
Member Reviews

All I can say is that I smiled the entire time I was reading this (well there may have been a tear or two but for the most part...). I loved ALL the characters--not only the main characters Mack and Slade--but Jagger and Matt. The banter between Slade and Mack throughout is only eclipsed by the friendship that is Matt and Slade. Even enemies Slade and Jagger could not be contained. Slade is definitely a truly arrogant man, but when he loves, he really really loves. He comes across as only being for himself, but the core of him is so much more and we learn this through not only his words but his actions. Mack is so much stronger than she ever gave herself credit for and I want to be her when I grow up. While humorous, there are deeper issues...trust being a huge one...secrets that threaten to pull them apart. Will they both be strong enough to see things through?

This book was just a fantastic read. I know we are not really far in to the new year yet, but this is already one of the best books I have read this year.
I loved Slade & Mack. How they both have come from a bad place to then find each other and then navigate their new relationship, it was just so wonderful to read.
Thankfully this is the start of a new series, and if the next book features Jagger, I will be one happy girl.

Will be posted at Romance Reviews Today soon. http://romrevtoday.com/
RISKY PLAY – Rachel Van Dyken
Red Card, Book 1
Skyscape
ISBN: 978-1542043724
March 2019
Contemporary Romance
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico & Seattle, Washington – Present Day
Six months after literally being jilted at the altar, winery heiress Mackenzie (Mack) Dupont is flying to Mexico for the honeymoon trip that isn’t being used. On the plane, she encounters a devastatingly handsome man. Mack figures she’ll never see him again, but it turns out he is staying at the same exclusive resort she is. She gives him a fake name (she’s a tad too well-known after her infamous jilting) and he tells her that his name is Hugo. One thing leads to another, and they’re soon locking lips…and even more. After she gives him her virginity, Mack wakes up the next morning and discovers that her lover has made a hasty exit. Angered by his abandonment, Mack heads home to her family, and a few weeks later, to a temporary career as a household helper for an international soccer star. To her surprise—and utter embarrassment—her new job is with Hugo, only his real name is Slade Rodriguez
They hit it off in Mexico but once they meet again in Seattle, they clash in RISKY PLAY. Slade had recently broken up with his girlfriend after she cheated on him with another man, while Mack was still hurting over her ex-fiancé, who now has a new girlfriend. So, they both were on the rebound when they hooked up but decided to keep their real names secret to avoid even more notoriety. The sizzling attraction between Mack and Slade has things going fast for them. After saving her virginity for her ex, Alton, she doesn’t think twice that Hugo/Slade is the one. He walks out while she’s sleeping but the truth of the matter is that he received a call with bad news—his father was dead. After ignoring numerous calls from his father while he concentrated on wooing Mack, he is now racked with guilt to learn he died.
In RISKY PLAY, Mack is feisty after spending most of her life doing exactly what her wealthy parents wanted her to do, which included marrying Alton. Now she is ready to spread her wings, even if it’s only going to be for a few weeks. Slade needs someone to take care of his dog while he’s gone all day training and practicing with his new soccer team, the Seattle Sounders. When Slade opens his door and sees Mack, his first reaction is that his one-night stand has found him and wants to blackmail him. But Mack is just as shocked as he is to see him. Still reeling from his abandonment, Mack isn’t happy to find out that he is her employer and would walk out, but she needs the job. Their relationship from that point on is a hilarious battle of the sexes. Both feel the other has to “prove themselves.” Will they get to the point that they can trust one another again?
A cute and funny book about a hookup that turns into more, RISKY PLAY will have readers chuckling while rooting for Mack and Slade to find their way back to each another. After being let down by others, they’re struggling with trusting love again. But it turns out that they’re each other’s best bet. An engaging read that I highly recommend, pick up RISKY PLAY today.
Patti Fischer

A new series by Rachel Van Dyken, sign me up always for any of her books. When I heard she had a new sports romance coming out, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Let me begin that I thoroughly enjoyed Risky Play, but there was something that stopped me from giving this one a 5 star rating.
I was eating up every word, but there were things here and there that were noticeable enough to take me out of the story. There's a bit of drama towards the end that I wish didn't play out, it almost didn't seem necessary. I think I would have absolutely loved the book more without that bit at the end.
Rachel really starts this book off with a bang! We're introduced to Mackenzie and Slade, who have a rather crazy encounter on a plane, in a situation that is my worst nightmare come true. There's this instant deep connection that resonates between the both of them and it's something they simply can't ignore. With both of them escaping to paradise before they go back to reality and face their present, they spend a day forgetting it all and taking jumps.
That little turn of the tide in the beginning really set things going for me and I was just reading so quickly trying to appease my mind to what was to come between Slade and Mack.
I gotta say, there are only so many authors who can get me to change my mind about a hero that's a Grade-A you know what in the beginning and just loving them by the end. Even though I wasn't on board with the way that Slade was treating Mack, I understood what he was doing. Everyone grieves differently and he was harboring a lot of that day and who he lost. But my goodness, he was gutting me with his hurtful words towards Mack. I have no idea how she found it in herself to forgive him, but she made him work for it!
Mackenzie is the absolute best! I loved that even when she was constantly knocked down by people in her life, she remained strong and did her best to keep moving forward. Rachel didn't give us a weak heroine. It was definitely heartbreaking at times because she was just getting things thrown her way from all angles. But it didn't matter what Slade or her ex and sometimes her father would throw her way, she ALWAYS gave it back. And I was 100% rooting for her!
There was one quick thing that I wanted to touch on before wrapping my review. There's alot of different characters in this one and I was coming around to the bromance between Slade, his agent and probably his only friend, Matt and his ex-friend/teammate, Jagger. Their banter is absolutely hilarious and I hope we see more in the rest of the series. I was a bit iffy about Jagger and I still kind of am because the bit of side drama involving him and just some of his motives in general. I'm hoping he gets a book because I need to know more about this man.
So yeah, definitely an enjoyable read, but it was the unnecessary drama that I could have done without. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series!

RATING 4.5 STARS
Risky Play is book one in the brand new series, Red Card, by Rachel Van Dyken. This book was just fantastic. I instantly fell in love with both the hero and the heroine. They were both strong and vulnerable. They made mistakes but they held themselves accountable for them. Read on and let me tell you about them.
Mackenzie (Mack) DuPont grew up the only daughter of parents that owned a wine dynasty. Wine was her life and she was a wine taster for the company. From birth, her best friend and constant companion had been Alton Davis so it was no surprise when they eventually became engaged. But at the alter, in the middle of the wedding, he walked away.
“Thirty years I’d been part of a duo. And now, now I was just me.”
It’s been six months since the wedding that didn’t happen. Mack has lived her entire life being the good daughter, the perfect fiancé. She decides it’s time for an adventure. She goes on the honeymoon she had planned to surprise her ex with to Puerto Vallarta by herself. On the plane she finds herself next to about the most gorgeous man she has ever seen. But this is the new Mackenzie, the adventurous Mackenzie. So she gives him a fake name. She doesn’t want him to know her as the sad woman that’s been all over the tabloids.
Slade Rodriguez is a professional soccer player, the best striker in the world. He has his own reason for needing a break, for needing to forget. He took the biggest risk of his life and is changing soccer teams. He had to get away. So before it was time to start training with his new team in Seattle, he randomly chose a resort in Puerto Vallarta for a vacation.
A kiss on the plane led to a night beyond either of their imaginations. But just when Slade is beginning to think his luck is finally changing, something tragic happens to cause him to leave, leaving Mack to wake up alone. In the weeks to follow, Slade needs to blame someone for his grief so he blames Mack.
Mack needs a break from working at the winery so she begins working for her Aunt as a personal assistant. Her new client is supposedly a big soccer star. Luck seems to be laughing at her when she comes face to face with the man that left her in Mexico, the man she hasn’t been able to get off her mind. The man who now seems to hate her.
“He wasn’t mine to save”
Even though Mack should hate Slade, she sees his pain and can’t help but want to help him. So she decides to wear down his anger through his stomach. She cooks for him. And wear him down she does. Slade is reminded of the woman he began to fall for in Mexico. But he’s been so awful to her. Could she ever trust him again? Could she ever give him a second chance?
I couldn’t put this down. These two needed each other so badly but it seemed like everything was trying to keep them apart. Don’t even get me started on her awful ex. He was truly the villain of the book. I fell in love with both Slade’s manager, Matt, and his teammate, Jagger. And then there was Slade’s adorable bulldog, Alfie. To top it all off, the ending, the last chapter, was perfection. I didn’t expect that at all and I totally swooned. The epilogue was adorable. This was such a good book and I can’t wait for the next book which is Matt’s story, Kickin It. What a great start to this new series!

