The Player You Need

South Bay Players #0.5

by Veronica Eden

From USA Today and International bestselling author, Veronica Eden, comes a standalone new adult best friend's brother romance with a spitfire heroine, a swoony player, and a fake dating agreement. Once upon a wedding is the only way my best friend's brother will be mine.
A temporary, pretty lie.

* The Player You Need is a best friend's brother college romance novella with frenemies to lovers and a fake wedding date.

Genres: Romance, Novella, Friends To Lovers, Sports Romance, Fake Dating, College, Sports

104 pages, Paperback

Published August 15, 2022

About the author

Veronica Eden is a USA Today and International bestselling author of romances with spitfire heroines, irresistible heroes, and edgy twists.

She loves exploring complicated feelings, magical worlds, epic adventures, and the bond of characters that embrace us against the world. She has always been drawn to gruff bad boys, clever villains, and the twisty-turns of a morally gray character. She is a sucker for a deliciously swoony hero with a devastating smirk. When not writing, she can be found soaking up sunshine at the beach, snuggling in a pile with her untamed pack of animals (her husband, dog and cats), and surrounding herself with as many plants as she can get her hands on.

Keep up with Veronica:
Newsletter Sign up ➜ bit.ly/venewsletter
Instagram ➜ instagram.com/veronicaedenauthor
Website ➜ bit.ly/veronicaeden
Amazon ➜ amazon.com/author/veronicaeden
Facebook ➜ facebook.com/veronicaedenauthor
TikTok ➜ tiktok.com/@veronicaedenbooks

Reviews

[Yas · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Player you Need was exactly what I needed after TDYK!

I loved Simone and Jackson in TDYK, and I am so happy we got to see a little bit of their story in this cute Novella.
Although TPYN is pretty short, it is packed with fake dating, forced proximity, secret pining, and two lovable characters finally getting together.
And this made me want to reread The Devil You Know so badly!

🗂Genre: Contemporary Romance
📕Type: Novella, interconnected to The Devil You Know

🏷Tropes:
- Best Friend's Brother/ Sister's Best Friend
- Fake Dating (Wedding date)
- Forced Proximity
- Sharing body heat *ahhh*
- Mutual Pining

⚠️Safety: no cheating, no owd/omd

📖eBook: 1st person, Dual POV

📚If you loved this, check out: The Devil You Know

___Reviews___
Book 1 (Tatum & Cooper ): The Devil You Know
Novella (Simone and Jackson: The Player You Need

[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Player You Need is a novella that comes after The Devil You Know, also from this author. This one is a frenemies to lovers, best friend’s brother, fake dating novella!

Simone we met in TDYK, she is best friends with Tatum, the heroine of that book. Simone has always had a bit of a frenemies, but secretly been crushing on Tatum’s brother, Jackson. So when the story starts Simone needs a quick fake date to her cousin’s wedding, since she RSVP’d that she was bringing a date and doesn’t want to show up at another family event without one. Simone wants someone who isn’t a stranger and will go along with a fake date so Tatum suggests her brother Jackson!

This was short and cute, we get some camping/forced proximity with sharing a tent and then of course the fake dating at her cousin’s wedding. I didn’t feel as much from this shorter story, but it was a fun addition if you’ve read TDYK first and met these characters.

[Esther · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars: I liked the premise but it was too cheesy and cringe for me + the whole fake dating part felt ridiculous to me and I hated the constant references to tiktok and the fact that everybody acted like they were celebrities for posting 5 tiktoks. Overall it lacked characterisation and depth for me

[Mailise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a cute summer read. A light fake dating, brother's best friend, coming of age story!

While I enjoyed reading the book for the most part, there were some moments that felt unrealistic and forced. The characters are pretty young (Tate is 18 and Cooper is 20) and their conversations with one another are somehow both immature at times and then clearly written form the perspective of someone older. For instance, Cooper calls her baby girl and it just seemed weird because he is not that old himself? It just came off as them both cosplaying at being an adult and then there would be some Gen Z vernacular to remind me they were in fact teenagers still.

Overall, a fine read though.

[Shelby · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought this used from a book store and did not realize that the story was only 50 pages of the book, and the rest were several chapters of another story by the author.

The story was super rushed and meh, neither character having a personality other than what other characters told us was their personality. I just never cared.

More than anything though I feel jipped that I spent as much money as I did for 50 pages of story.

[Elisa Damiani · Rating 2 out of 5]

1,5⭐️
I found this book boring and the plot lacked depth.
I’m not giving it just 1 star because some scenes were really cute, and I always feel bad about leaving negative reviews.
The miscommunication trope, which was really short, didn’t help me enjoy the book, and even though pop culture references in books aren’t something I love, I let it slide because there are bigger problems than TikTok being mentioned in this novel.

[Meriyem · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, it feels like I've already read this last year and maybe forgot to log it to Goodreads.

