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Hometown Players #2
Making a Play
He'll do whatever it takes to win—on and off the ice.
Luc Richard is the hottest player in the NHL—and it has nothing to do with hockey. His racy relationship with his supermodel ex set the tabloids on fire but nearly put his career on ice. To avoid being traded, Luc agrees to take a break from the spotlight—and from women—and spend the off-season at home in Silver Bay, Maine. It's the perfect plan... until he reconnects with Rose.
Rose Caplan is tired of being shy, sweet, and safe. She's ready for passion, romance—and Luc. Having loved him longer than she can remember, she's finally ready to prove she's not the same innocent little girl he once knew. Off the ice Luc doesn't do games, but this new Rose makes him feel like playing a little dirty. If he's really got a shot at her heart then he's not just playing to win. He's playing for keeps.
Luc Richard is the hottest player in the NHL—and it has nothing to do with hockey. His racy relationship with his supermodel ex set the tabloids on fire but nearly put his career on ice. To avoid being traded, Luc agrees to take a break from the spotlight—and from women—and spend the off-season at home in Silver Bay, Maine. It's the perfect plan... until he reconnects with Rose.
Rose Caplan is tired of being shy, sweet, and safe. She's ready for passion, romance—and Luc. Having loved him longer than she can remember, she's finally ready to prove she's not the same innocent little girl he once knew. Off the ice Luc doesn't do games, but this new Rose makes him feel like playing a little dirty. If he's really got a shot at her heart then he's not just playing to win. He's playing for keeps.
288 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2015
79 people are currently reading
972 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Denault
31 books829 followersSign up for Victoria's monthly newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cexOL9
Victoria Denault loves ocean air, seventies music, strong heroines and flawed heroes. She is a former journalist, stand-up comic and corporate marketing minion. Victoria is a Canadian and former Californian who currently lives in a 222 year-old house with her husband, their grumpy Chihuahua Gus and more spiders than she cares to think about.
Victoria Denault loves ocean air, seventies music, strong heroines and flawed heroes. She is a former journalist, stand-up comic and corporate marketing minion. Victoria is a Canadian and former Californian who currently lives in a 222 year-old house with her husband, their grumpy Chihuahua Gus and more spiders than she cares to think about.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
September 3, 2015
4 Stars
When I first read One More Shot earlier this year, I was hooked on this series. Hot hockey players, angst, and steam, what else could I possibly ask for? Now if you haven't read One More Shot yet, I highly recommend you do, because it'll give you a much better background on the Caplan sisters and the dynamic they have between them. While you can easily read Making A Play as a standalone, I think you'd enjoy it more reading in order. Rose is first introduced in One More Shot as the youngest Caplan sister. Admittedly she's not exactly the type of heroine I enjoy reading about; she's shy, introverted, a little mousy and has been pining away for her Luc Richard as long as she's known him.
Luc Richard is a successful hockey player. He's basically grown up around Rose since her and her sisters were like family to the Garrison family who were like his family as well. While an attraction was always there, Luc always knew that Rose was just too good for the likes of him and so he friend zoned her. Now he's in town to lick his wounds after his ex almost cost him his career and attempt to stay away from the spotlight and the gossip column. Rosie is determined to get him out of the friend zone while Luc is just as determined to keep them solidly there.
The relationship between these two was both sexy and frustrating. There were many a time when I wanted to reach through my kindle and knock some sense into The French Disaster. I also wanted Rose to grow a bigger backbone and really stand up for herself and show some growth. She may not have been the sassy and smart mouthed woman like her sisters, but she does grow into her own and she did grow on me.
If angst isn't your thing, this book will probably frustrate the living hell out of you because it takes a good chunk of it (if not 3/4) for Luc to finally get his head out of his ass. I personally gobbled it up like the angst whore that I am.
I loved getting more of Jessie and Jordan in this one. It was great to get that continuation of their HEA and see where they are now. Then there was Callie; the oldest and the wild one of the three sisters.
I'm not sure what it is about her, but I'm just so intrigued by her story. She almost comes off borderline brash at times, but I can't help but like her. There's just something about her that screams that she's hiding something. And that peek into what happened between her and Devin those years ago certainly whetted my appetite for the next book.
If you're a reader that enjoys some angst with your sports romance then you definitely need to get acquainted with this author. Was this book perfect? Not quite. I could probably nitpick a few things but at the end of it I truly enjoyed the book so why bother? I think I enjoyed book 1 a little bit more but this was still a fantastic addition. But the book I'm REALLY looking forward to is still to come. I simply can't wait to see how THAT turns out.
ARC courtesy of publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review
For more reviews visit
Your life will be beautiful because you, Flower, are beautiful. And you will find someone who will love you for it."
When I first read One More Shot earlier this year, I was hooked on this series. Hot hockey players, angst, and steam, what else could I possibly ask for? Now if you haven't read One More Shot yet, I highly recommend you do, because it'll give you a much better background on the Caplan sisters and the dynamic they have between them. While you can easily read Making A Play as a standalone, I think you'd enjoy it more reading in order. Rose is first introduced in One More Shot as the youngest Caplan sister. Admittedly she's not exactly the type of heroine I enjoy reading about; she's shy, introverted, a little mousy and has been pining away for her Luc Richard as long as she's known him.
Luc Richard is a successful hockey player. He's basically grown up around Rose since her and her sisters were like family to the Garrison family who were like his family as well. While an attraction was always there, Luc always knew that Rose was just too good for the likes of him and so he friend zoned her. Now he's in town to lick his wounds after his ex almost cost him his career and attempt to stay away from the spotlight and the gossip column. Rosie is determined to get him out of the friend zone while Luc is just as determined to keep them solidly there.
The relationship between these two was both sexy and frustrating. There were many a time when I wanted to reach through my kindle and knock some sense into The French Disaster. I also wanted Rose to grow a bigger backbone and really stand up for herself and show some growth. She may not have been the sassy and smart mouthed woman like her sisters, but she does grow into her own and she did grow on me.
If angst isn't your thing, this book will probably frustrate the living hell out of you because it takes a good chunk of it (if not 3/4) for Luc to finally get his head out of his ass. I personally gobbled it up like the angst whore that I am.
I loved getting more of Jessie and Jordan in this one. It was great to get that continuation of their HEA and see where they are now. Then there was Callie; the oldest and the wild one of the three sisters.
"Does he have a big dick?"
I laugh. "Thank you."
I'm not sure what it is about her, but I'm just so intrigued by her story. She almost comes off borderline brash at times, but I can't help but like her. There's just something about her that screams that she's hiding something. And that peek into what happened between her and Devin those years ago certainly whetted my appetite for the next book.
If you're a reader that enjoys some angst with your sports romance then you definitely need to get acquainted with this author. Was this book perfect? Not quite. I could probably nitpick a few things but at the end of it I truly enjoyed the book so why bother? I think I enjoyed book 1 a little bit more but this was still a fantastic addition. But the book I'm REALLY looking forward to is still to come. I simply can't wait to see how THAT turns out.
ARC courtesy of publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review
For more reviews visit
September 2, 2015
Luc "The French Disaster" Richard grew up with the Garrison boys and by default, grew up with the Caplan girls, too. Rosie Caplan has been in love with Luc since they were young but he never noticed her in that way. Coming off a string of bad publicity, Luc is trying to rebuild his image as a hockey player while Rose is finally realizing that the only way to get a shot at Luc was to make him notice.
Making a Play is my first Victoria Denault book and it definitely won't be my last. To be honest, this was far from being a perfect book. There are a few plot devices that I normally don't like but it worked for me here because of the main characters. Simply put, I believed in this couple. I root for them to get their act together in order to get their HEA.
Rosie+Luc=Forever
Luc and Rosie had a bond. At first it was just as friends which became so much more later on. Luc's backstory was a sad one and it affected his view on love and life in general. Rose is the exact opposite of Luc. While Luc doesn't believe in love and happily ever after, Rose believes in them even though her own family life didn't give her a reason to. It's one of the reasons why I liked Rose. She's honest and allowed herself to be vulnerable.
There's a lot of drama in this book, which I obviously liked but if you're a reader who's drama averse, then the last 20% or so might annoy you. It was a bit predictable but whatever. I enjoyed it and ate it right up.
Side note: I loved the Garrison brothers. Jordan already had his story in the previous book, so I'm looking forward to Devin's story and possibly Cole?
Another side note: I'm a bit worried about Callie Caplan who's going to be the heroine in the next book because I didn't like her in this book.
Nevertheless, this series is definitely worth investing time in especially if you're a fan of sports romance.
ARC provided by Forever in exchange for an honest review.>
Making a Play is my first Victoria Denault book and it definitely won't be my last. To be honest, this was far from being a perfect book. There are a few plot devices that I normally don't like but it worked for me here because of the main characters. Simply put, I believed in this couple. I root for them to get their act together in order to get their HEA.
Rosie+Luc=Forever
Luc and Rosie had a bond. At first it was just as friends which became so much more later on. Luc's backstory was a sad one and it affected his view on love and life in general. Rose is the exact opposite of Luc. While Luc doesn't believe in love and happily ever after, Rose believes in them even though her own family life didn't give her a reason to. It's one of the reasons why I liked Rose. She's honest and allowed herself to be vulnerable.
There's a lot of drama in this book, which I obviously liked but if you're a reader who's drama averse, then the last 20% or so might annoy you. It was a bit predictable but whatever. I enjoyed it and ate it right up.
Side note: I loved the Garrison brothers. Jordan already had his story in the previous book, so I'm looking forward to Devin's story and possibly Cole?
Another side note: I'm a bit worried about Callie Caplan who's going to be the heroine in the next book because I didn't like her in this book.
Nevertheless, this series is definitely worth investing time in especially if you're a fan of sports romance.
ARC provided by Forever in exchange for an honest review.>
September 8, 2015
5 - "If only my nuts were numb." Stars!
It's Live
The second book in Victoria Denault’s Hometown Players series, takes off from where its predecessor One More Shot left off. Jordan and Jessie have sorted out their issues and are very much ’living the dream’ together. Making a Play brings the focus round to Rose, Jessie's younger sister, and her not-so-secret love for Ice Hockey player; Luc Richard, you are given a few hints as to how deep this couples feelings are for each other in the first book, but up to this point neither of them has acted upon them.
Having known each other since they were children, Rose is fed up of being in the friend-zone with him and goes out of her way to ensure that Luc knows she’s looking for more than a pat on the head and a friendly cuddle going forwards. Luc however has other plans, and trying to keep his nose clean and his face out of the press over the summer is proving harder than he thought it would be when Rose's attempts at seduction are basically turning him into a walking hard-on.
Victoria got the perfect balance between drama, sexy-times and story development with Making a Play Luc and Rose having their joint pasts and back-story gave a great depth to the building of them moving from being friends to lovers. I adored being in Luc’s head, and Rose was an easy to get along with character as well.
This book is definitely a little less angsty than One More Shot and it made a big difference for me in my overall reading enjoyment, don’t get me wrong I really liked Jessie and Jordy’s story, but Luc and Rose’s issues and problems and the way they work their way through them as the book progresses, are broken up with a few laughs and a stellar set of secondary characters. The drama is there but it’s relevant and not overplayed.
The Final Move, due December 2015, is also set up nicely in this book, and I cannot wait to see where Victoria takes the series next, it’s definitely turning into an unforgettable set of stories.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was my absolute pleasure to provide the above honest review.
It's Live
The second book in Victoria Denault’s Hometown Players series, takes off from where its predecessor One More Shot left off. Jordan and Jessie have sorted out their issues and are very much ’living the dream’ together. Making a Play brings the focus round to Rose, Jessie's younger sister, and her not-so-secret love for Ice Hockey player; Luc Richard, you are given a few hints as to how deep this couples feelings are for each other in the first book, but up to this point neither of them has acted upon them.
Having known each other since they were children, Rose is fed up of being in the friend-zone with him and goes out of her way to ensure that Luc knows she’s looking for more than a pat on the head and a friendly cuddle going forwards. Luc however has other plans, and trying to keep his nose clean and his face out of the press over the summer is proving harder than he thought it would be when Rose's attempts at seduction are basically turning him into a walking hard-on.
Victoria got the perfect balance between drama, sexy-times and story development with Making a Play Luc and Rose having their joint pasts and back-story gave a great depth to the building of them moving from being friends to lovers. I adored being in Luc’s head, and Rose was an easy to get along with character as well.
This book is definitely a little less angsty than One More Shot and it made a big difference for me in my overall reading enjoyment, don’t get me wrong I really liked Jessie and Jordy’s story, but Luc and Rose’s issues and problems and the way they work their way through them as the book progresses, are broken up with a few laughs and a stellar set of secondary characters. The drama is there but it’s relevant and not overplayed.
The Final Move, due December 2015, is also set up nicely in this book, and I cannot wait to see where Victoria takes the series next, it’s definitely turning into an unforgettable set of stories.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was my absolute pleasure to provide the above honest review.
July 3, 2021
Since when do we think that possible sexual assault constitutes cheating? If the hero couldn't consent because he was drunk, had already declined a woman's advances and then ends up naked with aforementioned woman in his very own bed he went into alone he's the victim and NOT, to be clear, the heroine accusing him of cheating after seeing the scene.
My word. F-
Well at least this concludes my road with this author.
My word. F-
Well at least this concludes my road with this author.
October 12, 2015
There needs to be degrees of 3 star reads. The writing is not a problem with this one; it’s that the story was just w-a-y to whiney for me. Long time childhood friends Luc and Rose, French hockey player Luc flirts and teases, wants Rose but afraid to have her and just keeps things as friends. Rose has always wanted Luc but thinks she can’t have him and is relegated to the friend zone. Moping/wanting/whining ensues. They finally go for it but have to keep things in the closet because Luc’s got a bad rep with his hockey team and is playing the celibate card for the tabloids. Luc gets drunk and some puck bunny jumps in his bed and he’s too drunk to know whether or not they did anything. (Lovely right? I’m long past eye rolling at this point.) That gets resolved and now they’re together and smitten…The End.
Not much about hockey, it’s just used for the set up. The side characters here are a handful of couples that have no doubt had books in another series or possibly they all got together in bk 1. Evidently they all went through a lot of romantic drama (cheating/long estrangements/misunderstandings, blah, blah) from comments made in this story. I’m always up for a new author and a sports romance; this just wasn’t a satisfying one for me.
Not much about hockey, it’s just used for the set up. The side characters here are a handful of couples that have no doubt had books in another series or possibly they all got together in bk 1. Evidently they all went through a lot of romantic drama (cheating/long estrangements/misunderstandings, blah, blah) from comments made in this story. I’m always up for a new author and a sports romance; this just wasn’t a satisfying one for me.
June 27, 2018
Another great story by Victoria Denault. I'm really enjoying reading this series and can't wait to move onto Devin and Callie's book. I love Callie's attitude, she might be my favorite of the three girls!
September 22, 2015
Thank you to GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING and Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
Admittedly, I didn’t have good luck with the first book in this series. But I liked enough about it to stick with it, and I am so glad I did! Making a Play was a sweet, and at times intense, read. Rose (or Fleur, as Luc likes to call her,) was the opposite of her sister, Jessie. She was endearing with a touch of naiveté, and I don’t think she even knew what a grudge was. After years of crushing on her best friend Luc, Rosie lets her sister, Callie, talk her into pulling out all the stops to finally get his attention before she leaves their hometown of Silver Bay (and him) for good. It’s not long before Rose has Luc eating out of the palm of her hand, and all her dreams are coming true. There’s one hitch in her plan – Luc is under pressure from management and his agent to wash himself of his bad boy image, and a relationship with any woman, even one as sweet as Rosie, is something the press will devour. So they have to keep their relationship a secret, which isn’t as easy for Rose as she thought.
I really enjoyed Rose and Luc’s journey. Navigating coupledom wasn’t as easy as Luc thought, and he was inadvertently saying and doing things that pushed Rose away. But they had amazing chemistry, and I loved it every time they’d steam up my Kindle! As far as Rose is concerned, this almost felt like a coming of age story that came a little later in life than usual, and it really worked for her character. I enjoyed seeing her gain confidence and a backbone. One of my concerns was that she was so in love with Luc, I was afraid she’d walk on eggshells around him just to keep him, but that’s not how she was. She was very vocal about how she wanted their relationship to go, and when she wasn’t happy about something, she wasn’t shy about letting Luc know. She was a strong heroine without being pushy, and while some of the decisions she made surprised me, I think they were true to who she was. I adored Luc’s character. He didn’t always do the right thing, but he definitely tried. And he was so hesitant to be with Rose because he knew she was a head in the clouds, romantic, flowers and candy kind of gal, and he wanted her to have that. He just didn’t think he could give her those things.
Luc’s interactions with the Garrison men in this book were a highlight for me; I loved the camaraderie. Their good-natured ribbing and determination to keep each other in line was so fun to read. As for Rose and her sisters, Rose is my favorite of the three. She is way more easy-going than the other two, though we did see more of that from Jessie in this book. Callie is a spitfire, and I’m a little anxious about what kind of heroine she’ll be. But since I liked this book so much, I’m going to cross my fingers and give it a go.
While I don’t think it’s essential to read the first book in this series before reading this one, I do think the interactions between the sisters and Luc and the Garrison men give you an idea of how deep their connections are. To each other, and to their hometown of Silver Bay. Making a Play was a great addition to the Hometown Players series, and I’m excited to read more from this author!
This review was originally posted at Badass Book Reviews.
4.5 stars
Admittedly, I didn’t have good luck with the first book in this series. But I liked enough about it to stick with it, and I am so glad I did! Making a Play was a sweet, and at times intense, read. Rose (or Fleur, as Luc likes to call her,) was the opposite of her sister, Jessie. She was endearing with a touch of naiveté, and I don’t think she even knew what a grudge was. After years of crushing on her best friend Luc, Rosie lets her sister, Callie, talk her into pulling out all the stops to finally get his attention before she leaves their hometown of Silver Bay (and him) for good. It’s not long before Rose has Luc eating out of the palm of her hand, and all her dreams are coming true. There’s one hitch in her plan – Luc is under pressure from management and his agent to wash himself of his bad boy image, and a relationship with any woman, even one as sweet as Rosie, is something the press will devour. So they have to keep their relationship a secret, which isn’t as easy for Rose as she thought.
I really enjoyed Rose and Luc’s journey. Navigating coupledom wasn’t as easy as Luc thought, and he was inadvertently saying and doing things that pushed Rose away. But they had amazing chemistry, and I loved it every time they’d steam up my Kindle! As far as Rose is concerned, this almost felt like a coming of age story that came a little later in life than usual, and it really worked for her character. I enjoyed seeing her gain confidence and a backbone. One of my concerns was that she was so in love with Luc, I was afraid she’d walk on eggshells around him just to keep him, but that’s not how she was. She was very vocal about how she wanted their relationship to go, and when she wasn’t happy about something, she wasn’t shy about letting Luc know. She was a strong heroine without being pushy, and while some of the decisions she made surprised me, I think they were true to who she was. I adored Luc’s character. He didn’t always do the right thing, but he definitely tried. And he was so hesitant to be with Rose because he knew she was a head in the clouds, romantic, flowers and candy kind of gal, and he wanted her to have that. He just didn’t think he could give her those things.
Luc’s interactions with the Garrison men in this book were a highlight for me; I loved the camaraderie. Their good-natured ribbing and determination to keep each other in line was so fun to read. As for Rose and her sisters, Rose is my favorite of the three. She is way more easy-going than the other two, though we did see more of that from Jessie in this book. Callie is a spitfire, and I’m a little anxious about what kind of heroine she’ll be. But since I liked this book so much, I’m going to cross my fingers and give it a go.
While I don’t think it’s essential to read the first book in this series before reading this one, I do think the interactions between the sisters and Luc and the Garrison men give you an idea of how deep their connections are. To each other, and to their hometown of Silver Bay. Making a Play was a great addition to the Hometown Players series, and I’m excited to read more from this author!
This review was originally posted at Badass Book Reviews.
August 3, 2016
4.5 Stars
Hotness Rating 3 out of 5
I loved this book! Making a Play was everything I need to make a sports romance not just good, but great in my opinion. The story was fast paced (although, the relationship wasn't so much), there was enough drama to keep my heart racing, but not so much as to get on my nerves, I totally related to the characters and was fully invested in their story. I wanted so much for this couple to get their happy ever after that I hurt when it looked like Luc had screwed that all up.
Luc grew up with the Garrison boys and anyone that was close to the Garrison boys automatically became close to the Caplan girls. Luc never saw Rosie Caplan quite the way she saw him, but now at the worst possible time that is changing. Luc's super-model ex-girlfriend has cost him a boatload of problems and almost his career. His plan is to lay low in Silvery Bay, Maine where he grew up and get his life back under control.
Rosie was a girl after my own heart. She was a romantic that has always believed there is someone out there for everyone. She's had a crush on Luc for as long as she can remember and he's never returned that sentiment. But, now that he's back in town she's decided that this is her chance to make him see her as a woman rather than his childhood friend.
Luc's childhood was a tough one. It broke my heart really, but I hate when the author uses the whole "I can't make a good husband or boyfriend because of the man that my father was" device. However, there is something about Luc and Rosie that just made this plot work. I truly enjoyed their journey to finding each other. I can not wait to read more of this series.
This book was provided to me in exchange for my honest review.
Hotness Rating 3 out of 5
I loved this book! Making a Play was everything I need to make a sports romance not just good, but great in my opinion. The story was fast paced (although, the relationship wasn't so much), there was enough drama to keep my heart racing, but not so much as to get on my nerves, I totally related to the characters and was fully invested in their story. I wanted so much for this couple to get their happy ever after that I hurt when it looked like Luc had screwed that all up.
Luc grew up with the Garrison boys and anyone that was close to the Garrison boys automatically became close to the Caplan girls. Luc never saw Rosie Caplan quite the way she saw him, but now at the worst possible time that is changing. Luc's super-model ex-girlfriend has cost him a boatload of problems and almost his career. His plan is to lay low in Silvery Bay, Maine where he grew up and get his life back under control.
Rosie was a girl after my own heart. She was a romantic that has always believed there is someone out there for everyone. She's had a crush on Luc for as long as she can remember and he's never returned that sentiment. But, now that he's back in town she's decided that this is her chance to make him see her as a woman rather than his childhood friend.
Luc's childhood was a tough one. It broke my heart really, but I hate when the author uses the whole "I can't make a good husband or boyfriend because of the man that my father was" device. However, there is something about Luc and Rosie that just made this plot work. I truly enjoyed their journey to finding each other. I can not wait to read more of this series.
This book was provided to me in exchange for my honest review.
December 30, 2015
Sexy and sweet. The author brings to life characters that you can’t help but love!
I just have to say that I am so impressed by Victoria Denault. She comes in here, all fresh-faced new author and just owns it! Her books are so easy to read! They just flow well, feel organic, and keep you intrigued and invested from start to finish.
I love her characters. They’re all likeable and engaging and their relationships feel natural and not forced. They banter and make you laugh and I genuinely buy all of them. They all have free-standing personalities that don’t blur into each other like supporting characters sometimes do. Even the most minor characters are distinctive.
I really loved Luc and Rose. Luc is sexy and when he speaks in French… I melt. If he called her “ma Fleur” one more time, I was going to hunt down the real Luc (surely he exists, right?) and keep him for myself. I’ll change my name to Rose, I’ll do it!
Rosie’s such a kind, gentle soul who’s sweet and believes in love in an almost naïve way. She sure as hell can stand up for herself when it’s warranted though. I love that. Newsflash people: it is possible to be nice and not be a doormat!
There was just enough angst in this story to keep me intrigued and guessing without being over the top. I love it when a playboy finds love and changes his ways. It’s all about the power of love, y’all.
