The Romantic Comedy Book Club
As a huge fan of Elle Kennedy’s contemporary hockey romances, it was a delight to discover that "Body Check" was not just her first contemporary romance, but also her first hockey romance—where it all began. Although "Body Check" is currently a standalone, the material is ripe for additional books, even 15 years later! While I’m not certain how the original book fared, this extended version with added content and sporadic rewrites is definitely the Elle Kennedy we know and love!
Hayden was supposed to come to Chicago, support her father, and then return to her simple, easygoing life in California. Instead, she found herself at a bar with her best friend Darcy, looking to scratch an itch that her boyfriend of two months had no intention of addressing. Having asked Doug for a break, Darcy convinces Hayden to “get it out of her system” with a one-night stand, so she can focus on her father and be all the happier (and calmer). Not quite her style, Hayden decides to give in to temptation in the form of a gorgeous gentleman currently playing pool across the room.
Brody was done with casual hookups and one-night stands. As a left-winger for the Warriors, he had his share of puck bunnies and just wanted a woman who could see past the uniform. He had no interest in taking anyone home that night, not until the unexpected goddess approached him at the pool table. She didn’t seem to recognize him, which could easily be faked, but the fact that she swept the floor with him at the pool table was very real! Intrigued and aroused, Brody agrees to join Hayden for a “nightcap.” What he didn’t agree to, as Hayden quickly learns, is to never see her again the morning after. Not realizing the pure determination of a man who always gets what he wants, Hayden gives in to Brody’s relentless pursuit, setting ground rules for their fling that has a clear expiration date. Unfortunately, her heart didn’t get the same memo. As Hayden’s world starts to turn upside down, she has to decide if the life she wants, the future she needs, is more important than the opportunity standing in front of her.
One thing I have always loved about Kennedy’s writing is her ability to make you feel like you are on the ice in one of her hockey stories. This one was no exception. The Warriors were in the playoffs, and each time Brody hit the ice, you were right there! I also love her ability to create the perfect blend in her male protagonists. Brody is the ideal mix of arrogant, confident, romantic, and sweet. His continuous pursuit of Hayden for all the right reasons just makes you fall in love with him even more. When Kennedy dives into the insecurities of Brody and Hayden's past, you find characters you can identify with on an emotional level.
Another thing I admire is Kennedy's artistic way of approaching a spicy scene. She has never shied away from the spice in her books, but what I love most is how she can morph it from just plain raw, animalistic intensity to a sensual, intimate connection as the protagonists begin to fall for each other. You feel the shift and know the moment the heart becomes just as entangled as everything else.
While the budding romance between Hayden and Brody was the overall arc of the story, the subplot of the potential Warrior scandal had a life of its own.
Kennedy also takes a moment to project the perspectives of Brody and Hayden onto secondary characters, giving them just as important a role as the primary ones.
While Brody and Hayden were characters to admire, my favorite character was Darcy! She was the most unapologetic woman who lived her life by her rules. I would love to see how her story pans out. Kennedy set this up perfectly to be a series if she decided to revisit this universe.
Providing an array of emotions from beginning to end, "Body Check" is yet another triumph of Elle Kennedy’s talent. From moments that have you laughing despite yourself to tears you didn’t anticipate, Hayden and Brody’s story will capture you and leave you hoping against hope that this is only the beginning.
