Playing It Cool is the second book in the Sydney Smoke Rugby by Amy Andrews. Playing It Cool is about Dexter and Harper. I loved their story. It was sweet, sexy, full of feels and very well written.

What happens when a rugby player and an artist go out? The night is colorful, sexy, hot and full of tender moments. The tough guy has a soft heart and while Harper has self-confidence issues they decide to have an arrangement that might help them both out.

Dexter Blake has a thing for curvy girls, especially Harper Nugent who things the only reason Dexter asked her out was the result of a dare.

As soon as Dexter realizes that Harper is worth the committment and casual is over-rated, the one thing he needs is Harper. When he's at the end of his rope, and avoiding her isn't making things better, will he find a way to prove to her that he's worthy?

Absolutely H-O-T. If you love sports romance, don't miss this rugby adventure.

I received an advance copy for fair and honest review.

This book was HOT! HOT! HOT! Literally off the charts, e-readers smoking kind of hot! The chemistry between Dexter and Harper was not only sizzling, it was also emotional, and their connection with each other was so profound that I had a hard time letting go of them, even after the book ended!

Dexter Blake is a football player, who has only recently gotten the recognition that he deserves, with just a few playing years left in him. So he has decided that anything that is a distraction isn’t permitted in his life. Until, he sees the one woman who seems to be the epitome of the kind of woman he loves getting his hands on!

Harper Nugent is a painter/artist by profession; even though her family doesn’t exactly consider it to be the best profession for her. She is also a curvy woman; not exactly the kind of woman who would be poster child for beauty really! So when she encounters Dexter, trying to play the Knight in front of her asshole Step-Brother; she assumes that he is asking her out either for laughs or as a pity date – neither of it she is actually happy about!

But when their first date, turns into two and then into three with an explosive chemistry; both of them have quite a lot to actually ponder upon!

This was honestly quite a beautiful read, really! I adored the connection between Dex and Harper; their reluctance to actually fall for each other, but their emotions are honestly the best part of this book. It is so heart-warming to see their connection, their inability to fight the pull they both have with each other and their character growth!

Do they both make mistakes? Yes, they do. But then again, they are both human(ish) and it is obviously to be expected, for how will they ever learn! And honestly, I enjoyed every bit of the journey they both had to get to their HEA!

My only issue was that I did wish they had a little bit more communication at the end – for the ending somehow seemed abrupt when it came, for me at least!

First book by Amy Andrews and I am a FAN FOR LIFE – so now I am gonna go stalk all her other books ;)

Dexter is immediately taken in by the curvy woman, Harper, on the side lines. Harper doesn’t take him seriously when he first approaches her for a date. She can’t believe that the sexy rugby player wants to take her out on a date. However, the two really hit it off from their first date and find that they enjoy hanging out together. I thought this was a fun contemporary romance. I just wish there was more development on the emotional side of the romantic plot. This is definitely up there on the steam factor though so if you like smexy romances with a sports theme than you should give this one a try.

I’m really enjoying author Amy Andrews Sydney Smoke series and am learning a bit about Rugby as I read it. Playing It Cool is the second book of this series and I enjoyed quite a bit more than the first book because I actually liked both the characters right from the start. Smart and sexy this book was fun from beginning to end despite a few bumps in the road.

Politically correct would not be what anyone would call Dexter Blake especially when he admits he loves a woman with “some junk in her trunk,” but it was hard not to really like Dex because he admired women of all shapes and sizes. I loved that despite that the media likes to portray him as a big ladies man, he was far from that. Dexter is committed to only one thing and that is his “footy” career because he knows that it will be over soon enough and then he’ll have time for a wife and family.

Harper Nugent loves her work as a muralist and artist and she adores helping out with her 11 year old half-siblings even though she doesn’t much care for their mother or her step-brother. While she dates, there hasn’t been anyone special in awhile and she knows her size doesn’t appeal to a lot of men, so she is skeptical when Dexter asks her out especially when she sees his teammate giving him two thumbs up.
While Dexter and Harper agree to see each other platonically mainly to get back at her step-mother and brother for their ugly and rude comments about Harper they soon find they can’t keep their hands off one another. The move to a physical relationship pretty quickly and both enjoy each other fully and completely. Dexter was really great at letting Harper know just how much he enjoyed every inch of her body and in turn I think that made her more confident and sexy. Harper enjoyed Dexter’s company and gave him a safe place to just be himself, not the Rugby star. They had so much in common and I really appreciated how much Dex enjoyed being around her half-siblings and seemed to enjoy rubbing his friendship with Harper in her step-mother’s face.