Making a Play is really, truly a solid, well-written, all-around good book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Victoria Denault is definitely a new author to watch. And read! So do it.
I just have to say that I am so impressed by Victoria Denault. She comes in here, all fresh-faced new author and just owns it! Her books are so easy to read! They just flow well, feel organic, and keep you intrigued and invested from start to finish.
I love her characters. They’re all likeable and engaging and their relationships feel natural and not forced. They banter and make you laugh and I genuinely buy all of them. They all have free-standing personalities that don’t blur into each other like supporting characters sometimes do. Even the most minor characters are distinctive.
I really loved Luc and Rose. Luc is sexy and when he speaks in French… I melt. If he called her “ma Fleur” one more time, I was going to hunt down the real Luc (surely he exists, right?) and keep him for myself. I’ll change my name to Rose, I’ll do it!
Rosie’s such a kind, gentle soul who’s sweet and believes in love in an almost naïve way. She sure as hell can stand up for herself when it’s warranted though. I love that. Newsflash people: it is possible to be nice and not be a doormat!
There was just enough angst in this story to keep me intrigued and guessing without being over the top. I love it when a playboy finds love and changes his ways. It’s all about the power of love, y’all.
Making a Play is really, truly a solid, well-written, all-around good book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Victoria Denault is definitely a new author to watch. And read! So do it.
September 22, 2015
Not only sweet nothings… but French sweet nothings….
Luc Richard is home for the summer and trying to keep things very low key. His ex-girlfriend has undermined his career in the NHL and he needs to build back his reputation both on and off the ice.
Rose Caplan has been his friend since they were kids and enjoyed the sense of family that their shared friends, the Garrison clan, provided them. Luc was determined to stay focused and out of the tabloids, so romance was off the table. It seems that Rose had other plans.
“Hot pieces of ass should not be celibate. It’s like a direct insult to women everywhere. He needs to be someone’s plaything. I think he should be yours.”
Things were going to change this summer and it’s hard to say who is the least, or most, ready!
Luc is a hot hockey player with a beautiful, sexy French Canadian accent. Well, I imagine it is beautiful, and sexy… Okay, I may have dreamed about it just a wee little bit. But there is definitely lots to love about him. Is he perfect? Not by a long shot. The missteps he makes with Rose are just wrong at times but you can’t help but love his stumbling ways and his determination to make things right.
And Rose is definitely worth his time. She is young, and in many ways, so innocent. Watching her flirt and try to change things up with Luc is so much fun. The bikini scene had me smiling, a lot!
“Maybe if you climb him like a jungle gym, he’ll be forced to face his feelings.”
Is there drama between these two? Absolutely, but it’s not the “fake” drama or the overdone, totally unrealistic kind. With friends and family at the ready to help, and hinder, them both, the sparks were flying in and out of the bedroom! Whether “dancing” up a storm (okay, dirty dancing) or plotting a charity event, they were just so… right for each other. In French or English, they had it going on. Oh and “orgasm speak”? Yup, that’s in my dictionary now!
Great storytelling with a wonderful mix of love (friend, family and romantic), humor and saucy sexiness, I hope there will be many, many more books in this series. A tantalizing sneak peek at the next in the series has me anxiously waiting for Callie and Devin’s story! ~ Diane, 4.5 stars
Luc Richard is home for the summer and trying to keep things very low key. His ex-girlfriend has undermined his career in the NHL and he needs to build back his reputation both on and off the ice.
Rose Caplan has been his friend since they were kids and enjoyed the sense of family that their shared friends, the Garrison clan, provided them. Luc was determined to stay focused and out of the tabloids, so romance was off the table. It seems that Rose had other plans.
“Hot pieces of ass should not be celibate. It’s like a direct insult to women everywhere. He needs to be someone’s plaything. I think he should be yours.”
Things were going to change this summer and it’s hard to say who is the least, or most, ready!
Luc is a hot hockey player with a beautiful, sexy French Canadian accent. Well, I imagine it is beautiful, and sexy… Okay, I may have dreamed about it just a wee little bit. But there is definitely lots to love about him. Is he perfect? Not by a long shot. The missteps he makes with Rose are just wrong at times but you can’t help but love his stumbling ways and his determination to make things right.
And Rose is definitely worth his time. She is young, and in many ways, so innocent. Watching her flirt and try to change things up with Luc is so much fun. The bikini scene had me smiling, a lot!
“Maybe if you climb him like a jungle gym, he’ll be forced to face his feelings.”
Is there drama between these two? Absolutely, but it’s not the “fake” drama or the overdone, totally unrealistic kind. With friends and family at the ready to help, and hinder, them both, the sparks were flying in and out of the bedroom! Whether “dancing” up a storm (okay, dirty dancing) or plotting a charity event, they were just so… right for each other. In French or English, they had it going on. Oh and “orgasm speak”? Yup, that’s in my dictionary now!
Great storytelling with a wonderful mix of love (friend, family and romantic), humor and saucy sexiness, I hope there will be many, many more books in this series. A tantalizing sneak peek at the next in the series has me anxiously waiting for Callie and Devin’s story! ~ Diane, 4.5 stars
September 18, 2015
So, I am still a bit in lust over the first book in the series Make a Shot, but dear Lord, Victoria seriously stepped up her game with Making a Play. I knew that Luc and Rosie’s story was going to be great…but I wasn’t expecting it to be this fabulous.
Luc is dubbed as the “French Disaster”. He is not related to the Garrison brothers by blood by might as well be. He lived with them for years and the Caplan girls are just as important to him, especially Rose. After breaking up with his model girlfriend, he’s back home for the off-season to work on his game and also his image. Rosie is still pining away for her one true-love, Luc and hopes this time back home will finally be the right time for him to realize she’s more than just a friend.
Luc knows that Rose has feelings for him but he just doesn’t realize that he also has those feelings for her. I swear there were points where I wanted to scream at the two of them to just get their sh*t together and just get a room.
When feelings FINALLY come out…the book hits its stride and at times made me swoon, tear-up and also want to throw my Kindle. There is one scene in the book that made me literally want to almost internally combust and there wasn’t that much going on. That is a true testament as to how much sexual tension these two had going on.
“I feel you’re my compass, Fleur. You guide me to be a better man.”
I was so mad at Luc for a portion of the book and trust me you will be too. I am not so sure I would’ve done what Rose did. But you just can feel throughout the book that these are two are meant for each other. There are a lot of bumps and turns in the road for these two but the journey is totally worth it for the reader.
Now that I’ve binge-read the first two books in this series I need to wait until December for the third book. I’m not a patient person but I know the wait will be completely worth it! Rose and Luc will melt your heart and give you one hell of a passionate love story.
Luc is dubbed as the “French Disaster”. He is not related to the Garrison brothers by blood by might as well be. He lived with them for years and the Caplan girls are just as important to him, especially Rose. After breaking up with his model girlfriend, he’s back home for the off-season to work on his game and also his image. Rosie is still pining away for her one true-love, Luc and hopes this time back home will finally be the right time for him to realize she’s more than just a friend.
Luc knows that Rose has feelings for him but he just doesn’t realize that he also has those feelings for her. I swear there were points where I wanted to scream at the two of them to just get their sh*t together and just get a room.
When feelings FINALLY come out…the book hits its stride and at times made me swoon, tear-up and also want to throw my Kindle. There is one scene in the book that made me literally want to almost internally combust and there wasn’t that much going on. That is a true testament as to how much sexual tension these two had going on.
“I feel you’re my compass, Fleur. You guide me to be a better man.”
I was so mad at Luc for a portion of the book and trust me you will be too. I am not so sure I would’ve done what Rose did. But you just can feel throughout the book that these are two are meant for each other. There are a lot of bumps and turns in the road for these two but the journey is totally worth it for the reader.
Now that I’ve binge-read the first two books in this series I need to wait until December for the third book. I’m not a patient person but I know the wait will be completely worth it! Rose and Luc will melt your heart and give you one hell of a passionate love story.
