I personally struggled a lot with reading Play Dirty.

This book may not be for me, but I can see others enjoying this book if you're looking for a quick read and like a bit of darker romance.

The main reason I really struggled with Play Dirty is because Jack is way too much of an alpha-hole. I'm typically okay with alpha-holes in books, but Jack comes off really, really controlling, possessive, and condensing when it comes to Poppy.

The steamy scenes felt really awkward, to be honest, and I just felt like there was no chemistry with Jack and Poppy outside and inside the bed.

Jack and Poppy did not seem fleshed out well and was definitely more on the one-dimensional side. The plot did not have much progression, and the big bad felt like it came out of nowhere.

As I said, this was not for me, but that does not mean you will not enjoy it, and I do think a lot of people will end up enjoying Play Dirty.

Very odd book. Didn’t quite understand the plot it was going for? Listened to it as an audiobook and did NOT like the narrator. Also didn’t like the accents she gave them. Very annoying. Big red flags on the guy. Hated how they used the word “claim.” Ending had a lot of guts and gore that wasn’t not expected?? Weird book and weird premise. Not good writing.

I felt like this book wasn't meant for me. If you like romance with less character development and more "world saving" plot, this book is for you. I found I didn't find any of the characters believable. I just don't see how someone who was just raped and murdered her attacker would be ready to kiss her crush while she's still has her attacker's blood on her. I think after that scene, I had a hard time believing any of the characters behaved in a realistic way.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc audiobook!
I’ve always loved Lora Leigh’s books, this was no different! The storyline was great, had some twists along the way and kept things interesting. The spice was so good! Only downfalls were the narrator attempting the male voice was odd and the ending left me slightly confused. Overall a great book!

The childhood relationship was cute and all the history they held together made their connection even better and more welcoming—the characters genuinely like each other.

This one wasn’t for me at all, but I can imagine others liking it.

Try it out if you like:
✔️ instalust
✔️ LOTS of open door steamy scenes
✔️ ‘touch her and you die’ vibes
✔️ infantilized FMC (who somehow is still described as independent though)
✔️ military/SEAL/secret ops
✔️ underworld crime families
✔️ melodrama
✔️ evil AI

The twist with the AI at the end was definitely the best part of the book, but it wasn’t enough to make it a great read for me.

What didn’t work for me:
🖍️ baby vibes around the FMC during sex scenes, which just ended up feeling DDLG to me and squicked me out
🖍️ MMC’s entire life is dedicated to FMC but we don’t see why - he loves her, but why other than that she’s a cute redhead? Her family was great to him when he was a kid, but that’s not her specifically…
🖍️ wattpad vibes, like his eyes being described as ‘grey orbs’ (which always just makes me think of disembodied eyeballs you can see from all angles and um, that’s a different genre)
🖍️ plot progression

Thanks, NetGalley and Bramble, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The cover and description for Play Dirty sounded great and immediately drew me in. I thought Brianna Bronte was a great narrator and really brought the story to life.

However, the story was a bit chaotic for me. I liked the way the author wrote the MCs and I’m always a fan of a possessive hero! If you’re here for spice and smut, you’ll love Play Dirty! I found myself blushing a few times while listening.

Though I really enjoyed the relationship between Jack and Poppy, the whole AI storyline felt like it was all over the place and didn’t have a natural flow. The epilogue was also incredibly confusing for me.

Overall, I liked this audiobook but don’t think I’ll be continuing with the series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Lora Leigh for an advance listening copy. These are my honest thoughts.

Poppy has been saving Jack since she was 7 years old, and Jack has clung to her kindness ever since. Their dynamic is unexpected. Even though Poppy has spent her life waiting for Jack to come back, she isn’t a pushover which is all I ever want in a FMC. The steam in this book was top notch, and paired with the element of Jack’s mission, this is a very compelling story.

This small town, friends to lovers, suspenseful, good girl/bad boy, dark romance was a delight to listen to. The audiobook was narrated by Brianna Bronte. She did an amazing job with character portrayal.

This story was full of action, emotion, suspense, and steam. Can't forget the steam. This fast paced romance left no stone unturned when it comes to Poppy and Jack's love story. This was far from the typical dark romance I've read. Lora Leigh did a great job with storyline.

This book does leave us hanging on with the epiloge alluding to a next book. Readers beware. But it also gives us more to look forward to.

Thank you to Lora Leigh, Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the chance to listen to this book in return for an honest review.

