I really enjoyed this book as I’m a firm believer in things happen for a reason, even though the reason maybe extremely hard to see as some situations are devastating, but eventually, they all work out the way they are suppose to.. and let’s not forget that this is one of those books where you instantly fall in love with the characters and really hope for the best..

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Oh how I love Rachel Van Dyken! This book is just another example of this versatile author's awesomeness. This book had me from the first chapter, hence the fact I read it in nearly one sitting.

Mackenzie Dupont endures every woman's nightmare - she's left at the alter. Not only is she left at the alter, but every bit of it happens in front of a huge socialite crowd and it ends up on the front pages of gossip magazines as well. When Mack reaches her breaking point, she decides to take matters into her own hands and do something for herself - she goes on the honeymoon meant for her and Alton, solo.

Slade Rodriguez has a lot of change happening in his life at the moment. He caught his fiancee cheating with his former best friend and to top it off, she's pregnant with the friend's child. Not only that, but he's made the decision to leave his European soccer team to come play in the US, near his mother in Seattle.

When Slade and Mack initially meet on the plane, and then realize they are staying at the same hotel, they give each other fake names, Hugo and Ashley, thinking that this way the other will be none the wiser about their social statuses. The chemistry is there immediately and after a hot and steamy night together, Slade up and vanishes before Mack wakes up. This spells the end of them, right? Nope, think again.

Back in Seattle they encounter one another again and the chemistry is still there, but there are a lot of factors working against them. Alton, Mack's former fiance, isn't done with tormenting her and Slade's nemesis and new teammate, Jagger, causes problems when he makes a play for Mack. Will these two be able to trust one another and their feelings in order to really make a go of things?

I absolutely loved this book. It was everything we've come to love about RVD books; wonderful characters, a fantastic storyline and great sub-characters as well. I also got really invested in these characters and what was going to happen to them. I felt their anguish, pain, victories and elation. I can't wait to see who else gets a book in the Red Card series, because there are certainly some great candidates with both Jagger and Matt! I highly recommend picking up this awesome title!

Risky Play was such an incredible new start to the Red Card series!! I loved the characters and I cannot wait to get romances from them all.

Mackenzie Dupont was left at the alter by her life long best friend and she is devastated. Actually, I think I would describe her as lost. Mack thought she knew how her life should be all laid out but now she needs to find herself and her new normal. It's something that excites and terrifies her.

It's this drive to move her life forward that brings Slade Rodriguez into her orbit. Their chance meeting changes everything for both of them and it leads to a connection is both passionate and fun. And together they are toe curling hot.

Overall, I thought both characters are well developed and dynamic - they felt real to me as a reader. They have strengths and flaws which carry the storyline forward at a nice pace. I never wanted to put the book down and I actually finished it in one reading.

Bottom line - I absolutely adored this book and highly recommend Risk Play to others. Fans of Rachel Van Dyken will be pleased that it has her usual quick wit and sense of humor as well as a vibrant love story. If this is your first book by the author, it will make you a RVD book junkie.

Rachel Van Dyken writes sexy, funny, swoon worthy romance that will leave you begging for more. Has for me. Can’t wait for more by this very talented author. Love her books and loved this one. Definitely a top 5 of my favourites by her. Absolutely recommend

Look, I love some passionate repartee but Slade was honestly a jackass. And while I could read Risky Play and enjoy many elements of it, I didn't really care if they got together or not. I am definitely interested in reading subsequent titles as I felt the secondary characters had more heart.

Oh my me! A brand new series from Rachel Van Dyken? Yes, please!

Risky Play is book one of the Red Card Series.  This is a great introduction and fantastic story of Mackenzie and Slade.

Mackenzie is recovering from a devastating incident and decides to run away and be someone else for a few days.  To unburden herself from her current situation and be her true self.

Slade is running too, he is running from a bad situation and wants to be left alone.

Slade and Mackenzie meet during a turbulent time.  They don't reveal their true identities and have a magical evening.  Until they don't.  True life gets in their way and separates them.

I admired Mackenzie's strength to try to get her family to "see" her and be on her side. I admired her strength to stay the course even when everyone seemed to be against her.

Slade was struggling to overcome his loss.  I could empathize with him and I loved how he did come through that.  I also loved how he stood up for Mackenzie when no one else seemed to.

The secondary characters are phenomenal and I can't wait to see who Ms. Van Dyken writes about next!  She has a magic to her words that will draw you into her stories and not let go.

First of all, a big shout out to Net Galley for the early copy of Risky Play. Thanks you!

It is a story with a wild ride, lots of ups and downs, sadness and fear, but also story of finding ones-self, of standing straight for all the mistakes, gaining lost trust and let’s not forget a lot of hotness.

Rachel van Dyken always amazes me with her ideas, her mind, her way with words. The way she weaves the feelings of her characters is truly unique. When I read her stories I feel like I am thrown in the vortex of her words that take me deeper and deeper. I literally devoured the whole story in one day, I just couldn’t stop reading it.

Risky Play is brilliant! Two lost souls meet under difficult circumstances. Mack was left at the altar and Slade was cheated on by his ex-fiancé. The people they trusted most broke their hearts. They start an vacation fling until Slade's father dies and he leaves Mack without so much as a goodbye. Again she’s left alone!
When they meet again both are unwilling to trust their hearts. How can they, given all their baggage.

It's been long path to sort their differences but as they say “love always wins...right”? Maybe not!
Not when there are still hungry people wanting what's not theirs to take.

I loved every chapter, I highly recommend reading of Risky Play.

Mack was left at the alter, what a shit thing tho happen to you. To top it of in-front of all the high society people.
What an awkward thing to happen, and then still work with the person who you thought you loved, were going to marry. Sometimes falling in love with your BF doesn't work out, obviously here in this story that is the case. Mack takes the ticket meant for her honeymoon and jets of to mexico. She meets Slade, hes going through his own dramas and needs an escape too. Fake names, Hotness, funny lines, its all there with a slice of drama.

This author is new to me, but I gave myself the opportunity to read her work and I loved it.
this book is incredible, fun, light, fluid, very well taken, its protagonists captivate you from the first page.
Sometimes love is not in the person you think.

- I just mauled a nice stranger with my tongue. And gave him a fake name. All within the span of five minutes. This was not normal behavior. But he’d been there. And those eyes. Paired with my absolute panic that we were about to die, I just … I reacted. And it felt good. So. Good.
“Mackenzie Allistar DuPont.”

RVD is a favorite author of mine with that being said. This one was a little different than her other novels, which is a good thing. I don’t tend to like author who keep the same formula for every book they write.

I mean this one has tropes but what romance novel doesn’t? Back to the review, the characters weren’t boring or too predictable. The flow of the book is the best thing about it. There are no choppy parts. Angst wasn’t high and romance was just about right.

I do recommend it.

If you’ve read any of her other books then give this one a try. You won’t regret it.

I received this ARCin place for a honest review. Thank you the author, publisher and Netgalley.

"Our eyes locked again with something I didn't fully understand, something that told me the universe was giving us a chance, a moment in time, to come clean, to confess before it was too late. And then the moment shifted."

"He'd made me feel alive. Then killed my soul in one fell swoop."

"For the first time in my life--it felt like I wasn't going to jump and have to catch myself. I had someone by my side. Just as eager to take the leap. Just as willing. To catch me after the fall."

Risky Play is the second chance romance that I have been waiting for.  From sexy, hotter than hot soccer players to a broken heart in need of a fresh heart, this book hit all the marks I was looking for. 

