A brand-new standalone novel in the New York Times bestselling Briar U series!What I learned after last year’s distractions cost my hockey team our entire season? No more screwing up. No more screwing, period. As the new team captain, I need a new philosophy: hockey and school now, women later. Which means that I, Hunter Davenport, am officially going celibate…no matter how hard that makes things. how hard that makes things.
But there’s nothing in the rulebook that says I can’t be friends with a woman. And I won’t lie—my new classmate Demi Davis is one cool chick. Her smart mouth is hot as hell, and so is the rest of her, but the fact that she’s got a boyfriend eliminates the temptation to touch her.
Except three months into our friendship, Demi is single and looking for a rebound.
And she’s making a play for me.
Avoiding her is impossible. We’re paired up on a yearlong school project, but I’m confident I can resist her. We’d never work, anyway. Our backgrounds are too different, our goals aren’t aligned, and her parents hate my guts.
Hooking up is a very bad idea. Now I just have to convince my body—and my heart.
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OMG, I loved Demi so much!!!! Smart, insightful, self-aware, and so much fun! She was also serious, determined, and had that bit of vulnerability and humility that makes everyone like her. She’s realist, but not pessimistic, and she speaks her mind. She has her soft spots, her blind spots, and her fears, but she faces things head on. Watching her grow, develop, and become her own woman was a joy and a delight. And watching her getting to show her sexy side with Hunter was off the charts, super duper, extra spicy sexiness!
Of course we all knew Hunter, he was the one done wrong by, the one who seemed determined to self-destruct, in previous books in the series. But he has matured now, and he had set new goals for himself. Watching him being his fun-loving, but not self-imploding, self was also a joy. So satisfying to see Hunter become his own man, to shed off his baggage, and let the kind, sweet, person he is, have a chance to shine. And it came as no surprise the man was a dynamo in-between the sheets, on the ice, and that one time in a brawl
Opposites attract, friends to lovers, whichever way you want to look at it, Demi and Hunter had a slow burn, that ran fiery hot before it even ignited. Once it did, it never lost any heat, and the hearts were engaged from the beginning, it just took them a bit to come to that realization <3
I absolutely loved this book ! I was waiting to see what would become of Hunter and was not disappointed. I adored Demi ! This girl was exactly what Hunter needed . This is definitely going on my re-read shelf. Can’t wait to see whats next in The Briar U world !
Where do I even begin with this book!?
I think out of all the Briar U couples Hunter and Demi are my absolute favorite. I loved their chemistry, the sass and everything else in between. There was something about these two that I instantly loved and I couldn’t put it down. Their story is one of my favorites… friends to lovers. I wasn’t quiet sure how their story was going to play out at the beginning, but I knew I was going to love it.
I’ve been dying for Hunter’s story since we’ve seen snippets of him in the other Briar U stories. His self imposed abstinence was one of my favorite parts of him and his position with the hockey team had me in stitches from laughing. Knowing that he built a relationship with Demi first made me love him even more.
Everything about these two had me laughing and loving them more and move. They were made for each other and complimented each other amazingly. I’m sad to see our favorite Briar U guys come to an end, but Hunter’s story left me with such a high, I think I’ll just have to go back and read them all again.
The Play is Elle Kennedy’s much anticipated third book in her Briar U series. Because it’s Hunter’s book.
Hunter Davenport is now team captain of the hockey team at Briar U. After losing big in the playoffs last year, Hunter is determined to eliminate any distractions this time around. Especially when it comes to women. Demi Davis is a firecracker. Beautiful, smart, and self-assured, she becomes Hunter’s friend after getting partnered with him for a school project. When Demi and her longtime boyfriend finally calls it quits, Demi sets her sights on Hunter, vow of celibacy be damned.
This book was so much fun. Ever since The Chase, I’ve been waiting for Hunter to get his HEA. Demi is a great foil for him, and this friends-to-lovers story is wholly satisfying and a wonderful read. Add it to you TBR pile stat.
4.5 stars
“”Nah, I just like having things in my mouth.” “Nope, not even touching that statement.” She glares at me. “It’s called an oral fixation, Hunter. It’s quite common.””
Oh dear, I so enjoyed reading Demi’s and Hunter’s ride. It was wonderful to follow their journey from being friends to becoming lovers. The Play is funny, entertaining and sexy as hell.
The push and pull between Demi and Hunter and their funny banters drew me right into the story and I got highly invested in these two characters. Their chemistry is off the charts and I loved everything about them.
“I’m with you, and I’m all in.” – His voice cracks. “I love you.”
Welcome Back to Briar U! I’ve been waiting and waiting for the third book in this series, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Hunter, the player of players, decided after the previous incident where he kinda slept with someone’s girlfriend. That he needed to take a vow of celibacy. And he’s taking this vow super serious. To the point it’s driving him bonkers. Then there comes Demi, a brilliant girl who has a boyfriend. So what does Hunter have to worry about?
Little does Hunter know, she may be the key to unlock his vow. There’s a lot that happens within this story, and it was awesome. There are hilarious moments and heartbreaking ones. The Play had everything, and now, of course, I want more! I love all these characters.
Overall, of course, Five Boundless Stars
The Play is the third book in the Briar U Series by Elle Kennedy.
“After last season’s disastrous end, I vowed to make hockey my top priority. When you’re not having sex, working out is imperative for your sanity.”
I have been waiting on this since The Risk. Hunter Davenport was lovable in the other books in the series and I was definitely excited to read about him in his own book. This was not a disappointment. The wait was worth while as expected from Elle Kennedy. This book was a sports romance with plenty of comedy.
“Because I felt guilty about it. Like I needed to go to church and confess.”
Hunter ended last years hockey season in a disastrous way that made him vow to have his complete focus on the game. And with the captain hat on his head, hockey is top priority even if that means being celibate for the whole hockey season. Demi Davis is a lovable and sarcastic girl; also known as Wendy with her lost boys. She has more male friends that female friends so it wasn’t a surprise when Hunter and Demi hit it off as close friends. Hunter finds Demi beautiful but he isn’t worried because she is very much taken.
“Only a chump turns down free kisses.”
Demi suddenly finds herself single and now…all bets are off; she wants a rebound and she wants Hunter for that rebound. Hunter, however; values their friendship too much to destroy it for quick fun. But Demi is not having it.
“That smile of his is dangerous.”
Hunter and Demi had fantastic chemistry. Their banter was funny and relatable. They communication skills was phenomenal which we don’t see often so that was refreshing. They were absolutely adorable. Hunter and Demi’s connection was a slow burn that gradually blew in flames. My heart burst every time these two was with each other.
“I give you permission to start calling me Big Daddy, then.”
Elle Kennedy has created another sensational book to add to the Briar U Series. This was perfection that had me hooked and staying up until four in the morning to finish the book because I could not just stop. This was such a fun, light-hearted book. This was AMAZING. I absolutely can’t wait for the next thing from Elle.
“Like my mom always says, know your worth. Make them work for it.”
This is book #3, in the Briar U series. This story can be read as a standalone novel. To avoid the spoilers, and truly enjoy the series, I recommend reading these in order.
Hunter had last season end badly. He is determined to have a better year, and be the best Captain of his hockey team. Then he met temptation.
Demi has a boyfriend and is fine with adding Hunter to her huge list of guy friends. He turns out to be an interesting study buddy. While there is definitely an attraction there, they both know its off limits.
I eagerly anticipated this story and was not disappointed! These characters bring it all. I enjoyed their heat and it made the sexy times hotter. Was great that some of our absolute faves came to visit. This was a great read.
***This copy was given in exchange for an honest review.
Let’s be honest, Elle Kennedy could publish her grocery list and I’d be waiting with grabby hands. And I’d probably give it five stars. I love her books. It doesn’t matter the genre or the trope. I adore her writing and characters every single time. Unsurprisingly, The Play was no exception.
Honestly, this blurb had me with the mere mention of a celibate hero. I’m here for it. Celibate heroes and virgin heroes are my catnip. (Also, somewhat surprisingly, I’ve found myself fond of a bad in bed hero here recently. But that’s a post for another time.) Basically what I’m saying is I like things a little out of the norm. And Hunter fit the bill. I flipping loved Demi, too. Her boyfriend at the start of the book? Not so much. He needed to go for a number of reasons. Thankfully he wasn’t around all that long.
Y’all know friends to lovers is basically catnip for me. Hunter and Demi gave good friends to lovers in The Play. Their chemistry and banter made this book. They were perfect for each other. Their story was low angst and low drama and I couldn’t get enough of it. It was so nice to see Hunter get his HEA after what went down in The Chase. I love this group of friends and this series as a whole. I’m ready for another book or another spinoff, Elle! When can I have it?
Favorite Quotes:
“Women like that don’t come along often, so trust me when I say you need to lock it down, ASAP. If you don’t make an effort to keep her, you’ll lose her.”
I enjoy this installment in the Briar University series very much. As per usual Ms Kennedy writing is impeccable, the banter between the protagonists was a high point in my opinion . It was a slow burning romance, but it was worth the wait. In comparison with other books in the serie, it lacked some intensity and angst; nevertheless, it does not take anything away from enjoying the protagonist journey to a happy ending.
Realmente disfruté esta nueva entrega de l serie Universidad Briar
This was my first Elle book ever. (I know; don’t even ask me HOW!) And I enjoyed every page.
I stayed up late, immersing myself in Demi + Hunter’s world that brought me back to the good old college days where life and love can change everything in a minute.
