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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Absolutely brilliant. Loved reading about a bigger woman for once. Hilarious, cringe and swoon romance/angst. It has it all!
One of the many reasons I love the Red Lipstick Coalition series is because the girls are all so different and its easy to find yourself connecting to one of them. This was Val for me… shes sassy, but can feel insecure at times. It’s also tough to not love Sam from the second he’s introduced. Who doesn’t love a playboy with a heart of gold!!? The chemistry between Val and Sam is insane…. talk about steamy!!! I always love a good fake relationship turned lovers and this did not disappoint.
It was also refreshing to read a book with diverse protagonists. Val is Hispanic and Sam is Lebanese. There needs to be more diversity in the romance genre and I was happy Staci took on the challenge!
Wonderful characters
LOVED this book! The story, the characters and their wit and dialogue…just incredible. It is CLEAR that Staci does her research for plot details and it just made Player that much more embraceable. I love the RLC girls so much and Val just may have stepped into the number 1 position for my favorite book heroine! I know she’s always going to be a favorite! Her body image insecurities are real and I fell so hard for that part of her, and I was crushed by how she developed those fears. She’s also a damn intelligent and strong woman, and this side of her usually outshines the self-doubt. Though Sam is just Sam and he unintentionally brings those worries out. Oh Sam. He is a man’s man. Honest, strong, loving, sincere. His drive to help, or help in the way he thinks Val needs, is earnest but misguided. Their friends-to-lovers evolution is exhilarating, fun, and heartbreaking at the same time. This fantastic book ticks all the requirements for a wholeheartedly lovely read. More than 5 stars for Player!
Love this book. The characters are amazing. Their chemistry and banter are so entertaining. I laughed, cried and got angry. Staci totally sucked me into her book world. I couldn’t put it down. Love Val’s brothers too. Sam and Val are so good together. Can’t wait to read more of this series.
Every Staci Hart book I’ve read has been good, but this one is a treasure. Val is perfectly written, and Sam isn’t good enough for her and he knows it (always the sign of a good book boyfriend)! I can’t wait to read the other books in this series.
“Love is music. It’s learning when to be loud and when to be soft. It’s riding the scales up and down. Learning the curves and strings to play the song of your heart. You have to know when to lead and when to follow. When you’re wrong and when you’re right. Love is music, hijo mío. It is the greatest music there is.”
Follow the song of your heart and fall in love with Val and Sam! The characters and stories in Staci Hart’s Red Lipstick Coalition series are everything. Player is imbued with heart, humor, and passion. I love the characters strengths and vulnerabilities and their realness; you can see yourself in aspects of all of them.
Swoony love and genuine laughter, indelible friendships, unconditional family love, and the perfect amount of heartfelt tension will have your heart soaring in this wonderful romance that hits all the right notes.
Staci Hart’s writing style is so easy and conformable for me to read. I just love it! She never disappoints and keeps a high standard.
However, I have to admit that I’m not the biggest fan of this series so far. I love the idea of the Red Lipstick Coalition and their friendship is just amazing. I love the scenes where it is only the girls, but I’m not the biggest fan of the male characters.
I guess I don’t really like the idea of starting a relationship out of a bet, whatever the intentions might be. For me that’s a no go. It’s destined for disaster because the truth always comes out.
The fact that I didn’t like the setting didn’t withhold me of wanting to read this book. As I said earlier in my review Staci Hart’s writing never disappoints and I was very curious how the story would evolve.
Some things worth mentioning are:
– Val’s insecurities are very well portrayed. I could really relate to her.
– I always love to read about new careers. Playing in the orchestra pit of a Broadway show was a first for me.
– I loved reading about swing dancing/ Lindy Hop.
– I loved Val’s original pickup lines.
– …
Conclusion: Even though I didn’t like the set up, I truly enjoyed reading it and will definitely continue reading Staci Hart’s books.
I will admit that I did not like Sam at the beginning of Player. I thought he was a bit too arrogant. He won me over in the end when he realized how much he truly cared about Val. I loved Val from page one. Her quirky nature was adorable and her friends were awesome. I am anxiously waiting for next story in the series!
This is one of those books you won’t forget. I’ve already read it numerous times. It’s that good. A guy who has never been in a relationship falling in love with someone who least expects it. When the bet aspect of the book is revealed by a bitter “friend” of Sam’s, it’s so emotional. I felt like I was actually there as the characters, feeling what they were feeling. The love, the painful heartbreak & then the joy. A must read.
Player is Ah-Maze-Ing! Val is a triumph, Sam is instantly love-able and their story together… ah I can’t find words. You can feel their connection even under the pretense of friendship, and you can feel the angsty heartache when the secrets are spilled. Everything here is perfect and lovely and a complete page turner.
