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emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group for the ARC of “Playmaker” by Deanna Faison.
I like a good college romance novel and when I saw the cover and read the description, I thought I was getting a sports romance novel. Unfortunately, aside from the fact that the MMC Cam is a football player, there is no mention of sports (aside from when he goes to work out or goes on a run).
This story follows the classic trope of childhood friends-to-lovers and the brother’s best friend. Given that they grew up together, I can understand how quickly they end up falling in love with one another. However, I did find the timeline for this story a bit absurdly tight. It’s supposed to take place over a few weeks on spring break and the sheer volume of outings and activities that take place over this time period seems implausible.
I feel like the flashbacks that were written into the story did a nice job of adding a bit of backstory to the characters and their motivations, but I would have liked to see a bit more of these sooner.
There are major flaws with both characters - it’s clear that Cameron really needs to go to therapy. The fact that he hasn’t spoken to a therapist after his mother died and he’s using alcohol and sex as coping mechanisms are major red flags. Maddie is also not without her faults - she is delusional when it comes to Cam and refuses to acknowledge any of the glaring red flags he’s giving off. She also needs therapy if she’s truly as “breathtaking” as Cam consistently claims she is and yet she doesn’t seem to have any real life aside from pining over him. She definitely gives off low-key stalker girl vibes with Cam.
Overall, it was a cute story and it had some good points, and if you’re looking for a bit of fun, you can give it a read. If you’re into sports college romances, however, I definitely would suggest looking for another book, because this one isn’t it.
I like a good college romance novel and when I saw the cover and read the description, I thought I was getting a sports romance novel. Unfortunately, aside from the fact that the MMC Cam is a football player, there is no mention of sports (aside from when he goes to work out or goes on a run).
This story follows the classic trope of childhood friends-to-lovers and the brother’s best friend. Given that they grew up together, I can understand how quickly they end up falling in love with one another. However, I did find the timeline for this story a bit absurdly tight. It’s supposed to take place over a few weeks on spring break and the sheer volume of outings and activities that take place over this time period seems implausible.
I feel like the flashbacks that were written into the story did a nice job of adding a bit of backstory to the characters and their motivations, but I would have liked to see a bit more of these sooner.
There are major flaws with both characters -
Overall, it was a cute story and it had some good points, and if you’re looking for a bit of fun, you can give it a read. If you’re into sports college romances, however, I definitely would suggest looking for another book, because this one isn’t it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer, Sexual content, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol