THE PLAY ~ ELLE KENNEDY

" I'm worth more than you have given me"

BLURB: What I learned after last year’s distractions cost my hockey team our entire season? No more screwing up. No more screwing, period. As the new team captain, I need a new philosophy: hockey and school now, women later. Which means that I, Hunter Davenport, am officially going celibate…no matter how hard that makes things.

But there’s nothing in the rulebook that says I can’t be friends with a woman. And I won’t lie—my new classmate Demi Davis is one cool chick. Her smart mouth is hot as hell, and so is the rest of her, but the fact that she’s got a boyfriend eliminates the temptation to touch her.

Except three months into our friendship, Demi is single and looking for a rebound.

And she’s making a play for me.

Avoiding her is impossible. We’re paired up on a yearlong school project, but I’m confident I can resist her. We’d never work, anyway. Our backgrounds are too different, our goals aren’t aligned, and her parents hate my guts. Hooking up is a very bad idea. Now I just have to convince my body—and my heart.

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BOOK REVIEW

You will enjoy this book if you like:

~ Sports romance

~ NA Romance

~ College Romance

~ Strong female characters

~ Comedy

TO NOTE:

This is Book 3, in the Brier U series. (spin-off of the Off Campus series) Standalone.

WRITING STYLE: 4/5

CHARACTERS: 4/5

PLOT: 4/5

PERSONAL ENJOYMENT: 4/5

OVERALL RATING: 16/20

I first discovered Elle Kennedy through her Off Campus series. I always recommend them to anyone looking for a Sports/college romance. I was fortunate enough to meet her at RARE19 but was so overwhelmed that I barely spoke to her! Anyway I was so excited I was accepted for an ARC. 

The Play is a third instalment of the Brier U series( though it can be read as a standalone). It is a spinoff of the Off Campus series. I love it when there are crossovers or when old characters are mentioned! 

The Play follows Hunter, who has sworn off women after his disastrous love life cost his hockey team dearly in the previous year's championships. 

I forgot how funny Hunter was and his inner monologues had me smiling. All Hunter wants to do is keep his head down play hockey and concentrate on his studies and avoid any more drama. We are introduced to Demi a highly motivated pre-med student. The two get paired together for a class project. Hunter, is attracted to Demi but to his relief he finds she is in a long term relationship so his vow of abstinence can stay in tact. They become firm friends and their banter is really entertaining. But then Demi's relationship ends...

I loved how Demi was a strong character, when her relationship ends she didn't lose her head (apart from one incident: R.I.P Playstation!) and turn into a cliche. She was articulate and knew what was her due and did not take on any unwarranted blame. It was a very realistic reaction I thought.

 It was also refreshing to see a woman pursue a man and not in a "groupie"(insert eye roll here!!) obsessive way. Poor Hunter has no chance of resisting. Not that he fights too hard mind you! 

Though this book at first glance seems a light fun, read, once you delve into the story a few darker storylines emerge and hard issues are addressed. I loved how Elle Kennedy introduced these issues and how she dealt with it.  

This was a captivating and swoon worthy read that had me smiling throughout. Hunter's story was a highly anticipated one and I was not disappointed. Highly recommend.

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Favourite Quotes:

"definitely not the arrogant asshole I expected him to be. I’m not gonna lie—Hunter Davenport is growing on me."

" I've done nothing but love that girl with all my heart. And because I love her, I have faith in her."

" You mean more to me that hockey'' he said simply, and damned if that doesn't make my heart expand''