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beckymmoe's review
3.0
Playing House started out strong--I loved when Eleanor's vajayjay started talking to her ("Twenty-six years of silence and it chose tonight to go rogue?"--LOL) and her geeky historical romance-loving heart spoke to me from the first page.
But...
It soon seemed like her newly-awakened body parts were doing more thinking for Eleanor than her actual brain was. She was distracted not once, but twice from telling Brodie some very important news that he really, really needed to know ASAP by that body part's "needs." Brodie would have been totally within his rights to be upset by this, but fortunately for her, he took it in stride. Actually, he took pretty much all of the craziness in this book (far and large said craziness was caused by Eleanor) unbelievably calmly, proving time and time again what a stand up guy he was. Eleanor, by contrast, veered wildly between listening to her newly-vagazzled you-know-what and her Victorian-era "romantic sensibilities" about what her relationship with Brodie should be like instead of, oh, I don't know...talking to him, occasionally?
Though there were bits I liked here--the beginning and end especially had some cute, entertaining moments--in the whole I didn't find this one as strong a read as the first three books in the series. (I somehow missed Eleanor's brother/Brodie's BFF's book, [b:Playing With Forever|36160234|Playing With Forever (Sydney Smoke Rugby, #4)|Amy Andrews|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1504232954s/36160234.jpg|57769332]). Hopefully this is just a one-off, because I usually really enjoy Ms. Andrews' writing.
Rating: 2 1/2 stars / C
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
But...
It soon seemed like her newly-awakened body parts were doing more thinking for Eleanor than her actual brain was. She was distracted not once, but twice from telling Brodie some very important news that he really, really needed to know ASAP by that body part's "needs." Brodie would have been totally within his rights to be upset by this, but fortunately for her, he took it in stride. Actually, he took pretty much all of the craziness in this book (far and large said craziness was caused by Eleanor) unbelievably calmly, proving time and time again what a stand up guy he was. Eleanor, by contrast, veered wildly between listening to her newly-vagazzled you-know-what and her Victorian-era "romantic sensibilities" about what her relationship with Brodie should be like instead of, oh, I don't know...talking to him, occasionally?
Though there were bits I liked here--the beginning and end especially had some cute, entertaining moments--in the whole I didn't find this one as strong a read as the first three books in the series. (I somehow missed Eleanor's brother/Brodie's BFF's book, [b:Playing With Forever|36160234|Playing With Forever (Sydney Smoke Rugby, #4)|Amy Andrews|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1504232954s/36160234.jpg|57769332]). Hopefully this is just a one-off, because I usually really enjoy Ms. Andrews' writing.
Rating: 2 1/2 stars / C
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
jandmterry's review against another edition
4.0
This is the first time I have read a Amy Andrews book. I enjoyed this book.
I liked that Eleanor was obsessed with all thing Victorian and wanted to meet her own Mr. Darcy. Wallflowers like to red about other wallflowers. I could feel her awkwardness and doubt in all situations.
Brodie was a typical guy at the start but his kindness redeemed him I’m my eyes. He fell in love with her before he discovered who she really was. He was willing to take a hit from her brother to be with her.
I enjoyed this story and it made me feel a lot of emotions. I recommend it.
I received an ARC from Netgalley.
I liked that Eleanor was obsessed with all thing Victorian and wanted to meet her own Mr. Darcy. Wallflowers like to red about other wallflowers. I could feel her awkwardness and doubt in all situations.
Brodie was a typical guy at the start but his kindness redeemed him I’m my eyes. He fell in love with her before he discovered who she really was. He was willing to take a hit from her brother to be with her.
I enjoyed this story and it made me feel a lot of emotions. I recommend it.
I received an ARC from Netgalley.
missyterry73's review
4.0
This is the first time I have read a Amy Andrews book. I enjoyed this book.
I liked that Eleanor was obsessed with all thing Victorian and wanted to meet her own Mr. Darcy. Wallflowers like to red about other wallflowers. I could feel her awkwardness and doubt in all situations.
Brodie was a typical guy at the start but his kindness redeemed him I’m my eyes. He fell in love with her before he discovered who she really was. He was willing to take a hit from her brother to be with her.
