Lisa B. Kamps is off to a tremendous start with PLAYING THE GAME the first book from the York Bombers series.  The Bombers are the AHL team of Kamps NHL Baltimore Banners series team.  I love that she started this series.  There is a whole different level of emotion at an AHL level.  Harland Day had been recently sent down from the Banners.  He has lost his edge and is struggling to get it back.  Once he returned to his hometown in York, he cannot stop thinking about his ex-girlfriend, Courtney Williams and discovers some secrets that have been kept from him.  This contemporary sports romance is suitable for new adult and adult audiences.

I loved this story.  I appreciated how it started out with the prologue.  It really set the mood for the book.  Harland and Courtney are amazing and complex characters with a long history.  They are both believable and multiple issues to overcome.  They had a horrible break up and that left them both scarred.  Harland had a rough childhood.  It is understandable how he hoped his dad was looking out for him.  Courtney rightfully has trust issues.  I love that this couple gets a second chance.  I enjoyed the story about how they originally met. I love how Harland accepts and treats Noah. 

The hockey aspect in the story was well represented.  It depicted Harland’s struggles on the ice.  I enjoyed his team mates.  He has some good friends who are trying to look out for him. 

PLAYING THE GAME is another amazing book by Lisa B. Kamps.  She continues to write skillful plots that are exciting and heartfelt.  I’m looking forward to her next story.  I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

 

 

 

 

Game Changer

Book One in The Playing Game Series
by : Rene Folsom

5 stars

Reviewed by : Tonya

Format : Kindle Edition

Published by : Amazon Digital services

Source: Purchased Copy

Gene:  Contemporary Romance

 

 

Blurb

Maci strives for one thing in life—anonymity. With her writing career in full bloom, all she wants is to work in peace while concealing her true identity from the public. Though readers love the science fiction worlds she creates, Maci knows that gender stereotypes could damage her career if she is exposed as a woman. 

Liam is the envy of all gamers as the lead developer for nZone Studios. Over time, he builds walls around himself, keeping people at arm’s length who only gravitate to him for his material possessions rather than who he is as a person. 

With thick barriers around their hearts and their past looming in the shadows, Liam and Maci challenge each other by slowly peeling away their protective layers and seeing each other for who they really are. It doesn’t take long after their chance meeting at a coffee shop for them to become one another’s game changer. 

Note: If a strong, quirky heroine makes you roll your eyes, If you hate sexy heroes who would rather lose a game than the woman of their dreams, if fast-moving relationships and hot sex aren’t your thing, if you can’t stand when humor is used to cover up life’s awkward moments, if cliffhangers anger you beyond comprehension… this series is not your cup of tea. This contemporary romance novel is the first book in the Playing Games series and contains adult situations meant for ages 18+.

 

Our Review

This book picks up a little over a year past the first meeting between Liam and Maci. This time in a coffee shop, neither of them knowing they had met once before and had a patio ate night all after a wager.

Like the other book this too is a fast read. The character development between Liam and Maci is great. Each with a past, burdens and secrets. Steamy sex scenes make the book even more interesting. But trouble soon unfolds and a few bumps come into play. And what would a story be without those.

You learn a little more about Maci's story with her grams and the slimy Jim. And we Lear the sexy, gamer geek Liam has a few issues of his own. 

I do wish there was a little more interaction between Maci and her editor and friend Sky as well as Liam and his partner and friend Thad. But that aside loving the story and the way this ends, you kind of know what slimy Jim wants and now I have to rush and see what Maci will do. 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

GET A FREE BOOK >>www.renefolsom.com/newsletter

Rene Folsom, author of contemporary and paranormal, lives in Florida with her husband and three kids. She has officially diagnosed herself with creative ADD and often has a million and one writing projects going at once. In addition to writing, she is also a graphic artist who enjoys creating custom book covers for indie authors. She is definitely an artist at heart and would love nothing more than to be elbow deep in clay during her waking hours.

Rene believes that all fiction is based on some form of reality—otherwise we would never have the inspiration or knowledge to dream up the realistic situations we portray with our words. She is proud to say that her personal experiences have been inspirational, though perhaps not always identical to that of her fictional characters. Where reality and fantasy diverge, however, must remain her little secret…

 

Website: www.renefolsom.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/renefolsom
Twitter: www.twitter.com/renefolsom
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/renefolsom

 

 

ISBN-13: 9781507584354
ISBN-10: 1507584350

Amazon | Amazon Austria | Amazon Canada | Amazon China | Amazon France | Amazon Germany | Amazon Italy | Amazon Japan | Amazon Spain | Amazon United Kingdom | Amazon France | Amazon France | Amazon France | Baker | B & N | Book Depository | B-A-M | Fishpond AU | Flux Books | Foyles (UK) | Google Play | Kobo | Hachette | Harpercollins | Harlequin | Headline UK | iBooks | Chapters | IndieBound | Macmillan | Powells | Recorded Books | Rakuten | Simon & Schuster | Txtr | Walmart | Waterstones (UK) | WHSmith (UK)

Melody Heck Gatto scores a win with Playing the Game, the third book in The Renegades Series.  This contemporary sports romance is suitable to both new adult and adult audiences.  It is set in modern Pittsburgh. 

After being betrayed by his ex and a teammate, NHL Captain Tyler Kidd’s life began to spin out of control.  The Renegades’ new PR assistant, Paige Martin, is tasked with cleaning up his messes.  Lines are crossed and the two wind up in bed together, both knowing a relationship could hurt their careers.

I loved Playing the Game! Melody Heck Gatto does a fantastic job with her character development.  Tyler is great.  Understandably, he has a hard time getting over being betrayed by Patrick and Gia, even though he never truly loved her.  Anyone who has been cheated on ego takes a hit. He makes mistakes but is also misrepresented by the media. Tyler gets the best wooing award. I enjoyed Paige’s character.  She is very professional.  I love the way she handles the media.  Both grew throughout the story.

The plot was believable and stirring.  I enjoy Melody Heck Gatto’s writing style.  It flows well and is easy to follow. 

Complimentary copy provided via manicreaders.com in exchange for an honest review.