What do you think?
Rate this book
Playing For Keeps
USA Today bestselling author Julie Hammerle’s quirky romantic comedy about two strangers, a fake relationship, and a teeny mid-lie crisis…
Bryce Barrett has disappeared off the face of the earth. Well, technically she’s just temporarily hiding out in a teeny Midwest town, away from her ruined marriage and professional demise…at least until she can figure out her next steps. But when she bumps into her ex—dressed in what could be only described as “dumpster chic”—she does the only reasonable thing a woman can panics and pretends the cute security guard on the scene is her new boyfriend.
Free-spirited nomad Jake Warner knew returning to his hometown was a bad idea. It’s bad enough that his family’s pressuring him to step into his dad’s hypercompetitive shoes and settle down, but when a complete stranger (cute, though possibly unbalanced) enlists him as her fake boyfriend, Jake knows he’s making some questionable choices…especially when he inexplicably goes along with it.
Now these two mismatched misfits are temporary allies against a town filled with happy, normal, and annoyingly stable people. Fake dating keeps everyone off their back while they plot their respective escapes. But nothing botches a plan more than unexpected chemistry…
Bryce Barrett has disappeared off the face of the earth. Well, technically she’s just temporarily hiding out in a teeny Midwest town, away from her ruined marriage and professional demise…at least until she can figure out her next steps. But when she bumps into her ex—dressed in what could be only described as “dumpster chic”—she does the only reasonable thing a woman can panics and pretends the cute security guard on the scene is her new boyfriend.
Free-spirited nomad Jake Warner knew returning to his hometown was a bad idea. It’s bad enough that his family’s pressuring him to step into his dad’s hypercompetitive shoes and settle down, but when a complete stranger (cute, though possibly unbalanced) enlists him as her fake boyfriend, Jake knows he’s making some questionable choices…especially when he inexplicably goes along with it.
Now these two mismatched misfits are temporary allies against a town filled with happy, normal, and annoyingly stable people. Fake dating keeps everyone off their back while they plot their respective escapes. But nothing botches a plan more than unexpected chemistry…
275 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 8, 2023
14 people are currently reading
193 people want to read
About the author
Julie Hammerle
9 books248 followersUSA Today best-selling, RITA nominated author Julie Hammerle writes romantic comedies for adults and teens. Before settling down to write "for real," she studied opera, taught Latin, and held her real estate license for one hot minute. Currently, aside from writing, she ropes people into conversations about Game of Thrones and makes excuses to avoid the gym. Her favorite YA-centric TV shows include 90210 (original spice), Felicity, and Freaks and Geeks. Her iPod reads like a 1997 Lilith Fair set list.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
April 30, 2023
Clean romance with a great plot and loads of emotional baggage to get through. Love the HEA- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have to say this book had some love-hate portions in it for me. You see, I hate being manipulated and I hate reading about it too! This book is loaded with some family drama that for me was frustrating and just ish.
But to balance it out Hammerle added humor, compassion, and understanding. The two characters worked so well together with their attempts to hide and disassociate from the world and their families. I loved Jake and the way he understood and stood by Bryce.
Hammerle touched upon a few emotional and tough situations in Playing for Keeps that we have to experience in order to understand the characters. However, she tempers that by building their connection, support, anticipation, and steam as we progress. And plenty of humor too!
This story is a clean romance with a great plot, and lots of laughs, but loads of emotional baggage to get through. The HEA totally makes the story worth it all!
* copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/playing-for-...
I have to say this book had some love-hate portions in it for me. You see, I hate being manipulated and I hate reading about it too! This book is loaded with some family drama that for me was frustrating and just ish.
But to balance it out Hammerle added humor, compassion, and understanding. The two characters worked so well together with their attempts to hide and disassociate from the world and their families. I loved Jake and the way he understood and stood by Bryce.
Hammerle touched upon a few emotional and tough situations in Playing for Keeps that we have to experience in order to understand the characters. However, she tempers that by building their connection, support, anticipation, and steam as we progress. And plenty of humor too!
This story is a clean romance with a great plot, and lots of laughs, but loads of emotional baggage to get through. The HEA totally makes the story worth it all!
* copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/playing-for-...
May 3, 2023
Bryce Barrett is keeping a low profile in a small Midwest town after she was passed over for a deserved partnership at a Chicago law firm. She is running out of money and options when she meets Jake Warner who is working security at a local resort. For reasons that make sense in the story they fall into a fake dating relationship. Her so she can appear less needy to her ex-husband and him to get a break from family pressures. Jake is a free spirit and has spent the last ten years traveling and is planning to only stay in town long enough to get money so he can leave again. But of course Bryce and Jake fit well together.
The story is enjoyable and covers some deeper topics than I was expecting. Trigger warnings for suicide, opioid addiction, medical emergencies. The two mains are likable although Jake is often moody and broody. His family is very manipulative and I thought his sister was obnoxious. I think the quick resolution, the book is on the shorter side, didn’t do justice to the problems set in the story. Bryce gives some very solid legal advice to a client and then it is just dropped. Jake has one conversation with his old high school friend and ten years of angst goes away. And I don’t think a major university is just going to let someone become a coach because they played a sport well ten years ago and he is the previous coaches son. People get degrees and work their way up to those jobs. I seldom complain when things wrap up neatly but this is too easy.
The story is likable but I wanted to care more about the HEA. Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.
The story is enjoyable and covers some deeper topics than I was expecting. Trigger warnings for suicide, opioid addiction, medical emergencies. The two mains are likable although Jake is often moody and broody. His family is very manipulative and I thought his sister was obnoxious. I think the quick resolution, the book is on the shorter side, didn’t do justice to the problems set in the story. Bryce gives some very solid legal advice to a client and then it is just dropped. Jake has one conversation with his old high school friend and ten years of angst goes away. And I don’t think a major university is just going to let someone become a coach because they played a sport well ten years ago and he is the previous coaches son. People get degrees and work their way up to those jobs. I seldom complain when things wrap up neatly but this is too easy.
The story is likable but I wanted to care more about the HEA. Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.
May 9, 2023
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Entangled Publishing.
Bryce Barrett has disappeared off the face of the earth. Well, technically she is just temporarily hiding out in a teeny Midwest town, away from her ruined marriage and professional demise at least until she can figure out her next steps. But when she bumps into her ex she does the only reasonable thing a woman can do: panics and pretends the cute security guard on the scene is her new boyfriend.
Free-spirited nomad Jake Warner knew returning to his hometown was a bad idea. It is bad enough that his family’s pressuring him to step into his dad’s hypercompetitive shoes and settle down, but when a complete stranger enlists him as her fake boyfriend, Jake knows he’s making some questionable choices…especially when he inexplicably goes along with it.
Now these two mismatched misfits are temporary allies against a town filled with happy, normal, and annoyingly stable people. Fake dating keeps everyone off their back while they plot their respective escapes. But nothing botches a plan more than unexpected chemistry.
Don't let the cute cartoon cover and quirky blurb fool you, this book was way darker emotionally than I was expecting. The story is enjoyable and covers some deeper topics than I was expecting. Both our MCs are dealing with some serious trauma in not so healthy ways at the start of this book. I found that this book had a real woman with mature problems. I found that both Jake and Byrce had quite a good growth in their character's personalities and the way they navigated their hardships. I loved that this brought a new light on mental health in sports and how people could help support others in that area. The main characters were so relatable and I felt sympathy for their issues and how they dealt with them. But in the end, the resolution just felt rushed and much too simple to be realistic. I love the cover though which is what drew me to this book. Overall, I enjoyed this read, I just wish I had been truly captured at the beginning of the story. That being said, if you have trouble like me with the beginning, definitely push through.
