He’s a player.He plays the bass with expert fingers. He plays women with intoxicating charm. And he’ll play me with the ease of a virtuoso.Who better to teach me to play than the master himself?I’m his model student, front row, pencil sharp. Pick up lines? I’ve got them. Free drinks? By the dozen. Kissing? Let me grab my chapstick.But the most valuable lesson I’ve learned is that there’s so much … I’ve learned is that there’s so much I don’t know. Like why his touch sets off a chain reaction straight to my nethers. Or how I’m certain each kiss is the best I’ll ever have, until the moment his lips take mine again.
There’s so much I don’t know.
Like the fact that I’m only a bet.
But we are what we are. He’s a player, through and through.
And I’m the fool who fell in love with him.
Standalone romantic comedy and part of the Red Lipstick Coalition Series–Val’s story
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Off the charts chemistry from start to finish. Staci Hart weaves a story as seamlessly as a swing dancer and plays on your emotions as well as any musician. A masterpiece you won’t soon forget.
STOP. IT. Just… stop it, Staci Hart. I swear, there are very few authors that when I read them, they make me feel so inferior that I want to throw in the towel and never write a word again — Staci is one of them. And Player is a perfect example of why. These characters, this love story, this entire Red Lipstick Coalition gang is just… perfection. And Staci Hart is still and forever the queen of romantic comedy.
I just want to start with Val because I can’t NOT start with her. This is the first time I’ve ever seen so much of ME in a heroine that I cried in her monologues because I GOT HER SO HARD. No, I’m not hispanic and no, I’m not being swept off my feet by a gorgeous Sam. BUT, I faced all the same things she did growing up — being teased about my curves and my weight, fighting that inner voice that told me men wouldn’t want me because I wasn’t a size zero, wanting to hide my body under baggy clothes so I could just blend and disappear. BEEN THERE, GIRL. It’s been a long and winding journey for me to find some comfort in my skin, and even today, I battle insecurities with my weight and my curves.
And Staci Hart nailed that feeling.
So often, we fall into the romance in these books — and trust me, the romance in this one is POW POW BAM. I mean… if you can get through the scene where Sam helps her go down on him without needing a fan blowing on your undercarriage, then you’re just not human.
BUT, Player is more than a romance. It’s about a woman finding inner strength and beauty, about her accepting who she is and standing tall and proud. It’s also about swing dance, and friendship, and family. This book encompasses so much, and maybe that’s why it was nearly impossible for me to put the book down once I started it. It’s one you want to devour in the same measure that you want to take it in slowly, like a cookie or a piece of well-earned cheesecake.
Why am I suddenly hungry?
ANYWAY, let’s switch gears to talk about Sam. Because I mean REALLY, STACI HART?! As if her Heros in past books haven’t been absolutely perfect, she had to go and create this smirky son-of-a-b**** who just makes me want to throw my panties in a fire. Sam likes to come off as this unattached player, but he’s actually this soft, sensitive, and yet possessive little teddy bear. The way he cares for Val, the way he does anything he can to make her feel safe and beautiful? Ugh… I mean, isn’t that what we all want as a woman? A partner who makes us feel safe and worthy of love?
The two of them together are just magic. The entire book, I was laughing and smiling and flipping pages with an immovable pair of heart eyes permanently attached to my face. And that little cliffhanger about what’s to come in Amelia’s story?
GIVE ME NOW.
Anyway, if you take one thing from this review, let it be this: Player is one romantic comedy you do not want to miss this fall. Move your TBR around, sacrifice some others and make room for a romantic, heartfelt story that will penetrate you bone deep and make you believe in love again. Staci Hart wins all the gold stars for this one.
If, as Hart says in the book, “Love is music,” then Player is the song you put on repeat for days on end when you’re feeling that certain someone in your heart. It’s the melody you can’t get out of your head, the lyrics that speak to your soul, and the band so talented you can’t fathom what it would be like to actually see them play live. Player is a musical masterpiece — and therefore, a masterpiece of love, too.
#TopRec
*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*
4.5 “príncipe” “Player” “Just jump” “Heartbreaker” Kisses
GAHHHHHHHH!!!! I need to join the Red Lipstick Coalition like yesterday!!! I totally loved Piece of Work and I’m so glad that Staci is giving all of these amazing girls their own stories. The friendship between Rin, Val, Amelia and Katherine is very magnetic and unique and I find I love their friendship almost as much as I love the romantic relationship…and that’s saying a lot since I’ve been completely obsessed with Sam & Val and Court & Rin (from Piece of Work). So…million dollar question – do you have to read Piece of Work in order to read Player? Absolutely not…it’s a tiny bit helpful because you do know the characters a little bit better, but it’s definitely not a deal breaker and Player can be read as a complete standalone.
Valentine Bolivar…my curvaceous, sassy, Spanish wonder – how do I love thee? I would bet almost anything that’s impossible not to love Val…she is one of the most loveable characters I’ve ever read – she made me happy just about every time I was in her POV. Her personality is the best…she’s so funny – like I wish there were a stronger word for funny because I loved how much she made me giggle. She’s very down to earth and genuine. I loved that she was a bigger girl – I related to a lot of her insecurities and the way she saw herself. It wasn’t that her weight was a big hang up for her, she was just very realistic in some of her fears, especially regarding Sam and I appreciated the way that Staci wrote those aspects. I loved her passion for music…I loved her style…I loved her relationship with her family…we already know I loved her friends – Val is just one of those characters I wish was real so that I could hang out with her because I’m pretty sure we’d have a blast together. It’s so obvious to see why she was able to tame the Player…
‘That was when it hit me. My smile was broad and proud. “Valentina Bolivar, are you flirting with me?”
Her cheeks flushed with her little smile, lips together. “Maybe a little.”
“Practice makes perfect,” I said. “Just like dancing. You just keep getting better and better at both.”
She swatted at my arm. “Samhir Haddad, are you flirting with me?”
I laughed and pulled her close. “Maybe a little.”’
Samhir Haddad…oh my sweet stars, I adored this man. I mean, I had a pretty good feeling that I was going to because I have a huge weakness for manwhores…but he’s not your typical player. He’s like…a manwhore with a heart of gold. Yeah…I know that sounds weird, but trust me on this. He’s really and truly not a bad guy…he doesn’t lead girls on, he’s honest to a fault and he’s 100% genuine – he doesn’t say things he doesn’t mean and it’s incredibly easy to take him at face value once you learn that. He’s so sweet and kind – I was worried in the beginning, when the plot was starting to come together, that I was maybe going to have issues with him but they quickly melted away. Once you get to know Sam it’s basically impossible not to fall head over heels in love with him.
‘Sam, I’d discovered, was a doorway to a world I’d only dreamed of. A world of kisses and touches and music. A world of dancing and flipping and laughter. A world where I was onstage in front of hundreds of people, doing the thing I loved most.
It was every version of me that I’d wished existed come to life.’
Ohhhhh my goodness, these two were effortlessly amazing…incredibly addictive from the very beginning and I couldn’t stop myself falling in love with every nuance of their relationship. Without really knowing Sam and Val, you wouldn’t even think they would work so well together – he’s the sexy player who never does repeats and she’s the awkward, funny girl who has never been in love…but their personalities just clicked. It started with their friendship…seeing them get to really know each other, watching Val get over her awkwardness around Sam, seeing Sam let loose with Val. I loved how much they made each other laugh – especially when Val made Sam laugh, I was insanely obsessed with it. They were truly at ease with one another – it was so natural…and it was almost instantaneous. I think the music definitely helped…having that common thread and passion. Then him teaching her to dance added the tactile aspect – which was so amazing…Sam couldn’t keep his hands off of Val and I loved that they were always touching in some way, even before things got romantic. I loved that he was obsessed her hair…I loved that he saw her for who she truly was and genuinely cared for her…I loved that she changed how he thought about relationships and opened his eyes to a whole new world.
“Do you want to know the first thing that I look for in a girl?”
“What?”
“Her smile.”
I leaned back to look at him but said nothing.
His eyes roamed my face, as if he’d find an explanation written somewhere there. “You can tell almost everything from a smile. How easily it finds its way to her face. How sincere it is or isn’t. How it changes her eyes. How it makes me feel. Everything else is secondary to that smile.” He brushed the line of my jaw with the backs of his fingers. “You, Valentina, have one of the most brilliant smiles I’ve ever seen. It finds your lips almost as if that were their natural state. Even when you frown, the corners turn up like they can’t help but be happy. And when you smile, your eyes shine. Your face shines with it. And that hits me in all the right places.”
