As the author warns in her goodreads book summary, if you can NOT let loose and lose yourself in an erotic novel, this book is NOT for you. Walk away now.
This book actually made me nervous in the beginning, and I've met many a possessive and dominant alpha male before. I'm quite familiar with them, actually. David Taylor was something new, and I was wary of how to approach him.
Playing For Keeps by J.C. Grant is almost exactly what she describes in the title. Austin and David cross paths in a local grocery store, and the attraction is mutual, instant, and off-the-charts on fire. The rest of their story zooms by.. Literally.
It's hard to get on board with a regular relationship in our everyday lives. We live in such a crazy and fast-paced world that when it comes to finding THE ONE and being with them for life, no questions or nerves required, a million red flags spring up. Our attention is forever being distracted by the next best thing in every aspect of our daily living, so to pick just one of anything (including a life partner), becomes terrifying. Now, take all those feelings and throw all of that into the fast lane. Express check out. How do you know you've found your person in less than a week's time? Unrealistic, right?
Power to David Taylor. He sees what he wants, knows that he wants it, and makes it his. For him, that's the girl in the check out line at the market.... Austin. His actions cross the line, but when we delve deeper into the story, we understand why he is the way he is (Isn't that the way it always is in these things?). His quirks and paranoias then become somewhat endearing and we can't help but feel sympathy for the guy. Or, at the very least, want to give him a big, old, hug.
Austin and David definitely aren't without their issues, but they learn to control their triggers and help each other together. Yes, this includes sex, and an absolute ridiculous amount of it, but some couples just communicate that way... And communicate, they do. Sometimes, we just don't need words, but rather, to express our emotions by how we connect in a physical way to the person who is supposed to mean the world to us. That's what this couple seems to execute flawlessly... no matter how savage and raw they go about it sometimes.
Select people will view this as porn when it comes to romance and sex in books for whatever reason. That's nonsense (sorry, not sorry). We all enjoy a steamy romance movie or sexy television show, and they all include those scenes. A book just means that the words need to be written and in your face in order for those scenes to play out properly and set the mood. The scenes are in there, so be warned if that's not your thing, and a genre of literature you want absolutely no part of enjoying.
In conversations with the author via Instagram, I know she didn't write this to be a cliffhanger, but I felt like there was one anyway, for me at least. Whoops. Yes, I'm a sucker for spontaneity, (I totally envy David and Austin's insta-sparks/love-at-first-sight) but I'm also obsessed with the next chapter in the couple's story. Give me a Taylor wedding followed by a litter of Taylor babies... I'd LOVE to see OTT alpha David as a dad with a little nugget of a wriggling baby wrapped in his hulking arms. I can only hope.
My Final Rating: four out of five stars
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