Anyway, I reread this and I didn't quite like it. I'm a Sports Romance Fan, but I didn't see anything as a Sports Romance in this book, so yeah, the author shouldn't have counted this book as a Sports Romance Book.

Not my best read or average read I guess. Looking for a better Sports Romance book that literally has mentions of Sports.

[abire · Rating 2 out of 5]

“When it comes to Simone, I’ve always wanted to play for keeps.”

This was too fast, short and rushed for me to feel anything for either character or the story tbh!

[Kaylee · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. The miscommunication third act break up was so BLEGH I couldn't care less I just wanted it to end. They were sweet I just wish they'd spoken with each other more plus if they'd use a little less non accurate teen speech dialogue

[maru · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[Breanna Ratliff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was super cute! I defiantly saw all of it coming. But enjoy this author!

[peyton crawford · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 ⭐️
but five out of five stars at making me cringe tbh I love Veronica eden tho so this is the exception

[Miranda · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 37%. This is just getting boring. There’s no plot at all, and the spice is awkward and not fun to read.

[renata · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dois tontos

[Colby Bettley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg I devoured this!!! It was amazing. So funny, angsty, cute, and steamy! Gave me major 90s/ early 2000s romcom vibes and I’m so here for it

[Natalie Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was up and down. There were slow parts to it but overall it was a fantastic book. I was going through a reading slump so I think that’s why the beginning didn’t really sit with me. But by halfway through I was flying through it. The reading slump is gone and now I hope Jackson and Simone get together!

[Krista-Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

You know, I didn’t DNF but I should have

[Mona Makhlouf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and easy read...loved it. Girls best friend and brother love this storyline but I wish it was abit longer. Fake dating for a wedding with the guys she has been in love with for years and secretly he felt the same way...Jackson and Simone perfect couple.

[Lehakwe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice little short read to start off the year

[sierra adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

super cute other than the entire tiktok thing… it was sooo cringe. 2.75 ⭐️

[Claudette · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Player You Need is a short novella based on The Devil You Know, featuring Simone Brady and Jackson Danvers. Yes, they are finally getting a short but sweet story.

You’re in it for a ride with this 8 chapter novella that will give you fake dating, forced proximity, sharing a bed (or tent), hooking up at a wedding reception, and catching feelings on an off-limit person.

It all started when Simone needed a pretend boyfriend for her cousin’s wedding due in two weeks. The best candidate is her best friend’s brother who knows her so well because she needed someone not only to fake a relationship but to make it believable in front of her family.

As seen in TDYK, Simone and Jackson have chemistry and they have this dynamic wherein they will lowkey flirt, and annoy each other, but never cross the line. All because of the promise that the Danvers siblings made — their friends are off-limits to their siblings. It was later revealed that it was because Tate saw how Jack looks at Simone and Jack saw the way Coop look at his sister. It’s hard to avoid their feelings when they are faking a relationship because the things they do as a couple starts to feel real.

The novella gave a clearer picture of how Simone and Jackson crossed the lines from friends to lovers. I am happy for this couple. Actually, I am happy for the four characters that got their happily ever after.

Highly recommend reading these two novels!

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella follows Simone Brady and Jackson Danvers who we met in the book The Devil You Know. Simone is Tatum’s best friend since childhood and Jackson is Tatum’s brother who Simone has had a crush on forever but he was off limits since he’s her best friend’s brother and he is also a glorified player.

Simone need a date to her cousin’s wedding since she RSVP’d with a plus 1 that she’s part of the wedding party but never found someone to go with her so she begs Jackson to pretend to be her boyfriend for the weekend and just get through the wedding party activities with her. Little does she know Jackson has always had a crush on her but felt she was off limits as she is his sister’s best friend. Things get heated when they have to spend an overnight camping trip having to share a tent. Just when Jackson tries to reveal his feelings to Simone she runs off to start her new summer job as a camp counselor to avoid Jackson thinking it was over between them after the wedding.

What a sweet novella with just a hint of spice. I thought they both were adorable together I hope to get more into their story.

Tropes:

⛺️Best friend’s brother /little sister’s best friend
⛺️forced proximity
⛺️miscommunication
⛺️childhood friends to lovers

[Manda Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the perfect cute novella I was hoping for a story between Simone and Jackson I loved their banter in The Devil You Know. This is a quick 8 chapter read I think if this was a full novel Jackson might give Cooper a run for his money. Definitely a great read after The Devil You Know.
Simone is Tatum’s best friend from The Devil You Know and she needs a fake date for her cousins wedding. Since Tatum is a master with fake dating (if you read TDYK you get it) she recommends her brother Jackson. Due to Jackson and Simone knowing each other so well growing up together, Simone hesitates due to how often they clash, which I love the banter. Jackson agrees he already knows her family from growing together and he dated her sister in middle school.
Tropes
🏀Best Friends Brother
🏀Fake Dating
🏀Forced Proximity
🏀Enemies to Lovers
~Quote~
⛺I’m never going to hurt you. I thought I could never have you, but now I’m fighting for our chance. Jump, baby. I’m here to catch you so you don’t panic.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was happy to see we got Jackson and Simone's story. I knew something was up with them while reading TDYK. Especially after the epilogue.
This was a very quick paced novella.
Honestly, I wish it was a full length story, but I still enjoyed it.
Simone needs a date to her sisters wedding. Only issue is she doesn't have one, even though she said she did.
She doesn't want to bring just anyone.
That's when her bestie, Tatum, suggests Jackson. They're all friends. What could go wrong. Especially when he'll have to attend a camping trip as part of the wedding celebration.
These two together. Love them!

