Playing for Keeps

by Tristen Crone

Farren puts on a good front, feigning confidence despite literally not fitting into society’s narrow ideas of beauty and success. Inside, she’s stuck, afraid to put herself and her ideas out there, especially the board game design she's kept a secret. She keeps things light and temporary—both at work as a substitute teacher and in her relationships.

Overworked Sebastian abhors anything that gets in the way of his goals, including procuring the perfect pastry. The two meet when Sebastian accuses her of stealing his pastry in an amusing and awkward café incident. When Farren gets in the way of his coffee order with her huge personality she turns out to be even more than he bargained for.

Instead of shrinking beneath his usually intimidating stare, Farren issues a challenge back: take a second away from his phone calendar with its down-to-the-minute scheduling and play her for it—live a little. If Sebastian wins the board game battle he gets to keep his precious croissant, if she wins he has to join their game night next week.

Just who will be the victor in this game of love?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Adult, Plus Size, Fiction, Ebooks

258 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 27, 2023

About the author

Fangirl at heart.
Surrounded by bookshelves brimming with historical romance novels growing up, Tristen was inspired to write her own stories until she decided to focus on songwriting. She returned to writing fiction when she found the Reylo fandom, where she worked on perfecting her craft. Now when she's not writing, Tristen can be found singing, watching movies, and devouring books into the wee hours of the morning. She lives in Maryland with her husband. Her debut novel about board games and two idiots too scared to fall in love will be coming in 2023!

Reviews

[Lilyya ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 -happy release day- stars

❛Farren seemed like everything Sebastian wasn’t.❜

Farren is a young substitute teacher who aspires for.. more. Sebastian is the archetypal workaholic; married and devoted to his work and career only. One is easygoing with an uncertain non-planed future and the other is self-absorbed by the palmarès he has to accomplish to secure a nice position in his company. They accidentally met in a coffee shop and the opposite attracts alchemy simply operates between them.

"She neglected to mention how tethered she felt when he looked at her like he was paying attention, as if he saw her."

The storyline isn’t orchestrated as a romcom. Although the first encounter between the protagonists involves a random fight over a croissant. The characters, their relationship and the narrative, are remarkably painted with so much intensity and variegated emotions. Their day-to-day struggles aren’t embellished, on the contrary, they are simply and plainly realistic.

"Because she wanted it. Because it was a little scary wanting something."

I fully blame the author’s plume for embarking me in the protagonists’ mentally-tumultuous journey with the beautiful -and at times poetic- writing. Despite the fact that the plot line isn’t rythmed by frenetic events or life- changing plot twists. The simplicity with how both of them worked their relationship -or pseudo-relationship- throughout the storyline with tiptoeing around their lives trying to make room for one another is utterly precious and pure.

"I felt gut-punched when she left, and I still can’t catch my breath."

There is a third act breakup in the mix and I am honestly mesmerized with how crudely and vividly true-to-life it is caricatured. Quite honestly, if i wasn’t fully invested in their relationship I think I wouldn’t have cared or I would have absolutely hated it. But in that moment, it was them with their blemished personalities and fears and what they accumulated through their relationship. What they couldn’t articulate when they were scared to lose one another.

*P.S.: i absolutely adored how the fmc was confortable with her body and hadn’t some interior monologues about "if she was worth it -him- or not" she was unapologetically her and it was refreshing.

Many thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange of an honest review.

~•~•~•~

reading last-minute-arcs is the stressing life i chose to live.. yay? ig…

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun grumpy x sunshine book with a meet-cute!

Farren is stuck, she likes her job but is not passionate about it and worries constantly about her future. Sebastian is driven and focused on work but feels absolutely miserable working all week with nothing to look forward to in his life. When the two meet at Farrens' weekly game night after an incident with a croissant, they strike up an unlikely friendship that quickly evolves into something more. The two confide in each other and begin to get serious, but as life and work get in the way, Sebastian struggles to let Farren in.

