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Dramatic Hearts Club #3
If We Play Fair
Not yet published
Expected 25 Feb 26FROM IPPY AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR NATHALIE THEODORE
TWO PLAYERS. TWO PITCHES. ONE SHOT AT FAKING TRUE LOVE.
Christy Andersen and Holden McBride bring out the worst in each other. Too bad the fates of their careers lie in each other’s hands.
Disillusioned with dating, Christy’s a powerhouse literary agent at the top of her game. But when a scandal threatens to shatter her hard-won reputation, she pins her hopes on signing pop icon Lola Piper, rumored to be writing the juiciest tell-all of the decade. There’s just one problem: Lola’s gone off the grid.
Holden, a starting pitcher for the Chicago Starlings, is a notorious player on and off the field. After a devastating loss sends him streaking across Soldier Field, his fans are outraged. All but Christy—until he manages to get on her bad side. When she tells him off, the clip goes viral, getting Holden the best press he’s had in weeks. Fans adore the feisty redhead, and his agent insists she’s exactly what he needs to clean up his image.
Christy and Holden pitch each other a deal: she’ll pretend to be his girlfriend, and he’ll introduce her to his best friend’s sister, the elusive Lola Piper. The plan is simple—fake the romance, fix their reputations, and they both walk away winners.
But as their staged relationship heats up, so does the chemistry they can’t ignore. With their hearts and careers on the line, Christy and Holden must decide whether they should keep playing fair...or change the game.
TWO PLAYERS. TWO PITCHES. ONE SHOT AT FAKING TRUE LOVE.
Christy Andersen and Holden McBride bring out the worst in each other. Too bad the fates of their careers lie in each other’s hands.
Disillusioned with dating, Christy’s a powerhouse literary agent at the top of her game. But when a scandal threatens to shatter her hard-won reputation, she pins her hopes on signing pop icon Lola Piper, rumored to be writing the juiciest tell-all of the decade. There’s just one problem: Lola’s gone off the grid.
Holden, a starting pitcher for the Chicago Starlings, is a notorious player on and off the field. After a devastating loss sends him streaking across Soldier Field, his fans are outraged. All but Christy—until he manages to get on her bad side. When she tells him off, the clip goes viral, getting Holden the best press he’s had in weeks. Fans adore the feisty redhead, and his agent insists she’s exactly what he needs to clean up his image.
Christy and Holden pitch each other a deal: she’ll pretend to be his girlfriend, and he’ll introduce her to his best friend’s sister, the elusive Lola Piper. The plan is simple—fake the romance, fix their reputations, and they both walk away winners.
But as their staged relationship heats up, so does the chemistry they can’t ignore. With their hearts and careers on the line, Christy and Holden must decide whether they should keep playing fair...or change the game.
Unknown Binding
Expected publication February 25, 2026
21 people want to read
About the author
Nathalie Theodore
3 books56 followersNathalie Theodore is the Amazon bestselling, IPPY award-winning author of If the Stars Align and If My Wishes Came True, Books One and Two in the Dramatic Hearts Club series. A lawyer-turned-therapist and novelist, she writes love stories that dive deep into the psychology of her characters, using her background in mental health to create beautifully flawed, true-to-life protagonists. In addition to writing, she enjoys spending time with her family in their hometown of Chicago; catching up on sleep; and when the latter invariably fails, caffeinating. Follow her on Instagram (@nathalietheodorewrites) for the latest updates.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 7, 2026
“Being loved by you is gift enough.”
Christy is a book agent and Holden is a professional baseball pitcher. They are both dealing with PR scandals and make a deal to fake date to save their careers. (TW: disordered eating, body dysmorphia, grief)
⚾️ Fake dating
📖 Dual POV
🌺 One bed
🏝️ Enemies to lovers
⚾️ Family drama
📖 Baseball pro MMC
🌺 He falls first
🏝️ Curvy FMC
⚾️ MCs in their 30s
📖 Hilarious
🌺 Mental health rep
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Five stars, no notes! If this is not on your TBR, it should be. I love fake dating. I love sports romance. Wow this book was so fun!! It would make a great movie! The chemistry and banter had me kicking my feet and giggling. The romance is so sweet. I loved the characters and their development. Christy is so relatable! Holden is so swoony.
There’s so much plot and drama going on in this book that I couldn’t put it down! I loved the updates and appearances of characters from books 1 and 2. Can’t wait for the next book!
Release date 2/25/26. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC!
