Playing Dirty: Leighton U, Book 4

Oh, my goodness, this book was well worth the wait! Theo is struggling to come to terms with the fact his dad not only married his affair partner but also made his biggest rival his new stepbrother. Madden is infuriatingly composed and seems to buy into the new family dynamic without hesitation, which just makes Theo hate him more. And on top of that, the mandatory "family" vacation leaves Theo and Madden having to make nice. With Madden somehow landing in his pocket every time he turns around, Theo is over the whole situation. Except there is a draw towards Madden that he's having an even bigger time resisting, one that leads to a scorching kiss he can't get out of his head. With baseball season coming up, Theo knows it's stupid to get involved with a rival, but spending time with Madden seems to bring out the best in Theo, and he can't deny that Madden is everything he has always wanted. But with his friends breathing down his neck, Theo has to decide what he wants more, to win the school rivalry game and appease his friends, or Madden and everything good that he sees in Theo. As a wise person once said, when it's forever on the line, you have to break all the rules. And as far as Theo is concerned, when it comes to Madden, there's not a single rule he wouldn't break to keep him. I can't believe how much I loved this book. (I mean, I can, because all of CE Ricci's books are amazing). But it came so close to pushing Caught Stealing out of the top spot. I loved Madden so…

Two rivals. Two stepbrothers. Two team pennants. And one good read. Both MCs are awesome. We’ve met Theo since Book 1 and we met Madden in Book 3 when he was on a date with Kason. It’s a good thing Hayes interrupted Kason’s date with Madden or Theo might have had a different significant other for his book. It’s angsty and visceral, raw even. Especially near the end. They do get their HEA by the end of the book. There isn’t an audiobook for this one yet, but if they ever get around to it, I would hope that it is as excellent as the audiobooks for Books 1, 2, & 3. The author has a tendency to misuse the phrase “and I” instead of the correct “and me” as well as misusing the word “redress” when referring to dressing, as in putting on clothes. We dress. We don’t redress.

I devoured Playing Dirty the perfect book—true enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, forced family, stepbrothers, and hella spicy. I was drawn to Madden and Theo's chemistry from the first page. Their tension, banter, and rivalry—both on and off the field—stand out and are very well written. Theo, Madden, and their teams’ rivalry, including the Penny Play, adds tension as they try to catch each other's school flag. A family trip shifts their relationship, especially for Theo, who realizes: “Denial is not just a river in Egypt” The book kept me engaged through emotional and humorous scenes, especially Madden and Theo's playful, supportive, sexy dynamic. Highly recommend for those wanting a sweet, emotional, and sexy story of love and HEA. I’m about to hit the next book fast.