I enjoyed this story and it made me feel a lot of emotions. I recommend it.
I received an ARC from Netgalley.
I liked that Eleanor was obsessed with all thing Victorian and wanted to meet her own Mr. Darcy. Wallflowers like to red about other wallflowers. I could feel her awkwardness and doubt in all situations.
Brodie was a typical guy at the start but his kindness redeemed him I’m my eyes. He fell in love with her before he discovered who she really was. He was willing to take a hit from her brother to be with her.
I enjoyed this story and it made me feel a lot of emotions. I recommend it.
I received an ARC from Netgalley.
bookgyrl's review
3.0
With some of my favorite tropes, how could I resist this book? Eleanor loves the 19th century and made her hobby into a small business. She is into Jane Austen (O, Mr Darcy!) and Georgette Heyer and thinks she has been born too late. Even when she loves modern hygiene and the right to vote.
At 26 she is still a virgin and when she attends her brother's engagement party (Ryder from the last book) she is approached by Bodie, her brother's best friend. They have a hot night together after which Eleanor leaves him a note and leaves for home. Until she finds she is pregnant. Even when Bodie and Eleanor decide to give a relationship a try, will Eleanor have to give up all her old-fashioned dreams of a mr Darcy of her own?
This is a very entertaining read. I really liked both Bodie and Eleanor. I did think the story could have used a little bit more ... something extra. The sex was hot but I wish there was a bit more romance to convince me of their love. Sometimes Eleanor was too meek for my liking.
Loved the big gesture at the end though!
3,5 stars.
I requested and received an ARC via Netgalley and this is my honest review.
At 26 she is still a virgin and when she attends her brother's engagement party (Ryder from the last book) she is approached by Bodie, her brother's best friend. They have a hot night together after which Eleanor leaves him a note and leaves for home. Until she finds she is pregnant. Even when Bodie and Eleanor decide to give a relationship a try, will Eleanor have to give up all her old-fashioned dreams of a mr Darcy of her own?
This is a very entertaining read. I really liked both Bodie and Eleanor. I did think the story could have used a little bit more ... something extra. The sex was hot but I wish there was a bit more romance to convince me of their love. Sometimes Eleanor was too meek for my liking.
Loved the big gesture at the end though!
3,5 stars.
I requested and received an ARC via Netgalley and this is my honest review.
llamareads's review
4.0
Trigger warning: miscarriage
Oh my goodness, this was adorable. I’ll admit that I was a bit worried about the whole virgin and pregnancy thing, just because I’ve been burned by some of those in the past, but I was pleasantly surprised. This is also has the “best friend’s little sister” trope, so while this could’ve devoted into trope stew, they actually complimented each other well.
Eleanor is one of Ryder Davis’s four sisters, and she lives with her parents on their cattle station out in woop woop (an Aussie term that means the middle of nowhere). She’s a bit of an outlier in the outback, as she’s enamored with Victorian England – the clothes, the customs, the courting – and anything Austen or Heyer. Besides helping out on her parents’ farm, she also runs her own successful business sewing reproduction clothing. When she’s hit on by her brother’s teammate, Bodie, at Ryder’s engagement party, she decides it’s finally time to lose her v-card. Only, she didn’t expect the ramifications of the night to possibly derail all of her romantic hopes and dreams…
Bodie has been out of the dating rat race for a while after being dumped by his cheating ex. The only son of a wealthy businessman, he’s a disappointment to his parents for refusing to get married to his equally prominent ex, and for abandoning his father’s business to play rugby. It’s no surprise that he’s drawn to Eleanor, who’s soft and shy and real, the opposite of everything his previous relationship was. Even after finding out that she’s his best friend’s little sister, he still can’t get her or their one night stand out of his head – he looks up Victorian porn, for goodness’ sakes – so he’s excited she looks him up when she’s in Sydney two months after they did the deed.
I was initially unsure what to make of shy, wallflower, historical-romance-obsessed Eleanor. I have a pretty well developed vicarious cringe response, and the first chapter or so worried me, but her later interactions with Bodie firmly cemented her as pleasantly quirky rather than tragic. She’s taken her hobby and turned it into a lucrative business, and has developed her own Victorian-influenced style. She's also not blind to the problems of Victorian England, but she's happy and able to take the good and leave the bad. While she does acutely feel different from her classically beautiful family, she’s also happy with what she has and unwilling to compromise on what she wants. More importantly, Bodie appreciates her unusual hobby and quirks, and though they’re pretty much exact opposites, their relationship is steamy and fun, though a bit shallow. When Eleanor arrives in Sydney to confront Bodie, they end up having sex two times before she finally tells him the real reason she wanted to see him. Though it seems silly, I actually appreciated that they didn’t understand each other’s hopes and dreams in the few short weeks they spent together.
The serious event at about three-quarters through was a complete gut-punch. While I do expect some angst from Ms. Andrews’ books, they’re generally pretty cozy and light-hearted. So it felt like that bit of tragedy blindsided me, and I’m still not sure how I feel about it in regards to the book as a whole.
Overall though, I enjoyed the book, though it felt like a departure from the previous books. This is a wonderful series, and Amy Andrews remains an auto-buy for me! Definitely recommended for any fans of rugby romances!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Oh my goodness, this was adorable. I’ll admit that I was a bit worried about the whole virgin and pregnancy thing, just because I’ve been burned by some of those in the past, but I was pleasantly surprised. This is also has the “best friend’s little sister” trope, so while this could’ve devoted into trope stew, they actually complimented each other well.
“She glanced down at her plumped-up cleavage. She so would have rocked the nineteenth century. If only she didn’t like things such as personal hygiene and voting rights so damn much.”
Eleanor is one of Ryder Davis’s four sisters, and she lives with her parents on their cattle station out in woop woop (an Aussie term that means the middle of nowhere). She’s a bit of an outlier in the outback, as she’s enamored with Victorian England – the clothes, the customs, the courting – and anything Austen or Heyer. Besides helping out on her parents’ farm, she also runs her own successful business sewing reproduction clothing. When she’s hit on by her brother’s teammate, Bodie, at Ryder’s engagement party, she decides it’s finally time to lose her v-card. Only, she didn’t expect the ramifications of the night to possibly derail all of her romantic hopes and dreams…
“You’re my best friend’s sister, and you’re pregnant with my baby.”
Bodie has been out of the dating rat race for a while after being dumped by his cheating ex. The only son of a wealthy businessman, he’s a disappointment to his parents for refusing to get married to his equally prominent ex, and for abandoning his father’s business to play rugby. It’s no surprise that he’s drawn to Eleanor, who’s soft and shy and real, the opposite of everything his previous relationship was. Even after finding out that she’s his best friend’s little sister, he still can’t get her or their one night stand out of his head – he looks up Victorian porn, for goodness’ sakes – so he’s excited she looks him up when she’s in Sydney two months after they did the deed.
“Eleanor quashed the well of disappointment at the thought of a quickie marriage at City Hall. No heart-thumping courtship, no romantic proposal, no asking her father for her hand in marriage, no Victorian-inspired wedding dress she’d always dreamed of making for herself, no local church with her nearest and dearest as witnesses.
No I love yous.”
I was initially unsure what to make of shy, wallflower, historical-romance-obsessed Eleanor. I have a pretty well developed vicarious cringe response, and the first chapter or so worried me, but her later interactions with Bodie firmly cemented her as pleasantly quirky rather than tragic. She’s taken her hobby and turned it into a lucrative business, and has developed her own Victorian-influenced style. She's also not blind to the problems of Victorian England, but she's happy and able to take the good and leave the bad. While she does acutely feel different from her classically beautiful family, she’s also happy with what she has and unwilling to compromise on what she wants. More importantly, Bodie appreciates her unusual hobby and quirks, and though they’re pretty much exact opposites, their relationship is steamy and fun, though a bit shallow. When Eleanor arrives in Sydney to confront Bodie, they end up having sex two times before she finally tells him the real reason she wanted to see him. Though it seems silly, I actually appreciated that they didn’t understand each other’s hopes and dreams in the few short weeks they spent together.
“'No reason?' He glowered down at her. 'I love you. Isn’t that enough reason?'
Eleanor gaped at him. She’d spent a lot of time fantasising about this moment. Both in a general sense throughout her life and in a more specific sense in relation to Bodie.
