Swept Away! Amy Andrews knows how to bring you Romance that will melt your heart ... and other things. This story was brilliant, beautiful, emotional and sizzling hot. You will simply love it.
Eleanor and Brodie’s story stole my heart and touched my soul. Their attraction is instant, their chemistry levels off the charts. I loved how Brodie was absolutely taken by Eleanor and all her Victorian glory. He saw only her and wanted only her, a fantastic Romance. These two were definitely destined for each other. LOVED IT! I just cant get enough of Amy Andrews Stories.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Playing House by Amy Andrews was simply a delight to read from start to finish. It was way too easy to empathise with the nerdy Eleanor, and boy did I feel like telling her family where to go! Don’t get me started on Bodie’s family, well his father mainly, what a jerk!

Who could not fall in love with Bodie, who not only accepted Eleanor and her passion, but wholeheartedly embraced it, and as a macho sports jock, secretly loved it!

This was truly a lovely story. It was light, funny, romantic, and there was a section that I admit made me tear up. Personally, I think it was Bodie’s reaction to the situation that hit me the hardest, my eyes certainly got a bit damp!

Amy Andrews is wonderful Australian writer. I love how lesser known Australian authors are now starting to be acknowledged by more international mainstream publishers. From what I’ve read in the last 18 months, Australia has a lot of talent just waiting to be shared with the world. Go Aussies!!

Amy is a new author to me, but I will certainly be checking out her back catalogue. I loved her writing style; it was relaxed but kept you turning the pages. The book is written from a dual POV, and it switched from Eleanor and Bodie smoothly and at logical points.
This is book 5 in the Sydney Smoke Rugby series, but it can be read as a standalone. I have not read any of the other books, and although knowing the backstories of some of the characters would have fleshed it out a bit more, it was completely satisfying as it was. Although, I will be going back to the beginning of the series to see where it all began!

Playing House by Amy Andrews is a perfect way to pass a lazy Sunday. It is light, funny, but not superficial. The emotions are real, and the book will bring out the full range in the reader. Just a warning but you may need tissues at one point (or I may just be a HUGE sook), but it’s a HEA, and I loved every moment of it!

Wonderful heartwarming romance

I've really enjoyed Amy Andrews' Sydney Smoke series, and I think Playing House is one of my favorites in the series.
Eleanor and Brodie were such realistic likable characters. There were some serious ups and downs through the course of the story but I loved how the author showed the characters vulnerability and their ultimate growth. I also appreciated the glossary of Aussie terms at the back of the book. I look forward to reading more books in this series.

I received an advance reader copy from Netgalley.

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.

“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.

Eleanor Davis’s brother Ryder plays for the Sydney Smoke rugby team

If you like this series, you would love this book so much it has everything that you need

Amy Andrews has so far hit the spot with this series and although not my favourite, #5 is as hot as a summers day Down Under.

“A single, twenty-six-year-old woman still living with her parents on a cattle station in outer woop woop like some Jane Austen heroine.”

Eleanor Davis isn’t your everyday heroine and with a love of the times past, she was seemingly born in the wrong century. And although she’s held onto her virginity waiting for her Mr. Darcy, she’s come to the conclusion that perhaps it’s simply time it went.

“They don’t call me Spidey just because I look hot in a Lycra suit.”

Enter Bodie Webb, her brother, Ryder’s best friend and team-mate, who has no idea who she is as she prefers her quiet life in the outback to the city. But when he lays eyes on her at Ryder and Juliet’s engagement party—still completely oblivious to who she is—sparks fly, cherries are popped and seeds are planted.

“Buttons undone. Petticoats untied. A completely, no-strings-attached, no-need-for-reciprocation-orgasm or two—Call me. I’m your guy.”

I really liked this couple together. I loved how Eleanor refused to be defined by today’s “standards” and how smitten Bodie was, and how they both took everything in their stride with regards to their little surprise. There’s no getting away from the fact that a large part of their story is centralised around these two getting to know each other in the biblical sense of the word, but in the latter stages I did appreciate the path Amy took the story adding emotion and value. Looking forward to seeing who she treats us to next.

Eleanor was born in the wrong century. From the victorian clothes, the literature, the dashing men, to the time when being a virgin was coveted. She comes from a family that are tall, lean and beautiful while she's short, curvaceous and daydreaming about another time in history. The last thing she expected was for Bodie Webb to take notice of her.

