I wasn’t sure what to make of this story. Did I enjoy it? Kinda. Would I recommend it to someone? Ehh probably not. Why? Because I honestly don’t know what I read. The plot was kinda hard to follow throughout and it just seemed a bit all over the place. Partly due to the changing of pov mid chapter. The sub plot lines were a bit too unrealistic to me to make me believe the events taking place could be real situations. The book is spicy however I wasn’t a fan of the lack of consent in the bedroom. I mean did I miss where she said yes to being tied up while she slept or something? I don’t know it came off weird to me. Unfortunately this story wasn’t for me.

I generally enjoy Laura Lee romances because I like the combination of suspense and steamy scenes. Jack and Poppy have had a connection since childhood and now Jack, who is an ex seal is back to both protect poppy as well as deal with a situation with AI. There is definitely, an intricate plot, which keeps you guessing about who is the bad guy throughout the book. The suspense does not take away from the development of poppy and Jack’s relationship. It was interesting to see how Jack was balancing his work commitments, while struggling with the fact that he’s keeping secrets from Poppy. Poppy and Jack have great chemistry and this is a true, romantic suspense book
Comment

This book is infinitely better and hotter than fifty shades of grey., I will tell you that. I read this book with legs crossed. I loved how different our main characters were and how their personalities meshed. Despite knowing each other their whole life, they never acted on their feelings until years later. So there is a good dose of angst and yearning.

There is also a forbidden aspect to this romance so if that is your jam, knock yourself out. This was my first Lora Leigh book but it’s definitely not going to be my last. Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for generously providing me an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was almost 5 stars for me, but the ending left me a little confused and I felt the pacing was off some. Other than that, the story kept me wanting more! This is book one, so I will read the second when it comes out. Also, Brianna Bronte did a great job with the narration!! There should be a trigger warning as there is a scene at the beginning of the book where the FMC is captured and mentions sexual or attempted sexual assault. There is also mentions of murder and torture.


Tropes:
Friends-to-Lovers
Military/Seal
Second Chance Romance

First thought: An intriguing storyline. If you’re looking for an action packed, morally grey, dark romance this one’s for you.

Poppy saved Jack when he was 14years old. Then a few years later he rescued her when she was being attacked. He was always there for her, to protect her and keep her safe. Poppy knew she was in love with him that day and will always be. But Jack knew she was too innocent and couldn’t be his.

Now years later Jack many years serving in the Navy Seals he was just given a mission that would take him back home. Him and his team had to intercept a deal and recover a new form of Artificial Intelligence, that threatened the safety of all. His connection in town would be Poppy as she worked for the men secretly brokering the deal. He however couldn’t let her know his mission and to do that he had to play a part and in doing so would betray her.

But when Jack got to town he couldn’t resist Poppy, she was everything he craved and his need to have her and protect her would make this the hardest mission of his life.

This was the first book in a series so after reading the epilogue I can see a vision, but this one just needed a bit more for me and it missed the mark. I don’t do half stars but it was a 3.75⭐️

Literally Themes you’ll find:

* Morally Grey
* Ex Navy Seal
* I’d Kill For You
* Secret Mission
* Artificial Intelligence
* Your Mine
* Dual POV
* Dark & Spicy 🌶️

Play Dirty was a great read. I always love a romance that has a suspense and mystery. I love that way that Poppy always showed Jack how much she cared, even when it was hard. And despite all the things that Jack went through Poppy was always there in his thoughts and his care. The trust that Poppy always had in Jack was endearing, even when her brothers didn't trust him.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing group for this arc in return for an honest review. First, Lora Leigh was my girl growing up, I absolutely loved her books. So the fact that Ian made a cameo appearance??? Sign me up instantly for this book as well as the rest of the series.
The relationship between Poppy and Jack from such a young age is so sweet, especially when they were children. It’s obvious from the get-go how much they care about each other the entire book and are willing to stick their necks out to protect the other. We love a “mine” trope.
There were parts I didn’t like, such as the main conflict which felt jumpy and very confusing at times. The end felt rushed, but again the way it ended definitely set up the premise of the rest of the series.
All in all it was not my favorite work of hers, I mean nothing will ever compare to Nathan in Wild Card, but it was a good return to the hardened SEALs storyline. I will definitely be reading the next in the series when it comes out.

