Play to Win was such a cute second chance romance! The female MC ends up winning the lottery, changing her life and the lives of those around her but there’s one little problem… She’s technically still legally married even though he left eight years ago. When her husband comes back into town, to say the relationship is tumultuous is the least of it but man is their chemistry! A great rom com that also touches what really matter in life from family to friends to love.

After loving Bet On It, I was hoping to enjoy this one as much. Unfortunately it did not live up to the sophomore hype. The beginning hooked me but then the storyline dragged. I mean really dragged. The steamy sex scenes are what saved this novel and there should have been more. The indecisiveness of the main character became old after a while and the no income of the estranged husband seemed strange since that was the primary reason he left eight years ago.

Great book I loved it so much. Book cover is lovely. Characters was amazing. I can’t wait for release date so I can purchase this book.

2.25/5 stars! This is a contemporary romance and my first read by author Jodie Slaughter. I was excited by the premise and the promise of a second-chance romance. The concept of twists and turns that come with winning the lottery were clever and fun. My issue was that for a romance novel, the romance was severely lacking. It felt like two strangers that wanted to bone rather than an intricate relationship between estranged spouses. I really couldn't get into the story.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Now. I don't really read second chance romances. Jodie Slaughter, however made me want to give it a go. This was not me as I struggled to connect with characters.

Miri is struggling to make ends meet while living with her mother in the house she grew up in. One day she randomly decides to buy a lottery ticket and ends up winning over 200 million dollars. This seems like a miracle until she realizes that although she and her ex have been estranged for almost a decade, he still may be able to fight for half of her earnings...because they are still legally married. Miri and her ex, Leo, set up an agreement that she will give him money to fix up his aunt's house. But the other problem is, the house is in the same small town where Miri lives. This is the closest proximity the two have had in years, and they both begin to reevaluate if they are better apart or together.

This is the second installment in Jodie Slaughter's series which follows friends in a small southern town. I enjoyed the first book, "Bet on It" that came out a year or two ago. So I went into this book with positive expectations. There was a lot that met them. Just as Slaughter included in the previous book, mental health and childhood circumstances played a significant part in this story. I appreciate that because all adults have to work through that to have a healthy relationship. It really added to the story to show Miri working through the emotional and mental ramifications of going from a low-income lifestyle to being a multi-millionaire. She went through so many phases of confusion, guilt, excitement, and much more. These factors do change the tone from a typical sunshine rom-com to a story that is closer to women's fiction, I don't mind that at all. But it is something to know before going into this one.

The banter and general dialogue in this book seemed very realistic to me. I liked that the characters' dialogue was accurate for their age, upbringing, and humor. I felt like I was listening in on conversations between friends.

Another aspect of this book that I enjoyed was the side characters. It was cool to see a cameo of the couple from the first book. While I would have liked to see more scenes with the friend group, I did think they added a lot by giving Miri sound advice, even when she didn't want to hear it. Miri's mom was my favorite character though. She did a wonderful job of being a protective mom but also a loving one. She didn't let her pride take over when Miri wanted to spoil her and she told Leo exactly how she felt about his behavior.

That brings me to who I struggled with in this book, which is mostly just one person: LEO. I wanted so badly to root for a second chance, childhood best friends romance, But Leo's behavior did not allow that. I can't say much about what irked me, as it would be a spoiler. But I will say that his reasoning for his part in their fallout did not seem like a good enough reason. Granted, I can not relate to him as I am not a man or husband. However, for the amount of time that he spent away from her and how passionate he was when he returned, the logic was not there for me. It was really hard for me to move past that, even with his attempts to earn back her trust and love.

