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Playing House
Dominic Bennetti doesn’t do messy. Not in his home, not in his life, and definitely not in his love life—if you can even call it that. As a single dad with a color-coded schedule and a penchant for control, he’s sworn off distractions. But then there’s her.
Sienna Blake. His quirky, too-young, too-loud, too-chaotic neighbor. She bakes her heartbreaks into cookies, hums off-key in hallways, and somehow waltzes into his life with paint-splattered jeans and a smile bright enough to rival the sun. She’s everything Dom isn’t, and he’s absolutely sure she’s everything he doesn’t need.
She’s chaos. He’s order. But the problem? She’s also irresistible.
Sienna also has one big secret, one that might derail any chances of them finding a happily ever after.
What starts as late-night babysitting and neighborly kindness turns into tension neither of them can ignore. She’s breaking down his walls one cookie at a time, but Dom’s not ready to admit what’s bubbling between them—or that maybe, just maybe, she’s exactly what he’s been missing.
Because love? It doesn’t play by his rules. And Sienna? She’s about to rewrite every single one.
Playing House is a sweet, spicy, and witty single-dad romance with an age-gap twist about finding love where you least expect it—like across the hall, with a plate of cookies in hand and a wicked smile on your face. Perfect for fans of witty banter, swoony single dads, and sassy women who know how to handle both chaos and carbs.
Playing House is a standalone swoony billionaire romance and the second book of the Bennetti Brothers series that can be read in any order your heart desires (even more than once) or all by itself.
The book contains explicit content and profanity. Recommended for mature readers only.
A fun blend of the age gap, close proximity, and friends-to-lovers trope we all love. If you are a fan of Meghan Quinn, Melanie Harlow, and LJ Shen, you will love this book!
Sienna Blake. His quirky, too-young, too-loud, too-chaotic neighbor. She bakes her heartbreaks into cookies, hums off-key in hallways, and somehow waltzes into his life with paint-splattered jeans and a smile bright enough to rival the sun. She’s everything Dom isn’t, and he’s absolutely sure she’s everything he doesn’t need.
She’s chaos. He’s order. But the problem? She’s also irresistible.
Sienna also has one big secret, one that might derail any chances of them finding a happily ever after.
What starts as late-night babysitting and neighborly kindness turns into tension neither of them can ignore. She’s breaking down his walls one cookie at a time, but Dom’s not ready to admit what’s bubbling between them—or that maybe, just maybe, she’s exactly what he’s been missing.
Because love? It doesn’t play by his rules. And Sienna? She’s about to rewrite every single one.
Playing House is a sweet, spicy, and witty single-dad romance with an age-gap twist about finding love where you least expect it—like across the hall, with a plate of cookies in hand and a wicked smile on your face. Perfect for fans of witty banter, swoony single dads, and sassy women who know how to handle both chaos and carbs.
Playing House is a standalone swoony billionaire romance and the second book of the Bennetti Brothers series that can be read in any order your heart desires (even more than once) or all by itself.
The book contains explicit content and profanity. Recommended for mature readers only.
A fun blend of the age gap, close proximity, and friends-to-lovers trope we all love. If you are a fan of Meghan Quinn, Melanie Harlow, and LJ Shen, you will love this book!
428 pages, Paperback
Published January 31, 2025
42 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 24, 2025
This was a decent book. I was disappointed though because it dragged on and on and I felt as if Sienna and Dom didn’t have that much chemistry honestly. I would’ve loved to see more chemistry and interaction between them two. The story barely had any chemistry or substance.
I received this book for free as an arc copy and I’m voluntarily leaving my honest review.
I received this book for free as an arc copy and I’m voluntarily leaving my honest review.
February 2, 2025
Everly Summers delivers a steamy, heartwarming, and wildly entertaining romance in Playing House. This book is perfect for readers who love the forced proximity/opposites attract trope with plenty of tension, swoon-worthy moments, and just the right amount of emotional depth.