Play Dirty
Tempting SEALs: Triton #1
Lora Leigh

Poppy saved Jack’s life when she was a kid. His dad was a mean drug addict, an abuser. Poppy begged her parents to let Jack stay with them, but her father had refused the end result ended in a death. She may have just been a child, but she loved Jake deeply and never stopped. He joined the Navy and became a SEAL. He knew he loved her, but he didn’t feel worthy. A tragedy brought them closer together and yet farther apart. Jake’s life has been filled with violence from his childhood through his years a a Navy Seal. After killing three men that were raping and killing women he was arrested and jailed. His talent is needed by the government. They offer him a way out of jail if he completes a difficult assignment. One or both of the men Poppy is employed by are drug trafficking and money laundering. They or he has moved up in the world to accepting AI parts that when put together will create be an artificial intelligence killer. Jakes assignment is to find the killer. When he returns to town he claims Poppy as his own; he is determined to protect her no matter what it takes.
The author grabbed my attention from the beginning of this book and never let lose. She takes us back and forth through different periods of time. This book is like an onion; there are layers that are peeled back to expose reasons that lead the characters and mold the direction of the narrative. Parts of this book are very steamy. The language is rough. But the plot is magnificent.
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy for review purposes. As always my reviews are my unbiased opinions.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this audiobook, and I was completely surprised! This is a spicy second chance love story, however it also has an interesting military plot. It is the first in Lora Leigh’s Tempting SEALS: Triton series. And what a suspenseful, intense, sexy, and crazy ride! Poppy has been in love with and waiting for Jack since she was 9 years old. After years of visiting home from time to time but keeping his distance, he finally gives her the attention she’s been craving, and it isn’t quite what she had always dreamed of. This book kept me highly entertained from the very beginning. I thought the narrator, Brianna Bronte, did a fantastic job! I listened to it in one day, I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait for the next book in the series! Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC. My review is my own and voluntary.

Thank you @netgalley, @macmillan.audio, @lora.leigh & @torbooks for an audio ARC & physical ARC of Play Dirty.

Release: March 26, 2024 (4*)

The spice level was OFF THE CHARTS with this story! I love spicy books, so Play Dirty was perfect!

I love that Poppy & Jack had such a strong connection from very young ages (7 years old for Poppy). It did not progress to anything further until Poppy was in her late teens when they shared a kiss. And now, Jack has returned & they just can’t stay away from each other or their hands to themselves. The backstory & connection between Poppy & Jack really makes this book a standout. It is set at a quick pace, which will allow you to literally fly through this book. I do believe it is part of a new series, so I cannot wait to read more! My one & only teeny tiny irk was the overuse of the pet names. It was cute at first, but quickly became annoying. That is just me though since that type of thing irks me in real life, also. If you’re in the mood for some spice, add this to your TBR ASAP!

QOTD: If you read spicy stories, what is the spiciest book you’ve ever read? If you aren’t into spice, what is your line that separates what you are comfortable with & what is too spicy for your taste?

Synopsis Quoted: “She saved his life when they were kids & then he saved hers. When she became a young woman, Poppy knew she would never love anyone the way she loved Jack Lee Bridger.

But after a near tragedy, Jack left home to become a Navy SEAL & Poppy knew there wouldn't be another like him. Not for her. She remembered the way it felt when he looked at her with those smoldering eyes. The way he kissed her. Touched her...

Now it's years later & danger is dogging her footsteps & Jack is back.

And Poppy knows that he will do anything--absolutely anything--to keep her safe. She trusts him to protect her body, but can she trust him with heart?”

#Romance #Smut #Dirty #Fiction #Adult #Audiobook #Audio #ARC #Review #March #2024 #PlayDirty #LoraLeigh #MacMillanAudio #TBR #AudioReview #Bookstagram #Booksta #Read #Books #Bibliophile #BookSlayer #Navy #Seal #NavySeal #Series #YoungLove #BooksofIG

Play Dirty by Lora Leigh

Narrated By Brianna Bronte

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley

This is not an easy book to write rate or review.

In the romance part of the book - it’s basically the opposite of Darynda Jones’s Charley Davidson books.

There are a lot of things wrong with this book - the condescending language, controlling demeanor, the crass bedroom language, the over-possessiveness, and more that is all in the same vein. It is basically a set up for a truly horrifically abusive relationship.

The sweet, kind, protective, loving stuff is great.

The Navy Seals stuff is great.

The A.I. stuff is less than believable and a bit too like I, Robot.

