I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by NetGalley. I have read several book by RVD but I absolutely loved this one.
Mackenzie is left at the alter and she can't get away from him. So she decides to go on the trip she had planned for them. When the planes engine fails she seems comfort from a stranger. Are those sparks from the engine or from kissing him?
Slade has had so much bad publicity lately he decided to run and hide. Then the unthinkable happens. Now he's just moody and miserable. And to make things worst, the sexy stranger is now stalking him and then trying to feed him.
This is a swoony read and the flirty banter between them is awesome. I can not wait till Jagger's book!

Risky Play is another great read by Rachel Van Dyken. This sports romance is a solid combination of heart and steam. The characters were likeable. Slade was sexy and brooding. MacKenzie came into her own strength. I liked their banter. The storyline was enjoyable.This a romance worth rereading in the future. I would recommend to other romance readers. Thanks Skyscape and NetGalley for the ARC of this title.

McKenzie life had been planned out until her life fell part. Slade is a famous soccer player moving to America to play after his whole world was turned upside down. When McKenzie thinks tragedy may happen, she acts on her attraction to Slade. Will this chance meeting lead anywhere?

First, let me start by saying, I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Second, you can absolutely never go wrong with a Rachel Van Dyken book! She has this innate ability, to pull to pull you into her beautifully and sometimes twisted worlds and she refuses to let you go until you’ve read the last page!

I absolutely loved Risky Play from start to finish!! This story takes two beautifully, broken people, with their own set of problems and insecurities and throws them together in the most unexpected ways!!

Rachel writes Slade and Mackenzie with such authenticity, I felt as if I really knew them!! I sympathized with them, yelled at then and cheered for them throughout the entire story!! Throw in a couple of conniving exes and things really spin out of control!

Slade is a famous soccer star, with a bad boy reputation and all he wants is to relax, without being recognized.
Mackenzie is good girl, jilted at the alter heiress to a billon dollar wine company. These two have nothing in common, except wanting to be someone else for just a little while.

What starts as a one night stand turns into something else entirely!
When Slade disappears and Mackenzie heads home to begin picking up the pieces of her broken heart. What comes next is a mixture of karma, fate and two people trying to figure out what comes next! As the stakes rise and things heat up how do you fall in love with the whole world watching?
Well read Risky Play and find out!
If you like a fast paced, sexy story with just that right amount of comic relief and a heart melting happily ever after then Risky Play is definitely the book for you!!

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!

What I say: I do love a sports romance and I enjoyed Risky Play. I did find myself having to ignore the less than favourable view of my beloved blues (CFC forever!) even if the pre-events were based on exaggerated real life club scandals *cries*!

Anyway back to the story... Mackenzie has faced the horror of all horrors - she's been publicly jilted by her best friend *ahem* shady, social climbing fiancé so in a very rom-com move, she decides to use the honeymoon anyway!

Mack is all about wine - it's kinda her life world and family business, but she's thrown through a loop when she meets handsome stranger Hugo *ahem* Slade in disguise. She poses as Ashley, non-society girl and they have themselves all kinds of fun - for a bit!

Back home their paths cross again and they find their secrets exposed. I loved the banter, although Slade really needed an attitude adjustment for a lot of the story.

I honestly couldn't understand what she saw in Alton - but I had major issues with her father keeping him on! Just all the no!

More please!

4 Stars in my Sky!

See, writing this review is a huge problem for me right now. I’ve read <b>Risky Play</b> several weeks ago (months, actually). I should’ve written a review as soon as I finished it, but of course I read lots of other books since then and naturally, I don’t remember every single detail about Rachel van Dyken’s latest novel now. Which is a shame, because I remember loving it so much, even considering it as my favorite of hers. That probably isn’t the impression of whoever is reading this review, but I know I really liked this one. I’ll just try to prove it.