Risky Play follows the story of Mackenzie and Slade. Mackenzie was all set to marry her best friend when the rug got pulled out from her. In order to heal her broken heart, Mackenzie decides that she should go through with her honeymoon trip and enjoy a little taste of paradise. What she didn't plan on was Slade. Their chemistry was instant and hotter than hot. Slade is the perfect gentleman and is everything Mackenzie was looking for....that is until Mackenzie found herself alone in bed the next morning....Little does she know her world is about to be once again turned upside down.....Slade Rodriguez has the world at his feet and is passionate about the game. But, there's a price that comes along with fame and he's got his own reasons for wanting to disappear for a while. He never saw Mackenzie coming and can't deny the peace that she brings him. But, when tragedy strikes, Slade is forced to leave and throws his guilt to the wrong place. His loss turning him into a person he no longer recognizes. So, when fate intervenes and puts these two together once again, sparks will fly, but it's not the sparks you'd be hoping for. For now, they are stuck with one another and must learn to coexist with one another. Sparks fly and tension like no other mounts. Will these two be able to move past their broken hearts? There's only one way to find out...

Risky Play was an absolutely fabulous read. It is pure Rachel Van Dyken magic. Not only is this story incredibly well written, but the plot is the kind that you just can't help but get sucked in to. The characters are fantastic. Their story completely captivating and filled with lots of hearts. I loved the laughter filled moments and those hilarious one-liners. I loved seeing Mackenzie stand up for herself and not take any of Slade's crap. I loved those oh, so frustrating moments that made me just want to reach inside my kindle and knock Slade upside his head. I loved the passion and sparks and the moments that just made me swoon. My heart ached for those angst filled moments. Like I said, this book had it all and left me with all the feels.

I easily devoured this book in one sitting and loved every single moment of it. Fans of Rachel Van Dyken, you won't want to miss Risky Play!

4.5 <b> Are we going to die? </b> Stars
So I am crazy new to this author.. I have been dying to read her books for ever.. I made a point to read her in 2019. I finally picked up a few books by her with the Liars INC series which I received ARCs for. I decided to take the dive. I decided to call this book a badass heroine because she doesn’t take any ish from any man. She is fun, sassy, wild and a dang sommelier for goodness sakes!! She is left at the alter vulnerable and a virgin. She decides she still earns her honeymoon and ends up seated next to “Hugo” on the plane ..sparks fly immediately. She then departs the plane and find outs her honeymoon suite is next to “Hugo”.. CAN YOU IMAGINE!!... after a wild vacation and finding herself in bed with him he leaves suddenly never to be seen again. Mack decides she will keep the good memories and continue to take over the world with no regrets. The story is stupid cute and I really was sensing a ménage and sadly didn’t get one :P .. I am in such a ménage mood it appears. The story is cute and perfect. I will be following this story/series.

Happy New Year! I’ll be back to write a review, but I have to say MUST READ!

This book kept me sucked in the whole time, I could not put it down. It’s true what they say, you can find true love anywhere and at anytime. Even through loss and devastation. Mackenzie knew that Slade was going through something devastating and he needed a friend. Slade treated her really bad, but she kept trying, he kept helping him and pushing through his assholeness lol

He knew though, from day one. That she is it for him. He would do anything for her and she means everything to him.

I loved this book so much and I would 100% recommend it to everyone! I can not wait for more books in this series.

Mack and Slade are complicated, emotional, fiery, funny and perfect! As you start this book, you feel like it's one of those vacation romance novels like so many others but boy are you wrong!!! Rachel Van Dyken is such a master of twists and surprises, I absolutely loved this book. It's different yet still gives you all of the emotions you crave from a beautiful romance. Love, love, love!! Just like every other book 've read from RVD, it's phenomenal. Can't wait for more!!

If you love Rachel Van Dyken's writing like I do, you will love jumping into Risky Play. Mackenzie is a thirty year old virgin from a very wealthy family, who has been groomed to marry Alton, a young man who works for her fathers empire and is the son of good family friends. They grew up best friends and always knew they were expected to marry. Until....Alton tells her he can't marry her. At the alter, in front of all the guests. Mackenzie is hurt and humiliated and to make it worse, her father keeps Alton on in the business and doesn't even harbor hard feelings about him dumping his daughter. Mackenzie is distraught and decides to get away and go on her honeymoon, alone.

Slade is a soccer star and a phenom in Europe, but when his ex-fiance and his best friend hook up, he has to get away. He signs with Seattle and goes on a little vacation prior to making the move. That's where he meets Mackenzie, on the plane headed to a tropical escape, only, they both give fake names and have no clue who the other is. They spend a wonderful day and night together, but when she awakes the next morning, he is gone. He not only left her bed, but left the island, never to be seen again. Or.......does fate have other plans? When they meet again, months later, he is a real dick and treats her terribly, but she can't walk away because she unknowingly accepted a job working for him!

This is a fun story with lots of laugh out loud moments, sexual angst and shake your head moments.
If you want a lighthearted romance with plenty of back and forth, this is a book you will enjoy.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Skyscape for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I seriously blew through this book. RVD is one of those authors that is just fun to read and you want more from.

This is one of those books that have you on a roller coaster. One minute you are laughing and the next you are heartbroken. I really fell in love with her main characters and loved watching their story unfold. Their first meeting was epic and I loved the chemistry from the beginning.

If you are a RVD fan then you already love this book. I can’t wait for book two and I hope Jagger finds love.

This story is an epically fun joyride...one of Rachel’s best books yet!

Two people from different worlds, but very much the same...both trying to forget, to move on, but mired in their pasts mistakes. Finding anonymity, needing fun and spontaneity, they just might be what the other needs, at least until reality calls.

Mackenzie and Slade must be fated because their two meetings would never have happened otherwise. When they stumble upon each other for the second time, Slade isn’t the same man Mack met at first and she sure doesn’t like this version of him. She isn’t going to let the lemons life handed her define her, she’s going to make the best damn lemonade out there (love RVD’s strong female characters). Slade might be sexy as hell, but he was also infuriating. Luckily Mack makes him see the error in his ways and I totally lost track of my swoon count!

As always, Rachel Van Dyken introduces us to a cast of characters you will either love or hate, but you won’t be able to get enough of them. The teasing, sarcastic banter is seriously entertaining and had me giggling out loud on numerous occasions. Don’t even get me started on the sex scenes...just...wow!

3.5 stars

I went into this book blind and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was a sports romance. This is one of my top troupes and I've really enjoyed Rachel's other sports romances. I like how the story starts off, it's full of conflict and heartache which really sets this book up.

Mackenzie was fantastic. She's the kind of character I love to read. She clearly sees what's been going wrong in her life and goes about fixing it. She doesn't blame her problems on others or look to them to help fix what's broken. She goes out and takes care of business. Both hers and those she cares about. I really liked her don't give up, do what you can to help others attitude.

Slade was just kind of there to me. There was nothing that really made him stand out from all the other sports romance hero's I've read in the past. While I enjoyed his character he's not one that will stick with me for long.

This was an emotional rollercoaster of a book that hit you in all the feels. Fans of Rachel's work are bound to love it.

Rachel Van Dyken writes such sassy and frisky books that consistently entertain. There is always an element of “What if” present that lays a great foundation for the stories she pens.
Risky Play starts with the meeting of two well known people who are unaware of whom the other is in the real world. Their paths intersect and one glorious night happens. He (Slade Rodriguez) suddenly and without notice leaves her (Mackenzie DuPont) in their hotel room. Both he and she are shaken by the enormity of their encounter. Enter fate, another intersection but with a divergence filled with trouble, struggle and emotion. This makes for another Rachel Van Dyken winner!

This book was great from the first page to the last page. Well-written, fast-paced and sometimes emotional story-line around two great characters. Can't wait to read more by this author.