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New York Blades #10
Hip Check
Esa Saari is a hockey player for the New York Blades with a bad-boy rep both on and off the ice. But when he suddenly becomes the guardian of his eight-year-old niece, Nell, he knows his excessive lifestyle is about to get body checked.
So he hires a live-in nanny. Her name is Michelle Beck, and she gets along great with Nell. What surprises him, though, is that he instantly hits it off with her, too. Getting romantically involved would be a bad idea, but he’s finding it impossible to ignore the intense connection between them.
Michelle, however, takes her job very seriously, and must decide whether to listen to her head or her heart. And Esa’s got to decide if he can give up his bad- boy image for the love of a good woman…
So he hires a live-in nanny. Her name is Michelle Beck, and she gets along great with Nell. What surprises him, though, is that he instantly hits it off with her, too. Getting romantically involved would be a bad idea, but he’s finding it impossible to ignore the intense connection between them.
Michelle, however, takes her job very seriously, and must decide whether to listen to her head or her heart. And Esa’s got to decide if he can give up his bad- boy image for the love of a good woman…
340 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 5, 2013
25 people are currently reading
1047 people want to read
About the author
Deirdre Martin
29 books582 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
New York Times Bestselling Author Deirdre Martin was six when she wrote her first "book,”a Peanuts parody. In addition to penning bad, maudlin poetry in junior high school and serving as the Arts Editor on her high school newspaper, she was also the Arts Editor at her college newspaper at the University of New York at Buffalo, where she earned her BA in English in 1985. While writing for the student newspaper there, she sold her first freelance magazine article and won a city wide play writing contest. Her play, Spin Cycle, about two lonely people at a laundromat, was subsequently performed in a theater space in downtown Buffalo.
Ater graduating college, Deirdre worked at a series of trade magazines before landing a job at Soap Opera Digest. While she says it was fun working in a place where she got to watch TV all afternoon, she longed to branch out, and after two years, left to begin freelancing full time. Over the course of her twelve year freelance career, her work appeared in a wide variety of publications, including Seventeen, YM, McCall's, Fitness, New Woman, Bride's, Bridal Guide, Inside Sports, Woman's World, Modern Maturity, Islands, Newsday, and the New York Times. In 1998, her first non fiction book was published: Investing for Retirement (Avon). She also contributed to Lifescripts for Managers, Lifescripts for Employees, and Lifescripts for the Self Employed. (MacMillan, 1999).
A fan of the romance genre and of soap opera ("If Dickens were alive today, he'd be writing for a soap," Deirdre maintains), she decided to try her own hand at writing a romance novel. The result, BODY CHECK, was published in March, 2003, followed by USA Today Bestseller FAIR PLAY in 2004, TOTAL RUSH in 2005, THE PENALTY BOX in 2006, and USA Today Bestseller CHASING STANLEY in 2008.
2008 also saw the publication of JUST A TASTE, which made The New York Times Bestseller List. Deirdre returned to the world of the Blades in 2009 with POWERPLAY. 2009 was also when she launched a new series, The Wild Hart Saga, centering around a large Irish American family who own a pub in Manhattan. The first book in the series, WITH A TWIST, was quickly followed by STRAIGHT UP in 2010, and there are plans for at least two more. But the New York Blades keep calling her back: her next book, ICEBREAKER, will be published in 2011.
A resident of Ithaca, NY, Deirdre enjoys hiking and biking with her husband, Mark Levine, co author of the financial bestsellers, Die Broke and Live Rich. When not busy lavishing affection on her beloved Newfie, Rocky, she also enjoys reading, baking, listening to music, yoga, photography, and hanging out with her friends from acting class. She's had the same best friend since she was ten and adores the color purple.
New York Times Bestselling Author Deirdre Martin was six when she wrote her first "book,”a Peanuts parody. In addition to penning bad, maudlin poetry in junior high school and serving as the Arts Editor on her high school newspaper, she was also the Arts Editor at her college newspaper at the University of New York at Buffalo, where she earned her BA in English in 1985. While writing for the student newspaper there, she sold her first freelance magazine article and won a city wide play writing contest. Her play, Spin Cycle, about two lonely people at a laundromat, was subsequently performed in a theater space in downtown Buffalo.
Ater graduating college, Deirdre worked at a series of trade magazines before landing a job at Soap Opera Digest. While she says it was fun working in a place where she got to watch TV all afternoon, she longed to branch out, and after two years, left to begin freelancing full time. Over the course of her twelve year freelance career, her work appeared in a wide variety of publications, including Seventeen, YM, McCall's, Fitness, New Woman, Bride's, Bridal Guide, Inside Sports, Woman's World, Modern Maturity, Islands, Newsday, and the New York Times. In 1998, her first non fiction book was published: Investing for Retirement (Avon). She also contributed to Lifescripts for Managers, Lifescripts for Employees, and Lifescripts for the Self Employed. (MacMillan, 1999).
A fan of the romance genre and of soap opera ("If Dickens were alive today, he'd be writing for a soap," Deirdre maintains), she decided to try her own hand at writing a romance novel. The result, BODY CHECK, was published in March, 2003, followed by USA Today Bestseller FAIR PLAY in 2004, TOTAL RUSH in 2005, THE PENALTY BOX in 2006, and USA Today Bestseller CHASING STANLEY in 2008.
2008 also saw the publication of JUST A TASTE, which made The New York Times Bestseller List. Deirdre returned to the world of the Blades in 2009 with POWERPLAY. 2009 was also when she launched a new series, The Wild Hart Saga, centering around a large Irish American family who own a pub in Manhattan. The first book in the series, WITH A TWIST, was quickly followed by STRAIGHT UP in 2010, and there are plans for at least two more. But the New York Blades keep calling her back: her next book, ICEBREAKER, will be published in 2011.
A resident of Ithaca, NY, Deirdre enjoys hiking and biking with her husband, Mark Levine, co author of the financial bestsellers, Die Broke and Live Rich. When not busy lavishing affection on her beloved Newfie, Rocky, she also enjoys reading, baking, listening to music, yoga, photography, and hanging out with her friends from acting class. She's had the same best friend since she was ten and adores the color purple.
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October 22, 2018
“What kind of a twit walks around with nothing but five hundred dollars in cash, house keys, and a Finnish drivers license?”
Ever read a book where the dialogue is great, the humor is popping and the secondary characters are enjoyable but the lead characters have zero chemistry?
And said secondary characters seem a little more fleshed out than the leads?
.....well ok, not by much.
Meet our heroine, Michelle Beck.
She's got no face.
Neither did the hero, Esa Saari. 😐
You have no idea what he looks like other than being told repeatedly he's "gorgeous, beautiful and muscular". Uh, ok.
But uho! Waaaait for it. Plot twist!
Suddenly on page 66 you find out Esa has jet black hair. Then on page 130 you finally discover Esa has ice blue eyes. 😱 Well, okie-dokie.
Why am I being told what the hero looks like in small increments? Unfortunately Michelle wasn't so lucky. She's faceless through the whole thing. And I'm not really sure if it was intentional or not, considering the way you slowly find out what the hero looks like. It just came off scattered and so dismissive to me.
For me as a reader, someone who very much needs mental pictures of characters and preferably early on, this bothered me. Because of this oversight the hero and heroine came off underdeveloped and so did their relationship. Michelle and Esa's relationship is the most forced, random thing out of this entire book. And unbelievable to boot. I mean their personalities really pop off the page, that was really nicely fleshed out but everything else? Blah. It’s also really hard to connect with characters when all you see are big blobs for their faces. This drives me absolutely mental when authors do this. Please give your characters definition, you clearly have *some* idea of what they look like in your head when you are writing the story, right? Right?! THEN SHARE IT WITH YOUR READERS.
Sorry for the caps yelling, but honestly. I don’t understand how/why this gets overlooked in the writing process. I never will. And it's a shame cause this author really has a deft hand at writing great humor with some bite to it. Esa wise cracking with the guys and sparring with Michelle was on point and great. But that depth was missing, which felt like such a contradiction. Her writing reminded me a lot of Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Rachel Gibson. If you love Sport Romances with off-beat characters and well rounded supporting colorful cast I'd definitely recommend this author. While this pairing wasn’t a winner for me I definitely want to try more Deirdre Martin books. If anything, her humor and timing is great. And I loved the fact that the hero was a Finnish Hockey player who curses and even says ILY in Finnish. *swoon* So cute.
