Playing It Cool (Sydney Smoke Rugby, #2)

by Amy Andrews

[stacey_is_sassy]

They were COOL…then they were SMOKING

Group huddle…Ok peeps, it’s come to my attention that we (the reader) are not really appreciating book covers enough. I just read an article and they were talking to the models of Romance covers. Maybe it’s just me (probably), but book covers aren’t necessarily the be all and end all when it comes to picking a book. I’m more of “the whole package” kind of shopper. The author, blurb, hype and the cover are the things that must all come together to grab my attention. Silly me, I need to stop that craziness. Turns out that those poor cover models that I may or may not ogle (a wee bit), are starving and dehydrating themselves, for our pleasure. Have you once stopped to think that those poor buggers need to make those ripply bits in their tummies stand out? Those veins you may or may not have noticed, need to be coaxed to pop…did you know that? I’m glad that I have brought this all to your attention. Please, take note of the covers. Study those ripples. Check for those veins. Admire the muscles. Someone went hungry…went thirsty…to bring us HOT COVERS.

I really like these Sydney Smoke Rugby blokes. These stories are little packages of goodness that tick all the right boxes for me. A not so perfect heroine meets a not so perfect hero…and they find that their not so perfectness makes them completely perfect for each other. She has a rack and butt that can’t be missed. He has a bump on his nose and had his face pummelled a few too many times. He loves the rack and butt and thinks she’s curvalicious. She thinks his size and muscles are sexy and the bumps give him character. BUT…the best part, they like each other's insides as much as the outsides.

Harper’s brother is a wanker (please excuse my vulgar language). Chuckers (Harper’s brother) is a pretty boy sports reporter who takes great delight in finding fault in Harper, especially her body. He and his mother talk down to her and make her feel fat and ugly. Harper is a sweetheart and tries to ignore their comments. She only spends time with them because of her 11-year-old twin half brother and sister who she looks after regularly. One day, she takes the twins to watch a rugby game that Chuck is covering. Chuck being the horrible person he is, makes derogatory comments in front of the players. Silly Chuckers had no idea he was insulting Dex’s ideal woman.

Dex is completely focused on rugby. It’s his life and he knows that he probably only has a few good years left of playing at this level. He doesn’t want the distraction of a woman in his life and avoids them as much as possible. When Dex hears the idiot reporter insulting the woman he’s been ogling for the last half hour, he can’t help but react. He thinks a few dates here, a few dates there, won’t distract him too much. And then he touched her…

Seriously, Playing It Cool was great. There are plenty of steamy scenes to see the connection that develops between Harper and Dex. We get the awesome realisation that one man’s chubby chick is another man’s Goddess with curves. It’s not all plain sailing for the couple as they realise that they are starting to have deeper feelings for each other. Dex makes some monumental stuff ups and at first, you want to kick him, but then you realise he’s struggling. His plans are being derailed. Feelings are messing with his dedication to rugby. Dex needs to look at things a little deeper to work out where his priorities lie. Luckily, he has some great mates who help him see the light.

I really, really love this series and I can’t get enough of the guys from the Sydney Smoke Rugby team. I will be waiting with bated breath for the next in the series. I’m kind of hoping it will be Linc, but I think I can trust that Amy Andrews won’t disappoint whoever she gives us.

To buy Playing It Cool from Amazon - http://amzn.to/2cMC95M



I’m an Aussie chick who loves to read and review romance, drink coffee, be a Style Setter and stalk David Gandy. To see more of my reviews, fashion, food and pervathons -