I started this multiple times, but it never grabbed my attention. I ended up not finishing the audio. I’ve read other books by the author and loved them.

This was an absolute whirlwind. Leigh masterfully blends steamy romance with gripping suspense, creating a heart-pounding and heartwarming story. The childhood connection between Poppy and Jack, forged through acts of heroism, evolves into a complex, adult relationship filled with longing and unresolved tension. Jack's return as a formidable ex-Navy SEAL to protect Poppy brings their past and present crashing together, with danger lurking at every turn. While the storyline echoes the intensity of an erotic romance, it stands out with its unique blend of suspense and deep emotional bonds. This book kept me on my seat, eagerly anticipating the next installment.

It was….. okay? Great narrators who executed their jobs flawlessly, but the repetition in the language made me crazy. In one paragraph, we heard “the bar” 6 times. We went to “the bar”, and when we got to “the bar” the girls were at their regular table, in the back of “the bar”, and so on. The characters weren’t as fleshed out as I tend to like them, and some of their main motivations felt rushed. The storyline as a whole was actually pretty interesting, and I would have taken a closed door/fade to black romance just to have the story worked a little more. Likeable characters for the most part as well.
All in all, I’d probably carry on with the series, for the actual plot.

This is one of those reviews that’s a little hard to write. Play Dirty, being the start of a new series has lots of potential for some amazing things. However, in my own opinion, I felt that this one fell a little short. There are moments of the book that are absolutely captivating and invigorating, and while others just got a little repetitive through the middle chapters of the book. Poppy was an absolutely fantastic character. Jack, on the other hand. Could have use some work for me. He did grow on me but unfortunately this one just comes off a little short. A little less on the AI and a little more on the action and I think we would’ve had a winner with this one.

I really wanted to like this book but for some reason I just could not get into it. I think it felt a little too predictable to me but that’s probably a me issue.

It has been a long time since I've dived into a Lora Leigh book. I loved her early Breeds novels, but felt like they became repetitive over time and drastically needed an editor. I've dipped my toes into her other series as well, but soon drifted away from her writing. When this book was announced, I thought the start of a new books would be a great time to try her again.

Pros: It was fun to see past characters from the original Tempting Seals series making appearances (though they maybe took up too much page-time). And there's a great twist in the epilogue.

Cons: There is a lot of toxic masculinity in this book. A LOT. Along with casual sexism. And, if you've read Lora Leigh before, you know she prefers to include sexual assault of the female main character (not by the hero) in her books - and this book didn't get a pass on that one, unfortunately. And don't forget the coded language for the toxic masculinity! Ross the neighbor was portrayed as puny and whiny, sniveling on the ground while big, bad, muscly Jack stands over him threateningly. And Poppy blames herself the entire time. You know who is to blame? The one who chose violence in that moment.

When it came time to describe Poppy's friends and one was "wild and crazy" because she liked to dye her hair crazy colors . . . at this point, the book is so ridiculous that I couldn't look away. I need to see how Lora Leigh will try to top herself with the cardboard characters and outlandish storyline.

The narrator: I noticed a lot of people complained about the narrator, but I didn't have that many issues with Brianna Bronte's performance. I enjoyed her Southern accent for Poppy and her lowered voice for Jack was fine. It was not, however, ideal during the spicy scenes. It was almost laughable how awkward it was. While I like the narrator overall, I think she doesn't always hit the correct emotional points with Poppy. It's often written as Poppy being angry or hard, but she sounds wobbly and on the verge of crying.

After finishing this, I can firmly say that Lora Leigh and I are officially over. I won't be picking up any more of her books.

One of my favorite authors of all time, I LOVED this spicy and suspenseful romance. Poppy and Jack are childhood friends and later on, lovers. While I loved the story, I wasn't too keen on the audio version. As with all of this author's books, there is plenty of spice and suspense/mystery in the plot.
Thank you to the author and publisher for a copy of this audiobook!