Bryce Barrett has disappeared off the face of the earth. Well, technically she is just temporarily hiding out in a teeny Midwest town, away from her ruined marriage and professional demise at least until she can figure out her next steps. But when she bumps into her ex she does the only reasonable thing a woman can do: panics and pretends the cute security guard on the scene is her new boyfriend.
Free-spirited nomad Jake Warner knew returning to his hometown was a bad idea. It is bad enough that his family’s pressuring him to step into his dad’s hypercompetitive shoes and settle down, but when a complete stranger enlists him as her fake boyfriend, Jake knows he’s making some questionable choices…especially when he inexplicably goes along with it.
Now these two mismatched misfits are temporary allies against a town filled with happy, normal, and annoyingly stable people. Fake dating keeps everyone off their back while they plot their respective escapes. But nothing botches a plan more than unexpected chemistry.
Don't let the cute cartoon cover and quirky blurb fool you, this book was way darker emotionally than I was expecting. The story is enjoyable and covers some deeper topics than I was expecting. Both our MCs are dealing with some serious trauma in not so healthy ways at the start of this book. I found that this book had a real woman with mature problems. I found that both Jake and Byrce had quite a good growth in their character's personalities and the way they navigated their hardships. I loved that this brought a new light on mental health in sports and how people could help support others in that area. The main characters were so relatable and I felt sympathy for their issues and how they dealt with them. But in the end, the resolution just felt rushed and much too simple to be realistic. I love the cover though which is what drew me to this book. Overall, I enjoyed this read, I just wish I had been truly captured at the beginning of the story. That being said, if you have trouble like me with the beginning, definitely push through.
May 3, 2023
***ARC Provided by the Publisher via NetGalley***
I don't know how to write this review without making it seem like I had issues with the heavier topics in it. I didn't.
But. And there is the dreaded but...romance is an escape, at least it is for me. And, for the vast majority of this book, I just found Bryce and Jake to be sad, and I felt bad for them, and I think I felt a little drawn into their despair...which I guess means it worked for me and I believed the characters.
The issue I had is at about 75% percent, it was almost like the author realized the book, which was relatively short, was a romance and needed a happy ending, so all of the things I had started to buy into, and their struggles, were sort of just...gone.
The issue? As a reader, I was invested in the characters, so at that point, I felt like the resolution was just too...easy? Perfect? Simple?
I guess what I am saying is if a story is going to be about imperfect characters, I don't want them "fixed" at the end. How does that work in a romance? No idea. But, that said, I didn't think it worked here.
I am unable to recommend this title.
I don't know how to write this review without making it seem like I had issues with the heavier topics in it. I didn't.
But. And there is the dreaded but...romance is an escape, at least it is for me. And, for the vast majority of this book, I just found Bryce and Jake to be sad, and I felt bad for them, and I think I felt a little drawn into their despair...which I guess means it worked for me and I believed the characters.
The issue I had is at about 75% percent, it was almost like the author realized the book, which was relatively short, was a romance and needed a happy ending, so all of the things I had started to buy into, and their struggles, were sort of just...gone.
The issue? As a reader, I was invested in the characters, so at that point, I felt like the resolution was just too...easy? Perfect? Simple?
I guess what I am saying is if a story is going to be about imperfect characters, I don't want them "fixed" at the end. How does that work in a romance? No idea. But, that said, I didn't think it worked here.
I am unable to recommend this title.
June 1, 2023
This novel was so much more than a romance plot, Playing For Keeps explores some hard hitting and emotional topics such as family, divorce and commitment. Both characters are experiencing life changing moments and they are both running away from their problems in their own way until they crash land into each other’s lives.
This is my first Julie Hammerle novel and although I felt I empathised with both the MMC and FMC I felt that their character arcs could have been explored in more detail. The fake dating trope however ensured a number of laugh out loud moments and I feel the serious issues were tackled respectably. I did enjoy reading this book and I definitely recommend it to those looking to read a romance book that features realistic topics.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC
This is my first Julie Hammerle novel and although I felt I empathised with both the MMC and FMC I felt that their character arcs could have been explored in more detail. The fake dating trope however ensured a number of laugh out loud moments and I feel the serious issues were tackled respectably. I did enjoy reading this book and I definitely recommend it to those looking to read a romance book that features realistic topics.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC
April 28, 2023
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book!!
I. Freaking. LOVED. This book. I loved it!! I read it all in one day 😭😭
There's something so refreshing about books that actually take the time to build a romance between the main characters, and that's exactly what this book does.
Bryce and Jake both have their own flaws and emotional baggage, and they're well aware of that. There's motive behind their actions and words that makes sense. They don't just act like assholes to be assholes, which I feel like is something we see so many characters doing these days.
This was an entertaining, easy read, and I highly recommend it. Also... GO BLUE!!
I. Freaking. LOVED. This book. I loved it!! I read it all in one day 😭😭
There's something so refreshing about books that actually take the time to build a romance between the main characters, and that's exactly what this book does.
Bryce and Jake both have their own flaws and emotional baggage, and they're well aware of that. There's motive behind their actions and words that makes sense. They don't just act like assholes to be assholes, which I feel like is something we see so many characters doing these days.
This was an entertaining, easy read, and I highly recommend it. Also... GO BLUE!!
May 21, 2023
Playing for Keeps is a cute story about second chances in a small town.
Bryce and Jake's friendship has the potential for great chemistry, but their road to romance lacked sparks. The book had some moments that made me smile, but overall I didn’t find the connection to be realistic. However, this is only my opinion.
I would recommend it to fans of friends to lovers and second chances should give this a try.
Bryce and Jake's friendship has the potential for great chemistry, but their road to romance lacked sparks. The book had some moments that made me smile, but overall I didn’t find the connection to be realistic. However, this is only my opinion.
I would recommend it to fans of friends to lovers and second chances should give this a try.
May 8, 2023
I really liked this. It has a unique setup I haven’t seen before and it’s wry but not depressing. The characters feel real and genuine, like we all know people like this. Their struggles are relatable especially Bryce’s. Whom amongst us has not wanted to rage quit over a situation and a person like this. I also liked that the ex-husband and new girlfriend did not fall into the trope of being genuinely awful people—it’s so much more interesting when it’s hard to hate someone you’re supposed to despise. This was just a cute and fun read.
NetGalley gave me a copy for my review. It’s also publishing day for this book so go get it!
NetGalley gave me a copy for my review. It’s also publishing day for this book so go get it!
June 9, 2023
When Bryce Barrett is passed over for a promotion she feels was rightly hers, she leaves Chicago for small town Wakernagel to the house she once shared with her ex-husband, but which she was granted in the divorce. There she lives on Cheetos but never seems to have enough ice cream on hand which means she has to go to the resort ice cream shop in emergencies. There she meets security guard, Jake Warner, who is called because people presumed that Bryce was homeless and a possible threat. In a separate emergency ice cream run, Bryce tries to hide from her ex- and his new model-esque girlfriend but when her ex- sees her, she says that Jake is her boyfriend. And, thus, a fake romance is begun in Julie Hammerle’s Playing for Keeps.
I have been a fan of Hammerle’s YA romances but have to say that this venture into adult romance is not quite as satisfying. Both Bryce and Jake are dealing with issues. While I’m not quite certain that Bryce’s issues are ever fully explained (it seems extremely dramatic to go off the mental deep end when being passed over for partnership, even if it was deserved; it could have been that it was intended to be humorous, and, if so, it wasn’t), Jake is dealing with Peter Pan syndrome as well as the suicide of his friend.
At the beginning, Bryce is living in squalor with garbage everywhere and she tosses garbage bags into her basement instead of taking them to the trash, which accounted for my very first yikes. While, with Jake’s help, she does manage to clean up her act–literally–this set a tone that was pretty hard to get over.
