Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Baden: A Pittsburgh Titans Novel, Book 1

Top positive review

New hope and possibilities rise from the ashes of tragedy - wonderful start to a new series!

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2022

Baden's story is finally here, and it is everything that I hoped for!

It seems like the hits just keep coming for Baden. He made a split second decision to help a woman being attacked months ago, and the injuries he received left him with a long road to physical recovery and a very limited possibility of ever playing in the NHL again. His fierce determination helped him make unbelievable progress toward walking again and resuming a somewhat normal life but the lingering questions surrounding his playing abilities are a cloud hanging over him. Then the unthinkable happens a second time as tragedy strikes the Pittsburgh Titans franchise taking Baden’s best friend and numerous other members of the organization from the world. Out of that horrible accident arises a new possibility for a future that Baden never anticipated, and after talking to his friends and team owner, he decides to take the chance.

Sophie may not have physical scars from the attack, but the emotional damage inflicted upon her has caged her in a PTSD induced prison. She is terrified to leave her house most days, and she is constantly afraid that she will be attacked again. The version of herself that existed prior to the attack is nowhere to be found despite her efforts to regain her life which is about to cost her a job she enjoyed. Guilt over Baden’s injuries plagues her, but she has no idea of the level of his recovery until he shows up on her doorstep in Pittsburgh the day before he starts his new job.

I enjoyed the way their relationship evolved. Although they shared a horrible experience that tied them together, they started off forming a friendship before attraction and deeper feelings developed. Glimpses of a more confident and feistier Sophie started making appearances, and occasionally Baden would experience a moment of vulnerability that she would help him face and overcome. This story is a great intro to a new hockey team that has a multitude of challenges and obstacles to overcome, and I will definitely be eagerly waiting to see what happens next!

ARC received from author

3 people found this helpful

Top critical review

Critical reviews›

KellyB0213

Sad and Depressing

Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2022

I knew this series would be heavier by the synopsis but I was hoping for at least some lighter moments. They were few and far between. I felt sad most of the time while reading this. Baden was amazing. Even after everything he’d been through he was very much a supportive and strong person. Unfortunately Sophie was such a mess. She is suffering from severe PTSD and it really doesn’t get much better by the end. They go through something so traumatic together and eventually become friends. It was hard for me to see them with any kind of romantic chemistry because everything around them was so sad. Sophie was always paralyzed by her current fear and Baden was always talking her through it. I felt for her deeply but because of the overwhelming angst I just didn’t see this as a love story. I probably won’t get others in this series but this is a really beautiful writer. This was simply a book that just wasn’t for me.

11 people found this helpful

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From the United States

Kim U

New hope and possibilities rise from the ashes of tragedy - wonderful start to a new series!

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2022

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3 people found this helpful

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Tracey Cramer-Kelly

Slow start

Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2023

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If the author had written the prologue as the attack that left Baden crippled and Sophie guilt-ridden, it would have been an explosive start. As it was, the first chapters are a lot of telling instead of showing, setting up a crapload of backstory, and I felt like I was slogging through the first 20% before it got good. It did get good, don't get me wrong - very good. It suffered from some illogical skips - he's using forearm braces in chap 1 but taking stairs freely only days later, and she goes to his game and a bar right after a crippling bout of anxiety - but the beauty of the building friendship and 'feels' between these two overshadows those little imperfections.

Baden is remarkably well-adjusted seven months after the attack that left him paralyzed, which I found fascinating and perhaps a little questionable for the short time frame. Nevertheless, his brand of caring/pushing is exactly what Sophie needs. His self-assurance stumbles only once, in an intimate scene, like the author had to give him *something* to be insecure about. Sophie is a hot mess, a work in progress, and though I found her a little weak at the start, she proved me wrong by the end. Loved it.

3 people found this helpful

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Cheri

Heartwarming Start

Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2022

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There is so much I want to say about this book. First, is it just me or do other people feel like they’re getting an extra special gift when a book from a favorite author is released on their birthday? I had decided to take my birthday off of work so was able to devour the whole story in one day, too! I mean, is there any fan of the Arizona Vengeance series that hasn’t been waiting for Baden to find his HEA?

