Playing With Boys

by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, Isabel Keating (Read by)

In Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez's delicious new novel, three friends--each a Latina in her late 20's--take Los Angeles by storm. Marcella, Olivia, and Alexis have bonded not only over trouble with men but about how tough it is to make life work in L.A. no matter what you do. Marcella is a hot young television actress, hardly able to enjoy the life she's bought for herself, and she's certainly not enjoying her body, which is never quite perfect enough. Livia's tethered to her toddler son and her suburban mommy track so tightly the other girls sometimes cringe. Alexis has a smart mouth, an ample body, and a great job, but about enough self-esteem to fill a Prada card case. The emotional richness and frothy fun of the heroines' friendship will delight all listeners.

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Audiobook, Romance, Adult, Latino, Novels

Audio CD

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Hello! I'm Alisa. I'm a writer and musician from New Mexico. I got my start writing in newspapers for nearly a decade, and then made the move to novels. I write in a variety of genres, though all of my work tends to have something to do with the things that interest me. Whether I'm writing young adult novels or historical fiction for adults, my stories are alike in that they seek to un-erase erased people, cultures and events, and there's usually something supernatural involved, as well as a general awe and reverence for the natural world. Fairness is important to me. Kindness is important to me. Holding monsters accountable is important to me. I try to write about all of that but also to keep things funny. Lots of labels have been placed on me over the years by a staggering variety of sleepwalking souls, but I don't tend to consider myself within such confines. I had a Near Death Experience in 2015 that changed everything for me. Now I know I'm a spirit living temporarily in a body, like everyone else. So I'm sort of existing, listening to the stories that exist all around us, allowing them to come through me to you. That's all. Sometimes my books sell. Mostly, they don't. Writing's a crap way to make a living, especially in this new era of fascism and billionaires. Ah, well. Keep loving those closest to you.

Reviews

[Loraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A contemporary cinderella story about 4 very different latina women. I almost stopped reading within the first chapter because it opened with the girl who is a Christian Republican Texan debutant, but I'm glad I was open-minded enough to push through. Thankfully, the following chapter countered her peppy sweetness with a character who survived watching her father's murder at the hands of Reagan-sponsored Contras in El Salvador and later became a hard-core activist. In fact, one of the many themes woven into the story is "don't judge a book by its cover", whether that "cover" be one's body, social status, class, ect. Obviously. But as a woman whose appearance is nothing but a diametric opposition to what lurks within, I always identify deeply with such themes.

The story is fun, exciting, thoughtful, funny, and heartwarming... definitely a great beach read or whenever you just want to kick back & go for a fun ride. The ending is a bit too Hollywood-perfect- the modern "happily ever after" with a helluva cherry on top. But hey, if you're gonna live vicariously, why not go all the way to Happily Ever After? Why stop at Happy, With Realistic Caveats? Or detour over to Who Said Life Is Fair? ;)

[Susan Gottfried]

Despite the short section in the center where I really didn't like Olivia and the situation with Marcella and Ian (I mean, who does that? Barbecue sauce? And yet, HUGE props to author Valdes for coming up with it and also? I hope it wasn't based on something she encountered in real life) which bordered less on toxic masculinity and more on farce, I really really had fun with this. Alexis in particular was a fun character, and I loved that she'd vow to lose thirty pounds and then order dessert.

I loved Olivia's character arc and her growth, especially her realizing what was important to her in relation to Alexis and Marcella. I loved that she had a healthy relationship with her mother and that her mother was a wonderful, grounded woman despite all she'd accomplished in life. I loved that she found her own strength and really got to know herself.

I loved the boys, Goyo and Carmelo. Chan was a little underdeveloped, but Olivia didn't need him to show her growth the way Marcella and Alexis did. Which raises a question: Did Alexis and Marcella need men in their lives in order to fulfill their character growth? Or would it have happened for them regardless? And how did their need for men change them? There's a lot to unpack there in the whole concept of a person not being whole without a romantic partner, and on the flip side, is it so awful that a romantic partner brings out character growth and good things?

Which brings me to the end section. Alexis was I think a little too whiny. I didn't believe she was actually working; she seemed to be embracing the situation a little too fully and advantageously, and not in the way I would have expected. I can't elaborate more without a spoiler, but I would have expected Alexis to continue to rule the world, not be slowed and lethargic and yes, whiny.

So I didn't love love this book, but man, am I glad I pulled it out of my TBR mountains when I did. It really was just what I needed, and I'll be tracking down more of Ms. Valdes' books at my library. Absolutely. She's made me a fan.

[Denisse · Rating 4 out of 5]

“ Existe una recompensa en ser leal a tus ideales y a tu espíritu.”