As far as Jake, initially he comes across as being a nice normal guy, but in two scenes with his father–his father who just had a heart attack, mind you–he’s a complete jerk. No. No. He’s an asshole. He’s an asshole many times, exemplifying traits I just don’t care to read about–even if he does manage to change at the end. At what point is it too little, too late?
Also falling into the unlikeable category is Jake’s sister who is manipulative and believes that her role in the universe is to procreate (she would have a hundred if she could, which scored another “yikes.”). Just the thought of dozens of her mini-mes with careless attitudes running around gives me the shudders.
At this point, you’re probably wondering exactly what I did like about Playing for Keeps. Well, I liked Rita, the new girlfriend of Bryce’s ex-. She is a sweet, caring person as well as savvy. I liked Jake’s dad who years ago learned and grew from his mistakes, creating an admirable sports system. I would have liked Bryce’s character more if more thought had gone into why she had a complete meltdown. She seems like a strong, competent person, normally, that more context should have been given.
Playing for Keeps had a lot of possibility but didn’t seem to have a clear idea of what genre it really wanted to be.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I have been a fan of Hammerle’s YA romances but have to say that this venture into adult romance is not quite as satisfying. Both Bryce and Jake are dealing with issues. While I’m not quite certain that Bryce’s issues are ever fully explained (it seems extremely dramatic to go off the mental deep end when being passed over for partnership, even if it was deserved; it could have been that it was intended to be humorous, and, if so, it wasn’t), Jake is dealing with Peter Pan syndrome as well as the suicide of his friend.
At the beginning, Bryce is living in squalor with garbage everywhere and she tosses garbage bags into her basement instead of taking them to the trash, which accounted for my very first yikes. While, with Jake’s help, she does manage to clean up her act–literally–this set a tone that was pretty hard to get over.
As far as Jake, initially he comes across as being a nice normal guy, but in two scenes with his father–his father who just had a heart attack, mind you–he’s a complete jerk. No. No. He’s an asshole. He’s an asshole many times, exemplifying traits I just don’t care to read about–even if he does manage to change at the end. At what point is it too little, too late?
Also falling into the unlikeable category is Jake’s sister who is manipulative and believes that her role in the universe is to procreate (she would have a hundred if she could, which scored another “yikes.”). Just the thought of dozens of her mini-mes with careless attitudes running around gives me the shudders.
At this point, you’re probably wondering exactly what I did like about Playing for Keeps. Well, I liked Rita, the new girlfriend of Bryce’s ex-. She is a sweet, caring person as well as savvy. I liked Jake’s dad who years ago learned and grew from his mistakes, creating an admirable sports system. I would have liked Bryce’s character more if more thought had gone into why she had a complete meltdown. She seems like a strong, competent person, normally, that more context should have been given.
Playing for Keeps had a lot of possibility but didn’t seem to have a clear idea of what genre it really wanted to be.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 9, 2023
The cover says “rom-com” and Playing for Keeps is…but. But, there is more, as a good novel and a good romance is. Because, yes, this is a fake romance, one of my favorite tropes, and written by the author that got me over my “but I don’t read romances, but I’ll read yours” with her book “Knocked-up Cinderella”.
The basic story of this one begins withBryce trying to save face by claiming that the security guard, Jake, that had come to make her move on, because she was dressed in dirty clothes and beaver slippers, is actually her latest boyfriend, when she runs into her ex, and his oh-so-perfect looking new girlfriend, because of course that is something you do.
The story could have remained at that level, but we find out why the two of them are in this small podunk town in a flyover state, when they could be, and have been anywhere else.
And I actually like that this goes that deep, and we find out the inner hurt that is driving Jake to take on low level jobs, such as being a security guard, and why Byrce, though she was a big city lawyer, is now eating ice cream in her slippers and sweats, in the middle of a workday.
If you want a light romance, this isn’t quite it. But if you dont’ mind getting over pain from friends committing suicide, and workaholics realizing there is more to life, then this book might be for you. And though there is witty banter, and playfulness, one of the main themes of the book is mental health.
Thanks to Netgally for making this book available for an honest review. This book came out May 8th, 2023.
The basic story of this one begins withBryce trying to save face by claiming that the security guard, Jake, that had come to make her move on, because she was dressed in dirty clothes and beaver slippers, is actually her latest boyfriend, when she runs into her ex, and his oh-so-perfect looking new girlfriend, because of course that is something you do.
The story could have remained at that level, but we find out why the two of them are in this small podunk town in a flyover state, when they could be, and have been anywhere else.
And I actually like that this goes that deep, and we find out the inner hurt that is driving Jake to take on low level jobs, such as being a security guard, and why Byrce, though she was a big city lawyer, is now eating ice cream in her slippers and sweats, in the middle of a workday.
If you want a light romance, this isn’t quite it. But if you dont’ mind getting over pain from friends committing suicide, and workaholics realizing there is more to life, then this book might be for you. And though there is witty banter, and playfulness, one of the main themes of the book is mental health.
Thanks to Netgally for making this book available for an honest review. This book came out May 8th, 2023.
May 7, 2023
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover 🤍
This was my first book by Hammerle, and it exceeded any and all expectations. This is a 5 star read and will be going on all applicable reader advisory lists going forward!
I was captivated from the first chapter and read this book in one sitting (and standing as I walked around). I thought this was going to be an upbeat, easy read novella, but found myself reading an honest, uplifting, and heartfelt book about love, friendship, and hopefulness.
This was my first book by Hammerle, and it exceeded any and all expectations. This is a 5 star read and will be going on all applicable reader advisory lists going forward!
I was captivated from the first chapter and read this book in one sitting (and standing as I walked around). I thought this was going to be an upbeat, easy read novella, but found myself reading an honest, uplifting, and heartfelt book about love, friendship, and hopefulness.
September 7, 2025
Bryce and Jake have both found it back to the same small town but neither really wants to be there. When the two are thrown together in a fake dating situation, sparks fly. This was a pretty cute romcom. I enjoyed the character growth of both main characters but was hoping for a bit more on the romance side.
April 27, 2023
I loved Playing for Keeps. It was a slow start for me but as I read on it got my attention more! It's a fun and light read that had me laughing! The chemistry between Bryce and Jake is off the charts and so electric, and their banter is so funny. The supporting characters are all so great, and they add to the humor of the story. Playing for Keeps is a fantastic rom com that will leave you feeling happy and satisfied! I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys rom coms and is looking for a light and funny read.
Thank you NetGalley & Entangled publishing for the Arc!
Thank you NetGalley & Entangled publishing for the Arc!
May 3, 2023
I actually really enjoyed this book!
I fell in love with Bryce and Jake (and all their baggage) immediately! After some unfortunate circumstances, both Bryce and Jake end up in a town they both don’t want to be in, and the hilarity ensues! Fake dating trope, terrible ex husbands, and a whole whirlwind of family drama!
Pick up this book if you need a laugh or just a heartwarming read!
I received this as an ARC and all thoughts/opinions are my own.
I fell in love with Bryce and Jake (and all their baggage) immediately! After some unfortunate circumstances, both Bryce and Jake end up in a town they both don’t want to be in, and the hilarity ensues! Fake dating trope, terrible ex husbands, and a whole whirlwind of family drama!
Pick up this book if you need a laugh or just a heartwarming read!
I received this as an ARC and all thoughts/opinions are my own.
June 7, 2023
When Bryce Barrett gets passed over for promotion to partner at her fancy Chicago law firm in favour of a snotty-nosed, know-nothing idiot who just happens to be the Mayor's nephew she doesn't take it well. In fact she may have incinerated her career. Now she's retreated to the house her ex-husband bought in the tiny midwestern town of Wackernagel he grew up in (she might have been petty enough to ask for it in the divorce) and is sticking it to The Man (assuming that this means watching every episode of The Gilmore Girls, wearing sweatpants and eating Cheetos - can I also say I've never eaten them but they sound vile?).
