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shannon_cocktailsandbooks's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars
I have grown to expect extraordinarily hot, pushy alpha males who know how to get down and D-I-R-T-Y while dealing with some pretty heavy emotional turmoil in Jaci Burton's Play by Play series. But Playing to Win, while still a great read with a great hero and heroine, didn't quite pack the same punch that we've had in the other books.
Cole Riley, cousin to Mick, Gavin and Jenna, has just been traded to St. Louis as a last ditch effort to keep him playing. His performance on the field has never been his problem. Instead it's his off ice antics and his unwillingness to engage with his teammates. To help improve his image, the team and Liz (Cole's new agent) hire Savannah Brooks to work with Cole.
Savannah is a Southern Belle who prides herself on her professionalism and being able to turn a player's image around. When she meets Cole, the sexual sparks ignites almost immediately. Savannah is determined to keep things on a professional level because her career is all she has. But the attraction between her and Cole is undeniable and she finds herself unable to resist.
I really liked Cole. He had a hair trigger when it came to his temper and his mouth, but he was also a big enough man to apologize once he'd cooled down and realized he was wrong. He was a man who had an enormous heart, but after getting it torn apart early in his career he keeps it closed off to everyone except his family. He was a man who liked to be in control, but wasn't unwilling to accept that maybe someone else might have a better answer to a situation than him. The fact that he could admit when he was wrong or that someone might have a better idea makes you love him.
Savannah was a tough cookie. She has a horrible childhood and was able to rise above those events to become the successful woman that she is today. Unfortunately, those events also caused Savannah to believe the only thing that will stick around for her is her career. While she enjoys the moments of unprofessionalism she has with Cole, she's convinced he will eventually leave her. What she needs to figure out is how to take someone's word when it comes to matters of her heart.
Cole and Savannah were great together, but there wasn't the same level of emotional upheaval between Cole and Savannah that we've seen in other books in the series. When they were in the bedroom (which didn't happen until almost half way through the book), but Cole didn't seem to have that down and dirty trait his cousins possess (if you've read the series, I'm sure you can guess what all three Riley siblings had in common with their sexual relationships in their perspective books). He was more on the sweeter side and needed that emotional connection when he and Savannah were together.
With football season upon us, if you're looking for a great football story with a HOT tight end, pick up Playing to Win. Despite my expectations, this is still an awesome addition to the Play by Play series. I can't wait to read Cole's sister, Alicia's story next.
I have grown to expect extraordinarily hot, pushy alpha males who know how to get down and D-I-R-T-Y while dealing with some pretty heavy emotional turmoil in Jaci Burton's Play by Play series. But Playing to Win, while still a great read with a great hero and heroine, didn't quite pack the same punch that we've had in the other books.
Cole Riley, cousin to Mick, Gavin and Jenna, has just been traded to St. Louis as a last ditch effort to keep him playing. His performance on the field has never been his problem. Instead it's his off ice antics and his unwillingness to engage with his teammates. To help improve his image, the team and Liz (Cole's new agent) hire Savannah Brooks to work with Cole.
Savannah is a Southern Belle who prides herself on her professionalism and being able to turn a player's image around. When she meets Cole, the sexual sparks ignites almost immediately. Savannah is determined to keep things on a professional level because her career is all she has. But the attraction between her and Cole is undeniable and she finds herself unable to resist.
I really liked Cole. He had a hair trigger when it came to his temper and his mouth, but he was also a big enough man to apologize once he'd cooled down and realized he was wrong. He was a man who had an enormous heart, but after getting it torn apart early in his career he keeps it closed off to everyone except his family. He was a man who liked to be in control, but wasn't unwilling to accept that maybe someone else might have a better answer to a situation than him. The fact that he could admit when he was wrong or that someone might have a better idea makes you love him.
Savannah was a tough cookie. She has a horrible childhood and was able to rise above those events to become the successful woman that she is today. Unfortunately, those events also caused Savannah to believe the only thing that will stick around for her is her career. While she enjoys the moments of unprofessionalism she has with Cole, she's convinced he will eventually leave her. What she needs to figure out is how to take someone's word when it comes to matters of her heart.
Cole and Savannah were great together, but there wasn't the same level of emotional upheaval between Cole and Savannah that we've seen in other books in the series. When they were in the bedroom (which didn't happen until almost half way through the book), but Cole didn't seem to have that down and dirty trait his cousins possess (if you've read the series, I'm sure you can guess what all three Riley siblings had in common with their sexual relationships in their perspective books). He was more on the sweeter side and needed that emotional connection when he and Savannah were together.
With football season upon us, if you're looking for a great football story with a HOT tight end, pick up Playing to Win. Despite my expectations, this is still an awesome addition to the Play by Play series. I can't wait to read Cole's sister, Alicia's story next.
laurenjodi's review against another edition
2.0
Playing to Win
2 Stars
Unfortunately, the books in this series have lost their originality and it is simply more of the same in each installment. That said, this one does have a some plot in between the sex scenes, which makes it an improvement over the last book.
Cole starts out as a narcissistic jerk who is only interested in getting in Savannah's pants. He does change over the course of the book but it feels forced rather than as a natural consequence of Savannah's advice.
Savannah runs hot and cold - jumping on Cole minute only to run home as fast as she can in the next. She has issues with abandonment that she also gets over quite easily.
Have no idea why I keep reading this series - perhaps I'm hoping they'll get better.
2 Stars
Unfortunately, the books in this series have lost their originality and it is simply more of the same in each installment. That said, this one does have a some plot in between the sex scenes, which makes it an improvement over the last book.
Cole starts out as a narcissistic jerk who is only interested in getting in Savannah's pants. He does change over the course of the book but it feels forced rather than as a natural consequence of Savannah's advice.
Savannah runs hot and cold - jumping on Cole minute only to run home as fast as she can in the next. She has issues with abandonment that she also gets over quite easily.
Have no idea why I keep reading this series - perhaps I'm hoping they'll get better.
geo_ix's review against another edition
3.0
I'm sitting on a 3.5-4 rating because while I liked the story, I didn't exactly feel their passion... I dunno maybe it was me, but basically it's about Cole Riley who we met in a previous book, who everyone sees as a tosser, and has been passed around football teams in his career due to being a PR nightmare. He gets picked by his home town St. Louis and is told he must work with a image consultant, Savannah to work on his bad boy image in the media. He realises he has no true friends until she makes him befriend players on his new team, something he's never done as he keeps to himself thinking the other team mates are his competition not people looking for the same goal. Anyway, even though she tries to be professional she succumbs to his charms and they get jiggy with it. He eventually realises after his head is out of his ass long enough to breath that she isn't so put together as she seems, scarred from a bad childhood. He helps her to open up, stops being a douche and they fall in love. Most of the sex scenes felt all the same, but if you read these for the love story like me, it's not so bad. A little less talk on sports in this, the others had a little too much for my liking, in terms of games and stuff because it confuses me when I have no clue what is being talked about. This is mainly because it's preseason and focuses more on his media coverage than play time. But it's still in there, clearly.
sten89's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
faustin2nd's review against another edition
3.0
I'm glad I took a break from reading this series before reading this book. It did feel a little formulaic in parts, like I was reading about Gavin and Liz all over again. But since I really liked the Gavin/Liz pairing, I wasn't all that disappointed.
A part of me did not take Savannah seriously at all. Do people actually do this for a living? It sounded more like play than work, take the hot athlete to dinner, watch him play, then tell him how to behave? Are you serious? I could do that job.
I liked Cole though. And my favorite parts were mostly written in his perspective. I liked the couple, I'm just not sure I looooved it enough to read it again.
But it was an okay, entertaining read.
A part of me did not take Savannah seriously at all. Do people actually do this for a living? It sounded more like play than work, take the hot athlete to dinner, watch him play, then tell him how to behave? Are you serious? I could do that job.
I liked Cole though. And my favorite parts were mostly written in his perspective. I liked the couple, I'm just not sure I looooved it enough to read it again.
But it was an okay, entertaining read.
smarkies's review against another edition
emotional
fast-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
3.5
msmattoon's review against another edition
2.0
This was okay. I was intrigued by the setup, Savannah is an image consultant rehabilitating football player and bad boy Cole Riley's image. The writing was okay, the love scenes okay, but I had to DNF because the heroine called herself a cock tease and there weren't enough redeeming qualities for me to continue after that.
I am trying another book by Jaci Burton in case I judged this one too harshly.
I am trying another book by Jaci Burton in case I judged this one too harshly.
elliefufu's review against another edition
3.0
My least favorite in the series so far. Cole was a jerk with a horrible attitude problem and everything he did turned me off from liking him. Savannah seemed like a Stepford wife sometimes so the two of them together wasn't as much fun. I love this series and am super excited for Coles sister Alicia's book next
goaskalix's review against another edition
2.0
Whiny, entitled, hot-headed manchildren are not my thing. Who knew?
lphr3ads's review against another edition
5.0
i loved this book. the book was realistic in dialogue and actions. More in depth review to come.