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Passion Players #1
Open Play
A hot young physical therapist plays a risky game with an Irish soccer player—and his best friend—in this transatlantic romance from award-winning author JN Welsh.
Ayanna Crawford isn’t afraid to get physical; in fact, it’s her job. A world-renowned physical therapist who works too hard, Ayanna embarks on a trip to Ireland before an upcoming conference. Finally, a chance to play as hard as she works…and maybe find an Irish boo to keep her company.
After a long day of sightseeing, Ayanna hits it off with tall drink of ale Eoghan O’Farrell. Then there’s the freckled, blue-eyed Shane MacCallum, a soccer team liaison who Ayanna feels a strong urge to “liaise” with. But not only do the two men work for the same team—they’re best mates.
When an injury forces the three lovebirds to work in close proximity, Ayanna finds herself in the clutch. With careers and hearts on the line, Ayanna must work through her fears and desires to make a choice—or find herself alone on the pitch.
Ayanna Crawford isn’t afraid to get physical; in fact, it’s her job. A world-renowned physical therapist who works too hard, Ayanna embarks on a trip to Ireland before an upcoming conference. Finally, a chance to play as hard as she works…and maybe find an Irish boo to keep her company.
After a long day of sightseeing, Ayanna hits it off with tall drink of ale Eoghan O’Farrell. Then there’s the freckled, blue-eyed Shane MacCallum, a soccer team liaison who Ayanna feels a strong urge to “liaise” with. But not only do the two men work for the same team—they’re best mates.
When an injury forces the three lovebirds to work in close proximity, Ayanna finds herself in the clutch. With careers and hearts on the line, Ayanna must work through her fears and desires to make a choice—or find herself alone on the pitch.
351 pages, Paperback
Published February 15, 2022
162 people are currently reading
2160 people want to read
About the author
J.N. Welsh
10 books60 followersJN Welsh is a native New Yorker and natural storyteller. As a child in school, she was a voracious reader who stole her older sister’s romance novels. She graduated to writing entertaining love stories for her friends and the writer was born.
Her love for romance continued to grow and she published her first novel in 2005. Her stories are entertaining and provocative, leaving her readers breathless and coming back for more.
For recent releases, updates and to connect with her on social media visit: www.JNWelshAuthor.com.
Her love for romance continued to grow and she published her first novel in 2005. Her stories are entertaining and provocative, leaving her readers breathless and coming back for more.
For recent releases, updates and to connect with her on social media visit: www.JNWelshAuthor.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
April 13, 2022
This book was okay.. I didn’t know that this was a love triangle as I am not a huge fan of those, but I still kept going. I kept going for Shane. I loved him so much!
December 28, 2021
The characters were boring and it made the story hard to like and care about.
I did not feel any of the chemistry and it wasn`t funny even though it tried to be.
I did not feel any of the chemistry and it wasn`t funny even though it tried to be.
February 21, 2022
Loved love loved this book! It's such a fresh and funny take on the love triangle trope. I don't normally like that romance trope, but JN Welsh wrote such a fantastic story with this one. I mean, who doesn't want two hot Irish guys vying for their love and attention? Yes, please! It also has some excellent backstory for the characters involving their families and personal struggles. Definitely add this one to your TBR!
October 4, 2021
Thank you to Montlake, Netgalley and JN Welsh for this copy of Open Play. I downloaded the read this book in one day. It's due to be published in February 2022.
Ayanna Crawford is a physical therapist, who is giving a speech at a conference in the UK. She plans a girls trip with a friend prior to the conference, and when her friend can't go, she travels by herself. Whilst in Ireland she meets man-child Eoghan O’Farrell on a night out at the pub and organises to meet him the following day. Unbeknownst to Ayanna he's a member of the Irish National Soccer (Football) team, and she's to meet him at an international game. Her 'contact' at the game is Eoghan's mate Shane MacCallum, who feels an instant affiliation for Ayanna but he and Eoghan have a friend pact not to date the same woman. Following the game Ayanna continues on her date with Eoghan, then leaves for her conference, thinking she will never see the pair again.
At the conference she's astounded to encounter Shane in his professional role with the Dublin Football Team, and following the conference Ayanna is hired as the private physical therapist for an injured soccer star - Eoghan in New York. Eoghan has suffered a potential career ending injury and needs every bit of Ayanna's expertise, as well as the support from his friend Shane, in order to ensure he's back on the park. What follows is a love triangle of sorts between the three, with loyalties between the men tested, and Ayanna's heart strings taking a battering.
