This is good but the pacing of the book was super weird and as a result wasn’t my favorite way to read. I do love brother’s best friend and was incredibly happy with the angst and tension between the two.

Thank you to NetGalley and W by Wattpad books for giving me an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I am a sucker for brothers best friend and sports romance so picking up Playmaker was a no brainer. I don’t have a lot to say except that this was a fun read full of spice and witty banter.

Rating: 3/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: cute romance; happily for now ending; 3rd act break up; brother's best friend; steamy spicy scenes

Huge thank you to Deanna Faison, Wattpad Webtoon Book Group, and Netgalley for free access to this ARC. My review is voluntarily written and in no way altered or impacted by this gesture.

This was a super cute, spicy, and at times emotional read. There were some tried and true tropes-- the football jock and the book nerd being the biggest. The characters were realistically written and true to their stories, both surprising and not in turn.

The happily for now ending complimented the ebbs and flows of this story, partnered with the 3rd act break up. I felt like the characters were given adequate time and opportunity for readers to get to know them and their motives, but also for them to get to know themselves. This also helped the happily for now to feel realistic.

I had a fabulous time reading this, and would recommend it to lovers of brother's best friend romance and steamy love scenes.... with some friends to lovers thrown in for good measure.

DNF'd. Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me. I did not post to any websites as I didn't want to leave a negative review.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was a refreshing and captivating experience, and I found the writing to be both engaging and accessible. The story flowed smoothly, making it easy to stay connected to the plot and characters without feeling lost or overwhelmed. The author struck a perfect balance, keeping things interesting while still making the content feel approachable. Overall, it was a wonderful read, and I would definitely recommend it to others who are looking for an enjoyable and easy-to-digest book.

I wasn’t expecting a masterpiece but I had hope for an entertaining, attention keeping, fun story. This was predictable and like so many other romance stories. In the future I’ll avoid anything connected to Wattpad.

I loved this book. Could not put it down! Loved the dynamic between Maddie and Cam! The trope of raised around each other then falling in love as adults is one of my favorites. This was well written and really enjoyed it! Great job Deanna Faison!

Ok I have to preface by saying that I didn't love this book. Parts of it felt really rushed to me, and there wasn't as much character development as I would have liked.

tropes:
- sports romance
- "forbidden" romance
- best friends sister

themes:
- sneaking behind brothers back
- player/virgin
- longtime crush

I really genuinely love sports romances andw as excited about this book. I think the issue was that it felt more YA to me, but wasn't YA because of all the spicy scenes. Part of me wishes it went either FULL YA or stepped out and fleshed the "new adult" angle more than lusty teen angle. (For reference books that succeed in the new adult vein are the off campus series by Elle Kennedy, and Game on Series by Kristin Callahan). I didn't love how the FMC's brother reacted to his sister's relationship with his friend. The Spicy parts were good, and spicy, but if the book was more fleshed out I would've liked it more.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Maddie and Cameron. They have known each other for all their lives. Cameron is best friends with Maddie’s brother. Maddie has had a crush on Cameron for a long time. Cameron has had feelings for Maddie. There is an attraction. They decide to have friends with benefits. Their feelings change they fall in love.

brothers best friend AND sports?
immediately sold.
this was a quick and easy read for me.
but most sports romances are and if you’re a fan on them.. you’ll love this one too

Thank you so much for the arc! This book was a fun, quick read and I enjoyed it! I absolutely love sports romance books, so this book drew my attention immediately! More in depth review to come!

Brother’s best friend? Sports Romance? Count me in.

This was a fun read! The whole forbidden brothers best friend sports romance dynamic was fun to read and I enjoyed. The writing style wasn’t my favourite and seemed a little young but other than that, I enjoyed!

Deanna Faison’s Playmaker is the perfect blend of forbidden romance, brother’s best friend tension, and steamy sports drama, making it an irresistible read for fans of Icebreaker and Tessa Bailey’s signature rom-coms.

