Book: Clock Play by C.L. Rose
Reviewed by Maggie Hayes
Rating: 3.5/5
Clock Play by C.L. Rose
⭐⭐⭐¾ (3.75/5)
This is my first book by C.L. Rose, and boy, was it a rollercoaster of emotion. I was NOT prepared to be shedding tears over a deadbeat dad. Keep your tissues handy!
My heart broke for Paris, a relatively newly divorced mother of three. She was pressured to marry and stay with her ex by her very conservative parents, despite him being a complete waste of space (see: crying over a deadbeat dad). Now, she's doing her absolute best to give her children a happy and healthy childhood while doing it all alone. Maybe it's because I was raised by a single mom with three kids, but something about Paris really spoke to me.
It's no wonder Paris falls head over heels for Austin, the older, retired football player who craves a family and whose love language is acts of service. I'd never heard the term "service dom" before, but I can definitely get behind a man who gets turned on by taking care of the woman he loves—in and out of the bedroom. He is endlessly patient, giving Paris the time and space to figure out what she wants and needs from their relationship, and his dedication is unmatched. I especially loved the way he supports and encourages Paris as she discovers what brings her pleasure. It's incredibly sex-positive without ever feeling exploitative or creepy.
The real MVP of the book? The found family the Renegade players and their partners have created. The way they readily accept Paris and her children—not just because she's dating Austin, but because they're a genuinely kind and caring group of people—absolutely melted my heart.
Clock Play is the fifth book in the Rock City Renegades series. While you can read it as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the previous books first, as earlier couples are prominent in the storyline here.
Thank you to the author and The Smuthood for providing an ARC.