Van2

A Pittsburgh Titans Novel

By: Sawyer Bennett

Narrated by: Aiden Snow, Kit Swann

Length: 5 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

Van Turner found fame as part of the Carolina Cold Fury, helping the team bring home a championship. He also found love and married his teammate’s little sister, eventually retiring from the game to enjoy a quiet life in the verdant hills of Vermont. Now, Van’s dark past threatens to unravel his future.

I never once regretted my decision to walk away from hockey. I attained what so few in the league are able and retired at the top of my game. Besides, I had the ultimate prize by my side—my gorgeous wife, Simone. We settled into married life in Vermont and were ready to expand our family when I was blindsided by my sociopath of a parent, this time from the grave. Before dying from cancer while in prison, my serial killer father left his private diaries to a journalist. From that one bequest came a tell-all biography detailing his deranged crimes along with a litany of lies meant to ruin my life.

Knowing first-hand the horrors of growing up the product of a monster, I know there is no way I can bring a child into this drama. I refuse to allow my kid to suffer the taunting and harassment I did, so I do the only thing I can think of—I walk away from Simone and our beautiful life together. With the knowledge that she will be safe from the publicity of my shameful past and able to find a love she deserves, I return to hockey, joining the Pittsburgh Titans. The long hours on the ice are the only thing that will even remotely keep my mind off everything I’ve left behind and I know that I’ve given Simone her best chance at happiness.

But I’m clearly a man who doesn’t learn from the past and I should have known better than to underestimate my wife. The woman doesn’t know how to take “no” for an answer. She’s as persistent as I am stubborn and it’s a battle of wills as she uses all her powers of persuasion to save our marriage. Simone wore me down once, but she won’t do it again. I’m keeping my wits about me and my pants on, no matter how much she tempts me.

©2023 Sawyer Bennett (P)2023 Sawyer Bennett

Van and Simone

Oh my heart! Back to the old Van. He tries to push people away because of his past. I felt like my heart was in my throat through this entire story. Poor Simone, but she is just as stubborn as he is. This was a very frustrating story which leads to a beautiful ending.

Repeated drama for Van & Simone

It was nice to catch up briefly on the lives of previous characters from related series like Anna and Malik but it was so brief that I wish there had been more. Also while Simone’s behavior was very understandable especially given her hormones and emotions, Good for the Titan queens to have her back! Van’s behavior was deplorable, too reactionary and too much like a spoiled baby. He apparently had not matured as much as his previous story led us to believe and his extreme reactionary behavior when he knew the book was coming was somewhat unbelievable and very selfish even with his ideas of justification. Why would he think the story wouldn’t eventually fade away. Quite an ego to think the press fixation would continue on indefinitely. If worried about his DNA how about adopting or letting Simone use a sperm bank. Lots of possible solutions but mainly he is in dire need of a therapist or clergyman. Then there was the about face after an impactful day with his hockey mates which is consistent with him being impetus. I just wish there had been more action in perhaps setting up a new story. Also after all his drama we were cheated out of a cute epilogue. Not the best in this series but it links 3 series due to the Fornier family.

I'm indifferent

I'm not sure what this book was for. I didn't connect with either of the characters and frankly did not like them.
There must've been a back story because I did not get all the references. I've listened to the whole series and this one left me confused. I'm still wondering.