On a visit to the local ice-cream parlour to buy essential ice-cream provisions, Bryce attracts the eye of a concerned citizen who calls security for the gated community in which she lives (cripes these are special snowflakes if they've never seen a woman in sweatpants and novelty slippers binge-eating ice-cream). Jake Warner was born and bred in Wackernagel (I apologise for all the asides, not sure what has come over me, but why do authors insist on having their towns called silly names (please don't tell me it's an actual town)) but he's spent the last decade as far away as possible roaming the US. Now he's back, but only until he's repaid his father, and then he'll be off far from home once again - because 'reasons'. His temporary job as security guard for a gated community is easy work, but when he's called to deal with a possibly violent vagrant woman scaring customers at the ice-cream parlour he feels compassion for the woman who is clearly dealing with some issues.
A chance encounter with Bryce's ex and his new girlfriend leads Bryce to claim that she and Jake are dating, which he goes along with because he can see where she's coming from. When Bryce's power gets cut off because she's not been paying her bills (or opening her mail - see, I'm doing it again), they come to an agreement, Jake will help her renovate the house to sell and in return Bryce will pay him the realtor's fee which will help him repay his father. United in their desire to get out of Wackernagel as soon as possible the two of them become friends - or maybe more.
I've read a few of Julie Hammerle's novels before and I've always appreciated the way she portrays more mature women with real problems and grown-up reactions, which is why I requested this book. Unfortunately, this didn't really work well for me for several reasons. First, Jake blames himself/his father for something that happened - it is this that has kept him away from home for a decade, but frankly his logic is that of an eight-year-old, not a grown man. Second, Jake's family are so irritating I would have left town as soon as possible to get away from them. Third, Bryce's slob phase was too extreme - closer to mental breakdown territory - and I've read better.
Overall, it was okay, a pleasant enough read but after only a few days I could barely remember the plot.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
On a visit to the local ice-cream parlour to buy essential ice-cream provisions, Bryce attracts the eye of a concerned citizen who calls security for the gated community in which she lives (cripes these are special snowflakes if they've never seen a woman in sweatpants and novelty slippers binge-eating ice-cream). Jake Warner was born and bred in Wackernagel (I apologise for all the asides, not sure what has come over me, but why do authors insist on having their towns called silly names (please don't tell me it's an actual town)) but he's spent the last decade as far away as possible roaming the US. Now he's back, but only until he's repaid his father, and then he'll be off far from home once again - because 'reasons'. His temporary job as security guard for a gated community is easy work, but when he's called to deal with a possibly violent vagrant woman scaring customers at the ice-cream parlour he feels compassion for the woman who is clearly dealing with some issues.
A chance encounter with Bryce's ex and his new girlfriend leads Bryce to claim that she and Jake are dating, which he goes along with because he can see where she's coming from. When Bryce's power gets cut off because she's not been paying her bills (or opening her mail - see, I'm doing it again), they come to an agreement, Jake will help her renovate the house to sell and in return Bryce will pay him the realtor's fee which will help him repay his father. United in their desire to get out of Wackernagel as soon as possible the two of them become friends - or maybe more.
I've read a few of Julie Hammerle's novels before and I've always appreciated the way she portrays more mature women with real problems and grown-up reactions, which is why I requested this book. Unfortunately, this didn't really work well for me for several reasons. First, Jake blames himself/his father for something that happened - it is this that has kept him away from home for a decade, but frankly his logic is that of an eight-year-old, not a grown man. Second, Jake's family are so irritating I would have left town as soon as possible to get away from them. Third, Bryce's slob phase was too extreme - closer to mental breakdown territory - and I've read better.
Overall, it was okay, a pleasant enough read but after only a few days I could barely remember the plot.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
June 20, 2023
Not going to lie, after reading this I'm sad I don't own a pair of beaver slippers for myself. #themoreyouknow
A cute story with a solid plot, I enjoyed my time reading it. I can't give it 5 stars because at times Jake got on my nerves. He wouldn't listen to anyone's opinion outside of his own, and he would only accept his version of the story as the only true one. I'm glad it works out, but for a hot second there I was rooting for Bryce to find someone else.
A cute story with a solid plot, I enjoyed my time reading it. I can't give it 5 stars because at times Jake got on my nerves. He wouldn't listen to anyone's opinion outside of his own, and he would only accept his version of the story as the only true one. I'm glad it works out, but for a hot second there I was rooting for Bryce to find someone else.
June 12, 2023
This is a small town (WTF is a Wackernagel?! As an Illinois native, I am confused and offended by this town), fake dating, closed door, dual 3rd POV novel that, unfortunately, just wasn't for me as a reader. I ultimately DNF'd this book and didn't even really care enough to skim to the end. I searched the book for a few key words to be able to write out the tropes for this review.
It starts off slowly. The author does a good job building up the backstory and opening with the Engtangled Special of a slice-of-life couple of chapters for each character. Unfortunately, it didn't work this time for me, and it took me probably two weeks to finally get into the story. But by that time, it was a little too late, and I wasn't super interested or invested in the characters. It takes until almost 20% for the plot to pick up with the fake dating even being proposed, and even then, it takes a bit for it to get off the ground.
I describe Emily Henry's books as Women's Fiction with Heavy Romance. I'd describe this book as Romance with Heavy Women's Fiction vibes. I think the 3rd person with a lot of side characters doesn't help. But the cast of side characters really take away from it being more of a traditional Romance book for me. There's an ex-husband and his new girlfriend now expecting a baby together, there's family drama with the MMC that probably could've been it's own WF-type book, there's the small town law practice characters the FMC works with, and then there's the actual romance between the FMC and the MMC.
The FMC is a huge mess, the MMC is only in town temporarily until he can get out again, and they start a friendship/fake dating scheme, so the reader really knows where the drama is headed. But, at least in the beginning, the MMC doesn't seem too itching to leave town in his chapters. Like, he does, but he also doesn't. I wish he'd been a little less of a passive type character in that regard. It was mostly an internal desire he had to leave--he's with his whole family so I guess he doesn't really want to talk about it with them? I don't know. I was the high schooler who was dying to get out of my (also Illinois) hometown and never look back, and I feel like most people knew that about me, so I guess that aspect of Jake was just hard for me to connect to.
Bryce being a huge mess was refreshing but also got a little stale because she's a mess for the entire first 20+% of the book, in which she just buries her head in the sand (or throws her problems in the basement to forget about them) until this random stranger that she's told her ex she's dating comes over. And then it's almost like he swoops in to save her. It seemed inconsistent with what her character was going to be: strong, independent, no holds bars kind of lawyer. I don't know. Again, I guess it was just hard for me to connect with that aspect of Bryce and the story.
I think this would be a good book to take to the beach for the day. Like, it takes a bit to get drawn into the story, but you're at the beach for eight plus hours so who cares because what else are you going to do? It just wasn't for me, right now. That being said, it absolutely could be for me at some other point in the future when I'm ready to sit down and read a Romance with Heavy Women's Fiction vibes--which is a genre I enjoy and love reading as much as a straight up Romance. Normally DNFs are a 1 star for me, but I just can't bring myself to say that this was a 1 star book, so I'm going with 2 stars "this wasn't for me as a reader."
This book is definitely worth picking up a sample (or getting it at your library or on KU, if available) to check out and see if it's for you!!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!
It starts off slowly. The author does a good job building up the backstory and opening with the Engtangled Special of a slice-of-life couple of chapters for each character. Unfortunately, it didn't work this time for me, and it took me probably two weeks to finally get into the story. But by that time, it was a little too late, and I wasn't super interested or invested in the characters. It takes until almost 20% for the plot to pick up with the fake dating even being proposed, and even then, it takes a bit for it to get off the ground.
I describe Emily Henry's books as Women's Fiction with Heavy Romance. I'd describe this book as Romance with Heavy Women's Fiction vibes. I think the 3rd person with a lot of side characters doesn't help. But the cast of side characters really take away from it being more of a traditional Romance book for me. There's an ex-husband and his new girlfriend now expecting a baby together, there's family drama with the MMC that probably could've been it's own WF-type book, there's the small town law practice characters the FMC works with, and then there's the actual romance between the FMC and the MMC.
The FMC is a huge mess, the MMC is only in town temporarily until he can get out again, and they start a friendship/fake dating scheme, so the reader really knows where the drama is headed. But, at least in the beginning, the MMC doesn't seem too itching to leave town in his chapters. Like, he does, but he also doesn't. I wish he'd been a little less of a passive type character in that regard. It was mostly an internal desire he had to leave--he's with his whole family so I guess he doesn't really want to talk about it with them? I don't know. I was the high schooler who was dying to get out of my (also Illinois) hometown and never look back, and I feel like most people knew that about me, so I guess that aspect of Jake was just hard for me to connect to.
Bryce being a huge mess was refreshing but also got a little stale because she's a mess for the entire first 20+% of the book, in which she just buries her head in the sand (or throws her problems in the basement to forget about them) until this random stranger that she's told her ex she's dating comes over. And then it's almost like he swoops in to save her. It seemed inconsistent with what her character was going to be: strong, independent, no holds bars kind of lawyer. I don't know. Again, I guess it was just hard for me to connect with that aspect of Bryce and the story.
I think this would be a good book to take to the beach for the day. Like, it takes a bit to get drawn into the story, but you're at the beach for eight plus hours so who cares because what else are you going to do? It just wasn't for me, right now. That being said, it absolutely could be for me at some other point in the future when I'm ready to sit down and read a Romance with Heavy Women's Fiction vibes--which is a genre I enjoy and love reading as much as a straight up Romance. Normally DNFs are a 1 star for me, but I just can't bring myself to say that this was a 1 star book, so I'm going with 2 stars "this wasn't for me as a reader."
This book is definitely worth picking up a sample (or getting it at your library or on KU, if available) to check out and see if it's for you!!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!
May 8, 2023
4,5/5 estrellas
Playing for keeps es un Fake-dating que me ha encantado, la he disfrutado y me ha tenido enganchada al Kindle de principio a fin.
Esta historia nos habla de Bryce y Jake. Bryce no está pasando por una buena racha, tras el divorcio le niegan un ascenso (más que merecido) en el trabajo y cansada de todo se marcha a Wackernagel, dejando su trabajo y su "perfecta" vida en Chicago. Allí, en circunstancias de lo más curiosas, conoce a Jake, que se ve obligado a regresar a su pueblo natal para saldar una deuda. Tras aparecer en escena el ex de Bryce, acaban fingiendo que son pareja y una cosa lleva a otra y acaban pasando mucho tiempo juntos.
La historia me ha gustado por como lleva el romance, pero también por las escenas de comedia que me han sacado más de una sonrisa. También tiene drama, tanto Bryce como Jake tienen un pasado que se va conociendo, y se trata un tema tan importante como es la salud mental en el deporte y el suicidio. Creo que Julie ha llevado bien el tema, en un segundo plano pero sin quitarle importancia.
Los personajes son adorables, pero no solo Bryce y Jake, todos en general (menos Brody). Es como un Found Family, ya que Bryce encuentra una segunda familia en ese pueblo, y un second chances porque Jake recibe la segunda oportunidad que jamás pensó que tendría.
Si os gustan las rom-com os la recomiendo mucho. Un libro corto que os atrapará y os hará pasar un buen rato.
------------------------------------
4.5/5 stars
*This is my honest and voluntary review. Thanks so much to the publisher and Netgalley for this ebook.*
Playing for keeps is a Fake-dating book that I have loved, I have enjoyed it and it has kept me hooked on the Kindle from beginning to end.
This story tells us about Bryce and Jake. Bryce is not going through a good streak, after the divorce they deny her a promotion (more than deserved) at work and tired of everything she goes to Wackernagel, leaving her job and her "perfect" life in Chicago. There, under the most curious circumstances, she meets Jake, who is forced to return to his hometown to settle a debt. After Bryce's ex appears on the scene, they end up pretending to be a couple and one thing leads to another and they end up spending a lot of time together.
I liked the story because of how it leads to romance, but also because of the comedy scenes that have made me smile more than once. It also has drama, both Bryce and Jake have a past that is becoming known, and an issue as important as mental health in sports and suicide is dealt with. I think Julie has handled the subject well, in the background but without taking away its importance.
The characters are adorable, but not just Bryce and Jake, everyone in general (except Brody). It's like a Found Family, as Bryce finds a second family in that town, and a second chances as Jake gets the second chance he never thought he'd get.
If you like rom-coms I highly recommend it. A short book that will catch you and make you have a good time.
Playing for keeps es un Fake-dating que me ha encantado, la he disfrutado y me ha tenido enganchada al Kindle de principio a fin.
Esta historia nos habla de Bryce y Jake. Bryce no está pasando por una buena racha, tras el divorcio le niegan un ascenso (más que merecido) en el trabajo y cansada de todo se marcha a Wackernagel, dejando su trabajo y su "perfecta" vida en Chicago. Allí, en circunstancias de lo más curiosas, conoce a Jake, que se ve obligado a regresar a su pueblo natal para saldar una deuda. Tras aparecer en escena el ex de Bryce, acaban fingiendo que son pareja y una cosa lleva a otra y acaban pasando mucho tiempo juntos.
La historia me ha gustado por como lleva el romance, pero también por las escenas de comedia que me han sacado más de una sonrisa. También tiene drama, tanto Bryce como Jake tienen un pasado que se va conociendo, y se trata un tema tan importante como es la salud mental en el deporte y el suicidio. Creo que Julie ha llevado bien el tema, en un segundo plano pero sin quitarle importancia.
Los personajes son adorables, pero no solo Bryce y Jake, todos en general (menos Brody). Es como un Found Family, ya que Bryce encuentra una segunda familia en ese pueblo, y un second chances porque Jake recibe la segunda oportunidad que jamás pensó que tendría.
Si os gustan las rom-com os la recomiendo mucho. Un libro corto que os atrapará y os hará pasar un buen rato.
------------------------------------
4.5/5 stars
*This is my honest and voluntary review. Thanks so much to the publisher and Netgalley for this ebook.*
Playing for keeps is a Fake-dating book that I have loved, I have enjoyed it and it has kept me hooked on the Kindle from beginning to end.
This story tells us about Bryce and Jake. Bryce is not going through a good streak, after the divorce they deny her a promotion (more than deserved) at work and tired of everything she goes to Wackernagel, leaving her job and her "perfect" life in Chicago. There, under the most curious circumstances, she meets Jake, who is forced to return to his hometown to settle a debt. After Bryce's ex appears on the scene, they end up pretending to be a couple and one thing leads to another and they end up spending a lot of time together.
I liked the story because of how it leads to romance, but also because of the comedy scenes that have made me smile more than once. It also has drama, both Bryce and Jake have a past that is becoming known, and an issue as important as mental health in sports and suicide is dealt with. I think Julie has handled the subject well, in the background but without taking away its importance.
The characters are adorable, but not just Bryce and Jake, everyone in general (except Brody). It's like a Found Family, as Bryce finds a second family in that town, and a second chances as Jake gets the second chance he never thought he'd get.
If you like rom-coms I highly recommend it. A short book that will catch you and make you have a good time.
May 16, 2023
"Playing for Keeps" is a standalone read told from dual perspectives. It starts with a confrontational meet-hate between a mouthy ice cream-eating "vagrant" with beaver slippers and an out-of-his-realm, resort security guard making ends meet until he can skip town.
