Power Play by Anastasija White Summary, Characters and Themes

Power Play by Anastasija White is a contemporary romance novel that centers on second chances, emotional healing, and the complications of past love that never fully extinguished.  Set in the overlapping worlds of professional hockey and personal redemption, the story revolves around Clay Rodgers, a passionate athlete weighed down by emotional scars, and Layla Benson, a strong yet vulnerable single mother.

Years after a promising college romance went awry, fate reunites them under difficult circumstances—with Layla hiding a life-altering secret and Clay confronting long-suppressed feelings.  At its heart, the book explores the power of forgiveness, the courage to confront one’s mistakes, and the possibility of rebuilding love when it seems almost too late.

Summary

Clay Rodgers first meets Layla Benson in a coffee shop near his college campus.  He’s immediately drawn to her charisma and wit, especially her enthusiasm for hockey.

But Clay’s excitement is quickly deflated when he learns she’s the sister of his team captain, Drake Benson.  The unspoken rules of team loyalty make her off-limits, and though Clay is tempted to pursue her, he ultimately suppresses his feelings and steps away, believing it’s the respectful choice.

Years later, Clay is unexpectedly traded to the California Thunders, the team Drake now plays for.  The move brings him back into Layla’s orbit—and into a situation filled with emotional landmines.

Layla is now a single mother to a young daughter named Maya, born from a relationship with Eli, a man who emotionally abandoned them both.  When Clay and Layla are forced into the same social circle again, particularly at a birthday party hosted by Layla’s best friend Ava, their reunion is emotionally intense.

Clay is taken aback when he meets Maya, who shares a striking resemblance to Layla, sparking suspicion and heartache about what could have been.

As Clay attempts to reenter Layla’s life, old wounds resurface.  He’s still haunted by the feelings he tried to bury years ago and confused by Layla’s guarded demeanor.

For Layla, the presence of Clay stirs deep regret.  She’s never forgotten the man who once made her feel seen and cherished, yet the weight of secrets and insecurities keeps her from opening up.

Complicating everything is Maya’s innocence and her immediate connection to Clay, making the stakes far higher than they were in college.

Through alternating perspectives, the story paints a vivid picture of their emotional landscape.  Clay’s internal monologue reveals a man who has grown past his immature reputation and now craves a genuine relationship.

He reflects on past mistakes, including sabotaging one of Layla’s relationships out of jealousy, and struggles with whether he’s worthy of a second chance.  A pivotal moment comes when Clay confronts Layla about her continued resistance.

She accuses him of never trying, and he confesses that he never fully let her go.  Their subsequent kiss is full of unresolved emotion, signaling a rekindling that neither of them can resist.

Layla, meanwhile, is dealing with much more than just an old flame.  Maya is diagnosed with intermittent exotropia, requiring treatment with glasses and possibly surgery.

Layla faces this with admirable strength but is emotionally depleted.  Clay’s support during this period—his patience, his willingness to listen, and his attentiveness to Maya—challenges Layla’s belief that she must carry every burden alone.

These shared moments build a new foundation of trust between them.

Their rekindled romance isn’t without setbacks.  Layla’s guilt over keeping Maya’s paternity a secret continues to gnaw at her.

A night of intimacy between them only intensifies her internal conflict.  She wants to be with Clay but is terrified that telling him the truth could destroy their fragile connection.

Conversations with Ava reveal Layla’s deep self-doubt and trauma.  Ava encourages her to believe in her worth and Clay’s love, but Layla remains paralyzed by fear.

Clay, on the other hand, is more resolute than ever.  He envisions a life with Layla and Maya and begins to insert himself into their daily rhythm.

He cherishes Maya’s quirky innocence and nurtures Layla’s emotional wounds with unwavering compassion.  Yet he’s also grappling with his own history—the unresolved pain from the first time Layla pushed him away, and the years of silence that followed.

The emotional crescendo comes when Layla, exhausted and confused, avoids attending one of Clay’s games.  She isolates herself, overwhelmed by guilt and heartache, until a misunderstanding pushes her to the edge.

