Ryan Talonovich was the star of his college hockey team before he was seriously hurt at practice. The injuries he sustained have put him in a wheel chair. It’ll be a long time before he can walk again, never mind skate. Ryan is angry and depressed. Watching his teammates skate makes him feels worse. It’s at the rink that he meets Dante Espinoza. Dante is an exceptionally talented speed skater working towards his dream of going to the Olympics. Ryan and Dante hit it off and soon, romance follows. Dante has to work hard to afford to skate, his mom doesn’t approve of it, and he’s got issues with his teammates. Ryan is hurting, mentally and physically, and his mom’s over protectiveness is driving him nuts. Will the love Dante and Ryan find in each other’s arm see them through the rough road ahead?  

Power Play is a wonderful love story. It’s full of angst and passion. The emotion pours off of every page. Whether it is Dante’s feelings about his lecherous boss or his need for his mother’s approval or Ryan’s fight to get back on his feet or his struggle to cope with his mother’s over protectiveness, you can feel every one of their emotions. The love and desire Dante and Ryan have for each other creates one poignant and erotic moment after another. Power Play has fantastic characterization. You really get to know Dante and Ryan, who they are, where they’re going and what makes them tick. The same can be said for every character in the story. The innocent and intense feelings Dante and Ryan have for each other are extremely endearing and sexy. Ryan is shy and nervous. He’s strong, but reduced to near helplessness. It doesn’t sit well with him and he struggles to find himself again throughout the story. Dante is exactly what Ryan needs. He’s protective, honorable, and gorgeous. His own battles are hard won.  I felt intimately a part of Dante and Ryan’s relationship as it unfolded across the pages. Power Play is uplifting and beautiful, although, I wanted more at the end. I wasn’t done reading about Dante and Ryan! Power Play is another example of why J.M. Snyder is one of the best author’s of gay romance.