This is my favorite Rachel Van Dukes Book so far! I loved Mack! Usually I’m all about the hot guy but no not this time, now don’t get me wrong I really liked Slade but Mack she stole the show for me. She’s strong, has a great personality and honestly she’s hilarious. I loved the way she gave Slade crap and didn’t let him get the best of her. Their banter was so fun to read about, they make the best couple.

I could go on and tell what the book is about but hey, check it out for yourself. If you’re looking for a cute, funny sexy read this is definitely for you. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it. In fact I will be reading it again. I loved it.

I love a sports romance, and I’m a fan of Rachel Van Dyken’s work and was eager to read Risky Play the first title in the Red Card series.
I quite enjoyed this title, the hero and heroine are complicated, but also quite intriguing. I loved that they were both resilient, but also quite vulnerable.
Mackenzie Dupont was born in to a life of wealth and luxury, but it hasn’t stopped her from working for what she wants. When she becomes a jilted bride, she is determined to find her own happiness.
Slade Rodriguez is a soccer star who is left reeling after a tragedy and the guilt and loss leave him reeling.
Their banter is witty, and their lust and chemistry between them is undeniable.
I will be looking forward to additional titles in the series.

I love Rachel and her writings, I read a lot of her books and usually, I am satisfied. But this man, Slade, is a total jerk and I can't stand him. I know that he is a fictional character but I will kick his disrespectful ass, Plot of this book is ok but maybe I was not in the mood for this book. Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc . This book deserves 3.,5 stars

I loved this first book of the Red Card series by Rachel Van Dyken. Soccer and wine combined with sexual tension between these characters, created a perfect love story. Mackenzie was just stood up at the altar by a guy she was groomed to marry. She didn’t cancel the honeymoon booked so she got on the plane anyways. Slade was a soccer star on the Chelsea team in the English Premier League. After his fiancée cheated on him with one of his teammates and friends, he decides to go on a trip to relax before his contract begins with the Seattle Sounders in the US. Slade and Mackenzie are seated together on the plane when one of the engine fails. Mackenzie wakes Slade up and realizes the plane might crash so the only appropriate thing to do is to kiss the hot guy next to you. Once they safely land, they realize they are staying at the same resort and continue the attraction. Unfortunately things get in the way and Slade has to leave with no explanation, but their lives intertwine back in the states.
This is my first book by Rachel Van Dyken and it will not be my last. I could not put this book down. I do wish that Slade played for a better team in the Premier League like Manchester United...but thankfully Chelsea was in his past and he wasn’t going back. Now I need to get the second book in the series!

Another phenomenal read from Rachel Van Dyken. As soon as I went into reading this novel, I was unable to put it down. I devoured this book in one sitting.

I completely fell in love with Mackenzie. She is such a real character. Nothing in her life, or in her story are sugar-coated. You get the real Mackenzie. You see the pain she has been through, and how many times she has been burned in her past. Things in life haven't been handed to her. She has worked hard for everything she has. When you get into her personal life, and how many struggles she has been through in her past you can't help but get emotional and feel that raw pain that she has to deal with.

Slade was definitely an attractive character. At first, he may appear arrogant and very sure of himself. I mean, he is a soccer god after all. Yet, as you keep reading his story, you get to see why he acts the way he does. Just like Mackenzie, he has been hurt far to many times in his past, and does whatever he can to protect himself and make sure his past is never repeated in his present and future.

Together, Mackenzie and Slade were wonderful. The chemistry they shared was definitely one for the books. They may appear to "hate" each other and want nothing to do with each other; however, you can see that deep down, all they want is love, and most importantly, love from one another.

I loved Risky Play by Rachel Van Dyken. Yet another read of Rachel's that I cannot say enough wonderful things about!

5/5 Stars!

This is a book that covers so much. It is a sports romance, with some Boss/assistant in it too. It has the sweet guy but who is struggling with grief so he becomes this asshole who I wanted to strangle sometimes. It has some terrible ex'es in it but some sweet friends.
To sum it up you get the whole package.


Slade is a guy who is struggling with grief and is having a hard time. But he is handling it the wrong way and is taking it out on everyone around him especially Mackenzie. He sometimes shows a little bit of the good guy behind the hard man but he is ruining those moments with how big of an asshole he keeps being. This was not a guy I had any fussy feelings about. Throughout the book, he made me angry at him because Mackenzie is such a sweet girl who has so much to give and have this huge heart. All she ever wants is for someone to want her and to fight/stand up for her. To want her to be the best version of herself and not just tuck her away.

So are you looking for a book with an asshole hero (who will win your heart in the end), Some hot sports players, a lot of drama from the ex'es and a heroine who will have you rooting for her this is your book.