Bodie has no idea the woman who caught his notice is none other than his best friend and teammates younger sister Nell. All he sees is a woman who's shy, sweet and with all the right curves. Eleanor is a refreshing change from the tall, skinny woman who are usually throwing themselves at him for his status and money. One night won't be enough for him but he gets a rude awakening when he finds out Eleanor is Nell. The number one rule is never mess with a teammates sister.

Playing House just might be my favorite of the series. I love when we have quirky characters because its not the norm. I also get a kick out of the handsome, popular jock falling for the wallflower. This book was very sweet and I loved it! ARC provided by NetGalley.

*****Contains spoilers******
4.5 stars
I loved the concept of the book and thought that the author did a great job with the characters and the story. Brodie and Eleanor were sweet together. They also were HOT!!
They weren't looking for anything look term but with their secret they decided to try and make it work.

While I loved the book, the miscarriage is a trigger for me. I would have liked to have known about it before.
I think this should have had an epilogue too.

Playing House by Amy Gamet
Sydney Smoke Rugby #5

Amy Gamet is becoming one of my go-to authors. Every book I have read by her has been wonderful making me only want to read more of whatever she decides to write. This book delivered again…in all the ways that I was hoping it would ;)

Quirky, immersed in the 19th century and the odd duck in her family and community Eleanor Davis is ready to leave her virginity behind. When Bodie Webb, rugby player and friend of her brother, introduces himself to her she thinks, “This is the one to do the deed”. Keeping her identity obscured the two have a night to remember – one and done, she thinks – and off he goes, after calling and asking if there might be more. A few months later when she gets in touch the sizzle is still there. She has something to share and that something is big. Bodie, a true gentleman, steps up, asks her to spend time with him and all seems to be going well until…it’s not. How it all works out right created a book I could not put down.

I could so relate to Eleanor and the dilemma she thought she was in. I may not have been as shy as she was or from the back of beyond BUT I still could relate. I loved her quirks and her interests and her ability to state what her needs were then go for what she wanted.

I found Bodie to be a wonderful book boyfriend that was so much more than a pretty face with a good body he knew how to use well on the pitch and off. His true interest in Eleanor, ability to stand up for her and loving ways were swoon worthy. The way Ryder, Eleanor’s brother and Bodie’s best friend, came to Bodie’s rescue and how Bodie used the information he was given tied this book up in a big shiny bow creating the perfect book for me to read yesterday.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing-Brazen Imprint – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Playing House, by Amy Andrews is the fifth book in the Sydney Smoke Rugby series, yet it's easily read as a standalone.

Eleanor "Nell" Davis is seriously focused on corsets and historical clothing, and she even started her own business...an online vintage dressmaking company. Even though she's content with her life on a cattle station, Eleanor is ready for some slight readjustments after meeting Brodie, including losing her virginity.

Brodie Webb is a famous rugby player living in Sydney, Australia. Since his long-term girlfriend cheated on him about a year ago, Brodie has been determined to avoid relationships. While at a party, he's instantly attracted to lovely shy woman. After their evening together, Brodie discovers that Eleanor is his best friend's little sister, and (of course) there's plenty of drama surrounding their actions.

Overall, the story is primarily focused on their very detailed physical relationship, while the characters are charming and rest of the story is slightly sweet and highly entertaining.

Playing House is geared towards those who enjoy reading steamy contemporary romances.


Note: I received this book from NetGalley, which is a program designed for bloggers to write book reviews in exchange for books, yet the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

'No man had ever fought over her before. It was disturbingly hostile. Overwhelmingly masculine.
And wildly thrilling.'

I am a total and utter sucker for this series, and Playing House is definitely up there as one of my favorites. Guys, it was so good. Easy to read, I fell in love with Bodie and Eleanor quick smart and stayed smitten throughout.

Bodie was . . . sigh. Charming, kind and unexpected, he stands up for Eleanor and is just a straight-up good guy. The way he embraced her surprise and her passion for the Victorian Era was refreshing and made me want to kinda, sorta climb into this book and steal a kiss from him.

And maybe more. He does have a talented tongue, after all.
*Wink Wink*

But even more than I loved Bodie, I loved Eleanor. Quirky, kooky and introverted, she uses corsets as a form of social armor and can’t help but feel like an outsider. Honestly, I can relate. I mean, not to the corset thing, but to the outsider thing, for sure. I’m always happy to see a character that isn’t necessarily the norm—and that Eleanor share my love of Austen was just the icing on the cake.

There was just so much to like about this book. The pacing. The banter and the humor. The glimpses of previous characters. The writing. The hint of depth that takes it a little bit higher.

And that grand gesture . . . Yeah, okay, I saw it coming but it was so worthwhile. It made me smile through the final pages of this sweet, warm, feel good romance—and it just made me that much more of a sucker for this series.

'Smelling salts! Stat! She really needed some smelling salts. She was swooning. Actually bloody swooning. A grown twenty-first century woman all weak-kneed while a wild party went on in her pants.'

~ 4.5 Mr. Darcy STARS ~

This book had two tropes one trope I love (surprise pregnancy) and two I dislike, (best friend’s little sister, heroine trying to lose her virginity). Happily, the trope that I love won out and I really enjoyed the book, especially since Eleanor, the heroine was a bit awkward, introverted, into all things Victorian and had a business making Victorian style clothes and selling them online while living on a cattle station in outback Australia.

Luckily for Eleanor, her brother plays for a professional rugby team in Sydney. When he comes home to hold his engagement party, Eleanor meets Bodie, his best friend and teammate. Bodie spies Eleanor hiding behind a plant, is immediately attracted to her, but has no idea who she is, and she decides not to tell him because she sees the possibility of finally losing her virginity and realizes (rightfully so), that he won't do the deed if he knows who she is.

I really enjoyed this couple's relationship. Yes, it was very fast, but it felt like there was a real connection between them. Bodie was a total hottie and a nice guy, absolutely wanting to do the right thing with no hesitation. Eleanor was more cautious, but her reserve was totally in keeping with her character. I read the first book in this series (this is the fifth) and remember enjoying it, so I'm planning to go back and read the others. Although previous couples are mentioned, you definitely don't have to read the previous books to enjoy this one.

Another fun and sexy book in the Sydney Smoke Rugby series. This time we meet Bodie Webb and Ryder's little sister Eleanor. What a fun pair these two are! Bodies a rare breed. A relationship kind of guy but since his last relationship failed spectacularly he's been living the no strings life. Then he meets Eleanor and finds himself wanting more with this woman. Unbelievably she turns out to be the little sister of his rugby team member and best mate. This could get ugly fast or it could turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to him.

Love this author's writing style with all her Aussie-isms. I definitely recommend this one.

Playing House by Amy Andrews is the latest sexy romance in her Sydney Smoke Rugby series. It's a 'one night stand becomes more' trope story, with a Sydney Smoke player and a quirky down home heroine getting a chance to fling caution to the winds, then having to deal with the unexpected consequences.

Eleanor Davis, sister of Sydney Smoke player Ryder, has a growing online business designing and sewing historical fashions. If it makes her a bit of an odd woman out in the Australian Outback, so be it. When Ryder brings his team home to celebrate his engagement, Eleanor hides out on the fringes of the party, like the wallflower she is in real life. She doesn't expect to catch the eye of Bodie, one of Ryder's teammates and best friends.

Bodie can see the beautiful woman in the shadows trying to blend in with the potted plants and makes it his mission to draw her out. He succeeds brilliantly, resulting in one of the hottest one night stands he's ever had. He has to go back to Sydney, but Eleanor is not easy to forget and he finds himself developing an urge to study Victorian lingerie and keep an eye on her website too. When Eleanor comes to him a few months later with bigger problems than how to get more website clicks, Bodie is happy to step up and show Eleanor he's the real deal. Can he convince her to give a relationship with him a try?

I've really enjoyed every story in this series for good reason - they have genuinely likable characters, interesting plots, hot sex, and great scenes on and off the rugby pitch. This one has less rugby and more of the friendship aspect of the teammates. Because Ryder and Bodie are best friends, Bodie is torn upon realizing that the daring damsel he bedded is none other than his mate's sister. Oops! He doesn't regret it mind you, he just doesn't quite know what to do about it - because he'd love to do it again. Things take a different turn when Eleanor comes to town. Suddenly they are faced with life changing decisions, and there are some very emotional scenes later in the story that make this story less lighthearted than some of the previous series ones. It's hard to keep out spoilers, but suffice it to say that Eleanor and Bodie learn quickly what it takes to make a relationship go the distance.

I loved the uniqueness of Eleanor's character and how she uses her talents and interests to make a career for herself. That Bodie appreciates all of Eleanor's many talents comes through quickly. He's quite taken with her penchant for historical underthings and this leads to some pretty sexy love scenes. Bodie is a real good guy hero - friendly, generous, supportive and willing to admit to his mistakes. The end features a really sweet scene to bring them their happy ending, particularly meaningful after some more poignant moments. Don't be surprised if you shed a few tears amid the laughs in this one. It's a great addition to one of my favorite sports series.

This review has been posted on Harlequin Junkie and feedback updated with the link. It has been posted on Goodreads and will be posted at sale sites during release week.

‘Playing House’ did kind of fall flat for me with the stereotypes that Amy Andrews played with here—the virgin and the supposed ‘accidental’ manwhore who used to be a committed boyfriend but was cheated on—but I’m writing this review with the understanding that this imprint is more to do with smexy times than anything else. Much of Bodie/Nell’s interactions were unsurprisingly, sex-based, so their time in between the sheets were prioritised over the harder and difficult issues that crop up in romance.

Andrews’s writing is superlative as always, so if you could adjust your expectations about this imprint, then Andrews definitely delivers, objectively speaking. Nell and Bodie did scorch the sheets via a deception Nell played because she just couldn’t wait any longer to lose her virginity.

Personally, I didn’t exactly buy into this pairing somehow—not when it seemed more about animal attraction and lust that apparently overrode every ounce of common sense and worse yet, when Nell simply delayed telling Bodie about the accidental pregnancy because they frustratingly did everything else and got on with sex except to deal with the actual issue at hand. In fact, I found myself skimming the sex scenes and that was when I knew I'd completely missed the point of the Brazen line.

I’m afraid that this book isn’t for me—too many bodily functions seemed to have gone into feeding frenzy along with a heroine whom I couldn't sympathise with at all for her dodging and running away—at all, though I probably should have known better going into this particular imprint of Entangled’s.

I enjoy Amy Andrews’ writing, her stories always have a poignant tale to them . Playing House is sweet, sexy, laugh out loud funny & sad. In this story of lust, love & loss we see how a wall flower blossoms with the attention of the sexy jock. We see how life changes even when all precautions are taken & we see how it all changes when having to deal with loss. We see how the love of the one, can bring back to life everything that the loss took away. I truly enjoyed this book & definitely recommend it.

This was an interesting story. I've always like opposites attract romances. This was charming. I liked it quite a bit.

Bodie and Eleanor were definitely opposites. He was an athlete, a rugby player. Eleanor was a virgin, quiet, shy, quirky, totally into the whole Victorian era type life. Her career is sewing period pieces etc. Bodie and her meet at her brothers engagement party, Bodie doesn't know, who she is, which is his best friends sister. They end up in bed together. Complications arise, but of course they both feel things for each other they've never felt before. I won't spoil it for you, but the storyline is good. I would recommend !

I received this book as an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

bookstagrammer--tweezyreads

Totally enjoyed this! Sad what happens at the end but they get through it. Have to see if there is any other books by this author that peek my interest.

This is a voluntary review and I do not get paid for this review.

Playing House is the story of Bodie, a rugby player and Eleanor (Nell), Ryder’s younger quirky sister who loves all things Victorian.
They meet at Ryder’s engagement party and get to know each other well into the wee hours.
Next morning Bodie is shocked to learn that they sexy siren he spent the night with is his best friend/ teammates sister. And even more shocked when 2 months later she tells him she’s pregnant.
Playing house was a cute and quick read with emotions and sizzling chemistry. I loved Eleanor, the heroine and her fixation with all things Victorian. It has a bit of drama that kept me hooked.
An enjoyable addition to the Sydney Smoke Rugby series.

This is the first Amy Andrews book I've read but I was just so intrigued by the blurb. Best friends's little sister is one of my favorite tropes, and also the fact the fact that the heroine was kind of like the "weird" sister, I just couldn't resist and this story did not disappoint me, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Now I know this is book number 5 in a series but I totally think it can be read as a standalone and after this one might feel like reading the previous books, I know I do.

Like I said our heroine Eleanor, is the weird sister in her family; she has a fascination for Jane Austen, the Victorian era, vintage clothing... you get the idea, and she's content with who she is and with her life but she would like to get rid of her V-card, although she thinks achieving that would be nearly impossible. That's why she is so surprised that one of her brother's team mates is actually hitting on her.
Bodie is smitten when he sees Eleanor, she's so different from anyone he's ever met but he has no idea of her true identity, until after they spend the night together and he's shocked by that reveal. However that won't be the only revelation she has for him when she sees him two months after their night together.

Playing House is a very entertaining read. Since this is is from Entangled's Brazen books you can expect some very steamy and sexy scenes but besides that I think it has good characters. I liked Eleanor's quirky side and I loved how Bodie also liked that side of her. They're different but they compliment each other and have great chemistry. If I could have asked for something more is maybe a bit more romance and more from Bodie, but that's just me.

I'd sure recommend this book and as for me, I need to catch up on the other books in the series.