'Play Dirty' by Lora Leigh is not just spice but an engaging story that makes you want to read about the characters.

Jack is a “disgraced” ex-SEAL with a secretive mission in his hometown.
Poppy has been in love with Jack since they were kids. She helped him in ways no one cared to, and he saved her from potential trauma. Jack left her behind to be a SEAL and ignored her while on home visits.
Jack uses Poppy as a pawn in his mission will Poppy be able to forgive him?

I had a hard time getting into this book. I wish that there more of a transition between the time lapses, with the audiobook it was confusing at times.

My favorite thing about this book is not remembering what it was about when I started listening!
Navy Seals, Artificial Intelligence, Smut 😉, Friendship, Deceit & Loyalty!
Looking forward to the next book to find out wth is happening!

She saved his life when they were kids and then he saved hers. When she became a young woman, Poppy knew she would never love anyone the way she loved Jack Lee Bridger.
But after a near tragedy, Jack left home to become a Navy SEAL and Poppy knew there wouldn't be another like him. Not for her.
She remembered the way it felt when he looked at her with those smoldering eyes.
The way he kissed her. Touched her...
Now it's years later and danger is dogging her footsteps and Jack is back.
And Poppy knows that he will do anything—absolutely anything—to keep her safe. She trusts him to protect her body, but can she trust him with heart?

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ALC of Play Dirty!

Play Dirty
By: Lora Leigh
Narrated by: Brianna Bronte
Series: Tempting SEALs: Triton, Book 1
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Release date: 03-26-24

We meet Poppy and Jack in the first of this new series. She is sweet kind soul who was the first person in the world who showed some love and compassion to Jack as a battered abused child. His life takes a turn when he joins the military and disappears from Poppy’s life. Years later, to save himself he is tasked ti investigate a situation in his home town that has potential to change the world in the worst all while doing everything to protect and win Poppy back. If and or when she finds out the trust it will upend her world. It’s an offbeat sometimes disjointed story. Maybe the next in the series will clarify things for me if I decide to read it.

Holy yes!
This book will make your heart race for all the right reasons! I love that there is a true storyline to this book instead of just romance. The characters are so easy to picture and literally see the story unfold. The spiciness level is just perfect! It doesnt cross the line to being just weird and gross, but stays true to being what any person would fantasize for a relationship. I love how Lora was able to show how much Jack truly loves Poppy and how protective he is over her, but not in that dominate, possessive kind of way, truly because he loves her. I'm so excited for the series to grow and cant wait till the next book comes out!

I have been missing reading new Tempting Seals series books, and now my favorite romance author, Lora Leigh, has begun a spinoff series: Tempting Seals: Triton with book one being Play Dirty. Listing to this audio book was the highlight of my month!

Brianna Bronte narrates this one and she hits it out of the park! She is one of my favorite narrators and she is so skilled that listening to her was like watching a movie in my head.

Listening to Poppy and Jack's story was one of the best audio experiences I've ever had. Lora Leigh's writing style really lends itself to this format. While I will read anything and everything she writes, I gravitate to the narrated versions of her books, which are always at minimum a 3 out of 5 for "spice."

I have not listened to a Lora Leigh’s book before. This Narrator really did justice to this story, so much so that even having read the book before I didn’t want to stop listening. Jack and Piper are meant to be together and that fact that it will protect her at all costs just adds more to their story.

RATING: ⭐️⭐️
HEAT: 🌶️.5

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me around 50%. I wanted to like it, but it was a struggle. Let’s discuss, shall we?