Plot & Characters
The story follows Sienna and Dom, who find themselves living next door to one another. Dom becomes desperate for a babysitter, causing him to knock on Sienna's door. Against his better judgement, he leaves his son with her, and slowly starts falling for her quirky personality. As their feelings for each other begin to grow, the chemistry between them becomes undeniable. Summers does an excellent job crafting witty banter and slow-burn attraction, making every interaction feel electric.
The protagonist is strong-willed yet vulnerable, and the love interest? Absolute book boyfriend material—charming, protective, and just the right amount of possessive. Their dynamic is engaging, with tension that builds beautifully before it inevitably explodes into passion.
Spice Factor 🔥🔥🔥🔥
The steam in Playing House is intense! Summers writes sizzling scenes that balance passion with emotion, making them both satisfying and essential to the story. There’s a mix of playful teasing, deep longing, and full-blown heat—expect multiple open-door scenes that don’t shy away from detail. The spice is well-paced throughout, keeping things hot without overpowering the plot.
Plot & Characters
The story follows Sienna and Dom, who find themselves living next door to one another. Dom becomes desperate for a babysitter, causing him to knock on Sienna's door. Against his better judgement, he leaves his son with her, and slowly starts falling for her quirky personality. As their feelings for each other begin to grow, the chemistry between them becomes undeniable. Summers does an excellent job crafting witty banter and slow-burn attraction, making every interaction feel electric.
The protagonist is strong-willed yet vulnerable, and the love interest? Absolute book boyfriend material—charming, protective, and just the right amount of possessive. Their dynamic is engaging, with tension that builds beautifully before it inevitably explodes into passion.
Spice Factor 🔥🔥🔥🔥
The steam in Playing House is intense! Summers writes sizzling scenes that balance passion with emotion, making them both satisfying and essential to the story. There’s a mix of playful teasing, deep longing, and full-blown heat—expect multiple open-door scenes that don’t shy away from detail. The spice is well-paced throughout, keeping things hot without overpowering the plot.
August 5, 2025
An Adorable Rom-Com
An adorable age-gap rom-com! Very well written, refreshing plot and the characters are very likable!
The story follows Dom, the middle Bennetti brother and a single dad with a young son, Luca. Next door lives Sienna, his quirky, young, and lovable neighbor. Serious Dom and light-hearted Sienna are two opposite personalities. But on one night, Sienna babysits Luca, bringing her closer to Dom’s orbit.
Love blooms and two opposite personalities discover love unexpectedly. The spicy scenes were well executed and ending highly satisfying.
Can’t wait to read more in this series!
An adorable age-gap rom-com! Very well written, refreshing plot and the characters are very likable!
The story follows Dom, the middle Bennetti brother and a single dad with a young son, Luca. Next door lives Sienna, his quirky, young, and lovable neighbor. Serious Dom and light-hearted Sienna are two opposite personalities. But on one night, Sienna babysits Luca, bringing her closer to Dom’s orbit.
Love blooms and two opposite personalities discover love unexpectedly. The spicy scenes were well executed and ending highly satisfying.
Can’t wait to read more in this series!
