4 Stars from me.

This is book three in the series Hard Play.

Another hit from the pen of Nalini Singh.

Jacob is at the height of his rugby playing career. He has everything – a loving and supportive family, a chance to play for the New Zealand national team, and the cutest little girl in the world. On the day of his brother’s wedding, he runs into Juliet, who was his High School sweetheart’s best friend, and a constant thorn in his side. The only thing the two of them had in common was Callie. But Callie had died shortly after giving birth to Esmé, Jacob’s daughter, leaving a teenaged Jake to raise her.

I loved Juliet right from the start. She is stubborn with a great sense of humor. She is dealing with a lot of insecurities because of her childhood and her failed marriage to a cricket star. Jake is steady as a rock, always has been, and very careful about his reputation. Being linked romantically with Juliet could be disastrous for them both.

This was a wonderful love story. The love between Jake and Juliet grew slowly over time, despite their best intentions to stay away from each other. And Jake found a way to help Juliet out of the media mess created by her ex. Juliet, for her part, realized that she didn’t have to fight alone, and that it’s possible to create your own family.

I couldn’t put it down. Sacrificed a lot of sleep over this book, but it was well worth it.

Was I hooked by this book? Definitely, yes!

Genre: Contemporary Romance