“Because now, I know that you don’t play fair—which means I don’t have to either.”
Grey sweatpants ✨
🚨 spoilers
-“I’ve seen pictures, and the guy looks like a f🦆cking breadstick.” 🤭
-TGI Friday 🤣🤣🤣
-Holden talking to Kyle was my fave part 🔥
-reminds me of “The Prophecy” by Taylor Swift
Christy is a book agent and Holden is a professional baseball pitcher. They are both dealing with PR scandals and make a deal to fake date to save their careers. (TW: disordered eating, body dysmorphia, grief)
⚾️ Fake dating
📖 Dual POV
🌺 One bed
🏝️ Enemies to lovers
⚾️ Family drama
📖 Baseball pro MMC
🌺 He falls first
🏝️ Curvy FMC
⚾️ MCs in their 30s
📖 Hilarious
🌺 Mental health rep
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Five stars, no notes! If this is not on your TBR, it should be. I love fake dating. I love sports romance. Wow this book was so fun!! It would make a great movie! The chemistry and banter had me kicking my feet and giggling. The romance is so sweet. I loved the characters and their development. Christy is so relatable! Holden is so swoony.
There’s so much plot and drama going on in this book that I couldn’t put it down! I loved the updates and appearances of characters from books 1 and 2. Can’t wait for the next book!
Release date 2/25/26. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC!
“Because now, I know that you don’t play fair—which means I don’t have to either.”
Grey sweatpants ✨
🚨 spoilers
-“I’ve seen pictures, and the guy looks like a f🦆cking breadstick.” 🤭
-TGI Friday 🤣🤣🤣
-Holden talking to Kyle was my fave part 🔥
-reminds me of “The Prophecy” by Taylor Swift
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
If We Play Fair is another fantastic win for Nathalie Theodore. From start to finish, the story pulled me in and didn’t let go. Christy is an incredibly relatable protagonist, especially in the way she navigates body image and self-confidence. It was wonderful to catch up on the growing lives of characters from previous books. The expanded storylines for the side characters added so much depth and charm.
And then there’s Holden, who is grumpy yet undeniably sweet. I was rooting for him the entire time. The way Nathalie shows him carrying and working through his grief felt so authentic and tender that it made me love him even more. As a Cincinnati Reds hometown fan with a dog named Griffey, I couldn’t help but smile at his favorite player. It was the perfect touch in an already heartfelt story.
Way to hit a homerun, Nathalie!
And then there’s Holden, who is grumpy yet undeniably sweet. I was rooting for him the entire time. The way Nathalie shows him carrying and working through his grief felt so authentic and tender that it made me love him even more. As a Cincinnati Reds hometown fan with a dog named Griffey, I couldn’t help but smile at his favorite player. It was the perfect touch in an already heartfelt story.
Way to hit a homerun, Nathalie!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I absolutely loved this book! It pulled me in and didn't let go. I loved the enemies to lovers aspect and feel like it was written perfectly. I loved the banter between the MCs and seeing their story grow. I love how comfortable Christy got with Holden. I loved when Holden showed interest in Christy's book. It showed how interested he was in winning her over. I absolutely loved the ending and hope there is another book with more of Christy and Holden's story!
“Oh, yeah?” I meet her gaze in the mirror. “You want me to show you how pretty you look when you’re getting good dick?”
“Oh, yeah?” I meet her gaze in the mirror. “You want me to show you how pretty you look when you’re getting good dick?”
January 10, 2026
Thank you Nathalie for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Wow, this was so good!! I loved the characters, the fake dating, the spice, all of it! I loved the self esteem story as well, what a beautiful reminder that everyone is beautiful, regardless of what others say about you.
December 27, 2025
*BETA READ*
If We Play Fair, the third installment in the Dramatic Hearts Club, was my absolute favorite of the series so far. Christy and Holden were everything in this story of facing your insecurities, dealing with life altering circumstances, growing into your own, being there for the ones you love and finding your person when you least expect it. Not to mention, this is Nathalie's spiciest read yet! The growth of both main and side was refreshing and I loved walking with them through their journeys. Nathalie is a master at incorporating mental health representation in her books and If We Play Fair was no different - it was a story that I've related to even more than any other. This book was a phenomenal follow up to books 1 and 2 (with some characters you may recognize along the way)! I'm very excited for the next chapter in the Dramatic Hearts Club universe.
