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Playing for Keeps #3
Illegal Contact
I've hated spoiled, cocky Patrick Whitt since the first time I saw him at football camp when we were kids.
Once we made it to the NFL, of course, he landed on the LA Royals, the biggest rivals of my team, the Denver Rush. Everything about him rubs me the wrong way...until one unexpected night, we happen to rub each other the right way, and suddenly I can't get enough of him.
And Patrick can't get enough of me either.
I'm his secret, and he's mine, stealing moments together where he comes undone for me.
There's more to Patrick than I thought, and now one thing is clear to me.
Despite all of the obstacles in our way, Patrick Whitt is mine.
I don't know what it is about Malik Tucker that gets under my skin, but he irritates the hell out of me. Maybe it's that he was drafted instead of me to my dream NFL team, the Denver Rush. Or maybe it's that he's a force to be reckoned with on the field and adored by fans and his family off the field. He seems to be living the perfect life while I live the perfect lie.
And then we have a chance encounter that changes everything.
We keep it professional on the field, but off the field, there's all kinds of illegal contact happening between us. Every time we're together, I'm drawn in deeper, intoxicated by the way Malik makes me feel, the things we do to each other in the bedroom.
At some point, we're going to have to let go, but I'm not sure I'll be able to.
Once we made it to the NFL, of course, he landed on the LA Royals, the biggest rivals of my team, the Denver Rush. Everything about him rubs me the wrong way...until one unexpected night, we happen to rub each other the right way, and suddenly I can't get enough of him.
And Patrick can't get enough of me either.
I'm his secret, and he's mine, stealing moments together where he comes undone for me.
There's more to Patrick than I thought, and now one thing is clear to me.
Despite all of the obstacles in our way, Patrick Whitt is mine.
I don't know what it is about Malik Tucker that gets under my skin, but he irritates the hell out of me. Maybe it's that he was drafted instead of me to my dream NFL team, the Denver Rush. Or maybe it's that he's a force to be reckoned with on the field and adored by fans and his family off the field. He seems to be living the perfect life while I live the perfect lie.
And then we have a chance encounter that changes everything.
We keep it professional on the field, but off the field, there's all kinds of illegal contact happening between us. Every time we're together, I'm drawn in deeper, intoxicated by the way Malik makes me feel, the things we do to each other in the bedroom.
At some point, we're going to have to let go, but I'm not sure I'll be able to.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 26, 2023
About the author
Riley Hart
125 books7,556 followersRiley Hart is the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. She's a hopeless romantic. A lover of sexy stories, passionate men, and writing about all the trouble they can get into together. If she's not writing, you'll probably find her reading.
Riley lives in California with her awesome family, who she is thankful for everyday.
Riley lives in California with her awesome family, who she is thankful for everyday.
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September 30, 2026
RATING 4.5 STARS
Illegal Contact is book three in the Playing for Keeps series by Riley Hart and Neve Wilder. I read and loved the first two books in this series FOREVER ago and for whatever reason, never did follow through with the last book. Which makes me sad because I have forgotten the details of the first two books so the characters’ appearances in this one didn’t mean as much. Even with that, though, I still enjoyed this so much. This is a football, bi awakening, enemies/rivals to lovers romance.
Malik Tucker was raised by his single mom and has three sisters. His mom worked two jobs to keep them all afloat. Malik has always loved football. His only dream was to be a professional football player. It was at football camp when he was a kid that he first met Whitt. And we’ll just say that those first few years didn’t go well between them.
Patrick Whitt’s upbringing was completely the opposite of Malik’s. His parents were wealthy, their careers were their priority. He was an only child. They treated his obsession with football as a passing whim. He knew Malik when they saw each other in camp each summer and he couldn’t stand him.
Both guys went on to play college ball and then on to the pros. Malik was drafted by the Denver Rush. Whitt by the LA Royals. Rival teams to fit the rival players. Both men were good at one night stands. Malik knew he was bi but kept it quiet. Then that night happened. A crazy party they were both at, a night neither of them expected but maybe both saw coming. All that built up animosity had to go somewhere. The problem was, once was never going to be enough.
This was supposed to just be hooking up. Having fun. But slowly, their hearts got involved. Being apart was hard for them. Their feelings grew and their commitment became stronger. They loved football, but they also cared deeply for each other. Rival players on rival teams, though. It would never be accepted. Secrecy was everything.
This was so good. Both of these men deserved happiness but theirs was hard won. They gave their careers everything they had but when they finally found each other, they realized they wanted more. I was right there with them all the way through this, wanting and hoping they would get their happy endings. If you enjoy football romance and strong, sexy characters, then you should give this series a try. I hope you love it as much as I did.
Illegal Contact is book three in the Playing for Keeps series by Riley Hart and Neve Wilder. I read and loved the first two books in this series FOREVER ago and for whatever reason, never did follow through with the last book. Which makes me sad because I have forgotten the details of the first two books so the characters’ appearances in this one didn’t mean as much. Even with that, though, I still enjoyed this so much. This is a football, bi awakening, enemies/rivals to lovers romance.
Malik Tucker was raised by his single mom and has three sisters. His mom worked two jobs to keep them all afloat. Malik has always loved football. His only dream was to be a professional football player. It was at football camp when he was a kid that he first met Whitt. And we’ll just say that those first few years didn’t go well between them.
Patrick Whitt’s upbringing was completely the opposite of Malik’s. His parents were wealthy, their careers were their priority. He was an only child. They treated his obsession with football as a passing whim. He knew Malik when they saw each other in camp each summer and he couldn’t stand him.
