Customer Reviews

Total Rush (New York Blades)

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Overall I thought this book really missed the mark. First of all, too much of the story focused on her crazy family -- a horribly mean mother and a grandmother who needs so much care that it sucks the life out of everyone. It wasn't at all interesting, and worse it wasn't even intrical to the romance story. Just depressing. Then there was a LONG break in the romance - at least 100 pages. He was a bit of a jerk and an idiot, and not the typical romance novel heart throb. She and him were not a good fit, no matter how hard the author tried to make the "opposites attrack" concept work. I could never believed for a second their romance would ever work. I would not recommend this book.

This third book of Deirdre Martin's proves once again what a fabulous writer she is. Total Rush is the continuation of her series (however each book can stand alone!) with the heroine being Gemma Dante (Michael's cousin)! The quirky owner of a new age store in NYC happens to have a hot new neighbor, firefighter Sean Kennealy! Everything sure heats up when her fun and witty life blazes right into Sean's fireman brotherhood life! Deirdre does a wonderful job having opposites attract while making the entire story believable as well as loving and caring.

The chemistry with these two characters is so hot and the emotion will make your got churn then smile. You can't help but laugh at the perfect ways she captivated many fireman's lives! My words simply do not book this the justice it deserves. The main word that comes to mind is simply FABULOUS! :-)

This was a great book. I loved it from beginning to end and could not put it down.
This is Gemma's story that we have met in previous books. Gemma is the odd ball because she is a witch and that is not accepted by all her family. Gemma was a sweetheart with a huge heart. Sometimes a little too big. There were times when she let people walk all over her a little too much. But twords the end, she has more spine. Good for you Gemma. Dont take all that crap. So, it leads to Gemma rediscovering herself and becoming the woman she wants to be.
Sean was a great hero. In the beginning he is pretty shallow, but that is where his growth in the novel comes in. His story is also about being a fireman and the toll it really takes on their lives. I thought it was interesting that Sean was a fireman in NY and that 9-11 was included in the story. Most people already have a healthy dose of respect for fireman for what they do, espically after 9-11, and this story gives you a little taste of how one day really did change everyones lives. It shows how the fireman really are hero's, what they go through and how hard it can be. Its a nice dose of non fiction in a fiction story. For all his faults and issues, Sean is a top notch hero. He makes his mistakes and learns from them, then changes his life because of what he has learned.
I thought the issue of Gemma being a witch could have been explored more, considering that is the main problem Gemma has with her family. And also, this stroy seems to span across a few months, but you never really know how much time has passed or what month you are in. Any holiday's that would have happend were not mentioned. From what I can figure, the time frame is over a period of at least six months.
This book is another winner by this author and you should run out to grab it. It's a great book.

Gemma Dante is Deirdre Martin's best heroine to date! This lady is adorable in every way and you are pulling for her from page one. Sean Kennealy is positively scrumptious as the romantic lead that could change anyone into a firefighter fan. The subplots in this book are in turn poignient and hillarious (a great combo.) The secondary characters are a blast with the addition of the best friend Frankie and it is always wonderful to visit with Anthony Dante! "Total Rush" highlights the best features of Martin's writing; character development, sharp and hysterical dialogue and the ability to sail along inside a great story.

I picked up Deirdre Martin's Total Rush this weekend and couldn't put it down. Cultures clash in this touching, funny, and VERY sexy romance between a firefighter and his off-beat Wiccan neighbor. Ms. Martin sensitively deals with the passion and pain of falling in love with someone that you worry your friends and family won't accept. Her characters are so real and so vivid, that reading the book was like walking into a world full of old friends and family. (A world I didn't want to leave.) Her firefighting scenes had me on the edge of my seat and her romantic scenes were hotter than a 3-alarm blaze. This is a terrific book!

I was so disappointed in this book. I liked her first book, and I thought the second was ok. When I read the back of this one I thought it looked good. I'm a witch, a major hockey fan, and I come from a big Italian-Irish family filled with cops and firefighters. Those are the themes of this book, so I thought I'd love it. Wrong! It was really terrible. Ms. Martin is actually a good writer, but this story was so uninteresting. Gemma and Sean hook up and get physical way too soon. They have nothing in common and can't communicate so they break up. Then they are broken up for over a 100 pages while Gemma deals with some pretty serious family issues. Of course, they eventually get back together, but my question is why? All they seem to have in common is sex. This is not my idea of romance. I honestly can't see these two actually having a real relationship.

Deirdre Martin is a master at storytelling. In "Total Rush," she returns readers to the Italian/New York roots of the Dante family, focusing on Gemma - who has always independently marched to the beat of her own drummer. A little offbeat, Gemma owns her own "mystical, crystal, candle, incense" type of shop in New York.

In her first two books, Martin's main focus was on hockey with the New York Blades. However when Gemma falls for Sean Kennealy, a New York Fireman, Martin brilliantly captures the camaraderie, dangers, and relationship issues conducive to fire fighters.

Although I am not a big "romance reader," I have never been able to put Martin's books down! I have always finished each book the same day because she has brought believable characters with realistic issues to life.

Especially moving in "Total Rush" was the quite real dilemma that so many in our society face today concerning the care of family members with Alzheimer's. Martin addresses the issue of the utter exhaustion and fatigue that plague caregivers in spite of wanting to do their very best to help. Readers get a small glimpse into the overwhelming numbness and strain that can often lead to elder abuse.

"Total Rush" was a delightful and romantic book that was far from being depressing. Yet it left me thinking of so much more after I had finished reading it. I now have a deep compassion for what family members must endure with the ones they love when faced with real problems. These problems may be health related or work stress related, but Martin doesn't just glibly have the main characters "riding off into the sunset" to pursue their romance. Deirdre Martin once again proves that "light and romantic" books need not be superficial.

This book is a hot and sexy page turner! I absolutely adored it from beginning to end and is by far the best of all the books Ms. Martin has written. No one in the romance genre can make me laugh as much as she does while telling one hot story!

This is the third book I've read by Deirdre Martin, and I can't wait for more. I was a little nervous when I started this one--a witch and a fireman? But Martin works, well, magic. It's funny and touching and real. I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a can't-put-it-down read.

This time the hero is no hockey player, but a firefighter. Sean Kennealy is Gemma Dante's (cousin of Michael Dante, hero in Fair Play) neighbor and has so his problems with Gemma's Wiccan beliefes, especially with her burning incencses. But also they have some troubles at the beginning they soon come together. Everything seems okay till Gemma gets problems with Sean's being a firefighter plus some other problems.

The book is as much a fun read as Body Check and Fair Play was. It's a really good book.Too bad that the reader as to wait till early 2006 till the next book by Deirdre Martin will be released.