DNF- Cute cover, but not my type of romance. The writing is lacking. I recommend maybe going back to the beginning and rewriting everything to make it digestible.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

First of all I love the cover. It's perfect. I read this book via Net Galley. This is the first book I have read from this author. I flew through this brothers best friend story. Maddie and Cameron are adorable together. He almost makes his move but chickens out when they are young but a week later tragedy strikes and Cameron changes his focus. Once the final blow comes he is emotionally wrecked. He pushes Maddie away thinking he was doing the right thing. He starts high school blowing through girls and playing football to cope. Maddie can't move on from her feelings for Cameron. They are both back in town from college for spring break and back in each others lives for a couple weeks. They find a way to be friends but can they find a way to be more? They have a lot of obstacles to overcome but the they will get there.

I really enjoyed this book. There was quite a good amount of spice and angst. I really loved Cameron's personal journey and how he was able to move through his grief and how Maddie was so strong throughout for him. So many good tropes with this book too! I wish the author would've given us an epilogue for a few years down the road, but the ending was sweet even without.

I really thought I was going to enjoy this one. I like sports romances and having a brother’s best friend trope together was something that could’ve worked. Unfortunately, this was just not for me at all 😬

There is so much more smut than plot. And that’s fine if people prefer it but I really do mean there was nothing else but smut in this. I read it thoroughly for the first 25%, but quickly started skimming past everything because of the flat storyline. By the time I hit 50%, I was only reading every other dialogue scenes and that was it. Every scene with Maddie and Cameron is them fighting, getting turned on by each other, doing the dirty, and something comes to break them up. Literally anything—Maddie getting turned off by not being his first, Cameron saying he’s an expert at everything sex, his football maniac dad, Maddie’s brother, etc. It was so repetitive and had no substance at all. Even the deep, personal scenes felt so flat and empty and forced like it was just there to contrast (not effectively) with all the smut. There was so much telling about how badly they cared for each other and how they couldn’t stand to be away from each other, but my goodness. It felt like it was being thrown in our faces with no subtlety.

Maddie was a very flat character. There was so much telling versus showing about her life. We’re told she studies so much to be an oncologist and I just didn’t feel anything personal with that because it was all told, not shown. It didn’t make me want to root for her. She was really annoying, too. Her best friend, Maya, literally warned her about hooking up with Cameron and not wanting her to get hurt (valid, you go, hun) because he is such a playboy and uses sex with girls as literal therapy??? (stated multiple times, fyi. If that’s not a red flag I don’t know what is 🚩🚩🚩 And what does Maddie say? She says it doesn’t matter if she gets crushed in the end because at least she had those moments with him. But then spends later scenes moping about how she wasn’t his first, other girls turn him on more, etc. She just makes the most questionable decisions for herself and it’s frustrating. I can’t root for you like this, sis.

Cameron might be the most frustrating and annoying MMC I’ve ever read in a romance before 😤😤 Every single page is about how he has sex with so many girls and how he’s known for hitting-it-and-quitting-it (his words, not mine) 🤢 He gloats so much about how he’s hot and knows it (literally states he cannot even count how many girls have said he’s hot, as cocky and unbelievable it sounds to us readers). Also he’s so possessive and not in a good way. Like borderline creepy and wanting to be near Maddie and have sex with her and kiss her every moment, but not wanting to get attached. But also struggling with having feelings for her. Am I supposed to support him? He literally says he wants to hear her say she loves him, but says he doesn’t want to say it back because he’s too emotionally detached. LIKE PLEASE 🥴🥴 And I know cancer is awful and trauma can really get in the way of building healthy relationships. But this boy literally uses it for every single thing! The trauma-dumping and using it as a valid excuse was really bad in this one.

Also this needs to be said, but he mentions becoming physically aroused so many times by Maddie that it’s just ridiculous the way he describes it. It’s always “my dick this” and “my cock that” and OH MY GOD. He mentions it so many times figuratively and literally that his own dick could be a supporting character in this book 🙄🥴 Like why does he need to tell us what his dick is doing every single time? I wish I was lying but I’m not. I could write paragraphs about how much this boy got on my nerves. This is the one romance book where I didn’t even want the two main characters to end up together.

I know Wattpad books have a notorious reputation for being not the greatest quality, but there are gems on Wattpad if you look carefully. This is unfortunately not one of them. Everyone is written like they have the mindset of middle schoolers, the dialogue is so forced, the heart-to-hearts are awkward and dull. The main characters have no chemistry, all they do is bang and snap at each other for the littlest things. Everyone is superficial in dealing with their problems and I was so over them being immature literally at the 40% mark. I honestly think my favourite part of this was the cover.

If you like smutty books that have 0% plot in them, superficial characters, flat scenes, a poor storyline, and continuous references to what the MMC’s dick is doing every other page (in case you wanted to know); try it.