Both guys went on to play college ball and then on to the pros. Malik was drafted by the Denver Rush. Whitt by the LA Royals. Rival teams to fit the rival players. Both men were good at one night stands. Malik knew he was bi but kept it quiet. Then that night happened. A crazy party they were both at, a night neither of them expected but maybe both saw coming. All that built up animosity had to go somewhere. The problem was, once was never going to be enough.
This was supposed to just be hooking up. Having fun. But slowly, their hearts got involved. Being apart was hard for them. Their feelings grew and their commitment became stronger. They loved football, but they also cared deeply for each other. Rival players on rival teams, though. It would never be accepted. Secrecy was everything.
This was so good. Both of these men deserved happiness but theirs was hard won. They gave their careers everything they had but when they finally found each other, they realized they wanted more. I was right there with them all the way through this, wanting and hoping they would get their happy endings. If you enjoy football romance and strong, sexy characters, then you should give this series a try. I hope you love it as much as I did.
Did Not Finish
January 23, 2024DNF @ 45% I AM SO BORED!!!!! I refuse to let this put me into a book slump. I was really liking this at the beginning but I’m over it
October 14, 2023
Illegal Contact is a mostly low-angst forbidden romance between football players Malik Tucker and Patrick Whitt. I really enjoyed how the forbidden aspect of this story was handled, considering the potential conflict of both guys playing on competitive teams. As for the romance, I really loved the slow-building connection between these two. At first, they are strictly rivals with benefits, but slowly feelings do develop, and watching Tucker fall so quickly for Whitt, was so endearing and sweet.
I loved their dynamic and relationship with one another, which made for another great read in this series. I love all of these entries and am excited for the next one!!!
*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***
I loved their dynamic and relationship with one another, which made for another great read in this series. I love all of these entries and am excited for the next one!!!
*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***
October 27, 2023
I loved this! Tucker and Whitt are definitely my favourite couple in this series.
The whole moving his bedroom so he could see the Christmas lights 🥰🥹🥹🥹
Loved all the family feels from Tucker's mum and sisters too.
The whole moving his bedroom so he could see the Christmas lights 🥰🥹🥹🥹
Loved all the family feels from Tucker's mum and sisters too.
Read
November 1, 2023DNF ~34%
Honestly, I read for longer than I really wanted because I wanted to give it a fair shot, and it's perfectly fine, but the dynamic here just wasn't working for me at all. I didn't feel any spark between the characters and just had no desire to keep reading...
Honestly, I read for longer than I really wanted because I wanted to give it a fair shot, and it's perfectly fine, but the dynamic here just wasn't working for me at all. I didn't feel any spark between the characters and just had no desire to keep reading...
January 11, 2024
3.5
Easily the best book of the series.
This book was "rivals" to lovers, but the rivalry really had no substance- it was mostly just them saying fuck you to each other every other sentence. Even when I thought they were having a cute moment, it would be interrupted with a random "fuck you".
Once the "rivalry" and the "fuck yous" finally ended, the book got really good. A lot of cute moments between them and really good epilogue.
I hate the nickname "bougie" I wish kindles had a "find and replace" feature, so I could pretend that didn't exist.
Riley Hart should write with a cowriter more often, I often find her dialogue so cringey but Neve Wilder must have really helped here because this book was pretty cringe free (not completely but mostly)
Easily the best book of the series.
This book was "rivals" to lovers, but the rivalry really had no substance- it was mostly just them saying fuck you to each other every other sentence. Even when I thought they were having a cute moment, it would be interrupted with a random "fuck you".
Once the "rivalry" and the "fuck yous" finally ended, the book got really good. A lot of cute moments between them and really good epilogue.
I hate the nickname "bougie" I wish kindles had a "find and replace" feature, so I could pretend that didn't exist.
Riley Hart should write with a cowriter more often, I often find her dialogue so cringey but Neve Wilder must have really helped here because this book was pretty cringe free (not completely but mostly)
November 23, 2023
Neve and Riley deliver on this rivals to lovers
Rivals to lovers within a sports setting isn't new but Neve and Riley still deliver a really enjoyable romance with two characters who you want to see fall in love.
Typical American Footballers with all the attitudes and egos to match, we also get a glimpse back into their pasts as Patrick Whitt and Malik Tucker rag on each other every time they meet at camp.
Years later, when they're both in the NFL and playing for rival teams, we get to see behind the bravado. It becomes pretty clear very quickly that each is fascinating by the other.
One explosive evening - when they end up sharing a sexy encounter with a beautiful woman between them - later and the attraction is impossible to ignore.
What I enjoyed the most about this was the slow peeling back of all the layers each man had been hiding behind. They slowly open up the more they tease and the longer they spend talking after the sex.
This book's rather steamy, as you'd expect from this author pairing, but there's a lot of feels too. Patrick deals with a family that's distant and doesn't understand him, while Tuck's are supportive and loving.
We've obviously seen some of their story in the previous two books as it overlaps the timelines, but we're also given a whole third act of completely new narrative which is a lot of fun.
I don't know if we've come to the end of this collaboration but I've really enjoyed all three of the couples in the series.
Rivals to lovers within a sports setting isn't new but Neve and Riley still deliver a really enjoyable romance with two characters who you want to see fall in love.
Typical American Footballers with all the attitudes and egos to match, we also get a glimpse back into their pasts as Patrick Whitt and Malik Tucker rag on each other every time they meet at camp.
