Power Play (Berkley Sensation) [Mass Market Paperback]

Deirdre Martin (Author)

Book Description

Series: Berkley Sensation | Publication Date: October 7, 2008

Just in time for hockey season

Hockey player Eric Mitchell is a man in demand. First he was traded to save the New York Blades, and now the publicity department has loaned him out to help boost daytime diva Monica Geary’s career. What no one knows is that one of People magazine’s hottest bachelors is also a closet soap opera fan. He’s had his eyes on Monica for years—and can’t wait to get his arms around her.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Martin's uneven seventh New York Blades romance (after 2008's Just a Taste) mixes professional hockey with the high-pressure, high-drama world of daytime soap opera. Soap actress Monica Geary's lofty position is threatened by a reputation as a recluse and a slutty new co-star, and new Blades player Eric Mitchell (brother of Chasing Stanley's protagonist Jason) wants to win over fans and teammates. They strike a deal: pretend to be a couple for increased mutual publicity. When they start to develop a real attraction, Mitchell panics and breaks it off, but then realizes he'll do anything to get Geary back. Martin's attention to detail enlivens her portrayals of actors, writers, players and fans, but Mitchell's fumbling courtship and Geary's harsh mockery are a little too realistic; the stars' glamour and chemistry may not be enough to keep readers engaged through the bouts of petty sniping and selfishness. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

In the latest installment in Martin’s New York Blades hockey team series, Eric Mitchell has been traded to the Blades. He believes he is number one no matter what, but things are not going well, so he must try to ingratiate himself with the team and his fans. Daytime diva Monica Geary has a similar problem. She has reigned so long at the top of the soap-opera heap she hasn’t engaged in much fan face-time. Now a new cast member, a sweet young thing, threatens to dethrone Monica. Eric and Monica meet when he makes a cameo appearance on the Blades’ favorite soap. She has no interest in him or his corny come-ons, but because they both need the good press, they decide to fake becoming an item. Soon both are immensely popular, but Monica gets confused. Is she falling for the real Eric or a fantasy man? Displaying her usual strengths in character and story line, Martin definitely reigns at the top of her game. --Maria Hatton

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (October 7, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425224511
• ISBN-13: 978-0425224519
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #353,294 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

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun with sappy soap operas!, October 9, 2008

By 

Detra Fitch (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Power Play (Berkley Sensation) (Mass Market Paperback)

Monica Geary is a leading soap opera actress. When her show, The Wild and the Free, gets a new addition who shows signs of wanting to take over the main spot light, Monica quickly gets her personal publicist on the phone. Soon Monica is in the role of her life. Monica will pretend to be falling for the NHL star and notorious playboy Eric Mitchell. This is hard to do when she has seen how big his ego is.

Eric Mitchell is one of People magazine's hottest bachelors and has just been traded to save the New York Blades. What few know is that the entire team watches The Wild and the Free and Eric has had his sights set on Monica for years.

***** On a side note from the actual story plot, let me say that hearing the past and upcoming story lines of Monica's soap opera were terrifically farfetched. (Just like the real soap operas on television each day.) I found myself laughing at such unexpected times. It was a blast!

As for the story, off set, I was amazed at how easily the author made the characters seem to blend together. Many people do not make a good first impression, or second, and having Eric come across all wrong was a good idea. The two main characters seemed much more believable to me this way. These two stars will give readers a fabulous run through day time television dramas, on and off the set. BRAVA! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Kind of Blah, December 1, 2008

By 

IndigoRaiyne (Aiken, SC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Power Play (Berkley Sensation) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is my third Deirdre Martin book. I read this immediately after reading Chasing Stanley, the story of Eric's twin Jason. I'm thinking I shouldn't have done that. In Chasing Stanley, I enjoyed Eric. He was fun, mischevious and cool. I actually enjoyed him more than Jason and was looking forward to reading his story.

I was disappointed. I liked Eric alright but a lot of the time he came across as a jerk. I was also not a big Monica fan, I thought she was slightly shallow, but I did enjoy the verbal sparring between Monica and Eric and thought they had chemistry together.

There wasn't much romance. It was more about Monica and her Soap career and Jason and his hockey career and how they happened to date and end up together in the end.

I liked Gloria and that her relationship with Monty was resolved. I also liked how Gloria kept talking about her glamour life as an actress and all the old stars she was associated with. I didn't like that Chessy was one dimensional. She had no redeeming qualties. None. She was like a charicature and didn't come across as a real person at all. At least Brandi in Chasing Stanley, while cast as the Bimbo, was shown to have a personality.

Overall, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I had hoped I would. The writing, as always, was excellent, but the story was lacking.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Power Play Mimics Hollywood to a T, March 20, 2009

By 

Sylvia Cochran "Sylvia Cochran" (Sunny Southern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Power Play (Berkley Sensation) (Mass Market Paperback)

Power Play could have been taken straight from the headlines of Hollywood where celeb and sports hero relationships come and go - all under the watchful eyes of the paparazzi and telescope lenses. The key players in this romance by seasoned author Deirdre Martin are soap opera actress Monica Geary and professional hockey player Eric Mitchell.

Under the close scrutiny of their publicist, they find that a whirlwind and highly publicized courtship might be just what their respective waning careers need to get a boost. Imagine the surprise when they realize that their make believe world is becoming reality. Following a number of twists and turns that come from either unwillingness or inability to fess up to their feelings, Power Play comes to the conclusion the readership demands.

The relationship is Hollywood all the way, and this is a fun read for the romance aficionado and also a quick one that contains many fun ups and downs which are sure to delight readers. Since a couple of the scenes are quite adult in nature, this book is for mature readers only, and I would think twice before giving it to granny for her birthday.