Playing For Keeps honestly felt like sitting down with a cup of chai and your favourite cozy blanket. Farren is SUCH a relatable heroine – she’s plus-size, funny, and uses humour to mask her insecurities, especially about her board game designs. Then there’s Sebastian, the classic grumpy workaholic who literally schedules his entire life and has zero chill.

Their first meeting? He accuses her of stealing his croissant. 😂 I was hooked from that scene alone. The board game duel setup was adorable and felt unique compared to typical romcom tropes. Their banter had me smiling, and the way their relationship developed felt so natural – no forced instalove, just real chemistry growing between two very different people.

I especially loved how this book tackled self-worth and ambition while keeping things light and comforting. The third-act breakup was pretty predictable, but it didn’t take away from how soft and satisfying their ending was.

Overall, this is one of those books that makes you believe in good people finding each other. If you want a romance that feels like comfort food, with lots of board game references and authentic representation, Playing For Keeps is perfect.

Thanks to Netgalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the E-ARC. Farren (FMC) and Sebastian (MMC) meet at a cafe when Farren takes the last pastry that Sebastian is trying to buy. Farren is a board gamer and Sebastian is very anal and trying to stick to his plan at getting ahead in his job. This was a fast and easy read but nothing really big happened for me.

I think the book is a cute board game romance. Unfortunately, I had to stop around the middle of chapter 4 because of the book being in 3rd person. If it wasn’t I believe I would have really enjoyed this book.

Here is the thing, it did in fact take me a while to get to this one and there is a reason. The reason is I thought this was going to be boring and I was not wrong. Zzzzz fest. Not the worst book I have ever read but also not the best. I was just along for the ride and wanted it to end the whole time.

This was a dnf for me. I really wanted to love it but from the start I was having trouble with the writing and connecting to the characters and the story. Thank you for my copy.

Playing for Keeps by Tristen Crone is a charming and unconventional romantic comedy that blends humor, heartfelt moments, and a touch of geeky flair. While the story is undeniably sweet and brimming with quirky energy, it occasionally stumbles in execution, leaving it a solid but not standout read.

The story follows Farren, a vibrant and unapologetically unique heroine who hides her vulnerabilities behind a bold personality, and Sebastian, a driven, no-nonsense professional whose structured life leaves little room for spontaneity. Their worlds collide in a café over a croissant dispute, kicking off a relationship built on witty banter, unexpected challenges, and plenty of board game fun.

Farren is a breath of fresh air as a heroine. Her insecurities about her place in a world obsessed with perfection make her relatable, and her passion for board game design adds a delightful layer to her character. However, her tendency to deflect her fears with humor occasionally feels overdone, leaving some of her emotional depth unexplored. Sebastian, meanwhile, is the quintessential grumpy hero, whose transformation from rigid to romantic is enjoyable but somewhat predictable.

Their chemistry is playful and engaging, with the board game motif providing a unique backdrop for their budding relationship. The "game night" challenge is a fun and creative way to bring the two together, showcasing their contrasting personalities while hinting at their deeper compatibility. However, the pacing of their romance feels uneven, with moments of genuine connection sometimes overshadowed by the book's lighter, more comedic tone.

The supporting cast of Farren’s game-night crew adds warmth and humor to the story, though they occasionally feel more like accessories to the main plot than fully realized characters. Similarly, the subplot involving Farren’s secret board game design is compelling but underdeveloped, leaving readers wanting more insight into her creative journey.

If you are looking for a lighthearted romance read, then Playing for Keeps is the book for you. It's a light read that you won't get overly emotional. It does have some depth between the love interests, so you won't be bored.

ai gente que desquerida,

aqui deixarei minha opinião sincera sobre esse livro: achei bem chatinho, li todo pq queria saber que jogo ela teria criado, mas a autora não desenvolveeeu essa parte o que tá ok, mas me deixou curiosa

enfim, não consegui ter empatia por ninguem nesse livro! a prota é filha do meio e se acha a abandonada da familia, o proto é filho unico de um casal de idade avançado e acha que nunca foi bem vindo

enfim, dois personagens que ao inves de se follar eu indicaria um terapeuta... fora que o cara ta quase bunoutando e ela, ela é um chata

ai gente, nao recomendo... queria ter amado, mas vitmismo não é comigo!