Years later, when they're both in the NFL and playing for rival teams, we get to see behind the bravado. It becomes pretty clear very quickly that each is fascinating by the other.
One explosive evening - when they end up sharing a sexy encounter with a beautiful woman between them - later and the attraction is impossible to ignore.
What I enjoyed the most about this was the slow peeling back of all the layers each man had been hiding behind. They slowly open up the more they tease and the longer they spend talking after the sex.
This book's rather steamy, as you'd expect from this author pairing, but there's a lot of feels too. Patrick deals with a family that's distant and doesn't understand him, while Tuck's are supportive and loving.
We've obviously seen some of their story in the previous two books as it overlaps the timelines, but we're also given a whole third act of completely new narrative which is a lot of fun.
I don't know if we've come to the end of this collaboration but I've really enjoyed all three of the couples in the series.
October 27, 2023
3.5⭐ objectively for this story, but I'll round it down, because it left me unmoved.
The book is better than the previous installment and I love pretty much all the characters in this series, no doubt, but this was a too quick read for me that didn't really bring anything substantial to the table, it was almost boring at times, even though it did tick a few of my important boxes.
🟣 American football
🟢 Rivals (definitely not enemies-to-lovers)
🟡 Both MMCs in their late 20s
🔵 Found family
🌶️ Good spice and a lot of it; vers
Whitt and Tucker were mentioned in the previous installment already. They have a sort of a hate-rivalry going on, which turns out to be just repressed attraction once they have a threesome and get intimate with each other.
These were my Patrick and Malik.
I really liked them both, I loved their relationship and they were simply so good together. The dynamic wasn't a hostile one, it was just talking smack like most players do, nothing special, the only thing was that maybe their ribbing was more evident, but that's it.
Here we were just following Tucker and Whitt's 1 year long hidden relationship and that's probably a part of the problem here - it was your normal, standard, everyday relationship and even though it was sweet and passionate, there wasn't really all that much going on .
Patrick and Malik were pretty soon very much into each other and the rest of the story was just them meeting up, having sex and trying to stay together, nothing too exciting, nothing extra, the only thing I can remember that really stood out was Malik's christmas lights surprise. That was romantic as hell.
Both MMCs were also endearing as characters. Malik was a caring, protective guy that was willing to do a lot for the person he loves and Patrick was a lonely guy from a wealthy family, preppy and mostly disliked, but finding his ultimate protector and best friend in Malik. A really beautiful relationship.
I was surprised by the amout of sex scenes here - pleasantly surprised - there were numerous and descriptive, detailed and I loved 'em all, they were fantastic, I enjoyed them a lot. Malik and Patrick were hot together, they couldn't get enough.
Another thing I liked in this book was the smooth transition between time periods, I didn't feel like there could be more said about their time together, the story had a natural flow and I was never confused about anything - which I usually am, because oftentimes so much is left out.
Somehow all of the troublesome parts just worked themselves out, nothing really went wrong and a few side characters were mentioned that we could probably do without (Andre), but other than that it was an average love story of two players on the opposite teams trying to be together.
I'm a little disappointed with this series. I loved Rookie Move. Seeing Ramsey and Baby G here or anywhere is a treat for me. But the second and third installment aren't really up there with the first book, something's always missing and the stories aren't really that interesting.
Hopefully the series will continue and we'll get more stories, I'd like to stay in this world for a while longer.
The book is better than the previous installment and I love pretty much all the characters in this series, no doubt, but this was a too quick read for me that didn't really bring anything substantial to the table, it was almost boring at times, even though it did tick a few of my important boxes.
🟣 American football
🟢 Rivals (definitely not enemies-to-lovers)
🟡 Both MMCs in their late 20s
🔵 Found family
🌶️ Good spice and a lot of it; vers
Whitt and Tucker were mentioned in the previous installment already. They have a sort of a hate-rivalry going on, which turns out to be just repressed attraction once they have a threesome and get intimate with each other.
These were my Patrick and Malik.
I really liked them both, I loved their relationship and they were simply so good together. The dynamic wasn't a hostile one, it was just talking smack like most players do, nothing special, the only thing was that maybe their ribbing was more evident, but that's it.
Here we were just following Tucker and Whitt's 1 year long hidden relationship and that's probably a part of the problem here - it was your normal, standard, everyday relationship and even though it was sweet and passionate, there wasn't really all that much going on .
Patrick and Malik were pretty soon very much into each other and the rest of the story was just them meeting up, having sex and trying to stay together, nothing too exciting, nothing extra, the only thing I can remember that really stood out was Malik's christmas lights surprise. That was romantic as hell.
Both MMCs were also endearing as characters. Malik was a caring, protective guy that was willing to do a lot for the person he loves and Patrick was a lonely guy from a wealthy family, preppy and mostly disliked, but finding his ultimate protector and best friend in Malik. A really beautiful relationship.
I was surprised by the amout of sex scenes here - pleasantly surprised - there were numerous and descriptive, detailed and I loved 'em all, they were fantastic, I enjoyed them a lot. Malik and Patrick were hot together, they couldn't get enough.
Another thing I liked in this book was the smooth transition between time periods, I didn't feel like there could be more said about their time together, the story had a natural flow and I was never confused about anything - which I usually am, because oftentimes so much is left out.
Somehow all of the troublesome parts just worked themselves out, nothing really went wrong and a few side characters were mentioned that we could probably do without (Andre), but other than that it was an average love story of two players on the opposite teams trying to be together.
I'm a little disappointed with this series. I loved Rookie Move. Seeing Ramsey and Baby G here or anywhere is a treat for me. But the second and third installment aren't really up there with the first book, something's always missing and the stories aren't really that interesting.
