Power Play

Debut author Vilendrer charms in this sweet-as-pie Midwestern contemporary. Dani O’Brien has six brothers, all of whom are athletes, so wrangling her colleagues in the Minnesota State Legislature is second nature to her. Then Luke Coffey, star of the local hockey team, the Blizzards, comes marching into her office. His team management is looking to expand the team’s rink, and they’ve coerced charismatic Luke into pushing for a bond measure that would fund it. After an earlier disastrous relationship, Dani has a strict no-dating-athletes policy—but she caves in the face of overwhelming attraction to Luke. A misunderstanding snaps the fragile trust between Dani and Luke and all seems lost, but don’t count this plucky couple out. Despite frequently meandering into minor characters’ points of view, Vilendrer still delivers a solid tale, with a hero and heroine who feel real enough to step off the page. (BookLife)