Body Check [Mass Market Paperback]

Deirdre Martin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 25, 2003

This game’s going into overtime.

 

Janna MacNeil is a publicist on a mission—to change the image of the bad boys of hockey: the Stanley Cup Champion New York Blades.

 

Ty Gallagher is a captain on a mission—to get his team to win the Cup again…at any cost. His determination is legendary, as well as his unwillingness to toe the corporate line.

 

When the persistent publicist and the stubborn captain butt heads, it’s hard enough to crack the ice. But they may end up melting it instead…

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Janna MacNeil is a publicist with a tough assignment: transform the hard-drinking, hooker-soliciting, Stanley Cup-misusing New York Blades hockey team into family-friendly cash cows for Corporate. Her prime adversary is the competitive, gorgeous, brusque team captain Ty Gallagher, to whom public relations means dating a different model each weekend. Ty's stubborn refusal to do anything resembling a United Way commercial collides with Janna's professional persistence, so of course they despise each other, until they end up discovering each other's hidden virtues and making out on the kitchen floor. Tentative romance ensues, as do hockey-themed double entendres: "Don't come crying to me," says Janna's roommate, "when you find out he's shooting his puck into some other woman's net." Whether Janna and Ty's love can survive the playoffs depends on how well they can overcome stubborn gender cliches, and how well readers can weather the infrequency of board-crashing, Zamboni-shaking sex scenes. A lively plot keeps things interesting, however, and Ro-bear, Janna's poetic poseur ex, are downright hysterical. Martin's debut may not melt the ice, but it is heartwarming. Brendan Driscoll
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"An engaging romance that scores a hat trick due to the lead couple, a fine supporting cast, and hockey..." -- Harriet Klausner, TheBestReviews.com

"Deirdre Martin scores with this fantastic contemporary romance. One of the best first novels I have ever read..." -- Ellen D. Michelett, All About Romance

"Fun, delightful, emotional and sexy...and utterly enthralling, fast paced novel...a winner! I highly recommend BODY CHECK." -- Joanne Holbrook, Romance Reviews Today

"The story is brilliant! The characters will seduce you and the story will impress you...Three cheers for Deirdre Martin!" -- Serena Thatcher, The Word on Romance

A great new find!" -- Jill Smith, Romantic Times Bookclub Magazine

Rookie author Deidre Martin aims for the net and scores.... She's definitely going on my 'to buy' list! -- Cathy Sova, The Romance Reader

Take this fast-paced, thrilling trip on and off the ice.... What a delight. Don't miss Body Check, a remarkable debut. -- Old Book Barn Gazette

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Jove (February 25, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515134899
• ISBN-13: 978-0515134896
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (83 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #184,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

New York Times Bestselling Author Deirdre Martin currently lives in Ithaca, New York, with her husband Mark Levine, who is also a writer. She's had the same best friend since she was ten, and the only sport she can stand watching is ice hockey. In her spare time she likes to read, hike, and perform with the local improv group.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Can girl convince jock that the game isn't everything?, July 18, 2003

By 

baltimore0502 "Hon!" (BALTIMORE, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Body Check (Mass Market Paperback)

You may have heard this one described as a "hockey book" but it's really not. For me, hockey was background for the story and since I'm not a fan and know little about the game, I don't share some of the complaints other readers had about the minutia of the sport.

All handsome, driven team captain Ty Gallagher wants is to win another Stanley Cup. He has no intention of cooperating in the image makeover the owners want to impose in the form of pretty, sexy new publicist Janna MacNeil. His repeated refusals (Lord, was he stubborn!) to participate in the various charity and other feel-good events Janna organizes result in some fiery exchanges. And eventually the sexual sparks between them turn into a "casual" sexual relationship. But when crunchtime comes with the approach of the playoffs will Ty choose hockey over his relationship with Janna? Was it really just "casual sex" or was it something more?

I enjoyed this story, but I thought there were some things that could have been better. There needed to be a bit more sexual chemistry between Janna and Ty. As others have pointed out, much of their together time is told in remembrance and would have been better seen first person (i.e., more sex, please!). And the evolution of Ty's feelings for Janna was not well drawn, making his decisions and actions at the end seem slightly out of character and abrupt.

And I know I shouldn't compare, but this book is much more on the cute, warm, charming side than Rachel Gibson's two hockey stories Simply Irresistible and See Jane Score which I found a bit edgier and thus more realistic. But her boss Lou was too cute and kid brother Wills adorable. And I look forward to Janna's roommate Theresa's story Fair Play. The excerpt was fun and it looks like fellow hockey jock Michael will need all of his good humor and perseverance in the face of rejection to crack that nut!

An enjoyable read and a good first novel!

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I LOVED this book., April 24, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Body Check (Mass Market Paperback)

Body Check is wonderful. The fact that it is the first book by Deirdre Martin means that this woman is someone to watch. I can't wait for the follow-up Fair Play. This book should be deconstructed by every wannabe writer as a lesson in how to do everything right the first time out.

Ms. Martin's writing is everything good chocolate should be: rich, smooth, satisfying, and full of nuance. Her characters are everything a human should strive to be: multi-layered, believable, and flawed. Her story line is everything a romance should be: predictable enough to keep the reader happy, dynamic and clever enough to keep the reader guessing, and hot, hot, hot. Her love scenes had me twitching with keystroke envy. This book actually nudged me - an avowed sports-phobe - to watch ten minutes of a hockey game last night. THAT'S an effect.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Buy it. Read it. Keep it. Read it again.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great First Book, September 19, 2003

By 

Margaret (Columbia, PA, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Body Check (Mass Market Paperback)

Hurricane Isabel passed through here last night. Since I couldn't sleep, I read this whole book in one sitting. Well, I did get a meal or 2 and go potty occasionally. But why waste a perfectly good storm being nervous when you can get caught up in somebody's else problems?

I enjoyed the story. I don't know much about hockey but knowledge of the game isn't a requirement to get a kick out of this book. I liked both Janna and Ty. Even though I wanted to kick his rear end fairly often. Which I'm sure Janna did too. I liked the fact that she was willing to go in the face of her inner fears and do what needed to be done to get the job done. Good going, Janna!

I do have a quibble or 2. I would like to have seen the secondary characters more fleshed out. They are too peripheral to the amount of time that passes in the story. A whole hockey season. However, I do like that the romance took up the whole season and not a quickie weekend.

Quibble #2 is that too many threads are left dangling. I know that friend Theresa and, I guess, hockey player Michael will have their story down the road. However, being an epilogue junkie, I would love to have seen one here that took care of some of those loose threads.

Emma's parents? Her little brother? Her sisters? These last 2 never seemed quite real, by the way. Ms. Donovan states that Emma love her sister Petra <?> So why did they never get together and do lunch once in awhile?

Quibble #3 is a biggie for me. What the heck is Ty going to do now? this would have been very nice in an epilogue. It's hard to believe that a guy who was so totally fixated on the Stanley Cup and winning-at-all-costs for so many years, could just walk away without a pang or backward glance. He didn't seem to agonize over this at all.