Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.

So this one was a very short book but I loved the characters that were introduced, Oliver Huang and  Fay Liu. I just thought that the book should have been longer since you don't get a lot of time to see fully developed characters. We had a lot going on with both Oliver and Fay and think that it would have been a more cohesive book if we allowed the secondary characters to shine and we had more insight into Fay and Oliver's past. We just glimpses and remarks here and there. 

"Playing House" by Ruby Lang follows urban planners Oliver Huang and Fay Liu. The two run into each other at an open house where Fay is being harassed by a guy that won't leave her alone until she tells him that she's waiting on her boyfriend. Luckily Oliver and Fay know each other because of past get togethers and friendships. However, during the open house they both start thinking of each other in a more romantic way and they both wonder about the other. There's an added complication that Oliver has applied to work at Fay's firm where she is a partner. 

I loved Fay's backstory. She's been divorced for about a year and is finally realizing her ex husband resented her success and she really didn't know what to do anymore to make him happy and vice versa. She remembers Oliver and flashes a lot to moments they had over the years. She doesn't want to be with someone not serious, but she keeps calling up Oliver to tour open houses with her.

Oliver is working freelance after his firm went under. He's living with his younger brother and dealing with the fact that his mother and sister see him as being too similar to his supposed feckless father. I honestly wish that Lang had developed that more since I didn't get what happened with Oliver's father. He ran off? Does anyone know where he is? I mean I was so confused. 

I loved the idea of focusing on a romance between urban planners. The characters know their stuff and I loved reading about the homes they were touring and the architectural details they had. And I could have enjoyed a heck of a lot more of that, but alas, this book is only a little over 100 pages. 

The flow of the book gets a bit stuck towards the end. We have Fay and Oliver come to an impasse and it just seems beyond silly and I don't know we just woosh to a HEA. I just needed more steps in between I guess for me to rate this higher than 3 stars. 

4.25 stars - Reviewed for Wit and Sin

A shy, quirky heroine who prefers books to parties. A sexy-as-hell hero with a sweet side. A scorching one night stand that becomes so much more. Put those three ingredients together and you’ve got a recipe for a highly entertaining romance. And when you add in Amy Andrews’s fast-paced style and signature humor then it’s clear to see why I couldn’t resist Playing House.

Eleanor is such a fun heroine. She grew up on a steady diet of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer and is in love with the fashion, manners, and romantic ideals of the nineteenth century. She’s also turned her love of Victorian fashion into a profitable business, which I found to be a delight to read about. Eleanor feels like the ugly duckling of her family, but she’s so much more than the kooky wallflower she sees herself as. Bodie is immediately captivated by Eleanor and I loved that he wasn’t just taken with her looks, but showed interest in what she was passionate about. Bodie grew up with a shark of a father and between that and his cheating ex-fiancée, he’s wary of falling for someone who will turn out to simply want him for his trust fund or his status a rugby star. Eleanor is a breath of fresh air to him in many ways and it’s clear from the outset that one night with her will never be enough. I could melt with how sweet Bodie could be. He may have wealth, privilege, and good looks, but he has worked hard to become successful and he’s got a heart of gold. I was rooting for him and Eleanor to become more than simply lovers because they were such likeable characters.

Eleanor and Bodie’s story is filled with erotic moments, and it’d be remiss of me not to at least mention how hot Playing House is. But what stood out to me were the quieter moments and if I had one (minor) niggle it’d be I wish there were more of them. Bodie and Eleanor are very different, but they complement one another perfectly. I liked watching them learn about each other. And when the two of them are handed a major surprise, I really liked that they handled life’s curveball fairly well. Their road to happily ever after isn’t smooth sailing. Insecurities, pain, and heartbreak made the story feel more real and may have even had me sniffling at one point. But I knew Ms. Andrews wouldn’t let readers down and the ending of Playing House left me with a smile on my face.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

From the FictFact.com book release calendar (if unfamiliar with Fictfact, it's a site for tracking book series).

So many covers and details are missing on booklikes, here's the text links as well:

• Devil's Haircut (Road To Babylon, Book 4) - Sam Sisavath 
• Unbound (The Men of West Beach Book) (Volume 2) - Kimberly Derting 
• Baby on the Bad Boy's Doorstep (Shadow Creek, Montana) (Volume 4) - Victoria James  
• Bodyguard: An Older Man Younger Woman Romance (A Man Who Knows What He Wants Book 33) - Flora Ferrari 
• Brooklynaire - Sarina Bowen 
• Greek God: A Single Dad, Older Man Younger Woman Romance (A Man Who Knows What He Wants Book 34) - Flora Ferrari 
• Playing House (Sydney Smoke Rugby Series) (Volume 5) - Amy Andrews 
• Police Officer's Princess: A Single Dad, Brother's Best Friend, Police Officer Romance (A Man Who Knows What He Wants Book 31) - Flora Ferrari 
• Statham: An Older Man Younger Woman, Mechanic Romance (A Man Who Knows What He Wants Book 32) - Flora Ferrari 
• The Thorn of Emberlain - Scott Lynch 
• The Valentine Mystery (Tess and Tilly Cozy Mystery) (Volume 2) - Kathi Daley