Play the Hand You Were Dealt

by M. Jay Granberry

A Naked City Novella

There is a new player in the Naked City, and I want it all. The money. The casinos. The power... that so few can handle and even less deserve.

There are obstacles. Rules of engagement that limit my action and shorten my reach. But the fates have been shuffled and the cards now dealt. It is time to begin.

One treacherous game. Seven reluctant players. Destiny will crown one. And luck will destroy the others. Let’s play.


Genres: Contemporary, Suspense, Audiobook, Fiction, Romance, Romantic Suspense, Novella

84 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 20, 2020

About the author

NEWSLETTER: bit.ly/MJayNewsletter

BOOKBUB: bookbub.com/authors/m-jay-granberry

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FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/authormjaygranberry/

INSTAGRAM: www.instagram/authormjaygranberry

M Jay Granberry’s Tales- www.facebook.com/groups/MJayGranberry...


I write contemporary and dark romance. My characters always end happily, but I love writing real characters that are flawed. Their journeys are sometimes hard to read, and the path to finding their HEA can be a little rough but in the end it’s always worth it.

Reviews

[Annette Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Play The Hand You Were Dealt is a novella that introduces us to a new series by M. Jay Granberry. I love the mystery surrounding the characters. You get a backstory and history on past characters that don't necessarily play a leading role but, are pivotal to the story line. It also introduces us to all of the characters that are going to be in this series. I'm very excited to learn more about Connor's past. Who knew he was shrouded in so much mystery? My only issue with this book is, I'm not 100% sure if Chacal and Devyn were black which is bothersome for me. When I read books by black authors, I expect to read about black love with black characters. Other than Connor, I honestly don't know if any of the characters were black. The author didn't go into a lot of detail on character description and, the little descriptions that she did give, were questionable. While I enjoyed Play The Hand You Were Dealt, it's disappointing that the characters don't reflect who the author is.

[Abstract ♥ Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG: ABSTRACT BOOKS

The devil is owed his due and I am the collector.
Fear has no place in this business.
Anxiety is for the faint of heart.
This is our world, our game.

'Play the Hand you were Dealt With' is the prologue Novella of the upcoming series 'A tale of the Naked City'. Told in dual perspectives , this book did the perfect job of building my anticipation of the main series!!

The book introduces us to a lot of characters , with the main ones being Chaval and Devyn. The book starts with them both taking over and starting a game. However this is no normal game. They hire people to play it , and those people will be the main characters of the upcoming books. Each of them will have their story.

The concepts in this book confused me a bit and I have tons and tons of questions. The author did the perfect job of trapping me in and I really won't be able to leave this series until the very last book. I am so excited to meet these characters and to see what game are they going to play.
The author even told us , which character will have the first book and I am so excited!!

I already know this series is going to be a blast , so full of games and suspense !! An amazing prologue story , absolutely to the point and amazing!

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[Arena♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Play the hand you were dealt' is a quick novella by M. Jay Granberry

This was an intriguing start to this new series by a new to me author. This novella definitely piqued my interest and I cannot wait for more.

The beginning of this novella talks about a treaty signed by 7 members and the formation of 'The Middle' (a group of sorts for the LA underworld) But there is a whole lot to unpack here because of the number of characters introduced in the book. I also like a good book involving 'games' that takes us on an exhilarating ride and this book was just it. I cannot wait to read further in this series.

this ARC was kindly provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Just A Girl With Spirit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interest is definitely peaked and was always intrigued by Connor. Let’s go, MJay!!

[ReadingInPyjamas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Play The Hand You Were Dealt is a very enticing beginning to what I'm sure will be an excellent series by M. Jay Granberry. It's action-packed, with a suspenseful and intriguing plotline that immediately caught my attention. It offers a lot of insight into a criminal organization that for many decades has ruled New Orleans and now is looking to expand to Las Vegas. There are quite a lot of characters presented and we get a bit of backstory for each one. All of the 'players' in this story have an interesting life and I'm beyond intrigued to know more about them. Although a short, quick read, this novella served its purpose, I can't wait to read the next book in the series.


*I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kelly_Reads_Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very quick novella that introduces the characters and back story in eloquent wording and some mystery.
This story starts in New Orleans with the old plantations and a peculiar cast of men and women. It quickly travels to Las Vegas where a new group of characters are offered a chance to play a game.
Intrigue mixed with people from all walks of life, topped with suspense equals the beginnings of a great series.

[Valeen Robertson (Live Thru Books Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Universal

Le Chacal has taken over Le Milieu, the criminal underground organization formed in New Orleans. Now he and his love, his Excalibur, Devyn, will fight tooth and nail to keep themselves on top. What exactly will they do, how far will they go, to keep themselves in power?



First, an enticement to the power players in the city of Vegas, where they'll see who comes out to play, who will make it into the ranks of the new Le Milieu. And it's at the end of this introduction where Play The Hand You Were Dealt leaves off. I'm very curious to see how everything plays out, where the chips fall *wink* and if Devyn and Chacal's relationship manages to withstand the obstacles being the King and Queen of the criminal underworld present.



ARC via The Next Step PR for an honest review.

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[Live, Laugh, Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been introduced to the Naked City world and I NEED more! I can not wait to see what is next and where this world will take me!

[Micheala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Copy received from The Next Step PR and I am reviewing it voluntarily and objectively.

This is the first book of this author I have read, and so far I am impressed with the author’s ability to weave a complicated, but interesting plot.

This is the prequel novella set to introduce us to a select group of people and the ones designing the game. All characters of the future novels were given a playing card to be their identity. As for what they have to do....we do not know yet.

Overall, extremely intriguing and I look forward to the first book.

[Rhiannon St. Clair · Rating 5 out of 5]

***I received an ebook copy from the author at no cost***

This is an action-packed beginning to what I'm sure will be a sexy, suspenseful, and heart-thumping series.

Le Chacal—or The Jackal—is determined to conquer Las Vegas and run the city. He's cunning, smart, and cutthroat, and will do whatever it takes to gain the power and control he's looking for.

Play the Hand you Were Dealt lays the groundwork for Granberry's Tales of the Naked City series. Granberry introduces us to the main players of the series—La Chacal and his partner in crime/significant other, Devyn. Together, the two are a deadly combination, powerful, confident, and able to outsmart even the cleverest of masterminds. There's a powerful connection between these two, in and out of the bedroom, and I can't wait to see them carry out their plans in coming books.

We're introduced to the other "players" in this book as well. Each seems intriguing, and it's clear there's much more we have yet to learn about them. I liked the introductions and the fact that Granberry didn't give too much away with this book. I got just enough to get invested and wanting more of the story and the characters.

This is a quick and exciting read. I love La Chacal, even though I didn't get to know him too well yet. I enjoy powerful alpha male leads, and he fits that bill perfectly.

This series seems to have all the right things: a sexy alpha male, secrets, and a dark and intriguing cast of characters.

Let the games begin!

Five stars to this novel.

[Nerdy Dirty & Flirty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an introduction story. It was short, held a lot of details, and set up the stage for what is to come. It answers just about zero questions but you do get to meet the players, very superficially. You know this is the underground elite of Vegas, you know there will be nefarious things to come, and it gets you excited to see just how it will play out.

Each player, at first blush, brings their own array of potential problems. I am curious to see more from them as they brought a lot of dimension to this pretty short story. The game seems dangerous, the players (some of them) seem like they will give me a hell of a ride and there was just a touch of sexy for good measure.

[Maria (Ri) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fell in love with this author when I discovered her last year. There is a quality and skill to her writing that feels like a gentle touch to my soul. Her writing almost feels poetic with word choice or the way that she phrases sentences. I also love that she knows how to give such vivid details.

The premise of this story is good. I liked the tie-in with New Orleans and how it was going to now tie in with Las Vegas. There was a lot of information in this little novella. At times, it got hard trying to keep track of all the characters and how they would be. I am hoping that when it comes time to the individual stories, and the reader only has to focus on one aspect or character, for the most part, it will get easier. I can see that the author did need to write this novella for the purpose of showing all the players in the game.

I can definitely tell that this will be an interesting story with a touch of darkness because how can it not when the seven deadly sins and Vegas are involved?

[Ashley Olson- lovestoread08 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Play the Hand You Were Dealt is everything and anything that a prequel novella should be and more!!!! This book was actually the first book that I have read from M. Jay Granberry and I was not disappointed at all!!! As soon as I finished I immediately re-read it because I couldn’t get enough!!! Since it is a prequel it is a short read, but it gives a ton of background information and introduces all the main characters. It begins in New Orleans but ends in Las Vegas and pulls you into the storyline immediately. Devyn and Chacal have an amazing bond and relationship and I can’t wait to see their love continue to grow as they expand their business!!!! Make sure to grab your copy!!!!

[Maria11 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting start. There is lots of info crammed into this beginning. Everyone sounds interesting and looks like there is going to be lots of drama for sure. I am interested in reading the series for sure.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead Men Tell No Tales
*arc generously provided by the promo team in exchange for an honest review*

What’s this book about? (I'm trying to give as little spoilers as possible)
This is an introduction to M. Jay Granberry’s upcoming series!

This is my first M. Jay Granberry read and it promises not to be the last! The novella is fast-paced, easy to read YET very informative! It builds up the world and it does so immaculately It’s a promising introduction into this new sinful world full of mystery. The mood is tense and the atmosphere steamy! Just look at the gorgeous cover; it screams that it didn't come to play easy on ya. The following books will be explosive, I’m sure. I can’t wait to explore this series further.

Original comment
Promising and intriguing introduction into this sinful new world full of mystery!

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[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

'We are fire and brimstone, the perfect counterparts. The physical representation of the reckoning coming to the Naked City.'

is a great starter novella for the new Tales of the Naked City series. I love the setting of New Orleans and Las Vegas, there's just something about those places that I really like reading about!

