{"id":7704,"date":"2016-05-14T12:06:40","date_gmt":"2016-05-14T16:06:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=7704"},"modified":"2018-01-15T18:58:57","modified_gmt":"2018-01-15T23:58:57","slug":"review-game-player-game-1-by-b-j-harvey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=7704","title":{"rendered":"Review: Game Player (Game Series, #1) by B.J. Harvey"},"content":{"rendered":"

Buy:\u00a0 Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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\r\n <\/div><\/div>\n
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Review<\/strong><\/h4>\n

This is a spin off from B.J. Harvey\u2019s Bliss<\/i> series, featuring secondary characters from that series, and still with lots of interaction with the main Bliss<\/i> couples, which I loved!<\/p>\n

Game Player<\/i> brings us the story of Matt and Mia. Matt is the younger brother of Noah, and Mia is the younger sister of both Zander and Zoe. They have a fantastic set up \u2013 Matt is an unapologetic player, and Mia loves to date, but has no interest in a long term relationship – they are both confident in themselves, and in what they want from the opposite sex, and their chemistry together is sizzling! Matt and Mia have known each other for years as their siblings (Noah and Zoe) married each other, but despite a sort-of hook up at the wedding, they haven\u2019t had a lot to do with each other. But a chance encounter a few years later shows a highly flirtatious love\/hate relationship with hilarious, smart and smutty banter and a simmering sexual tension that is hugely entertaining!<\/p>\n

\u201cGot an itch you can\u2019t scratch, Matt?\u201d
\n\u2026\u201cDon\u2019t you worry about me, Legs. There\u2019s a whole black book worth of willing volunteers.\u201d
\n\u201cLegs?\u201d I ask, taking my purse out of his hands.
\n\u201cWell I can\u2019t call you Tits, can I?\u201d
\n\u201cYou\u2019re a piece of work, Taylor.\u201d
\n\u201cIt\u2019s okay to admit you want me, Mia,\u201d he says cockily.
\n\u201cFor what? The medical experiment known as your dick?\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

They\u2019re both clearly interested in each other, but Mia is nervous about the familial link between them, and of course there\u2019s her whole \u201cdate, don\u2019t mate<\/i>\u201d mentality. Matt doesn\u2019t care about any of that in the slightest, and goes all out to win Mia over, and things between them start to morph into something a bit more real.<\/p>\n

\u201cBring it on, Legs.\u201d
\n\u201cStill don\u2019t get the legs thing,\u201d she mutters.
\n\u201cBecause every time I see them I imagine them wrapped around my head.\u201d
\nShe chokes down the phone, and then the line goes eerily quiet.
\n\u201cMia?\u201d
\n\u201cI\u2019m here. Just hitting pause on that mental image and saving it for later.\u201d
\n\u201cJesus, woman. Warn a guy before you throw out the Viagra lines.\u201d
\n\u201cWhat?\u201d she says, with a knowing giggle.
\n\u201cThose kind of words take a man from floppy to stabby in zero-point-five seconds.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Yes, it\u2019s not long before the inevitable hook up happens, and it\u2019s super-hot and proves to them both that what they have can no longer be denied, and their one night together is never going to be enough.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is insane,\u201d I breathe, my body sagging against his when his fingers run down my face and around the back of my neck.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s crazy, but that\u2019s what makes it so fucking hot.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So, for the first time, two game players decide to take a chance on something more, and find that they have something truly special together.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou and me. We\u2019re going to do this,\u201d I murmur against her lips. \u201cDates, dinners, holding hands, all of that shit. I\u2019ll be in your bed and you\u2019ll be in mine \u2026 I can\u2019t stop thinking about you, Legs, and I don\u2019t fucking want to.\u201d <\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This is a really enjoyable read. The relationship between Matt and Mia is fun, flirty and sexy, with a growing emotional connection that is gorgeous to watch. And in amidst all of the hotness, is some really gorgeous swooniness as their love story develops, and I totally fell for Matt as he worked to prove that he has turned over a new leaf<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all you, Mia \u2026 You\u2019re different from the rest. I tried to resist the temptation, but all it took was one taste and you had me. Everywhere I look, everything I do, every spare moment of every single day, all I see is you. All I <\/i>want is you.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There is some drama (of course), and though I was expecting some kind of conflict, I must admit that found this one to be OTT and really freaking annoying…

<\/span>Spoiler<\/div>
WTF was Mia\u2019s outburst? Incredibly immature and totally uncalled for, and the whole way it played out was SO irritating! I wanted to smack her so many times. She was so, so wrong, and treated Matt horribly! And though it\u2019s all resolved, I don\u2019t think she went far enough to apologise or make up for the hurt that she caused him. Not. Cool! <\/div><\/div>But it all ends in a good place, and I was happy with the way the book finished, and am looking forward to seeing more of Matt and Mia as the series progresses.<\/p>\n

And a highlight of all of that drama was watching the rest of the gang involve themselves in the unfolding events. I loved the chance to catch up and see where they were all at, and the way they had the backs of both Matt and Mia as their story played out was gorgeous to see.<\/p>\n

Overall, I did enjoy this one. I would have rated it higher if it weren\u2019t for the epic stupid, but for the most part, this was a really enjoyable read \u2013 lots of fun, with great characters, fantastic banter, and a gorgeously romantic and sexy love story. I love the set up for the next book in the series, and am looking forward to continuing on.<\/p>\n

3.5 stars.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Game series<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"Game\u00a0 \"Game\u00a0 \"Game\u00a0 \"\"\u00a0 \"\" \u00a0\"\"
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Game Player (#1)
\n<\/strong>Review<\/a>
\n<\/strong>Buy:\u00a0 Amazon \u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

Game Maker (#2)<\/strong>
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon \u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

Game Saver (#3)<\/strong>
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon \u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

Game Ender (#4)
\n<\/strong>Review<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon \u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

Game Breaker: The Loop (#5)<\/strong>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon\u00a0 <\/a>|\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

Game Planner (#6)<\/strong>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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