Book: Playing HurtAuthor: Holly Schindler
Date Published: March 21, 2011
Pages: 312
Source: My Bookshelf
Date Read: April 23, 2011
Star basketball player Chelsea "Nitro" Keyes had the promise of a full ride to college—and everyone's admiration back home. Then she took a horrible fall during senior year. Now a metal plate holds her together and she feels like a stranger in her own family.
That summer, Chelsea's dad hires Clint, a nineteen-year-old ex-hockey player and "boot camp" trainer, to work with her at a northern Minnesota lake resort. As they grow close, Chelsea finds that Clint's haunted by his own tragedy. Will their romance end up hurting them all over again—or finally heal their heartbreak?
Summary Taken from Goodreads
It is so hard for me to write this review because there where some things I loved, but then there were things that really bothered me. I will try to review without spoilers and warn you when it gets a little spoilery.
First off a fair warning, this is definitely a HOT book, which I liked, but I wasn't prepared for it. Being labeled as YA usually means sexual stuff may happen, but its skipped over or faded out like in movies. In this book you get a full frontal, and let me just say Holly knows how to write steamy scenes.
This book starts off slow, explaining Chelsea and Clint's background and while I didn't mind the slow pace I did feel the writing jumped trains of thought quickly. It left me a little confused, but a couple of chapters in I was totally engrossed and either didn't notice it or it stopped.
Its like instead of growing up and facing her mistake, she acts like she did nothing wrong. The end made it clear that she never grew out of that selfishness.
Ratings: First off a fair warning, this is definitely a HOT book, which I liked, but I wasn't prepared for it. Being labeled as YA usually means sexual stuff may happen, but its skipped over or faded out like in movies. In this book you get a full frontal, and let me just say Holly knows how to write steamy scenes.
This book starts off slow, explaining Chelsea and Clint's background and while I didn't mind the slow pace I did feel the writing jumped trains of thought quickly. It left me a little confused, but a couple of chapters in I was totally engrossed and either didn't notice it or it stopped.
Start spoilery section
I absolutely loved Clint, I felt for Chelsea in the beginning, but I never liked Gabe (her boyfriend). He was way too romantic/corny/cheesy/perfect. Still as much as I didn't like him, I could not believe Chelsea would cheat on him. And the thing is, I really do understand why. She has an amazing connection to Clint, they have a common struggle, and I can understand that she is confused and is acting selfish because she feels like she lost everything. But the way she acts towards Gabe, once she is back home, to me, cheapens her connection to Clint.Its like instead of growing up and facing her mistake, she acts like she did nothing wrong. The end made it clear that she never grew out of that selfishness.
end spoilery stuff
Still I am giving it a pretty high rating because I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed reading it and while not every character has to be "good" and not every story needs a lesson learned. I wish Chelsea had gotten more from the summer and from Clint other than to stop being scared. Plus there where some really good romantic scenes and some beautiful writing, I mean I really felt like I was on the mountains.
Writing Style: 4/5
Uniqueness: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
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Memorable Quotes:
"In that moment, my hip is an open wound he's just emptied an entire salt shaker into."
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