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Review

4.5 sweet, sexy and swoony stars

I love this book!

A girl in love with her big brother’s best friend is always a favourite set-up of mine, and B.J. Harvey has given us a beautifully emotional, fun and sexy love story that had me invested from the very beginning. Dani and Zach are dynamite together, but even better, they are completely open with each other, with a connection that is just as emotional as it is physical, and I loved every moment of watching them come together.

Dani is sweet, sassy, a little bit geeky and instantly likeable, and she has felt something for Zach since she met him as a teenager. As the best friend of her eldest brother, Zander, he was always around, and now that they are all grown up (she is 21, he is 30) they are a part of the same social group – made up of the characters from this and the Bliss series. Dani has pined for Zach for seven long years, and she’s finally ready to make a move.

Zach has felt an attraction to Dani since she moved to Chicago a year previously. Out of respect for his best friend he stayed away, but when Dani makes her feeling clear, he can’t fight his feelings anymore.

“You’re my best friend’s baby sister,” I whisper…
“I’m not a baby anymore.”
“Fuck no you’re not.”

I love Dani and Zach together. Their feelings for each other are so clear and the chemistry is fantastic, and they navigate it all so honestly! They are open with what they are feeling, they don’t hold anything back from each other, and things develop beautifully between them. It’s easy and natural, and each step is incredibly meaningful for them. And the sexy time is sizzling! And more than just being sex to satisfy their physical attraction, there’s an emotional connection there that is beautifully explored, and makes every moment between them emotionally intense as well as being hand-held-fan-required hot.

Never has it been this intense with a woman before. The undeniable chemistry between us is now beyond my realm of control, even if I was able to ignore it.

Their hook up comes pretty early in the book so there’s lots of time spent with them as a couple, seeing them grow close and fall for each other, but their relationship has a touch of the forbidden about it as they decide to keep things just between them while they figure out exactly what they have together. And with the close-knit, in-your-face group that is their ‘family’, I could completely understand that.

But the longer they are together, the secretive nature of their relationship doesn’t sit well with Zach. His respect for his best friend battles with his need to make his girl happy, as Dani wants them to remain a secret, only too aware of Zander’s over-protectiveness towards her. In terms of providing a conflict for them to work through, it’s really well done, and allows Zach to prove his awesomeness over and over again.

“I like it just being us. As soon as it’s out there, everything will change.”
“It’s still going to be just us – we just won’t have to hide it from anyone. I’m proud to be with you, fucking ecstatic that you want to be with me. I want to yell it from the rooftops.”

There’s a lot of involvement with the larger cast of characters, which I loved, and continued story development for all of them. And the inevitable reveal to the friends and family is handled really well.

“It is what it is. But believe me when I say I went into this with my eyes open. I knew the risk and knew deep in my bones that you’d be worth that heartache, and I wasn’t fucking wrong.”

I read this book with a smile on my face, falling in love with the perfection that is Zach right alongside Dani. I was worried about potential stupid behaviour but, thank God, it never came! Granted, some of Dani’s decision making was questionable, but I never reached a point where she annoyed me as must as some of the other heroines in this series have done. Of course they have hurdles that they need to overcome, and it’s an emotional ride, but through it all they are honest, functional, and confident in what they have together and I freaking LOVE that! And I was happily swept away in all of the swoon!

“We’ll be okay, right?”
“Anything, anywhere, anytime, Dani. I love you and you love me. This isn’t a fling or just sex; this is two adults who fell for each other and there wasn’t anything – or anyone – that could stop it from happening.”

I loved this book! It is a beautifully romantic story with great characters, a nice amount of steamy time and a well-developed relationship that is realistic, emotional, functional and full of chemistry. I was happily captivted from start to finish.

There’s a nice lead in to Cade and Abi’s book up next, and I’m really looking forward to continuing on with the series.

4.5 stars.

An Advanced Review Copy of this book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

The Game series