This was not how it was supposed to go down.
There was no grand gesture, no music, no flowers. No beautiful scenery. Just a man in his underwear glowering at her as he threw down the three words she’d most wanted to hear from him.”
The serious event at about three-quarters through was a complete gut-punch. While I do expect some angst from Ms. Andrews’ books, they’re generally pretty cozy and light-hearted. So it felt like that bit of tragedy blindsided me, and I’m still not sure how I feel about it in regards to the book as a whole.
Overall though, I enjoyed the book, though it felt like a departure from the previous books. This is a wonderful series, and Amy Andrews remains an auto-buy for me! Definitely recommended for any fans of rugby romances!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
poisonivy70's review
4.0
Eleanor Davis is a twenty six year old virgin. And guess what? She doesn’t want to be. She may love the Victorian era and adores making historically accurate clothing for commission, but she’s tired of waiting for the one. The man who is going to sweep her off her feet in his frock coat and Darcy-isms. The man who does not exist in Bungindally, her small town in the Australian countryside. Then she meets Bodie Webb during her brother’s engagement party, and she decides that he’s the one to help her out. At least with her virginity. And then, a couple of months later, well, if you’ve read any romance novels, you know the complication that comes into play. That one night stand turns into more. And yes, romance happens.
The Good.
So, so charming. From the first meet to the final scene, I was charmed by both Eleanor and Bodie. The tone of the story was a lovely blend of Victorian aesthetic with a modern day twist. The sex is great and I think it has alot to do with Eleanor’s choice of lingerie, her prim and proper being turned inside out by Bodie’s dirty talk, but it never loses that sweet undertone that really makes their love scenes pop. Finally, the emotional component is strong. Late in the book there are some truly heartbreaking moments that give that bitter tinge that makes the sweet real and eventually that HEA completely believable.
The Bad(ish).
I wish there had been a little less obfuscation and some outright lying that Eleanor does to make that first encounter happen. If the genders were reversed, it would have been completely unacceptable and Bodie would have been on my shyte list, for sure. The ending was abrupt, even if it is completely in keeping with the rest of the story for this couple. I wanted a wee bit more and it just cuts off.
Everything in Between.
It’s the fifth in the series, but it does work as a standalone. I’d read the second book in the series, but didn’t realize that I’d miss a couple of books already, but Eleanor and Bodie’s love story doesn’t really rely on knowing the other couples. This wasn’t bad or good, but the sports aspect is minimal. It’s part of Bodie’s life, but it does not factor into the story very much.
I really enjoyed this entry in the Sydney Smoke series. Bodie and Eleanor’s romance just charmed me from the very beginning and I do not hesitate to recommend it.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**
For more reviews, visit
The Good.
So, so charming. From the first meet to the final scene, I was charmed by both Eleanor and Bodie. The tone of the story was a lovely blend of Victorian aesthetic with a modern day twist. The sex is great and I think it has alot to do with Eleanor’s choice of lingerie, her prim and proper being turned inside out by Bodie’s dirty talk, but it never loses that sweet undertone that really makes their love scenes pop. Finally, the emotional component is strong. Late in the book there are some truly heartbreaking moments that give that bitter tinge that makes the sweet real and eventually that HEA completely believable.
The Bad(ish).
I wish there had been a little less obfuscation and some outright lying that Eleanor does to make that first encounter happen. If the genders were reversed, it would have been completely unacceptable and Bodie would have been on my shyte list, for sure. The ending was abrupt, even if it is completely in keeping with the rest of the story for this couple. I wanted a wee bit more and it just cuts off.
Everything in Between.
It’s the fifth in the series, but it does work as a standalone. I’d read the second book in the series, but didn’t realize that I’d miss a couple of books already, but Eleanor and Bodie’s love story doesn’t really rely on knowing the other couples. This wasn’t bad or good, but the sports aspect is minimal. It’s part of Bodie’s life, but it does not factor into the story very much.
I really enjoyed this entry in the Sydney Smoke series. Bodie and Eleanor’s romance just charmed me from the very beginning and I do not hesitate to recommend it.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**
For more reviews, visit
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