Book Review: Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler

Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler
Release date: 8th March, 2011
Source: Bought


Star basketball player Chelsea "Nitro" Keyes had the promise of a full ride to college—and everyone's admiration back home. Then she took a horrible fall during senior year. Now a metal plate holds her together and she feels like a stranger in her own family.
That summer, Chelsea's dad hires Clint, a nineteen-year-old ex-hockey player and "boot camp" trainer, to work with her at a northern Minnesota lake resort. As they grow close, Chelsea finds that Clint's haunted by his own tragedy. Will their romance end up hurting them all over again—or finally heal their heartbreak?

My Review:

Favourite Quote: "Funny thing about fear, I guess, is that if you just look away from it, toward something else - like dark eyes in a beautiful face, a lock of black hair hanging over a sweaty forehead - you realize you've turned a full hundred-and eighty degrees away from fear.
You're staring straight into your own strength."

I have been dying to read Playing Hurt even since I heard about it back in June last year.  I love a good YA contemp romance (which it is) especially one with a gorgeous cover like this and while overall I enjoyed it I am left feeling a little teeny bit disappointed.   

First up, I love the premise.  Two broken ex athletes meet over the summer, fall for each and learn to face their fears.   It was romantic, touching and leaves you feeling all warm and fuzzy.  It is written in dual narration switching from Chelsea to Clint in each chapter giving us a good insight into each character head and heart.

Chelsea and Clint were both well rounded characters that are easy to empathize with.  I think you could feel both their guilt, pain and angst.  The secondary characters were pretty standard and nobody stood out.  It was pretty much all about Chelsea and Clint which I didn't mind at all.

They had a great connection and loads and loads of chemistry.  The pages were sizzling!  I felt it was realistic portrayal of how older teens act especially how sometimes your hormones take over.  There are some make out and sex scenes in this book that are quite steamy for young adult book but I thought they were well done.

What stop this book from being a 5 star read for me was the writing.  Now it wasn't bad at all, it was pretty and thoughtful kind of prose but it was way too wordy for my liking.  I felt like I could skim parts and still know what is going on.  It just seem to drag the plot out too much.    It took me 4 days to read this when normal it would be 2 days.

Overall, despite the couple of things that bothered me Playing Hurt was a good solid read that I am glad I read.  It is a story about not being afraid to live your life and to take chances for something you love no matter how much it scares  you.

Overall: A high 3.5/5
Writing: 3/5
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Romance: 5/5
Cover: 5/5

For more info:  Visit Holly Schindler's website.

For more reviews: Visit Goodreads.