Hopefully the series will continue and we'll get more stories, I'd like to stay in this world for a while longer.
October 27, 2023
I was looking forward to Tucker and Whitt's story since I love the enemies-to-lovers trope, I enjoyed this story so much. This story timeline starts with the first book of this series just with a different angle.
Tucker and Whitt first met when they were kids & they attended the same football camp. Since then, they have disliked each other. But now after so many years, their hatred for each other has just grown, but one threesome moment breaks all the layers between them. Tucker has always felt this weird connection with Whitt, and as he was bi-interested, he could tell that Whitt was a hot asshole, but for Whitt, this all was new.
I loved Tucker so much, and damn the Christmas lights scene, ahhhh, my heart 😍🥺 Their chemistry was so amazing, and I loved they cared so much for each other. This book was, so far, my favourite enemies-to-lovers this year. I also loved the moments with the characters from the previous books and how they welcomed Whitt into their family and also Tucker's family was so wonderful.
I highly recommend you check this book out.
Tucker and Whitt first met when they were kids & they attended the same football camp. Since then, they have disliked each other. But now after so many years, their hatred for each other has just grown, but one threesome moment breaks all the layers between them. Tucker has always felt this weird connection with Whitt, and as he was bi-interested, he could tell that Whitt was a hot asshole, but for Whitt, this all was new.
I loved Tucker so much, and damn the Christmas lights scene, ahhhh, my heart 😍🥺 Their chemistry was so amazing, and I loved they cared so much for each other. This book was, so far, my favourite enemies-to-lovers this year. I also loved the moments with the characters from the previous books and how they welcomed Whitt into their family and also Tucker's family was so wonderful.
I highly recommend you check this book out.
November 21, 2023
This was an odd blend of finding the story enjoyable enough but not particularly liking either of the characters.
I didn’t like how they talked, and they never made me feel warm and fuzzy that’s for sure. Lots of “fuck yous” and “get your dick wet” type things. Just a lot of language that put me off.
I did really like the Christmas lights scene and Tucker’s unrelenting pursuit of Patrick. The sex scenes were good too, which isn’t unusual with Neve Wilder involved.
I hated how women were constantly used to show how hot the mains were.
I didn’t like how they talked, and they never made me feel warm and fuzzy that’s for sure. Lots of “fuck yous” and “get your dick wet” type things. Just a lot of language that put me off.
I did really like the Christmas lights scene and Tucker’s unrelenting pursuit of Patrick. The sex scenes were good too, which isn’t unusual with Neve Wilder involved.
I hated how women were constantly used to show how hot the mains were.
December 9, 2023
Audio: dual narration: Nick J Russo 5 stars, unfortunately I didn’t like Evan Parker 3ish stars, he was good when he was Tucker, but any other character he wasn’t great..
Book: 2ish stars
It could have been my mood but at about 35-40% I was losing interest but I didn’t want to give up just yet…and I should have just DNFed.. I couldn’t feel any connection between Whitt and Tucker… like they had some cute moments, but I felt no romance between them.
Also idk it just didn’t flow. This book was trying to be like Riley Hart’s “Endgame” (which I loved), in which the two characters had to be secret with their relationship and only saw one another every couple weeks/ months. That timeline worked in “Endgame” unfortunately to me in this book that timeline didn’t work.
Also Whitts parents 180 was so out of place that it was like what the fuck, we were supposed to hate them. Idk I just didn’t feel anything towards this book.
Overall I had high hopes coming in, but was let down. Oh well. I did like the first two books so I recommend those!
Book: 2ish stars
It could have been my mood but at about 35-40% I was losing interest but I didn’t want to give up just yet…and I should have just DNFed.. I couldn’t feel any connection between Whitt and Tucker… like they had some cute moments, but I felt no romance between them.
Also idk it just didn’t flow. This book was trying to be like Riley Hart’s “Endgame” (which I loved), in which the two characters had to be secret with their relationship and only saw one another every couple weeks/ months. That timeline worked in “Endgame” unfortunately to me in this book that timeline didn’t work.
Also Whitts parents 180 was so out of place that it was like what the fuck, we were supposed to hate them. Idk I just didn’t feel anything towards this book.
Overall I had high hopes coming in, but was let down. Oh well. I did like the first two books so I recommend those!
October 19, 2023
Illegal contact is the perfect enemies to lovers, sports romance. I fell in love with the prickly Patrick Whitt and the happy Malik Tucker. These two couldn’t be more opposites if they tried, rich vs poor, lone wolf vs friendly, closed off vs open. Whitt is closed off and keeps people at a distance and with good reason. The only thing he has that is his, football. While everyone looking in might think he has everything, to him, he has football. Tuck on the other hand has a great family, friends and football, but lacks money. As so many people know, and Tucker learns, money doesn’t mean happiness. These two don’t understand each other and start out at odds, most people don’t like Whitt. But things change between him and Tuck later in life. This story had so much heart. These two guys were great together, even when they were enemies, their banter and smack talk was great, the sexual tension between them was thick. My heart broke for Whitt, it reached out to him. I loved what he and Tuck became, the strength of their love and support. They are tested and pushed but they stand together and come out stronger on the other side. Tuck’s family is just a wonderful support system and I loved how they fit together, even when Whitt gets added in. The banter throughout this book with all the guys and couples was hilarious and entertaining. The steamy times were scorching. The writing was fantastic. This book was a wonderful mix of spice, humor and love with a twist of angst and strife. It moved at a good pace. The guys personalities and hearts really made this story great.
