A FAVOR FOR A FAVOR – HELENA HUNTING

**Spoilers Ahead, Read On With Caution**

I’d really like to start this review by pointing out for those who’ll notice, I’m fully aware that favour is spelt wrong in the title, but it’s American, and yes it pains me to spell it wrong too. 

“This guy takes the jerk cake with his asinine accusations. Such an epic waste of hotness.”

Back into the ALL IN series, I actually read this book before all the L. J. Shen books, but got massively distracted by the series’, and then didn’t want to throw this review into the middle of the line up, it wouldn’t look right. I’ve previously read quite a few books by Helena Hunting, all hockey related, and this one rates quite high for me, as I really enjoyed the dynamic of it. Stevie is the little sister of RJ from A LIE FOR A LIE, not that she wants to be known as that, and Bishop is the team mate of RJ on the new Seattle team, not that he wants to be known as that either. They meet one night when Stevie arrives late to RJ’s penthouse apartment to get away from her cheating boyfriend on her birthday. Bishop doesn’t know the two are siblings, and instead sees Stevie as RJ’s hidden mistress, and deepen his hatred for his team captain who’s also a father and husband. And so the story begins…

“For so many reasons we probably shouldn’t fit together, but we do.”

Bishop is injured in a game and sentenced to physical theory for his groin, and whilst he’s out the game he slowly starts to pay more attention to Stevie, who’s a PT. Perfect scenario! Basically, Stevie starts to help Bishop and it’s all very groin related… I super enjoyed the back and forth between the two, as Stevie was blue haired and feisty, engaging with Bishop and giving him the tit for his tat. Whereas Bishop has an insane boxers collection, enjoys answering the door in them, and grumpy beyond belief. And I do love a good grumpy male protagonist, there’s something sexier about them, gruff even. 

“I need you to stop touching me!” It’s stupid because I’m still holding on to her, not the other way around. “Why are you yelling at me?” she shouts back. “Because you’re half-undressed in my tub, and I’m a guy, and apparently my dick is a fucking sadist. It honestly feels like my balls are on fire right now. A semi has literally never been this painful.” “Well, close your damn eyes and think about dead things.”

There were so many hilarious interactions between the two in regards to Stevie getting all up in Bishops crotch business, but being turned on hurting Bishop because of groin muscles were pulled. It’s the type of books where you’re addicted to the main character interactions, and can’t stop grinning at their bickering. Bishop and Stevie are some of my favourites. The only small downside for me was seeing this hugely over protective side to RJ that we didn’t really see in A LIE FOR A LIE as Stevie wasn’t really present except for phone calls. They’d lost their dad, and so RJ was stepping into the role a little when Stevie just wanted her brother, and RJ was just too much. I wanted him to rein it in just a touch, not be bearing teeth whenever Bishop was near Stevie. However, all that pent up aggression to each other (RJ and Bishop) meant for a spectacular explosion between them, and that was pretty funny I have to say.

“And how does Bishop look at me?” “Like he wants to hold your hand.” She pauses, her smile widening at my eye roll. “And shove it down the front of his pants.”

Overall, it was hilarious and gruff but sweet. I immensely enjoyed Stevie and Bishop’s story, and hope to catch more snippets of it in A SECRET FOR A SECRET which follows Bishop’s best friend, Kingston, who’s a pure Boy Scout type, and Queenie.