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Power Play
Suki Okonkwo has spent four years being the boards—the enforcer who absorbs every hit, holds every teammate together, and never asks for anything back. Off the ice, they have a a pottery wheel, a shelf of handmade ceramics, and an entire creative life nobody knows about. Not their teammates. Not their best friend. Not even their mother.
Noa Kessler is a journalist who was supposed to be a war correspondent. The daughter of two Pulitzer-winning parents, she's been assigned to write a feature on the Boston Banshees—a women's hockey team on the verge of a landmark TV deal. She doesn't care about hockey. She doesn't plan to stay. And she definitely doesn't plan to fall for the team's six-foot-one enforcer with scarred knuckles and an eighteen-pound orange cat.
But Suki sees through Noa's professional armor the way Noa sees through Suki's caretaker persona. And when Noa uncovers a morality clause buried in the broadcast contract—one that could be used to punish the team's most visible queer players—she's faced with an impossible the story that could make her career, or the person who makes her feel like she's already enough.
Power Play is a slow-burn high heat sapphic romance about the courage it takes to stop performing for everyone else and start claiming what's yours. It's about hands that fight and hands that shape clay. About the difference between being seen and being known. And about an eighteen-pound cat who has opinions about all of it.
Noa Kessler is a journalist who was supposed to be a war correspondent. The daughter of two Pulitzer-winning parents, she's been assigned to write a feature on the Boston Banshees—a women's hockey team on the verge of a landmark TV deal. She doesn't care about hockey. She doesn't plan to stay. And she definitely doesn't plan to fall for the team's six-foot-one enforcer with scarred knuckles and an eighteen-pound orange cat.
But Suki sees through Noa's professional armor the way Noa sees through Suki's caretaker persona. And when Noa uncovers a morality clause buried in the broadcast contract—one that could be used to punish the team's most visible queer players—she's faced with an impossible the story that could make her career, or the person who makes her feel like she's already enough.
Power Play is a slow-burn high heat sapphic romance about the courage it takes to stop performing for everyone else and start claiming what's yours. It's about hands that fight and hands that shape clay. About the difference between being seen and being known. And about an eighteen-pound cat who has opinions about all of it.
299 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 28, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 19, 2026
Different but as inthralling and riveting as the first book in the series. A prime example of the baggage we all carry. Yes, even the best of us. If you can reach adulthood without collapsing under the burden you’re doing well. If you can find someone to offer support you can’t ask for more.
August 21, 2026
I loved this book so much. The turn of phrase was beautiful as was the love story. Wish I could read it again for the first time. Fortunately I'm of an age where I probably can in a year or two!
June 11, 2026
Too many flaws
Every work of sapphic fiction has a spot 3/4 of the way through it where there's a conflict. 80% of these conflicts are a simple misunderstanding. Someone sees something and misinterpret it and it gets resolved.
Another 19% is legitimate. Something legitimately happened but they were able to work it out. Then the remaining one percent. That one percent that makes no sense whatsoever. The 1% that it's just absolutely wrong. This was one of the 1%.
There was no betrayal of trust. There was a professional that kept professional separate from the personal. There was no reason to inform the other. Yet, the other person took a personally as a matter of lack of trust. That led to everyone else telling the first individual that they were wrong. To the point where they started to even blame themselves. To the point they decided to rewrite the story.
I'm not even going to get into al the inconsistencies throughout, or the terrible math when counting words. They were there.
This is not good storytelling. This is displaying everything in the world that's wrong and legitimizing it. This is taking everything in the world that is wrong and telling their readers that it's OK. That this was the way life happened. It is not OK.
Even though everything worked out in the end, (it wouldn't be sapphic fiction if it didn't) took this otherwise good story down to three stars for me. It was just absolutely wrong.
Every work of sapphic fiction has a spot 3/4 of the way through it where there's a conflict. 80% of these conflicts are a simple misunderstanding. Someone sees something and misinterpret it and it gets resolved.
Another 19% is legitimate. Something legitimately happened but they were able to work it out. Then the remaining one percent. That one percent that makes no sense whatsoever. The 1% that it's just absolutely wrong. This was one of the 1%.
There was no betrayal of trust. There was a professional that kept professional separate from the personal. There was no reason to inform the other. Yet, the other person took a personally as a matter of lack of trust. That led to everyone else telling the first individual that they were wrong. To the point where they started to even blame themselves. To the point they decided to rewrite the story.
I'm not even going to get into al the inconsistencies throughout, or the terrible math when counting words. They were there.
This is not good storytelling. This is displaying everything in the world that's wrong and legitimizing it. This is taking everything in the world that is wrong and telling their readers that it's OK. That this was the way life happened. It is not OK.
Even though everything worked out in the end, (it wouldn't be sapphic fiction if it didn't) took this otherwise good story down to three stars for me. It was just absolutely wrong.
June 5, 2026
Noa Kessler is a reporter sent to do a puff piece on the Banshees. She's not thrilled, as she'd rather be doing investigative work.
Suki Okonkwo is less than thrilled by all this, especially with all the media stuff last year. Worse, the reporter seems to narrow in on her, who would rather fade into the background.
Mana kind of throwing Suki at Noa feels off. They're supposed to be good friends, and Suki wants nothing to do with it.
Noa also realizes, as she does her research, that the tesm is getting shafted on media deals etc etc etc. Abd there's a morality clause the networks can use against teams with LGBTQIA members.
Suki invites her over for dinner, and they flirt. More dinners follow, they kiss and finslly date. The puff piece mostly gets finished, the one on the contract gets complicated.
Noa tells Suki first, who's hurt she withheld that. Third act breakup. Noa goes to the GM of the team with the info, and proposes a story on the team, on the morality clause, and then on the team's reaction.
