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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
4.25 stars - My review cross-posted from Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2016/09/review-playing-it-cool-by-amy-andrews.html
Amy Andrews turns the heat on high in Playing It Cool! This second Sydney Smoke Rugby book is sexy, heartwarming, and features a hero and heroine who grabbed my heart from the start and didn’t let go.
Dex is a smokin’ hot rugby player who has worked his butt off to make it to the big leagues. He grew up poor and is holding tight to his work so that he’ll never go back. His determination fuels him day and night, which is why he wants to focus solely on rugby. Women are a distraction, but Harper hits all the right buttons for him. She’s a curvaceous Amazon who makes him drool, and when he sees her stepbrother insulting her about her weight, he can’t help but put the jerk in his place by asking Harper out. Harper is the kind of girl who has “commitment” written all over her, but what harm could one date do? Then he learns one date could never be enough, not with his impossible-to-resist attraction to her. I absolutely loved how Dex was head-over-heels in lust with Harper from the start. He appreciates all of her (not just her looks) and loves that he can be a normal person around her, not a sports star. That doesn’t mean Dex is a perfect hero. He screws up – badly – with Harper and puts his foot in his mouth more than once. Even so, I was rooting for him to pull it together, embrace life fully, and be the hero Harper deserved.
And speaking of Harper, she is definitely my favorite thing about Playing It Cool. I have a soft spot for heroines with body images issues, and Ms. Andrews really did a great job of making this part of Harper’s character without it defining her or overwhelming the story. Harper is a strong, talented woman with a big heart and a bit of a nerdy side. She’s got an absolute [insert your preferred curse word here] of a stepbrother and he and his equally wicked mother have been beating Harper down for years. Harper has confidence, but it does take hits, which I found realistic and only had me cheering her on more. I loved watching her come fully into her own over the course of the story. Harper doesn’t let herself be walked on and she’ll never settle for less than she deserves and that made her an absolute kickass heroine to me. And an awesome heroine like Harper deserves an excellent love story, and she and Dex have a red-hot one. The two of them own their sexuality and their chemistry is palpable – truly an excellent combination.
Playing It Cool is the second story in the Sydney Smoke Rugby series, but it can easily be read as a standalone (though you’re missing out on the fun if you skip Playing By Her Rules). I loved seeing more of the team and I can’t wait to watch more of those Sydney Smoke rugby players fall in love. All in all, I absolutely adored Playing It Cool. It’s fast-paced, hot, fun, and touched my heart at unexpected moments.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Amy Andrews turns the heat on high in Playing It Cool! This second Sydney Smoke Rugby book is sexy, heartwarming, and features a hero and heroine who grabbed my heart from the start and didn’t let go.
Dex is a smokin’ hot rugby player who has worked his butt off to make it to the big leagues. He grew up poor and is holding tight to his work so that he’ll never go back. His determination fuels him day and night, which is why he wants to focus solely on rugby. Women are a distraction, but Harper hits all the right buttons for him. She’s a curvaceous Amazon who makes him drool, and when he sees her stepbrother insulting her about her weight, he can’t help but put the jerk in his place by asking Harper out. Harper is the kind of girl who has “commitment” written all over her, but what harm could one date do? Then he learns one date could never be enough, not with his impossible-to-resist attraction to her. I absolutely loved how Dex was head-over-heels in lust with Harper from the start. He appreciates all of her (not just her looks) and loves that he can be a normal person around her, not a sports star. That doesn’t mean Dex is a perfect hero. He screws up – badly – with Harper and puts his foot in his mouth more than once. Even so, I was rooting for him to pull it together, embrace life fully, and be the hero Harper deserved.
And speaking of Harper, she is definitely my favorite thing about Playing It Cool. I have a soft spot for heroines with body images issues, and Ms. Andrews really did a great job of making this part of Harper’s character without it defining her or overwhelming the story. Harper is a strong, talented woman with a big heart and a bit of a nerdy side. She’s got an absolute [insert your preferred curse word here] of a stepbrother and he and his equally wicked mother have been beating Harper down for years. Harper has confidence, but it does take hits, which I found realistic and only had me cheering her on more. I loved watching her come fully into her own over the course of the story. Harper doesn’t let herself be walked on and she’ll never settle for less than she deserves and that made her an absolute kickass heroine to me. And an awesome heroine like Harper deserves an excellent love story, and she and Dex have a red-hot one. The two of them own their sexuality and their chemistry is palpable – truly an excellent combination.
Playing It Cool is the second story in the Sydney Smoke Rugby series, but it can easily be read as a standalone (though you’re missing out on the fun if you skip Playing By Her Rules). I loved seeing more of the team and I can’t wait to watch more of those Sydney Smoke rugby players fall in love. All in all, I absolutely adored Playing It Cool. It’s fast-paced, hot, fun, and touched my heart at unexpected moments.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I positively adore this book. Honestly. I love how Andrews writes her characters, I love the honesty of the heroine, and the reluctance of the hero.
I love a plus-sized heroine who isn't afraid to be sexy and fun and live out loud instead of cower.
This is a must read!
Spoiler
I love that they have really incredible sex. REALLY INCREDIBLE. And it's almost right off the bat.I love a plus-sized heroine who isn't afraid to be sexy and fun and live out loud instead of cower.
This is a must read!
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
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
Harper has heard all her life how her curves make her less of a woman and that no man is going to want her. Her stepmother and stepbrother make sure she knows that she’ll never be wanted unless she loses weight, changes her job, so on and so forth. So when Dexter, one of the rugby players of Sydney Smoke asks her out in front of her stepbrother, she’s sure it’s a dare. Dex is all about the tits and ass. He doesn’t want a stick figure, he wants something he can grab ahold of and when he sees the goddess on the sidelines pacing, his attention is automatically caught. Then when he hears the dirt bag reporter putting her down, he can’t help but step in.
What starts out as a way to put it to her stepfamily starts to turn into something more when Harper and Dex just can’t keep their hands to themselves. The chemistry between these two is fan yourselves hot. And as a geek, I loved the gamer in both of them and the Star Wars movie nights. It made my little geek heart proud. But it wasn’t all sunshine and roses for them as they made the transition from friends to lovers. Dex screws shit up as he gets his head all up in his rear. And Harper has some self-esteem issues. But it wasn’t over-the-top drama, pretty low angst. And there were some definite laugh out loud moments.
It was a great combination of humor, drama and heat that kept me entertained from beginning to end. I can’t wait to see what Amy Andrews has in store next. I’m still on the edge of my seat waiting for Linc’s story, I can’t wait to see who knocks him on his arse.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews, visit
What starts out as a way to put it to her stepfamily starts to turn into something more when Harper and Dex just can’t keep their hands to themselves. The chemistry between these two is fan yourselves hot. And as a geek, I loved the gamer in both of them and the Star Wars movie nights. It made my little geek heart proud. But it wasn’t all sunshine and roses for them as they made the transition from friends to lovers. Dex screws shit up as he gets his head all up in his rear. And Harper has some self-esteem issues. But it wasn’t over-the-top drama, pretty low angst. And there were some definite laugh out loud moments.
It was a great combination of humor, drama and heat that kept me entertained from beginning to end. I can’t wait to see what Amy Andrews has in store next. I’m still on the edge of my seat waiting for Linc’s story, I can’t wait to see who knocks him on his arse.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews, visit
Boy, did this book turn this series around for me! I really loved the story here! Dex seemed a very approachable hero, even when he was acting like a bumbling male! I loved Harper, how she never let anything knock her out of what she enjoyed and while she was down about it sometimes, she was never out! The ending was over the top and got me right in the heart! I especially loved all the shout outs to my husband's favorite sports team: the All Blacks! I had to call him at work every time they were mentioned, and he loved it! While I hesitate to recommend the first book, I would definitely recommend the series so far!
Harper’s stepbrother is a sports reporter and a slime ball that takes every chance to humiliate her in front of other people. One night, after a rugby game, he does his usual routine - what he didn’t count on was Dexter Blake overhearing what he was saying to Harper. Dexter, the knight in not-so-shining rugby shorts, steps up and asks Harper out on a date. She agrees and they hit it off… they make a cute couple who usually stay in and hang out. For the first time, Dexter feels happy, content, and safe to be himself. Harper is outgoing, sexy, and fun - but Dexter wants to concentrate on his rugby career. Having grown up in extreme poverty, the only thing that matters to him is his career and living his dream. But Harper doesn't feel like that, she wants a partner, not a half-life hidden away.
