The Playmaker is a cute, entertaining romance novel that I deem would be best for young adults.

The plot is cute in that the love between Cameron & Maddie stem from childhood. Their childhood stories is super cute, especially the popsicle 🥰.

I will say, the plot is unoriginal & something I’ve read over & over again & it was very repetitive. However, I did enjoy seeing the development of the characters. How they basically grew up & needed to learn to be strong & capable adults.

✨Thank you to Netgalley, Wattpad & of course the author, Deanna Faison for the ARC! ✨

This a new to me author that discovered on netgalley. This story is brother best friends trope that’s as the fmc hating him due to how he treated her in her in high school. She is a book worm all but her studies while his on his wall to become the nest NFL star higher is party player. The premise of the story is the three of plus her best friend spending spring break together since they go to different schools. This story wasn’t my favorite the boys treated her in the beginning suck. Maddie decided to change and was to have a fun spring break but of course Cameron has to be the to protect and be the to show how it done . I’ve reads many stories with the same concept this one good but didn’t keep engage enough

this is a simple and enjoyable college sports romance! it felt like a grown up version of the summer i turned pretty. it is not anything revolutionary or special but i read it in a day so do with that what you will.

you might enjoy this if you like:
- college sports romance
- dual pov
- childhood friends (and brother’s best friend)
- open door spice

The Playmaker was a fun book! It was a little spicier than I feel like I’m used to and felt like a lot of the book focused on their physical relationship. However, I enjoyed Maddie and Cameron’s story, how their relationship came together, and especially how Cameron grew as a person throughout. I felt there could’ve been more character growth to Maddie’s story, and the ending felt a little rushed.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It was simply adorable. The story catches your heart and the humor makes you smile as you read. It was quite enjoyed, a brothers best friend with sports.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed and lovable. The pacing was perfect and left you wanting to read more. I can't wait to read more by this author!

Steamy and cute. However the storyline was not very original. I did enjoy the character growth in Mads and Cam. The writing was also well done. I'd continue the series.

💖 Sports Romance
💖Best Friend’s Little Sister
💖Childhood Friends

Playmaker shares a story of Maddie who got a crush on Cameron since she was young. Cameron happened to be her brother’s best friend. Maddie is home for Spring Break, something happened between them and they decided to take a chance and explore their feelings.

Well, this book was adorable. It got me smiling and giggling through the book. I had a good feeling since I first started and thankfully it didn’t disappoints me. I’m hooked with the story, writing and the characters. I’m rooting for both Maddie and Cameron. Their chemistry was amazing. It was easy to read and I really love Maddie and Cameron.

Brother’s best friend x sport romance, I couldn’t say no to them. Though I wish for more background from their childhood to make me understand more about their story.

Thank you NetGalley and the author for giving me this book to review for my honest opinion.

I LOVE football and this book was amazing! The characters, brothers best friend, all of it was a 10/10!!

I'm such a sucker for these sports romances, and this one was so cute (I also love the coverart and want it to live on my shelf). NFL, big brother's best friend, spring break, it's got all the best ingredients. It was originally a webnovel "My Brother's Best Friend" but has received some editing and updates. Oh and the spice!!

Thank you to NetGalley for the copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Perfect book for fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty without the love triangle, but with all the spice of your brother’s best friend.
This is not a “what in the Watypad?”, but MMC Cameron needs therapy.

I thought this would a sports romance, especially based on the cover, but it’s a friends - strangers - lovers story between FMC Maddie, and her brother’s best friend, Cameron during a two week spring break.

Overall, cute story. Could see this being a 90s/00s coming of age movie.

What kept this from being a 5 star read for me:
- V!rgin FMC who has magical natural skills
- Absent father with the purse strings
- Being a first round NFL draft but no scholarship??
- MMC needed therapy following his moms passing and his behavior and outlet was 🤢
- A “third act” breakup at 94%?!

TW: mother dying of cancer.

Thank you NetGalley and Wattpad for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would say this book was…fine.

Maddie and Cameron have known each other their entire lives, and Maddie has had a crush on Cam for nearly as long. However, a major tragedy completely changes the trajectory of Maddie and Cam’s relationship for six years…until Spring Break of Maddie’s freshman year of college.

In the span of two weeks (how can it only be two weeks?!), Maddie and Cameron go from not being able to be in the same room together to trying to find every excuse to be in the same room together. The problem(s)?? Cameron’s best friend is Maddie’s brother, and Cameron’s dad is handling their family tragedy by micromanaging every aspect of Cameron’s life in order to get him drafted into the NFL.

While the story itself kept me fairly engaged, the inner dialogue got quite repetitive. I also wish the flashbacks had been italicized or something like that to distinguish between then and present day.

Thank you, Net Galley and Wattpad Webtoon Book Group for giving me the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This book will appeal to fans of Elle Kennedy and Hannah Grace. The book is enjoyable and read quickly.

I DNF'ed at 67%. This book was something I thought I would really enjoy, but it was a lot different than what I was expecting. It was full of spice, and it felt like it was every other chapter. I couldn't handle there being no plot or chemistry outside of the physical aspects.

✨️eARC Review✨️

4.5/5 ⭐️
2.5/5 🌶

Cam and Maddie have been friends since they were kids until Cam pushes her away. Now they're all home for spring break and she's forced to see him since he's her brother's best friend and basically adopted into their family's yearly vacation. Cam is so tired of fighting his feelings for Maddie but is torn between taking the short time he can get or give her up to someone who can treat her right. Maddie had always had a soft spot for Cam and can't say no but will spring break bring them closer together or implode their loves even more.

Not only is this my first book by Deanna but I also go into most books reading nothing more than the blurb or tropes as to not spoil anything. When I saw the football cover and description on NetGalley I instantly signed up and realized it was so much more than just a cute and spicy football romance. Without giving any spoilers, Cam has been through a lot but has remained the fun loving playboy always taking care of everyone else, especially his dad. Vice versa, sweet Maddie is so sensitive to everyone around her and while she should be mad at Cam, she can't move on. I don't read many books where the MMC's of brother's best friend have tension rather than lust so it was nerve wracking yet refreshing watching Maddie and Cam rebuild their relationship. Aside from that, Cam also had some work to do on his relationship with his dad. This was such a sweet story and I can't wait for the next book!

Tropes:
✔️ College Football Romance
✔️ Spring Break
✔️ Brother's Best Friend
✔️ Friends to Lovers
✔️ Reformed Playboy
✔️ Friends With Benefits

"Playmaker" by Deanna Faison is a spicy college sports romance based on the Webnovel, "My Brother's Best Friend" initially published on Wattpad. The novel centers around college students, Maddie and her unrequited childhood crush, Cameron - hot NFL prospect and total player. It also doesn't help that Cameron is Maddie's overprotective older brother's best friend. The story kicks off after a their casual fling during Spring Break and continues as they start seeing each other as friends with benefits, sneaking around their families' back.

It's a New Adult sports romance with about childhood friends, friends with benefits, and best friend's little sister. I loved the romance between Maddie and Cameron and felt actual chemistry between them. I loved reading the flashbacks and going from each other's POV. The level and amount of spice was fantastic and it was such a read great read altogether.

Overall, I really enjoyed it and would recommend "Playmaker" to other romance readers who enjoy spicy college sports romance books. This was such a fun read!

….. this book WRECKED ME. I am deeply upset there is no epilogue. Also, what the heck is with leaving ALL THE HEALING TO THE LAST 5% of the book!?! I LOVED CAM and I LOVED MADDIE. I loved that the book seemed to be more in Cams perspective. It added a lot to it that I would have thought of. I also really liked Maya.

I would have liked to have seen more connection between maddie and her brother. I would have liked to have Maddie and Ethan to have specific scenes where they’re being rough with each other, or communicating more with each other to make her guilt have a stronger effect. (I may be biased as I have a younger brother and we are very close)

Okay now onto some notes I have.

I found the flashbacks confusing because there was no differentiating between the current timeline and the past. The format of the ebook was a little strange also, sometimes words were paced awkwardly. It was alright for the most part.


My best,
MJ

Ok yes everything is a big yes about this book. Also the cover is delicious I love a good best friends sister romance and then to top it off you have tons of "when they were young" style chapters and I love that as well. I feel like anyone whos read wildfire and Icebreaker will love this. Its very much sports romcom but with more smut in my opinion. I love it

I will be recommending Playmaker to romance readers at my library. It was fun story that I couldn’t put down. The characters were relatable and likable. Can’t wait to read more by Faison.

If college romances with brothers best friend football players is your jam, look no further.

I randomly stumbled across DEANNA post on threads a while back asking how to find ARC readers, so I did what any individual would do and went to her Instagram to read all about the book she was planning on releasing. Turns out it was a football romance that featured brother’s best friend. Say less. I signed up right away and was later granted an ARC from NetGalley.

This was a good debut novel. Overall, I enjoyed the plot and the tropes and the love that Maddie and Cameron had for each other.

It did feel a little rushed but maybe that’s just the case when the entire story takes place in under two weeks and not necessarily a comment on the story telling.

I occasionally had a hard time relating to the characters but maybe it’s just a sign that I’m becoming too old for college romances.

There were quite a few spicy scenes in this book but none of them were overly explicit. They were all pretty short.

A lot of this book felt predictable, but - isn’t that part of why we love romance novels? It did have a HEA and even had me tearing up a tiny bit at the end.

If college romances with brothers best friend football players is your jam - check out this book!

Plot: 3/5
Spice: 2.5/5