Mackenzie has just witnessed what no woman ever wants to – she was left by her fiancé. At the very last moment, too. Right in front of every one of her wedding guests. Trying to overcome the loss of him, who was also her best friend since they were children, she decides to get away to Mexico. What should have been her honeymoon, changes into a single trip. Soon enough, she finds herself in the arms of Slade, a soccer player transferring from an English club to Seattle. It seems like the two of them have nothing in common, but their mantra is he same – to hell with it! Being attracted to each other doesn’t hurt either and so their vacation in Mexico turns into something else entirely. And it’s all based on lies – both of them using wrong identities. Can you really trust a stranger? Obviously not since Slade takes off, making Mackenzie feel like she’s reliving a familiar situation. But what happens when Mackenzie and Slade run into each other again?

If you’ve read van Dyken’s <i>The Bet</i> series, some scenes may seem familiar to you. Like, Mackenzie and Slade meet on an airplane and the way they act around each other reminded me so much of the characters in <i>The Bet</i>. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, I just expected something new, but thinking of all these hundreds of books Rachel has written to date, I’d say it’s kind of surprising the author comes up with new ideas anyway. Really, it’s no big deal to me, but I just wanted to make sure I mentioned it.

The story held me captive from page number one. There’s just this certain vibe in all of Rachel van Dyken’s latest books, whether it’s in <i>Fraternize</i> or now in <b>Risky Play</b>, that’s rapidly becoming addictive. I can’t quite figure out what it is, but the setting, the vibes – it’s really making you dive into the story and wanting to get lost in it. You’re not just a reader with her books, you’re actually feeling whatever the characters are feeling. Rachel probably has a way with words. It must be the words.

Anyway… I’m a soccer fan, so I’m always up for any young adult and new adult books published in the US picking up that topic. I like to think that novels might help bringing some attention to that sport since it’s not the most popular one in the United States. Of course I wouldn’t like the romance to suffer just because of the author trying to tie in an underrated sport. Surely, that’s not the problem with this author, she knows what to do. You get a glimpse of what it might be like to be a soccer player, reading about the plays, the strategies and also some friend-or-foe battles going on behind the scenes, but it’s never too much. It’s just the right amount of it – a good balance.

There has to be some drama included and that’s what happens after Slade takes away Mackenzie’s virginity, leaving her alone at the hotel, flying off to his family (there’s a reason for that and if you come across other reviews, they’ll probably spoil that for you, but I choose not to). Yes, she’s a thirty year old virgin. And while I’ve read some bad reviews now, criticizing exactly that, I don’t even mind this detail. I think it’s great that the author always tries to cover up all kinds of women out there. Because there are thirty year old virgins in this world and why not pick this idea up and use it for one of her books?

So, I think you won’t want to miss out on this one if you’re fan of Rachel van Dyken. <b>Risky Play</b> won’t leave you disappointed. Also, no matter what community you feel like you belong to – second-chance-romance-lovers, hot-romance-lovers or heartbreak-lovers – this one includes it all.

4.5☆ Risky Play was a really good read! I felt like I cruised through it. It has a very interesting and emotional storyline that sucks you in. I will say that the beginning felt quite fast, it took a little bit for me to wrap my head around everything that was happening in that short span of time. I feel really bad for both Mackenzie and Slade and everything that happens to them. While I feel bad for Slade, I'll still admit that he acts like a jerk and takes his anger out on others while he's still healing. I really enjoyed how Mack gave it right back to Slade, but also showed that she still has a big heart. They're such a great pairing, I think they compliment each other very nicely. I would have liked a longer epilogue just to wrap up all the drama at the end and give me a little closure there. Other than that it was a great book!

Mack is reeling from being left at the alter by her childhood sweetheart/best friend. Slade is reeling from betrayal by his fiancée and teammate. They meet while on vacation and sparks fly.... until tragedy strikes Slades life. When they reunite in the most unlikely of ways, sparks fly for sure, just in a real bad way. As they navigate the situation they are in and get to know each other they learn a lot about themselves as well.

I loved the progression of the characters and the way Mack choose to be kind when she had every reason to not.

