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.

Interesting look at how unions organize. The author's commitment to his cause, working undercover, is admirable. 

I must admit, C.J. Archer is one of those authors that you know will draw you in. After I read The Wrong Girl, I was in love with the story within the pages. And I knew that I wanted to read more of Hannah’s story. And then along came Playing With Fire.

Playing With Fire is different to The Wrong Girl. Hannah has been at Frakingham for a few weeks, and she’s adjusted. She knows a bit more about her powers, she’s comfortable with the other residents (okay, maybe not Langley and Bollard, but who would be comfortable around those two?), and she can’t actually touch the guy who she may or may not be madly in love with, i.e. Jack. Even though the two books are different, I love both of them.

I think Hannah comes into her own in Playing With Fire. She’s not the girl from the attic any more, she’s not afraid. In fact, I would say that Hannah is pretty darn brave. She doesn’t hesitate when it comes to protecting the people she loves, she doesn’t worry about herself all the time, and her strength of character is just amazing. Hannah is definitely one of my favourite YA female main characters.

One of my favourite aspects of Playing With Fire is that, whilst there is an epic romance (and when I say epic, I mean EPIC romance), that’s not the focus of the book. Yes, it’s in there, and no, we are not left wanting more; but the way Archer weaves it into the story is perfect. We learn about demons, and other supernatural goings-on, but we learn about new characters, and old characters, and friendships, and families. We learn about so much in Playing With Fire, and that’s one of the reasons why it is so good. It’s not just a YA romance riddled with some other plots. It’s an awesome plot that also has an amazing romance between two dedicated and brilliant characters.

Playing With Fire was an action-packed novel. If you think girls in the 1800s spent their time weaving, chatting, and painting – you guessed wrong. They’re out defending their household from demons, mastering supernatural powers of their own, and getting caught up in seriously dangerous situations. Or at least the ladies in Archer’s 1800s are. And I must say I am a fan of these ladies, and this version of the 1800s. It’s intriguing, and powerful, and just downright pretty awesome.

I recently received an email from Archer where she spoke about the third book in the series, and plans for another Freak House series. I cannot wait for Heart Burn, and am so happy to learn that Samuel will be getting a series of his own! He is one of my favourite characters in this series, and I cannot wait to learn more about him, and his gift.

All in all, Playing With Fire was a fantastic sequel, and I highly recommend the Freak House series to lovers of the supernatural, awesome characters, and ye olde English times.

© 2014, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity. All rights reserved.