Opposites attract, right? Wrong. They explode with combustible chemistry and danger in the case of Charline & Trent…Charline is a serious research doctor running a drug trial for a miracle serum. The serum could heal her crippled mother, but she desperately needs funding.Trent Lockheed is a superstar NFL quarterback. Football is his life. He needs to hang onto his career to win one more … hang onto his career to win one more Super Bowl, but his injured shoulder could end everything. He desperately needs a miracle cure.
They make an unholy bargain when Trent gives Charline money to fund her drug trial and she allows him to participate and get the miracle serum. But it all has to remain a poisonous secret between them.
To get what they want, they both need to break cardinal rules of their professions. They make the dark bargain knowing that if the secret between them was ever exposed, it could destroy them.
But how do they trust each other as complete strangers in spite of their scorching attraction? Or will that uncontrollable attraction be their real undoing?
What readers are saying about the Playing series:
“Getting your mind in the game, or interest in this book, will be extremely easy and excitingly enjoyable!”–InD’Tale Magazine
“I enjoyed every page from the start to the end. I will keep this story in my heart and pray that Stephanie Queen writes more of these HOT SIZZLING SCORCHING novels. The plot was exciting and characters were absolutely delicious. I read it in on setting as I was unable to put it down. I will absolutely read more of hers.”–Amazon Reviewer
“OMG! This book is absolutely fantastic! It touches on so many areas. First, it explores professional football and other professional sports and the lengths that players will go to to be the best of the best for as long as they can even if it involves things not exactly above board. Secondly, it’s a story of fake relationships developing into the real thing. Trent and Charline’s relationship is a whirlwind crackling with all kinds of sizzling tension. Thirdly, there is the matter of medical and drug development and all of the associated politics (not all of which is ethical) involved in clinical trials. And, finally, woven all through, is the love of family which weaves around all of the people in the book. No, this isn’t a stuffy, boring book. It is masterfully written and draws you in from the very beginning and doesn’t let you put it down until you reach the end! You will not regret it!”–Amazon Reviewer
Playing Until the End is over 400 pages of captivating, sizzling romance between two mesmerizing and complicated characters with an HEA. Mature content.
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loved it!
He just wants to keep playing and will willing to pay for her special care
Playing Until the End is the story of Trent Lockheed and Charline Morneau, aka Charlie. They are opposites but are brought together because they each want the same thing………….more time!!! He wants to extend his football career, as it is how he identifies himself but due to his age and injuries it does not look like he will play for much longer. She wants to find a cure that will help both her mother and sister who are suffering from a genetic disease that is terminal. They come together to help each other as Charlie needs funding for her research into a new serum she is developing and Trent has the means if he can be a test subject. But he cannot let anyone know what he is doing so he becomes an anonymous test subject in the drug study and they pretend to be dating so that people don’t question the amount of time they are spending together. This arrangement ends up leading further than expected and then they become fake engaged.
Well maybe the fake engaged is not quite so fake as they both have feeling for each other. Plus right from their first meeting the characters appear to be perfect together and they have heat radiating from them.
I did like the story and enjoyed a number of different things about it. There were some things that I just shook my head over including a lot of the medical things. Plus there were several inconsistencies in details that had me going back to reread sections to see if I had not remembered correctly. Overall though it was a nice and sweet story.
I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are all my own.
I honestly didn’t finish this book, because I couldn’t get invested into the story, characters, nor the writing. Not to say that most people will enjoy this book, but honestly, it wasn’t for me. I like reading Stephanie Queen, but I have been in a reading funk lately, so I might try to re-read this book at a later date.
Please note that I did receive an ARC of this book, and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I don’t usually read a lot of sports stories but I liked the unusual story line that was part of this story’s information. Plus, the fact that I’ve read other books by this author, I was pretty sure it was going to be pretty good. It was even better than I had hoped! It had such depth, action and intensity. Oh yes, there is also some sexual steam too!
Both Charlie and Trent were well drawn characters. I couldn’t help but like them and hope they overcome all the challenges that they faced. And the emotions of both M.C.’s is easily felt. A plus for me is that the medical science and the football information was easy to understand and follow.
Charlie’s boss Dr. Hogart is a bully. And I really dislike bullies so that part was kind of hard to swallow. Especially bullies in positions of power. Although he was well written and made me wonder if he was also lining his own pockets. I just flat out didn’t trust him. Since, he was introduced fairly early in the story, you can tell I got pulled in fairly fast. My emotions were already engaged ..I wanted to see him have an epic fail and Charlie win. Although trying to get around Dr. Hogart was often like trying to nail jello to the wall. The intensity kept me involved and on the edge of my seat all the way through.
I enjoyed the ending and the Epilogue that was included. For me, a good Epilogue is almost a near necessity after being drawn into a story and it’s people.
“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
Sizzling plot and football too!
As a star quarterback for the Boston Minuteman, Trent Lockheed lived for football but age and injuries may end his career before he reaches the Hall of Fame. An experimental treatment by medical researcher Dr. Charline Morneau may be the answer. Her research study needs an infusion of cash from a wealthy donor like Trent and he needs to be accepted into the study to get the treatment that might prolong his career.
The solution to both of their problems is obvious but if anyone finds out it could mean the end to both of their careers. Trent is willing to donate the needed funds in return for becoming an anonymous study subject – a John Doe in the study files. Charline will pose as his fiancée as a way to disguise the amount of time they must spend together. Maintaining a professional attitude is impossible when the sexual flames ignite between them. I received a free copy of the book but my review is honest and voluntary. This book has all the right elements; football and a scorching-hot romance.
This is my first read from this author and I enjoyed it very much.
I received this book from Hidden Gem for my honest review.
I could not get into this book at all. I felt like there was way to much going on through the book that I couldn’t figure out the story-line. I felt like the characters were lacking and boring. I could not finish this book.
Trent Lockheed, a star football player is getting to old for the game and he does not know what he is going to do. He meets Charline “Charlie” Morneau is an ambitious physician and researcher who is looking for a cure for a degenerative family disease. I enjoyed reading their story and seeing what they go through to get a happy ending. I received a copy through Hidden Gems and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Trent and Charline meet because a mutual friend thinks that each has something that the other needs. What the friend didn’t expect was their instant and undeniable sexual attraction to one another. In the first few pages of the book, a very sexy encounter takes place. Charline needs money to continue her research and Trent might benefit from the early clinical trial. Charline has stolen some of the serum from the trial to clandestinely provide treatment to her mother who is on a downward slide with a deadly and currently untreatable genetic disease. Her sister is also afflicted but to a lessor extent.
As Charline includes Trent in the trial as a John Doe, she is treating him in secret. Trent is a star quarterback who probably shouldn’t be taking the serum but he wants just one more super bowl win. Their daily encounters cause joy, tension, and difficulties. To complicate matters, Charline’s boss is suspicious of her and envious of her success. He tries to take credit for her accomplishments, while also trying to block her success. This also contributes an element of suspense to the book.
Very good story and writing style. I enjoyed the book and I would recommend it for people who don’t mind explicit sexual encounters in their books.
I received this book as an ARC and I am voluntarily leaving a review. OMG! This book is absolutely fantastic! It touches on so many areas. First, it explores professional football and other professional sports and the lengths that players will go to to be the best of the best for as long as they can even if it involves things not exactly above board. Secondly, it’s a story of fake relationships developing into the real thing. Trent and Charline’s relationship is a whirlwind crackling with all kinds of sizzling tension. Thirdly, there is the matter of medical and drug development and all of the associated politics (not all of which is ethical) involved in clinical trials. And, finally, woven all through, is the love of family which weaves around all of the people in the book. No, this isn’t a stuffy, boring book. It is masterfully written and draws you in from the very beginning and doesn’t let you put it down until you reach the end! You will not regret it!