If We Play Fair, the third installment in the Dramatic Hearts Club, was my absolute favorite of the series so far. Christy and Holden were everything in this story of facing your insecurities, dealing with life altering circumstances, growing into your own, being there for the ones you love and finding your person when you least expect it. Not to mention, this is Nathalie's spiciest read yet! The growth of both main and side was refreshing and I loved walking with them through their journeys. Nathalie is a master at incorporating mental health representation in her books and If We Play Fair was no different - it was a story that I've related to even more than any other. This book was a phenomenal follow up to books 1 and 2 (with some characters you may recognize along the way)! I'm very excited for the next chapter in the Dramatic Hearts Club universe.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC gifted in exchange for review
This was the third book in a series of interconnected stand-alones, and I came in blind. I would give this 10 stars if I could and I will definitely be going back and reading the other two books in the series. This book checked so many boxes for me:
✅sports romance
✅ fake dating
✅ Supportive MMC
✅He falls first
✅ phenomenal spice
I had such a good time reading this one but it also made me really emotional. I was also super close to my grandparents and when I lost my gran, I didn’t do quite what Holden did when I found out but I can relate to that level of devastation. Subsequently I had a soft spot for him from the get go, poor baby. Christy our sweet badass FMC with such a marshmallow center for all her bravado. I wanted to give her the biggest hug because I get it, truly deeply get the lasting damage a partner’s constant criticism of your body can do to you. Watching both Holden and Christy grow and do the hard emotional work to overcome their respective trauma had me sobbing way too often because I was so proud of them. Holden’s parents are foul demons and I hope they both get swallowed by a kraken from the depths. I became so attached to these two characters and I will definitely be recommending this to my book besties. We love an emotionally intelligent down bad man who knows exactly what he’s doing in the bedroom! The spice was phenomenal and I loveeeeee how he went at the speed Christy needed without a single complaint.
This was the third book in a series of interconnected stand-alones, and I came in blind. I would give this 10 stars if I could and I will definitely be going back and reading the other two books in the series. This book checked so many boxes for me:
✅sports romance
✅ fake dating
✅ Supportive MMC
✅He falls first
✅ phenomenal spice
I had such a good time reading this one but it also made me really emotional. I was also super close to my grandparents and when I lost my gran, I didn’t do quite what Holden did when I found out but I can relate to that level of devastation. Subsequently I had a soft spot for him from the get go, poor baby. Christy our sweet badass FMC with such a marshmallow center for all her bravado. I wanted to give her the biggest hug because I get it, truly deeply get the lasting damage a partner’s constant criticism of your body can do to you. Watching both Holden and Christy grow and do the hard emotional work to overcome their respective trauma had me sobbing way too often because I was so proud of them. Holden’s parents are foul demons and I hope they both get swallowed by a kraken from the depths. I became so attached to these two characters and I will definitely be recommending this to my book besties. We love an emotionally intelligent down bad man who knows exactly what he’s doing in the bedroom! The spice was phenomenal and I loveeeeee how he went at the speed Christy needed without a single complaint.
Review of advance copy received from Author
First off, let me say that I do not frequent the romance genre. I’ve read three romance novels to date, and they were all written by Nathalie Theodore. What can I say? When you have a talented author for a wife, who continues to literally outdo herself with every book she writes, reading them is a no-brainer. If We Play Fair is by far Nathalie's best work yet, and that's saying a lot considering the award-winning status of her debut novel!
Nathalie's third novel has all the elements that will keep you wanting more and not wanting to put it down. From the non-stop drama to the witty banter between the two main characters, you'll find yourself saying "just one more page." While the book is fun, it wouldn't be a Nathalie Theodore book if it didn't explore the all-too-real everyday issues (self-doubt and grief) that will surely resonate with the reader. Nathalie does an amazing job exploring these issues through excellent character development, and you'll find yourself immersed in the story and rooting for Holden and Christy.
Given my wife’s pattern of constantly raising the bar (and clearing it by a long shot), I cannot wait to see what she has in store for the next book in this series!
Nathalie's third novel has all the elements that will keep you wanting more and not wanting to put it down. From the non-stop drama to the witty banter between the two main characters, you'll find yourself saying "just one more page." While the book is fun, it wouldn't be a Nathalie Theodore book if it didn't explore the all-too-real everyday issues (self-doubt and grief) that will surely resonate with the reader. Nathalie does an amazing job exploring these issues through excellent character development, and you'll find yourself immersed in the story and rooting for Holden and Christy.