Its a hit, Suki reads it and sees Noa kept her secrets, they get back together. The story causes the network to pull the clause under public pressure.
3.5 stars.
Suki Okonkwo is less than thrilled by all this, especially with all the media stuff last year. Worse, the reporter seems to narrow in on her, who would rather fade into the background.
Mana kind of throwing Suki at Noa feels off. They're supposed to be good friends, and Suki wants nothing to do with it.
Noa also realizes, as she does her research, that the tesm is getting shafted on media deals etc etc etc. Abd there's a morality clause the networks can use against teams with LGBTQIA members.
Suki invites her over for dinner, and they flirt. More dinners follow, they kiss and finslly date. The puff piece mostly gets finished, the one on the contract gets complicated.
Noa tells Suki first, who's hurt she withheld that. Third act breakup. Noa goes to the GM of the team with the info, and proposes a story on the team, on the morality clause, and then on the team's reaction.
Its a hit, Suki reads it and sees Noa kept her secrets, they get back together. The story causes the network to pull the clause under public pressure.
3.5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2026
Quinn Ashby’s choice of words easily brings me into the deeper meaning of the story. She evokes so many emotions regardless of whether the sentence is short or quite wordy. It can be so dizzying, but each word the author used perfectly describes Suki and Noa in their feelings.
It’s amazing how much we try to strive to make our parents proud of us and the lengths we’ll go to do so. Both Noa and Suki show us that they strive to make their parents proud of their achievements.
What a turn around that Noa devised in telling her story in ‘The Current’ newspaper while writing both a human interest story about The Banshees hockey team as well as a type of investigative story that she has been wanting to get published.
To share some quotes from the book, ‘personal and investigative, the human story and the system behind it. Something that was brave and present’
‘The thing about love is that it's not a story you report. It's a story you live. And the living is the bravest part.’
It’s amazing how much we try to strive to make our parents proud of us and the lengths we’ll go to do so. Both Noa and Suki show us that they strive to make their parents proud of their achievements.
What a turn around that Noa devised in telling her story in ‘The Current’ newspaper while writing both a human interest story about The Banshees hockey team as well as a type of investigative story that she has been wanting to get published.
To share some quotes from the book, ‘personal and investigative, the human story and the system behind it. Something that was brave and present’
‘The thing about love is that it's not a story you report. It's a story you live. And the living is the bravest part.’
May 28, 2026
Power Play by Quinn Ashby was one hit that I loved because it combined sports, romance, and emotion in a natural way. The plot centers on Suki Okonkwo, a hockey enforcer who keeps her private life private from her teammates, and Noa Kessler, a journalist covering the Boston Banshees. Both characters must confront their vulnerabilities, identities, and the weight of expectations as their relationship evolves. My favorite part of the novel was about Suki and Noa. The relationship is very slow-paced, so emotionally it feels more real and deeper to me. I liked that the hockey play was thrilling, and it allowed the story to explore more serious concerns, such as personal growth and self-acceptance. Suki’s love for pottery was another detail of the story I liked because it revealed a softer, more artistic side of her character. Power Play was a touching sports romance with heart, character, and message. I would certainly recommend that to anyone who likes slow-burn sapphic romances and hockey-themed tales.
June 9, 2026
read this book
WOW
Buckle up buttercup!
I've re written a review of this book 4 times.
I clearly don't have the word capacity.
When I find a book I truly relate to or really love I usually just write READ THIS BOOK. Like a command. Like a guideline that your missing something by not opening this book and committing time and space for the read.
So.
Shouting READ THIS BOOK in this instance should be changed to a whisper between two people who love books and stories about lives that can't live. Conspiratorily (in no thats not a word)
read this book
WOW
Buckle up buttercup!
I've re written a review of this book 4 times.
I clearly don't have the word capacity.
When I find a book I truly relate to or really love I usually just write READ THIS BOOK. Like a command. Like a guideline that your missing something by not opening this book and committing time and space for the read.
So.
Shouting READ THIS BOOK in this instance should be changed to a whisper between two people who love books and stories about lives that can't live. Conspiratorily (in no thats not a word)
read this book
April 19, 2026
Emotions on ice
Different but as inthralling and riveting as the first book in the series. A prime example of the baggage we all carry. Yes, even the best of us. If you can reach adulthood without collapsing under the burden you’re doing well. If you can find someone to offer support you can’t ask for more.
A couple of time-line errors but that was technical and didn’t really spoil the basic story of some amazing characters.
Different but as inthralling and riveting as the first book in the series. A prime example of the baggage we all carry. Yes, even the best of us. If you can reach adulthood without collapsing under the burden you’re doing well. If you can find someone to offer support you can’t ask for more.
A couple of time-line errors but that was technical and didn’t really spoil the basic story of some amazing characters.
May 31, 2026
Amazing story
The second book is as good as the first and can’t wait for the third.
The author creates rich deep characters that draws the reader into the story. The interwoven story with the characters made me not want to stop reading and only stopped because my eyes were too tired.
The second book is as good as the first and can’t wait for the third.
The author creates rich deep characters that draws the reader into the story. The interwoven story with the characters made me not want to stop reading and only stopped because my eyes were too tired.
April 7, 2026
Great Series
Book 2 we meet Noa who then meets Suki and the story builds brick by brick of trust and loves. Not an easy road of course but one that gives the HEA we need!
Can’t wait to read book 3!!
Book 2 we meet Noa who then meets Suki and the story builds brick by brick of trust and loves. Not an easy road of course but one that gives the HEA we need!
Can’t wait to read book 3!!
June 29, 2026
suki okonkwo the person you are
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews