Title: Playing By Her Rules
Author: Amy Andrews
Tagline: His game, her rules.
Series Name: Sydney Smoke Rugby Series #1
Blurb:
In this grudge match, the first to score…
When style columnist Matilda Kent accidentally lets slip that she was once involved with the captain of the Sydney Smoke rugby team, she suddenly finds herself elevated to the position she’s always wanted – feature writer. The catch? She’s stuck doing a six-part series on her ex. Still, there’s no way she can turn down a promotion…or the chance to dish the dirt on the guy who so callously broke her heart.
…could win it all!
Tanner Stone wants to be involved in a feature series about as much as he wants to snap an Achilles. But the thought of seeing Tilly again is a bonus—and has him more worked up than he wants to admit. Only he’s not prepared for how different she is – all cool and professional. His Tilly is still in there, though…and he still wants her, now more than ever. All he has to do is charm her into giving him a rematch. And this time, winner takes all!
THOUGHTS:
If you follow The Book Reading Gals at all you should know by now that Amy Andrews is an auto-buy author for me!! Her writing style includes lightening quick wit, steamy hotness and the touch of sweetness that I look for in my romance reads. She gives us a HEA and all of the books I have read from her should come with a fan to cool me off afterwards!! Playing by Her Rules was all this and MORE!
Matilda (LOVE this name BTW) is a strong and yet wounded woman who is holding on to a past heartbreak even more than she realized she was! Tanner made a wrong decision for all the right reasons and he is determined to make it right!! This combo made for a page-turner of a story!
I LOVE A SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE!! Get this book and spend a few hours in a world that Amy created and that I highly recommend with 5 big giant stars!!
Excerpt 1:
“You know what this poker game needs?”
Tanner Stone looked up from dealing the last card just as Ryder Davis said, “A better dealer?” throwing his hand down in disgust.
“Chicks,” Lincoln Quinn continued as he picked up his hand.
Dexter Blake laughed. “Linc,” he said, “if you had any more chicks, you could start your own egg farm. You need to slow down man or you’re going to wear that thing out.”
Linc grinned. “Better worn out then neglected, Dex.”
The good natured insult rolled off Dex’s shoulders. “It’s called discerning, dickhead. You ought to try it some time.”
Donovan Bane whistled. “Discerning. Look at you go with your big words, Dex.”
“Not all football players are young, dumb and full of cum,” Dex said.
“Just the ones called Linc,” Ryder chimed in and everyone, including Linc, laughed.
“What exactly do you think these chicks you’re always running off at the mouth about would do, Linc?” Bodie Webb asked as silence descended for a moment or two while everyone scrutinised their hands.
“I don’t know,” Linc shrugged. “Look good, smell good. Get our beers. Stroke our egos?”
Dex snorted. “Man, you are young dumb and full of cum.”
“As if your ego needs any more stroking,” Ryder added. “If it took form and shape right now in front of us, it’d be a giant hard on.”
Tanner laughed. He loved poker night. Cold beers, hot pizza, and talking smack. Nothing like relaxing with his fellow team members far away from the field and the scrutiny of coaches, team officials, the public and the bloody media. It was usually just the single guys that made it, but it was team building at its best and, as captain, Tanner took team solidarity seriously.
The Sydney Smoke were tight both on and off the field. It was what made them so damn formidable.
“Poker night’s dudes only,” he said, staring at three aces and two kings. “Now are we going to play or not?”
Excerpt 2:
She folded her arms and tapped her foot. She wasn’t in the mood for his jokes. He held his hands up in mock surrender, a slight smile playing on his lips. “I promise I won’t even try to—” his gaze dropped to her mouth “—kiss you.”
Matilda’s mouth tingled under his intense scrutiny, and all she could think about as the lift opened, inch by noisy inch, was Tanner kissing her.
She’d been kissed by other men. Some had been most excellent kisses even if none of them had worked out. But this was Tanner, her first love—the gold standard of kissing. And her body was melting down at the memories.
She escaped into the lift as soon as the gap was wide enough to allow it. “I’m not sure you’ll fit in here,” she said and really hoped it was true. “It’s possibly the world’s smallest lift.”
“I’ll manage.” He strode in undeterred, dominating the space instantly, sucking away all her air.
Matilda punched the floor ten more times than necessary, keeping her eyes trained to the front, hyperaware of Tanner, sprawled casually against the opposite wall, his hands-in-pockets stance exposing a splash of white shirt pulled taut across his abdomen. She crowded forward, closer to the control panel, desperately trying to keep as much distance between them as possible as his cologne swirled around her.
He smelled like orchids and…ouzo.
The door slowly ground shut, protesting all the way and Matilda willed it to—just this once and she’d never ask again—deliver her speedily to her floor. As was its custom, the lift stood still for long moments before finally grumbling to life.
She stared straight ahead as it slowly ascended, desperately trying to think about anything other than him kissing her. And failing. How could she not when she was excruciatingly conscious of him standing all big and solid and silent in her peripheral vision, staring at her, his gaze heavy on the patch of skin where her neck joined her shoulder as if that might be the place he’d like to start.
It was warm and getting warmer in the lift but still her nipples beaded as if they were standing in a fridge. And for all the room in here, they night as well have been.
She hated that her body had so easily gotten over his Judas kiss. That she was a slave to her hormones. Or maybe it was her memory?
The emergency telephone panel was right in front of her and she concentrated on that instead of his relentless gaze. She wondered if she picked it up and ordered some amnesia stat whether that would be considered misuse of public property?
“You could get up to a lot in a lift that moves this slow.”
His words rumbled out into the small space and Matilda swore she could feel each one of them glide over her skin. Her pulse fluttered madly as an image of them going for it against the wall—his trousers open, her skirt rucked up—filled her head. She spoke quickly, unthinkingly to dispel it.
“It’s faster going down.”
He chuckled, causing goose bumps everywhere. “Clearly it has its priorities all wrong.”
Author Bio:
Amy is an award-winning, best-selling Aussie author who has written fifty plus contemporary romances in both the traditional and digital markets and been translated into over a dozen languages including manga. She is a USA Today best-seller and has sold in excess of one million books featuring lots of sex and kissing. She likes to make her readers tingle, laugh and sigh.
She loves good books and great booze although she’ll take mediocre booze if there’s nothing else. At sixteen she met a guy she knew she was going to marry and she did. They’re still married and have two grown kids who never stay away long enough to be missed.
She lives on acreage on the outskirts of Brisbane with a gorgeous mountain view but secretly wishes it was the hillsides of Tuscany.
Author Links
Author Website: www.amyandrews.com.au
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