Sometimes, you may start a book that is incredibly bingeable. It'll have you not caring if you have work tomorrow (although you will highkey regret it in the morning); and if you are lucky, you will have a good time. "Playin' Hard" was that book for me. Unexpectedly, this was pretty good. These kids are grown as hell though. Other than the strip clubs, famous fathers, hooka lounges, etc. this environment reminded me of my own high school even down to the talent show. What really impressed me was the topics covered in this story. The discussions regarding black culture and family dynamics were done well. Also, the banter between everyone felt genuine. Had me laughing at some of the jokes. You know, I think I will go ahead and check out Grandison's backlog.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

I love the cute cover! It was a good young adult book. It shows when we think things are one way it’s really not. I enjoyed the main characters getting to know each other.

"I guess it was true what they said about love being friendship set on fire, because standing there, staring at her, knowing she'd more than likely move heaven and earth for me if I asked her to, I knew without a doubt that I was in love with her."
Cree Jacobs is a passionate dancer who is also proud of the woman she is. With her best friend by her side, she just wants to get through high school day-by-day. The last thing she ever wants to do is get into a mess with the Ballers Club, aka a group of boys who are known for running the school due to being athletes and getting girls like no tomorrow. According to Cree, those boys are overrated and useless.
In comes DeAndre Parker, a strong member of the Ballers Club. He is known for being slightly mysterious, and after having a disagreement in class, he is desperate to get to know Cree. DeAndre has now made it his mission to get Cree to see what the Ballers Club is really about, and he even gets her to do a school assignment together with him. As Cree spends more time with the Ballers, friendships are made, and she can't deny that she becomes the closest to DeAndre. One of the main reasons why DeAndre is drawn to Cree and her character is because she is the only girl who won't fall at his feet, nor does she care about his father's NBA fame. As the two become best friends and start to learn more about each other, feelings start to grow and the sparks are undeniable. But, what happened to Cree's rule about never messing with a baller? Also, DeAndre has promised himself that he will never waste time on a relationship, as his career always comes first. So why can't he get Cree out of his head when the plan was for them to always be just friends? This book is a strong sign that YOU CAN'T HELP WHO YOU FALL FOR. SUCH A GREAT BOOK AND I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT.

The friend group!! They were super funny and cute. I liked that you saw their individual growth through out the book. I loved the complexity of the relationship between Cree and her dad, Dre and his dad, as well as, Troy and her parents and we got to see a bit of resolution regarding a couple of those relationships. I loved the conversation about race and black culture, the beauty as well as the downfalls that come with being black. It was nice to read about it from the perspective of teenagers. I loved the Parker brothers relationship and their ability to disagree but find their way back to one another. It was all so endearing.

I did however feel like the book dragged in certain areas. Ari’s pregnancy scare took entirely too long to figure out, like PLEASE!! The back and forth, hot and cold from Dre regarding Cree took too long and took away from their charm and made the ending Luke warm.

All in all. It’s definitely a cute book that i would recommend if you like YA romance.

Thank you NetGalley, Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group, and Wattpad Books for this advance reader copy! You can pick up Playin’ Hard by Whitney D. Grandison on April 8, 2025!

4 ⭐

This book is a perfect addition for the YA sport romance section!

Playin’ Hard follows seventeen-year-old Cree, who cannot stand the Ballers–high school’s popular basketball players. She thinks the boys are too arrogant and full of themselves. But when DeAndre–the Ballers’ “leader”–takes interest in Cree, he forms an unexpected friendship during their final years of high school. As the two both deal with the pressure of not letting their parents down, they end up becoming each other’s support system. Their bond deepens as they get through the tough moments, but will the two navigate their feelings of young love?

The story is heartwarming, and I found myself laughing while reading.

I enjoyed seeing the growth of both characters as they navigate friendships, parental relationships, etc. The banters between the two are hilarious! I loved the basketball romance aspect of the book.

Here’s what you can expect:

- basketball romance
- lots of humor
- friendship
- enemies-to-lovers
- social issues
- Black characters representation

I highly recommend picking up Playin' Hard by Whitney D. Grandison if you are looking for a heartwarming, enemies-to-lovers romance!

A book about a love story that many students face. The popular athlete with the brainiac girl. They aren't sure if they like each other or not, so they tiptoe around the idea before even considering diving in. Of course, right before it gets good, the FMC has to leave. They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, and it did.

Wow, this was my first book by this author and I would for sure read one. What a ride! I enjoy the romance and the pacing throughout.

YA sports romance has been trending, and this book gives a diversity to the subgenre. As an adult reading a YA romance, I often feel as though the characters are a bit immature, however the cast of characters can be relatable to teens and young adults. I will trigger warn to readers that DeAndre and his friends have a very misogynistic view of women, and some readers may be triggered. However, this helps the reader to identify positive character development.

I must say that the story kept me interested and I am left wondering about Cree and DeAndre's relationship.

Great story and I am forever grateful to have some diversity in the YA romance (sport's romance sub genre).

For being a young adult contemporary romance. There was a lot of talk about pregnancy. That’s the only reason why I can’t get past it being 3 stars.

Playin’ Hard" by Whitney D. Grandison had an interesting premise, but I struggled to fully connect with it. The story follows Cree Jacobs, a high school junior who has no patience for the Ballers Club, a group of elite athletes who think they run the school. But when she clashes with DeAndre Parker, the club’s leader, their heated debates slowly turn into something more—forcing them both to rethink their assumptions.

I liked the idea of an academic rivalry turning into romance, and the alternating perspectives helped me understand both characters. However, the pacing felt uneven at times, and some of the dialogue didn’t feel as natural as I hoped. I also found certain character tropes a little overused, which made parts of the story predictable. That said, the emotional moments between Cree and DeAndre were well done, and I appreciated the themes of personal growth and challenging first impressions.