And the stand out character, who strangely enough is the *only* character out of this whole book we get a very clear distinct description on is Nelle, Esa’s 8 year-old niece. I loved her. She reminded me of a mini version of Keira Knightley with her posh accent and polite manners. Her abandonment issues, fear and anxiety over losing another loved one was really nicely handled in this and so realistic. Seeing bachelor clueless Esa try to navigate ways of being a good guardian and loving uncle was sweet to see. Just wish his relationship with Michelle was more believable. Or interesting.
My only other complaint goes in part back to the h/hr lack of connection & chemistry. And that is theconvoluted excuse used to break them up. It's as unrealistic & forced as this couple's entire relationship. lol Michelle's douchehole brother guilts Michelle into believing her relationship with playboy hockey star Esa is the reason . 😕 Yes because his bad cough, cigar smoking and poor eating that's been stressed over and over again through the whole dang book has no play in that? *facepalm* I found this so weak and made the heroine come off extremely passive and inconsistent. She's a fucking steel post in everything else. She's completely unbending with sweet adorable Nelle, and goes toe-to-toe with alpha macho Hockey players but this is what she caves over?! Nah. Not buying it for a second. Same goes for her reason for why she's never been in a serious relationship before. Apparently she always held this fear of the person she got involved with would "die on her". Uuuh......ok. Where did that even come from? There's a constant lack of disconnect with this character. Only solid tangible thing about her is her steel will and disciplined focus on taking care of Nelle. Everything else was fuzzy and undefined. And the things the author chose to stress the most got a little annoying. Like Michelle's stubborn irrational pride. A grown ass woman crawling all over an ice rink on her hands and knees cause she's too prideful and embarrassed to tell a Hockey player he was right and she needs help learning how to skate just toes the line of stupid. LOL You already look like an ass dear.
Overall, enjoyable. Funny. Will I give Deirdre Martin another chance? Yup.
Ever read a book where the dialogue is great, the humor is popping and the secondary characters are enjoyable but the lead characters have zero chemistry?
And said secondary characters seem a little more fleshed out than the leads?
.....well ok, not by much.
Meet our heroine, Michelle Beck.
She's got no face.
Neither did the hero, Esa Saari. 😐
You have no idea what he looks like other than being told repeatedly he's "gorgeous, beautiful and muscular". Uh, ok.
But uho! Waaaait for it. Plot twist!
Suddenly on page 66 you find out Esa has jet black hair. Then on page 130 you finally discover Esa has ice blue eyes. 😱 Well, okie-dokie.
Why am I being told what the hero looks like in small increments? Unfortunately Michelle wasn't so lucky. She's faceless through the whole thing. And I'm not really sure if it was intentional or not, considering the way you slowly find out what the hero looks like. It just came off scattered and so dismissive to me.
For me as a reader, someone who very much needs mental pictures of characters and preferably early on, this bothered me. Because of this oversight the hero and heroine came off underdeveloped and so did their relationship. Michelle and Esa's relationship is the most forced, random thing out of this entire book. And unbelievable to boot. I mean their personalities really pop off the page, that was really nicely fleshed out but everything else? Blah. It’s also really hard to connect with characters when all you see are big blobs for their faces. This drives me absolutely mental when authors do this. Please give your characters definition, you clearly have *some* idea of what they look like in your head when you are writing the story, right? Right?! THEN SHARE IT WITH YOUR READERS.
Sorry for the caps yelling, but honestly. I don’t understand how/why this gets overlooked in the writing process. I never will. And it's a shame cause this author really has a deft hand at writing great humor with some bite to it. Esa wise cracking with the guys and sparring with Michelle was on point and great. But that depth was missing, which felt like such a contradiction. Her writing reminded me a lot of Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Rachel Gibson. If you love Sport Romances with off-beat characters and well rounded supporting colorful cast I'd definitely recommend this author. While this pairing wasn’t a winner for me I definitely want to try more Deirdre Martin books. If anything, her humor and timing is great. And I loved the fact that the hero was a Finnish Hockey player who curses and even says ILY in Finnish. *swoon* So cute.
And the stand out character, who strangely enough is the *only* character out of this whole book we get a very clear distinct description on is Nelle, Esa’s 8 year-old niece. I loved her. She reminded me of a mini version of Keira Knightley with her posh accent and polite manners. Her abandonment issues, fear and anxiety over losing another loved one was really nicely handled in this and so realistic. Seeing bachelor clueless Esa try to navigate ways of being a good guardian and loving uncle was sweet to see. Just wish his relationship with Michelle was more believable. Or interesting.
My only other complaint goes in part back to the h/hr lack of connection & chemistry. And that is the
Overall, enjoyable. Funny. Will I give Deirdre Martin another chance? Yup.
February 20, 2013
Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2013/02/08/...
I love sports romance books more than anything else. They are my all-time favorite trope, and I am constantly on the lookout for new books within the genre. I had yet to try out Martin, so when I recieved this book in the mail, I couldn’t wait to try it out.
Esa has been living the life of a bachelor for a long time, but now that he has custody of his young niece, his life is changing in ways he never expected. Knowing he can’t care for a young girl himself, he hires a live in nanny to help take care of Nell. But Michelle isn’t what Esa expected. Not only is she sexy in a way that Esa never expected, but she also forces him to reevaluate his life, especially now that Nell is in it.
Michelle is used to working with difficult celebrities. Esa isn’t much different, except for the fact that for the first time ever, Michelle is attracted to one of her clients. If it weren’t for Nell, Michelle would never even consider putting up with someone like Esa, but they really seem to bond over the little girl, and soon Michelle finds herself warming Esa’s bed along side his heart.
For as much as I love sports romance books, there was something missing with this one. I never really connected with the romance in this book, and found the relationship between Esa and Michelle to be somewhat superficial. I never really felt their draw to each other, never really felt what exactly it was that kept them together. As much as I wanted to love them, they just never really seemed like a couple to me for some reason.
That being said, I had a love-hate relationship with Michelle and Esa. I loved Michelle and hated Esa. I thought Michelle was such a sweetie. She obviously loved and adored Nell, and was willing to put up with so much BS from Esa to be in Nell’s life. She cared for her family and her friends and she was an absolute saint for all she put up with. I would have never made it in her shoes. Despite how much I adored Michelle, Esa was the complete opposite. He was a little cold and emotionally detached. He never seemed to want to deal with anything touchy-feely, and treated Michelle like crap in the beginning. I wanted him to change, and while he definitely made an effort, I never really felt as if he warmed up to Michelle OR Nell.
I have read other books that deal with a hero gaining custody of a niece or nephew, and while I think it can be done really well, I didn’t really like it in this context. Esa was so attached to his bachelor lifestyle, that having a kid cramped his style, and he wasn’t afraid to admit it. He never really connected with Nell, and while an attachment did eventually grow between them, it was SLOW to develop. I wanted there to be a little more between them, and was kinda disappointed that it took so long for Esa and Nell to connect. Plus, I never really did get the kind of emotional response that I’m accustomed to with these kinds of stories.
All in all I thought this was a very lackluster romance. There wasn’t anything special about Esa and Michelle’s relationship. If anything, I had a difficult time trying to determine WHY they were even in a relationship in the first place. I wasn’t a big fan of the hero, and had it not been for Michelle, I don’t think I would have finished this book. I’m willing to give Martin another chance, mainly because of my love of sports romances, and I can only hope her other works pull me into the story more than this one did.
I give Hip Check a C-
I love sports romance books more than anything else. They are my all-time favorite trope, and I am constantly on the lookout for new books within the genre. I had yet to try out Martin, so when I recieved this book in the mail, I couldn’t wait to try it out.
Esa has been living the life of a bachelor for a long time, but now that he has custody of his young niece, his life is changing in ways he never expected. Knowing he can’t care for a young girl himself, he hires a live in nanny to help take care of Nell. But Michelle isn’t what Esa expected. Not only is she sexy in a way that Esa never expected, but she also forces him to reevaluate his life, especially now that Nell is in it.
Michelle is used to working with difficult celebrities. Esa isn’t much different, except for the fact that for the first time ever, Michelle is attracted to one of her clients. If it weren’t for Nell, Michelle would never even consider putting up with someone like Esa, but they really seem to bond over the little girl, and soon Michelle finds herself warming Esa’s bed along side his heart.
For as much as I love sports romance books, there was something missing with this one. I never really connected with the romance in this book, and found the relationship between Esa and Michelle to be somewhat superficial. I never really felt their draw to each other, never really felt what exactly it was that kept them together. As much as I wanted to love them, they just never really seemed like a couple to me for some reason.
