Book Review and Giveaway: Playing for Keeps

By Sara Steven

If you’re planning on falling in love…

When it comes to the confident, charismatic Caleb Parker, Sadie Lane feels the spark—the kind that comes from rubbing each other the wrong way. She’s a tattoo artist, he’s a straight-laced mogul. But after they accidentally co-rescue an abandoned dog from a storm, Sadie sees a vulnerable side to the seemingly invincible hottie.

you’d better be sure…

Caleb doesn’t do emotions. Growing up the underdog, he’s learned the hard way to build up an impenetrable wall. Perfect for business. Disastrous for relationships. He’s never worried about it before—not until he finally gets behind Sadie’s armor and begins to fall.

… someone is there to catch you.

Both guarded and vulnerable, Sadie and Caleb are complete opposites. Or are they? Shocked at their undeniable connection, can they ever admit to wanting more? That all depends on what they’re each willing to risk. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)

This is my first read into the Heartbreaker Bay series, and given how much I enjoyed Playing For Keeps (book seven), I know I have a lot of catching up to do! The scenery wasn’t typical or expected- I appreciated the unique situation that brings Caleb and Sadie together. The co-ownership of their rescue dog. It forces both characters to step outside their comfort zones, which is not something either of them have much practice doing.

Although it’s quite apparent that Caleb and Sadie are two entirely different people, they have a lot of parallels in their past, that blend into their present, a lot to connect on that isn’t even visible at first for either of them. While Caleb tries desperately to get Sadie to see him for who he really is, she already has preconceived notions on who that is, adding a nice layer of conflict into an already difficult situation. And while he sees beyond her past, she has a hard time letting go of that. It was nice to witness a love story that isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, one that offers up a lot at stake, a lot to lose for both characters.

An undercurrent to all of this, are the sultry emotions and sensual moments that made Playing for Keeps hot with a capital H. That quintessential push and pull needed and required to make the scenery come alive. You can’t help but yearn for someone a little like Caleb, or wish you could be a little more like Sadie. There were plenty of banter-filled moments to go around, in and out of the bedroom, that kept the reader on their toes.

My favorite moments of all, though, are the ones spent with family. We get to see a glimpse into both Caleb’s and Sadie’s families, who ultimately make up why they’re the way they are as people, and most importantly, as a couple. The scenes with Caleb’s sisters, who are older and deem themselves to be much wiser, or the ones with Sadie and her dysfunctional family, it only made me feel more invested in, and hopeful that their fledgling relationship will survive against the odds.

Thanks to William Morrow for the book in exchange for an honest review. They have one copy for a lucky reader!

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends February 10th at midnight EST.

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