Otherwise, I would save yourselves a lot of time and find something else to read. My goodness.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group | W by Wattpad Books for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!</i>

1 star!

Tropes:
Reformed Playboy
Childhood friends to lovers
Brother's best friend / Best friend's little sister
Sports Romance
College romance

Maddie is a dedicated FMC who is studying to become an oncologist while Cameron is preparing for the NFL but Cameron is also the best friend of Maddie's brother, who happens to be the same boy with whom she has harbored a childhood crush on. The book begins with instant animosity between the characters, hinting at a enemies to lovers vibe, but the sexual tension between the two is palpable. One night leads to another and the two can't keep their hands off of each other.

Sooo I have a few issues with this book. I've read what seems like hundreds of sports romances by now but they still have underlying plots for it to be unique. This seemed unoriginal and very 2012 wattpad. It actually reminded me of Icebreaker- just spicy sex, no plot. They also kept saying how undateable this guy was and but yet there was no reasoning for it and I definitely did not need to read about it constantly. I get it, he sleeps around (which btw, it's 2024, it is very okay to do this). Lastly, it seemed like the author threw in 50 different tropes and tried really hard to make it work, and it just couldn't.

Thank you to NetGalley, Wattpad, and Deanna Faison for an ARC of this book for an honest review.

Such a wholesome and nice read. It reminded me a lot of The Deal by Elle Kennedy, but I still enjoyed.

At the beginning, with all the banter and Cameron trying to break through Maddie's facade I had so many butterflies in my stomach and it hasn't happened in a while, while reading a romantic book.

It was nice to see how these two moved from being enemies to lvers, even though they've never been enemies. The character development was actually good even though some parts felt a bit rushed, like the last three chapters.

I'm really curious to read about Ehan and Maya, eben though everyting happened pretty much in this book.

Thank you Netgalley and Wattpad for letting me read this book for an honest opinion

✨3.5 stars/5✨

This was a cute and quick read. It definitely has some spice but I wish the characters were just a little older. I liked the tension between the main characters and when they were together I appreciated how they acted with one another. I feel like some parts dragged on and there was a lot of miscommunication too. It was a decent book and I’d recommend to anyone who likes sports romances!

Playmaker by Deanna Faison is a captivating read that I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish. This book had me laughing, on the edge of my seat, and shedding a tear all within the same chapter. The chemistry between Maddie and Cameron was truly captivating, and I found the flashbacks to their younger years particularly engaging. Faison struck a perfect balance between plot development and romantic tension, and the well-crafted characters made it effortless to become emotionally invested in their journey.

Thank you to W by Wattpad Books for the eARC.

Did Not Finish.

I admit this one was not a winner for me, I DNF’d.

Cameron is kind of a douchebag and used grief as an excuse to be an asshole to Maddie. But also of course he is her brother’s best friend so he’s always around—and despite the fact he wants/cares for Maddie, he sleeps with every other woman in sight?

I’m too old for that nonsense. USE YOUR WORDS, KIDS.

Also, and this is extremely petty of me, but Maddie hasn’t ridden a bike since an accident as a very young teen. But she’ll just jump on a bike and ride because Cameron asks her to? Girl have some self-respect.

Sorry but no.

Playmaker was a super cute story. This brother's best friend trope was well done.
Cameron was a playboy but he was always different with Maddie. She brought out the best in him and I loved that.
Surprisingly, there wasn't a lot of football in this book. I could have went with a little more about the game but others might enjoy the lack of sports talk!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I would love to hear more about their story in the future but I would also LOVE to read Maya and Ethan's story next!

Playmaker follows childhood friends Maddie and Cameron. This is your typical brother’s best friend, playboy, soon to be NFL player romance.

Nothing really stood out to me good or bad. Just meh.

If you enjoy these tropes and want a quick read, this book is for you.

Thank you NetGalley and wattpad for the ARC.

Playmaker is definitely the romance story you’re looking for. It has all the best tropes including enemies to lovers, forbidden love, brothers best friend and second chances.

Playmaker is a sweet and very spicy story about a friendship that was ended too soon. Maddie is in college and home visiting when she realizes her brother’s best friend (and her former friend) are home too. Cameron is set to be picked up by the NFL any day now. He’s gorgeous and absolutely knows it. He uses women to fill that hurt that he’s had since he was a little boy. His number one rule is no relationships. When Maddie realizes there is something there after six years of not talking things start to heat up. This spicy romance has all details for those who love “romance scenes”. It’s also a story of finding healing. Every one handles death and heartache in different ways. Is there one right way to make it all better? As the characters grow and learn more about themselves and each other you’ll be hooked to see how this relationship ends.

