Steamy and Action-Packed but Predictable

Lora Leigh delivers plenty of heat and intensity in Play Dirty, blending steamy romance with action and suspense. The chemistry between the main characters is undeniable, and the passionate moments are written with Leigh’s signature style. The plot moves quickly, keeping the tension high with twists and danger lurking in the background.

However, while the romance and action are engaging, the story feels predictable at times, following familiar tropes without many surprises. Some character motivations could have been explored more deeply, and certain plot elements felt repetitive. Additionally, the pacing wavers in places, with moments that drag between the more thrilling sequences.

Overall, Play Dirty is an entertaining read for fans of steamy romantic suspense, but it doesn’t stand out as one of Leigh’s strongest works. A solid 3-star book—enjoyable but not groundbreaking.

I will grab any book by this author, sometimes just for the heat aspect :) Poppy saves Jack when she is a young girl and he is a young teen. He is abused by his father and hiding and she takes him home. When he grows up he joins the Navy and the SEALs. Now he is back in town and Poppy is all grown up. Danger abounds and she wants Jack and his mission is to take down the bad guys. Of course, there is a lot of sexy times so hang on to your pearls!

I was unsure when I started listening to this book. If it was something that I should listen to out loud or with headphones, definitely headphones is what I suggest if you’re looking for something scandalous, and to make you clutch the pearls.

I featured this book in a new release video prior to publication and was very excited to have a fun time with this! A lot of my friends are in the Navy and lmao I can't wait to talk about this when them. I'm sure this is going to a wild ride and I will update when my final review posts

I really enjoyed this story. It's suspenseful, full of action, and spicy. Jack is an OTT possessive alpha. Poppy is sweet and fiery. They are complete opposites but fit together perfectly. They had amazing chemistry and boy did they bring the spice. This story is gripping and addicting and I can't wait for more from this series.

The audio was fantastic. Brianna Bronte did a wonderful job bringing these characters to life.

Overall, the book was well written and I did really enjoy it. The narrator was great. Thank you for this advance copy!

Look. I don't normally read smut; I accidentally requested this book. So take my review with a grain of salt. Play Dirty combines steamy romance with suspense as Navy SEAL Jack needs to protect Poppy, reigniting their intense childhood connection. The chemistry between them is intense, and the mix of danger keeps the plot pretty engaging. A fast-paced, spicy read.

This was a gripping listen of a book and it is one that I enjoyed. I would recommend this one for sure,

Lora Leigh is known for her spicy stories and this book is no different. This is the first book that I have listened to-might not do that again-makes for an awkward drive when you have passengers!

I enjoyed this book. There was a good amount of suspense, steamy scenes, and intrigue. I enjoyed the love story between the two main characters and the ending was ok. Overall, a good read I would recommend.
There are a few triggers of SA and violence but nothing too graphic.

Jack has always been the one for Poppy, even when he didn't think he was good enough for her. So, when he comes back into her life she will stop at nothing the prove that they belong together, even if it means letting him protect her from an invisible enemy.

I was provided a copy of this Audiobook in exchange for a honest review. Play Dirty was a nice return to the Leigh universe, a Seal Universe, if you will. The book had all of the hallmark characteristics I look for in a Lora Leigh novel. Testosterone laden, Alpha male leads. They were also very heated moments of intimacy, another staple of Leigh's books. However, the book did feel fresh as if the formula had been tweaked to fit 2024. Overall this was an enjoyable return to an author I enjoy reading.

This was an unhinged romance. This was written really well. It follows 2 people who were friends when they were younger and then reconnect. It ends on a cliff hanger so I will definitely be wanting to read the next one. There's spice, there's a small age gap. I really enjoyed it.

I started this multiple times, but it never grabbed my attention. I ended up not finishing the audio. I’ve read other books by the author and loved them.

This was an absolute whirlwind. Leigh masterfully blends steamy romance with gripping suspense, creating a heart-pounding and heartwarming story. The childhood connection between Poppy and Jack, forged through acts of heroism, evolves into a complex, adult relationship filled with longing and unresolved tension. Jack's return as a formidable ex-Navy SEAL to protect Poppy brings their past and present crashing together, with danger lurking at every turn. While the storyline echoes the intensity of an erotic romance, it stands out with its unique blend of suspense and deep emotional bonds. This book kept me on my seat, eagerly anticipating the next installment.

It was….. okay? Great narrators who executed their jobs flawlessly, but the repetition in the language made me crazy. In one paragraph, we heard “the bar” 6 times. We went to “the bar”, and when we got to “the bar” the girls were at their regular table, in the back of “the bar”, and so on. The characters weren’t as fleshed out as I tend to like them, and some of their main motivations felt rushed. The storyline as a whole was actually pretty interesting, and I would have taken a closed door/fade to black romance just to have the story worked a little more. Likeable characters for the most part as well.
All in all, I’d probably carry on with the series, for the actual plot.

This is one of those reviews that’s a little hard to write. Play Dirty, being the start of a new series has lots of potential for some amazing things. However, in my own opinion, I felt that this one fell a little short. There are moments of the book that are absolutely captivating and invigorating, and while others just got a little repetitive through the middle chapters of the book. Poppy was an absolutely fantastic character. Jack, on the other hand. Could have use some work for me. He did grow on me but unfortunately this one just comes off a little short. A little less on the AI and a little more on the action and I think we would’ve had a winner with this one.

I really wanted to like this book but for some reason I just could not get into it. I think it felt a little too predictable to me but that’s probably a me issue.

It has been a long time since I've dived into a Lora Leigh book. I loved her early Breeds novels, but felt like they became repetitive over time and drastically needed an editor. I've dipped my toes into her other series as well, but soon drifted away from her writing. When this book was announced, I thought the start of a new books would be a great time to try her again.

Pros: It was fun to see past characters from the original Tempting Seals series making appearances (though they maybe took up too much page-time). And there's a great twist in the epilogue.

Cons: There is a lot of toxic masculinity in this book. A LOT. Along with casual sexism. And, if you've read Lora Leigh before, you know she prefers to include sexual assault of the female main character (not by the hero) in her books - and this book didn't get a pass on that one, unfortunately. And don't forget the coded language for the toxic masculinity! Ross the neighbor was portrayed as puny and whiny, sniveling on the ground while big, bad, muscly Jack stands over him threateningly. And Poppy blames herself the entire time. You know who is to blame? The one who chose violence in that moment.

When it came time to describe Poppy's friends and one was "wild and crazy" because she liked to dye her hair crazy colors . . . at this point, the book is so ridiculous that I couldn't look away. I need to see how Lora Leigh will try to top herself with the cardboard characters and outlandish storyline.

The narrator: I noticed a lot of people complained about the narrator, but I didn't have that many issues with Brianna Bronte's performance. I enjoyed her Southern accent for Poppy and her lowered voice for Jack was fine. It was not, however, ideal during the spicy scenes. It was almost laughable how awkward it was. While I like the narrator overall, I think she doesn't always hit the correct emotional points with Poppy. It's often written as Poppy being angry or hard, but she sounds wobbly and on the verge of crying.

After finishing this, I can firmly say that Lora Leigh and I are officially over. I won't be picking up any more of her books.

One of my favorite authors of all time, I LOVED this spicy and suspenseful romance. Poppy and Jack are childhood friends and later on, lovers. While I loved the story, I wasn't too keen on the audio version. As with all of this author's books, there is plenty of spice and suspense/mystery in the plot.
Thank you to the author and publisher for a copy of this audiobook!