Kiss Hard
Hard Play, Book 4

I Picked Up This Book Because: Continue the series.

Media Type: Audiobook
Source: CC Public Library
Dates Read: 9/8/23 - 9/11/23
Stars: 4 Stars
Narrator(s): Justine O. Keef

The Characters:

Daniel Esera:
Catie River:


The Story:

I am deeply regretful that there are only four Esera brothers and that they are all taken. Also, they are fiction, but I still want one of my own. If I can‘t have a brother Catie having one seems fair. She is awesome and I would love to see the things she and Daniel get up to in the future.

The Random Thoughts: ( )

This is a contemporary romance that is set in a longer running series of books but can be read by itself. Jacob is a single dad after his high school sweetheart Callie died from meningitis not too long after giving birth to their only child. Jacob is a rising star rugby player much like most of his siblings but is a devoted single father. When he is teamed up with Juliet, Callie’s best friend from high school sparks fly. They had always verbally sparred but both dearly loved Callie. Juliet was sent away to live with her grandparents in Samoa and missed the birth of Esme and the funeral. When she came back to New Zealand she made a clean break from her past and never got in touch with any old friends. When they do meet again it is due to Juliet’s friendship with Jake’s soon to be sister in law. They continue to cross paths due to Juliet’s work and sparks fly. The interconnected series of book is a great payoff to the long time reader but with the plot so focused on the main characters it can be picked up without getting lost. A lovely ending to the book and good to know there is still one more brother to have his book.

Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
( )

Love Hard
Hard Play, Book 3

I Picked Up This Book Because: #NetgalleyNovember.

Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Scribd
Dates Read: 11/21/2022 - 11/24/2022
Stars: 4 Stars
Narrator(s): Justine O. Keef

The Characters:

Juliet Nelisi:
Jacob Esera:
Esme Esera,

The Story:

Writing: Super cute enemies to lovers type story. I really liked how the MCs liked to argue with each other. I hate real arguing but picking with that right person can be so much fun.
Forward Motion: Very good. In fact, I didn’t even see the end coming. Literally it surprised me when it was over.
Overall Interest:I was all in. These characters were great, the family aspect was so cute and the chemistry between the MCs was so good.
Length of Reading Time: Great.
Re-read-ability: Yes I would visit this world again.

The Random Thoughts:

To be clear I have a netgalley copy but I’m doing much better with audiobooks these days so I listened to this via audiobook on Scribd. ( )

I love this book so much that I will never be able to put it into words just right. This book is a bit heavy but the emotional balance that Nalini is a master of ensures that it is never too heavy. Justine is, as always, a stunning narrator and I'm so happy direction allowed for her to include NZ accents. ( )

Love Hard is book #3 in the Hard Play series by Nalini Singh. I’m a huge fan of the author’s contemporary romances and have been reading this series since she started writing it. For this installment, we have Jacob Esera, rugby star, single father and bane of Juliet Nelisi’s high school existence. Jacob was in a relationship with Juliet’s BFF Calypso, who unfortunately, passed away shortly after their daughter was born.

Now I’m a sucker for a good single dad story. And then you add in hot rugby players and a redemption story, and SOLD. Juliet had a reputation has a bad girl in high school but has fought her way into a great career and a life far different from her teenage years. Juliet and Jacob reunite at Jacob’s brother’s wedding and the sparks fly immediately. I was unsure how I felt at first because it felt a little wrong for Juliet to be crushing on her former enemy/BFF’s baby daddy but I got over it quickly. I enjoyed the banter between the two characters (I’m a sucker for witty banter) and how they fought their relationship for so long.

I think Juliet showed a lot of growth during the course of the story but in a nice change of pace, so did Jacob. What I especially liked was the two of them helping each other overcome demons, preconceived notions and their past to form a great relationship.

While this is #3 in the series, each book can stand alone. I gave this installment 4 out of 5 stars. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy.

**Crossposted to my blog*** ( )