This book is a great portrayal of a strong female main character. Ayanna is an intelligent, focused woman of colour who is fiercely aware of her professional responsibilities. The book looks at mateship, responsibility, familial ties and relationships. It's about equality and partnership in romantic relationships. It's a little slow to get started at the beginning, building up Ayanna as a professional and her achievements, but you feel the initial physical connection with Eoghan and then moreso with Shane, at a deeper level. I loved the depiction of spoiled Eoghan, as well as the cameos by Eoghan and Shane's parents, Ayanna's sister, and Ayanna's friend who has some fantastic dialogue especially relating to Shane who happens to be a "ginger". (reverse stereotyping of the Irish male here perhaps ?)
I struggled with believing Ayanna as a physical therapist knew little about soccer, and felt given her expertise she would likely have at least some background in many sports (give she's a world renowned expert in the field). A small point but it seemed at odds with her profession and appearing to have no clue about the sport, needing Shane to explain the rules.
3.5 stars for me, and I look forward to reading more of JN Welsh's work.
Ayanna Crawford is a physical therapist, who is giving a speech at a conference in the UK. She plans a girls trip with a friend prior to the conference, and when her friend can't go, she travels by herself. Whilst in Ireland she meets man-child Eoghan O’Farrell on a night out at the pub and organises to meet him the following day. Unbeknownst to Ayanna he's a member of the Irish National Soccer (Football) team, and she's to meet him at an international game. Her 'contact' at the game is Eoghan's mate Shane MacCallum, who feels an instant affiliation for Ayanna but he and Eoghan have a friend pact not to date the same woman. Following the game Ayanna continues on her date with Eoghan, then leaves for her conference, thinking she will never see the pair again.
At the conference she's astounded to encounter Shane in his professional role with the Dublin Football Team, and following the conference Ayanna is hired as the private physical therapist for an injured soccer star - Eoghan in New York. Eoghan has suffered a potential career ending injury and needs every bit of Ayanna's expertise, as well as the support from his friend Shane, in order to ensure he's back on the park. What follows is a love triangle of sorts between the three, with loyalties between the men tested, and Ayanna's heart strings taking a battering.
This book is a great portrayal of a strong female main character. Ayanna is an intelligent, focused woman of colour who is fiercely aware of her professional responsibilities. The book looks at mateship, responsibility, familial ties and relationships. It's about equality and partnership in romantic relationships. It's a little slow to get started at the beginning, building up Ayanna as a professional and her achievements, but you feel the initial physical connection with Eoghan and then moreso with Shane, at a deeper level. I loved the depiction of spoiled Eoghan, as well as the cameos by Eoghan and Shane's parents, Ayanna's sister, and Ayanna's friend who has some fantastic dialogue especially relating to Shane who happens to be a "ginger". (reverse stereotyping of the Irish male here perhaps ?)
I struggled with believing Ayanna as a physical therapist knew little about soccer, and felt given her expertise she would likely have at least some background in many sports (give she's a world renowned expert in the field). A small point but it seemed at odds with her profession and appearing to have no clue about the sport, needing Shane to explain the rules.
3.5 stars for me, and I look forward to reading more of JN Welsh's work.
May 18, 2022
3.5 Stars
Ayanna Crawford is forced to go solo on a girls trip designed to kill two birds with one stone. Her MIA best friend Charlotte tells her to live a lot, let go and do what she’d do—throw away the rule book. In Ireland, there are no rules.
What she doesn’t expect is to meet two attractive eligible bachelor best friends, Shane McCallum and Eoghan (Owen) O’Farrell and being equally attracted to both men. Thankfully, this story does not go there, it’s more of a sorta quasi love triangle— but not really. Contradictions. Contradictions.
Eoghan is the first to meet Ayanna, a renowned Physical Therapist, he’s a flirt that fails to mention that he’s football royalty. His best friend Shane is a former player but is now a team liaison for the Dublin Rovers.
After charming Ayanna into attending a football match, Eoghan then convinces his best mate Shane to escort Ayanna to his match— its kismet with Shane nearly acting on his compulsion to kiss Ayanna, despite his best mate attraction to her.
This is a very slow burn romance, very slow as Ayanna’s focus is on her career, and her clients, not men. I don’t want to mislead, you there are a few shenanigans on the road to the DEED.
Before I go, I’d be remiss if I failed to mention one of the most hilarious scenes I’ve read this year with Shane and Eoghan side by side and Ayanna smack dab in the middle.
Ayanna Crawford is forced to go solo on a girls trip designed to kill two birds with one stone. Her MIA best friend Charlotte tells her to live a lot, let go and do what she’d do—throw away the rule book. In Ireland, there are no rules.
What she doesn’t expect is to meet two attractive eligible bachelor best friends, Shane McCallum and Eoghan (Owen) O’Farrell and being equally attracted to both men. Thankfully, this story does not go there, it’s more of a sorta quasi love triangle— but not really. Contradictions. Contradictions.
Eoghan is the first to meet Ayanna, a renowned Physical Therapist, he’s a flirt that fails to mention that he’s football royalty. His best friend Shane is a former player but is now a team liaison for the Dublin Rovers.
After charming Ayanna into attending a football match, Eoghan then convinces his best mate Shane to escort Ayanna to his match— its kismet with Shane nearly acting on his compulsion to kiss Ayanna, despite his best mate attraction to her.
This is a very slow burn romance, very slow as Ayanna’s focus is on her career, and her clients, not men. I don’t want to mislead, you there are a few shenanigans on the road to the DEED.
Before I go, I’d be remiss if I failed to mention one of the most hilarious scenes I’ve read this year with Shane and Eoghan side by side and Ayanna smack dab in the middle.
February 5, 2022
I was given a free copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I wish so badly I could give this book a better review.
I seriously started out thoroughly enjoying this book so much.
BUT BUT BUT... Then came THE CLIMAX, and it was seriously painful to read. The author's words flowed to comfortably and freely until this. I was like who the heck wrote this portion of the book?? It was rough.
Let's review everything before this... I love how it flowed in a way that I could easily visualize and even hear the accents of our rugged Irishmen and caramel sweet heroine. Emotions running, every nerve turned on. It was going great. Plenty of drama and love/hate moments. Easy to read. Flowed well. Goo character development... THEN
Everything FINALLY comes to a head... the scene we were all building up to... the moment when Ayanna has the coming to Jesus and it is so full of awkward analogies and random synonyms and descriptions that left me like WTH? It felt like it was written by a completely different person. It made me want to completely skip the main event because it was super hard to read through.
Honestly, after that, it was hard for me to find the same momentum as before. I found my self disconnected send no longer invested. I skimmed quite a bit and rushed to the end.
There is so much potential though. If I could give one word of advice... You are good. Stick to what feels comfortable. Sometimes less is more and wording needs to be natural to you.
I seriously started out thoroughly enjoying this book so much.
BUT BUT BUT... Then came THE CLIMAX, and it was seriously painful to read. The author's words flowed to comfortably and freely until this. I was like who the heck wrote this portion of the book?? It was rough.
Let's review everything before this... I love how it flowed in a way that I could easily visualize and even hear the accents of our rugged Irishmen and caramel sweet heroine. Emotions running, every nerve turned on. It was going great. Plenty of drama and love/hate moments. Easy to read. Flowed well. Goo character development... THEN
Everything FINALLY comes to a head... the scene we were all building up to... the moment when Ayanna has the coming to Jesus and it is so full of awkward analogies and random synonyms and descriptions that left me like WTH? It felt like it was written by a completely different person. It made me want to completely skip the main event because it was super hard to read through.
Honestly, after that, it was hard for me to find the same momentum as before. I found my self disconnected send no longer invested. I skimmed quite a bit and rushed to the end.
There is so much potential though. If I could give one word of advice... You are good. Stick to what feels comfortable. Sometimes less is more and wording needs to be natural to you.
February 12, 2022
I normally enjoy books like this, but I had such a h and time getting into this one! I don’t think third-person writing worked well for this one. So, I feel there was a letting of telling instead of showing and a bit of over-describing things. The love triangle just didn’t work for me, sadly.
I like the representation of the strong Black female lead that had an advanced degree and took no sh!t from anyone. When we finally (finally!) got yo the juicy bits, it was well done. It’s a very slow-burn romance!
Overall, it was a decent read but I don’t think the writing style is for me. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy!
I like the representation of the strong Black female lead that had an advanced degree and took no sh!t from anyone. When we finally (finally!) got yo the juicy bits, it was well done. It’s a very slow-burn romance!
Overall, it was a decent read but I don’t think the writing style is for me. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy!
February 21, 2022
Honest review
Loved the characters and storyline in this book. When the characters stumbled in life I felt like I stumbled and when they soared I felt like I did as well. The emotion of feeling and emotion from the characters without being an absolute soap opera was pretty incredible. Definitely looking forward to the next book in this series. This is my first book by JN Welsh, but won’t be my last.
Loved the characters and storyline in this book. When the characters stumbled in life I felt like I stumbled and when they soared I felt like I did as well. The emotion of feeling and emotion from the characters without being an absolute soap opera was pretty incredible. Definitely looking forward to the next book in this series. This is my first book by JN Welsh, but won’t be my last.
February 7, 2022
3.5⭐
Open Play by JN Welsh is a pleasing tale. That took a while to really engage me. But does have a strong female lead as well as plenty of other likable ones, including the two that make up the love triangle Shane and Eoghan. Although if I'm honest that all fell a little flat for me. But there were a number of positives, especially the sexy Irish accents and the romance between Ayanna and Shane, although slow burn was sweet, and it really balanced well with the angst. Not to mention it was easy to read.
**I was kindly provided with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
Open Play by JN Welsh is a pleasing tale. That took a while to really engage me. But does have a strong female lead as well as plenty of other likable ones, including the two that make up the love triangle Shane and Eoghan. Although if I'm honest that all fell a little flat for me. But there were a number of positives, especially the sexy Irish accents and the romance between Ayanna and Shane, although slow burn was sweet, and it really balanced well with the angst. Not to mention it was easy to read.
**I was kindly provided with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
January 14, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley for the Advanced copy in return for an honest review.
I will be honest. I DNF'd this book. I tried, I really really did but it was just not working for me. I love Romance, the genre can produce some of the most funny, thought inspiring, human books. This book however, I feel tried to be that, tried way too hard, and just didn't quite hit the mark.
I enjoyed the fact that the main Female character, Ayanna, was a woman of colour, and very prominent in a traditionally male dominated field - Physical Therapy/ Sports Medicine. However, I think in the author's bid to make her 'Strong' and 'Powerful' it went a little too overboard. I dunno, something about the idea of the World's leading expert in certain sports injuries not knowing the rules of soccer/football is just meh.
The writing was also a bit of that kinda formulaic trying too hard to hit to right notes instead of having things progress naturally. It felt very Tell don't show me in a way. We get a clunky about of detail that to me seemed unnecessary. Describing her scrubs, or how she is eating etc just didn't add anything to me. Plus the dialogue felt stilted and unnatural as well.
Overall, plot wise, from the bit I read and the other reviews and descriptions, seemed interesting and right up my alley, however I think the execution was just done way too poorly for my tastes.
I will be honest. I DNF'd this book. I tried, I really really did but it was just not working for me. I love Romance, the genre can produce some of the most funny, thought inspiring, human books. This book however, I feel tried to be that, tried way too hard, and just didn't quite hit the mark.
I enjoyed the fact that the main Female character, Ayanna, was a woman of colour, and very prominent in a traditionally male dominated field - Physical Therapy/ Sports Medicine. However, I think in the author's bid to make her 'Strong' and 'Powerful' it went a little too overboard. I dunno, something about the idea of the World's leading expert in certain sports injuries not knowing the rules of soccer/football is just meh.
The writing was also a bit of that kinda formulaic trying too hard to hit to right notes instead of having things progress naturally. It felt very Tell don't show me in a way. We get a clunky about of detail that to me seemed unnecessary. Describing her scrubs, or how she is eating etc just didn't add anything to me. Plus the dialogue felt stilted and unnatural as well.
Overall, plot wise, from the bit I read and the other reviews and descriptions, seemed interesting and right up my alley, however I think the execution was just done way too poorly for my tastes.
Read
October 24, 2021Thank you to JN Welsh and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
Let me be completely honest - I did not vibe with the writing throughout most of this book. I struggled with wanting to DNF for roughly 15%. The writing is very wordy; I like descriptions but I don’t need to know absolutely everything. I think that I would have connected more with Ayanna if the story was told through first person POV and I could have been more in her head. Thankfully, the story did pick up when we finally met the love interests, Eoghan and Shane.
This book is said to be a love triangle but overall, I think one character is more developed and an obvious choice but perhaps that’s just me. I also wish that this story actually took place entirely in Ireland and not in the US - it would have been fun to learn more about Ireland.
What I absolutely loved about this book was that it was a slow burn and the angst was on point. I was desperate for these characters to interact - their chemistry felt real and I was hooked. I also loved that Ayanna was such a passionate and ambitious woman; she really cared about her job and helping others.
Overall, if you enjoy a sports romance with somewhat of a love triangle and a strong female lead then you should pick up this book. I will definitely be trying another book by JN Welsh!
Let me be completely honest - I did not vibe with the writing throughout most of this book. I struggled with wanting to DNF for roughly 15%. The writing is very wordy; I like descriptions but I don’t need to know absolutely everything. I think that I would have connected more with Ayanna if the story was told through first person POV and I could have been more in her head. Thankfully, the story did pick up when we finally met the love interests, Eoghan and Shane.
This book is said to be a love triangle but overall, I think one character is more developed and an obvious choice but perhaps that’s just me. I also wish that this story actually took place entirely in Ireland and not in the US - it would have been fun to learn more about Ireland.
What I absolutely loved about this book was that it was a slow burn and the angst was on point. I was desperate for these characters to interact - their chemistry felt real and I was hooked. I also loved that Ayanna was such a passionate and ambitious woman; she really cared about her job and helping others.
Overall, if you enjoy a sports romance with somewhat of a love triangle and a strong female lead then you should pick up this book. I will definitely be trying another book by JN Welsh!
September 9, 2021
What first attracted me to this book was the cover - I am a sucker for a ginger. Then, I read the blurb and I knew I needed to read this. One, as a sports fan in general, and two, working in the sports medicine field, this book called to me. I downloaded it and read it in the span of a day. I was most definitely sucked in.
Ayanna is an amazing heroine - I love her drive, passion, and dedication to her career. She gets stuff done and is a boss accomplishing it all. Being a woman in the sports industry is hard. Being a woman of color in the sports industry, I imagine, is even harder. Ayanna pulled no punches and I cheered her on.
Shane is adorable as the love interest. His choices are believable - a former professional soccer player sustaining a career-ending injury and then watching his two best mates continue on without him. I loved that he wasn’t like Eoghan but he was softer, more thoughtful, he’s the perfect personality to complement Ayanna.
Together, I adore them. Parts of the story had me as frustrated as both Ayanna and Shane, other moments I was cheering them on like Pippin and Charlotte, and sometimes I was a bit misty-eyed. This book has it all!
I really love Welsh’s writing style. I personally prefer reading things written from a third-person POV and I think this was done so well. I also found many of Welsh’s sayings - whether similies, metaphors, or whatever phrases she doled out to be insightful, funny, and original. Some lines that stood out to me: “Here in Ireland and under her fairy slut-mother, Charlotte…” and “The uncertainty crept in like a drop of ink, tainting the purity of the moment.” There were a number of others but they cover the breadth of Welsh’s repertoire - sweet, funny, and/or poignant.
I am thankful I was able to read and review this before its release because I think Welsh has a hit on her hands!
I am thankful I was able to read (thank you, NetGalley) and review this before its release because I think Welsh has a hit on her hands!
Note: I received this unedited book for free and am not compensated for my review.
Ayanna is an amazing heroine - I love her drive, passion, and dedication to her career. She gets stuff done and is a boss accomplishing it all. Being a woman in the sports industry is hard. Being a woman of color in the sports industry, I imagine, is even harder. Ayanna pulled no punches and I cheered her on.
Shane is adorable as the love interest. His choices are believable - a former professional soccer player sustaining a career-ending injury and then watching his two best mates continue on without him. I loved that he wasn’t like Eoghan but he was softer, more thoughtful, he’s the perfect personality to complement Ayanna.
Together, I adore them. Parts of the story had me as frustrated as both Ayanna and Shane, other moments I was cheering them on like Pippin and Charlotte, and sometimes I was a bit misty-eyed. This book has it all!
I really love Welsh’s writing style. I personally prefer reading things written from a third-person POV and I think this was done so well. I also found many of Welsh’s sayings - whether similies, metaphors, or whatever phrases she doled out to be insightful, funny, and original. Some lines that stood out to me: “Here in Ireland and under her fairy slut-mother, Charlotte…” and “The uncertainty crept in like a drop of ink, tainting the purity of the moment.” There were a number of others but they cover the breadth of Welsh’s repertoire - sweet, funny, and/or poignant.
I am thankful I was able to read and review this before its release because I think Welsh has a hit on her hands!
I am thankful I was able to read (thank you, NetGalley) and review this before its release because I think Welsh has a hit on her hands!
Note: I received this unedited book for free and am not compensated for my review.
December 14, 2021
A big thank you to Net Galley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest opinion. "Open Play" by JN Welsh is a lovely book, a light read and awesome for getting into the romance genre. Readers who are not exactly into sport romance but want to try it would love this book and I would also recommend it to romance lovers who don't like much spice in their books. Before I get a bit more into what I liked and what I didn't, I would like to mention that this book is a slow-burn, which some people would probably love, and some (like me) wouldn't. The characters were well-written and they evolved quite a lot. The plot was quite predictable and it's structure was rather unsurprising, it was pretty much like any other romance book. I really enjoyed Welsh's writing style and the way she illustrated the character's emotions. I really like that Ayanna, the main character, was a very strong intelligent woman, who was very open-minded and incredibly responsible, even when it comes to matters which are by no means connected with her work. She is very dedicated. I think that Ayanna knew from the very beginning that Shane was her guy and she also didn't really pay much attention to Eoghan (apart from his rehabilitation of course, she is great at what she does), so I wouldn't call this exactly a love triangle. Seeing a woman of colour being the main character was truly awesome as strong intelligent black women are underrepresented in... well, literature. The dialogue sounded pretty realistic. Truthfully, I wasn't really satisfied with how the book ended, I really like Shane and I think that Shane and Ayanna make such a great couple, I would have loved to see more of them. Overall, this book was a nice and light-hearted read, which will not become your most favourite book but you would still truly like it, and if this is what you are looking for, then I suggest giving it a chance.
March 31, 2022
3.5 stars (audiobook edition)
Open Play was a lot of new for me. New author and two new to me narrators. Overall, I mostly enjoyed this. The story was cute and the love triangle angle didn't bother me so much because almost immediately, we know one guy is all wrong. I thought the story flowed well, if a bit far fetched and wordy (using 10 words when 5 will do). I found all the characters pretty likeable. Things were coasting along great until the third act when Ayanna became a bit insufferable. I liked her a lot but her interactions with her family and how she continued to handle Shane grew massively frustrating. I also think romance authors continue to hurt themselves by continuing to write these uber successful twenty-somethings with little to none emotional maturity. Ayanna is this super successful and famous physio yet she's so closed off and clueless (and condescending and rude and self-sacrificing) about relationships. I really disliked the treatment of her mother and sister and I'd hoped for someone to confront her but no. At least her friend Charlotte gave her a good kick regarding her awful treatment of Shane and his feelings. Even with all that I liked her but GOODNESS she tried me in the third act.
As for the narration, I really enjoyed Lynn Wright here. There was just the right amount of confidence, playfulness and confusion in her Ayanna. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy Kevin Marron as much. The performance held little nuance and his voice always came through harsh and forceful, even when Shane shouldn't be. I thought both handled the accents well (to my American ear). I will also mention that while I started at normal speed, I raised it to a 1.2x and I think it was perfect for this book.
Ultimately, this was a mainly good listen and I will definitely be on the watch for the next book.
Open Play was a lot of new for me. New author and two new to me narrators. Overall, I mostly enjoyed this. The story was cute and the love triangle angle didn't bother me so much because almost immediately, we know one guy is all wrong. I thought the story flowed well, if a bit far fetched and wordy (using 10 words when 5 will do). I found all the characters pretty likeable. Things were coasting along great until the third act when Ayanna became a bit insufferable. I liked her a lot but her interactions with her family and how she continued to handle Shane grew massively frustrating. I also think romance authors continue to hurt themselves by continuing to write these uber successful twenty-somethings with little to none emotional maturity. Ayanna is this super successful and famous physio yet she's so closed off and clueless (and condescending and rude and self-sacrificing) about relationships. I really disliked the treatment of her mother and sister and I'd hoped for someone to confront her but no. At least her friend Charlotte gave her a good kick regarding her awful treatment of Shane and his feelings. Even with all that I liked her but GOODNESS she tried me in the third act.
As for the narration, I really enjoyed Lynn Wright here. There was just the right amount of confidence, playfulness and confusion in her Ayanna. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy Kevin Marron as much. The performance held little nuance and his voice always came through harsh and forceful, even when Shane shouldn't be. I thought both handled the accents well (to my American ear). I will also mention that while I started at normal speed, I raised it to a 1.2x and I think it was perfect for this book.
Ultimately, this was a mainly good listen and I will definitely be on the watch for the next book.
February 22, 2022
What was supposed to be a fast girls trip to Ireland soon turns into Ayanna flying solo, things aren’t a full loss seeing as Ayanna finds herself not one but two Irish hotties. However the last thing Ayanna expected was to find herself getting so tangled between these two friends. The last thing Ayanna expects is to be hired by Eoghan to help him rehab a possible career ending injury or for him to bring Shane along. Soon Ayanna finds herself torn between both men but which one has truly stolen her heart?
..
Open Play was definitely an interesting slow burn read. Now to be fair the whole love triangle trope is not a favourite of mine but it kind of work out in this book.
..
Ayanna was a great female lead character, I loved that she was so invested in her work and as a woman of colour she was absolutely killing it. I will say that I did wish that she had a bit more knowledge on sports seeing as this was her specialised field.
..
As for our two leading men, for me it was Shane all the way, he was the clear hero right from the start. I loved that both Eoghan and Shane were so completely different from each other, Shane was such a softie compared to Eoghan who was a total show off. I loved the instant connection and pull that Shane and Ayanna had and that they balanced each other so perfectly.
..
Overall Open Play was a angst filled slow burn sports romance that I would definitely recommend reading.
..
Open Play was definitely an interesting slow burn read. Now to be fair the whole love triangle trope is not a favourite of mine but it kind of work out in this book.
..
Ayanna was a great female lead character, I loved that she was so invested in her work and as a woman of colour she was absolutely killing it. I will say that I did wish that she had a bit more knowledge on sports seeing as this was her specialised field.
..
As for our two leading men, for me it was Shane all the way, he was the clear hero right from the start. I loved that both Eoghan and Shane were so completely different from each other, Shane was such a softie compared to Eoghan who was a total show off. I loved the instant connection and pull that Shane and Ayanna had and that they balanced each other so perfectly.
..
Overall Open Play was a angst filled slow burn sports romance that I would definitely recommend reading.
November 15, 2021
I really enjoyed this opportunity to read another book by author JN Welsh. I appreciate Netgalley and JN Welsh for this copy of Open Play and this review is my honest opinion. This book is the third book I have read by this author and as always, I am impressed by the diversity of her stories and the uniqueness of each narrative. Ayanna planned a trip to Dublin with her best friend and when the friend was unable to accompany her, Ayanna went alone. She soon meets friends, Eoghan and Shane. Eoghan and Shane have a complicated history and have promised never to become involved with the same woman. Unfortunately, both men are attracted to Ayanna. For the rest of the story, Ayanna and Shane recognize their shared chemistry but due to obstacles and misunderstandings they almost sabotage their budding relationship. I did not see this book as a true triangle romance since Eoghan was so obviously not ready for anything permanent or real. Shane on the other hand was an absolutely lovely man and he voiced his feelings to Ayanna without reservations or expectations. On the other hand, Ayanna had so much family and emotional baggage; she simply needed to get out of her own way. Will she be able to take a leap and open herself to love?
September 23, 2021
3.5 stars – Open Play by JN Welsh is a story about a love triangle with a strong female professional protagonist, Ayanna, and 2 great male friends, Shane and Eoghan. I was really looking forward to reading this book, but it was tough to get through. The premise worked well but the writing was a bit over descriptive in the beginning (but did get less wordy as the book progressed) and I wasn’t feeling enough romantic interest from Eoghan. His behavior seemed very forced and as a matter of convenience. Shane and Ayanna had a great deal of chemistry and that was fun to read! Also, the author did a wonderful job creating a story with a strong female woman of color with professional distinction in her field of physical therapy.
A big thank you to Net Galley and Montlake Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
A big thank you to Net Galley and Montlake Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 7, 2022
OPEN PLAY is a fun, sexy, and completely enjoyable read. The characters have intelligence, depth, and wisecracks for days. And the chemistry between Ayanna and Shane is palpable. For anyone who loves a witty, sassy romance with a strong female lead, this is the book for you.
Audiobook Note: The audio version of this book is perfection. Both narrators fully capture the characters and make them come to life.
Highly Caffeinated Rating of… ☕ ☕ ☕ + 1/2
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Audiobook Note: The audio version of this book is perfection. Both narrators fully capture the characters and make them come to life.
Highly Caffeinated Rating of… ☕ ☕ ☕ + 1/2
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
Follow the Art, Books, & Coffee:
Website | Facebook Group | Instagram
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October 22, 2021
Through a series of happenstance, Ayanna, a physical therapist finds herself in the middle of a love triangle with Shane and Eoghan, and feelings and emotions become muddled, actions misconstrued and tempers flare. Ayanna's work life is going swimmingly, she is a trendsetter in her field but her personal life is a mess due to her cultivated fear of commitment and stubborn resistance to face facts. The male main characters are unalike in personalities and it becomes clear early in the book who the ideal candidate is. The story was slow to launch but started getting interesting around the time Ayanna's sister comes to visit. The ending was semi-conclusive but satisfying. Netgalley provided this ARC for an unbiased review.
February 12, 2022
I normally enjoy books like this, but I had such a h and time getting into this one! I don’t think third-person writing worked well for this one. So, I feel there was a letting of telling instead of showing and a bit of over-describing things. The love triangle just didn’t work for me, sadly.
I like the representation of the strong Black female lead that had an advanced degree and took no sh!t from anyone. When we finally (finally!) got yo the juicy bits, it was well done. It’s a very slow-burn romance!
Overall, it was a decent read but I don’t think the writing style is for me. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy!
I like the representation of the strong Black female lead that had an advanced degree and took no sh!t from anyone. When we finally (finally!) got yo the juicy bits, it was well done. It’s a very slow-burn romance!
Overall, it was a decent read but I don’t think the writing style is for me. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy!
April 2, 2022
Interesting love triangle! I liked Shane’s protective attraction to Ayanna. Unfortunately his friendship with his best friend Eoghan complicated matters. I enjoyed overachiever Ayanna breaking out and opening herself up to change and happiness. Eoghan was a typical, egotistical superstar unaware or unconcerned with how his words and actions affected Shane and Ayanna. His potential career ending injury forced him to re-examine his life.
JN had me encouraging Shane to go after what he wants, desires and needs.
I like sports related stories. I loved my introduction to the world of European football via Ireland’s Dubliner team.
JN had me encouraging Shane to go after what he wants, desires and needs.
I like sports related stories. I loved my introduction to the world of European football via Ireland’s Dubliner team.
September 4, 2022
Can Ayanna chose?
Physical therapist Dr. Ayanna Crawford is going to Liverpool to be the main speaker at a conference because she is the top person to help patients heal after surgery stopping in Ireland for a few days before the conference. Ayanna just planned to have a drink at the local pub when she was invited to a football game by playboy soccer player Eoghan O’Farrell, never expecting that she would attend the game with his best friend Shane MacCallum.
Ayanna never expected to see either one of them again but things change when Eoghan is injured and needs therapy and both Eoghan and Shane are attracted to her. Could she chose when they both live in Ireland?
Physical therapist Dr. Ayanna Crawford is going to Liverpool to be the main speaker at a conference because she is the top person to help patients heal after surgery stopping in Ireland for a few days before the conference. Ayanna just planned to have a drink at the local pub when she was invited to a football game by playboy soccer player Eoghan O’Farrell, never expecting that she would attend the game with his best friend Shane MacCallum.
Ayanna never expected to see either one of them again but things change when Eoghan is injured and needs therapy and both Eoghan and Shane are attracted to her. Could she chose when they both live in Ireland?
September 15, 2021
Thank you to net galley for the ARC. This book was very frustrating to me. I wanted to like it, but the love triangle did not interest me. In fact, I just wasn’t feeling it at all. I did like that the heroine was very strong but that in other ways she was not. She came across professionally very well but personally a hot mess And I thought that that undermined her character. Shane was a good hero overall. I really think that this book could do with a major editing overhaul and then it would be better. All opinions are my own.
September 20, 2021
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. I went into this book with high expectations and unfortunately, I was a little let down. It was really hard for me to finish this book; it was too wordy, and I just didn’t vibe with it. At times it was funny, and I did enjoy some of the scenes but overall, I would only give it 3 stars out of 5. Please keep in mind this is my personal opinion. My favorite thing about this book was that the lead was a woman of color in the sports industry, like what a BA!! Again, thanks to the author and NG for the ARC :)
November 26, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC of Open Play for an honest review. I was intrigued by the synopsis and it certainly delivered. I found the love triangle fun and frustrating. The Ayanna and Shane were well developed characters. I felt that Eoghan was not as well developed and it was harder to understand his motivations. That may have been the point as he came off as shallow. The dialogue was fun and realistic. I found some of the plot points to be redundant or inconsistent in their repeat/revisit. I would definitely recommend this book for an exciting, heartfelt read.
February 14, 2022
This was the first book I read from this author but I will definitely read more of her. I found the story to be sweet, sexy, fun and enticing. I've been to Ireland with another planned trip in the next year or two and this story had me salivating to get back there (and not just for the lovely football players or gingers either). The locales were beautifully described and I've put a few more must sees on my list. While the focus of course was on Eoghan (and although I KNEW it was pronounced Owen I still mispronounced it in my head lol), Shane and Ayanna, the side characters also drew me in and I hope that one or two may have a side story later on. For me this was a 3.5 star read. I enjoyed the characters and rounded up to 4 because...Ireland.
March 12, 2022
This is my first read from JN Welsh. Thank you to Honey Magnolia Co. for the gifted ARC.
I was in the mood for a romance book with emotion, travel, and sports and this really did it for me. Ayana is a highly respected physical therapist who meets Eoghan and Shane in Ireland. Of course nothing in romance is that straight forward so I suggest you pick this up if you want a fun story about love and coping after trauma.
JN Welsh made me love all the characters…even when I wanted to throttle them! Will definitely read the next book.
I was in the mood for a romance book with emotion, travel, and sports and this really did it for me. Ayana is a highly respected physical therapist who meets Eoghan and Shane in Ireland. Of course nothing in romance is that straight forward so I suggest you pick this up if you want a fun story about love and coping after trauma.
JN Welsh made me love all the characters…even when I wanted to throttle them! Will definitely read the next book.
March 30, 2022
Enjoyable story
I really enjoyed this light enjoyable story. It was a story that kept you engaged with believable characters. Ayana has worked hard to become the top in her field & her research makes her the person to send professional athletes to for quick & maximum recovery. She has finally planned a quick vacation before a medical conference. Little does she know that quick vacation will change her life, but not how she thought the change would be. The author writes how fast your life can change if you open your mind and heart.
I really enjoyed this light enjoyable story. It was a story that kept you engaged with believable characters. Ayana has worked hard to become the top in her field & her research makes her the person to send professional athletes to for quick & maximum recovery. She has finally planned a quick vacation before a medical conference. Little does she know that quick vacation will change her life, but not how she thought the change would be. The author writes how fast your life can change if you open your mind and heart.
November 19, 2021
I was so hesitant about reading this book when I got my arc and I'm glad I read it even if it took me months to convince myself. I am not really a fan of love triangle but i liked the book overall. I liked the characters from the book and it was such a different story to read since i had been reading rom com continuously for a while now. i would love to read more by the author in future.
Thank you for the arc @netgalley
Thank you for the arc @netgalley
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