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Ballers #1
Playing Dirty
ASIN B01MSMVSHU moved to this edition.
I'm going to teach Andrea to play dirty...she just doesn't know it yet.
Jake
Pulling in eight figures a year as star pitcher for the Chicago Jaguars, there's no shortage of parties, booze, and women. I'm a beast on the mound and between the sheets but when my social media presence becomes a major problem, the team’s owner brings in a PR expert to clean up my image. Andrea Diggers is the complete opposite of every girl I’ve ever met. She’s smart, classy, and completely off limits. Which makes me want her even more. I’ve always loved a challenge, and Andrea has no idea I'm about to get her to play...on my terms.
Andrea
Cleaning up Jake Napleton’s image may be my hardest assignment yet, and not just because of the secrets he keeps deeply buried. Working alongside the six-foot-six arrogant, filthy-mouthed man is a challenge in restraint. He screams poster-boy for favorite mistakes with his chiseled abs and rippling muscles. And I want to take him up on every dirty word he’s said. But he’s not the only one with something to hide. Our attraction may be immediate. Potent. Dirty. But is it enough to withstand our shadowed pasts?
*Playing Dirty is a full length sexy standalone with an HEA.*
I'm going to teach Andrea to play dirty...she just doesn't know it yet.
Jake
Pulling in eight figures a year as star pitcher for the Chicago Jaguars, there's no shortage of parties, booze, and women. I'm a beast on the mound and between the sheets but when my social media presence becomes a major problem, the team’s owner brings in a PR expert to clean up my image. Andrea Diggers is the complete opposite of every girl I’ve ever met. She’s smart, classy, and completely off limits. Which makes me want her even more. I’ve always loved a challenge, and Andrea has no idea I'm about to get her to play...on my terms.
Andrea
Cleaning up Jake Napleton’s image may be my hardest assignment yet, and not just because of the secrets he keeps deeply buried. Working alongside the six-foot-six arrogant, filthy-mouthed man is a challenge in restraint. He screams poster-boy for favorite mistakes with his chiseled abs and rippling muscles. And I want to take him up on every dirty word he’s said. But he’s not the only one with something to hide. Our attraction may be immediate. Potent. Dirty. But is it enough to withstand our shadowed pasts?
*Playing Dirty is a full length sexy standalone with an HEA.*
328 pages, ebook
Published November 16, 2016
1049 people are currently reading
1393 people want to read
About the author
Mickey Miller
52 books2,194 followersHi, there! My name is Mickey Miller and I write sexy, fun romance with smart characters. My books are great if you're looking for a light-hearted, steamy read with some humor and a happy ending! Happy reading!
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April 15, 2024
RATING: 3 stars to Playing Dirty ★ ★ ★
Despite his seriousness, I smiled. “Since when have you cared about being late?” He didn’t answer for a long second. “I’ve always cared,” he said. “I know that’s my fault for not getting that across, because it does matter to me—my job, this game. You made me realize the things that matter to me, I have to fight to be a lot better than I have been. And there’s nothing wrong with people knowing that I care.”
I’ll be damned if you aren’t the most risk-averse girl I know.”
Jake had no idea he was my biggest risk, ever.
Playing Dirty is my second book by Mickey Miller, and though it didn’t near the winsome quality of my first, as many a reader love to say, I’m inclined to digress that it won’t be my last. My first foray was Five Day Fiance, which is the third volume in Miller’s Brewer Brothers series - I remember being taken in with unobstructed ease; curiosity struck beyond a passing once-over, I was cajoled by the cover, tantalised by the holiday destination, pleased by the premise and the story itself played with an elemental assortment of a few favourite tropes; colleagues-to-lovers, fake fiance role-play and love forged overseas. Alternatively, we have a slow-burn small-town girl meets bad boy city boy sports romance with Playing Dirty.
The further I made my way into book, the more I started to reflect upon the publication status out of little more than just sheer curiosity. While I had a semi-good time between the pages, Playing Dirty certainly had the fresh, finding-my-feet debut feel in some respects as much as it didn't quite hit the same calibre as my one-and-only other Mickey Miller romance. My hunch was validated upon a quick search when I realised that this book was not only released a handful of years apart from Five Day Fiance, but that it is in actual fact Miller's first romance release.
Debut accounted for, I think Miller actually exacts a solid, if not wholly faultless, sports romance. There's a plethora of available debut material in the wild that doesn't quite perform to this standard so firstly, I dip my head to the author for this feat - the endeavour is perceptible. And secondly, drawbacks in tow, the slow-burn consistency was very thoughtful. We have a bold-on-the-field, shameless-off-the-field pro-baller in Jake Napleton. He's got a fan base as large as his star-studded athletic prowess, a profitable arm and a victorious balling record that compensates for his lack of propriety on and beyond the field. The league sees him as a misbehaving, below-the-belt sportsman who’s more adolescent than adult. Jake doesn’t see the error of his ways, but more than that he doesn’t believe there’s any damage to control.
A few weeks into her first job and Andrea talks herself into taking on a big project, big as in pro-athlete big. As notoriously dismissive and evasive Jake is known to be with image-fixers, Andrea hadn’t anticipated how much of a challenge it would be to engage with someone who really doesn’t want to be engaged with beyond a passing distraction. Or what a conflict of interest it would be to act beyond pure professionalism. With an underhanded boss breathing over her shoulder, a controlling parent who reduces her to a mother-pleaser and a hot-tempered, cocksure man child who’s both a worry and a wonder, Andrea at least has a new friendship and a new life to wear in.
The author kneads into themes such as media misrepresentation, command of social media and deprived, disadvantaged communities which gives this book some weight. Jake’s backstory reflects a history of threat, abandonment and slim pickings growing up in the poorer, self-fulfilling ends of Chicago - making choices to survive the menace - which reinforces who he now is. And that’s a man who’s headstrong but inflexible and bends for no one but his trusted. If there’s anything I can say about Jake, he’s the antithetical opposite to a pushover and liberally sticks to his guns. But there’s still a strong affection for the city that made him. Perhaps I’m peaking too early in sensing a theme with Miller’s heroes but cocky, presumptuous and boisterous Jake would make an excellent ‘bro’ to Five Day Fiance’s Jocko - I think all his heroes might be young at heart, cavalier in spirit and utterly laddish with heart beyond the bluster.
The author creates well-defined character profiles for his leading personalities, even if Jake’s characterisation was stronger (and perhaps more prioritised) than Andrea’s. While I favoured Jake for not walking in the same resistant-to-the-heroine shoes overindulged by heroes prone to the pathological leanings of anti-love, small-town Andrea certainly holds her own against him, measured though she is. She was reserved, smart and judicious - perhaps the consummate middle child she’s said to be. Definitely trigger shy, worried that her new life might amount to a short stint that’s over before it really begins. This was a big independent move for her and I hoped that she’d step into the newness of it more than she actually did. Taking her repressed background into consideration, there’s opportunity aplenty for her to settle into her own arc but I felt as if was waiting for bold moves which never quite came from her.
