Author: Jaci Burton
Series: Play by Play #1
Blurb (from Goodreads):
The last thing event planner Tara Lincoln needs is the jet-set lifestyle of a football pro like Mick Riley; even though their steamy and passionate one-night stand proved that Mick is an all-star-both on the field and in the bedroom.
Tara played the game of love once and lost big, and she doesn't intend to put herself out there again, especially with a certified heartbreaker. But when Mick sets his mind to win, nothing will stop him. And he has the perfect play in mind to catch this sultry vixen.
I can't talk about the book without first expressing my love for the cover. There are very few covers out there that do the book justice and this is one of them. It's very hard to find that perfect cover, you know? And it's sexy. I can't imagine a better cover for this book. And all the covers for this series are amazingly beautiful and sexy.
Now that I've covered that up, I can return to the book in question. When it comes to sexy books, Jaci Burton is one of the first authors that pops into my head. Not only are her stories sexy, they're funny and full of good characters. And her books aren't filled with unnecessary sex scenes, when you feel it's more sex than action. Knowing that, I was a little afraid to pick this book up. Why? Because of the sport part. I know nothing about sports. Not one little detail. So I putt it off for a few weeks, mainly to gather my courage and try to look past the sports details. I'm glad I finally managed to do so, because I liked this book a lot.
I loved the characters. Tara is such a strong woman. She's not one of those women that swoon at the sight of a famous guy and she doesn't seem to care about his pockets more than him. She's also a devoted mother. She's willing to sacrifice her happiness for that of her son and I think that says a lot about her. I totally understood her reasons for being weary of having a relationship with Mick. He's a famous guy and a relationship with him could have a bad influence on her teenage son.
Mick is one of those guys that don't change much once they become famous. He has managed to get away from trouble and I think that makes him a very strong guy. He's also sexy, or so he is in my head. He helps Tara's son when he makes a bad decision, knowing that by doing it he could be risking his career. I think this is what made me see him as a really nice guy and the perfect partner for Tara and the perfect father for her son. Maybe it's not much, but to willingly hand over a secret that could ruin his career forever to a 13 year old means that he really wants to be a part of their lives.
I honestly can't say a thing I didn't like in this book. Well, there's actually one little thing that made me want to smack Mick, but I can't talk about it here, without going further into the second book in the series, Changing the Game.
I am waiting impatiently for the third installment, Taking a Shot, due March, 2012. Until then, I have all the time in the world to reread the first two books.
My Rating:
