Behind the Net

Jamie is a protagonist and point-of-view narrator. He has been playing professional hockey since he was 19, spending seven years with a team in New York, and is 26 when the novel begins. He negotiated to be traded to the Vancouver Storm, an NHL team based in Vancouver, BC, because his mother still lives there, and Jamie is concerned about her well-being after a recent car accident. Jamie’s father died when he crashed a car while driving intoxicated when Jamie was just a baby. Jamie grew up the only child of a single mother, which makes him feel all the more obligated to take care of her. Several times in his youth, Jamie was left to take care of himself, for instance cooking his own meals, when his mother was experiencing an episode of depression and kept to her bed. This upbringing has made him focused, determined, disciplined, and completely self-reliant, and his story reflects The Shaping Power of Family Loyalty.

Jamie’s independence means that he doesn’t believe he needs anybody’s help, and his self-reliance means that he would never ask for it. However, he deals with abandonment issues that affect his ability to build a relationship with Pippa. In addition to the ways he felt his mother abandoned him when he was growing up, Jamie also lost a close relationship when he grew apart from his high school best friend and fellow hockey player, Rory Miller. Rory’s dad, Rick Miller, was a famous NHL player known for his arrogance and aggression on the ice. He mentored both boys in hockey—possibly standing in as a father figure for Jamie—but Jamie never identified with Rick’s form of relentlessness. Jamie lost touch with Rory when he detected Rory’s impulse for self-destruction and, when the story opens, he hasn’t felt the need to reach out and repair that relationship. While Jamie doesn’t blame himself for the estrangement with Rory, he does blame himself for letting down Erin, the model he dated when he was younger. Jamie’s panic when Erin announced a possible pregnancy led to their breakup and a subsequent career change for her. Jamie believes her lack of success as a model and her career change is his fault, and he has turned this into evidence for his belief that he needs to avoid romantic relationships so he can focus on hockey and his responsibilities to his mom. Over the course of the novel, Jamie reconnects with both Rory and Erin, resolving his feelings and gaining closure that enables him to move forward and pursue a relationship with Pippa.

Jamie is competitive, dedicated, and has a single-minded focus that makes him successful in his hockey career. He says of himself, “I thrive on a challenge. Pressure fuels me. Years of training have made me into a person who loves to push my own limits and win” (4). Later, he says to Pippa, “I thrive on competition. It’s woven into my DNA at this point, and it’s the best way to motivate me” (153). Jamie’s physical appearance is conventionally attractive: He is depicted as very masculine, with thick dark hair, deep green eyes, a “[s]harp jawline, strong nose. Broad, strong shoulders, and tall” (9). He tends to be reserved and self-contained, which, to Pippa, initially comes off as “silent, intimidating, [and] grumpy” (9). As she becomes better acquainted with him, Pippa notes Jamie’s tendency to always want to fix things. He likes to solve problems but would prefer to avoid them, which is why he initially fires Pippa. He recognizes that his interest in her from high school, and his attraction to her now, represents a distraction that will take his mind off his responsibilities.

Pippa also activates Jamie’s protective and nurturing tendencies. He wants to protect her from Zach, encourage her to pursue her passion for music, and please her sexually. Jamie’s character arc in the novel entails learning to let more people into his life, including friendships with his teammates, a détente with Rory, and taking a risk to be close to Pippa. Once they become sexually involved, falling in love makes Jamie realize he can extend his family circle to include Pippa, and he can have a fulfilling relationship alongside a fulfilling career.

Hazel is Pippa’s older sister by one year. Her hair is darker than Pippa’s, a chocolate brown. The sisters have a warm and supportive relationship; Hazel gives Pippa a place to stay when Pippa breaks up with Zach and leaves the tour. Hazel’s passion is teaching yoga, which she does in the time she doesn’t devote to being a sports physiologist for the Vancouver Storm.

Hazel’s approach to relationships is the exact opposite of Pippa’s. Where Pippa doesn’t enter casual relationships, Hazel’s approach is strictly casual; Pippa describes her as using men and casting them aside. Hazel’s role in the novel is mainly to provide support and reflection for Pippa, urging her to confront her feelings for Jamie. Hazel is loyal but not a pushover; she refuses to let Rory Miller see that she’s attracted to him. She acts as a foil for Pippa as she demonstrates what it looks like to live on her own and follow her dreams, even if those don’t lead to financial success. In this way, she also acts as a model for Pippa’s potential future, if she is brave enough to take the risks.

Hazel also benefits from Jamie’s urge to help others and support Pippa when he comes to her yoga studio, which immediately boosts the popularity of Hazel’s hot yoga class. Pippa appreciates this gesture as this is a further indication of Jamie’s kind and protective nature. Hazel, too, is protective of Pippa, but when she perceives that Pippa is in love with Jamie and that Jamie is good to her, she approves of the relationship, showing that she only wants what is best for Pippa.