If there’s any motif that signals the warning toll for me, it’s the celibate/promiscuous trope. It’s something I evade with sizeable artistry because it doesn’t work for me without true character agency. Power play between two protagonists is such a powerful thing; an exciting, thrilling stand-off that pays off like true poetry when executed with equal footing and counterweighted by each MC’s ability to give and take like a contemporary dance duo, where one taunts as the other takes the challenge, one spotlights as the other supports, ebbing and flowing with dramatic synchronicity, until both twine into an endless waltz of power, force, frisson and surrender. If the power is pulled against and pushed back by only one MC, what you have is one who dominates and one who is dominated against, pulled by the strings of their maestro. And this is usually the case when a protagonist is characterised as a virgin. Authors forget to give them agency.
The heroine’s celibacy is usually used as a device to entice her hero with the purity myth; ‘she’s fresh, she’s new, she’s unused, she'll be my prize and I want her’. The heroine’s modesty and virtue exploited as something of a trophy which she’ll play into with doe-eyed timidity, forced into the role of victim, and thereafter ensues a succession of excessive victimisation. It’s usually represented in a way where misogyny backs female volition snugly into a dark corner. I naturally struggle with the extremity in one who is too experienced versus one who is inexperienced so I held back from reading this because I knew it toyed with a characteristic that triggers my flight complex. I took a gamble though, and surprisingly enough, I felt comfortable with the way the trope is covered by Miller. Andrea makes decisions based on her preference and Jake takes it in stride without treating her as an experimental anomoly for her choices.
Playing Dirty is a very slow-burn, slow-paced romance with slow developments and I did struggle with the imbalance of abundant inner-speech to actual dialogue and activity, which does give way to some repetition. Something that feels a lot like biting into a huge chunk of bread when you’re hungrier for the filling. There is some side drama in the form of an evil ex, and some parts of the story did feel a little drawn out and naive. In terms of the professional image-fixing angle, it takes a long while to see this through (until the near-end) because our impulsive hero ignores the possibility of accepting that even a few things can be righted. But all in all, I liked this book as one would enjoy a snack in between meals - it wasn’t quite the main even but it carried me through a few hungry snack sessional bouts.
While this book wasn’t in the realm of reverential romance and I wasn’t bewitched by a pull to pick this up when I had a new day of reading to look forward to, as mentioned, Playing Dirty was still a considerably likeable, if not a lovable romance read. Not saccharine, not impersonal, but Mickey Miller manages to deliver the sentiment, the heat and the story. As I refocus on our main couple, Jake and Andrea’s chemistry was high-heat and as natural as the author’s delivery. A suspension and various warnings later and this tough, tatted and fiery sportsman still manages to be a menace to his own reputation. But a few lessons are to be taught when Andrea sees more of the misunderstood good guy in the bad boy, beyond his dazzling career and heedless reputation. The question to really ask is is the person really the persona?
It’s not the best statistic when one can only recall a grand total of two male romance writers out of a swarming infinity of their female counterparts, but in a genre where female writers dominate the calling craft and lay a comitted claim to reader intrigue, Mickey Miller is the one male author that reflexively comes to mind when I think about worth-your-while contemporary romance novelists. He supplies with a great getaway between the pages, and I’d openly, honestly love see a stronger visibility of ‘the male creator’ in this generous, grand-for-all genre.
C O N T E N T _W A R N I N G: Swearing, violence, a few descriptive bedroom scenes. References gang violence, child abuse and domestic violence.
E X T R A_T H O U G H T S
1) I won't lie, the smutty epilogue was fun and I think I enjoyed that office smut scene better than any other sex scene in the book, but the epilogue itself doesn't really accomplish anything except how wonderfully indecent these two can be. Again, no complaints but it seemed a bit pointless to offer the smut without highlighting some future developments alongside it.
2) In a few closing chapters, the author uses the reference of ‘eyes being the windows to the soul’ a few too many times.
3) I noticed that Jake uses Andrea’s name a lot, even when it's suitably appropriate to use ‘her’ as a pronoun.
4) Also, there’s a continuity error in that scene when Jake goes to Andrea’s apartment. He’s said to be walking out of her bedroom and she follows him, but then she’s being pressed up against her dresser (which I’d assume would be in her bedroom not her living room).
5) I would have loved for Jake’s sister and Andrea’s brothers to have made some on-page appearances. We only hear about them, and with the exception of one phone call Jake has with his sister, their respective families don’t play a major part - except for Andrea’s controlling meddling mum, that is.
6) I know that Jake’s supposed to be misrepresented in the media but there’s some dissonance in his characterisation. He’s thought to be a womaniser by the wider public but he confesses to Andrea that while he’s had a fair share of bedmates, he never wanted to be the womaniser that his dad was, which lets us assume that he didn’t immaculately follow in his father’s footsteps. He gives the ‘appearances can be deceiving’ talk but then it’s implied that he has womanised so there’s some conflict in that portrayal, and it’s not easy to deduce whether it’s an either/or situation. On the flips side, I also found Andrea’s choice to head home after everything comes to a head to be a strange choice when she’s supposed to be building this new (independent) life for herself.
7) So, i think a meet-nude might be my favourite thing of the moment...and while i did enjoy it, i have to admit that the first conversation between our hero and heroince was a tad cringeworthy on Jake's part. With boisterous heroes comes the sometimes-adolescent dialogue and it can be a bit off-putting.
----------------------------------------------------
Visit my blog for more reviews: V.L. Book Reviews
T W I T T E R: @VicariousHearts
I N S T A G R A M: @Vicarious.Hearts
----------------------------------------------------
Despite his seriousness, I smiled. “Since when have you cared about being late?” He didn’t answer for a long second. “I’ve always cared,” he said. “I know that’s my fault for not getting that across, because it does matter to me—my job, this game. You made me realize the things that matter to me, I have to fight to be a lot better than I have been. And there’s nothing wrong with people knowing that I care.”
I’ll be damned if you aren’t the most risk-averse girl I know.”
Jake had no idea he was my biggest risk, ever.
Playing Dirty is my second book by Mickey Miller, and though it didn’t near the winsome quality of my first, as many a reader love to say, I’m inclined to digress that it won’t be my last. My first foray was Five Day Fiance, which is the third volume in Miller’s Brewer Brothers series - I remember being taken in with unobstructed ease; curiosity struck beyond a passing once-over, I was cajoled by the cover, tantalised by the holiday destination, pleased by the premise and the story itself played with an elemental assortment of a few favourite tropes; colleagues-to-lovers, fake fiance role-play and love forged overseas. Alternatively, we have a slow-burn small-town girl meets bad boy city boy sports romance with Playing Dirty.
