Rugby, fear of commitment, and the most lovable dog ever. Don't miss a smokin' hot story of a man who will discover that despite his best intentions on not falling in love, he just might find his happy-ever-after with a woman who will change his life forever.

If you love witty dialogue, characters with well written arcs and compelling charm, read this book!

Whatever Amy Andrews writes, I'll read it. No conditions. Playing with Forever is no exception and I adored it.

I love me a story with a veterinarian or someone in the animal field. So I knew this was perfect for me. And it was.

Ryder is a rugby player for the Sydney Smoke team and is all about getting what his pro status gets him - girls. He’s not ready to settle down. So when his friend brings him a ginormous dog to watch, who destroys his house, he realizes the dog needs some training.

Juliet doesn’t need a man, especially not when she’s finally living her dream shortly. But she wasn’t expecting Ryder and his mountain of a flirt dog.

This was a good read for me. And I love when there’s a series of books and the past main characters are all involved still.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

. Loved Ryder and Juliet’s love story. It was hot and funny Lots of hot chemistry between the two. Juliet has a goal and no one is stopping her. There’s an instant attraction between the two and they engage in a relationship with no strings . As they spend time together their feelings for each other grow. Recommend read. Could not put down.

Playing with Forever by Amy Andrews is the fourth story in her steamy and fun Sydney Smoke Rugby series. This time it’s Ryder Davis who finds himself falling in love – except the woman of his dreams has dreams of her own that don’t include him.

When Ryder’s friend (and his coach’s daughter) Valerie comes to him for a favor, he can’t say no. Even though it involves house sitting a very large, very naughty dog named Tiny. Desperate for some help in controlling him, he makes his way to an animal shelter with obedience classes and meets Juliet Morgan.

Juliet has a temporary position at the shelter, with plans to leave for Italy in two months. It was something she and her mom were supposed to do together, but when her mom got sick with cancer she made Juliet promise to go someday on her own. It’s been five years, and a failed relationship in between that derailed her plans to go right after the funeral, and this time, she won’t be swayed. The attraction between her and Ryder is mutual and she’s up front with what she’s willing to give of herself until she leaves. A sex only, friends with benefits fling is all that’s on the table, to which Ryder happily agrees. But when Ryder finds himself wanting more, will it be so easy for Juliet to leave him behind after all?

As far as I’m concerned, this author writes some of the hottest sex scenes around. Like, steam up your mirror, serious heat. The chemistry between Ryder and Juliet is smoking hot, and it’s a no brainer that Ryder would take Juliet up on her offer of hot sex, even with an end date. They have a lot of fun together (not just in the bedroom) and the more the get to know each other, the more Ryder realizes that Juliet might be ‘the one’ for him. But Juliet is firm in her decision not to fall for any man, even if he is handsome, and kind, and funny and generous. Her trip to Italy is non-negotiable. The conflict is therefore pretty predictable but still entertaining to see how they are going to work things out in what seems like an impossible situation. At some points Juliet’s insistence on keeping things casual is a bit over the top which frustrates Ryder but doesn’t stop him from wanting to be with her.

The dog sitting aspect adds for some humor, as does the classic teammate interactions with Ryder’s rugby mates. Since some of them have already found partners in previous books, they are quick to tease Ryder about Juliet. Plus, we get some great on field action scenes as Ryder’s team goes through some wins and losses. Juliet’s determination borders on stubborn denial of the truth and in the end she’s the one who gets to do the big grovel, a fitting turnaround from the way it usually plays out. It’s a fun, sexy, laugh out loud romance, and another great story in the series!

This review has been posted at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. It has been posted at Straight Shootin' Book Reviews and feedback updated with the link.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Sometimes you just need an easy, fast paced read with likable characters and hot sexy times and I have to say, this totally fit the bill! Totally entertaining and hot!

I'm going to keep this short and sweet... I liked both characters. Juliet and Ryder had a lust at first site thing going on and I thought it was flirty and sweet and I enjoyed the start of their relationship. Throw in a crazy dog and it just upped the entertainment value. Juliet is a woman on a mission wanting to go to Italy so it was fun watching them navigate this building relationship when there was an end date. There's a bit of conflict and emotion mixed in to round it all out making it a solid story. I liked what we learned about them, not super deep but enough to get your invested.

I enjoyed the overall story. The second half flowed much better than the first. It took me until about 20% for everything to click for me. I liked their interactions and their playfulness and when they finally opened up a bit and realized their feelings. Nothing is overly in depth, pretty surface stuff but enjoyable non the less. Great ending and awesome happily ever after. I'm pretty neutral about the secondary characters, they were an entertaining element added but it was a bit confusing who was who. I could tell there was a fun camaraderie with the men though so I kind of got it.

The writing was good. I loved that it was dual POV. The take away is that it was super entertaining and hot and it made for a great afternoon read. :-)

I overall enjoyed the story line and the characters, including the adorable animals. However, when I was talking about what I liked and didn't like about this book with my co-worker, she was able to some up my issues with this neat little phrase, porn before plot. I didn't really care about the characters yet and they where non stop going at it. I know this is my issue and I'm sure there are many others who enjoy this book for that very reason. Overall, I enjoyed it but it's not my favorite.

Other than some minor proofreading and editing mistakes, this book was funny and a light read.

Ryder plays professional rugby and is not hard on the eyes either, when his coach's daughter saddles him with a giant great Dane to house sit for a few weeks, he realizes that "Tiny" needs puppy obedience lessons. Because while the dog is a sucker for all women who pay attention to him, he is destroying Ryder's apartment.

Juliet works at the dog shelter, she's also the second reason why he signed up for obedience lessons for his dog, to get close to her. But Juliet is leaving the country in 3 months to move to Italy permanently, she won't be swayed by a man again in exchange for her dream.

The attraction is definitely there between them, so Juliet lays down the rules to make things easier, what she didn't expect nor want was for him to fall in love with her. And for her to feel the same way. Will she give up her dream for him? Or will she go to Italy?

Ryder and Juliet both tugged at my heart because I understood why they both wanted what they wanted - why she was afraid to love and he wanted the commitment as he saw his fellow players falling in love too.

If you love something set it free!! Great job Amy Andrews. I loved another one of your stories!!

I am a huge fan of Sydney Smoke! Each book has been light, entertaining, and fun to read.

My favorite thing about this book is that it's the opposite of most romance. The lady isn't looking for strings in the relationship and the guy is all in. Juliet is moving to Italy in six weeks and isn't going to let anything, especially a man, get in her way of fulfilling her dream. She's already done that once. When she meets Ryder, she's willing to teach his temporary dog obedience and have a friends with benefits relationship until she leaves. Ryder, a star player for the Sydney Smoke, doesn't have any trouble with the ladies but isn't as opposed to relationships as some of the members of his team. When the coach's daughter coaxes him into taking care of a friend's dog, he turns to the shelter down the street for help with this monster of a dog. Ryder has six weeks to be with Juliet and maybe convince her that they could work even after she moves to Italy.

I loved that Ryder was trying to do basically anything to be with Juliet, from suppressing his feelings to thinking of ways to make it work after she moves. Never once was the suggestion that she shouldn't go and live out her and her mother's dream. Juliet was strong and fiercely independent but her refusal to see how Ryder was different from her ex got old as the story progressed. I hope there's more Smoke coming!!

*This is my voluntary review of an advanced reader copy*

Saddled with a dog he doesn't want but is conned into keeping for a few weeks, Ryder Davis finds the dog ignores him whenever he gives the dog a command. Needing help, he turns to Juliet Morgan; a woman that knows how to coax the dog into doing anything she asks. However, it's not long before she goes from helping Ryder with the dog to him helping her out of her clothes and into his bed. But with Juliet's heart set on visiting Italy in two months time for an extended period of time, will he be able to convince Juliet that they deserve a shot at happy ever after, or are her plans too set in stone for her to give Ryder anything more than sex?

I have loved every single book of this series, but for me this story is the best by far, as Ryder and Juliet are wonderful characters with such fierce chemistry that I could not put this book down for even a second. The way this story started had me wanting to laugh at Ryder because of his reaction to the coach's daughter and whether she'll get her way. Will Ryder give in to what she wants him to do? However, it was from the moment the hero and heroine met that had me instantly liking these two together.

As for the dialogue, it was well-written, compelling and had me laughing at times due to the Star Wars references. However, it was the main characters back stories and their growing relationship that I really enjoyed and had me reading quickly, wanting to know more about the heroine and why she has her heart set on going to Italy. Furthermore, Juliet was strong and brave for getting through what happened with her mom and I liked her determination to follow through on her plans, even though it's palpable she was falling for Ryder and knew it wasn't going to be easy to leave him. I also liked how the heroine knew what she wanted and went after it, especially since the last man she was with used her. While Ryder, he's confident and I liked how he chased his dream of playing Rugby, even though it's palpable he loves his family and country life. I also liked how determined he was to win the heroine over, because not only does he need her to help him with the dog, but he needs her in his life, as she's different to any woman he's ever been with. For one thing, she's not a fan of sports.

Overall, Ms. Andrews has penned a wonderful and captivating read in this book where the secondary characters bring a little extra something special to this story; the chemistry was powerful between this couple; the romance hot and illustrated just how right these two are for each other; and the ending had me loving how the heroine realized she was completely in love with Ryder. Furthermore, I also liked what the heroine did to win the hero back, as her creative side definitely shines. I would recommend Playing with Forever by Amy Andrews, if you enjoy sports romances or books by authors Sinclair Jayne, Samanthe Beck, Tessa Bailey and Nina Croft.

Amy Andrews is back with the fourth book in the Sydney Smoke series and just when you thought that you couldn't love this team any harder along comes the next player fall and boom, I'm lost again.

I admit to being beyond excited for Ryder's book and after accidentally inhaling it I can say the excitement was totally worth it. I loved this story so very much. Ryder and his awesome heroine in Juliet made this book an absolute joy to read.

Though dear reader, be ready for a huge dog called Tiny to steal every scene he's in and to have you laughing way more than you expect. His blatant flirting with Juliet (and yes, it's totally flirting, just read it and say it isn't) is belly laugh inducing.

That said, this book is HOT, REALLY HOT. The chemistry between Ryder and Juliet is off the charts sizzling and the story matches it perfectly. Seeing them both fall when neither expected to was way to much fun.

While this can be read as a stand alone, I dare new readers not to rush to grab the previous books and binge read them. Plus for those who are like me and addicted to this series, yes we get to see the other guys and their wags. That's fun on it's own.

I can't wait for the next Smoke player to fall, like I said I'm addicted to this series.

playing with forever pairs up dog trainer juliet morgan with rugby star ryder davis. she has no idea what a big deal he isn't.

juliet is attracted to ryder and wants to be with him. except she has a plan. she's traveling to italy in a month and can't put her plans on hold any longer. she's already done that once before. so before they even have a chance to fall into bed with each other, juliet is clear that this is no-strings.

ryder tries to honor her wishes. but promises about not getting involved are impossible to keep. the heart wants what the heart wants. and his wants juliet. at the same time, he understands that she can't put her life on hold for him.

the relationship between ryder and juliet is pretty special, we get to spend a lot of time with them as a couple. it doesn't matter that juliet refuses to label it, because it's clear that's what they are. but it becomes one of those impossible situations, where for a long time possible solutions are overlooked and ignored by the characters. obviously, this helps with the tension, but when you are constantly coming up with ways to work things out for the characters it's easy to get frustrated with them.

the good news is that juliet and ryder are totally worth rooting for. feeling so invested in working out their relationship is a mark of a good story. and i really enjoyed this one.

5 stars

I loved Playing With Forever by Amy Andrews!
From the first few pages I knew this was going to my kind of read. The storyline was entertaining, the writing is well done, and the characters were a hoot to get to know.

Ryder and Juliet were great characters, I loved their honesty, their passion and I loved how much they gave of themselves to each other. What starts off as some hot sexy times between two consenting adults quickly moves into an area neither are quite ready for, especially Juliet.

It warmed my heart watching these two beautiful souls falling in love, I laughed, I swooned and I shed a tear for their pain.
Ryder was the perfect man for Juliet, he loved and supported her unconditionally and in my books that's true love.

Playing With Forever is the 4th book from the Sydney Smoke Rugby series, and while I've loved them all this is my fav. Ryder and Juliet's story touched me and I truly didn't want it to end.

Thank you Amy Andrews for writing and sharing your wonderful characters with us.

*Get your copy here*
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*I received an advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.*

The dog is the star and the romance plays a close second in this immensely entertaining, laughably tempting, hard to put down romance. The sports star with the sexy physique and his pick of women is brought down to size by a mischievous pooch and a slip of a woman with big dreams and a talent for dog whispering. Playing With Forever is every woman's dream. To find a guy that may not be perfect, but is willing to take a chance all in the name of love.

Ryder is an Australian rugby player for the Sydney Smokes who enjoys his uncomplicated single life at least until he gets talked into looking after Tiny, a Great Dane puppy, who decides that destroying Ryder’s apartment is a great idea when he gets shut out of Ryder’s bedroom and now they are off to the animal shelter for some advice.

Juliet works at the animal shelter and from the moment Ryder saw her he was attracted to her so when she suggests an obedience class that she is teaching he is all in. At the class when he suggests some one on training for both the owner and the dog they both knew it was much more about their chemistry than the dog.

A sex only relationship begins as Juliet has plans to move to Italy in two months as that is what she and her mother dreamed about before her mother passed away and she let a man derail her plans once and is not about to let that happen again. Although they had the best of intentions feelings became involved so will this spell heartbreak for both of them or is there a compromise to be found?

The banter and chemistry between the two was intense and the ending was heartwarming. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

4 1/2 STARS!

Sizzling attraction flares the moment their eyes meet for the first time ... and takes us on a wild ride of passionate encounters, tender moments and dreams of somehow there being a happily ever after for them! I adored Ryder from the start. He's a fun-loving guy, but has such a kind heart. Juliet on the other-hand, I would have liked to have smacked a few times. :) I enjoyed them together, but I wanted her to appreciate what was in front of her eyes more. Loved the book!

Sydney Smoke Rugby player Ryder Davis is living the life. He had to leave his beloved family farm in the outback to do it, but he's loving living on the beach and playing the best rugby of his life with his bunch of rowdy pals! What he's not ready for is having a huge dog with a mind of his own thrust upon him ... he needs help, fast!

Juliet Morgan happens to be at the desk of his local animal rescue when he pops in to see if they have any tips on how he can stop this dog from tearing his house apart one room at a time. She's gorgeous and returns his sexy flirting with welcoming smiles and promises of a good time twinkling in her eyes. She's not out for anything but a good time right now because no relationship is going to hold her back from living her dream when she moves to Italy in a couple of months!

There is just something fantastic about these Sidney Smoke hunks and the women who steal their hearts. I’ve been waiting to get to see Ryder in action for a very long time, and Playing With Forever didn’t disappoint at all.

His nice-guy, country-boy charm, alphaness in the bedroom (and various other locations) and his caring and funny personality along with that totally hot bod made him one of my favorite heroes of late. The fact that he is the one pushing for the relationship throughout the story was just the cherry on top.

This story starts when he gets saddled with a ginormous Great Dane called Tiny, who then proceeds to destroy his living room and act like the puppy antichrist. This is how he arrives at the shelter where Juliet works and signs up for puppy-preschool classes.

Juliet and Ryder have insta-chemistry which they, in turn, proceed to act on in full force. Repeatedly. In various positions and locations. I mean, these two together are crazy hot and they just can’t keep their hands off each other.

While I completely loved Ryder and I will be forever devoted to him (more like until I start my next book, but you know what I mean) I struggled a little bit with Juliet.

Having been burned in the past, she’s bound and determined not to make the same mistake again. She was nice, caring, funny and not afraid to just be herself, all things I love in my heroines. My issue with her was with her absurd bouts of ridiculousness whenever anything close to actual feelings would come up. They do start a “time-restricted-just-sex-no-emotions” type of affair, but it quickly becomes clear to both that things are not as black and white as they’d like. But she kept stubbornly denying this and blowing up whenever she felt like her dream was “threatened”. She wouldn’t even acknowledge that Ryder was nothing like her ex. This drove me batshit crazy, and if she were an actual person I would have gone and bitch slapped her… then I’d steal Ryder from her, but that’s neither here nor there.

Whenever Juliet relaxed and let their natural chemistry flow I loved them together, and she does eventually get her shit together. I still adored everything (else) about Playing With Forever and I can’t wait to know which of the rugby hunks will go down next… though I’m still confused about the league and union stuff. I guess I’ll just have to go hunt an Aussie rugby hunk for real!

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book*

This author is on my favourite to go to list and also an auto click for her books as she always delivers fantastic books with amazing characters and with such hot chemistry that it will melt your e-reader lol. Totally deserves the 5 stars and I can't wait for more from this brilliant author and would recommend this book to everyone