My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin (US & Canada)/Harlequin Blaze for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

Contemporary romance and I just don't get along and I think I must be getting old and crusty, because despite the fact that the H was 32 and the h was 29, they didn't really seem to act their respective ages. Though the H was a tad better than the h. She was insufferable.

They had what she wanted to be a one-night stand. But then she sends him a booty call text. When he doesn't respond, she sends another. And then another. And while the number is vague, it was between six and 21 texts, with the last one being a (tame) video of her pleasuring herself without him. Showing him what he was missing out on. She saw it as a big F-U because he ignored her. I saw it as slightly un-hinged and having no pride whatsoever. If he isn't responding to a booty-call text immediately, he's either 1) REALLY REALLY busy or 2) just not that into you. He actually had a VERY legit reason for not responding, but he never told her when he tried to collect on the BC text the next day.

I always flip the genders when something like this happens. If it was the guy doing that to the girl, would it be ok? If the answer is no, then it isn't ok for the girl to do that to the guy.

Also, while she hadn't had sex in a year, she had a condom in her purse, because prepared. That's really good. The said purse was in the office, which was a good walk away from the bar where they were and she HAD TO HAVE it RIGHT now and didn't want to go get said condom, so she asks if he has one and he does. And she looks down on him for it, saying to herself something like, "Typical cocky hockey player."

EW! Double standard much?? I really did NOT like this h. And she treated her half-brother HORRIBLY. He wasn't perfect, but he stood up for her (my fav part of the book actually) and then she treats him like garbage the next time she sees him? NOT cool.

And don't get me STARTED on what she did when the H offered her the playoff tickets! GROSS.

Sorry, but I didn't like this book, due to the characters. The spicy scenes were pretty good and THAT COVER. Everything else? Not my cup. Recommended if you enjoy quick, don't think too hard about it, spicy romances.

1.5 stars, rounded down due to the h.

I received a copy of this arc from NetGalley for an honest review. Love when a great romance and hockey come together!!! Loved the main characters, the setting, the plot and the story. Thanks for a great read.

Lainey and Cooper were just what each needed but they fought it. And then they just fought each other until they both did what they needed to do. A great book!

If you love sports romances then this one does not disappoint. Lainey is working overtime to separate herself from her family legacy and Cooper Mead is trying to change his.

Can they both find what they desire in the one place they thought they'd never be?

Discover what happens when you give love a chance and find out that you can have it all.

Be sure to check out Taryn Leigh Taylor's backlist for more must read hockey fun!

Loved this story. It was a quick read with fun characters and I had a smile on my dial reading it. Theme is Ice Hockey and since I don't have that sport in my face in NZ I really enjoyed what I read about it. I loved Lainey and Cooper and I loved the banter between the two. I'd highly recommend this story to anyone who'd love to read a book bit different (with the sport theme) and fun characters and a fun and quick read!

This hockey romance had potential, but Lainey irritated me to the point that I wanted Cooper to skate as far as his skates could take him away from her (the game 7 ticket scene sealed the deal on that one). And then there was her brother, Brett. I get that he's nineteen, but the way he acted reminded me more of a 10-year-old than someone nineteen.

Another winner from Taryn Leigh Taylor! I love this author's writing. It's sexy and playful with lots of steam and fun. But interspersed with the good times she's got moments of deep emotion that everyone can relate to. This book was no different. The characters draw you in and make you root for them to win, in all areas, not just the game! I devoured this in one sitting!! Hope she's got more stories waiting to go!

This isn't a bad book, but I've read a LOT of excellent books featuring hockey players and this one just didn't measure up.

I have a thing where I really prefer sex to NOT happen in the first 25% of a story. If the relationship leads with sex, I'm usually more checked out. It isn't that I don't think that sizzling sex can lead to a great romance, but I live for the build-up, that intense sexual tension, and I think that books that draw it out are just more compelling for me.

These two jumped to sex pretty quickly, but I can't place all the blame on that. The romance was... sweet. It was nice, but I just couldn't focus on the story. I kept wanting to reach for another book, which isn't ever a good sign for me.

Playing Dirty isn't a bad story, but I think when it comes to M/F contemporary romance, you really need to wow me and this one just didn't.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

A fun, witty, sexy look at what it takes to make things work, when two people come together with a lot of baggage. Hockey was the sport of choice, but it could have been anything, really, and it still would have been a great book! Lainey was snarky and smart, and Cooper was fun and athletic. I'd read more from Taylor, but it seems this was her last Blaze book. I guess I will have to go back and read the others previously published.

