Even one-night stands deserve a second chance in New York Times bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken’s novel of sporting desire.What else can a virgin do when she’s ditched at the altar? Seattle heiress Mackenzie Dupont is treating herself to a single-girl honeymoon in Mexico and a desire to relinquish her innocence to a gorgeous one-night stand. Fake names. True pleasure. But when she wakes up … But when she wakes up alone, Mackenzie realizes just how much anger is left in her broken heart.
Suffering a tragic personal loss, pro soccer player Slade Rodriguez has his reasons for vanishing without a goodbye. Right or wrong, he’s blaming the beautiful and infuriating stranger he never wants to see again. They’re both in for a shock when Mackenzie shows up as his new personal assistant. And they both have a lot to learn about each other. Because they share more than they could possibly know, including a common enemy who’s playing his own games. And he’s not afraid to get dirty.
Now there’s only one way Mackenzie and Slade can win: to trust in each other and to stop hiding from the lies they’ve told, the secrets they’ve kept, the mistakes they’ve made, and the attraction that still burns between them.
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***ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.***
This book is EVERYTHING. No, I mean it. It’s swoony, hot, and so intriguing. Mack and Slade are romantic together, but they’re also friends. They take care of each other and help each other heal from past heartaches. They’re strong and weak due to varying circumstances, but they never give up on themselves or each other. Like I said, EVERYTHING.
It sounds like a lot and maybe even overwhelming, but this story is so well written and exciting that my heart could burst. All the feelings and characters and their pasts are intertwined really well and handled with such care and finesse. I was hooked from the very beginning to the last word in the Epilogue – which, my goodness, I have no words for!
There are so many good things to say about this book! The main thing is that this is what true romances are made of. The back and forth, the heartbreak, the happily ever after – Risky Play has it all. Definitely pick this one up. You’ll be glad you did!
Mack is reeling from being left at the alter by her childhood sweetheart/best friend. Slade is reeling from betrayal by his fiancée and teammate. They meet while on vacation and sparks fly…. until tragedy strikes Slades life. When they reunite in the most unlikely of ways, sparks fly for sure, just in a real bad way. As they navigate the situation they are in and get to know each other they learn a lot about themselves as well.
I loved the progression of the characters and the way Mack choose to be kind when she had every reason to not.
It’s such a true portrayal of loving someone when they seem unlovable and unkind. Sometimes love is not prefect and it’s not pretty.
If you are looking for a good romance with some angst, this book is for you.
In true RVD fashion she will draw you in from page one and keep you up late into the night (when you should be sleeping for work at 5 am) until you finish.
This is a must read!!
I was provided with an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’m gonna be honest here and say that I am a bit over the whole “virgin” trope. If I never have to read about another virgin again…that would be fine by me. That said, I am a fan of Rachel van Dyken’s work and so I really don’t want to miss out on the books she writes, so I figured I just had to trust her and give this one a go 😉
And I am so glad I did because Mack was pretty awesome !!
MacKenzie is the 30-year-old heiress of a wine empire. She is a sommelier (wine taster) at her father’s company. She has also just been left at the altar…by her best friend Alton. The friend she grew up with, the one who was always by her side and who was supposed to run this wine-empire with her in the future…
She tries to resume her life but having to look at her ex-fiancee…(who already showing off his new girlfriend) is just a bit too much. So she decides to go on the honeymoon she bought for the two of them alone… She could use a bit of a time-out…an adventure 😉 She wasn’t prepared for an engine malfunction though… And while the airplane’s engine has exploded, so does Mack’s heart when she kisses the handsome man sitting next to her…
Slade Rodriguez is a pretty famous soccer player looking for his own time out. Life has thrown him a few curve balls, and he needed to get away from it all. He wasn’t expecting the beauty sitting next to him…kissing him…while the airplane rocks it’s way down…
Being in the same resort, and on the same floor even, they decide to take their chemistry a step further.
But tragedy strikes a few hours later and when Mack wakes up…there is no sign anywhere from Slade…
Having no place to go, she decides to go and work for her aunt for a couple of months, so she won’t be confronted with her jerkface ex again… since her father refuses to fire him. She didn’t expect to come face to face with a different kind of jerk though..
I absolutely loved this book. The back and forth banter was amazing and I laughed my ass off !! Mack was no weak and wilting heroine by any means. She was so strong and sweet and funny. I am glad I put my prejudice about the whole “virgin” thing aside.
It took me a bit longer to warm up to Slade, but he worked hard for it so I have to give him my stamp of approval as well 😉
The side characters were pretty awesome, and I really fell head over heels in love with Matt… He’s definitely my kind of guy and I hope he will get his own story soon.
That’s not to say I won’t be looking forward to Jagger’s book, because he was great as well… Can’t love em all the same though 😛
I highly recommend this series !!!
Mackenzie was left at the alter, and this good girl decides to break the rules and go on her honeymoon loose her virginity by a one night stand. Using a fake name she succeeds in her mission, but it’s when she returns home when things start heating up. Slade has been burned his pro athlete name dragged through the mud by his ex he needs a vacation where no one knows who he is. Using a fake name he finds the perfect girl and has a one night stand, returning home to his new soccer team he never expects his new assistant to be his one night but she’s not who she said she was but then again neither is he.
Rachel did an amazing job with this book, I could not put this book down. An excellent story line and truly lovable characters who have amazing chemistry! I cannot wait for more from this hot new series! Risky Play is a must read!!
5 Risky Stars!
Review by Lisa
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
Rachel Van Dyken has done it again with Risky Play. This is book 1 in the Red Card series and I can’t wait for the next installment.
This is o well written that you just zip right through the story. The story just flows and has its ups and downs, emotional feels, and a bit of mystery.
Just from reading the author’s synopsis, how can you not be hooked?
What else can a virgin do when she’s ditched at the altar? Seattle heiress Mackenzie Dupont is treating herself to a single-girl honeymoon in Mexico and has a desire to relinquish her innocence to a gorgeous one-night stand. Fake names. True pleasure. When she wakes up alone, Mackenzie realizes just how much anger is left in her broken heart
And let me tell you, she does not disappoint because the story picks up a few months later and the roller-coaster ride begins on Mackenzie’s journey to finding herself.
The chemistry between Slade and Mackenzie just jumps of the page and the banter is spot on to bring in that comic relief.
It was a great book !
It was only supposed to be an one night stand.
That is what Mackenzie + Slade thought.
What a big surprise when Slade found out that Mackenzie is his new personal assistant
Now the fun begins!
Loved the characters + the storytelling!
It has all the ingredients that you need for a great book!
What a fantastic read. Rachel I think this is the best book yet! Now that’s saying something but I absolutely loved Risky Play. So different from her other books and as I always I can never put the book down. I loved Mack and Slade’s chemistry from the get go. I can’t wait for Jagger’s story…I hope he has one, hint hint Rachel 😉
It is a story with a wild ride, lots of ups and downs, sadness and fear, but also story of finding ones-self, of standing straight for all the mistakes, gaining lost trust and let’s not forget a lot of hotness.
Rachel van Dyken always amazes me with her ideas, her mind, her way with words. The way she weaves the feelings of her characters is truly unique. When I read her stories I feel like I am thrown in the vortex of her words that take me deeper and deeper. I literally devoured the whole story in one day, I just couldn’t stop reading it.
Risky Play is brilliant! Two lost souls meet under difficult circumstances. Mack was left at the altar and Slade was cheated on by his ex-fiancé. The people they trusted most broke their hearts. They start an vacation fling until Slade’s father dies and he leaves Mack without so much as a goodbye. Again she’s left alone!
When they meet again both are unwilling to trust their hearts. How can they, given all their baggage.
It’s been long path to sort their differences but as they say “love always wins…right”? Maybe not!
Not when there are still hungry people wanting what’s not theirs to take.
Loved every chapter, I highly recommend reading of Risky Play.
Sometimes ya just have to jump
Mackenzie is trying to figure out her life after being dumped at the alter by the man she’d known and called best friend her entire life. Slade wants to escape the mess his life had become. Neither expected to meet the person who would change their life. Their story is witty, steamy, adventurous, has a few bumps along the way, a gassy bulldog, a few thrown punches, the pesky press, some really crappy exes, old friends, family, love, and lots of delicious goodness!
Mackenzie is such a likable character although I thought she should be a little more forceful with her father at times she does stand up to Slade. Slade could be a real jerk at times but when he realizes what he is missing out on he finally pulls his head out of his butt and tries to win Mackenzie back. We start off with a both characters in a bad place in their live and we get to see how they connect with each other before they are torn apart again. It was great to see the characters grow and get to know each other. I would definitely recommend this book and am looking forward to the next in the series.
Wow, another great book by Rachel Van Dyken, no matter the genre, she crushes it. I loved this book. It had me laughing and sad. I love how it tugged at my emotions. These two had great chemistry and I was rooting for them the whole way.
I love Rachel’s books. This is the first 5 start book I’ve read from her in a while. I like book with strong female characters. This book gives you that with the sass yet compassion you’d want from a female character. There is no cliffhanger and set up what can be a good series with the other players.
When I have an author that is one of my favorites I always get nervous when a new series is started. I mean, what if I don’t like it, what if I hate the characters, blah blah blah…..silly thing to say but there you go. That being said, as always I never should have worried and this book was fabulous. Our two characters Mackenzie and Slade were not perfect, they were both going through tough times in their lives but their love for each other was everything. Yet again, a book that had me laughing out loud with hilarious banter with perfect emotional moments mixed in. I can’t recommend this book enough.
Another brilliant new series for Rachel Van Dyken. She always manages to deliver brilliant fun, steamy, romances that once you start you will be unable to put down. I started this at 10pm and wouldn’t go to sleep until I had finished it. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN.
With RVD I don’t even need to read the blurb, I 1-click straight away and she always writes a book that I love. She always writes the perfect blend of swoon-worthy moments mixed with witty banter and hot AF chemistry.
When Mackenzie is left at the alter by her bestfriend/fiance. The guy she grew up with and was ‘groomed’ to marry she is lost. She decides to go on her honeymoon anyway so she can try to figure out what her next move is.
Slade is a world class footballer and has been traded to a team in the US but first he needs a break after being cheated on by his fiancée.
When Slade and Mackenzie meet on the plane, after a bumpy ride, they spark up a connection that is red hot in the bedroom and out. After a steamy night together they go their separate ways until they are unexpected reunited.
Mackenzie and Slade end up with a love/hate relationship until Slade gets his head out of his a**. They do say there is a fine line between love and hate, and I was thoroughly amused with watching their relationship play out, never sure if Mackenzie wanted to kiss or punch Slade.
I am excited to see what RVD brings us next with this series.
I loved this rich girl, famous soccer player romance. A great read that had me hooked on the first chapter and kept me enthralled until the end. A highly recommended read! Looking forward to the next installment in this new series.
“That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
“To stay at my house?” I said, trying to lighten the mood.
“To be asked to stay,” she said on her next breath, like she was afraid to speak it too loud.”
Mackenzie had the perfect life. Heir to a fortune, socialite, working as sommelier in the family vineyard, engaged to her best friend whom she has known since they were a baby. All heading for a happy ending. Until she is left at the altar. In front of a hundred guests. And the press.
Slade is a very famous football player. With a promising career in Europe, he has just left everything behind and moved to the United States. The press is euphoric about the news, and several untruths are being published in the tabloids. The truth, which few people know, is that his fiancee cheated on him. With his friend and teammate.
Mackenzie decides to take advantage of the reservation for the honeymoon that never happened. Slade just wants to rest before present himself to the new team. A malfunction on the plane, a scared Mackenzie and a grumpy Slade. And a kiss changed. And so Ashley and Hugo are born, alter egos to preserve anonymity and make the protagonists for the first time in their lives to do what they really want, what they really desire, not what is expected. But a phone call will put an end on the fairy tale in paradise.
Back to reality, Slade nurtures guilt and mourning. And Mackenzie a broken heart, a shock in her self-esteem and sees once again hier dreams destroyed. By getting a temporary job so she does not have to see her ex-boyfriend again, Mackenzie ends up working for none other than Slade, or Hugo as she thought.
With a reunion where hard words are exchanged, the two will show that they are more stubborn than imagined, and forced to live together, either they will understand each other or the fights will be constant.
Risky Play, which features two “broken” characters with a strong emotional load and a desire to leave the past behind and start over, takes a step further in romantic comedies and develops the psychological side and torment of its protagonists. Blending perfectly funny, romantic scenes, many fights and stubbornness, the plot rests on its main couple, who steals the reader’s attention. The secondary characters are also relevant, with a villain emerging early in the book and a person from the past who causes a turnaround in the final part. Jagger and Matt arouse curiosity.
Mackenzie and Slade may have met in a lie, but everything they live and show throughout the story is the plain truth. Sometimes, when you least expect it, fate will take us by surprise. And what a beautiful surprise.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest Review *
Another amazing read by Rachel Van Dyken!
3 stars!
Risky Play was a quick and easy contemporary romance.
I’ll start with what I liked about this book. The initial meeting and the chemistry between Mackenzie and Slade had me buzzing. I was so hooked and excited for what was in store.
Their one night is Mexico, was wonderful until it wasn’t. The next morning Slade just abruptly disappears without a word.
Fast forward, months later when Mackenzie is assigned to be his assistant.
Okay, so…I know this was explained but this just didn’t seem believable to me.
You see, Mackenzie comes from a wealthy family. She’s a heiress of a wine empire. Of all the jobs in the world, why oh why would she take a position as someone’s assistant. It’d make more sense for her to have an assistant. But, I digress.
She starts this new job as Slade’s assistant. He’s just been transferred to a different soccer team in the states.
It’d be an understatement to say he was mean and had an nasty attitude towards her. I legit wanted to punch him in the face a time or two. His reasoning for such attitude I wasn’t feeling either.
I guess of the two, I preferred Mackenzie’s character more. She was resilient and stood up to him (most of the time).
Did he redeem himself? Barely. I think she forgave him too easily. I’m a fan of the grovel and he didn’t have to do much of that.
But for the most part they were great together, as I mentioned before they had good chemistry and the banter was there.
There were some funny moments mixed in to balance things out.
I loved the side characters – Matt and Jagger. I’m very interested to see if they each get a story.
It was an okay read for me but not my favorite from this author.
Wonderful start to what appears to be a spectacular new series! Risky Play is a sexy and sassy romance with some angst, sizzling chemistry, and emotion that will have you laughing, crying, frustrated, swooning, and just plain falling in love.
I’m so excited to see where Rachel takes us next in the Red Card Series! This is definitely one you don’t want to miss!
I LOVED this book! There was laughter and tears for me through this. I loved Slade and Mackenzie together, and I thought their chemistry was great! I know some people had problems with Slade, and I did too for a little bit. Blaming Mackenzie for what happened while he was in Mexico was ridiculous. But grief makes people do crazy things. Slade understood that he was wrong, and if you stick with the story, you get to see how he gets past his grief. The scene with the little boy at the soccer camp was so good. Mack was a great partner for Slade. I loved her and her quick wit. I wish she would have thrown her own punch at Alton though. That man needed a beat down like no other! The ending was perfect, and I was so happy to see them get their HEA! I can’t wait to find out what happens with Jagger. He deserves a HEA too!
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.