Save the Date by Aven Ellis

Title: Save the Date
Series: Chicago On Ice, #3
Author: Aven Ellis
Publisher: Soulmate Publishing
Date Published: May 17, 2017

Chicago event planner Collins Brady knows how to make the magic happen for her clients. From elaborate weddings to cute baby showers, Collins knows what to do to make an experience breathtakingly perfect. In her mind, she adds the sparkle that makes everything shine.
If only she had that same sparkle in her personal life.
While she’s good at her job, her true career dreams lie elsewhere. If she could do anything, it would be to become an equestrian riding instructor. That dream, however, is shelved due to practicality. And that’s not the only thing Collins has shelved. After ending a relationship with her college sweetheart, Collins has taken her heart out of the game, too. She wonders if that magical kind of love can exist. But maybe it’s only a fantasy.
Or is it? All of that changes the night she meets Luca Ballerini, the rookie goalie for the Chicago Buffaloes. Passionate and fiercely determined, Luca has only made time for hockey in his life—until he meets Collins. Her spark hasn’t escaped him, and now Luca wants something other than his hockey career.
But following their dreams and hearts isn’t always easy. Can Collins and Luca find a way to live their dreams with each other? 
Will love get past them? Or will this goalie make a perfect save of Collins’ heart?

My Thoughts: 

So, I have the biggest smile on my face right now. I really enjoyed Save the Date by Aven Ellis!
When we were first introduced to Collins Brady, I was really curious about her character. She seemed so kind and relatable, therefore I had to know why she put pressure on herself to appear a certain way at times.  Then there was the whole situation with her ex-boyfriend. What exactly happened there?

I got all my answers and then some. I have to say- Collins (along with Aubrey and Lexi) is one of my favorite of Ellis' female characters. I loved her passion for horses and how she approached her job as an event planner. That's one of the things that I especially LOVE about these books. Ellis really does her research, and thus I get to experiences various careers and hobbies that I would have otherwise known little about. This includes the good and the bad parts of the jobs. I feel like can go to work with these characters and experience a day in their shoes, all from the comfort of my couch (ha!).

I am so so happy that the love interest was a hockey goalie! Although I really love my D-men (defencemen), I have a soft spot for goalies. They have one of the most competive jobs and they have to be on top of their game at all times. They also have to do so much in the way of conditioning and preparation (more than the other players). And let's face it, goalies are known to be...odd. So, that makes them really cool and intriguing in my book.  Luca encompassed all of these things! Not only was he dreamy, sweet, and mature, but he had some of those quirks and he felt that pressure that NHL goalies face. He was believable. I loved that he didn't change overnight, but that he really had to come to tearms with what was important. I adored the chemistry with him and Collins.

Once again, Aven Ellis' storytelling has allowed me that escape that I desperately needed, and to submerse myself into the fantasy world I could only dream about being a part of. I am so sad that I have to wait a while for the next Chicago On Ice book. I can already tell that I am going to love Taylor's character (hello, nachos!!).