Delayed Penalty by Sophia Henry

A recent convert to the merits of Ice Hockey I was thrilled when I saw this one available for review.
And now I have finished it, I’m not entirely sure that the hockey backdrop was entirely needed.
The story is good but I am sorry to say that in a way I lost my focus just before the end, I run out of steam.
Auden Berezin has had more loss and tragedy on her life than many people twice her age, anything that matters to her has gone but she has her grandfather and he is her anchor.
Taking time out she heads home to spend time with him over Christmas, while she is there he asks her to help Aleksandr Varenkov, a Russian minor league hockey player who is having issue with the language and needs a translator.
Told from Auden’s point of view, this is the story of her journey towards a love that she never anticipated.
As tough as Auden has had life up until now, she doesn’t have a monopoly on pain, Alexsandr too has a barrel load of hurt that he carries around with him, he has just buried it much deeper as Auden could ever fathom but it is clearly apparent in his actions.
But Auden can’t decide whether this man is someone she can see herself falling for?
Auden brings out a side of Aleksandr that is alien to him, she makes this badass sport star want things that he has never considered a possibility before. He drops his defence and lets her see a side of him that he has until now kept carefully hidden.
You will find it impossible not to like Auden and Aleksandr, although it was Auden that was the star of the show.
This beautiful, kind hearted, young woman was a tough as nails, he refused to back down to Aleksandr despite his prickly nature, he took the fact that he was more than capable of rocking his belligerent attitude with the skill of a seasoned pro and served it right back to him with bells on!
I loved the fact that she was so strong, so kind and so humble and because of her I found that I was quietly performing some sort of unknown kindle whisperer action as I tried desperately to tell Aleksandr to get his act together before she walked away because together they were a lovely couple.