November 8, 2023
this wasn't bad, the characters were compelling, the romance was interesting, but with "Heated Rivalry" and Shane and Ilija fresh in my mind for comparison, this felt bland and lukewarm
August 4, 2024
«I’ve never felt this way before. I think about you all the time. I see something funny and I want to tell you about it. When I’m missing my family, I want to hear you say it’ll be okay. You got me feeling some things, baby, and that shit ain’t going away.»❤️
📚⇢ Fue entretenido ver como pasaban del enemies al lovers, ambos habían tenido esa rivalidad desde la infancia hasta que se transformó en una pasión incontrolable. Me sorprendió mucho que Tucker resultara ser posesivo, dominante y protector; mientras que Whitt es más una bolita de inseguridades que sólo quiere sentir que le importa a alguien, se derrite totalmente por las atenciones y el amor que Tucker le brinda, ya que es el único que ha visto su verdadero yo y aún así sigue eligiéndolo. Aunque pasaban varios meses sin verse, su química no hacía más que aumentar, los momentos que tienen juntos son explosivos y cargados de sentimientos. Definitivamente mi parte favorita fue cuando Tucker viaja en plena Navidad desde Florida hasta California, sólo para adornarle la casita con luces de colores tal y como a Whitt siempre le habían gustado.
📚⇢ Fue entretenido ver como pasaban del enemies al lovers, ambos habían tenido esa rivalidad desde la infancia hasta que se transformó en una pasión incontrolable. Me sorprendió mucho que Tucker resultara ser posesivo, dominante y protector; mientras que Whitt es más una bolita de inseguridades que sólo quiere sentir que le importa a alguien, se derrite totalmente por las atenciones y el amor que Tucker le brinda, ya que es el único que ha visto su verdadero yo y aún así sigue eligiéndolo. Aunque pasaban varios meses sin verse, su química no hacía más que aumentar, los momentos que tienen juntos son explosivos y cargados de sentimientos. Definitivamente mi parte favorita fue cuando Tucker viaja en plena Navidad desde Florida hasta California, sólo para adornarle la casita con luces de colores tal y como a Whitt siempre le habían gustado.
November 27, 2023
3.5 stars!
Illegal Contact was a cute forbidden romance between football players Malik and Patrick. It was a slower burn and they started out as enemies which slowly morphed into something much deeper. It was just really sweet and the intimacy between them was really hot.
Fairly low-angst, it still packed that forbidden punch that kept me engaged with their blossoming romance and I loved the way that these two alpha males fell for each other. I love when a couple backs each other no matter what. Overall, a sweet read.
Illegal Contact was a cute forbidden romance between football players Malik and Patrick. It was a slower burn and they started out as enemies which slowly morphed into something much deeper. It was just really sweet and the intimacy between them was really hot.
“You gonna come for me, baby? Gonna shoot your load in your underwear because you want me so much? I’ll lick it all off my fingers like an appetizer before the main meal. You come now so later, when I take your ass, you can go all night.”
Fairly low-angst, it still packed that forbidden punch that kept me engaged with their blossoming romance and I loved the way that these two alpha males fell for each other. I love when a couple backs each other no matter what. Overall, a sweet read.
“I’ll tell you a secret,” I said, bending closer to her ear. “I’d kick my own ass before I’d let anyone—or anything—else get in the way of me and Tucker.”
November 2, 2023
Tropes: rivals to lovers, forbidden relationship, secret relationship, sports
Feels: 4/5
Steam*: 4/5
Kinks: n/a
Angst: low
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: bad parents, sex with others after MCs start having sex, homophobia
Patrick Whitt and Malik Tucker have known each other since they were teens. Patrick was wealthy and had unsupportive parents who were neglectful. Malik was poor but had loving parents and siblings, though his bio dad abandon the family and his stepdad was great but died young. They attended the same football camp in summers, but Malik was basically on a scholarship there. They always gave each other s*** and we're rivals. They both ho pro in the NFL and are on rival teams.
One day they're at a party and they both end up hitting on the same woman and it escalates into MFM threesome. The morning after, they bicker/banter and touch each other. This starts a back and forth over the next few months where they sometimes flirt and sometimes hook up with each other when they run into each other. For the first few months they are also having sex with other people (it's casual, no angst over this - but still, not my cup of tea for a romance). After a few months, they get obsessed with eachother and find themselves not wanting to hookup with others, then getting possessive and insisting on exclusivity and being boyfriends.
They secretly date and fall in love. They have to keep it secret because they're on rival teams and they're concerned about what this would mean for their jobs. But they can't keep it a secret forever.
This is a sweet low angst story. There's a warm network of friends and family around them, and there's a bunch of humor that comes out of those interactions. The banter and bicker relationship that they have, and their shared history and Life experiences are nice to watch. They're in a position where they understand each other and are very supportive of each other. Tucker is a caretaker and Patrick needs that because his parents haven't shown him a lot of love or attention. I liked it.
Only minor complaints: the book was broken down into labelled parts, saying, this part is from the timeline of book 1 in the series, this part is from timeline of book 2. I found that made the book/timeline feel a bit artificially split and made me unsure if there was supposed to be a certain mentality that I went into that phase with. It just seemed unnecessary to Patrick and Malik's story in particular, it just made it more obvious to people that there was stuff they were missing if they hadn't read the other books, which isn't really smart book should be more standalone so that the average reader can enjoy it peacefully. I had already read the other books. Also I didn't personally love the sex with others and there was some slightly cheesy / cringey dialogue at times.
