
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Reviewed by: Michelle
ARC provided by author in exchange of honest review

The Fire & Ice series concludes and wraps up in its final installment of our beloved hockey players in the fifth and final book, Release. And Brenda Rothert not only deliver a book of perfection but she did it with so much grace and beauty. She will capture your attention with her eloquent, emotional, raw and heartwarming tale of Samara Cross and Orion Caldwell. In this breathtaking conclusion, Ms. Rothert will make your heart go pitter-patter for Orion and fall in love with the beauty of a love so simple and pure. Release will make you realize it’s not about finding love, but letting love find you. And in this beautiful tale, it will remind us all love is like the wind, you can’t see it but you can feel it. So be prepared as Brenda Rothert makes us see there is a reason why it’s called falling in love because you just fall.

It’s the off-season and Orion Caldwell heads back home to his hometown to spend time with his family. On the ice, Orion is known as the enforcer and the man to be feared for his defensive skills but once the uniform is off, he is the perfect gentleman. Unlike the previous male characters of the Fire & Ice Series, Orion is not your standard dirty-talking, dominant, and alpha male. I can only describe Orion as perfect. He is the perfect balance of sweet, caring, loving, and protective. Simply, he is the perfect book boyfriend. Back home, Orion wants to spend quality time with his niece and nephew. He is a family man and believes in loyalty, respect and love. He is a one woman kind of guy and doesn’t date or fool around. So when Orion heads to a local market, he didn’t expect to be enchanted with the woman behind the checkout. One look at her, he knew he wanted her because she had a beauty that affected him.
Samara Cross is not your typical heroine. She is shy, scared, and a little apprehensive when it comes to trust and giving away her heart. Samara’s past childhood and past abusive relationship has caused her to be wary of men. So when the hot NHL hockey player, takes notice of Samara, she wonders why her when there are tons of beautiful women for Orion Caldwell to take notice on. But through Orion’s persistence, he was able to worm his way into Samara’s life. And soon she finds herself letting go of the walls that she has built. Orion’s light shines bright and cast away any darkness in her life. For the first time in her life, she found someone who sees the beauty in her scars and pasts.

They say when you meet the love of your life times stops...well, that's true, when it comes to Orion and Samara. As romance fanatics, we love that happily ever after ending. But maybe its not about the happy ending. Maybe it’s about the story. And for Orion and Samara, their story is about a love so pure, true, honest, raw, and passionate. It’s a love that reminds us don’t look for someone who will solve all your problems but look for someone who won’t let you face them alone. And Orion and Samara were that couple.

Release is hands down my favorite of the series. This book was an absolute gem to read. Every sensual kiss, touch, and words spoke will spellbind you and make you fall in love. The beauty of this book was that it incorporated family, friends, brotherhood, sacrifices, and finding love and strength. So I want to thank Brenda Rothert for bringing life to these beloved characters that I cherish and have fallen in love with.
Brenda Rothert
**Review also posted on Four Chicks Flipping Pages**
