Book Review – Playing It Cool

19 Monday Sep 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest

Tags

Amy Andrews, Book Review, Playing It Cool, Sydney Smoke Rugby series

Oh, do I have something great today …. a fantastic heroine and her sexy (but clueless) sports star. I enjoyed their relationship SO much! (Even those clueless times 🙂 )

*****

Playing It Cool

A Sydney Smoke Rugby Novel

by Amy Andrews

Blurb:

Harper Nugent might have a little extra junk in her trunk, but her stepbrother calling her out on it is the last straw… When rugby hottie, Dexter Blake, witnesses the insult, he surprises Harper by asking her out. In front of her dumbass brother. Score! Of course, she knows it’s not for reals, but Dex won’t take no for an answer.

Dexter Blake’s life revolves around rugby with one hard and fast rule: no women. Sure, his left hand is getting a workout, but he’s focused on his career for now. Then he overhears an asshat reporter belittle the curvy chick he’d been secretly ogling. What’s a guy to do but ask her out? It’s just a little revenge against a poser, and then he’ll get his head back in the game.

But the date is better than either expected. So is the next one. And the next. And the heat between them…sizzles their clothes right off.

Suddenly, this fake relationship is feeling all too real…

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Cool-Sydney-Smoke-Rugby-ebook/dp/B01KTHYB76?tag=entangpublis-20&link_code=ur2&creative=9325&camp=211189#nav-subnav

IBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/playing-it-cool/id1146455978?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/playing-it-cool-3

Amazon.UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Playing-Cool-Sydney-Smoke-Rugby-ebook/dp/B01KTHYB76?tag=entangpublis-20&link_code=ur2&creative=9325&camp=211189

Amazon.CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Playing-Cool-Sydney-Smoke-Rugby-ebook/dp/B01KTHYB76?tag=entangpublis-20&link_code=ur2&creative=9325&camp=211189

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/playing-it-cool-amy-andrews/1124435667?ean=9781633757509

*****

Review:

I really enjoyed this story. Actually I’m surprised a little at how much I enjoyed it 🙂 I liked the idea of a normal sized heroine, which was why this story ended up in my TBR pile, but the interactions between Dex and Harper kept me glued to the pages. They are just so darned cute together and I was hooked on how well they fit together as friends and lovers.

Harper does have a little bit of a hangup when it comes to her size, but it doesn’t take long for Dex’s obvious attraction to her to get her over that. And it really isn’t a huge part of the conflict in the story. It does come back up at a critical moment, as you’d expect, but it isn’t over used in the story. Instead she’s a funny, caring, a little geeky and a lot of fun. She thinks she’s going into her relationship with Dex with her eyes open and her heart closed, but you can guess how well that goes. They have a lot in common and they quickly form a friendship that just works for both of them – it’s hard to stay detached when they click so well.

Plus, Dex is awfully hard to resist. He’s sexy, strong, fun and good for her ego. He’s not shy about how attractive he finds her. Not just her body but her mind and spirit as well and you love him just for how much he likes her. But of course he’s got a few troubles of his own. He grew up in the poorest part of town and has pretty much dedicated all his energy in never going back there again. For him, rugby is the answer. I’m not sure why he thinks that he’s not successful enough already to never go back or that he’s got nothing going for him after his career is over. But those scars from his childhood are pretty deep and cause him a few moments of trouble with Harper.

You can see from a mile away that Dex’s single mindedness when it comes to his sport is going to cause him some trouble. Luckily, though, it isn’t over-played and thanks to some help from his friends he quickly figures things out. He’s adorable in his cluelessness and his eventual aha moment … and, just like with the rest of his life, once he’s on a course of action he goes full tilt. Nothing is stopping him from winning his woman back and is fantastic to see.

(I didn’t read the first book in this series, but it didn’t really seem to matter much. I might have gone into it with a better feel for the guys. Meeting them new here worked though and I had no problem keeping up. But I’m going to definitely keep my eye out to see what comes next because I have a feeling a certain bad boy may have just met his match with Harper’s friend and his downfall could be quite entertaining.)