The author starts this book, the first of a new series in her hockey world, with a note to the reader. Let me tell you, I really appreciate that she did. I’m not going to go over the whole thing, but she talks about having to make creative decisions that maybe aren’t technically correct when it comes to a city or sport or recovery from injury. My brain gets caught on small, seemingly insignificant details. It’s just how I’m wired. I’ve always appreciated Sawyer Bennett’s obvious research when it comes to hockey because there have been plenty of other authors that get it so wrong. And I feel that even more strongly when it comes to how long and hard the road truly is when someone has injuries to the extent Baden does.

On to the story! Baden is amazing. As if I didn’t already know this. His interactions with Riggs in the last Arizona Vengeance book solidified my love for this man. In this story, he shows us that he doesn’t just give great advice to his buddies. He also follows his own advice. He’s so wonderful with Sophie. At first, it has a lot to do with them having gone through a traumatic experience together. But he quickly picks up on her strengths and encourages her to hold onto those strengths while pushing her to overcome her fears. And he doesn’t just push her out of the nest, so to speak. He is right here with her, walking the walk. The connection Sophie and Baden share may have come out of a terrible situation, but it grows into so much more because they are both such caring and strong people. One of the notes I made about 1/3 of the way into this book was “I can’t stop smiling at how cute they are with each other!” In a romance with some heavy issues, this is high praise. The author still found the joy to give the characters and the reader.

While the things Baden and Sophie deal with in their personal lives are stirring, my tears came when in the scenes that dealt with the Titans as a team. My heart breaks for so many of these characters and I’m so looking forward to them all finding happiness. I feel as though the pain will make their HEAs that much more joyous in the end.

6 people found this helpful

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KellyB0213

Sad and Depressing

Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2022

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11 people found this helpful

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Maria L

I loved this book!

Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2024

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4.5 Stars! I loved this book! The start of this story had me in tears! The ugly kind. I knew it was coming, and it still got me in the feels.

I thought Baden is a bit OTT though, almost a bit too perfect with how he approached Sophie and how he treated her with kid gloves. But it was was she needed, and I think what he needed too. By helping Sophie, he was helping himself work through is own trauma.

But after all their struggles, they get their deserved HEA in the end.

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Jaimie

Good Story

Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2024

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This was my first book by Sawyer, and I liked this one. It is a good story of finding love when you least expect it and also overcoming a traumatic event.

Baden and Sophie met in the worst way, and after some time, they found each other again.
This is a great friends to lovers story.

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Kahea46

***5 Stars***

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2022

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***5 Stars***

I was crossing my toes that Baden would get his own book, even before what happened to him.
After, well, I was definitely all in and, once again, crossing my toes that the woman he saved would be his HEA, though it may not happen considering all the factors working against them.

But then the Pittsburg Titans series was announced ~ in the best, yet most heartbreaking way ~ and I have to say. This book does not disappoint at all. I was all in from start to finish and am already interested in many of the characters ~ as well as one I want to full on Gibbs smack.

As for Baden and Sophie. I adored these two. Baden is a good, patient, determined guy and I loved watching him find his feet as a coach and settling into a new life. Sophie is a sweetheart. She’s still reeling from what happened that horrible night, but is working on combating her fears and taking her life back.

Their journey to their HEA was a lot of fun to watch as they became friends and more. Yes, that night was the start of their connection, but watching them become closer and being each others sounding boards, helping to make them stronger and see beyond their own noses had me believing that they could be so much more and I loved how everything worked out for them in the end.

This was a great start to a new series within the author's hockey world. The situation that the organization finds themselves in is heartbreaking, but I’m looking forward to seeing how they get through it. It was fun to get to hang out with the Vengeance crew, but I’m definitely all in with the newbies and cannot wait to get to know them all better, even the one I’m not a big fan of. So, bring on Stone’s book!

~ Copy provided by the author & voluntarily reviewed ~

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Amazon Customer Marilyn

Great spin off series

Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2024

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Baden is the opening book in the Pittsburgh Titans series and it is a great start to a series that starts with a tragedy, several actually. Bennett does a great job on her hockey series books. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

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Heather F.

Great start to this series!

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2022

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Baden is the first book in the new Pittsburgh Titans hockey series. If there is one thing I know, it is that Sawyer Bennett knows how to write hockey books and this one was no exception.

Baden Oulett was playing for the Arizona Vengeance when his entire world changed. His act of heroism helping a woman who was being attacked, got him injured to the point where he was paralyzed from the waist down and wasn't predicted to walk again, let alone play hockey. When a devastating plane crash kills all but three players from the Pittsburgh Titans hockey team, Baden is asked to come be the new goalie coach. Is it something he can really do? Does he want to?

Sophie Winters was the woman who was attacked that fateful night in Arizona. She lives in the Pittsburgh area and the attack has left her with paralyzing fear, anxiety and while she's making progress, it's very slow. She's pretty much homebound at this point due to the fear she deals with. When Baden shows up on her door step, things begin to change. Will he be able to pull her out of her shell?

Both Baden and Sophie share a connection that most could never (and wouldn't want to) understand. It's obvious from the beginning that they not only share the connection from the attack, but they are attracted to one another as well. Will they be able to help one another continue to grow and find the "new" normal that each of them are searching for?

I enjoyed this a lot. I liked both Baden and Sophie and they were both strong characters even though they went through something that broke them all the way down and they had to rebuild. I did feel like the book ended pretty abruptly. It felt like there should have been something more there, but maybe we'll get it in the next book in this series. I look forward to what's next with this new group of hockey players.

One person found this helpful

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Sue's Reviews

Looking for an exciting story? You might want to skip this slow, boring tale. Two yawning stars.

Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2022

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Good grief! I dragged myself through this long, slow, boring tale, hoping for a bit of excitement toward the end. What did I get instead? An annoying cliffhanger! Am I upset? You betcha. And that cliffhanger is just one of the reasons for my two star rating. Read on for more. (WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!)

(1) The bland plot. When our hero (Baden) rescues our heroine (Sophie) from the evil clutches of three would-be rapists in Phoenix, the bad guys retaliate by savagely beating Baden, whose injuries end his career as a goalie for the Arizona Vengeance hockey team. Sophie retreats to her home in Pittsburgh, suffering from PTSD due to ongoing fear of being attacked again, and guilt for being the catalyst of Baden's injuries. When Baden moves to Pittsburgh to become a goalie coach for the Pittsburgh Titans--a team recently shattered by the loss of most of its players in a plane crash--he reconnects with Sophie and rents a room in her house. They form a friendship that SLOWLY develops into something more.

(2) The boring main characters. Poor Sophie. All she does is obsess over her fear of being attacked again and her guilt over Baden's injuries. She works remotely from home, afraid to leave the house. Baden and her former college roommate (Frankie) are her only friends. PTSD is an increasingly common trope in books these days, and I tried to empathize, but her obsession gets wearisome after a while. Then there's Baden, who's too good to be true. This guy is practically a saint, going out of his way to help Sophie and the members of his team. All this goodness makes his character downright dull. Personally, I prefer heroes with a touch of wickedness to add some spice and excitement to a plot.

(3) The lack of excitement in this plot. Except for a couple of hockey games, a bit of hockey-related drama toward the end (spoiled by a cliffhanger), and a couple of sex scenes in Chapters 21 & 22, it's all talk and introspection about the same old stuff. Can Sophie ever overcome her fear and guilt? Can she and Baden become something more than friends? I got to the point where I just didn't care.

(4) The surplus of side characters. We get to meet the staff and players of the Pittsburgh Titans, some of whom have books of their own in this series. We also spend time with the members of Baden's former team, the Arizona Vengeance, some of whom have books of their own in an earlier hockey series. The reason is obvious: the author wants us to buy more books in these series. Unfortunately, all these side characters add little to this story.

(5) Sophie's sudden "cure." Toward the end, Sophie summons enough courage to leave her house to shop for groceries. But after she pays for her purchases, she freezes at the thought of pushing her grocery cart across the parking lot to her car, afraid she'll be attacked again. She finally calls Baden to come and rescue her. However, just days later, when she learns that Baden doesn't feel well after a hockey game in New York City, she goes to the airport in Pittsburgh, gets on a plane by herself, flies to New York and navigates the city by herself in order to get to Baden's hotel so she can take care of him! Seriously? She and Baden have spent the entire book dealing with her debilitating PTSD, and she's suddenly cured? Utterly preposterous!

The hockey portions of this book were interesting, but not enough to raise my rating above two stars overall for this boring tale. I won't be reading more books in this series--not even to find a solution to that cliffhanger!

19 people found this helpful

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