The groveling in this book is a chef’s kiss. Harper makes Dexter work for it and it's beautiful.
The groveling in this book is a chef’s kiss. Harper makes Dexter work for it and it's beautiful.
Enjoyed this re-read in audio for Harper the artist who is curvy and has been fat-shamed by both her stepmother and stepbrother for years, but because of her half-sibling twins, have kept them in her life because she loves them and promised her father that she would.
And Dex is the guy who despite being set up with beautiful, skinny models, has always loved women with fuller figures. They bond over Star Wars and video games which leads to a friends with benefits relationship that turns into much more, even though Dex is too dumb to realize that he's in love with her. There's some good grovelling and the player who vowed to keep things casual and no-strings because he needed to focus on rugby to support his family ends up happily engaged with plans to get put a ring on it ASAP (which we see in Em and Linc's HEA, Playing the Player).
And Dex is the guy who despite being set up with beautiful, skinny models, has always loved women with fuller figures. They bond over Star Wars and video games which leads to a friends with benefits relationship that turns into much more, even though Dex is too dumb to realize that he's in love with her. There's some good grovelling and the player who vowed to keep things casual and no-strings because he needed to focus on rugby to support his family ends up happily engaged with plans to get put a ring on it ASAP (which we see in Em and Linc's HEA, Playing the Player).
Inhalt: In dem zweiten Band "Playing it cool" der "Sydney Smoke Rugby"-Reihe geht es um die Schwester des Reporters Chuck Nugent und den Rugbyspieler Dexter Blake. Vom ersten Augenblick an findet Dex Harper sehr attraktiv. Ganz im Gegensatz zu Chuck, der sich für die Rundungen und Aussehen seiner Stiefschwester schämt. Dex findet das Benehmen von Chuck alles andere als toll. Kurzerhand lädt er Harper vor den Augen seiner Teamkameraden und Chucks Augen zu einem Date ein. Harper lässt sich darauf ein, auch wenn sie weiß, dass er das nicht aus den richtigen Gründen macht. Dex steht offen dazu an keiner Beziehung interessiert zu sein. Trotzdem bleibt es nicht bei nur einem Date...
Meinung: Das Cover passt zu den Covern der anderen Teile der Reihe. Auch hier sieht man wieder einen oberkörperfreien Mann. Die Schrift des Titels sticht diesmal nur leicht in blau raus. So ganz überzeugen kann es mich nicht. Das Buch wurde von Sabine Neumann übersetzt. Die Geschichte wird sowohl aus Harpers als auch Dexs Sicht erzählt. Genauso wie beim ersten Band fand ich den Schreibstil toll. Es ließ sich sehr flüssig und schnell lesen. Auch diesen Teil habe ich an einem Stück durchgelesen. Man muss den ersten Band nicht gelesen haben, um diesen Teil lesen zu können.
Harper ist eine tolle Hauptprotagonistin. Sie kümmert sich liebevoll um ihre Halbgeschwister und ist für sie da. Auch wenn sie eine starke Persönlichkeit ist, hat sie auch eine verletzliche Seite, die zwischendurch auch zum Vorschein kommt. Ich finde es gut, dass gezeigt wird, dass die Frauen nicht immer schlank und zierlich sein müssen und es auch toll ist, wenn eine Frau Kurven hat. "Bodyshaming" wird auch leicht thematisiert.
Dex ist ein echt toller Kerl. Er weiß wo er her kommt und ist ein Kämpfer. Er steht, aber auch für andere ein und ist ein toller Freund. Er nimmt Harper immer wieder ihre Selbstzweifel.
Am Anfang gab es tolle Wortgefechte und lustige Szenen. Leider ist das relativ schnell verloren gegangen und die erotischen Szenen haben viel mehr Raum eingenommen. Die Chemie zwischen den beiden hat definitiv gestimmt. Trotzdem hat diese Wendung der Geschichte den Tiefgang und Story etwas geraubt. Natürlich gab es auch ein bisschen Drama zwischendurch, was der Geschichte wieder etwas mehr Abwechslung gebracht hat.