Some notable moments:
"“Yeah, I’ve heard he’s a dick.” “That’s an understatement.” He was arrogant, annoying, and, unfortunately for me, sexy as fuck. Luckily, the second he opened his mouth, I typically forgot how much I wanted to bone him—if for no other reason than to make him come his brains out so he remembered for the rest of his life that I gave him the best orgasm he’d ever had."
"“No more games.” I let my lips linger just a breath away from his but didn’t give him what he wanted. When Patrick tried to kiss me, I held him back, eased away so I was just out of reach. “No more games,” I said again. “If you want me close, that means you’re fucking mine for real now.”"
"Atwood sauntered into the room with a bold-ass smile on his face. He must have been at the podium for the press conference. “Don’t worry. They asked me how I felt about you and Whitt—I told them if I could get dicked down by the Royals WR coach, you should be able to have some fun with their cornerback, too.” My mouth dropped open. He hadn’t really said it like that, had he? “Atwood! In my office!” Coach called, and yep, he really fucking had."
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
Feels: 4/5
Steam*: 4/5
Kinks: n/a
Angst: low
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: bad parents, sex with others after MCs start having sex, homophobia
Patrick Whitt and Malik Tucker have known each other since they were teens. Patrick was wealthy and had unsupportive parents who were neglectful. Malik was poor but had loving parents and siblings, though his bio dad abandon the family and his stepdad was great but died young. They attended the same football camp in summers, but Malik was basically on a scholarship there. They always gave each other s*** and we're rivals. They both ho pro in the NFL and are on rival teams.
One day they're at a party and they both end up hitting on the same woman and it escalates into MFM threesome. The morning after, they bicker/banter and touch each other. This starts a back and forth over the next few months where they sometimes flirt and sometimes hook up with each other when they run into each other. For the first few months they are also having sex with other people (it's casual, no angst over this - but still, not my cup of tea for a romance). After a few months, they get obsessed with eachother and find themselves not wanting to hookup with others, then getting possessive and insisting on exclusivity and being boyfriends.
They secretly date and fall in love. They have to keep it secret because they're on rival teams and they're concerned about what this would mean for their jobs. But they can't keep it a secret forever.
This is a sweet low angst story. There's a warm network of friends and family around them, and there's a bunch of humor that comes out of those interactions. The banter and bicker relationship that they have, and their shared history and Life experiences are nice to watch. They're in a position where they understand each other and are very supportive of each other. Tucker is a caretaker and Patrick needs that because his parents haven't shown him a lot of love or attention. I liked it.
Only minor complaints: the book was broken down into labelled parts, saying, this part is from the timeline of book 1 in the series, this part is from timeline of book 2. I found that made the book/timeline feel a bit artificially split and made me unsure if there was supposed to be a certain mentality that I went into that phase with. It just seemed unnecessary to Patrick and Malik's story in particular, it just made it more obvious to people that there was stuff they were missing if they hadn't read the other books, which isn't really smart book should be more standalone so that the average reader can enjoy it peacefully. I had already read the other books. Also I didn't personally love the sex with others and there was some slightly cheesy / cringey dialogue at times.
Some notable moments:
"“Yeah, I’ve heard he’s a dick.” “That’s an understatement.” He was arrogant, annoying, and, unfortunately for me, sexy as fuck. Luckily, the second he opened his mouth, I typically forgot how much I wanted to bone him—if for no other reason than to make him come his brains out so he remembered for the rest of his life that I gave him the best orgasm he’d ever had."
"“No more games.” I let my lips linger just a breath away from his but didn’t give him what he wanted. When Patrick tried to kiss me, I held him back, eased away so I was just out of reach. “No more games,” I said again. “If you want me close, that means you’re fucking mine for real now.”"
"Atwood sauntered into the room with a bold-ass smile on his face. He must have been at the podium for the press conference. “Don’t worry. They asked me how I felt about you and Whitt—I told them if I could get dicked down by the Royals WR coach, you should be able to have some fun with their cornerback, too.” My mouth dropped open. He hadn’t really said it like that, had he? “Atwood! In my office!” Coach called, and yep, he really fucking had."
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2026
I guess it’s me once again. I just can’t do the sports part of books anymore🫣 (I wanted to throw my kindle when they ofc won in the last second😭), and I also don’t really like American football. Which is funny, because I’m probably the biggest sports fan ever and can usually get invested in any type of sport. So, unfortunately, this book won’t be getting 5 stars from me, and it definitely didn’t boost my love for football lol.
BUT the spice was GOOOODD, especially in the beginning. Towards the end, it got a bit repetitive, but Neve does what she does best. Overall, I still enjoyed the book, even though I probably shouldn’t have started with the last one in the series because I kept getting confused about the other characters. On the other hand, I looked into the previous books, and I don’t think I would’ve liked them that much anyway, so it was probably for the best.
So what I wanted to say is that this book was still super wholesome. I’ll always eat up some praise and possessiveness, so in the end, this definitely wasn’t a bad read (but not a special one either). 🩵🧸
BUT the spice was GOOOODD, especially in the beginning. Towards the end, it got a bit repetitive, but Neve does what she does best. Overall, I still enjoyed the book, even though I probably shouldn’t have started with the last one in the series because I kept getting confused about the other characters. On the other hand, I looked into the previous books, and I don’t think I would’ve liked them that much anyway, so it was probably for the best.