They had some rough patches especially when feelings came into play that neither one of them expected or knew how to deal with, but I did love that they took responsibility for their actions and worked to move forward.

Low on angst, high on sexiness, laughter and love, Playing it Cool was a fabulous and fun story and one I know I’ll read again.

Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

YES! We love a heroine who knows her worth, regardless of her size and we love a hero who loves her the way she is. While I could have used a little more comeuppance in the form of her family, this was such a great read. Harper and Dexter are hotter than Hades and really sweet to boot. Dex has some issues regarding the fact that he doesn't think he can be in a relationship until after his rugby career is over, but Harper slides right under those defenses.

Another quick read in this Sydney Smoke Rugby series and it's just great. I was completely emotionally invested in both characters and was rooting for them (even when they were being obtuse). I'm looking forward to watch Linc fall.

3.5

I had a little bit trouble getting back into the story and its writing style. I also had some troubles getting back into the setting of the Sydney Smoke Rugy team as it has been a while since I have read the first book.

I really liked the charakters though and Harper and Dex had a great chemistry. I enjoyed them getting to know each other and fighting over games and food. They seemed like very natural and relaxed charakters. The sexual chemistry was also pretty hot and they were working really well together.

The drama to the end was kind of typical and annoyed me a little bit. I also missed a little bit more of the rugby setting and the rest of the team. Overall the story was very enjoyable and a very quick read.

3.5 stars

Fun, flirty, sweet and sexy sports romance with an Aussie twist that has a great mix of heart, humor and heat.

Playing It Cool is my first read by Amy Andrews (so it can totally be read as a stand-alone) but I’ll definitely be checking out the first in the Sydney Smoke Rugby series and her other books too.

I just really enjoyed this book. It was just really easy to get lost in this book. I just couldn’t get enough of it and didn’t want it to end. I will definitely be reading more by this author.

It’s super sexy with heart and heat in full measure. I really enjoyed it and devoured every word in one sitting. I highly recommend it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Quick review

The synopsis is the thing that pulled me in and the main reason why I agreed to review this book. It’s been a while since I read it so to be honest, I don’t remember much other than I had so much fun reading this book! It was fun, flirty and full of laugh-out-loud dialogue.



Harper was just as bad*** as the synopsis shows her to be and Dexter Black? #Swoon haha.



I've gotta say, for me, parts of it were really fast and the characters (at times) changed their minds really quickly which wouldn’t be too bad had the characters thought processes during those scenes (behind such a quick change) been explained clearly.



Overall though, it was a quick, fun read, perfect for summer or on the beach and I loved delving in to the Rugby players’ lives. I was surprised to see that there are quite a few books already in the series (I’ve even added another one to my reading list!). I’d never read any books by Amy before Playing It Cool but I’ll definitely be loooking out for any future releases by this author.

I received an e-arc of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I had honestly thought reading this book would be a chore but in a pleasant surprise, I really enjoyed it. The dialogue, while sometimes being a little immature and slightly unrealistic sounding, was actually very entertaining. I love the banter between the characters and the attraction between them. One thing that bugged me was how the heroine always needed reassurance, it's obvious that she was someone the hero found attractive and it kind if grated that she had to constantly keep bringing up her doubts. Other than that, this was a fun summer read and I recommend it if you like heros who have self actualization and heroines who learn to like themselves first.

Playing it Cool by Amy Andrews
Sydney Smoke #2

Dexter Blake has a plan that does not include a significant other...well...not for at least five more years. When he hears someone putting down a woman he considers beautiful his hackles rise, he steps in and ends up asking Harper Nugent for a date. What starts out as a “good time” to put her verbally abusive stepbrother and stepmother in their place ends up being a whole lot more. Dexter has a great deal of trouble realizing that Harper is “more” when his long term goals have been fixed so rigidly in his mind.

This was a fun easy-to-read sport romance with two people that were meant for one another. I would like to thank NetGalley and Entangled-Brazen for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

The story of Harper and Dexter.

