Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Yay! We finally get to see more into Val and Griff's tense father/daughter relationship....all because she decides that the hot rookie on the team is perfect for a one-nighter. Until Kyle and Val are brought face-to-face (in a very awkward scene) and they realize that they can't stay away from one another. The chemistry is too hot and they've come to care about one another too much. Through all this, Kyle is trying to help his coach mend fences with his daughter (and what a huge fence that is!).

The sixth book in the Sydney Smoke Rugby series has all we've come to know and love from its predecessors. It's got a ton of heat, a whole lot of heart, and a few funny moments that keep things moving. What a fun series!

I’m just putting it out there I knew NOTHING about rugby when I started reading Amy Andrews’ Sydney Smoke series a few years back and while I still don’t know a ton, I have to say I have enjoyed this series quite a bit, but her latest book in the series, Playing Dirty is my favorite. Maybe it was because the relationship was a bit taboo, maybe it was because the main characters had very different upbringings, maybe it was the empathy they both had for each other’s situations, or maybe it was the red hot lust that turned to so much more in a short amount of time. All I do know is that Playing Dirty had amazing character development, an intriguing and entertaining plot, a whole lot of emotion, and some spectacular sexy scenes, making it my favorite kind of romance.

On the night of her 24th birthday all Valerie King wanted to do was have a few drinks and numb the hurt she feels from the loss of her twin and the growing ache of her father’s distance that never seems to get better. The last thing she expected was to meet a man that set her body aflame and one she by all counts should stay far, far away from, but decides for one night she just wants to forget and maybe throw a big screw you at her dad.

Kyle Leighton can’t believe the red headed “ranga” beauty he stumbles upon on a night he is trying to put the past two weeks behind him adjusting to his new team and the coach who hasn’t made it secret he doesn’t want Kyle on his team. He is attracted to her looks, but soon becomes trapped by her smart mouth, her wit, her knowledge of rugby, and the fact that she wants to share way more than a drink with him.

From the moment these two meet I felt the attraction and connection between them and it was more than sexual. I loved their easy banter and the way they were so at ease with one another which only made their passion burn brighter. That’s not to say they didn’t have some outside forces trying their best to keep them apart, but I think it was very telling that despite what Kyle could lose and what Valerie wanted most of all they simply could not stay away from one another.

I loved the complexity of this story and not all of it having to do with their relationship. I admired Kyle for being there for his family and understanding the importance of it even when they sometimes let him down. His empathy towards Valerie and even her father proved that he was a stand up guy and a good soul. Valerie was so closed off and at times prickly, but she blossomed when Kyle was around and even around his very loud and boisterous family who showed her what family should be like.

From the moment they meet, to the intensity of their relationship, until the last heart-warming scene, Playing Dirty was a delight to read and by far my favorite in this series.

First, thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title. Access to review copies is always appreciated.
Unfortunately, I have chosen not to finish and review this title. I was not able to connect with it, and instead of finishing a title I was not connecting with, I have chosen to move on to another title.
Again, I appreciate the opportunity and look forward to the next title.

The Story in 4 Sentences or Less: Kyle Leighton just did something that could ruin his career as a recruit for the Sydney Smoke rugby team. He had a one night stand with his coach’s daughter Valerie but in his defense, he didn’t even know who she was until she walked into the team’s locker room two weeks after the best night of his life. Kyle can’t stop thinking about Valerie and wanting something more with her but Valerie’s complicated relationship with her father is just the beginning when it comes to obstacles.






Like It? Hate it? Love it? Why? This series has been a hit or miss with me. Some books I’ve really loved and some I just loathed. This one falls flat even though it had all the ingredients for a solid romance, it was the execution that needed work. Kyle and Val were decent enough characters though I feel they weren’t fleshed out enough for me to really care about them. Most of Val’s identity was wrapped up in her daddy issues and don’t even get me started on how over the top her father was. Geez, dude needed to lighten the heck up and move into modern times where his daughter was concerned. Also, they needed some major therapy.

One dimensional characters aside, the main reason that Playing Dirty fell flat for me was because of the lack of development in Kyle and Val’s relationship. I understood the instant physical attraction between them in the beginning, that’s what starts the whole thing between them but after Kyle finds out who she is and decides to pursue a relationship with her anyway, well there’s not much relationship building going on. Instead there’s a string of sexual encounters that are more reminiscent of their first time together, that is to say, all sex, no emotional connection. These two don’t really spend a lot of time connecting out of bed and that made it really difficult for me to believe it wasn’t just sex between them. To me they didn’t have what it took for a long term relationship.


Click It or Skip It? Skip It unless you like the hot and heavy sexy but no real connection type stories. I recommend other books in the series over this one. It’s not a very good example of the author’s talent.

Good lord this book was sizzling hot.
Almost burnt my fingers turning the pages. Love the taboo storyline which is what sucked me in from the description. Always love it when the female is ‘off limits’ and especially being a one night stand kind of story. This really appealed to me and didn’t disappoint.

His coach had only one rule. Stay away from his daughter. Easier said then done right? Especially after he realizes he unintentionally broke it already. This mistake definitely did not sit well with the coach or the other players on his team. Kyle honestly never felt this way about anyone before and he feels absolutely helpless every time she is near. Great story! Loved the chemistry between the characters.

A great sexy introduction to this series. I loved the characters and feel in love with their storyline. Need more from this series.

I've really enjoyed this series and it was great to see some of the previous characters back in this one. This was a great book and I liked their chemistry.

Such a great story! Not only do you have a HOT rugby player, amazing SEX scenes but you also have a great story to go with it!

I loved that the author didn't just focus on the obvious main drama in this story: the fact that he slept with his coach's daughter in an incredible one night stand. I appreciated that the author also focused on the fall out of the relationship between Val and her father and his guilt surrounding the reason for the fall out. I loved the way the team adopted Val and cared for her despite their coach ignoring her very existence.

What a solid romance with lots of heat. Good sports romance. I liked the characters and how the author was able to write such an interesting book.

A steamy hot, forbidden affair! With the next book in her Sydney Smoke Rugby Series, Amy Andrews takes us on a delectable ride of riveting sex, heartfelt connections and just down right fun people to hang out with! I loved Kyle and Val's story so much!

Professional rugby player Kyle Leighton might not have known anything but a first name for the one-night stand that rocked his world, but she certainly knew who he was ... and the added metaphorical "screw you" finger in the air to her father was just icing on top of the yummy cake! Fast forward a few days and he happens to catch sight of her outside the locker room and lays a massive kiss on her ... only to hear the growl of the coach who already seems to hate his guts behind him telling him to unhand his daughter. His daughter?? What has he done? He's already on the outs for being the new guy, can he really afford to further antagonize?

Valerie King knew the rule her father laid down to his team about her, but she has had just about enough from her father to last a lifetime, so if she could thumb her nose at him in a way that also made her night, oh well! She's not happy that she got Kyle in trouble though. He's actually a really nice guy ... and he doesn't seem wiling to walk away from her just because he's going to get into trouble either!

This one seriously had me tearing up...more than once, and for very different reasons! This story is so, so good...and boasts one of the best grovels I've ever seen. Seriously--future romantic leads should take notes. It's THAT good.

Oh, and don't read this one while hungry, especially if you have a sweet tooth. You have been warned.

Playing Dirty is hands down my favorite of the series so far...though I'm assuming Griff and Eve are a future couple (PLEASE tell me they're going to be a future couple) so that might be subject to change. Val and Kyle are going to be a pretty darn tough act to follow, though!

If this is your first read from this series, no worries--it works just fine as a standalone. Helpful hint for non-Aussies/readers who don't know rugby from footy: there's a glossary of sorts at the end; finding it and bookmarking it might be helpful. Inexplicably, it does not explain what a Chelsea bun is (they're integral to the plot, believe it or not) so if you're as clueless as I was, check here.

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

A sexy rugby player and a feisty baker he can't get enough of? Yes, please. Great book with engaging characters! And that wooing at the end...just yes. Another great addition to this series.

4.5 stars

Loved Playing Dirty by Amy Andrews.

I've enjoyed all the books in the Sydney Smoke Rugby series, and Playing Dirty is now my fav.
The storyline was entertaining from start to end, the characters made me laugh, they made me swoon and I loved watching them fall in love.
All the feels for Playing Dirty!!

Playing Dirty is an excellent addition to the Sydney Smoke Rugby series and I highly recommend them all!