July 10, 2025
Every time I crack open another of Everly’s books, I swear THESE are my favorite characters yet. But let’s be honest—it’s impossible to choose. Each heroine is a hot mess in the most lovable way, although this time, Sienna might just take the cake (or at least bake it). She’s delightfully chaotic, endearingly self-aware, and her inner monologues are pure comedic gold. I couldn’t get enough of her heartbreak-healing cookie therapy—because really, who needs a reason to bake when you’ve got a sweet tooth? Dom is her next-door neighbor, a single dad and Sienna’s walking, talking definition of “totally out of her league.” They barely speak at first, but when he desperately needs help with his adorable son, Luca, Sienna steps in—armed with cookies and chaotic charm. Their tentative friendship is rocky, hilarious, and unexpectedly sweet, filled with Sienna’s dating disasters and Dom’s slow realization that maybe, just maybe, his babysitter is the best part of his day. Meanwhile, Sienna is surprised to receive an invitation to her cousin’s wedding—a cousin who just so happens to be marrying her ex. Though she usually keeps her distance from her family as much as possible, there’s no dodging this event. And of course, she’s already told her parents she’s bringing a date. Who better to step in than the guy she’s low-key crushing on and constantly doing favors for? Dom’s repeated “I’ll make it up to you” promises finally come due. What follows is a deliciously slow-burn romance, with Dom fighting his feelings because of their age gap, and Sienna being her wildly romantic, incurably hopeful self. Their opposites-attract chemistry sparks in all the best ways—he’s structure and control; she’s whimsy and heart. Together? They’re magic. And let’s not forget the Bennetti family—the loud, loving, meddling, ever-present chaos crew that steals every scene they’re in. Reading the series out of order didn’t matter one bit, but it did highlight just how special this whole messy, wonderful family really is. Everly once again delivers a pitch-perfect blend of snappy banter, slow-burn steam, and tender emotion. It’s charming, spicy, and laugh-out-loud funny, with just the right touch of sweetness—an irresistible treat from beginning to end.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 14, 2025
Ok, let’s do this. You know when you get so far in a book that you feel guilty DNF’ing? I was there with this book. One reason I like reading on my kindle is that little number in the bottom left corner, aka time left in the book. Sometimes I dread looking at that number because I know the book is going to end soon. Sometimes, I look at it constantly to figure out how much longer I have to endure a book. Unfortunately, Playing House fell into the latter for me. I really, really did not enjoy this book. First of all, it was SO. LONG. Whyyyyy was it so long? There was not enough plot to support a book so long. The writing tried so, so hard to be funny and it was overkill. A quip here and there would’ve been much better than every other sentence. Some language was super repetitive (human embodiment/version/example, I’m looking at you). Also, there was way too much breaking the fourth wall.
I had a problem with pacing as well. For a book that was 8,347 pages long (sarcasm), the book was in fast-forward mode at random points. Like all of the sudden, Sienna had been to multiple weekly cooking nights. When? How? It was weird. Some parts of the book moved at glacial speed, some skipped ahead weeks.
Now, Sienna and Dom. There was NO chemistry between them. Also, fun fact, autocorrect just tried to change chemistry to crematory. Neither character really has much depth and Dom is pretty toxic. The whole “I make boys with my super sperm” and “you’re moving in” thing was just yuck. I’m all for an alpha, but I don’t know, it just rubbed me the wrong way in this book. The “daddy” thing was out of place as well. And the family didn’t do it for me. They were too over-the-top.
So anyway, yeah, this was a miss for me. I received an ARC of Playing House from BookSirens, and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
I had a problem with pacing as well. For a book that was 8,347 pages long (sarcasm), the book was in fast-forward mode at random points. Like all of the sudden, Sienna had been to multiple weekly cooking nights. When? How? It was weird. Some parts of the book moved at glacial speed, some skipped ahead weeks.
Now, Sienna and Dom. There was NO chemistry between them. Also, fun fact, autocorrect just tried to change chemistry to crematory. Neither character really has much depth and Dom is pretty toxic. The whole “I make boys with my super sperm” and “you’re moving in” thing was just yuck. I’m all for an alpha, but I don’t know, it just rubbed me the wrong way in this book. The “daddy” thing was out of place as well. And the family didn’t do it for me. They were too over-the-top.
So anyway, yeah, this was a miss for me. I received an ARC of Playing House from BookSirens, and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
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October 9, 2025Playing House Age Gap Romance
Sienna's boyfriend, Jason, breaks up with her for her cousin, Jillian, and breaks her heart. She goes home sadly, and then her neighbor, Dominic Bennetti, is waiting for the nanny, Rosa, to come and pick up his son, Luca, so that he can run some business errand Since Sienna is there and Rosa is running late in traffic, he asks Sienna if she would be able to watch Luca. Lucas' mother overdosed on drugs and died. Since Rosa is consistently late, Dominic hired a new nanny, Marie, and she quit, so of course, he has to call Sienna. Dominic has to take a flight out so Sienna is babysitting again. Dominic said she could sleep in his bed. Sienna decides to sleep in the beanbag instead. Alex and Violet have triplets, so Dominic is leaving Sienna with Luca again. Sienna is growing attached to Luca. Dominic likes Sienna. He gives 3 reasons why he shouldn't date her 1. She's too young. 2. She would catch feelings. 3. He isn't looking for anything casual. Dominic has a board meeting and asks Sienna to watch Lucca again. Kiera teases Sienna that Dominic is old enough to be her "daddy." Then Sienna has a hot moment in the elevator with Dominic, and her friend Kiera is shrieking about it. Kiera is hooking up with her boyfriends, so why shouldn't Sienna hook up with Dom?