March 7, 2016
This was a very good follow up to book 1, One More Shot. Where One More Shot was riddled with editing errors, you can tell that the author has learned from this and did a much better job with book 2. I loved the storyline and it was much less angsty and flowed so much better. I was not a fan of middle sister Callie in book 1, but liked her so much better in Making a Play. This is a good thing because she's the main character in book 3, The Final Move. I'm jumping into book 3 now! I highly recommend to any fan that enjoys sports romance or the friends to lovers trope.
April 29, 2022
I liked Rosie and Luc so much and was really enjoying their story until the big drama happened. This is just a personal preference, but I don’t like what happened or how it happened. It was pretty hard for me to get past it even when we got more details and realized it wasn’t as bad as it came off. If it even happened a little differently, I think I would’ve loved the story as much as I loved the first book. I do like the overall series, and the characters, which is why I stuck it out till the end. Luckily, there’s a few more books for me to read, so I’m gonna move onto the next one!
September 11, 2015
I have no idea how to even start this review. I feel like nothing I say could ever do it justice.
Luc and Rose grew up together. Both taken in by the Caplans and both with imperfect family situations, they form a deep friendship that lasts into adulthood. Rose has always been in love with Luc, but Luc sees her as something way too beautiful, special and sweet for the likes of him and so buries any romantic feelings he may have had towards her to rather take on the role of protector and friend.
The summer after her graduation, Rose decides to take the Frenchman by the pucks and make him see her as something other than the adorable little girl who became his best friend.
Friends to lovers, sports romance and taming the bad boy are well used, clichéd and predictable tropes in romance fiction but yet somehow in Victoria Denault’s hands this story became fresh and exciting. Her plot devices never felt clichéd or predictable to me and she had the perfect mix of angst, scorching chemistry, humour and character and plot development that I absolutely devoured. I could not put this book down and I didn’t want it to end.
I fell in love with all Victoria’s characters in One More Shot and they didn’t disappoint in Making a Play. Rose was innocent and naïve, and when so many of these heroines become frustratingly annoying, Rose tugged at your heart and made you only want the world to be a better place for her with all the rainbows and true love she wished for. I admired the fact that her childhood never made her hard or cynical and that she had the strength to be so honest in her feelings and unquestioningly believed in true love even with all evidence to the contrary.
Luc was sexy as hell and he had all my important bits aflutter. He was the strong man fighting for his career, the hot hockey star being painted as an irresponsible playboy. I loved how this big strong Adonis turned into a fumbling puppy for Rose and I appreciated the exploration of his feelings around never feeling good enough, of loneliness and feeling like an outsider even with the love of all his friends and the family of friends he adopted.
These felt like real people to me, with actual honest, ‘normal’ feelings.
The chemistry between the two was insane. It went from a slow and aching burn, with moments of such angsty lust that I had to put my kindle down for a minute to catch my breath, to insanely erotic. The scene in the hotel will stand out as one the most beautiful and romantic and sexy I have ever read for a long time.
The scene in the club, as one of the hottest.
As with her first book, this one had way more than I expected. Humour, angst, sexy times, sadness, frustration, it was all there in one amazing package.
I would absolutely, definitely, without question recommend this book and I’ll be marking down the days until the next one in the series.
Luc and Rose grew up together. Both taken in by the Caplans and both with imperfect family situations, they form a deep friendship that lasts into adulthood. Rose has always been in love with Luc, but Luc sees her as something way too beautiful, special and sweet for the likes of him and so buries any romantic feelings he may have had towards her to rather take on the role of protector and friend.
The summer after her graduation, Rose decides to take the Frenchman by the pucks and make him see her as something other than the adorable little girl who became his best friend.
Friends to lovers, sports romance and taming the bad boy are well used, clichéd and predictable tropes in romance fiction but yet somehow in Victoria Denault’s hands this story became fresh and exciting. Her plot devices never felt clichéd or predictable to me and she had the perfect mix of angst, scorching chemistry, humour and character and plot development that I absolutely devoured. I could not put this book down and I didn’t want it to end.
I fell in love with all Victoria’s characters in One More Shot and they didn’t disappoint in Making a Play. Rose was innocent and naïve, and when so many of these heroines become frustratingly annoying, Rose tugged at your heart and made you only want the world to be a better place for her with all the rainbows and true love she wished for. I admired the fact that her childhood never made her hard or cynical and that she had the strength to be so honest in her feelings and unquestioningly believed in true love even with all evidence to the contrary.
Luc was sexy as hell and he had all my important bits aflutter. He was the strong man fighting for his career, the hot hockey star being painted as an irresponsible playboy. I loved how this big strong Adonis turned into a fumbling puppy for Rose and I appreciated the exploration of his feelings around never feeling good enough, of loneliness and feeling like an outsider even with the love of all his friends and the family of friends he adopted.
These felt like real people to me, with actual honest, ‘normal’ feelings.
The chemistry between the two was insane. It went from a slow and aching burn, with moments of such angsty lust that I had to put my kindle down for a minute to catch my breath, to insanely erotic. The scene in the hotel will stand out as one the most beautiful and romantic and sexy I have ever read for a long time.
The scene in the club, as one of the hottest.
As with her first book, this one had way more than I expected. Humour, angst, sexy times, sadness, frustration, it was all there in one amazing package.
I would absolutely, definitely, without question recommend this book and I’ll be marking down the days until the next one in the series.
September 8, 2015
“Rose Caplan is sweet, smart and definitely beautiful, but she has all these fantastical ideas about love. She’s a romantic and she dreams of an epic love story with a Prince Charming and a happily ever after. She deserves nothing less, but I’m not at all interested in that.”
WOW, this book took me by surprise, I expected a fast and fun hockey book but I got so much more. I started this book late one night expecting to read a bit then pick it up in the morning some more but before I knew it two am rolled around and it was impossible to stop till I reached the very last page. I adored Luc and Rose simply stole my heart. I read a lot of hockey books and really enjoyed the first book in this series, but Making A Play out them all to shame.
“I don’t know what’s holding him back but I do know it won’t last forever. He’ll either fuck you senseless or spontaneously combust.” “Then Luc should start carrying a fire extinguisher with him,” I snark “Because I’m betting it’ll be the latter.”
The Hometown Players Series revolve around the Caplan sisters and the Garrison brothers and their surrogate brother Luc. Rose, the youngest of the Caplan girls, has very ideological views on love and knows that her romance story worthy love is out there and ever since she was 15 years old she has crushed on her good friend Luc. Luc is three years older than Rose and after having lived with an alcoholic single mother, he doesn’t want to be anyone’s prince charming.
‘I want to ask him what the hell he’s doing, but it’s a stupid question. I know what he’s doing – he’s dry-humping me within an inch of my life and pretending it’s dancing. I just can’t believe he’s doing it to me.’
After a breakup with his casual hookup Luc has been getting some bad press and add that to his team not preforming great and he has a ton of pressure on his shoulders. He knows Rose is beautiful and one of his best friends but he can’t be what she needs so he treats her like a little sister which just infuriates her. Soon Rose is dressing sexier and acting more seductive and it is getting harder and harder to ignore the way he is feeling. But never able to fully give himself to her without damaging his career he makes the one girl who deserves the world to hide in the shadows.
‘She wants me. Fleur wants me. There is nothing else to say.’
There was so much I loved about this book. First off, Luc has been there for Rose since they were young and while he never gave into her crush he flirted and whispered sweet things in French to her that just melted my heart and panties. He was sex personified and everything that came out of his mouth had my heart thumping just a tad harder. Rose was silly and youthful. She was the kind of girl you wanted to be your friend because you know she would make spending time together a blast. There comes a time in this book like many other where incidents occur that will put a crack in perfection they could have been. My pulsed raced and my brain refused to shut down until I got past the worst of it all. Sweet, sexy and with characters you root for the whole way through this is definitely a book I will be recommending to all sports romance loving readers. Every moment in this book was a joy and I cannot wait to get to the third book in the series.
~miranda
WOW, this book took me by surprise, I expected a fast and fun hockey book but I got so much more. I started this book late one night expecting to read a bit then pick it up in the morning some more but before I knew it two am rolled around and it was impossible to stop till I reached the very last page. I adored Luc and Rose simply stole my heart. I read a lot of hockey books and really enjoyed the first book in this series, but Making A Play out them all to shame.
