Oh my, this book! It had me from the very beginning, with its emotionally charged, heartbreaking introduction of Mackenzie in the prologue that had me immediately wanting a happily ever after for her, and wanting to see this road of self discovery for her. Followed immediately by a dramatic, action filled first chapter that sets the introduction of Mackenzie and Slade and the beginning of their connection. Then you’ll spend the next half of the book wanting to throw the book at Slade for his 180 behavior change because like Mackenzie, he’s got his own emotional baggage to wade through so they can fight for each other. The comedic gold between Slade and Matt as well as between Slade and Jagger makes up for it. Some of my favorite scene were courtesy of a cute pup named Alfie, that had me laughing till tears leaked out. That’s Ms. Van Dyken’s writing for you. It’s an emotional roller coaster that will have you wanting to throw the book down and wanting to walk away it’s so charged, but you can’t walk away for long because you NEED to know what’s going to happen.

There are so many different relationship dynamics in this book that are interconnected, that weave one amazing story, and it leaves you wanting more and eager to see what happens with the rest of the characters that we’ve been introduced to.

Loved this book from the first page . It grabs you and takes you along for a ride with laughter and creativity that keeps you reading. Read this book in a day I couldn’t put it down. I definitely recommend reading this book .

I didn't love this book, and I didn't hate this book. I did enjoy this book however. There were quite a few laugh out loud moments, a lot of witty banter between characters, and a definite attraction between more than one of the leads. It was also one of those quick reads that is perfect for a rainy (or in my case snowy) day.

I'm a little confused about how two people who are supposedly so "well known" that they are featured on the cover of magazines were unable to recognize each other. I guess its more understandable that Slade didn't recognize Mackenzie as she seems to be more or less a "local socialite celebrity", but if he was truly the best in the world, his coming to the states would have been a huge deal, and I find it next to impossible (considering he was going to living/playing in the same area as she lived) that she had no idea who he was. There certainly would have been news coverage. But anyway. Maybe she didn't recognize him. For the sake of the story we will go with that.

I can even understand why he took off immediately after learning the news of his loss. And support to an extent why he blamed her. Grief is a heck of a thing.

What I cannot support is the way he spoke to her and treated her when they were reunited. Some of the things that he said were downright crude and uncalled for. In fact, had I been in her shoes instead of trying to help him, I would have slapped him soundly across the face from the first minute, then told the hiring company I would not work for someone who spoke to me in such a degrading manner. But... she's got some feelings still for the jerk, so she stays. Although, it could be that she's just used to jerks as her ex-fiance speaks to her in much the same way. Honestly, he did her a huge favor when he left her at the altar. Also its worth pointing out that her own father is more prone to taking "the exes sides" over his own daughter.

Then again Mackenzie freaks out a little too hard when the guy whose house she is at calls the guy texting her a "cockblocker". Maybe I'm just jaded myself, but if a guy is offering friendship, but wants you to come to his house at night? Its not exactly friendship he has on his mind.

I feel like there is a bit too much of the "alpha male gone wrong" with this story, at least where Mackenzie is involved. She deserved better. She had the potential after Mexico to be this new version of herself, but I feel like she was so used to taking the crap, that she kept right on taking it.

When it's just the Slade and Jagger or Slade and Matt or even the three of them? The conversations are literally laugh-out-loud. Even Mackenzie manages to earn a few laughs when she's with them. The easy banter between the characters is what makes this book. Now, I understand the point the author was trying to make when it comes to grief (and even lust and jealousy) making people act irrationally, but it felt like sometimes this was taken too far. Kudos to the boys for finally standing up for the girl though.

As is typical with the first book in a new series by this author, while I didn't enjoy this one as much as I thought I would, I have a feeling the next will be better. There will be more focus on the next pairing and not so much of this back and forth third wheel kind of stuff.

Overall, this story I think may still appeal to those who enjoy contemporary romances. What stood out to me may in fact be a product of the way my own cynical mind works. I already know this author will do well no matter what they write - it is a talent of theirs. I would read more from this author.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

Rachel Van Dyken is back with a brand new series. Risky Play is the first book in the Red Card series. The book starts off with a jolting prologue, with Mackenzie getting left at the altar. She goes to Mexico for a vacation where she meets our hero, Slade, on the plane there. They have an electric first meeting on the plane, and give each other fake names. They have a one night stand and he leaves for personal reasons the next morning. The first 20% of the book was packed with so much going on. The book started out light and fun but got emotional throughout the rest.

They meet again with her becoming his new assistant. It kind of flipped tropes at this point, and became more enemies to lovers. Slade ran hot and cold; it was understandable considering what had happened, but still a bit exhausting. On the other hand, Mackenzie was hard to read in the beginning but then you get to know her, and she is a strong, smart, sweet, caring character. We get some great supporting characters, who I’m sure will get their own books.

I thought this was a great start to a new series, and I anxiously wait for the next book in the series.

* ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

I received this ebook from Skyscape and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Another great book by Rachel! Her stories and couples are always adorable and quirky. Mac and Slade were both running from their lives and ran right into each other. Slade was almost too big of a jerk to be redeemable at one point, but she did a great job of doing it. It wasn’t easy, but nothing worth it ever is. My only complaint is that it felt like maybe some pages were missing because some of the pages stopped mid sentence or word and the next page was something different.

I loved this book. It's a good old fashioned romance. The culprit of any issues is the heart in this warm, wonderful tale. The characters are smouldering, smart alek, tough when need be, stubborn, and loving. I really hope that there is more novels for some secondary characters making this a great series.
The pace was perfection, there was never a dull moment. There was conflict, there was humor, there was sexy times, and there was love. I could not put this book down, I was drawn to the characters from the get go and thoroughly enjoyed their story. This story is told in dual pov.

This was a sweet romance story. I did enjoy the story.

I love watching MacKenzie grow in this book. To going from being left at the alter and everyone in the country knowing about it, to moving on and living in the moment, to showing Slade he wasn’t going to break her. She was an amazing character.

Slade is a hot, cocky soccer player. But he’s also a great person once you get to know him on a personal level and not what he shows the public. I really enjoyed watching him fall this book!

This is a great start to a new series by RVD! Love her books!

This book was just what I needed. I picked it up and didn’t put it down until I was done. With just the right amount of angst I loved this story.

Mack and Slade have a bit of a love hate relationship when they reconnect without warning. Slade definitely has some issues and rather then dealing with them he seems to take them all out on poor Mack.

I wasn’t sure whether she wanted to kill him or kiss him and at times I kind of wanted a little bit of both. It was one of those stories where I you want the hero to get his head out of his ass and get the girl all ready cause she’s exactly what he needs.

I loved how this story plays out and I was so invested in the two that there were moments I could feel the hurt that these two go through. There’s just enough comic relief that also makes this an adorable read. It’s the perfect amount of cute and emotion that I look for in a feel good romance.

I’m looking forward to the next book in this series and will be reading it without hesitation.

Well, this was enjoyable. And sexy. I definitely like the seriousness mixed in with a little humor. One second I’m getting all sad and the next I’m smiling over the antics of these guys.

It’s nice to read about guys who don’t always get along but are adult enough to eventually grow up and move on. The characters were fun and I look forward to the future books.

Mackenzie experiences every bride’s worst nightmare, she is left at the alter by her fiancé. The unfortunate thing is they still have to work together at her family’s wine company. Before she heads back to her normal life she decides to go on her honeymoon, alone, in Mexico.
Enter Slade, he is on the plane to Mexico and sitting right next to Mack. They strike up a conversation, under fake names naturally because both are very much in the public eye, Mack is a socialite and Slade and professional soccer star.
What do you do in Mexico with a stranger that you will never see again? You let go of your inhabitations, you take risks and you enjoy life. Slade and Mack did that to the fullest, which led to hot hotel moments in Mexico.
What happens when you end up running to that stranger again?
This book had me laughing, it had me frustrated and it broke my heart a little but I loved every single moment of it. The banter between Slade and Mack was great, their chemistry was undeniable and Slade’s alpha male ways had me swooning. Their friends, Jagger and Matt, were great additions to the story and I look forward to getting more of their stories in the future (hopefully).
A must read book of 2019 for me!

