Review to come on release day! ( )

Toni Aleo is on a winning streak with DELAYED CALL, the eleventh book in the Assassins series. NHL star, Vaughn Johansson and Assassins' staff reporter, Brie Soledad, would both agree that they are each other’s nemesis, but situations arise that cause them to have to play nice. This contemporary sports romance is suitable for adult audiences. It takes place in Nashville, Tennessee.

I have been looking forward to hearing Vaughn’s and Brie’s story since the previous book. I love the banter of their interviews. I enjoyed that they start out as enemies. Both characters have a lot of depth. They have great chemistry. Vaughn and Brie are both amazing characters with big hearts. They misjudge each other and end up having a lot in common.

I love that Vaughn adopted Tricksie and how he came up with her name. I like the introduction of Jensen Monroe. He is a terrific friend and roommate.

Brie’s brother, Rodney, is a wonderful character. He understandably wants to be treated as an adult. Having Down syndrome and some health issues prevents him from being able to be left on his own. I love the concept of NateWay. I have a few friends who work for Misericordia in Chicago. NateWay reminded me of that on a smaller and more specialized scale. Both are wonderful organizations. I was impressed by everything that Vaughn did. He really is an amazing guy.

Toni Aleo did an incredible job with the plot. DELAYED CALL flowed well. It was heartfelt with interesting twists. I loved the ending; it was sweet and well resolved. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book. ( )