Farren and Sebastian were absolutely lovely together, they both meet when they were down and stuck in life, but quickly as they get to know each other, they begin to blossom and grow. The plot could use some tweaking, one of the features is games, specifically Farren's own game, but we don't really get any information or look into that. I think the book really stressed the personal growth of Farren and Sebastian but some things got lost and put on the backburner because of that. I also would have loved some more spice, the build-up was there, but the actual scene was just okay. Despite all of that, I really enjoyed reading about Farren and Sebastian, they were both very relatable and I loved the plus size and mental health representation.

-I received an ARC of this book in return for an honest review-

[Bree · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a a sweet romance debut featuring the opposites attract and grumpy x sunshine tropes. This book fell a little flat to me, and I struggled to root for the leads as a couple, especially after their third act argument.

This book has:
•Grumpy x sunshine: Sebastian is our grumpy workaholic hero and Farren is the sunshine heroine who is struggling to figure out what she wants from life
•Opposites attract: The leads couldn’t be more different but they both challenged one another to get out of their comfort zones which I was here for 😌
•A third act break up: I’m not a fan of these and in this case, I completely stopped rooting for Sebastian afterwards. Even with the grand gesture at the end, I felt like Farren should’ve made him grovel WAY more

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Country Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars

[cindysreading]

grumpy x sunshine, plus size MC and board games????? SIGN ME UP. idc about my book buying ban, SIGN ME UP.

[Nichol Goldstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of getting an advance reading, and I adored this book. I love the fact that there is a heavier female lead who is no less sassy and sexy for it. The main characters' meeting is so cute, it's one of those one's you'll remember. I can't wait until it's out in hard-copy. I'm buying the crap out of it.

[scthoughts · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn't monumental or anything but an okay(?) read and I see the potential. Farren and Sebastian were textbook sunshine x grumpy characters. She's flaky and he's too serious, the usual. I did really like the aspect of friends getting together on Friday nights to play board games at a café. I would consider doing that myself.

The writing felt stilted at times, which hindered the pace every now and then. Quite a bit of repetition throughout, especially for Sebastian's pov on his constant working so much but not really going into the more important details until the third act. By then, it was pointless and I just didn't care to know. I lost count how, many times I had to read about them not seeing each other throughout the week and him not knowing if he can make to game night bc he had to work. Like, can we add something else to the plot other than that and having emotionally distant parents that barely showed up in maybe three or four chapters. Also, their "chemistry" felt more like trauma bonding. 🤷🏾

Now, that third act...talk about a fast fall from grace. 😂 I didn't even care if Farren and Sebastian were together by the end. Honestly, they needed to stay away from each other after what went down and get their own therapists. I'm usually into grumpy love interests but redeeming himself after all that foolishness he said? Nah, he can be miserable all by himself.


Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Country Press for providing a copy for an honest review.

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ughhh, another three-star rating …

First of all, I love books with fat MCs, especially when the plus-sized MC is also visible on the cover! I immediately smiled when Fannen complained in the first chapter about the waistband of her pants that cut in her stomach. I think everyone who has a bit of fat, or more on their body, recognizes the feeling! I never wear leggings like Fannen does, but I love to wear my loose yoga pants at night. 
 
This romance has the grumpy-sunshine trope worked out in every detail and I have to admit, even though I love this trope, I had to warm up to Sebastian. Boy, oh, boy, he’s one of the grumpiest of grumpiest MC’s I’ve ever met. He hates his life in general which is tangible throughout the story. Fannen, on the other hand was such a lovely person!
 
What I didn’t like was the third-act-breakup. In general, I kind of hate the 70/80% mark in a story where the romantic relationship between the main characters flies of the rails because of a stupid incident while the couple always gets back together in the end and I especially hated the conflict in this book.
 
Overall, Playing for Keeps is a nice story for those who love to read nerdy romances.
 
I received an ARC from Lake Country Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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[Kirsten Bohling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been SO excited to finally get my hands on an early copy of @tristencrone's upcoming debut, PLAYING FOR KEEPS.

Oh my gosh, where do I start?

Playing For Keeps is one of those books that's like your favorite meal from your favorite restaurant. It's your grandma's ooey-gooey chocolate chip cookies or your dad's cure-all chicken soup (or a lemon honey croissant). Okay, maybe I'm hungry right now, but you'll be STARVED for more of Tristen's brightly buoyant writing. I went into this book knowing I would get something sweet that'd leave me marvelously satisfied by the end, and BOY was I.