That being said, I had a love-hate relationship with Michelle and Esa. I loved Michelle and hated Esa. I thought Michelle was such a sweetie. She obviously loved and adored Nell, and was willing to put up with so much BS from Esa to be in Nell’s life. She cared for her family and her friends and she was an absolute saint for all she put up with. I would have never made it in her shoes. Despite how much I adored Michelle, Esa was the complete opposite. He was a little cold and emotionally detached. He never seemed to want to deal with anything touchy-feely, and treated Michelle like crap in the beginning. I wanted him to change, and while he definitely made an effort, I never really felt as if he warmed up to Michelle OR Nell.
I have read other books that deal with a hero gaining custody of a niece or nephew, and while I think it can be done really well, I didn’t really like it in this context. Esa was so attached to his bachelor lifestyle, that having a kid cramped his style, and he wasn’t afraid to admit it. He never really connected with Nell, and while an attachment did eventually grow between them, it was SLOW to develop. I wanted there to be a little more between them, and was kinda disappointed that it took so long for Esa and Nell to connect. Plus, I never really did get the kind of emotional response that I’m accustomed to with these kinds of stories.
All in all I thought this was a very lackluster romance. There wasn’t anything special about Esa and Michelle’s relationship. If anything, I had a difficult time trying to determine WHY they were even in a relationship in the first place. I wasn’t a big fan of the hero, and had it not been for Michelle, I don’t think I would have finished this book. I’m willing to give Martin another chance, mainly because of my love of sports romances, and I can only hope her other works pull me into the story more than this one did.
I give Hip Check a C-
June 8, 2018
Me gusto como se fue desarrollando la historia entre los protagonistas, Esa la veía como una mujer normal y ella no daba ni 5 pesos por él
Es entretenido por el momento, no creo que me lo repita pero no siento que perdí mi tiempo al leerlo
Es entretenido por el momento, no creo que me lo repita pero no siento que perdí mi tiempo al leerlo
Want to read
October 14, 2012Oh lordy... i really REALLY hope this one is better than the last book in this series... i still LOVE Dierdre Martin AND her hockey studs, so i'll DEF still be buying this though...
February 19, 2013
Hip Check is the tenth book in Ms. Martin’s sports series which focuses on the lives and loves of a fictional hockey team-the New York Blades. A romantic contemporary that addresses the real life concerns and issues facing two completely different individuals who have found themselves drawn together over the well being of a little girl. Written in a strong conversational style format, we watch our two protagonists, Esa and Michelle, lock horns and lips in a battle of wills that becomes a battle for their hearts.
This installment carries a deep vein of sadness to it that isn’t present in the previous books. Esa Saari has a lot on his plate. His contract is up for renewal and the Blades aren’t knocking down his door to resign him. His antic in his personal life has not reflected well on him. He has also just gained custody of his niece, Nell. A confirmed playboy bachelor, he has no idea what to do with an 8 year old little girl. His friends come through for him in the form of Michelle Beck-professional nanny.
Michelle, a former school teacher turned nanny with some deep seated issues of her own, just got out of a job from hell and was looking to take a break but cannot help but feel for the motherless child. The sparks fly when Esa and Michelle first meet. He just wants to get back to his lifestyle sans pre parenthood and she can’t believe he has no clue to what he is doing and doesn’t seem to want to learn.
Martin does a good job of pairing two characters together who, at first glance, seem the exact opposite of each other. Esa lives a carefree life while Michelle is more grounded and stable. Yet, as you get to know them, you realize they are more alike than you think. Both Esa and Michelle’s childhoods have caused them to seek careers that give them a sense of family without actually having to make the commitment to one. As we watch their interactions with others, you can see the walls they have erected. Both of them try hard to be what they think others expect of them, yet you can feel the dissatisfaction with their lives in general.
While I liked this book overall, there was a flatness to it. Martin writes a good story with plenty of emotional scenes, but the emotion doesn’t always translate well from paper to reader. The premise hints at the potential for an epic battle of wills; with plenty of humor, lust, and good intentions to keep the reader engrossed. But that’s not what we get. The plotlines and romance are formulaic and while I found myself interested in the protagonists journey, the interest was vague. There are no real surprises in here. Nothing that made me sit up and take notice. Both characters had potential but I never felt they fleshed out fully. Michelle’s judgmental and rigid attitude was amusing at first but the thaw I expected never comes. I understood her needing to lay down the law with Esa and making sure he realized that she was a nanny and he was the parent, but when she starts a relationship with him, I never felt her initial feelings towards him change. It made me question the validity of their romance. Even at the very end, I sensed her respect and understanding of his past behavior but I still didn’t feel like she liked him.
Esa was a little more convincing with his overall feelings of guilt and unworthiness towards his career and family. His transformation comes about in a believable fashion; his ability to actually want a relationship with both Michelle and Nell was a huge step for him. But a part of me still felt the both of them were just going through the motions.
I have noticed with Ms. Martin’s books that she is much more playful with her secondary characters. They are better developed and more versatile than her protagonists. Michelle’s father and brother are solid figures in Michelle’s life though she even keeps them at arm’s length, choosing to ignore certain things for the fear they will come true. The Blade teammates are always a gregarious group, offering advice and censure whenever they feel you need it. Whether you want it or not.
The ending is predictable as issues are addressed and conflicts resolved. We aren’t left with a concrete HEA, but you have a feeling this family will certainly try their best. While Hip Check didn’t blow me away, it is a solid installment that fans of this series are sure to enjoy.
Overall Rating: C
This installment carries a deep vein of sadness to it that isn’t present in the previous books. Esa Saari has a lot on his plate. His contract is up for renewal and the Blades aren’t knocking down his door to resign him. His antic in his personal life has not reflected well on him. He has also just gained custody of his niece, Nell. A confirmed playboy bachelor, he has no idea what to do with an 8 year old little girl. His friends come through for him in the form of Michelle Beck-professional nanny.
Michelle, a former school teacher turned nanny with some deep seated issues of her own, just got out of a job from hell and was looking to take a break but cannot help but feel for the motherless child. The sparks fly when Esa and Michelle first meet. He just wants to get back to his lifestyle sans pre parenthood and she can’t believe he has no clue to what he is doing and doesn’t seem to want to learn.
Martin does a good job of pairing two characters together who, at first glance, seem the exact opposite of each other. Esa lives a carefree life while Michelle is more grounded and stable. Yet, as you get to know them, you realize they are more alike than you think. Both Esa and Michelle’s childhoods have caused them to seek careers that give them a sense of family without actually having to make the commitment to one. As we watch their interactions with others, you can see the walls they have erected. Both of them try hard to be what they think others expect of them, yet you can feel the dissatisfaction with their lives in general.
While I liked this book overall, there was a flatness to it. Martin writes a good story with plenty of emotional scenes, but the emotion doesn’t always translate well from paper to reader. The premise hints at the potential for an epic battle of wills; with plenty of humor, lust, and good intentions to keep the reader engrossed. But that’s not what we get. The plotlines and romance are formulaic and while I found myself interested in the protagonists journey, the interest was vague. There are no real surprises in here. Nothing that made me sit up and take notice. Both characters had potential but I never felt they fleshed out fully. Michelle’s judgmental and rigid attitude was amusing at first but the thaw I expected never comes. I understood her needing to lay down the law with Esa and making sure he realized that she was a nanny and he was the parent, but when she starts a relationship with him, I never felt her initial feelings towards him change. It made me question the validity of their romance. Even at the very end, I sensed her respect and understanding of his past behavior but I still didn’t feel like she liked him.
Esa was a little more convincing with his overall feelings of guilt and unworthiness towards his career and family. His transformation comes about in a believable fashion; his ability to actually want a relationship with both Michelle and Nell was a huge step for him. But a part of me still felt the both of them were just going through the motions.
I have noticed with Ms. Martin’s books that she is much more playful with her secondary characters. They are better developed and more versatile than her protagonists. Michelle’s father and brother are solid figures in Michelle’s life though she even keeps them at arm’s length, choosing to ignore certain things for the fear they will come true. The Blade teammates are always a gregarious group, offering advice and censure whenever they feel you need it. Whether you want it or not.
The ending is predictable as issues are addressed and conflicts resolved. We aren’t left with a concrete HEA, but you have a feeling this family will certainly try their best. While Hip Check didn’t blow me away, it is a solid installment that fans of this series are sure to enjoy.
Overall Rating: C
June 19, 2013
This review was posted at Tsuki’s Book Blog on June 17, 2013
Oh DNFs, how I hate you. I really dislike giving books DNF ratings but this was one of those where I could not stick it out for another 40%. Why you ask? Why could I not finish this book when it has all the makings of a book I'd love? Well I'll get to that in a moment. But first,
Esa is a hockey player who is a bit of a ladies man. Suddenly he is saddled with his niece and decides to hire a nanny. Completely clueless, he hires the first chick he meets and then doesn't grasp the fact nannying is not a 24/7 job. As Michelle and Esa begin to fight (sexual tension!) he realizes he needs to do more for Nell (his niece) and proceed with caution with Michelle.
