The Game She Hates By Ella Marie

The Game She Hates

by Ella Marie

Publisher: Independent

ISBN: 9798327659476

I was so thrilled that Ella Marie reached out to me on Instagram to see if I would be interested in reviewing her book! It sounded good to me so she sent me her book for review.

Summary:

Zane has had his fair share of a tumultuous childhood, and on the ice as the center of the Glaciers, he releases pent-up anger and frustrations from the relentless blows life has dealt him.

Off the ice, he avoids his teammates and dismisses anyone who tries to show him affection, especially women who are only drawn to his fame. But everything changes when he meets Pearl. Instantly captivated, he sets aside all his reservations and pursues her relentlessly, despite her clear rejections and disdain for hockey.

Pearl desperately wants marriage, commitment, and a man who shares her faith—definitely not a handsome, charming athlete like Zane who doesn’t believe in God and has women all over town swooning over him.

She is done using dating as a mission to convert guys to Christ, only to end up hurt.

As Zane persists in trying to maintain a 'just friends' relationship with her, he begins to question whether healing and grace can be his portion too?

Meanwhile, Pearl struggles to fully trust God and His will as she continues to grapple with past disappointments.

Will their “friendship” blossom into love? Or is the distance between them too vast to bridge?

The Game She Hates is a Christian hockey romance that intricately weaves an inspirational love story with strong themes of hope, healing, forgiveness, and the transformative power of grace.

My Review:

This was my introduction to this author and I'll be back for more!

That being said, it was so great to see an initial page that gives the reader an idea of what they're about to read with a little bit of a heads up on content.

We meet Zane who is a hockey player with a chip on his shoulder from a rough childhood. Thankfully, he's got people around him now who see his potential and are always trying to build him up. Then there's Pearl, who is a therapist for children in the foster care system.

Their initial meeting isn't quite the meet-cute, which makes everything even more awkward when they ARE brought together. Zane is all about Pearl, in an almost stalker-ish way, and Pearl doesn't have the time of day for him. She's been hurt before and she's determined to hold out for a man who is a believer and can lead them as a couple.

There was so much I appreciated about this story. Both characters had a passion for what they do for careers. They both have people around them who are incredibly supportive. While Zane's people are on his team and not really "friends" they do care. Pearl has Robyn and I've already made sure Robyn will be getting her own story! I need that to happen. lol We also see that even though Pearl has the best of intentions to only date a Christian man, it can be hard to keep that boundary when she's attracted to someone like Zane.

The thread of faith you guys!!!! This was SO awesome. The author does NOT hold back and I loved it! The story deals with healing, salvation, witness to unbelievers, and forgiveness.

About the Author:

Ella Marie is a pen name of a wife to the man of her dreams, and a mama to a cute little boy. Jesus is her Lord and personal Savior, guiding her in all aspects of life. After publishing her first clean and sweet romance series, God put it on her heart to share the greatest gift in her life—Jesus—in her love stories. 

All her future books will not only be heart-melting but will also point readers toward the love and grace of Jesus Christ. Expect to see broken characters finding healing, faith, hope, and of course, love in each of her Christ-centered love stories. 

Her greatest prayer is that her books will encourage readers to live out their faith boldly, deepen their relationship with Jesus, and remember that no other book is to be cherished like God’s letter to us— the Bible.

If you want to follow along with her journey, check out her author page on Instagram @ella_marie_author.