Fair Play

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book
Review: Fair Play was a refreshing book, that had me hooked by page 2! THe characters were so real and so true to their nature. This brought the characters, and the story to life! I read the book in 2 days, not wanting to put it down for one second.
I thouroughly enjoyed this book, and can't wait to read more from Deirdre Martin!

Rating:
Summary: Lots of Potential
Review: After reading the first book, Body Check, I anxiously awaited the continuation/sequel involving two characters from the first. While the book was quite entertaining, it was not what I expected. The male "hero" is a great guy, but the female heroine is quite neurotic. I think any real guy would have given up on her, but not Michael. I had trouble connecting with Theresa. I'm not sure why. Theresa's initial rejection of Michael in the book has to do with an attempted rape by a fellow teammate of Michael's. Somewhere in there, she decides that he's her type because he's Italian. Well, so is she! There's also this loser lawyer who is in the way and trying to take advantage of Theresa. I did like the book as a whole and I'd read another novel by Ms. Martin.

Rating:
Summary: Better than the first
Review: I seem to be in the minority here by actually preferring this book to "Body Check" (although I thoroughly enjoyed both books). This book had a wonderful sense of ethnicity and place that the first book lacked, but more importantly, this book has a heroine whom I could really root for. The book jacket description that the heroine has a strict rule against dating athletes is really not accurate--the reasons for her ambivalence toward the hero are more complicated. She is very insecure and wants to pull away from her smothering family; also, she wants to establish a sophisticated identity of her own that she feels is at odds with marrying someone from the Brooklyn neighborhood where she grew up. (The conflict between hero and heroine sort of reminded me of that in the movie "Crossing Delancey" in that regard.) Also, she still is dealing with the after-effects of an attempted rape. Martin handles both of these issues with a lot of compassion and insight. The characters in this book are much more complicated and deep than those in the average romance novel--I can't think of another author who compares, unless it's maybe Patricia Gaffney (although their writing styles are very different). The hockey stuff is exciting and well researched, and the athletes are always taken seriously as characters, not just ready-made stereotypes, the way they are in most sports-themed romances. I was also impressed by how different the tone of this book was from "Body Check," which is tough to do considering how many romance novelists seem to be writing the same book over and over. The first book was much sexier, but given the heroine's ambivalence to both sex and the hero in particular, that wouldn't have been appropriate for this book. Instead, the tone is romantic and tender, and Martin pulls it off perfectly.

Rating:
Summary: A good story but not as good as the first book!
Review: I LOVED Body Check and so when this book came out I ran to the store to pick it up. Although it was nice read it wasn't as good as Body Check. It just didn't have the romance or spunky fun as the first book. I'll still be looking forward to reading this author in the future but I have to admit that after a stellar premier with Body Check, Deirdre Martin kind of disappointed me with Fair Play.

Rating:
Summary: Cute Concept....
Review: In "Fair Play" Deirdre Martin has the emotional pulse of the Italian community in Brooklyn down pat. It is the beat of a warm, often heated ethnicity where family is a top priority. Her lead character, Theresa Falconetti, is smart, sassy, and a real spit-fire at times. When she doesn't like something, she is one to really get in your face.

Michael Dante is charming, determined, and in many ways facing the end of a good career at hockey. He has made up his mind that Theresa is The One. The only problem is that she hasn't quite "seen the light." I especially thought it funny that she first meets him when he doesn't have his front teeth in!(Obviously, one of the hazzards of the job!)

The author very realistically deals with several issues in "Fair Play." Theresa has narrowly escaped a date rape and is learning to trust intimacy in her life again. Likewise, she is facing her cultural heritage - something that she has sought to escape for most of her adult life. Michael, on the other hand, is confronting his brother as a power struggle goes on within their restaurant.

I also read to "escape." (Which is why I just can't read "true crime" novels!) But in the same vein, the characters must be believable. When the characters lives are like the nostalgic "Cleaver Family," I just feel like I am reading a "fairy tale." Martin realistically portrays her characters as they address real-life issues. Yet her books are still light without superficially glossing over the daily trials and conflicts that we all face in life.

"Fair Play" is light and entertaining and I really look forward to Deirdre Martin's next book, "Total Rush."



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: 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.