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Hands Off #1
Player's Ultimatum
Yvonne Floyd’s best friend and gay soccer player Robbie Gutierrez proposes the impossible-pose as his fiancée until he can ink a lucrative contract. Hounded day and night by the media’s constant speculation over his sexual orientation, Robbie doesn’t want to run the risk of losing his career over who he sleeps with. Although Yvonne feels Robbie has lost his marbles, she takes one for the team.
While Yvonne is initiated into the fast-paced world of international soccer, she’s ill-prepared for a mutual attraction to Robbie’s teammate, Paolo Saito. And when the Japanese Brazilian footballer discovers her secret and turns the tables on her, Yvonne loses sight of her goal and risks sacrificing more than just her heart.
Warning: Strong sexual content and adult language.
While Yvonne is initiated into the fast-paced world of international soccer, she’s ill-prepared for a mutual attraction to Robbie’s teammate, Paolo Saito. And when the Japanese Brazilian footballer discovers her secret and turns the tables on her, Yvonne loses sight of her goal and risks sacrificing more than just her heart.
Warning: Strong sexual content and adult language.
285 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 27, 2011
35 people are currently reading
1360 people want to read
About the author
Koko Brown
18 books302 followersKoko Brown is the pseudonym for a quintessential erotic romance junkie who once read over 200 Zebra Club novels the summer before her senior year in high school.
Koko’s writing career began at the tender age of nine when she self-published and distributed a newspaper to her fellow classmates. Unfortunately, her grade school school principal didn’t appreciate the competition and put her out of business after one best-selling issue.
Undaunted, Koko continued to write and read everything she could get her hands on. She honed her writing skills as a staff writer on her college’s newspaper, writing obituaries for the local newspaper, and teaching English to high school students.
One day while daydreaming in bed, Koko came up with the idea for her first erotic manuscript. Taking a hiatus from teaching, she had enough time on her hands to flesh out the story in two short weeks. A week later, she cleaned it up, then sent it to Ellora’s Cave during the Christmas holiday. By January she heard from one of their editors and by March (and many revisions) she signed a contract for her vampire novel Charmed.
Calling the east coast of Florida home, this multipublished author of interracial erotic romance loves to travel, shop in thrift stores, ride motorcycles, renovate houses, and volunteering.
Koko’s writing career began at the tender age of nine when she self-published and distributed a newspaper to her fellow classmates. Unfortunately, her grade school school principal didn’t appreciate the competition and put her out of business after one best-selling issue.
Undaunted, Koko continued to write and read everything she could get her hands on. She honed her writing skills as a staff writer on her college’s newspaper, writing obituaries for the local newspaper, and teaching English to high school students.
One day while daydreaming in bed, Koko came up with the idea for her first erotic manuscript. Taking a hiatus from teaching, she had enough time on her hands to flesh out the story in two short weeks. A week later, she cleaned it up, then sent it to Ellora’s Cave during the Christmas holiday. By January she heard from one of their editors and by March (and many revisions) she signed a contract for her vampire novel Charmed.
Calling the east coast of Florida home, this multipublished author of interracial erotic romance loves to travel, shop in thrift stores, ride motorcycles, renovate houses, and volunteering.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
August 25, 2012
It was suggested to me several months ago by my best friend and book buddy that I read Player’s Ultimatum. My best friend and I both love to read and discuss the books we’ve read, but it’s very rare that we actually agree on a book. From our huge differences in what we find attractive in our heroes to conflicting themes – our discussions are more like debates than actual discussions. Even when it comes to erotica, I’m more interested in a good story whereas she’s pulled in by the hot sex. So when she made her suggestion, I downloaded a sample of Player’s Ultimatum and buried it at the bottom of my to-read pile. Once I became a reviewer for BlackRaven’s Reviews, I saw that this book was available and figured I’d give it a go. So with a smirk on my face, I began to read.
Robbie Gutierrez is a soccer player who is trying to land a lucrative contract. However, rumors have surfaced that he might be gay and that could hurt his chances of fulfilling his dream. He enlists the assistance of his best friend, Yvonne Floyd, by asking her to pose as his fiance until the contract is landed. Yvonne agrees but doesn’t expect to meet the oh-so sexy Paolo Saito, Robbie’s team mate and rival. When these two meet, sparks fly in more ways than one and it’s page after page of excitement as the reader is treated to Paolo’s pursuit of Yvonne.