They first get together fake dating. Dexter doesn't want to be dating as he just wants to concentrate on playing rugby, but as they spend more time together they can't help falling for each other and soon there is nothing fake about their dating.

Looking forward to reading more books from this author.

I really like Amy Andrews writing. I’ve read some books from this series and planning to read more in the future.

I always prefer a curvy girl for the female lead; I can relate with her more. Harper is being body shamed by her stepbrother when Dexter comes to her rescue. Dex may not has time for anything but rugby, but he can’t resist asking her out when he heard him call her fat.

Their first date is sexy as hell and he wants more time with her. Their encounters are charged with sexual tension and neither of them can resist. However, all he can offer her is casual sex and a buddy. It was really interesting to see their relationship evolve. I was sad with how Dex treated her at times. Her stepmom and stepbrother were plainly cruel to her and that really pissed me off.

The ending was beautiful and I’m looking forward to reading more from the author!!

Look at me breaking out of my comfort zone with hockey romances...just to read different sports romances! LOL. I actually really like Rugby, and I used to go to the Rugby 7s in Chester, PA every summer mostly because I had mutual friends that played for Kutztown University (who are really good!!!) but I still do not understand the rules of this game. I tried, I really did. So anyway, I was interested in reading this sports novel because it was a little different from what I normally read. It is also set in Australia by an Aussie writer, so there were definitely some lexicon stuff that I had to look up, but the author does provide a glossary in the back that I thought was really helpful.

This is actually the second book in the series, but like other sports romance books you don't have to really read the first book. I might go back and read it later, but I felt like to read Dex and Harper's story you really don't need it. One thing I really liked about this novel is that I think it's one of the first romance novels I read since I started reading sports romance that has a character who is not described as being thin. Although I am a little confused about Harper, because Dex describes her as having a small waist, but has a lot of curves, but Harper describes herself as a fat chick. I think this is maybe just that to him her body type is one that Dex sees and thinks she is a goddess. Do guys like that exist? Not sure! But I like to hope so!

Harper has a lot of issues with her weight, and I can understand that a lot. Being an in-betweener, not really someone you would call thin, but not someone you would call fat, weight has always been a conflict in my life. So I so could relate to Harper's insecurities about if this super attractive man was really into her or not. A lot of this does go away once the book starts to get to the steamy parts, because Dex was totally into it. Like one hundred percent.

I liked Dex, but I do think he was really frustrating to read about. He is so focused on his career and he is afraid that a distraction from a woman is going to make his career tank. We find out he grew up really poor in Council Housing and he has these fears that he's going to go back to that, so I get it, but he was also just really dumb about it. He has to take a lot of handholding to figure out his feelings, but I did love his friendship with Tanner at this part. Tanner basically tell him, "Hmm...why do you feel this way? I wonder why?" He's a bit slow to it, but this book does have a HEA so you know it's going to be a good time!

Like a lot of sports romances I read, there are some serious sexy times in this one. Definitely on the higher heat settings, so if that is not your thing in romances, you might want to pass on this one.

Happy Reads Everyone!

*I received an eARC copy of this book via Netgalley and the publisher Entangled publishing. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Really entertaining story! The author delivers again with the second book in her Sydney Smoke Rugby series. Dex and Harper have a chemistry that can be felt radiating off the kindle. I give this 4 stars .

A hot sports love story between rugby player Dex and curvy Harper. Dex has just one thing on his mind and that is rugby but it all changes when he meets Harper. And although he doesn't have time for relationship bit by bit Harper becomes an important part of his daily routine. But unknown feelings and fear ruin everything. The story is funny and with a lot of hot sexy time. Harper and Dex are both great persons with not so fun, happy past. The story is great trough the whole book just the speech at the end is a little a bit of predictable.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for Netgelly

Harper and Dex are the unlikely pair. She's an amazing artist who captures everything with a paintbrush and he plays rugby. When he catches a glimpse of her, he pretty much knows he's done for. However every time he fights his attraction to her, you just want to slap him upside his head. Lots of ups and downs in this book, mainly for Harper because she knows what she wants when Dex only thinks he does. The writing runs smoothly and makes this a easy read for you to fall in love with the characters.

I don't like give negative comments so to that end, I will say I didn't enjoy the book as much as I thought I would. It did not hold my interest and I thought the plot was really non-spectacular. All in all, the depth that I wanted was not there.