In "Playing It Safe", there were a lot of elements that shouldn't have worked for me: I'm generally not into insta-attraction or closeted characters, but the author pulled both off wonderfully. I understood why Donovan stayed in the closet (and so did Beckett!). I understood why Donovan wouldn't want to be out, while still not being ashamed of who he is. It was handled very well; the problem was never about Donovan being gay or not accepting himself, rather it was about dealing with the world as it was, and not wanting to put his daughter and team through a media circus.

The chemistry between the couple was scorching, believable, and even sweet. Although I sometimes wanted to see more of the other characters (Miri, Pete, and the coach and teammates), that's just a testament to how strongly they were written. This is my first book in this series, and I'm going to check out the rest after I finish this review!

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a slightly angsty romance with a HEA. If sports romances aren't your thing (they normally aren't mine), don't worry. Rugby is a huge part of Donovan's life, but it doesn't take over the narrative at all.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for providing an ARC!