Helpful Score: 2
Wonderful series of books. This is the fourth book in the series.
Helpful Score: 1
I have read all of Deirdre Martin's books so far and this was the definitely NOT my favorite. I loved all the others and have been eagerly awaiting this one but was disappointed. I don't really get the relationship between Katie and Paul other than he's gorgeous and now she looks good too. They don't have anything in common and they are both pretty screwed up. They spend the first part of the book trying to avoid arguments or tiptoeing around certain sensitive topics. Katie's obsessive need to keep their relationship a secret is irritating and doesn't make any sense. I really wanted to like Katie in the beginning especially with the way she succeeded in her weight loss goals and getting healthy but she was just too rigid for me to relate too. She almost acted as if she really didn't care all that much for Paul at all and was just using him to pass the time and that he gave her something to do,(it didn't seem like it was very hard to leave him) what with picking apart his problems with his early retirment and feelings of failure. I just felt that Katie could have been a little softer and that they could have related a little better than they did. It was a little bit better in the second half of the book but overall there wasn't enough chemistry between them and the book focused too much on their personal problems and not enough on their relationship. In fact it focused more on Katie's relationship with her sister and nephew than on any romance and then at the end it just kind of wrapped all up too neat within a couple of pages.
Helpful Score: 1
Cute and funny. All about going back to your high school after 10 years and being the hot chick that you're weren't then.
Helpful Score: 1
This is a wonderful author and a great story. Yes, former fat girl comes back to her home town, a success and the highscool jock who injuries himself and can't play professional hockey, fall in love. But that is only one third of the book. The rest is the learning experiences of both the hero and heroine, her nephew, her druggy sister and a anal dull town. Life lessons are revealed in this book. Couldn't put it down.
Helpful Score: 1
A hockey player whose career was cut short by injury is living in the past at his sports bar. A college professor who comes back to her home town to write a book becomes his next conquest. Great story. Heart warming!... and HOT!
Barbara G. (sahmbookworm) reviewed The Penalty Box (New York Blades, Bk 4) on + 40 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Even though the hero in this book is an ex hockey player, the sport doesn't play real prominently in this story. This is a part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone story.
Helpful Score: 1
Another winner by Deirdre Martin. Funny and cute
Helpful Score: 1
This is the first Deidre Martin book i've read and really enjoyed it. You can relate to Katie and wanting to "knock the socks" off of her former high school classmates!
I plan on looking for more of her books!
I plan on looking for more of her books!
It was a fun story.
A fun contemporary romance book.
Good and fun read great for a rainy day or at the beach.I liked it.
cute story.
Fun and fast-paced.
Wonderful book! I enjoyed the respect and relationship between the two main characters so much.
great book
very nice read! Can't wait for Martin's New one!
Not much hockey action since Paul is retired, which is disappointing. Like all her books, a good, fun read.
This book was okay- I didn't enjoy it as much as Martin's first two books. Another story in the hockey genre, Paul Van Dorn has been forced to retire and has opened a bar in his hometown. Katie Fisher, his high school classmate has lost all the weight that outcasted her in High School. She also returns to their hometown - she is a Sociology professor on sabbatical and she is helping to take care of her nephew. The story was readable, but I felt the chemistry between the two leads was lukewarm and the plot was very thin.
being a romance novel junkie and a ginormous hockey fan i can't get enough of deirdre martin's series of hockey romances. the plot is a little predictable, but there are some quirks thrown in so things aren't dull. worth a read if you're a hockey fan like me.
Funny, funny book. Many laugh-out loud moments, but also sweet and tender exploration of human feelings. Would love to read a sequel to this!
Connie P. (Activegram149) reviewed The Penalty Box (New York Blades, Bk 4) on + 809 more book reviews
Love this book. Great story, well written. Wish the series didn't end.
Everyone from Didsbury high remembers Katie Fisher as the dumpy brainiac from the poor side of town. Everyone from Didsbury High remembers Paul Van Dorn as the school hockey star and heartthrob.
But now they are facing off and matching up in more ways than one. Katies lost the pounds, added some self confidence and become a drop dead gorgeous sociology professor. and Since a series of concussions put an end to Pauls pro hockey career, his star has dimmed. Now he hits the ice as a youth hockey coach. But he's still got the hometown crowd behind him as the owner of a bar called the Penalty Box. Paul is reliving his glory days. Katie wishes she could put those years behind her. And the battle of wills that ensues just might knock love right out of the game...
But now they are facing off and matching up in more ways than one. Katies lost the pounds, added some self confidence and become a drop dead gorgeous sociology professor. and Since a series of concussions put an end to Pauls pro hockey career, his star has dimmed. Now he hits the ice as a youth hockey coach. But he's still got the hometown crowd behind him as the owner of a bar called the Penalty Box. Paul is reliving his glory days. Katie wishes she could put those years behind her. And the battle of wills that ensues just might knock love right out of the game...
Everyone from Didsbury High remembers Katie Fisher as the dumpy brainiac from the poor side of town.Everyone from Didsbury High remebers Paul van Dorn as the school hocky star-and heartthrob.
But now they're facing off-and matching up in more ways then one.Katie's lost the pounds,added some self-confidence,and become a drop-dead goegeous sociology professor.
And since a series of concussions put and end to Paul's pro-hocky career,his star has dimmed.Now he hits the ice as a youth hocky coach. But he's still got the hometown crowd behind him as the owner of a bar called the Penality Box.
Paul is reliving his glory days. Katie wishes she could put those years behind her.And the battle of wills that ensues just might knock love right out of the game...
But now they're facing off-and matching up in more ways then one.Katie's lost the pounds,added some self-confidence,and become a drop-dead goegeous sociology professor.
And since a series of concussions put and end to Paul's pro-hocky career,his star has dimmed.Now he hits the ice as a youth hocky coach. But he's still got the hometown crowd behind him as the owner of a bar called the Penality Box.
Paul is reliving his glory days. Katie wishes she could put those years behind her.And the battle of wills that ensues just might knock love right out of the game...
