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A Meaty Tale: The Powells.com Interview with Julie Powell

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   Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession

   Julie Powell

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Julie Anderson, September 22, 2008 (view all comments by Julie Anderson)
Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release Oct08

Let me just start off by admitting that I’ve never watched a hockey game (I’m a southern girl, born and bred), and I’m also not a big fan of the ‘sports’ genre of romance. But it didn’t take more than a chapter or two for me to realize that good romance is good romance regardless of the setting; and “Power Play” by Deirdre Martin is good romance! He’s a hockey star and she’s a soap opera star, but they have more in common than either would have guessed.

Eric’s a tomcatting hockey star who’s just been traded and is the ‘new guy’ with big shoes to fill. His big mouth starts him off on the wrong foot with his teammates and his poor playing starts him off on the wrong foot with the fans. Maybe his guest spot on the #1 rated soap will help with the fans AND his teammates since the whole team is addicted. It will also provide him the opportunity to meet his fantasy woman, leading lady Monica. The meeting between Eric and Monica doesn’t exactly go swimmingly, but Eric’s ego is stroked when he gets a call from Monica’s PR rep to act as her escort. He knew she couldn’t resist him!

Monica can’t quite believe how pitiful both Eric’s acting and pick-up lines are! But when a young ingénue called Chesty, I mean Chessy, is hired for the soap, she places a panicky call to her PR rep who suggests that Monica go out to see and be seen and get some ink. When said rep suggests Eric as an escort, Monica isn’t thrilled, but hey…how bad can it be? They’ll just have a little mutual business thing that’ll be good for both their images, right?

These two made me laugh…a lot! Eric with his often stereotypical playboy ‘jockness’ and Monica with her soap star insecurities are quite the pair. I liked that there isn’t any immediate hopping into bed between these two, there’s attraction sure, but Monica isn’t ‘into’ casual flings and she sets the boundaries right up front. They’re just business associates…until gradually they become friends…and then lovers. And it’s all the more believable because of that gradual growth in their relationship. They each have ups and downs, both personal and professional; they have to learn how to work through them while still supporting their ‘friend’.

The sheer cattiness and shallowness of the acting world is beautifully (and hilariously) written and had me rolling a few times. And Martin’s portrayal of locker room jesting and antics is much like I’ve imagined it would be. The initial façade for both of these characters is pulled away slowly to reveal what’s beneath their masks…and every step was clearly described. Some of these revelations come about via some interesting secondary characters that further the plot instead of detract from it. And the sexual tension between the leads is very steamy and very well done.

I’m altogether glad I read “Power Play” by Deirdre Martin. It was both more and less than I’d imagined a ‘hockey love story’ would or could be. For me, the important and memorable scenes from this novel are the ones which show the changing way the characters relate to each other and their stubbornness in recognizing their growing feelings. That is a part of love and romance that never seems to change, whatever the scenery!!

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Product Details

ISBN:

9780425224519

Author:

Martin, Deirdre

Publisher:

Berkley Trade Pub

Subject:

Romance - Contemporary

Series:

Berkley Sensation

Publication Date:

October 2008

Binding:

Mass Market Paperbound

Grade Level:

General/trade

Language:

English

Pages:

290

Dimensions:

6.78x4.22x.84 in. .33 lbs.