Thank you netgalley for the arc! I have a hit or miss relationship with Ali Hazelwood. Quite frankly I think there has been more misses. But this one was fun. Two rival video game manufacturers are asked to create a game together due to the individual strengths of both manufacturers. And there are two people one from each company who have a crush on each other. They fight their attraction due to a misunderstanding. Once that is figured out they fall madly in love. This was simple and the novella length may be why I liked it so much.

A delectable audio feast for Ali lovers! This was classic Ali Hazelwood - the sharp, deadpan wit, the whipsmart STEM protagonists, the hot spice, the high-tension enemies-to-lovers - all here and performed by the excellent Kelsey Navarro Foster. I don’t listen to audiobooks religiously because I’m so easily distracted and lose the plot, but I found that less here. Kelsey’s narration had one of the best male voices I’d ever heard (read: HOT). A total delight, and I loved the novella format. Sometimes I just want a tasty snack instead of a full meal!

Thank you to Spotify and NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Listening copy provided by Spotify Books via Netgalley for review.
Well, this might be my least liked of all Ali Hazelwood’s books and I have read them all. Same plot, spicy enemies to lovers trope and this time set in a video gaming world. Did I like that? Yes, definitely. Kelsey Navarro Foster on narration was amazing and she made the book better for me. I honestly just felt that there was too much argument and self banter in Viola Bowen’s head that it was repetitive at times. And I am starting to despise less confident girl characters that are anti-heroes to themselves.
However, the romance is as good as all Ali Hazelwood’s fashion. The spice, the chemistry, the irresistible massive men that are swoon worthy are all in there.
This was my first Spotify Book and I think the reading features are good as well.
Highly recommend Two Can Play if you love gaming, enemies to lovers trope and a fast pace reading experience!

This novella was great! For it to have been so short, I thought the relationship was really well developed! Ali Hazelwood’s writing will always be entertaining.

Thank you for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

What can I say, I’m a sucker for the Ali Hazelwood formula. While this wasn’t anything groundbreaking or a must read this was a fun and quick listen for fans of Ali Hazelwood or someone looking for a quick and easy novella listen.

🎧Song Pairing: Thank You (Not So Bad) - Dimitri Vegas

💭What I thought would happen:

Am I the only one that had no idea about this until it popped onto NetGalley?! Let me guess tall, dark nerd that resembles Adam Driver because Ali has a very specific kink

🗯Thoughts/sassy musings:

Like this novella I’ll make it short & quick:

🩷Loved the nerd chemistry
😱Forced proximity
🔥Soulmates
🏔️Dreamy mountain setting

Here for all of that! BUT:

😑Miscommunication
🍼Childish behaviours
🌨️Hardly memorable

So I guess I liked it well enough but it didn’t core shatter me to rubble

Ali Hazelwood clearly has a romance writing niche, but I always enjoy jumping into one of her books and walking around in her characters' lives. Two Can Play was no different. Also, the audiobook narrator was divine. Thank you to Spotify and NetGalley for ALC!

I did not enjoy this one. It follows the typical Ali Hazlewood formula that is present in her first 2 books, and I think I am just no longer interested in that plot line. I also think the adults other than the MMC and the MFC felt very childish in this book; I had to keep reminding myself that they were adults. And the ending felt rushed.

Overall it was what it was.

I am still going to pick up Miss Hazlewood's next book.

2.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free arc in exchange for an honest review!

In my opinion, this was a super fun, cute, and quick read! You can definitely tell it’s an Ali Hazelwood book while reading and I think this would be a perfect winter read with the ski lodge setting! I will say there’s a miscommunication trope that slightlyyyyy made me roll my eyes, although in general I had a fun time with this.

*Thank you to Spotify Audiobooks and NetGalley for an ALC in exchange for my honest review*

Honestly I wanted this to be a full-length book. The pining? Great. The video game design elements? Phenomenal. The fact that it ended just as I was really invested? NOT COOL. I really wanted to see where things went with Jesse and Viola, and the freaking game they were designing! Also I'd totally be game to see Ali write the story they were adapting.

I thought Kelsey Navarro Foster did a great job narrating, especially with all the chaos in this book. I loved the retreat setting, the miscommunications (I know, right??), really everything except for the length.

This was a really cute short story! Ali Hazelwood once again proves herself to be a genius at writing cheesy rom-coms with STEM-related plots. I love the combination of STEM and romance, and this short story delivered on that front. The audiobook was short enough to finish during a shift at work, but it still had enough substance to keep me invested in both Viola and Jessie, and their workplace romance that evolves from rivals to lovers during a work retreat. Jessie was perfect as the MMC and their tension was on point. The narrator Kelsey Navarro did a great job narrating.

Thank you to NetGallery and to Spotify Audiobooks for giving me a copy.

Ali Hazelwood's *Two Can Play* audiobook is an absolute delight, offering listeners a perfect blend of plot, romance, and amazing characters. The narrator brings the chemistry between the protagonists to life, capturing every playful exchange and emotional depth. I have listened other audiobooks in which It is really difficult to differentiate between the male and the female voices narrated by a feminine narrator, but she did an amazing job with both and the were easily distinguishable.

I have absolutely LOVED all of Hazelwood's books because her signature style of combining STEM elements with romantic tension makes the story not only engaging but also fresh and unique. Moreover, I am a STEM girl and the jokes and the dialogues are hilarious and so entertaining.
A weak point is the pacing of the audiobook, because the narration was a bit too slowly for me, but with the the higher speed options I was able to be hooked.