She believes Clay has moved on after seeing another woman at his place.  Devastated, she convinces herself that her worst fears have come true.

But Clay arrives at her door to set the record straight.  In a rain-drenched confrontation, he lays his heart bare.

He tells her that Maya is his daughter in every way that matters and that he has never stopped loving her.

This moment of truth prompts Layla to finally say the words she’s held back for so long: “I love you. ” The raw sincerity of her admission is the breakthrough they both need.

From that point, their healing begins in earnest.  They integrate their lives slowly and with care.

Layla opens up about her past with Eli, her fears, and the reasons she kept Clay away.  Clay, in turn, embraces Maya as his daughter long before any legal documents are drawn.

Their love story moves toward a fulfilling conclusion.  Clay reconciles with Drake, easing the tension that once stood in the way of their relationship.

Layla finds stability in her work at her flower shop and joy in their growing family dynamic.  Clay thrives professionally, winning the Stanley Cup, and personally, finding peace in the home he shares with Layla and Maya.

In the end, Clay proposes in front of their friends and family, sealing their future with a heartfelt commitment.  Maya, now three years old, accepts him fully as her father, and they mark the occasion with the gift of a puppy—symbolizing a fresh chapter of shared joy and unconditional love.

Power Play closes on a note of hard-earned happiness, built on vulnerability, forgiveness, and the courage to face the past in order to embrace the future.

Characters

Clay Rodgers

Clay Rodgers stands at the emotional epicenter of Power Play by Anastasija White—a character caught between the weight of his past and the yearning for a future he still dares to hope for.  Initially introduced as a confident, flirtatious young man and hockey player with a reputation for womanizing, Clay’s emotional journey spans nearly a decade, evolving from youthful infatuation to profound, transformative love.

From the moment he first meets Layla, Clay’s feelings are unlike any he’s experienced before.  Though he steps back out of respect for her brother and team rules, the emotional seed is planted.

Even years later, after a failed engagement and a slew of regrets, his love for Layla remains untouched.  This enduring loyalty—highlighted by the fact that he never even opened the ring he once bought for her—becomes a defining trait, suggesting a depth of emotional constancy that belies his earlier immaturity.

Clay’s character is built on the tension between his fierce protectiveness and his internal vulnerability.  When he learns about Maya, he is stunned, not because of the idea of fatherhood, but because of the exclusion from a life he might have cherished.

Yet his reaction is never cruel or retaliatory.  Instead, he leans into love, forming a natural bond with Maya and displaying tenderness, patience, and deep emotional intelligence.

His affection for children, and especially Maya, suggests a man who is no longer interested in fleeting conquests but in permanence—home, family, and belonging.  His emotional maturity is further revealed in the way he handles Layla’s insecurities, her guilt, and her trauma.

He never demands, but rather waits, offering steadiness in the face of her chaos.  This gentleness becomes his strength.

Clay is a character whose masculinity is redefined not through dominance but through care, restraint, and devotion.  His evolution is as heartwarming as it is inspiring, embodying the redemptive power of love that endures even after years of silence and heartbreak.

Layla Benson

Layla Benson is the emotional heart of Power Play, a woman weighed down by the twin burdens of guilt and self-doubt.  Her story is one of emotional resilience forged in the crucible of abandonment, fear, and single motherhood.

Layla’s relationship with Clay is long and convoluted, shaped by a deep love she was never brave enough to publicly claim.  Her decision to hide her pregnancy, driven by shame, trauma, and insecurity, reflects the way her past relationships—especially the emotional cruelty of Eli—have shaped her perception of her own worth.

Layla is not a passive victim; she is a deeply human character who makes painful choices and must live with their consequences.  Her emotional arc is one of self-forgiveness as much as it is of romance.

As a mother, Layla is unwaveringly devoted.  Her concern for Maya’s health, particularly her eye condition, reveals not only her maternal instincts but her fierce capacity for worry, love, and sacrifice.

