I am reviewing this book based on an ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

I have enjoyed all of Sawyer Bennett's Cold Fury Hockey novels and Max was no exception. The story is great and the characters are so real that you truly care about what happens to them. The writing style is one I thoroughly enjoy. I cannot wait for the next book in this series.
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4.5 stars.

The sixth installment in Sawyer Bennett's Cold Fury Hockey series, Max is a sweet, low-key romance that old and new fans are going to love.

At this stage in his life, Cold Fury goalie Max Fournier is more focused on his career than he is on picking up girls and partying every night. While he has not had much luck with relationships in the past, he believes in love and happily ever after. He is instantly smitten when he meets Julianne "Jules" Bradley and Max finds it quite refreshing that she has no idea who he is. He knows getting involved with her comes with a few complications and at first, Jules is reluctant to get involved with him due to her personal circumstances. However, Max knows there is something special about her so he is willing to take things slowly so he can hopefully win her over. He is respectful of her concerns about beginning a new relationship and he is incredibly patient as he tries to help her without overwhelming her or ignoring her objections to his offer to ease some of her burdens.

Jules has her hands full raising her niece and nephews but she has no regrets about becoming their guardian following her sister's death. She is working two jobs to make ends meet and she has little time to spare for a relationship. If she were at a different place in her life, Jules would have no reservations about dating Max and although she feels a twinge of regret at turning him down, she knows she has made the right decision. However when Max offers a viable solution that will not only give her financial security but allow her to give up one of her jobs, Jules realizes it would be foolhardy not to accept his offer.

Max pretty knows right away that Jules is The One for him and he has plenty of patience as he waits for her to make up her mind about them becoming involved. He is great with Jules' niece and nephew and he never resents the lack of private time together. Max is not at all afraid to talk about his feelings and he has no qualms about wearing his heart on his sleeve. Jules is much more cautious since the kids' well-being is her main priority but she finds Max impossible to resist. Their relationship is a wonderful blend of sexy times and cute, heartwarming interactions with the children. Their romance is mostly free from unnecessary drama but Jules' self-doubts do become a problem late in the novel. Will these issues prevent Max and Jules from living happily ever after?

With very little angst, three adorable children and a steamy romance, Max is a refreshing addition to Sawyer Bennett's Cold Fury Hockey series. Max is a sighworthy, charming male lead who is not afraid to risk his heart when he meets the woman of his dreams. Jules is an equally likable heroine whose fears eventually get in her way of happiness but luckily, she comes to her senses before it is too late. All in all, a captivating and heartfelt love story that I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend. ( )

Link to full review below! Perfect book boyfriend. Seriously, Max wins the title of best BBF of 2016! See full review on The Book Disciple ( )

Max by Sawyer Bennett
Book #6: Cold Fury Hockey Series
Source: Purchase
My Rating: 4/5 stars
My Review:

Max Fournier is completely healthy, injury free, and in the best shape of his life. He’s got his eye on the prize and that prize is goalie of the Cold Fury and defending their Stanley Cup. To achieve his goals, Max must stay focused and work harder than he has ever worked in his life. Max is more than willing to work hard and that means remaining distraction-free . . . . . and then there’s Fate and her wicked sense of humor.

Max is by far one of the sexiest member of the Cold Fury and doesn’t lack for female attention. What most of those women don’t understand is that Max did his time as a man whore and didn’t particularly enjoy the ride. For the most part, Max is unaffected by all the attention he gets because most of those women are more interested in his celebrity than in Max. To top it all off, Max tends to be a one woman, committed relationship kind of man and that kind of effort would distract from his current goalie goals. Did I mention Fate and her wicked sense of humor??

Julianne Bradley gained and lost everything in a single day. When her beloved sister died of cancer, Julianne lost her best-friend and confidant, and gained custody of her two nephews and niece. In one horrible moment, Julianne became a full-time mom to three small kids and her single, care-free life was over. Though she wouldn’t give up her charges for the world, Julianne sure would love a break from time to time. It’s exhausting raising three kids and working two jobs so there certainly isn’t any free time for frivolous things like hot goalies and dating. But, Max is rather persistent . . . . .

Max is persistent and while he thought dividing his focus between hockey and Julianne would hurt his game, Max finds he is playing better than ever. Having someone to celebrate his victories and mourn his losses is better than Max could have ever imagined. The only real obstacle to their relationship is the amount of free time Julianne has to offer Max. Max wants more, but knows that will be virtually impossible unless something significant changes in Julianne’s life. Max has the money to make significant happen and the feelings for Julianne to want to make significant happen. He just has to get through her tough exterior and convince Julianne his offers of help aren’t because he sees her as a charity case, but because he truly wants to see she and her kids in a better situation. What Max isn’t prepared for is just how thick that exterior is, how sensitive Julianne is to catty gossip, and how sacred she is to give herself to someone and risk hurting her kids.

The Bottom Line: Max may be the sweetest read to date in the Cold Fury Hockey series. Sure, there is a girl in this story, but for me, the read was all about Max. Max is a good man through and through with honest intentions and true affection for Julianne and her kids. Once he sets his sights on Julianne, Max is determined to have her and he goes to great lengths to prove himself to Julianne and her kids. With all that being said, Max doesn’t quite have the same heat as the previous installments of the series and I sort of missed that. Make no mistake, there are naughty bits and there is some drama, but it isn’t quite what I’ve come to expect from this series and that left me mildly disappointed. Only mildly  Overall, I’m still very much enjoying this series and have now left Max behind with the knowledge that every really good series always has that one book that doesn’t quite meet the standards of all the others in the series. ( )

I can not get enough of these Cold Fury guys! Max is my favorite so far. I know I say that about every new book, but Max was just incredible. He didn't back down from any obstacle that was in his way. When he met Julianne and learned about the kids, he didn't back away. He stood up and accepted them because he knew they were a package deal. Julianne was pretty awesome herself. Taking on someone else's kids is a huge deal and she did a great job. She definitely deserved meeting and keeping Max.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. ( )