[Release Day, Excerpt, + Review] WHERE IT BEGINS (Pucked, #0.5) by Helena Hunting

I’ve been a fan of Helena Hunting’s Pucked series for
years, and I’ve been intrigued by Violet’s mom, Skye, and her stepdad,
Sidney, ever since we met them, so when Helena announced that she was
writing Skye and Sid’s story I was 100% on board and EXTREMELY
excited…and I can now confirm that it was phenomenal! I only wish it
had been longer because I would have gladly read 100s and 100s of pages
about Sid and Skye. 😛

WHERE IT BEGINS was adorable, hilarious,
sweet, and delightfully spicy! It was so lovely seeing a closer look at
Violet’s parents and I adored seeing them fall in love! I loved getting
to know them more in this novella…their chemistry was amazing, their
banter was fantastic, and it was honestly just such a wonderful and fun
experience following along while they got to know each other. It was
also so fun to see Vi and Miller as teenagers and to see their dynamics
with their parents…and what happened when they were all introduced,
too! So many hilarious antics, heartwarming scenes, and delightful
quirky moments that I personally love whenever Violet and her mom, Skye,
are involved!

This novella was so much fun and I couldn’t stop
smiling the entire time that I read it! It made me want to go back and
do a full re-read of Helena’s entire Pucked series and the two spin-off series, too (All In and Lies, Hearts, and Truths), so that tells me it’s not only perfect for super fans like myself, but also a great introduction to Helena’s entire Pucked universe.

If
you’re a fan of romances that are heartwarming, spicy, and funny that
you won’t want to put down, then I highly recommend you pick up WHERE IT
BEGINS and every other book that Helena Hunting has ever written
because she doesn’t miss. I have loved every single one of her books
that I’ve read and I’m always delighted when I have something new from
her to look forward to! Also, if you’re a sports romance fan and you
haven’t read any of her books yet, you are seriously missing out!

I rush forward and grab mine, muttering a hasty, “Thanks!” Then beeline for the exit. Of course, that’s the moment a hoard of teens barrel through the door, forcing me to hold it open until the entire gaggle has stormed the café.

Once outside, I hustle to the crosswalk. I punch the button and glare as the sign counts down from thirty.

And then I hear my name being called.

I glance toward the café and, much to my horror, the attractive man whose butt I was admiring is rushing toward me, coffee in hand.

“Hey! You’re Skye, right?” he asks.

“Yes. That’s me.” Maybe he didn’t mind my checking out his butt.

“You took the wrong coffee.” He taps the side of the cup with the name SKYE written in Larissa’s lovely cursive.

“Oh.” I turn mine around and see Sidney scrawled on the side. And it’s a pumpkin spice latte. Half sweet, skim milk. “Wow. I would have spent the rest of the afternoon working from a bathroom stall if you hadn’t caught me.” At his questioning expression, I continue with the embarrassing word vomit. “I’m lactose intolerant and this much dairy would mean stomach cramps for days.” I bite my lips together and close my eyes. “Sorry. You didn’t need to know that. I haven’t taken a sip. See. No lipstick prints.” I thrust the cup toward him and reluctantly crack a lid.

He’s smiling. Widely. “I’m very glad I caught you when I did then. I wouldn’t want to be responsible for an afternoon of prolonged discomfort.”

We exchange takeout cups. “It would’ve been my fault for not checking more than the S, but I was trying to escape my embarrassment. Seems like it’s following me around and making things worse.” I step away from this exceptionally hot man who inspires an unprecedented amount of word vomit. “Thank you for stopping me. You, uh…you didn’t drink out of mine, did you?”

“I didn’t.” His eyes are blue. So vibrant and pretty and his teeth are straight. I glance at his hand. His ring finger is bare. Then I realize he’s giving my hand the same inspection. “Do you work around here?”

“Just across the street.” I thumb over my shoulder. “You?”

“No, but I’m in the area often.” He tucks a hand in his pocket. “Maybe you’d like to grab a coffee later this week?”

I blink at him. Then open my mouth and ask a stupid question. “Are you asking me out?”
“Unless you’re already seeing someone. I didn’t see a ring, so I was hopeful.” His bottom lip slides through his teeth and for a moment, he looks boyishly handsome.

“But…you don’t know anything about me.” I don’t know why I haven’t said yes yet. He’s attractive and thoughtful enough to stop me from drinking the wrong coffee. His kindness saved me from ending up curled in the fetal position on a bathroom floor.

He rubs the back of his neck. “I’ve seen you here before. I’ve been working up the nerve to introduce myself. Looks like the universe gave me a push in the right direction.” He holds up a hand and gives his head a little shake. “I’m probably making this awkward. I’ll be here Wednesday at eleven-thirty. Hopefully, I’ll see you then.” And with that, he turns and disappears into the crowd.

About Helena Hunting

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED,
Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly
tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes
contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports
comedy.

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