Absolutely could not put this book down...lost some shut eye for sure! This book starts off with a bang of Mackenzie being left at the alter by the man she had basically been groomed to marry her whole life, Alton. He works with her family's winery. After she is left at the alter, she takes some time for herself & ends up going on their honeymoon trip by herself 6 months later. On the plane ride there, she meets Slade Rodriguez, professional soccer player extraordinaire, although she has no idea who he is. He finds it refreshing but she's offended when he doesn't finish a glass of wine so she ignores him. The plane has some engine trouble which prompts her to wake him up & he talks her down. Sparks fly from there but after they have a sexy, hot one night stand, he gets a call from his mom that his dad has died & he leaves Mackenzie sleeping in bed. Irrationally he blames her & becomes a total a**. They end up crossing paths again when Mackenzie goes to work for her aunt & uncle to get a break from her job (Alton is still employed there). You need to get this book to find out how the ups & downs of their relationship go. It's fun & sexy & a fantastic journey. Highly recommend reading this book.

Risky Play is a contemporary sport second chance romance. It's a light story with a few emotional parts. At times it gets quite hot and steamy as well. All the main characters are troubled by something that happened to their past and reflect their everyday life. The male characters are your typical alpha males. Mack on the other side appears as the prim and proper girl but has a sassy side as well. My favorite parts were the fighting scenes between the male characters, so hot and funny. I liked it a lot and I will rate it with 4 stars.

Risky Play is such a great read. It is a contemporary sports romance with some strangers to lovers to enemies to lovers vibes ;) Did you follow that?
It makes for a delicious storyline as Mackenzie and Slade learn to trust each other once again. Slade is a grumpy alpha who finds his heart again through Mack's strong and unwavering influence.
You need to make some risky plays to stay in this game.
This is a sexy, fun read that you will want to just devour from start to finish.

I'm on a slew of meh type books. Not sure if it's me or what. Maybe I'm broken. I really, really wanted to love this one but Risky Play fell right along the lines of meh. Which is harsh for me to say, especially since RVD is one of my go to authors. I usually LOVE her books.

I don't know if it was the characters, the unnecessary drama at the end-I totally could have done without all that mess-or the lack of real depth. I just know something was definitely missing.

While Risky Play was light with its emotional angst, it wasn't without its fair share of dickhead drama. There was enough of it throughout the first half, between Slade and Mack, to last a lifetime (trust me when I say the end drama was completely unneeded). Seriously, Slade was a dick. A HUGE one. I understand grief and all that. However, under the circumstances, I don't get why Mack even entertained forgiving him. Girl is way better than me. But she did so...

Once Slade got over himself the book pick up. He remind me of the fun, loving character I started to fall for. The flirty, go with the flow, take risks and jump in with two feet kind of guy we were introduced to. If only he'd stayed that way.

This book was cute, in parts. Until the whole Brittany mess. Than it wasn't.

Pluses: JAGGER! Matt. Mack. Cute premises.

P.s. What is it with fathers who chose their daughters ex over them?! This is the second one I've read in the last couple of days. Thank you, Slade, for calling him out on and setting him straight. You earned yourself a bunch of stars for that.

P.P. S. I really wanted Jagger's book, but I see Matt is next. My girl assures me that while Jagger won't get his own book he does have a satisfying ending in Kickin'It.

Book Boyfriend: 💋💋💋.5
Slade reminds me a lot of a single David Beckham. He’s a pretty boy that is the number one striker in the world that comes from the United Kingdom to play soccer in the US. Slade has always put soccer as number one and this can get in the way of relationships. He’s very close to his family and his dad is his biggest cheerleader. He is an arrogant ass most of the book because he doesn’t know how to deal with his emotions. Slade places blame on others and has a hard time knowing who he can trust given his celebrity status. He grows on me toward the end when he pulls his head out of his ass and realizes what is most important in his life.

Strong Female Lead: 💋💋💋.5
Mack has always done what everyone around her has told her to do. She is an heiress to a billion dollar wine company and has a trust fund with well over 60 million dollars in it. She also pretty much had an arranged marriage because the man was picked out for her since she was a child. Mack didn’t have a problem with this and thought she loved the guy. But, he leaves her at the altar and this opens up her emotional “pandora’s box”. She seeks out adventure and a life she wants and not what is expected. Mack kind of acts as a doormat throughout the book and even though I understand the logic she gives, I don’t really like it. I wish she would have stuck up more for herself or pushed back more. She had her moments but they weren’t enough for me and left me feeling she was a little weak.

Plot: 💋💋💋.5
The plot wasn’t really anything too new. It was easy to follow and had some unexpected moments but overall, it was pretty predictable. I liked the growth of both characters but wished it would have happened more toward the middle.

Steamy Factor: 💋💋
There was some steam but nothing too graphic or made me blush. Slade is your typical alpha male so that definitely transfers to the bedroom.