Layla is haunted by the idea that she has ruined Clay’s life by excluding him, and this guilt compounds her struggles with body image and emotional vulnerability.  But her journey is not just about reconciling with Clay—it’s about confronting her own belief that she is unlovable.

With Clay’s persistent compassion and Ava’s grounding friendship, Layla begins to believe she is worthy of love, not just as a mother, but as a woman.  Her evolution is gradual, full of setbacks and surges, but it’s also triumphant.

Layla ultimately stands as a portrait of a woman learning to trust herself again—to see herself not through the lens of past pain, but through the love and grace she finally allows herself to receive.

Maya

Maya, Layla’s daughter, is the quiet yet powerful emotional anchor of Power Play.  A bright, observant, and endearing child, Maya functions as more than just a symbol of the consequences of past choices—she becomes a bridge between two fractured hearts.

Her innocent and instinctive bond with Clay is among the most poignant elements of the narrative.  Without knowing his potential role in her life, Maya gravitates toward Clay, trusting him, laughing with him, and opening her world to him without reservation.

This unforced connection underscores the idea that love, even when delayed, has the power to create something whole.

Maya’s medical condition adds another layer to her character, inviting empathy and reinforcing the high emotional stakes of Layla’s protective instincts.  Yet Maya is never defined solely by her vulnerability.

Her sense of humor, creativity—especially her imaginary friend Bon-Bon—and loving nature infuse the story with warmth and hope.  Through her, Clay and Layla get a glimpse of the life they could have shared, had circumstances and choices not pulled them apart.

She’s a character that evokes affection, but also one that quietly compels the adults around her to grow, confront, and love more openly.  In many ways, Maya is the emotional compass of the story, pointing both Clay and Layla toward healing and unity.

Ava

Ava, Layla’s best friend, is the story’s voice of reason and emotional ballast.  She is the unwavering support system Layla turns to in moments of despair, doubt, and fear.

Ava is perceptive, direct, and grounded—never letting Layla spiral too far into self-pity or emotional avoidance.  She plays the critical role of confidante but is never reduced to a sidekick.

Her understanding of Layla’s emotional landscape runs deep, and her encouragement to tell Clay the truth becomes one of the key catalysts for Layla’s transformation.

Beyond her relationship with Layla, Ava represents the stability and honesty that Layla often lacks in herself.  Her own marriage and family life serve as a mirror, not of unattainable perfection, but of what is possible when love is nurtured with honesty.

She challenges Layla without judgment and affirms her worth when Layla doubts it most.  Ava’s presence is both grounding and elevating—she provides clarity in moments clouded by fear and serves as a subtle yet powerful reminder that even the most complicated relationships can be redeemed with courage and truth.

Eli

Eli, though largely absent from the current timeline, casts a long, painful shadow over Layla’s life.  As Maya’s biological father, his emotional abandonment and cruelty have left deep scars on Layla’s psyche.

His callous remark that she was unlovable, and his refusal to take any responsibility for Maya, fuel Layla’s ongoing insecurities.  Eli is the embodiment of emotional neglect, and his legacy is not one of presence but of absence—of what it means when someone chooses not to show up.

Despite being a peripheral figure, Eli’s influence on the story is immense.  His mistreatment of Layla sets the groundwork for the guardedness and fear that define her later interactions with Clay.

However, Eli also inadvertently becomes a foil to Clay—highlighting, by contrast, Clay’s empathy, integrity, and emotional availability.  In this way, Eli’s failure becomes a powerful narrative tool, emphasizing the redemptive potential of a love that chooses to stay, heal, and grow.

Drake Benson

Drake, Layla’s older brother and Clay’s former team captain, looms in the background for much of the story but plays a pivotal role in shaping the initial boundaries of Clay and Layla’s relationship.  As a protective sibling, Drake establishes Layla as off-limits, inadvertently initiating the years of emotional suppression and miscommunication between the couple.

