Playing to Win by Jaci Burton

Play by Play, book 4

Synopsis: Someone’s going to have to let down their guard…

Football star Cole Riley is notorious for doing as he pleases—on the field and off. He parties hard and fights harder, but if he doesn’t clean up his act, his career is over—so Cole reluctantly agrees to work with image makeover consultant Savannah Brooks. He’s not used to being told what to do, especially by some (admittedly hot) Southern belle. As for Savannah, she’s not convinced she can transform this cocky (and aggressively sexy) force of nature. But she’s determined to give it her best shot.

When the sparks start to fly, Savannah lays down the ground rules: no personal complications. If she can turn off the tingle she feels every time Cole gives her a hot stare with his gorgeous baby blues, he can turn off his desire as well. But for two people determined to have it all, a hands-off policy can only last so long before one of them yields.

Review: I have heard a lot about Jaci Burton and I admit that the Anna’s reviews have intrigued me. Romances mixed with sports are often quite interesting to discover, and I was curious to see how it was going to be. I must say that in the end I had a great time with this novel, even if it is true that this is the first I read a book in the series. But do not worry, the fact that it is a fourth volume doesn’t really matter and you can start with it without any problems.

Savannah takes her job very seriously. I must say that her job is her whole life and she expects all her missions to be successfully without compromising herself. But her new client, the famous Cole could crush the spirit of the young woman. Oh yes, because that this man is a true seducer, is also part of the problem. Savannah was hired to try to change the way he is seen in public, something that continually abysses his reputation. But Cole is determined not to let it go and not to listen to what she has to say. He does not like to take orders and from this young woman he does not know even less. He may be sexy, but he takes comment in a really difficult manner. Yet, while they did not expect it, something will be created between the two and although they resist it, there may have no loopholes. But if on top of that, Cole manages to understand that he must make an effort, then perhaps there is hope.

I loved to follow these two characters. They are both very different but something will link them, and despite their problems, they affect us both. Cole is badly perceived by the people around him, and this is due to his solitary life and his troubles in the media. Yet he does not care about all that, but this is not the case about all his teams. In the chapters, we discover that Cole is much more than he presents and his character touches us by his true nature. Savannah is a fragile young woman. She hides many secrets to others and has big trust issues. I was very curious about her past, to understand what had happened to her and it is true that it’s really difficult to see what she had to endure to get where she is. It is well understood that she does not want to do more than working and tries to stay more professional with Cole. However, their attraction is immediate, and although it started like nothing, it may well increase gradually.

I admit that I was quite surprised to see how Cole was confident, patient with Savannah, waiting for her to open to him, to explain what is wrong. But he too will change in contact with the young woman, a stunning change in fact. Opening to others will help him in his game, in his life and even his hobbies. It was interesting to see him realize the consequences of his actions and see that he could be more than what he showed to others.

So yes, this novel was a great find and I am curious to find out more now with the previous volumes, as well as the future ones. A pleasant surprise for me.