Book Review: Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler

Title: Playing Hurt

Author: Holly Schindler

Details: Paperback, 312 pgs.

Published:  March 8th, 2011 by Flux

isbn: 0738722871 (ISBN13: 9780738722870)

Reading Level: Young Adult

Source: Gift

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?

Playing Hurt was a moving and amazingly told story about a girl and a boy and a summer romance.  It's also about a girl and a boy who are broken and need to find the path back to healing.  Together they may be able to do that, but apart, maybe not so much.   


Holly is one of those writers that has page after page of noteworthy passages.  She has descriptions that are so amazing that you can feel them yourself.  She takes something as simple as Chelsea holding a sweat soaked beer bottle to her cheek to cool down and she describes it in a way that you can feel the coldness upon your own skin.  Your transported to the story, to Minnesota in the summer.  To hot days and hawt nights.  To romance and pain and heartache.  
I read this book at work and I didn't have my little sticky notes I usually use to mark passages, but if I had- this book would be filled with them.  There were some paragraphs that I read over 2 or 3 times because they were so eloquent and beautiful I wanted to feel it over and over again.


I had my own summer romance in Minnesota as a teen and so perhaps this story was even more amazing because of that.  Because of the memories it evoked and the emotions it brought back.  But I really think that most anyone will bring up their own memories of love and romance when reading this.  Of a summer vacation, or of a time when you felt broken and just needed a little push to get back on track.  


I loved both of the main characters in the story.  I thought Chelsea was real.  I got her and  the  emotions she went through.  What I really got was her trouble with her boyfriend.  Now, I don't want to give any spoilers away- but Chelsea has some things to get figured out in real life.  Some things she didn't even know weren't perfect until she goes on vacation.  Her inability to deal with it all was very real.  Maybe for me because I went through that.  I understand that when you feel as though your in a fantasy or when your just on vacation, dealing with real life is just too hard.  Ack, I'm really not explaining things well.  But my point is, I got her.  
Clint was a great guy.  I really loved that Holly switched the perspectives every chapter.  So we got both sides of the story- literally.  Clint has his own past he's coming to terms with and his demons he's fighting.   You put the two of them together and you have an amazing couple.  Even when they go through periods of up and down.  

The side characters played important roles as well.   Brandon, Chelsea's annoying brother who has a crazy strong personality, loves to rock out and is always irritating Chelsea, but loves her to pieces and is always watching out for her.  Her father who she's had a bit of a communication problem with since her accident.  Clints friends who urge him to date and even the girl who wants to date him and is always kind of there.   Clints parents even have small parts that help shape the story and how it all plays out.  They all are real and completely fantastic.


The romance played out in a way I found especially real.  They had instant attraction- but not exactly instant romance.  Because of their issues they push any feelings aside.  But spending 3 weeks together is plenty of time for things to come together- and for things to fall apart.  
This book is about an 18 and 19 year old.  They talk and do things that 18 and 19 year olds are doing.  There is kissing and there is more *waggles eyebrows* then kissing.  Actually this had more description (of more then kissing) then most YA, but I have to say that that really made it more real for me.  Because I think that's exactly what would happen.  If that hadn't gone down then the book wouldn't have felt as real to me.  But keep in mind that it may not be a book you want your middle grader reading.  Just use discretion and remember the ages of the characters and you should be good. 


This is a book that would make a fantastic summer read.  It's fast paced, easy to read and is perfect for recalling your own romantic summers.  Holly Schindlers descriptions jump off the page and if you don't have summer, or you read it in the winter,  she'll bring the summer to you.  I couldn't recommend this book any more, you honestly have got to read it yourself!

You can find the author at her:

Website |  Twitter 

You can purchase the book at:

Playing Hurt IndieBound

Playing Hurt at Amazon