*****

Author Info:

Amy is an award-winning, USA Today best-selling Aussie author who has written over fifty contemporary romances in both the traditional and digital markets. She has written for Harlequin Mills & Boon, Entangled, Harper Collins, Momentum, Tule and Escape. She’s sold over a million books and been translated into thirteen different languages including manga.

Amy spent six years on the national executive of Romance Writers of Australia including a two year term as president and after many years of unofficial mentoring of emerging writers, Amy and her fellow Harlequin author Anna Cleary have started their own manuscript assessment business, Word Witchery, which specializes in romantic fiction. With unique insight into what makes a story that sells, Amy and Anna aim to help every manuscript shine.

Amy loves good books, fab food, great wine and frequent travel – preferably all four together. She lives on acreage on the outskirts of Brisbane with a gorgeous mountain view but secretly wishes it was the hillsides of Tuscany.

Website: http://www.amyandrews.com.au

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmyAndrewsbooks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmyAndrewsAuthor/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1128457.Amy_Andrews

*****

Giveaway:

$10 Amazon Gift Card

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4cf78adb412/

*****

Tour Schedule:

September 12th

Stuck In Books Excerpt

The Book Bee Excerpt

Diane’s Book Blog Excerpt

JOJO THE BOOKAHOLIC Excerpt

September 13th

I Love Romance Review

From Me to You … Video, Photography, & Book Reviews Excerpt

My Slanted Bookish Ramblings Review

Romance Playlist Guest Post

Smut Book Junkie Reviews Review

September 14th

CReneeBookWorld Review

Reading Tigress Excerpt

Books,Dreams,Life Excerpt

SBB Reviews Review

NightWolf Book Blog Review

September 15th

The Silver Dagger Scriptorium Excerpt

After Dark Book Lovers Review

Alpha Book Club Review

A journey to a lifetime Review

September 16th

Romance Book Nerd Excerpt

T&G Book Boutique Excerpt

Southern Vixens Book Obsessions Excerpt

The Lusty Literate Excerpt

September 17th

The Pervy Ladies Book Blog Review

Friends Till The End Book Blog Excerpt

Brittany’s Book Blog Playlist

Fiction Conviction Book Blog Excerpt

September 18th

Ruby’s Books Review

Reading Addict Excerpt

Evermore Books Excerpt

Liz’s Reading Life Excerpt

September 19th

A Fortress of Books Review

Romantic Reads and Such Review

Sweet Reading Review

Four Chicks Flipping Pages Review

September 20th

bookshelf dreaming Revew

Ashley Book Blog Review

Renee Entress’s Blog Review

What Is That Book About Guest Post

September 21st

I’m A Sweet And Sassy Book Whore Review

Short and Sassy Book Blurbs Review

Amo & Sarah Book Corner Review

Captain Reads A Lot Excerpt

September 22nd

babbling about books and more Review

Crazy Chaotic Book Babes Review

TBR Book Blog Review

September 23rd

queenzany Review

Nose Stuck in a Book Excerpt

G & T’s Indie Café Excerpt

Spotlight – Playing by Her Rules

08 Monday Aug 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Amy Andrews, Playing by Her Rules, Sydney Smoke Rugby series

We’ve done football, hockey and baseball … I’m thinking it’s time for rugby!

*****

Playing by Her Rules

Sydney Smoke Rugby #1

by Amy Andrews

Publication Date: July 18, 2016

Genres: Adult, Entangled Brazen, Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

In this grudge match, the first to score…

When style columnist Matilda Kent accidentally lets slip that she was once involved with the captain of the Sydney Smoke rugby team, she suddenly finds herself elevated to the position she’s always wanted – feature writer. The catch? She’s stuck doing a six-part series on her ex. Still, there’s no way she can turn down a promotion…or the chance to dish the dirt on the guy who so callously broke her heart.