Thank you @brambleromance #partner for the free ebook and physical book!

What it’s about:

When Poppy was a young girl she meets and saves a young boy, Jack. He has grown up in a tumultuous environment and Poppy just knows he needs help. As they grew up Jack and Poppy always had a undying but unspoken love for each other. Jack goes away and becomes a navy seal. All is not safe on the home front and Poppy knows Jack is back and will always keep her safe! Will this finally be the time where they can be with each other in a relationship or will the danger be enough to split them apart?!

Thoughts:

This is a new author for me and I will admit way more spice and steam than I am used to. I liked the relationship between Poppy and Jack as in the fact that it started when they were young and seemed to always have a place in their heart for each other. I liked the Navy Seal side of the story where big bad burly man comes and saves the girl. I will say however I found myself cringing at the steamy bits. Maybe it’s because I don’t normally read books quite like this one but between the throbbing and pulsing body parts I found myself thinking it was a bit too cheesy for me. It is related to 50 shades and I am not so sure I agree with that assessment. 🫣 I had a hard time believing some of the characters reactions to things as well which made it hard for me to become completely invested in this one. Not sure if it’s me as this one is out of my comfort zone a bit so if this sounds like your jam, give it a try!

Play Dirty is a dual POV romance focused on Jack, an ex Navy SEAL and Poppy the girl-next-door who has loved him since she was a little girl. All grown up, Poppy is mixed up in a dangerous situation, which brings Jack back into her life.

I usually enjoy romantic suspense but I’ll admit this was hard to get into. It jumped between POV’s at random, sometimes from paragraph to paragraph which made it difficult to follow at times.

Shifting POV aside, it just really wasn’t for me. The suspense plot line was too unrealistic and the spicy scenes definitely needed more discussion/consent (ex: she wakes up tied to the bed with sexual acts already in progress- with no agreement beforehand). I wanted to like this one but it just wasn’t the right fit 🤷🏻‍♀️

Not the book for me but other readers might enjoy it! You might like this if you enjoy:
✔️ Possessive MMC
✔️ Virgin FMC
✔️ adventure/suspense

Thank you to @netgalley , @brambleromance and Lora Leigh for a chance to read this suspenseful romance.

Read Dates: 02/10/2024- 02/12/2024
Goodreads review: 02/12/2024
Instagram Review: 02/13/2024
Blog review: 03/26/2024

Was really excited for this book going into it, and the tropes really interested me!
I did like how fast paced this book was and how quickly it got into the story and how the relationship between the MCs developed.
There was however a few bits that threw me through a bit of a loop and bumped down my rating.
I will definitely be checking out more of Lora’s other pieces of work though.
Thank you for the opportunity to receive and read this ARC.

I enjoyed this story from the beginning to the end. You get to see the characters development when our main female character was a scared girl who wanted to experience the world and had a terrible childhood experience shape her life and her guilt! Poppy oblivious to what is happening under her nose and choosing to always see the best in people, her rose colored glasses. Our main male, the rough around the edges type, changed into a strong and levelheaded male, still protective of Poppy after all these years and remembering the guilt of that fateful night. Yet, he can’t turn away, hating himself for lying to the first person who ever showed him kindness.

Can these two fight and handle the tension between them? Will the mission keep them apart? In the end, more is at stake than they realize.

This is no slow burn ladies and gentleman, this is a fast paced, straight to good stuff kinda read if you know what I mean.

This book has an easy to digest plot line, characters that stir up complicated feelings, all whilst maintaining the wonderful vibes of a small town romance. ‘Playing Dirty’ is great for those that want to dip their toes into the darker side of romance. It isn’t ‘dark’ per se but it is on the deep grey side of romance, it does touch on complex topic such as attempted sexual assault, ‘murder’ and possessive/dominating men.

There is an element of AI that drives the plot, and for me this had me questioning whether I would enjoy this read in full. However, on the off chance you are like me and don’t always love robotic elements in your romance, trust me when I say although it is an important element to the plot it doesn’t impose on story in way that makes it feel too sciencey.

