Rating: 
Summary: More than fair
Review: Fair Play is the wonderful follow up to Deirdre Martin's first book, Body Check. This book also has a hockey theme, but it goes way beyond the normal athlete romance novel.Heroine Theresa Falconetti doesn't date Italians or athletes. Michael Dante, the winger for the New York Blades, the fictional hockey team, knew from the moment of meeting Theresa that she was THE ONE. But she has some baggage that makes it hard for her to trust any man, let alone another hockey player. Theresa was nearly raped by a hockey player from the Blades and she has retreated from being a fun loving, romantic and silly woman to a woman who is serious all the time. She is trying to get her PR firm off the ground and finally agrees to take a job promoting Michael's restaurant. Theresa quickly comes to discover that she can rely on Michael, and she also finds that is extremely attracted to him, false front teeth and all. Unfortunately, Michael has competition in businessman Reese Banister, a jerk of the worse kind. Martin's follow up to Body Check is filled with Italian zest, fun family camaderie, and a great romance between Theresa and Michael who is a great hero, both tender, macho, and sexy. He wants Theresa and is willing to go to any lengths to get her, but when the going gets tough, it's Theresa who turns to Michael. Theresa has a lot to overcome to trust Michael, but right from the beginning her strong personality, individual style, and amazing strength come through. If this book is any indication, Deirdre Martin definitely has the talent to take her writing career to the top.
Rating: 
Summary: Another Treat
Review: Deirdre Martin has a great follow-up read to her first book Body Check in Fair Play. Theresa Falconetti has bounced back after a terrible personal experience. She loves her job at the PR firm she owns with her best friend Janna MacNeil (Body Check), adores live in the big city with all it has to offer. Especially since it is nothing like her old Brooklyn neighborhood. She has made a vow to avoid three things in a man, Italians-men from Brooklyn-athletes. Michael Dante a popular local hockey hero of the New York Blades had know Theresa since her friend Janna married Ty Gallagher his manager of the Blades. Michael is in love with Theresa but she doesn't want anything to do with him or so she keeps saying. Theresa meets the classy guy she thinks is the answer to her prayers. This only makes Michael bring out the power play to win her over. Theresa and Michaels relationship is not easy. Both have hurdles to overcome. But watching them get through it is heart warming and emotional. Deirdre Martin really brings this story to life on and off the hockey rink.
Rating: 
Summary: Who's She Suppose To Fall In Love With????
Review: This really was not a 'keeper' due to the fact that I truly had a hard time understanding the main characters. Ms. Martin has our heroine falling for the WRONG man almost from the get go and if that's not problem enough this carries on through the whole book, I mean right up to the very end! Theresa is hung up on stereotypes and finds fault with just about everything that Mike stands for but does he walk away....no he keeps going back for more. On the other hand she does not look past the shallowness of the guy she's hooked up with and that is tedious in the extreme. Really Theresa was a hard character to like and I found it hard to care one way or another who she ended up with! Mike who is a very sweet guy keeps messing around with this witch when in reality he's really too good for her. Misunderstandings and lack of communication was the tool used to keep our lovers apart. Overall it was an okay read. I enjoyed visiting with Ty and Jenna again, and Mike and other secondary character's were fun. If you read the first book "Body Check" don't expect the same kind of read this is much different and did not offer the same kind of chemistry or laughs as the previous title. I gave this book 3 stars based on the fact that I found Mike likeable, and his sub plot was good. Add to that favorites from the previous title kept me turning the pages.
Rating:
Summary: I'd say this is 3 1/2 stars - Body Check was better
Review: I read Fair Play in two days and would give it 3 1/2 stars. Not because the writing was bad - but I just couldn't get passed not liking Theresa. Michael just seemed like such a great guy - I really wished he had met another woman and got Theresa out of his mind - she didn't deserve him - she deserved someone shallow like Reese. Half way through the book I lost respect for Michael too - He is a Hockey Player - and can have any woman - why waste his time chasing after an idiot like Theresa? She doesn't decide she wants Michael until after she realizes Reese is using her - poor Mike is second choice to her. I doubt a marriage in real life would last between the two of them. If Ms. Martin writes another book - I am sure I will read it but I hope the characters are more likeable. I loved Body Check - and I thought that the chemistry between Michael and Theresa would be great for a second book - I thought there would be humor etc. But I just felt like Theresa was a hearless self-centered loser. Her not wanting Michael because he was Italian and a hockey player just rang false. Maybe that kind of plot works on a a soap opera but it doesn't in a book. They don't end up together professing love until close to the last page of the book. It was irritating and I feel like I wasted 2 days of my life.
