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Canadian Played #3

Stickhandle With Care

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Country's gearing up for the biggest face off of his life: winning Jenna back.

Known for his stick-handling as much as for wrangling cattle on his family's ranch, Country Maddox becomes an overnight sensation with his viral hot takes on hockey highlights. But when he's invited to join Hockey Evening in Canada as a guest announcer, he's about to go stick to stick with the one adversary he can't his own failed love life.

Jenna McCallister was the girl who left Country's heart colder than a puck in a winter playoff. After years of globetrotting and a stint in journalism school, she's back—unannounced and as unreachable as the Stanley Cup after a losing season. Now, she's arm-in-arm with the show's golden boy broadcaster, whose ego is as inflated as a Zamboni's tires.

With Country's heart on thin ice, he's not keen on sticking around the show, but he might just have to stick it out and play the most important match of his life to win Jenna back.

Will Country be able to net the ultimate hat trick by reclaiming his career, his love, and his pride? Or will he find himself watching Jenna skate away with someone else?

330 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 27, 2024

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About the author

Cynthia Gunderson

11 books74 followers

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5 stars
49 (22%)
4 stars
82 (37%)
3 stars
73 (33%)
2 stars
12 (5%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 17, 2024
This is the third book in the Canadian Played series by Cynthia Gunderson, and just like the first two, it did not disappoint. Although part of a series, they can be read as standalone. I wasn't sure I'd particularly get on with an Ex's to Lovers trope, however, I loved this! Jenna and Country broke up thirteen years earlier due to a situation that wasn't properly communicated between them, leaving Country in the dark as to why Jenna had left him. All these years later, they are forced to reconnect due to a work thing, and they both still clearly hold a flame for one another, but neither one of them is quite able to admit it until tensions rise and Jenna finally reveals the reason behind her decision to leave all those years ago. A lovely story full of misunderstanding and angst, but with an HEA ending and good representation of the genetic disorder Turners Syndrome, which is seldom spoken about but effect 1 in every 2000 females here in the UK. I listened to this on audiobook and Cynthia does a fantastic job at differentiating between the characters voices.
Profile Image for Christine.
87 reviews
March 21, 2024
This was my favorite (so far) of the Canadian played books. I really enjoyed the second chance romance between Jenna and Cowboy. Can't wait to listen to the fourth book.
I didn't give it 5 stars because 1. Sometimes I was confused when they would switch to a past memory, because I listened there was no clear way to know the story had gone from present day to past. Also 2. The ending kinda fizzled out. You know how it is going to end and that doesn't bother me, but it was just kinda blah.
Profile Image for Anne Danieletto.
44 reviews
April 27, 2024
Amei o desenrolar da historia, e de como foi o reencontro dos nossos dois protagonistas, e apesar de o motivo do termino ter sido bem xoxo foi um motivo que eu considero valido e vejo acontecendo na vida real. Adorei o fato de apesar de 13 anos terem se passado e ambos terem se envolvido em outros grupos de amizade, outros lugares e relacionamentos, terem amadurecido e evoluído ao longos de todos esses anos, uma coisa eles sempre foram fieis, aos seus sentimentos.

o Capitulo 27, a primeira noite deles foi simplesmente incrível, quando nossa mocinha veio ate a casa do Country para confessar seus sentimentos por ele, e como ele estava rezando com todas as suas forcas por 13 anos para que esse momento chegasse ... foi incrível e muito fofo.
Profile Image for Chelsea.
936 reviews1 follower
May 15, 2024
Another fun, cute, and enjoyable book in this series.
Profile Image for Judy.
204 reviews1 follower
March 3, 2024
Very easy read. I listened to the whole thing during my move I was also crocheting granny squares at the time. The book has simple themes, loveable characters and engaging stories.
0🌶️
Listened x1.5
Profile Image for Pau.
63 reviews5 followers
May 8, 2024
[3,5]

Este y el anterior son mis favoritos💕 me encantaron ambos personajes y al final estaba deseando demasiado que por fin estuvieran juntos. creo que mi única queja de este libro es que me costaba creer que después de 13 años aún se quisieran casi que igual pero quien soy yo para detener el amor? Si hubiera un libro por cada jugador del equipo lo leería seguro. Estos libros son un confort read totalmente y ojalá estuvieran en español🥺
Profile Image for Dana Reinke.
10 reviews
May 28, 2024
This is my favorite one out of the series. Super cute and a fun read! Can’t wait to start the next book of the series!
Profile Image for Ann Witherspoon.
607 reviews4 followers
April 19, 2024
3.75 I liked this series. I enjoy this author and the Canadian setting/culture. Cute.
Profile Image for Tiffany  (Bluestocking).
448 reviews19 followers
May 11, 2024
Actually enjoyed this book. The second chance romance was sweet, I just wished the ending wasn’t so abrupt/meh. But all in all a good read.



Content: PG-13 Clean, Innuendo throughout
Profile Image for Lily &#x1f349;.
132 reviews
April 9, 2024
Ok ok, so.

I love this author's books, they are so cute and iugdkfrhjlfb.
I honestly the only thing stopping my from giving this book a 5 star is because I REALLLYYYY wanted more of the character on screen. It was honestly my favourite part of the book when they were live together and getting their screen banter and also SHE WAS SO FRICKEN COOOL I LOVE HER!!!

other then that I love it and I'm sad and depresso expresso that its the last book. I a a sucker for books that are all interconnected
Profile Image for Janelle.
45 reviews
March 20, 2024
now, i'm totally invested with this series! 🤍✨️

tbh i was hesitant to listen to its audiobook at first because country didn't really give me "that" kind of push whenever he was mentioned in the first two books, but these lovebirds made me thirsty for them (LMAO that sounds dirty 😭 but you get the point), to the point that i will prolong doing my chores just to listen to it instead of reviewing my notes (PLEASE PLEASE do not procrastinate!!!)

and i would love to read and annotate country & jenna's story on a physical copy someday 🥺🤍✨️
Profile Image for Christine Nichole.
87 reviews1 follower
August 16, 2024
This is the third book of the Hockey romance Canadian Played series, and it is probably my favorite so far! Every time I read one of the books, I think that and then love the next one more!
The story is about Jenny and Jentry (Country) breaking up in the past and they dont speak again for 13 years. They end up forced together and Jenna is attempting to avoid communicating about.
This story has a great flow, fun banter, light spice, and a wonderful story and ending. It gives *big V energy* 😂
I laughed and teared up for the main characters and got frustrated over some of the lack of communication between them, but I loved it all the same!
Every book I read by Cindy makes me love her writing more and she has quickly become one of my favorite RomCom authors!
Trigger warnings mentioned: men vs women in work industry, miscommunication/ lack of communication, Illness, pregnancy issues
Profile Image for PollyAnna Joy.
Author 4 books27 followers
August 26, 2024
Country and Jenna

The old lovers reunited trope is not one that's at the top of my list of favorites, but I do love when a book comes along that changes my mind. Country and Jenna are absotively posolutely adorable together. I love how he puts the ball in his court and lets her make a decision without any pressure.
Profile Image for Sunshine.
10 reviews
September 29, 2024
I really enjoyed this one! It's a classic second-chance romance that really hit the mark for me. The representation of Turner syndrome was beautifully done, as was the strong female lead. The character development was top-notch.
Plus, the tension between the characters was just perfect—I couldn't get enough of it!😊📚
10 reviews
July 2, 2024
I totally loved country and tbh i wanted him to tell jenna about his sufferings too like how he felt that he was unlovable because she left him out of nowhere. Just wanted more for him.
Profile Image for Lara.
24 reviews1 follower
July 29, 2024
It's cute romance but the ending is kinda weird
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews

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