My Review of "PickUp Games" by Marcia Mickelson

After reading "PickUp Games" I was happily surprised. It was very different than my initial impressions. The title does not go with the book, it is so much deeper than what is suggested. Here is a quick description of the book found on Goodreads:

When Mick Webber gets a new job hosting a college basketball show, he is less than thrilled to learn he will be co-hosting with Cara Jones, a pretty brunette trying to get over her failed engagement. From the start it is clear the two will not be playing nice, and work soon turns into a battlefield. But as the season progresses and the two are forced to work together more closely, they begin to see that first impressions can often be deceiving. In this riveting story about the game of love, you'll find yourself holding your breath to see what the scoreboard says when the clock runs out.

I loved the way Marcia wrote the romance between Mick and Cara. It progressed at a real life pace, which was very refreshing for a novel. So many times, writers portray two people, that hate each other, falling in love quickly. You will not find that here. Mick and Cara adjust to each others personalities and grow to care about each other once they let go of their past. Everyone carries baggage in their lives, as did the main characters. As they learn to let go of their past disappointments and fears, the romance begins to blossom.

Marcia wrote a book that young and old will enjoy. Let me also point out two things:

#1 I stayed up to read the last several chapters even though I was dead tired. Very good indication of a good book.


#2 I had a smile on my face when I finished the book. The ending was very satisfying and I was happy to have stayed up late reading it.


If you are looking for a romance with a little competition, heartache, forgiveness and new beginnings, "PickUp Games"is the book for you. If you have never read a book by Marcia you will be happy to have found a great new author.


On her website this is what it said about Marcia:

"Marcia was born in Guatemala and moved to the U.S. when she was an infant. She and her family moved around a bit while in elementary school and lived in Louisiana, Texas, and New Jersey. She started writing her first novel during her senior year of high school.

She graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in American Studies. She met her husband, Nolan, at BYU and they were married in 1994. Marcia did almost no writing (other than the requisite college assignments) in college or during the first several years of marriage. After she graduated, they moved to Ogden, Utah where her husband finished up his degree at Weber State University.

During that time, Marcia worked in Salt Lake running a foster care program for a non-profit organization, Centro de la Familia de Utah. Although it was heart-wrenching at times, it was a rewarding experience in. After Nolan graduated, Marcia talked him into moving back to New Jersey. He’s always been a Yankees fan, so that sweetened the deal a bit. They had two sons while in New Jersey.

When they moved to San Antonio, Marcia stopped working and that made it possible for her to start writing again. For two years straight, she wrote almost every night and finished several novels. She also had another son along the way.

After having three novels rejected by a few publishers, Marcia finally received a contract with Cedar Fort. Star Shining Brightly was the first novel to be published. The second novel, Reasonable Doubt, was released in December 2007. The third novel, Pick Up Games, will be published in May 2009. Marcia also has another novel in the revision stages and half a dozen story ideas swirling around in her head."



You can find more information about Marcia and her books at her website

http://www.marciamickelson.com/index.html

or at her blog

http://www.marciamickelson.blogspot.com/

Please also check out my other blog post at LDS Women's Book Review blogspot, on Father's Day and gift suggestions at http://ldswbr.blogspot.com/