For starters, this seems all over the place. Jacks mission is about drug cartels but it’s also about AI that’s human like, but then someone else might start trafficking girls…y’all, I’m sort of lost. Also, somehow it’s not suppose to be noticeable that all of these ex-navy seals are relocated to this small town and things start going down, like a plane for instance.
Next, the FMC and MMC. The FMC, so far, has mostly been naive about the world around her. She’s in her 20’s and still a V after holding on to hope of being with Jack, who she may or may not have fallen for at 7. Our MMC is a major alpha-hole. Listen, I LOVE me some dark romance and a possessive, morally grey MMC, but Jack wasn’t it. He’s possessive, he’s morally grey, but he is also unlikeable. It almost felt like they tried too hard to make him unlikeable. Then, when these two finally get together and she loses her V card, it was anticlimactic. No pun intended. He also started with an@l play on her first time. Damn, Jack, let a girl warm up with some P in V action before you throw her into the intermediate level stuff.
Lastly, the narration didn’t do it for me. The accents weren’t great and I did not love the narrators portrayal of Jacks (or other male characters) voice. It was a distraction.

I was hopeful for this one, especially as my first advanced copy, but I just couldn’t do it.

Thanks to NetGalley, Lora Leigh, and MacMillan Audio for the chance to preview this audio book. All expressed thoughts are solely my own.

Poppy and Jack have been in love with each other since they were kids. Now that Jack is back from an early retirement from the Navy Seals, Poppy is ready to take what she wants. But Jack’s back for a job and while the pull to Poppy is real for him, he’ll do anything to protect her and keep her away from his life.

This is a great book if you’re in the market for something to just entertain yourself with. Plotwise it’s a little far-fetched and I would have liked a much stronger grasp of the AI piece and how it all came together. Character wise, we have great chemistry but very little build up which makes the relationship seem abrupt.

I would compare this book to any big budget action movie with lots of explosions and little deep dialogue, in the sense that it’s good entertainment and for what it is. Is it going to win a literacy award, no. Was I thoroughly entertained and will I read the next book, probably. Definitely come for the steam not the plot with this one.


Play Dirty comes out March 26, 2024! Huge thank you to Berkley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof.books or on Tiktok @speakingof.books

Great story, gripping characters and hard to stop listening to! The author did spectacular with the strength of the characters and made this a very enjoyable story to follow. I could even see a series done with the main guys in this audio! Truly enjoyed this. Thanks for allowing me to listen and review! Well done!

*3.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

"You're acting like a possessive lover."
"I am a possessive lover."

"You're still dressed baby girl. I'll have to punish you for that."

There's no denying that the military romance Play Dirty by popular romance author Lora Leigh is a hot sexy contemporary romance but what was surprising was a twisty end that left me with my jaw on the floor.

Poppy is the sweet girl from the good side of the tracks. She finds a bloody boy in her backyard, Jack from the wrong side of everything, and their lives are never their own. Jack knows he is no good for Poppy. He enlists, becomes a killing machine Navy Seal but politics, evil men and his own sense of justice lead him down a dangerous path...until that danger finds Poppy.

Jack comes back into her life to protect her from people who will hurt her to hurt him. They have created something that can destroy the world and for some reason Jack's the one that can stop it and them. The truth was shocking and this writer needs to enter the thriller genre.

I enjoyed narrator Brianne Bronte as Poppy but this audiobook would have benefitted from a male narrator for Jack. A deep sexy voice like Connor Crais or Tim Campbell would have added to the panty melting steamy scenes rather than a forced male version. Also, some of Jack's alpha possessive "dirty talk" and actions felt unnatural. The way he loved her I don't think he would ever belittle her. Some scenes were uncomfortable to hear.

However, I felt for Jack and believed in his righteousness, "He was fine with killing the monsters of the world. Killing those monsters kept the world safer for Poppy." And kill for Poppy he does but in the end it's this mysterious creation that can destroy the world that plays dirty.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from #macmillanaudio via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGally for providing this ARC.

I really wanted to like this book as it sounded very interesting/enticing. However, I did not connect with the character and couldn’t get into the story. I ended up DNFing this book 40% into it. Additionally, the use of moist during a spicy scene was not helpful.

Love love love. This was a different kind of book for me but I'll definitely be reading more from this author!