“I don’t know what’s holding him back but I do know it won’t last forever. He’ll either fuck you senseless or spontaneously combust.” “Then Luc should start carrying a fire extinguisher with him,” I snark “Because I’m betting it’ll be the latter.”
The Hometown Players Series revolve around the Caplan sisters and the Garrison brothers and their surrogate brother Luc. Rose, the youngest of the Caplan girls, has very ideological views on love and knows that her romance story worthy love is out there and ever since she was 15 years old she has crushed on her good friend Luc. Luc is three years older than Rose and after having lived with an alcoholic single mother, he doesn’t want to be anyone’s prince charming.
‘I want to ask him what the hell he’s doing, but it’s a stupid question. I know what he’s doing – he’s dry-humping me within an inch of my life and pretending it’s dancing. I just can’t believe he’s doing it to me.’
After a breakup with his casual hookup Luc has been getting some bad press and add that to his team not preforming great and he has a ton of pressure on his shoulders. He knows Rose is beautiful and one of his best friends but he can’t be what she needs so he treats her like a little sister which just infuriates her. Soon Rose is dressing sexier and acting more seductive and it is getting harder and harder to ignore the way he is feeling. But never able to fully give himself to her without damaging his career he makes the one girl who deserves the world to hide in the shadows.
‘She wants me. Fleur wants me. There is nothing else to say.’
There was so much I loved about this book. First off, Luc has been there for Rose since they were young and while he never gave into her crush he flirted and whispered sweet things in French to her that just melted my heart and panties. He was sex personified and everything that came out of his mouth had my heart thumping just a tad harder. Rose was silly and youthful. She was the kind of girl you wanted to be your friend because you know she would make spending time together a blast. There comes a time in this book like many other where incidents occur that will put a crack in perfection they could have been. My pulsed raced and my brain refused to shut down until I got past the worst of it all. Sweet, sexy and with characters you root for the whole way through this is definitely a book I will be recommending to all sports romance loving readers. Every moment in this book was a joy and I cannot wait to get to the third book in the series.
~miranda
April 9, 2018
Overall, Making a Play is fairly standard protocol for any romance like this. What differentiates one romance from another is the particular minutia that fills out the story. Personally, I’m a total sucker for a friends to lover’s romance. There’s just something about these stories that gets me every time. Making a Play is a friends to lover’s romance set in the professional Hockey world. Our heroine Rose has been in love with her French-Canadian hockey playing best friend Luc since they were kids. Even though Luc is also attracted to Rose, he never makes a move on her because he thinks she deserves more than he can give her….
As you can see, it’s just the basic run of the mill premise for a story like this. In run of the mill stories, the characters aren’t necessarily well developed and the story is nothing super extraordinary. However there do tend to be some legit funny moments as well as some steamy smutty scenes. Then of course there will be the stupid break up for some stupid reason so the characters can learn a lesson and get back together. Making a Play fits that rhetoric to a T. Fair warning:
So, was Making a Play remarkable? No, it really wasn’t. Was it light and fun with a dash of smut? Yes, very much so. This is the perfect story for someone who’s trash over the friends to lover’s trope and wants a quick light read. This isn’t the book for you if you were looking for something super original and groundbreaking. This is book candy and honestly, why would anyone ever assume otherwise? Ha!
As you can see, it’s just the basic run of the mill premise for a story like this. In run of the mill stories, the characters aren’t necessarily well developed and the story is nothing super extraordinary. However there do tend to be some legit funny moments as well as some steamy smutty scenes. Then of course there will be the stupid break up for some stupid reason so the characters can learn a lesson and get back together. Making a Play fits that rhetoric to a T. Fair warning:
So, was Making a Play remarkable? No, it really wasn’t. Was it light and fun with a dash of smut? Yes, very much so. This is the perfect story for someone who’s trash over the friends to lover’s trope and wants a quick light read. This isn’t the book for you if you were looking for something super original and groundbreaking. This is book candy and honestly, why would anyone ever assume otherwise? Ha!
October 3, 2017
8/15 – This could have been a very nice Friends-to-Lovers story, but it took a very, very strange turn at one point and got more and more weird from there . Both heroes were a little boring IMO, and especially Luc's actions were really odd and akward occasionally.
December 14, 2015
The first one was pretty good, but nothing memorable really. But this one I loved!!!! I think I seriously have a thing for stories where whore-ie guys become fumbling messes when they fall head over heals. So my expectations of that last book have totally sky rocketed!
September 28, 2015
Book kind of ended abruptly. And how did Rose go from being so naive about sex, to having no shame?
December 3, 2015
Sweet geebus, this was not the book for me. The only things keeping Luc and Rose apart are insecurity and contrivances, not a compelling plot.
February 1, 2019
STORY:
------
Luc Richard a famous hockey player spends the off-season in his hometown. Because of the spotlight trouble with his ex and trouble with partying he takes some time out - which means no scandals and no women.
Back home his childhood friend Rose Caplan who is still a friend of him, but who always fancied Luc, sees her chance with Luc separated from his model girlfriend.
So Rose tries to be more sexy and Luc eyes seem to have problems looking away....
MY OPINION:
Well, it was a fast paced read and I liked it - but nothing more. Didn`t made me jumpy and overall excited.
His absence from women wasn`t really believable and felt a bit silly. Enormly the one scene at his event was so stupid, because there were a lot of cameras, reporters.
So I liked the conclusion with the secret thing neither.
Also the ending developements didn`t made me a fan from Luc. but I really liked her older sisters reaction towards the end. That was funny.
I think I'll give another book from this series a chance in future because maybe another pairing/plot suits me better.
3 solid stars
------
Luc Richard a famous hockey player spends the off-season in his hometown. Because of the spotlight trouble with his ex and trouble with partying he takes some time out - which means no scandals and no women.
Back home his childhood friend Rose Caplan who is still a friend of him, but who always fancied Luc, sees her chance with Luc separated from his model girlfriend.
So Rose tries to be more sexy and Luc eyes seem to have problems looking away....
MY OPINION:
Well, it was a fast paced read and I liked it - but nothing more. Didn`t made me jumpy and overall excited.
His absence from women wasn`t really believable and felt a bit silly. Enormly the one scene at his event was so stupid, because there were a lot of cameras, reporters.
So I liked the conclusion with the secret thing neither.
Also the ending developements didn`t made me a fan from Luc. but I really liked her older sisters reaction towards the end. That was funny.
I think I'll give another book from this series a chance in future because maybe another pairing/plot suits me better.
3 solid stars
March 2, 2018
I picked up this audiobook because Mason Lloyd was the audiobook narrator. I really love listening Mr. Lloyd and decided to give this one a try. I had no issues following along even though this book was #2 in the series.
May 22, 2017
4.5 stars!
February 5, 2018
Left me hanging
No likely when authors do that
No likely when authors do that
September 25, 2015
*I received a ARC via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review*
This was my first experience reading a book by Victoria Denault. Making A Play is the second book in the Hometown Player series. it can be read as a stand alone but after reading, I find myself wanting to read One More Shot and I will most definitely read The Final Move when it releases later this year. I absolutely love sports romance, what's not to love? Getting to see a buff guy being aggressive on the field, boxing ring or hockey rink makes you think about what they have to offer in a different area, if you know what I mean. This story with a devastatingly handsome hockey player and his special young woman gives you all the aggression that you could need. We get to see all of his action along with his heart and his fears which can make a reader fall in love and adore him. Luc and Rose are so sweet and sexy that it blows me away. While reading this story I became fast friends with the Garrison boys and the Caplan girls, they have a bond that years, relationships, and distance have not altered. I laughed at the antics and sighed over all of their heartfelt moments. Making a Play was humorous, heart wrenching, and super steamy and I am not referring to the locker room either. Although now that I think about it with the Luc and the Garrison boys around, I can bet the locker room is steamier than usual.