After Dom and Sienna hook up, Sienna doesn't want anything to do with Dom. It's rumored he is with another woman, a rich heiress. After the rumor, Dom asks Sienna to move in with him. Dominic Bennetti's family is wealthy. Dominic introduces Sienna to his family. Will she pass the test? Will his family accept Sienna? Will their relationship survive the Bennetti family?
Sienna's boyfriend, Jason, breaks up with her for her cousin, Jillian, and breaks her heart. She goes home sadly, and then her neighbor, Dominic Bennetti, is waiting for the nanny, Rosa, to come and pick up his son, Luca, so that he can run some business errand Since Sienna is there and Rosa is running late in traffic, he asks Sienna if she would be able to watch Luca. Lucas' mother overdosed on drugs and died. Since Rosa is consistently late, Dominic hired a new nanny, Marie, and she quit, so of course, he has to call Sienna. Dominic has to take a flight out so Sienna is babysitting again. Dominic said she could sleep in his bed. Sienna decides to sleep in the beanbag instead. Alex and Violet have triplets, so Dominic is leaving Sienna with Luca again. Sienna is growing attached to Luca. Dominic likes Sienna. He gives 3 reasons why he shouldn't date her 1. She's too young. 2. She would catch feelings. 3. He isn't looking for anything casual. Dominic has a board meeting and asks Sienna to watch Lucca again. Kiera teases Sienna that Dominic is old enough to be her "daddy." Then Sienna has a hot moment in the elevator with Dominic, and her friend Kiera is shrieking about it. Kiera is hooking up with her boyfriends, so why shouldn't Sienna hook up with Dom?
After Dom and Sienna hook up, Sienna doesn't want anything to do with Dom. It's rumored he is with another woman, a rich heiress. After the rumor, Dom asks Sienna to move in with him. Dominic Bennetti's family is wealthy. Dominic introduces Sienna to his family. Will she pass the test? Will his family accept Sienna? Will their relationship survive the Bennetti family?
April 4, 2025
Playing House, the second instalment in Everly Summers' Bennetti Boys series, is a delightful and engaging contemporary romance that artfully blends the sweetness of a budding relationship with the spiciness of simmering attraction.
At the heart of this witty and heartwarming tale is the unlikely pairing of Dominic Bennetti, a meticulous single father with an affinity for order and control, and Sienna Blake, his vivacious, younger neighbour who brings a whirlwind of colour and chaos into his carefully structured world.
As Sienna's vibrant personality and endearing quirks—from baking away her heartbreaks to humming off-key in the hallways—begin to chip away at Dominic's resolute exterior, the author skilfully navigates the complexities of their age-gap romance, creating a narrative that is both relatable and captivating.
While the characters' mental asides initially add a charming layer of depth and humour to the story, they may become somewhat repetitive as the plot progresses.
Summers' thoughtful inclusion of a chapter guide for readers wishing to skip the more intimate scenes demonstrates a considerate approach to crafting a romance that caters to a diverse readership.
With its well-developed characters, engrossing storyline, and perfect balance of wit and warmth, Playing House is sure to resonate with fans of single-dad romances and anyone who appreciates a love story that blossoms in the most unexpected of places.
At the heart of this witty and heartwarming tale is the unlikely pairing of Dominic Bennetti, a meticulous single father with an affinity for order and control, and Sienna Blake, his vivacious, younger neighbour who brings a whirlwind of colour and chaos into his carefully structured world.
As Sienna's vibrant personality and endearing quirks—from baking away her heartbreaks to humming off-key in the hallways—begin to chip away at Dominic's resolute exterior, the author skilfully navigates the complexities of their age-gap romance, creating a narrative that is both relatable and captivating.
While the characters' mental asides initially add a charming layer of depth and humour to the story, they may become somewhat repetitive as the plot progresses.