Overall: 💋💋💋.5
I thought this was a quick, easy read and I enjoyed it. Did it have a lot of depth? No. Did it make you feel all the feels? No. I don’t feel like every book has to be that way. In fact, if they all were like that, I think my emotional bank would be in the negative. This was a cute book.

I ended up liking Risky Play more than I thought I would. Books that talk more about pecs and less about the plot get off on a bad foot with me. And when the hero is the one extolling the grandness of his pecs (and other body parts), it just rubs me the wrong way. So this book started out on shaky ground. Thankfully it things leveled out the further we got into the story.

Mackenzie and Slade met on a plane to Mexico. Both were fleeing their regular lives - and crappy situations - looking for a break, and some adventure. When they discover they’re staying at the same resort, they exchange fake names and decide to spend their time on vacation together. They have a wonderful day, but in the middle of the night Slade gets a phone call that has him abandoning Mack without a word, leaving her to wake up alone in the bed they shared.

Several weeks later back at home, Mack decides to take a break from her family company and goes to work for her aunt who has a concierge service for the rich and famous. Her first client? The man who disappeared without a word in Mexico.

Slade is not happy to see Mack. Despite having strong feelings for her while they were in Mexico, the death of his father has put him in a really bad mental place. In short, he’s a complete ass to Mack. She doesn’t take his crap, but is also understanding about where his head is after she learns of his loss.

As per usual, Mack eventually wins over Slade. In the midst of some other drama, Slade has a chance to prove to Mack he’s willing to stick by her side, for better or for worse.

As I said, this book started off in the hole for me. What dug it out was excellent dialogue, quick pacing, and a relationship that developed slowly after the one-night-stand. I know a lot of readers were unable to like the hero because of how terrible he was when the heroine reappeared in his life, but I can appreciate a heroine who is able to understand “hurting people hurt people” and offer some grace. For his part, the hero knew he was behaving poorly and did his best to apologize and make amends.

This was my first Rachel Van Dyken book. She’s one of those authors I see all the time, but I hadn’t ever picked up one of her books. I didn’t wow me (LESS pecs MORE plot is my mantra!), and had several far-fetched storylines (a 30 year-old virgin, for a reason that I didn't quite buy, for starters), but I’m a sucker for good dialogue, which Ms. Van Dyken displayed an aptitude for, so I’ll definitely give her another read.

* thank you to NetGalley and Skyscape for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I have read other books by Rachel Van Dyken and enjoyed them, so this review is specific to the story and characters in this book and not about her writing in general. That said, with this particular book, I am a little over halfway through and I am calling it quits. At this point the issues that are annoying me, big and small, outweigh the good to a degree that I don't see it turning around in any believable way. The biggest issue for me was how unlikable Slade was. He's plain mean and the justifications for his rotten attitude don't seem credible. Then there's Mackenzie, I kept think of her as a naïve, helpless, storybook princess. The whole time she is either escaping confrontation with her ex, or meekly putting up with unacceptable treatment from all the cavemen that grace her life, or trying to show Slade how her cheerful demeanor and can-do attitude will win over his "grouchiness." Then there were the little things, like a Russian and a Spaniard named Jagger and Slade. Or when Slade disappears on Mackenzie in Mexico and she immediately jumps to the inane, stereotypical conclusion that a drug cartel must have kidnapped him, not the logical, sane one that he was simply a one-night stand. All of this together was too much for me to get through and actually enjoy the book.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever wanted to just go somewhere and be someone else and live outside the box? That's what Mackenzie Dupont did after being dumped and left at the altar.

On her trip she meets a drop dead gorgeous man who she has a instant connection to and she shares one night of incredible sex only to wake up and find him gone.

Slade meets Mackenzie and is instantly attracted to her but after there night of incredible sex Slade get's some heartbreaking news and leaves in the middle of the night with no goodbye.

Slade becomes unbearable to deal with while Mackenzie trys to find herself again. She takes a job and who would she come face to face with but Slade. Sparks fly but not in the good way, Slade is hurting and blames the world for his loss. Mackenzie is hurting after being humiliated twice.

Can they find a way to heal together and put what happened to them behind them or will Slade continue to blame Mackenzie for something that wasn't her fault?

Such an amzing book with all the feels. I love Rachela books and can't wait to read the next one!

Risky Play

***received an ARC in exchange for an honest review***


5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Loved this book! It was funny, flirty and sexy. I could not wait to see what happened next and was glued to this book. Rachel Van Dyken did a great job with Mack and Slade, their back and forth with one another was on point and I loved how their relationship developed through out the book. They were able to lean on one another and find out that they could trust once again.

Mack has had the worst day ever, she has been left at the altar. So now she has decided to take the vacation that she was suppose to take with her husband, alone. What she isn’t expecting is the handsome seat mate next to her or the fact that one kiss with him could change everything.

Slade just needs a change after the disaster his life has become and deciding to join a soccer team in the US is just what he needs. But also a quick vacation before it all goes into play will help keep his mind off everything. And when Mack turns to him and kisses him, he wonders if maybe she is a better distraction than anything else. But while with her tragedy strikes and their one night is ruined.

The last person Slade expects to see is Mack as his new assistant. And as he tries to push her away, she continues to push back and soon he is wondering if maybe he is wrong and he should give her a chance. But will she give him the chance, or has she been burned too many times also and be too afraid to jump with him?

*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*

This book was so stinkin’ good I can’t get the cheesy grin off my face. I loved everything about this story, from a chance meeting to fate bringing them back together, I was having all the feels! If there is one thing Rachel Van Dyken can write, its a bromance, and let me tell you, the men in this book had me giggling and laughing like a school girl.

But first Mack and Slade, I loved them. They were so fun and playful and while their doubt and insecurities plagued them, they both grew so much over the course of the story. Mack became strong, found her voice, and decided to fight. While Slade worked through his struggles and realized that there may be more to life than soccer. They were swoony and down right adorable with the perfect balance of heat to scorch up my Kindle screen.

But the real stars of this book are Jagger and Matt, both whom I am hoping get their own stories. Jagger was the perfect balance of enemy turned friend and Matt was the constant companion, the ride or die. The dynamic of Jagger, Matt, and Slade had me laughing out loud. Their banter balanced out some of the heavy topics in this book. The plot flowed seamlessly, I couldn’t put the book down. There was just enough drama to carry the story, but not so much that it was over the top and unnecessary.

There were only 2 issues I had, one being the unprotected sex, it’s not that hard to write in a condom being slipped on or the mention of being on the pill. This is a big pet peeve of mine in books! The second is I would have loved Mack to have met Slade’s mom. I just wanted a little peek of that, and to maybe bring her some happiness too. Otherwise, another fantastic read from Rachel Van Dyken, who would have thought I’d love sports romance so much?!

I may be a little biased but I love Rachel Van Dyken ... and this was no exception. This is a new series focusing on professional soccer players which worked for me. Mack and Slade were fantastic from the moment they met. I really enjoyed them - especially Mack. Slade took time for me to warm up to - I found him to be a selfish jerk for awhile ... but by the end, I was cheering for him. His character definitely grew up and it was nice to see that evolution. Very hot and explicit - not a closed door romance. But, I love how Rachel writes characters and dialogue. This is a good one and I recommend it!

I love this book so much! It was an amazing read! From the very beginning I was hooked and could not put it down!

ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Five Reasons Why Risky Play is a Miss:

1. The romance escalated quickly. Mackenzie's wedding was called off when his dumbass fiance walked out of the altar. She traveled to Mexico where she met Slade on flight and they instantly clicked on. They had a one night stand later on which is off because I expected these two are brokenhearted from their previous relationships and these two seems unaffected by it.

2.The hero is a jerk. Slade got on my nerves when he's moody and disrespected Mackenzie. I was livid when he treats her like trash and justifying he had problems in life isn't a valid excuse. Like dude, don't take it out on her.

3. I'm pretty sure Mackenzie is bored to death. It is unbelievable for someone like her who would work as a housekeeper / dog sitter. This lady is like a princess in her home barely doing household chores and suddenly she's working in this kind of job? Convince me, sis. She needs to get her priorities straight. Why not distract herself by helping her father managing their multi-billion family company? I would totally buy this more.

4. Mackenzie and Slade barely have a chemistry. It just simmers. Maybe because I'm annoyed by them and I don't see the sparks between them? I wish they took their time getting to know each other and work on their personal issues first.

5.The only characters I care about are Matt and Jagger. These two stood out more and I'm disappointed Slade and Mackenzie are too bland for my taste. I'm continuing the series though because it's Matt's story and I hope Jagger has a book too.

I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the next book in this new series, Red Card, by Rachel Van Dyken.

Once I picked up this book, there was no way I was putting it down. These two characters, Mack and Slade, were truly meant for each other when everything around them was ripping them apart.

I loved Mack (Mackenzie), from the get go. She was spunky, strong, and finally took her life into her own hands. Slade, on the other hand, had to win me over. While I liked him in the beginning something happened to him causing him to be rude and insensitive to everyone around him. He took the situation out on everyone else. However, he started to slowly win me over and I ended up totally in love with him.

I fell in love with the secondary characters in this book. Matt, Slade’s manager, and Jagger, his teammate, both stole my heart and I hope we get books for both of them. I’m so excited for Kickin It, which will be Matt’s story, coming June 11, 2019!