Isn't It Romantic?

The Austen Playbook
Lucy Parker
Series: London Celebrities, #4
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Carina Press
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Freddy Carlton knows she should be focusing on her lines for The Austen Playbook, a live-action TV event where viewers choose the outcome of each scene, but her concentration’s been blown. The palatial estate housing the endeavor is now run by the rude (brilliant) critic who’s consistently slammed her performances of late. James “Griff” Ford-Griffin has a penchant for sarcasm, a majestic nose and all the sensitivity of a sledgehammer.

She can’t take her eyes off him.

Griff can hardly focus with a contagious joy fairy flitting about near him, especially when Freddy looks at him like that. His only concern right now should be on shutting down his younger brother’s well-intentioned (disastrous) schemes—or at the very least on the production (not this one) that might save his family home from the banks.

Instead all he can think of is soft skin and vibrant curls.

As he’s reluctantly dragged into her quest to rediscover her passion for the stage and Freddy is drawn into his research on a legendary theater star, the adage about appearances being deceiving proves abundantly true. It’s the unlikely start of something enormous…but a single revelation about the past could derail it all.

When I think of any of the books from this series, certain words come to mind: delightful, witty, funny, charming, swoony -- the list goes on and one, but what you won't find are any negative adjectives, because I am absolutely enchanted by this series.

Once again, Parker brought us into the the world of London celebrities, but also mixed it up a bit, by taking us out to the country, where we not only got to see this romance unfold, but we were also treated to a little mystery.

Who?

• Griff - the grumpy theatre critic, who was working night and day in an attempt to save his family's crumbling estate. 
• Freddy - an established stage actress, who was kept from pursuing her own interests in order to try and fulfill her family's theatre legacy. 

What? 

In an attempt to raise some funds, Griff allows the stage adaptation of a popular game, The Austen Playbook, to be performed and filmed at his country estate. Freddy managed to capture his interest, and as the friendship blossomed, they stumbled upon a mystery, which could destroy their family legacies. 

Why?

I don't ever really know where to start with my love for a Lucy Parker novel, but I can tell you I seemed to always be smiling as I read it. 

I found Freddy to be an utter delight. She was amusing and a ray of sunshine, despite the fact that she was living someone else's dreams. I enjoyed all the time I got to spend with her, but really loved seeing her make those breakthroughs with her family, as well as finally pursuing her own wants and needs. 

He was grumpy, but I still adored Griff. At first, I just thought he was kind of a jerk, but then when I  got to see all that he had been dealing with, it sort of justified his demeanor. I was kind of thrilled, that Freddy entered his orbit and injected some fun and joy into his life. She helped reduce the weight of what was holding him down, and Griff was finally able to enjoy and appreciate the things he had so much more. 

This was probably one of my favorite pairings, because I would not have imagined them together. However,  that surprise was what was so lovely about this romance. These two had undeniable chemistry, but they also understood each other. They thought they were so different from one another, but shared the common pressure of familial obligations and self imposed guilt. Together, they were able to see their situations a little more clearly, and that allowed them to go after what they truly wanted. 

Other things I found fantastic

• I adored being in the country. The estate was a great setting, and provided the perfect backdrop for this tale. 
• I found the whole process involving the staging of the play to be fun and fabulous. We got all that delicious drama, interesting characters, and a fun look into the process of live for TV stage performances. 
• The side plot involving Griff's grandfather and Freddy's grandmother had me fascinated. Not only did we get a look into the modern theatre world, but we also got a peek at the thespian scene of yesteryear, which was quite interesting. 
• So many great auxiliary characters! There were many characters, who helped make this story a success. They were each unique and brought something to the table, which took the story up a notch. 
• Parker blended the mystery into this romance so well, and I loved getting closer and closer to the truth. 

Overall: Another fantastic book from Parker. I hope she has a plethora of London Celebrities stories to tell, because I have grown to depend on this series to deliver delightful romances filled with wit, charm, swoon, heat, and lots of fun. 

Fumbled
Alexa Martin
Series: Playbook, #2
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Berkley
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

A second chance doesn't guarantee a touchdown in this new contemporary romance from the author of Intercepted.

Single-mother Poppy Patterson moved across the country when she was sixteen and pregnant to find a new normal. After years of hard work, she's built a life she loves. It may include a job at a nightclub, weekend soccer games, and more stretch marks than she anticipated, but it's all hers, and nobody can take that away. Well, except for one person.

TK Moore, the starting wide receiver for the Denver Mustangs, dreamt his entire life about being in the NFL. His world is football, parties, and women. Maybe at one point he thought his future would play out with his high school sweetheart by his side, but Poppy is long gone and he's moved on.

When Poppy and TK cross paths in the most unlikely of places, emotions they've suppressed for years come rushing back. But with all the secrets they never told each other lying between them, they'll need more than a dating playbook to help them navigate their relationship.

As far as the other was concerned, Poppy was the one that got away, and TK was the one who left, but ten years after the demise of their relationship, TK and Poppy crossed paths, and uncover the truth behind their breakup.

I really enjoyed Martin's debut, Intercepted, and it there, that I first had the pleasure of meeting TK. He was portrayed as this easy going party boy, but I knew there had to be more to him, and I was eager to get his story. I am thrilled to say, that this installment of the Playbook series was even better than the last.

Those who know me are well aware of my undying affection for second chance romances. I love the history and the idea of being able to repair something that was broken. Well, let me tell you, this second chance romance was one I really wanted to succeed. TK and Poppy were high school sweethearts, who parted ways, but they never really face-to-face ended things, and it seemed that both never really knew the whole truth of why their relationship had ended. That whole setup just made this romance more delectable for me.

Then there was Poppy. She was the type of heroine I automatically love and root for. She was single mom, doing what she needed to do in order to support her son, Ace. I admired that she had recovered from some major setbacks, and kept moving forward. She rose to the occasion, and grew to be an incredible mother. She struggled financially, and kept herself emotionally closed off, but she never shirked her responsibilities as a mom, and always made sure her son had a safe and loving home.

When TK and Poppy encountered each other after so many years, the sparks flew. I immediately knew there was a lot more to their story, because they seemed to still harbor some strong feelings for one another. This second chance had a bunch of ups and downs, but it was fabulous seeing TK take on a parenting role and Poppy opening her heart.

The thing that sets Martin's books apart from other sports romances is the insider's point of view she brings to the story. In this book, we get a look at training camp and learn a bit about how it affected the players families, in addition to getting front row seats to each game. Martin also incorporated the issue of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) into the story. I appreciated that she took on the topic, and she managed to seamlessly work it into this romance.

You know what else Martin does well? She writes fabulous female friendships. Poppy may have been a single mom, but she had a lot of support from her friend, Sadie, who was, as Poppy put it, "my own little rainbow". As TK and Poppy's worlds began to blend, Sadie was joined by two Mustang wives, Vonnie and Charli, and Brynn, the owner of Her's to form Poppy's official squad, and I adored them. They went out of their way for each other, backed each other up, and were dedicated and faithful friends, who anyone would want as their own.

This was a great second chance romance, and I was extremely invested in the outcome for these two. Martin gifted me with a fantastic ending, and if I am guessing the next coupling correctly from the epilogue, we are in for a treat.

**ARCs received in exchange for honest reviews.

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