This book hits the sweet spot in grumpy x sunshine and pays homage to the author's Reylo fanfic roots in the best way. (Kylo Ren, who?)

Sebastian is very, very serious. He's overly focused and career-driven. Honestly? He could use some fun but doesn't have time for nonsense like that. He has too much shit to do, anyway. If he doesn't make your TOP FIVE BOOK BOYFRIENDS list, we need to have a chat.

Enter Farren. She's bright, beautiful, and confetti-wrapped sunshine in human form. She's the antithesis of Sebastian in every way. She lives out loud and unapologetically, she loves her friends, has big dreams, and a healthy dose of familial trauma. I related to her on so many level, there were more than a few times I thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest from the earth-shaking "same girl" heart thump-thumps.

They're both beautiful, they're both scared, and no one will be surprised that I have a SERIOUS crush on BOTH of them, holy moly.

Their meet-cute is one for the books, and the ways Farren instantly has Sebastian's fortified walls coming down made me smile so hard my cheeks ached. He has the same effect on her, and over time, both start to share things that they never have with any other.

But love is scary when it's true and shows up when we least expect it. They aren't without their bumps in the road but rest assured that you're in safe hands.

But love is scary when it's true and shows up when we least expect it.

Crone shines in this effervescent debut that shows us sometimes the path we're meant to take is the one we never planned on. 5 enthusiastic ⭐s!

[rosana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Country Press & Review for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I dnfed this book at only 13% and you may wonder why.

I was very excited to get an answer for this ARC and even more excited to start it once my request was approved. I was curious to read a plus-size female character for the first time and how the author was going to write her personality, experiences, everything.

But the befinning of this book was so off. I don't know if the author had beta/alpha readers but I think it should be something to consider in the future. I say this because the time period was so off right in the first 2 chapters.

We begin to see Farren in her new job and then at this coffee shop, we are introduced to a bunch of new characters and it's hard to understand who is who, who does what, what the relationship is between one and the another.

The 2nd chapter is, once again, Sebastian and his job, a few characters that we don't even meet but know about and the coffee shop.

For a book of 200 and a few pages, it doesn't make much sense to introduce so many characters at once when you have such a small space to develop the love relationship. And, even if it was necessary, because, as you can see from the title, you will find some board games, these characters needed a proper introduction.

Do you know that trend that went around tiktok and instagram a while back, where two people who are in a relationship recorded themselves bumping into each other and then there were random clips of their relationships over the months/years they were together? That's "almost" what happens with the two main characters. They bump into each other and immediately find each other attractive and somehow interesting? But they didn't even know each other, that's so... I don't even know if it is correct to say insta-love because it isn't.

The last thing is the way Sebastian acts like a Karen over a croissant... Yeah, you heard it right, over a croissant. That was my last straw.

As you can see I barely read this book and I had so much to say about it. I couldn't force myself to persue my reading and I even checked other reviews to see if maybe it would end up being something I liked but it seems these characters are dull, superficial, which I really don't like and could see why people say that, just over the 2 chapters that I've read.

[thelittlereaderthatcould · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
A romance book by a South African author !!

First, the cover . I am and always will be a hoe for beautifully illustrated covers . This is what initially drew me in.

Second, BOARD GAMES! I have a very healthy obsession with board games

Third, this is going to sound ridiculous but I can never really get angry at characters for doing stupid things when it’s very clear from the beginning that they desperately need therapy . I hate 3rd act breakups when the characters have matured enough throughout the story to avoid such frivolity . However,in this book it was very clear that both MC’s needed therapy so I wasn’t surprised when everything blew up. Also, I feel like they got back together too easily . Yeah he had a grand gesture but he said very awful things to her . She should’ve made him work harder for it .
I really liked Farren, she was sweet and so scared but honestly it was understandable. Sebastian I liked but his character needed more fleshing out I think . Overall, it was cute and serious but not too heavy but I did feel like it was lacking an oomph .

