Nice KA book. It's an older one which is why I gave it a chance. I like the older ones much better than her new stuff. The separation was a little iffy as neither one tried very hard but the reasons given for both attitudes made sense considering the past histories of each one so I went with it. ( )

Cody and Ivey.
A very emotional story, esp at around 50%.
Excellent secondary characters. ( )

I'm going to admit that this wasn't my favourite KA book. It was most definitely enjoyable and I loved that characters weren't magically redeemed and that Ivey didn't get a perfect resolution in that the proto-relationship she was developing with Mrs Cody was forever gone due to her brother's manipulations. (I wouldn't have forgiven him either.) Due to the course of events things aren't perfect for Gray and Ivey at the end of the tale but it is perfect for them.

Hmm... it's easier to just show an example of what I mean.

Things are definitely in turbulent state when Sonny (one of Gray's uncles) talks to Ivey in the kitchen.

"You got it worse than others but everyone has their crosses to bear. You bear 'em then you keep on keepin' on and you do it together. 'Cause shit always passes and you got enough sweet, it always sweeps away the bitter. You and Gray, this'll be done and you'll taste your sweet."

Ivey's response to this...

"Sonny, I've had enough bitter to last a lifetime. Now I'm baking cakes in a kitchen that, when I first walked into it, I knew I wanted to walk into it dozens of times every day for the rest of my life and it's the kitchen of the man you I looked at once and I knew. I knew. And honey, you know exactly what I knew. There's nothing that can take away that kind of sweet."

Yeah... not my favourite of KA's books but it's still a really good read.

( )

Yet, another fantastic book by KA. I adore that this author always manages to have real characters that struggle like real-life people, thus making them relatable, and gives them a once in a lifetime type of love. There is always a depth to not only the characters but also their experiences, their characters, and their quest to find solace and acceptance. ( )

I gave this audiobook an A- for the story and B+ for the narration at AudioGals.

Narrated by Savannah Richards

I can always count on Kristen Ashley for a satisfying, protective alpha hero romance.Play It Safe, however, turns the typical KA trope on its head, proving that heroines can be protective heroes too! Adding to the enjoyment of this romance is the underlying suspense arc and the complex, interwoven secondary characters which add a whole other layer to this entertaining listen. Moreover, this title is a great one to choose in audio format due to Savannah Richards’ expert narration.

Ivey is used to life on the run. An expert billiards player and people-reader, she’s been wandering from town to town with her brother, never laying roots, just conning or swindling a quick buck here and there. Never stay too long or take too much and no one will come looking for you. Playing it safe worked just fine until the day she finds the small, rancher town of Mustang, Colorado, and a sweet, protective cowboy (with the perfect cowboy name of Grayson Cody) that makes her dream of something she never thought possible for a girl like her: laying down roots. Suspending reality for just a short while, Ivey finds herself in love with not just Grayson but the whole town which makes her feel at home and like she has real family for the first time in her life.

See the full review at AudioGals. ( )