“𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦, 𝘑𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘴,” 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥. 𝘏𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘦. “𝘐 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”
4-4.5⭐️

This story was the cutest, perfect summer read! Ali Hazelwood's academic characters and setting meets Elena Armas's brand of goofiness, slow burn and banter. Add to that all the forced proximity, grumpy sunshine, one car, he fell first, mutual pining tropes and you got yourself a winner for the season.🫰

Sophie is a baseball expert working for the Red Sox. After a PR fiasco, she tries to rebuild her image taking a temporary job with a boarding school's athletes program. But she gets invested in the lives of the kids, teachers and entire setting and what started as a short program to tie her over until she could get back to the big city and big league, turned into a lifestyle she doesn't want to leave behind.

Then there is Jonas (a total mouth-watering mystery, since the book is only in her POV) - ex major piano player, who can't play professionally anymore and throws all his talent and enthusiasm into the school music program. Grumpy, aloof, testy, rude, but with a secret cinamon roll heart. Also, HE HAS AN ACCENT. *cue swooning*

𝘏𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘮𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘰𝘯, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘮𝘢, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮.

So of course, banter, tension, shenanigans, close calls, work rivalry and all that goodness ensue. Especially when topped off with a very fun, witty and meddling set of new roommates/friends.

I loved Sophie'a voice from the very first page. She is smart, caring, feisty and never backs off from a challenge. I loved how despite the lighter feel of the story, she always took her job seriously and we got some very realistic and interesting views on health situations.

These two had amazing chemistry and were a treat to follow around the campus (or on their impromptu roadtrips).

It's fade to black Romance which I honestly didn't expect considering all the intense chemistry and sexual tension but still sweet and hot. Overall a really fun, feel good book!

*thank you berkley for the ARC!

This was kind of the most adorable book Ive ever read? I really liked Hubscher’s last release so I was excited to read her new installment, but you never know how it’s going to turn out! Both of our lead characters were flawed in their own ways, but so willing to grow and learn. And their relationship with each other was just so perfectly written and played out in a way that fit them beautifully. I wish Jonas had a perspective mainly because I’m obsessed with him. AND NO THIRD ACT BREAKUP AND UNNECESSARY DRAMA! That may seem like the bare minimum but I’ve found it hard to find books that are just simple love stories as of late. This was a perfect read for me. Also, a great book to recommend for new readers or younger readers that are now transitioning into adult genres!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙟𝙤𝙗 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙖 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙀𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙤𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡, 𝙨𝙝𝙚’𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙚𝙣 – 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙗𝙮 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙚𝙨.

📍 Read if you like:
• Sports & Music
• Enemies To Lovers
• Grumpy/Sunshine
• Forced Proximity
• Friend Groups
• Opposites Attract

Oh man, this was such a delightful and heartwarming romance. I loved the forced proximity when our main character, Sophie, gets a job in a New England boarding school - the only issue is her roommates are all men, and Jonas is not too happy about it.

There are a huge amount of sports and music references throughout the book. It was so interesting seeing opposites attract with both hobbies. I’m not too familiar with baseball, nor the Red Sox, but I enjoyed the talk about it.

Jonas is such a grumpy character, but it was so heartwarming to see his feelings for Sophie develop throughout the book. They’re so different from one another, but it was fun following their chemistry.

There were a few serious topics throughout the book I wasn’t expecting: ill parents, medical content, abuse, family situations, grief, and the amount of pressure and stress one can get.

I loved the found family/friends, each one of the roommates had something unique and interesting about them. I wouldn’t be opposed to each one getting their own story.

The only issue I had with the book was that it’s completely told through Sophie’s POV. I always prefer to get dual POVs when it comes to romances, however, I did wish we got a POV from Jonas. I do think his character was developed so well, so it’s not super underwhelming - I just prefer dual POVs.