Luc aka "french disaster" has had a thing for his friend Rose Caplan for quite sometime. Being raised by an alcoholic mother, the Garrisons and Caplans were the closest to family he that had. Which makes Rose sacred and untouchable. If only he can keep himself from doing the touching. But with her dreams of finding her prince charming, he knows that he will not be the one to fulfill those dreams or shatter them. He fears that if he lets her in on the fact that her crush is reciprocated, that he will break her heart and with his special "fleur" or flower, that is not even an option. So he plans on keeping her in the "friend zone and there will be no scoring. He is a professional hockey player whose whole career is floundering due to bad moves in the rink and his personal life with a superficial supermodel. He is back home for the summer, single, and plans on getting his head out of the bedroom and back in the game. Little does he know that his little innocent Rose is not so innocent and has plans of her own this summer and they include him. Rose Caplan, who is often thought of as miss goody two shoes, plans on making a play for Luc, stealing his heart and making the goal.
This book had everything it needed to make it a heartfelt, off the charts sexy, and a funny read. All of the characters were well developed, likable, and easy to fall in love with. The story line was intriguing, entertaining, and Victoria has already teased us with glimpses of characters that will be a part of the story in the next book. I highly recommend if sports romances with men that dominate both in and out of the game along with the special women that ensnare them are for you. Luc and Rose are sure not to disappoint as well as the other characters that add so much to the story.
This was my first experience reading a book by Victoria Denault. Making A Play is the second book in the Hometown Player series. it can be read as a stand alone but after reading, I find myself wanting to read One More Shot and I will most definitely read The Final Move when it releases later this year. I absolutely love sports romance, what's not to love? Getting to see a buff guy being aggressive on the field, boxing ring or hockey rink makes you think about what they have to offer in a different area, if you know what I mean. This story with a devastatingly handsome hockey player and his special young woman gives you all the aggression that you could need. We get to see all of his action along with his heart and his fears which can make a reader fall in love and adore him. Luc and Rose are so sweet and sexy that it blows me away. While reading this story I became fast friends with the Garrison boys and the Caplan girls, they have a bond that years, relationships, and distance have not altered. I laughed at the antics and sighed over all of their heartfelt moments. Making a Play was humorous, heart wrenching, and super steamy and I am not referring to the locker room either. Although now that I think about it with the Luc and the Garrison boys around, I can bet the locker room is steamier than usual.
Luc aka "french disaster" has had a thing for his friend Rose Caplan for quite sometime. Being raised by an alcoholic mother, the Garrisons and Caplans were the closest to family he that had. Which makes Rose sacred and untouchable. If only he can keep himself from doing the touching. But with her dreams of finding her prince charming, he knows that he will not be the one to fulfill those dreams or shatter them. He fears that if he lets her in on the fact that her crush is reciprocated, that he will break her heart and with his special "fleur" or flower, that is not even an option. So he plans on keeping her in the "friend zone and there will be no scoring. He is a professional hockey player whose whole career is floundering due to bad moves in the rink and his personal life with a superficial supermodel. He is back home for the summer, single, and plans on getting his head out of the bedroom and back in the game. Little does he know that his little innocent Rose is not so innocent and has plans of her own this summer and they include him. Rose Caplan, who is often thought of as miss goody two shoes, plans on making a play for Luc, stealing his heart and making the goal.
This book had everything it needed to make it a heartfelt, off the charts sexy, and a funny read. All of the characters were well developed, likable, and easy to fall in love with. The story line was intriguing, entertaining, and Victoria has already teased us with glimpses of characters that will be a part of the story in the next book. I highly recommend if sports romances with men that dominate both in and out of the game along with the special women that ensnare them are for you. Luc and Rose are sure not to disappoint as well as the other characters that add so much to the story.
September 7, 2015
Copy received from publisher via Netgalley for an honest review
Though I have not read the first book in this series, this in no way affected my enjoyment of this second book.
I love a good book about hockey players, so I will take the chance on any I see come my way.
Luc and Rose's relationship is not an easy one. They have grown up together, and Rose has been in love with Luc since forever. But being the clueless guy, Luc sees she has a crush but no more.
Luc's career is in jeopardy, not helped by the vapid ex-girlfriend. He is home for the summer, to keep his nose clean, keep out of the public eye and catch up with his friends. He reconnects with Rose, his Fleur, and all bets are off.
I LOVED how Rose finally took the bull by the horns and went for what she has always wanted. She has had enough of waiting for Luc to make the moves. I felt so frustrated for her! It was like two steps forward, one step back for.
There were so many tears for her with the back and forth with Luc. She knew she had to move on, but when it is the love of your life you are trying to move on from, easier to say to yourself than to do. I just wanted to hug the heck out of Rose and slap the crap out of Luc.
I loved the interaction between Luc and the Garrison brothers, Rose with her sisters, and the lot of them together is just great.
So, can Luc get his act together, and will he and Rose have a HEA? Nope, for that you are going to have to read for yourself.
Making A Play is a well paced, beautiful story of first and forever love, with just enough angst to keep the reader on the edge.
Victoria Denault is a new-to-me author, but I will definitely be going back to read the first book in this series.
Though I have not read the first book in this series, this in no way affected my enjoyment of this second book.
I love a good book about hockey players, so I will take the chance on any I see come my way.
Luc and Rose's relationship is not an easy one. They have grown up together, and Rose has been in love with Luc since forever. But being the clueless guy, Luc sees she has a crush but no more.
Luc's career is in jeopardy, not helped by the vapid ex-girlfriend. He is home for the summer, to keep his nose clean, keep out of the public eye and catch up with his friends. He reconnects with Rose, his Fleur, and all bets are off.
I LOVED how Rose finally took the bull by the horns and went for what she has always wanted. She has had enough of waiting for Luc to make the moves. I felt so frustrated for her! It was like two steps forward, one step back for.
There were so many tears for her with the back and forth with Luc. She knew she had to move on, but when it is the love of your life you are trying to move on from, easier to say to yourself than to do. I just wanted to hug the heck out of Rose and slap the crap out of Luc.
I loved the interaction between Luc and the Garrison brothers, Rose with her sisters, and the lot of them together is just great.
So, can Luc get his act together, and will he and Rose have a HEA? Nope, for that you are going to have to read for yourself.
Making A Play is a well paced, beautiful story of first and forever love, with just enough angst to keep the reader on the edge.
Victoria Denault is a new-to-me author, but I will definitely be going back to read the first book in this series.
September 2, 2015
My review cross-posted from Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2015/09...
I love a good friends-to-lovers romance and I’m a sucker for a hockey player hero, so of course I snatched up Making a Play . Victoria Denault’s second Hometown Players story is a sultry tale with a healthy dose of angst and it moves at a satisfyingly fast pace.
Rose is the classic good girl who’s loved her lifelong friend from afar. Now, with Luc single and home for the summer, she’s finally ready for him to see her as a woman he would desire. What Rose doesn’t know is that her attraction has never been one-sided. But Luc doesn’t want romance, commitment, or a real relationship – all the things he knows Rose wants. Thinking it’s for her own good, Luc keeps her in the friendzone until the temptation of her gets to be too much for him to resist. From there Making a Play heats up and Ms. Denault does a good job of keeping things sensual and emotional.
There is genuine affection and love (in the non-romantic sense) between Rose and Luc from the very beginning, which is what kept me invested in the story, even when I grew frustrated with both hero and heroine. Rose is 21/22 and Luc 24/25, and because the do act their age, the story feels like something between new adult and adult romance. This isn’t a mark against the book, merely an observation. There’s a lack of maturity on Rose and Luc’s parts that would have been more logical in a new adult romance, but the story is written as a straight contemporary romance. It’s an awkward in-between which drew me out of the story and may or may not do the same for other readers. A lot of Rose and Luc’s problems would have been solved had they been open with each other from the start and had taken responsibility for their actions. They don’t seem to truly take control of their destiny until the very end, which serves the plot but not the characters.
