Release Reviews: The Play: Elle Kennedy
The Play
Elle Kennedy
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Release Date October 7, 2019
A brand-new standalone novel in the New York Times bestselling Briar U series!
What I learned after last year’s distractions cost my hockey team our entire season? No more screwing up. No more screwing, period. As the new team captain, I need a new philosophy: hockey and school now, women later. Which means that I, Hunter Davenport, am officially going celibate…no matter how hard that makes things.
But there’s nothing in the rulebook that says I can’t be friends with a woman. And I won’t lie—my new classmate Demi Davis is one cool chick. Her smart mouth is hot as hell, and so is the rest of her, but the fact that she’s got a boyfriend eliminates the temptation to touch her.
Except three months into our friendship, Demi is single and looking for a rebound.
And she’s making a play for me.
Avoiding her is impossible. We’re paired up on a yearlong school project, but I’m confident I can resist her. We’d never work, anyway. Our backgrounds are too different, our goals aren’t aligned, and her parents hate my guts.
Hunter Davenport is trying to leave his playboy past and bad choices with women behind and focus on nothing but school and hockey. Yes, he has gone celibate and is totally serious about it...but that does not stop all the girls from wanting him. But he is strong, determined and focused.
Demi Davis is his partner on a project and has become a new friend. And even though she is hot, funny, and smart, she has a boyfriend so that should make her safe. Until she doesn't and thinks Hunter might be just what she needs to rebound.
I liked Hunter and Demi's banter and friendship that was developed before anything more even became a possibility. And the changing dynamics and his attempts at resistance were noble. But Demi is one determined girl herself. And poor Hunter's willpower can only take so many hits. But they also both have personal issues that affect their views on relationships. And they are also both figuring out what they really want in their own futures and dealing with family expectations. And of course, there is some external drama surrounding them.
I liked Hunter and Demi's banter and friendship that was developed before anything more even became a possibility. And the changing dynamics and his attempts at resistance were noble. But Demi is one determined girl herself. And poor Hunter's willpower can only take so many hits. But they also both have personal issues that affect their views on relationships. And they are also both figuring out what they really want in their own futures and dealing with family expectations. And of course, there is some external drama surrounding them.
This is a fun and sexy friends-to-lovers romance with a bit of a forbidden element. I liked Hunter so much more in this book. He is really trying to be a better man and not fall into traps that could have consequences. And Demi is sassy, sweet, and in need of a man to shake her life up. They are surrounded by a lot of friends including some that we know from other books. I loved seeing more with previous couples and getting a glimpse into their futures.
Hunter Davenport is trying not to make the same mistake twice. Taking a year long vow of celibacy, Hunter’s focus is firmly on school and hockey. But his own decision doesn’t mean there isn’t temptation all around him. If anything, the women on campus have become more interested in him since he decided to take a break.
Demi Davis is his new partner for a class project. The close quarters aren’t a problem though because she has a boyfriend she is devoted to. So even though they have flirty banter and he is insanely attracted to her, they develop a platonic friendship. That friendship comes to mean more to each of them than they anticipated, and makes their work together for their class even better. But when Demi’s boyfriend is no longer in the picture, she turns her sights to Hunter thinking he is just what she needs for a rebound.
I loved watching these two build their friendship. They are a sounding board and a listening ear when the other needs it. The closeness they build grants a trust that Hunter hasn’t found with a woman in a long time and as a result, he finds himself blurring the lines between truth, fiction, and fear as they progress through their school project. And when Demi tries to bend their friendship into a friendship with benefits, Hunter has to consider why exactly he took his vow and what it means.
This was a fun, flirty friends to lovers with a lot of building sexual tension throughout. The previous couples from the Briar series add to the story, as do some of Demi’s friends that play a part. There were a few deeper moments but overall it was a light NA sports romance. They had a few outside elements to contend with at various points in their relationship, but watching them build from friends to friends who were attracted to each other to more was a fun progression.
Demi Davis is his new partner for a class project. The close quarters aren’t a problem though because she has a boyfriend she is devoted to. So even though they have flirty banter and he is insanely attracted to her, they develop a platonic friendship. That friendship comes to mean more to each of them than they anticipated, and makes their work together for their class even better. But when Demi’s boyfriend is no longer in the picture, she turns her sights to Hunter thinking he is just what she needs for a rebound.
I loved watching these two build their friendship. They are a sounding board and a listening ear when the other needs it. The closeness they build grants a trust that Hunter hasn’t found with a woman in a long time and as a result, he finds himself blurring the lines between truth, fiction, and fear as they progress through their school project. And when Demi tries to bend their friendship into a friendship with benefits, Hunter has to consider why exactly he took his vow and what it means.
This was a fun, flirty friends to lovers with a lot of building sexual tension throughout. The previous couples from the Briar series add to the story, as do some of Demi’s friends that play a part. There were a few deeper moments but overall it was a light NA sports romance. They had a few outside elements to contend with at various points in their relationship, but watching them build from friends to friends who were attracted to each other to more was a fun progression.
The Chase
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A USA Today bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.
Elle writes romantic suspense and erotic contemporary romance for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!
graphics from author's Facebook page
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