Overall, while Playin’ Hard didn’t completely pull me in, I think fans of high school romance and enemies-to-lovers dynamics might enjoy it more. If you’re into stories about opposites attracting with a touch of sports drama, this one might be worth a read!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! The plot was engaging and full of twists that kept me hooked until the very end. The characters were well-developed and relatable, and I found myself really connecting with their journeys. The pacing was just right, balancing action with moments of reflection. However, there were a few areas where I felt certain storylines could have been explored a bit more deeply. Despite that, the book offered a memorable experience, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a thought-provoking read!

I am always on the hunt for books I can recommend to young Black kids which are authentic and represent their experience. Whitney does an amazing job of that in this book. I wish it was a little more developed in terms of character but overall, very good enjoyable read for the target audience

This book made me fall in love with YA books all over again. The author did an amazing job at displaying emotions and building a relationship between the FMC and MMC. What I loved most about this book is how authentic it feels, the character developments and things that were happening in the book are things that happen in real life and it just felt so real while reading it

It's was only ok. Wasn't a good read to me, but I did enjoy it. I just feel like I wasn't for the right audience for this.

Thank you again for this advanced copy!Reading Playing Hard was such a joy and I’ve been a fan of Whitney for a long time!

I have to start by talking about my girl Cree! I loved her confidence and how unafraid she was to stand up and speak up for the things that she believed in repeatedly. Even when it came to forming friendships outside of her comfort zone she never wavered in who she was but she accepted that change was also a good thing.

Both her and Deandre seemed a lot more mature than 17 year olds in the way that they dealt with their emotion and friendship. I highly recommend this read to anyone who is not only looking for a romance book but also a book about family,loss, and friendship!

Whitney D. Grandison’s Playin' Hard is a captivating and heartfelt YA romance that skillfully explores the complexities of ambition, love, and self-discovery. Featuring a spirited protagonist navigating the pressures of school, relationships, and personal goals, the novel balances lighthearted moments with deeper emotional truths. Grandison’s relatable characters and engaging prose create a story that feels fresh, authentic, and brimming with charm. A delightful read for fans of contemporary romances with a strong emotional core.

In their final years of high school, Cree and DeAndre form an unexpected friendship. As they both deal with the pressure of not letting their parents down, they end up becoming each other’s support system. Their bond deepens as they lean on one another to get through the tough moments, but will they know how to navigate the feelings of young love?

When I think of young adult romance novels, I think of something cute and easy, a feel-good read. Playin’ Hard was definitely that, but with some depth. It was more than just romance; it explored real emotions, personal growth, and the challenges of life.

I enjoyed seeing the growth of both characters as they navigate friendships, strained parental relationships, and learn vulnerability. I’d be curious to know how their relationship developed over time as they become adults.

Thank you to Whitney D. Grandison, NetGalley, and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group for this digital ARC.

Playin’ Hard
Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
Pub Date: April 08 2025

I am a sucker for a young adult novel that represents black teenagers in a world that i can relate to. I enjoyed the authors descriptive take on friendships, parent-child relationships, and young love.

This books follows a high school group of friends who become close over about a year and a half time span. These relationships molded who they were and how they showed up for everyone around them. Both the FMC and the MMC had neglect wounds by their parents and bonded/supported each other through it all. I appreciated their growth, the difficult conversations, and their friendship so much.

Thank you NetGalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group for this digital ARC!

Rating: 4.5 ⭐️
Pub Date: April 8, 2025

Cree can’t stand the most popular group of boys at her high school, the Ballers Club. She thinks they’re too arrogant and full of themselves, and they just dog girls out. Their “leader”, DeAndre, becomes intrigued with Cree because she doesn’t fall all over herself to be near them like everyone else. He makes it his mission to win her over. However, in the process, he may fall for her.

This book was sooooooo stinkin’ CUTE! It’s a book about high schoolers, but it almost doesn’t feel like it at times. The setting is their school most times, but you almost don’t even focus on that at all after some time. DeAndre is, in fact, VERY arrogant. But I found myself rooting for him… a lot. Once you find out some of the things he’s dealing with in his personal life, it’s so easy to sympathize with him. I rooted for Cree from the very beginning. She’s so strong-willed and not afraid to stand up for herself — not even when it comes to the most popular boys in the whole school. Watching the friendship between her and DeAndre blossom was so heartwarming because they both deserved to have each other to lean on.

If you like cute, cozy, lighthearted books, this is a winner!

I’m not usually into YA but I ate this book up!!
Goodness, I loved it! Cree and DeAndre were some of the most touching teens I’ve ever read about. I loved that even if they were still teenagers theirs characters and stories actually had substance and depth. I could feel their emotions and understand their actions. They were pretty emotionally intelligent for kids and even though they weren’t making things easy between each other, they eventually found their way to each other cause it just made sense. I loved how beautifully they fell for each other. Until the very last minute, they had me holding my breath. And I loved every second of it.
What they were going through in their personal lives added a lot to the plot. The romance part was even better, their friendship, their emotional connection, their love was something I enjoyed a lot in this book.
I really am attached to this little group now and I definitely wouldn’t mind having some look up into their grownups lives sometime in the future.


The FMC, Cree, challenges this viewpoint in her words and actions. While this is a YA romance novel, the author doesn't hesitate to explore serious discussion worthy social issues. These range how black girls and women are portrayed in the music industry and what is defined as attractive in terms of skin tone, hair styles, body types and vocalness. The story's blurb references an adult black female author, Talia Hibbert, who has contributed tremendously to the latter topic. Would say that is a fair comparison.