Well this was so much fun. It's my first Nalini Singh - because I don't really read a lot of paranormal or urban fantasy romance - but I do like sports romances (as I have discovered recently). This is the third in a series about a set of brothers in the rugby world in New Zealand and features a single dad and a friend of his deceased wife. I loved the characters, I loved the world and I loved the way that Jake takes care of his daughter. I'm all about strong families in books - be they blood families or found families and this really delivered on that. I'll be keeping my eye out for the previous two books in the series - and watching out for the final brother's book.

I'm always so excited to see another story in this contemporary romance series. I got hooked on Nalini Singh when I read the Rock Kiss series and I'm always on the lookout for more.

Jake Esera has 2 priorities -- his family and his rugby. He's a single father, lost his sweetheart in a tragic manner and he's committed to providing the best he can for his daughter. That means keeping her out of the media spotlight created by his outstanding rugby career. When he reconnects with Juliet, a close friend to his high school sweetheart, he's attracted to her, but past history makes it difficult for Jacob to act on his desires.


Juliet may have been a wild child in high school, but she's grown up a lot since then. One thing for sure is that she doesn't want her tarnished reputation to cause any damage to the Esera family.

I loved the slow rebuilding of relationships in this story and the gentle progression to a real romance between Jake and Juliet. There isn't a huge amount of conflict here -- most of it deals with Juliet and her ex. I absolutely love Jake in this story. He's the strong silent type, with a heart of gold and when he turns his protective ways on Juliet, she finds something she's wanted in her life. I liked the simplicity of this story as it puts the spotlight right on the romance of Jake and Juliet. Jake's daughter couldn't be any cuter!

I definitely recommend this series, and the Rock Kiss series. The stories are original and have a quiet, heart-touching romantic element that I adore. Love Hard definitely worked for me.

An ARC was provided. This is my honest review.

I feel like this was a down to earth romance novel. It was light, engaging and smoldering with sexy scenes! What I loved most about it is that it was set in present day therefore super relatable. The author did an awesome job with the characters- you’re quickly rooting for their happily ever after!

I would rate this four out of five stars. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This ARC was provided to me by Netgalley.

Until now the Hard Play series has been kind of a prequel to the author’s Rock Kiss series, but this entry is loosely a sequel to my personal favorite book in that series, Rock Hard. And while it was great to see the Mouse and T-Rex put the icing on the cake of their HEA with a wedding, Love Hard is not their story.

So you don’t have to read that, or any of the rest of the series, to like Love Hard. Not that it isn’t great to catch up with the friends from the rest of the series(es), but this one does stand alone.

In fact, it’s kind of about standing alone – and discovering that maybe it’s time not to have to.

Juliet Nelisi is the Mouse Charlotte’s best friend, and we saw plenty of her as a secondary character in Rock Hard. But that wasn’t her story just like this isn’t Charlotte’s. In spite of Jules’ status as Charlotte’s long-time bestie, we learn in Love Hard that if there’s one thing Jules isn’t used to, it’s having someone to stand in her corner. She’s done plenty of that standing for other people, but very few have ever stood for her. Starting with her family.

The one person besides Charlotte who always stood in Jules’ corner was her high school bestie, Calypso. But Calypso died of meningitis not long after giving birth to her beautiful daughter Esme, and Jules still misses her every day.

Jules isn’t the only one still missing Calypso. Jacob Esera, little Esme’s father, is raising his daughter not exactly alone, but the help he has comes from his parents, his brothers, and his extended family. Between his top-flight professional rugby career and raising his daughter, he’s kept himself away from the groupies and the scandals that can come with being a young man at the top of pro sports.

Jake, at 24, feels like he buried the young man he used to be in the grave with Calypso, but he’s mourned and moved on. He has to keep going for Esme, for his family, and for his career.

The one thing he doesn’t factor on is Jules resurfacing in his life. Not like that. Jules and Calypso were besties, Calypso was Jake’s high school sweetheart, and the friend of his girlfriend, was, at best, a frenemy. They got along for Callie’s sake. Just barely.

At the time, Jules was trouble with a capital T. And everything that has happened in her life, at least the parts that Jake knows about from the gossip rags, say that she is still trouble. Big trouble. Huge trouble.

But their contentious encounter as part of the wedding party for T-Rex and the Mouse show Jake that Jules has grown into a beautiful woman who pushes all his buttons. Both the buttons that make him want to rile her up and piss her off, and the buttons that make him want to rile her up and take her to bed.

She drives him crazy in every possible way. And shakes him out of the staid, grey, safe zone he’s tried to live in since Callie’s death. But starting a relationship with Jules isn’t just ill-advised. It’s downright stupid. The gossip rags are still following her around after the juicy breakup of her marriage to a cricket star. Those same gossip rags are the last thing he wants in his life, especially sniffing around his 6-year-old daughter.

Jules has tried her best to live a quiet life, out of sight of the gossip rags, if not ever completely out of mind. Getting involved with another sports star will drag ALL of the old crap out of the woodwork, and set her up for yet another round of having her life invaded. She doesn’t want any part of that, and she especially doesn’t want any part of that invading Jake’s life with Esme, or his family.

But she wants Jake in spite of every instinct saying this is a really bad idea. The question is whether it is a good enough bad idea to take the risk?

Escape Rating A-: There are parts of this story that make me feel guilty for even looking at the headlines on the grocery store gossip magazine shelf, let alone ever clicking on a clickbait gossip headline on social media.

Speaking of which, have you ever noticed that, when it comes to the media, men are always talked about for who THEY are and what THEY do, but women are still almost always talked about in terms of who they married, regardless of their own accomplishments?

Both of those thoughts play into Jules’ side of this equation in a big way. While she may have been a troublemaker in high school, well, there were reasons. And it was high school, a big part of the point of which is to make mistakes and learn from them so you don’t make them later.

But her marriage, well, that mess was so not her fault as to be ridiculous. But he was the star and she was the girl from nowhere, so when the relationship ended, he controlled the narrative and got all the sympathy, while her reputation got trashed and trashed and trashed. It made for great clickbait and left her shell-shocked and gun shy. Especially since it seemed that everyone who even glanced at a tabloid made up their minds about her in an instant. Those rags got lots of mileage out of painting her as a gold-digging, lying, cheating predator, never mind that she signed an iron-clad prenup, so she didn’t get a dime, and that he was the liar, the cheater AND the predator.

It’s that past that both comes back to haunt Jules, and in the end teaches her that you can survive just about any storm if you have good people down in that storm shelter with you.

Her ex tries to resurrect their past scandal to put his name back in the headlines. His career is fading fast from too much “Life in the Fast Lane’, and he’s hoping to trade his remaining celebrity status for a cable TV show.

Jules wants to hide until the storm blows over, but Jake won’t let her. Instead, he stands with her, his entire family stands with her, and they all help her not just weather the storm, but turn it back against her ex. And in that process, she learns that she has someone who will stand with her through thick and thin, help her celebrate her wins, and help her recoup from her losses. It’s something she’s never had before.

But their relationship isn’t all one-sided. He needs her to be the wind beneath his wings, to get him out of that safe, staid, grey rut he’s been in. They do a whole lot better than just get by with a little, or a lot, of help from their friends.

So, on the one hand, this is a hot and steamy frenemies to lovers romance. On the other, it’s a story about not just finding but also accepting the right people to stand with, and to stand with you. About finding the person who helps you be strong in your broken places. And that’s a story that always makes for a very satisfying romance!

Love nalini Singh. This book is so good in its careful love. They don’t push and pull. Instead, they find friendship, then hot steamy love...and family. Five stars all the way!

I love Nalini Singh but I feel like her paranormal books are better than this series. I do appreciate getting to see her New Zealand culture. I just gad a hard time getting in to Rhys couple. They were stuck on who the other was in high school while their internal dialogue talked about how much they had changed. This also felt like someone writing about a sport and the culture without really understanding it. This is not going to be a need to buy or even a reread. Sad really

LOVE HARD is the third instalment in Nalini Singh’s contemporary, adult HARD PLAY erotic, romance series focusing on the Bishop-Esera family. This is rugby player and single father Jacob Esera, and businesswoman and Vice-President of Operations and Supply as EE Designs Juliet Nelisi’s story line. LOVE HARD can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. LOVE HARD crosses over with characters from the author’s ROCK KISS series.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Jacob and Juliet) LOVE HARD is an enemies to lovers story line that follows the building relationship between New Zealand rugby player and single father Jacob Esera, and businesswoman Juliet Nelisi. Years earlier, Jacob Esera lost his best friend and the woman he loved just weeks after giving birth to their infant daughter, and in the ensuing time Jacob focused on being the best father he could be but his brother’s wedding brought back his childhood nemesis, and his late-girlfriend’s best friend, Juliet Nelisi, back into his life. What ensues is the building but acrimonious relationship between Juliet and Jacob, and the potential fall-out as Juliet’s ex tries desperately to destroy her life.

Jacob and Juliet were like oil and water, and the only thing they had in common was Juliet’s best friend, and Jacob’s girlfriend Calypso Simpson but a destructive life-style pushed Juliet out of their life. Having married more for security and companionship, Juliet would later divorce after starring in her very own media drama. Jacob Esera’s family has always been there including help in raising his daughter Esme but Jacob, a star rugby player, was lonely, and seeing Juliet Nelisi stirred something deep within our story line hero. Working together on a media campaign would bring Juliet and Jacob closer together, a togetherness that would be made stronger with the addition of Jacob’s six year old daughter Esme.

The relationship between Juliet and Jacob is tempestuous at best with caustic remarks and biting barbs but Jacob never knew the truth about Juliet’s past, a past that would shape the woman she is today. Agreeing to cull the animosity between one another, our couple would slowly succumb to their mutual attraction and slow-building love for one another. The $ex scenes are passionate and intense without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful secondary and supporting characters including Sailor Bishop and Isa Rain (Cherish Hard #1), Gabriel Bishop and Charlotte Baird (Rock Hard /Rock Kiss #2), as well as youngest brother Danny, their parents Allison and Joseph; several of Jacob’s teammates; Juliet’s boss Everett Echert; friends Aroha and Molly; and Juliet’s ex husband Reid Mescall.

LOVE HARD is a story of family, friendship, betrayal, second chances and love. The character driven premise is imaginative and spirited; the characters are clever, sensitive and realistic; the romance is spicy and flirty. LOVE HARD is an animated and intoxicating story by Nalini Singh.


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I thought that this was a good romantic story that was told really well.

It has action and romance which kept me entertained and addicted to the story as there was plenty going on throughout the book. I thought that it was well written too.

I thought that there was good attention to detail and I thought that the characters were well developed and they worked really well together.

It is 4 stars from me for this one – highly recommended!

I really really enjoyed this romance, I have been needing a romance read with substance and this was perfect. Strong characters, good values and a strong storyline. I’m definitely looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

Nalini Singh is as great in writing contemporary romance as she is in the paranormal genre. I loved this book! This is the first book in this series that I’ve read, and it can be read as a standalone, but I have to confess to being super curious now about the two books that went before! I loved Juliet, with her prickly exterior but soft heart, she’s both strong and vulnerable, not a typical heroine at all, but even more likable because of it. I can’t tell you how refreshing it was to read a story about a woman with curves, we need more of those. Or at least, I know I need more such stories. Jacob, dearest Jake, oh what’s not to love about a doting father who does everything in his power to make sure his kid grows up safe and loved? I loved that he recognizes when he’s being overprotective and that he tries so hard to curb that side of himself so as not to clip Esme’s wings. Jules and Jake totally have the opposites attract thing going, and chemistry aplenty, but underneath all that there’s a solid friendship and mutual respect. There’s a lot of emotion in Love Hard, several very moving scenes between Jake and Jules, as they remember Callie, and also once they start to really fall for each other. This is book reminded me why I love reading romance so much, filling me with warmth and a giddy happy glow, ready to face the world again.

LOVE HARD is the third book in Nalini Singh’s “Hard Play” series. Although the two main characters in LOVE HARD never had any deep loathing for each other, I think this story might still appeal to readers who enjoy the “enemies-to-lovers” trope. The thing that has always connected Jacob Esera and Juliet Nelisi, has been the mother of Jacob’s little girl and Juliet’s high school BFF – Callie. After losing Callie to a sudden and tragic illness, Jacob and Jules went on with their lives as best they could, but in two completely different directions. Nalini Singh tells this story from alternating perspectives as she brings these people back together and have love take them by surprise. I love Nalini Singh’s contemporary romances, and LOVE HARD has the stellar storytelling and well-rounded and fascinating characters I’ve come to expect from this author.

A wedding draws Jacob and Jules together for the first time in years. There, in their wedding party finery, they look at each other with new eyes and discover how much they’ve changed since high school. The physical attraction is instant. The more complex attraction and deeper feelings evolve over time. Having a young child to take care of shapes every decision Jacob makes, and makes him a little more cautious than he was as a teenager. Being abandoned, and generally treated shabbily by everyone in her life, has made Jules extremely self- reliant and strong. While they may have butted heads when they were younger, both of them are wowed by the people they’ve become. They aren’t radically different than they were, but they’ve been shaped into wiser and more resilient versions of their younger selves. I love this book! Every character is so complex and interesting while also being likable. You care about these characters. There is a good chemistry between Jacob and Jules and Nalini Singh does pepper the story with enough sexual tension and steamy scenes to satisfy most romance fans, but what drew me was the character-driven love story.

LOVE HARD is a must-read for fans of contemporary romance, great storytelling, and amazeballs characters. There are no obstacles to this romance that feel contrived or obnoxious. Jules’ ex is just a pathetic and emotionally draining selfish guy rather than criminal kingpin or comic book supervillain. The way Jules and Jacob support each other and look out for each other is heartwarming and great to see. The supporting characters in LOVE HARD make for a richer story, but don’t clutter the narrative. I like how there are I look forward to Nalini Singh’s next book.

I loved this book. It was really heart warming. The romance was the cutest so far which makes this my favourite book of the series.

Such a fantastic book, I could not put it down. A little bit forbidden, a little bit enemies to lovers, I loved the back story and the banter and of course it was fun to see Trex and Charlie Mouse again! Love this whole series!

A well written romance that made me smile and root for the characters.
I liked the style of writing, the well thought cast of characters and the sweet romance.
It was an engrossing and entertaining read, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Love Hard is another enjoyable, entertaining contemporary romance from one of my favorite authors. I love getting back to the Esera-Bishop clan and that story opens with the wedding of Gabe and Charlotte, bringing back several past characters, including the pair that kicked off the Rock Kiss / Hard Play series, Molly and Fox. It is a great “reintroduction” to the clan and series after the previous book was about a couple outside the family.

Juliet, aka Jules, and Jacob, aka Jake, went to school together. Jules was the “bad girl” best friend to Callie, Jake’s girlfriend, and while not exactly friends, they both loved Callie dearly. Juliet moved away when they were still in high school, and not too long after, Callie and Jake had a baby girl, Esme. Callie died shortly after giving birth, and Jake has raised his daughter (with the help of his family) for the past six years. Present day, Jules and Jake are matched together at Gabe and Charlotte’s wedding. Jules, having gone through a short but very public marriage to a media-hog sports figure, moved back home and has lived a quiet, low-key life, befriending Charlotte, who had no clue about the history between Juliet and Jake.

Jules and Jake have a fairly smooth journey to HEA, and sometimes that is just what I need. Yes, they have hesitations, but the drama is external to the couple rather than within. Jake is a kind soul who loves with all his heart and fiercely protects those he claims as his. This includes Juliet, who has never experienced this kind of unconditional love. She grew up without her parents and raised by an uncaring aunt. Only her best friend gave her that love, and she lost her early. Yet, she’s not messed up. She’s made several mistakes in her youth, but grew into a strong, confident woman. She works hard and has earned her success.

Jake had issues after losing his high school sweetheart, the mother of his daughter, so young. He understands this and went through counseling - so it’s “in the past,” and he is able to recognize and deal with his issues. He’s healthy and in a good place for a real relationship. For both - knowing they had issues, but have moved passed the issues, is what makes the romance move forward with ease. They consciously open themselves up to trust and love, and stick together through the bumps.

If you are looking for a sweet and insanely sexy romance, look no further than Love Hard!

My Rating: B+ Liked It A Lot

Although many readers will tell you that Love Hard can stand on its own, and that’s technically correct, you’re about to meet characters at the beginning of Juliet and Jacob’s story who were first introduced in the Rock Kiss series. I happen to love when I get glimpses of old book friends in another book or series, but that’s me. The first quarter of this one is pretty much centered around a wedding, and we’ll meet up with a lot of people. So you can read Love Hard and see those people as secondary characters and move on – or get curious and go back to the Rock Kiss series for the whole story – that choice is yours alone.

On the surface, Juliet and Jacob seem total opposites, even with a shared loved one in their pasts they still appear as more friends who may be enemies than a man who loved and married Juliet’s best friend… and lost her through death. Now raising their little girl, doing his best at his career, and getting through the days of still missing his wife the very last thing Jacob expected when running into Juliet at that wedding was the sparks between them. It’s obvious that she’s not interested, but if that’s true then why the side glances.

Juliet had a wild child reputation in the past, far different from the by the book Jake. She married and discovered that jerk cheated on her so now, less one husband, she’s completely written off all men with any sports connections… including the handsome, and suddenly intriguing Jake. Watching these two fight past their preconceived ideas of each other, begin to take the risk of loving someone again, and rebuilding lives they thought would always be spent alone was an enjoyable, steamy, fun experience.

I completely enjoyed Love Hard, it’s a steamy romance with two stubborn people who really do fit well in spite of themselves. I loved watching Juliet being drawn into Jake’s family as one of their own. I had fun, and that’s the whole point. I’d not hesitate to recommend this story to any reader who loves a good, solid romance, opposites attract, and a couple who have to get beyond what they thought they knew about each other to the point of trusting enough to take a risk on love.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

So so so cute and sweet it gave me all the feels for days afterwards. I thought Jacob was beyond yummy.

I love how Ms Singh writes families, way too often writers make it just a touch OTT. As always Ms Singh is bang on. The Bishop Esra gang need to adopt me! Please!

Ok, so this is my first read by Nalini. I've been wanting to read her books for a long time and well since I'm a lover of the best sport in existence, rugby, I figured this was a good place to start. But I hate to say it that I really struggled with this book. Reading in 3rd POV is really hard for me or well I'm just not used to it, so I found myself constantly leaving the story. I definitely want to give her paranormal romance a try.

I don't know why I couldn't connect with Juliet and Jake, they ticked every single box that I love when it comes to characters I love to read about. The banter between them was pretty comical especially since they have history.

I did find that Calypso (Jake's childhood sweetheart/Esme's mom) kind of overshadowed Juliet and Jake's relationship. I understood their worries because Calypso was Juliet's best friend growing up. They constantly referred back to her and it held me back a lot with their story. I just needed more of Jake and Juliet, them being together and just getting some depth with their relationship.

Enjoyable characters all around and some really great character development, but this one didn't quite work for me.

Jacob Esera, star rugby player and young single father, mmm the sweet hotty!!!. Jacob has led a controlled life since the death of his childhood sweetheart soon after their daughter’s birth, to the extent that his family have a full time job getting him to relax.
Juliet Nelisi, former classmate, scandal magnet, a woman who is a thorn in his side all his teenage years falls back into his life at Charlotte and Gabriel's wedding...


I really felt for Juliet, she embraced her bad-girl reputation as a shield against loneliness and rejection and only one person knew the real Jule's... Jacobs dececed wife.
When they meet again the fire between them was just addictive, Ms Sing has woven the characters and the supporting characters from previous books into a page turning, can't put it down sweet romance. I can't wait to get the paperback on my shelf, the cover is Delicious as always Ms Singh doesn't disappoint, grab a copy now... grab the whole series while you're at it.

Another excellent book in the series. Love reading about this great family and can not wait for the next book, can see the romance developing and it’s going to be a tear jerker.