…could win it all!

Tanner Stone wants to be involved in a feature series about as much as he wants to snap an Achilles. But the thought of seeing Tilly again is a bonus—and has him more worked up than he wants to admit. Only he’s not prepared for how different she is – all cool and professional. His Tilly is still in there, though…and he still wants her, now more than ever. All he has to do is charm her into giving him a rematch. And this time, winner takes all!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/29LVj6G

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/29ETjxr

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/29GgTcb

B&N: http://bit.ly/29RtbC1

Paperback: http://bit.ly/29ZXVTt

Kobo: http://bit.ly/29ET714

iBooks: http://apple.co/29RtRYc

*****

Excerpt:

She folded her arms and tapped her foot. She wasn’t in the mood for his jokes. He held his hands up in mock surrender, a slight smile playing on his lips. “I promise I won’t even try to—” his gaze dropped to her mouth “—kiss you.”

Matilda’s mouth tingled under his intense scrutiny, and all she could think about as the lift opened, inch by noisy inch, was Tanner kissing her.

She’d been kissed by other men. Some had been most excellent kisses even if none of them had worked out. But this was Tanner, her first love—the gold standard of kissing. And her body was melting down at the memories.

She escaped into the lift as soon as the gap was wide enough to allow it. “I’m not sure you’ll fit in here,” she said and really hoped it was true. “It’s possibly the world’s smallest lift.”

“I’ll manage.” He strode in undeterred, dominating the space instantly, sucking away all her air.

Matilda punched the floor ten more times than necessary, keeping her eyes trained to the front, hyperaware of Tanner, sprawled casually against the opposite wall, his hands-in-pockets stance exposing a splash of white shirt pulled taut across his abdomen. She crowded forward, closer to the control panel, desperately trying to keep as much distance between them as possible as his cologne swirled around her.

He smelled like orchids and…ouzo.

The door slowly ground shut, protesting all the way and Matilda willed it to—just this once and she’d never ask again—deliver her speedily to her floor. As was its custom, the lift stood still for long moments before finally grumbling to life.

She stared straight ahead as it slowly ascended, desperately trying to think about anything other than him kissing her. And failing. How could she not when she was excruciatingly conscious of him standing all big and solid and silent in her peripheral vision, staring at her, his gaze heavy on the patch of skin where her neck joined her shoulder as if that might be the place he’d like to start.

It was warm and getting warmer in the lift but still her nipples beaded as if they were standing in a fridge. And for all the room in here, they night as well have been.

She hated that her body had so easily gotten over his Judas kiss. That she was a slave to her hormones. Or maybe it was her memory?

The emergency telephone panel was right in front of her and she concentrated on that instead of his relentless gaze. She wondered if she picked it up and ordered some amnesia stat whether that would be considered misuse of public property?

“You could get up to a lot in a lift that moves this slow.”

His words rumbled out into the small space and Matilda swore she could feel each one of them glide over her skin. Her pulse fluttered madly as an image of them going for it against the wall—his trousers open, her skirt rucked up—filled her head. She spoke quickly, unthinkingly to dispel it.

“It’s faster going down.”

He chuckled, causing goose bumps everywhere. “Clearly it has its priorities all wrong.”

*****

Author Info:

Amy is an award-winning, best-selling Aussie author who has written fifty plus contemporary romances in both the traditional and digital markets and been translated into over a dozen languages including manga. She is a USA Today best-seller and has sold in excess of one million books featuring lots of sex and kissing. She likes to make her readers tingle, laugh and sigh.

She loves good books and great booze although she’ll take mediocre booze if there’s nothing else. At sixteen she met a guy she knew she was going to marry and she did. They’re still married and have two grown kids who never stay away long enough to be missed.

She lives on acreage on the outskirts of Brisbane with a gorgeous mountain view but secretly wishes it was the hillsides of Tuscany.

*****