*Available now*
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*Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the advance copy.*

Luckily for us readers, the answers to all of those questions and more are dealt with expertly. Playing Dirty earns a strong recommendation for any sports romance fans, anyone who loves one-night-stands to HEA, and anyone looking for a satisfyingly rich read to while away these summer heat waves.

4 Stars
I'm a huge fan of this series and gobble these books right up. This book was no different. I instantly fell for Kyle and Val's story. They had me hooked right from the beginning. I love their banter and the ease they have with one another. Though it's not going to be easy because Val is the boss's daughter and off limits. Kyle is exactly the person Val needs in her corner and life. Family is a complicated matter even at the best of times and both Kyle and Val know that first hand. This book had me laughing quite often, but it also had tears in my eyes. Over all it's a well rounded book. It packs the heat, emotion, heart, and humor. The epilogue was the perfecting ending for these two.

PLAYING DIRTY is a perfect mix of fun dialogue, spicy naughtiness and characters you can really connect with. The author makes you really see the characters, their immediate connection which is more than sexual, how real they are with their issues and quirks; in fact the good, the bad and the ugly.

I came away not seeing Kyle the hot, attractive rugby player who would make great fodder for the tabloids, but Kyle the son, brother and man who loves deeply and would do anything for those he loves.

Valerie was a little hard to like initially, but her past puts her touchiness into perspective and I really have to give her credit for her determination for build a relationship with her dad after that much time. I would have quit trying in less than a quarter of that time.

This is only my second book by this author and the first in this series, but it has definitely made me a fan of her work and I am on a quest to read her entire back catalog as soon as possible. This is the book you didn't know you wanted to read but won't be able to stop reading until the last page.

It seems to me like every series I read has its ups and downs, and this one was no exception, especially since I feel that this is more of a 3.5 star read, and not the 4 stars I've had to give it.

To me, it felt very rushed. There wasn't much build up on the romance between Kyle and Val, nor was there much to the mending of the relationship between Griff and Val. On one hand, it was good to know what had caused the rift in the first place, but on the other it was extremely sad as well! However, it just seemed like the focus of the story was more on the sex and less on the relationship aspect of things, and while the sex scenes were steamy, I wanted more of the relationship side of things with this story.

One thing that did help push me toward a 4 star rating was the discussions of the game that we got in this story. I am not familiar with Rugby as a sport, but I know my husband is, so I read these type books for fun every now and again. I actually learned something about the game this time from reading this story, so it got a thumbs up from me in that regard!

While I had some issues with this read, overall, it is an engaging and quick read, and I would recommend it to others looking for a good sports romance!

Playing Dirty by Amy Andrews
Sydney Smoke Rugby Series # 6

Valerie and Kyle meet and hookup on her birthday. She knew who he was and even knowing her father’s rule for his team she went home with Kyle anyway. The chemistry between them was hot and constant and even when trying to put it on the back burner for the good of the team…the embers could not be doused.

Valerie and her father have a difficult relationship that has been ongoing for over two decades. The fact she would like more from her father does play a part in this story and how that is resolved is almost as important as the romance between her and Kyle.

Kyle is talented but does have a few things to learn as a rugby team player. He is thrilled to work with the coach – Val’s father. He has a strong love of family. And, he falls for Val rather quickly.

Val is a baker that loves her work and has a love of rugby and also loves her father. She has suffered loss but seems to be a woman that is pretty much on her own without much more than her business and rugby in her life.

This is an easy to read romance without a great deal of drama between Valerie and Kyle but there is a big blow-up at one point and some time before a resolution is found that allows them their HEA.

Did I like this book? Definitely!
Will I read more by this author? Without a doubt!

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

I received a copy of PLAYING DIRTY on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher and author.

Five stars and here's why:

PLAYING DIRTY is so much fun to read. I love a good forbidden romance! Seriously. Amy Andrews delivers one of the best sports romance series with a sexy twist.

I love the premise. Stay away from the Rugby coach’s daughter. One hella-hot hook-up lands new recruit Kyle in a load of heart trouble when he discovers his one-night stand with Val is going to threaten his Rugby career. The story is entertaining with all of the sneaking around while trying to hide their romance from her father and his teammates. An added bonus is the father-daughter scenes pulling at my heartstrings. I devoured this book in one sitting.

If you love hella-hot athletes and sexy smart girls, then this book is for you! Highly recommend!