I was really sad when Jamieson's Aces Hockey series ended, but am quite excited about her new series. We are still in the world of professional hockey, but now we get to see from the point of view of players, coaches, owners, and management. In addition to that, we have the Wynn family, and let me tell you, this family rivals the Ewings of Dallas fame when it comes to delicious family drama.

The stars of this book are Théo Wynn, who in taking the job as GM of his grandfather's team re-enters the dysfunctional world of the Wynns, and Lacey Olson, who was in over her head thanks to her gambling addict brother. Both Théo and Lacey had suffered a few tough years filled with many losses. Therefore, they could connect to each other in more than a physical way, though, there were sparks galore between the two, it was easy to see this paring had some substance.

The marriage of convenience trope is one I enjoy, and the union between these two started in a classic Vegas way. A fun start and a genuine effort to get to know each other plus great chemistry made me buy into this coupling. They were good together, and Lacey was able to easily slide into Théo's world. They just fit together really well, and I know I was rooting for this fauxmance to turn into the real thing.

Both Lacey and Théo were great characters too. I was so happy to see Lacey getting to finally live. She spent so many years caring for her sick mother and addict brother, that she had to give up on her own dreams and enjoyment. With Théo, she was able to chase an actual career, make friends, and have some fun. And, Théo. He was such an interesting hero. He had the body of a professional athlete, but was a nerdy numbers guy. What a perfect combination. And, I must admit, I found him even more attractive, when he was in his element, crunching numbers and negotiating trades.

As this was the first book in a family-centered series, a lot of time was dedicated to catching us up on all the family entanglements. And, wow! This was one really complicated family. I totally appreciated the family tree Jamieson supplied us with, because it helped me get some things straight before everyone made an appearance in the story. The bits and pieces of the background conflicts piqued my interest and have me looking forward to getting the full story.

Overall: A solid start to a series filled with compelling characters, messy entanglements, and LOTS of delectable family drama.

Theo is a member of the Wynn family, a hockey dynasty and he has just accepted a job managing a hockey team. He meets Lacey, a waitress in Vegas who has some serious family issues and they both decide to help each other. Lacey moves to California with Theo and the rest is for you to find out.. I enjoyed this novel, but I did struggle through the first half. The second half of the text was much more enjoyable.

When I saw that Kelly Jamieson had a new series out, I was pumped. I was disappointed when the Aces Hockey series ended. I was also wondering when the next series was going to start. So, when I saw the book up for review on NetGalley, I pounced on it. I am glad that I did. Play to Win is an excellent start to what I hope is going to be an excellent series.

Theo Wynn was forced to give up professional hockey after an eye injury. Not to be deterred, he became the GM of an expansion hockey team based out of Las Vegas. Theo’s grandfather approached Theo with a job offer. Become the GM for his hockey team, the California Condors. Theo accepted the offer but was aware of the backlash that it would cause. When he meets Lacey and hears her story, Theo has a proposition for her. Become his “fake” wife to show his family that he made it. But can Theo keep Lacey at arms length? Or will he fall for her?

Lacey Olson is between a rock and a hard place. Her brother has stolen all the money in her checking account and disappeared. He also tries to pimp her out to his bookie to pay off his debt. She wasn’t expecting her brother’s bookie to show up at her job in a cocktail lounge. She wasn’t expecting the cute customer she was serving to step in and comfort her when she gets fired. She also wasn’t expecting to accept Theo’s crazy proposition. Or have a quickie Vegas wedding. Can Lacey go through with the charade? Or will she fall hard for Theo?

I liked Theo even if I thought he was too uptight. I understood why he didn’t want to jump in the pool with his clothes on. But I didn’t understand why he was so anal about suitcase packing. His horror in watching Lacey pack was amusing. I did enjoy watching his character grow in this book. He went from an uptight, grudge holding guy to a more laid back version of himself. Lacey was good for him.

I loved Lacey. She was one of the most easy going, go with the flow characters that I have read. Not that she didn’t have issues. Because she did. It was the way that she chose to deal with her issues that endeared her to me. She chose to look at the sunny side of things. Even her relationship with her brother (who I didn’t like). But, she wasn’t a pushover. She ruled when she met Theo’s ex. I did a “You go girl“.

Theo’s family wasn’t perfect. They were dysfunctional. Of course, not every family has a suggested gold-digger. Or sons’ suing their father. Or brother’s stealing girlfriends. But that’s what made this book fun to read.

Unfortunately Lacey’s family was all too realistic. Having an addict in your life is draining, emotionally and financially. The author was able to capture it perfectly.

I liked that Play to Win is a romance that didn’t have Instalove. Sure, Theo and Lacey got married the night they met. But the author chose to make up for that by having them build their relationship. Loved it!!

The sex scenes were steamy, once they had sex. I did roll my eyes when Theo and Lacey made the “no sex” pact. That screamed that they were going to have sex, but not right away. When they finally did bump uglies, it was explosive. I also liked how the author had Theo be on the receiving end of something kinky. That sex scene was through the roof!!

I loved the ending of Play to Win. Handsdown, it was one of the better endings that I have read. The talk that JP gave Theo was epic. What Lacey was knitting was epic. Actually, I was laughing my fool head off at that. Then I went to google it. Note to self: Never google that again. Images are forever seared into my brain. But it was the epilogue that made the book. Loved it. I also loved how it set up Book 2. Which I can’t wait to read.

I would give Play to Win an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Play to Win. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Play to Win.

All opinions stated in this review of Play to Win are mine.

Theo is a very regimented, driven former hockey player, and he's just taken the job as general manager for the team his grandfather owns. Lacey is the cocktail waitress at Theo's farewell night in Vegas.
I liked that their spontaneous wedding gave this book a different formula than most. There were a LOT of characters, I'm sure setting up for the rest of the series, but it did feel like a ton of background and setup info in this book. Also, because of Theo's job and the time being in the offseason, most of the hockey in the book is management meetings and decisions. I've read and enjoyed some of Kelly's other hockey books, and those felt more centered on the couple. Theo and Lacey were sweet together, but I didn't love the last couple pages of the epilogue, and I'm not full of anticipation for the next book.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So what do a hot, rich, former hockey player and a seriously funny, spunky Las Vegas waitress have in common you ask?

CHEMESRTY! That's what! 💥POW💥

Toss in a family feud and a couple of mafia thugs into the mix and you have the beginning of Theo and Lacey's story!

Things get even crazier for the pair when they get to California and Theo's family drama comes to light! Then Lacey starts to love his family...

Then more drama ensues and Theo... well let's just say sometimes you don't know what you got till it's gone) (Queue Cinderella! https://youtu.be/i28UEoLXVFQ ) 🤗🤗

Anyway, this is another 5/🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 read from Kelly Jamieson! Plus the gurlll knows hockey and you can't write a good sports romance without a solid knowledge of the sport! 🏒🏒

Ms. Jamieson scores a goal with book 1 of her Wynn Hockey series. Theo and Lacey are brought together under harried circumstances in Las Vegas. While I don't quite understand why he had to marry her to save her from the thugs, it added an element to the book, and an adorable chivalrous hero emerged! The book was a great opposites attract/give-and-take look at romance. I was sucked in from the start and didn't want to put it down. Great job!

This was such a great start to a new series! We have Théo, who is a Prince of Hockey’s Royal Family so to speak, deciding whether or not to take a job with his Grandfather’s team the LA Condors. Grandpa wants to build a winning team and Théo wants the chance to prove he can put that team together. Grandpa also says he can have autonomy to do this. Throw in a night out celebrating and a cute waitress who ultimately loses her job over thugs that want money out of her for her brother’s gambling debts, set this in Vegas and add a quickie wedding. The punchline is a man who plans his spontaneity married to a free spirit and now he takes her home to meet the family that doesn’t know he has a wife.

I giggled, asked WTF and how does this happen, and laughed out loud at their antics. This story kept me reading and I can’t wait to see how it goes with the rest of the family. Will they work out their issues? With a large dysfunctional family, it will be a fun ride!

Loved this book!!! Theo is positively swoon-worthy as the nerdy numbers guy and former pro hockey player and child of hockey royalty. Lacey is a hard working beauty that never had time to be a kid. She is working at an upscale bar when Theo and his friends come in and she immediately captures Theo's attention. From a strange set of circumstances, they end up taking off together to LA, although, since they met in Las Vegas, maybe not quite so strange.....From their unusual beginning a romance began to bloom, even as they both tried to protect their hearts.

If you enjoy contemporary romance with a bit of humor and even more angst, you will love this book. I fell in love with this book from the beginning and was hooked until the very last page. I truly loved the ending just as much as the rest of the book - the author found a way to end the story with a bang....

Put this one at the top of your TBR list. The author is on my must read authors' list. While part of a series, this is a stand alone novel.

Great start to a new series. Theo and Lacey have great chemistry but what happens in Vegas in this case doesn’t stay in Vegas. The Wynn family is highly dysfunctional, but Lacey seems to bring them all together. Love Kelly Jamieson’s other hockey series and this is a great addition to the set.

Play to Win is a great romance about two people who there lives have taken turns and they have collided together. It’s about a packed with a fake marriage that could turn real and it has all the feels. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review after reading this arc.

Look out for the new hockey family royalty! The Wynn family will be so much fun to read and we get to start with Theo and Lacey.

Theo Wynn isn't like the others in his family. He's always kinda stood out from the pack with his smarts and ability to work the numbers of the business. After his own hockey dreams died with an accident, he remains in the business as an assistant GM. So when his grandfather makes him a deal he can't refuse, he knows some members of the family are not going to be happy.

Lacey finds herself in a world of trouble thanks to her brother and needs to figure out what to do fast. So when the handsome Theo offers to whisk her away, she figures what does she have to lose?

I really loved Theo and Lacey together. Opposites attract type situation, but the two find that they really have one thing in common - they were made for each other. Lacey's in your face, tell it like it is, live life at the moment attitude is just what the straight-laced by the book Theo needs to loosen up and have a little fun.

What a great way to start a new series and I can't wait for more stories from this crazy Wynn family dynasty.

I wish I could rate the first half of this book separately from the second. The first half was a struggle for me- too many details we didn’t need right at the beginning, it became a bit overwhelming and unnecessary. The writing didn’t seem as refined as the second half of the book. The characters and plot had more moments that felt forced than not. Overall the first half left me wanting to walk away entirely... but I’m glad I didn’t.

After a first half I would have rated the book 2, the second half really brought me in and kept me reading! The characters seemed to figure out who they were and interactions became less forced, allowing information to naturally develop and evolve. I really enjoyed the main characters in the second half! Good amount of drama and trial for the couple, and plenty of directions for the author to take this hockey family series in the future.

I would have given the second half of the book a 4... so thinking about the book as a whole, I’ve settled at 3.

This is my first novel by this author and it will NOT be my last!

I absolutely love the characters she has created and the Wynn family dynamic assures me there is more fabulousness to come! Theo was the perfect person to start off this series because he’s the bridge between both quarrying sides and Lacey’s charm and wit makes her his perfect match!

I laughed so hard during different points in the book and the angst level was perfect! There wasn’t huge unnecessary drama but it was just enough to make the story entertaining! I can’t wait to see what else she has in store in the next book!

“Play to Win” launches a new Kelly Jamieson hockey series which in itself is good news. More good news: It’s a great hook for what’s to come.

I am a hardcore Jamieson fan but this book, first in the Wynn family hockey series, didn’t excite me so much as the glimpse of what are sure to be other entries.

It’s a cute set-up. Hockey-star-from-a-hockey-dynasty-family Theo suffers a career-ending injury and turns to management of his grandfather’s lousy hockey team. He wants to prove to his feuding, bickering and all-out strange family he can turn the team around with his other talent: numbers. Make math sexy again! [“Play to Win” does get a little deep in the hockey weeds for those of us inexpert in understanding the sport.]

Theo meets Lacey in Las Vegas and since she’s running from the mob and he’s decided what will really impress his family is a hot wife on his arm, obviously they elope and hurry on to California where Theo commences his team’s transformation.

Lacey is a terrific heroine. She’s funny, she’s smart, she’s not afraid to call out Theo. I liked Theo but he was a bit of a wet blanket. He needs her, especially if they are going to parlay their HEA in service of the couples-to-be.

We are all familiar with series that feature cartoon-like, “colorful” and one-dimensional family characters we’re supposed to bond with. I think that might really happen for the Wynns. Theo describes them as “nuttier than squirrel ****” while Lacey prefers to believe they are “intriguing.” Regardless, they are hilarious and I look forward to Jamieson sorting all that out for us.

If you think YOU have suffered uncomfortable family dinners, meet the Wynns. Highly recommend.

ARC supplied for an honest review.

As a romance lover and sports fan I get excited when I can find both and Kelly Jamieson’s Play to Win fits the bill. With thugs chasing Lacey, she finds herself married and on her way to Las Vegas. Well written story and the characters were relatable. A fun kickoff to new series you are sure to enjoy.

This was my first experience reading this author's work and I think it was a great way to start since this is the first book in the new Wynn Hockey series. I'm not a fan of hockey, but I enjoyed this read, although there are quite a few characters in this book -- quite a large family! This is Theo Wynn and Lacey Olsen's story and it was a rather quick one -- a fast read, but enjoyable nevertheless. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.

A great start to a series but can be read as a standalone. Theo just took a job that puts him in the middle of a long standing family fued. His family is ridiculous with they things they say to each other and accuse each other of. You want to find out what truths and secrets they are hiding. Theo and Lacey make an impulse decision that leads to more. They have ups and downs on the way but they get their happily ever after. I love how they bring out pieces of each other that they didn't know needed to be brought out. Such a sweet romance story of growth, love, and understanding.

This is one of Kelly Jamieson's best books to date. Funny, quirky, steamy all rolled into one!

I laughed out loud a lot in this one. If the res to the series follows suit, this will be some of the author's best work with family drama, hockey, beaches, and more.

I'm giving this book 3.5 stars, but rounding it up to 4.
Up until about 80% through the book, I was all about it. The characters, the plot, everything was great. Then it kind of went downhill. The ending felt very rushed and extremely predictable.
Besides that I enjoyed it. The hockey terms and knowledge was there, the characters were great, the sexual tension was awesome.

Play to Win (Wynn Hockey, #1) by Kelly Jamieson This is the first book in the WYNN HOCKEY series.. and it is a great start. This is Theo Wynn (retired with injury hockey player...going back home to manage his grandfather's team) Lacey Olsen (has to get out of Vegas because her low life brother did her wrong) They meet and Theo decides to saw her and take her to California with him..then they decide to have a Vegas wedding that is fake. The fun never stops... plenty of laughs and some tears.. you meet the whole crazy Wynn family..there is some steamy sex all leading to a HEA. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series IN IT TO WIN IT.

Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Wonderful characters Entertaining Happily Ever After Unpredictable Action-packed Steamy Page-turner Funny Easy-to-read Romantic