Icebreaker (New York Blades #9) by Deirdre Martin
Contemporary Romance
February 1, 2011
Paperback, 368 Pages
Berkley

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote: “As far as I can tell, you’ve got no flaws and can walk on water.”

“Divinity is a bitch.”

Sinead O’Brien is a high power attorney who lives and breathes her job. The only female partner is her law firm, she walks the straight and narrow to hold her own on an all male playing field. Dating clients is against the rules. When she is approached by the New York Blades to defend a player accused of unnecessary roughness, Sinead begins to think that rules are meant to be broken.

Adam Perry, the new captain of the New York Blades, plays hard and makes no apologies for it. He’s out to win the Stanley cup and no one is getting in his way. When he is accused of assault on the ice and the league tells him to bring it down a notch, he has to put his career and life in Sinead’s hands. And soon he doesn’t want to be anywhere else.

Deirdre Martin’s Icebreaker is #9 in her endearing and humorous hockey series focusing on the lives and loves of the fictional New York Blades. A romantic contemporary that addresses real life concerns and issues facing two career driven individuals. Well written in a fast paced conversational style, we watch our two protagonists Sinead and Adam lock horns and lips in an emotional and humorous battle of the sexes.

Sinead and Adam are both alike. Private people; they have devoted their lives to their careers. Sinead thinks Adam is a dumb jock and Adam sees Sinead as an uptight prig. As Sinead divulges deeper into Adam’s past in order to build a defense case against him, she and we see a different side to him.

I found both Sinead and Adam to be well developed characters, but I didn’t like them. They each have deep seated insecurities and issues from the past that were resolved in to short a time. So controlling of their own lives; and then mystified when others don’t fall into line with their opinions and ultimatums. I found it laughable that it took friends to call them on their actions on many different occasions. I didn’t feel I got enough time to really get to know them or connect with them. This same reasoning also contributed to me not feeling any chemistry between them so the relationship felt one dimensional and forced. The romance came at me fast; once again because I didn’t see the attraction of these two characters. The actual love scenes are pretty steamy and enjoyable to read.

It was the secondary cast of characters that made the story for me. These characters are a hodge podge of old and new faces. Plenty of personality and humor define them in a way that carried and evolved the main storyline for me. In here we see some of our favorite Blades-Ty Gallagher & Michael Dante-busting heads and taking names. Sinead’s brother Quinn O’Brien and the rest of her family are here to lend moral support and unwanted advice. Anthony Dante are also here in which he plays a huge part in showing Adam that his way or the highway isn’t a great attitude to have when trying to keep your girlfriend.

We also meet my new favorite of the series-Oliver. Oliver is Sinead’s best friend and co-worker. Oliver is a hilariously unapologetic alcoholic and womanizer yet his advice to Sinead is spot on. He’s the comic relief this uptight woman needs. I hope he gets his own HEA.

The ending is predictable and satisfactory for Adam and Sinead’s story. While it didn’t work for me personally-it ended the way it should have for them. I did like that they learned to compromise; both learning that giving in doesn’t mean giving up.

Rating: C

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