Whether you're a fan of Hazelwood's previous work or new to her writing, *Two Can Play* is an entertaining and feel-good listen that you won’t want to miss. I have adored the video games theme and the enemies to lovers was built amazingly because you could feel the tension of two rival employees of rival companies and the squabbles between them. I absolutely recommend it.

This was great! I am becoming a pretty big fan of Ali Hazelwood’s writing so I was excited to get the opportunity to listen to this book. This is a novella-length story and I was impressed by the depth of these characters. Viola and Jesse were great together and I wanted to see them find a way to succeed.

Viola has the opportunity to help design the video game of her dreams. The only thing stopping her company from getting the contract is Jesse’s competing company. The customer wants both groups to work together and sends them to a retreat to see if they can make it work. Viola and Jesse soon find out they have more in common than they thought and start working towards a common goal. The chemistry between them was palpable and I enjoyed watching them really get to know one another.

Kelsey Navarro Foster did an excellent job with the narration. I enjoyed the voices that she used for both the male and female characters. She was able to add just the right amount of emotion to this story to really bring these characters to life. I am certain that her performance added to my overall enjoyment of this delightful romance.

I would recommend this book to others. It was a fun romance that pulled me in right away. I grew to care for this group of characters and wanted to see things work out for them both professionally and romantically. I can’t wait to read more of this talented author’s writing.

I received a review copy of this audiobook from Spotify Audiobooks.

This is short, cute, adorable, with a nice amount of spice. Like other reviewers have said, this has more of the vibe of her earlier books, which I loved so I’m not complaining. There is just something so enjoyable in reading about a guy who is just so in love with the main character (I really don’t understand why anyone found this guy pathetic in any way, he isn’t.) I loved the background story of the video game being based on a book series that is important to both of them. I also loved that their programming skills complemented each other so well. Overall, it was a book that just makes you smile and squee.

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Good lord, how many times are we gonna do this dog and pony show? And how many times am I gonna read it? I feel this could've been written by an AI based off all Hazelwoods' other steminist works. The characters are defined by their tropes, which might be a perk for some, but I've just read too many Big Silent Pining Men and Small Smart Dorky Girls for it to hit anymore.

I just don’t think that novellas are Ali’s strong suit. She needs the time and pages to full develop the angst and chemistry that make her books what they are.

I usually love everything she writes, but without the time and place to fully develop the characters they come off feeling a little flat.

I will still read anything and everything she writes, of course!

🎧 Ali Hazelwood's new audiobook novella

📖 Is it more of the same as Ali Hazelwood has us accustomed to? definitely yes
Do I mind? absolutely not

📚 If you've read other Ali's books, you already know what to expect: he's very tall and big and she's convinced that he hates her. Maybe this dynamic can be repetitive to some readers, but I'm absolutely delighted to read it over and over again as long as it's Ali who writes it.

🕹️ In this case, we have a short novella in which the plot revolves around two rival video game design companies and a retreat to try to achieve cooperation between them.

🎮 women in STEM
🎮 video game design
🎮 "enemies to lovers"
🎮 short novella in audiobook format

Soooooooo good!! But honestly, anything Ali Hazelwood writes is solid gold.

Absolutely loved these characters and was pleasantly surprised by the amount of spice for such a short lil story—I’m so here for it! I would say the steamy rating is more like a 3.5-4/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️, which again, is pretty hot for a four and a half hour story!

(Thank you, Spotify Audiobooks and NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.)

One thing about me is if Ali Hazelwood wrote it, I will read it, or in this case, listen to it. So far, I've loved every single story and Two Can Play is no exception.

Two Can Play is everything you would expect from an Ali Hazelwood and that honestly works for me. I love the way she writes her stories and will continue to do so forever. The story felt similar to her STEM-novels, while being set in the gaming industry. Two rivaling companies have to work together for a new release and to facilitate teambuilding, they have to go on a ski retreat together. The perfect recipe for lots of tension.

This story has everything, angst, tension, yearning, and just everything you would expect from Ali. I loved Viola and Jesse and their story felt authentic to me. From misunderstandings to being giddy, it just felt real. The only thing I didn't like was how short it was. It is a novella so it makes sense, but I wasn't ready for it to end at all. It completely sucked me in and didn't let me go. I also felt like the side characters really added to the story and made it just a bit more fun.

I would recommend this one to anyone who loves a good rom-com and likes the way Ali Hazelwood writes her books. It made me laugh, giggle and kick my feet while also keeping me on edge and wanting to continue to get to know the rest of the story. Two Can Play really is one of my favorites now.

This is classic Ali Hazelwood!! This novella fully reminds me of The Love Hypothesis, same book formula different plot.

This was such a fun, spicy novella. I loved the characters in this, Viola had me laughing out loud a number of times, and Jesse with his brooding silence basically screamed "I'm in love with you" the whole time. The spice was perfect for this length novella, and was not over done. While I came for the spice, the plot kept me so engaged! I loved the storyline of the video game based on books too.

If you read and loved The Love Hypothesis, you would enjoy this one as well!

Rating: 5 stars
Spice: 3 🌶️
Audio: 5 stars - Kelsey Navarro Foster is fantastic to listen to!

Thank you NetGalley for the ALC!