I absolutely loved PLAYING DIRTY! It’s a Harlequin Blaze book so you know it’ll be hot and steamy but it also has a lot of heart!

Cooper is your above average cocky, alpha male. He’s sexy and he knows it and he knows you know it too! But his bedroom eyes and heart-breaking smile are his armor. Underneath it all, he’s a genuine guy with problems of his own and with the same worries and fears as the rest of us. His flaws made him the ideal hero.

Lainey is another story. To describe her, I totally want to use the word “bitch” but I think she was more shrewish and extremely defensive. She’s very abrasive and it was hard for me to like her. But all that rough exterior and the massive chip on her shoulder disguised some very personal and professional hurts. Lainey is a tough heroine and a good match for Cooper, but I felt she was almost too unapproachable.

You’re probably wondering if Lainey ever redeemed herself, well I don’t want to spoil it so I’ll let you decide. Cooper and Lainey’s story is awesome and I’d recommend it to all readers that prefer their romance a little dirty :)

***I voluntarily read a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own***

PLAYING DIRTY is a sweet hockey romance about Cooper Mead, a hockey player with the Portland Storm and Lainey Harper. Lainey is running her deceased fathers sports bar and plans on leaving Portland as soon as she can sell it. She didn't have a good relationship with her father and she is anxious to sell the bar and get back to her life.

Cooper is the newest member to join the Portland Storm and he is still trying to acclimate himself to the team and the city. At thirty two, Cooper is nearing the end of his career and he changed teams for a chance at winning the cup before he retires.
I found it easy to like Cooper. He is sweet and open and for all his bravado, a little insecure. He has never had a girlfriend but there is something about Lainey that draws him in. For some reason he finds himself attracted to her snarky remarks and he keeps returning to her bar because he just can't seem to resist her.

The last thing Lainey plans on doing is falling for an arrogant hockey player. She has a few issues and hides behind a tough demeanor. She is distant, sarcastic and sometimes, outright mean. As I read the book, I was able to understand Lainey and why she acts so tough. However, it was hard for me to understand why Cooper would pursue Lainey when she doesn't treat him well.

I love hockey stories and I enjoyed this feel good story. Cooper and Lainey meet at a perfect time in their life. Even though they have always been afraid to open their hearts and share their inner most fears with anyone, they feel comfortable letting down their guard with each other. Not only is there a lot of chemistry between them, but they have fun and help each other with their issues.

Honesty time; I know absolutely nothing about ice hockey. I'm Australian by way of the UK, alright? Ice hockey is like baseball; it's one of those strange sports that Americans (and Canadians) get all excited about and quote stats obsessively.

That said, I didn't need to know anything about ice hockey to enjoy this book, because while hockey was there, and played a significant part in the story, it's really a story about two people finding each other and learning to live with each other's complicated lives and backgrounds.

Lainey's had more bad experiences with hockey than good ones. A buried disaster in her past, an absent father and now a younger brother who's been sucked into the same world, the last thing she wants is to be stuck in Portland trying to sell her late father's failing sports bar.

Scratch that... the last thing she wants is to fall for Cooper Mead. He's living in the spotlight she's tried so hard to avoid, but when she finds he's hiding his own secrets, she realizes they have more in common than she ever expected.

Despite my complete ignorance of hockey (this is the first hockey romance I've ever read) I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a great story about two people who are perfect for each other figure out how to be together in spite of all the things that could keep them apart. There were a couple of really steamy sex scenes and some hilarious banter between the protagonists - Lainey was a fantastic heroine who takes no nonsense from anyone, and I laughed my head off at the initial meeting between her and Cooper.

A thoroughly enjoyable read even if you know literally nothing about ice hockey. Five stars.

4 1/2 STARS!

Flirty & fun! The sass between these two kept me smiling ... loved them together! Real characters, a plot to sink our teeth into and just a lot of ups and downs on the way to happy endings for all.

Lainey Harper is minding her own business, just trying her best to get things settled and get her life back to normal again. She never expects Portland's newest and hottest hockey pro to come waltzing into her bar and turning her life on end. She hates hockey with a passion, why would she want to hang out with the epitome of it?

Cooper Mead might be getting up there in hockey years, but he still loves it and is playing at the top of his field. When a bet with a teammate has him matching wits with a sexy lil' bartender, he is intrigued ... even thought she's giving off a major "hands off!" vibe. Can he convince Lainey to take a step forward and face her fears about being around hockey again ... and convince her that he's a good guy?

PLAYING DIRTY by Taryn Leigh Taylor works as a standalone romance, but readers who enjoy this book might want to go back at some point and read the previous book -- PLAYING TO WIN. When hotshot defenseman Cooper Mead hits on a pretty bartender at the local watering hole, he never dreams that he's meeting someone who will change his life. Lainey Harper is just as complicated and full of secrets as Cooper, and I like how they unexpectedly help change each other's lives for the better. I'm a romance fan and I love hockey, so this tale of love and hockey soothes my soul.

When Lainey and Cooper first meet, she is annoyed by his pick-up attempt yet intrigued, and he is even more attracted by the clever way she rebuffs his advances than her good looks. Taryn Leigh Taylor manages to keep things smoking hot while still delivering a story that is multifaceted and intense. A good chunk of PLAYING DIRTY focuses on the walls that Lainey has put up emotionally, and her struggle to connect on any substantive level with Cooper or her half-brother, and Cooper's teammate, Brett. Over the course of the book, Lainey and readers soon discover that Cooper is more than just a pretty face and to-die-for body. Cooper's struggles with dyslexia and maintaining autonomy when it comes to his career make him a fascinating character to read about. Likewise, Lainey's unresolved issues over her feelings for her late father and her former hockey career, make her a compelling heroine. One thing I really like about PLAYING DIRTY is how Cooper comes to the realization himself about how to set things right in his life, rather than screwing up and being forced to see the error of his ways.

PLAYING DIRTY has the kind of witty verbal foreplay I love, and a sexy character-driven romance. After reading PLAYING DIRTY, I wish the author would write a book about Brett when he's a bit older. I look forward to reading Taryn Leigh Taylor's next book.

Chose not to review. Did not care for the storyline after 20% of the story was read

Typical sports romance, but the heat ..: whoa! Taylor writes it hot!

He's a hockey player, she's big on hockey. Chemistry- definitely. This is a quick, fun read.

This book is such a cute and quick read that I just couldn't and didn't want to put down.

I do highly recommend

These characters are fun and sexy. It was a perfect romance read.

Lainey Harper is pretty damn cool. She has overcome a tough childhood, a tough early adult experience and now she is back in Portland after inheriting her dead father's sports bar. She is there to clean the place up and sell it. She is singularly focused. When she meets Cooper, a star on the local NHL hockey team, she wants nothing to do with him. Her father played, her brother plays, and she ain't no puck bunny. So she shuts him down. It turns out she was only a bet between her brother and his teammate Cooper. The Black Widow is a very clever shutdown from The Ice Princess herself.

So this is a cute hockey story that was easy to read. I liked it. Also...there is a really cute kid with cancer in this one. Cue melting heart...

A game they both want to win

Lainey Harper has never been a puck bunny. She wants nothing to do with hockey or hockey players--not after what she's been through. So why can't she resist Cooper Mead?

Portland's newest hockey star, Cooper, is all muscle and charisma. And he's Lainey's worst nightmare. Hooking up with him would bring back memories that Lainey needs to keep buried. And risk the hard-earned anonymity she's sacrificed everything to protect.

When Lainey finally gives in to Cooper's sexy charm, the chemistry's intense--but so is the media exposure. And now Lainey's got even more to lose than her secret--she's got Cooper.

Lainey Harper grew up in a hockey family and loved it. That is until her father walked out the door when she was 10 and never came back. She did end up playing hockey, however, but ended her career scoring on her own net and never living it down. Now she’s back in Portland, OR trying to sell the bar that her father left her when he died. She wants nothing more than to sell it and get back to her life.

She meets professional hockey player Cooper Mead when her half-brother, Brett, brings him into the bar. Cooper tries to get her number time and again but she doesn’t fall for his lines. Despite that they end up hot and heavy after hours. Lainey decides it was just sex and tries to move on. Cooper, however, can’t get Lainey out of his mind and keeps showing up wherever Lainey is. When she’s photographed with Cooper her past comes back to haunt her and she pushes him away. Lainey has to decide what she wants with Cooper, if anything, and what that means for her future.

Lainey was a wonderful character. She was down to earth and realistic about life. Yes, she had issues but she was open to change and that made a huge difference in the way I saw her. Cooper was just a sexy as hell hockey player and I really liked him. He was kind yet rough and tumble. He has his own issues and secrets and because of them he tries to act, at times, like someone he’s not. I loved how he dealt with everything in the book (I don’t want to give it all away) and how he came to tell Lainey, and others, about his issues.

The romance and sex was extremely hot and well written. Taylor didn’t overdo it and throw too may sex scenes in when they didn’t further the story along, and I appreciated that.

This was a great little book. Lainey really had a chip on her shoulder when the story first started but throughout the book she came to realize many things about herself and the way she saw life, her father, her brother, and love.

Rating: 4 out of 5

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