She's Got Game

Great Game. If Heffernan's friend Maggie Dallen's latest book was a Hallmark Movie of the saccharine sweet variety, this one is closer to one of the rocky road jalapeno ice cream variety. Still mostly funny, but deals with some weightier issues in a mostly sweet manner with a hint of burn-your-mouth spice. Heffernan takes several risks with her characters that are rare, and that is much appreciated by this particular reader. The narrator is a gamer - and not a video gamer, which has gained a degree of acceptance in mainstream modern society. No, this narrator is a board gamer. And bi. And one of her best friends is demisexual - an orientation I've literally only seen used in one other book. And the driving narrative force is a board game tournament. And there are several weighty issues that could drag the book down, but Heffernan deftly keeps the focus on her primary couple as they haltingly get together. Excellent work, I'm very much looking forward to the next one. Very much recommended.

I'd like to get this out of the way first: I found Gwen extremely frustrating at times (seriously, just talk to the guy!), and I admire Cody for his patience with her.

Besides that, though, the story had so many things that I enjoy in a book: A swoon-worthy hero, two BFFs who kept Gwen grounded (and whose stories I can't wait to read!), a geeky game tournament with lots of trash-talk and some serious nail-biting the closer we got to the finals, some twists I did not see coming, and some really nice wordsmithing painting a vivid picture (no, not a Monet...).

I'm really looking forward to reading Shannon and Holly's stories!