Review: Out of Play by Jolene Perry & Nyrae Dawn

Rock star drummer Bishop Riley doesn't have a drug problem. Celebrities—especially ones suffering from anxiety—just need a little help taking the edge off sometimes. After downing a few too many pills, Bishop wakes up in the hospital facing an intervention. If he wants to stay in the band, he’ll have to detox while under house arrest in Seldon, Alaska.　

Hockey player Penny Jones can't imagine a life outside of Seldon. Though she has tons of scholarship offers to all the best schools, the last thing she wants is to leave. Who'll take care of her absentminded gramps? Not her mother, who can’t even be bothered to come home from work, let alone deal with their new tenants next door.

Penny’s not interested in dealing with Bishop’s crappy attitude, and Bishop’s too busy sneaking pills to care. Until he starts hanging out with Gramps and begins to see what he’s been missing. If Bishop wants a chance with the fiery girl next door, he’ll have to admit he has a problem and kick it. Too bad addiction is hard to kick…and Bishop’s about to run out of time. ~ Goodreads

Source: E-ARC provided by publisher for my honest review

Review:
A spoiled, pill popping, overdosing rock star thrown into the Alaskan wilderness (ok, a cabin in the woods - but that's still roughing it yo!) + a confident hockey playing girl = awesomeness!

This book is a lot of things rolled into one. Empowering. Heartbreaking. And laugh out loud hilarious.
I'll get to Bishop the hot rock star in a second but right now I'm going to stick with Penny because she's a real stand out as far as I'm concerned.

She's one of my favorite book girls that I've read about in a loooong time. Penny wants to stay on the men's hockey team and in her hometown of Alaska after she graduates. All her friends and family keep pushing her to join a girls team and leave the state so she can expand her horizons. She's tough as nails and has a clear vision for her life but isn't sure how to express that without letting down everyone around her.

There are very few YA/NA girls right now that I consider to be as thoughtful and self aware as Penny is. I think I'm girl crushing on her. She's confident and while she melts at Bishop's touch, she knows how far she's ready to go (and not go) and doesn't mind saying so.

Which leads me to Bishop. Oh, he's a hot mess. Spoiled, confident, and in complete denial about his drug addiction. When he and Penny meet it's nowhere near insta-love and I appreciated that. They just come to understand and appreciate each other over time and it comes as a total shock to both of them. I liked watching Bishop get knocked down a peg or two and reach that turning point in his life where he knows he has to do the hard work to get healthy.

Out of Play has all the required angst, sexual tension and crossed signals but what it does really well is showing us two characters who take responsibility for their actions.

I thought the end was a bit rushed. All the things that were building up come to a head and started happening very quick, in a very dramatic way. I wish it had been allowed to play out a little more or subtly but overall I loved this book and the relationships that were written so true to the teenage experience.

Final thoughts: Despite all their issues I felt this was a very realistic, healthy romance because as much as they helped each other, it was about helping themselves first. Good stuff. I read it in 5 hours. And...despite some required angst it’s funny as hell!

Author: Jolene Perry | Nyrae Dawn
Buy the book! Out of Play (Entangled Teen)