THE KEEPER

An ex-goalie must take up his hockey stick and glove once more when his son is badly injured in this debut novel.

At age 20, Mariano Giovanelli has it all; the star goalie for the Vancouver Canucks is one of the most celebrated players in the NHL, with a beautiful wife and a baby son on the way. But when his wife, Angie, dies in childbirth, Mariano gives it all up to raise little Michael, with only the help of his loving mother, Mary. Fast-forward 17 years, and Michael is now an impressive hockey player himself, spurred on by his supportive father. The young athlete gets a glimpse of the big time when he competes against some NHL veterans. Unfortunately, a hard hip check from one of those players sends Michael and his dreams crashing onto the ice, causing a traumatic brain injury that devastates Mariano and taxes his finances. At the urging of his mother, some unexpected religious intervention, and maybe even his dead wife, the ex-keeper is convinced to return to the sport he loves to make money to support his son’s recovery. But the once-great rookie is years out of shape and will have to undergo intense training to try to become what he once was, a trip that will take him to a camp in Chicago, the Toronto Marlies, and another chance in the NHL. Cain’s classic comeback story captures the action on the ice with a frenetic energy while portraying Mariano and his mother and son with a warmth that is often conveyed through their cooperation during good, old Italian cooking. The numerous training scenes are rarely tedious, and it’s a shame the book doesn’t extend this same attention to Michael’s recovery, as it would make a nice parallel to his father’s journey of rediscovery. Other moments, like Michael’s falling in love and finding his own path, are likewise given too little attention. The tale’s main conceit, the money needed for medical bills that spurs Mariano’s return to hockey, could be made more pressing. It would be another serious challenge for the keeper to overcome, along with his own self-doubts and the chiding of younger players.

A rousing Canadian comeback story incited by love that focuses too heavily on sports and not enough on family.