THE PENALTY BOX

Author: Deirdre Martin ISBN: 0425208907 3/2006 CONTEMPORARY Publisher: BERKLEY SENSATION

Everyone from Didsbury High remembers Katie Fisher as the dumpy brainiac from the poor side of town. Everyone from Didsbury High remembers Paul van Dorn as the school hockey star—and heartthrob. But now they’re facing off—and matching up in more ways than one. Katie’s lost the pounds, added some self-confidence, and become a drop-dead gorgeous sociology professor. And since a series of concussions put an end to Paul’s pro hockey career, his star has dimmed. Now he hits the ice as a coach. But he’s still got the hometown crowd behind him as the owner of a bar called The Penalty Box. Paul is reliving his glory days. Katie wishes she could put those years behind her. And the battle of wills that ensues just might knock love right out of the game…

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Let me begin my review by saying that I love a good reunion book. They are the best. It is great to read about how a person's life has changed for the better, or how they have gone and gotten married and had fifteen children with a wonderful, gorgeous man who steals their heart and would never cheat. Better yet, I love to read a story about an overweight, shy girl coming back to town as a gorgeous, successful sociology professor who knocks everyone's socks off. Call me a sucker. I am all about the underdog.

Katie Fisher is home again—after many years—to help her mother take care of her sister's child. Unbeknownst to Katie, her mother has R.S.V.P.'d for her to attend her high school reunion shortly after her return home. Personally, I would have worn the shortest skirt I could find and caused quite a scene at the ol' reunion. Katie? Not so much. She is uncomfortable around all of the people who made her high school years so miserable (one in particular I would have liked very much to slap). Upon trying to make a hasty retreat from the boorish, obnoxious crowd of people, she runs into the one man who can stop her heart—Paul van Dorn. Katie is a hard nut to crack and still a little skittish due to her horrid treatment in high school and the hard life that she lived so many years ago.

Paul is an ex hockey star who, at the ripe old age of 28, is retired. He is gorgeous, funny and flawed. He has a certain amount of insecurities that come with having been told that the only thing you feel you are any good at is the one thing you will never do again. It happens. It makes him human and real, and I loved his character. He tries so hard to get Katie to come out of her shell; you fall in love with him just for his sheer effort.

They both have things to work through, issues to deal with, and that makes them a wonderful couple to read about. They are also an extremely funny couple that had me laughing at every turn of the page. There is one hilarious part of the book—by far my favorite—in which Katie accidentally hits Paul with her car. Good stuff.

The writing in THE PENALTY BOX is flawless, the characters funny and sexy, and the secondary characters help to give this book a very down to earth, lovely feel. Deirdre Martin has definitely found a new fan in me.

Kristal Gorman