Wild Heart (Viper's Heart #2)
by Beth Ehemann
Just when he’s sure things can’t get any worse…they do.
Can Viper pull himself together in time to save his career, his girl, and his sanity? Or will he be permanently benched?
Review
First off, I am going to start with I love Beth and this series. Viper was wild in the books focusing on Brody and Kaci. We got to see his 'dont care' personality and his rounds of women. In 'Cement Heart' we saw his heart grow and he found a place for Michelle and her kids. In 'Wild Heart' we see him for the man is was and is. Viper is practically living with Michelle and her kids. He is doing the domesticated thing and doesn't even realize it. He is doing the hockey thing, the dad thing, and the loving thing. All of that comes crashing down with an injury. He becomes this distant, self pity guy that I didn't recognize. We see the side of Viper that has been in the background. His jerk side comes out and he doesn't know what to do with it.
Michelle is supermom. I give her that. She handles a lot and does it with a smile. At least for most of the time. She helps Viper with life's mishaps. She goes in heart and head first to take care of her family. She is troubled by the distance Viper puts in between them. Beth's description of the feelings going through Michelle during this time was dead on. I felt them all. I could relate. As a wife and mother I think everyone can think of a time when you felt helpless. You felt like life has you by the neck and you cant do anything to help. She does what she feels is right and gives him space.
They don't talk for a month. That would kill me and I could feel the emotion of Michelle as it killed her too. But at this point what do you do? You take care of your kids, life continues, and you pray that the man you love realizes what he gave up by leaving.
Beth yet again gives it all shes got and doesn't disappoint. I loved this book so hard, I cried, laughed, OOOed and AHHHHed, felt hope, felt sad, felt excited. These two pour it all out there for each other.
Lucy, Piper, Matthew, and Emma ate fast and scampered off to play Ping-Pong in the basement while Grace and Maura toddled around the family room, chewing on everything they could get their hands on.
“Want a glass of wine?” Kacie asked as she put the last of the pizza in the fridge.
“Um . . . nah. I’ve been fighting a headache all day and that would just make it worse.”
Kacie nodded and filled her wine glass with Riesling. She grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and balanced the drinks carefully in her hands as she stepped over our makeshift baby gate of pillows and an ottoman.
“Thanks.” I took the bottle from her, ready to relax and watch our boys play. The second period was just starting and the Wild were already up 2—0.
I didn’t think the day could get much better.
Kacie plopped down roughly, giggling when she spilled a little wine down the front of her shirt. “Oh well.” She shrugged and took another sip.
“Thanks for tonight, Kacie. You have no idea how much I needed this.”
“Oh my goodness, don’t mention it. It’s been so fun. I think this should be our new road trip tradition.”
“I’ll drink to that,” I said as I held my water up in the air. She grinned and immediately leaned over, touching her glass with my bottle.
We relaxed back into her oversized couch happily, while our babies played and boys kicked ass on TV.
Just before the second period was ending, there was a breakaway play and Viper was all alone, dribbling the puck down the ice toward the goal. Kacie and I both sat forward in our seats, praying for another Wild goal. He skated along the boards, nearing the goalie, when out of nowhere Ricky Young from the St. Louis Blues barreled into him, sending him crashing into the glass.
“Holy shit!” I jumped up and covered my mouth.
Hard hits were nothing new in hockey, but that one was brutal, and it was obvious by the way his body flew that Viper had no idea Ricky was even near him.
“He’s okay. He’s totally fine,” Kacie tried to reassure me, taking a step closer as she put her hand on my arm.
But . . . he wasn’t okay.
Within a couple of seconds, the station cut to a commercial break and fear exploded inside of my chest.
Not again. Oh God, please not again.
“Want a glass of wine?” Kacie asked as she put the last of the pizza in the fridge.
“Um . . . nah. I’ve been fighting a headache all day and that would just make it worse.”
Kacie nodded and filled her wine glass with Riesling. She grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and balanced the drinks carefully in her hands as she stepped over our makeshift baby gate of pillows and an ottoman.
“Thanks.” I took the bottle from her, ready to relax and watch our boys play. The second period was just starting and the Wild were already up 2—0.
I didn’t think the day could get much better.
Kacie plopped down roughly, giggling when she spilled a little wine down the front of her shirt. “Oh well.” She shrugged and took another sip.
“Thanks for tonight, Kacie. You have no idea how much I needed this.”
“Oh my goodness, don’t mention it. It’s been so fun. I think this should be our new road trip tradition.”
“I’ll drink to that,” I said as I held my water up in the air. She grinned and immediately leaned over, touching her glass with my bottle.
We relaxed back into her oversized couch happily, while our babies played and boys kicked ass on TV.
Just before the second period was ending, there was a breakaway play and Viper was all alone, dribbling the puck down the ice toward the goal. Kacie and I both sat forward in our seats, praying for another Wild goal. He skated along the boards, nearing the goalie, when out of nowhere Ricky Young from the St. Louis Blues barreled into him, sending him crashing into the glass.
“Holy shit!” I jumped up and covered my mouth.
Hard hits were nothing new in hockey, but that one was brutal, and it was obvious by the way his body flew that Viper had no idea Ricky was even near him.
“He’s okay. He’s totally fine,” Kacie tried to reassure me, taking a step closer as she put her hand on my arm.
But . . . he wasn’t okay.
Within a couple of seconds, the station cut to a commercial break and fear exploded inside of my chest.
Not again. Oh God, please not again.
Cement Heart (Viper's Heart #1)
Amazon
Beth Ehemann lives in the northern suburbs of Chicago with her husband and four children. When she's not sitting in front of her computer writing, or on Pinterest, she loves reading, photography, martinis and all things Chicago Cubs. She's represented by Jessica Watterson of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.
OTHER BOOKS OF BETH
Room for You
Amazon: http://goo.gl/oouprK
B&N: http://goo.gl/3n2HU5
Kobo: http://goo.gl/8b4qah
iTunes: http://goo.gl/5rKBCH
Room for More
Amazon: http://goo.gl/uvbH2t
B&N: http://goo.gl/gzIhNC
Kobo: http://goo.gl/gz7q2H
iTunes: http://goo.gl/Mszr8P
Room for Just a Little Bit More
Amazon: http://goo.gl/ejV2IZ
B&N: http://goo.gl/VB1ZSs
Kobo: http://goo.gl/4hC9ZJ
iTunes: http://goo.gl/XuLx7T