Rating:
Summary: An Interesting Read
Review: I picked up this book because a friend told me it was good. I found it good, though it took me some time to warm up to the heroine, Theresa. She has some previous issues from earlier in her life. I felt at first that this sort of got in the way of the story. But as I read on, I came to look at Theresa in a different light and understood her better. The interaction between she and Michael had some very tender scenes and were sweet. About the only drawback, was that it was obvious from the get go that when Theresa was falling for Reese Banister, that he was definitely the wrong guy! I know nothing about hockey and found that part interesting as well.
Rating:
Summary: Another Winner from Deirdre Martin
Review: After reading, and loving, Deirdre Martin's first romance, last year's Body Check, I eagerly awaited the release of her follow-up, Fair Play. I was not disappointed. This books picks up where Body Check left off, following members of the NY Blades hockey team and the FM PR firm. The H/H are Michael Dante, a hockey player, and Theresa Falconetti, co-owner of the PR firm. Their relationship travels a rocky road, mainly due to lingering issues from Theresa's past. The reader is introduced to the couple's extended Italian families, and also gets to catch up with some of the characters from Body Check. Even though I am not a big sports fan, I felt the hockey action in the book was well written and held my interest. Ms. Martin's characters are richly drawn, and her writing is both funny and touching. Several scenes brought a tear to my eye. If you are a fan of witty contemporary romance, you will love this book.
Rating:
Summary: A great read
Review: This story is the second in a series of three, first being 'Body check', and a third to come 'total rush'. I really enjoyed this story. It's characters were thought provoking and complex. Deirdre handled the issue of Theresa's rape sensitively and realistically. Although it may annoy some readers, I think that it is quite realistic that Theresa only makes the right decisions at the very end of the book. If you know a rape victim, then what Theresa does in this book will not surprise you at all. An interesting and sweet story. I particularly liked the character Micheal, and I think that he makes the story a very good book indeed.
Rating:
Summary: Like it
Review: I enjoyed this book very much. I think the characters were much more complex and entertaining in this book than that of Body Check. In Body Check the characters were a bit dry and extremely sexual. Although, there are hints of that sexuality in this book as well it's a little more mellow and it most definitely more entertaining. The New York American Italians would be proud.
Rating:
Summary: I'm Torn
Review: Generally, I liked the book. Michael Dante is a great lead male character, he's kind, smart, centered and sexy. Theresa, well, she's troubled because of a near rape that happened to her in Martin's previous book Body Check. I thought Martin handled the way a rape victim would react really well and that the sex wasn't until the end was a good thing. Michael's reactions to Theresa were wonderful, he was patient and kind and took things slow and respected that she'd need the time to acclimate to having a physical relationship, especially with a hockey player. BUT - I'm not sure Theresa was that likeable. She treated Michael like crap for some of Body Check and about 2/3 of this book. It was more than her problems recovering from the violence that happened to her. She was rude and cruel about his (and her own) heritage and yet, he joked about it. She blew him off over and over, and yet, he was easygoing and kept pursuing her. I wasn't sure I liked her much in Body Check but it was really hard to get past her attitudes about her old neighborhood and her ethnicity. Yes, she gets past it at the end but it was something I found hard to swallow. And the way that Michael goes off on Theresa in the locker room after an item turns up in the paper about them was just out of character for him. Yes, he was frustrated and that was fine but his words were so cruel that it didn't fit and to blame her for being worried about how people would think about her after she was ripped apart in Body Check as some kind of puck bunny after money, her attitude made a certain amount of sense. I just thought that the blow up scenes were all wrong and out of character and pretty cruel. It made it hard to like anyone in the book. Their chemistry was nice, the storyline was humorous and serious where it needed to be and overall, I enjoyed it, but I had some major problems and it made it difficult to like the female lead at all.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Read....
Review: Fair Play is a must read if you like fun, interesting romance novels. If you liked the Body Check you have to read this. This book is a continuation of Body Check. It continues with the same characters and up dates things that have happened in the first book... I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
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