This was such a fun read, I enjoyed the setting and amount of music/sports references. I definitely think the characters themselves are worth the read, and the amount of chemistry they have with one another. I enjoyed this one and can’t wait to read future books from this author.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Berkley for the review copy in exchange for my honest review!

•𝗧𝗪/𝗖𝗪: Medical Content, Medical Trauma, Chronic Illness, Grief, and Death of Parent

PLAY FOR ME was a really great, slow burn with a woman in STEM and pro sports! I absolutely loved Sophie. She is smart, caring, and has a bit of a temper. Her absolute passion for hr job (and Red Sox baseball) is so sweet.

Jonas is all grumpy-ass hotness. I really loved his back-story and how these two came came together and not only helped each other, but came to love each other.

The hate-banter is on point and PLAY FOR ME unfolds with perfect pacing. I really loved how the story was paced and how slowly and genuinely the relationship between Sophie and Jonas evolved.

And the other two roommates? I adored them so much. They were the perfect pair to move this story along and I came to love them with my whole heart.

And yes, PLAY FOR ME, did make me tear up a little at one point. A rare feat with my cold, dead, heart. This story has sweetness and hope and a connection forged through music and found family.

PLAY FOR ME is a great read! I recommend it, especially if you love music, sports, nostalgia, and a grumpy+sunshine romance.

“If not for his cold, unfriendly attitude and the fact that I’d crossed an invisible line I hadn’t even known existed, I might’ve found him handsome. But he was just a man who did not like me- Join the club, I wanted to tell him. People who detest me: Jonas Voss and ninety-nine percent of the population of Boston.”

Sophie Doyle has her dream job as the head athletic trainer for the Boston Red Sox, but when she loses her team their chance at winning the World Series, not only does she lose her job, but she also becomes the most hated person in Boston. With no job and no place to live, she takes a job at a boarding school where she meets Jonas Voss. He’s a cold, aloof, and grumpy music teacher with a difficult past who Sophie wants to melt his icy exterior to find the man beneath the façade.

I think this is another solid book for Libby Hubscher. Is it something that is going to stay with me? Probably not, but it was an enjoyable read, nonetheless. I liked how dimensional these characters were. I felt like I knew their fears, dreams, and insecurities throughout the story, and the author kept peeling back layer after layer until both were exposed to each other and to me as the reader. Their relationship made each of them better. Sophie became more understanding and found her place in the world by helping Jonas and his students with their injuries, and Jonas found strength in Sophie to play piano after he believed he would never be able to again. There was no unnecessary drama or third-act breakup, and it felt like two adults choosing to make each other a priority in their lives.

What stopped it from being a five-star read? There were a few moments when they were in the middle of a crucial moment in their relationship where they would move past their will they/won’t they phase, but the chapter just ended and left those moments unresolved. It was in very special moments when their relationship could have moved to the next level that she did this, and it cut short some moments where I believed magic was about to happen.

If you’re a fan of books by Chloe Liese and Ali Hazelwood then I think that this may be something you will enjoy.

~ Michelle

Play For Me by Libby Hubscher was a swoon-worthy, emotional, heartfelt read - just beautifully done - and I absolutely, highly recommend it.

This was a sweet read for those who love the opposites attract/Grump and Sunshine trope in their romance novels. Sophie is down on her luck, having lost her job and boyfriend, and must take a position at a small arts school to build herself up. One of her roommates is the orchestra leader, Jonas, who looks down on her because of her lack of arts interest. There's a lot of back-and-forth trope-filled goodness here, and while I found Jonas to be unnaturally rude often, it still satiated my desire for a romance.

“Play for Me” is a great read set in a boarding school in Vermont. I loved the setting, it was part of the characters’ journeys and I don’t think I’ve ever read a romance in that setting before.

Sophie was let go from her dream job as the athletic trainer for the Boston Red Sox after she refused to clear an injured pitcher. The team and the fans blame her for losing the World Series. She needs to get out of Boston and takes the athletic trainer’s job at a Vermont boarding school.