Summers' thoughtful inclusion of a chapter guide for readers wishing to skip the more intimate scenes demonstrates a considerate approach to crafting a romance that caters to a diverse readership.
With its well-developed characters, engrossing storyline, and perfect balance of wit and warmth, Playing House is sure to resonate with fans of single-dad romances and anyone who appreciates a love story that blossoms in the most unexpected of places.
August 23, 2025
2.5 stars because are you fking for real with phrases like "goody gingersnaps" and "doodle darn it" come on!
Cheese 🧀 fest. Also the CONSTANT mention of cookies. ?? MC's were both a fail and omfg she needed to just grow up already.
Pros: because the author has the cojones to even publish -Lucas was the spotlight in this book. I loved how he was ready to hustle at 5 yrs old. Also there were some funny dialog moments that I enjoyed as well. I liked the family and how they tied the first book characters in.
Overall: this author has potential...let go of the childish MC's (like in this book) and give them some depth, some real like problems (not the damn cookies) and grit. There is a real possibility here.
🌶️🌶️🌶️ decent. He had some pent up & aggressive spice that really came through on the pages. 👍🏻
👿 villains....meh, daddy warbucks Maxy wasn't much of an opponent.
Cheese 🧀 fest. Also the CONSTANT mention of cookies. ?? MC's were both a fail and omfg she needed to just grow up already.
Pros: because the author has the cojones to even publish -Lucas was the spotlight in this book. I loved how he was ready to hustle at 5 yrs old. Also there were some funny dialog moments that I enjoyed as well. I liked the family and how they tied the first book characters in.
Overall: this author has potential...let go of the childish MC's (like in this book) and give them some depth, some real like problems (not the damn cookies) and grit. There is a real possibility here.
🌶️🌶️🌶️ decent. He had some pent up & aggressive spice that really came through on the pages. 👍🏻
👿 villains....meh, daddy warbucks Maxy wasn't much of an opponent.
June 16, 2025
I loved this book! This is the second book in the Bennetti Brothers trilogy but can be read as a stand-alone story. I really liked all the main characters, especially the three brothers and quirky, artistic Sienna. ‘Middle’ brother Dom finds it necessary to call upon his neighbour, Sienna to babysit his cute son, Luca in an emergency. The chemistry between these two is fairly obvious from the start, but is a fairly slow burn; I loved that it is really Dom who falls first trying to fight the feelings he has for his free-spirited neighbour feeling he is too old for her. A thoroughly enjoyable read, with some swoon-worthy steamy sections, from an author I haven’t previously encountered - I will definitely be reading more by her (especially back-tracking to the first book!) Highly recommend.
April 9, 2025
I truly enjoy this author’s work. She is laying out a beautiful rom com with fun leads, and entertaining, engaging characters on the side. I could be biased because I love books about families who love and are deeply loyal to each other. You definitely get a nice big one in this series. My only complaint with this book was how young our female lead was compared to the male lead. It’s not the age gap that I disliked, it was her age. I felt she was too young, however that’s just MY preference.
Overall, a wonderful read. 4.5 stars.
Overall, a wonderful read. 4.5 stars.
July 3, 2025
A heartwarming spicy age-gap romance that brings together a control-loving single dad and his chaotic, sunshine-filled neighbor. With witty banter, emotional depth, and a healthy dose of heat, this standalone novel delivers a feel-good love story that’s both swoony and sincere.
The interactions of the main characters amid the culmination of the story is a great single dad moment....
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The interactions of the main characters amid the culmination of the story is a great single dad moment....
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 24, 2025
Absolutely adored this book it's a fun clever great escape
Every box is checked, while reading the Story of Dom & Sienna. It's funny, twisty, romantic, some spice without being overdone or detracting with it is really nice, all the things really. Loved Luca he's a precious little man. The Bennetti Family is one that seems like the perfect fantasy family. I'm very much looking forward to seeing where the Bennetti World grows.
It's a perfect book for gifting as a blind date with a book.
I cannot wait for the 3rd book with Rico's story. And I'd most definitely recommend Everly Summers as the budding bloom author to book lovers at least +18.
Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. And if you do show the author some review love. And recommend to all the friends and bookclubs.
Every box is checked, while reading the Story of Dom & Sienna. It's funny, twisty, romantic, some spice without being overdone or detracting with it is really nice, all the things really. Loved Luca he's a precious little man. The Bennetti Family is one that seems like the perfect fantasy family. I'm very much looking forward to seeing where the Bennetti World grows.
It's a perfect book for gifting as a blind date with a book.
I cannot wait for the 3rd book with Rico's story. And I'd most definitely recommend Everly Summers as the budding bloom author to book lovers at least +18.
Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. And if you do show the author some review love. And recommend to all the friends and bookclubs.
March 17, 2025
fun and spicy read
I can’t wait to keep reading about the rest of the group’s happily ever afters. Filled with steamy scenes, some dysfunctional parents’ dynamics in contrast with control freaked love partners, makes this book interesting to read. I already have my wishlist of supporting characters that I want to read about it next.
I can’t wait to keep reading about the rest of the group’s happily ever afters. Filled with steamy scenes, some dysfunctional parents’ dynamics in contrast with control freaked love partners, makes this book interesting to read. I already have my wishlist of supporting characters that I want to read about it next.
July 11, 2025
Just love the tropes in Dominic and Sienna's story!
Age-gap.
Neighbor next door.
Like the first book in the series, the dialogue is great, the banter wonderful.
The spice, steamy!
Ms. Summers even had me laughing out loud with this one!
This is my third story by this very talented, new author, and I'm definitely st@lking her!
Cannot wait to read more!
Age-gap.
Neighbor next door.
Like the first book in the series, the dialogue is great, the banter wonderful.
The spice, steamy!
Ms. Summers even had me laughing out loud with this one!
This is my third story by this very talented, new author, and I'm definitely st@lking her!
Cannot wait to read more!
April 19, 2025
Loved this book!! Dom was a perfect MMC and Sienna was a wonderfully complex FMC. I loved the glimpses of Alex and Violet as well as the continuation of this world! A lot of people are nervous when it comes to books over 500 pages but I cannot recommend this series enough! LOVE LOVE LOVE
May 24, 2025
This is the second book in the Bennetti Boys series. I enjoyed Dom, Sienna and Luca’s sweet story. I was pulled in right away. I liked that all of the Bennetti family was included in the story. It’s well written and entertaining. Recommended read.
March 19, 2025
I couldn't put it down. I mean two rich families and heirs??? Absolutely amazing! MUST READ
February 28, 2025
Pretty good
I liked it , and I really liked how the author penned some of the conversations in a text like fashion, thought that was cool and original
I liked it , and I really liked how the author penned some of the conversations in a text like fashion, thought that was cool and original
March 7, 2025
Playing House by Everly Summers is the second book in the Bennetti Boys Series. This book is another steamy and captivating romance.
The main characters are Dominic, Sienna and Luca ( Dominic’s son).
Sienna and Dominic are neighbors, with only the two of them living in the two suites on the penthouse floor.
Dominic is raising his son by himself. There are times when Dominic finds himself in need of a babysitter. He can’t seem to hold onto babysitter for very long. Sienna is just across the hall and easy to ask the last minute for work related purposes.
Sienna and Luca starts to build a very special relationship, and in time so does Dominic and Sienna.
I like the way the author lists the trigger warnings in her books as well.
I would recommend this book to others.
I give it five stars.
Book 3 Rico’s Story will be coming out soon.
The main characters are Dominic, Sienna and Luca ( Dominic’s son).
Sienna and Dominic are neighbors, with only the two of them living in the two suites on the penthouse floor.
Dominic is raising his son by himself. There are times when Dominic finds himself in need of a babysitter. He can’t seem to hold onto babysitter for very long. Sienna is just across the hall and easy to ask the last minute for work related purposes.
Sienna and Luca starts to build a very special relationship, and in time so does Dominic and Sienna.
I like the way the author lists the trigger warnings in her books as well.
I would recommend this book to others.
I give it five stars.
Book 3 Rico’s Story will be coming out soon.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews