Review: Playing to Win – Jaci Burton

Someone’s going to have to let down their guard…

Football star Cole Riley is notorious for doing as he pleases—on the field and off. He parties hard and fights harder, but if he doesn’t clean up his act, his career is over—so Cole reluctantly agrees to work with image makeover consultant Savannah Brooks. He’s not used to being told what to do, especially by some (admittedly hot) Southern belle. As for Savannah, she’s not convinced she can transform this cocky (and aggressively sexy) force of nature. But she’s determined to give it her best shot.

When the sparks start to fly, Savannah lays down the ground rules: no personal complications. If she can turn off the tingle she feels every time Cole gives her a hot stare with his gorgeous baby blues, he can turn off his desire as well. But for two people determined to have it all, a hands-off policy can only last so long before one of them yields.

Series:  Play by Play #4
Release Date:  September 4, 2012
Publisher:  Berkley
Source:  Provided by Publisher
Buy the book at:

Reviewer’s Thoughts:

I have grown to expect extraordinarily hot, pushy alpha males who know how to get down and D-I-R-T-Y while dealing with some pretty heavy emotional turmoil in Jaci Burton’s Play by Play series.  But Playing to Win, while still a great read with a great hero and heroine, didn’t quite pack the same punch that we’ve had in the other books.

Cole Riley, cousin to Mick, Gavin and Jenna, has just been traded to St. Louis as a last ditch effort to keep him playing.  His performance on the field has never been his problem.  Instead it’s his off ice antics and his unwillingness to engage with his teammates.  To help improve his image, the team and Liz (Cole’s new agent) hire Savannah Brooks to work with Cole. 

Savannah is a Southern Belle who prides herself on her professionalism and being able to turn a player’s image around.  When she meets Cole, the sexual sparks ignites almost immediately.  Savannah is determined to keep things on a professional level because her career is all she has.  But the attraction between her and Cole is undeniable and she finds herself unable to resist.

I really liked Cole.  He had a hair trigger when it came to his temper and his mouth, but he was also a big enough man to apologize once he’d cooled down and realized he was wrong.  He was a man who had an enormous heart, but after getting it torn apart early in his career he keeps it closed off to everyone except his family.  He was a man who liked to be in control, but wasn’t unwilling to accept that maybe someone else might have a better answer to a situation than him.  The fact that he could admit when he was wrong or that someone might have a better idea makes you love him.

Savannah was a tough cookie.  She has a horrible childhood and was able to rise above those events to become the successful woman that she is today.  Unfortunately, those events also caused Savannah to believe the only thing that will stick around for her is her career.  While she enjoys the moments of unprofessionalism she has with Cole, she’s convinced he will eventually leave her.  What she needs to figure out is how to take someone’s word when it comes to matters of her heart.

Cole and Savannah were great together, but there wasn’t the same level of emotional upheaval between Cole and Savannah that we’ve seen in other books in the series.  When they were in the bedroom (which didn’t happen until almost half way through the book), but Cole didn’t seem to have that down and dirty trait his cousins possess (if you’ve read the series, I’m sure you can guess what all three Riley siblings had in common with their sexual relationships in their perspective books).  He was more on the sweeter side and needed that emotional connection when he and Savannah were together.

With football season upon us, if you’re looking for a great football story with a HOT tight end, pick up Playing to Win.  Despite my expectations, this is still an awesome addition to the Play by Play series.  I can’t wait to read Cole’s sister, Alicia’s story next.