I'm sure some sort of conflict would eventually materialize for Esa and Michelle but I didn't get there. I got totally bogged down with one issue. And here it is.
I'VE READ THIS STORY BEFORE!
Seriously I'm pretty sure I've read this story a bunch of times before (exactly) except he's a hockey player. The story always goes exactly the same. Clueless dad or uncle hires live-in nanny without a real interview and then doesn't seem to grasp the concept of her having a separate life (even when he pretends he does). Inevitably they start to sleep together and/or date. The some sort of conflict from the guy's past ruins everything. Also the kid always loves the nanny.
Not only have I read the story before but I've written a fanfiction with this premise. Seriously it was concerning to me.
Unfortunately the characters didn't make up for it. By the 50% mark I knew Esa was an ass and Michelle thought she wasn't a doormat. That was the extent of my knowledge. The author kept telling me there was sexual tension and attraction but I never got that out of the story. To me it seemed forced. I didn't understand why they were supposed to fall in love other than for plot convenience.
I've been having a bad run of those recently where I don't see the relationship as being because of love. I've been dealing with a lot of 'forced' relationships and it is just so disappointing in a book with a heavily recycled plot.
Finally around the 50% mark I put the book down when I realized I didn't care what happened. I didn't care if I never found out where they ended up (most likely together) or what the conflict would be. I didn't care if Esa wised up or if Nell got a happy family. I was just done. It went back to the library the next day.
This was my first Dierdre Martin and while I wouldn't say I wouldn't read another by her, I would have to be convinced of it first. I do not read many sports books as a whole other than some with boxing or underground fighting.
1 Star-DNF
Published by Berkley
February 5, 2013
340 Pages
Provided by--the Library
Oh DNFs, how I hate you. I really dislike giving books DNF ratings but this was one of those where I could not stick it out for another 40%. Why you ask? Why could I not finish this book when it has all the makings of a book I'd love? Well I'll get to that in a moment. But first,
Esa is a hockey player who is a bit of a ladies man. Suddenly he is saddled with his niece and decides to hire a nanny. Completely clueless, he hires the first chick he meets and then doesn't grasp the fact nannying is not a 24/7 job. As Michelle and Esa begin to fight (sexual tension!) he realizes he needs to do more for Nell (his niece) and proceed with caution with Michelle.
I'm sure some sort of conflict would eventually materialize for Esa and Michelle but I didn't get there. I got totally bogged down with one issue. And here it is.
I'VE READ THIS STORY BEFORE!
Seriously I'm pretty sure I've read this story a bunch of times before (exactly) except he's a hockey player. The story always goes exactly the same. Clueless dad or uncle hires live-in nanny without a real interview and then doesn't seem to grasp the concept of her having a separate life (even when he pretends he does). Inevitably they start to sleep together and/or date. The some sort of conflict from the guy's past ruins everything. Also the kid always loves the nanny.
Not only have I read the story before but I've written a fanfiction with this premise. Seriously it was concerning to me.
Unfortunately the characters didn't make up for it. By the 50% mark I knew Esa was an ass and Michelle thought she wasn't a doormat. That was the extent of my knowledge. The author kept telling me there was sexual tension and attraction but I never got that out of the story. To me it seemed forced. I didn't understand why they were supposed to fall in love other than for plot convenience.
I've been having a bad run of those recently where I don't see the relationship as being because of love. I've been dealing with a lot of 'forced' relationships and it is just so disappointing in a book with a heavily recycled plot.
Finally around the 50% mark I put the book down when I realized I didn't care what happened. I didn't care if I never found out where they ended up (most likely together) or what the conflict would be. I didn't care if Esa wised up or if Nell got a happy family. I was just done. It went back to the library the next day.
This was my first Dierdre Martin and while I wouldn't say I wouldn't read another by her, I would have to be convinced of it first. I do not read many sports books as a whole other than some with boxing or underground fighting.
1 Star-DNF
Published by Berkley
February 5, 2013
340 Pages
Provided by--the Library
May 1, 2013
5 stars because I love DM. I love that she went back to USA (after the Irish period). I love sport stories. I love little girls.
So this story is like a Harlequin. A nanny for an orphan girl, sent to her uncle, who doesn't know what to do. But he's a NY Blade, she's a great nanny, very sweet with the little girl and trying to be hethical(?) with her boss. BOth of them are afraid to be in a relationship (her because scared, him because he's a dog! LOL)
Thanks Mrs Martin, as usual for deliver!
So this story is like a Harlequin. A nanny for an orphan girl, sent to her uncle, who doesn't know what to do. But he's a NY Blade, she's a great nanny, very sweet with the little girl and trying to be hethical(?) with her boss. BOth of them are afraid to be in a relationship (her because scared, him because he's a dog! LOL)
Thanks Mrs Martin, as usual for deliver!
March 25, 2013
I've liked her other books but this one was awful. To set up your main character with all these ethics about work relationships, only to have her fall into bed with her employer is strange to say the least. Also, the themes of loss, grief, contained emotion are pretty simply resolved. Yes, I know it is a romance but still... I did finish it, because like I said I have liked her books before but I think it would be a long while before I would pick up another.
August 7, 2016
I liked the way Martin wrote about Esa's journey as a playboy who finds himself guardian to his eight year old niece, Nell. The interactions between the the secondary characters and the main characters were often fun and interesting.
September 6, 2020
I have really enjoyed the New York blades series. Great fun read.
September 8, 2020
Great book. You could feel the angst and passion. Believable characters. Good story line. Some hockey thrown in too.
October 28, 2020
Loved it!!
January 6, 2021
I enjoyed this book. A classic story of two polar opposites falling in love when they least expect it.
September 5, 2021
I enjoyed this book.
February 23, 2019
The hockey knowledge was great (which this former northerner enjoyed), which earned the book its single star. Otherwise it was a bust for me. Esa was clueless, oblivious, and rude. Michelle was sanctimonious, snobby, and bossy. She was also dumb: how on earth could such a tough cookie let her brother walk all over her like that?!
Eh. I couldn't connect to either of the main characters and IMHO they couldn't connect to each other either. They disliked each other and then all the sudden were in bed. !? Lust, perhaps. Chemistry? maaaaaybe. Love? Yeah, right. I think not.
I see others enjoyed this book so don't let me deter you. It just didn't light my lamp.
Claiming for 2019 PopSugar Reading challenge in category: Two-word title. Might as well get some use out of it. LOL
Eh. I couldn't connect to either of the main characters and IMHO they couldn't connect to each other either. They disliked each other and then all the sudden were in bed. !? Lust, perhaps. Chemistry? maaaaaybe. Love? Yeah, right. I think not.
I see others enjoyed this book so don't let me deter you. It just didn't light my lamp.
Claiming for 2019 PopSugar Reading challenge in category: Two-word title. Might as well get some use out of it. LOL
March 18, 2013
Hip Check, New York Blades #10, by Deirdre Martin
Grade: D
“It’s scary that you never know if the person you love is going to be snatched away from you, that it can happen even when you’re young. But the risk is worth it, Trust me.”
Michelle Beck loves working as a nanny but when she meets hockey star Esa Sarri and his orphaned niece she knows she shouldn’t work for him. Esa is a known playboy who is always in the gossip column but Michelle can’t walk away from the sweet little girl who lost her mother. Michelle lost her mother as a young girl too and she forms a close bond with Nell right away but working for Esa is a nightmare due to his attitude about Nell and the crazy attraction they have together. Michelle is determined to provide a stable life for Nell even if it means shuting down her feelings for the child’s sexy uncle.
Eas Sarri is used to scoring on and off the ice and loves his carefree life as a bachelor but everything changes when his sister is killed in a car accident and he is left raising her eight year old daughter. Michelle is a godsend and Esa would be lost without her caring for Nell. The more time Esa spends with Michelle the more he enjoys her and she changes his view on looking after Nell. Soon Esa realizes he wants a family with Michelle and Nell but he must convience Michelle he has changed and they can be perfect together.
I really struggled with this book and have not disliked a character so much in a very long, long time. Esa is a class A jerk and he made me so mad for 80% of the book that I didn’t even want finish reading. Esa spends a lot of Hip Check being upset that he can no longer have threesomes with Victoria Secret models and that he’s “stuck’ taking care of Nell. Whoever gave this man a child should have their head examined but we do see later that he was the best option for Nell. Esa’s attitude does change but only because Michelle is a badass and refuses to let his take advantage of the situation and makes his talk to Nell.
Michelle is a saint and sometimes I got sick of her being perfect she is the best thing to happen to Nell and Esa. What surprised me was that she actually fell for Esa after hating him so much at the beginning of the story. One of the things that got me to open up to Esa was that Michelle got him to finally love the child and make her his number one priority. Without Nell I would have hated Esa and been mad at Michelle for dating him.
I was disappointed in this book and never felt that Esa and Michelle had that great of a connection. I always wanted to see more of them talking and falling in love. I haven’t been a fan of the last two books in the series and unless Ulf’s book is next I think I’m done with the New York Blades. I like strong alpha men but these guys are a-holes and it’s not attractive and it really doesn’t make me want to read about them. Sadly this is a big fail for me and it had to do with Esa being the biggest jerk I’ve read about in a really long time.
Grade: D
“It’s scary that you never know if the person you love is going to be snatched away from you, that it can happen even when you’re young. But the risk is worth it, Trust me.”
Michelle Beck loves working as a nanny but when she meets hockey star Esa Sarri and his orphaned niece she knows she shouldn’t work for him. Esa is a known playboy who is always in the gossip column but Michelle can’t walk away from the sweet little girl who lost her mother. Michelle lost her mother as a young girl too and she forms a close bond with Nell right away but working for Esa is a nightmare due to his attitude about Nell and the crazy attraction they have together. Michelle is determined to provide a stable life for Nell even if it means shuting down her feelings for the child’s sexy uncle.
Eas Sarri is used to scoring on and off the ice and loves his carefree life as a bachelor but everything changes when his sister is killed in a car accident and he is left raising her eight year old daughter. Michelle is a godsend and Esa would be lost without her caring for Nell. The more time Esa spends with Michelle the more he enjoys her and she changes his view on looking after Nell. Soon Esa realizes he wants a family with Michelle and Nell but he must convience Michelle he has changed and they can be perfect together.
I really struggled with this book and have not disliked a character so much in a very long, long time. Esa is a class A jerk and he made me so mad for 80% of the book that I didn’t even want finish reading. Esa spends a lot of Hip Check being upset that he can no longer have threesomes with Victoria Secret models and that he’s “stuck’ taking care of Nell. Whoever gave this man a child should have their head examined but we do see later that he was the best option for Nell. Esa’s attitude does change but only because Michelle is a badass and refuses to let his take advantage of the situation and makes his talk to Nell.
Michelle is a saint and sometimes I got sick of her being perfect she is the best thing to happen to Nell and Esa. What surprised me was that she actually fell for Esa after hating him so much at the beginning of the story. One of the things that got me to open up to Esa was that Michelle got him to finally love the child and make her his number one priority. Without Nell I would have hated Esa and been mad at Michelle for dating him.
I was disappointed in this book and never felt that Esa and Michelle had that great of a connection. I always wanted to see more of them talking and falling in love. I haven’t been a fan of the last two books in the series and unless Ulf’s book is next I think I’m done with the New York Blades. I like strong alpha men but these guys are a-holes and it’s not attractive and it really doesn’t make me want to read about them. Sadly this is a big fail for me and it had to do with Esa being the biggest jerk I’ve read about in a really long time.
April 16, 2013
Originally posted on Sarahsbookshelf.com:
My school schedule often does not allow me to read books that I really need to unwind, but every now and then I make time. Today’s book definitely fell into that category. Deirdre Martin is an author that I check out regularly because her writing is consistently excellent, her characters are interesting and complex, and I always learn something new about hockey. This book was no exception to that rule and I’m so glad that I gave this book time because it was worth every moment.
If you’ve read other books by this author, this one fell into the Blades series, which follows the fictional Blades hockey team. There are quite a number of books in this series, but reading them out of sequence doesn't make a difference. A lot of time has passed, so this book is basically looking at a newer group of players. We meet Esa Saari, a Finnish playboy who seems to have his bachelor life set up perfectly, until his sister, Danika, passes away and he gains custody of his eight year-old niece, Nell. Nell, who is working through her grief throughout the book, is such a great character. She’s smart and fun, but her presence really throws Esa off his game. He ends up hiring a nanny and basically gives her free reign over the household. Michelle Beck doesn’t take kindly to guardians who don’t pay attention to their charges, so she pushes Esa to get to know Nell. As the two of them work through their combined grief, Esa starts to see Michelle in a different light and the two test out a relationship. But these two have a lot of issues to work out before they can really have a serious and functional relationship, and managing all that while taking care of Nell is a challenge.
One of the things that I like best about Martin’s books is that her male characters, while they can be a little alpha, really are normal people with normal problems. They aren’t mean or funny all the time–they are a good mix. Michelle’s relationship with her father and brother was also pretty interesting. Martin does such a great job of showing you real family dynamics that you truly feel like a fly on the wall. I find her dialogue to be quick and fun, too.
If you have a chance to read one of Deirdre Martin’s books, I highly recommend them. She’s a NYT bestselling author and it’s truly clear why. This series is OK to read out of order without losing too much of the back-story.
My school schedule often does not allow me to read books that I really need to unwind, but every now and then I make time. Today’s book definitely fell into that category. Deirdre Martin is an author that I check out regularly because her writing is consistently excellent, her characters are interesting and complex, and I always learn something new about hockey. This book was no exception to that rule and I’m so glad that I gave this book time because it was worth every moment.
If you’ve read other books by this author, this one fell into the Blades series, which follows the fictional Blades hockey team. There are quite a number of books in this series, but reading them out of sequence doesn't make a difference. A lot of time has passed, so this book is basically looking at a newer group of players. We meet Esa Saari, a Finnish playboy who seems to have his bachelor life set up perfectly, until his sister, Danika, passes away and he gains custody of his eight year-old niece, Nell. Nell, who is working through her grief throughout the book, is such a great character. She’s smart and fun, but her presence really throws Esa off his game. He ends up hiring a nanny and basically gives her free reign over the household. Michelle Beck doesn’t take kindly to guardians who don’t pay attention to their charges, so she pushes Esa to get to know Nell. As the two of them work through their combined grief, Esa starts to see Michelle in a different light and the two test out a relationship. But these two have a lot of issues to work out before they can really have a serious and functional relationship, and managing all that while taking care of Nell is a challenge.
One of the things that I like best about Martin’s books is that her male characters, while they can be a little alpha, really are normal people with normal problems. They aren’t mean or funny all the time–they are a good mix. Michelle’s relationship with her father and brother was also pretty interesting. Martin does such a great job of showing you real family dynamics that you truly feel like a fly on the wall. I find her dialogue to be quick and fun, too.
If you have a chance to read one of Deirdre Martin’s books, I highly recommend them. She’s a NYT bestselling author and it’s truly clear why. This series is OK to read out of order without losing too much of the back-story.
August 16, 2014
This review was posted at Under the Covers
HIP CHECK was my second read by this author and I’m glad I gave it a try. I was drawn to the series because I was looking for another sport romance to get into and the last book in this series, which was the first I read, didn’t quite get me excited. Maybe it was that the setting was pulled from New York, which is where the team plays, to Ireland. Not sure. But this one I really enjoyed.
Esa Saari is a young, carefree and a total playboy. He likes it that way. But things change when his sister back home dies and he is left as the guardian of her daughter. Now he has a big lifestyle adjustment to go through. But to help him deal with a kid while he’s working, he has to hire a nanny.
Michelle Beck has been working as a live in nanny for the rich and famous but is out of a job right now because she didn’t want to move out East with the last family she was working for. This sounds like the perfect job for her.
I always love seeing the playboy fall for the good girl and in this case it was perfect. Michelle used to be a teacher and now loves taking care of kids, but she’s tough and straight in her views. She was good at putting Esa in his place but also nurturing and understanding of his feelings. He’s also grieving the loss of his sister but not in a way that he can show people. Michelle was the perfect piece for him to open up and even connect with his niece.
And then there’s the kid. She was adorable, with her accent and how she started opening up to Michelle.
The romance between Esa and Michelle was slow to develop and started more as a friendship, then a partnership where the kid was involved and then it eased into more. Although the attraction was always there and when they get together it definitely exploded. If you like a sweet, feel good and sexy sports romance then you won’t be disappointed with this one. And yes, the books in this series work well as standalones, so don’t be scared to dive right in.
*ARC provided by publisher
HIP CHECK was my second read by this author and I’m glad I gave it a try. I was drawn to the series because I was looking for another sport romance to get into and the last book in this series, which was the first I read, didn’t quite get me excited. Maybe it was that the setting was pulled from New York, which is where the team plays, to Ireland. Not sure. But this one I really enjoyed.