Bryce Barrett is a big-wig corporate lawyer from Chicago holed up in her house in the small town of Wackernagel, Illinois, licking her wounds, and every other kind of junk food known to man, after being skipped over for partner and leaving her firm with literally just the clothes on her back. She's wallowing in her misery with garbage piling up, the pounds piling on, and her money dwindling down. After meeting the quiet and skittish Jake Warner who helps her get back on her feet and becomes her fake boyfriend to save face in front of her ex, she realizes it's time to stop the pity party and get on with her life, but unfortunately, Jake is not sticking around.
Jake Warner is only home because of a bad tooth and he plans to pay off his dad by working off his debt. The heartache and pain of being around his family and friends is too hard and the sooner he leaves the better. However, things have changed and he didn't expect to fall for a quirky, sassy lawyer who listened without judgment. Will he face his demons and open up to his family, or will he do what he does best and cut and run?
Bryce and Jake are a bit immature on their own, but together with new and old friends and loving family, they become the adults we know they can be. Some things are a bit far-fetched such as letting someone coach a college team because of nepotism and they played the game 10 years ago, and giving someone legal advice when the case is just suddenly dropped. Also, I thought the story wrapped up too quickly and neatly with the seriousness of the subject matter needing to be addressed.
This book is filled with tough situations as well as humor and compassion. Jake's past is very sad and it revolves around sports and mental health. I don't want to give anything away, but I found the theme interesting and very important.
If you love romantic stories with noteworthy topics where the characters finally face their fears, repair relationships, and embrace change, give this book a try.
Thank you to Ms. Hammerle for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
Bryce Barrett is a big-wig corporate lawyer from Chicago holed up in her house in the small town of Wackernagel, Illinois, licking her wounds, and every other kind of junk food known to man, after being skipped over for partner and leaving her firm with literally just the clothes on her back. She's wallowing in her misery with garbage piling up, the pounds piling on, and her money dwindling down. After meeting the quiet and skittish Jake Warner who helps her get back on her feet and becomes her fake boyfriend to save face in front of her ex, she realizes it's time to stop the pity party and get on with her life, but unfortunately, Jake is not sticking around.
Jake Warner is only home because of a bad tooth and he plans to pay off his dad by working off his debt. The heartache and pain of being around his family and friends is too hard and the sooner he leaves the better. However, things have changed and he didn't expect to fall for a quirky, sassy lawyer who listened without judgment. Will he face his demons and open up to his family, or will he do what he does best and cut and run?
Bryce and Jake are a bit immature on their own, but together with new and old friends and loving family, they become the adults we know they can be. Some things are a bit far-fetched such as letting someone coach a college team because of nepotism and they played the game 10 years ago, and giving someone legal advice when the case is just suddenly dropped. Also, I thought the story wrapped up too quickly and neatly with the seriousness of the subject matter needing to be addressed.
This book is filled with tough situations as well as humor and compassion. Jake's past is very sad and it revolves around sports and mental health. I don't want to give anything away, but I found the theme interesting and very important.
If you love romantic stories with noteworthy topics where the characters finally face their fears, repair relationships, and embrace change, give this book a try.
Thank you to Ms. Hammerle for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
May 8, 2023
Don't let the cute cartoon cover and quirky blurb fool you, this book was way darker emotionally than I was expecting. Both our MCs are dealing with some serious trauma in not so healthy ways at the start of this book. Like for a majority of the book I just wanted to hug them while yelling at them that they need to go to therapy and work out their stuff.
Jake has spent a decade running from everyone trying to live the life his friend never got to have. Now that he's stuck at home thanks to a deal he's made with his parents, they and his sister are doing everything they can into manipulating him into staying. Bryce got divorced and was ok but the final straw was when some new young guy was given the partner position she'd been told she was going to get so she quits and moves into the house she took from her husband in the divorce and basically gives up on life. We meet her 6 months later when she is living in literal filth having not taken out the trash or paid a single bill or even really left the house in all that time except to get ice cream.
Sensing a similarly lost soul, Jake makes it his mission to help her out after she claims he's her boyfriend to save face in front of her ex and his new girlfriend. From there starts a friendship that turns into more. But all their baggage, particularly Jake's, gets in the way.
Like I said, this was a much heavier read than I was expecting but it def had some levity too. Wagernackle is a tiny town full of love for its local basketball team, and as someone who grew up in Friday night light territory the town love for a sport was very familiar. I had issues with his family and all they're manipulating but I really loved the law firm and the improbable friendships Bryce made there.
Jake has spent a decade running from everyone trying to live the life his friend never got to have. Now that he's stuck at home thanks to a deal he's made with his parents, they and his sister are doing everything they can into manipulating him into staying. Bryce got divorced and was ok but the final straw was when some new young guy was given the partner position she'd been told she was going to get so she quits and moves into the house she took from her husband in the divorce and basically gives up on life. We meet her 6 months later when she is living in literal filth having not taken out the trash or paid a single bill or even really left the house in all that time except to get ice cream.
Sensing a similarly lost soul, Jake makes it his mission to help her out after she claims he's her boyfriend to save face in front of her ex and his new girlfriend. From there starts a friendship that turns into more. But all their baggage, particularly Jake's, gets in the way.
Like I said, this was a much heavier read than I was expecting but it def had some levity too. Wagernackle is a tiny town full of love for its local basketball team, and as someone who grew up in Friday night light territory the town love for a sport was very familiar. I had issues with his family and all they're manipulating but I really loved the law firm and the improbable friendships Bryce made there.
May 2, 2023
A clean, fade-to-black romance with a smallish plot and a few laughs, all while dealing with some of life's more solemn issues. This was a cute read, but I did find the first-bit kind of bland and the pace quite slow. It was hard to get into a first, but there was a point where the book took off and I got quite interested. I didn't find this book to be as much of a Rom-Com as the blurb suggested. It did have some quite humorous moments but there weren't loads. It was quite heavy in some parts of the book, as several issues were dealt with throughout. I found that this book had a real woman with mature problems, not the standard shallow, early 20s girl, with superficial problems. Those of which I find quite regularly in romance books. Jake's responses sometimes seemed a bit unnecessary and immature, especially with his whole leaving for a decade thing. However, I found that both Jake and Byrce had quite a good growth in their character's personalities and the way they navigated their hardships. Which in the end did make me quite enjoy reading about them. I loved that this brought a new light on mental health in sports and how people could help support others in that area. I also absolutely loved what the dad had done to change the way basketball was coached, it was so pleasing to see he not only adjusted his ways but transformed the way the game could be played.
"You had no choice. You're not bound to me by any contract or obligation. You could've told me to fuck off if you wanted to."
She was right. He could have. And yet he didn't."
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
"You had no choice. You're not bound to me by any contract or obligation. You could've told me to fuck off if you wanted to."
She was right. He could have. And yet he didn't."
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 3, 2023
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Entangled Publishing, and Julie Hammerle for this ARC!!
Jake has spent the past 10 years running from his hometown and everything in it - including his family. He's back now against his will, having agreed to stay in town to pay off a debt his parents helped settle for him. As soon as the debt to his parents is handled, though, he's getting the heck out of dodge.
Bryce is also kind of on the run, but this little town turned out to be her destination. She's left behind her life as a badass big city attorney, and is looking forward to her new reclusive life filled with reruns of Gilmore Girls and as much ice cream as her heart desires.
When one of her ice cream runs results in her being stopped by her ex-husband and his new girlfriend, Bryce does what anyone would do between a rock and a hard place - she claims the cute security guard is her new boyfriend. Jake isn't sure what her plan is, but finds himself unable to resist her request, despite the beaver slippers. Since they're both planning to leave town, there's no worry of feelings messing with their arrangement, and it'll help him too. They've just got to make it through the next month, and then they can get back to the lives they really want - nevermind their instant connection and ability to make each other feel understood.
This is my first Julie Hammerle book, and I'm already eyeing my Libby app to get my hands on more.
I didn't expect all the emotions I went through when I picked up Playing for Keeps, but Julie handled them beautifully. As someone who suffers from chronic depression, I recognized pieces of myself in both Bryce and Jake as they battled their grief and struggled to let people in.
Their relationship was excellent, a balance of give and take where they listened and learned how to encourage one another. I also really appreciated their banter, that they could be a source of levity for each other when needed. They may have been fake dating, but their friendship was 100% real from the get-go, and that played a huge role in making them easy to root for.
Jake has spent the past 10 years running from his hometown and everything in it - including his family. He's back now against his will, having agreed to stay in town to pay off a debt his parents helped settle for him. As soon as the debt to his parents is handled, though, he's getting the heck out of dodge.
Bryce is also kind of on the run, but this little town turned out to be her destination. She's left behind her life as a badass big city attorney, and is looking forward to her new reclusive life filled with reruns of Gilmore Girls and as much ice cream as her heart desires.
When one of her ice cream runs results in her being stopped by her ex-husband and his new girlfriend, Bryce does what anyone would do between a rock and a hard place - she claims the cute security guard is her new boyfriend. Jake isn't sure what her plan is, but finds himself unable to resist her request, despite the beaver slippers. Since they're both planning to leave town, there's no worry of feelings messing with their arrangement, and it'll help him too. They've just got to make it through the next month, and then they can get back to the lives they really want - nevermind their instant connection and ability to make each other feel understood.
This is my first Julie Hammerle book, and I'm already eyeing my Libby app to get my hands on more.
I didn't expect all the emotions I went through when I picked up Playing for Keeps, but Julie handled them beautifully. As someone who suffers from chronic depression, I recognized pieces of myself in both Bryce and Jake as they battled their grief and struggled to let people in.
Their relationship was excellent, a balance of give and take where they listened and learned how to encourage one another. I also really appreciated their banter, that they could be a source of levity for each other when needed. They may have been fake dating, but their friendship was 100% real from the get-go, and that played a huge role in making them easy to root for.
May 10, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the Advance Readers Copy of Playing for Keeps.
I enjoyed reading Playing for Keeps. It is a fun fake relationship story between Bryce, a disgraced Chicago lawyer hiding out at the weekend home in Wackernagel she won in her recent divorce and Jake, a former resident and basketball star of Wackernagel. Bryce runs into her ex while looking like something the cat dragged in and grabs the nearest guy, who happens to be Jake, who works as a security guard for the resort and had been called to investigate the vagrant looking woman, and introduces him as her boyfriend. Jake is so concerned about Bryce's appearance that he checks in on her at home later that night and they agree to the fake dating plan and he begins to befriend her and help her out of her slump.
My issue with Playing for Keeps is Jake. His angst and cold feet made me hate him by the end. At the beginning he seems like a great guy and his concern for Bryce is heartfelt. But he is so hot and cold with her that I was unwilling to forgive him as much as Bryce was.
I think the book deals well with some heavier issues than you would typically find in a romance novel. The book deals with them well; Jake does not.
I enjoyed reading Playing for Keeps. It is a fun fake relationship story between Bryce, a disgraced Chicago lawyer hiding out at the weekend home in Wackernagel she won in her recent divorce and Jake, a former resident and basketball star of Wackernagel. Bryce runs into her ex while looking like something the cat dragged in and grabs the nearest guy, who happens to be Jake, who works as a security guard for the resort and had been called to investigate the vagrant looking woman, and introduces him as her boyfriend. Jake is so concerned about Bryce's appearance that he checks in on her at home later that night and they agree to the fake dating plan and he begins to befriend her and help her out of her slump.
My issue with Playing for Keeps is Jake. His angst and cold feet made me hate him by the end. At the beginning he seems like a great guy and his concern for Bryce is heartfelt. But he is so hot and cold with her that I was unwilling to forgive him as much as Bryce was.
I think the book deals well with some heavier issues than you would typically find in a romance novel. The book deals with them well; Jake does not.
June 11, 2023
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher, Entangled Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of this book in return for my honest opinions.
Synopsis:
The mother, Bryce Barrett, has disappeared off the face of the earth. Well, technically she is just temporarily hiding out in a teeny Midwest town, away from her ruined marriage and professional demise at least until she can figure out her next steps. She bumps into her ex and she panics. What does she do? She pretends the cute security guard on the scene is her new boyfriend!
Jake Warner the security guard, is compelled by Bryce to play the part of her fake boyfriend, Jake against his best judgement, for some reason he can't explain goes along with it.
The two are temporary allies against a town filled with happy, normal, and annoyingly stable people. Fake dating keeps everyone off their back while they plot their escapes. But nothing botches a plan more than unexpected chemistry.
Loved the characters, story was a bit slow moving in spots, didn't particularly like the book cover. The cover didn't correspond with the story Liked the story line and plot. Felt it could have not been as rambling in spots.
Funny, witty and worth the read.
Overall a 3-4 rating for me.
Synopsis:
The mother, Bryce Barrett, has disappeared off the face of the earth. Well, technically she is just temporarily hiding out in a teeny Midwest town, away from her ruined marriage and professional demise at least until she can figure out her next steps. She bumps into her ex and she panics. What does she do? She pretends the cute security guard on the scene is her new boyfriend!
Jake Warner the security guard, is compelled by Bryce to play the part of her fake boyfriend, Jake against his best judgement, for some reason he can't explain goes along with it.
The two are temporary allies against a town filled with happy, normal, and annoyingly stable people. Fake dating keeps everyone off their back while they plot their escapes. But nothing botches a plan more than unexpected chemistry.
Loved the characters, story was a bit slow moving in spots, didn't particularly like the book cover. The cover didn't correspond with the story Liked the story line and plot. Felt it could have not been as rambling in spots.
Funny, witty and worth the read.
Overall a 3-4 rating for me.
April 28, 2023
This was a quick read, but it had some pretty heavy topics. I think it needs to have some content warnings posted in the book because I was surprised by some of the topics that were covered.
Jake has been avoiding his hometown for 10 years, but he returns home after all of this time. He's used to being on his own, but now, he's back with his overbearing parents and sister. Bryce has gone through a divorce, and she quit her job as a lawyer when she is passed over for a promotion. She wants to start over, but she isn't handling things well. She runs into her ex husband and his new girlfriend, and she decides to find fake boyfriend: Jake!
As Jake and Bryce start to spend more time together, they see that they have things in common. Both of them are looking for their place in the world and looking for something to keep them in one place. Will they find it in each other?
The book covers heavy topics and focuses a lot on expectations and family. I didn't feel connected to the characters, and it was hard to want to root for them.
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for an ARC of this book.
Jake has been avoiding his hometown for 10 years, but he returns home after all of this time. He's used to being on his own, but now, he's back with his overbearing parents and sister. Bryce has gone through a divorce, and she quit her job as a lawyer when she is passed over for a promotion. She wants to start over, but she isn't handling things well. She runs into her ex husband and his new girlfriend, and she decides to find fake boyfriend: Jake!
As Jake and Bryce start to spend more time together, they see that they have things in common. Both of them are looking for their place in the world and looking for something to keep them in one place. Will they find it in each other?
The book covers heavy topics and focuses a lot on expectations and family. I didn't feel connected to the characters, and it was hard to want to root for them.
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for an ARC of this book.
