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Review

This is a spin off from B.J. Harvey’s Bliss series, featuring secondary characters from that series, and still with lots of interaction with the main Bliss couples, which I loved!

Game Player brings us the story of Matt and Mia. Matt is the younger brother of Noah, and Mia is the younger sister of both Zander and Zoe. They have a fantastic set up – Matt is an unapologetic player, and Mia loves to date, but has no interest in a long term relationship – they are both confident in themselves, and in what they want from the opposite sex, and their chemistry together is sizzling! Matt and Mia have known each other for years as their siblings (Noah and Zoe) married each other, but despite a sort-of hook up at the wedding, they haven’t had a lot to do with each other. But a chance encounter a few years later shows a highly flirtatious love/hate relationship with hilarious, smart and smutty banter and a simmering sexual tension that is hugely entertaining!

“Got an itch you can’t scratch, Matt?”
…“Don’t you worry about me, Legs. There’s a whole black book worth of willing volunteers.”
“Legs?” I ask, taking my purse out of his hands.
“Well I can’t call you Tits, can I?”
“You’re a piece of work, Taylor.”
“It’s okay to admit you want me, Mia,” he says cockily.
“For what? The medical experiment known as your dick?”

They’re both clearly interested in each other, but Mia is nervous about the familial link between them, and of course there’s her whole “date, don’t mate” mentality. Matt doesn’t care about any of that in the slightest, and goes all out to win Mia over, and things between them start to morph into something a bit more real.

“Bring it on, Legs.”
“Still don’t get the legs thing,” she mutters.
“Because every time I see them I imagine them wrapped around my head.”
She chokes down the phone, and then the line goes eerily quiet.
“Mia?”
“I’m here. Just hitting pause on that mental image and saving it for later.”
“Jesus, woman. Warn a guy before you throw out the Viagra lines.”
“What?” she says, with a knowing giggle.
“Those kind of words take a man from floppy to stabby in zero-point-five seconds.”

Yes, it’s not long before the inevitable hook up happens, and it’s super-hot and proves to them both that what they have can no longer be denied, and their one night together is never going to be enough.

“This is insane,” I breathe, my body sagging against his when his fingers run down my face and around the back of my neck.
“It’s crazy, but that’s what makes it so fucking hot.”

So, for the first time, two game players decide to take a chance on something more, and find that they have something truly special together.

“You and me. We’re going to do this,” I murmur against her lips. “Dates, dinners, holding hands, all of that shit. I’ll be in your bed and you’ll be in mine … I can’t stop thinking about you, Legs, and I don’t fucking want to.”

This is a really enjoyable read. The relationship between Matt and Mia is fun, flirty and sexy, with a growing emotional connection that is gorgeous to watch. And in amidst all of the hotness, is some really gorgeous swooniness as their love story develops, and I totally fell for Matt as he worked to prove that he has turned over a new leaf

“It’s all you, Mia … You’re different from the rest. I tried to resist the temptation, but all it took was one taste and you had me. Everywhere I look, everything I do, every spare moment of every single day, all I see is you. All I want is you.”

There is some drama (of course), and though I was expecting some kind of conflict, I must admit that found this one to be OTT and really freaking annoying…

And a highlight of all of that drama was watching the rest of the gang involve themselves in the unfolding events. I loved the chance to catch up and see where they were all at, and the way they had the backs of both Matt and Mia as their story played out was gorgeous to see.

Overall, I did enjoy this one. I would have rated it higher if it weren’t for the epic stupid, but for the most part, this was a really enjoyable read – lots of fun, with great characters, fantastic banter, and a gorgeously romantic and sexy love story. I love the set up for the next book in the series, and am looking forward to continuing on.

3.5 stars.

The Game series