Luka (A Los Angeles Quakes Hockey Series, Book 2)

Luka (A Los Angeles Quakes Hockey Series) by Alisa Jean is the second, enthralling entry in the series, and it follows Luka Ribic, a gifted NHL hockey player, who must deal with the lows of his career. After a severe head injury during a game, Luka struggles with the physical pain and the mental toll of panic attacks and memory loss. But something else eats him from deep inside, trauma from his abusive father. He begins to shut himself out, holing up. The journey toward healing is not easy, but friends and family stand by him. Then enters Liliana Alvarez, who works in a new non-profit outreach. She is determined to see Luka heal, and she is patient enough to understand he needs time. Yet, she still struggles with an ex-boyfriend who stalks her. She pushes him enough to challenge himself while feelings between them deepen. Can he heal and find love at the same time?

This is an excellent read for anyone who enjoys sports or loves complex, elaborately drawn characters. The engrossing first-narrative voice instantly pulled me in, and then the prose was crisper still. Alisa Jean not only knows the rules of the game — both Hockey and writing —she has the uncanny ability to make you feel like you were on the ice with the characters. The setting in Los Angeles is well depicted, and I enjoyed the imagery of the atmosphere of hockey arenas in London and the US. Luka’s intimate home life is detailed, and his psyche is clinically explored. Luka (A Los Angeles Quakes Hockey Series) is a spellbinding romance that examines trauma and the power of human connection in the journey towards healing. The plot is tangled, the characters are unforgettable, and the emotional tension moves the story forward and steadily in unexpected directions. This was another satisfying read from an author I have taken a liking to.