This had the makings of a good romance. I like the setup of an aspiring actress and her director, and there were elements of both characters' backstory that were enormously appealing for me. but the writing was SO BAD. No one talks like any of these characters. 20-somethings do not repeatedly refer to Broadway as "the great white way" or share that they are captivated by "the very scent" of their partner. It is all florid and silly and reads like the script for a 3rd rate 1930's flick about a plucky ingenue. Also the lead had the WORST taste in music. It was like they grabbed the canned music from a hospital where people need to be kept very calm. ( )

Lauren Blakely has given us another incredible love story. Jill is the up and coming actress auditioning for her first Broadway show. Davis is the star director who sees her...REALLY sees her. Separately they are two lost souls. Together they are simply combustible. If you like your romance steamy this one is for you. I highly recommend it.d ( )

Playing With Her Heart was an absolutely lovely read! It was heartwarming with a small twist of angst. I love the storyline and that we get a little hint of Chris (Jill's brother). Blakely is a wonderful writer, every book of hers that I've read, I've gotten lost in. Though this was a bit slower at the beginning, once you do, then WOW! It's funny, sexy, and gives you a happy ending ;)

Davis~ StudMuffin! He is ultra Alpha, without being controlling. He gets what he wants without being a jerk! He's sensual with a "holy-heck-dirty-talking-mouth!" He's caring, and while being a bit broken from his past, he doesn't let that hinder his future. I loved every bit of him, because that's what he gives us in the book!

(Davis, if you're ever in Indy...)



I liked Jill's character too. She was kind of a contradiction, but for a good reason. She seems strong, but is hiding an inner weakness. This would usually annoy me, but once I found out why, I wanted to give her a big hug. I can't personally relate to her plight, but could definitely understand it.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. It's everything you could want with a romance! It will make you smile, laugh, and maybe cry but when you reach 100% you'll regret nothing!



( )

Playing with Her Heart is a hard one to review for me. It kept me off center the whole time, and not many books can do that. I usually have at least some idea of where a book is going, but not with this one. This is the first book I have read from Lauren Blakely, I know it is 3rd in a series but everyone was raving about it and they are technically standalones so I decided to dive in. I was surprisingly captivated by it. I find it hard to find a book/series where I have not read the plot line before. Playing with Her Heart was a new experience for me, I’m not used to a fun-loving contemporary having such strong emotions between the characters. We usually get all the angst and emotion, or all of the light-hearted love and humor. It's refreshing to read a book that has a perfect mix of both.

"You can play her, and you will play her. Hell you are her. I can feel her pain in you. Her secrets. Her sadness. How wounded she it. Most of all, I can feel her hope."
~Davis

We start off with Jill who is just beginning her career on Broadway. I liked her character, she has a nice head on her shoulders, and does not have that starry-eyed quality that one might see in a newbie. Then we have the veteran Director Davis Milo. Davis is the perfect fit for a brooding director, and he has got quite a dirty mouth! From the minute Davis sees Jill he is attracted to her, he can’t get her out of his mind and has to have her as is leading lady. Circumstances and the real world come into play and Davis does not get his way. Jill still ends up in the play and their late night practice sessions begin to heat up. Surprisingly enough it was not all sex right out of the gate, the author actually makes you wait for it, but there is plenty of heat throughout these pages. The story seems to be more concentrated on their actual relationship than their physical attraction. It was interesting to see the characters build their relationship and deal with the obstacles upfront instead of waiting for a blow up moment at the end.

"He's fucking me with his words, and I am turned on beyond belief."
~Jill

I really adored the interactions between Davis and Jill, and I could not wait to see where their story was going to lead. I think part of it was a bit predictable but it did not keep me from devouring this book in a day. It wasn't predictable in a boring way, Ms. Blakely kept my attention the entire time. I really could not put it down! I will definitely be reading the preceding books in the series and any future books by Lauren.

Happy Reading! ( )

A little sweet, A little angsty. And a whole lot of dirty talk.

If you like those, then you'll like this book.

The main characters are both likeable. The story moves at a nice pace wothout seeming to lag or push forward too fast.

Easy read. ( )