Esa Saari is a young, carefree and a total playboy. He likes it that way. But things change when his sister back home dies and he is left as the guardian of her daughter. Now he has a big lifestyle adjustment to go through. But to help him deal with a kid while he’s working, he has to hire a nanny.
Michelle Beck has been working as a live in nanny for the rich and famous but is out of a job right now because she didn’t want to move out East with the last family she was working for. This sounds like the perfect job for her.
I always love seeing the playboy fall for the good girl and in this case it was perfect. Michelle used to be a teacher and now loves taking care of kids, but she’s tough and straight in her views. She was good at putting Esa in his place but also nurturing and understanding of his feelings. He’s also grieving the loss of his sister but not in a way that he can show people. Michelle was the perfect piece for him to open up and even connect with his niece.
And then there’s the kid. She was adorable, with her accent and how she started opening up to Michelle.
The romance between Esa and Michelle was slow to develop and started more as a friendship, then a partnership where the kid was involved and then it eased into more. Although the attraction was always there and when they get together it definitely exploded. If you like a sweet, feel good and sexy sports romance then you won’t be disappointed with this one. And yes, the books in this series work well as standalones, so don’t be scared to dive right in.
*ARC provided by publisher
August 30, 2013
เราเริ่มต้นอ่านงานเขียนของเดียเดร มาร์ตินกะราเชล กิ๊บสันในเวลาไล่เลี่ยกัน ดังนั้นจึงแทบเป็นไปไม่ได้เลยนะคะที่จะไม่นำทั้งคู่มาเปรียบเทียบกัน โดยเฉพาะเมื่อทั้งสองคนเขียนเรื่องโรแมนซ์ของนักฮ็อกกี้ด้วยกันทั้งคู่ แต่การเปรียบเทียบก็จบลงตั้งแต่เริ่มต้นค่ะ เพราะแนวเรื่องของเรเชล กิ๊บสัน และเดียเดร มาร์ตินแตกต่างกันมาก ถึงจะเขียนเรื่องแนว contemporary romance ด้วยกันทั้งคู่ แต่สไตล์การเล่าเรื่อง หรือพล็อตเรื่องก็แตกต่าง
เรื่องของเดียเดร มาร์ตินจะมีความจริงจัง ซีเรียส และสมจริงมากกว่า เราไม่ปฏิเสธนะคะว่า เราชอบงานของเรเชล กิ๊บสันมากกว่าเป็นส่วนใหญ่ แต่งานของเดียเดร มาร์ตินก็เป็นสิ่งที่เราติดตามอ่านเรื่อยมา
พระเอกในเล่มนี้เป็นคาแร็คเตอร์ที่ออกมาเป็นตัวประกอบในหลายเล่มก่อนหน้า และทุกครั้งที่เขามีบทบาท ก็ไม่ได้ถูกนำเสนอในด้านที่ดีนัก เขาเป็นนักฮ็อคกี้ที่หลงตัวเอง เสือผู้หญิง ปากเสีย และเห็นแก่ตัว แต่เชื่อมั่นนะคะ ก่อนที่จะเปิดอ่าน (เราหยิบมาอ่านอย่างไม่ลังเลเลย) ว่า ฝีมือการเขียน การเล่าเรื่องของคนแต่ง จะทำให้เราเชื่อได้ว่า ผู้ชายคนนี้ได้เปลี่ยนแปลงไปเป็นพระเอกโรแมนซ์ที่สมบูรณ์แบบ
แต่เราก็ผิดหวังค่ะ เราคาดหวังว่า เล่มนี้จะเป็นเรื่องของการเดินทางไปสู่ความเป็นผู้ใหญ่ของพระเอก การที่เขาเรียนรู้ที่จะรับผิดชอบ โดยเฉพาเมื่อพล้อตเรื่องเริ่มต้นด้วยการกำหนดให้เขากลายเป็นผู้ปกครองหลานสาว ซึ่งเป็นลูกสาวของน้องสาวผู้เสียชีวิตไปในอุบัติเหตุ แต่เราอ่านไปจนจบเล่มก็ไม่ได้สัมผัสถึงการเติบโตขึ้นของเขา ยิ่งไปกว่านั้น คาแร็คเตอร์ของนางเอกก็เป็นสิ่งที่เราผิดหวัง เธอคือพี่เลี้ยงเด็กมืออาชีพที่ถูกจ้างมาดูแลหลานสาวให้กับพระเอก แต่ทั้งคู่ก็เริ่มต้นมีความสัมพันธ์ทางเพศกันอย่างรวดเร็ว (มีใครนึกถึงจรรยาบรรณบ้างไหม) และเรื่องก็โฟกัสไปอยู่ที่นางเอก จนเรารู้สึกว่า เส้นทางการเรียนรู้ การเติบโตของพระเอกแทบจะไม่อยู่ในเรื่อง
แน่นอนว่า ตอนจบเรื่องแสดงให้เห็นถึงความเปลี่ยนแปลงของพระเอก แต่ปัญหาคือ เราไม่รู้ว่า เขามาอยู่ที่จุดนั้นได้อย่างไร
ไม่ได้มีอะไรเสียหาย หรือเลวร้ายในเล่มนี้นะคะ เพียงแต่เราไม่เชื่อในการเติบโตของพระเอก โดยเฉพาะเมื่อเขานิสัยแย่มาก ๆ ในเล่มก่อนหน้า (ดังนั้นสำหรับคนที่ไม่เคยอ่านเรื่องในชุดนี้มาก่อน อาจจะอ่านเรื่องนี้ได้อย่างไม่มีปัญหาอะไรเลยก็ได้)
คะแนนที่ 57
เรื่องของเดียเดร มาร์ตินจะมีความจริงจัง ซีเรียส และสมจริงมากกว่า เราไม่ปฏิเสธนะคะว่า เราชอบงานของเรเชล กิ๊บสันมากกว่าเป็นส่วนใหญ่ แต่งานของเดียเดร มาร์ตินก็เป็นสิ่งที่เราติดตามอ่านเรื่อยมา
พระเอกในเล่มนี้เป็นคาแร็คเตอร์ที่ออกมาเป็นตัวประกอบในหลายเล่มก่อนหน้า และทุกครั้งที่เขามีบทบาท ก็ไม่ได้ถูกนำเสนอในด้านที่ดีนัก เขาเป็นนักฮ็อคกี้ที่หลงตัวเอง เสือผู้หญิง ปากเสีย และเห็นแก่ตัว แต่เชื่อมั่นนะคะ ก่อนที่จะเปิดอ่าน (เราหยิบมาอ่านอย่างไม่ลังเลเลย) ว่า ฝีมือการเขียน การเล่าเรื่องของคนแต่ง จะทำให้เราเชื่อได้ว่า ผู้ชายคนนี้ได้เปลี่ยนแปลงไปเป็นพระเอกโรแมนซ์ที่สมบูรณ์แบบ
แต่เราก็ผิดหวังค่ะ เราคาดหวังว่า เล่มนี้จะเป็นเรื่องของการเดินทางไปสู่ความเป็นผู้ใหญ่ของพระเอก การที่เขาเรียนรู้ที่จะรับผิดชอบ โดยเฉพาเมื่อพล้อตเรื่องเริ่มต้นด้วยการกำหนดให้เขากลายเป็นผู้ปกครองหลานสาว ซึ่งเป็นลูกสาวของน้องสาวผู้เสียชีวิตไปในอุบัติเหตุ แต่เราอ่านไปจนจบเล่มก็ไม่ได้สัมผัสถึงการเติบโตขึ้นของเขา ยิ่งไปกว่านั้น คาแร็คเตอร์ของนางเอกก็เป็นสิ่งที่เราผิดหวัง เธอคือพี่เลี้ยงเด็กมืออาชีพที่ถูกจ้างมาดูแลหลานสาวให้กับพระเอก แต่ทั้งคู่ก็เริ่มต้นมีความสัมพันธ์ทางเพศกันอย่างรวดเร็ว (มีใครนึกถึงจรรยาบรรณบ้างไหม) และเรื่องก็โฟกัสไปอยู่ที่นางเอก จนเรารู้สึกว่า เส้นทางการเรียนรู้ การเติบโตของพระเอกแทบจะไม่อยู่ในเรื่อง
แน่นอนว่า ตอนจบเรื่องแสดงให้เห็นถึงความเปลี่ยนแปลงของพระเอก แต่ปัญหาคือ เราไม่รู้ว่า เขามาอยู่ที่จุดนั้นได้อย่างไร
ไม่ได้มีอะไรเสียหาย หรือเลวร้ายในเล่มนี้นะคะ เพียงแต่เราไม่เชื่อในการเติบโตของพระเอก โดยเฉพาะเมื่อเขานิสัยแย่มาก ๆ ในเล่มก่อนหน้า (ดังนั้นสำหรับคนที่ไม่เคยอ่านเรื่องในชุดนี้มาก่อน อาจจะอ่านเรื่องนี้ได้อย่างไม่มีปัญหาอะไรเลยก็ได้)
คะแนนที่ 57
April 19, 2013
Another fun read from Dierdre Martin in her New York Blades series. Esa has recently become full time guardian to his nine year old niece, Nell. Except he’s used to living the life as a bachelor. With the new hockey season fast approaching he needs some live in help fast so that his niece can be cared for while he’s playing for the season. In comes Michelle, nanny extraordinaire. Michelle gets on wonderfully with Nell and helps her adjust to her new life in New York living with her uncle. The biggest issue is that Uncle Esa isn’t quite ready to give up the bachelor life. With the two ladies now living in house Esa needs to grow up and learn what it means to be a full time caregiver. I liked Esa’s growth. He was very immature but with help and guidance he was able to begin to relate to his niece. I felt that some things were pretty #facepalm on the changes he wasn’t making but I could understand that conflict needed to be added in. I did also enjoy the development of Esa and Michelle’s relationship. Michelle is not a casual type of person so she knew that she would have to have a connection with any man she hooked up with and that connection was there with Esa. Even thought this is book 10 in the series it could possibly be read as a standalone. Yes, there are characters from previous stories but it wouldn’t be too confusing if you haven’t read them. I was more confused with the descriptions of game play. I don’t watch hockey so when parts of the game were described I was a little loss. But not knowing hockey didn’t take away from my enjoyment. I just had to remember that hockey players can be pretty smexy.