Yet Drake is not presented as a villain; rather, he represents familial loyalty, tradition, and unspoken codes—forces that are as difficult to navigate as romantic love itself.

As the story progresses and Clay and Layla begin to rekindle their relationship, Drake’s role evolves from barrier to bridge.  His quiet support in the later chapters, especially as Clay moves toward adoption and public acknowledgment of Maya, signals a subtle but important shift.

Drake’s approval, once feared, ultimately becomes another point of validation in Clay and Layla’s journey toward building a family.  His presence is a reminder that even well-intentioned rules can inadvertently shape destinies—and that forgiveness and growth are possible for everyone involved.

Colton

Colton, Clay’s longtime best friend, serves as a reminder of Clay’s earlier life—full of carefree moments, locker room banter, and emotional immaturity.  But like Clay, Colton matures, and his loyalty to Clay never wavers.

While he doesn’t take center stage, his presence adds depth to the social world surrounding the main couple, showing that lasting friendships can be both a source of strength and continuity in times of change.

Colton’s ease and support offer levity and camaraderie, contrasting with the intense emotional gravity of Clay and Layla’s arc.  He also exemplifies the deep bonds that exist among the players, friendships that evolve but remain firm.

In a story brimming with emotional introspection, Colton adds balance—a reminder that life, even in its most serious moments, is also meant to be shared with those who laugh with you, challenge you, and stand by you.

Themes

Unresolved Love and Emotional Yearning

In Power Play by Anastasija White, unresolved love serves as a persistent undercurrent shaping the emotional trajectories of Clay and Layla.  Their relationship is marked by a history of near-misses and missed opportunities that continue to haunt them into adulthood.

This theme becomes palpable through the ache of unspoken confessions, the weight of past decisions, and the haunting “what ifs” that plague both characters.  Clay’s long-standing affection for Layla is not a fleeting infatuation but a love that has aged with time, deepened by regret and reinforced by the emotional vacuum left by her absence.

His journey is not one of rediscovering a lost love but of trying to finally live out the version of that love he always imagined.  For Layla, the emotional yearning is compounded by guilt, insecurity, and self-imposed emotional barriers.

Her avoidance of the truth and retreat into silence reflect not indifference but a desperate attempt to protect herself from heartbreak.

This deep-seated longing manifests in every interaction between them, from tense silences to emotionally vulnerable moments.  Their physical intimacy is laced with emotional significance, never casual, always a reflection of deeper feelings waiting to be voiced.

The powerful moment when Layla finally says “I love you” is not just a declaration—it is the release of years of pent-up emotion, validation of Clay’s enduring love, and an acknowledgment that the heart remembers even when time has passed.  Their story is not just about rekindling a romance, but about completing an emotional arc long left suspended, driven by a yearning that neither time nor distance could dull.

Guilt and Redemption

Guilt plays a central role in shaping Layla’s decisions and emotional responses throughout the novel.  Her guilt is layered—stemming from her decision to keep Maya’s paternity a secret, from her inability to confront her feelings for Clay earlier, and from her past submission to emotionally manipulative relationships.

The narrative makes clear that her guilt is not merely a private burden but a force that drives her emotional isolation, her hesitation to seek happiness, and her recurring self-doubt.  She internalizes blame for everything that went wrong, believing herself undeserving of both love and forgiveness.

Eli’s harsh words amplify this, cementing a narrative in her mind that she is fundamentally unlovable.

Clay’s journey, in contrast, is about redemption.  Once known for immature, jealous actions and emotional unavailability, Clay works tirelessly to become a man worthy of love.

He acknowledges his past flaws but chooses not to be defined by them.  His persistent presence, his unwavering support for Layla, and his tenderness with Maya become acts of quiet atonement.

His redemption arc is not a grand gesture but a consistent commitment to showing up—with patience, with sincerity, and with love.  As Layla begins to forgive herself, and Clay continues to prove his emotional integrity, the theme of redemption crystallizes in their slow transformation into people capable of healing together.

Forgiveness—of self and of each other—becomes the ultimate redemptive act.