The further I made my way into book, the more I started to reflect upon the publication status out of little more than just sheer curiosity. While I had a semi-good time between the pages, Playing Dirty certainly had the fresh, finding-my-feet debut feel in some respects as much as it didn't quite hit the same calibre as my one-and-only other Mickey Miller romance. My hunch was validated upon a quick search when I realised that this book was not only released a handful of years apart from Five Day Fiance, but that it is in actual fact Miller's first romance release.
Debut accounted for, I think Miller actually exacts a solid, if not wholly faultless, sports romance. There's a plethora of available debut material in the wild that doesn't quite perform to this standard so firstly, I dip my head to the author for this feat - the endeavour is perceptible. And secondly, drawbacks in tow, the slow-burn consistency was very thoughtful. We have a bold-on-the-field, shameless-off-the-field pro-baller in Jake Napleton. He's got a fan base as large as his star-studded athletic prowess, a profitable arm and a victorious balling record that compensates for his lack of propriety on and beyond the field. The league sees him as a misbehaving, below-the-belt sportsman who’s more adolescent than adult. Jake doesn’t see the error of his ways, but more than that he doesn’t believe there’s any damage to control.
A few weeks into her first job and Andrea talks herself into taking on a big project, big as in pro-athlete big. As notoriously dismissive and evasive Jake is known to be with image-fixers, Andrea hadn’t anticipated how much of a challenge it would be to engage with someone who really doesn’t want to be engaged with beyond a passing distraction. Or what a conflict of interest it would be to act beyond pure professionalism. With an underhanded boss breathing over her shoulder, a controlling parent who reduces her to a mother-pleaser and a hot-tempered, cocksure man child who’s both a worry and a wonder, Andrea at least has a new friendship and a new life to wear in.
The author kneads into themes such as media misrepresentation, command of social media and deprived, disadvantaged communities which gives this book some weight. Jake’s backstory reflects a history of threat, abandonment and slim pickings growing up in the poorer, self-fulfilling ends of Chicago - making choices to survive the menace - which reinforces who he now is. And that’s a man who’s headstrong but inflexible and bends for no one but his trusted. If there’s anything I can say about Jake, he’s the antithetical opposite to a pushover and liberally sticks to his guns. But there’s still a strong affection for the city that made him. Perhaps I’m peaking too early in sensing a theme with Miller’s heroes but cocky, presumptuous and boisterous Jake would make an excellent ‘bro’ to Five Day Fiance’s Jocko - I think all his heroes might be young at heart, cavalier in spirit and utterly laddish with heart beyond the bluster.
The author creates well-defined character profiles for his leading personalities, even if Jake’s characterisation was stronger (and perhaps more prioritised) than Andrea’s. While I favoured Jake for not walking in the same resistant-to-the-heroine shoes overindulged by heroes prone to the pathological leanings of anti-love, small-town Andrea certainly holds her own against him, measured though she is. She was reserved, smart and judicious - perhaps the consummate middle child she’s said to be. Definitely trigger shy, worried that her new life might amount to a short stint that’s over before it really begins. This was a big independent move for her and I hoped that she’d step into the newness of it more than she actually did. Taking her repressed background into consideration, there’s opportunity aplenty for her to settle into her own arc but I felt as if was waiting for bold moves which never quite came from her.
If there’s any motif that signals the warning toll for me, it’s the celibate/promiscuous trope. It’s something I evade with sizeable artistry because it doesn’t work for me without true character agency. Power play between two protagonists is such a powerful thing; an exciting, thrilling stand-off that pays off like true poetry when executed with equal footing and counterweighted by each MC’s ability to give and take like a contemporary dance duo, where one taunts as the other takes the challenge, one spotlights as the other supports, ebbing and flowing with dramatic synchronicity, until both twine into an endless waltz of power, force, frisson and surrender. If the power is pulled against and pushed back by only one MC, what you have is one who dominates and one who is dominated against, pulled by the strings of their maestro. And this is usually the case when a protagonist is characterised as a virgin. Authors forget to give them agency.
The heroine’s celibacy is usually used as a device to entice her hero with the purity myth; ‘she’s fresh, she’s new, she’s unused, she'll be my prize and I want her’. The heroine’s modesty and virtue exploited as something of a trophy which she’ll play into with doe-eyed timidity, forced into the role of victim, and thereafter ensues a succession of excessive victimisation. It’s usually represented in a way where misogyny backs female volition snugly into a dark corner. I naturally struggle with the extremity in one who is too experienced versus one who is inexperienced so I held back from reading this because I knew it toyed with a characteristic that triggers my flight complex. I took a gamble though, and surprisingly enough, I felt comfortable with the way the trope is covered by Miller. Andrea makes decisions based on her preference and Jake takes it in stride without treating her as an experimental anomoly for her choices.
Playing Dirty is a very slow-burn, slow-paced romance with slow developments and I did struggle with the imbalance of abundant inner-speech to actual dialogue and activity, which does give way to some repetition. Something that feels a lot like biting into a huge chunk of bread when you’re hungrier for the filling. There is some side drama in the form of an evil ex, and some parts of the story did feel a little drawn out and naive. In terms of the professional image-fixing angle, it takes a long while to see this through (until the near-end) because our impulsive hero ignores the possibility of accepting that even a few things can be righted. But all in all, I liked this book as one would enjoy a snack in between meals - it wasn’t quite the main even but it carried me through a few hungry snack sessional bouts.
While this book wasn’t in the realm of reverential romance and I wasn’t bewitched by a pull to pick this up when I had a new day of reading to look forward to, as mentioned, Playing Dirty was still a considerably likeable, if not a lovable romance read. Not saccharine, not impersonal, but Mickey Miller manages to deliver the sentiment, the heat and the story. As I refocus on our main couple, Jake and Andrea’s chemistry was high-heat and as natural as the author’s delivery. A suspension and various warnings later and this tough, tatted and fiery sportsman still manages to be a menace to his own reputation. But a few lessons are to be taught when Andrea sees more of the misunderstood good guy in the bad boy, beyond his dazzling career and heedless reputation. The question to really ask is is the person really the persona?
It’s not the best statistic when one can only recall a grand total of two male romance writers out of a swarming infinity of their female counterparts, but in a genre where female writers dominate the calling craft and lay a comitted claim to reader intrigue, Mickey Miller is the one male author that reflexively comes to mind when I think about worth-your-while contemporary romance novelists. He supplies with a great getaway between the pages, and I’d openly, honestly love see a stronger visibility of ‘the male creator’ in this generous, grand-for-all genre.
C O N T E N T _W A R N I N G: Swearing, violence, a few descriptive bedroom scenes. References gang violence, child abuse and domestic violence.
E X T R A_T H O U G H T S
1) I won't lie, the smutty epilogue was fun and I think I enjoyed that office smut scene better than any other sex scene in the book, but the epilogue itself doesn't really accomplish anything except how wonderfully indecent these two can be. Again, no complaints but it seemed a bit pointless to offer the smut without highlighting some future developments alongside it.
2) In a few closing chapters, the author uses the reference of ‘eyes being the windows to the soul’ a few too many times.
3) I noticed that Jake uses Andrea’s name a lot, even when it's suitably appropriate to use ‘her’ as a pronoun.
4) Also, there’s a continuity error in that scene when Jake goes to Andrea’s apartment. He’s said to be walking out of her bedroom and she follows him, but then she’s being pressed up against her dresser (which I’d assume would be in her bedroom not her living room).
5) I would have loved for Jake’s sister and Andrea’s brothers to have made some on-page appearances. We only hear about them, and with the exception of one phone call Jake has with his sister, their respective families don’t play a major part - except for Andrea’s controlling meddling mum, that is.
6) I know that Jake’s supposed to be misrepresented in the media but there’s some dissonance in his characterisation. He’s thought to be a womaniser by the wider public but he confesses to Andrea that while he’s had a fair share of bedmates, he never wanted to be the womaniser that his dad was, which lets us assume that he didn’t immaculately follow in his father’s footsteps. He gives the ‘appearances can be deceiving’ talk but then it’s implied that he has womanised so there’s some conflict in that portrayal, and it’s not easy to deduce whether it’s an either/or situation. On the flips side, I also found Andrea’s choice to head home after everything comes to a head to be a strange choice when she’s supposed to be building this new (independent) life for herself.
7) So, i think a meet-nude might be my favourite thing of the moment...and while i did enjoy it, i have to admit that the first conversation between our hero and heroince was a tad cringeworthy on Jake's part. With boisterous heroes comes the sometimes-adolescent dialogue and it can be a bit off-putting.
----------------------------------------------------
Visit my blog for more reviews: V.L. Book Reviews
T W I T T E R: @VicariousHearts
I N S T A G R A M: @Vicarious.Hearts
----------------------------------------------------
Want to read
August 19, 2017
FREE on Amazon US today (8/18/2017)
Stand-alone book 1.
FREE: https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Dirty-...
BLURB:
Jake
Pulling in eight figures a year as star pitcher for the Chicago Jaguars, there's no shortage of parties, booze, and women. I'm a beast on the mound and between the sheets but when my social media presence becomes a major problem, the team’s owner brings in a PR expert to clean up my image. Andrea Diggers is the complete opposite of every girl I’ve ever met. She’s smart, classy, and completely off limits. Which makes me want her even more. I’ve always loved a challenge, and Andrea has no idea I'm about to get her to play...on my terms.
Andrea
Cleaning up Jake Napleton’s image may be my hardest assignment yet, and not just because of the secrets he keeps deeply buried. Working alongside the six-foot-six arrogant, filthy-mouthed man is a challenge in restraint. He screams poster-boy for favorite mistakes with his chiseled abs and rippling muscles. And I want to take him up on every dirty word he’s said. But he’s not the only one with something to hide. Our attraction may be immediate. Potent. Dirty. But is it enough to withstand our shadowed pasts?
FREEBIES are often good for MORE than one day. I have gathered all my FREEBIES on a special shelf: Kindle-freebies (currently over 700 books)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
December 29, 2018
well, that experiment failed. It failed quickly.
I was wondering at all these positive reviews. I don't think my favorite books have this level of adoration. I thought one of two things: 1) it's great. 2) no one remotely mean had read it.
A PR agent walks into a crowded post game locker room. Why? I'm still not clear. Maybe this is the job. For the social media? Idk. But fine.
Then, nude-ish baseball player makes all kinds of innuendos using this very nuanced style. Putting everything that can be interpreted sexually in italics. In case we can't read between the lines.
Player did this in front of his team, at the best it's offensive. At the worst, it's humiliating. At least if you're anything like me. Both are on the job. Basically it is all of the above to me. Andrea got Jake back with her quick wit, so that's good...I guess...until he leans into her, talks about her legs and also asks her on a date essentially saying he doesn't have the time now so it'll have to be that..the men scoff knowingly, and she... Can't believe her former crush would actual hit on her.
Here's what I love about romance: authors get to play with the power dynamic. They get to do the unexpected. They get to balance the scales. But this was expected. This is shit we have in our everyday. but It's not cute it's not flattering. It's threatening. Hot former crushes can still be huge dangerous pricks. Should I left hope for the rest of the book? Perhaps. But ob-la-di and all that.
Also not if you're going to go into Chicago demographics, your back history and all in a skimmy cheap way.
Then Andrea proceeds to tell us how she got chewed out and wasn't tough enough and all her boss was saying... And then showed us for like 2 lines.
So...tell tell tell. And maybe tell again. Horrible power dynamic/working relationship angle.
But kudos for a heroine that is 6' and athletic.
(Oh, the hero told us how smart she was too. And how competent)
I was wondering at all these positive reviews. I don't think my favorite books have this level of adoration. I thought one of two things: 1) it's great. 2) no one remotely mean had read it.
A PR agent walks into a crowded post game locker room. Why? I'm still not clear. Maybe this is the job. For the social media? Idk. But fine.
Then, nude-ish baseball player makes all kinds of innuendos using this very nuanced style. Putting everything that can be interpreted sexually in italics. In case we can't read between the lines.
Player did this in front of his team, at the best it's offensive. At the worst, it's humiliating. At least if you're anything like me. Both are on the job. Basically it is all of the above to me. Andrea got Jake back with her quick wit, so that's good...I guess...until he leans into her, talks about her legs and also asks her on a date essentially saying he doesn't have the time now so it'll have to be that..the men scoff knowingly, and she... Can't believe her former crush would actual hit on her.
Here's what I love about romance: authors get to play with the power dynamic. They get to do the unexpected. They get to balance the scales. But this was expected. This is shit we have in our everyday. but It's not cute it's not flattering. It's threatening. Hot former crushes can still be huge dangerous pricks. Should I left hope for the rest of the book? Perhaps. But ob-la-di and all that.
Also not if you're going to go into Chicago demographics, your back history and all in a skimmy cheap way.
Then Andrea proceeds to tell us how she got chewed out and wasn't tough enough and all her boss was saying... And then showed us for like 2 lines.
So...tell tell tell. And maybe tell again. Horrible power dynamic/working relationship angle.
But kudos for a heroine that is 6' and athletic.
(Oh, the hero told us how smart she was too. And how competent)
November 18, 2016
Playing Dirty by Mickey Miller was a fantastic read. I thoroughly enjoyed the premise of bad boy baseball pitcher Jake Napleton pursuing the goody two-shoes, PR consultant, Andrea Diggers. While trying to overhaul his image, sparks flew, tensions escalated and their chemistry combusted!
While the basics of the plot weren't original (bad boy athlete/good girl out to fix his image), there was a small town wholesome quality to the heroine that I loved. She was genuine and honest and so different from a lot of heroines out there. I loved her sass and that she gave as good as she got. She might've been from a small town, but she wasn't letting this city-slicker playboy get the best of her!
I also loved that the author was able to showcase the hero's alpha, aggressive personality on the field and in the bedroom (HOT!!), but was also able to make his vulnerable side stand out. He was an immensely private guy with a tough upbringing, but he saw something in Andrea that made him put his guard down. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and will mark it as one of my favorites! ~ Ratula, 4 "Dirty" Stars
While the basics of the plot weren't original (bad boy athlete/good girl out to fix his image), there was a small town wholesome quality to the heroine that I loved. She was genuine and honest and so different from a lot of heroines out there. I loved her sass and that she gave as good as she got. She might've been from a small town, but she wasn't letting this city-slicker playboy get the best of her!
I also loved that the author was able to showcase the hero's alpha, aggressive personality on the field and in the bedroom (HOT!!), but was also able to make his vulnerable side stand out. He was an immensely private guy with a tough upbringing, but he saw something in Andrea that made him put his guard down. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and will mark it as one of my favorites! ~ Ratula, 4 "Dirty" Stars
November 26, 2017
Free on Amazon!
November 15, 2016
What a debut novel coming from Mickey Miller. From the very beginning I love how we were learning the background of both Andrea and Jake. It goes to show you that you should never judge a book by its cover, just because it's all over social media doesn't mean it's true. Getting to know what Jake was truly about deep down touched my heart and finding out what Andrea went through and how she came out stronger shows a lot about the woman she is. These two together were absolutely amazing together and loved their story. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
November 17, 2016
Firstly, congrats to Mickey Miller with the debut of his novel.
I can see from the other reviews, I'm going against the tide a little here, but I'm going to be honest with my thoughts.
The premise was great, the title had me intrigued and the teasers for the book had my interest piqued. I enjoy sports romances, alpha bad-boys, and dual POV writing - so for all intents and purposes, I was all set.
However at the end of the read, I liked this book, I didn't love it. I actually found it easy to put aside for a few hrs and read something else.
Where I think I struggled most was with the amount of inner dialogue from both characters... sometimes for pages at a time with out any conversation / interaction with others. I also found some of the inner-dialogue repetitive, and I found myself feeling frustrated, thinking 'enough, lets move on'.
The other thing that I think prevented me from loving it, was that there were just so many topics/issues covered, that laying out the foundation of those reveals, made it a slow-going read. The first 2/3rds or more of the book felt like the set-up and then bam, in the last few chapters, things got moving so fast and all at once, it felt somewhat rushed.
I loved the girl-talk with Andrea & Amy, it was engaging, funny, honest and reminded me of how I talked with my girlfriends. I enjoyed the interactions with Jake, Tate and Andrea, they were heartfelt and touching.
So it's a 3-Star like from me. I am happy for Mickey Miller though that there are many other reviewers on here that did 5-Star love this book.
I will definitely read another book from this new author, maybe it was just that this story wasn't for me.
I can see from the other reviews, I'm going against the tide a little here, but I'm going to be honest with my thoughts.
The premise was great, the title had me intrigued and the teasers for the book had my interest piqued. I enjoy sports romances, alpha bad-boys, and dual POV writing - so for all intents and purposes, I was all set.
However at the end of the read, I liked this book, I didn't love it. I actually found it easy to put aside for a few hrs and read something else.
Where I think I struggled most was with the amount of inner dialogue from both characters... sometimes for pages at a time with out any conversation / interaction with others. I also found some of the inner-dialogue repetitive, and I found myself feeling frustrated, thinking 'enough, lets move on'.
The other thing that I think prevented me from loving it, was that there were just so many topics/issues covered, that laying out the foundation of those reveals, made it a slow-going read. The first 2/3rds or more of the book felt like the set-up and then bam, in the last few chapters, things got moving so fast and all at once, it felt somewhat rushed.
I loved the girl-talk with Andrea & Amy, it was engaging, funny, honest and reminded me of how I talked with my girlfriends. I enjoyed the interactions with Jake, Tate and Andrea, they were heartfelt and touching.
So it's a 3-Star like from me. I am happy for Mickey Miller though that there are many other reviewers on here that did 5-Star love this book.
I will definitely read another book from this new author, maybe it was just that this story wasn't for me.
November 18, 2016
***This and other reviews can be found at www.imasweetandsassybookwhore.com ***
*ARC*
So I am not one of those book snobs who turn their nose down at male romance writers. To me it doesn’t matter what is between the author’s legs as long as the book is good. Playing Dirty was a book that I really enjoyed reading and it was written by a man.
Jake will surprise you in a good way, that bad boy had secrets and those secrets will have you not only loving him but wishing it was you that he wanted. Andrea is bound and determined to prove her worth to her boss, and fixing Jake’s image is how she needs to do that. She also has some secrets, ones that have had her, in a sense, wounded, I don’t want to say broken because I think she is still very strong especially when it comes to Jake.
Playing Dirty is hot, it is sexy, it reminds us that what we see on social media is not all that we are, and that sometimes doing something for others is the best reward of all. I am impressed by Mickey Miller’s writing and am curious to see what he writes next.
*ARC*
So I am not one of those book snobs who turn their nose down at male romance writers. To me it doesn’t matter what is between the author’s legs as long as the book is good. Playing Dirty was a book that I really enjoyed reading and it was written by a man.
Jake will surprise you in a good way, that bad boy had secrets and those secrets will have you not only loving him but wishing it was you that he wanted. Andrea is bound and determined to prove her worth to her boss, and fixing Jake’s image is how she needs to do that. She also has some secrets, ones that have had her, in a sense, wounded, I don’t want to say broken because I think she is still very strong especially when it comes to Jake.
Playing Dirty is hot, it is sexy, it reminds us that what we see on social media is not all that we are, and that sometimes doing something for others is the best reward of all. I am impressed by Mickey Miller’s writing and am curious to see what he writes next.
November 18, 2016
Sexy, sweet and dirty. This book was so good! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this debut.
•
The plot and the story's progression was perfectly executed. I love how this book is told from dual perspectives and you really understood each characters point of view.
•
Jake is such a lovable alpha male with a huge heart. Andrea is such a sweet gal from Tennessee. Together these two are fantastic! Their chemistry is very much present from the first time these two characters meet to the very last page. I love Jake and Andrea's chemistry.
•
I can't wait to read more from this author! Fantastic debut!
•
Are you ready to get dirty and meet the Big Unit?
•
The plot and the story's progression was perfectly executed. I love how this book is told from dual perspectives and you really understood each characters point of view.
•
Jake is such a lovable alpha male with a huge heart. Andrea is such a sweet gal from Tennessee. Together these two are fantastic! Their chemistry is very much present from the first time these two characters meet to the very last page. I love Jake and Andrea's chemistry.
•
I can't wait to read more from this author! Fantastic debut!
•
Are you ready to get dirty and meet the Big Unit?
November 18, 2016
I love sport romances and Mickey hit this one spot on! I was drawn to Jake and Andrea's story since reading the blurb. There was just the right amount of sport talk and a perfect amount of swooning romance! I loved that we got to see both perspectives from Jake and Andrea - their emotions and thoughts were so realistic. The growth in their relationship was beautiful and the secondary characters made it even more so. What a well written debut novel! I can't wait to see more from Mickey Miller!
November 15, 2016
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Mickey Millers debut novel Playing Dirty and I was not disappointed.
Written from a dual POV, we live through the thoughts of both Andrea and Jake Napleton. Andrea has been hired to clean up Jakes bad boy image, while Jake tries everything to resist the change.
Andrea and Jake are drawn to each other right from the beginning with a lot of push and pull between them. Sexual tension high, while their connection is growing.
We learn about Andrea and Jakes pasts. Both filled with darker times that shape the core of who they are today, helping them to form a bond that will allow them to grow together. And once they get together, well lets just say that you will not be disappointed!!!
I loved how it all came together in the end. It was the perfect HEA!!!
Mickey Miller writes a really strong male POV. I would love to see a future book done totally from the male POV, but that may be for selfish reasons only since they are my preference!!!
I rate his debut novel as 4*. I felt that the first 1/2 of the book was a little slow, taking a little too long to build up to the good stuff!! I also felt that his female POV was weak. Overall you will not be left unsatisfied........
Written from a dual POV, we live through the thoughts of both Andrea and Jake Napleton. Andrea has been hired to clean up Jakes bad boy image, while Jake tries everything to resist the change.
"He needs to learn the difference between a private and a public life"
Andrea and Jake are drawn to each other right from the beginning with a lot of push and pull between them. Sexual tension high, while their connection is growing.
"He entered my room and looked at me, determined. I couldn't speak, even if I wanted to. My resistance was gone, so I just waited, wanting him, wanting this, however it ended."
We learn about Andrea and Jakes pasts. Both filled with darker times that shape the core of who they are today, helping them to form a bond that will allow them to grow together. And once they get together, well lets just say that you will not be disappointed!!!
"This was heaven.
This was release.
This is what Jake did to me"
I loved how it all came together in the end. It was the perfect HEA!!!
Mickey Miller writes a really strong male POV. I would love to see a future book done totally from the male POV, but that may be for selfish reasons only since they are my preference!!!
I rate his debut novel as 4*. I felt that the first 1/2 of the book was a little slow, taking a little too long to build up to the good stuff!! I also felt that his female POV was weak. Overall you will not be left unsatisfied........
Mr. Miller's Playing Dirty will have you "playing dirty!"
August 15, 2020
Andrea Diggers has been assigned the task of cleaning up the image of Jake Napleton - star pitcher for the Chicago Jaguars. There were a few moments where I wished Andrea had more fire but she was nice enough as a heroine.
An easy and light sport romance which I was really enjoying at the start but then things fizzled out a tad for me and I found it easy to put the book down.
I really liked the scenes with Jake and the kids. I also really enjoyed the interactions between Jake, Tate and Andrea.
Andrea's ex was a abusive blackmailing douchebag, who had rocks for brains - it's been a few days since I've read this and his character still annoys me.
Potential Triggers:
Acquired via KU.
An easy and light sport romance which I was really enjoying at the start but then things fizzled out a tad for me and I found it easy to put the book down.
I really liked the scenes with Jake and the kids. I also really enjoyed the interactions between Jake, Tate and Andrea.
Andrea's ex was a abusive blackmailing douchebag, who had rocks for brains - it's been a few days since I've read this and his character still annoys me.
Potential Triggers:
Acquired via KU.
November 17, 2016
Mickey Miller pitched a no-hitter with his debut novel, Playing Dirty. This story was so good that it sucked me in from the very beginning. Andrea and Jake have oodles of chemistry and I was behind them all the way. I really liked these two together!! Not to mention they were super hot and sexy together!!!
At first glance, Jake who is the star pitcher for the Chicago Jaguars, appears to be little more than a cocky playboy athlete. Andrea, who is a former softball player from a small town in Tennessee, is interning at a PR firm and is assigned to help him clean up his image.
They definitely didn’t see the other one coming and certainly weren’t counting on falling in love. We find out very early on that Jake is so much more than his social media image. It was awesome throughout how they both looked out for each other and were so protective of each other. I also adored him for volunteering his time and resources to coach the young boys on the south side and really loved everything he did for them, especially Tate. I really liked how bad-ass she was to set things right again for Jake.
Can’t wait for Mickey’s next one!
At first glance, Jake who is the star pitcher for the Chicago Jaguars, appears to be little more than a cocky playboy athlete. Andrea, who is a former softball player from a small town in Tennessee, is interning at a PR firm and is assigned to help him clean up his image.
They definitely didn’t see the other one coming and certainly weren’t counting on falling in love. We find out very early on that Jake is so much more than his social media image. It was awesome throughout how they both looked out for each other and were so protective of each other. I also adored him for volunteering his time and resources to coach the young boys on the south side and really loved everything he did for them, especially Tate. I really liked how bad-ass she was to set things right again for Jake.
Can’t wait for Mickey’s next one!
November 17, 2016
5 "Effin" Stars!!!
Baseball and a love story with a shot of reality!
This book was just as good as this year's final game of the World Series!
Jake is the baseball player that no one truly knows. Andrea is the intern who piques his interest even though he is her job. As she tries to redeem his public image, the two learn there is more than meets the eye.
Mickey Miller penned a grad slam novel and I am looking forward to his next novel as much as I am looking forward to baseball season.
While I normally share the highlighted pieces that I fall in love with...the highlights in this novel are a tad personal but when I read them, it was like the novel was talking to me so the only one I'll share is simple:
"Inhale. Exhale."
PS-I did receive an ARC of this novel, but, I still would have given it 5 stars once I read it. ;)
Baseball and a love story with a shot of reality!
This book was just as good as this year's final game of the World Series!
Jake is the baseball player that no one truly knows. Andrea is the intern who piques his interest even though he is her job. As she tries to redeem his public image, the two learn there is more than meets the eye.
Mickey Miller penned a grad slam novel and I am looking forward to his next novel as much as I am looking forward to baseball season.
While I normally share the highlighted pieces that I fall in love with...the highlights in this novel are a tad personal but when I read them, it was like the novel was talking to me so the only one I'll share is simple:
"Inhale. Exhale."
PS-I did receive an ARC of this novel, but, I still would have given it 5 stars once I read it. ;)
June 28, 2020
Oh yeah!
This was great! Such a great story with great love scenes! This was amazing and I highly recommend!! I love the concept and how it all came together at the end.
This was great! Such a great story with great love scenes! This was amazing and I highly recommend!! I love the concept and how it all came together at the end.
November 18, 2016
Pretty darn good...
As far as sports romances go this one was a pretty standard storyline. It did have its different assets to me. Jake was kind of a closed book, that was constantly only judged by his cover. What lesson have we all learned? Don't judge a book by its cover, and Jake definitely deserves a deeper look.
Andrea is a small town girl working in the big city for her big break. She's got a PR internship and she is ready and willing to take on her first client. Bad boy Jake! Unfortunately for her, he's less than enthused about needing a PR makeover. He's super resistant even though he's very flirty and friendly with Andrea, he doesn't want her help professionally.
I felt like Jakes backstory was pretty unique. I'm not sure if the author has any connection to Chicago, but if he does I wouldn't be surprised because it felt as though he was very invested in the area and it's people through his character! I don't want to ruin it, but finding out the little details as you read is nice. I also liked Andrea's backstory and how it affected her relationship with Jake and even with her friends/co-workers.
This story was funny, without trying too hard. The funny moments felt very natural and were even snuck in there at times. The banter between characters also felt very natural! It was angsty, it had some naughty bits, and it was sweet at times. It honestly had a little bit of everything. Very well written and I can't wait to see what else comes from this author! Great work!
As far as sports romances go this one was a pretty standard storyline. It did have its different assets to me. Jake was kind of a closed book, that was constantly only judged by his cover. What lesson have we all learned? Don't judge a book by its cover, and Jake definitely deserves a deeper look.
Andrea is a small town girl working in the big city for her big break. She's got a PR internship and she is ready and willing to take on her first client. Bad boy Jake! Unfortunately for her, he's less than enthused about needing a PR makeover. He's super resistant even though he's very flirty and friendly with Andrea, he doesn't want her help professionally.
I felt like Jakes backstory was pretty unique. I'm not sure if the author has any connection to Chicago, but if he does I wouldn't be surprised because it felt as though he was very invested in the area and it's people through his character! I don't want to ruin it, but finding out the little details as you read is nice. I also liked Andrea's backstory and how it affected her relationship with Jake and even with her friends/co-workers.
This story was funny, without trying too hard. The funny moments felt very natural and were even snuck in there at times. The banter between characters also felt very natural! It was angsty, it had some naughty bits, and it was sweet at times. It honestly had a little bit of everything. Very well written and I can't wait to see what else comes from this author! Great work!
April 22, 2017
WOW!!! Amazing book!!
This was my first book by Mickey and I loved it!! I was pulled in from the beginning and I fell in love with Jake and Andrea. The writing was beautiful and the story flowed perfectly. Oh my lord the sex scenes were so hot!! I loved the chemistry between them. I can not wait to read more books by him! If you are looking for a good sports romance I highly recommend this one!!
This was my first book by Mickey and I loved it!! I was pulled in from the beginning and I fell in love with Jake and Andrea. The writing was beautiful and the story flowed perfectly. Oh my lord the sex scenes were so hot!! I loved the chemistry between them. I can not wait to read more books by him! If you are looking for a good sports romance I highly recommend this one!!
December 18, 2023
My rating: 5
December 1, 2016
Review to come.
Want to read
July 2, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (7/2/2019)! 🎁
August 13, 2024
Andrea and Jake story was absolutely incredible. This author hit it out of the park. This is a new to me author and I definitely be reading more of his work. This story had it all and i was hooked from the very beginning. The banter, the chemistry and everything in between it was absolutely amazing. 💛
March 24, 2017
This was my first read by this author and I'm loved every page! This book was super hot and intense! I loved they story of Jake and Andrea so much! A bad boy pitcher for baseball team and a sweet southern girl who works at a PR in a big city, together the chemistry is off the charts!!! For a debut novel I am blown away at how fantastic it was! I will definitely be reading more from Mickey!
May 3, 2017
I had no idea what to expect from this book. Mickey Miller is a new author to me, but boy oh boy did he hit it out of the park! (pun intended) I loved the heat, suspense and emotion in this story. I couldn't put it down! It was everything I love in a great romance.
February 13, 2018
Liked not love
I liked it, but I didn't love it. It feels like something was missing. Hear to explain why or what.
I liked it, but I didn't love it. It feels like something was missing. Hear to explain why or what.
July 8, 2020
The first 55% of this book I was willing to give 4 stars, but the last 45% was absolute garbage. I forced myself to continue.
August 13, 2024
Andrea and Jake were absolutely perfect for one another! They were exactly what the other one needed! I loved every little thing about them! 🥰❤️
May 31, 2017
I was recently introduced to Mickey Miller and Playing Dirty is the first book that I have read by this amazing author. I loved this book from start to finish. Everything about Playing Dirty was epic.
Jake Napleton is a very complex man. A star pitcher for the Chicago Jaguars, he is labeled as a bad boy in the baseball world. This persona is getting Jake into some hot water with his coaches and the team owner. In an effort to fix his social media appearance, the team has hired a PR representative to help get Jake back on track. However, things get more complicated when Jake set his sights on the lovely Andrea. A softball phenom in her own right, Andrea, is a little surprised when Jake Napleton knows who she is. Things do not go as planned when she is trying to clean up his image, but the unexpected may just be what Jake needs.
Playing Dirty took me on a roller coaster ride of a great story line. We had drama, mystery, danger, some action, and some great sexual tension. This book is well written. The characters are complex, yet you can identify with them on a personal level. I cannot wait to get onto the next book by Mr. Miller.
Jake Napleton is a very complex man. A star pitcher for the Chicago Jaguars, he is labeled as a bad boy in the baseball world. This persona is getting Jake into some hot water with his coaches and the team owner. In an effort to fix his social media appearance, the team has hired a PR representative to help get Jake back on track. However, things get more complicated when Jake set his sights on the lovely Andrea. A softball phenom in her own right, Andrea, is a little surprised when Jake Napleton knows who she is. Things do not go as planned when she is trying to clean up his image, but the unexpected may just be what Jake needs.
Playing Dirty took me on a roller coaster ride of a great story line. We had drama, mystery, danger, some action, and some great sexual tension. This book is well written. The characters are complex, yet you can identify with them on a personal level. I cannot wait to get onto the next book by Mr. Miller.
November 18, 2016
Every so often I like to take a chance on an author that is releasing their debut novel. When I received an email from Mickey Miller to review I was like, ok its a baseball romance, I can dig that. I love a good baseball romance so I'll take a chance and read it. OH MY LORD!! I am totally blown away! I was very pleasantly surprised with Playing Dirty. The story flow was seamless and I sucked into the storyline from the beginning. I literally devoured this in one day! It's a HOT one that you do not want to miss!! I am excited to see what else Mr. Miller has in store for us! This story is told in alternating points of views and is a complete story.
Jake is the hottest baseball pitcher in the major leagues. But his personal image portrays him as a playboy, a heavy drinker, and frat boy that has never grown up. The owner of the team is looking to clean up his image so he hires a PR firm to get Jake on track. Jake could are less what his personal image is. As long as he's winning, that's all that's important to him.
Andrea is fresh out of college interning at a Chicago PR firm. She's a small town girl from Tennessee with very conservative beliefs. She has no idea that her boss is about to give her the biggest client of her life. She must convince Jake that he needs to clean up his act. Jake immediately sees as another conquest. Andrea knows she must draw the line but the more time she spends with Jake, the more he breaks down her defenses.
When Andrea follows Jake, she first hands see's there is so much more to Jake than what he lets people believe. The more time Andrea spends with Jake, the more she is falling. But getting into a relationship with a player is seething she has no interest in. She knows first hand what troubles that can bring. She know she shouldn't cross the line and keep their relationship professional, but sometimes it's worth the risk. But when an ex-boyfriend shows up, it threatens more than just Andrea's relationship with Jake. He has a personal vendetta against Jake and is determined to get him kicked out of the league. Playing Dirty is sexy, suspenseful, and had me totally swooning over Jake. I would highly recommend this one! But remember, I claimed Jake first! #LoveMeABaseballPlayer #JakesMyNewBookBoyfriend #JakesAHottie
Jake is the hottest baseball pitcher in the major leagues. But his personal image portrays him as a playboy, a heavy drinker, and frat boy that has never grown up. The owner of the team is looking to clean up his image so he hires a PR firm to get Jake on track. Jake could are less what his personal image is. As long as he's winning, that's all that's important to him.
Andrea is fresh out of college interning at a Chicago PR firm. She's a small town girl from Tennessee with very conservative beliefs. She has no idea that her boss is about to give her the biggest client of her life. She must convince Jake that he needs to clean up his act. Jake immediately sees as another conquest. Andrea knows she must draw the line but the more time she spends with Jake, the more he breaks down her defenses.
When Andrea follows Jake, she first hands see's there is so much more to Jake than what he lets people believe. The more time Andrea spends with Jake, the more she is falling. But getting into a relationship with a player is seething she has no interest in. She knows first hand what troubles that can bring. She know she shouldn't cross the line and keep their relationship professional, but sometimes it's worth the risk. But when an ex-boyfriend shows up, it threatens more than just Andrea's relationship with Jake. He has a personal vendetta against Jake and is determined to get him kicked out of the league. Playing Dirty is sexy, suspenseful, and had me totally swooning over Jake. I would highly recommend this one! But remember, I claimed Jake first! #LoveMeABaseballPlayer #JakesMyNewBookBoyfriend #JakesAHottie
December 22, 2016
Really enjoyed this! Playing Dirty had a lot more heart then I was thinking it would have, and I loved both of the main characters. Jake is a major league baseball player, who has a bit of a bad boy reputation, so the owner of his team hires a PR team to work on Jake's social media reputation. Andrea is new to the PR firm, but she makes an impression on the owner of the team, and gets tasked with turning Jake's reputation around. Andrea thinks Jake is one hot hunk of a man, but she doesn't want to get involved with some bad boy baseball player; especially one that is her client, but if Jake has anything to say about it, Andrea and him will be getting a lot closer. As Andrea gets to know Jake better, she starts to see a side of him that he doesn't let many people see, and they begin to grow closer together. Unfortunately, both have some issues in the past that may affect their growing connection, and both need to find strength in themselves to persevere above the difficulties in their lives. This is a great sports romance, and there are definitely some hot moments in the book, but the book goes into a lot more then just Andrea and Jake's relationship, and the character's actions felt natural and the story flowed smoothly. Andrea and Jake are hot together, and I actually would've loved a bit more of just Andrea and Jake together. Both are strong characters, and I liked that they have a fun banter with each other; it makes it seem like their connection is more genuine, and their relationship is built on more than just sexual attraction. There's some interesting side characters, and hopefully they will get books of their own; I especially am interested in what is going on with Jake's sister. I look forward to checking out more book by Mickey Miller, and hopefully get more of Andrea and Jake! Great first book by Mickey Miller!
November 24, 2016
Okay so when I was requested to review this book, I was a bit hesitant. I'm not very in to overtly dirty books and was not sure that this would be a book I enjoyed. So imagine my surprise when I opened it up and could not stop reading. Though the main character is a "don't give a damn about my player bad boy image" kind of ball player, he is actually a pretty good guy. And the chemistry was more romantic that dirty.
Jake is a high profile baseball player. He doesn't seem to care that he is so badly misunderstood thanks to all the rage that is social media. Andrea is handpicked by the team owner to revamp his image. As she spends time with Jake a whole new side of him is revealed that can help revive his tarnished image. But Jake has other plans. Overcoming his dark past and trying to make a brighter future for other kids from similar backgrounds is a pet project but he chooses to keep it low key because he has no desire to be in the spotlight for it.
She understands about hidden skeletons and one has just come back to haunt her. But when bad publicity threatens to end Jake's career, Andrea doesn't have much choice but to reveal the side of him he wants to keep hidden. Especially when she is the reason for this huge mess.
I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from the author for voluntary review consideration
Jake is a high profile baseball player. He doesn't seem to care that he is so badly misunderstood thanks to all the rage that is social media. Andrea is handpicked by the team owner to revamp his image. As she spends time with Jake a whole new side of him is revealed that can help revive his tarnished image. But Jake has other plans. Overcoming his dark past and trying to make a brighter future for other kids from similar backgrounds is a pet project but he chooses to keep it low key because he has no desire to be in the spotlight for it.
She understands about hidden skeletons and one has just come back to haunt her. But when bad publicity threatens to end Jake's career, Andrea doesn't have much choice but to reveal the side of him he wants to keep hidden. Especially when she is the reason for this huge mess.
I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from the author for voluntary review consideration
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