Deep Check: A Station Seventeen Engine Novella Kindle Edition

January Sinclair and Finnegan 'Finn' Donnelly were once best friends until the death of their other friend tore them apart. Now years later, Finnegan has achieved the ultimate goal of winning the cup with his ice hockey team and is returning home for a little while during the off-season. Can he repair his friendship with January, so they can have the happy ever after they both deserve?

This is one of eighteen stories in the Hot on Ice Hockey Anthology, each encompassing a hero from The New Orleans Cajun Rage, the team that have won the Cup this season and I've got to say as usual Ms. Kincaid delivered a wonderful read that took me hardly any time to finish. The way this story begins with the prologue had me wondering whether Finn would be able to make things right with January, especially after their conversation when they first come face-to-face in this story. He let her down badly when he left town without so much as a backward glance and causing January to suffer double the lose with both he and Asher, their other friend gone.

As for the dialogue, it was well-written and I loved every moment the hero and heroine conversed, especially whenever Finn called January by the nickname he has for her. It's cute and suits her, considering her name is a month. However, in saying that, there are moments where I felt sorry for the hero and heroine. Finn thought he was doing the right thing by trying to honor his friend's memory by following his hockey dreams, but it lost him the only other friend that ever mattered to him. Will January be able forgive him? Will the pair find a way to be together when he lives in New Orleans and she lives in Remington? Especially considering they have such intense chemistry and strong feelings for each other, which eventually spills over onto the pages in sizzling hot sex scenes that illustrate how right these two are for each other and that they shouldn't let anything stand in the way of being together.

Both the main characters as well as the secondary ones drew me in to this story with their dialogue and the way January's friends support and help her. The firefighters and those that work in the firehouse are a family, and would do anything for each other, which is proven by what they do to help January and Finn. No one wants to see the heroine get hurt and I liked how the secondary characters aren't afraid to give the hero advice in making sure that doesn't happen.

January is strong, brave, smart and I liked how passionate she was about her job and making sure the firefighters she works alongside are as safe as can be on the job. Certainly, she goes above and beyond in making the fundraiser she organizing a success, and she's lucky to have so much help from Finn and people he knows. While Finn, he's successful and done well for himself by achieving everything he set out to achieve. Being in Remington holds bad memories, yet it also holds some good ones. Getting close with January again and finally being able to explore their feelings without anyone getting hurt is a good thing, but when he's trying so hard to remain a part of the New Orleans Cajun Rage, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Because he was torn between going back to New Orleans to continue playing the game he loves for the team he wants to or choosing to stay in Remington to be with January. The question is -- Which one will he choose and will it be the right decision for him and January?

Overall, Ms. Kincaid has penned a delightful read in this novella, encompassing well-written dialogue, a fantastic array of secondary characters and a couple that definitely deserve happy ever after. The way this story ended was perfect, as January has wonderful friends that want her to be happy and aren't afraid to interfere to make sure Finn doesn't make the mistake of letting January go a second time. I would recommend Deep Check by Kimberly Kincaid, if you enjoy the friends to lovers trope or have read Skin Deep by Ms. Kincaid, because this novella features several Station Seventeen characters.