Reviews

Play Dirty by Sandra Brown

momerama13's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

topdragon's review against another edition

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3.0

I was introduced to the author Sandra Brown via an audio book that I borrowed from the library several years ago. She was and is a prolific author, with many novels to date, mostly of the sub genre romance thrillers. I tend to like thrillers of all kinds and since I'm not opposed to a little romance in the books I read I thought I would give her a try. That book was Envy and frankly, I really enjoyed it. Her style of writing seems well adapted to the audio book format and she has just enough twists and turns and suspense building to keep my interest through the 3-4 weeks that it takes me to listen to an audio book as I drive back and forth to work every day.

Five Sandra Brown books later I still enjoy them. I completed Play Dirty on the way into work this morning and it is no exception. It has an interesting premise that sets up the story: a star NFL quarterback has just recently been released from a 5 year prison sentence for gambling, throwing a key game, and other self-indulgent behavior. He is offered a deal to sire a baby for a wealthy corporate CEO and his wife who have picked him for his physical attributes. The CEO is in a wheel chair and can not sire a baby himself. The catch is, they aren't talking about invitro fertilization but rather...the old fashioned way. Of course that means, the CEO's wife and the ex con quarterback have to have sexual relations. This is just the setup and there are many more sub plots as well that lead us through the adventure.

While I enjoyed listening to this audio book, there were problems with it. The characters, to put it bluntly, just weren't likeable. That in itself can be OK, depending on the nature of the story but here, the author clearly hopes that we become sympathetic to the protagonist (the quarterback), hoping we come to believe he was just misunderstood. By the end of the novel we do get to see him in a better light but he is definitely a flawed chraracter. The other major characters I found to be very two dimensional though. Characters are supposed to grow in some fashion during a novel...better, worse, older, wiser...something. The CEO's wife for example, does grow but at such a breakneck pace that she is unbelievable. The coach, who is so bitter by the quarterback's betrayal 5 years ago that he can't see straight, makes a 180 degree turn at the end of the novel in the space of one paragraph. It seems to all be a bit too contrived.

Perhaps I am being too picky here. Afterall, I borrowed this audio book from the library to be entertained...and I was. I will borrow other Sandra Brown books occassionally as well because they never cease to entertain.

jadervr's review against another edition

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4.0

i've been binging this author's books so play dirty is my fourth read and say no more, go read this book!!

joni7824's review against another edition

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4.0

Finally getting around to reading this. It was better than I expected it to be and I'm so happy I read it. Love the characters and didn't see the twist. I need to check to see if there are more of Brown's books I need to read

chlo_po's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

A page turning plot for sure, but also triggering and disturbing in many ways ! (racist, sexist, saneist and homophobic at times)

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labwa_0712's review against another edition

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1.0

It was so boring I fell asleep three times while reading. The story, the plot, the characters were all ridiculous! Don’t get me wrong, I know Sandra Brown can write a mean romantic suspense but this? This doesn’t get close to her best books. The hero was so unlikable. Sure he was in prison for a crime he actually HAD committed. That means he’s truly guilty huh? That already makes him a bad guy. He had no redeeming qualities over the arc of the story. Nothing to indicate that he turned over a new leaf or he even regrets doing the crime in the first place! He’s as obnoxious as he was at the beginning. And the romance? Sorry to say but that was total BS. There was literally no emotional connection between Griff and Laura. Nothing. The sex scenes were disgusting. I hated the way it was described, how miserable Laura had felt, lying limp and unresponsive under him while he gets off inside her. It was sickening. They never kissed, never exchanged any sentimental comments, had no chemistry. And suddenly Griff was sad when the affair ended and she was pregnant? Why? Because one time she was upset at her husband and he wiped her tears? I couldn’t finish it at the end because I just couldn’t take it anymore.

One more thing. Laura loved her husband right? The how could she fall for another man just like that? She’s been there for him during his hard times. Granted that his physical disability did not make a good love life. But she just abandoned him for a stranger who got her off once. Never mind. Their relationship was unrealistic anyways. They hardly knew each other to even have real feelings

*Correction: I went ahead and skimmed the last few pages. Turns out Griff didn’t even throw the game. Whatever. I still didn’t like him. Why the hell did he even go to prison for a crime he didn’t commit? I thought this was a pathetic excuse for the author to redeem this character. To actually show that he’s a good person. But I honestly didn’t even care.

emily_mae08's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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littlelady_28's review against another edition

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3.0

This wasn't the best book I've ever read, but it was a quick and fun summer read. Griff Burkett is a former Dallas Cowboys football player who is just getting out of prison after 5 years for throwing an important game for a cool 2 million. He soon receives a job offer from a weatlhy airline bigwig to impregnate his wife the old-fashioned way. Since no one is chomping at the bit to hire an ex-con, he accepts and of course ends up falling for the wifey. The plot also deals with the bad guys who murdered his former bookie and soon Griff is on the run.

This book was relatively fast-paced with several unexpected plot twists. The characters were likeable and sympathetic although not altogether realistic. But I suppose it's called fiction for a reason. I wish I could give this book 3.5 stars, but I don't think it's quite worthy of 4. A good read, I give it a B-.

cjay1957's review against another edition

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3.0

Dumb premise, totally unbelievable plot, not redeeming characters at all. It was painful making my way to the end of this one.

jbarr5's review against another edition

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4.0

Play Dirty by Sandra Brown
Griff was back from prison, he had thrown a football game that he played in for the mob.
Story also follows a couple who wants to pay him to impregnate his wife so they can have a child.
Once he's back in society others from his past find him and that puts his work in jeopardy and in harms way.
He goes back to reconnect with the coach and his wife who had rescued him when his mother left him when he was a teen. They had moved him into their house and treated him like their son.
Author describes scenes and feelings to make you feel like you are there yourself. Story entwines with others he's resumed contact with. Problem is those who want him to be stopped and taking it out on them.
Liked to hear of the couples airline company among others as they redo the whole thing from the bottom up.
Tense scenes as the detective has a vendetta against Griff and wants to see him on death row... Sex scenes.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).