May 3, 2023
Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Bryce and Jake’s meet cute is the opposite of sweet, in the small town of Wackernagel. Bryce has left her job, and her home after divorcing her husband. To say she’s a mess is a little bit of an understatement. When she approaches Jake about pretending to be her fake boyfriend, he’s apprehensive, but agrees to go along with it for his own reasons. He’s back in Wackernagel after living life as a free spirit for 10 years, and avoiding his family. What starts as a fake relationship of convenience for two people who need to appear happy to everyone else in town, turns out to be way more complicated than that.
We watch Bryce and Jake both struggle with personal struggles, family issues, trauma, and ideas of commitment.
I will say I loved the HEA in this story, and I did enjoy getting to know Jakes family. However, most of the story was pretty depressing, and both Bryce and Jake were miserable. At times it was hard not to roll my eyes at the things they both did. So not my favorite romance, but a sweet and quick read!
Bryce and Jake’s meet cute is the opposite of sweet, in the small town of Wackernagel. Bryce has left her job, and her home after divorcing her husband. To say she’s a mess is a little bit of an understatement. When she approaches Jake about pretending to be her fake boyfriend, he’s apprehensive, but agrees to go along with it for his own reasons. He’s back in Wackernagel after living life as a free spirit for 10 years, and avoiding his family. What starts as a fake relationship of convenience for two people who need to appear happy to everyone else in town, turns out to be way more complicated than that.
We watch Bryce and Jake both struggle with personal struggles, family issues, trauma, and ideas of commitment.
I will say I loved the HEA in this story, and I did enjoy getting to know Jakes family. However, most of the story was pretty depressing, and both Bryce and Jake were miserable. At times it was hard not to roll my eyes at the things they both did. So not my favorite romance, but a sweet and quick read!
May 8, 2023
Thank you to entangled publishing and Julie Hammerle for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
.
.
Playing for Keeps follows Bryce, a heartbroken attorney. Bryce is going through it. She is recently divorced, living in a house that is a disaster, and getting into trouble with security… although, the security happens to be Jake Warner, a guy who has been to all 50 states and is also going through it. His family wants him to stay in town, he’s paying off debt, grieving, and finding out who he is.
Bryce runs into her ex-husband and sees Jake. So what does any person do? They say HEY THIS IS MY BOYFRIEND. Boom. Fake dating. Of course, what happens when the two start to fall for each other?
.
.
This was a cute read. I read it in one sitting (oops!) I liked the premise of it. I thought the plot was fun. The characters were likable. Predictable, yes, but I like that. I like an easy read like this because it just makes you smile. It was a light hearted read and was enjoyable.
Trope: Fake dating!!!!
I love the fake dating trope and just think it’s so fun and cute. This was a great fake dating book!
If you like cheesy rom-coms, this is for you!
.
.
Playing for Keeps follows Bryce, a heartbroken attorney. Bryce is going through it. She is recently divorced, living in a house that is a disaster, and getting into trouble with security… although, the security happens to be Jake Warner, a guy who has been to all 50 states and is also going through it. His family wants him to stay in town, he’s paying off debt, grieving, and finding out who he is.
Bryce runs into her ex-husband and sees Jake. So what does any person do? They say HEY THIS IS MY BOYFRIEND. Boom. Fake dating. Of course, what happens when the two start to fall for each other?
.
.
This was a cute read. I read it in one sitting (oops!) I liked the premise of it. I thought the plot was fun. The characters were likable. Predictable, yes, but I like that. I like an easy read like this because it just makes you smile. It was a light hearted read and was enjoyable.
Trope: Fake dating!!!!
I love the fake dating trope and just think it’s so fun and cute. This was a great fake dating book!
If you like cheesy rom-coms, this is for you!
May 11, 2023
Bryce is the very definition of Hot Mess Express. After her divorce and being passed over for a promotion at her law firm, she's moved into a house in a small down where she's embraced the feral life: no job, no responsibilities, very little interaction with society.
This plan goes a bit awry when her unkempt appearance and beaver slippers (no, not a euphemism) alarm the residents of her community and security is called on her.
Enter Jake, temporary security guard and constant couch hopper. He's only in town long enough to pay back a debt to his family then he'll be back on the road. He's strangely drawn to Bryce and her messiness, and the two develop a friendship that might lead to something more.
Playing for Keeps was a cute story about second chances. It had small town appeal and some genuinely funny moments.
Bryce and Jake had the potential for a huge amount of chemistry, but I just didn't feel it. Their interactions were a bit stilted and their road to romance lacked sparks
Fans of friends-to-lovers stories will love the premise.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This plan goes a bit awry when her unkempt appearance and beaver slippers (no, not a euphemism) alarm the residents of her community and security is called on her.
Enter Jake, temporary security guard and constant couch hopper. He's only in town long enough to pay back a debt to his family then he'll be back on the road. He's strangely drawn to Bryce and her messiness, and the two develop a friendship that might lead to something more.
Playing for Keeps was a cute story about second chances. It had small town appeal and some genuinely funny moments.
Bryce and Jake had the potential for a huge amount of chemistry, but I just didn't feel it. Their interactions were a bit stilted and their road to romance lacked sparks
Fans of friends-to-lovers stories will love the premise.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 18, 2023
This was a sweet, funny story, and a very quick read for me! I liked Jake from the start; I appreciated his ability to empathize with people (i.e. his first encounter with Bryce), and I feel bad he's kinda forced to be in a place he doesn't want to be doing a job he doesn't care about. Bryce is hysterical to me from the start; the 'I give no f***s' attitude is hilarious, and I feel bad for her running into her ex-husband while she's at the lowest part of her life.
Bryce and Jake have a 'here for a fun time not a long time' kinda vibe to their friendship/fake relationship/real relationship (as the story progresses, kinda) and I grow more and more empathetic to both these characters as we learn about the hard times they've experienced and coped with.
Overall, I liked this story and I liked the ending, coming together with a loving family that is ready and willing to love and accept Jake and Bryce, as they finally embrace their love and acceptance of one another and themselves.
Thank you for the ARC!!!
Bryce and Jake have a 'here for a fun time not a long time' kinda vibe to their friendship/fake relationship/real relationship (as the story progresses, kinda) and I grow more and more empathetic to both these characters as we learn about the hard times they've experienced and coped with.
Overall, I liked this story and I liked the ending, coming together with a loving family that is ready and willing to love and accept Jake and Bryce, as they finally embrace their love and acceptance of one another and themselves.
Thank you for the ARC!!!
May 7, 2023
I did enjoy this read overall, it was relatively short and so it made it a quick read.
After facing a major career setback while coming off of a divorce, Bryce makes the decision to head to Wackernagle, the small Midwest town where the home her and her ex husband had purchased is. She's hoping to escape and completely cut herself out of the every day system of society. What she doesn't account for is Jake, the hometown drifter to come to potentially arrest her after an incident involving ice cream. She definitely doesn't expect him to show up at her home later that evening, or for the two of them to strike up a fake dating scenario that could lead to real feelings.
Overall, like I said previously I enjoyed this read. I found myself feeling for the characters and their struggles. What I didn't love though was Jake constantly running away without talking anything out. I wanted to shake him. I'd definitely recommend this one to anyone who loves a cleaner romance with a deeper story attached.
After facing a major career setback while coming off of a divorce, Bryce makes the decision to head to Wackernagle, the small Midwest town where the home her and her ex husband had purchased is. She's hoping to escape and completely cut herself out of the every day system of society. What she doesn't account for is Jake, the hometown drifter to come to potentially arrest her after an incident involving ice cream. She definitely doesn't expect him to show up at her home later that evening, or for the two of them to strike up a fake dating scenario that could lead to real feelings.
Overall, like I said previously I enjoyed this read. I found myself feeling for the characters and their struggles. What I didn't love though was Jake constantly running away without talking anything out. I wanted to shake him. I'd definitely recommend this one to anyone who loves a cleaner romance with a deeper story attached.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews