Play to Win is the first book in Kelly Jamieson is new Wynn Hockey series and it's absolutely amazing.

It's an interesting story and you won't be able to put it down. I am going to jump to next books in this series. I am sure they are going to be amazing.

Apologies for the late notice, but I have decided not to review this title. While I am certain it's obvious by now, I wanted to also clear this off NetGalley, so it's not showing as open for either of us.

I finally started this series and now I am wondering what took me so long! Theo and Lacey met in Las Vegas on Theo's last night before moving to Los Angeles to take over as GM for his grandfather's NHL team. Lacey is the waitress who is serving their table when she is accosted by men who are after her brother who is a gambling addict. To say that Theo steps in and saves her would be putting it mildly. What happens is they literally save each other when they marry that night and she moves to LA with him. It is not love at first sight and they do not fall into bed immediately but their friendship does grow into so much more. Lacey is infectious to be around and that crazy Wynn family needs all the help it can get. They have some stumbling but I found myself rooting for them and really cannot not wait to get to the next book in this series!

This book was pretty good. It definitely held my attention and I’ll be checking out the author’s other books.

With “Play To Win” Kelly Jamieson launches her Wynn Hockey series, in which Theo Wynn, son and grandson of hockey royalty, wants to prove himself off the ice.

Hockey is in his blood, so when an injury cuts his career short Theo decides to take an assistant management role with the Las Vegas NHL team. But when his grandfather offers him the GM position in his team, Theo can’t resist the chance to prove his numbers’ skills to his family, particularly his backstabbing brother. He’s only lacking a beautiful woman by his side.

Cocktail waitress Lacey Olson was just doing her job when her brother’s bookies came to collect his debt. Fortunately a sexy stranger intervenes. Unfortunately she now needs a new job and a change in address.

Theo can’t help himself and continues to help her out by offering her to take her with him to California. As they get to know each other over one too many drinks they also decide to get a quickie Vegas marriage, and what starts as a fake relationship turns into a connection neither can deny.

Set against the inner working of hockey management and the sunny LA beaches, the story is a pleasant opposites attract romance of two people who find in each other exactly what they need and would have imagined.

Even though Theo and Lacey’s interactions feel a bit forced right after they get hitched, perhaps because they truly don’t know each other, eventually their relationship flows easily with sweet sexiness. The secondary characters, mostly comprising of the very dysfunctional Wynn clan, are numerous and therefor get a bit lost and I found it difficult to remember who’s who, but there’s certainly enough drama to fuel the entire Wynn Hockey series.

Play To Win is book #1 of the Wynn Hockey series by Kelly Jamieson. It is a standalone contemporary hockey romance, told by both points of view with a happy ending.

PLAY TO WIN - Kelly Jamieson

#1 in the Wynn Hockey romance series

GREAT CHARACTERS - GREAT ROMANCE - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - After just meeting, Theo and Lacey get a quickie Vegas wedding before heading out of town to his new job as GM of a hockey team in California. She is escaping some thugs and Theo need a beautiful woman on his arm, so they are helping each other. But their relationship turns out to be more than either expected.

Writing - 4 stars - I was immediately drawn into this story with the great characters and exciting action. Then as soon as I was hooked, I became involved in the characters' lives and rooting for their success as a couple. Jamieson is obviously very knowledgeable about hockey, and there was a lot of interesting information about how a team and its administration works behind the scenes.

Characters - 4.5 stars - Theo is a great hero. He's nerdy but athletic, kind but strong, determined but vulnerable. And I love a guy who is close to his family. In this case, though, his family is definitely dysfunctional, even though he cares about them. Lacey is a strong woman, having had to take care of herself and those around her from a young age. Now that she's been manipulated by her brother, she's trying to remake herself and start fresh. I love her sense of hope, as well as her determination to have a nice life. She's warm and friendly and is a perfect foil for Theo's shyness. I loved them together.

Title - 3 stars - The title leads us to believe that this is a sport-related romance, so that works. But the play on the Wynn name doesn't come across in the title.

Cover - 3.5 stars - Nothing wrong with looking at some hot male abs, but it's pretty typical of this genre.