It’s such a true portrayal of loving someone when they seem unlovable and unkind. Sometimes love is not prefect and it’s not pretty.

If you are looking for a good romance with some angst, this book is for you.

In true RVD fashion she will draw you in from page one and keep you up late into the night (when you should be sleeping for work at 5 am) until you finish.

This is a must read!!

Broken hearts, near death experience, making out with a stranger and a loss....all within the first few chapters! This book gets your attention from the very beginning. I love the authors character development it is a perfect mix of creativity and wit.
Mackenzie is a sweet romantic that just wants to be put first in someones life. When her relationship takes an unexpected turn she decides to head to Mexico for a little rest and relaxation. Little does she know that this trip will change everything, in more ways than one.
Slade is the hot superstar soccer player that just wants to get away from it all and just be a regular person for a few days. His trip to Mexico turns his life upside down in ways he couldn't have possibly imagined.
Back in the states they are both faced with the reality of what they tried to run from and lies are no longer able to be hidden.
My only complaint is I feel the ending could have been a little longer, it left me wanting more. But overall I really enjoyed this book.

Risky Play hooked me right from the start. All I wanted to do was be left alone to read. I devoured it until about 75%. I’m still not really sure how I feel about the last part of the book. I’m not sure if it’s even necessary. This book was just a fun read and reminded me why I love reading in the first place.



I voluntarily read an early copy.

6% into the book, I read something that made my heart skip a beat. So of course I took it as a sign that I was going to love Risky Play.

I LOVED Mack and Slade. I loved their chemistry so much!

Truth me told I loved the character development in this book the most.
Slade may have his fame, fortune and good looks but geez, this man can be cruel and crude. So I’m not going to lie and say that I was rooting for him from the get go. But I will also say that there was an undeniable pull between Slade and Mack that made me want them together.
Slade and Mack had such a fun, witty, spunky chemistry along with emotional heartfelt moments that really made me second guess my thoughts regarding Slade. But Praise the Lord! Slade took his head out of his ass and he redeemed himself! Because half way through the book, I was gunning for him. I was gunning for them.

Risky Play is without a doubt absolutely SENSATIONAL!

Rachel Van Dyken has written a book that is heart-stoppingly perfect!
By the end of the book, I knew that I loved loved loved every single emotion that I went through reading this book.
I felt frustrated when things didn’t do smoothly for Mack and Slade.
I blushed at Slades words to Mack.
I felt the angst.
I felt the sizzling lust and the incredible chemistry between them.
But most of all, I was happy.
This book is fun, it’s sexy, it has characters who you can swoon over, it has amazing secondary characters, it has a storyline that just captivates you from the get go.

What more would you want?

I highly recommend this book! I can’t wait to read more books from this series. YAY!!!

❤️❤️❤️❤️ out of 5
My first RVD book and boy did it not disappoint- I devoured it in one sitting! I love sports romances so that was an automatic hook for me but this book had A grade banter as well as all the feels.
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After our heroine gets left at the alter she decides to go on her Mexican honeymoon solo. When one of the engines fail on the plane she decides to start living and kisses the hot stranger next to her on the plane. Little does she know that he is a mega star in the soccer world and our hero loves the fact that she wants him for him. Spoiler alert: the plane doesn’t crash and they don’t die. However, reality comes crashing in when our hero’s father dies and he leaves the heroine to wake up alone. Back at reality they are flung together when she unknowingly starts working for him but the man she remembers from her holiday is not the sad and angry man now before her.
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Loss is hard and RVD doesn’t shy away from exploring this in the hero. He is angry and tries to blame someone when no one is to blame- this is all too human and real. The heroine has this inner strength that also feels so real and human. She has done an amazing job at writing something that is the perfect balance of light and humour but also reality and loss 👏🏻👏🏻.

I’m sad I can ONLY give this book 5 stars! I absolutely loved Risky Play! Rachel never fails to make me laugh with her banter between characters. That has to be one of my favorite parts of this book. The chats that Slade and Matt had were hilarious! The book starts off with a hook up in Mexico, which quickly takes a turn for the worst. Mack and Slade end up crossing paths again back in Seattle where she is now working for him. I love the dynamic of the two and the constant push and pull as both are working through past traumatic events. Throw in used-to-be-friend-now-rival soccer player Jagger also vying for Macks attention and you have the perfect amount of jealousy to keep things interesting. More drama gets drug up from the past in a huge media scandal and you’ll have to read to find out how they fight their way through the BS and if they get their HEA! Seriously, this book is a must read if you’re looking for a quick fun read that will have you smiling from ear to ear and giving you all the swooney butterflies!

This was one of those books that has you feeling all the emotions. I so enjoyed this book even with all the drama and me wanting to slap the hero right out of the book. But I loved him all the same. I can't wait to read more from this author.

4 Stars

Slade and Mackenzie met on a plane to Mexico where they were both trying to escape their home lives. They had a chemistry filled few days before Slade got some terrible news and left in the middle of the night without telling Mackenzie.

Mackenzie upon returning home wants a change for a bit so takes on a new job, little does she know her new job is actually for Slade.

When these two meet again all is not as it seems as they both lied to each other in Mexico. When the truth comes out how will they react? And what will they do when someone they both know tries to interfere and keep them away from each other?

Rachel Van Dyken has a great formula for writing books and introducing characters that you can relate to. This was a little different than her other books that she released from Skyscape publishing. This one had a little "suspension of belief" but that didn't detract from the storyline. My favorite characters in this book shockingly enough were not the main characters. I could have taken or left them and not because they weren't likable but because it's a story of been there and done that. I loved Jagger and Matt is this book!!! I think had she NOT had them in the book - it totally would have been a 3-star book for me. They made the entire book with their banter back and forth and funny one-liners. Totally worth it in my opinion.

This book starts off with a total misrepresentation of who the two main characters are and then just goes downhill for the two of them till about the middle of the book. I did love the fact that Mackenzie never gave up on Slade and that she stood by him the whole time - even when he was a total douche.

An ARC copy was provided for free by the publisher without expectation or any attempt to influence or manipulate this review. All opinions expressed are my own and do NOT reflect anyone else's.

I don't even know where to start with this one. There were so many things wrong. The hero was a total dick.

The heroine was jilted at the altar, goes on vacation, meets a man, they give fake names to one another, have wild sex. While deflowering her he gets a message from his dad and doesn't call back. Hours later his dad passes away and because the hero was too busy sticking his dick into the heroine to return his dad's call he leaves her in the middle of the night and now he blames her inwardly. Yep. He's a real charmer.

Back home she works now for an agency who does chores for the rich and famous. Slade is a soccer player and famous, something Mackenzie didn't know because of their fake names. So she is assigned to him and the first thing that comes out of his mouth is "are you stalking me?" The second thing is this:

"Whatever you think is going to happen between us—won’t. Just drop it. I’m not going to marry you just because I saw your pussy.”

A real keeper. And so full of himself. And there he started out so sweet. It was like he had a personality transplant.
He kept throwing insults at a completely innocent young woman and was overall a freaking douchebag. I've read and loved those before, it can be done well but this one? Hell to the no. Hell. No.

I just couldn't do it. I couldn't.

Another slam dunk from Rachel Van Dyken! The way that she weaves her stories together just floors me every single time. This book was no different! Slade and Mackenzie were so well written. The story flowed really well and I am so excited to get more into this new world that she has created.

One night stands are simply that and throw in fake names, totally one night stand, right? Apparently not when it comes to wine heiress Mackenzie and famous soccer player Slade. The author wove the story of finding each other again, which doesn’t mean easy going for these two. I loved how Rachel wrote the story, with romance and humor, and just enough drama that made this first in a series book perfect.

I have chosen not to review this title. My apologies for the delay in responding to this and advising you of this, especially as it is likely obvious I have chosen not to review, I thought I had sent in all of my DNF titles.

As always, I appreciate the opportunity.

Laura