4.5 Stars
Another winner by Jill Shalvis. I truly do love her Heartbreaker Bay series. Caleb and Sadie instantly grabbed me. I mean this book opens with rescuing a dog and right there they have won me over. What Caleb does for Sadie solidifies him as top book boyfriend material. It's truly beautiful in the way he sees the real Sadie and accepts her just as she is. That's going to be tough for Sadie to swallow because she's never had someone like Caleb in her corner. I love the scenes of them being doggy parents. Such sweet, playful, and funny moments. This book has the touch of humor that I love and look forward to in a Shalvis book. It's one you want to keep reading, but yet sad to see end. I honestly read this in a bout a day because it was so hard to put down. I definitely have a book hangover because of it. It's one you shouldn't pass up!

Jill Shalvis is a go-to for me. I can always count on her to be smart and sexy and fun. This book is no exception. Loved it. I think the one thing that kept me from going five stars isn’t a criticism of her or her writing but more that her characters are becoming more and more damaged. I struggled alongside Sadie, whose issues go beyond your typical low self-esteem or “damaged by past relationships.” One of the things I love about Jill’s books is the relatability. We are all that idiot sometimes. Sadie was a step farther. With that being said, I love Ms. Shalvis’s quirky characters and still enjoyed the story.

Ohhh that dog!! I mean, I loved the idea of this book and where it was going after just a few pages! But that sweet dog hooked me in right away! Don't get me wrong, Sadie and Caleb were a great couple and I loved their chemistry, even though they fought out very hard, but Lollipop kinda stole the show for me.

The heroine was a little more tortured than usual but still a satisfying read.

Please bear with me, this is my first review after months of break from reviewing/blogging so it might be all over the place and what the reviews used to be. 

It has been some times since I read a Jill shalvis book (in actuality probably just months but it felts like ages)…One thing is that I really adore Jill shalvis’s writing and her characters and this is coming from someone who isn’t a fan of contemporary romance ( I have loads in the past few years more than my preferred genre but its still just not of my favourites) so its says a lot about her that even from the start I have loved her writing. 

This is the story of Caleb and Sadie, we met a few books a go, we have seen their friendship with other characters and I really wanted to see what Jill Shalvis had in store for them and us. 

Sadie and Caleb have been aware of each other for some time now. Sadie is a tattoo and make up artist, she seems to be very tough and standoffish to people. Caleb on the other hand is the genius multimillionaire that may seem like that he has never had a bad day in his life which couldn’t be further from the truth. 

A dog named lollipop brings Caleb and Sadie together, both are immediately taken with Lollipop and end up being doggy parents and sharing Lollipop. I really adored them with lollipop, also often dogs/children are used a plot point and then just sort of exist in the background….I liked that it wasn’t the care here. I loved their interactions with Lollipop, they were just so sweet and in love with this three legged dog. 

We find out about both their childhoods, we see why they are so guarded and private and though they may seem like they couldn’t be more opposite to each other…they do share similarities as well. It was lovely seeing their journey from the misconceptions they had of each other (mostly Sadie) and see each other for the person the other actual was. 

Onto romance, I loved them to together, it took some time and patience and we get to see them open to each other. Get each other to open up and let the other person love them. I adored them together, minor quibbles aside (one of them being Sadie’s mother who I wanted to gbh to) I really enjoyed the characters, the book and their love and eventual HEA. This book is different from other books in the series, its deeper and deals with more complicated issues (as well as individuals), it does have humour and little light hearted moments from making it too serious which just adds more to their relationship and the book.

It was also really nice seeing the other couples from the series!

ARC was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Love, love, love! Another fav from Jill Shalvis. I can always count on her for an awesome read. From the outside Sadie and Caleb are complete opposites. Caleb is straight laced, wears a suit and has his act together. Sadie is an aspiring tattoo artist and struggle to look "normal" to the outside world. They have know who the other is for months, but are nothing but sarcastic to each other. When a thunderstorm and a stray pup bring them together they realize they aren't as opposite as they thought. Both of them have had to overcome a difficult childhood and they each have demons of their own. Caleb doesn't do emotions and Sadie doesn't ever want to let another man into her life. Can one stray dog help to break down the armor that each of them uses to protect themselves from getting hurt? Sometimes love finds you when you least expect it. Great read!

As I continue to discover the joy that is reading one of Jill Shalvis's romances, I realize more and more just how well she can give readers the perfect mix of small town romance in a big city with enough of sexual tension to have us reaching for a fan. I loved Playing for Keeps. I mean, really... It's got everything. A sexy hero that'll risk his own health to rescue a stray dog. He strives to pay back a debt he feels he owes to his family. He's in love with a woman that has always put him at arm's length. Now that he see's his chance to finally be with her he's all in. Then we have a heroine who is tenacious, intelligent, and so very stubborn. She's been burned in the past so she's obviously nervous to start a relationship. Now that he's shown her a world of possibilities, her heart doesn't stand a chance. And if that wasn't enough, we get an adorable little dog that steals the hearts of everyone.

I loved the hell out of Playing for Keeps. It's a fun romance between two characters that I fell in love with the moment I met them and a dog that I would love to adopt. From Jill's writing to the characters, I was hooked and couldn't put the book down.

I did contemplate about giving a 3 star rating, but I didn't want to take away my enjoyment for the book despite Sadie. I get that Sadie had 'issues' and for a long while, I really disliked the character. However, she seemed to 'mature' later in the book, so my dislike turned to 'not really care for'. I LOVED Caleb! Overall, still a great story!

Coffee dates with Playing for Keeps

• First Date: Sadie Lane is a starving tattoo artist with a chip on her shoulder and purple dye in her hair. She has seen Caleb Parker around the courtyard and has admired his psyche but the man she has dubbed "suits" is not her type. Yes, she finds him yummy, but she has tested the type and knows oil and water don't mix. When he strolls past her shop one rainy evening bending over something near the alley curiosity gets the better of her. What they find is a soaking wet ball of fur. Caleb decides he will care for mutt, but so does Sadie. This changes the game and I strapped in for one heck of a ride!


• Second Date: Shalvis has this way of bringing her characters to life, flaws, scars and swoon worthy qualities. She makes me care about them. From the way both react to the furball, to their interactions with secondary characters I felt as if I knew them. It wasn't long before I became their cheerleader. The romance from that first kiss to awkward moments sizzled and felt genuine.


• Third Date: The big obstacles in this romance came from trust and character growth. Trouble in the form of family and the characters' own reactions caused issues. We saw and felt genuine growth as the storyline moved towards an HEA. I laughed, sighed and cheered my way through this final date.

This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

4.5 Opposites Attract Stars!!

“The seduction of being with a woman who didn’t want anything from his was too much to resist….”

“You’re different too. Different good, by the way. You’re a puzzle, one I can’t seem to solve. That doesn’t happen often.”

“He took Lollipop to a pet park. He held her hand whenever she got scared. Damn. The man was dangerous to her heart and soul.”

“I love you, okay? I never meant to, but I kept feeling all the little broken pieces of my heart give themselves to you. It’s terrifying, Caleb.” she said to his smile. “I’ve never really given my pieces away before, at least not to someone who could protect them and take care of them.” He kissed her gently. “I’ve got you, Sadie, I promise you. Give me all your pieces, I can take everything you’ve got.”

Playing for Keeps is the 7th book in the Heartbreaker Bay Series, but can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone novel. Playing for Keeps is the kind of story that hooks you from the very beginning and will keep your eyes glued to the pages right until the very end.

From the moment we meet Sadie, I just knew she was going to be a special character. She was rough and tough on the outside, but had a wonderful vulnerability about her. Her life has been complicated and she never really fit in. And when it came to men, her walls were sky high and she wouldn’t dream of letting anyone get close. That is until Caleb came into her life. You see, Caleb is her exact opposite in every possible way. On the outside, it seems like he’s got everything he could possibly want. That the world is his oyster. But there is so much more to Caleb than meets the eye. When you get to know him, you see a sweet and vulnerable man. A man that has worked hard for everything that he has. A man who was bullied and had to learn to protect himself. A man who doesn’t do relationships, yet is searching for love just like everyone else. So, while Caleb & Sadie might be total opposites, it just takes one night to turn their worlds upside down….

Playing for Keeps was a really enjoyable read for me. It was sweet with just the right amount of drama and sexiness. The characters were wonderful and easy to connect with. I loved Caleb & Sadie together. Not only did they have terrific chemistry, but I just loved the banter between the two of them. Between the vulnerability the two had and Sadie’s sassyness, you just never knew what was going to happen next. They both judged one another and that they had each other pegged, but they couldn’t have been more wrong. They say opposites attract and well, these two were a temptation neither one of them ever saw coming.

I have to say, I really adored Caleb. Not only was he smart, but he was so dedicated. He knew what he wanted and wasn’t afraid to go after it. So, while Sadie challenged him at every possible turn, he wasn’t going to give up. He worked hard to build her trust and break down those walls. Sure, he wasn’t perfect and he made some mistakes along the way. But, believe me when I tell you, Caleb is the kind of guy that you want in your corner. The kind of guy that was patient and understanding. They kind of guy that would give his all to the right woman. And Sadie….Yes, there were plenty of moments where Sadie just drove me nuts. But, she’s not perfect. All her life she just wanted to be normal and like the other members of her family. But, Sadie wasn’t destined to be normal. She was destined to be special, unique and totally her own person. She just needed to find the right man who could love her just the way that she was.

Overall, I found this book to be a really enjoyable read. It was sweet and sexy and totally pulled at your heart. The road to happily ever after wasn’t an easy one for our characters, but it was certainly worth each and every moment. I loved the ups and downs and obstacles along the way. I loved the will they/won’t they moments. I enjoyed watching Sadie & Caleb fight for what they want and seeing their walls come tumbling down. Ugh! I just couldn’t get enough of these two. I laughed. I swooned. I begged for more. This book was everything that I was looking for and had one very satisfying ending. I can’t wait to see who’s story I get to fall in love with next!

*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, via the author, in exchange for an honest review*