I love a sports romance, especially when it's a sport I am personally interested in, in this instance rugby. So, that was a huge fan of that aspect of the book.

I also loved the setting, I love New Zealand so reading a book set there was a great experience.

I loved the romance, and it has a "there was only one bed" trope which is one of my favourites. This was my first of Liz Alden's books but it certainly won't be the last one.

(First of all, thank you so much NetGalley, publisher, and author, for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review)

TW:
-🍷Alcoholism (main character)
-🤬Domestic Violence (not produced by the main character)

Synopsis: I thought I was grumpy AF, but I’ve met my match. Tane has two moods when I see him in the bar he co-owns with his sister: grouchy in a dark corner or reliving his rugby days with a rowdy group that likes to cause trouble. I steer clear at all costs—the last thing I need is more male drama in my life after my stalker ex. He’s why I came to New Zealand—to escape.
When my closest friend in the country—who happens to be Tane’s sister—asks me for a huge favor, I can’t say no. Now I’m Tane’s fake date to a family wedding, and it turns out he is trying to turn his life around.
Traveling in New Zealand opens my eyes to more than just Lord of the Rings fandom and sheep. I didn’t expect to fall in love with the country . . . or Tane.

The Best Key Points in the Book:
-🏉Ex-Rugby Player
-😠Grumpy x 😠Grumpy
-🤝Meet-Hate
-💐Fake Dating in a Wedding
-👄Openly talk about sex
-🔥Smut
-📖Short and Easy Reading
-👏No Final DRAMA

Hands down, it's the best ARC I requested for all the reasons above. I enjoyed it and I did not see red flags along the main characters' relationship. (3.75✨)

This was a great addition to the Wanderlust series.
The characters were likeable and you wanted them to succeed in all the things that they were pursuing.
The relationship and chemistry between the two main characters was believable.

Sometimes you just want a nice, easy to read, feel good, light-hearted romance. That's what I was in the mood for and that's most certainly what The Player in New Zealand delivered. It tells the story of Claire, a young woman from the US who has come to Aotearoa to escape from the attentions of an old friend, who has been pushing her to be much more than that (whether she wants it or not). She starts to work in a bar run by a brother and sister. Her first meeting with boss Tane is a little less than ideal, but the more time that she spends with him the more that she likes him.
I did enjoy the way the author managed to get in a few little trips here and there in the story. Claire and Tane visit Hobbiton, glow worms and she even gets to visit his family in Auckland where they attend a wedding together. There are a few small nods to Tane's Māori heritage, with explanations of the hongi and haka. At times, it's mentioned that Tane mutters something in Te Reo, but never any mention of the actual words. Not that it really matters, but it might have been nice to have had a little in an NZ set book.
This was a fun read and one that I got through really quickly. The problems that the couple faced seemed natural and not over the top as sometimes can happen in romances. Tane was lovely and a great match for Claire, I really enjoyed it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

Liz Alden has done it again! The Player in New Zealand is her 4th book in her Love and Wanderlust series, and quite possibly my favorite. I loved Clair, and how strong she must be to take a leap of faith and completely move to a new country to escape her ex. I even loved grumpy Tane, who with Claire worked hard to fight his demons.

What I love most though, is how Liz Alden can describe the environment so well, that you feel like you are in New Zealand even, if you have never set foot in the country. Also, I so want to go to New Zealand now. lol

I really need to stop reading this series before I sleep. Because I don't end up sleeping. I end up staying up until I finish, and then proceeding to stay up even later because the absolute adorableness of these has broken me. They're too much. Too much enemies to lovers, too much travel, too much happiness. They're addicting, and quite possibly my favorite romance series ever.

And I'll admit, i can't even track how the books are related anymore. I've forgotten the characters in the first few books, and I've forgotten most of their plot also. But that doesn't matter. Because what I do remember is how happy they make me. They're adorable, and their characters are so loveable. I may forget who they are, but I don't forget how much I enjoy reading this series.

The real star of this one was the romance. It was so adorable!!! I mean, you've got the grumpy/grumpy trope and enemies to lovers. Throw in forced proximity and meddling family members, and it's perfection (especially when you add in the only one bed trope (; ) Claire and Tane were both so loveable on their own, and even better together! And I'm still not ready to give up. I could read a whole series about these two alone.

Like I said, I stayed up way too late reading this one, so that's it for the review. But really, if you've ever even considering picking up this series, do it. You won't regret it. There's nothing to regret. It's the perfect romp in a tropical destination with romance and friendship. I can't wait for the next book!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

TW: stalking, alcohol abuse/addiction

The Player in New Zealand drew my eye because I have travelled to New Zealand twice and love the country. Although I have never been to the North Island - where the book takes place - it did remind me of my lovely journeys through the South Island.

The book follows Claire who flew from Boston to Wellington to escape her stalker. In New Zealand, she is working in a bar on a temporary working visa. Tane is a retired rugby player due to an injury and owns the bar where Claire works together with his sister Nina.

Even though I am usually not a fan of Boss-Employee relationship stories this one was fine. The romance was fine as well. It was a nice read during my vacation. I liked the setting in New Zealand and the Māori aspects of the story due to the Māori love interest.

(Also, if your e-reader font is on Open Dyslexic, the word Māori will appear as 'Mflori').

I really enjoyed reading this book! As always Liz Alden manages to mix a really nice love story and the discovery of a new culture and a new country.
If you want to escape, spend a great time with a grumpy rugby player and a young American discovering New Zealand, this is definitely a book you’ll enjoy.
I loved Tane and Claire as characters and the way their relationship evolved all throughout the story. The rest of the characters were also well developed and I really want to know what happens with a certain woman !
If you want to travel, laugh and read a book with a bit of steam, you should definitely read this book !

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to the publisher via NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I am normally a sucker for sports romances but this one fell short for me. Just found me not caring deeply about our hero's. I did find it really funny though so I would defiantly keep it in mind.

I love when books start with the action. Claire is an American working at a bar in NZ. She is new to the job, and has a unfortunate run in with a unruly patron, who also turns out to be part owner of the bar she is working out.
Tane is a former rugby player, grumpy, and usually found drinking in a corner in his bar.

This book was super cute, which start as a meet-hate. 🤣 There is definitely an attraction between Claire and Tane and I enjoyed watching this story evolve. In also includes a little bit of fake dating and some steamy scenes.

I also loved reading about New Zealand, it’s is definitely a place I want to visit and even more so to see things mentioned in this book.

Melli’s Book Breakdown
🤍 heroine POV
🤍HEA
🤍former sports player Hero
🤍Fake Dating
🤍Grumpy Boss
🤍stalker ex

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a fun love story and a literary visit to New Zealand, which sounds amazing and gorgeous.
I’ve been reading some historical fiction lately, and I needed this light-hearted, happy book, the kind where you can sit back, relax, and take a mini vacation. It really cheered me up, I think we all need books like this from time to time.

This is #4 in a series but it feels like a standalone. It’s well-written and plotted, and the characters are fun and feel familiar. I happily recommend this book, 4.5 stars.

I’ve always wanted to go to New Zealand! Check out my New Zealand travelogue reel to see many of the locales in the book.

Blurb:

That surly ex-rugby player making a ruckus in the dark corner of the bar I work at? Yeah, I try to avoid him. Too bad he’s my boss.
I thought I was grumpy AF but I’ve met my match. Tane Parata has two moods when I see him in the bar he co-owns with his sister: grouchy in a dark corner or reliving his rugby days with a rowdy group that likes to cause trouble. I try to avoid him at all costs—the last thing I need is more male drama in my life after my stalker ex. He's why I came to New Zealand—to escape.
When my closest friend in the country—who happens to be Tane’s sister—asks me for a huge favor, I can’t say no. Now I’m Tane’s fake date to a family wedding, and it turns out he is trying to turn his life around.
Adventuring around New Zealand opens my eyes to more than just Lord of the Rings fandom and sheep. I didn’t expect to fall in love with the country…or Tane.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The writing was a little cringy at times but I still really enjoyed this book. I loved the chemistry between the two main characters and their relationship was great! This was the first book that I've read from this author and I think that I will check out some of her other works in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this eArc in exchange for an honest review.

I can't believe this, but I actually liked this one from Liz Alden. I read the 2 previous stories in this series and thought they were ok, #1 being so-so (especially it being what I read after the stunning Float Plan by Trish Doller, also about a gal at sea) and #2 feeling really forced and even less enchanting a read. I had actually considered giving up on this author, but this story and its characters were charming. I suppose the longer timeframe of almost a year in New Zealand smoothed out the relationship timeline as opposed to the shorter timeframes the other stories had while out at sea, but I truly think it was just a better story than the others.

this book had it all. I am a total fan of Liz books. I want to keep on reading them. They never disappoint. Must read.

This was also sent to me as an ARC, but I think it was just released last week! What a fun, sweet read.

Claire Bailey fled from Boston with some money borrowed from her sister, a visa, and a restraining order against her stalker. That’s how she ended up bartending at a nice bar in Wellington, New Zealand. One of the owners, Nina, is literally a saint. Her brother, on the other hand, is the other owner, and is not the best to be around. When they first met, she didn’t recognize him, and he was sloshed out of his mind and threatened to fire her. He did apologize the next day, but still remained quite the grouch.

Tane was a professional rugby player until a career-ending injury made him decide to retire early. Now he’s running this bar he bought for his sister, and he has all the access to alcohol a guy hoping to drown his sorrows could hope for. But, after meeting Claire, he isn’t so sure he wants to be the man he is when he drinks, and decides it’s time for him to quit. Claire and Tane bond as he starts his journey to sobriety—she makes him dry cocktails and explores other drink options for him, and he helps with the bar more. Things get a little blurry when he needs Claire to pretend to be his girlfriend for a wedding (CLASSIC!!!). With Claire’s vacation work visa expiring within the year, is it even worth pursuing a relationship?

I appreciated the content warnings at the beginning of this book, which are stalking and alcoholism. The alcoholism in this book is treated with care, and luckily for Tane, his recovery is linear with no major issues once he decides to stop. For many, it isn’t that way. Most people relapse at least once on their road to sobriety. But the importance of having an anchor and a support, as well as an actual professional helping you, is something we don’t talk about much. It’s important to get help not just from a loved one, but from a professional, too. On Claire’s end, the stalking storyline did seem a little anticlimactic considering how dramatic other parts of that plot line were. I also was a little nervous about this book because ‘slay’ was used unironically in the beginning… but Miss Alden delivered. It was great!!

Approved!✅

This book was a very fun and a quick read. It had me hooked from beginning to end. This was the first book I have read by this author, but it won't be the last! I highly recommend!

This was such a lovely book and I so enjoyed visiting New Zealand through the eyes of Claire. I thought she was the perfect grump and I most seriously want to be her friend. She seemed like so much fun and did a lot of the things I wanted to do like visit overseas after college.

Claire and Tane’s first interaction is the interaction nightmares are made of and I enjoyed it so much. Their gradual acceptance of each other and their growing relationship.

*Spoilers*

I thought that it was the sweetest thing that Tane went exploring New Zealand with Claire including to Hobbiton, (the one place which he wasn’t keen on). I loved how supportive Claire was of Take and helping him with his drinking problem and finding nonalcoholic options for him to enjoy. It was such an important block in their foundation as friends and then as a couple.

This has been one of my top reads so far this year.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️.5/5

Oh my gosh I don’t even know where to start with this!! I was in a reading slump for 2 weeks but I read this book in a day and a half!
It had me hooked right from the beginning and it had me smiling so much! Tane and Claire are absolutely adorable and the spice was amazing too!! I’ll definitely be reading more of Liz Alden’s books now
P.S. thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Liz Alden for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

❌Alerta de gatilho: perseguição/stalker e alcoolismo❌

Thanks the author for this ARC! Happy bookday!

The Player in New Zealand é um livro da série Love and Wanderlust e pode ser lido independente.

Ao chegar na Nova Zelândia, Claire começou a trabalhar em um bar e o encontro com um de seus chefes foi meio inusitado. Desde então, sua relação com Tane é um pouco complicada, mas aos poucos eles vão se fazendo confortáveis na presença um do outro, nascendo uma amizade.

Eis então que Tane precisa de uma namorada falsa para levar ao casamento e Claire acaba aceitando o papel. E é aí que as coisas começam a mudar entre os dois...

O que mais amo na escrita da Liz é como ela te faz sentir que está ali no local onde acontece tudo. Dessa vez, eu me senti teletransportada para a Nova Zelândia (o que também foi um tipo um gatilho pra mim, já que não consegui ir por lá durante minha estadia na Austrália, mas enfim...). É bem nítida a pesquisa que a autora faz sobre a cultura e os locais de onde suas história se passam e aqui não foi diferente.

Claire e Tane são ótimos personagens. Os dois são um pouco mal-humorados, mas enquanto Claire é bem mais extrovertida, Tane é mais reservado, ainda mais por conta de um acidente em seu passado que o fez finalizar mais cedo sua carreira no rugby. Os dois possuem uma boa química juntos, sempre de flertes e provocações.

Claramente o acordo era ser algo divertido e sem compromisso já que o visto de Claire logo vai expirar, mas sabemos que não é assim que a banda vai tocar. Foi bem legal acompanhar o relacionamento deles; a amizade espontânea, o apoio que Claire sempre apoiou Tane na decisão de largar a bebida, o modo carinhoso do ex-jogador...

A autora trata do alcoolismo de uma forma bem interessante. Tane é dono de um bar, então imagine a tentação... achei bem legal a discussão sobre bebidas não-alcoólicas e sua distribuição em bares. Outro ponto legal são os personagens secundários. Amei demais a Nina (irmã de Tane) e Iris (irmã de Claire). A primeira já tem seu final feliz, mas a segunda vem aí futuramente e mal posso esperar!

New Zealand is one of my favorite places in this world to visit, so anytime I see a romance set there, I can't resist it. Add in a hot former rugby player trying to find his way after retiring and a smart, no-nonsense bartender from Boston, and I felt like I hit the jackpot with this sweet and steamy romance. My only regret is that I'm not young enough to qualify for the one year NZ work visa that the heroine, Claire, uses to get away from a former friend turned stalker that was creating havoc in her life back in Boston.

Once in NZ, Claire quickly settles into a job, new friends, and dealing with her somewhat grumpy new boss, Tane. All is not smooth sailing, but Claire has a great attitude and a willingness to tackle her problems, while Tane starts to see that he is drinking too much and needs to straighten out his own life. Both are very supportive of the other and decide to live in the moment, and enjoy their combustible chemistry, without worrying too much about the fact that Claire's time in NZ has an expiration date. Of course, there's a solution to that problem, otherwise, it wouldn't be a romance. Add in some wonderful scenes in various locations as Claire (with Tane as her tour guide) explores various fun tourism spots, as well as glimpses of Maori culture, and you have a most enjoyable romance. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.