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Playing for Love
It’s all fun and games… until your heart is on the line!
When she isn’t busy building her fashion business, Samadhi ‘Sam’ Ranaweera turns to her other passion to de-stress: competitive late-night gaming (in secret, of course). She can’t believe her luck when she’s selected to play in a virtual tournament with notoriously elusive gamer Blaze.
Blaze is a little cocky and very self-assured – no surprises, given his huge online popularity – and Sam feels under pressure to impress him with her gameplay. But she has no idea that in real life, he’s just shy Luke Burneside, the awkward guy from her office.
And despite his regular coffee deliveries to her desk, Sam barely notices Luke… because with each day, she’s falling harder for Blaze.
As her crush intensifies with each game and she becomes obsessed with winning Blaze’s attention, will Sam lose her chance with the man right under her nose?
When she isn’t busy building her fashion business, Samadhi ‘Sam’ Ranaweera turns to her other passion to de-stress: competitive late-night gaming (in secret, of course). She can’t believe her luck when she’s selected to play in a virtual tournament with notoriously elusive gamer Blaze.
Blaze is a little cocky and very self-assured – no surprises, given his huge online popularity – and Sam feels under pressure to impress him with her gameplay. But she has no idea that in real life, he’s just shy Luke Burneside, the awkward guy from her office.
And despite his regular coffee deliveries to her desk, Sam barely notices Luke… because with each day, she’s falling harder for Blaze.
As her crush intensifies with each game and she becomes obsessed with winning Blaze’s attention, will Sam lose her chance with the man right under her nose?
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About the author
Jeevani Charika
11 books69 followersHi. It’s nice to meet you, I’m Jeevani, but you can call me Jeev. Everyone does.
I write women’s fiction and contemporary romances with a hint of British cynicism. I also write under the pen name Rhoda Baxter. So why the two names? Well… I’m British Sri-Lankan and the first book I wrote was about a bunch of middle class Sri Lankan people. I couldn’t find a home for it (even though I got some very nice rejection notes). The next book I wrote was a rom com with white main characters in it. That found a publisher within a year. I chose to use a pen name for those books, for a variety of reasons, including the fact that my real name is difficult to spell and difficult to pronounce and marks me out as non-white. My fifth book also had Sri Lankan main characters. It hasn’t found a publisher yet.
Recently, I got to write a book with Sri Lankan heroine. So it seemed only right for that book to be under my difficult to spell, difficult to pronounce name.
For the record, it’s pronounced Jeev-uh-nee.
There’s a whole lot of other stuff I could tell you – but mainly, I’m a former scientist, a fan of Lego, an embarrassing mum, a part time geek (see ’embarrassing mum’) and a very short person.
I write women’s fiction and contemporary romances with a hint of British cynicism. I also write under the pen name Rhoda Baxter. So why the two names? Well… I’m British Sri-Lankan and the first book I wrote was about a bunch of middle class Sri Lankan people. I couldn’t find a home for it (even though I got some very nice rejection notes). The next book I wrote was a rom com with white main characters in it. That found a publisher within a year. I chose to use a pen name for those books, for a variety of reasons, including the fact that my real name is difficult to spell and difficult to pronounce and marks me out as non-white. My fifth book also had Sri Lankan main characters. It hasn’t found a publisher yet.
Recently, I got to write a book with Sri Lankan heroine. So it seemed only right for that book to be under my difficult to spell, difficult to pronounce name.
For the record, it’s pronounced Jeev-uh-nee.
There’s a whole lot of other stuff I could tell you – but mainly, I’m a former scientist, a fan of Lego, an embarrassing mum, a part time geek (see ’embarrassing mum’) and a very short person.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 276 reviews
May 10, 2022
You’ve got mail theme with smart gaming aspect always great formula which wins both adult and YA readers’ admirations! And when the author creates such lovable characters like Sam and Luke: I can honestly say: “Ding ding! We have a winer! “
Romance at work place: two coworkers who are also gamers in their spare time start developing big crush for each other without knowing their true identities.
Yes! Gaming aspect blended in virtual friends to lovers theme. This is not steamy book with characters who build such high chemistry. It’s sweet, easy to read and the characters’ emotional backgrounds and their encounters and relations with their own families are developed impeccably.
If you look for feelgood romance, lovely work place romance with smart gaming references; this book is such great match for your needs.
Special thanks to NetGallet and HQ Digital for sharing this lovely digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
Romance at work place: two coworkers who are also gamers in their spare time start developing big crush for each other without knowing their true identities.
Yes! Gaming aspect blended in virtual friends to lovers theme. This is not steamy book with characters who build such high chemistry. It’s sweet, easy to read and the characters’ emotional backgrounds and their encounters and relations with their own families are developed impeccably.
If you look for feelgood romance, lovely work place romance with smart gaming references; this book is such great match for your needs.
Special thanks to NetGallet and HQ Digital for sharing this lovely digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
April 26, 2023
2.5 Stars
Fun and cute in places with adult gamers taking on secret identities.
Fun and cute in places with adult gamers taking on secret identities.
Read
February 21, 2022A very sweet romance whereby Luke falls in love with Sam who shares the office space, but Sam is in love with Blaze the gaming YouTuber, not knowing Blaze is actually Luke. It's a very entertaining set-up played out with a light heart, though underpinned with serious issues about family and grief and asserting oneself. Charming characters and a lot of wit make this an absolute delight: I enjoyed it hugely.
January 25, 2022
Playing for love is a great book for people (like me) who love the "fall in love with the online persona while also crushing hard on the same person irl without knowing that they are the same person" trope.