Thank you Deanna Faison and NetGalley this read in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this sports romance! I thought the pacing of the book was really well done, and I enjoyed the development of the romance between the two characters. This book was definitely a lot spicier than I expected it to be, but I do not think it was out of place for the story line that it was supporting. This book touches on a few more emotional topics without going to in depth into the topics. I highly recommend this one for anyone looking for a fun, fast-paced football romance.

Thanks, Wattpadbooks, for the arc!

(3.5 stars rounded up) I’m in my sports romance era, so the cover of PLAYMAKER by Deanna Faison 100% called to me with its cuteness. Maddie and Cameron staring at one another gives me all the feels of the moments they stare at each other in the book. And the book has a lot of teasing and sensual eye contact!

I was invited to the Wattpad Webtoon Book Group 2024 Influencer Preview in August, and Faison was a special guest! She spoke about the novel and answered questions from those of us in attendance. I loved hearing how PLAYMAKER went from being set initially with the characters in high school on Wattpad to having the characters aged up to college in the novel published by Wattpadbooks. You can tell that Faison put a lot of work into editing her story to age the characters and tweak the plot points to make sense. I think there were a few times that language or actions seemed a little high schoolish. Still, when I was in my first few years of college, I wasn’t suddenly a sophisticated colligate speaking eloquently with the obscure words from the Oxford dictionary.

Spoiler warning: The virgin trope is not one of my favorites. I’ll read them, but I don’t actively search for them. I like how it was handled in this book and how patient Cameron was with Maddie. But I HATED how it was after the fact, and it became this big thing, “but I took your virginity,” over and over again.

A significant content warning is a cancer death off the page; the grief aspect from it is handled in an excellent way. Faison really shows how grief can affect people differently and how grief is not linear - one person’s ride with grief can cover all sorts of pathways.

I liked PLAYMAKER. It entertained me, and I look forward to more from Faison. There weren't a lot of sportsball, but there was a lot of spice, which I’m okay with!

PS—On a personal note, this took me from 8/19 to 9/28 to read. It should have never taken me that long. I liked it way more than letting it take over a month to read. I’m not a fan of MMC’s name, so I just had to pace myself.

Content warnings: cancer, familial death, gaslighting, emotional abuse

This novel presents a familiar enemies-to-lovers trope, but it often feels juvenile in its execution. The narrative centers around a young protagonist pursuing their brother's friend, which diminishes the tension and depth typically found in this genre. While there are moments of charm, the subtlety of the romance leaves much to be desired, making it more akin to a playful crush than a compelling relationship. Overall, it's an easy read, but it lacks the emotional resonance and sophistication that would elevate it.

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: HFN
POV: dual 1st person
spice: a few open-door spicy scenes
TWs: mild bullying, cancer, cheating, death of a parent, emotional abuse, manipulation
Kinky Content: boob job, car sex, cumming in pants, eyes on me, finger licking good, fingering, grinding, hair pulling, manhandling, mirror sex, nipple play, oral, outdoor play, praise, public play, shower sex, virgin
standalone: standalone
final thoughts: this was a cute story. There was a good amount of angst, secret relationships, hidden secrets, grief, and pining which made the story interesting and had me needing to know what happens next. Honestly it lost some stars for the first half of the book having open door scenes between the MMC and other characters- I hatedddd it. I’m okay with the reformed playboy trope but I don’t like reading open door scenes where both MCs aren’t involved.

read this book if you love
😬 angst
😆 banter
👦 brother’s best friend
💞 childhood crush
🏫 college setting
🤩 curvy FMC
📅 dual timeline
😳 forbidden lovers
🏝️ forced proximity
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 found family
🤜 friends-to-frenemies-to-lovers
🛁 he washes her
🤫 hidden secrets
🧠 “it’s always been you”
🛏️ “it’s just a fling”
💞 mutual pining
😎 reformed bad boy
🤐 secret relationship
👦 she falls first, he falls harder
🏈 sports romance (football)
💔 third act breakup
💳 virgin
👕 wearing his clothes scene
👕 wearing his jersey scene

I really enjoyed this sports romance! It contained tropes including childhood friends to lovers, dual pov, flashbacks, open door romance. I loved watching Maddie and Cameron's relationship develop. Their chemistry was so sweet and addictive. The story is sweet but don't let that deceive you, it is also spicy. I loved it.

Thank you Wattpad and Deanna Faison for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Loved the main characters and their chemistry, the plot kept me engaged and wanting more. character development was okay. the tropes are right up my alley so I couldn't go wrong reading this. love that it had some spice to it

This was poorly written but i tried to push through, only to be totally turned off by the whole "I've cheated on lots of girls but I wouldn't cheat on Maddie" bit. Terrible main male character that I have no interest in reading about.

Maddie is a character that I can completely relate to as a person who is more of a homebody than a party goer. This is a great story about hiding from grief, longing for happiness and love, and trusting that working through the tough parts will eventually get you to the best parts of life. I'm looking forward to recommending this!