She has to move in with 3 other teachers, one of whom is Jonas, who is the head of the music department. He thinks that sports are taking up valuable time when the kids could be practicing, and Sophie believes that kids should play sports if they want to. What Sophie doesn’t know is that Jonas was a world famous pianist sidelined by a physical ailment.

As the semesters go by, each of them starts to appreciate their students and each other. They need to resolve their differences before their feelings grow even stronger.

I liked this book a lot and highly recommend it. 4.5 stars.

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

I enjoyed this book so much! There is a deep comparison between the athleticism of those who play sports and those who play music. I never thought about how musicians needed to focus on keeping their bodies in as good of shape as their minds.

There are so many relationships throughout the book that I enjoyed! Friendships, budding romances, and father/daughter to name a few. If you’re looking for a quick, fun read with a unique storyline, definitely add this one to your list!

What’s inside:
- grumpy/sunshine
- workplace romance
- slow burn romance
- LGBTQ+ reference (supporting characters)
- strong female MC
- HEA

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Sometimes a book speaks to me more than the average reviewer for some reason. Play For Me was one of these. I loved this book. I liked the characters and the story though maybe some of it was a little harder to believe, like how easily Sophia cures Jonas. I liked the grumpy to sweet hero and the spunky, accomplished but down on her luck heroine lines. I was so touched by their relationship.

I found this read very intersting. I can recommend it to anyone who likes to see love conquer so much.

Thanks to NetGalley, Berkley and the author for the ARC.

“When her new job takes her to a New England boarding school, she’s surprised to find her roommates are all men – including a very handsome one who plays by his own rules.”

There was a lot to like about this book. I enjoyed the sports/music similarities, the setting (Can I get a job there?), and the secondary characters.

The main love interests weren’t my favourite. While I LOVE Grumpy/Sunshine, I found both were all over the place. Other than her her dad calling her Sunny, there wasn’t much to go on. Jonas, similarly, was less Grumpy, more Mixed Signals.

Also, I don’t love the miscommunication (non-communication, really) trope and I wanted to bonk their heads together and get them to TALK ffs.

At least there was no Accidental Pregnancy?

While I was underwhelmed by this story, I’m definitely interesting in more from this author. Maybe Astrid’s story next?

6/10

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed Play for Me! Sophie was an interesting main character. I loved the tropes. The writing style was great and it was paced really well!

read if you like:
- enemies to lovers
- forced proximity
- grumpy x sunshine
- one bed trope

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the ARC!

I am such a fan of Libby Hubscher. Thank you so much Berkley Romance for granting me access to this title!

Last year, Berkley Romance introduced me to Libby Hubscher, with If You Ask Me. Getting access to her latest novel was a surprise and such a gem of a read.

I loved the setting for this novel. There's something charming about a boarding school of sorts. I don't want to attend one, but nonetheless it makes for a nice secluded setting. I enjoyed the duality of what it means to play and the ongoing battle of which aspect to dedicate your time and efforts to, sports or arts. Is this not an age old dilemma? I was required to play at least one sport and do at least one form of art as a child. I eventually found myself leaning more into the arts, but I am grateful my parents (particularly, my mom) pushed for me to explore all my options. This book brought me right back to those "arguments" about quitting swim or how badly I didn't want to do musical my senior year of high school.

Sophie Doyle had her dream career, but after a major MLB scandal, she's feeling untethered. When a job opens at a boarding school as a trainer, she can't possibly turn it down. What she finds in New Hampshire is not at all what she expects. Suddenly, Sophie is forced to grapple with what does make her happy and how she wants to lead her life moving forward. Along the way, she makes some absolutely heartwarmingly delightful friends, and maybe just maybe she'll wear down that curmudgeon Jonas.

There are so many relationship dynamics in this book and I appreciated them all. I was particularly gushy about Sophie's relationship with her dad. It's beyond endearing. I also found the book to have such a beautiful way of conveying the art in what both Sophie and Jonas do. I don't find books that often move me, but there was something special about Play for Me that made me tear up at times.

⭐️: 4.25

I absolutely adored this book! I have been in a terrible slump for the last several weeks and this read pulled me right out! This is only my second read by Libby and they’ve both been hits for me so I’m incredibly happy!

I loved everything about it! Jonas and Sophie stole my heart! I loved the clear communication between all these adults. The optimism and support everyone had for each other! Yes Jonas stars out a little grumpy but that’s okay he has a good reason I think? Haha!

The story and plot was super clear from the beginning. I didn’t feel like things were rushed or left out! I wasn’t confused about anything and the ending was beautiful. The only thing is I wish it would’ve been in dual POV! I would have loved to know what was going on in Jonas’ head, especially after everything we learn towards the end! But anyway that’s my personal preference! Definitely give this one a read guys!

Thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing and Libby Hubscher for the arc!

Set at a prep school in New England, Libby Hubscher’s new novel Play for Me follows Sophie Doyle, an athletic trainer, who has just been fired from her dream job with the Boston Red Sox. Sophie had recommended that their injured star pitcher not play, which cost them a World Series title, and it did not go over well with Red Sox Nation. To add insult to injury, Sophie’s boyfriend, the team doctor, kicks her out since her recommendation contradicted his. Needing both a job and a place to live, Sophie takes a job at a prep school in New Hampshire. Here she can lay low, regroup, and come up with a game plan on how to get her job back. What Sophie doesn’t realize is how truly life changing this experience will be.

I adored Sophie from the moment we see her bean a rabid Sox fan in the face with a cannoli after he spits on her food. I loved her feisty spirit as well as her determination to find a new path forward after getting fired. I also really liked how she took it in stride when she finds out she’ll be rooming with three male teachers at the school due to an unforeseen housing issue. She makes fast friends with two of them, the most adorable gay couple ever, and they become like brothers to her. The third roommate, Jonah, a surly music teacher, is a different story. From their first meeting, Jonah is gruff and rude, and makes it all too clear he doesn’t want Sophie there. Or is something else going on there?

If you enjoy romances that feature tropes like enemies to lovers, grumpy sunshine, forced proximity, and he fell first, as well as lots of witty banter, you’re going to love watching Sophie and Jonah in action as their relationship evolves from hilariously awkward to something so moving that it actually brought tears to my eyes a few times.

I truly loved everything about this book, but something that especially stood out for me was the found family vibe at the school. Sophie gets the love and support she needs and she also pays it forward to the students she coaches, particularly a charming young man named Tyson, a gifted musician who also happens to have one of the best pitching arms Sophie has ever seen. That found family vibe isn’t just at the school either; Sophie’s dad also creates a found family of his own, by treating all of Sophie’s friends as if they were his own children. It was so sweet how they all forged relationships with him and would call him for advice and to chat. He and Sophie are also very close, and their heartwarming, tender moments were some of my favorites from the book.

Play for Me is filled with lovable characters, a swoony enemies to lovers romance, and just so many wonderful “found family” vibes. It’s truly a heartwarming gem of a book!

I really, really liked the grumpy/sunshine in the beginning of this. But around 30% I feel like it lost all momentum and the tone changed, like the author suddenly decided we needed to see all of Jonas's soft and squishy insides all at once. And that really killed it for me. Hoping to love her next better!

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkeley Publishing for my complimentary e-arc of this book. All opinions here are my own.

4.5/5 stars

This is a contemporary romance that focuses on both sports and music. It was absolute perfection!

The narrator is Sophie (1st person POV). She has her dream job as head athletic trainer for the Boston Red Sox baseball team. But something happens and she ends up at an arts focused boarding school in New Hampshire.

I honestly could not put this book down. I just enjoyed everything about it! Jonas was such an interesting character. And the romance was so good.

