Pick-Up Games

By Marcia Mickelson

Reviewed by Jaymie Reynolds
On 8/7/2009

Cedar Fort, 2009 Paperback:
216 pages
ISBN-10: 1-59955-252-3
ISBN-13: 978-1-59955-252-1 Price: $15.99

In the not so fictional state of Utah on the very fictional television station, KUTA, viewers can catch the latest sports analysis show. New and exciting, it features co-anchors Mick Webber and Cara Jones. Sparks, verbal jabs, and a little bit of down home irritation propel Mick and Cara to the top of their game. Their sports commentary is a hit!

Behind the scenes though, lock Mick and Cara in a room and you will have two people whose emotional baggage threatens to engulf not only themselves but any other poor hapless soul who may get in the way. In his attempt to cling to the memory of his murdered fiance, Mick adopts the persona of a devil-may-care ladies man. Add to this the fact that he was at one point jailed and acquitted of her murder. Thanks to the stigma that has followed him ever since, Mick is a man with a whole lot to prove.

Cara is a woman living her dreams while trapped in her own personal nightmare from the past. Jilted at the altar, she is determined to show the world her worth. Overly sensitive to perceived criticism of her gender, she is quick to attack and defend those who will diminish her worth. Cara is sure that Mick is everything she detests and is working so hard to rise above. Both Cara and Mick have swapped their rose-colored glasses for spectacles that have been squashed and cracked by their own emotional baggage.

Pickup Games by Marcia Mickelson is their story. As they learn to use their baggage as a stepping stool to reach for higher stars, Mick and Cara must also learn to look past their initial impressions to see the value hidden behind their troubles.

This novel is an easy read. It has a smooth flow that sports lovers and haters alike can enjoy. The love story is an integral enough part of this book to satisfy the most sappy and lovesick among us. At the same time, it is subtle enough to appeal to those who prefer their love story to be served without a side of cheese.

Although the main characters in this book are members of the LDS church, it is presented as just another aspect of who these people are. Religion is a side note rather than the main message. This is a book that will likely appeal mainly to women but it is also morally clean enough that most mothers will feel comfortable with their teenage daughters reading it. In Pickup games, Marcia Mickelson has managed to toss sports, love, and a whole pile of baggage into a perfect blend for pure reading enjoyment.


Copyright 2009