Unfortunately, after multiple attempts I have been unable to get into this book. It felt very slow for me and the characters were not likable which made it hard to root for them and enjoy the story. Due to that I have decided to soft DNF the book and potentially pick it up at a later date.

This was an adorable, opposites-attract, grumpy-sunshine romance. Farren is a free spirit, one of many children in a Catholic household, who moves to D.C. and works as a substitute teacher while secretly harboring the desire to create a board game. Farren is a game enthusiast who meets with her game club weekly at a cafe. In this cafe, she meets Sebastian, a serious workaholic only child who doesn't connect much with people. When Sebastian and Farren argue over the last croissant, it sets them on a path to romance that they never expected.

this book was amazing and I love the rep and everything on it the male main characters s so amazing and I wish he was real because god, man are terrible and I wish this book was something that I read when I was younger somehow just because of how I felt so much with the female mc

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.
I loved this plus size romance.

This was a book where I could appreciate the craft but it wasn’t landing with me at the point in time I read it - the characters are well drawn but there was just a lot of emotional baggage. The third act breakup was … fine. Meh.

It was fun and sweet but it just lacked something, maybe the spark? I don't know, either way, I liked how both of them interacted, it was fun, but I'm just TI-RED of the grumpy/sunshine trope, okay? It's always the same dynamic and it gets boring guys! I liked the characters but it had this feeling of deja-vu.

I loved the concept of this book, but the execution fell flat for me! I do love a book centered around board games. There was also a third act breakup which is generally not my cup of tea. This wasn't terrible, but it wasn't an amazing read that I'll remember forever.

I really liked the concept of a board game theme within a romance, however I think the games part could have been a teeny bit more present, especially in the middle there.
I like Farren as a character, as well as Sebastian but I don’t think their chemistry was written convincingly. It was missing something.
It was cute and enjoyable and I love the “nerdier” direction a lot of romances are heading towards.

Playing for Keeps is a book I wanted to love and honestly had all of the ingredients to make me love it: a plus-sized MC, board games, and a grumpy/sunshine romance. This book started off great. I really enjoyed Farren and Sebastian and was hoping for an amazing romance. About halfway through it started falling flat for me. There was a lot of telling and not showing, the pacing felt off, and certain things got repetitive. The romance stayed a bit on the surface and I didn't feel connected enough with them to fall in love with their story. I also didn't completely understand the third act breakup. I'm sorry, but if a guy spoke to me the way Sebastian did to Farren, I wouldn't have forgiven him so easily. Playing for Keeps had some aspects I loved, but sadly it just didn't work for me.

I loved that the FMC was plus sized! I feel like most books describe a "curvy" FMC and she's still skinny. Fannen is literally m! Especially in the beginning talking about how her pants and the waistband lol. I don't really like third act breaks, it's usually a turn off for me. So it took me awhile to even finish the story. I wasn't really vibing with Sebastian. He was just way too grumpy for me and boy did my girl try with him. I thought it was an cute story, but that 3rd act break up is what kinda messed it up for me.

I rated this 3.75 stars

This was a pretty good contemporary romance! There was real emotion from the characters and they felt very realistic. I enjoyed the romance, though it did feel a bit insta-lovey to me, which I didn't love (but that's just a personal preference).

This was a great book! I really enjoyed everything the author was trying to do, but I didn’t enjoy some of the things like “liberal but not loud about it” and laughing because the male main character was wearing a skirt. It didn’t strike me as particularly tasteful.

However, the story in and of itself was cute and I liked the relationship between Farren and Sebastian. The sex scene was so good, but why did she have to say I love you in the middle of it? To me it wasn’t romantic, but that’s just my boundary!!

All in all great story!! Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Country Press for the ARC!