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It Had to be You by Susan May Warren

Eden Christiansen never imagined her role as her younger brother Owen's cheerleader would keep her on the sidelines of her own life. Sure, it feels good to be needed, but looking after the reckless NHL rookie leaves little time for Eden to focus on her own career. She dreamed of making a name for herself as a reporter, but is stuck writing obits-and starting to fear she doesn't have the chops to land a major story. If only someone would step up to mentor Owen . . . but she knows better than to expect help from team veteran and bad-boy enforcer Jace Jacobsen.

Jace has built his career on the infamous reputation of his aggressive behavior-on and off the ice. Now at a crossroads about his future in hockey, that reputation has him trapped. And the guilt-trip he's getting from Eden Christiansen isn't making things any easier. But when Owen's carelessness leads to a career-threatening injury and Eden stumbles upon a story that could be her big break, she and Jace are thrown together . . . and begin to wonder if they belong on the same team after all.

Note: This book is part of The Christiansen Family series. While it does stand alone, feel free to check out the first book in the series, Take A Chance On Me.


Here's my review of this wonderful novel:

First, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to Susan May Warren and her publisher for sending me a copy of "It Had to be You" to review for them. I am truly grateful for this generosity. I really appreciate the time, effort and expense it takes to make a reviewer copy available to me.

In “It Had to be You” by Susan May Warren, Eden Christiansen is bending over backwards to see that her younger brother, Owen, doesn’t blow his shot in the NHL following in his hero’s, Jace Jacobsen’s, footsteps.  Jace is a tough guy hockey star on his way out of the game.  He is also Owen’s teammate and Captain of the Minnesota Blue Ox.  Neither Eden nor Jace ever dreamed that the other would be their “special someone”, but as they find themselves repeatedly in each other’s company, the attraction grows and relationship builds.  This is an incredibly touching love story from an incredibly gifted author!

Susan May Warren has taken two of my favorite things, her books and hockey, and combined them to give me such enjoyment and a few things to think about.  Her narrative of the hockey is spot on!  Her characters are multi-dimensional and so real that I want them as my friends.  I thank the Lord for Christian fiction like this that challenges me in my own walk and pushes me to pray and study the Word about the changes God wants to make in me.  This novel led me to speak with Jesus about snap judgment of people, compassion and hope.  Although this is a terrific continuation of the stories of the Christiansen family, this novel reads beautifully as a stand-alone.

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