Book: Play & Pretend by Meghan Hollie
Reviewed by scribsbookshelf
Rating: 4/5
Seren is a single mom and returning to professional rugby after spending time raising her son, Cai. At a chance meeting, she meets Jake Ledger, her brother’s rugby teammate, and though they know the other one is off-limits, there’s only so much they can do before pretending to just be friends is not enough.
I have never read a sports romance about rugby before and I wish there was a little more of that in the plot. However, that does not detract from the story because it is engaging and the sincerity the characters express for one another is what gets to me. The characters are openly vulnerable with one another despite their fears and that is very real. At the same time, I enjoyed the levity and playfulness that balances out the more serious moments. Meanwhile, Seren and Jake are on fire and it’s hard not to fall in love with their interactions.
Thank you so much to Luna Literary Management and Meghan Hollie for the gifted ARC. All opinions are my own!