. Then the Carolina Cold Fury makes him an offer he can’t refuse . . . and Van meets a woman he can’t resist.

Simone Fournier is the stubborn one in her family—and that’s saying something, considering her brothers are two of the Cold Fury’s biggest stars. Simone gets what she wants, and what she wants is Van. Still, there’s a part of him Simone can’t reach, no matter how hard she tries. In private, he’s all fire and passion. In public, he freezes her out. Van may want to push her away, but Simone won’t let him go that easily. Because this time, she’s playing for keeps.

Praise for Van

“Easily read as a standalone. Trust me, you want to read this extremely hot hockey book!”—Red Cheeks Reads

“​I swear that from the second I cracked open [Van] I was immediately in love with this book. . . . Sawyer Bennett knocked it out of the park with the newest story in the Cold Fury series. I couldn’t get enough!”—About That Story (five stars)

Van by Sawyer Bennett will make you fall in love with the Cold Fury Hockey series all over again!”Hypable

“A hot, fast-paced contemporary romance . . . with characters you want to get to know better, as well as a storyline to keep you invested.”—(un)Conventional Bookviews 

Van is a bold and lively addition to the author’s Cold Fury Hockey series.”—The Reading Cafe

The Carolina Cold Fury series from New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett can be read together or separately:
ALEX
GARRETT
ZACK
RYKER
HAWKE
MAX
ROMAN
LUCAS
VAN
REED
MAREK

And don’t miss her Arizona Vengeance series:
BISHOP
ERIK
LEGEND

The Love Hurts series features sexy standalone novels:
SEX IN THE STICKS
JILTED

And the Sugar Bowl series is one treat you’ll want to read in order:
SUGAR DADDY
SUGAR RUSH
SUGAR FREE

Reviews

  • The worst one yet

    1
    By shag208
    I am reading this series and have been enjoying it until now. This is by far one of the worst books by this author I have ever read. The main female character is completely unlikeable and I'm finding myself rooting against her and the inevitable relationship between the characters. I read these types of books for simple enjoyment and relaxation. If I wanted to read about an annoying little twit, I would read a teen romance.
  • VAN

    4
    By Lynn B888
    A cold-as-ice hockey god meets his match! This story is a bit unorthodox in that a good portion of the beginning of the book is already familiar if you read the previous book in the series LUCAS. It shows some common scenes only from a different perspective and with added happenings. It wasn't my favorite way of going about it, but it worked and built on the information we already had gotten in the last book. I love the characters in this series and they are always good for a fun read with lots of angst and a ton of sexy tension! Carolina Cold Fury enforcer Van Turner isn't a warm and fuzzy kind of guy. He's hard and cold and doesn't have time for anybody's nonsense. Give him a puck and some ice and he's as happy as he's going to get. A brutal past that no one knows about has held him back from putting down too many roots or getting close to his teammates, but when a pesky brat of a woman sets her sights on him, he's going to rue the day he ever met her! Simone Fournier is used to being around hulking hockey studs. Two of her big brothers are Van's teammates and put her in close contact a little too much for his comfort. She set her sights on him the night they met, and if she wants him, she's going to have him!
  • Another great installment in the Cold Fury series!

    4
    By lovesbooks6565
    I received an ARC for a honest review. I love the Cold Fury series! That being said......I have my favs and not so favs. Van falls in between. The hero is definitely dark and tortured....for good reason! I don't want to give anything away, but his family life was horrific! The heroine, Simone came off as annoying in the beginning. She is the little sister in Lucas and even then I found her annoying and spoiled. Because of this, I was not looking forward to this book as I have with the other books in this series. Van runs concurrently with the Lucas storyline. The way she pursued Van was too much and her career choices were just plain wacky. BUT she does redeem herself as the story progresses in her loyalty and patience with Van......although she seemed to give up a bit easily in the last part of the book. Regardless, she was the perfect girl for Van, in that she really understood him and brought him out of his self-imposed exile. Also there was a lot of sex in this book......dare I say a bit too much? Now I am re-energized for the next installment!
  • LOVED IT!

    5
    By Hmitch76
    Van definitely piqued my interest when I read Lucas’s book. He was so gruff, I knew his story would be good. And I wasn’t wrong. Poor Van had a rough life growing up. The stuff he’s been through, he would like to keep quiet forever. He’s content with his life being the way it is. Playing hockey and living quietly with his teammate, Lucas. Simone, Lucas’s little sister, comes to stay with them for a bit while she figures out what her next move in life is. Simone is instantly attracted to Van, but he isn’t interested. However, she is relentless in pursuing him. Simone made me laugh so much, I’m not sure I’ve ever met a character quite like her. She eventually breaks through his walls and it was beautiful. I loved Van and Simone’s story. It had everything; humor, angst, suspense, love and sexy times. I think it’s safe to say that Van is my favorite of the Cold Fury Hockey series and I highly recommend this book!
  • Opposites Attract Hockey Romance

    5
    By Agent$$$$
    Van and Lucas are traded to Cold Fury with hopes of winning the Stanley Cup. Since they joined the team at the same time, they agreed to share a house until they decided where they wanted to live. Lucas, the more social of the two, has a younger sister. Simone shows up on their porch, unannounced, proclaiming she's dropped out of college and moving in until she decides what she wants to do with her life. Lucas is furious. He can't believe she's dropped out of Dartmouth with only one year left on her undergraduate degree. Simone, the baby and only girl in the family, has decided she doesn't want to become a doctor, but doesn't know what she wants to do yet either. Lucas allows her to stay on the couch until she finds something else. Van, a virtual recluse, doesn't really care if Simone stays or not as he just wants to be left alone. Van has secrets and knows if he opens himself up to Simone, she'll run as fast as she can in the opposite direction. Van, after having an extremely rough childhood, was introduced to hockey after moving in with his Aunt Etta. Hockey became his saving grace at a time when he needed it most, but he always regretted not going to college to study psychology. He wants to win the Stanley Cup, but is open to other ventures after he obtains his dream. What he doesn't expect is Simone. Simone is a force unto herself. If she wants something, she goes after it until she gets it and she wants Van.... Without spoiling the story or the ending, I have to say that this is one of my favorite Cold Fury stories. I enjoyed Simone's quirkiness, honesty, heart, and go get 'em attitude. She wasn't whiny or weak. I loved how she was able to "help" Van without really telling how to fix things. She let him figure it out for himself. I also enjoyed the fact that hockey was not the end all for Van. I loved that he had other goals in life that had nothing to do with hockey. They made a really cute couple. I read a gifted copy and all opinions stated are my own.
  • Van Was a Pleasant Surprise!

    4
    By Katiekoz
    After reading Lucas I wasn't too sure how much I was going to like Van. He seemed like a jerk and I wasn't too enthused about him to be honest. His book ended up being completely different than I thought it was going to be. Sure Van still had his jerk moments where I wanted to slap him, but the storyline was not at all what I was expecting. His secret is definitely unique and completely different from the rest of the series. Needless to say I was a bit shocked when I read about it, but it sure kept it interesting. Van's been through a lot in his life and it makes me sad for him. He deserves way better than that and I'm glad he finds Simone. Simone can be a hoot. She's got a strong personality to match Van's. She fights and charms her way into getting what she wants, which she often gets. She's a great match for Van, even if they both have alpha personalities, they just work together. She knows just what buttons to push and how to act around him as well as how to talk to him. She gets him in a way others don't and gets to see the true Van behind all his walls. I loved seeing those walls come down and learning about the real Van. The real Van is a great guy that I really enjoyed and liked. The ending was quite surprising to me, but it makes sense for what Van wants. I still love the whole Fournier clan, they're a great family. I loved the couple of check ins with past characters as well, those made me smile 😁. Van's a great story about overcoming obstacles and being your own person despite your past.
  • Absolutely Loved It!

    5
    By Laura__F
    I joined the Cold Fury game way late but I’m so glad I’ve discovered this series. Van is one of my favorite books this year! Van is a beast on the ice, one of the best in the league. But off the ice, he’s standoffish and a little cold to those around him. He’s not really friends with his teammates and he doesn’t let any woman get close. He’s holding a secret that he doesn’t want anyone to know and the only way to ensure that is to never get close to anyone. Simone drops the bomb on her family that with less than a year left, she’s dropping out of college and needs a place to stay. This finds her crashing on her brother, Lucas, and Van’s couch. Simone’s pursuit of Van is one of my favorite parts of this story. When she learns Van’s secrets, it pushes their relationship from secret fun to out in the open commitment. The personal conflicts that Van and Simone were experiencing were what kept me riveted to this story and unable to put the book down once I started. This series has become an obsession of mine and I can’t wait to go back and read the rest and see whatever comes next for the Cold Fury team. *This is my voluntary review of an advanced reader copy*
  • So much love for Van and Simone

    5
    By Judy Hartley
    If these Cold Fury guys keep getting better and better I may have to break laws and claim every single one of them! Just kidding....maybe. Van and Simone are just perfect for each other, it’s a shame Van isn’t on board with that. Simone is the Fournier brothers little sister and she has decided that she isn’t finishing college or going home. Unfortunately she needs to pay her parents back all the money they invested in her education that didn’t end in a diploma. So she bunks down with Lucas and his roommate Van. Let the fun begin.... Van isn’t the nicest guy on the team. Hell he isn’t nice period! But as we find out there are reasons for this. And they are heart breaking. You just want to put your arms around Van and make it all better for him. Well, that is where Simone comes in! I love her spunk, she made me laugh so much. And she is relentless in her quest to break down Vans walls. And when she does, holy hot times! These two just combust together. I think I haven’t been as happy to see one of he Cold Fury guys get their HEA as I was to see Van get his (and Alex is my favorite so that says a lot!). You will not be disappointed with this funny, emotional and sizzling read.
  • This series just keeps getting better and better!!!

    5
    By Devilwmn
    **Received book from NetGalley for a fair and honest review** Van is the 9th book in the Cold Fury Hockey series, and can be read as a standalone. BUT I would recommend reading at least Max and Lucas first since they are the h's siblings, and I think you would lose a lot in my opinion by not reading them first. Van Turner is Lucas's roommate, he's brooding, not very social/talkative and very angry on and off the ice. Simone Fournier is intelligent, but lost. When she drops out of medical school she goes to stay with Lucas and that's when she meets Van. Simone is everything Van is not, she's social, likable, sweet, kind, caring, funny, quirky the whole nine yards and Van definitely doesn't want anyone like her in his life. No matter what lengths Simone goes to in order to gain Van's attention, he remains detached. But when he finds her in a hooters like place working, it may test his control. This book had some real twists and turns that I definitely wasn't expecting. I loved the storyline, and though Van was grumpy a lot, it didn't take away from his character and my enjoyment of his character. Simone's character was just crazy, and quirky and funny. I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I loved the chemistry between Van and Simone. The story line was very original and exciting. I love this series and can't wait for the next book!!! If I had to come up with a gripe, the only thing I could say is I wish there was a little more story at the end. I know we will see these characters in upcoming books, but it would have been nice to have that little bit more. Hope this helps!! Happy Reading!!!
  • Fantastic read

    5
    By Lbzoza
    I loved this book. I was looking forward to Van's story, the mysterious introvert and it was worth the wait. As he would say, very shiny! I love Simone, she's happy, energetic, and still trying to figure herself out. A great read,