Name: Playing Hurt
ISBN: 9780738722870

Holly Schindler

Chelsea Keyes, a high school basketball star whose promising career has been cut short by a terrible accident on the court, and Clint Morgan, a nineteen-year-old ex-hockey player who gave up his sport following a game-related tragedy, meet at a Minnesota lake resort and find themselves drawn together by the losses they have suffered.

Playing Hurt

Jess

Read my review here! --&gt; <a href="http://www.gonewiththewords.com/2011/05/review-playing-hurt-by-holly-schindler.html" rel="nofollow noopener">http://www.gonewiththewords.com/2011/05/review-playing-hurt-by-holly-schindler.html</a> Chelsea hasn’t been the same person since waking up after her surgery. She feels lost now that she no longer has basketball to make her great. On the surface though, and around everyone at school, she acts like nothing’s changed, especially with her boyfriend, Gabe, who is more devoted to her than ever. It’s like she’s trying to convince herself that her feelings toward him are the same as before the accident, when in fact they’ve began to change along with everything else inside her. Clint is quite possibly the most desirable, unattainable guy on Earth…or at least in his corner of it. He had love and lost it in a tragic way, and is not remotely interested in dating. However, Chelsea wakes up something in him and the more time they spend together, the more he opens up, but not without hesitation. He first pushes her away because he doesn’t feel he’s ready to feel what he’s feeling towards her. Together, Chelsea and Clint begin to mend one another, each in their own way. By the time Chelsea’s vacation is over and she’s due to return home, they are almost whole again. I say almost because once they’re apart they realize all they want is each other. I really enjoyed some of the side characters in this book. Brandon, Todd and Greg…I’m looking at you guys! Brandon, Chelsea’s younger brother, tried really hard to be Chelsea’s moral compass to no avail. I loved his enthusiasm for playing bass in the band with Todd and Greg. Todd and Greg are really great friends to Clint. I really liked their dynamic. I should mention that I can’t really advocate the cheating. Having been on both ends of that spectrum (yes, teenage Jess was sometimes terrible), I know the hurt that goes along with it and I don’t recommend it, kids! If you’re not completely happy with someone, just end it; as hard as that may be. With that said, I really enjoyed the romance between Chelsea and Clint. Holly Schindler, you devil, you! This book is steamy!! I'd definitely say it's for a more mature audience. I’m going to go out and by my own copy of Playing Hurt, because I know I’ll want to read this book again. (Thanks to Jen from <a href="http://jenbigheart.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow noopener">I Read Banned Books</a> for the opportunity to read and review this book as part of her book tours. :))

Amy Grieve

I loved this book! Holly Schindler is now one of my favourite writers.Her writing style is beautiful and captivating. Really this book left me sort of stuck and without speech. 

Chelsea Nitro" Keyes has a bright future playing college basketball until she suffers a career ending injury during a game. Then for the summer Chelsea's dad takes the whole family on vacation where he pays nineteen-year-old, ex-hockey player Clint, who is haunted by his past, to become her trainer during a three-week summer boot camp. Chelsea has her devoted boyfriend, Gabe, back home but sometimes you just have to live in the moment.

Both Chelsea and Clint were strong and amazing characters. Although I didn't fully agree with all the things that Chelsea did I know that in the end they were for the better. 

One thing to point out is that this book does have sexual content and that it is quite detailed for this being sold as a young adult book.

Playing Hurt

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