Die anderen Spieler und Spielerfrauen haben auch wieder kurze Auftritte in dieser Geschichte. Ihre Auftritte habe ich genossen. Ebenso wie die Szenen mit Harpers Halbgeschwistern.
Während ich Chuck in dem ersten Band noch ziemlich unauffällig und okay fand, hat er in diesem Teil ein anderes Gesicht gezeigt. Seine Mutter war nicht wirklich besser.
Auch Harpers beste Freundin Em, die im dritten Band der neue Hauptcharakter sein wird, war mir sehr sympathisch und im betrunkenen Zustand ziemlich unterhaltsam. Ich bin gespannt auf ihre Geschichte, nachdem ich jetzt schon einen kleinen Einblick in ihr (Liebes-)Leben bekommen habe.
Fazit: Der zweite Band ist leider nicht ganz so stark wie der Erste., aber trotzdem hat er vier Sterne verdient. Die Chemie zwischen den beiden hat einfach gestimmt. Auch wenn es etwas vorhersehbar war, bin ich wieder durchs Buch geflogen und kann es kaum erwarten Ende April 2019 den dritten Band mit Em und Lincoln zu lesen.
Meinung: Das Cover passt zu den Covern der anderen Teile der Reihe. Auch hier sieht man wieder einen oberkörperfreien Mann. Die Schrift des Titels sticht diesmal nur leicht in blau raus. So ganz überzeugen kann es mich nicht. Das Buch wurde von Sabine Neumann übersetzt. Die Geschichte wird sowohl aus Harpers als auch Dexs Sicht erzählt. Genauso wie beim ersten Band fand ich den Schreibstil toll. Es ließ sich sehr flüssig und schnell lesen. Auch diesen Teil habe ich an einem Stück durchgelesen. Man muss den ersten Band nicht gelesen haben, um diesen Teil lesen zu können.
Harper ist eine tolle Hauptprotagonistin. Sie kümmert sich liebevoll um ihre Halbgeschwister und ist für sie da. Auch wenn sie eine starke Persönlichkeit ist, hat sie auch eine verletzliche Seite, die zwischendurch auch zum Vorschein kommt. Ich finde es gut, dass gezeigt wird, dass die Frauen nicht immer schlank und zierlich sein müssen und es auch toll ist, wenn eine Frau Kurven hat. "Bodyshaming" wird auch leicht thematisiert.
Dex ist ein echt toller Kerl. Er weiß wo er her kommt und ist ein Kämpfer. Er steht, aber auch für andere ein und ist ein toller Freund. Er nimmt Harper immer wieder ihre Selbstzweifel.
Am Anfang gab es tolle Wortgefechte und lustige Szenen. Leider ist das relativ schnell verloren gegangen und die erotischen Szenen haben viel mehr Raum eingenommen. Die Chemie zwischen den beiden hat definitiv gestimmt. Trotzdem hat diese Wendung der Geschichte den Tiefgang und Story etwas geraubt. Natürlich gab es auch ein bisschen Drama zwischendurch, was der Geschichte wieder etwas mehr Abwechslung gebracht hat.
Die anderen Spieler und Spielerfrauen haben auch wieder kurze Auftritte in dieser Geschichte. Ihre Auftritte habe ich genossen. Ebenso wie die Szenen mit Harpers Halbgeschwistern.
Während ich Chuck in dem ersten Band noch ziemlich unauffällig und okay fand, hat er in diesem Teil ein anderes Gesicht gezeigt. Seine Mutter war nicht wirklich besser.
Auch Harpers beste Freundin Em, die im dritten Band der neue Hauptcharakter sein wird, war mir sehr sympathisch und im betrunkenen Zustand ziemlich unterhaltsam. Ich bin gespannt auf ihre Geschichte, nachdem ich jetzt schon einen kleinen Einblick in ihr (Liebes-)Leben bekommen habe.
Fazit: Der zweite Band ist leider nicht ganz so stark wie der Erste., aber trotzdem hat er vier Sterne verdient. Die Chemie zwischen den beiden hat einfach gestimmt. Auch wenn es etwas vorhersehbar war, bin ich wieder durchs Buch geflogen und kann es kaum erwarten Ende April 2019 den dritten Band mit Em und Lincoln zu lesen.