This was an okay read, but not something I'd recommend.
Part of it was because the timeline was seriously messed up. First of all, who waits six months to go on their honeymoon? Then a month later, after Mack has been working for Slade for a couple of weeks, he tells his best friend that they slept together "six months ago". Six weeks, more like it. There was a lot of back and forth about when events occurred, and it was confusing. And if she was originally hired to look after Slade's dog, why was her time with him connected to when she finished unpacking his moving boxes? But then she only had a few months before having to go back to her real job? (See? Confusing.)
In fact, this book needs another round of editing because people are sitting down, and then a few paragraphs later sitting down again. Or stepping inside the house and closing the door, only to collapse on the bed (which is supposedly upstairs and no one told me he had a transporter) seconds later. The book has a lot of these inconsistencies, and passive voice passages, and it's frustrating to be thrown from the story so often, and ridiculous to get to this stage of the publishing journey and no one has caught them yet.
Then we have the way Mack starts cooking for Slade, making heavy dishes like chili and casseroles. Um, he's a star athlete who has to keep himself top shape. He would need to stick to a strict diet and regimen, so her just randomly cooking whatever smacks of either poor research, or none at all.
Next we have this supposed connection between Mack and Slade and ... really? He disappears without a word, accuses you of vile things when you meet up again, treats you as subhuman but yet he's the one you can't live without and you forgive him because he's hurting? What about your pain? She's a doormat and will always be a doormat. She's supposed to be this strong woman, top in her field, and yet her own father won't back her up? I wouldn't stand for this and she's supposedly 30 years old. Ridiculous.
Aside from the first time (which is essentially a fade to black scene), there is no protection used or discussion of same. For an athlete who fears pregnancy scandals and blackmail attempts, this seems awfully negligent. Which brings me to the Drama Llama portion of the story. Was it necessary to heap more on top of every other stupid thing Slade did? It all just seemed so contrived and obvious and too much like drama for drama's sake..
And finally, I just didn't connect with any of the characters, and I certainly didn't feel anything for them or the emotions they were supposedly dealing with. One of the things I base my ratings on is whether or not the writing evokes matching feelings within me. I just finished two books that had tears streaming down my face, but with this one I'm told people are sad. And I'm told people are hurt. And I'm told there is love, but I just don't FEEL it. (I did, however, feel annoyed and frustrated; see above.)
Sadly, I'm going to have to take a pass on future books in this series, and on this author.

Mackenzie Dupont and Slade Rodriguez meet by chance on a plane bound for Mexico. It was supposed to be Mackenzie's honeymoon but, since she was left at the altar by Alton, it is a honeymoon for one. Slade is on a mini vacation since he just signed with a new team in the U.S. after leaving his European team. He is starting over after his ex-fiance' cheated on him with a teammate. They each use a fake name in Mexico and don't really get into many details of their personal lives. When Slade receives life-altering news, he flees Mexico and blames Mack for his guilt.
Mack has no clue who Slade is and is shocked when she discovers he is the sports star she is working for as a personal assistant. Mack doesn't expect Slade to be so rude, let alone mean. She is already trying to mend her broken heart and finds herself questioning why no one stands up for her. She is now under the belief that she only has herself to rely on and has a hard time not lashing out at Slade. She realizes that he suffered a loss, but she also tries to toe the line between standing up for herself and supporting him. She did a great job of not becoming a doormat and I gave her a lot of credit.
Slade finally starts to realize what he threw away and scrambles to figure out what to do. It was interesting to see him try and redeem himself.
Overall another great read by RVD and one of my favorites of hers.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

Rachel Van Dyken does a marvelous job of making you fall in love with the characters, then in the next second, wanting to wring their necks while they redeem themselves in your heart. Groveling and witty banter are at the core of this story, while it's spun with back stories and twists you won't see coming. I'm enamored with the characters and can't wait for the next book in the Red Card series! I started Risky Play at bedtime, thinking I'd read a chapter or two...instead, I stayed up until almost 3am to finish it in one sitting! Definitely one of my favorite reads of 2019 so far!

The first in a new series and what can I say... once again I am drawn in from the first couple of pages. Mack is a character who most can relate too. Trying to please everyone until a breaking point that she finally decides to live for herself. Slade you feel bad for, then you want to punch then you fall in love with him! Both of them are overcoming their own obstacles but together they heal.
The one thing that I always look forward to with a Rachel Van Dyken Book is the humor. Although this is romance, Rachel give us something to truly laugh out loud too. This makes me feel like it’s more real and I enjoy the laughs. Mack and Slade together are perfect they both play well off one another and have great chemistry. I highly recommend this book and I am really hoping for Jagger and Matt books.
Our review is scheduled to post on the blog on March 19, 2019

Risky Play is the first book in the Red Card series by the kickass Rachel Van Dyken. I love when authors give us a new group of characters. It’s like getting to know new friends. I don’t want to ruin the story for anyone so I will make this fast.
Slade needs to get away from his old life before he starts his new one. MacKenzie needs to figure out what she wants in life after she was left at the altar.
Mexico. That was their destination. They were both on covers of magazines but were not in the same circles. He was a professional soccer player. She was an heiress. They both wanted to feel alive. And they did for one night. Then she woke up alone. With him on a plane. They didn’t think they would see each other again. That was until she showed up at his house. As his errand girl.
Slade and Mack didn’t trust easily. They both had their reasons. She was broken hearted. He was struggling after a tragic loss. They were both just trying to get by day by day. Then they walked back into each other’s lives. He didn’t want her there. She didn’t want to give up.
I don’t want to get in to it too much more. I will say that MacKenzie is stronger than she thinks. She doesn’t put up with Slade’s bullshit and I loved that about her. Yes, he was an asshole but don’t give up on him.
Overall...I totally loved it!! It gave me all the feels. From beginning to end I was hooked.
P.S. Trust Rachel. She knows what she is doing.
Quotes:
“Oh? You often kiss strangers?”
“Only ones from Spain.”
“I’m killing him tonight.”
Matt just sighed. “You can’t tell me that if I’m supposed to be your alibi. At least be smart about it.”
“I’ll go Dexter on his ass. He won’t know what hit him.”
“Call me woman and I’m burning more than the bacon.”

Mackenzie was left at the alter and is reeling for her life she planned for years. On her single honeymoon she meets Slade who brings out her wild side. After a wild night she woke up alone and by herself. Months later she is assigned to be his assistant to help him move into his new home and new soccer team in her hometown. Sparks fly between them and they have to .fight their attraction to one another. I loved his grand gesture to her.
Emotion ride with characters with many layers that make you root for them. Van Dyken can write a great series, I can't wait for more of them.

I am so in love with this book that I don’t know what to do now since I finished. I’m in awe.
Mack and Slade are everything I look for in a couple in the book world. They’re beautiful and their chemistry is so damn hot it could melt your damn panties off. They banter, they argue, they make mistakes but in the end they know what they want and know that it’s each other no matter the heartache they have to go through to reach the end goal.
Mack is one of my favourite heroines I’ve ever come across. She had to deal with one of the worst things a woman could deal with on an important day and it changed the way she viewed people and relationships. She put up a barrier which began tumbling down after meeting a stranger on an airplane who’s engine gave out with them on.
Slade, this guy has been through a fair bit. Horrible and heartbreaking and it changed him into a man he hated seeing, a cold bitter man until a not so stranger turns up at his door and starts changing things for him.
This book and the storyline was absolutely amazing. I never knew how much I needed this book until I had it. It was incredible and I’m in awe.
This is my first book from this author and I’m now wondering why the heck I haven’t read her books before. She’s an phenomenal writer and I NEED more of her books.
Risky Play was sad and heartbreaking mixed with fun and happiness and lots and lots of sexy times. I loved it so much. Most definitely one of my top reads!

I was friggin stoked to receive my first Rachel Van Dyken ARC! I was stopping myself from jumping up and down and happy dancing! She is one of my favorite authors in the world... Toxic is my favorite book of hers because it was memorable and it made me cry... I just love her. Her books usually cheer me up...
This is the love-story of Slade and Mack... Slade wanted to get away from the pressure of being a European soccer superstar and Mack wanted to forget the betrayal and humiliation she recently went through... both were on the same flight and were seated together... there was an engine failure and they both felt spontaneous... life is short and all sh¡+... and one thing lead to another... felt a deeper connection and then something bad happens and the rest is history...
I was so giddy the entire time I was reading... I devoured the book as fast as I can but at the same time, I didn't want it to end...
This is sort of an enemies to lovers kinda thing but it just didn't start that way... there was build up... there was anticipation... there was jealousy, angst.. and a bit of a drama. It has a bit of everything a good romance should have.
This is a story that'll make you see that regardless of social status, people would always do whatever it is to heal themselves... whatever it is to chase that happiness and whatever it is to have a peace of mind... whether you get a pay cut or move far away etc... this is a story of second chances... that some people are worth breaking your walls... that some people are worth sacrificing for...
I loved the story... I love that it's family centered which makes it relatable to me... I'm very close to my parents... I was a daddy's girl and when my Dad died, it really affected me so much...
The pacing of the story was great. The characters were great...and look at how gorgeous the cover is! It's light and an easy read and its definitely something ya'll would wanna check out right away... I definitely recommend!

When Mackenzie Dupont is left at the altar, she decides to treat herself to a single-girl honeymoon in Mexico where she loses her virginity to pro soccer player Slade Rodriguez. However, she doesn’t know that he’s one of the biggest soccer stars in the world and he doesn’t know she’s a famous Seattle heiress. But the following morning, Slade is gone. After suffering a tragic loss, he has his reasons for leaving and even though it’s not the right thing to do, he’s blaming Mackenzie for it and never wants to see her again. So they’re both in for a shock when Mackenzie shows up on Slade’s doorstep as his new personal assistant.
Just like all of Rachel Van Dyken’s books I’ve read so far, Risky Play was a very fun and well-written novel and it’s definitely one of those books you can easily just read in one sitting. I also laughed a lot while reading it, so if you’re having a bad day and you’re looking for something that’ll cheer you up, Risky Play is the right choice.
Another very important aspect of any book of course are the characters and the characters in this novel were great. My favorite one by far was Alfie, Slade’s dog, and every scene he was in made me smile so much. My only problem with the novel was that Mackenzie was a bit annoying and over the top during the first few chapters. Thankfully though, she became much more likeable soon afterwards and I ended up really liking her.
All in all, this was a great novel and I really enjoyed reading it. I can’t wait for the next part to come out this summer but in the meantime, I really have to finally check out all the other books by her I still have on my kindle because I bet they’re all going to be great reads!

When I have an author that is one of my favorites I always get nervous when a new series is started. I mean, what if I don't like it, what if I hate the characters, blah blah blah.....silly thing to say but there you go. That being said, as always I never should have worried and this book was fabulous. Our two characters Mackenzie and Slade were not perfect, they were both going through tough times in their lives but their love for each other was everything. Yet again, a book that had me laughing out loud with hilarious banter with perfect emotional moments mixed in. I can't recommend this book enough.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by NetGalley. I have read several book by RVD but I absolutely loved this one.
Mackenzie is left at the alter and she can't get away from him. So she decides to go on the trip she had planned for them. When the planes engine fails she seems comfort from a stranger. Are those sparks from the engine or from kissing him?
Slade has had so much bad publicity lately he decided to run and hide. Then the unthinkable happens. Now he's just moody and miserable. And to make things worst, the sexy stranger is now stalking him and then trying to feed him.
This is a swoony read and the flirty banter between them is awesome. I can not wait till Jagger's book!

Risky Play is another great read by Rachel Van Dyken. This sports romance is a solid combination of heart and steam. The characters were likeable. Slade was sexy and brooding. MacKenzie came into her own strength. I liked their banter. The storyline was enjoyable.This a romance worth rereading in the future. I would recommend to other romance readers. Thanks Skyscape and NetGalley for the ARC of this title.

McKenzie life had been planned out until her life fell part. Slade is a famous soccer player moving to America to play after his whole world was turned upside down. When McKenzie thinks tragedy may happen, she acts on her attraction to Slade. Will this chance meeting lead anywhere?