Staci Hart slaaaaaaaays me every time! Every single time I think I can’t fall in love with her writing more…and every time she proves me wrong – it’s the best thing ever. I love her way with words…I love how she describes things, the way she is able to inflict emotion into just about everything, the humor that she brings out – heck, she even cracked me up with Val’s cheesy pickup lines! The flow is seamless…the dialogue is fantastic…it’s flawless and I never ever want her books to end. They completely transport me and it’s one of the most addictive experiences. That’s why she is one of my favorite authors, I crave the experience that she gives to me. It’s angsty, funny, sexy and the intense emotional rollercoaster that I crave. My only slight complaint was the overuse of “towed/towing”. It’s not like it’s used every other chapter or anything but if it was enough times to catch my attention, which is never a good thing. And the only reason I mention it is because repetitiveness is one of my extreme pet peeves, so that’s another reason why it caught my attention. In relation to everything else that I loved about Player, that issue is totally and completely minor – in all honesty, I was completely swept away by Sam and Val. They took all of my expectations and blew them out of the water.
‘She cupped my jaw and smiled, lips together. “What is it, Sam?”
“It’s you, everything about you. I want…I want so much. I want to earn your smiles, your laughter. Your heart. Your pleasure is my pleasure. I didn’t know that your happiness would be my own, too. There’s so much I didn’t know.”
Softly, she laughed. “And here I thought you were supposed to be teaching me.”
I climbed one step, bringing me level with her lips. “Oh, no. It was you who were teaching me all along.”’
The ending was…blissful. Smooth…heavenly…everything I could have ever wanted. Not one ounce of it felt rushed, Sam said everything I needed him to and Val’s reactions were all that I wanted. Plus, one thing I hate is when the resolution finally comes then it’s like wham-bam-thank you ma’am, here’s an epilogue and we’re done and that was not the case here at all. I felt like I truly got to squeeze all the joy I wanted out of Sam and Val…and let’s be real, I love squeezing the joy out of them – they’re just too amazing for words. Also…I’m just putting this out in the universe – I would absolutely LOVE if Staci did a spin off series with Val’s brothers – Dante, Rancisco, Maximum and Alejandro. Those Bolivar Boys are some kind of amazing…I’m basically already in love with Dante! I loved seeing the entire Bolivar family…but I think seeing Val’s brothers get their own HEA would be pretty spectacular. I’m so freakin’ in love with this series already and we’re only half way through – plus! The teasers that were in the epilogue plus the sneak peak of Work in Progress, Amelia’s story, that was in the back of Player…good gravy lawd almighty, January 24th cannot get here fast enough!!! I’m so excited to see what Staci does with my favorite little book worm and her man. #RedLipstickCoalitionFan
Once more, Staci Hart has penned a novel that has captivated my heart completely! Unique in her own right, Staci’s writing is flawless as she creates an undeniable connection between tbe reader and characters. Seriously, you won’t be able to stop yourself from falling in love with these ingenious characters!!
Val! Valentina. She quickly became a favorite heroine to me. Here’s why… She’s a voluptuous goddess with Hispanic roots. Flawed and insecure, yet at the same time she’s fierce and bold. Val is someone I, or any woman could relate to! Plus, she crushed on the hottest guy
Now, Sam! I’m shook again because Staci gives us not one, but two multicultural characters who both happen to be main characters! #dead It’s such a beautiful thing to see two different characters from two different cultures come together.
Sam is Samhir Haddad and he’s Lebanese. Different from any other hero I’ve read, he stuck with me throughout the entire story. Gorgeous, talented, imperfect, and yes a #player. Val never imagined her crush would give her the time of day and soon a friendship unfolds and things become more… But Sam holds a secret close to his heart that could ultimately hurt Val.
Is Sam really just a player, or is there more to him? Read and find out!
Hands down, I loved this book! It had everything! Things I didn’t even know I wanted in a book! Dance, tons of culture, and so much music all I could think about at times was wanting to learn to swing dance, too! It even had the fake-dating trope that’s hard to resist!!! Thank you so much Staci! I cannot wait for the next books of the Red Lipstick Coalition squad!!
Out of the 981 books I’ve read in the past five years, there are only a handful that have made me wish that I were a better writer of book reviews. This is one of them. Player is filled with diverse and relatable characters. It weaves a beautiful, touching, steamy and music filled love story between a man who feels he has nothing to give in a relationship and a woman who needs to learn about body positivity and trust. Even as someone who has no musicality (yet adores music and dance), I absolutely loved picturing the orchestra pit as well as the big band and dance scenes. Honestly, the whole thing sent me into a Youtube hole and the only thing that could pull me out was returning to Val and Sam’s story. Hart steadfastly avoids filler and useless, childish drama. The emotions of the characters are proportionate to the storyline and they pack enough of a punch to transfer to the reader, allowing for a fully immersive story that pulls you in and leaves you sighing long after you finish.
How much did I love this book? I bought the rest of the series before I hit the 25% point and added another two series by this author to my wish list. Now, if only I could get her to attend Love N. Vegas 2019 or Love N Queen Mary in 2020. In two books, Staci Hart has jumped right to my “3 Authors I need to meet at a signing” list so that I can personally thank her for reminding what a 5 star read feels like.
Such a cute and original story! Loved how unique the characters were.
I loved this story. It was so sweet and emotional and simply beautiful. I am off to the next book in this series and I can’t recommend this series enough.
‘Player’ by Staci Hart was such a sweet story! I loved Val’s quirky and imperfect character, but mostly I loved that she still exuded so much confidence. Sam was so charming and sweet, although I really didn’t feel he was that much of a ‘player’. I really enjoyed Val and Sam’s dedication and passion for music, which also made them fit perfectly and naturally together. Although the story did seem a little drawn out, I loved how Hart caught me up in all the swells of the music and dancing with her beautifully descriptive writing. This was such a refreshing read!
Je découvre la plume de Staci Hart avec ce roman et je dois vous avouer que c’est la couverture qui m’a attirée en premier lieu puis le résumé. Player est la comédie romantique qu’on adore avec tous les ingrédients réunis pour nous faire passer un bon moment de lecture.
Valentina Bolivar est une jeune trompettiste qui a développé un sacré coup de foudre pour le séduisant Sam qui est évidemment hors de portée. Val n’a pas sa langue dans poche et ses maladresses ne sont pas qu’une légende comme nous le verrons dès les premières pages. Faux pas après faux pas, elle décide d’accepter les leçons de séductions que Sam va lui prodiguer pour apprendre à flirter et séduire l’homme de ses rêves. La complicité est donc bien présente et notre coeur fond quand nous découvrons leur alchimie. Pourtant comme Val , il faut garder en tête le fait que si elle a des sentiments pour lui , la réciproque ne peut être vraie car Sam est un joueur qui aime les défis et qui est à des années lumières du type d’homme faite pour elle.
J’ai adoré sa relation avec ses colocataires et les scènes où Rin, Amelia , Katherine et Val sont réunies sont vraiment délicieuses car on sent l’amitié profonde qui les unit et elles seront de bons conseils en cas de réunion de crise. Elles vont mettre en garde Val, analyser ses rendez vous et moments privilégiés avec le beau gosse et être là aux moments les plus difficiles. De plus, Val n’est pas seule car sa famille est très présente et elle vous dirait même que ses quatre frères sont envahissants mais les deux scènes familiales auxquelles nous assistons nous collent un sourire aux lèvres et nous montrent qu’ils tiennent tous à elle. Dante est le frère dont on entend le plus parler et sous sa carapace d’homme de cro magnon, on sent qu’il veut simplement protéger sa soeur à sa manière et son abuelita est vraiment adorable. La sagesse qui se dégagera des ses propos est aussi très attendrissant. On espère donc qu’ils pourrait l”épauler quand la vérité éclatera.
Samhir Haddad est un sacré héros sexy et on ne peut que fondre sous son charme débordant. Nous avons la chance d’avoir des chapitres écrits de son point de vue donc nous savons à quoi nous en tenir le concernant . Nous connaissons les tenants et les aboutissants de ce fameux pari et nous ne pouvons donc pas lui en vouloir car nous allons constater qu’il va lutter pour la protéger et non l’humilier. Son amie Ian Jackson est une pourriture de première classe et il va prendre un malin plaisir à mettre de l’huile sur le feu. Dès le début , il savait ce qu’il allait faire et on attend donc le dénouement final. Sam est un joueur émérite et son talent n’est plus à prouver. Il est issu d’une famille aimante qui saura le soutenir en temps voulu. J’ai adoré voir l’évolution de sa relation avec Val car nous savons bien où cela va le mener même si lui n’en a pas conscience. Quand ouvrira t-il enfin les yeux? Avouera t-il la vérité à Val?
Bref, si vous lisez en VO, je ne peux que vous recommandez cette lecture qui est une comédie romantique comme on les aime avec de l’humour, de l’amour et du glamour. On se prend vite au jeu et Staci Hart parvient à nous happer dans son histoire.
It’s official. Staci Hart has put herself on the “Can Do No Wrong” list. And yes, I’m writing it with my red lipstick! I don’t even know where to start with Player. There was so much good. So everything that I was swept away with Val and Sam’s story.
Alright. Let me start with Val. She’s a heroine everyone can relate to. She is every woman. Self conscious. Reserved. Tenderhearted. Bold and unapologetic. Fiercely loyal. And hiding behind her fears. And then there is Sam. Goodness me, Sam. Everything Val isn’t. Confident. Boisterous. He is legit the life of the party. And for some reason, he can’t seem to stop sneaking peeks at Val. And when his friend throws out a crazy plan, where the only one to lose would be Val, Sam knows he can’t let her take the fall.
Val and her best girlfriends concocted their own plan to help Val shed some of her awkwardness and gain some confidence. Cue the burn. It was deliciously sexy. It didn’t take long for either of them to know they were in over their heads. I loved the way Sam fell for her- slowly. Once piece of her quirky and kind personality at a time. Then all at once because he just couldn’t not love her. And how he tried to get her to see herself, her beauty, through his eyes- all the swoon.
I am still on a high after finishing Player. Every detail mattered and was spot on. The one-liners. The hair. The clothes. The shoes. The music. The drama. The feels. It wasn’t all smooth sailing. There were some tense moments, especially with squirrely Ian but that jerk got his. Somehow Staci Hart melded all these little pieces of awesome together and made Sam and Val’s story unputdownable. Oh and that little tease at the end has me ready for more of the RLC!
Well, this one was way better than the story of Rin, with which I had a lot of problems, but it didn’t convince me completely. The plot was fun, I like the pretending relationship evolving into the real one, but Val was too flat as a character and Sam was way too superficial. Thank good they changed in the end, but in the beginning I couldn’t really stand them…
It was easy to identify with the female lead. It was funny and gut wrenching at the same time.
Great read by Staci Hart .Sam and Val find each other and it was fun to along for the ride.
This couple had great chemistry. Really romantic and steamy. Loved it!
I loved this series!
I loved this group of gals – they decided to over come their flaws themselves. The men in their lives just helped them achieve their goals. Really great story.
I always enjoy her entertaining rom-coms.Her characters are so real.She makes me laugh out loud with some of their antics.
4.5 Stars! I loved Val and Sam! I love the friendship between Val and her roommates RLC for the win!!
Sam was so swoony. I can’t wait for the next book in this series!!
I love, love, love the writing style of Staci Hart. I was unsure about this installment in the Red Lipstick Series, but wish I read it earlier…its a great story! I love the little snippets of poetry, the cute little details that are very accurate, etc….and ofcourse, the angst and tear jerking plot line…it wouldn’t be a Staci Hart book if there isn’t a tear jerking chapter. Will read this again and again.
Love is music.
Sam plays the base and is known to be a player. He has one rule though, don’t date anyone who works with him. Those he does go on a date with knows that he is not boyfriend material. He makes that clear up front. So when his friend backs him into a corner to date the trumpet player, at work for one month, he has two objectives. First protect her from his friend, second protect her from himself.
Val has always thought that Sam was the most beautiful creature to grace her presence. She can’t see the beauty in herself. She is not the skinny model type. So how could someone like Sam ever be interested in her?
Her friends convince her to ask him for coffee but he asks her to go dancing at a swing club where his band plays at instead.
Will he be able to protect her from his friend?
Can he protect her heart and his own as he gets to know her?
This is a second book in a series of four and also a stand alone by a brilliant author who has captured my heart.