I liked Yvonne. She was very down-to-earth and seemed so “real”. Not possessing the usual beauty that is attributed to most heroines, Yvonne’s tough as nails personality as well as the protectiveness she showed towards her best friend made her irresistible. It’s hard to explain but her beauty just came through the pages. And Paolo…he was my ideal hero! Seriously! Tall, dark, beyond gorgeous with a killer body and a total alpha male! Some readers might be turned off by his aggressiveness, but I loved it! Rough and rugged, he went after what and who he wanted and when he set his sights on Yvonne – she was in a lose, lose situation. Several times throughout Player’s Ultimatum, I had to stop reading to contact my best friend because I was so giddy with what was going on between these two I couldn’t keep it to myself. Her response was a big ole “I Told You So” and yes, she did.
I have no problem admitting when I’m wrong and poor editing aside, Player’s Ultimatum by KoKo Brown is one of THE BEST contemporary erotic novels I’ve read this year! Hands down! I loved it! From cover to end, this is a great story with a hunk of a hero, a very likable heroine, and sex scenes that require a cold shower after reading! Player’s Ultimatum is definitely going on my keeper shelf and will be one that I will revisit time and time again. Yes, it’s THAT good! (Originally Reviewed for Blackraven's Reviews)
Robbie Gutierrez is a soccer player who is trying to land a lucrative contract. However, rumors have surfaced that he might be gay and that could hurt his chances of fulfilling his dream. He enlists the assistance of his best friend, Yvonne Floyd, by asking her to pose as his fiance until the contract is landed. Yvonne agrees but doesn’t expect to meet the oh-so sexy Paolo Saito, Robbie’s team mate and rival. When these two meet, sparks fly in more ways than one and it’s page after page of excitement as the reader is treated to Paolo’s pursuit of Yvonne.
I liked Yvonne. She was very down-to-earth and seemed so “real”. Not possessing the usual beauty that is attributed to most heroines, Yvonne’s tough as nails personality as well as the protectiveness she showed towards her best friend made her irresistible. It’s hard to explain but her beauty just came through the pages. And Paolo…he was my ideal hero! Seriously! Tall, dark, beyond gorgeous with a killer body and a total alpha male! Some readers might be turned off by his aggressiveness, but I loved it! Rough and rugged, he went after what and who he wanted and when he set his sights on Yvonne – she was in a lose, lose situation. Several times throughout Player’s Ultimatum, I had to stop reading to contact my best friend because I was so giddy with what was going on between these two I couldn’t keep it to myself. Her response was a big ole “I Told You So” and yes, she did.
I have no problem admitting when I’m wrong and poor editing aside, Player’s Ultimatum by KoKo Brown is one of THE BEST contemporary erotic novels I’ve read this year! Hands down! I loved it! From cover to end, this is a great story with a hunk of a hero, a very likable heroine, and sex scenes that require a cold shower after reading! Player’s Ultimatum is definitely going on my keeper shelf and will be one that I will revisit time and time again. Yes, it’s THAT good! (Originally Reviewed for Blackraven's Reviews)
January 2, 2012
Description: Yvonne Floyd agrees to pose as her best, gay friend’s fiancee, so that he can sign another contract with the Italian soccer team he plays for, which has a conservative owner. However, she doesn’t count on falling for Robbie’s Japanese-Brazilian teammate, Paulo.
The Good: This book had me at the description. I’ve never read any romance novel with a soccer player as the hero. And though I’m not a fan of the sport, Ms. Brown does a fantastic job of introducing us into the world. And unlike most romance novels involving athletes, she actually gives us a taste of the sport. It’s like an IR version of the TV show, THE GAME. I seriously could not turn the pages fast enough. The heroine was big-boned in all the right ways, and the Japanese-Brazilian hero, Paulo? Hot! Hot! Hot! And he rocks a fauxhawk — how cool! Also, there are two zinger surprises at the end that I just loved.
The Bad: A key piece of information concerning Paolo’s motivation is kept hidden until the end. There’s nothing wrong with having a character hold on to a big secret, but if the reader doesn’t know there’s a secret she should be waiting to hear, then it translates into more of a “Wha???” than a “Surprise!” when it’s revealed. But in this case, Ms. Brown’s strong plot made up for any unclear character motivation.
The Naughty: Erotic. Sex with masks. Sex in bathroom.
Editing issues: A few typos (I counted nine).
Publisher: Koko Brown
Length: Novel
Final Grade: B+
Happy Reading,
Theodora from irbookreviews.com
The Good: This book had me at the description. I’ve never read any romance novel with a soccer player as the hero. And though I’m not a fan of the sport, Ms. Brown does a fantastic job of introducing us into the world. And unlike most romance novels involving athletes, she actually gives us a taste of the sport. It’s like an IR version of the TV show, THE GAME. I seriously could not turn the pages fast enough. The heroine was big-boned in all the right ways, and the Japanese-Brazilian hero, Paulo? Hot! Hot! Hot! And he rocks a fauxhawk — how cool! Also, there are two zinger surprises at the end that I just loved.
The Bad: A key piece of information concerning Paolo’s motivation is kept hidden until the end. There’s nothing wrong with having a character hold on to a big secret, but if the reader doesn’t know there’s a secret she should be waiting to hear, then it translates into more of a “Wha???” than a “Surprise!” when it’s revealed. But in this case, Ms. Brown’s strong plot made up for any unclear character motivation.
The Naughty: Erotic. Sex with masks. Sex in bathroom.
Editing issues: A few typos (I counted nine).
Publisher: Koko Brown
Length: Novel
Final Grade: B+
Happy Reading,
Theodora from irbookreviews.com
January 13, 2014
3-3.5 stars
This was an enjoyable story. I liked Yvonne and Paolo...well he's hot, sometimes sweet and I had mixed feelings about him at times but in the end I liked him too.
Yvonne is a graduate student and has a great head for business. She's almost done with her degree when her best friend, Robbie, asks her to put her life on hold and help him out of a bind. Robbie is a professional football player (European football aka soccer) and gay. There has been some bad press around him that he is worried will cause him not to get a contract renewal and ruin his career. Robbie convinces Yvonne to pose as his fiancee until the end of the season in exchange for paying off her student loans. She agrees and joins him in Rome (where Robbie's team is located) to start her role as his fake fiancee.
Paolo had a tough life growing up and had to fight hard for everything he has. He excels in football and is one of the highest paid players in the European league. He's also very smart and has other business interests as well. Paolo is known as a playboy but his rep seems to be a bit blown out of proportions the paparazzi and wanna-be girlfriends. Paolo has some mis-placed anger toward Robbie because he replace a friend of Paolo's on the team (with some deeper stuff mixed in). It's not really Robbie's fault but Paolo wants to bring him down. Because of this, when Paolo meets Yvonne and finds out she's Robbie's fiancee, he decides (with some encouragement from a greedy jerk) to try to seduce her and make trouble for Robbie through her.
Yvonne and Robbie show up at their first game together and the press get to see them as a couple after the game. Things are going pretty well until, while waiting outside the locker room for Robbie to come out, Yvonne ends up meeting Paolo and is instantly weak in the knees at the sight of him. She also gets the impression that he doesn't like Robbie very well which makes her seemingly uncontrollable attraction for him a big problem. Over the next few weeks they meet a couple times and Yvonne can never seem to control her attraction to him...barely keeping from doing things she shouldn't with him on multiple occasions. Paolo tries seducing her but is also very attracted to Yvonne and finds that more and more he just wants to be with her and not caring about Robbie except for the fact that Robbie and Yvonne's "relationship" is keeping Paolo from being with Yvonne full time. Yvonne manages to avoid anything to major going down with Paolo (although there are a few intense encounters) until she goes to a masked ball during the Carnival celebration. Yvonne meets a masked man and feels a strong attraction. Not knowing who her masked man is (and not thinking he knows who she is), Yvonne ends up spending the night with him. Before she can escape the next morning she finds out it was Paolo she slept with and he's not willing to just let it go. He uses her wish for silence to blackmail her in to being his lover on a regular basis. Not wanting to risk ruining Robbie's career and admitting to herself that she's not good at saying no to Paolo, Yvonne agrees to his proposal.
Paolo and Yvonne engage in their clandestine affair and although Yvonne feels guilty about lying to Robbie, she feels she has to in order to save him in the end. Yvonne is sure that Paolo will get tired of her sooner or later and hopefully he'll keep his promise not to leak anything to the press or Robbie. I actually liked the method that Paolo set up for Yvonne to visit him without raising any suspicion. It was kind of sweet because he gave Yvonne something she liked while getting time with her. Paolo had his moments both ways..sometimes sweet and sometimes a real jerk. Yvonne isn't what I'd call a strong female character but she does have her moments. They both start to have deeper feelings for each other as they spend more and more time together. Paolo finally realizes that he doesn't care about his revenge any more and just wants Yvonne. He's determined to win her from Robbie one way or another. Unfortunately, Paolo makes a wrong move and pushes Yvonne too far and she breaks it off with him regardless of the consequences. She admits things to Robbie and they wait to see what happens. I don't want to go in to too much detail but there is some surprises and some drama before everything is over. To be honest, there was a little too much drama because Yvonne gets hurt at one point because no one bothered to let her in on the plan (making her to feel betrayed on multiple levels). Regardless of this, things do work out and Yvonne and Paolo get their HEA.
I enjoyed reading this story. I liked the characters but wished the secondary character would have been a little more fleshed out. I think that Robbie should have been a little more involved and active in the story but maybe I'm just being picky. Overall, this was a good story.
This was an enjoyable story. I liked Yvonne and Paolo...well he's hot, sometimes sweet and I had mixed feelings about him at times but in the end I liked him too.
Yvonne is a graduate student and has a great head for business. She's almost done with her degree when her best friend, Robbie, asks her to put her life on hold and help him out of a bind. Robbie is a professional football player (European football aka soccer) and gay. There has been some bad press around him that he is worried will cause him not to get a contract renewal and ruin his career. Robbie convinces Yvonne to pose as his fiancee until the end of the season in exchange for paying off her student loans. She agrees and joins him in Rome (where Robbie's team is located) to start her role as his fake fiancee.
Paolo had a tough life growing up and had to fight hard for everything he has. He excels in football and is one of the highest paid players in the European league. He's also very smart and has other business interests as well. Paolo is known as a playboy but his rep seems to be a bit blown out of proportions the paparazzi and wanna-be girlfriends. Paolo has some mis-placed anger toward Robbie because he replace a friend of Paolo's on the team (with some deeper stuff mixed in). It's not really Robbie's fault but Paolo wants to bring him down. Because of this, when Paolo meets Yvonne and finds out she's Robbie's fiancee, he decides (with some encouragement from a greedy jerk) to try to seduce her and make trouble for Robbie through her.
Yvonne and Robbie show up at their first game together and the press get to see them as a couple after the game. Things are going pretty well until, while waiting outside the locker room for Robbie to come out, Yvonne ends up meeting Paolo and is instantly weak in the knees at the sight of him. She also gets the impression that he doesn't like Robbie very well which makes her seemingly uncontrollable attraction for him a big problem. Over the next few weeks they meet a couple times and Yvonne can never seem to control her attraction to him...barely keeping from doing things she shouldn't with him on multiple occasions. Paolo tries seducing her but is also very attracted to Yvonne and finds that more and more he just wants to be with her and not caring about Robbie except for the fact that Robbie and Yvonne's "relationship" is keeping Paolo from being with Yvonne full time. Yvonne manages to avoid anything to major going down with Paolo (although there are a few intense encounters) until she goes to a masked ball during the Carnival celebration. Yvonne meets a masked man and feels a strong attraction. Not knowing who her masked man is (and not thinking he knows who she is), Yvonne ends up spending the night with him. Before she can escape the next morning she finds out it was Paolo she slept with and he's not willing to just let it go. He uses her wish for silence to blackmail her in to being his lover on a regular basis. Not wanting to risk ruining Robbie's career and admitting to herself that she's not good at saying no to Paolo, Yvonne agrees to his proposal.
Paolo and Yvonne engage in their clandestine affair and although Yvonne feels guilty about lying to Robbie, she feels she has to in order to save him in the end. Yvonne is sure that Paolo will get tired of her sooner or later and hopefully he'll keep his promise not to leak anything to the press or Robbie. I actually liked the method that Paolo set up for Yvonne to visit him without raising any suspicion. It was kind of sweet because he gave Yvonne something she liked while getting time with her. Paolo had his moments both ways..sometimes sweet and sometimes a real jerk. Yvonne isn't what I'd call a strong female character but she does have her moments. They both start to have deeper feelings for each other as they spend more and more time together. Paolo finally realizes that he doesn't care about his revenge any more and just wants Yvonne. He's determined to win her from Robbie one way or another. Unfortunately, Paolo makes a wrong move and pushes Yvonne too far and she breaks it off with him regardless of the consequences. She admits things to Robbie and they wait to see what happens. I don't want to go in to too much detail but there is some surprises and some drama before everything is over. To be honest, there was a little too much drama because Yvonne gets hurt at one point because no one bothered to let her in on the plan (making her to feel betrayed on multiple levels). Regardless of this, things do work out and Yvonne and Paolo get their HEA.
I enjoyed reading this story. I liked the characters but wished the secondary character would have been a little more fleshed out. I think that Robbie should have been a little more involved and active in the story but maybe I'm just being picky. Overall, this was a good story.
January 25, 2012
I generally enjoyed this story. I thought it was sort of a twist on a familiar theme -- someone needs someone else to pretend to be engaged so they don't have to do this or that. In this case, it was gay Robbie who needed his best friend Yvonne to pretend to be his fiancee so he would be more likely to get his soccer contract at the end of the season. Yvonne figured it couldn't hurt -- Robbie was offering some pretty hefty financial incentives, and she did love him as a friend. Nobody counted on Paolo, though. Paolo who always gets what he wants and almost immediately homes in on Yvonne. And unfortunately, Paolo has it in for Robbie. In fact, it was Paolo's digging into Robbie's private life that made Robbie approach Yvonne. And Paolo is the consummate ladies man. He rarely dates the same woman twice, but there's something about Yvonne...
I liked that Paolo and Yvonne were so drawn to each other. I thought Yvonne was a little bit sloppy though at the masquerade ball when . Masks or not, it's a little sloppy, considering she's supposed to be Robbie's fiancee, to do that with ANYONE.
I liked that while Paolo was blackmailing Yvonne, they really got to know each other outside of the sex. Which was kinda hot. And I loved that she sort of made him lose control, and he doubted himself, which he never did before her.
I do have to question Yvonne not knowing Paolo's age. They sat and talked for hours about everything and age NEVER came up? Not likely.
And while I really enjoyed the overall story, this book could really have benefited from an editor. My inner red pencil was going a little crazy. It wasn't horrible, but I found myself pulled out of the story several times.
ETA: The more I think about how this book stacks up to others I've rated 4, I decided to lower the rating. It was enjoyable, but not one I love.
I liked that Paolo and Yvonne were so drawn to each other. I thought Yvonne was a little bit sloppy though at the masquerade ball when . Masks or not, it's a little sloppy, considering she's supposed to be Robbie's fiancee, to do that with ANYONE.
I liked that while Paolo was blackmailing Yvonne, they really got to know each other outside of the sex. Which was kinda hot. And I loved that she sort of made him lose control, and he doubted himself, which he never did before her.
I do have to question Yvonne not knowing Paolo's age. They sat and talked for hours about everything and age NEVER came up? Not likely.
And while I really enjoyed the overall story, this book could really have benefited from an editor. My inner red pencil was going a little crazy. It wasn't horrible, but I found myself pulled out of the story several times.
ETA: The more I think about how this book stacks up to others I've rated 4, I decided to lower the rating. It was enjoyable, but not one I love.
will-never-read
January 23, 2012Man, I love soccer, but this really just looks like one big cheese-fest.
Friends' reviews are telling me stay far, far away.
Friends' reviews are telling me stay far, far away.
May 29, 2024
Very quick read, enjoyed I enjoyed both Yvonne and Paolo's characters. With many short romance novels, I just wish I had more time to get to know the characters, their backgrounds, their relationship. At 285 pages I just felt like not a lot happened while a lot happened quickly. Lust turned into love with a swipe of a page without the satisfaction of seeing it happen. But either way I did enjoy the book so I cant fault it for being short like every other sports romance Ive read lately.
December 29, 2011
This is my first story from Koko Brown. I was pleasantly surprised. Long story short, I was happy with the price, found the story steamy and interesting. I wanted to give this story 5 stars...I really did but somewhere towards the middle of the story I lost slight interest. Yvonne was beginning to read a bit wishy-washy and then she got better as I progressed. What saved this story from being dull or boring? Paolo. I wondered how the author would have pulled off such the premise of a girl-pretends-to-be-fiancee-of-gay-best-friend, falls-for-best-friend's-teammate but it was done. Not 100% smoothly but definitely pretty close. I still recommend this to be purchased because if you like athlete stories and hot sex scenes with an actual plot, try this story out.
April 18, 2013
3.5 to 4 stars
You need to take this story with a grain of salt or you will really not enjoy it. Suspend disbelief for a few hours.
Yvonne Floyd agreed to become her best friend Robbie’s beard until he gets his contract signed and delivered. You see Robbie is drafted as Italy’s new soccer star. In a society that is traditional (especially when it comes to their soccer players), questions regarding sexuality is dangerous and career ending. Since Yvonne is up to her eyeballs in student loans, she agreed to be Robbie’s fake fiancé for pay and for the sake of friendship.
Until she catches the eye of Paolo Saito, he is the team’s captain and Robbie’s nemesis.
Paolo has it out for Robbie. Robbie took the spot slotted for Paolo’s best friend and consequently . So, yeah. Even though it’s not Robbie’s fault, Paolo still had an axe to grind.
Okay this is the part where the grain of salt comes along…
Yvonne insta-lusts Paolo (nothing wrong with that) and Paolo insta-lusts back (nothing with that either) and because Yvonne he is now blackmailing her into a panty burning affair behind Robbie’s back.
Fine. I’ll bite.
Because the story was decent and I love (LOVE) Paolo, I will take the odd premise. I have to keep suspending disbelief because I can’t understand Yvonne’s reasoning for continuing the affair (besides the hot, hot monkey sex). She knew that Paolo hated Robbie who is her best friend and she is in this fabrication in the first place to keep him away from scandal. How can she not deduce that he’s using her to take Robbie down?
There were some eye-roller moments in the book. Some scenarios that were just a little scripted. Some were just plain weird. I think with better editing the book would have been awesome. Odd scenarios like:
Cuckoo.
But in the interest of story telling…erase…erase…
This would have been a solid 3 stars for me if it wasn’t for PAOLO!!!!
Hot Japanese/Brazilian soccer player? Arrogant…doesn’t take no for an answer…possessive. Gah! I need a cold shower.
Yum. Yum.
Heat level: Nuclear
Characters:
a) Him – me likey
b) Her: on the fence. She kind of annoyed me but I really can’t explain why.
I think it’s because she just lets everything happen to her. She just kind of reacts and goes along to what is happening around her.
Recommend: Yes. Only because Paolo is so yumerrific.
You need to take this story with a grain of salt or you will really not enjoy it. Suspend disbelief for a few hours.
Yvonne Floyd agreed to become her best friend Robbie’s beard until he gets his contract signed and delivered. You see Robbie is drafted as Italy’s new soccer star. In a society that is traditional (especially when it comes to their soccer players), questions regarding sexuality is dangerous and career ending. Since Yvonne is up to her eyeballs in student loans, she agreed to be Robbie’s fake fiancé for pay and for the sake of friendship.
Until she catches the eye of Paolo Saito, he is the team’s captain and Robbie’s nemesis.
Paolo has it out for Robbie. Robbie took the spot slotted for Paolo’s best friend and consequently . So, yeah. Even though it’s not Robbie’s fault, Paolo still had an axe to grind.
Okay this is the part where the grain of salt comes along…
Yvonne insta-lusts Paolo (nothing wrong with that) and Paolo insta-lusts back (nothing with that either) and because Yvonne he is now blackmailing her into a panty burning affair behind Robbie’s back.
Fine. I’ll bite.
Because the story was decent and I love (LOVE) Paolo, I will take the odd premise. I have to keep suspending disbelief because I can’t understand Yvonne’s reasoning for continuing the affair (besides the hot, hot monkey sex). She knew that Paolo hated Robbie who is her best friend and she is in this fabrication in the first place to keep him away from scandal. How can she not deduce that he’s using her to take Robbie down?
There were some eye-roller moments in the book. Some scenarios that were just a little scripted. Some were just plain weird. I think with better editing the book would have been awesome. Odd scenarios like:
Cuckoo.
But in the interest of story telling…erase…erase…
This would have been a solid 3 stars for me if it wasn’t for PAOLO!!!!
Hot Japanese/Brazilian soccer player? Arrogant…doesn’t take no for an answer…possessive. Gah! I need a cold shower.
What was wrong with him? Paolo remembered walking in on a girlfriend once having sex with another man and he didn’t even blink an eye. Robbie pulled his fiancé into his side and he wanted to tear the other man’s head off and use it as a practice ball.
Yum. Yum.