So what I wanted to say is that this book was still super wholesome. I’ll always eat up some praise and possessiveness, so in the end, this definitely wasn’t a bad read (but not a special one either). 🩵🧸
October 28, 2023
Illegal Contact by Riley Hart & Neve Wilder.
•Frenemies
•Rivals
•Secret hook-ups
•Chemistry
•Steamy romance
•Dialogue
•Dual POVs
•First times
•Low angst
I love this installment of the Playing for Keeps series! This is one of those stories I loved more and more the more I thought about it.
Side note: thank you, authors for giving us the little bit of backstory at the beginning. It laid the groundwork for the book.
I truly hope this isn't the last book in the series. I need more!
4.5 Stars
October 27, 2023
I actually liked this one better than the previous two instalments and the writing was as good as ever from these two authors. However, I could have done without the MFM threesome that brought the MCs together, but I know some people will like it. I mean, it was well done and mostly fade to black but I still feel these two could have started a different way.
The rest flowed quite well and I liked both MCs and how their experiences of family were so different and the impact it had on how they dealt with their feelings.
It was also great to see some scenes from the previous books in a different perspective. I usually don't care for this much but in here they were well done and it made me want to go back and reread the previous books.
The best bit? After they were all in, they were all in. And no third act break up (thank you!).
The rest flowed quite well and I liked both MCs and how their experiences of family were so different and the impact it had on how they dealt with their feelings.
It was also great to see some scenes from the previous books in a different perspective. I usually don't care for this much but in here they were well done and it made me want to go back and reread the previous books.
The best bit? After they were all in, they were all in. And no third act break up (thank you!).
![Profile Image for Lb [worlds longest slump] .](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1757735729i/106122777._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
December 12, 2023
3.5⭐️
I was really looking forward to this because I adored the first two books in the series. I don’t know if my tastes have just evolved a bit since I read them but this one just didn’t hit quite the same. I still really enjoyed it, and I laughed a lot, but it was missing something for me. It’s quite light and superficial and maybe I just wanted a little more than that. Also, I’ve come to expect some pretty spicyyyyyy spice from Neve Wilder and while this was still hot, it was not really burning up the spice charts for me.
Good but not great
I was really looking forward to this because I adored the first two books in the series. I don’t know if my tastes have just evolved a bit since I read them but this one just didn’t hit quite the same. I still really enjoyed it, and I laughed a lot, but it was missing something for me. It’s quite light and superficial and maybe I just wanted a little more than that. Also, I’ve come to expect some pretty spicyyyyyy spice from Neve Wilder and while this was still hot, it was not really burning up the spice charts for me.
Good but not great
October 16, 2023
I’ve been dying for Whitt & Tucker’s story since False Start when it became startlingly clear *something* was going on, although we didn’t have all the details. Let me just tell you - WAS IT EVER GOING ON.
Illegal Contact is an intense, explosive, forbidden, enemies to lovers romance between rivals Malik Tucker and Patrick Whitt. Not only do Whitt & Tucker hate each other personally, but they couldn’t be more opposite in many ways. But it’s true what they say, there’s a thin line between love and hate, and these guys are absolute proof. I loved watching them fight their feelings and figure it out, all the while falling for each other in a way that’s as natural as breathing.
While this story is mostly low angst, I love how Riley Hart and Neve Wilder layer so much emotion into everything. Some of it’s subtle but the impact is huge, and even the simplest of gestures tugs at your heartstrings. They’re masters at turning the ordinary into something extraordinary, and they do it again and again here.
The timeline for this book overlaps the previous two. It’s not explicitly necessary to read those to understand this one, but I think they provide a general understanding of the other couples’ & players’ backgrounds, not to mention the delicious build up to this story. Knowing what’s already taken place adds to the overall enjoyment of this book.
*I voluntarily read a complimentary copy of this book*
Illegal Contact is an intense, explosive, forbidden, enemies to lovers romance between rivals Malik Tucker and Patrick Whitt. Not only do Whitt & Tucker hate each other personally, but they couldn’t be more opposite in many ways. But it’s true what they say, there’s a thin line between love and hate, and these guys are absolute proof. I loved watching them fight their feelings and figure it out, all the while falling for each other in a way that’s as natural as breathing.
While this story is mostly low angst, I love how Riley Hart and Neve Wilder layer so much emotion into everything. Some of it’s subtle but the impact is huge, and even the simplest of gestures tugs at your heartstrings. They’re masters at turning the ordinary into something extraordinary, and they do it again and again here.
The timeline for this book overlaps the previous two. It’s not explicitly necessary to read those to understand this one, but I think they provide a general understanding of the other couples’ & players’ backgrounds, not to mention the delicious build up to this story. Knowing what’s already taken place adds to the overall enjoyment of this book.
*I voluntarily read a complimentary copy of this book*
June 17, 2024
What a fucking ending!!!! Just wow!
This was a really creative layout. Broken down into 3 parts as it takes place across both the previous books and the future. Little snippets and Easter eggs of Tucker reacting and texting all the time and now we know why!
Sleeping with the enemy! I LOVED IT!!! Malik is a sweetheart! He knows how to take care of his man in every way. Patrick had an incredible character progression over 3 years. Seeing him change and open up with feelings. It got tense on and off throughout in different instances within reason of the plot to move forward.
The spice was off the charts right from the beginning!!! Like damn! 6/5🌶!
Because this does take place over the 2 other books, we got revisited scenes from their perspectives and obviously new ones as well. It gave a cool update on our other guys/couples during their books and in the future portion. The ending made me so happy but sad that it was over.