Overall - 4 stars - The characters really made this story for me. Theo is not the typical hero of a sports romance since he doesn't play the sport but is the GM for the team. The issues relating to his sports-focused family and their epic disagreements endeared him to me since he is always trying to keep the peace and stay involved with them despite the difficulties. Lacey is very appealing as a strong-willed woman who has had more than her share of hard knocks. She's sweet and nice, and I'd love to hang around with her. The initial sexual tension between them made sense, and then the sex scenes were hot when they finally got together. I'm a big Jamieson fan, and I very much enjoyed this first book in a new series.

Hockey Dynasty family Wynns with enough dramas...
Theo was Assistant General Manger for Las Vegas hockey team and when his grandfather approached him for GM job. His father and his grandfather didn't get along and his uncle is suing him. From his father's point, he would be working with enemy but he couldn't let this opportunity pass by and he decided to take the job. His friends and Theo was celebrating his last night at Vegas where Lacey was working.
Lacey's bank account was emptied out by her twin brother and she had to get back to work. Now she has to work extra hard to keep up with all the bills. She tried help her brother's gambling addiction by paying his debts but when his trouble shows up at her work, she doesn't know what to do. That's when one of the client decided to rescue her from loan sharks.
Theo wasn't sure what made him rescue Lacey but he did and he decided to rescue her life from Vegas by proposing a marriage. It was simple solution for him. He wanted to get back to LA with beautiful girl on his side to show off to his family.
Theo needed someone and Lacey needed a place to hide. It was perfect until things get complicated when they get back. Theo and Lacey are total opposite and they really didn't think it was big deal for both except everyone else really loved Lacey. She is easy to talk to and his family loves her. However, things will get more complicated when feelings are involved.
This family has enough drama and I am sure it will be played out through rest of the books. It was quick and easy read. I wonder what would happen to rest of Wynns.
Thanks to Netgalley and Loveswept for ARC in exchange for honest review.

I love hockey in novels and in real life! I lovedddd the book so much. I love me some good sports romance! This was a new to me author and I will definitely be reading more!

First let me say that I love hockey stories. This series is about a hockey family, a very dysfunctional hockey family, who argue and ignore each other but are there when needed, no matter what.

Theo Wynn is leaving the next morning to manage his grandfathers hockey team, the Condors, much to his father's chagrin -- he runs a competing team, the Eagles. While out celebrating, Theo notices Lacey, a waitress in the bar, who is being hassled by some customers. When he discovers she's been fired for something she didn't do, and why the two men were hassling her, he acts totally out-of-character and invites her to join them -- and then invites her to move to California with him -- as his wife. He had his reasons for the last bit, namely, his brother JP is dating Theo's ex-girlfriend, and had started doing so while Theo and the gifl were still together. Lots of bad blood, to say the least!

Theo and Lacey had hot chemistry between them. Their relationship was supposed to be only temporary, until the situation in Vegas straightened itself out, but as these things go, they now had the time to really get to know one another and help each other figure lots of things out. She helped him learn to love life and be less rigid, he gave her the time, space, and resources to find her own passion, something she'd not had in too many years.

There's also a whole lot of bad blood in the rest of the huge family. Can't wait to see how it all plays out.

As always, Kelly Jamieson wrote another amazing sports romance. I laughed so hard at so much while reading this book.

The'o Wynn is from the Wynn Family Hockey Dynasty. His grandfather played and now owns a team, his father and uncles are a part of hockey in some way, and his brother and cousins are all involved in the sport. His family maybe a but dysfunctional, but it works. When The'o got injured and had to stop playing years ago, he turned to numbers which is something he thrives on; statistics. He has his own business in Las Vegas and loves it. But then his grandfather offers him a job he can't turn down, general manager of a hockey team; and he takes it, even though his father will be disappointed in him.

On his last night in Vegas, his friends take him out to celebrate. That's where he meets Lacey, their cocktail server. When he sees that she's in trouble at another table, he steps in to help, not knowing that will forever change his life.

Larry's brother is a gambler, he's racked up a debt so large that the bookies have come to collect, on her. Her brother sold her to pay off his debt. The men make sure that she gets fired immediately so they can take her with them. When The'o steps in, the guys have no other option but leaving with promises to return.

After hanging around all night getting drunk with The'o and his friends, he invites her to move to California with him tomorrow. His brother and ex-girlfriend betrayed him a year ago and showing up with beautiful Lacey on his arm won't hurt. He goes one step farther and they get married at a Vegas chapel.

Going home is interesting for him. But when his mom stops by unexpectedly and meets Lacey. When she finds out that they are married, she plans a big coming home dinner for the family. When his ex shows up with his brother, she wants a second chance, which blows The'o away.

Lacey is slowly falling in love with her fake husband and so is he, but they are both too stubborn and afraid to admit it. When The'o comes home early from a business trip because he missed Lacey, he walks in on his brother talking to her and thinks that history is repeating itself.

A must read.

Holy Wow! Loved it

Theo is taking the job as GM of his grandpa's team.. This is coming with much backlash from his Dad who is not speaking to Grandpa.. On his last night in Vegas the guys take him out for a last hoorah.. They end up at a restaurant where Lacey is working. When Lacey finds herself fired after not taking kindly to two men looking for her brother Theo steps in and gives her a fun night.. When he proposes they get married and she goes to California with him Lacey figures why not. Nothing left in Vegas.

As they get to know each other and Lacey meets this insane family will feelings grow or is there still and end date on this fake marriage?

The Wynn's are going to be a blast to get to know.. Can't wait for the next book (

I loved the story of Lacey and Theo. The only issue I had was the completely out of character start to the story. The more you read it the more Theo’s actions still make no sense. For being a by the book type guy....being sober enough to marry on a whim was less and less believable,

Lacey’s personality made sense for a spontaneous act. The more we get to know her it seems even more plausible.

Still was a very cute entertaining read.

I love this author and I love all of her books. They are simple, romantic, and just fluffy books that I need to devour after I read some of the other horror books that I read. Lacey is running and Theo is ready to help her after meeting her one night. Very cute book and I love when new ones come out. Received this book as an ARC and I give my feedback freely.

A drunken Vegas wedding…the perfect start to a marriage! Ashley @ Carolina Chic’s Read

The first book in Kelly Jamieson new hockey series is a great start to the Wynn Hockey dynasty. This book has everything to make you want to keep turning the pages. Gambling addiction, bookies, cheating ex, dysfunctional family, a wedding of convenience, and some hockey thrown in to keep you wanting more. Lacey and Theo’s relationship shows that there is more than just work but you can have a balance with family and love. I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

From Las Vegas to California this hockey romance is something worth sinking your teeth in. Hockey, family rivalries and secrets, friendships, and the realization that everyone has their own baggage and emotionally dysfunctional family.

When an impulse decision lends itself to a terrific meet-cute that is spicy, sexy, and all that you want more. Sometimes getting even pays off.


Don't miss this hockey series.

Play to Win introduces a new hockey romance series from Kelly Jamieson with the Wynn family as the driving force of two California hockey franchises and numerous other hockey related ventures.

Theo Wynn is offered a GM job managing his grandfather's team which he reluctantly accepts -- there's a lot going on in this family outside of hockey that causes some contention between family members, so Theo is really on the hotseat with this new position. He's also recovering from a bruised heart after his brother does him dirty by stealing his girlfriend.

During a celebration for his new position, Theo meets Lacey at the bar. She's gorgeous and friendly and happens to be in big trouble with some mobsters through no fault of her own and loses her job. At Theo's insistence she joins his party and they spend the night together -- drinking, having fun and getting married.

The next day they are off to California and lots of family drama. While they both realize their marriage is one of convenience since having Lacey on his arm at family functions will lessen the hurt his brother caused, they do enjoy each other's company and that starts a very sweet and romantic falling-in-love story as they both realize the feelings they have for each other.

I really enjoyed this hockey romance. This book really wowed me and had me turning the pages. It's got an old school Dynasty-soap-opera feel to it with the complicated and contentious family tree ...i still can't remember who's related to who, but it doesn't matter because there's a great atmosphere to the book that just pulled me right in.

I had been on the fence about starting a new series from this author and I'm so very glad I did! I just loved Theo and Lacey's story. They are adorable together! Looking forward to more in this series.

Kelly Jamieson is an automatic buy for me. I have been reading since her first book. She can write a hockey romance like no other. This is the first book in the Wynn Hockey series, and I'm so excited that she has another series to read!

