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Playing for Keeps
Rosie can’t believe her good luck. Her grandmother, Glory, needs a last-minute roommate for a cruise to the Caribbean. Glory doesn’t really need a companion–she’s eager for Rosie to meet her friend’s grandson, Neil, a brainy guy full of facts about baseball. Once Rosie is aboard the ship, though, someone else catches her eye–a boy her own age, who introduces himself as Ricky Diago. But after the ship sails, Rosie only sees Ricky’s uncle, Mr. Diago. What’s even stranger is that Neil could swear that Mr. Diago is actually a famous Cuban baseball player for the Cincinnati Reds. Then after a day’s excursion, Rosie is approached by another boy who claims he’s Ricky Diago. She’s certain he’s not the person she met before. Suddenly Rosie finds herself caught in a high-stakes adventure of international intrigue with life-or-death consequences. Who is the real Ricky Diago? And how far is Rosie willing to go to help him?
From the Paperback edition.
From the Paperback edition.
208 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
9 people are currently reading
205 people want to read
About the author
Joan Lowery Nixon
190 books485 followersAuthor of more than one hundred books, Joan Lowery Nixon is the only writer to have won four Edgar Allan Poe Awards for Juvenile Mysteries (and been nominated several other times) from the Mystery Writers of America. Creating contemporary teenage characters who have both a personal problem and a mystery to solve, Nixon captured the attention of legions of teenage readers since the publication of her first YA novel more than twenty years ago. In addition to mystery/suspense novels, she wrote nonfiction and fiction for children and middle graders, as well as several short stories. Nixon was the first person to write novels for teens about the orphan trains of the nineteenth century. She followed those with historical novels about Ellis Island and, more recently for younger readers, Colonial Williamsburg. Joan Lowery Nixon died on June 28, 2003—a great loss for all of us.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 18, 2023
You can tell what type of a person I am when it comes to books and movies but mostly horror, thrillers and romance.
To tie together a book with either of those elements plus a very personable protagonist and set it up against something so relatable, nothing far fetched, and have me reading it so fast I had to have time to process the plot...that's five star reading material.
The back of the book intrigued me enough and I had no idea what I was really in for...
First of all, the prologue sets it up with a third person narration about a young man named Enrique who is almost eighteen and leaving Cuba for the United States with help from his great-uncle who left many years ago to play baseball.
If you know anything about Cuba from the late 1990s - early 2000s when this book was written and all the people who had been leaving for years. I won't get into politics too much but it was very sad and infuriating...
The book shifts back to first person narration of our main character, sixteen going on seventeen Rose Ann Marstead. She is accompanying her paternal grandmother Gloria "Glory" on a week's cruise around the Caribbean after a member of her bridge team has to forfeit the trip for surgery.
Rose Ann's dad died when she was fourteen and her grandmother and mom have had a sort of...contest going with each other. Grandmas are for fun so Glory spends a lot of money on Rose but also helped out with any debts that needed taking care of after her son died. That included letting Rose not have to give up any hobbies her mother couldn't afford.
A bad decision at a party had mother and daughter at odds but grudgingly, out of hurt and jealousy, Rose's mother let her grandmother get the last word in and win. Now flying from Texas to Florida to catch the ship in Miami, Rose feels bad about fighting with her mom yet knows she will have freedom on the cruise while her grandmother and her friends are in a bridge tournament aboard the ship most of the time.
Rose isn't too happy to find out that her grandmother is hoping to set her up with the seventeen year old grandson of one of her bridge teammates. Neil Fleming is a very smart guy but not the type of guy Rose is looking to date though he is very nice and devoted to helping out his own grandmother. Rose just got over a humiliation at the hands of a boy she liked who only used her to get close to another girl...ouch.
Her heart is bruised and needs time to heal but her best friend Becca has seen James Cameron's Titanic maybe a few too many times and thinks that Rose (get use to a bunch of references) will meet her true love on this ship. Rose Ann tries not to get her hopes up at first but it's hard when your grandmother wants to play matchmaker.
There are other boys on the ship, teen boys that may actually appeal to Rose, but Glory wants Rose to meet "a nice boy"...fully grandmother approved.
Rose almost knocks over an elder gentleman who is boarding the ship with his nephew and he introduces himself as Jose Diago and the younger boy, around the same age as Rose and Neil, as Ricky. Neil thinks that the man looks like Martin Urbino, a Cuban baseball player who use to be on the Cincinnati Reds after defecting from Cuba when Castro first became president for life.
Would you rather I use dictator...and offend someone either way?
He tells Neil that he is mistaken even though Neil is very into baseball but Rose does notice after that first encounter that Ricky just seems to vanish and is never really seen with his uncle.
It doesn't really cross her mind for awhile when Rose discovers that there is a lot for her to do on board the ship when she meets another girl her age, Julieta Vargas. Her parents live in Miami and they go on a lot of cruises like this one to visit the other countries. They get along well and the only squabble they have is brief when Rose mistakes Calypso music as Cuban music.
Julieta's parents left Cuba, were exiled like others who fled and could only communicate with their families through letters and the telephone. She never got to meet either sets of her grandparents before they died and Julieta is rightfully bitter about that.
Glory signs Rose and Neil up for snorkeling lessons the first day that the ship docks on land and springs it on them. The two have fun and talk with each other but are embarrassed that their grandmothers are trying to set them up and they meet up with Julieta when boarding the boat to take them to the cruise ship. Earlier in the day, Rose remembers seeing Mr. Diago but no Ricky on the same boat.
A handsome boy, only a little older than Rose, sits down next to her on the boat and she can't help but find his accent charming. Some of the awe wears off when he introduces himself...as Ricky Diago.
Rose clearly remembers seeing Ricky Diago and this isn't the same young man she saw boarding with the older gentleman. She introduces Ricky to Julieta and Neil but it is clear that Neil never clearly saw the other Ricky's face even though he talked to Jose Diago, the same man who this "Ricky" claims is his uncle.
Rose whispers to Ricky that she knows that is not his name and he pleads for her not to say anything as they board the cruise ship, her hand clasped in his out of silent desperation.
Of course the prologue spoils it but so does the cover so there is no harm if I continue just a little bit more of the plot. Enrique Urbino got help from his uncle to make his way to Miami to get political asylum and defect from Cuba and the plan was to get Enrique aboard this ship to get there when the cruise is over.
Even though "Ricky" is skeptical at first, he lets Rose call Neil so that he can help with a big problem. He is sure that they are going to be looking for him soon when his other family notices Enrique is missing because he is a well-known pitcher for a Havana baseball team.
If his government finds him they will take him back to Cuba, declare him a traitor, bar him from baseball or perhaps Enrique Urbino will just "disappear"...
What follows is a forbidden romance between Rose and Ricky that is faced with a lot of underhanded interference, murder, good intentions and all of it leading up to a bittersweet ending tinged with ambiguity that I wish Nixon could have tackled in a book before her death.
Playing For Keeps was one of Nixon's later books but so far it is the best one I have read and can fully recommend if you are wanting something a little more hard hitting. Sure there is romance but it is also about standing up for yourself and the things you believe in whether right or wrong or even against what others think is right or wrong for you...
To tie together a book with either of those elements plus a very personable protagonist and set it up against something so relatable, nothing far fetched, and have me reading it so fast I had to have time to process the plot...that's five star reading material.
The back of the book intrigued me enough and I had no idea what I was really in for...
First of all, the prologue sets it up with a third person narration about a young man named Enrique who is almost eighteen and leaving Cuba for the United States with help from his great-uncle who left many years ago to play baseball.
If you know anything about Cuba from the late 1990s - early 2000s when this book was written and all the people who had been leaving for years. I won't get into politics too much but it was very sad and infuriating...
The book shifts back to first person narration of our main character, sixteen going on seventeen Rose Ann Marstead. She is accompanying her paternal grandmother Gloria "Glory" on a week's cruise around the Caribbean after a member of her bridge team has to forfeit the trip for surgery.
Rose Ann's dad died when she was fourteen and her grandmother and mom have had a sort of...contest going with each other. Grandmas are for fun so Glory spends a lot of money on Rose but also helped out with any debts that needed taking care of after her son died. That included letting Rose not have to give up any hobbies her mother couldn't afford.
A bad decision at a party had mother and daughter at odds but grudgingly, out of hurt and jealousy, Rose's mother let her grandmother get the last word in and win. Now flying from Texas to Florida to catch the ship in Miami, Rose feels bad about fighting with her mom yet knows she will have freedom on the cruise while her grandmother and her friends are in a bridge tournament aboard the ship most of the time.
Rose isn't too happy to find out that her grandmother is hoping to set her up with the seventeen year old grandson of one of her bridge teammates. Neil Fleming is a very smart guy but not the type of guy Rose is looking to date though he is very nice and devoted to helping out his own grandmother. Rose just got over a humiliation at the hands of a boy she liked who only used her to get close to another girl...ouch.
Her heart is bruised and needs time to heal but her best friend Becca has seen James Cameron's Titanic maybe a few too many times and thinks that Rose (get use to a bunch of references) will meet her true love on this ship. Rose Ann tries not to get her hopes up at first but it's hard when your grandmother wants to play matchmaker.
There are other boys on the ship, teen boys that may actually appeal to Rose, but Glory wants Rose to meet "a nice boy"...fully grandmother approved.
Rose almost knocks over an elder gentleman who is boarding the ship with his nephew and he introduces himself as Jose Diago and the younger boy, around the same age as Rose and Neil, as Ricky. Neil thinks that the man looks like Martin Urbino, a Cuban baseball player who use to be on the Cincinnati Reds after defecting from Cuba when Castro first became president for life.
Would you rather I use dictator...and offend someone either way?
He tells Neil that he is mistaken even though Neil is very into baseball but Rose does notice after that first encounter that Ricky just seems to vanish and is never really seen with his uncle.
It doesn't really cross her mind for awhile when Rose discovers that there is a lot for her to do on board the ship when she meets another girl her age, Julieta Vargas. Her parents live in Miami and they go on a lot of cruises like this one to visit the other countries. They get along well and the only squabble they have is brief when Rose mistakes Calypso music as Cuban music.
Julieta's parents left Cuba, were exiled like others who fled and could only communicate with their families through letters and the telephone. She never got to meet either sets of her grandparents before they died and Julieta is rightfully bitter about that.
Glory signs Rose and Neil up for snorkeling lessons the first day that the ship docks on land and springs it on them. The two have fun and talk with each other but are embarrassed that their grandmothers are trying to set them up and they meet up with Julieta when boarding the boat to take them to the cruise ship. Earlier in the day, Rose remembers seeing Mr. Diago but no Ricky on the same boat.
A handsome boy, only a little older than Rose, sits down next to her on the boat and she can't help but find his accent charming. Some of the awe wears off when he introduces himself...as Ricky Diago.
Rose clearly remembers seeing Ricky Diago and this isn't the same young man she saw boarding with the older gentleman. She introduces Ricky to Julieta and Neil but it is clear that Neil never clearly saw the other Ricky's face even though he talked to Jose Diago, the same man who this "Ricky" claims is his uncle.
Rose whispers to Ricky that she knows that is not his name and he pleads for her not to say anything as they board the cruise ship, her hand clasped in his out of silent desperation.
Of course the prologue spoils it but so does the cover so there is no harm if I continue just a little bit more of the plot. Enrique Urbino got help from his uncle to make his way to Miami to get political asylum and defect from Cuba and the plan was to get Enrique aboard this ship to get there when the cruise is over.
Even though "Ricky" is skeptical at first, he lets Rose call Neil so that he can help with a big problem. He is sure that they are going to be looking for him soon when his other family notices Enrique is missing because he is a well-known pitcher for a Havana baseball team.
If his government finds him they will take him back to Cuba, declare him a traitor, bar him from baseball or perhaps Enrique Urbino will just "disappear"...
What follows is a forbidden romance between Rose and Ricky that is faced with a lot of underhanded interference, murder, good intentions and all of it leading up to a bittersweet ending tinged with ambiguity that I wish Nixon could have tackled in a book before her death.
Playing For Keeps was one of Nixon's later books but so far it is the best one I have read and can fully recommend if you are wanting something a little more hard hitting. Sure there is romance but it is also about standing up for yourself and the things you believe in whether right or wrong or even against what others think is right or wrong for you...
October 26, 2018
Another mystery unfolds every time your fingers flip the pages! Constantly stopping everything around you and engaging you into the story, Playing for Keeps by Joan Lowery Nixon leaves everything on the page as the novel’s protagonist, Rose, and her grandmother, Glory, embark on a cruise with ecstatic expectations. The exceptions are just as expected until Rose meets a boy named Enrique. As the story unfolds, Rose attempts to keep a Cuban stowaway hidden on a cruise ship as she attempts to bring him to US soil. Another mystery abounds as her love for Enrique is hiding the real mission of keeping him safe. Enrique had his plate full as well as he was framed for a murder and the Cuban Police are vigorously attempting to take them back to Cuba to encase him in a closed off cell if caught by Cuban forces. The other fear of keeping him away from Cuba is death if caught attempting an act of this magnitude could result in execution by the Cuban government. If there were not enough problems already, keeping him on board with a band of other teenagers can lead to not only capture, but romance, and other issues are bound to show themselves throughout the pages. The principal storyline is the accusation on Enrique’s murder mystery. The Cuban government had framed him in order to cover up the real story. The book continues to surprise throughout with ups and downs coming right out of the blue!
October 23, 2018
I didn't really like this book all that much. The start of the book was ok, but during the middle and the end of the book, it got pretty boring. From the looks of the cover, I thought it would be a more intense book. Personally, I hate reading and that's why I need one of those REALLY good books to get me interested. There are only a few books that I have completely finished in my life. Probably around 10 to 15 without the little 10 page kid books from kindergarten.
My favorite passage from the book was the first chapter when they stole a boat and escaped from prison. That's about the only part of the book that includes action. The book felt realistic because when I was reading it, I thought the book was a true story. I wouldn't recommend it to people like me. None of the characters had anything in common with me like their traits.
I guess the characters are believable, like I said, the book felt like a true story when I read it. I felt the same after reading it because I didn't really understand the book or the story line of it. I also like murder mystery books or comedy books like one I read a while back which was called Parent Swap. This book felt like a documentary or history book and I have no idea why. Probably because the book was dull or plain. So this is my review and the book I'll probably never read again.
My favorite passage from the book was the first chapter when they stole a boat and escaped from prison. That's about the only part of the book that includes action. The book felt realistic because when I was reading it, I thought the book was a true story. I wouldn't recommend it to people like me. None of the characters had anything in common with me like their traits.
I guess the characters are believable, like I said, the book felt like a true story when I read it. I felt the same after reading it because I didn't really understand the book or the story line of it. I also like murder mystery books or comedy books like one I read a while back which was called Parent Swap. This book felt like a documentary or history book and I have no idea why. Probably because the book was dull or plain. So this is my review and the book I'll probably never read again.
August 26, 2020
If nothing else, Joan Lowery Nixon writes a book that keeps the reader engrossed in "what happens next?". This book is no exception. I like how the prologue tells us about Ricky's life in Cuba and plans to escape. This was during the dictator days of Fidel Castro when people discovered escaping were returned to Cuba where they "disappeared". If they could make it to US soil they could ask for political asylum. Remember those days? So when Rosie, our protagonist, goes on a cruise with her grandmother and discovers a mysterious man and his nephew, she is intrigued. Eventually she goes on to help Ricky evade the authorities but it isn't without peril. As others pointed out, this book does end with questions unanswered- did Ricky gain political asylum? Did they ever meet again? The book desperately needs an epilogue for those, like me, who have an inquiring mind.
May 25, 2025
I found this short, well-shaped murder mystery/political intrigue an enjoyable read for an afternoon. While very much written for young adults, and the main character sometimes has no filter and comes across as kinda cringe in her interactions with others, it is a page turner as the author leads the reader throughout the cruise ship, turning suspicion on any number of people as the story progresses. Will the young Cuban baseball player make it safely to the United States? And whodunnit with the murder? The dots are connected logically and coherently. It's a nice enough story, and I like how it communicated the challenges Cubans faced (at the time it was written) to a younger audience. The baseball angle was fun too! All in all, a solid young adult mystery that is short and sufficiently entertaining (if you take into account that it was written for tweens in the early 2000s).
June 30, 2020
I wish that it was a bit longer, was more descriptive, and felt less rushed. But, I enjoyed the fast pace and Rose was a mostly relatable and realistic character.
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July 16, 2021I really wish that there was a sequel to this one. Does Ricky manage to stay in the US? Hopefully, Rose decides to give Neil a chance, because Ricky just seemed too desperate, moved way too fast.
March 21, 2022
Aside from the cringe references to the "romance" in the Titanic movie, I quite enjoyed this novel.
I wish I knew what happened to the characters after they left the cruise ship.
I wish I knew what happened to the characters after they left the cruise ship.
August 12, 2023
Pretty boring, and the end is very unrealistic. A nice easy beach read though.
April 10, 2024
Placeholder for playing for keeps by Ashley Davenport. For some reason it’s not on Goodreads.
Minus one star for the pet name “kitten.”
Minus one star for the pet name “kitten.”
May 22, 2024
I devoured Joan Lowery Nixon books in middle school. She got me to love reading and I’m so thankful for that. I remember this one of my favorites that I read over and over again.
August 20, 2025
3.5/5 stars. A quick, easy mystery book from my youth that I thought I'd reread. I enjoyed the baseball element.
April 23, 2021
This book has so many problems, I've read middle grade books better than this.
The first mistake was the beginning with a conflict between the main character, Rose, and her mother. It was the main focus in the beginning of the book but the mention of their argument after its been forgotten about makes no sense to me. Like hello, 2 people have been murdered and you think it's time to think about how you still feel bad about a silly argument you had with your mom 3 days ago ?
Another issue I had with this book is the sudden romance between Rose and Ricky. They've only known each other for like 2 hours and suddenly this boy is the Jack to her Rose. But they didn't just gain magical feelings, no, they kissed like two times as an officer trying to take Ricky back to Cuba is on the ship. It's like they can't live without each other for the whole novel.
And yet another issue I had was the murders. They came out of no where. The murders made the plot even more confusing because then there was no mention of anybody but these kids not only trying to solve this murder but also stop the blame from being put on Ricky's uncle. The murders just seemed to be there to add suspense but failed miserably at achieving that.
It does amaze me how they tied the evidence together and does a great job throwing off the reader on who the murder is if you where 12 and never read anything ever.
The characters were awful to read about. Rose would not mind her own business, she was always there for things she didn't need to be, not to mention her listening to EVERBODYS conversations. She was also muy supid and would talk about how Neil doesn't like her majority of the novel. Julieta needs to get her anger sorted out. When she got angry at Rose for talking about Cuba for what her parents went through I was already ready to drop her. And, she wasn't even there for Rose, for her it was about what Neil did. Her character just reminded me of some toxic people in my life. Ricky was this attractive baseball player who was fleeing Cuba, but the only problem I had with him is the fact he was kissing up on Rose for helping him, him being delusional for being almost 18 and Rose having just turned 16. Neil was the only decent character, not only was he super smart but he cared. He was sweet and did everything for Rose because he really genuinely liked Rose. Neil deserved someone better and not this fake squad he calls his friends. The old women were serving it though, they were there and just lived there best lives. Bailey was always suspicious, since we meet him he's this guy that gives of bad vibes and you automatically know he does something later on. IN conclusion, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
The first mistake was the beginning with a conflict between the main character, Rose, and her mother. It was the main focus in the beginning of the book but the mention of their argument after its been forgotten about makes no sense to me. Like hello, 2 people have been murdered and you think it's time to think about how you still feel bad about a silly argument you had with your mom 3 days ago ?
Another issue I had with this book is the sudden romance between Rose and Ricky. They've only known each other for like 2 hours and suddenly this boy is the Jack to her Rose. But they didn't just gain magical feelings, no, they kissed like two times as an officer trying to take Ricky back to Cuba is on the ship. It's like they can't live without each other for the whole novel.
And yet another issue I had was the murders. They came out of no where. The murders made the plot even more confusing because then there was no mention of anybody but these kids not only trying to solve this murder but also stop the blame from being put on Ricky's uncle. The murders just seemed to be there to add suspense but failed miserably at achieving that.
It does amaze me how they tied the evidence together and does a great job throwing off the reader on who the murder is if you where 12 and never read anything ever.
The characters were awful to read about. Rose would not mind her own business, she was always there for things she didn't need to be, not to mention her listening to EVERBODYS conversations. She was also muy supid and would talk about how Neil doesn't like her majority of the novel. Julieta needs to get her anger sorted out. When she got angry at Rose for talking about Cuba for what her parents went through I was already ready to drop her. And, she wasn't even there for Rose, for her it was about what Neil did. Her character just reminded me of some toxic people in my life. Ricky was this attractive baseball player who was fleeing Cuba, but the only problem I had with him is the fact he was kissing up on Rose for helping him, him being delusional for being almost 18 and Rose having just turned 16. Neil was the only decent character, not only was he super smart but he cared. He was sweet and did everything for Rose because he really genuinely liked Rose. Neil deserved someone better and not this fake squad he calls his friends. The old women were serving it though, they were there and just lived there best lives. Bailey was always suspicious, since we meet him he's this guy that gives of bad vibes and you automatically know he does something later on. IN conclusion, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
August 19, 2013
This adventurous book kept me on the edge of my seat with murders and high seas conflict among passengers. The book begins with a argument between a concerned mother and her love-seeking daughter, Rose. Rose is then invited on a cruise trip with Glory, her grandmother. But Glory has other intentions than to have a companion on her trip. When aboard the ship, Rose meets a boy her age and his uncle. The escapade and fondness peaks as the boy, Ricky, is held captive in his own room with a Cuban military officer willing to do anything to return him to Cuba. I enjoyed this high stakes mystery novel because of the adventure and the potential love that a young woman is seeking to satisfy her rebellious side.
August 29, 2010
Rose and her grandmother, Glory, go on a cruise together. Glory is hoping Rose will hit it off with one of her friends' grandson's, Neil, but Rose is more intrigued by the mystery presented by a boy named Ricky. Rose met Ricky briefly in the cruise boarding area in Miami, and then didn't see him again. Then, after the ship stops at the first port, another, very handsome boy introduces himself as Ricky. Rose has several mysteries to solve here, including whether she will have her romantic Titanic (the movie) moment with the boy of her dreams.
I haven't read a JLN book since I was a teen, and now I'm thinking, why not? This was a fun and interesting book to read. I LOVED the ending!
I haven't read a JLN book since I was a teen, and now I'm thinking, why not? This was a fun and interesting book to read. I LOVED the ending!
March 29, 2011
Rose has just been asked by her grandmother Glory to go with her on a cruise. Rose can't believe her luck. While boarding, Rose runs into a boy, Ricky Diago. She doesn't see him for a couple of day, as she checks out the ship with Neil and Julietta. Then another boy catches her eye, and he's claiming to be Ricky Diago. Now Rose must help hide Ricky, who is escaping from Cuba, but someone doesn't want him to, someone who kills.
June 8, 2013
The topics covered in this book are probably better suited to older teens, but the writing is at the level of younger teens and tweens. It gets a bit hokey in places and requires a willing suspension of disbelief more often than I like, but I appreciated the themes of loyalty and standing up for ones beliefs, even when they are unpopular.
September 24, 2014
at the end it left so many questions unanswered, for that reason I think the book could have been better. for example what happens to the boy does he get an alibi or is he sent back k to the country he came from? also if he did get to stay in the US, did Rosie and him date and get married or not!?
December 1, 2008
Fairly clean mystery from a good YA mystery writer. Not too thought-provoking, but fast-paced and an easy read. Sixteen-year-old Rose accompanies her grandmother on a Carribean cruise and finds herself helping to hide handsome stowaway Enrique.
August 20, 2022
I didn't love or hate this story. It was one of the more mediocre Joan Lowery Nixon novels. Even though it was about baseball and had baseball themes, it was really more about the Cuban dictatorship and the days of Castro rather than baseball.
July 12, 2008
This was an interesting book. I enjoyed it, but I kind of wanted more from it once it was done! It was easy to read.
November 12, 2010
Good story.
January 29, 2016
It reminded me of a Nancy Drew mystery, Kind of hokey! LOL
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June 16, 2008JF Nix
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews