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coralcrab77's review
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
beckyrendon's review against another edition
4.0
I have zero shame when I say I needed to read this book based on the cover. Hot, tatted up rugby men. Yeah, no need to slow down when clicking on this one. Read the blurb and learn it's a second chance romance...and you've got me swooning.
Playing By Her Rules is sexy and rife with tension, lust, and unresolved anger. Which means it's a powder keg!
The Sydney Smoke definitely have me intrigued or at least the ones I've met. I look forward to watching them fall and fall hard.
Playing By Her Rules is sexy and rife with tension, lust, and unresolved anger. Which means it's a powder keg!
The Sydney Smoke definitely have me intrigued or at least the ones I've met. I look forward to watching them fall and fall hard.
magpiemode's review
2.75
Ok read. A bit thin in the story dept. It could have been a little less cookie-cutter.
ameserole's review against another edition
4.0
Super cute second chance at love.
Playing by Her Rules was a highly predictable second chance at romance kind of novel. I still ended up enjoying the crap out of it though. In this book, you will meet Matilda Kent, aka Tilly, and Tanner Stone. Tilly is a style columnist and the ex-girlfriend of Tanner, who is a captain of the Sydney Smoke rugby team.
Things didn't end well between these two so I was kind of intrigued to see what was going to happen. Of course Tilly ends up being the journalist writing a six-part series on her ex boyfriend. The guy who supposedly cheated on her with some girl who was basically always trying to hook up with him. It broke her heart - way more than he thought it did. UGH BOYS ARE SO STUPID!
Throughout the book they go on these little "dates" and the sparks are still sparking between them. The chemistry is there.. but Tanner has got to work for it. Tilly has spunk and doesn't let him worm his way back into her heart quite easily. Of course, they basically end up being each other's kryptonite. It was adorable (and predictable).
Besides the sports and dates, there was some drama. Truths come out into the open and it definitely leads to changes between these two. In the end, they end up getting engaged and it was just cute. Adorable even. I can't wait to dive into the next book of this series.
Playing by Her Rules was a highly predictable second chance at romance kind of novel. I still ended up enjoying the crap out of it though. In this book, you will meet Matilda Kent, aka Tilly, and Tanner Stone. Tilly is a style columnist and the ex-girlfriend of Tanner, who is a captain of the Sydney Smoke rugby team.
Things didn't end well between these two so I was kind of intrigued to see what was going to happen. Of course Tilly ends up being the journalist writing a six-part series on her ex boyfriend. The guy who supposedly cheated on her with some girl who was basically always trying to hook up with him. It broke her heart - way more than he thought it did. UGH BOYS ARE SO STUPID!
Throughout the book they go on these little "dates" and the sparks are still sparking between them. The chemistry is there.. but Tanner has got to work for it. Tilly has spunk and doesn't let him worm his way back into her heart quite easily. Of course, they basically end up being each other's kryptonite. It was adorable (and predictable).
Besides the sports and dates, there was some drama. Truths come out into the open and it definitely leads to changes between these two. In the end, they end up getting engaged and it was just cute. Adorable even. I can't wait to dive into the next book of this series.
bandherbooks's review against another edition
2.0
An enjoyable enough listen thanks to the Aussie narrator and the sizzling chemistry between Tanner and Matilda. I love a good second-chance romance, especially when they are childhood sweethearts, but this story hasn't aged well over all.
There's a lot of secrets between both characters that would have been easily fixable with one conversation, lots of slamming around sex without taking a moment to talk about their problems, and Tanner uses his size to physically prevent Matilda from leaving during a fight, and he doesn't honor her requests to stop, put her down, or any of it. Instead he arouses her and they have angry sex.
I like Andrews writing style this one just didn't work that well for 2020 COVID19 Beth.
There's a lot of secrets between both characters that would have been easily fixable with one conversation, lots of slamming around sex without taking a moment to talk about their problems, and Tanner uses his size to physically prevent Matilda from leaving during a fight, and he doesn't honor her requests to stop, put her down, or any of it. Instead he arouses her and they have angry sex.
I like Andrews writing style this one just didn't work that well for 2020 COVID19 Beth.
nixbix_reads's review against another edition
4.0
This was a pleasant surprise! I haven't seen many romance books set in the Southern Hemisphere, only to find this gem by Amy Andrews & it features rugby players as well (*swoon*)! I loved the interactions between Matilda & Tanner, dealing with their past history as high school sweethearts and all the emotions that survived (good & bad). I thought the chemistry between them was hot & got even hotter when they let their walls down. This was a great second chance romance, and I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series.
the_sassy_bookworm's review against another edition
5.0
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was a bit afraid going into this one because me and sports heroes don't always get along. A lot of times I find the OTT man-whore gig to be a tad bit much with groupies and OW always in the face of the heroine. Luckly this was NOT the case with Tanner AT ALL. No groupies, no OW, not really any mention of Tanner's or Tilly's sex life after they broke up 8 years previously. Both moved on and had others, but it's just a fleeting mention here and there.
I ADORED this book. A total 5 star read for me. This is the gold standard of what I LOVE in a second chance romance. Hero does something disckish with misguided but honorable intentions causing the end of his and the heroine's relationship. Some time passes and circumstances bring them back together. Heroine is angry and bitter. Hero realizes that he never stopped loving the heroine and sets about winning her back.
I LOVED Tanner. He was super sweet and such a nice guy. Sexy as hell, and just a great hero. Tilly was also a really well written character. She was funny and snarky, and I felt for her. I understood her anger and her reluctance to let Tanner in again. That said, there were a few times I just wanted to shake both of them and tell them to TALK already.
I also enjoyed the side characters. Tanner's teammates all seemed like great guys and there seems to be some good potential for future storylines involving them. The plot flowed nicely and kept me turning the pages. If I had to complain about something, it would be the lack of epilogue. I'm an epilogue girl and I want to see years into the future with marriage and babies. Perhaps though we will see some of that in upcoming books.
Overall this was a fantastic read and it's a definite recommendation from yours truly.
I was a bit afraid going into this one because me and sports heroes don't always get along. A lot of times I find the OTT man-whore gig to be a tad bit much with groupies and OW always in the face of the heroine. Luckly this was NOT the case with Tanner AT ALL. No groupies, no OW, not really any mention of Tanner's or Tilly's sex life after they broke up 8 years previously. Both moved on and had others, but it's just a fleeting mention here and there.
I ADORED this book. A total 5 star read for me. This is the gold standard of what I LOVE in a second chance romance. Hero does something disckish with misguided but honorable intentions causing the end of his and the heroine's relationship. Some time passes and circumstances bring them back together. Heroine is angry and bitter. Hero realizes that he never stopped loving the heroine and sets about winning her back.
I LOVED Tanner. He was super sweet and such a nice guy. Sexy as hell, and just a great hero. Tilly was also a really well written character. She was funny and snarky, and I felt for her. I understood her anger and her reluctance to let Tanner in again. That said, there were a few times I just wanted to shake both of them and tell them to TALK already.
I also enjoyed the side characters. Tanner's teammates all seemed like great guys and there seems to be some good potential for future storylines involving them. The plot flowed nicely and kept me turning the pages. If I had to complain about something, it would be the lack of epilogue. I'm an epilogue girl and I want to see years into the future with marriage and babies. Perhaps though we will see some of that in upcoming books.
Overall this was a fantastic read and it's a definite recommendation from yours truly.
melmaus's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.75
alzbetasimotova's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5