Elle wrote a book that was New Adult Romance at its best. Funny, heart-warming and with lovable characters that I wish I could have hung out with in college 😉
If you love NA novels, I’m sure you’ll love this book as much as I did.
FIVE. STARS.
I love Elle Kennedy’s writing style and I adore her sports series. The “Off Campus” series, is definitely one of my favorites and this spin-off is turning out to be one as well 😉 I had a blast finally reading Hunter’s story and I happy to say that Elle found the perfect girl for him !!
Those of you, who have read the previous book, know all about the “fuck up” that was last season. Hunter, being the team captain of “Briar U”, is taking things very seriously and personally… So he vowed that there would be no more distractions, and his solution…celibacy !!
I must say, that Hunter really did do his best, his balls were as blue as a smurf, yet he persevered. Things were pretty much going his way….until he met Demi that is.
Demi is Hunter’s new partner in a class project. She is absolutely awesome. She beautiful, smart and funny …but most importantly, she has a boyfriend. She is perfectly “safe” for Hunter to be friends with, and so they do. They become very good friends. But what happens when the boyfriend is no longer around and Demi starts opening her eyes to all that is Hunter !!!
All bets are off !! And so the chase begins. It was awesome seeing things from a different view for once. Usually, we have a man chasing the woman, but this time it was the woman doing the chasing and I must say…she really did give it her all 😉
I had a wonderful time reading this book, though I do advice to read the others in this series, before starting this one. I really can’t wait to read Connor’s story. I have a feeling his book is gonna top all the others for me. He is already a personal favorite 😉
I highly recommend this series !!
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
The Play was the third book in Elle Kennedy’s Briar U series.
I loved Hunter and Demi. Who doesn’t love a strong, snarky heroine and a confident alpha hero?
Hunter Davenport was the gorgeous captain of the Briar Hockey team. We met him in previous books as an incredibly skilled player on the ice and a total player off the ice. The season ended last year with his sexual antics catching up with him; therefore, this year he swore to celibacy until after the season ended.
Demi Davis was a fellow student that met Hunter in their abnormal Psych class. She knew nothing about hockey, had a long time boyfriend and was probably the one female at Briar that wasn’t falling all over Hunter. Neither she nor Hunter were cheaters, so a platonic friendship formed as they were paired for a long term project.
Kennedy had me from the start then incorporated three intriguing storylines which eventually merged into one. I thoroughly enjoyed the storylines as well as the characters and was engaged to the end. The only drawback was that I wanted more. It ended rather abruptly and I craved a detailed epilogue to close several loops.
All in all, it was a fast and entertaining read and I can’t wait to see where Kennedy takes us next. How about Conor – now there’s a story that’s dying to be told!
I’ve been waiting for Hunter to get his own book since the beginning of the Briar U series, and thankfully this did NOT disappoint.
Hunter Davenport is a college hockey player who has recently taken a vow of celibacy to focus on the game as well as being a leader to his team. Besides a permanent case of blue balls, Hunter really feels this vow is helping him. Then he gets paired up with Demi Davis for a project.
Demi has a longtime boyfriend, so there is no temptation there to break his vow. As the project goes along, the two of them slowly form this incredible friendship. Even though it has it’s ups and downs, it’s genuine and I loved everything about it. It kind of reminded me of Hannah and Garrett’s friendship from The Deal.
Then Demi and her boyfriend break up, and Demi has her sights on Hunter for a rebound. Oh boy.
This was a bit of slow burn, and the anticipation was everything. It had so much witty banter, swoony moments and SO MUCH sexual tension.
It’s almost impossible not to fall in love with Hunter in this book. He’s everything I thought, and hoped, he would be. And then some. Demi was super intelligent and sassy. His perfect match. Both characters had a lot of depth to them.
My only complaint is that I felt Demi got a little annoying about Hunter breaking his vow of celibacy. No matter what his reasons where for doing it, you could tell it was important to him, and I feel most of the time she didn’t really respect that. Just because he’s a man doesn’t make it okay.
Besides that, The Play was extremely fun, sexy and unexpectedly tugged at the heart strings quite a bit.
The Play is book 3 in the Briar U series. It can be read as a standalone. Hunter is a hockey player. He’s putting he off ice playing skill to rest while he’s focusing on hockey. Demi and Hunter are matched up to a school project. At the time Demi has a long term boyfriend. I loved Demi and Hunter and right from the start you could tell they had a connection and I kind of hated when her boyfriend popped up. I was glad when they finally broke up because that met it was Hunter and Demi’s time. Hunter is sweet and nice. He’s a little cocky but not a jerk. I loved that Demi and Hunter’s story starts out as a friendship than becomes more.
4 1/2 Stars!
Absolutely loved this slow burn, friends to lovers storyline. Hunter and Demi’s chemistry was scorching hot from their first interaction and it escalated throughout this story. Their banter will have you laugh, swoon and need a fan stat! A must read in this series!
I’m not going to lie, it took me a little bit to really get into The Play. But by the 30% mark I didn’t want to put it down. In true Elle Kennedy fashion there was angst and anticipation. Sweetness and steam.
I really liked both Hunter and Demi. What started out as an unlikely friendship soon became more than either was expecting or knew what to do with. Especially with the promise that Hunter had made to himself. It became a bone of contention between him and Demi as she tried to push their friendship into something more.
Full of humor, hockey boy antics, and heat, The Play kept me furiously reading to see what would happen next. And just when Demi and Hunter would finally give into what they both wanted. Elle Kennedy gave me more than one heart-stopping moment. But that ending made all the anticipation and angst well worth it.
My favorite Briar U couple to date! I just loved Hunter. This celibate hockey player is going to rock your world.
Demi is studious and in a long term relationship. She ends up partnering up with Hunter for a school assignment and everything she thought about hockey players is about to be completely obliterated.
Hunter is really a good guy. He has learned from his past and he’s bound and determined to not repeat the same mistakes. His self-imposed celibacy is in place so that he can focus on Hockey and be the captain that his hockey team needs.
They started out as friends and then when Demi’s love life implodes, she wants to have the Hunter experience. He’s go a reputation with the ladies that he has worked hard to leave behind. She’s going to pull out all the stops to get Hunter to give up and give her what she wants.
Their push and pull is foreplay. The chemistry they share is off-the-charts HOT! And when Hunter finally gives in…it was worth the wait.
I enjoyed this couple and I will continue to look forward to the next release of this series.
Elle Kennedy has a knack for writing college sports romances that are witty and warm. The Play is the third book in the Briar U series, and once again I find myself delighted. This is a standalone so it is not necessary to have read the previous books. However, those familiar with the series may remember Hunter as the hockey player who had a painful crush on Summer. Now it’s time for him to find his dream gal.
Following a series of questionable choices, Hunter has been named captain of Briar’s hockey team and is determined to have a winning season. That means staying focused on hockey and avoiding women at all costs. Easier said than done when temptation is literally around every corner.
Hunter is a genuinely decent guy and probably my favorite Briar U hero to date. He has confidence in spades but lacks obnoxious cockiness. His vow of celibacy is a bit of a silly superstition, but you’ve got to admire his determination. Demi has a sharp mind and a kind heart. She looks for the good in people and perhaps tries too hard to please everyone at all times.
Demi and Hunter are so much fun together. Their romantic relationship is built on a firm foundation of friendship, and I liked how the story takes the time to develop layers of mutual trust, respect, and support. It makes the undercurrents of sexual tension and innuendo sprinkled throughout all the more enjoyable. And when the two of them finally get together… holy smokes is it hot!
There are a variety of comic personalities to be found among the hockey players, and they have a fantastic rapport. Their efforts to get a pig as a team mascot (don’t ask) are simultaneously ridiculous and entertaining. I wonder who will be the next person to get bitten by the love bug.
I received a complimentary copy to voluntarily read.
There’s no doubt about it, Elle Kennedy can write one hell of a witty and sexy sports romance and I am here for for them all! I am always excited when another book is on the horizon, always eager to spend more time with her characters, and as The Play was Hunter Davenports story…excited doesn’t cover it! I had so much fun while reading this book! The Play is the perfect NA romance, full of witty banter, sexual tension and many laughable moments. I was waiting impatiently for Hunter’s book since The Chase and The Risk, but I didn’t expect that his story will turn out this amazing. Honestly, Elle really outdid herself this time. The storyline is brilliant, the characters are wonderful and and the romance is so delicious. I couldn’t put this book down!
The romance was a perfectly paced slow burn. These two start off as friends with fiery chemistry and it soon turns into something neither of them saw coming. I loved the push and pull between Demi and Hunter, as well as their fabulous banter. These two had such chemistry and such a great relationship, even before they were technically in one. I loved their friendship just as much as I loved their romance.
I loved these two characters SO much. I had a huge grin while reading this book and all of their interactions. They just had such great chemistry and I really enjoyed their witty, snarky banter which had me laughing. They were just so cute and I loved every moment of their friendship as well as their romantic relationship. This was a fabulous final book to this series. I loved Pablo Eggscobar, the team egg. Yes, you read that right. LOL. I absolutely enjoyed it. I have to add that I love when characters from other books make cameos and The Play has so many. From the other Briar U guys and girls to the Off-Campus clan, I loved getting more of the characters I fell hard for and I always have a wonderful time with them. The Play is everything I expect from Elle Kennedy. Fun, flirty, steamy, packed full of sexual tension and great banter. An entertaining read from start to finish. I definitely recommend this read and this series.