La historia es contada mayormente por tres mujeres. Distintas entre sí pero que logran unirse para cumplir sus sueños.

El libro inicia con Alexis, una mujer de 29 años, nacida en Dallas, de padres mexicanos. Reside en California y es representante de varios famosos. El primer capítulo es contado por ella, y cuenta cómo conoce a las demás chicas de esta historia.

En segundo lugar tenemos a Marcella, una famosa actriz latina de unos 28 años que quiere impulsar su carrera en el mercado anglosajón. Es del estado de California y es de ascendencia dominicana y francesa.

Y por último, tenemos a Olivia de 34 años. Mataron a su padre cuando era niña a los 10 años en el El Salvador y lo presenció todo con su madre y hermanitos. Este hecho la ha dejado traumatizada por lo que le resulta difícil interactuar con los demás y tener confianza y seguridad en sí misma.

Las tres chicas se conocen y logran tener una amistad verdadera logrando superar las adversidades y complejos que han tenido toda la vida.

Aunque tengo el libro, decidí usar un audiolibro porque lo vi bastante largo y ya tenía un tiempo en mi librero. El primer capítulo me lo encontré súper aburrido y hasta estaba a punto de abandonar, pero decidí continuar para ver si me sorprendía.

La verdad es que me sorprendió. Y me gustó tanto que estaba leyendo otro libro, y le di pausa para avanzar con éste.

Para finalizar, lo mejor del libro para mí fue la amistad de las chicas y el humor de ellas, siendo mi preferida Marcella, por su sarcasmo y humor negro.

[Rochelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually I’m thinking it’s maybe 2.5. It was going ok until it neared the end. And then everyone’s story was just sewn up real quick and not in a terribly interesting way either. Alexis’ in a rather predictable way. Marcella’s was absurd. Olivia was the one I’d have liked to hear more about right from the beginning.

[CrystalIsReading on StoryGraph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the novel that introduced me to Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez and got me hooked on her chick-lit with a Hispanic twist books. Don't assume I'm prejudiced for pointing out the ethnicity either, as she makes it abundantly clear throughout the books that she is attempting to represent Hispanic culture, to greater or lesser degrees, in this book.
the book centers around several VERY different women, all of Hispanic origin, who live in the LA area, dealing with different issues. They eventually all become friends and all find love, of course (it's not a spoiler if it's chick-lit, right? you know that there's a happy ending automatically if it's good chick-lit.) while the boyfriend for the main character sounds pretty much too "good" to be true, the book is just cute and fun and a nice read when you want to relax (and if you aren't deeply familiar with Hispanic culture in general, and especially the history of military conflicts in Central America, you can feel like you're learning something while you relax too!)

[Stina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am dumber for having read this book... I encourage everyone to stay the hell away from it and to ignore the reviews on the back touting it as some kind of awesome beach read. This book is stupid... and I generally enjoy chick lit. I hated the characters, hated their choices, hated the men in their lives, hated them hating themselves, hated their clothes and cars, hated their vocabulary, hated their jobs and hated their animals. I hated the beginning, middle and end. If you read this book, even after I have begged you not to, I am not going to feel bad for you when you gouge your eyes out and poke at your brain through your empty sockets in an attempt to erase any memory of this book.

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it as much as I love to play with boys!

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very fun! I could not put it down!!!!!!!

[Veronica Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me laughing tears of joy. The three characters are total opposites that come to together as business associates and then become good friends. The book wa honest about the relationships that the women had with each other, and with the men in their lives.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read! Ended sweetly! Funny, romantic and easy to read!

[Dianne Hurtado · Rating 1 out of 5]

Playing with Boys promised an entertaining story about women navigating relationships, but it ultimately fails to deliver. Despite the title, there’s little in the plot that suggests these women are actually “playing” with boys. Instead, they endure a few bad dating experiences and toxic relationships, but there’s nothing particularly engaging or fun about it.

The characters are not only unlikable but also frustrating, making it difficult to connect with them or care about their journeys. Rather than feeling invested, I found myself annoyed by their choices and personalities. The pacing is another major issue—at nearly 400 pages, this should have been a quick read, but it felt like a never-ending slog. A book that usually takes me just a few days to finish has stretched into a week (and counting) because of how frustrating it is to get through.

Given the praise this book has received, I had high expectations, but I’m left deeply disappointed. If you’re looking for a fun, engaging story with dynamic characters, this isn’t it.

[treehugger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, so I really really did like "Dirty Girls," but this book kept me on a roller coaster - I would be so disappointed by the see-through plot, the paperthin (literally and figuratively) characters, the money-centricity and the false LA lifestyles portrayed that I'd want to yank it out of my CD player and throw it out my car window...those days I wanted to give it 2 stars..or maybe 1..

