Enjoyable read that makes a person think about assumptions and stereotypes. When a story has you thinking and learning, in my opinion, that is a good thing. Dante Groves, is quite the strong and quiet type. She has been loved, so she thought and feels protective of her heart and keeps her distance from further attachment. Takira Lathan, successful restaurant owner with a single focus; to be a successful restaurant owner. Takira is such a wonderful character. I enjoyed how her character evolved throughout the read. I enjoyed that she was a person of color and it did not overshadow the story lines. The secondary characters provided an interesting perspective as the story unfolded in positive as well as not so positive ways. Nice and sweet with little angst.

4.5 stars. I loved this book. It was suprising and exciting to see old friends from Playing Passion's Game. I had no idea this book tied into that one. It worked just fine as a stand alone if you haven't read the afore mentioned title. This was a great romance about healing and new life from tragedy. I happily await the next book from this author.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Strong, mature characters embracing their feelings (good, bad and indifferent). An awfully attractive African-American MC, Takira Lathan. Dealing head-on with stereotypes. Good chemistry. A lovely relationship wherein the MCs talk to each other about themselves, their insecurities, their feelings and even what they like sexually. This book has a lot going for it.

Takira (35) runs a successful restaurant names after herself. But her now-absconding manager has just taken away a bulk of her money, leaving her in a very difficult place. Added to that, without warning, Takira has become the de facto guardian of her nephew, Finn. Dante Groves (49) has literally just driven into town, her erstwhile hometown which she had left because of her ex-girlfriend, Chloe. Chloe systematically decimated Dante’s self-belief and self-confidence before cheating on her. In the aftermath of the break-up Dante, who works as a manager (when she works), travelled around for a couple of years before heading home. First stop on entering hometown: Takira’s, where Dante meets an old friend via whom she meets Takira, and before you know it, Dante is Takira’s new manager and they are sharing an apartment (as roommates).

We liked almost everything about this book – the pacing, the people, the chemistry – almost. The thing that really got a bit much was the whole butch-building, butch bromance, butch baiting and butch defense. There was just way too much belabouring on the butch factor. Yeah, Dante is butch, we get that but that practically became all that Dante is.

Despite that, this is a lovely angst-free read.

This is the third in a series - set in the same town with recurring characters but thankfully not a continuing story line that would leave you lost if you didn't read the other two books. This works well enough as a standalone but there were a number of secondary characters (from previous books) that had obviously larger backstories.

A nice romance between Dante, an older butch who returns to her hometown after travelling for years and recovering from a bad break up, and Tanika, a workaholic restaurateur who is struggling to rebuild her business and take on the care of her young nephew.

It was a nice change to see such a old-school butch character in a lesfic - and Dante's character bucked the traditional stereotypes with gentle but wounded soul. Tanika was actually a bit harder to get a read on - but they worked as a couple, especially with the inclusion of the too sweet for words nephew, Finn. The inclusion of young Finn (and his best bud Harley) gave the story some humour and sweet moments that helped define the MCs.

At times there was a bit too much tell - mostly through the dialogue - as backstories and motivations came spilling out in longish dialogue scenes.

'ARC provided by both NetGalley and The Publisher in exchange for an unbiased review'

**'Sometimes the writer who overloads an opening passage is simply afraid of boring the readers.A respectable anxiety,but nothing is more boring than confusion..'

3.5stars!
Full disclosure; I did not read the first two books in this series -- so at first glance 'PLAYING WITH FIRE' appears like a light entertaining read and can be read as a stand alone. But I do not think this author was aiming to just entertain readers, rather her goal was to be persuasive with her storytelling and seductive with her narrative.
Sensitive and heartwarming, Ms.Davis's 3rd series also spins a tale of forgiveness, family dynamics, close-knit friendships and second chances.
While Takira finds distraction in having a crush on her new manager (Dante) and taking care of her nephew (Finn) plus overlooking her restaurant's duties, her preoccupation with the cause of her twin sister's accident and her mother's demeaning behavior towards her, still continues to haunt her.
With Dante, who has shut herself off from ever getting into a new relationship because of being hurt in the past so with some healing of her heart and bonding with Finn she did open herself up for a new Love.
Of course there had to be a brighter spot somewhere because the correlation to all their friendships was evident throughout the storyline.
As to Takira, her goal moving forward is to be a much better auntie and friend -- and to stop letting the restaurant be the center of her attention.
Together they (Takira & Dante) revealed all their past mistakes in dealing with exes, will try to avoid infidelity,deceit and shame, be open to voicing their true feelings and be a source of comfort for each other.
A few noticeable paragraphs in this book could be the storylines of anyone you as a reader might know. Here, both Dante and Trent are recognizable butches -- who never denied their sexuality or habits and accepted being labeled as 'manly'
It is a candid 3rd series about renewed commitment, thriving romance and the tried-and-true secrets of happily-ever-after.

#PlayingWithFire #NetGalley

Dante has returned to her home town after a disastrous relationship and traveling around for four years after it. Feeling ravenous, she pulls into a diner that wasn't here before she left.
She'd no sooner walked in when she hears her name and finds an old friend. They have a quick catch up, she meets her friends family and is introduced to the owner.

Takira is at her wits end. Her sister has died, her manager stole money and took off and she is about to take custody of her nephew. Fate lands Dante in her restaurant and with her friends help, ends up hiring her as the new manager. Dante also needs accommodation and Takira ends up with a new roommate.

Though neither will admit it to each other, their attraction is both instant and mutual. Dante seamlessly fits in to the restaurant and as roommate to Takira's sad, wounded little nephew.

Dante has a lot of self doubt and with the help of her friends and Takira, is able to realise she is worthy of love from her friends, her lover and herself.

I absolutely adored this book. It was full of amazing characters who are part of Columbia's LGBT community and staunch sci-fi lovers and gamers. I really felt for Dante, her ex girlfriend did a number on her and the way her friends support her and build her up for who she is and what she has done for them in the past was so well written. It is clear her friends adore her and are so happy she is home.

The way Dante softly takes charge of helping Takira fix the wreck her ex manager left, her little acts of service for others, without expectation, her support of Finn, Takira's nephew and love of Disney movies would endear her to any reader.
Takira is a workaholic with an estranged relationship with her twin and her mother. She is stressed, worried and out of her depth in her estimations. Dante never wavers in her confidence that Takira can handle it all.
Their relationship happens slowly and is so mutually supportive.

I would definitely recommend this book.

This has been a very sweet one. It is the third part of a story that describes the experiences of several women in the city of Columbia, Missouri, city that I am not familiar with so I do not know if it is relevant that it’s developed there. Like the other two books in this saga, in the title is included the word "playing" but there is not much play in the stories, as I can recall. The other two, I read them before being in GR, so I do not have them reviewed, although the memory I have of them is pretty good. As a common denominator in the three books is the marked role in the women that make up each couple, being one very buch, almost androgynous, and the other very femme. But looks can be deceiving.

Focusing on this book, the story is very sweet despite the bitter situations that the two women, Dante and Takira, and Finn, have had to go through. Dante has spent several years away from her hometown, a failed and disapointing relationship included and now returns to try to rebuild her live. By chance, Takira is in need of a manager for her restaurant, since the previous one cheated her financially and left her business almost bankrupt. As the saying goes, Dante is in the right place at the right time and despite Takira's initial reluctance, Dante enters her life to give an unexpected twist to a situation that for Takira was almost insurmountable.

I liked that the book deals with topics that are not usually seen together in the same story and do it with a normality that is quite refreshing. I like Dante's optimism despite her baggage. I like Dante and Takira as a couple. And what I like the most is the family that they finally form with Finn and with all their other friends.

So this has been a very pleasant reading, with few surprises, little anguish and enough passion and love. It is a recommended book on my part.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Dante has been traveling to places she always wanted to go after finding out her girlfriend Chloe that she gave up everything for has been cheating on her. As she decide she done traveling she goes back to her hometown and stop in a new restaurant to get something to eat and runs into a old friend.

Trent thanks Dante for being her mentor because of her she has the family she always wanted. Dante meets Trent wife Juliet and their daughter Harley who is so cute.

Takira owns the restaurant that Dante is dining in all she ever wanted was for her restaurant to be successful she wanted to expand and make a name for herself all that change when her twin sister dies and she left to take care of her nephew Finn and top it all she find out that her manger Claude has been stealing money from her.

When she meets Dante she instantly drawn to her and when Juliet tell her that Dante needs a job she decide give her a interview and like what sees and hire to be the manger and also gave her place to stay.

As Dante helps her manger the restaurant she also help take care of Finn who takes a liking to Dante and they create this family as they start to fall for each other Dante doesn't think she good enough because of the things her ex said. Takira vow to prove to Dante that she is worthy.

Cute Romance had some angst I so thought we was going to really have a problem with Takira ex because she wasn't taking no for answer and I like what Dante said if you find good people keep them close because those are the people who will stick by you. Love the speech that Trent said to the woman in the park and Dante to Takira mother.

No-- you have something in your eye.

In all seriousness this was an amazing book.

It's about Dante and Takira. Dante is just getting over a hard, very hard break up and is back in her home town, she stops in a new restaurant, Takira's. She runs into an old friend, Trent, and she and Trent (and Trent's wife and their daughter) all catch up.

Takira has just gotten robbed by her previous manager (he then fled) and she needs a new one so that she gets to go back to being the owner/chef of the restaurant. She meets Dante, who would be perfect in the job, oh, and they both fall a little bit in love at first sight too.

But, they both have so much baggage and Takira has also just taken on being a guardian to her nephew can they get past all that?

I'm gonna be honest, this got an extra three fourths of a star because it had real butch lesbians as characters in it. Not lesfic butches, but, real ones where they're not just waiting for the 'right woman' in the story to put them in a dress and change them. What was even cooler was that the novel even dealt with that problem in the world too.

I mean, from cuter than anything Finn and Harley to the twisty, turney plot that had me laughing and with dust in my eyes at different times,to the Disney, oh the Disney! IT was an awesome book!!

I received this book via Netgalley thanks to Bold Strokes Books.