September 4, 2016
VERY VERY MILD PLOT SPOILERS- (But no more than you get reading the synopsis really..)
Esa Saari, star player (and playboy) for the New York Blades becomes the sole guardian for his eight-year-old niece Nell after his sister dies in a plane crash. Hockey season is just around the corner, he has no experience with children and it is really crimping his lifestyle, he needs a nanny FAST!
Enter Michelle Beck, Michelle is an amazing nanny who recently gave up her position with a celebrity family. Hearing what Nell has gone through breaks her heart and she knows this little girl needs her. Accepting the live-in nanny position she immediately bonds with Nell. She can relate to Nell because she too lost her mother at a young age, and has a take no prisoner’s attitude when it comes to making sure Esa does what is right for Nell.
Esa is not used to someone telling him what to do (especially when he is technically the boss), but he knows deep down that Michelle knows what is best for his niece. The more Michelle and Esa work together for Nell, the more sexual tension begins to build.
Will playboy Esa realize that his feelings for Michelle are real, and will Michelle cross the employer/employee line and give in to her feelings for Esa, especially since it could really be detrimental to Nell if it doesn’t work out?
Deirdre Martin did it again! I have loved all of her New York Blades books, so far, but this one is near the top of my favorites list. The chemistry between Esa and Michelle is electric, and let me tell you Ms. Martin knows how to make a love scene S-T-E-A-M-Y! Reading this also felt like attending a family reunion for me, revisiting with some of my other Blades favorites, Therese & Michael Dante, Rory & Erin Brady, Jason & Deililah Mitchell (and of course STANLEY!!!), Nutty Ulf, Lou… the list goes on.
Esa Saari, star player (and playboy) for the New York Blades becomes the sole guardian for his eight-year-old niece Nell after his sister dies in a plane crash. Hockey season is just around the corner, he has no experience with children and it is really crimping his lifestyle, he needs a nanny FAST!
Enter Michelle Beck, Michelle is an amazing nanny who recently gave up her position with a celebrity family. Hearing what Nell has gone through breaks her heart and she knows this little girl needs her. Accepting the live-in nanny position she immediately bonds with Nell. She can relate to Nell because she too lost her mother at a young age, and has a take no prisoner’s attitude when it comes to making sure Esa does what is right for Nell.
Esa is not used to someone telling him what to do (especially when he is technically the boss), but he knows deep down that Michelle knows what is best for his niece. The more Michelle and Esa work together for Nell, the more sexual tension begins to build.
Will playboy Esa realize that his feelings for Michelle are real, and will Michelle cross the employer/employee line and give in to her feelings for Esa, especially since it could really be detrimental to Nell if it doesn’t work out?
Deirdre Martin did it again! I have loved all of her New York Blades books, so far, but this one is near the top of my favorites list. The chemistry between Esa and Michelle is electric, and let me tell you Ms. Martin knows how to make a love scene S-T-E-A-M-Y! Reading this also felt like attending a family reunion for me, revisiting with some of my other Blades favorites, Therese & Michael Dante, Rory & Erin Brady, Jason & Deililah Mitchell (and of course STANLEY!!!), Nutty Ulf, Lou… the list goes on.
February 7, 2013
I really enjoy these small romance novels. They are easy and quick to read and always have an uplifting quality to them. Hip Check is fun, the characters are amusing and the story line is……well…..cute.
Esa Saari is from Finland, lives in New York, is a professional hockey player for the NY Blades full-time and a womanizing partier in his spare time. The death of his sister fills him with guilt and to top if all off, his sister left him her daughter. Nell, eight years old, sweet and beautiful, throws Esa for a loop. Not only does he have to make a home for her, think about school for her but he also needs to hire a nanny.
Through a mutual friend he finds Michelle who has recently found herself open for a job. Esa hires her immediately but more for himself because he knows he is clueless as to how to deal with his niece. Michelle is just the no nonsense woman he needs to kick his butt into gear. She forces him to make decisions, to spend time with Nell and to set new boundaries for himself on her behalf. Unexpectedly, Michelle throws him for a loop too. Esa is not used to being told what to do by a woman. He is very much attracted to her, which is surprising since she’s not at all his type.
Michelle is still dealing with the loss of her own mother at an early age, taking care her father and brother and her professional standards. Will she take a leap of faith? Can she finally figure out that she deserves to have a life of her own? More importantly will Esa become the man he needs to be to take on the 2 additional women that have bombarded his life?
I’ve not read books by this author before Hip Check, but I will be looking into that. I thought this book was wonderful and I hope you like it as much as I did.
Esa Saari is from Finland, lives in New York, is a professional hockey player for the NY Blades full-time and a womanizing partier in his spare time. The death of his sister fills him with guilt and to top if all off, his sister left him her daughter. Nell, eight years old, sweet and beautiful, throws Esa for a loop. Not only does he have to make a home for her, think about school for her but he also needs to hire a nanny.
Through a mutual friend he finds Michelle who has recently found herself open for a job. Esa hires her immediately but more for himself because he knows he is clueless as to how to deal with his niece. Michelle is just the no nonsense woman he needs to kick his butt into gear. She forces him to make decisions, to spend time with Nell and to set new boundaries for himself on her behalf. Unexpectedly, Michelle throws him for a loop too. Esa is not used to being told what to do by a woman. He is very much attracted to her, which is surprising since she’s not at all his type.
Michelle is still dealing with the loss of her own mother at an early age, taking care her father and brother and her professional standards. Will she take a leap of faith? Can she finally figure out that she deserves to have a life of her own? More importantly will Esa become the man he needs to be to take on the 2 additional women that have bombarded his life?
I’ve not read books by this author before Hip Check, but I will be looking into that. I thought this book was wonderful and I hope you like it as much as I did.
August 1, 2013
Too often good romance novels are undermined by their cover art. Hip Check is a case in point. The cover says sassy, fun nearly chick lit, but the story itself is a poignant, sometimes sad tale of an orphaned little girl and the two adults who are trying to make her world a bit happier.
Professional hockey player and good-time ladies’ man Esa Saari, known as “The Finn” because of his nationality at birth, is stunned when a year after his sister dies in a plane crash, his 8-year-old niece is sent to live with him. Her previous caretaker, his sister’s good friend, has accepted a job requiring a lot of travel.
Sometimes thick-headed and juvenile acting, Esa’s not stupid. He immediately hires a nanny for the child. Former teacher Michelle Beck’s mother died when she was a child, so she’s immediately empathetic with Nell. And they get along beautifully from their first moments together.
The first downside to the job is Esa who runs from any sort of responsibility, including decision making. If he had his way, his life would go back to playing hockey and partying—which includes banging puck bunnies. So at every turn Michelle must get him to toe the line and be the responsible uncle his sister expected him to be.