《Quotes:
🩵 “F*ck it.”
🩵 “Let me show you, gorgeous. Let me show you everything I’ve wanted to do to you.”
🩵 "You going to be my good girl, gorgeous?”
🩵 “I’m never going to hurt you. I thought I could never have you, but now I’m fighting for our chance. Jump, baby. I’m here to catch you so you don’t panic.”》

[TheReadingWolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Player You Need by Veronica Eden is a novella set after The Devil You Know.

Tropes:
✔️ FM Romance
✔️ Best Friends Brother
✔️ Fake Dating/ Date
✔️ Sisters Ex
✔️ Free Download

POV: Duel 👩🧑
Rating: 8/10 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
🌶/3
🌶 Starts about 75%

Quick read… definitely answers some questions you have in The Devil You Know (which is great and you should read it). I love Jackson even more now and his relationship with Simone is perfect. Loved the banter and the chemistry between these two. I always want more out of novellas and this one was no exception, but definitely worth the read.

✨“Yeah. I’ve got your back.” I touch her chin, tipping it up. Shit, her lips are nice. Pouty and kissable. “I just wanted to see you beg. It’s a good look on you.”✨

Once upon a wedding is the only way my best friend's brother will be mine.
A temporary, pretty lie.

[Lilith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tropes:

-FM Romance
-Best Friends Brother
-Fake Wedding Date
-Sisters Ex
Dual POV

Spice level: 🌶🌶/5

I loved Jackson in "The devil you know" but in this book I love him even more now and his relationship with Simone is perfect. Loved the banter and the tension between them.
It's definitely worth the read.

Quick cute novella that you will not want to put down.
Jackson and Simone are literally perfect together.

She was always off-limits because she's his little sister's best friend.
He is her sister's ex.

But when she needs a "boyfriend" to take with her to her
cousin's wedding, the only option that seems to be right is him. He agrees to go with her and takes the opportunity to show
her how well they are together hoping that by the end of the marriage she's really his for real.
Recommend!!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was super cute!

Copper is best friends with Tatum's brother and they're next door neighbors. Copper is the playboy surfer who's very popular with the ladies, but he's sick of being seen as a playboy.

Tatum is smart, but also has anxiety tendencies that she's improved with her notebooks, tracking and sticky notes. Copper has always had a thing for Tatum but always shus it down since he promised Jackson he wouldn't touch his sister. And Tate and her brother they have a no friends hooking up/ dating policy.

When Tate approaches Copper to take her v card before college and give her all the spicy lessons, the lines start to blur while they are also fake dating to improve Coops image around campus.

Coop was the sweetest boyfriend and I loved all the heart shaped sticky notes he left for Tate.. swoon ❤️ ooh and the way he won her back with the other sticky notes 😍

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute freaking follow-up to The Devil You Know, featuring Tate's older brother (Cooper's best friend) Jackson and Tate's best friend Simone.

Yep, the siblings are ignoring the "don't date my friend" pact again and I am here for it - oh, there's also fake dating again too 🙌

Jackson and Simone had great banter and tension in TDYK so it was inevitable that it would turn into something more, so I'm happy it freaking did

One of my favourite parts was when Simone's aunty asked when they started dating and he said "bonfire at the cove" totally stealing Cooper and Tate's story 🤣

If I was to have one complaint, it was that I wanted more! I love the characters so much I would have happily read a full length book about them too!

Also the cover and back are so beautiful

[Sukriti · Rating 2 out of 5]

*The Player You Know* by Veronica Eden is an exciting romance novel set against the backdrop of a college sports world. The story follows a strong-willed female protagonist who gets involved with a charming and mysterious athlete. Their chemistry is undeniable, but trust issues and secrets complicate their relationship. Eden does a great job exploring themes of love, betrayal, and self-discovery. The tension between the characters keeps the story engaging, and the character development is impressive. Fans of sports romance with a mix of drama and passion will enjoy this book, making it an enjoyable read overall.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick cute novella that you will not want to put down. Jackson and Simone have noticed each other for a while now but because of the agreement between Jackson and his sister, Simone is off limits since she’s his sister’s best friend. But when she needs a “fake boyfriend” to take with her to her cousin’s wedding, he agrees to go with her. He takes this opportunity to show her how well they are together and hopes that by the end of that weekend she’ll be his for real and not for fake. Definitely recommend reading after you’ve read The Devil Know.