But then the author would surprise me with an actual intelligent, real life issue that really rose about the artificiality of everything else in this book. Maybe it's because i read the audiobook, but I'm really between 2 and 3 stars here - if you haven't read "Dirty Girls Social Club" yet, don't start here, or you might miss out on a much better book!!

It did have one short, but shockingly hot, sex scene, which was a surprise, but not a reason to run out and get the book, that's for sure. This is one to borrow, not own.

[Megan M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another book I re-read on an annual basis. I think she does a great job at writing from the different characters viewpoints and I love all of the relationships along the way. Funny and heartwarming with a little raunchiness thrown in for good measure.

[Lisa Leon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first but still enjoyed it.

[Jodi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is another book that's been on my shelf for years. I finally read it. At it's heart this is chick lit but quite honestly the characters are annoying and rude. The book centers around 3 Latina women- Marcella (a big boobed actress who finds all of self worth in shopping and her appearance), Alexis (a Republican from Texas who god forbid is fat which of course makes her unlovable and disgusting) and Olivia (who is defined by her child and her cheating husband). The writing was super simplistic and almost like it had been written by a teenager. Alexis is a publicist, turned agent, turned movie producer; Marcella is the daughter of a wealthy family who also was a successful soap opera actress looking to break into mainstream roles. She meets Alexis at a cocktail party: Alexis also meets Olivia at the same party. Alexis is a chunky Hispanic girl from Texas working in Los Angeles and is very aware of her difference in a community of beach blondes and large busted women. She is a strong willed young woman who has her sites on bigger things. She starts off representing a mariachi band and doesn't enjoy the experience but because of them and where they go she meets Marcella and Olivia. Alexis meets Marcella and recognizes her as the actress from the soap opera, but is surprised that Marcella is serving cocktails at the same party the Mariachi band is playing. At the same party is a leading television producing who just happens to be looking for a beautiful Hispanic woman for his popular television program. Olivia comes from El Salvador where her father was murdered by political activists in front of her. She is traumatized by this experience and writes a screenplay about her ongoing nightmare. Alexis is so taken by the story that she and Marcella gather $10 million, yes, $10 million from their families and make the movie. It would be nice if Hollywood was that easy. This in my opinion is a poor representation of Latin Women.

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is another book that's been on my shelf for years. I finally read it. I like the writing. It was easy to read. The thing is I didn't really care for the characters. Olivia got on my nerves. I thought Marcella and Alexis had a little bit of debt. I wish they could have gotten their own books to be able to explore these two characters. Toward the end when a big incident happened (I don't want to give it away) it felt very much like an amateur author's work. I found myself skipping around toward the end. Finally, to me, the book had nothing to do with playing with boys. I thought the focus was more on the characters careers in the entertainment industry. So the title is a little misleading for me. I kept waiting for the boy play to happen and it never did, lol.

[Alyssa Tuininga · Rating 2 out of 5]

At it's heart this is chick lit but quite honestly the characters are annoying and rude. The book centers around 3 Latina women- Marcella (a big boobed actress who finds all of self worth in shopping and her appearance), Alexis (a Republican from Texas who god forbid is fat which of course makes her unlovable and disgusting) and Olivia (who is defined by her child and her cheating husband). The writing was super simplistic and almost likeit had been written by a teenager. The characters are more like caricatures than real women. The story is like a 12 year imagining this exciting world of money, movie stars and musicians. All in all I was pretty disappointed.

[Bliss · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one I started but won't finish. It's OKAY but I'm struggling to really connect with the characters. When I read for pleasure it's to immerse myself in someone else's life. I just can't get there with this book. Perhaps someone else will.

[Deborah Charnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book for so many reasons. It felt like a rom-com, yet there were many serious social issues addressed. The characters were all so very unique, and I couldn't wait to get to each new chapter.

Finally, I related to the main character in many ways.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall its a good read, it is woman and friendship centered. As far as character development, I enjoyed the other 2 characters more than the main character. The way their storylines weave together is well written.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very fun, relatable, easy read where you feel like you are making new girlfriends as you go through the book

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, light read

[Violabrooksidegmail.Com · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites!!

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh! Read this book I think 3-4 times now and I get sucked in the same every time. It's so great. Makes you laugh, makes you cry, even makes you feel other things ;). Lol.

[Greta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun & fast summer reading at it's best, well written and refreshing writing by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez.

[Dominique · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5

[Veronica Bohanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was entertaining. I laughed often while reading it. Some of it was predictable but a light-hearted read.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off slow, but once I got into it, I enjoyed it.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, quick read.

[Ankedesign · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chicklit is de beste manier om de apocalypse door te komen.