Given my wife’s pattern of constantly raising the bar (and clearing it by a long shot), I cannot wait to see what she has in store for the next book in this series!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Nathalie Theodores best book yet!!! This is the 3rd book in the Dramatic Hearts Club series and this one had me gripped, never wanting this tale to end!
From the first chapter to the last it had me laughing and crying along with Christy and Holden. Christys character is just the right amount of adorable meets fiesty that makes you want to be her best friend where as Holden is every bit the male you want to win her heart, the chemistry between these two was clear as day as soon as they met but not forgetting the swoon worthy romantic gestures along the way.
Maui is where it really kicks in acting like a sneaky little truth serum they both didn't expect and it wouldn't be a true Nathalie book without tastefully touching on real life issues that most readers can relate to.
The "he falls first" was a given as soon as you meet Christy that leaves you begging to hear those three magical words leave Holdens lips for the first time in this enemies to lovers book!
From the first chapter to the last it had me laughing and crying along with Christy and Holden. Christys character is just the right amount of adorable meets fiesty that makes you want to be her best friend where as Holden is every bit the male you want to win her heart, the chemistry between these two was clear as day as soon as they met but not forgetting the swoon worthy romantic gestures along the way.
Maui is where it really kicks in acting like a sneaky little truth serum they both didn't expect and it wouldn't be a true Nathalie book without tastefully touching on real life issues that most readers can relate to.
The "he falls first" was a given as soon as you meet Christy that leaves you begging to hear those three magical words leave Holdens lips for the first time in this enemies to lovers book!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Nathalie Theodore knocks it clean out of the park with this Chicago-to-Maui romance that’s equal parts sparkling banter and emotional depth. What begins as a prickly fake relationship between a baseball star with demons and a sharp, ambitious literary agent unfolds into a love story that feels earned, and deeply human.
The enemies-to-lovers tension crackles, but it’s the dual POV that is rich with vulnerability, humor, and thoughtful mental health nuance, that truly elevates the novel, giving both characters dimension far beyond the genre norm.
And then there’s Maui: practically a character in its own right. Theodore turns the island into a romantic refuge where walls come down and feelings can’t stay benched for long.
As a longtime fan, I can say without hesitation that this is Nathalie Theodore’s best novel yet.
The enemies-to-lovers tension crackles, but it’s the dual POV that is rich with vulnerability, humor, and thoughtful mental health nuance, that truly elevates the novel, giving both characters dimension far beyond the genre norm.
And then there’s Maui: practically a character in its own right. Theodore turns the island into a romantic refuge where walls come down and feelings can’t stay benched for long.
As a longtime fan, I can say without hesitation that this is Nathalie Theodore’s best novel yet.
Review of advance copy received from Author
If We Play Fair is such a comforting story! it warmed my heart, twice i even shed tears. wonderful storytelling, and I especially appreciate how Nathalie Theodore buttoned up all the characters at the end.
I also like how there was no dramatic breakup, and no dramatic fighting their feelings and each other.
Overall, this story is exactly the palette cleanser I needed after reading the darker stuff.
I stayed up way too late to finish this and review it, now I am exhausted but cozy inside from this heartwarming love story.
I look forward to reading more by Nathalie.. with a background in mental health, the characters are super relatable, with anxieties and baggage and difficulty with emotional regulation. Just like me!
thanks sooo much for choosing me to read for you!!
I also like how there was no dramatic breakup, and no dramatic fighting their feelings and each other.
Overall, this story is exactly the palette cleanser I needed after reading the darker stuff.
I stayed up way too late to finish this and review it, now I am exhausted but cozy inside from this heartwarming love story.
I look forward to reading more by Nathalie.. with a background in mental health, the characters are super relatable, with anxieties and baggage and difficulty with emotional regulation. Just like me!
thanks sooo much for choosing me to read for you!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
If We Play Fair is another hit from Nathalie Theodore that you won't want to put down. Set against the beautiful backdrop of Maui, it would make a great TV show. It's spicier than her previous books and just as emotionally satisfying. While baseball fans will love it, this story is truly for everyone. You can't help but root for Holden and Christy as they fight through insecurities and challenges to reach their happy ending-and what an ending it is. One of the BEST I HAVE READ, reuniting beloved characters from the first two books. It's the kind of ending anyone would wish for in real life. With vivid secondary characters you'll love (and love to hate), If We Play Fair will stay with you long after you finish reading.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews