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Hartford Brothers #2
Playing the Player
He’s my brother’s best friend and my dirty little secret.
Remington Hartford was my first love until he broke my heart. Then he turned into the world’s biggest playboy, and that should be a turn-off, but…
No matter how much I try and stay away from him, he keeps pulling me back with his green eyes, strong hands, and dirty words. I need to protect my heart because I can’t let him break it again.
Maybe I need to start playing by some new rules.
She’s my best friend’s sister and the only woman I’ve ever wanted.
I’ve known Nell Garcia all my life. Then one summer, I became her roommate, and things between us changed. She became my first love, then I messed it up.
Nell’s the one woman I haven’t been able to get over after all these years. But like moths to a flame, we’re unable to keep our hands off each other.
And no matter how many nights she ends up in my bed.
No matter how many times I make her scream.
I’ll never be the one for her.
Because I’m the wrong brother.
Remington Hartford was my first love until he broke my heart. Then he turned into the world’s biggest playboy, and that should be a turn-off, but…
No matter how much I try and stay away from him, he keeps pulling me back with his green eyes, strong hands, and dirty words. I need to protect my heart because I can’t let him break it again.
Maybe I need to start playing by some new rules.
She’s my best friend’s sister and the only woman I’ve ever wanted.
I’ve known Nell Garcia all my life. Then one summer, I became her roommate, and things between us changed. She became my first love, then I messed it up.
Nell’s the one woman I haven’t been able to get over after all these years. But like moths to a flame, we’re unable to keep our hands off each other.
And no matter how many nights she ends up in my bed.
No matter how many times I make her scream.
I’ll never be the one for her.
Because I’m the wrong brother.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2021
610 people are currently reading
700 people want to read
About the author
J.A. Low
45 books1,687 followers"JA Low lives on a faraway beach in Australia. When she's not writing steamy scenes and admiring hot surfers, she's tending to her husband and two sons, and dreaming up the next epic romance."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
November 2, 2021
There was waaay too much back and forth. Remi is a playboy asshole for always cheating or screwing up with Nell. I was really hoping that Nell would find her true love and leave Remi in the dust, he didn’t deserve her. By the end though I thought they deserved each other because they were both a mess. Not sure I would recommend this to anyone. It was rather annoying. I really want an author to write a strong female h, I don’t even care about an HEA at this point.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2023
Writers either believe as readers that we are short on intelligence or that we wish to be depicted as spineless, desperate and lacking in self-worth.
Nell has absolutely no self-respect. Clearly if a woman places such little value on herself, why should she be treated differently? This is a vicious cycle of copious amounts of cheating. Remi indiscriminately has a revolving door of groupies, yet he is allegedly desperately in love with Nell. Yet, despite this, he cannot seem to remain loyal or admit to his best friend that he’s wants her.
I admire heroes that clearly know who they want and treat their heroines with respect.
My prerequisite for romance is a heroine rich in character assuming control, this is not the case. This is childish, immature, lacking substance and personal growth.
This book is a travesty of epic proportions…utterly toxic.
Nell has absolutely no self-respect. Clearly if a woman places such little value on herself, why should she be treated differently? This is a vicious cycle of copious amounts of cheating. Remi indiscriminately has a revolving door of groupies, yet he is allegedly desperately in love with Nell. Yet, despite this, he cannot seem to remain loyal or admit to his best friend that he’s wants her.
I admire heroes that clearly know who they want and treat their heroines with respect.
My prerequisite for romance is a heroine rich in character assuming control, this is not the case. This is childish, immature, lacking substance and personal growth.
This book is a travesty of epic proportions…utterly toxic.
January 20, 2022
I am sorry but this book is so bad. I mean if you are into stories about guys who cheat multiple times then tell you they love you only to be found in bed with a new woman the next day they maybe you will love this. I do not see how anyone who has an ounce of self respect for themselves or woman in general can read this story and be okay with it. I read until about 40% and finally gave up HOPING the male lead could redeem himself then skimmed the rest of the book and it just got more ridiculous.
not-for-me
July 26, 2023based on reviews, he cheats on her multiple times. 🤮
August 10, 2022
Wonderful! Love this one, I didn’t want to put it down, I tried to figure out what was next for these two at every twist and turn. I wanted the HEA for these two.
Remington and Nell have known each other most of their lives. Remi is Nell’s older brother, Dominic best friend. During the school year she stays with her mom in Manhattan. Nell goes to her families farm in Bridgehampton durning the summer. Her dad stays on the farm training his polo team. Just before her sixteenth birthday she headed to the farm. She runs through the house needed a bathroom and heads upstairs to her room. When she opens the door she finds a naked Remi in her bathroom. Confused she asks why he’s in her bathroom. He leaves her and goes back to the spare room, she follows him and bust in on him she sees his belonging scattered all over the floor and ask him if he’s staying here. He tells her yes and then she ask him just for the summer, he tells her no he lives here full time her dad asks him to join the team full time. It’s just easier as he and Dom can go to school and train together. Nell apologies once again and they talk about her brother and who they’ve hooked up with. Remi tells her he came here to play polo not hook up with girls. He ask her and she tells him her dad won’t let her date until she thirty, he tells her not to let guys pressure her. She gets mad at him telling him it’s none of his business and leaves. Nell calls her girls and tells them about Remi. He can’t stop thinking about Nell bursting in on him while getting out of the shower. When Nell comes to offer her help with cleaning the barn he refuses it, he can’t be that close to her. She tells him he’s being a jerk and tries to leave but he stops her and tells her he has a lot on his mind. So he decides nothing can change between them, she his best friends sister nothing more. The next morning Nell walks into the kitchen and Remi jaw drops and he can’t look away, Portia, Nell’s younger sister, comes in and elbows him and tells him to pick his jaw up. Dominic notices and tells Remi to keep his hands off his sister he plays dumb and tell him he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Nell goes and talks to her horse Sparkles, it calms her when Remi overhears her. Nell is embarrassed over what she said so she takes off and runs into the woods. Remi runs after her, he tells her he can’t stop thinking about her. She leans in for a kiss but Remi doesn’t give her one, he tells her he can’t. It’s Nell’s sixteen birthday party. Audrey and Rainn come for the weekend. They get ready for the party and talk about Remi. Rainn asks to see her dress for the party and then tells her they need to go out shopping for another one. When they come back from shopping her mother tells them hair and makeup have been waiting an hour for them. The girls get ready and they tell Nell she is beautiful in her dress, but she tells them she needs to get passed her dad. As she walks the stairs her mother tells her she looks beautiful and her father questions it. Then Remi walks into her sight and she nearly trips, but regains her ground. The family takes photos of her and she is introduced to the party by The Sons of Brooklyn. The party underway her mom tells her it’s time for presents, moments later her brother drives up in the car she’s been asking for. She jumps in with Audrey and Rainn, Tad, a guy she’s interested in, calls out to her telling her she look hot in her car. Then he asks her if she would like to dance with him. A blonde named Britney finds Remi, but he’s not interested so he shrugs her off. Remi notices Tad and Nell headed off to the woods so he watches as they kiss. When he hears Nell tell him no he comes to her rescue and yanks him off her. Tad tells her he’s sorry but Remi tells him when a girl say no it means no. Remi tells Tad it’s time for him to go so he does. Nell takes off and Remi goes to find her, with her horse. She tells him she is glad he was there and not her brother. Then tells him she’s going back to the party to find someone else to erase Tad’s lip, he tells her she not going to be out there because he’s stand right here. He tells her he’s going to kiss her and he says yes. She tells him she needs more and they make their way the stairs beside the stalls. Remi puts down a blanket, sits and Nell comes and straddles him and they lose themselves in each other. They both lose their virginities to each other. One Year Later: They celebrate Remi’s birthday, except he breaks Nell’s heart. He tells her he meet someone else at school, he didn’t mean for it to happen but it did. He tells her they can never be together, her brother won’t allow it, her dad would kick him off the team. The girls insist she stay for his party when Miles and Stirling, find them sitting alone, they tell them the boys aren’t worth their attention. So Miles dances with them. Nell excuses herself to the bathroom, when she comes out Remi is waiting for her he asks her if she wants his brother. She tells him it’s none of his business he has a girlfriend. He starts kissing her and they make out, then he walks back to the girls he left. Dominic and Remi’s graduation from high school, they are both off to college. At their graduation party Remi keeps an eye on Nell, he send two guys over to distract her besties, Audrey and Rainn. He goes and kisses her they exchange a few hurtful words and she leaves him standing ashamed. Remi left Nell alone that summer so she spent it with her boyfriend, problem is she caught him in bed with another man. She head to her family farm to talk to Sparkles, when Remi scares her. She takes off not wanting to talk to him, he tells her he wants to take her mind off of things. They get back together for six months until he breaks her heart again, she heads to Harvard to surprise him and catches him in bed with another woman. She tells him she’s done with him and if he comes near her again she’ll tell her father he broke her heart and get him kick off the team. Nell, Audrey and Rainn graduate from high school are go off to Columbia together. Remi’s in Hong Kong with the polo team for the summer. They start posing more sexy photo to their accounts, now that they’re influencers. Nell takes some sexy photos of herself on Sparkles in diamond, when she hears someone say happy birthday to her she gets thrown off. It’s Miles, Remi’s brother, he checks her over but has to carry her to the house. He tells her to put ice on her ankle for the next hour and rest. Remi sent Nell a present and Miles came to deliver it, but he has to head back to the city he has an early shift. Four Years Later: they graduate college and celebrate by taking a trip to Europe. They don’t have to worry about jobs they become influencers getting paid to do fun things. They tag along with Dom to a black tie affair for his polo club. When someone welcome to the stage Remington Hartford. Nell is shocked she didn’t expect to see him. She excuses herself to the bathroom, he’s waiting on her when she comes out. Remi confesses to Nell he sorry for the way he’s treated her years ago, she deserved better, but he wanted her and still does, but he doesn’t deserve a third chance. She tells him she doesn’t hate him and they can be friends. Remi invites them all to an after party. They arrive at the party and Remi has women surrounding him, so the girls head to the bar. Nell wakes the next morning having gotten so drunk she spent the night with Remi declaring this is only a one time thing between them. Then they decide on being fiends with benefits. Remi wakes to find Nell gone the next morning, he calls to find her with her friends in their room. Nell goes back to her friends and is furious with them for letting her go back with Remi. Dom invites them to a private after party for the biggest DJs in the world. They have to stay with Dom as everything is booked up, except when they get there they find out it’s Remi’s admirer home. The girls ask Nell if she wants to take off, but she says no. She says she’ll put a wall around her heart where Remi is concerned. When Remi emerges he’s only wearing a towel and a woman a bit older then him comes and kisses him then to greet them. She welcomes then and leave for work. The girls sit by the pool and take pictures of each other, Remi gets frustrated and jumps in splashing them in the process. Later at the party a girls taps Remi on his shoulder asking him if he needs anything she doesn’t leave when he tells her no Nell doesn’t take her eyes off of him. The party kick up when the DJs finish and they are introduced to the girls. One of the guys wraps his arms around Nell and whispers in her ear and she flirts back. A redhead approaches Remi telling him she has a history with the guy with Nell and it looks like he has a history with her and they both messed up. So they being kissing to make the other jealous, Nell finds Remi coming out of the bathroom and tells him this. Nells kisses Remi and he take her into a disable cubical. He lets her take control and make out, Nell pushes Remi away pissed at herself for falling for him once again. She tells him she’s mad because she let it happen again. She tells him he broke her heart into a million pieces and he was the first boy she ever loved and he destroyed her. She tells him she doesn’t want to be friends anymore, she’ll just keep falling for him and she’ll never get over him. She tells him she’ll always love him and he tells her he’ll always love her. They leave each other broken. The girls head to a new club Dior invited them, Nell drinks tequila and falls off a table, her ankle is swollen. Security comes and tell them to leave and Rainn tells them she can’t to look at her ankle. So one guys picks up Nell and carries her to the curve. Nell asks to be taken to the hospital that Miles is currently at which is across town, but unfortunately he’s not working on that night. The next day Nell is stuck at home when she gets a visitor, Miles comes to check in on her. Their mothers talked and Miles stays for nachos and watches a movie with Nell, but they both fall asleep and Rainn walks in on them. Miles jumps off the bed and tells Rainn what happened then leaves. At Rhys’s wedding to Madison, Remi finds he is sitting next to Nell, but she send a text to Rainn who is sitting next to Miles and they exchange seats. Miles and Nell talk and dance while Remi sends daggers at Miles. Remi grabs Nell from Miles and tells them he’s had enough of them flirting in front of him. Nell takes them both outside to not disturb the other guest. After arguing Miles leaves, and Nell tells him to go after him, he’s drunk. While Nell waits for Remi, him and Miles hash out their disagreement. Nell waits for Remi and they talk about the separation they’ve had the last several month, they don’t deny the connection they share together. Remi finds a bench for Nell and they make out under the moonlight. They agree to going back to friends with benefits, no emotions, feelings or jealousy. The Garcia family has their annual polo day in the Hamptons durning the summer. Remi finds Dom and they talk about what they’ve each been doing. Hours later Remi and Dom spot Nell with her friends, Dom tells him not to mess with his sister, Remi tells him he’s not interested. Dom and Rainn excuse themselves along with Audrey, then Nell tells him to meet her in her bedroom. They both go different ways, but Portia, Nell’s little sister, runs into Remi. Nell tells him they have to be quick because her friends will be looking for her, and he has no problem with that. New Years Eve comes and Nell is sick and can’t go to any parties. The girls offer to stay with her but their sponsors are hosting so they have to attend. Nell thinks of Miles coming over to take care of her before passing out. Nell wakes to the sound of banging and she hears a crash, thinking it’s Miles she rushes to fix herself up, then runs downstairs to find Remi in the kitchen. He’s in the kitchen warming up chicken soup, Miles is working so Remi came to check on her. Remi stays the night with Nell and takes care of her getting her soup and drinks, he cancelled the event he was going and climbs in bed beside Nell, and they fall asleep. When Nell wakes the next day, Remi surprises her he brings in her friends and they celebrate the day. The girls thank Remi for taking care of her before leaving, and Nell falls asleep on the couch with Remi in the chair beside her. Remi wakes and takes a shower to relieve himself, and Nell wakes to hear him call her name, she joins him. She takes charge, telling him she is dirty and he needs to clean her. Valentine’s Day arrives and Nell is dating Jarred. They go to Dior’s party, Nell notices Jarred has wondering eyes. Remi shows up and finds out Nell has a date, so he tries to hook up with Dior, but when he finds out she is friends with Nell he puts a stop to it. At the annual Davenport Gala, the girls point out how Nell likes to flirt with Miles and how that makes Remi feel. Remi is seated right next to Nell, and he’s tries to umcomplicate things, they agree to be friends with no sex. Dom invites the girls to England to Jasper Fox’s Estate, they stay in a cottage off the main house. Nell decides to take a nap before dinner, but Remi send her a text, telling her he wished he could be there. Next thing Remi is walking into Nells room and cuddling up next to her. When she wakes he is gone, the girls tell her he’s here and he brought a date. Nell is furious, she avoids him at dinner. New Years Eve Nell doesn’t want to go to the party but the girls convince her too go, when she arrives, Remi pulls her aside, telling her she can’t wear what she has on, she tells him he can’t tell her what to wear and she tells him to leave her alone. Months later, Nell and the girls block Remi on social media, they tell her he broke up with his girlfriend, now he sitting outside her door. He explains he had to sign an NDA and couldn’t tell her they weren’t really a couple but they did have sex. Nell gives up after he tells her he’s sorry he’s hurt her, giving in to his temptation and she can’t stay away from him. After she tell him she’s running late for a date, and needs to go, he can’t believe she’s leaving. She doesn’t care who he sleeps with when she wants to sleep with him she’ll let him know. But she can’t let him back in and let down her defenses. Nell gets a phone call from Rainn, Dior and David cheated and they need to find Audrey. Nell finds out Dior and David have been hooking up for longer then David’s been with Audrey. They make plans for London to visit Rhys’s, Audrey’s brother. Remi joins them on the plane, he has business to take care of. On the plane ride Remi talks to Stirling about Nell, and about how she’s lust after Miles. The girls play truth or dare and Rainn dares Remi to give Nell a lap dance so he does and she enjoys it. Before the plane lands Nell goes after Remi when he’s in the bathroom. Remi is in London because his contract is almost up with Garcia Team, he has some of the best headhunting him. He calls upon Stirling and Rhys for advice on what to do next. Dominic and him have talked about partnering to take over for Nacho Garcia, Nell’s dad. They tell him to come up with a business plan for Nacho. The girls invite Remi along with Stirling and Rhys out to a club, Rainn ask Remi to dance with her so he does. He finds out Rainn is trying to make Nell jealous. Remi catches a plane ride back to New York with his brothers and the girls. Remi flirts with the staff on the plan, and he can see that it makes Nell jealous. He tells Stirling he can’t compete with Miles, Nell’s been texting him. The stewardess offers Remi something extra, but all he does it go and talk to her, but everyone thinks he did more. Nell goes to Remi’s hotel room and knock on his door, when he answers she burst in thinking the stewardess is there. Remi tells her nothing happened and he been standing back giving Nell time, but he can’t do it anymore, they need a break from each other. Nell presents her business plan to her mother, she loves it and is very proud of her. Nell tells her mother that she will do a summer of internship with Yvette Sanchez and they will come up with a line together. Nell messages her girls to meet her to celebrate and tell them. Miles and Stirling join them, as they were getting a bite to eat. Rainn quickly excuses herself, then Audrey and Stirling do the same. Nell and Miles continue to celebrate the good news. Nell invites Miles to a bar downtown and he joins her. MIles and Nell find a corner and continue to talk, but he tells her how beautiful she is. Miles leans in to kiss her, Nell feels it’s all wrong, it’s sloppy and missed the mark. Nells phone rings and Portia forgot her ID and wants to get in, so Nell excuses herself and gives Portia her ID. Nell tells Portia, Miles Hartford is inside helping her celebrate her move to Paris, but she’s going home. Remi promises to catch up with Miles before he heads to France. When he walks in to Miles apartment, he’s still in bed and his apartment is a mess. Miles takes a shower while Remi searches his fridge. Remi drops a plate and goes to clean it up when he notices an ID laying on the floor so he pick it up, he sees its Nell’s. Remi can’t believe what he sees and Miles tries to explain. Remi tells him he loves Nell and they are brothers. He tells him he never wants to speak to him again and leaves. Remi goes to France and does some of the best polo playing he’s ever done. Remi’s in Paris at an exhibition game and he’s hoping Nell’s to busy to come, but he scans the crowd anyway. When he spots her, his horse bucks him off, he falls to the ground and gets the wind knock out of him. He’s taken to the medical tent where Nell comes and finds him security ask if she can come in and he tells them he doesn’t know her. Nell tells security she’s Nacho Garcia’s daughter and Remi shakes his head tears fall from Nells eyes. Nell puts up a front for her girls and pretends everything is alright, but alone she cries into her pillow. Portia calls Nells and tells her she screwed up, what she did is unforgivable. Portia is pregnant and Miles is the father, the night Nell left the bar Portia went home with Miles, he called her Nell twice and she didn’t correct him. Nell tells her she needs to come clean and tell Miles, he’s the father of her baby. Now Nell know why Remi is so mad at her, Portia lost Nell’s ID that night also. Miles calls Remi, from his mom phone, he tell him he’s going to be a dad and how he thought he was sleeping with Nell. Miles tells Remi to go get Nell back but he thinks it’s to late. Remi calls in favors from Miles and Portia, and gets Yvette to help him out also.
Remington and Nell have known each other most of their lives. Remi is Nell’s older brother, Dominic best friend. During the school year she stays with her mom in Manhattan. Nell goes to her families farm in Bridgehampton durning the summer. Her dad stays on the farm training his polo team. Just before her sixteenth birthday she headed to the farm. She runs through the house needed a bathroom and heads upstairs to her room. When she opens the door she finds a naked Remi in her bathroom. Confused she asks why he’s in her bathroom. He leaves her and goes back to the spare room, she follows him and bust in on him she sees his belonging scattered all over the floor and ask him if he’s staying here. He tells her yes and then she ask him just for the summer, he tells her no he lives here full time her dad asks him to join the team full time. It’s just easier as he and Dom can go to school and train together. Nell apologies once again and they talk about her brother and who they’ve hooked up with. Remi tells her he came here to play polo not hook up with girls. He ask her and she tells him her dad won’t let her date until she thirty, he tells her not to let guys pressure her. She gets mad at him telling him it’s none of his business and leaves. Nell calls her girls and tells them about Remi. He can’t stop thinking about Nell bursting in on him while getting out of the shower. When Nell comes to offer her help with cleaning the barn he refuses it, he can’t be that close to her. She tells him he’s being a jerk and tries to leave but he stops her and tells her he has a lot on his mind. So he decides nothing can change between them, she his best friends sister nothing more. The next morning Nell walks into the kitchen and Remi jaw drops and he can’t look away, Portia, Nell’s younger sister, comes in and elbows him and tells him to pick his jaw up. Dominic notices and tells Remi to keep his hands off his sister he plays dumb and tell him he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Nell goes and talks to her horse Sparkles, it calms her when Remi overhears her. Nell is embarrassed over what she said so she takes off and runs into the woods. Remi runs after her, he tells her he can’t stop thinking about her. She leans in for a kiss but Remi doesn’t give her one, he tells her he can’t. It’s Nell’s sixteen birthday party. Audrey and Rainn come for the weekend. They get ready for the party and talk about Remi. Rainn asks to see her dress for the party and then tells her they need to go out shopping for another one. When they come back from shopping her mother tells them hair and makeup have been waiting an hour for them. The girls get ready and they tell Nell she is beautiful in her dress, but she tells them she needs to get passed her dad. As she walks the stairs her mother tells her she looks beautiful and her father questions it. Then Remi walks into her sight and she nearly trips, but regains her ground. The family takes photos of her and she is introduced to the party by The Sons of Brooklyn. The party underway her mom tells her it’s time for presents, moments later her brother drives up in the car she’s been asking for. She jumps in with Audrey and Rainn, Tad, a guy she’s interested in, calls out to her telling her she look hot in her car. Then he asks her if she would like to dance with him. A blonde named Britney finds Remi, but he’s not interested so he shrugs her off. Remi notices Tad and Nell headed off to the woods so he watches as they kiss. When he hears Nell tell him no he comes to her rescue and yanks him off her. Tad tells her he’s sorry but Remi tells him when a girl say no it means no. Remi tells Tad it’s time for him to go so he does. Nell takes off and Remi goes to find her, with her horse. She tells him she is glad he was there and not her brother. Then tells him she’s going back to the party to find someone else to erase Tad’s lip, he tells her she not going to be out there because he’s stand right here. He tells her he’s going to kiss her and he says yes. She tells him she needs more and they make their way the stairs beside the stalls. Remi puts down a blanket, sits and Nell comes and straddles him and they lose themselves in each other. They both lose their virginities to each other. One Year Later: They celebrate Remi’s birthday, except he breaks Nell’s heart. He tells her he meet someone else at school, he didn’t mean for it to happen but it did. He tells her they can never be together, her brother won’t allow it, her dad would kick him off the team. The girls insist she stay for his party when Miles and Stirling, find them sitting alone, they tell them the boys aren’t worth their attention. So Miles dances with them. Nell excuses herself to the bathroom, when she comes out Remi is waiting for her he asks her if she wants his brother. She tells him it’s none of his business he has a girlfriend. He starts kissing her and they make out, then he walks back to the girls he left. Dominic and Remi’s graduation from high school, they are both off to college. At their graduation party Remi keeps an eye on Nell, he send two guys over to distract her besties, Audrey and Rainn. He goes and kisses her they exchange a few hurtful words and she leaves him standing ashamed. Remi left Nell alone that summer so she spent it with her boyfriend, problem is she caught him in bed with another man. She head to her family farm to talk to Sparkles, when Remi scares her. She takes off not wanting to talk to him, he tells her he wants to take her mind off of things. They get back together for six months until he breaks her heart again, she heads to Harvard to surprise him and catches him in bed with another woman. She tells him she’s done with him and if he comes near her again she’ll tell her father he broke her heart and get him kick off the team. Nell, Audrey and Rainn graduate from high school are go off to Columbia together. Remi’s in Hong Kong with the polo team for the summer. They start posing more sexy photo to their accounts, now that they’re influencers. Nell takes some sexy photos of herself on Sparkles in diamond, when she hears someone say happy birthday to her she gets thrown off. It’s Miles, Remi’s brother, he checks her over but has to carry her to the house. He tells her to put ice on her ankle for the next hour and rest. Remi sent Nell a present and Miles came to deliver it, but he has to head back to the city he has an early shift. Four Years Later: they graduate college and celebrate by taking a trip to Europe. They don’t have to worry about jobs they become influencers getting paid to do fun things. They tag along with Dom to a black tie affair for his polo club. When someone welcome to the stage Remington Hartford. Nell is shocked she didn’t expect to see him. She excuses herself to the bathroom, he’s waiting on her when she comes out. Remi confesses to Nell he sorry for the way he’s treated her years ago, she deserved better, but he wanted her and still does, but he doesn’t deserve a third chance. She tells him she doesn’t hate him and they can be friends. Remi invites them all to an after party. They arrive at the party and Remi has women surrounding him, so the girls head to the bar. Nell wakes the next morning having gotten so drunk she spent the night with Remi declaring this is only a one time thing between them. Then they decide on being fiends with benefits. Remi wakes to find Nell gone the next morning, he calls to find her with her friends in their room. Nell goes back to her friends and is furious with them for letting her go back with Remi. Dom invites them to a private after party for the biggest DJs in the world. They have to stay with Dom as everything is booked up, except when they get there they find out it’s Remi’s admirer home. The girls ask Nell if she wants to take off, but she says no. She says she’ll put a wall around her heart where Remi is concerned. When Remi emerges he’s only wearing a towel and a woman a bit older then him comes and kisses him then to greet them. She welcomes then and leave for work. The girls sit by the pool and take pictures of each other, Remi gets frustrated and jumps in splashing them in the process. Later at the party a girls taps Remi on his shoulder asking him if he needs anything she doesn’t leave when he tells her no Nell doesn’t take her eyes off of him. The party kick up when the DJs finish and they are introduced to the girls. One of the guys wraps his arms around Nell and whispers in her ear and she flirts back. A redhead approaches Remi telling him she has a history with the guy with Nell and it looks like he has a history with her and they both messed up. So they being kissing to make the other jealous, Nell finds Remi coming out of the bathroom and tells him this. Nells kisses Remi and he take her into a disable cubical. He lets her take control and make out, Nell pushes Remi away pissed at herself for falling for him once again. She tells him she’s mad because she let it happen again. She tells him he broke her heart into a million pieces and he was the first boy she ever loved and he destroyed her. She tells him she doesn’t want to be friends anymore, she’ll just keep falling for him and she’ll never get over him. She tells him she’ll always love him and he tells her he’ll always love her. They leave each other broken. The girls head to a new club Dior invited them, Nell drinks tequila and falls off a table, her ankle is swollen. Security comes and tell them to leave and Rainn tells them she can’t to look at her ankle. So one guys picks up Nell and carries her to the curve. Nell asks to be taken to the hospital that Miles is currently at which is across town, but unfortunately he’s not working on that night. The next day Nell is stuck at home when she gets a visitor, Miles comes to check in on her. Their mothers talked and Miles stays for nachos and watches a movie with Nell, but they both fall asleep and Rainn walks in on them. Miles jumps off the bed and tells Rainn what happened then leaves. At Rhys’s wedding to Madison, Remi finds he is sitting next to Nell, but she send a text to Rainn who is sitting next to Miles and they exchange seats. Miles and Nell talk and dance while Remi sends daggers at Miles. Remi grabs Nell from Miles and tells them he’s had enough of them flirting in front of him. Nell takes them both outside to not disturb the other guest. After arguing Miles leaves, and Nell tells him to go after him, he’s drunk. While Nell waits for Remi, him and Miles hash out their disagreement. Nell waits for Remi and they talk about the separation they’ve had the last several month, they don’t deny the connection they share together. Remi finds a bench for Nell and they make out under the moonlight. They agree to going back to friends with benefits, no emotions, feelings or jealousy. The Garcia family has their annual polo day in the Hamptons durning the summer. Remi finds Dom and they talk about what they’ve each been doing. Hours later Remi and Dom spot Nell with her friends, Dom tells him not to mess with his sister, Remi tells him he’s not interested. Dom and Rainn excuse themselves along with Audrey, then Nell tells him to meet her in her bedroom. They both go different ways, but Portia, Nell’s little sister, runs into Remi. Nell tells him they have to be quick because her friends will be looking for her, and he has no problem with that. New Years Eve comes and Nell is sick and can’t go to any parties. The girls offer to stay with her but their sponsors are hosting so they have to attend. Nell thinks of Miles coming over to take care of her before passing out. Nell wakes to the sound of banging and she hears a crash, thinking it’s Miles she rushes to fix herself up, then runs downstairs to find Remi in the kitchen. He’s in the kitchen warming up chicken soup, Miles is working so Remi came to check on her. Remi stays the night with Nell and takes care of her getting her soup and drinks, he cancelled the event he was going and climbs in bed beside Nell, and they fall asleep. When Nell wakes the next day, Remi surprises her he brings in her friends and they celebrate the day. The girls thank Remi for taking care of her before leaving, and Nell falls asleep on the couch with Remi in the chair beside her. Remi wakes and takes a shower to relieve himself, and Nell wakes to hear him call her name, she joins him. She takes charge, telling him she is dirty and he needs to clean her. Valentine’s Day arrives and Nell is dating Jarred. They go to Dior’s party, Nell notices Jarred has wondering eyes. Remi shows up and finds out Nell has a date, so he tries to hook up with Dior, but when he finds out she is friends with Nell he puts a stop to it. At the annual Davenport Gala, the girls point out how Nell likes to flirt with Miles and how that makes Remi feel. Remi is seated right next to Nell, and he’s tries to umcomplicate things, they agree to be friends with no sex. Dom invites the girls to England to Jasper Fox’s Estate, they stay in a cottage off the main house. Nell decides to take a nap before dinner, but Remi send her a text, telling her he wished he could be there. Next thing Remi is walking into Nells room and cuddling up next to her. When she wakes he is gone, the girls tell her he’s here and he brought a date. Nell is furious, she avoids him at dinner. New Years Eve Nell doesn’t want to go to the party but the girls convince her too go, when she arrives, Remi pulls her aside, telling her she can’t wear what she has on, she tells him he can’t tell her what to wear and she tells him to leave her alone. Months later, Nell and the girls block Remi on social media, they tell her he broke up with his girlfriend, now he sitting outside her door. He explains he had to sign an NDA and couldn’t tell her they weren’t really a couple but they did have sex. Nell gives up after he tells her he’s sorry he’s hurt her, giving in to his temptation and she can’t stay away from him. After she tell him she’s running late for a date, and needs to go, he can’t believe she’s leaving. She doesn’t care who he sleeps with when she wants to sleep with him she’ll let him know. But she can’t let him back in and let down her defenses. Nell gets a phone call from Rainn, Dior and David cheated and they need to find Audrey. Nell finds out Dior and David have been hooking up for longer then David’s been with Audrey. They make plans for London to visit Rhys’s, Audrey’s brother. Remi joins them on the plane, he has business to take care of. On the plane ride Remi talks to Stirling about Nell, and about how she’s lust after Miles. The girls play truth or dare and Rainn dares Remi to give Nell a lap dance so he does and she enjoys it. Before the plane lands Nell goes after Remi when he’s in the bathroom. Remi is in London because his contract is almost up with Garcia Team, he has some of the best headhunting him. He calls upon Stirling and Rhys for advice on what to do next. Dominic and him have talked about partnering to take over for Nacho Garcia, Nell’s dad. They tell him to come up with a business plan for Nacho. The girls invite Remi along with Stirling and Rhys out to a club, Rainn ask Remi to dance with her so he does. He finds out Rainn is trying to make Nell jealous. Remi catches a plane ride back to New York with his brothers and the girls. Remi flirts with the staff on the plan, and he can see that it makes Nell jealous. He tells Stirling he can’t compete with Miles, Nell’s been texting him. The stewardess offers Remi something extra, but all he does it go and talk to her, but everyone thinks he did more. Nell goes to Remi’s hotel room and knock on his door, when he answers she burst in thinking the stewardess is there. Remi tells her nothing happened and he been standing back giving Nell time, but he can’t do it anymore, they need a break from each other. Nell presents her business plan to her mother, she loves it and is very proud of her. Nell tells her mother that she will do a summer of internship with Yvette Sanchez and they will come up with a line together. Nell messages her girls to meet her to celebrate and tell them. Miles and Stirling join them, as they were getting a bite to eat. Rainn quickly excuses herself, then Audrey and Stirling do the same. Nell and Miles continue to celebrate the good news. Nell invites Miles to a bar downtown and he joins her. MIles and Nell find a corner and continue to talk, but he tells her how beautiful she is. Miles leans in to kiss her, Nell feels it’s all wrong, it’s sloppy and missed the mark. Nells phone rings and Portia forgot her ID and wants to get in, so Nell excuses herself and gives Portia her ID. Nell tells Portia, Miles Hartford is inside helping her celebrate her move to Paris, but she’s going home. Remi promises to catch up with Miles before he heads to France. When he walks in to Miles apartment, he’s still in bed and his apartment is a mess. Miles takes a shower while Remi searches his fridge. Remi drops a plate and goes to clean it up when he notices an ID laying on the floor so he pick it up, he sees its Nell’s. Remi can’t believe what he sees and Miles tries to explain. Remi tells him he loves Nell and they are brothers. He tells him he never wants to speak to him again and leaves. Remi goes to France and does some of the best polo playing he’s ever done. Remi’s in Paris at an exhibition game and he’s hoping Nell’s to busy to come, but he scans the crowd anyway. When he spots her, his horse bucks him off, he falls to the ground and gets the wind knock out of him. He’s taken to the medical tent where Nell comes and finds him security ask if she can come in and he tells them he doesn’t know her. Nell tells security she’s Nacho Garcia’s daughter and Remi shakes his head tears fall from Nells eyes. Nell puts up a front for her girls and pretends everything is alright, but alone she cries into her pillow. Portia calls Nells and tells her she screwed up, what she did is unforgivable. Portia is pregnant and Miles is the father, the night Nell left the bar Portia went home with Miles, he called her Nell twice and she didn’t correct him. Nell tells her she needs to come clean and tell Miles, he’s the father of her baby. Now Nell know why Remi is so mad at her, Portia lost Nell’s ID that night also. Miles calls Remi, from his mom phone, he tell him he’s going to be a dad and how he thought he was sleeping with Nell. Miles tells Remi to go get Nell back but he thinks it’s to late. Remi calls in favors from Miles and Portia, and gets Yvette to help him out also.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2021
I couldn’t put it down, even in frustration!!
PLAYING THE PLAYER is book two in this stand-a-lone series about the Hartford Brothers, and occurs concurrently with book 1, TEMPTING THE BILLIONAIRE. So, if you love interconnected family series high on steam and angst, then this is for you.
It seemed that I was on edge the whole time, torn between wanting to find the resolution to Remington Hartford and Nell Garcia’s story, yet knowing I’d be gutted when it ended. I was invested and I truly believed that the book wouldn’t have been long enough, until it got to a stage where Remi’s behaviour went too far, and Nell called enough. Author JA Low had broken my heart and Nell’s when he turned into a total man-pig. I was shattered and disgusted with his actions, and his behaviour was the epitome of why brothers don’t want their mates sha-g-g-ing their sisters.
He was gorgeous, popular with the ladies, and a rising star within the Polo set where he was on the team run by Nell’s father. He also believed his own press. His heart might have been in the right place, believing that it firmly belonged to Nell, unfortunately he made many errors of judgment and totally obliterated Nell’s love and trust in the process.
I did love Nell, and mostly I admired her drive and determination. While she seemed to swan through her life as a well known social media influencer, she earned her own money while still having her head screwed on straight. Except when it came to Remi, and I almost lost interest in her well-being towards the end. I kept thinking that after three or fives times of being let down, surely she hasd to start being responsible for her own heartbreak.
In spite of my evident frustrations with these two, Ms Low’s gift of writing and choice of secondary characters ensured that there was no way I wasn’t hanging about until the end. As I’ve already indicated, PLAYING THE PLAYER ran concurrently with TEMPTING THE BILLIONAIRE, telling the story of Audrey, one of Nell’s best friends and Remi’s brother Stirling. We also got to briefly attend the first wedding of Audrey’s brother Rhys, whose story is WITHOUT WARNING, book five in Ms Low’s Playboys of New York series and also fleetingly mentions Dominic, Nell’s brother.
Intertwined much?? Absolutely, and I love it!! That is why I also highly recommend further reading in this and other series!!! 4.5 Stars ༺💚༻
#mumsalwaysreading #bookblogger #bookreviewer #marnsreads #marnsj
PLAYING THE PLAYER is book two in this stand-a-lone series about the Hartford Brothers, and occurs concurrently with book 1, TEMPTING THE BILLIONAIRE. So, if you love interconnected family series high on steam and angst, then this is for you.
It seemed that I was on edge the whole time, torn between wanting to find the resolution to Remington Hartford and Nell Garcia’s story, yet knowing I’d be gutted when it ended. I was invested and I truly believed that the book wouldn’t have been long enough, until it got to a stage where Remi’s behaviour went too far, and Nell called enough. Author JA Low had broken my heart and Nell’s when he turned into a total man-pig. I was shattered and disgusted with his actions, and his behaviour was the epitome of why brothers don’t want their mates sha-g-g-ing their sisters.
He was gorgeous, popular with the ladies, and a rising star within the Polo set where he was on the team run by Nell’s father. He also believed his own press. His heart might have been in the right place, believing that it firmly belonged to Nell, unfortunately he made many errors of judgment and totally obliterated Nell’s love and trust in the process.
I did love Nell, and mostly I admired her drive and determination. While she seemed to swan through her life as a well known social media influencer, she earned her own money while still having her head screwed on straight. Except when it came to Remi, and I almost lost interest in her well-being towards the end. I kept thinking that after three or fives times of being let down, surely she hasd to start being responsible for her own heartbreak.
In spite of my evident frustrations with these two, Ms Low’s gift of writing and choice of secondary characters ensured that there was no way I wasn’t hanging about until the end. As I’ve already indicated, PLAYING THE PLAYER ran concurrently with TEMPTING THE BILLIONAIRE, telling the story of Audrey, one of Nell’s best friends and Remi’s brother Stirling. We also got to briefly attend the first wedding of Audrey’s brother Rhys, whose story is WITHOUT WARNING, book five in Ms Low’s Playboys of New York series and also fleetingly mentions Dominic, Nell’s brother.
Intertwined much?? Absolutely, and I love it!! That is why I also highly recommend further reading in this and other series!!! 4.5 Stars ༺💚༻
#mumsalwaysreading #bookblogger #bookreviewer #marnsreads #marnsj
January 29, 2022
Absolutely hated this book! He supposedly loves her but sleeps with anything that moves and she just keeps going back for more
December 7, 2022
Still hyperventilating
**Spoiler Alert**
Nell and Remi's story had me hyperventilating so much o thought o may pass-out...
What a whirlwind of drama. The cat and mouse game that went on for years and the secrets kept under lock and key that i was sure would never be revealed, but in the end... true love conquered all.
There is so much story to read, but be warned you may lose some hair because I was sure pulling some of mine out.
**Spoiler Alert**
Nell and Remi's story had me hyperventilating so much o thought o may pass-out...
What a whirlwind of drama. The cat and mouse game that went on for years and the secrets kept under lock and key that i was sure would never be revealed, but in the end... true love conquered all.
There is so much story to read, but be warned you may lose some hair because I was sure pulling some of mine out.
October 10, 2021
JA Low is back with the second book from her Hartford Brothers series, Player the Player, bringing readers the story of Remi and Nell, who we’d previously been introduced to in the first book, Tempting the Billionaire.
The book itself tells readers the angst filled story of how Remi and Nell’s relationship progresses over the years, going from love to hate and back again, if you like your books with a little angst filled, flirty drama then you’re going to love Playing the Player, there’s plenty of flirting, hot loving, breaking up and making up of sorts throughout, which borders on becoming a bit of a tedious journey, which in my opinion makes the storyline even more realistic as something worth having is never that easy, you need to fight for it, and that’s exactly what happens here, playboy Remi redeems himself when he finally pulls his trousers up and fights for the woman who’s held his heart in her hands for many a year. Join the duo as they grow and their relationship progresses over the years, we also get an insight in to what lies ahead, as JA Low teases us with what’s to come for Miles, the other Hartford brother, let the waiting commence.
𝔸ℝℂ 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕚𝕤 𝕞𝕪 𝕙𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨.
The book itself tells readers the angst filled story of how Remi and Nell’s relationship progresses over the years, going from love to hate and back again, if you like your books with a little angst filled, flirty drama then you’re going to love Playing the Player, there’s plenty of flirting, hot loving, breaking up and making up of sorts throughout, which borders on becoming a bit of a tedious journey, which in my opinion makes the storyline even more realistic as something worth having is never that easy, you need to fight for it, and that’s exactly what happens here, playboy Remi redeems himself when he finally pulls his trousers up and fights for the woman who’s held his heart in her hands for many a year. Join the duo as they grow and their relationship progresses over the years, we also get an insight in to what lies ahead, as JA Low teases us with what’s to come for Miles, the other Hartford brother, let the waiting commence.
𝔸ℝℂ 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕚𝕤 𝕞𝕪 𝕙𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨.
November 13, 2021
Far from her best work - read on KU
This series has been horrible compared to some of her other books. The first book in the series was very obviously rushed for release because it had more grammatical errors than any book I have read this year and I've read over 350 books this year - all on KU. This book only has a handful of errors but the plot is so very irritating. Nell and Remi are not good people. Nell isn't necessarily a bad person but isn't the type woman I like to read about in romances. Remi isn't a bad person, in general, but he's a horrible H. Together, they are beyond irritating and their relationship is absolutely toxic. I have really loved some of her books. Some of the dirty Texas books were 5 star reads, IMO, and I have left few 5 star reviews this year. I don't know how the same author wrote those and these. The remainder of my review has spoilers.
Based on the first book, I was surprised at the ages of the MCs in the beginning of the book. Nell was having her 16th birthday party. (And her parents got her a brand new Merecedes convertible.) They hook up for the summer and then he cheats on her almost as soon as school starts back. And even after she finds out, sees him with two different girls in his lap, she still has sex with him in the hall of a public place. Afterwards, he goes back to the girls that were in his lap. They do this song and dance for years. Years that go by at an uneven pace. The timeline is difficult to follow. It's hard to keep up with how much time has gone by in some cases or their ages at different points. When he finally decides he is serious about her, he has burned too many bridges with her but it is also hard for her to know he means it. He has been telling her she is her forever but they weren't ready for that yet. How she could ever trust him to not cheat for the rest of their lives is beyond me.
Remi and Nellxs older brother are the same age and are both on her dad's polo team in high school. Then they play in college and then he goes back to her dad's team. I don't understand this. Is their a high school age division and different teams have several teams within them - one for each experience level?? He later plays for a European team and becomes the #1 polo player in the world. I also don't follow this exactly. I mean, I get the concept but I don't know how that sport works and it wasn't explained at all in the book. I realize football romances don't explain the sport but most Americans have a general knowledge of how football works but not many people follow professional polo. Not that this is a sports romance. It is just his profession and how well he is doing comes in conversation but nothing further.
It would have been nice if the author had at least thrown in a scene with him on his horse. Maybe given him a softer side seeing him treat his horse well? I would assume he would need a good relationship with his horse to play well.
I like enemy to lover romances but not this one. They don't get together permanently until the very last page of the book and that is obnoxious. (On my 11" tablet. A few pages from end on a smaller device.) The other times they were together were hoot ups. There were some decent steamy scenes but those didn't save this disaster.
This series has been horrible compared to some of her other books. The first book in the series was very obviously rushed for release because it had more grammatical errors than any book I have read this year and I've read over 350 books this year - all on KU. This book only has a handful of errors but the plot is so very irritating. Nell and Remi are not good people. Nell isn't necessarily a bad person but isn't the type woman I like to read about in romances. Remi isn't a bad person, in general, but he's a horrible H. Together, they are beyond irritating and their relationship is absolutely toxic. I have really loved some of her books. Some of the dirty Texas books were 5 star reads, IMO, and I have left few 5 star reviews this year. I don't know how the same author wrote those and these. The remainder of my review has spoilers.
Based on the first book, I was surprised at the ages of the MCs in the beginning of the book. Nell was having her 16th birthday party. (And her parents got her a brand new Merecedes convertible.) They hook up for the summer and then he cheats on her almost as soon as school starts back. And even after she finds out, sees him with two different girls in his lap, she still has sex with him in the hall of a public place. Afterwards, he goes back to the girls that were in his lap. They do this song and dance for years. Years that go by at an uneven pace. The timeline is difficult to follow. It's hard to keep up with how much time has gone by in some cases or their ages at different points. When he finally decides he is serious about her, he has burned too many bridges with her but it is also hard for her to know he means it. He has been telling her she is her forever but they weren't ready for that yet. How she could ever trust him to not cheat for the rest of their lives is beyond me.
Remi and Nellxs older brother are the same age and are both on her dad's polo team in high school. Then they play in college and then he goes back to her dad's team. I don't understand this. Is their a high school age division and different teams have several teams within them - one for each experience level?? He later plays for a European team and becomes the #1 polo player in the world. I also don't follow this exactly. I mean, I get the concept but I don't know how that sport works and it wasn't explained at all in the book. I realize football romances don't explain the sport but most Americans have a general knowledge of how football works but not many people follow professional polo. Not that this is a sports romance. It is just his profession and how well he is doing comes in conversation but nothing further.
It would have been nice if the author had at least thrown in a scene with him on his horse. Maybe given him a softer side seeing him treat his horse well? I would assume he would need a good relationship with his horse to play well.
I like enemy to lover romances but not this one. They don't get together permanently until the very last page of the book and that is obnoxious. (On my 11" tablet. A few pages from end on a smaller device.) The other times they were together were hoot ups. There were some decent steamy scenes but those didn't save this disaster.
September 20, 2022
horrible
This is not a romance. This is a story of two people who during the entire story slept around with anyone available. The story is gross. After you read it, you feel dirty. There is absolutely no romance in this story.
This is not a romance. This is a story of two people who during the entire story slept around with anyone available. The story is gross. After you read it, you feel dirty. There is absolutely no romance in this story.
February 9, 2022
This story is so toxic Not a fan
June 7, 2024
Good potential for a story line but writing needs help
Normally if I think a book is bad or too cheesey or the writing isn't great I DNF. BUT I kept going with this one because I think there is potential, but it needs a lot of help. I will start first with what I like....I like that we continue on with characters from the first series and that essentially it takes place in the same time frame. I also like it touches on other points in time that we didn't get in the first book, plus fills in POVs from Nell's aspect. I also think the overall story line has potential but there are many fixes.
(Spoiler alerts below)
Here is what I think needs help...the characters are completely surface level. I feel like the writer tries to give them some depth but they completely fell flat. I also get, with the plot, the author is going for a second chance trop ( or like a 4th or 5th in this case) but it is too much. Perhaps if there was more depth in the characters and each "angsty" situation it wouldn't seem like they were both so incredibly immature. There are parts in the plot (in the early years) when that could be believable, but to continue on throughout the book made me struggle to keep moving forward. If Remi is such an unbelievable playboy, no self-respecting person would give him so many chances after he blatantly would flaunt his conquests in front of Nell. Also, maybe even the playing field a little? Nell only had a few moments of kissing someone, maybe a little pay back would have been good for Remi and would have made the reader cheer her on, rather than feel like she is dumb to commit to a playboy who can't seem to keep it in his pants no matter how hard he tries. Again, character and plot development might help with this.
Finally, the ending was so rushed You have years of build-up and back and forth between the 2 for it to end with an "I am sorry" and now it is forever. It is so incredibly anti-climatic and unbelievable that honestly if the book wasn't basically done I would have walked away. We also miss major points throughout the book. Nell's mom is a fashion designer, but what kind? Of what? There isn't much background on her or Remi's family ( other than Remi's brothers and Nell's sister later on, again playing into character development) and that can greatly help with some of the "why" in the things that happen.
I am hoping that the author takes this review as constructive because the book has some great potential, but it overall fell flat and felt so incredibly rushed that you can't even get into it. With that said, I will read the 3rd book because I am curious how this series will end and I hope the 3rd book is better!
Normally if I think a book is bad or too cheesey or the writing isn't great I DNF. BUT I kept going with this one because I think there is potential, but it needs a lot of help. I will start first with what I like....I like that we continue on with characters from the first series and that essentially it takes place in the same time frame. I also like it touches on other points in time that we didn't get in the first book, plus fills in POVs from Nell's aspect. I also think the overall story line has potential but there are many fixes.
(Spoiler alerts below)
Here is what I think needs help...the characters are completely surface level. I feel like the writer tries to give them some depth but they completely fell flat. I also get, with the plot, the author is going for a second chance trop ( or like a 4th or 5th in this case) but it is too much. Perhaps if there was more depth in the characters and each "angsty" situation it wouldn't seem like they were both so incredibly immature. There are parts in the plot (in the early years) when that could be believable, but to continue on throughout the book made me struggle to keep moving forward. If Remi is such an unbelievable playboy, no self-respecting person would give him so many chances after he blatantly would flaunt his conquests in front of Nell. Also, maybe even the playing field a little? Nell only had a few moments of kissing someone, maybe a little pay back would have been good for Remi and would have made the reader cheer her on, rather than feel like she is dumb to commit to a playboy who can't seem to keep it in his pants no matter how hard he tries. Again, character and plot development might help with this.
Finally, the ending was so rushed You have years of build-up and back and forth between the 2 for it to end with an "I am sorry" and now it is forever. It is so incredibly anti-climatic and unbelievable that honestly if the book wasn't basically done I would have walked away. We also miss major points throughout the book. Nell's mom is a fashion designer, but what kind? Of what? There isn't much background on her or Remi's family ( other than Remi's brothers and Nell's sister later on, again playing into character development) and that can greatly help with some of the "why" in the things that happen.
I am hoping that the author takes this review as constructive because the book has some great potential, but it overall fell flat and felt so incredibly rushed that you can't even get into it. With that said, I will read the 3rd book because I am curious how this series will end and I hope the 3rd book is better!
August 28, 2023
I’m emotionally exhausted!
Geez… what a ride that was.
From the first book in this series, Tempting the Billionaire, we could already see that the beautiful social influencer Nell Garcia and the polo playing playboy Remi Hartford had something going on. But after reading this book that takes us right back to the start of their up-and-down relationship, we can begin to understand why the sexual tension between them is so high.
This story is hot… hotter than hot… especially if you like spontaneous encounters that end up in compromising positions. That’s what these two thrive on. The heated looks, the playful flirtation, the dirty talk… it sets them both off and riles them up, but its also their downfall because whilst they sate each others sexual needs they don’t accept or admit their feelings for each other.
Their love/hate relationship is mesmerising but incredibly frustrating. They can be together but they also can’t stay apart. I actually really love Reno’s character because he’s fun, flirtatious and inexcusably hot, but there’s also this whole side to him that’s ultimately vulnerable.
He sees Nell as someone he can’t have and who doesn’t really want him. He gives her that relief when she needs to scratch the itch, but he convinces himself that the only man she wants is his older brother Miles. Little does he know that if he stopped playing the field and started playing for her… he’d win.
It’s not exactly a slow burn as they do kick things off pretty quickly… but be prepared to have to wait it out until the very end to see what happens when wires eventually get uncrossed.
Geez… what a ride that was.
From the first book in this series, Tempting the Billionaire, we could already see that the beautiful social influencer Nell Garcia and the polo playing playboy Remi Hartford had something going on. But after reading this book that takes us right back to the start of their up-and-down relationship, we can begin to understand why the sexual tension between them is so high.
This story is hot… hotter than hot… especially if you like spontaneous encounters that end up in compromising positions. That’s what these two thrive on. The heated looks, the playful flirtation, the dirty talk… it sets them both off and riles them up, but its also their downfall because whilst they sate each others sexual needs they don’t accept or admit their feelings for each other.
Their love/hate relationship is mesmerising but incredibly frustrating. They can be together but they also can’t stay apart. I actually really love Reno’s character because he’s fun, flirtatious and inexcusably hot, but there’s also this whole side to him that’s ultimately vulnerable.
He sees Nell as someone he can’t have and who doesn’t really want him. He gives her that relief when she needs to scratch the itch, but he convinces himself that the only man she wants is his older brother Miles. Little does he know that if he stopped playing the field and started playing for her… he’d win.
It’s not exactly a slow burn as they do kick things off pretty quickly… but be prepared to have to wait it out until the very end to see what happens when wires eventually get uncrossed.
January 9, 2022
All i have to say is this book stopped me working, i started before i went to bed and then as soon as i woke up went to my computer turned it on and then continued to read the book instead of doing the job i get paid for.
This book was so good i really loved this one we got a glimpse of Nell and Remi in the first book so i was intrigued to see what these characters were like in there story and all i have to say is they are one hot mess. This book is a roller coaster one minute i was frustrated with Nell the next i could have thrown my kindle over Remi, they were fire and ice and they had me hooked.
This book spans over many years and normally with books it’s will they won’t they oh these two no fear of that they will but at what cost and oh my heart broke i laughed and i got angry but when a book brings out those emotions i know i have loved the story.
This story has it all a bit of forbidden romance, very steamy, angsty, so much back and forth it was crazy i could read a book with Nell and Remi as the main characters over and over again.
I must admit the next book is going to be crazy how this book ends woah wasn’t expecting it and i can’t wait to see how this pans out.
If you have read the first book you will love this and if you haven’t don’t worry read this book anyway it’s pretty much the same time line as the first book so not much is really given away about these two so you could read it as a stand-alone everyone needs a bit of Nell and Remi.
This book was so good i really loved this one we got a glimpse of Nell and Remi in the first book so i was intrigued to see what these characters were like in there story and all i have to say is they are one hot mess. This book is a roller coaster one minute i was frustrated with Nell the next i could have thrown my kindle over Remi, they were fire and ice and they had me hooked.
This book spans over many years and normally with books it’s will they won’t they oh these two no fear of that they will but at what cost and oh my heart broke i laughed and i got angry but when a book brings out those emotions i know i have loved the story.
This story has it all a bit of forbidden romance, very steamy, angsty, so much back and forth it was crazy i could read a book with Nell and Remi as the main characters over and over again.
I must admit the next book is going to be crazy how this book ends woah wasn’t expecting it and i can’t wait to see how this pans out.
If you have read the first book you will love this and if you haven’t don’t worry read this book anyway it’s pretty much the same time line as the first book so not much is really given away about these two so you could read it as a stand-alone everyone needs a bit of Nell and Remi.
December 6, 2021
“He won’t be out there, Nell. I can guarantee it.” “Really, how so?”
“Because he’s standing right here.”
This is a story of Remi, the ultimate player, and Nell, his best friend’s sister, falling in love but never getting it quite right. Story takes place over the course of a couple of years and you’ll get to experience so much heart break before getting to the ending everyone needs. They met young, they were each other’s firsts but Remi kept doing inexcusable things to end their secret relationship. Multiple times. And despite how many times Remi broke Nell’s heart, she just couldn’t get enough of him. Something always brought them back together. You are gonna feel frustration and angst… it is not your typical romance novel… the on and off, enemies then lovers, friends with benefits but then that becomes toxic so back to enemies… my emotions were all over the place 😂 but it will make sense in the end. I loved it.
I will say tho that the ending did feel rushed. I would have loved to have seen more of them together after all the BS- and that’s why I removed a star.
This is book 2 of the Hartford Brothers series and if you read the first book, Tempting the Billionaire, you’ll notice an unexpected twist to this story, which is when I fell in love with Remi. And yes, the steam level is 🔥🌶🙌🏽
“Because he’s standing right here.”
This is a story of Remi, the ultimate player, and Nell, his best friend’s sister, falling in love but never getting it quite right. Story takes place over the course of a couple of years and you’ll get to experience so much heart break before getting to the ending everyone needs. They met young, they were each other’s firsts but Remi kept doing inexcusable things to end their secret relationship. Multiple times. And despite how many times Remi broke Nell’s heart, she just couldn’t get enough of him. Something always brought them back together. You are gonna feel frustration and angst… it is not your typical romance novel… the on and off, enemies then lovers, friends with benefits but then that becomes toxic so back to enemies… my emotions were all over the place 😂 but it will make sense in the end. I loved it.
I will say tho that the ending did feel rushed. I would have loved to have seen more of them together after all the BS- and that’s why I removed a star.
This is book 2 of the Hartford Brothers series and if you read the first book, Tempting the Billionaire, you’ll notice an unexpected twist to this story, which is when I fell in love with Remi. And yes, the steam level is 🔥🌶🙌🏽
October 20, 2021
3 1/2 stars
In the Hartford Brothers series book 2, Playing the Player, Remington Hartford certainly is the player of all players. This title is perfect for this story too! I often found Remi quite annoying, his arrogance knew no bounds but… he was extremely honest about himself and that appealed to me a lot. Yes, he was sexy and gorgeous but he was also very hardworking and focused on his career—both on and off the field.
Nell Garcia I quite liked from the beginning, I will admit I did find her a bit annoying in the first book, Tempting the Billionaire, but things of course, are much clearer in this book. Who could blame her for wanting Remi? However, the idea of her returning to him continually was madness, well in my opinion—the yo-yo effect was mind blowing.
I did find that having the story go back in time helped clarify many things brought up in the first book and I often found myself thinking, oh that’s why! 😀 Two books couldn’t be more intertwined I am positive.
If you are in the mood for a super passion-filled romance then look no further as this book is the perfect one for you to enjoy.
In the Hartford Brothers series book 2, Playing the Player, Remington Hartford certainly is the player of all players. This title is perfect for this story too! I often found Remi quite annoying, his arrogance knew no bounds but… he was extremely honest about himself and that appealed to me a lot. Yes, he was sexy and gorgeous but he was also very hardworking and focused on his career—both on and off the field.
Nell Garcia I quite liked from the beginning, I will admit I did find her a bit annoying in the first book, Tempting the Billionaire, but things of course, are much clearer in this book. Who could blame her for wanting Remi? However, the idea of her returning to him continually was madness, well in my opinion—the yo-yo effect was mind blowing.
I did find that having the story go back in time helped clarify many things brought up in the first book and I often found myself thinking, oh that’s why! 😀 Two books couldn’t be more intertwined I am positive.
If you are in the mood for a super passion-filled romance then look no further as this book is the perfect one for you to enjoy.
November 7, 2021
Honestly, even three stars feels generous for this one. I dove into it after the first book because well, while it wasn't great. I did enjoy it so I thought I would say the same about this one. And well, I am in two minds about it. I thought Remi and Nell's love could have been epic, instead it was basically a young woman who kept letting a man back in her life even though he clearly couldn't keep it in his pants. Is it really love when he drops his pants for anyone willing to drop their knickers? The fact that he kept coming back for her and acted wounded when she tried to move on was a bang your head against a wall scenario. And sure, by the end he had experienced it from her which seemed like a nice dose of karma but did he really, really learn from his past mistakes? I don't know, I am not convinced that he'll remain faithful but I guess that is either realistic or pessimistic of me. Okay, apparently I am in one mind about it. Remi was a tactless, asshat with Nell's feelings and prevented her from moving on, despite knowing at that time, he couldn't be faithful. That doesn't feel like love to me.... so yeah, I am not sure about those two.
October 28, 2021
Playing the Player is the second title in the Harford Brothers series. Whilst this title can be read as a standalone, much of the events in this book occur previous or concurrent to the previous addition of the series Tempting the Billionaire.
Nell Garcia, and Remington Harftord have a love-hate relationship that is full of angst and drama.
Remi is a wealthy polo player who is plays just as hard off the field as on it. He’s arrogant, cocky, and hardworking, and despite his honesty regrading his faults, he really needs to grow up.
Nell is intelligent, driven, and hardworking, but is a bit of a sucker for continually giving Remi chance after chance.
The interactions between this pair are flirty and passionate, but also antagonistic.
This title features cameos from several characters from other titles and gives a few clues as to what Myles Hartford’s story may be about.
I was equally captivated and frustrated by this pair, but overall enjoyed seeing them grow and develop both as individuals and as a couple.
Nell Garcia, and Remington Harftord have a love-hate relationship that is full of angst and drama.
Remi is a wealthy polo player who is plays just as hard off the field as on it. He’s arrogant, cocky, and hardworking, and despite his honesty regrading his faults, he really needs to grow up.
Nell is intelligent, driven, and hardworking, but is a bit of a sucker for continually giving Remi chance after chance.
The interactions between this pair are flirty and passionate, but also antagonistic.
This title features cameos from several characters from other titles and gives a few clues as to what Myles Hartford’s story may be about.
I was equally captivated and frustrated by this pair, but overall enjoyed seeing them grow and develop both as individuals and as a couple.
October 29, 2021
An emotional rollercoaster ❤️🔥
Remi pulls your heartstrings like nobody can. I got attached to his character from the first time I read about him in Tempting the Billionaire.
Nell and Remi fall in love young but end up falling apart because of Remi's mistake. From there on they share a complicated relationship where they want each other at the same time run from each other.
They have a lot of miscommunication and over the read you see them grow and understand what they actually want from life.
Nell was one of my least favorite characters in book 1 but after reading the book I understand her and couldn't help loving her character. But still hate her hypocritic view where she goes crazy if Remi even flirts with her friends but on other hand she swoons over Miles.
It's a fun read filled with angst.
Getting a glimpse of what's gonna happen with Miles have you filled with anticipation.
Can't wait for Seducing the Doctor😁.
Remi pulls your heartstrings like nobody can. I got attached to his character from the first time I read about him in Tempting the Billionaire.
Nell and Remi fall in love young but end up falling apart because of Remi's mistake. From there on they share a complicated relationship where they want each other at the same time run from each other.
They have a lot of miscommunication and over the read you see them grow and understand what they actually want from life.
Nell was one of my least favorite characters in book 1 but after reading the book I understand her and couldn't help loving her character. But still hate her hypocritic view where she goes crazy if Remi even flirts with her friends but on other hand she swoons over Miles.
It's a fun read filled with angst.
Getting a glimpse of what's gonna happen with Miles have you filled with anticipation.
Can't wait for Seducing the Doctor😁.
October 2, 2021
This story is, hands down, the most frustrating love story I’ve read in a long time.
I love the Hartford brothers and all the extra characters but…. Remi and Nell?? Frustrating!
The back and forth, the flirting, hurting, loving, hating and breaking up to make up! Ugh. The angst and drama blew my mind.
The plot was great. I can visualise every scene like a movie in my head. I feel like I know these people so well. We are family. Family frustrates doesn’t it?
Remi is such a player, he struggles to keep it in his pants. It takes him a long time to work out what he wants but it’s worth it in the end. He definitely redeemed himself.
Nell wears her heart on her sleeve. She learns and grows as the story progresses and finally grows up enough to work out her life and feelings.
I do love these people. I absolutely can’t wait for Miles story. That is going to explode my mind.
December 9, 2022
This book might be the biggest hot mess story I've read from J. A. Low, and by the way, if you don't like cheaty mccheating, just walk away because this book is dripping in it. I actually don't understand how this ended up being an HEA. Hahaha. It was just...wow. In a way, I suppose it was an interesting and entertaining. Never a dull moment there. But as a romance? Oh, gosh. It was awful. So, read it for the hot mess quality. Don't read it for a good romance, but there was no romance. It was a tit for tat the whole time with nothing but heartbreak and crying and hurting. But you will want popcorn when you read it.
Nell and Remi got together over one beautiful summer when they were young. And then he promptly cheated on her in college. They broke up. Then got back together. Then he broke her heart again. Then they were f#%k buddies. Then they weren't. Then they were. Crying. Heartbreak. Revenge sex. Yeah, that's pretty much the plot. Now, that I type that out, it really doesn't sound like much of a plot, does it? Hmmm. Might have to knock it down another star...
Ah, so...yes. I guess I have nothing else to say? I'm starting to realize this book is nothing but drama instead of substance. Even the characters are just one-dimensional tropes. I liked the first one. I'm glad I read this one for the entertainment value. But this is not a literary success.
Hartford Brothers Series
-Review of Tempting the Billionaire (The Hartford Brothers #1)
-Review of Playing the Player (The Hartford Brothers #2)
-Review of Seducing the Doctor (The Hartford Brothers #3)
Nell and Remi got together over one beautiful summer when they were young. And then he promptly cheated on her in college. They broke up. Then got back together. Then he broke her heart again. Then they were f#%k buddies. Then they weren't. Then they were. Crying. Heartbreak. Revenge sex. Yeah, that's pretty much the plot. Now, that I type that out, it really doesn't sound like much of a plot, does it? Hmmm. Might have to knock it down another star...
Ah, so...yes. I guess I have nothing else to say? I'm starting to realize this book is nothing but drama instead of substance. Even the characters are just one-dimensional tropes. I liked the first one. I'm glad I read this one for the entertainment value. But this is not a literary success.
Hartford Brothers Series
-Review of Tempting the Billionaire (The Hartford Brothers #1)
-Review of Playing the Player (The Hartford Brothers #2)
-Review of Seducing the Doctor (The Hartford Brothers #3)
December 27, 2023
This book will probably go down as one of the worst books I’ve ever read. Remy was the antithesis of book boyfriend. He cheated all through the book and the two main characters didn’t even end up together until the very end. I felt like his character abused the power of love in the worst ways. He knew Nell would be there waiting for him no matter how many women he slept with. He strung her along and she allowed herself to be pulled along in this toxic push and pull. I made myself finish this book because I hate to leave anything undone, but the whole time I was waiting for the FMC to develop some self love and find better. Nope, she settled for a cheater and I fully believe he would be the dude to sleep with a bridesmaid at his own wedding.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2024
I don’t know what to say. I really thought at one point, Nell would see the light and finally walk away. Over and over and over again Remi broke her heart as well her trust and she kept going back. He cheated, he lied, he flaunted other women and she kept going back. The only time she was with other men was in retaliation (and most of it was kissing only). Word of the wise ladies, when you meet a boy like Remi (because thats what he is), use him (if you have to) and lose him. He is not forever material and you cannot ever change him. I’m not even sure how their relationship will work given there is no trust or loyalty in their foundation but their divorce would make for a nice sequel because I have no idea how Remi will now suddenly be monogamous given he never has been….
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2023
I really love this world that J.A. Low has built. I will say this book gave me emotional and timeline whiplash. While it was all linear it hit major plot points from 15(her) and 17(him), through multiple spats and miscommunications, and post grad life. All that being said these characters have MAJOR chemistry. Start with the Playboy’s of New York Series and then make your way over to The Hartford Billionaires.
Genre: Billionaire Romance
Tropes:
Second Chance
“It’s Always Been You”
First Love
FWB
Genre: Billionaire Romance
Tropes:
Second Chance
“It’s Always Been You”
First Love
FWB
January 30, 2022
Loved it
This has been my fave book so far of this series. I absolutely love the relationship between Remi and Nell. They are so perfect for each other but stupid Remi keeps messing it up, you just want to bash their heads together and say get a grip. I also love how these books interlock, it brings all the stories together and is so cleverly written. I'm so glad after all the problems they had they finally got the HEA they deserved. I can't wait for Miles and Portia story.
This has been my fave book so far of this series. I absolutely love the relationship between Remi and Nell. They are so perfect for each other but stupid Remi keeps messing it up, you just want to bash their heads together and say get a grip. I also love how these books interlock, it brings all the stories together and is so cleverly written. I'm so glad after all the problems they had they finally got the HEA they deserved. I can't wait for Miles and Portia story.
February 6, 2022
Slightly disappointing
I am a huge fan of this author but for the first time ever I couldn't wait to finish this book. It was great to read another instalment in this series but the story was disappointing as each time remi and nell were together it was the exact same thing repeated. The ending felt rushed. Overall It was a little but it is well worth reading, if like me, you like to follows series. Looking forward to book three
I am a huge fan of this author but for the first time ever I couldn't wait to finish this book. It was great to read another instalment in this series but the story was disappointing as each time remi and nell were together it was the exact same thing repeated. The ending felt rushed. Overall It was a little but it is well worth reading, if like me, you like to follows series. Looking forward to book three
February 24, 2024
A long time coming
I enjoyed reading this story. Book 2 in the Hartford Brothers series. Again the storyline was good, best friend’s sister trope. Remington “Remi” Hartford was warned off Nell Garcia when they were just teenagers. But from the moment they met, there was never a doubt that they would end up together, no matter how long it took. It took a long time and a lot of sexy encounters, misunderstandings and other partners before these two finally got together. But they got there in the end.
I enjoyed reading this story. Book 2 in the Hartford Brothers series. Again the storyline was good, best friend’s sister trope. Remington “Remi” Hartford was warned off Nell Garcia when they were just teenagers. But from the moment they met, there was never a doubt that they would end up together, no matter how long it took. It took a long time and a lot of sexy encounters, misunderstandings and other partners before these two finally got together. But they got there in the end.
February 26, 2024
This is the second book in the Hartford Brothers Series and is about Remi and Nell. These two met young and were each other’s firsts but Remi kept doing inexcusable things to end their secret relationship. It takes him a long time to work out what he wants but it’s worth it in the end. Full of angst and sexual tension. This one was definitely a rollercoaster and I'm glad these two got their happy ending.
August 13, 2024
Pulled my hair out!!
Its been a while since I've read a book that's made me literally pull my hair out. I stayed up late reading this book so I could finish it. Couldn't go to sleep until I saw the outcome. This book was toxic af but good. I found myself hating Nell and Remi . Moreso Nell because of who she had a crush on throughout the book. This book was so good!! I can sleep well after reading it.
Its been a while since I've read a book that's made me literally pull my hair out. I stayed up late reading this book so I could finish it. Couldn't go to sleep until I saw the outcome. This book was toxic af but good. I found myself hating Nell and Remi . Moreso Nell because of who she had a crush on throughout the book. This book was so good!! I can sleep well after reading it.
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