This novella introduces so many interesting characters that I am excited to learn more about. The concept of the plot was also intriguing and definitely grabbed my attention. I would be interested to read more of this series! From the very beginning when the treaty of the seven members of the milieu was outlined I was hooked!

All in all, it did exactly what a first novella in a series should do and that is outline the characters, the future plot and the setting. I enjoyed it.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[ReadonReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very unique novella that had me intrigued from the beginning. This author introduces us to a world that sounds like it’s going to be an epic tale and unpredictable things that may come. We have Marcus and his Devyn who are in the process of trying to take over a secret society that has controlled the underbelly of New Orleans for ages and now they are looking to expand and bring this into the modern age, but it almost seems that Marcus has a hidden agenda of his own. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about this new world, it’s cruelty, and I definitely will pick up the next ones to continue the story because now I’m sucked in.

[Di · Rating 5 out of 5]

"One treacherous game. Seven reluctant players. Destiny will crown one. And luck will destroy the others. Let's play"

Let's play indeed! This novella was such an amazing beginning for this next series. It intrigued me and captivated me so much, I NEED MORE!
I love the suspense, the mystery, the dark theme behind it all.
It was such a good and quick read that really got me wanting to read more from this author.
Really looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

was kindly provided to me by The Next Step PR via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Cindy Fong · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting novella introducing the roles and characters of a new series. I sense a dark theme running in this series. The characters are all leaders in the underbelly of Las Vegas where the veneer is shiny and the bones are ruthless. The foundation of Le Millieu has been shook and let the best person fill the shoes. I am intrigued to read the series and see how all this plays out.

[AmbzyRoseBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Release Date: July 22, 2020

Play The Hand You Were Dealt is a prequel novella written by M. Jay Granberry.

This is packed full of back story and an introduction to all the characters that we are going to see through out the series. It's definitely piqued my interest and I'm very excited to see how this story plays out.

ARC kindly provided for a review

[lowkeyreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the prologue to the series, an introduction to every characters that's going to be in the series. And it really captured my attention. From just reading this one, I could tell the series is going to be so fun. I'm so intrigued how this series is going to go, what's going to happened with each of the players!

[Katie Pedersen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have no idea what this book was about. It took a lot of effort to try to pay attention. So many boring descriptions and annoying dialog. The female narrator was a bit annoying. This RMR podcast audiobook was way too long and dull for me.

[Ahri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really didn’t get much idea of what to expect from this novella from the start, so I was excited and intrigued to say the least. However, while by the end I was still intrigued, I was not as excited as I was. The writing was a bit too explanatory in details that don’t really add to the plot in certain instances (first 10-15 pages) and I think that made the whole storyline a bit murky.

There were some editing and grammatical errors scattered through the book, but nothing too crazy.

Overall, I did up being disappointed in the book, but more so that I wanted focus more on the story details and plot and not extraneous details. It made it really hard to finish the story. I would probably continue to read the first actual novel in the series, just because at the end I was interested in hearing where the author goes with the story.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me this ARC in return for my honest review!

[Sunday Book Blues · Rating 4 out of 5]

Play The Hand You Were Dealt is a fast-paced novella that sets the mood for this series.

It's a perfect beginning that provides enough information to grab your attention and leave you wanting more. And the set of mysterious and interesting characters promise us a wild ride.

M. Jay Granberry gives us a taste of her wonderful writing and shows us how she can masterfully create this enticing world.

I can't wait for more! I'm ready for this wild and sinful game!

I voluntarily reviewed an advance complimentary copy of this book.

[Read.Review.Repeat Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

"This was an interesting novella introducing the roles and characters of a new series. I sense a dark theme running in this series. The characters are all leaders in the underbelly of Las Vegas where the veneer is shiny and the bones are ruthless. The foundation of Le Millieu has been shook and let the best person fill the shoes. I am intrigued to read the series and see how all this plays out.
"

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

M. JAY Granberry introduced you to tbe piqued your interest in what would happen and how "Play The Hand You Were Dealt" will play out, only to leave you on a pinnacle of interest. The book was well written, giving just enough information to have you wondering, where, who, why, what and how this story will unravel.

[Alharaca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect start for a new series, I promise you that you are going to be left wondering, who are they, why them and other sorts of questions but in an amazing way, the story captures you from the beginning and it doesn't disappoint through the entire book, I honestly can see what other surprises this author is going to bring us in the next books.

[Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this is a pretty short novella introducing us to all the players who will follow into the next idk how many books but im intrigued.

I will say that this book is an info dump and my head was a little spinny with all the characters but the story is absolutely there. I caant wait for Connor's book Master of Fate. His character was really built up in this story.

[Reading In the Red Room · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the introduction to what I’m hoping is an amazing new series. It definitely started out with a bang! We were introduced to several characters and given plenty of background knowledge to form an opinion and keep me intrigued. I’m very excited about reading the next book in the series!

[Amazeballs Book Addicts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Play the Hand You Were Dealt is an interesting read. It had me hooked. It's a short quick read that gives you n introduction of the players in this series. I'm intrigued and can't wait to see where this series goes and what all the characters are up too.