Have you ever read a book that at the end you enjoyed and yet still felt like there was something missing despite that fact? Well, Delayed Penalty is that book for me.I found that this was an easy read, at times it did drag, but not to the point where I felt the urge to put it down. The characters were all likable but I wanted more. 
 Alexsandr was quite sweet after a few missteps on his part in the beginning and Auden has a good heart, though she is pretty damn clueless to practically everything going on around her and I could definitely understand how they could be drawn to each other based on the heartbreaking losses in their lives and yet I feel like only the surface was scratched as to the true depth of their connection. Yes, there were some poignant moments between them and yet with all that they'd both been through it didn't seem like enough. This feeling also covers the various connections Auden has with others in the book. The one that felt the most fleshed out was with her bestie Kristen and the one, outside of the H/h, that I wished there had been worked out more on the page was with Jason. 
 As far as the writing goes, I did find the book to be an engaging read with some humorous and sweet moments. There were a few pacing issues I had, but for a debut novel I think that the potential is there for this series to become a fun one. 
 The Bottom Line: Decent start to a new series and I'll be keeping an eye out for the next one. 
 ~ ARC received from Random House Loveswept Flirt via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~