With that being said, I would still recommend this book to people who enjoy small-town romances and friends-to-lovers (to=enemies-to-lovers) books. I will be reading the next installment in this series and look forward to other work from this author too!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 3/5 Stars
Publishing: July 11, 2023
Series: NA
Pages: 320

I loved “Bet on You” by Jodie Slaughter and didn’t think any different when requesting to read “Play to Win”. This was an enjoyable contemporary romance story with likeable characters, Miriam and Leo. It was good reading a story that takes place right in your own backyard…Greenbelt. My only drawback with the story was the lack of including more backstory on the couple and a little less intimate dialogue to strengthen their enemies to lover trope. I also would liked to have known the reasons their marriage did not work the first time around i.e, why Leo left. In this area it felt a bit lacking for me. I like steamy in my romance reads and their intimacy had the right amount of spice with the drama to make it worthwhile in their second chance relationship. Leo did not gravel enough in my opinion, instead there was too many lame excuses he gave that had me rooting for Miriam to just walk away from him and never looking back. Did I like it? Yes, and thought it was good, but it was slow going. Still an author that I like and looking forward to other reads.

I enjoyed Miri! The story opens with learning about what is important to her, and that theme sticks throughout the book. You get to see her develop through interactions with her mom, friends, and Leo. The interactions add more to the story and they really paint a picture of Miri and Leo’s past relationship. I appreciated learning about the characters through these interactions and it added a great depth to the story. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

A great sequel that can also be read as a standalone, Play to Win was charming, complex, sexy, and fun all at the same time. I recently read the first book, Bet on It, and applied to read this early on Net Galley. I'm so grateful to the publisher for approving me for this because it was so cute! I loved the Southern small town vibe, the character dynamics that made you want to befriend everyone, and the way this book feels like a warm hug. If you haven't read Bet on It, I highly recommend reading it before this comes out in July!

Miri and Leo were young and in love. Times were tough leaving Leo feeling as if he was a poor provider for his wife. The sadness and shame of it caused him to run far away from his only love, Miri.
Eight years later she wins the lotto and the law said he could sue her for half the money. Calling Leo back home causes turmoil for both Miri and Leo.
A wonderful story of identifying personal truths and unsure desires.
I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Oh, I really enjoyed this one. I was excited to start this after the great time I had reading her first one. This one didn’t disappoint. It had a great pot and wonderful romance.

I read her book Bet On It earlier this year and loved it so when I was approved for this arc I was so EXCITED. Play it to Win follows our two main characters miri and Leo. This is a second chance romance after their relationship ended 8 years ago, I loved getting to read them reconnecting.

I love second chance romance and the description sounded interesting. I hadn’t read a book with a lottery winner so I was excited to start Play to Win. I really enjoyed the beginning of the book and was rooting for Miri when she won the lottery. It was entertaining to see how she told everyone and what their reactions were. It did slow down quite a bit though when Leo came back to town. I think I would’ve enjoyed this more if I felt more chemistry between Leo and Miri and their relationship was a little more fleshed out.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

I really enjoyed the concept of this book, where Miri wins the lottery and has to decide how to spend the winnings. There's a second chance romance that comes to light when she has to call her estranged husband back to town. There were a few parts that were slow, particularly in Miri and Leo's second chance, but all in all I thought the story was compelling and filled with great characters.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Miriam Bulter always stops to buy her mom a lottery ticket, but today she decides to get one for herself. When the numbers are announced, Miriam is shocked and elated to find out that she's won a substantial jackpot! The only problem: keeping her estranged husband from getting his mitt's on her money. Leo's been gone for almost a decade so hopefully she can talk him into taking a payout and granting her a divorce, but what if he's not ready to let her go? Will Leo be able to win Miriam back or will Miriam be able to finally wash that boy right out of her hair?

The premise of this book had so much promise. There was so much that I thought could have happened but didn't. It felt like the same things were being said over and over. This could have been shortened into a novella and still been the same story. It was okay, but sad to say, I don't think it will be one that I reread or recommend to others.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. A cute fun Romcom. I loved the humor and second change love in this book.

I would like to extend my thanks to NetGalley, the FierceReads team, and the author for sending me an e-arc of this book to read and review.

