Review: Dramatic story with compelling characters
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 11, 2013
Shut Out is another well written story by Liz Crowe.  I have read about a dozen of her stories, including all of the Stewart Realty series, and enjoy her writing style.  Ms. Crowe writes about real life and each story is compelling.The main characters are Brody Vaughn, the new goalie, and Sophie Harrison, the attorney for the soccer team.  Sophie has a connection to characters in the Stewart Realty series, namely Jack Gordon and Evan Adams.  Both Sophie and Brody have some heartbreaking events in their past and are wary when they meet.  Brody is several years younger than Sophie but once they manage to spend time together, they adjust their thoughts on what they think they should be, and begin to develop a relationship that works for them.  Then there are 2 major events that happen and the story moves forward about 3 years.  I was a little thrown off by this initially but once I began reading the second part, it was easy to see why the passing years were addressed this way.This is the 3rd book in the Black Jack Gentlemen soccer series but could be read as a standalone book.  But for me, just as in the Stewart Realty series, which just ended with the publication of `Good Faith', I feel that I enjoy the stories more when knowing the history of the various characters.  This is a very dramatic story and definitely not lighthearted.  I cried in a couple of places and wasn't sure whether there would be a HEA.  Ms. Crowe gives us what happens after we think there should be a HEA and even though the ending wasn't what I initially thought it should be, it turned out even better.  I like sweet, lighthearted fairytale stories at times, but I really enjoy reading more true life with all of the ups, downs, love, anger, loss, etc., that we all deal with on a daily basis.  I highly recommend this story and all of Ms. Crowe's books.