But my absolute favorite thing was the supporting characters. Sophie's best friend/famous actress Astrid was perfection. Tyson, a kid that Sophie works with was everything. Sophie's fun kind roommates Andy and Revi added so much to the story. But the best character was Sophie's dad who has Parkinson's and lives in assisted living. Their relationship is probably my favorite fictional father/daughter relationship. It was everything!

I also adored Sophie's job as athletic trainer. It was so interesting to see her do her job. It was such a different job. But I loved it so much!

Overall this book made me feel so much. There were some fun moments. But the book also deals with some serious topics. This is definitely one of my favorite reads of the year. I absolutely loved this book!

Play for Me
by Libby Hubscher
Pub Date 20 Jun 2023
Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley
Romance
#PlayforMe #NetGalley

Summary
When her new job takes her to a New England boarding school, she’s surprised to find her roommates are all men – including a very handsome one who plays by his own rules.

Sophie Doyle has her dream job as the head athletic trainer for her favorite baseball team (go Red Sox!), a handsome boyfriend, and easy access to the finest cannoli in Boston. When she loses all three and the World Series to boot, she’s forced to apply for the open trainer position at an arts-focused boarding school in New Hampshire. The only available room is a glorified closet in an apartment with three guys: Jonas Voss, the aloof and attractive orchestra teacher, and his two rambunctious roommates.

My Thoughts
💕-This book caught my interest because of the unique description of the main characters. I enjoyed Play for Me as it was a cute, easy romance. The book reminded me of the romcom movie Fever Pitch - the movie with Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon - set in Boston with a baseball theme if the movie had some artistic high schoolers and tall moody concert pianist.

Like the movie - the characters in the book Play For Me are so different from one another. Their differences overshadowed the romance for me but the reverse stereotype was unique. I especially loved the roommates and the menu at the dining hall! The author did a wonderful job drawing parallels between athletes and musicians.

The serious components of this book centered around parent child relationships including parent’s illness and troubled upbringing. These areas of conflicts added conflict in the story and allowed the reader to find another connection to the characters.

I would recommend this book to avid baseball fans and musicians alike who enjoy an easy to read romance.

How do you feel about the grumpy sunshine trope?

I don’t mind this trope when it is done nicely, and in this case it was. I feel that almost every trope is good when well written. There is just something about the writing style that can make or break any trope.

After a huge blowout professionally, and personally, Sophie finds herself as the Athletic trainer for a bunch of privileged high school kids in New Hampshire. When she meets her roommates, two of them meet her with open arms, but the other is just rude. Sophie is up for a challenge though and sets off to not only win her roommate over, but also teach these kids a thing or two about sports with her sunny disposition.

This was a slow burn, closed door, grumpy-sunshine romance book. I really enjoyed that Sophie was an athletic director as that is a male dominated field – nice for the female rep. I loved the sport aspect of this book. The characters were so well written – it was great! Their chemistry was apparent from the beginning of the book, and I loved it. I with that the pacing on this one was quicker – I found it dragging and difficult to get through at times. I loved the banter in this book as well.

Grumpy – sunshine isn’t necessarily a trope I seek out. I usually prefer friends to lovers, but this one was so cute. This book had the most amazing side characters. A loving dad, a movie star best friend, and a pair of gay roommates. Each character was well developed and played nicely in the story.

If you are looking for a book that is sure to make you smile, then check this one out June 20th.

Thank you to the publisher Berkley Publishing, @berkleypub, and Netgalley @netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think this was an issue of wrong time to pick up the book. It has all the elements I love in a book - semi enemies to lovers, grump/sunshine trope, forced proximity/roommate trope and it had sports and music! But it just didn't work for me. I didn't feel a connection with the book and I'm not sure why. The writing was good and it was an easy read, but it just didn't click for me. I'm going to pick it up again in the future and hope that it was just an off week for me since all the ingredients were there for a great romance.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.