The audiobook was narrated really well!! However the storyline felt a bit flat for me, I love the idea of rival game designers coming together however it felt a bit too obvious and the dynamic for me was just a bit weird!!

This was wonderful! I had a great time listening to this on my commute! This is classic Ali Hazelwood - workplace rivals to lovers, misunderstandings, and great tension and spice. It's not the spiciest book out there, but Jesse and Viola have amazing chemistry!

Viola and Jesse work for rival gaming development companies, who are forced to go on a retreat together to build rapport between the two. The stakes are high, as both Viola and Jesse want to work on an upcoming game, but it all depends on whether the two companies can get along.

I really enjoyed this! Recommend!

I did really enjoy this book. I liked the chemistry between Viola and Jesse and I like that they were game developers, a new STEM trope for Ali! But...it's yet another very very large man and very small girl and a giant misunderstanding where she thinks he hates her but he actually has secretly been pining away for her. And I know this was a novella but it ended so abruptly and I just wanted a little bit more from it! It was still enjoyable!

Thank to NetGalley and the publisher for this audio ARC!

I enjoyed this short little book that doesn't overstay its welcome or overcomplicate the love story. Good entry point for Ali Hazelwood. And the narration was spot-on.

I'm a huge fan of a well written novella, and Ali Hazelwood delivered with Two Can Play! When two rival design teams must come together at a team building retreat to prove that they can work together, it's a less than ideal situation. A workplace romance with a close proximity twist, this audiobook was the perfect blend of character development, plot, and spice.

I immediately connected with Viola's character and was curious about what could have caused Jesse to treat her the way he has over the past six years. The secondary characters were fun, engaging, and with one that I just loved to hate, it made for a fun cast at the retreat! Mike and Otto presented an entertaining secondary romantic storyline with all the pining making me root for a second chance for them.

While I don't typically enjoy a misunderstanding trope, in this case it worked for me. There's no third act breakup, and once the truth comes out, Jesse and Viola are able see the past through the lens of the new information and communicate.

I enjoyed the performance by Kelsey Navarro Foster, who brought the story to life with emotion and her unique voicing of the characters.

“Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood 🎧🎮💜

this is the cutest, loveliest audiobook novella! I love Viola & Jesse so much!!! they have that classic Ali Hazelwood charm— nerdy, smart people who are dumb at love with a completely down bad MMC who doesn’t know how to show it so there’s some miscommunication but it’s all ok because they’re so in love & there’s some spicy spice to make it all better 🥹🥵🙌

I loved the video game creator plot here, it was a very fun & informative aspect to the story. I also loved the narration, there was a lot to do in this novella (different genders & accents) & the narrator did a phenomenal job!

overall, another nerdy, lovely, spicy story from Ali Hazelwood that I just gobbled up. thank you for the alc 🥰🥵🎧🎮💜

Another enemies to lovers from Ali Hazelwood. This was a spicy novella with not as much depth as her other novellas. I found myself uninterested in the main characters and their miscommunication. Hazelwood usually has a way of making you interested in her topics, STEM, chess…but the topic this time, video games, just felt uninteresting. Bummed this wasn’t my favorite!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks - Ballantine for the ALC.

Ali Hazelwood books are always automatic buys and reads for me! I love her spin on red hot romance and STEM! "Two Can Play" did not disappoint and was full of the perfect winter scene, unlikely romance and STEM. I really enjoyed it and didn't want it to end!

I rarely review audiobooks, but I couldn’t not put in for the latest from Ali Hazelwood. The novella itself was excellent. I loved the main characters, and while the reason for their “enemies to lovers vibe” were sort of forced, I still moved on quickly through the story. It’s one of my favorites of her novellas for sure. I do think I would have enjoyed the book a bit more than the audio. The narrator did an ok job, but she could sound a little whiny and nasal. Her men’s voices were particularly kind of goofy. Overall, I’ve listened to worse but also better. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc.

Fans of Ali Hazelwood already know what to expect here. I obviously don’t have a problem with this, since I specifically requested a copy of this novella. While I felt the length of the story may have been a trifle too short to really develop the relationship between our two main characters, it certainly fits the bill if you’re not looking for a full-length novel. If you've liked any of the author's previous works, you'll probably enjoy this.

Thank you to NetGalley for this copy! This was my first Ali Hazelwood and it was a great audiobook! At times the main female and main male characters were irritating and was hoping they would just realized they liked each other all along. I understand the build up for the story but went a little long for my taste.
As a girl who not only loves to read but is a gamer as well this story pulled at me and all the feels. In male dominated industry trying to be in a gamer world is not easy and this book hits the mark. Definitely will recommend this audio!

There is literally nothing that Ali could write that I wouldn't eat right up. Two Can Play was no different. I think this was the best out of all of her novellas and honestly could have happily read 200 more pages of this particular book. I loved the video game aspect and how they were tied together by their love of the book that they were adapting. Also this book has a bit of a workplace romance vibe with forced proximity, antagonist to lovers (one sided perhaps), he's been obsessed with her forever, he's standoffish to only her and friendly with everyone else, rival gaming companies, with that Ali Hazelwood charm that we all love. Definitely recommend!

Viola has landed her dream job designing video games based on her favorite book series. The only glitch is that she will be working with her longtime enemy Jesse Andrews. Their rocky past makes her dread the idea of collaborating, especially when they are forced to spend a week together at a team-building retreat in a snow-covered lodge. However, the more time they spend together, Viola begins to see a different side of Jesse, leading to unexpected chemistry between them.

I loved both Viola and Jesse. Their second-chance romance was done so well with lots of moments of tension giving way to some very steamy scenes.

Received an eArc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you like Ali Hazelwood’s usual formula (very tall, broad males who have been secretly pining after the main character for years but do to some misunderstanding, etc. don’t say anything), then this short audio novella is for you. Does it break the mold? No. But was it still an enjoyable time? Definitely!

Ali Hazelwood really knows how to write fun novellas. In Two Can Play, Viola is an outstanding game designer, who excels in role-playing video games. She has harbored an unrequited crush on Jesse, who is the top designer of combat video games. When their rival companies are thrust together in a bid to design the new installment of a popular gaming series, Viola isn't sure what to make of it. This is a romance (and open door), so we know how it will end up. This was a fun listen (it's only available as audio for the time being)!

This was another cute STEM romance by Hazelwood. A novella, less than 4.5 hours of audiobook about two lead video game designers, Viola and Jesse, who are rivals. Their boss decides a wintery retreat is in store for them, feelings begin to change. This was a fun read that was short and sweet. The characters were adorable and fun to read about. The plot was easy to follow and entertaining. While it wasn’t a new subject for Hazelwood, it was still a great read.

This follow is all of the typical Ali Hazelwood moves. Do not go into this one expecting anything different; having said that, I still enjoyed this one and found it a nice easy listen.

3⭐️

Ali Hazelwood’s Two Can Play delivers another charming and chemistry-filled romance, this time in the audiobook format. The characters are well-crafted, their witty banter is a delight, and the story flows at a pace that keeps you engaged throughout. The narrators do an excellent job of bringing the characters to life.
Two Can Play is a fun and entertaining audiobook that’s perfect for fans of Hazelwood’s previous books or anyone looking for a lighthearted romance with a clever twist!

Is this basically the same plot as every other Ali Hazelwood book? Yes. Did I still eat it up? Also yes.

Viola is thrilled at the opportunity to work on a video game based on her favorite book series. However, that joy is soon dampened when it becomes clear that her company is being forced to collaborate with their rival company, including her former crush Jesse, who has made it clear that he hates her guts. And to make matters worse, they're stuck together at a winter retreat.

This is the perfect blend of angsty, cozy and spicy...and what more can you ask for in a rom-com? Kelsey Navarro Foster's narration just adds to the fun. Now I wanna drink hot cocoa and watch snow fall over a forest while I wait for the next Ali Hazelwood release.

If you love typical Ali Hazelwood, you will love this! The angst is just *chef's kiss* I only wish I could display in on my bookshelf