This was a really creative layout. Broken down into 3 parts as it takes place across both the previous books and the future. Little snippets and Easter eggs of Tucker reacting and texting all the time and now we know why!
Sleeping with the enemy! I LOVED IT!!! Malik is a sweetheart! He knows how to take care of his man in every way. Patrick had an incredible character progression over 3 years. Seeing him change and open up with feelings. It got tense on and off throughout in different instances within reason of the plot to move forward.
The spice was off the charts right from the beginning!!! Like damn! 6/5🌶!
Because this does take place over the 2 other books, we got revisited scenes from their perspectives and obviously new ones as well. It gave a cool update on our other guys/couples during their books and in the future portion. The ending made me so happy but sad that it was over.
October 19, 2023
This book fits perfectly into the Playing for Keeps series with its fantastic football player characters, fun banter, swoony moments, and all the steam. Riley and Neve are proving, once again, that they are magic together. Please know that there are spoilers in this book if you haven’t read Rookie Move and False Start yet.
A couple of cocky, rival, hot football players, a challenge thrown down for a threesome with a sexy woman, what can possibly go wrong? Fun times all around but the morning brings more dares and more questions than answers. Whitt and Tucker are both too mouthy for their own good and have been at each other throat since their teen years. It doesn’t help that Tucker got into the team that Whitt had been dreaming about. Their one-time hook-up rattles both of them, neither guy can move on, and not long after they are doing it again. And again. And again. Their banters were fun, I was never sure whether their next word would be an innuendo or an insult. I adored how they started to soften towards each other, loved Tucker's possessiveness, and loved all of their explorations. This book also has the series’ strong found family vibes and you’ll be happy to know that because of the time overlap the previous two couples are featured frequently. I was dying to see how these two could finally be together, out in the open as their situation seemed so impossible. And the ending … I was melting into a puddle and I’m not ashamed of it. I cannot wait to see what fantastic story Neve and Riley would come up next.
I was fortunate to have received a copy of this book from the authors, and this is my honest review.
A couple of cocky, rival, hot football players, a challenge thrown down for a threesome with a sexy woman, what can possibly go wrong? Fun times all around but the morning brings more dares and more questions than answers. Whitt and Tucker are both too mouthy for their own good and have been at each other throat since their teen years. It doesn’t help that Tucker got into the team that Whitt had been dreaming about. Their one-time hook-up rattles both of them, neither guy can move on, and not long after they are doing it again. And again. And again. Their banters were fun, I was never sure whether their next word would be an innuendo or an insult. I adored how they started to soften towards each other, loved Tucker's possessiveness, and loved all of their explorations. This book also has the series’ strong found family vibes and you’ll be happy to know that because of the time overlap the previous two couples are featured frequently. I was dying to see how these two could finally be together, out in the open as their situation seemed so impossible. And the ending … I was melting into a puddle and I’m not ashamed of it. I cannot wait to see what fantastic story Neve and Riley would come up next.
I was fortunate to have received a copy of this book from the authors, and this is my honest review.
November 27, 2023
best book in this series. i knew whitt and tucker were going to be good, but this exceeded my expectations. i even teared up a little bit.
patrick, my sweet asshole, i'm glad you found your family <3
patrick, my sweet asshole, i'm glad you found your family <3
March 12, 2024
The best one of the series by far. Baby Patrick deserves all the bright Christmas lights and a very sweet Tucker with him
October 6, 2026
Stand out in this series!
November 10, 2026
Patrick & Malik are new on my list of the best chemistry ever, every scene they had together was so good ! I was craving more of them , wanted more cuz I couldn’t get enough of them , love their journey and their happily ever after, they were meant to be together 😍😍
November 27, 2023
DON’T JUDGE ME I’m trying to get out of this god awful months long reading slump
October 27, 2023
I liked it but meh. There were things that i disliked pretty much:
•How old were they? I HATE when writers didn’t give us important details like this. How am i able to imagine a character if I have no idea how old are they?
• The way both MCs referred to se: they were constantly saying things like ‘take your ass’ ‘make your ass mine’ ‘I want you in my hole’ ‘fuck my hole.’ I mean, the word ‘fuck’ also exists, you know? It is probably a problem of mine but it really bothered me. The were dating and i found it disrespectful. One of the MC seemed desperate to have the other MC’s ‘ass’.
• From one chapter to another suddenly had passed almost a year. What the hell happened in those months?????
•Inconsistencies: Andre. He was named two or three times. Why wasn’t he at the SB? Or anywhere. How could they spend so much time together? There were more but I can’t remember them sorry.
Overall, it was a kind of sweet and light read.
Tropes:
- enemies?rivals? to lovers
-HEA
- Football rivals
-found family
•How old were they? I HATE when writers didn’t give us important details like this. How am i able to imagine a character if I have no idea how old are they?
• The way both MCs referred to se: they were constantly saying things like ‘take your ass’ ‘make your ass mine’ ‘I want you in my hole’ ‘fuck my hole.’ I mean, the word ‘fuck’ also exists, you know? It is probably a problem of mine but it really bothered me. The were dating and i found it disrespectful. One of the MC seemed desperate to have the other MC’s ‘ass’.
• From one chapter to another suddenly had passed almost a year. What the hell happened in those months?????
•Inconsistencies: Andre. He was named two or three times. Why wasn’t he at the SB? Or anywhere. How could they spend so much time together? There were more but I can’t remember them sorry.
Overall, it was a kind of sweet and light read.
Tropes:
- enemies?rivals? to lovers
-HEA
- Football rivals
-found family
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