[Margherita · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an ARC and I’m leaving an honest review.

Actual rating: 2.25 stars, I think.

What I liked:
• fat female main character
• the focus on board games
• it was short so it was a relatively quick read

My inevitable rant:

I seem to only be (accidentally) reading fast paced books recently. In this one, in the span of three chapters they met and spent the night together playing games, a whole week went by in which they constantly texted each other, and then they had a date. Quite a lot of things to happen in such a short time, in my opinion. Especially since the beginning of a relationship is often the most important part. They seem to have shared a lot of information about their own lives, and shared emotional connections through texts, but we’re only told about it in a couple of sentences and don’t actually see any of it happen.

In general, most of the events are told to us, and not actually shown. Many conversations happens with different people in different situations, but we’re told about them as if they’re past events and we’re already moving on with the story.

Rooting for the main couple was already hard as we didn’t actually see them develop their relationship, but the third act break up made this even worse. He got insecure, so he blamed her for everything that is seemingly going wrong in his life, then threw her worries and insecurities back at her. If he’s such an asshole to her when he gets mad, then he doesn’t deserve her. No amount of groveling can make me change my mind.

Their first meeting also threw me off. Sebastian gets real grumpy about a croissant and starts demanding Farren that she gives hers to him, and then actually grabs her. In any other situation, the main character would have the wits to find that creepy and scary, especially since it's done by a stranger, but because we *know* he's the future love interest, Farren is not only nice about it, but even invites him to play with her and her friends.

The way Corinne talks to and about Farren makes it seems as if she thinks that Farren is a terrible friend, but Corinne also spends her time diminishing Farren’s life and everything she is and does, only talking to her to complain about her own life and never even actually paying attention to Farren. I wouldn’t consider her a good friend either, and the supposed apology Farren received (which we've never seen but are just told happened off-page) was not enough to make me believe that she suddenly became a good friend. It was extremely frustrating.

Last, but not least, this book seems to have a recurring theme of starting chapters with long flashbacks. We end one chapter with something, then the next chapter is the other character's pov, but instead of continuing the story where it left off, we go back in time and we're told all that has happened to lead to the actual moment where the previous chapter ended, and then we finally continue the story. It does this in almost every chapter and sometimes it takes three to four pages to catch up with the actual events, only to go back to flashback-to-real-time in the next chapter, making the actual timeline messy, confusing and annoying.

[Alli · Rating 1 out of 5]

Playing For Keeps is a rom-com that follows Farren, a board game fanatic, and Sebastian, a grumpy, depressed, software engineer, as they navigate dating while figuring out themselves in their late twenties.

I was originally very excited to read this book, but many things did not work for me. First, Farren and Sebastian meet at a café, where Farren orders the last croissant in the case and Sebastian accosts her about the croissant. It’s supposed to be a “meet-cute”, but in reality, is just a subtle way of showing how much Sebastian is going to suck as a romantic hero in the rest of the book. Sebastian, aka the “grump” in the supposed “grumpy-sunshine” trope, is a miserable person who hates his job and his life, has no friends, and barely connects with his family. The only reason Sebastian begins to talk to Farren is that she is the “sunshine” who looks at everyone with wide-eyed optimism and a penchant for not reading the room.

Sebastian and Farren have no discernable chemistry as romantic leads and quite honestly, I was not rooting for them throughout the entire story. Not to mention, the third-act breakup made Sebastian completely irredeemable when he tells Farren, “You didn’t ask for a gift, I got it anyway. I didn’t ask you to love me, and you did it anyway,” or, even worse, that she has no ambition or drive. Was Sebastian right about Farrren’s characterization? 100% yes. Farren has absolutely zero ambitions and her big reveal at the end of the story is that she wants to start a kid’s gaming café? Both characters are so unlikeable from the very beginning because they both are so insecure and miserable and BOTH need extreme therapy for their baggage with their families.

Playing For Keeps is board-erline (get it? Game pun?) unreadable. The writing is clunky and at times, superfluous for no reason. Is this a fault of the debut author, Tristen Crone? Or could her editor have done 10x better in vetting this manuscript and making it actually work? There is so much potential in the synopsis and none of it works throughout the story.

Spice level: 0.5/5
Rating: 1/5
Tropes: grumpy/sunshine

Thanks to Netgalley for this book to review for my 100% honest opinions.

[arley_starkreadingmad]

DNFing 10% in.
I’m doing this new thing that at first instinct where I’m seeing the red flags waving in the wind I call it quits.
Shockingly this one was really early.

Let me paint you the first time the FMC and MMC meet. They are in a cafe (she is there for game night, he is there just to grab some food and a drink and go). They are both at a register placing their respective orders and she orders “his” pastry and she gets the last one. He proceeds to tell this woman, a full ass stranger to him “thats my pastry” after she paid for it. He continues with trying to pay her for the pastry. She politely tells him to fuck off without saying fuck off and then he goes even further with “Look, I need this pastry. I doubt you’d understand, you and you gaming (it was emphasized in italics in the text, 🙄 for whatever reason *cough cough* condescension *cough cough*) and the frivolity you surround yourselves wit. But I’ve had a week from hell at work. This is the one thing I looked forward to this weekend.” The audacity of this asshat. There’s grumpy and then there’s whatever the fuck this is.

Naturally I went to go see what the reviews had to say, and I’m going to tell you they only furthered my intent to DNF.

This is a big no for me. Sad because it had potential but I do not want to spend time hoping I am wrong, only for the odds to be not in my favor and have my first impressions be correct.

[Anniek · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was enjoying this so so much in the first half, but in the second half, most of my enjoyment fizzled out. I'm landing on a 3 star average.

I had such high hopes for this, and at first, I was loving this! The boardgames were very present in the story, the meet cute really showed their grumpier than grumpy and sunshine personalities, and I found their backstories and emotional depth touching and, if not directly relatable, I empathized with them.

In the second half, I felt like everything started to drag a little, and I found myself getting somewhat bored. There was less boardgame content, but also I felt like their personal issues were very drawn out and repetitive, and then the third-act break-up happened, and everything went down hill for me.

The story already hinges on Farren giving Sebastian a lot of grace and assuming the best from him, which had been fine up until then even if I didn't always understand it. But in the third-act conflict, he was so mean and degrading to her, and I honestly lost all or most of my sympathy for him. It was just really shitty, and I'm not sure the resolution received the attention it deserved.

[Mandy]

Only want to read this because the MC looks like Jim Halpert 🫣

[FER · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would do anything for love, but I won't do that (aka share my honey lemon twice-baked croissant).

***

I am always going to be in the mood to reread Playing For Keeps.

Within pages of meeting Farren, you're falling in love with her. This loveable, soft, hard working woman is real to me the moment she makes note of the pants that dig in at the waist, shucking a work blouse to air out the underboob sweat, and regarding piles of house mess as 'problems for later'.

Sebastian is a grumpy, red flag makes the feminism leave my body, do crime for those forearms, thoughtful, akward drink of understanding, gentle, and tall. Also known as your next delicious bearded swoony book boyfriend.

The surprise star for me in Playing For Keeps was the theme of 'belonging'. Farren ends relationships or only lets them develop superficially to protect herself from the inevitable pain of a breakup or the reminder that she isn't anyones favorite or first choice. Sebastian has either been unwanted or used in his significant relationships. Hes hardened his heart to the point where attachments are now seen as a hindrance to success. They're both so scared of being alone that the very real connection they have with eachother is as exciting as it is terrifying.

You're picking up Playing For Keeps for the romance but it'll stay in your heart long after that final page for how these characters learn they are worthy of love.

Thank you Netgalley & Lake Country Press & Review for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Kelly]

I want to read this SO BADLY!! 😭❤️

[Geenah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute premise, especially with the FMC, Farren, having an actually interesting hobby which was actually relevant to the plot and explored (I will never forgive The Hating Game for not delivering on those damned Smurfs!).

Ultimately, this falls under the category of being too saccharine for my taste. Some people may like cheesy and that's great, but it's not for me.

I also don't really see what Farren saw in Sebastian, even before his obligatory third act conflict freakout. Not to say I didn't like him. I actually related to him in a lot of ways. He's ultra anxious, especially in social situations, which is totally relatable to me. He looks for validation in all the wrong places (ugh, same). And his abusive relationship with his work makes him lash out to the people closest to him. Basically, Sebastian is me a year and a half ago.

My problem is that he doesn't really seem to have any hobbies, interests, or personality outside of his job. When they start dating, Farren turns into his hobby. I get why he likes her, but it's a mystery to me why Farren is so head-over-heels from the get-go.

I also really hated the way Sebastian won Farren back at the end. Imagine if she hadn't wanted him back. He would've just ruined her good experience, probably creeped her out, and on top of it pressure her to get on with her game presentation that she wasn't even prepared to do. A game mock up that, mind you, Farren had expressed unease about sharing with her friends and Sebastian took that decision away from her by sharing something that wasn't his to share. I get that the author wanted Sebastian to do a grand, sweeping gesture revolving around something that was important to Farren, but this is was not great, IMO, and made me dislike them as a couple.

[PrisCollectsBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

* Received this book as an ARC via Netgalley*

I cried at the dedication of this book and 1 cried two more times.

If you are prepared to go through an emotional rollercoaster then this right here should be on your TBR. As a plus size lady myself, this book was refreshing and also valides my own feelings in daily life.

The book is beautifully written and I finished it in 2 days (I had to work otherwise it would have been 1 day).

Grumpy x Sunshine
Spice 1🌶️
Emotional damage 100/10
Meet Cute 100000/10
Plus size main character ❤️

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good. They are both just such lonely people and then they happened to find each other. Seeing how he altered his daily routine to fit her in even though that was hard for him was so sweet. They just love each other so much. Also the third act break up is soooo good. I know people don't like those but this was just filled with the right amount of angst and tension and I just loved it.

I received an arc through netgalley.

[monica • · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was such a comforting and heartfelt debut. it's such an excellent romance about two people closed off from their childhood wounding and yet finding love in each other. it's just such a sweet story and I loved the gaming aspect too.
Thank you to Crone and Lake Country Press for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy.

[Kait · Rating 5 out of 5]

Farren and Sebastian were such a treat to read about! I loved the banter and thought the chemistry between the two characters was delectable. I also truly loved Farren’s journey to finding her passion and being able to fully believe in herself. It was the perfect feel good read that had me happy crying by the end! I can’t wait to read more from Tristen Crone!!

[E.P. Stavs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Board games and romance? Count me in! Farren was a delight as the FMC, and Sebastian was the perfect blend of stressed-grump meets gone for the girl. That it ends at PAX, a convention (granted a different location) born from my Seattle area home? Icing on the cake.

[Hollie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second I found out the FMC was plus size I was all in. It did not disappoint! I enjoyed Farren and her heart and I understand the way she felt about certain things, and her family. I wasn’t sure about Sebastian at first, and I was worried I wouldn’t like him, but he proved me wrong. The pull and chemistry they had together was so good. They both had things they were dealing with alone, but were safe spaces for one another. No matter how much they try to convince one another they don’t deserve something, the other proved them wrong. A lot of growing together and self reflection & growth, which I really admired too. I loved the whole game aspect of everything and some parts of their story had me laughing out loud.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Country Press for the advanced copy.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Playing for Keeps follows Farren, a substitute teacher who loves playing board games and Sebastian, a contractor who lives and breathes his job while trying to get a promotion.
3.5 stars
I really enjoyed the focus on board games, the plus size rep, and mental health rep in this book. Their first meeting was really interesting and I did like how the dual POV really helped show each character’s emotions and where they were coming from.
Some of the plot points, like the third act break up, weren’t my favorite because I just saw them coming from a mile away. In a few parts, I felt the writing could have improved with some more consistent word choices and showing rather than telling.

However, I did enjoy this book and would recommend if you are looking for a grumpy/sunshine dual POV with plus size rep and mental health rep.

[Shannon M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute little book! I didn’t feel emotionally invested in the characters and there was a lot of miscommunication in my opinion, but it still wasn’t a terrible way to spend the day.
I’m not sure if I’d recommend this to anyone else unless they specifically liked these cute nerdy little rom coms.
I’d still give it 4 stars though because it definitely kept my attention.
Thank you to NetGalley for the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Ashley Hawthorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Playing For Keeps is such a wonderful book! The cover art is amazing and the title ties in so well with the board game theme. Everything about this love story was so special, from the first meet-cute moment to the satisfying conclusion. The characters are fun and delightfully human, making both the love and the emotional mess very believable and heart warming. I was rooting for them from the beginning and they had such a great grumpy/sunshine relationship! Bonus points for a plus size heroine that is comfy in her own skin and a love interest that thinks she's incredibly hot just the way she is! This is the debut novel for this author and I can't wait to read more from her!

[Jen · Rating 1 out of 5]

thanks to netgalley, the author and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

i really wanted to like this book more than i did.

Tristan is just a straight up asshole at their "meet cute", he gets scarily angry over a croissant. Farren rightly doesn't take his bullshit. HE GRABS HER ARM WHEN SHE DARES TO START WALKING AWAY. but she then starts acting nicer and comes up with that bet for a croissant. i deeply considered not finishing at this point.

there's also too much telling, not showing. we are told that they are texting for about a week before meeting again and that it's flirty. but, we don't see any of those texts. later, Farren and her bff have a fight which gets resolved off page. uh, what? the relationships, including between the main characters don't feel developed. i don't even know why either of their parents really are part of the story. they don't add much.

even the ending has all this telling not showing but doesn't do either, especially in regards to Farren's game. we don't get to know how it works or what exactly Tristan's gift was. is it just a box? does it contain Gwyneth Paltrow's head?

i don't need much reality in my romances, but these two qualified for a mortgage in Virginia? how? i know it's alluded to that he has a down payment, but you still gotta make payments. Mr. Freelance and Ms. Substitute Teacher can afford it?

[Rosie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Playing For Keeps, Tristen Crone’s debut novel, boasts a fat main character, a sweet meet cute, and a grumpy/sunshine opposites attract. Farren is a substitute teacher whose highlight of the week is Friday night board games at her local DC coffee shop. But when one Friday night, Sebastian, a handsome stranger, accuses her of stealing his pastry, Farren challenges him go a board game. Despite being major opposites, Farren and Sebastian start to date and realize they’re both unhappy with the life they’ve been living.

I was so drawn to this book from the description and cover. It was overall, enjoyable. It was nice to see a relationship develop rather than a book filled with slow burn (which I love but it’s nice to shake up every once in a while). The book lost me a bit in the third act breakup - I was screaming at these characters to go to therapy. Both had much deeper rooted issues with their parents and commitments than could be covered with one phone call or made up for with one grand gesture. The game aspect was fun, though I was expecting a bit more board game content. Overall, it was fun and fast pace.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Country Press & Review for the ARC. Playing For Keeps by Tristen Crone publishes on June 27, 2023.

[Clarissa Gomes · Rating 4 out of 5]

REYLO WORLD DOMINATION GO BRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Uh first of all though thanks NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is, like... I think I'd label it slice of life. Low stakes and... The characters are surprisingly... normal? Tbh my reference is skewed (currently on book 12 of Wheel Of Time and iykyk about Rand al'Thor) but I think I mean it's a super light read, the problems are small, and the characters way less of an unhealthy hot mess than I'm used to. Wheel Of Time is not really the ideal comparison so lets get another romcom Reylo book, The Love Hypothesis. Olive and Adam are way more hot messes than Farren and Sebastian.. It even kind of bothered me sometimes that, like, the narration /tells/ me the protagonists are lonely and guarded, but they don't exactly... Act like it?

Also, while the romance is cute, there's not really such a strong comedy element. Again can't help but compare with TLH, which made me tear up and my tummy ache from laughing. There's a witty joke here and there but it's not a hilarious book.

The spicy scenes are brief.

And to be honest, I think because of how "slice of life" it was, it felt like it took a little for Things To Actually Happen.

All in all it's a lovely book, a very light and quick read.