There are a lot of romance formulas at play in the story, and though they don’t feel fresh or new, the formulas work. And though I had some issues with Rose and Luc, I did like them both overall. Rose is sweet and charming, and Luc is sensual and protective. Their shared history carries them through and makes the ending mostly satisfying (things were wrapped up quickly enough that I still had a few questions). The familial relationships with secondary characters added depth to the story and made me want to learn more. So while Making a Play was hit-or-miss for me at times, I’m still interested in reading more of Ms. Denault’s work. And with Callie’s story on the horizon, there’s no way I’ll be missing out on the next Hometown Players book, The Final Move.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I love a good friends-to-lovers romance and I’m a sucker for a hockey player hero, so of course I snatched up Making a Play . Victoria Denault’s second Hometown Players story is a sultry tale with a healthy dose of angst and it moves at a satisfyingly fast pace.
Rose is the classic good girl who’s loved her lifelong friend from afar. Now, with Luc single and home for the summer, she’s finally ready for him to see her as a woman he would desire. What Rose doesn’t know is that her attraction has never been one-sided. But Luc doesn’t want romance, commitment, or a real relationship – all the things he knows Rose wants. Thinking it’s for her own good, Luc keeps her in the friendzone until the temptation of her gets to be too much for him to resist. From there Making a Play heats up and Ms. Denault does a good job of keeping things sensual and emotional.
There is genuine affection and love (in the non-romantic sense) between Rose and Luc from the very beginning, which is what kept me invested in the story, even when I grew frustrated with both hero and heroine. Rose is 21/22 and Luc 24/25, and because the do act their age, the story feels like something between new adult and adult romance. This isn’t a mark against the book, merely an observation. There’s a lack of maturity on Rose and Luc’s parts that would have been more logical in a new adult romance, but the story is written as a straight contemporary romance. It’s an awkward in-between which drew me out of the story and may or may not do the same for other readers. A lot of Rose and Luc’s problems would have been solved had they been open with each other from the start and had taken responsibility for their actions. They don’t seem to truly take control of their destiny until the very end, which serves the plot but not the characters.
There are a lot of romance formulas at play in the story, and though they don’t feel fresh or new, the formulas work. And though I had some issues with Rose and Luc, I did like them both overall. Rose is sweet and charming, and Luc is sensual and protective. Their shared history carries them through and makes the ending mostly satisfying (things were wrapped up quickly enough that I still had a few questions). The familial relationships with secondary characters added depth to the story and made me want to learn more. So while Making a Play was hit-or-miss for me at times, I’m still interested in reading more of Ms. Denault’s work. And with Callie’s story on the horizon, there’s no way I’ll be missing out on the next Hometown Players book, The Final Move.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
September 3, 2015
Making a Play (Hometown Players #2) by Victoria Denault NHL star Luc Richard’s career is in jeopardy due to negative media attention he receives from his relationship with his supermodel ex-girlfriend. He heads to Silver Bay, Maine, in the off-season in hopes to stay out of the tabloids. He reconnects with his childhood friend, Rose Caplan, and notices she is no longer the shy little girl he used to know. She has become the type of woman you want to keep forever.
Victoria Denault wrote another fantastic book in the Hometown Players Series! She created a moving and believable story that touched my heart.
Denault’s character development is exceptional. I love Luc and Rose. They have such wonderful chemistry. I appreciate that they started out as friends when they were kids. They were there for each other, neither of them having parental support. I enjoyed that they were one of those couples that everyone around them knew they were destined to be together but them. They are convincing characters, having grown dramatically.
The plot is very believable. The NHL is definitely on their players to behave. They do not like negative publicity. Unfortunately, for Luc it is not always his fault. I like how the situation is resolved and what he does to work on his image.
Making a Play by Victoria Denault is a great book for anyone that enjoys contemporary sports romances.
Complimentary copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Victoria Denault wrote another fantastic book in the Hometown Players Series! She created a moving and believable story that touched my heart.
Denault’s character development is exceptional. I love Luc and Rose. They have such wonderful chemistry. I appreciate that they started out as friends when they were kids. They were there for each other, neither of them having parental support. I enjoyed that they were one of those couples that everyone around them knew they were destined to be together but them. They are convincing characters, having grown dramatically.
The plot is very believable. The NHL is definitely on their players to behave. They do not like negative publicity. Unfortunately, for Luc it is not always his fault. I like how the situation is resolved and what he does to work on his image.
Making a Play by Victoria Denault is a great book for anyone that enjoys contemporary sports romances.
Complimentary copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 26, 2016
How I feel about this book
Rose and Luc are cute.. they are best friends who both have feelings for each other.. Rose wants to explore is but Luc thinks she deserves better and is worried about his sinking career.. Luc makes a vow no women all summer but Rose is the exception.. It starts out innocent them doing the types of things they did when they were younger and then Rose starts doing things to catch his attention... and it works...
What I love about Rose she never gave up on the idea of the fairy tale.. she wanted nothing less.. she had this innocence about her... but she was feisty and sexy..
Luc is an all around great guy... just a lil stupid at times.. he fights the feelings he has for Rose.. but can't stay away.. he wants to protect her.. and be her friend... she wants him between her legs.. so it was a tug a war for a bit..
but when they finally come together...
its MAGIC
And I know that sounds corny.. but these two have had feelings for YEARS.. YEARS! and when they finally come together.. its like it all made sense.. they made sense.. and how it happens..
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It was like a dream.. and I enjoyed ever single detail...
I enjoyed this book... I love the characters and the supporting characters.. and the little family they have all created... It's a world I'd wanna be apart of..
Rose and Luc are cute.. they are best friends who both have feelings for each other.. Rose wants to explore is but Luc thinks she deserves better and is worried about his sinking career.. Luc makes a vow no women all summer but Rose is the exception.. It starts out innocent them doing the types of things they did when they were younger and then Rose starts doing things to catch his attention... and it works...
What I love about Rose she never gave up on the idea of the fairy tale.. she wanted nothing less.. she had this innocence about her... but she was feisty and sexy..
Luc is an all around great guy... just a lil stupid at times.. he fights the feelings he has for Rose.. but can't stay away.. he wants to protect her.. and be her friend... she wants him between her legs.. so it was a tug a war for a bit..
but when they finally come together...
its MAGIC
And I know that sounds corny.. but these two have had feelings for YEARS.. YEARS! and when they finally come together.. its like it all made sense.. they made sense.. and how it happens..
[image error]
It was like a dream.. and I enjoyed ever single detail...
I enjoyed this book... I love the characters and the supporting characters.. and the little family they have all created... It's a world I'd wanna be apart of..
September 3, 2015
NHL star Luc Richard’s career is in jeopardy due to negative media attention he receives from his relationship with his supermodel ex-girlfriend. He heads to Silver Bay, Maine, in the off-season in hopes to stay out of the tabloids. He reconnects with his childhood friend, Rose Caplan, and notices she is no longer the shy little girl he used to know. She has become the type of woman you want to keep forever.
Victoria Denault wrote another fantastic book in the Hometown Players Series! She created a moving and believable story that touched my heart.
Denault’s character development is exceptional. I love Luc and Rose. They have such wonderful chemistry. I appreciate that they started out as friends when they were kids. They were there for each other, neither of them having parental support. I enjoyed that they were one of those couples that everyone around them knew they were destined to be together but them. They are convincing characters, having grown dramatically.
The plot is very believable. The NHL is definitely on their players to behave. They do not like negative publicity. Unfortunately, for Luc it is not always his fault. I like how the situation is resolved and what he does to work on his image.
Making a Play by Victoria Denault is a great book for anyone that enjoys contemporary sports romances.
Complimentary copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Victoria Denault wrote another fantastic book in the Hometown Players Series! She created a moving and believable story that touched my heart.
Denault’s character development is exceptional. I love Luc and Rose. They have such wonderful chemistry. I appreciate that they started out as friends when they were kids. They were there for each other, neither of them having parental support. I enjoyed that they were one of those couples that everyone around them knew they were destined to be together but them. They are convincing characters, having grown dramatically.
The plot is very believable. The NHL is definitely on their players to behave. They do not like negative publicity. Unfortunately, for Luc it is not always his fault. I like how the situation is resolved and what he does to work on his image.
Making a Play by Victoria Denault is a great book for anyone that enjoys contemporary sports romances.
Complimentary copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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