Parenthood and Identity

The presence of Maya redefines the emotional dynamics of Power Play, transforming it from a conventional second-chance romance into a meditation on what it means to be a parent—biologically, emotionally, and spiritually.  Layla’s identity as a mother is fiercely central to her character.

Her life revolves around Maya’s well-being, her health challenges, and her happiness.  Layla’s maternal devotion is evident in her vigilance about Maya’s eye condition and her fear of surgery.

This aspect of the narrative highlights not only the physical responsibilities of parenting but the emotional weight it carries—particularly for single mothers.  The sacrifices Layla makes, the decisions she shoulders alone, and the quiet moments of worry paint a picture of motherhood rooted in strength and vulnerability.

Clay’s evolution into a father figure emerges naturally and powerfully.  His emotional connection with Maya is instant and deep, suggesting an intuitive paternal instinct.

What’s striking is how his love for Layla and Maya becomes indistinguishable; he wants them both, not out of obligation, but as a fulfillment of who he has become.  Publicly acknowledging Maya as his daughter, even before legal adoption, underscores that true parenthood extends beyond biology—it is a matter of presence, of emotional labor, and of unconditional love.

In reconciling with Layla and embracing Maya, Clay reclaims a part of his identity he hadn’t known was missing.  For both characters, parenthood becomes a defining axis around which their emotional rebirth spins.

Fear of Vulnerability and Self-Worth

Layla’s emotional paralysis throughout the story is deeply tied to her fear of vulnerability and her battle with self-worth.  Her reluctance to accept Clay’s love, her silence around Maya’s paternity, and her consistent self-sabotage stem from an ingrained belief that she is not enough.

This belief is not exaggerated but shaped by real emotional trauma—most notably her experience with Eli, who emotionally invalidated her as both a woman and a mother.  That wound festers, even years later, leading her to interpret any potential rejection as confirmation of her unworthiness.

Her body insecurities, emotional detachment, and need for control are all symptoms of this deeper wound.

What makes Layla’s arc compelling is how she begins to confront these internalized narratives.  Through Clay’s persistent love—not as flattery but as genuine, unwavering commitment—she is slowly drawn into a space of emotional honesty.

She begins to name her fears, own her past, and inch toward healing.  Vulnerability becomes the only path forward, and by choosing to let Clay in, she simultaneously reclaims her agency.

Clay, too, opens himself up in ways that show his own fears—of rejection, of never being enough for Layla, of always being the man she almost loved.  Their mutual exposure, physically and emotionally, fosters a dynamic where self-worth is no longer conditional but reinforced by acceptance.

The theme underscores that love rooted in truth requires nakedness of emotion and a willingness to risk being seen in all one’s brokenness.

Second Chances and Emotional Growth

Second chances form the structural backbone of Power Play.  The story begins not with a new romance, but with an old one paused mid-sentence.

Clay and Layla are not strangers discovering each other for the first time; they are two people revisiting an unfinished story, trying to find the courage to continue writing it.  What distinguishes this second chance is the emotional growth both characters have undergone in their years apart.

Clay is no longer the reckless, emotionally unmoored college athlete.  He has matured, emotionally grounded by pain and time.

Layla is no longer a young woman hiding behind fear—she is a mother, a businesswoman, someone who has been forced to carry the weight of life alone.

Their reconnection is fraught with hesitation, setbacks, and relapses into old habits.  But the difference lies in their readiness to confront those patterns.

Layla’s journey toward forgiveness, Clay’s willingness to listen instead of react, and their shared responsibility for past mistakes give this second chance a realism often absent in romantic stories.  Emotional growth is depicted not as a clean arc but as a series of faltering steps toward each other.

Their love is not immediate; it is re-earned, redefined, and rekindled under entirely new emotional terms.  In giving each other a second chance, they are also choosing to believe in the possibility of change—in each other and in themselves.

Their journey becomes a testament to how love, when guided by reflection and emotional maturity, can be reborn into something even more profound.