Audiobook Review: The Final Score by Jaci Burton

The Final Score
(Play-by-Play Series, Bk #13)
Jaci Burton
Narrated by Tatiana Sokolov

Blurb: 
Nathan Riley is ready to follow in the footsteps of his famous football player father. He's been drafted as quarterback for his dad's former team, and his future is bright. When his friend Mia Cassidy moves to the same city, their years-long friendship suddenly sparks hot, reminding him of the one night they had together in college that he can never forget.

Like Nathan, Mia is from a sports dynasty family and embarking on an incredible new career - as founder of her own sports management company. Her friendship with Nathan means everything to her, and tossing sex into the mix again could jeopardize it. But the chemistry between them has always sizzled, and it isn't long before Mia realizes she wants more with Nathan than just late-night talks and pizza.

Passion has a funny way of changing the rules, and soon Nathan and Mia discover that to win it all, they'll have to make an unexpected play for love.

Available for purchase at 

Amazon Paperback | Audible | Kindle | Nook | B&N

Viviana's Review: 

I liked it. I had higher hopes for it, especially with the Cassidy family being included. I LOVE the Cassidy family! Each of  their stories have been really good! I did love that both the hero and heroine are from Football Dynasty! This is also part of the story.... how both Nathan and Mia are trying to make it on their own, and not have others think they are riding on their father's fame.  

This is a friends to lovers story and we get to see them as friends, which is great. They have a very easy going relationship and its obvious they treasure each other as friends.

I did love that we get to see what the Cassidy boys and their ladies have been up to. Reconnecting with them is like meeting up with friends after not seeing each other for a while! 

Why I didn't Love it? I think this could have easily been a novella. There is a lot of repetition both in internal monologue and conversations among friends, but mostly internal monologue. I mean how many times can you state your reasons why you can't or why they shouldn't!! Jeez. It caused several eye rolling moments.  If you remove all of these, you'd have a really good novella/story.

Then there is the matter of the 'struggle' or the 'cause' between the couple and its something that will make you say "Really? Seriously?" and then the make up... too easy and way to quick. 

Narrators: 

Tatiana Sokolov does a good job with this series. I still believe that the series would benefit from having a male narrator, as part of the narration (two narrators (duet or dual)). 

Overall, this was a good read and with likable characters and steamy scenes. I'm hoping we get to see Mia and Nathan later in the series to catch up with them. 

Rating: 3.Stars - I LIKED IT!

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Penguin in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Book Review: Unexpected Rush by Jaci Burton

Unexpected Rush 
(Play by Play Series, Bk #11)
by Jaci Burton

Blurb: 
In the new Play-By-Play novel by the New York Times bestselling author of All Wound Up, a football hot shot and his best friend’s sister are breaking all the rules.

All the Right Moves

For Barrett Cassidy, playing defense for the Tampa Hawks is a dream come true. And now he may have discovered his dream woman. Harmony Evans, once the sweet, gawky teenage sister of his best friend and teammate has grown into a smart, gorgeous woman with moves he finds hard to resist. But he knows he can’t get involved with his best friend’s sister—it’s guy code.

Harmony has always gone after what she wants with single-minded determination, from her independence to her education to her career in interior design. She never expected her youthful crush on Barrett to develop into something deeper. And she’s not about to let some ridiculous man rules or her brother stand in her way.

When the chemistry is this combustible, lines tend to get crossed. And when Barrett and Harmony’s secret gets out, it just might be game over...

      

Viviana's Review: 
It no secret that I am a recent fan of Jaci and picked up the series "Play by Play" on book #9 after enjoying all those yummy covers for so long. Book 9, "Quarterback Draw" was the start of what I'm calling the "Cassidy Dynasty" within the series. This is due to the story arc of the 'players' per say as it has focused on the Cassidy brothers and I didn't feel like I would be lost in the series. Loved "Quarterback Draw" and those that have followed.

"Unexpected Rush" touches on the taboo of the guy dating his BFF's sister. Apparently there's some sort of "Guy Code" (insert eye roll). Barrett Cassidy has known Harmony Evans for years! She's the younger sister of his BFF and teammate. Though she had a crush on Barrett growing up, she didn't plan on having one as an adult. The chemistry is there and so are the circumstances and various situations continue to place them in each other's path.

No doubt that Jaci can write a steamy romance. "Unexpected Rush" doesn't disappoint in this aspect.

The Cassidy family is alas awesome and you want to join them - either by going out with one of the guys or you'll accept their awesomeness, love and loyalty as an adoptive sister of some sort.

Though Harmony claimed to be a strong and independent woman, I didn't like that she was okay with keeping the relationship a secret or rather pretending that there wasn't one. Even more so that Barrett went along with it and thought it was a good idea. While I get its a story, I wish the need for the relationship to longer be a secret came sooner vs. later. I want women to know their worth ... heck men too.

The ending.... a bit rushed... perhaps.... meant due to the title.

We get a glimpse of the next book and I'm intrigued.

overall a good steamy read that moves the series along.

Rating: 3.5 Stars - I really liked it. 

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from PENGUIN GROUP Berkley in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Book Review: Hot Holiday Nights by Jaci Burton

Hot Holiday Nights 
(Play-by-Play Series, #10.5)
by Jaci Burton

Blurb: 
Victoria Baldwin is a successful sports agent who always puts work first—unless she’s on vacation. Then it’s all about play. On holiday in Hawaii over Christmas, she meets Alex McConnell, a successful young surfer on the islands for a surfing competition. She couldn’t think of a better vacation fling. But when she meets Ben Reynolds, Alex’s manager, she realizes she wants both men. This could be her hottest holiday ever, and the vacation that changes her life.

Available for purchase at 

   

Viviana's Review: 

This was a good, interesting and quick read. A novella in the Play-by-Play Series, which I recently picked up in book #9 can be read as a standalone. 

Things that stand out with this series remain the same for this novella: great covers, steamy and hot scenes, heroines that are strong, know what they want and do not apologize for it and heroes that are alpha males but not complete asses and are not only hot but overall great guys! 

So at first I thought Victoria had to make a choice between Alex and Ben, but apparently, no… she doesn’t. While I wasn’t prepared for a ménage, it wasn’t a turn off or a negative. I enjoyed the story overall. All the characters are well written and as a reader, you’ll like each of them for different reason. However, due to the fact that this is a novella, things happen a bit too fast for me and I mean more the emotional attachments that are form that lead to pretty big decision making events in the end. It all worked out of course (this is a romance and thus a HEA is a must, right?) but the quick “I love you” with all three of them and how no one questioned the fact that all three were okay with way the relationship had develop…. Not one of them …. But other than that… lol… 

Again, if you’re in it for the quick read and good story, you’re going to enjoy this novella. Don’t over think it. Otherwise, you’re going to be like me and have that “hmm… seriously, not one of you is going to ask?” LOL. 

Rating: 3.5 Stars - I REALLY LIKED IT 

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from PENGUIN GROUP Berkley in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Book Review: All Wound Up by Jaci Burton

All Wound Up
(Play-by-Play Series, Bk  #10)
by Jaci Burton

Blurb: 

In the latest Play-by-Play novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Quarterback Draw, a sexy baseball player is done striking out...

Tucker Cassidy is going through a slump—but not on the field. It’s his dating life that’s suffering. After having a painful altercation involving his ex-girlfriend’s knee, Tucker is convinced it couldn’t get worse…until a gorgeous doctor comes to the rescue at his most embarrassing moment.

As the daughter of the owner of the St. Louis Rivers, Dr. Aubry Ross has been around jocks all her life. She knows the ins and outs of all their games, and she isn’t interested in playing.

When Tucker repeatedly lands in the hospital where she’s working, Aubry starts to think he’s getting injured just to see her. Tucker is both funny and sexy, and Aubry is pleasantly surprised to discover he actually respects her job.

When her father disapproves of their relationship, Aubry knows she’d rather lose Tucker than have him lose his job. But Tucker isn’t about to let threats of a trade get in the way of a game-changing love…

Available for purchase at 

            

Viviana's Review:

Well hello Tucker Cassidy!!  I’m fairly new to Jaci Burton, in fact, so new this is only my second book but I’m in love!  Particularly, I’m in love with the Cassidy family.  So while this may be book #10 in the “Play-by-Play” series, you can certainly read these as either a stand alone or start with the previous book, “Quarterback Draw” at the very least, where we first meet the Cassidy family.

The Cassidy family are well-known for the members being football ballers, all except Tucker, who decided to follow his passion and heart and play ball, baseball, that is.  Of course being the loving and supportive family that they are, all his brothers, including his twin give him grief for being different.  However, all kidding aside, his family does love and support him and each other and that is one thing that stands out in this and in the previous book.

Tucker is fun and charismatic.  He knows how to have a good time but is also responsible.  He knows what he wants and goes after it.

Aubry Rose is dedicated to her career.  She has been and is 100% committed to it and believes she can’t commit to anything or anyone else.  Basically she thinks she doesn’t have time for a relationship.  However, when she meets Tucker at her parents’ house and then continues to “run into” him, it’s obvious that there is something there and well Tucker also makes it obvious he is interested. Both agree that their careers make it difficult to be in a relationship but decide to give it a try with no strings attached.  And I’m sure you can guess that of course there would be strings!

There’s passion!  A start of a great friendship.  The realization that you can have more than one thing in your life.  Of course, the Cassidy siblings and a story that makes you sigh because of great characters like Tucker.

LOVED it and it seems like we're going to get more of the Cassidy familyin the next installment! Squee!!

Rating: 4 Stars - LOVED IT

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from PENGUIN GROUP Berkley in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Book Review: Quarterback Draw (Play by Play #9) by Jaci Burton

Quarterback Draw 
(Play by Play #9) 
By Jaci Burton
Narrated by Lucy Malone 

Blurb: 
Playing For Keeps

Grant Cassidy knows how to be a football star—flash that dazzling smile, throw the winning pass, get the girl. But while the hot quarterback loves the game and the lifestyle, no woman has come close to catching his heart. Then he matches wits with a smart, gorgeous model, and Grant finds himself wanting more than a fling.

Supermodel Katrina Koslova might live in a world of glitz and camera flashes, but she works hard to provide for the family that relies on her. She doesn't have time for fun—much less a boyfriend—but Grant seems determined to be the exception to Katrina’s rule.

Their explosive chemistry is undeniable, but Katrina’s afraid to let go and rely on anyone but herself. Grant intends to ease her fears and prove he’s a man of style and substance.

      

Viviana's Review: 
Let me start by saying I've always LOVED the covers of this series and they have always grabbed my attention enough to pick them up and read the blurb. The blurb have also intrigued me, but as the saying goes, too many book never enough time and I've been trying to be oh so good with not over committing myself with reviews. However, when the opportunity came up to review "Quarterback Draw", again, great cover, awesome blurb... OMG - its the 9th book in the series!!! Uhm... can I commit to a new series? How lost am I going to be if I haven't read the previous ones? Do I HAVE to read the previous ones (okay... for many us book-a-holics, if we start a new series mid-way, we WILL go back to the beginning. Its just who we are!!)?  Do I have the capacity to fall in love with a new bookboyfriend? BREATHE!!!! I PMed my fabulous friend and fellow book blogger Kelly from Books-N-Kisses and asked about the series to get her input and yup, she raved about "Quarterback Draw". You can check out her review here if you're curious.