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 🔥

It’s a good time. It’s steamy, smutty best friends brother. I had fun! It’s not my favorite in the entire world, but it’s a fun grab and quick read.

The cover of this book completely drew me in, and I’m so glad it did! I’m such a sucker for a brother’s best friend romance, and this one delivered. The main character was fantastic, and I absolutely loved seeing a curvy girl represented in a sports romance, too! Oh, and the spice? It was spicing! So well-written and ridiculously hot. While I’m not sure if this story will land on an HEA, the HFN works, in the end I wish there had been just a little more to the book overall. Still, I really enjoyed reading it!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Wattpad for this ARC!

I think I liked the premise of this book a little more than the actual book?

I love a brother’s best friend book and a reformed playboy, but I felt like the smut to plot ratio was off (aka too much smut, not enough substance). It also felt like a lot of the same scene being repeated in different flavors until the end.

That being said, I did enjoy Maddie and Cameron as characters themselves. There were definitely scenes I was giggling and some that I was swooning.

Overall, an okay book that I think some people might enjoy, but wasn’t my favorite, and that’s okay!

"Playmaker" by Deanna Faison is a solid read that blends sports, romance, and some serious chemistry between the main characters. The story follows a star football player and a smart, determined woman who’s not just another love interest. I really liked the pacing—it kept me hooked without feeling rushed, and the relationship development felt genuine. The steamy moments were on point too, but it wasn't all about the romance. There’s depth to the characters, and I appreciated the personal growth they went through. A few moments felt a bit predictable, but it didn’t take away from the fun. If you’re into contemporary romance with a sports twist, definitely give this one a go!

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this book. Who does not love a good romance.. Sports romance. Yea i know i love them one of my favorite to read about. Even though im not a avid football watcher of the NFL i still enjoyed reading a romance about a player. The cover first caught my eye then the fact that it was a sports romance i was sold i didn't even have to know what it was about those got me hooked to read it right away. Then i was not disappointed reading it. I loved that i went into this book not knowing what it was about. I recommend and would very much purchase this book and read again and gift another someone just to read this story. IO wish i could rate this book a 6 stars better then that a 7 it deserves all the praise.

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

I know I'm behind on my reviews, but life happens and I am on the ball now! I read this in July 2024, and I liked it perfectly fine - it was fun and easy but slightly forgettable. There wasn't anything new and exciting but it was fun and I'd recommend it for people who like sports romances and brother's BFF types.

Spicy, cute, and easy to read. The characters were relatable and HOT, and the smut scenes were unreal. Overall a quick and easy brother's best friend story. Not for the sex-shy though!! Thanks to NetGalley, Deanna Faison, and Wattpad Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

This book was too cute and perfect for anyone who loves and adores sports romance books. Highly recommend.

This book is for any smut lover who wants to read something with high tensions between two long time friends with benefits. I feel like the main characters just danced around each other with misinformation for most of the time

This book gave me The Summer I Turned Pretty vibes if it had spice 😂
If you’re a fan of childhood friends to lovers/brothers best friend & dual POVs then definitely give this one a read!