Donovan Bane has a fourteen year old daughter, an ex-wife, and plays rugby for the Sydney Smoke and his entire life he has kept a huge secret about his sexuality.. No player in the league has ever come out as gay while playing professionally and Donovan does not want to set that president. Then he meets Beckett Stanton, a man who knows who he is and is not willing to hide himself for anyone. Beck has had relationships with closeted men in the past and refuses to be ashamed of who he truly is.

'Playing it Safe" by Amy Andrews is a story about accepting yourself for who you are regardless. Even though both characters knew early in life that they were attracted to men they both travelled very different paths. I very rarely read stories about same sex relationships but Andrews built so much depth into this book. I could feel for Donovan and the struggles he has endured his whole life while understanding why Beckett refused to be with someone who could not be openly proud about their sexuality. His willingness to accept a secret relationship with Donovan would only bring him down and set him back in the life he had established for himself. I appreciated this story for the struggles both characters had to endure and overcome.

I admit I selected this book because of the author. Should have read the synopsis, and didn’t. I am not a fan of MM stories, so I say this up front. And just yuk. Half steam, a quarter googley eyes and a quarter story. Disappointing.

DNF @ 35% (Chapter 6).

I didn't do my research and going in, not familiar with the author either, I didn't know it was the 7th book in a series and it's the first M/M romance in it (I don't know if it is the first time that the author wrote M/M). That in no way affected my rating because even though there were a couple of characters that had a minor role till the point I read it didn't deter the story nor I was left wondering.

The thing is though that for a story that is 203pgs and has 3612 locations in my kindle I STRUGGLED to get to where I decided to leave it. I thought that the book was at least 300pgs and I read more that the 70+pgs that I actually did and that is because the story is full of telling and very little to none showing. So everything went on and on and on.

Donovan and Beckett had up till that point 3 encounters that lasted maybe 10-15mins each with very little interaction. Everything between those 3 encounters was of both MCs inner musings and loooong and leeeengthy admirations of the other's physical attributes. We were told there were sparks flying, that there was intense chemistry and a lot of how much each other saw in the other's eyes but we were never shown any of it. I never felt that chemistry nor those sparks.

Chapter 5 ended with a really hot scene of mutual masturbation between the 2 MCs but it was hot in the way reading erotica or watching porn is, again no chemistry was coming through.

So since this feels like a chore reading it I'll stop while I'm ahead.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and netgalley that I voluntarily read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

✰ 3.5 STARS!! ✰
The story of Beckett Stanton and Donovan Bane - one, an out and proud gay man, and the other, having buried his true self behind his career and family, with no plans of unearthing it anytime soon. Eyes meet. Sparks fly. But can they afford to explore the connection they know is there?
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I didn't know I had stumbled upon the one m/m romance in the series (and the only one by the author as I learnt at the end of the book), with six straight ones behind it, until I was almost midway through the book. (Val and Harper's stories seem to be interesting. So, I might just be picking them up later.) But, I was in the okay since they all can apparently be read as standalones.

Back to Beckett and Donovan - this was an averagely great sports romance. That is to say, if you've read any gay sports romance, you pretty much have an idea everything that's going to happen in this book. But, if you turn a blind eye to all the generic tropes and plotline, this is a really good book.

We have two characters falling in lust (pretty intensely too - with the big words and everything) at first sight, fighting their instincts to fall into each other's arms. But, expectedly, they can't. And then starts the journey to falling in love. Which, I was worried for a couple of chapters, would happen without actually building the chemistry between the MCs. But, I was pleasantly surprised to see some mild deviations from the formula where we actually see them grow together and form a meaningful connection, especially for such a short book.

The characters themselves were interesting to read about. Apart from a few instances where it felt like we were going through a list of personality traits women love to see in men, they managed to make me care about what actually happened to them and what they would do. I do wish the epilogue was a bit longer, but then again, I'm a sucker for the happy-ending parts of the stories, and can't get enough of them, so it might be just me.

Overall, I would recommend this if you haven't read more than a few m/m sports romances. I had a good time of reading it!

*Thanks to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for providing me a copy of the book. All the thoughts and opinions here are unbiased and my own.*

Sweet, prototypical MM sports romance. The ILY did come pretty quick and Beck did tick me off near the end, but I thought Donovan was adorable and I did feel for him. And while I was hoping for more of an exploration into his ethnicity as he hails from Maori roots, I wasn't surprised that his browness was a two-dimensional mention for aesthetic rather than legit diversity. So basically just your run of the mill romance with vanilla angst.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

“It’s there, deep and glowing and burning in my chest, and it’s nothing to do with sex or gratitude or you being my first. It’s just…there. Like gravity. And oxygen. And the goddamn moon. It just is.”

This was my first book by Amy Andrews, and my first rugby trope which is surprising considering I’m such a sports romance lover. Donovan and Beck filled me with all the feels. The chemistry between the two characters was electric from the get go. The second their eyes met I knew this relationship was going to be fire, however it was a slow burner in terms of sexy times which was completely understandable with Donovan’s fears.

Oh Dono, his story broke my heart. Having to spend nearly two decades hiding who he is due to the ridiculous expectations that being gay and rugby shouldn’t mix. I adored Beck’s unconditional support and understanding for Donovan’s situation, despite being hurt from a closeted ex before.

Donovan’s bashful personality was such a draw for me, watching him slowly let go of those heavily built walls to allow Beck in and to *allow* himself to the pleasures he desperately wanted to indulge in filled my heart with joy. Beck was the perfect person for Dono; understanding, patient, kind, but the deviant side of him which allowed for those very saucy moments to happen, *swoon*, no wonder Donovan couldn’t resist!

I think readers should go into this book without knowing much about what happens, because when it *happens* my heart was in my throat, silently pleading for things to work out (which they do!!) but going through the motions made the ending so, so much more powerful.

The secondary characters/Donovan’s team mates had me laughing out loud and I’ll be looking up whether any of them have their own books for me to add onto my TBR!

I’m surprised to find out this is Amy’s first MM novel, as it was written very well with a lot of thought to both sides of the storyline. I will be eagerly waiting for more from Amy, and actively stalking all of her social media pages in hope this will be the first of many more to come in her MM collection.

I need to write this with a fan blowing on me because WOOF was this hot and steamy. I haven't read much erotica-centered novels but this MM novel was everything I wanted... hot men, hotter smut, and broken characters trying to piece themselves together. Man, I loved this.

Donovan Bane is a big tattooed half-Maori professional rugby player. Divorced, with a daughter who lives with her mother in New Zealand, he is devoted to being the best player he can be for the Sydney Smoke. Donovan is hiding a big secret, he's gay, but there are no openly gay professional rugby players out there and he doesn't want the furore of being the first one to come out, so he's resigned to staying in the closet until he retires a few years down the line, anyway it's not as if he has any experience with men, not since a disastrous first encounter years ago when he was still married.

Then pow! Donovan is sitting with two of his teammates' wives and baby having a coffee when the women spot a sexy guy wearing a Sydney Smoke lanyard. Donovan can't take his eyes off this sexy accountant, which is a surprise because he always thought he would be attracted to a sportsman or some more outdoorsy, and Beck can't take his eyes off Donovan, although he seems to understand that Donovan is hiding his sexuality and doesn't flirt with him.

It might have been the most innocent of meetings but Donovan can't help thinking about Beck, about how he had the courage to be totally honest about his sexuality, about mentioning his ex-boyfriend to relative strangers, about how gorgeous he was. Heck obsessing about Beck is putting him off his game, the most reliable player on the field!

Beck has been in a relationship with someone who keeps his sexuality a secret and he doesn't want to do it again, but this big, sexy rugby player is so cute and so sexy he's breaking his own rules.

This is the bit where Amy Andrews calls me out in her newsletter (again), of course the sex scenes are H.O.T.I just felt that there wasn't enough story/plot linking the sex scenes, not enough tension, no plot twist, no misunderstandings, no homophobic friends/teammates/family, no grit. I thought Kate Meader did it better in Undone By You, and yet it's a shorter book.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This was a spicy, hot, emotional, romance.
Andrews wrote such mature characters that handled their own emotions so well and communicated with eachother while still writing a tense drama. The plot kept me guessing with constant twists and turns that the characters handled perfectly.

I'm looking forward to stumbling backwards through the other Smoke team stories since sports romances are one of my favourite genres, but I am worried that the bar has been set so high by Playing it Safe.

This is the latest in the author's Sydney Smokes Rugby series. Donavan is a top ranked Rugby player who is gay but not out and not planning on being out until he retires. He meets Beckett who is a new employee in the team's finance department who has been out for a long time and is comfortable with it. Donovan is conflicted with his deep attraction to Beckett and Beckett has to resolve his desire for Donavan but doesn't want to be in another "hidden" relationship. The author does a great job developing the relationship between the two to its natural conclusion. The two men really make the relationship work. My only complaint would be that the Smokes team take a back seat. It would have been nice to get more details on the previous characters and where they are in life.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Playing it Safe is book seven in the Sydney Smoke Rugy series by Amy Andrews. This book can be read as a complete stand alone and is my very first book by this author. I have had a couple of her books on my to read list but never have gotten to them. I think it’s because fate was saving me for this book. It’s Amy’s very first M/M romance and she blew me away. I…am…in…Love with these two characters and I can’t wait to tell you a little bit about them.

Donovan Bane is thirty two years old and plays for the Sydney Smoke rugby union team. He has a fourteen year old daughter that lives with her mother. Donovan is a huge man who is ruthless on the field. But off he is a sweet, caring, private man who struggles with who he is, a gay man. Because gay men don’t play rugby.

Beckett (Beck) Stanton is thirty one years old and has just taken a job in the finance department for the Smoke team. It’s purely by chance on that particular day when he was at the same café as Donovan was, when their eyes met and held, when the air left his lungs and the world just stopped existing around them. He knew Donovan felt it too. But as soon as Donovan looked away he also knew, he wasn’t out. Beck has been hurt before and learned his lesson the hard way, do not get involved with closeted men.

First of all, these two had me when their eyes met! I LOVE when that happens, that instant connection when nothing else matters but the person you are looking at. These two had buckets full of chemistry and Amy Andrews did a fantastic job of putting that chemistry into words. My kindle has melty marks on it! I loved them both but I think it’s Donovan that really stole my heart. He was so unsure of himself. He had so much weight on his shoulders, so many people that counted on him. He had put his own needs, his own true self, completely on hold for over a decade. He never imagined he would feel for someone as he did for Beckett. I loved watching his confidence grow. Watching him finally accept what he deserved, to live his true life.

“This was what he’d been waiting for. This moment. Nothing had ever felt this right. This natural. This innate. Nothing. Not even rugby.”

This book checked off every one of my boxes and I couldn’t put it down. These two were so sexy and swoony. I love it when the characters are tough but also soft and they both were. I loved everything about this book and am so glad I decided to jump in. I hope with all my heart that Amy chooses to write more M/M romance. I’ll be first in line if she does.

4.5 Stars
I really like the Sydney Smoke series and have been looking forward to Donovan’s story. Donovan Bane is one of the stars of the Sydney Smoke rugby team. Throughout the prior books, you knew that Donovan was previously married and had a teenage daughter. In this book, you find out that he has been in the closet and denying who he really is. He fears that being the first openly gay elite rugby player will cause problems for his family and his team, so he thinks he has to wait until he retires to live his true life. All of his plans are shattered when he meets Beckett Stanton, who works for the Sydney Smoke in the financial department. This is a slow-burn M/M romance with a lot of steam. I really loved Donovan. The author did a good job of conveying the fear Donovan had about coming out and why that fear legitimate. Overall, an enjoyable installment in the series. I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

Rating: 4.5/5
OKAY, SO I LOVE THIS BOOK AND I LITERALLY FINISHED IT IN ONE GO!!!!
The book basically focuses on Donavan, a closeted, rugby player and Beckett, an openly gay man. Donavan has never dated a man but Beckett enters into his life and changes everything. We see how they deal with reality( relating to Donavan's career) , emotions and various other things like Donavan's coming out, Beckett's previous relationships and a lot more. Everything was expressed perfectly and it even had some spicy scenes XD. (The more the reasons to read this awesome book!) I just loved them both and literally cried towards the end. (Spoiler: When Beckett and Donavan leave each other for some time.) THIS BOOK WAS JUST AWESOME <3 Thank you for the arc, NetGallery :)))

I was into the summary from the get go, but once I was approved for the ARC and was reading the other titles created by this author, I realized that this is a (seemingly) straight author who has written 80+ MF books, writing a primarily smut MLM story. This first chapter had me increasingly worried about this book just being an excuse for straight women to fetishize gay men. As the story progressed, it became clear that this was not the author's intention. Amy Andrews addresses this in her author's note. She admits that she is nervous to publish this because it is her first MLM novel. I really think she wrote this coming out story in a respectful way.

This book is filled with an overarching theme of consent being the most important part of any interaction. From Donovan's history, Donovan and Beckett's relationship, and the way coming out is approached, consent is highlighted. I love it. Donovan has made his only identity as a great rugby player. There is no room for him to be gay. He worries about other people first: how his coming out would impact his teammates and his fourteen-year-old daughter. His ex-wife has even asked him to hold off on coming out until his daughter graduates high school (I wish there had been a conversation on how homophobic this request is). Beckett is incredibly understanding of this, but also has his own boundaries, and refuses to be someone's secret boyfriend.

Overall, this is a steamy but incredibly sweet story. This book has a well-paced plot.

Overall this was a pleasant mm romance that was not particularly unique or memorable. Donovan and Beckett have many playful exchanges and steamy scenes with each other due to their chemistry that is clearly evident. I did enjoy this friends-to-lovers sports romance that was a great fluffy read that meets all standard romance requirements.

This was not my type of books. It was an m/m fairly simple falling in love, discovery book. After After two being married for 20 years right out of high schools, due to an oops pregnancy he knows he just can not hide behind it anymore, or could he really ever .

I liked the premise and the location of the story. Australia is one of those countries I would love to visit one day. The m/m love story was okay though I’m not sure if it was memorable. Maybe ask me in 6 months. For now, it was an okay story.

I received this Arc from the publisher and Netgalley for in exchange for my honest review.

I’m a huge fan of the Sydney Smoke series. Big strapping rugby players falling hard and showing their softer sides? What’s not to love.

“Once upon a time, rugby was all he needed.”

Amy Andrews got everything right in her first jaunt into M/M territory and it’s evident that thought and consideration went into both the storyline and Donovan and Beckett’s characters. The incredible chemistry, the slower burn oh-so-sexy build up, the mutual respect, consent, discoveries, hopes and fears along with a hefty dose of feeling all played their part in making Donovan and Beck my new favourite Smoke couple.

“Apparently I’m now into big, buff rugby dudes who crack their knuckles and have never been kissed.”

Yes, it’s a steamy M/M romance between two Herculean men picking up the gauntlet in an established M/F series by an author who up to now has written M/F romance, but it paid off giving not only Beck and Donovan the chance to shine but the series and the characters we’ve already fallen for and I abso-bloody-lutely loved it. Whether you’re already a fan or are picking this up having not read the previous books, Playing it Safe is one I recommend.

This was a fairly sweet m/m sports romance. It wasn't anything spectacular but it was enjoyable and a quick easy read that was pretty fluffy with a dash of angst.

It was a little cliche in places and after about 60% the pace just picked up and moved way too fast, I feel like a lot of things were just glanced over. Both of the main characters were likable though and the chemistry between them was good. I could have done with more development of their relationship and the inclusion of more secondary characters.

However, overall it was a decent read.

Thanks to Netgalley for an Arc of this in exchange for an honest review.

Donovan has always planned to leave relationships until he retires from rugby. He may have come to terms with his sexuality but the world of professional rugby has not and Donovan is not going to risk the career he has worked so hard for. However he did not plan for Beckett the man he cannot stop thinking about, the man who understands all that Donovan has denied himself and wants to show him all that he has missed, Donovan was a lovely character, fierce on the field but sweetness personified off of it, It was lovely seeing him find happiness and accept himself along the way. I could have used more development and fewer bedroom scenes (steamy though they were) since there were so few pages but over all this was a delightful read.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.