Read this beauty if you like:

- A little action with your romance
- Possessive/ protective MMC
- Morally grey male characters
- Childhood friends to lovers
- Small town
- Touch her and die energy

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the ARC.
Poppy and Jack have a history since he was around 14 when she saved him in a dark alleyway. Now he's a strong man an ex Navy Seal and he's back in town on a black ops mission and of course to finally see and be with Poppy.
This is a tense and gripping black ops book with hefty spice and romance in it. Jack is in love with Poppy and she is with him, only there are so many things that try to keep them apart. One being the mission he is now assigned to and her brothers trying to deter Poppy.
What I loved about this book was the main focus on the Black Ops part which is why I selected to read this book in the first place, followed by the romance. There is a lot of smut in the book and at times I was a bit over whelmed by it, especially with the whole age gap scenario and the fact that Poppy was still an innocent young woman. I kind of was a bit off balance with that element.
It does sell itself as a friends to lovers, girl next door trope there is no mention of age gap and it's a trope that I tend to struggle with hence a four star v a five start rating. I think that it needs to be included as a trope.
However, the book is an exciting read if you like black ops, it's extremely well written and the author included great depth of character for the MMC + FMC which I always feel strongly about in a book.
The romance was beautiful and soft and I'm happy with how this ended.
What I loved the best, however is at the end there looks like there could possibly be a second book coming out. I mean, I may have this entirely wrong but in my opinion it's definitely left open for the black ops Navy SEAL element of Jack's character so here's to hoping
Kerry Kennedy Author

Jack, an ex seal has returned to town on a mission. It is a mission that will require him to lie to one person he cares for, Poppy. Poppy works for the company he is investigating. This is a good romance with suspense and a few twists that will keep you guessing. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

This was not what I expected. The AI portion of the book really threw me for a loop. Once I grasped that, I was able to enjoy the book. While it didn’t knock me off my feet, I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. It ended on a cliffhanger and I am needing to know what happens next!

Loved it! Play Dirty is the first in a new series by Lora Leigh. It gave me solid vibes of her earlier Nauti series and I enjoyed all of it. The novel spans the life of its main characters Jack and Poppy, from the day they met, at 14 and 7, through to adulthood and present day. Over the years, they have always been drawn to each other and each has saved the other at some point, which you will get to read. When Jack returns home, seemingly dishonorably discharged from the military, they find themselves right back into the push/pull of their relationship. Poppy is a firecracker and so much fun. Jack is the broody bad-boy that Poppy can’t help but want.

This was my first foray back into a Lora Leigh novel in a long time and it won’t be the last. I very much enjoyed this story. The author does not shy away from some very tough situations and I felt they were handled well. I read this book as a combo of e-book and audiobook and thought both were solid. The narration is excellent and definitely comes across as true to the story. Highly recommend this book and new series. I already can’t wait for book 2!

Described as "Fifty Shades of Grey meets friends to lovers," this story follows Jack, an ex-Navy SEAL, as he returns to his hometown. This story is packed with emotion, suspense, great characters, and lots of steamy scenes. Jack, a troubled but protective man, has always shielded Poppy since childhood. His tumultuous past and military experience make him willing to do anything for her. Poppy, the quintessential good girl, has loved Jack unconditionally since she found him in a vulnerable state. Their love is put to the test as Jack's secrets threaten to tear them apart. With the added obstacle of outside opinions, their happiness is at stake.

I had higher hopes than what I got out of the book. I’ve really enjoyed this author in the past but struggled with this book for some reason. I will still give her another go in the future though. I think it was just a fluke release for me.

Play Dirty is the first book in an new series from author Lora Leigh. I really liked having the history between Poppy and Jack developed up front and not trying to guess what happened between them when they were younger. It was easy to see how the chemistry between them as adults was so much stronger than just a physical connection (although there were some very steamy scenes!). My only real complaint was Poppy's annoying brother who seemed to have a hate on for Jack even as kids.
The twist at the end has really got me wondering where the series is going to go!

I got 20% through the book and had to DNF it. I really tried to continue but I felt as the book was jumping to scene to scene without any background context. Then there randomly there was context about AI. I just didn’t understand