This book was really difficult for me to get into. It read a LOT like new adult to me, which really isn't my jam. I felt like the story was a lot more about outside forces than it was about the romance itself, and that left me wanting a lot more! I didn't seem to be able to relate to the characters at all. However, I will say that I do enjoy RVD's dialogue! She has some great scenes.

Really good! I loved the characters and the story, and I was rooting for them the whole time, which for me is the mark of a good romance novel. I've read (and for the most part enjoyed) a lot of this author's work, but this book stands out for me as being more mature and having some real depth in the feelings and characters. My only quibble is the roadblock /resolution at the end. It was over the top and somewhat silly in comparison to the rest of the book. However that did not deter me from gobbling this book up in one sitting, and hoping for more!

I truly loved these characters. Slade and Mack were everything. Mack is your self confident women who owns her true self and Slade is the sexy soccer star who has it all but missing that one thing. Together these two find it and make for an awesome couple.

This beauty is releasing on March 19th❗️
Any Rachel Van Dyken fans out there 😉❓

✨Thank you NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange of an honest review
🔷
This was my first book by and what a pleasant surprise❗️
It had the right ingredients to suck me in ...
⚽️ Sports romance (soccer)
⚽️ Second chance love
⚽️ Sassy virgin heroine
⚽️ Soccer player with a broken heart
⚽️ Witty banter
⚽️ Learning to trust again
⚽️ great plot line
🔹
I got hooked from the first few pages: the beginning was just awesome (how the characters meet) and the WRITING was so addictive, and I found myself smiling at times, then nervous and worried, then laughing out loud or gasping and closing my eyes ... yeah I was all the way in with Slade and Mackenzie until they finally got together (I love happy endings😉)
🔷
📖 A sneak peek 📖:
SLADE is a famous soccer player who was betrayed by love and doesn’t want it anymore
MACKENZIE is the daughter of a very wealthy business man; living in the shadows of her fiancé since they were very young, she was left by him at the altar
⚠️SHE wanted ADVENTURE -> she goes on her honeymoon, alone, and wants to have fun
⚠️HE wanted ESCAPE -> he puts a hoodie on as a disguise and decides to get away
✈️FATE puts them together on the same plane to Mexico... they decide to have fun for a few days before going back to face reality
🖇Until things get complicated ... and FATE interferes again, along with other circumstances
👉🏻 I don’t want to reveal more, just READ IT😉
✅Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Love the author and have read a few books but this one was by far the best of the bunch. Such a great story and superb characters. Would definitely recommend this book.

Risky Play is the first installment of the Red Card series by Rachel Van Dyken.

Nothing could be possibly worse than being left at an altar, but here Mack is, on the way to her honeymoon…alone. Though only a few moments into her flight, she’s easily captured in the eyes of a stranger. Once back on land, these two give each other fake names as they enjoy a mysterious romance fling. They thought they’d never see each other again, but fate is about to give them a dose of reality, for when they meet once again, the truth is revealed.

I’ve loved a huge amount of Rachel Van Dyken, and I enjoyed Risky Play, however, the genre for this particular book wasn’t as enticing for me personally. However, the writing, characters, and plot were wonderfully done. I love how Rachel Van Dyken always keeps true to her writing. Even though this wasn’t my type of story, I would certainly recommend to others to read!

Risky Play by Rachel Van Dyken should be a play on words. Wait...is it a play on words? Who knows! What I do know is that this book was FABULOUS. So out and out funny and jam-packed with all the feels! It was hard to put it down! From Mackenzie trying to get away from a disastrous botched wedding day to Slade trying to get over a bad break-up. Ms. Van Dyken just packed it in. I really enjoyed reading this book. The chemistry between the main characters was awesome. The witty banter and one-liners made for great reading. The sub-characters were also enjoyable and fun to get to know in this book. Ms. Van Dyken gives us complex and well-rounded characters that make them easy to love. The book had a good pace and was very quick and easy to read. If this is just book one in Ms. Van Dyken's new series I can't wait to read the others!!

Rachel Van Dyken scores a goal with the launch of her Red Card series and the fun, sexy and witty soccer romance, Risky Play.

Having thoroughly been left at the altar, wine heiress Mackenzie Dupont decides to go on her honeymoon… alone. Thinking that her plane would crash in route to tropical Puerto Vallarta, she impulsively kisses the sexy stranger sitting next to her only to safely land and find out he’s staying in the pent house next her. Throwing caution to the wind she spends a magical night with him only to wake up alone yet again.

Infamous soccer player, Slade Rodriguez wanted to get away before heading to his new team and home, but when tragedy strikes he can’t help but escape and blame the gorgeous stranger who captivated him to distraction. But he’ll only be able to go so far before Mackenzie shows up at his front door announcing she’s his new PA.

His grief and pain fuel his anger but deep down he can’t deny his attraction towards Mack nor the way she patiently sooths his soul. And when an outside force threatens them both, they must learn to trust each other in order for them to overcome the difficulties before them.

I’ve always been a big fan of Rachel Van Dyken’s writing, which is unfailingly a joy a read with a great blend between spark flying moments that fuel the push and pull between the main characters, the emotional instances that drive the romance and the very sought after swoony-ness. I enjoyed every sweet, witty and steamy filled page of Risky Play.

Both Slade and Mack where fantastic characters. I loved the way they were attracted to each other from the very start. It went beyond the physical, they made each other laugh and smile and found an instant ease between them.

Of course that quickly changed and went downhill. Slade went from swoony to douchy when faced with heartbreak. But being in close proximity forced him to do some introspection and truly see beyond the surface, to get to know one another and ultimately fall in love. I loved Mackenzie for her patience and loving heart. I so wanted her to find that what she most wanted, a partner.

Risky Play is a sweet, fun and steamy, fast paced story I had trouble putting down with many shareable bits and a twist I didn’t see coming. I can’t wait to see what’s next in this series.

Risky Play is book #1 of the Red Card series by Rachel Van Dyken. It is told from both points of view, and has a happy ending.

Risky Play by Rachel Van Dyken. I always enjoyed her books that have a spicy storyline and this one hasn't disappointed me. Liked most of the characters and the plot.

Mackenzie DuPont is devastated when her fiancee leaves her at the altar, and in the aftermath she is left feeling lost and alone. On a whim she decides that her best solution is to embark on a solo adventure to find a way to move on... and finally do something just for herself.

Slade Rodriguez is in the midst of moving, leaving his former fiancee, his former team and his former life, all at once. Needing to get away from... getting away from it all, he hops on a plane bound for Mexico... and a much needed vacation. 

Mackenzie and Slade both aren't looking to find someone new, but when circumstances and adrenaline rushes have them crossing paths, taking risks with each other might be their best idea yet... until real life intrudes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Risky Play was a highly entertaining story that completely delivered with it's humor and great sex, while still being emotionally relevant. Mackenzie and Slade come together at low points in their lives which keeps the attraction that they share from developing into something more, and pits them against each other in a battle of who will crack first.

After her wedding fiasco, Mackenzie is left feeling inadequate and unable to fit into the mold of her previous life. Meeting Slade and feeling an instant connection to him, she is left even more broken when their fling ends suddenly. Back at home, she takes a temporary job to further her need for space from her ex, and comes face to face with a very different version of the Slade she met back in Mexico.  

Slade is in a downward spiral. After leaving Mexico so abruptly, he has been dealing with a devastating loss and his own highly charged emotions. Finding it easier to blame Mackenzie for his misstep, when she shows up out of the blue, he takes it upon himself to make her suffer for ever taking his attention away from what really matters. 

Whew. Mackenzie and Slade had quite the uphill battle to their HEA. With mistrust and betrayal in both of their pasts, it was way too easy for them to want nothing to do with each other. But, when loneliness and determination win out, their love story becomes one unforgettable journey.

I seriously loved Mackenzie's perseverance and understanding in the face of Slade's surliness and low blows. Both characters were dealing with heartbreak and the rebuilding of their lives, but it isn't until they find a common ground that their healing truly begins. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.