See, writing this review is a huge problem for me right now. I’ve read <b>Risky Play</b> several weeks ago (months, actually). I should’ve written a review as soon as I finished it, but of course I read lots of other books since then and naturally, I don’t remember every single detail about Rachel van Dyken’s latest novel now. Which is a shame, because I remember loving it so much, even considering it as my favorite of hers. That probably isn’t the impression of whoever is reading this review, but I know I really liked this one. I’ll just try to prove it.
Mackenzie has just witnessed what no woman ever wants to – she was left by her fiancé. At the very last moment, too. Right in front of every one of her wedding guests. Trying to overcome the loss of him, who was also her best friend since they were children, she decides to get away to Mexico. What should have been her honeymoon, changes into a single trip. Soon enough, she finds herself in the arms of Slade, a soccer player transferring from an English club to Seattle. It seems like the two of them have nothing in common, but their mantra is he same – to hell with it! Being attracted to each other doesn’t hurt either and so their vacation in Mexico turns into something else entirely. And it’s all based on lies – both of them using wrong identities. Can you really trust a stranger? Obviously not since Slade takes off, making Mackenzie feel like she’s reliving a familiar situation. But what happens when Mackenzie and Slade run into each other again?
If you’ve read van Dyken’s <i>The Bet</i> series, some scenes may seem familiar to you. Like, Mackenzie and Slade meet on an airplane and the way they act around each other reminded me so much of the characters in <i>The Bet</i>. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, I just expected something new, but thinking of all these hundreds of books Rachel has written to date, I’d say it’s kind of surprising the author comes up with new ideas anyway. Really, it’s no big deal to me, but I just wanted to make sure I mentioned it.
The story held me captive from page number one. There’s just this certain vibe in all of Rachel van Dyken’s latest books, whether it’s in <i>Fraternize</i> or now in <b>Risky Play</b>, that’s rapidly becoming addictive. I can’t quite figure out what it is, but the setting, the vibes – it’s really making you dive into the story and wanting to get lost in it. You’re not just a reader with her books, you’re actually feeling whatever the characters are feeling. Rachel probably has a way with words. It must be the words.
Anyway… I’m a soccer fan, so I’m always up for any young adult and new adult books published in the US picking up that topic. I like to think that novels might help bringing some attention to that sport since it’s not the most popular one in the United States. Of course I wouldn’t like the romance to suffer just because of the author trying to tie in an underrated sport. Surely, that’s not the problem with this author, she knows what to do. You get a glimpse of what it might be like to be a soccer player, reading about the plays, the strategies and also some friend-or-foe battles going on behind the scenes, but it’s never too much. It’s just the right amount of it – a good balance.
There has to be some drama included and that’s what happens after Slade takes away Mackenzie’s virginity, leaving her alone at the hotel, flying off to his family (there’s a reason for that and if you come across other reviews, they’ll probably spoil that for you, but I choose not to). Yes, she’s a thirty year old virgin. And while I’ve read some bad reviews now, criticizing exactly that, I don’t even mind this detail. I think it’s great that the author always tries to cover up all kinds of women out there. Because there are thirty year old virgins in this world and why not pick this idea up and use it for one of her books?
So, I think you won’t want to miss out on this one if you’re fan of Rachel van Dyken. <b>Risky Play</b> won’t leave you disappointed. Also, no matter what community you feel like you belong to – second-chance-romance-lovers, hot-romance-lovers or heartbreak-lovers – this one includes it all.

4.5☆ Risky Play was a really good read! I felt like I cruised through it. It has a very interesting and emotional storyline that sucks you in. I will say that the beginning felt quite fast, it took a little bit for me to wrap my head around everything that was happening in that short span of time. I feel really bad for both Mackenzie and Slade and everything that happens to them. While I feel bad for Slade, I'll still admit that he acts like a jerk and takes his anger out on others while he's still healing. I really enjoyed how Mack gave it right back to Slade, but also showed that she still has a big heart. They're such a great pairing, I think they compliment each other very nicely. I would have liked a longer epilogue just to wrap up all the drama at the end and give me a little closure there. Other than that it was a great book!