I'm not really interested in gaming tbh. The only game I excel at is Minecraft (-_-). Therefore I got bored a little while reading this book. But I loved how all the issues with the gaming world were brought to the surface. I myself have noticed some of the things happening online.
I liked Luke though I'm still sorting out my feelings for Sam. I really liked how driven she was towards her work and getting success while I didn't like her fawning over Blaze (aka Luke). The romance was kinda okayish. I wasn't really invested in it.
All in all it's a book meant for people who love the above mentioned trope, gaming world and a clean (and kind of cute) romance.
Thanks a lot Netgalley for providing an e-arc of this book.
Merged review:
Playing for love is a great book for people (like me) who love the "fall in love with the online persona while also crushing hard on the same person irl without knowing that they are the same person" trope.
I'm not really interested in gaming tbh. The only game I excel at is Minecraft (-_-). Therefore I got bored a little while reading this book. But I loved how all the issues with the gaming world were brought to the surface. I myself have noticed some of the things happening online.
I liked Luke though I'm still sorting out my feelings for Sam. I really liked how driven she was towards her work and getting success while I didn't like her fawning over Blaze (aka Luke). The romance was kinda okayish. I wasn't really invested in it.
All in all it's a book meant for people who love the above mentioned trope, gaming world and a clean (and kind of cute) romance.
Thanks a lot Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book.
I'm not really interested in gaming tbh. The only game I excel at is Minecraft (-_-). Therefore I got bored a little while reading this book. But I loved how all the issues with the gaming world were brought to the surface. I myself have noticed some of the things happening online.
I liked Luke though I'm still sorting out my feelings for Sam. I really liked how driven she was towards her work and getting success while I didn't like her fawning over Blaze (aka Luke). The romance was kinda okayish. I wasn't really invested in it.
All in all it's a book meant for people who love the above mentioned trope, gaming world and a clean (and kind of cute) romance.
Thanks a lot Netgalley for providing an e-arc of this book.
Merged review:
Playing for love is a great book for people (like me) who love the "fall in love with the online persona while also crushing hard on the same person irl without knowing that they are the same person" trope.
I'm not really interested in gaming tbh. The only game I excel at is Minecraft (-_-). Therefore I got bored a little while reading this book. But I loved how all the issues with the gaming world were brought to the surface. I myself have noticed some of the things happening online.
I liked Luke though I'm still sorting out my feelings for Sam. I really liked how driven she was towards her work and getting success while I didn't like her fawning over Blaze (aka Luke). The romance was kinda okayish. I wasn't really invested in it.
All in all it's a book meant for people who love the above mentioned trope, gaming world and a clean (and kind of cute) romance.
Thanks a lot Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book.
January 27, 2022
This story has two parallel storylines, one in real life and another in the online gaming world. Sam and Luke both have two lives.
Sam (Samadhi) is starting a business, Shanthi Bags, with no support from her family as they are unaware of it. She has ploughed her savings into a small office within The Nest, and hopes her crowdfunding campaign works.
Luke is a shy guy who invests all his time working on projects and finds it difficult to communicate with people specially the girl he likes.
Luke plays online games as Blaze, while Sam just started playing in Bravura. Sam has been a major fan of Blaze all through her teenage years and finally has a chance to meet him in real life. Unaware that luke and blaze are the same person.
Sam (Samadhi) is starting a business, Shanthi Bags, with no support from her family as they are unaware of it. She has ploughed her savings into a small office within The Nest, and hopes her crowdfunding campaign works.
Luke is a shy guy who invests all his time working on projects and finds it difficult to communicate with people specially the girl he likes.
Luke plays online games as Blaze, while Sam just started playing in Bravura. Sam has been a major fan of Blaze all through her teenage years and finally has a chance to meet him in real life. Unaware that luke and blaze are the same person.
January 29, 2022
OMG omgomg! That was so so nice! I really enjoyed it: read it in one day! Nice storyline, realistic problems (I mean mostly :D), characters I loved reading about. I recommend it to everyone who love the cutest romantic stories <3
Merged review:
OMG omgomg! That was so so nice! I really enjoyed it: read it in one day! Nice storyline, realistic problems (I mean mostly :D), characters I loved reading about. I recommend it to everyone who love the cutest romantic stories <3
Merged review:
OMG omgomg! That was so so nice! I really enjoyed it: read it in one day! Nice storyline, realistic problems (I mean mostly :D), characters I loved reading about. I recommend it to everyone who love the cutest romantic stories <3
October 9, 2022
Combining the world of online gaming with You've Got Mail, this was super unique! I wouldn't consider myself a gamer, but after stumbling across this on sale via audio, I decided to give it a try.
Samadhi (Sam) has dreams of releasing her handbag liner design inspired by her late mother. Entering a gaming competition with a cash prize, she is paired with the infamous pro-gamer and YouTuber Blaze. Little does she know, Blaze is the secret identity of Luke, the shy, awkward guy from her office.
Luke was precious! Offering to help Sam with launching her business plan, he has absolutely zero idea his crush Sam is also his new gaming partner. I was cheering so hard for Luke to win the girl. With his confidence stronger as his avatar Blaze, I loved seeing him struggle with the two sides of himself.
It's a complicated web of secret identities that I enjoyed a lot. And with the fantasy world, risky challenges, and commentary on the community, I was surprisingly into the gaming element. Overall a cute read!
(heat level: kissing only)
Samadhi (Sam) has dreams of releasing her handbag liner design inspired by her late mother. Entering a gaming competition with a cash prize, she is paired with the infamous pro-gamer and YouTuber Blaze. Little does she know, Blaze is the secret identity of Luke, the shy, awkward guy from her office.
Luke was precious! Offering to help Sam with launching her business plan, he has absolutely zero idea his crush Sam is also his new gaming partner. I was cheering so hard for Luke to win the girl. With his confidence stronger as his avatar Blaze, I loved seeing him struggle with the two sides of himself.
It's a complicated web of secret identities that I enjoyed a lot. And with the fantasy world, risky challenges, and commentary on the community, I was surprisingly into the gaming element. Overall a cute read!
(heat level: kissing only)
February 24, 2022
(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)
This plot was not something I had read before and that is why I requested for it. It was an interesting read game wise but other than that nothing much.
『• • • PLOT• • •』
Samadhi 'Sam' uses her second interest, gaming to de-stress when she isn't busy expanding her business (without her identity exposed). When she's chosen to compete in a virtual tournament alongside the renowned elusive player Blaze, she can't believe her good fortune.
Blaze is brash and confident, which comes as no surprise considering his massive online popularity, and Sam feels pressured to impress him with her skills. But she has no idea that he's actually bashful Luke, the guy who can't speak in proper sentences in real life.
Sam rarely notices Luke even though he is very often at her desk because of her crush on Blaze every day. Will Sam miss her opportunity with the man right before her as her crush grows stronger?
『• • • THOUGHTS• • •』
As a gamer myself, this plot was interesting. Though I play horror, survival games more as compared to the RPG, action-platform kind that was in this book. The game itself was complicating to imagine because of the new elements, it seemed more like they were using a VR headset to play the games but that wasn't mentioned. Though, I liked how some problems happening in real life gaming world were highlighted in this book, it was very relevant and needed.
And I loved the idea of Sam's products for her business, it is very useful. I liked that her business self helped her to push on regardless of what obstacles that came her way. And I liked the inter-racial representation here, I feel like I have to highlight whenever there is one because there really aren't much out there.
But, personality wise both Sam and Luke felt like pushovers. They didn't really have any chemistry that made me go "wow" and I feel there wasn't even a "getting to know each other" phase. The online personas definitely had a part to play in this which should not have been the way as they are two different people. Sam also was super quick to swing and choose a different option every time the need arise which I found such a turn-off.
Also, this book is a clean romance that gives off more YA vibes than adult.
In all, not a bad book but the writing could have been clearer.
This plot was not something I had read before and that is why I requested for it. It was an interesting read game wise but other than that nothing much.
『• • • PLOT• • •』
Samadhi 'Sam' uses her second interest, gaming to de-stress when she isn't busy expanding her business (without her identity exposed). When she's chosen to compete in a virtual tournament alongside the renowned elusive player Blaze, she can't believe her good fortune.
Blaze is brash and confident, which comes as no surprise considering his massive online popularity, and Sam feels pressured to impress him with her skills. But she has no idea that he's actually bashful Luke, the guy who can't speak in proper sentences in real life.
Sam rarely notices Luke even though he is very often at her desk because of her crush on Blaze every day. Will Sam miss her opportunity with the man right before her as her crush grows stronger?
『• • • THOUGHTS• • •』
As a gamer myself, this plot was interesting. Though I play horror, survival games more as compared to the RPG, action-platform kind that was in this book. The game itself was complicating to imagine because of the new elements, it seemed more like they were using a VR headset to play the games but that wasn't mentioned. Though, I liked how some problems happening in real life gaming world were highlighted in this book, it was very relevant and needed.
And I loved the idea of Sam's products for her business, it is very useful. I liked that her business self helped her to push on regardless of what obstacles that came her way. And I liked the inter-racial representation here, I feel like I have to highlight whenever there is one because there really aren't much out there.
But, personality wise both Sam and Luke felt like pushovers. They didn't really have any chemistry that made me go "wow" and I feel there wasn't even a "getting to know each other" phase. The online personas definitely had a part to play in this which should not have been the way as they are two different people. Sam also was super quick to swing and choose a different option every time the need arise which I found such a turn-off.
Also, this book is a clean romance that gives off more YA vibes than adult.
In all, not a bad book but the writing could have been clearer.
Read
June 21, 2023If you, like me, are an avid gamer and think that this would be a romance with a cool tribute to video games, then this book is not for you.
I was disappointed that the game that the story is centered on didn't make much sense, nor did it have elements to convince me that it was a believable game. So, never mind, I tried to appreciate the book for what it was, rather than what it wasn't. Unfortunately still, the romance is lukewarm and had no chemistry. The trope is fun, I'll give it that, but didn't feel satisfying to me. There are some nice moments that land, but it unfortunately wasn't enough for me.
I was disappointed that the game that the story is centered on didn't make much sense, nor did it have elements to convince me that it was a believable game. So, never mind, I tried to appreciate the book for what it was, rather than what it wasn't. Unfortunately still, the romance is lukewarm and had no chemistry. The trope is fun, I'll give it that, but didn't feel satisfying to me. There are some nice moments that land, but it unfortunately wasn't enough for me.
February 11, 2022
I try and read a few new to me authors every month and picked Playing for Love by Jeevani Charika because the synopsis caught my eye. I enjoyed this book even though I am way out of the demographic for this story and because I am not nor have I ever been a big gamer (I don’t think Galaga and the original Donkey Kong count). I’m not clueless about gaming, I have a gamer son and it was funny because we had a discussion about some things that were happening in regards to the game launch in this book that have been happening in the gamer community so for that I have to applaud the author for being very in-tune with the community. This was a very slow and sweet romance with characters that seemed younger than their age which I guesstimate was around 24-28ish, it honestly read more like a YA novel with the exception of the fact the characters were building their own businesses.
Samadhi ‘Sam’ Ranaweera has worked hard to make her dreams of owning her own business, one she has named in honor of her late mother, but her crowd funding campaign isn’t going well and she is running out of time and money so when Luke Burneside, a guy who works at The Nest, where her office is located offers to help she give in and lets him. She doesn’t realize that Luke is actually Blaze, a fairly famous YouTube gamer she has spent hours watching and listening to. When Sam gets picked by a lottery drawing to participate in a competition launch for SyrenQuest, a new video game and paired with Blaze all she can think about is finally meeting the man of her dreams when the man helping her day in and day out is hoping she’ll realize he exists. Sam has no idea that Luke is Blaze and he has no idea that she is Bravura.
Things I really liked about this book; Sam’s South Asian culture and her relationship with her family was mentioned organically throughout this book, I felt like Luke was like a lot of gamers; his avatar personality and his real life personality were quite a bit different, both Sam and Luke were dedicated to their business and worked long hours to make them successful, both characters were equally awkward when dealing with the opposite sex, and the game play description and what happened to and with the characters as they played; as I said I’m not a gamer but I really got into the “quest” and the how the relationship grew between the two characters during their play.
A few things that didn’t work for me BUT didn’t really detract from my enjoyment of the book; both characters had trouble communicating and their indecision let small problems become big ones, I got a bit tired of the passages of Sam constantly working on her presentations , and I was disappointed that we never really got a chance to see these two as a couple. There was a lot of build up for little payoff.
I enjoyed Playing for Love; I found it fresh and entertaining and while I wish there had been more romance in this romance, I’m glad I took a chance on this new to me author.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
Samadhi ‘Sam’ Ranaweera has worked hard to make her dreams of owning her own business, one she has named in honor of her late mother, but her crowd funding campaign isn’t going well and she is running out of time and money so when Luke Burneside, a guy who works at The Nest, where her office is located offers to help she give in and lets him. She doesn’t realize that Luke is actually Blaze, a fairly famous YouTube gamer she has spent hours watching and listening to. When Sam gets picked by a lottery drawing to participate in a competition launch for SyrenQuest, a new video game and paired with Blaze all she can think about is finally meeting the man of her dreams when the man helping her day in and day out is hoping she’ll realize he exists. Sam has no idea that Luke is Blaze and he has no idea that she is Bravura.
Things I really liked about this book; Sam’s South Asian culture and her relationship with her family was mentioned organically throughout this book, I felt like Luke was like a lot of gamers; his avatar personality and his real life personality were quite a bit different, both Sam and Luke were dedicated to their business and worked long hours to make them successful, both characters were equally awkward when dealing with the opposite sex, and the game play description and what happened to and with the characters as they played; as I said I’m not a gamer but I really got into the “quest” and the how the relationship grew between the two characters during their play.
A few things that didn’t work for me BUT didn’t really detract from my enjoyment of the book; both characters had trouble communicating and their indecision let small problems become big ones, I got a bit tired of the passages of Sam constantly working on her presentations , and I was disappointed that we never really got a chance to see these two as a couple. There was a lot of build up for little payoff.
I enjoyed Playing for Love; I found it fresh and entertaining and while I wish there had been more romance in this romance, I’m glad I took a chance on this new to me author.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
February 17, 2022
Sam's work ethic was admirable, when she wasn't swooning over a guy she barely knew, she was working. She was always doing something that would help her brand make it big. She had big dreams that you actively see her working on. I really like that she kept that passion going throughout everything. A lot of romance novels will have a protag with a passion and as soon as they start seeking out a romantic relationship, their dreams go down the drain.
Seeing how far they made it into the competition was my biggest motivator to finish. Although, this was a very quick and easy read.
I like Luke as a love interest. He is definitely one of the most laid back male love interest I have read about in a while. He's shy, nerdy and cute and I think he deserves better than Sam. Disliking the female mc more is a first for me, but it must be said.
Also, this whole idea that they did not recognise each other was far-fetched. Even if Sam did not recognise Luke, Luke knows Sam's voice. How can you work closely with a person who you claim to LIKE and couple hours later, you can't recognise their voice?
This is barely a romance. I liked the game parts though.
Seeing how far they made it into the competition was my biggest motivator to finish. Although, this was a very quick and easy read.
I like Luke as a love interest. He is definitely one of the most laid back male love interest I have read about in a while. He's shy, nerdy and cute and I think he deserves better than Sam. Disliking the female mc more is a first for me, but it must be said.
Also, this whole idea that they did not recognise each other was far-fetched. Even if Sam did not recognise Luke, Luke knows Sam's voice. How can you work closely with a person who you claim to LIKE and couple hours later, you can't recognise their voice?
This is barely a romance. I liked the game parts though.
February 18, 2022
I adored the concept of this book, two people intertwined between real life and their online personas.
Luke and Sam work in the same co-working hub, but at night they are a team battling in a major online gaming contest as Blaze and Bravura. Luke has a major crush on Sam, who in turn is falling for Blaze. A geeky and fun romance book about gaming, YouTubers, and two people trying to understand who they are and the world around them.
Although this was somewhat entertaining, the romance was lacking. I'm not a fan of the miscommunication trope, and in this case, it just went on for too long. In the end, I wasn't convinced Sam actually understood who Luke was outside of his Blaze persona, and couldn't find an actual spark between them.
I think the idea was original and refreshing, but it needed to be a bit more refined.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Luke and Sam work in the same co-working hub, but at night they are a team battling in a major online gaming contest as Blaze and Bravura. Luke has a major crush on Sam, who in turn is falling for Blaze. A geeky and fun romance book about gaming, YouTubers, and two people trying to understand who they are and the world around them.
Although this was somewhat entertaining, the romance was lacking. I'm not a fan of the miscommunication trope, and in this case, it just went on for too long. In the end, I wasn't convinced Sam actually understood who Luke was outside of his Blaze persona, and couldn't find an actual spark between them.
I think the idea was original and refreshing, but it needed to be a bit more refined.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 15, 2022
Luke is THE SWEETEST 😭💙!!!
February 6, 2022
3.75 stars ⭐️
I liked this book more than I expected.
The YouTube gaming world is new and fascinating to me and I enjoyed it so much. The protagonists had depth and was likeable. Their story and problems were realistic. I especially loved the hero. He was adorable.
This is a clean romance and recommended.
I liked this book more than I expected.
The YouTube gaming world is new and fascinating to me and I enjoyed it so much. The protagonists had depth and was likeable. Their story and problems were realistic. I especially loved the hero. He was adorable.
This is a clean romance and recommended.
February 19, 2022
I was given an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Sam is trying to launch her company, Shanthi bags, after being laid off from her previous job. It’s been a dream of hers for years and she is finally taking the leap. In her down time, Sam likes to watch Blaze’s video gameplay on YouTube. Blaze has been a comfort for Sam through some rough patches in her life. So, when she finds out about the chance to possibly meet Blaze, she enters the lottery. Soon after she finds out she’s been selected to compete in the online tournament with Blaze himself!
Things turn complicated when a shy, nerdy colleague named Luke decides to help Sam with her crowdfunding page. Luke has a crush on Sam, but she has eyes for Blaze. What Sam doesn’t know, is that Luke IS Blaze. Neither one has any idea that their online gaming tournament partner is someone they know in real life.
This was such a cute story! I absolutely adored Luke! He was so sweet and I related to his shyness. Luke created Blaze as an online alter ego to escape the real world— which is definitely something I understand. While I don’t portray a whole new person on booksta/booktok/booktwt, I do find myself more open and outgoing in my conversations. It’s so much easier to talk to people who share a common interest— especially online.
The square like romance (which was really just the same two people) was so entertaining. Watching Sam fall for the online persona, while Luke fell for Sam, was a fun ride. I also loved reading from both POVs and I think dual POV romance is becoming a favorite of mine.
While fun, this book was also emotional to read. Sam lost her mother at a young age and found Blaze during this difficult time. Sam’s inspiration for her business is her mother and her love for her purses. The purses which Sam still has to this day and give her a lasting connection to her mom.
Sam is trying to launch her company, Shanthi bags, after being laid off from her previous job. It’s been a dream of hers for years and she is finally taking the leap. In her down time, Sam likes to watch Blaze’s video gameplay on YouTube. Blaze has been a comfort for Sam through some rough patches in her life. So, when she finds out about the chance to possibly meet Blaze, she enters the lottery. Soon after she finds out she’s been selected to compete in the online tournament with Blaze himself!
Things turn complicated when a shy, nerdy colleague named Luke decides to help Sam with her crowdfunding page. Luke has a crush on Sam, but she has eyes for Blaze. What Sam doesn’t know, is that Luke IS Blaze. Neither one has any idea that their online gaming tournament partner is someone they know in real life.
This was such a cute story! I absolutely adored Luke! He was so sweet and I related to his shyness. Luke created Blaze as an online alter ego to escape the real world— which is definitely something I understand. While I don’t portray a whole new person on booksta/booktok/booktwt, I do find myself more open and outgoing in my conversations. It’s so much easier to talk to people who share a common interest— especially online.
The square like romance (which was really just the same two people) was so entertaining. Watching Sam fall for the online persona, while Luke fell for Sam, was a fun ride. I also loved reading from both POVs and I think dual POV romance is becoming a favorite of mine.
While fun, this book was also emotional to read. Sam lost her mother at a young age and found Blaze during this difficult time. Sam’s inspiration for her business is her mother and her love for her purses. The purses which Sam still has to this day and give her a lasting connection to her mom.
April 30, 2022
3.5
This was a sweet, nerdy, interracial romance between two gamers who fall in love online and in real life without ever realizing it! Luke is a big gamer and is semi famous for his online persona, 'Blaze.' While Sam is trying to get her handbag company off the ground - a deeply personal business inspired by her dead mother. For fun she likes to game and is obsessed with Blaze.
When she connects with Luke for business, where he helps her improve her marketing plans, she also wins a contest to play with Blaze at some big convention, not realizing the two are the same man. Cue lots of miscommunication ala You've got mail. This was a cute rom com that I enjoyed on audio. Recommended for fans of Conventionally yours or The love con. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy!
This was a sweet, nerdy, interracial romance between two gamers who fall in love online and in real life without ever realizing it! Luke is a big gamer and is semi famous for his online persona, 'Blaze.' While Sam is trying to get her handbag company off the ground - a deeply personal business inspired by her dead mother. For fun she likes to game and is obsessed with Blaze.
When she connects with Luke for business, where he helps her improve her marketing plans, she also wins a contest to play with Blaze at some big convention, not realizing the two are the same man. Cue lots of miscommunication ala You've got mail. This was a cute rom com that I enjoyed on audio. Recommended for fans of Conventionally yours or The love con. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy!
April 18, 2022
3.75 stars! Soooo adorable and cute and wholesome. The writing was a little dry and I could have used less gameplay and more tension/romance/flirting/whatever but I really enjoyed it. (Side note: this isn’t really much of a romcom even though it’s marketed as such)
February 13, 2022
Wow!! Playing for love was such a refreshing read. I haven’t read many romance books previously which have been centred around gaming and the Youtube world, and I was really entertained by the different concept of the story as it was executed very well. I don’t personally have a big interest in gaming, yet I found the gaming parts easy to follow along. Everything was explained really well, and it never felt like there was TOO much information meaning that I wasn’t bored once - in fact I couldn’t put this book down !
Sam and Luke were well developed characters, and the inclusion of their business lives outside of the gaming world really helped the situation feel quite realistic and enabled the characters to become more relatable, knowing the outside struggles that they were going through. I loved the parallel love story between Sam and Luke and their gaming persona’s, Blaze and Bravura - though I do feel as though whilst Sam and Luke were very cute together, I wanted them to have more chemistry.
Overall I really enjoyed reading this book, it was a lot of fun and easy to binge in a day. I will definitely be on the look out for future books written by Jeevani Charika!
Merged review:
Rating: 4*
Wow!! Playing for love was such a refreshing read. I haven’t read many romance books previously which have been centred around gaming and the Youtube world, and I was really entertained by the different concept of the story as it was executed very well. I don’t personally have a big interest in gaming, yet I found the gaming parts easy to follow along. Everything was explained really well, and it never felt like there was TOO much information meaning that I wasn’t bored once - in fact I couldn’t put this book down !
Sam and Luke were well developed characters, and the inclusion of their business lives outside of the gaming world really helped the situation feel quite realistic and enabled the characters to become more relatable, knowing the outside struggles that they were going through. I loved the parallel love story between Sam and Luke and their gaming persona’s, Blaze and Bravura - though I do feel as though whilst Sam and Luke were very cute together, I wanted them to have more chemistry.
Overall I really enjoyed reading this book, it was a lot of fun and easy to binge in a day. I will definitely be on the look out for future books written by Jeevani Charika!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
Sam and Luke were well developed characters, and the inclusion of their business lives outside of the gaming world really helped the situation feel quite realistic and enabled the characters to become more relatable, knowing the outside struggles that they were going through. I loved the parallel love story between Sam and Luke and their gaming persona’s, Blaze and Bravura - though I do feel as though whilst Sam and Luke were very cute together, I wanted them to have more chemistry.
Overall I really enjoyed reading this book, it was a lot of fun and easy to binge in a day. I will definitely be on the look out for future books written by Jeevani Charika!
Merged review:
Rating: 4*
Wow!! Playing for love was such a refreshing read. I haven’t read many romance books previously which have been centred around gaming and the Youtube world, and I was really entertained by the different concept of the story as it was executed very well. I don’t personally have a big interest in gaming, yet I found the gaming parts easy to follow along. Everything was explained really well, and it never felt like there was TOO much information meaning that I wasn’t bored once - in fact I couldn’t put this book down !
Sam and Luke were well developed characters, and the inclusion of their business lives outside of the gaming world really helped the situation feel quite realistic and enabled the characters to become more relatable, knowing the outside struggles that they were going through. I loved the parallel love story between Sam and Luke and their gaming persona’s, Blaze and Bravura - though I do feel as though whilst Sam and Luke were very cute together, I wanted them to have more chemistry.
Overall I really enjoyed reading this book, it was a lot of fun and easy to binge in a day. I will definitely be on the look out for future books written by Jeevani Charika!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
November 2, 2022
I really enjoyed this story and the audio. It is very cute, and gives us a view into professional gaming and entrepreneurship.
I looked forward to getting back to Luke and Sam every time I had to drive or had some spare time, like new friends!
I looked forward to getting back to Luke and Sam every time I had to drive or had some spare time, like new friends!
February 10, 2022
After losing her job Sam begins her own company whilst simultaneously keeping herself entertained watching online gamer Blaze who she has been watching since her teens. She also meets Luke who works from the communal work space in Sam’s building where he helps her with launching her business.
In order to further help fund her new business Sam enters a gaming competition where she is ultimately paired with her online crush Blaze. (Not a spoiler) Luke has actually been living a double life as Blaze which leads to the two being blurred once Sam enters both his personal and online life.
As a gamer myself I really enjoyed the story around the tournament and whether they would win as well as the issues surrounding the gaming world such as sexism being addressed. Playing for Love was a quick, easy and fun read which I feel would also be appropriate for YA readers.
I don’t think this book would be for everyone but anyone who loves the gaming world will enjoy this book. The romance happens extremely fast considering how little everyone interacts but it didn’t take away from rooting for the characters. The book also featured some really likeable and diverse secondary characters who helped make it such an enjoyable read. Playing for Love is a great palette cleanser between heavier, intense romances and I look forward to reading more from Charika.
A big thank you to Netgalley and HQ digital for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
In order to further help fund her new business Sam enters a gaming competition where she is ultimately paired with her online crush Blaze. (Not a spoiler) Luke has actually been living a double life as Blaze which leads to the two being blurred once Sam enters both his personal and online life.
As a gamer myself I really enjoyed the story around the tournament and whether they would win as well as the issues surrounding the gaming world such as sexism being addressed. Playing for Love was a quick, easy and fun read which I feel would also be appropriate for YA readers.
I don’t think this book would be for everyone but anyone who loves the gaming world will enjoy this book. The romance happens extremely fast considering how little everyone interacts but it didn’t take away from rooting for the characters. The book also featured some really likeable and diverse secondary characters who helped make it such an enjoyable read. Playing for Love is a great palette cleanser between heavier, intense romances and I look forward to reading more from Charika.
A big thank you to Netgalley and HQ digital for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2022
A sweet secret identities romance with a refreshing backdrop around gaming and YouTube. For the most part it was a fun easy read, sprinkled with some serious issues about family and grief that were handled well.
I enjoyed both sides of the secret identities. The 'real life' slow burn romance had a nice up to date feel around Crowdfunder small businesses. I wasn't entirely convinced about the 'revolutionary' bag idea (as I've seen these kind of things for a while now) but the story around it was heartwarming and the interaction between the two main characters getting to know each other was sweet.
The gaming side of the story was a lot more fast paced and fun, and I really enjoyed the gameplay story aspect which was engaging and an interesting way for the alternate identities to get to know each other. I also really appreciated the commentary on women in gaming and the real problems that they still face in today's society.
Of course with the secret identity trope comes miscommunication, that's to be expected. However for my taste the problems arising from the miscommunication went on far too long. I would have appreciated the reveal to come earlier in the story and the latter part of the story concentrating on how to resolve those issues and to see a bit more of their relationship once they were together.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher / author for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review.
I enjoyed both sides of the secret identities. The 'real life' slow burn romance had a nice up to date feel around Crowdfunder small businesses. I wasn't entirely convinced about the 'revolutionary' bag idea (as I've seen these kind of things for a while now) but the story around it was heartwarming and the interaction between the two main characters getting to know each other was sweet.
The gaming side of the story was a lot more fast paced and fun, and I really enjoyed the gameplay story aspect which was engaging and an interesting way for the alternate identities to get to know each other. I also really appreciated the commentary on women in gaming and the real problems that they still face in today's society.
Of course with the secret identity trope comes miscommunication, that's to be expected. However for my taste the problems arising from the miscommunication went on far too long. I would have appreciated the reveal to come earlier in the story and the latter part of the story concentrating on how to resolve those issues and to see a bit more of their relationship once they were together.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher / author for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review.
February 14, 2022
One thing's for sure: this is not your regular, lovedy-dovey, steamy, swoon-worthy romance. 'Original' is certainly one way to put it, I guess; one could even say that Playing for Love is genre-bending as it involves a lot of game action, videogame and fandom culture. However, if what you're looking for is a romance, with a capital R, this will not float your boat. For me, it lacked everything that makes a romance a romance. The story-telling and writing are not refined, the characters are not that well fleshed out, the relationship isn't compelling nor well-developed. Overall, the book reads a lot like fan fiction: half-baked and surface-level.
February 1, 2022
Playing for Love by Jeevani Charika was a feel-good, funny, engaging book with loveable characters and charming banter. Luke and Sam's story was a fun, cute, entertaining read from start to finish. I'm not a gamer, but I enjoyed the gaming element as the author's description made that part of the storyline easy to follow and understand.
This book is worth a read and perfect for when you're looking for a lighthearted multicultural contemporary romantic comedy.
This is the first book I have read by this author, and it won't be my last.
Releasing on 11th Feb 2022, Playing for Love is currently up for pre-ordered for 99p. One-click today as you won't be disappointed.
Thanks to HQ/Harper Collins and NetGalley for my copy of this book. 💕
This book is worth a read and perfect for when you're looking for a lighthearted multicultural contemporary romantic comedy.
This is the first book I have read by this author, and it won't be my last.
Releasing on 11th Feb 2022, Playing for Love is currently up for pre-ordered for 99p. One-click today as you won't be disappointed.
Thanks to HQ/Harper Collins and NetGalley for my copy of this book. 💕
July 8, 2024
This book was everything you want from a cheesy rom com, likeable characters, cute side story, an easy read. I’m not really into gaming myself but ended up really liking the “double life” kind of trope, it was an interesting spin, overall really good read
January 28, 2022
Actual rating: 3.5
This is my first book by Jeevani Charika and she can snatch my coins anyday now!
The book follows Samadhi a designer who enjoys late night gaming and Luke the shy in person gent who happens to be the best gamer 'Blaze'. I absolutely adored this book that reminded me of my favorite movie 'You've got mail' as two people fall in love in real life and in person.
I enjoyed the plot and the author did a good job on character development. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are my own
This is my first book by Jeevani Charika and she can snatch my coins anyday now!
The book follows Samadhi a designer who enjoys late night gaming and Luke the shy in person gent who happens to be the best gamer 'Blaze'. I absolutely adored this book that reminded me of my favorite movie 'You've got mail' as two people fall in love in real life and in person.
I enjoyed the plot and the author did a good job on character development. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are my own
March 13, 2022
3.5 Stars
Grade=B-
Cute but had a very YA feel to it.
If career details were swapped out with something to do with high school the rest of the story would work perfectly for a teenage romance.
Grade=B-
Cute but had a very YA feel to it.
If career details were swapped out with something to do with high school the rest of the story would work perfectly for a teenage romance.
December 27, 2021
A book about gaming and finding your true love? Yes, please. I‘ve been an avid gamer myself (before I became a mother…), so I really like the setting and the storyline revolving around video games. But this one unfortunately didn‘t work for me and here is why:
I don‘t like the main characters. They are highly ambivalent, sometimes too superficial and awkward (and not in a good way). I was so annoyed by them being under-confident and easy to manipulate. Especially our heroine tends to be so childish ('He gave me his hand climbing up the monolith, he must be in love with me.') I wasn‘t able to feel any connection or chemistry between them, because they didn‘t even made an effort to get to know each other properly but BOOM, they are hopelessly in love.
I wanted to like this book so bad, because the story sounds so promising and I feel really guilty for writing such a negative review, but I have to be honest and clear.
I don‘t like the main characters. They are highly ambivalent, sometimes too superficial and awkward (and not in a good way). I was so annoyed by them being under-confident and easy to manipulate. Especially our heroine tends to be so childish ('He gave me his hand climbing up the monolith, he must be in love with me.') I wasn‘t able to feel any connection or chemistry between them, because they didn‘t even made an effort to get to know each other properly but BOOM, they are hopelessly in love.
I wanted to like this book so bad, because the story sounds so promising and I feel really guilty for writing such a negative review, but I have to be honest and clear.
April 15, 2022
The inner geek and gamer girl inside of me loved every second of this book, even more than the rom com fan part of me. And the two alter egos and the complicated situation is utterly delightful and amusing.
But it was the descriptions of SyrenQuest this new video game that Blaze and Bravura are playing that had me completely hooked. I couldn't get enough of it, and it was so well described that I could see it so clearly in my head, and almost wanted one of the Syren 3 Headsets in order to play it myself!
And then there is Luke and Sam, who work in the same building and whose paths keep crossing as Luke is helping Sam with her handbag insert business, in trying to get it off the ground.
I loved both sets of interactions but it really was the gaming side of it that captured my imagination. Especially the fact that Blaze is a well known gaming youtuber, and I've been known to watch gaming streams myself, and then the whole gaming convention with cosplay elements. Well I've been to a ComicCon so have a good idea how all of that works too.
This book was just a sheer pleasure to read, I thoroughly enjoyed spending time in my garden, with these fabulous characters, and it is so refreshing to read a book where women are allowed to be a bit more geeky than they are often portrayed as.
Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
But it was the descriptions of SyrenQuest this new video game that Blaze and Bravura are playing that had me completely hooked. I couldn't get enough of it, and it was so well described that I could see it so clearly in my head, and almost wanted one of the Syren 3 Headsets in order to play it myself!
And then there is Luke and Sam, who work in the same building and whose paths keep crossing as Luke is helping Sam with her handbag insert business, in trying to get it off the ground.
I loved both sets of interactions but it really was the gaming side of it that captured my imagination. Especially the fact that Blaze is a well known gaming youtuber, and I've been known to watch gaming streams myself, and then the whole gaming convention with cosplay elements. Well I've been to a ComicCon so have a good idea how all of that works too.
This book was just a sheer pleasure to read, I thoroughly enjoyed spending time in my garden, with these fabulous characters, and it is so refreshing to read a book where women are allowed to be a bit more geeky than they are often portrayed as.
Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
December 20, 2021
I'm a huge fan of Indo Anglo fiction, and I've read a couple of other books by Jeevani Charika, so was over the moon to be able to read Playing For Love.
Sam (Samadhi) is trying her hardest to make a success of her new start-up business, Shanthi Bags, with no support from her family. Because she hasn't told them. Instead, she's ploughed her savings into a small office within The Nest, and hopes her crowdfunding campaign works.
Luke's a nice bloke... Who happens to see the most beautiful woman ever, at his workplace, and hasn't a clue how to approach her. He's too shy. But, he can help her with her business, and then, maybe she's fall in love...
Unlike his alter-ego, Blaze, YouTube gaming star, Brash, confident, and always that little bit aloof. (But no one knows that Blaze is Luke.)
Who happens to be someone Sam has watched on Youtube for many years, admires. Maybe even has a fangirl crush on...
Then something happens that throws Sam and Luke together, but not in the way they ever expected.
I devoured this easy read in a couple of hours in one sitting. A light-hearted fun read, with a little family background to tug at the heartstrings, and a sweet, bumbling Luke, who you really want to succeed in his attempts to woo Sam.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sam (Samadhi) is trying her hardest to make a success of her new start-up business, Shanthi Bags, with no support from her family. Because she hasn't told them. Instead, she's ploughed her savings into a small office within The Nest, and hopes her crowdfunding campaign works.
Luke's a nice bloke... Who happens to see the most beautiful woman ever, at his workplace, and hasn't a clue how to approach her. He's too shy. But, he can help her with her business, and then, maybe she's fall in love...
Unlike his alter-ego, Blaze, YouTube gaming star, Brash, confident, and always that little bit aloof. (But no one knows that Blaze is Luke.)
Who happens to be someone Sam has watched on Youtube for many years, admires. Maybe even has a fangirl crush on...
Then something happens that throws Sam and Luke together, but not in the way they ever expected.
I devoured this easy read in a couple of hours in one sitting. A light-hearted fun read, with a little family background to tug at the heartstrings, and a sweet, bumbling Luke, who you really want to succeed in his attempts to woo Sam.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 16, 2022
Playing for Love was a cute romance novel about gaming, online personas and double lives. The double lives bit definitely made the romance incredibly messy but I enjoyed the context and the setting. Sam is a small business owner trying to get her handbag inserts to take off. Inspired by her Mum's love of handbags (her Mum passed away when Sam was young), Shanthi bags are meant to make changing handbags easier. Luke is also a small business owner, doing some web design and internet based stuff. He also has a double life, he is a famous YouTube gamer called Blaze. Sam herself has a passing interest in gaming from watching her brother play when she was young. Through that she discovered Blaze. Sam and Luke work in the same building. Sam enters a gaming competition to fund her business and ends up paired with Blaze. There begins the confusing double life, Sam interacting with Luke and also with Blaze in the game.
Honestly I didn't like the double life thing, it didn't really lead to a good beginning of a relationship. But the competition aspect was fun, and it shed a light on the sexism in gaming. I liked Blaze's gamer friends Flick and Phil, and Sam's cousin was also a great friend to her. Overall, the book was an average read, but I was more interested in finding out what would happen in the competition than what would happen between Sam and Luke.
Honestly I didn't like the double life thing, it didn't really lead to a good beginning of a relationship. But the competition aspect was fun, and it shed a light on the sexism in gaming. I liked Blaze's gamer friends Flick and Phil, and Sam's cousin was also a great friend to her. Overall, the book was an average read, but I was more interested in finding out what would happen in the competition than what would happen between Sam and Luke.
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