Play to Win is Jodie Slaughter's upcoming rom-com about a marriage-in-trouble/second chance romance between Miriam and Leo when they're forced to come together after 8 years of silence when Miriam wins a multi-million lottery.

I LOVED Jodie Slaughter's previous release, Bet On It, that follows some of Miriam's friends (they are seen as a couple in Play to Win) so I was ecstatic to pick this up and see the romances and lives of the side characters. Marriage-in-trouble and second chance romances are some of my favorite tropes so layering that with a sudden inheritance of a life-changing amount of money, I just knew the stakes and the tension would be high. Boy, were they high. Miriam and others were NOT going to letting Leo forget or waltz back into their lives after he left them in the dust 8 years ago. They were very clear on making sure he understood that he had a lot of time and hurt to make up for. I was hooked in the first chunk, there was just so much going on in the aftermath of it all that I was anxious but excited to see what would happen with the characters. Despite these aspects usually being a formula for a story I'd love, I really struggled with this story. For starters, if you are looking for romance or smut, this is not the book. Most of the romance that happens is quickly shut down and the romance doesn't really happen to the very end of the book. Miriam is constantly going back-and-forth on what she wants to do and what she thinks is right. An understandable internal conflict for her situation but frustrating and honestly got a bit old and repetitive after so long. There were many of the necessary conversations about their relationship and how their actions and behaviors not only hurt each other, but themselves and those around them. There was also brief mentions of attending therapy (which I would've loved to see more of!!) and how a quick change in one's financial situation and life may need time for them to adjust to and accept,

Overall, the story was enjoyable and peaked my interest but started to lose it towards the end. I loved the conversations regarding sexuality and identity, financial status and mental health, and family relationships. The story was exciting and promising but I left feeling like something was missing or needed more. Maybe Miriam making up her mind and being with Leo sooner? More on page therapy discussion or representation? Maybe more time spent with Leo and Miriam, less with them and the side characters? I'm not quite sure, 3.5 stars.

When Miriam wins the lotto, all her problems will be solved.... right?
Not so, it would appear. While money does help lessen some burdens, money certainly cannot buy happiness. Upon winning, she must contact her husband, Leo, who she has not spoken to in almost 8 years. Legal proceedings must occur, but will their love also proceed?
This book is a cute rom-com, with a focus on black women's lives. "Play to Win" is a quick read, but with his moments of seriousness in the mix.
If you're looking for a "What if" book, I highly suggest this one.

Thank you to @netgalley for an E-ARC. Play to Win comes out July 11, 2023!

Jodie Slaughter did it again! This is the second book that I’ve read by her and I truly enjoyed it. Miri was such an in depth character. I felt like I knew her personally. This book had me really rooting for Miri and Leo. I did find it a little interesting that the two could go multiple years apart with no contact and come back together shortly after, but the story line between them was good. I would’ve loved to know a little more about their past before diving into their current situation. Jodie does a great job of brining up important topics in such a graceful way. She touched on mental health and Miri talked opening about her mental health in the book. Even mentioning needing to find a counselor. As a counselor myself, I LOVED that! Overall it was a great read!

<i>I received this title as an ARC on Net-galley in exchange for a honest review. Thank you publisher for the copy!</i>

<b>The Good</b>
I love the concept of winning the lottery paired with a second chance romance. I've come to like the angst of this trope. I loved the setting and characters of this book. They felt like real people in a real small town with heart and history connecting them.

<b>The Bad</b>
The amount of sexual conversations/banter between Leo and Miri didn't endear me to their relationship at all. The story says they've been broken up for eight years and instead of focusing on that the dialogue is them flirting and leering at each other. I didn't feel a connection between them or why they really loved each other. Leo leaving for 8 years should have had a deeper emotional effect on their relationship than it did. Leo's explanation and excuses were ridiculous and irredeemable in my opinion. I didn't want them to be together even when Miri finally wanted him back.

<b>The Rating</b>
I give this book a <b>1/5🌟 rating.</b> I liked "Bet on It" by this author so I was excited to read this book but it was a big disappointment.

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