Cameron is the hotshot NFL prospect with a reputation both on and off the field. Maddie, once crushing on him, has since moved on—until Spring Break throws them together, and their casual fling quickly turns into something neither expected. Sneaking around behind Maddie’s overprotective brother’s back? Dangerous. Catching real feelings? A total game-changer.

💖 What I Loved:
✔ Brother’s Best Friend Trope – The delicious tension of sneaking around while trying to resist undeniable chemistry? YES!
✔ Fiery, Independent Heroine – Maddie isn’t just another girl swooning over a football star; she’s smart, ambitious, and knows her worth.
✔ Cameron’s Growth – Watching the classic player struggle with real feelings and fight for what he wants? Chef’s kiss.
✔ Spicy & Emotional Balance – The steam is off the charts, but the emotional depth makes it even better.
✔ Fast-Paced & Addictive – You’ll fly through the pages, rooting for Maddie and Cameron while swooning at every stolen moment.

If you love forbidden romance, sports heroes who fall hard, and the perfect mix of spice and heart, Playmaker is a must-read! Grab this book and prepare for all the feels!

It's giving second chance romance and he falls first and is a player (see playmaker) but he's down BAD for this girl. I love the dynamic between the characters and the brother's best friend trope. The scenes are HOT. There were some moments I defintiley had to set the book down and breathe. I also love that it's set during spring break. I would 100% take this book to PCB or any little beach vacation. Perfect for spring breakers or summer romance readers. Ideal for those who can't wait for summer and need the feeling of sunshine even though it's 40 degrees outside. It's a quick read and you won't want to put it down. However... it's also easy to put down for a few days and pick it right back up.

There is a paternal loss that happens outside of the narrative so just a trigger warning for the discussion of loss and how that effects a person's motivations.

Spicy -- STEAMY, OPEN DOOR, FULL STEAM AHEAD. HOT HOT HOT. & so well done. If it matters how human anatomy is discussed during intimate scenes there's no weird terminology.

Honestly wasn’t my favourite sport romance, I was hope for more about the sport. The writing was
Quite juvenile. I kinda wish I dnf it!

Playmaker is a sports romance that’s both sweet and steamy. Faison blends sizzling chemistry with an engaging plot, making it an addictive read for romance fans.

Playmaker is an interesting brother's best friend romance. Maddie is back from college for spring break and is fighting her attraction for her brother's best friend (and her former friend), Cameron. Cameron has never felt he was good enough for Maddie and knows that his best friend would kill him if he even fooled around with his sister. They secretly start dating and eventually out themselves while realizing how they truly feel about each other.

⭐️ — 3.5/5
🌶️ — 2.5/5

Playmaker checked so many boxes for me. I signed up based on tropes alone — brother’s best friend, childhood crush, AND forbidden love? Um yes, thank you.

The FMC Maddie was difficult to love at first, though she did grow on me over time. I found myself so frustrated with her choices and actions at times. The MMC Cameron was equally frustrating — every time his inability to have any type of relationship got more and more frustrating. To be honest, it helped built the angsty vibes of the book so I completely get it, I just found it so frustrating.

Overall the book was enjoyable. Some of the triggers/content warnings may be dealbreakers (completely understandable) so please check those out prior to reading.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley, and Wattpad for the advance copy of the book — all thoughts in this review are my own.

Playmaker was the perfect Sunday contemporary binge read! Fast paced, flirty, and smutty, and who doesn’t love the brothers best friend and childhood crush tropes?
Fun to read an authors debut that started on Wattpad.

Thanks for the arc NetGalley and Wattpad!

love me a pining, brother’s best friend, secret crush book so much and this one definitely didn't disappoint.

There is just something about a story where the main characters feel like no one would understand their connection.

I definitely felt it though & I know anyone else who picks this one up will too!

The tension & spice is straight 🔥