I think the author tried to portray a gruff, rough, hardened man that is part criminal and part hero who falls in love. And, that could have been accomplished without the mental and emotional abuse.

This also had some 50 Shades of Grey stuff thrown in. It was highly erotic, but seemed just wrong due to the abusiveness. There were no safe words, no confirmations of comfort.

I have trouble saying whether I like this book or not. It rubs me the wrong way, but it was at least interesting.

As for the narration - it wasn’t great, but it wasn’t bad either. I think that’s has more to do with the material being read than the narrator’s talent.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this ARC.
The description sounded interesting and this was my first book by this author, but I don't think it lived up to the hype. Narrator was decent but this was nothing unique to the story. The spice was 5/5 so if that is what you are looking for you won't go wrong with this.

Format: Audiobook


Performance: I really enjoyed both voice actor and actress however sometimes during the smutty scene the way she moans out words really drove me nuts (and not in a good way).


Review:
I cannot wait for the second book. I have to say that this book ending drove me crazy and that being said I will be watching for more info about it. I got this book as an ARC on Netgalley and really enjoyed the audiobook format. This book had the right mixture of smut and plot, which is something I really look for in books. Poppy and Jack had something so special and it sucks that it took so long for them to come back to one another. Not only is this book romance but it does have some sci-fi vibes when you get towards the end of the book. I do have to say in the beginning of the book it took me a while to get things straight but once I did I really was hooked.

Another great series from Lora Leigh with hot ex-Seals!!!

They saved each other at different stages in their lives. Poppy Porter never forgot Jack Lee Bridger. And he never forgot her.

Jack went away and became a Navy Seal. Now years later he's back when Poppy is in trouble. And Jack will do whatever is necessary to save Poppy once again.

This is a great beginning to a new series with some hot, sexy ex-Seals.

This story’s mmc, Jack Lee Bridger, is a Highly Decorated Navel Seal operative. Basically a High Functioning Sociopath, with no empathy. And he finds himself looking at life in Leavenworth prison, for taking care of people who don’t deserve to be here. As he sits a waiting his Court Martial trial. Jack is offered his freedom if he will take on an highly dangerous assignment.
I can’t wait to see we’re this story goes next.

Thank you so much to @netgalley for the chance to review this book! I am a fan of Lora Leigh, and Play Dirty did not disappoint. Check the trigger warnings - this is a spicy book! This is kind of a sexy second-chance romance with a lot of danger thrown in. Jack Lee Bridger was Poppy's crush when he was younger. She had saved him at one point in his childhood and he grew up to rescue her. He went away to become a Navy SEAL, and is sent back to their hometown on a secret mission. He doesn't want to hurt her, but he can't stay away. A LOT of steamy scenes - one small downside was that some of the verbiage became slightly repetitive, but I could not put Play Dirty down!

Brianna Bronte's narration was excellent.

Small town
Suspense
Dirty talking alpha male
Friends to lovers
Morally grey
Good girl/bad boy

Audio review
Narrated by: Brianna Bronte

This story has it all. Emotion, action, suspense, great characters and a lot of steam. Lora Leigh is top notch when it comes to alpha heroes.

Jack has been through a lot in his life. He is a bit unhinged but is a protector. He has always protected Poppy from the times they were kids until now. His childhood was violent and his time as a navy seal was violent. When it is time to return home, all bets are off. He claims Poppy as his. He will maim and kill for her.

Poppy is the good girl. No one would expect her to be anything else. She has loved Jack from the moment she find him hiding, beaten and cold. She tried to help him and always looked out for him. When he came back, her love was just as strong,

Things get hit and heavy quickly. Jack has secrets that can destroy his relationship with Poppy. Everyone has an opinion and not everyone will let them be happy.

The is a great start to the series and will make everyone eager to read the next installment.

I listened to the audiobook version of this title.
Narration 2/5
The narrator attempted the male voices. They were creepy. Jack talked in a low grumble or gruff voice. The Narrators attempt to lower her voice and make it rough sounding ruined all of the male parts. She even struggled with the different female voices. Having more than 1 narrator would have made this book bearable.
Steamy content 5/5
Whoa Jack has skills. Very graphic, well described. Smutty. That was the only good portion of the book
Overall 3/5
This was a Sci-Fi Romance. The background on the main characters was well thought out. The mission, other characters, everything seemed to get jumbled together and I had to reread about 20% of the book. The ending was so bad it was comical. I couldn’t wait for it to end.