I can’t remember the last time I connected with a character like I did with Val. Her insecurities are fleshed out in the most honest way that anyone can see a part of themselves in her and it makes you as a reader instantly want her happiness above all.
So basically this is a perfect read, with humor, honest emotions, relatable content and some steamy scenes that will leave you breathless.
-Mackenzie
“He picked me up like I was nothing, but he held me like I was everything” -Player
The Red Lipstick Coalition are back, and this time with ‘Player’ the sexy sequel to ‘Piece of Work’ by Staci Hart. It’s a fun, hot, sexy romance that had me hooked from the moment I read the first page. (I literally could not put this book down!)
Like all of Hart’s books, ‘Player’ is beautifully written and is relatable. The book focuses around Val, a young girl trying to make it in the city as a musician on Broadway. She is clumsy, self-conscious and hopelessly besotted with Sam, the handsome, suave bass player. Unfortunately for Val, Sam literally is a player, and little does she know that she’s about to become his next game.
Hart’s writing is addictive and she conjures up characters who are quirky and feel like your best friends. Val is very body conscious and has hang ups that all women can relate to, whilst Sam is the knight in shining armour that you would just die to have around. He wants more than anything for Val to see herself as he sees her, to realise her worth and potential. He is all about embracing curves and for trying to get Val to ‘be herself’.
Hart’s work is very good at promoting body confidence and owning your flaws, and I found this book very empowering. I love her work and can’t wait to read more about these girls.
I’d recommend this book to all romance lovers, or people looking to try something different. Hart’s work is modern, refreshing and full of va va voom. You can read this book as a standalone or as part of the series. Now that I’ve finished this book, I’m having serious withdrawals and fully intend to re-read.
Oh how I love these 4 girls. I am jealous of their “girl squad”.
I kinda love this story. I love love love how Sam was trying so hard to instill confidence into Val. I love how he saw her and how he told her how he saw her. I knew Ian would fuck it up, I was hoping he wouldn’t, I was hoping Sam would have told her first, but then we wouldn’t have the arc. So…..
I so want Kathrine to be gay, but the epilogue screwed that up. I can’t wait for the other two stories, I would have liked more Rin and Court in this one as well. It almost makes me want to go re-read their story to see how Sam and Val intersect if at all within their story.
The scene where the girls talk about blowjobs was so funny I was hiccuping from laughing so hard. Then I had to read the scene to my husband b/c he was wondering what had me in such a fit.
4.5
I am definitely hooked on this series. This book in particular has me absorbed from the get go. I loved the storyline and the characters, I was so invested in their plight. You just knew what was going to happen and were desperately hoping it wasn’t going to be a bad fall out. My heart broke for Val, as she was so happy before she wasn’t. And Sam, god love him, he thought he was trying to save Val and heartache but it backfired terribly. I didn’t think I was a sadist, but I wanted Ian to get more, he deserved it all. I am also looking forward to the next book, Amelia is going to gives us her tale.
Player is my new favorite from Staci Hart! I haven’t fallen in love with her words like this since I discovered her writing when she published With a Twist! Being a romantic comedy lover, a lot of her other books in between just missed the mark for me.
But Player is romantic comedy brilliance, in fact I have declared Chapter 17, Clitosaurus Sex, as the best chapter I’ve read all year! I couldn’t stop giggling. Out. Loud. It was that funny. I couldn’t put Player down and I never wanted it to end.
The epilogue revealed a little nugget of information AND we get sneak peak into the next book in the series and I am DYING to get my hands on it and you will too. Back to Player, this is Val’s story who we met in Piece of Work. She is the unofficial leader of the Red Lipstick Coalition. She is loud and outspoken on the outside, but a nervous self conscious mess on the inside that I think we can all relate to.
What I really enjoyed about Player, outside of the humor is that it tied in great friendships and strong family bonds. Theses elements really amped up the story and added great depth and dimension to the story. I also got some major 90s romcom vibes from the story, from the bet with the douchey friend and and the transformation of the girl, the beginning for Player had me thinking about She’s All That.
Did I mention at all that you are about to meet a very special specimen of book boyfriend when you open up Player… I can’t even think of the words to describe how perfect Sam is for Val and really any woman but his the Val’s other half and I loved watching them come together.
Wow! After reading Rin’s terrific story I didn’t know what to expect for the other girlfriends and their stories. The author doesn’t disappoint with a story that is fresh with intriguing characters and a special romance for Val. I loved the Broadway orchestra backdrop and all the musical elements. Truly something different and interesting even if the “teach me” scenario isn’t. Val is in the orchestra with her crush, Sam, but she’s too shy to engage other than a few awkward moments. Val has negative body image issues that keeps her on the romance sidelines. Sam is quite the hunk with all his sexy swagger, player persona and mad musical skills. And he’s protective of Val and enters into a bet with evil Ian to save her from Ian’s playboy ways. But Val is the firecracker that turns her crush’s life upside down with the proposal for his help in teaching her how to attract a man. With the girlfriends pushing Val to go for what she wants she steps out there and turns the tables on Sam. Their romance turns real but can Sam get over his reluctance for a relationship? Can Val forgive him for his transgression? You may know how it ends but the fun is getting there. The author does a terrific job of making you care about these characters and their sexy romance. I can’t wait for the next installment in the series. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC and bought the book.
5 Player Filled Stars!!!
Staci Hart is one of my favorite go to authors! I don’t have to read the blurb to her new books before I automatically add to my TBR list.
Piece of Work was the fist book for her next set of friends to get their stories told. These ladies are all naturally beautiful, quiet, low key, don’t dress fancy or have much or any past relationship/interactions with men. But, a waitress friend of them told them they must buy a red lipstick. It’ll change things. They did and started RLC which equals out to the red lipstick coalition. It totally worked wonders with Rin. Now, it’s Val’s turn.
Val hasn’t had many boyfriends. First off all her siblings are brothers. And, yes they’re all VERY protective of their sister. Second, she’s not model size and she developed breasts earlier then most her classmates and they were cruel to her. Bc of that she’s had few boyfriends.
Val’s a very talented trumpet player. She’s got an amazing job working for an orchestra on a broadway play. There’s a bass player, Sam that Val has a seriously huge crush on. Whenever he’s near her Val’s lucky if she makes 2-4 words out that make any sense or she’s knocking something over or tripping and falling.
When Val accidentally empties her trumpet spit all over him she’s embarrassed. They start talking and he invites her and her friends to a swing club he plays at with his band. Her friends talk her into getting dressed up, putting on her red lipstick that’s doing nothing and collecting dust and going. Val has the best time watching Sam and his band rock out and dancing.
When her and Sam get to talking she explains why she’s single and lack of picking up guys. Sam offers to tutor Val in getting more comfortable with herself and men and getting her out there to start dating. Val wishes Sam wanted her but she’ll take him anyway she can get him.
Sam was attracted to Val the instant he saw her. She’s not his typical go-to girl but the total opposite. He can tell Val’s special. Sam doesn’t have a problem getting women into his bed. He lets them know he doesn’t date and won’t spend more then one night with them. But, Sam does have one rule. Sam won’t sleep with a women if he works with them. He won’t crap where he eat. It’s why he’s stayed away from Val.
Sam’s pretty much a player and he’s OK with that. His best friend Ian is no better. They’ve always gotten in trouble together. They’re in the orchestra and band together. When Ian starts making comments about Val wanting Sam, he starts dismissing Ian. Ian figures if Sam won’t go after Val then he will. That instantly makes Sam’s blood boil.
Sam won’t let Val be Ian’s next victim. He tries to put a claim on her but Ian don’t believe it. They make a bet. Sam feels instantly bad about it but’ll do anything to protect Val from Ian.
But, the more and more time Sam spends with Val the more and harder he is falling for her. Sam’s never felt like this before for a women. His hearts telling him he’s in love but his brain is telling him he’s no good for her.
Sam knows he must admit 2 things to Val. His true feelings for her and everything that happened with Ian that resulted in a bet. But, Sam can’t admit the second part bc he doesn’t want to hurt her or loose her.
Even though he told her he wants to stop being friends and be her boyfriend he knows the truth needs to come out. But, Ian’s changed ever since Sam has been around Val. He’s always overlooked Ian’s dark side. This time he can’t and won’t. ESP when this time Ian’s crossed a line to hurt Val and Sam won’t let that go.
Sam just needs to get Val to listen to him, forgive him and hopefully not give up on them.
Once I started this I couldn’t put it down. I loved this so much more then Piece of Work!! I might not of liked what Sam did but I understood it. I hated he put himself into same category as Ian bc he’s soooooooo not!!!! He’d just never found his one before Val. My heart broke for everything Val went thru with being body shamed. I’m glad she didn’t let it ruin her.
Sam and Val are great together!!! I’m super excited for the rest of the RLC ladies to put their lipsticks on and have that superpower to take over and then get their HEA. I’m also really hoping, praying and keeping my fingers crossed that Val’s brothers get their stories written bc OMG they had me laughing and wanting more from them.
Hope in a tube of Heartbreaker
I just loved this story. Ms. Hart infuses this romance with lots of fun, family, humor, music and emotion and passion.
Player is Val and Sam’s story and is the second book which centers around a group of best friends who call themselves The Red Lipstick Coalition. It’s an idea inspired by a tube of red lipstick whereby each “friend would wear that lipstick, unabashed and unafraid,” in an effort to be brave and courageous in face of their fears.
Valentina Bolivar and Samhir Haddad both work in the same orchestra of a Broadway show. Though Sam knows Val is attracted to him he has rules never to date a woman from the pit. It only complicates things. But his close friend, Ian Jackson, throws a bet at Sam that he can’t date Val for a month, otherwise Ian makes a move for Val. Sam only agrees to the bet as a way to protect Valentina from Ian’s unscrupulous attentions and possible heartache.
Sam finds Val irresistible as they spend time together. Valentina is fun loving, sexy, and a wonderful sense of humor. Val wants Sam to teach her how to seduce a man and they agree to a no-strings arrangement. Val has the cheesiest pick-up lines but she’s so adorable. Sam is charming, confident and exudes a sexiness that makes the man way out of her league. Can she keep her heart safe from heartache as they explore this unconventional arrangement? Will Sam realize in time that Val is the woman of his heart? Lots of firsts happen with these two.
Staci Hart brings on the chemistry, witty dialogue and laugh-out-loud humor. Player is full of heart, family, and hope. I was rooting for Val and Sam all the way and was just tickled over the antics of Val’s supportive roommates, Rin, Amelia, and Katherine. There is a wonderful cast of secondary characters that helped enrich this story. I am looking forward to the next book. Great job, Ms. Hart. I received and voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
4 Stars
Player is such an amazingly beautiful story. It’s flirty, sexy and funny in all the right ways. Staci Hart once again delivers a refreshing story with her amazing way with words. I loved watching Val grow and come to be confident in herself and Sam…well, I always love watching the self proclaimed “players” brought to their unsuspecting knees. These two have undeniable chemistry and it engulfs every single page.
Angela – Alphas Do It Better Book Blog
I freaking loved and adored the shit out of this book! Every. Single. Moment of it. The minute I dove into Player, there was absolutely no going back—I couldn’t put it down until I was on that very last page. Every chapter had me enthralled. Every page had me finding more and more things to love about it. The diversity and equality Staci Hart has touched up on and tackled in this book was so profound and so spot on, I want to give her a standing ovation myself.
“Don’t ever give your love to a man who won’t give you everything he has to his name in exchange, heart and soul in hand.”
Samhir Haddad didn’t only have me swooning all over the damn place—he had me enraptured and so dazed, I just want to find his clone stat. He might know himself to be a player, but there was so much more to him than that. Sam was such a talented musician, had the sweetest and biggest of hearts, and he always knew the right things to say. The exact things to do. I swear, the things that came out of his mouth would either bring you to your knees and have you falling head over heels for him in an instant, or they’ll drive you over to the edge and have you needing to change your soaked up undies. The things to love about this man was just endless, you won’t be able to stop gushing about 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.”
Without a doubt, you’ll find your newest book boyfriend in Sam, but Valentina Bolivar… she’ll become one of the top heroines you won’t only adore with all your heart, but look up to as well. She’s just so real, I found it so easy to slip inside and be in her shoes. I felt all her insecurities and vulnerabilities like they were my own. I felt every doubt that crept in her mind and every self-deprecating moment she had. But I also witnessed how much she opened up and blossomed into a much braver, more confident woman the deeper I got into the story. How she started to believe and see herself the way Sam truly did. How she finally knew her worth.
“You see it as a flaw. I see it as honest. It’s you. And I want you just as you are. Every tiny freckle on your nose. Every curl on your head. Every soft place on your body. You call them flaws. I call it a signature. Because there is no one like you, not in the whole world. And I will love every curve until you realize you love them, too.”
I don’t think I’ve ever read a romance with a curvy, heavier set heroine that successfully hit me in all the right places like Player did. Staci Hart has really managed to make Val shine so bright in this book, Sam almost had no choice but to take a bit of the backseat, no matter how close to pure perfection he was. And that right there, is one of the things that made this book that much more impactful and unforgettable to me. It’s certainly burrowed itself and gotten under my skin, and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. This is just the book I know—and feel deep in my bones—every single romance reader should read. One that will leave a lasting impression and a huge, permanent smile on their faces. One they’d thoroughly enjoy and appreciate immensely, just like I did.
“I kissed her and kissed her, told her my secrets with my lips and my tongue and my hands and my noisy breath. There were no words to explain how I felt, not even to myself. Only kisses. A hundred of them, a million of them, not enough of them.”
Empowering, intoxicating, and downright relatable in every which way, Player was utterly packed to the brim with all the feels, laughs and romance that only Staci Hart can deliver. If you haven’t picked this book up yet, or met the ladies of the Red Lipstick Coalition, then you’re absolutely missing out. You NEED these books in your life. Trust me, you’ll come out changed—a braver, more inspired and confident woman—after you put this one down.