To say that this book was awesome is a short coming, I read it in about 5 hours, with feeding the family in that time. I just love the dynamic of Theo and Lacey's story. They banter back and forth with the not so funny jokes, strange statistics, wise cracks, and some filthy talk as well.

Cannot wait for book 2 in this great new series!

One thing is for certain Kelly Jamieson knows how to start off a series with a bang and the Wynn family series is the epitome of a dysfunctional family who despite everything going on apparently still cares and loves one another. Play to Win sets up this new series, but in addition it gives readers an opposites attract reverse romance and Ms. Jamieson does it with humor, emotion, and flair. I loved every minute of this wild and crazy ride.

I’ll be the first to admit that when Ms. Jamieson included a family tree of sorts at the beginning of this book, I thought to myself I’m never going to keep all these people straight and I was a bit intimidated to start this book, but given my long history of reading this author I trusted her to guide me through this crazy, mixed-up family and I’m so glad I didn’t turn away from this book.

On the eve of leaving one Las Vegas for a job managing his grandfather’s NHL team, Theo Wynn is out celebrating with some of his friends from the team and is instantly enamored by Lacey, their waitress at one bar. When he realizes that two other customers appear to make her nervous and then she is fired for something she didn’t do, he invites her to join them and that begins their impetuous relationship starting with Theo being spontaneous, something he’s never done, and ending with them married and Lacey agreeing to going to California with Theo.

The chemistry between Theo and Lacey dripped off the page and the fact they agreed not to sleep together since their arrangement was temporary only made it even more heady, but it also gave them time to really get to know one another something I greatly appreciated. I love that Lacey encouraged Theo to not be so rigid in his live and that Theo not only gave Lacey the luxury of some downtime something she hadn’t had since she was 15, but also he wanted her to find her passion in life. There was something so intoxicating about their friendship that turned into more over time. That’s not to say they didn’t have their ups and downs because they did, but because of the way they got together they needed those bumps in the road to make them see that what they had together was special.

Theo’s family…wow, that’s all I’m going to say, it is big, loud, and all kinds of dysfunctional and honestly I can’t wait for more books in this series to see if some of my questions are answered in regards to the bad blood between so many different people.

Fantastically written with characters that leap on the page an into your heart, Kelly Jamieson has come out strong with Play to Win and if this is indicative of what we can expect from the Wynn series it is going to be a wild and amazing ride!

4.5 stars
I LOVED Play to Win by Kelly Jamieson
The reason I said yes to this book was because it was Kelly Jamieson and hockey 🏒 ....two of my favorite things. The trope the blurb lays out isn't usually a sweet spot for me but WOW did the author prove me wrong, I adored this story, it played out perfectly for Theo and Lacey and the Wynn family!
This series is now a must read for me and I want ALL the happy and family drama it will bring!Play to Win is the story of Theo Wynn, son and grandson to the Wynn hockey dynasty. The backstory around Theo's hockey career pulled at my heart and the new success he build for himself had me loving his ambition, a true example of it's not what life give you but what you do it that matters! Theo's career is how he meets Lacey and yes I "believed" this laced up character would be that spontaneous in the moment.
Watching Theo and Lacey's lives intertwine, experiencing the connection develop and them come to terms with what that means for their forever kept me glued to my kindle!The end was so perfect for them! I am so excited for Theo's brother JP to get his story in In It to Win It!

Fantastic Start with Play to Win, with this 'Wynn'ing read!!
WOW Kelly Jamieson sure does know how to hook her reades with her most recent hot guys of hockey series. Theo & Lacey story is tremendous as Jamieson begins with Play to Win, Book 1 of the Wynn family series, and what a 'Wynn'ing series it is! Theo was one of those bad boys of hockey, smoking hot but not only could he play but he also was amazing with the analytical side of the game. When his playing career came to an end, he moved to the logical choice of the GM of the Wynn team. Fate intervenes when Lacey is Theo's waitress one night at the club, and their instantaneous chemistry ignites. That pull has Lacey leaving with Theo as they begin their hot & sexy journey inevitably to a HEA. Suspense, romance and hot hockey bad boys what else could a reader want for this incredible start to another outstanding hockey series by Jamieson. Perfection that this reader definitely recommends.
While I did receive a review copy from the publisher Random House Loveswept via NetGalley, I am volantarily leaving my own opinion with this voluntary review.