Another downside to the job is Michelle’s father and brother who have read and believe Esa’s press accounts and don’t want her around the slick, handsome Lothario. When they try to talk her out of the job, she says she can’t leave for Nell’s sake since the girl is still grieving her mother’s death.
Read the rest of my review at AAR: http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/boo...
Professional hockey player and good-time ladies’ man Esa Saari, known as “The Finn” because of his nationality at birth, is stunned when a year after his sister dies in a plane crash, his 8-year-old niece is sent to live with him. Her previous caretaker, his sister’s good friend, has accepted a job requiring a lot of travel.
Sometimes thick-headed and juvenile acting, Esa’s not stupid. He immediately hires a nanny for the child. Former teacher Michelle Beck’s mother died when she was a child, so she’s immediately empathetic with Nell. And they get along beautifully from their first moments together.
The first downside to the job is Esa who runs from any sort of responsibility, including decision making. If he had his way, his life would go back to playing hockey and partying—which includes banging puck bunnies. So at every turn Michelle must get him to toe the line and be the responsible uncle his sister expected him to be.
Another downside to the job is Michelle’s father and brother who have read and believe Esa’s press accounts and don’t want her around the slick, handsome Lothario. When they try to talk her out of the job, she says she can’t leave for Nell’s sake since the girl is still grieving her mother’s death.
Read the rest of my review at AAR: http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/boo...
November 9, 2014
Ugh, I love sport romances and even more so if they're hockey romances but I'm quite disappointed in this series. I've now read 3 of them and while the first one I read was very satisfactory, the previous book in this series, Breakaway , was one of my least favorite hockey romance books mostly because the focus on hockey was like 5% and while this one was a definite improvement, the characters left a lot to be desired.
Esa Saari, the main character and New York Blades forward, was actually the best of the bunch because even though he was a bit of a prick sometimes, his character showed tremendous growth throughout the book. Michelle, his nanny and love interest, and Nell, his niece, were also strong characters. Everyone else was pretty much garbage.
First off the PR guy for the Blades, jerk. His agent, half a jerk. His teammate Ulf, probably a jerk because everyone else treated him like shit. Michelle's brother, class-A jackass. Her dad, redeemed himself in the end but spent most of the book as an asshole. Michelle's friend, Marcus, stereotypical gay character and a minor ass. Esa's parents, big huge idiots. Seriously, so many rude and insulting people in the book, it was so hard to focus on the good that came of Esa's growing relationship and understanding of how to deal with becoming an inst-parent to Nell.
Unfortunately, I'll probably not try and look for the previous books in this series nor will I actively seek out any more from this author. It was just too disappointing all the way around. :(
Esa Saari, the main character and New York Blades forward, was actually the best of the bunch because even though he was a bit of a prick sometimes, his character showed tremendous growth throughout the book. Michelle, his nanny and love interest, and Nell, his niece, were also strong characters. Everyone else was pretty much garbage.
First off the PR guy for the Blades, jerk. His agent, half a jerk. His teammate Ulf, probably a jerk because everyone else treated him like shit. Michelle's brother, class-A jackass. Her dad, redeemed himself in the end but spent most of the book as an asshole. Michelle's friend, Marcus, stereotypical gay character and a minor ass. Esa's parents, big huge idiots. Seriously, so many rude and insulting people in the book, it was so hard to focus on the good that came of Esa's growing relationship and understanding of how to deal with becoming an inst-parent to Nell.
Unfortunately, I'll probably not try and look for the previous books in this series nor will I actively seek out any more from this author. It was just too disappointing all the way around. :(
January 16, 2013
This is kind of a sad book. Like, emotionally sad, rather than pathetic sad. The hero, Esa, loses his sister in a plane crash and gains custody of his young, grieving, niece, Nell. The book revolves around this child, albeit understandably so. Not only has Esa lost his sister, his only ally against his parents, but life as he knows has irrevocably changed. He can no longer sustain his playboy lifestyle and has to reinvent himself. While he loves his niece, he's not exactly thrilled about all the changes she brings. The heroine, Michelle, finds herself in the position of guiding these two lost souls to happy shores, but she also has family drama going on.
Even the hockey scenes veered towards the depressing side as Esa's contract is up for renewal, but the management is dragging things out so he's afraid he might have to sign with another team and uproot Nell again. Yes, it's a different perspective than what we normally see in these books, and it comes off as more realistic, but it's angsty.
Of course, there's a happy ending, but you have to wade through a lot of sadness to get there. It's enough to make me wonder if Martin was going through a difficult time when she wrote this. I would classify this as a library read.
Even the hockey scenes veered towards the depressing side as Esa's contract is up for renewal, but the management is dragging things out so he's afraid he might have to sign with another team and uproot Nell again. Yes, it's a different perspective than what we normally see in these books, and it comes off as more realistic, but it's angsty.
Of course, there's a happy ending, but you have to wade through a lot of sadness to get there. It's enough to make me wonder if Martin was going through a difficult time when she wrote this. I would classify this as a library read.
February 22, 2013
The new New York Blades book by Deirdre Martin made me feel all goeey inside. I am not a hockey fan, but I adore this series. Each new title brings much excitement to my eyes. Esa Saari is a Finnish playboy who plays for the Blades. His sister dies in a plane crash and he gains custody of his eight year old neice. Immediately, he hires a nanny because his schedule is extremely hectic and makes him unavailable to the depressed, sad child all the time. Nanny Michelle Beck comes highly recommended and hits it off with young Nell rather quickly. Of course, Esa has no clue what to do with a child, but Michelle helps. And of course love blossoms.
I really enjoyed this book! It is a great heart-warming story with the action of the ice (I still don't want to watch a hockey game though!). I suggest anyone read it.. you can even read it and then go back and read the rest! Happy Reading!
I really enjoyed this book! It is a great heart-warming story with the action of the ice (I still don't want to watch a hockey game though!). I suggest anyone read it.. you can even read it and then go back and read the rest! Happy Reading!
August 5, 2013
Decent romance.
What I liked about Esa's character is that he did not immediately change who he was once he met Michelle. He continued to be, or tried to be, a man of good times and one-night stands. He wasn't initially good with his niece unlike most heroes who are automatically good with children.
I liked that there were scenes of hockey in the story given that it is a series of hockey players. I have not read the whole series so all of the other couples on the team had no context but it wasn't required to read prior books to read this one.
Michelle was a typical heroine but her family life and its complications were nicely incorporated and well developed to bring the tension. However, I felt that the final get-together of Esa and Michelle was not greatly done. It wasn't emotionally charged, it was an abrupt conclusion.
What I liked about Esa's character is that he did not immediately change who he was once he met Michelle. He continued to be, or tried to be, a man of good times and one-night stands. He wasn't initially good with his niece unlike most heroes who are automatically good with children.
I liked that there were scenes of hockey in the story given that it is a series of hockey players. I have not read the whole series so all of the other couples on the team had no context but it wasn't required to read prior books to read this one.
Michelle was a typical heroine but her family life and its complications were nicely incorporated and well developed to bring the tension. However, I felt that the final get-together of Esa and Michelle was not greatly done. It wasn't emotionally charged, it was an abrupt conclusion.
April 1, 2013
I really enjoyed how it included conflict that was not stifled and flat as I found some romance novels can be. As the book centered around Esa Saari and Michelle Beck, I found that Deirdre Martin made the characters real, and self absorbed as some people are today in a relationship- which can harp a relationship and make it end faster as it is immature. I did find Michelle was a little bit too serious and to be honest a bit too bitchy and I wondered why Esa would fall in love with her. All in all, I found this one to be more about the romance than about the secondary characters as Deirdre Martin tends to put in her novels. I would recomend that anyone who devours her novels and wants to know about the hockey players should read this novel.
May 11, 2013
I really liked this one! Some of Martin's more recent contributions to the series have felt a bit forced, but this one is back to form. Humor, family dynamics, emotion, sex , romance, and of course hockey, how can you go wrong with that combination!! Esa was a strong hero who grew through the course of the story, Michelle was a bit foolish towards the end but her character from the beginning carried it through, Nell a sweetheart. The ending felt a bit rushed, but still it was sweetly satisfying! A fun braincandy read!
May 28, 2013
Weirdly enough, I liked this more than the earlier book in the series that I haven't been able to finish yet. The scenes with hockey are decently written, which is nice. Typical "male char winds up in charge of child, falls in love with nanny" type harlequin plot, although I felt both the main protag being kind of an asshole wasn't resolved as much as I'd have liked and almost even more strongly I wanted to smack the main female character's brother for half the book, but not bad. Somewhat purple-prose-y around the edges.
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