Heat level: Nuclear
Characters:
a) Him – me likey
b) Her: on the fence. She kind of annoyed me but I really can’t explain why.
I think it’s because she just lets everything happen to her. She just kind of reacts and goes along to what is happening around her.
Recommend: Yes. Only because Paolo is so yumerrific.
August 10, 2017
I've been on the fence about this book for months. I am a die hard sports fan and though hockey is my favorite (go PENS!) soccer is my first love. So, I tend to skip athletes as heroes because rarely do I find one that doesn't make me see red due to the authors utter lack of research. One newer book actually had a hockey player receiving a penalty that was nearly an hour long... seriously, wtf?
I finally gave in and borrowed this book and from the bottom of my heart THANK YOU KOKO BROWN! She got European football so bang on, she even managed to work in a version of the UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE. So, what about the romance? Well... that was up and down.
On the upside, Paolo sounded extremely hot. He was not only built like a Ninja Turtle, he was smart and who doesn't love a Portuguese accent? And he was an Alpha without being too much of an a-hole. He and Yvonne had a lot of chemistry and it never felt forced. Also, I loved how they were drawn to each other yet it wasn't insta-love.
On the downside, Yvonne had a tendency to act like a tween at a Justin Bieber concert when she was around Paolo. She has a few too many TSTL moments (when she thought he dropped her for Robbie... I couldn't even laugh she sounded like an idiot) and I never bought her not recognizing his voice, kiss, body or scent when they hooked up at the Carnivale party. And this is going to make me sound like Elaine from Seinfeld, but all of the exclimaming! They exclaimed (at times there were as many "!" per sentence as there were words) at every turn and it got to the point where they all seemed to be screaming at one another.
I give this one 3 1/2 stars.
I finally gave in and borrowed this book and from the bottom of my heart THANK YOU KOKO BROWN! She got European football so bang on, she even managed to work in a version of the UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE. So, what about the romance? Well... that was up and down.
On the upside, Paolo sounded extremely hot. He was not only built like a Ninja Turtle, he was smart and who doesn't love a Portuguese accent? And he was an Alpha without being too much of an a-hole. He and Yvonne had a lot of chemistry and it never felt forced. Also, I loved how they were drawn to each other yet it wasn't insta-love.
On the downside, Yvonne had a tendency to act like a tween at a Justin Bieber concert when she was around Paolo. She has a few too many TSTL moments (when she thought he dropped her for Robbie... I couldn't even laugh she sounded like an idiot) and I never bought her not recognizing his voice, kiss, body or scent when they hooked up at the Carnivale party. And this is going to make me sound like Elaine from Seinfeld, but all of the exclimaming! They exclaimed (at times there were as many "!" per sentence as there were words) at every turn and it got to the point where they all seemed to be screaming at one another.
I give this one 3 1/2 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2013
Never have I read a book where I itched to count the instances of the improper use of the exclamation point. It made the book feel very, very silly. There were quite a few times where I reread the paragraph to myself and inserted a period where the exclamation point was and it made a lot more sense. There were a LOT of editing problems with this book and lots and lots of lines that just plain and simple did not work. The line with the milkshake was one. The line where her orgasm was compared to a Cat 5 hurricane was another. Paolo's inner thought about Yvonne's hips being made for having babies and sex didn't work. And I reread that section where she handed him a dagger and told him to cut off his hand as an apology...and he actually seriously considered it!? Just weird, weird, weird. Now, why the three stars? Well, the setting for one...Italy is a really romantic place to have a book set and the author did a good job on the descriptions of the settings. The sex was pretty freaking hot if you could look past all the cheesy lines that were inserted along with the overuse of the exclamation points. And the ending, to me, was not predictable at all. It caught me off-guard in some ways and really wrapped up a little too neatly in others, but there is definitely more than meets the eye to Paolo Saito...and it's interesting to watch the onion layers be peeled back. Entertaining for sure, very descriptive, but not one that I'll read again.
August 17, 2016
Yvonne Floyd is heading to Rome to play a very important part. No, she isn’t an actress but she is the best friend to Roma Internazionale’s star footballer. Robbie Gutierrez has been her friend since childhood and he needs to hide his sexuality until he inks a very important contract. This is where Yvonne comes in. She will be pretending to be Robbie’s fiancé. Should be an easy gig right? An extended paid vacation in Rome, treated like royalty. It would have been perfect if she hadn’t met Robbie’s teammate Paolo. Paolo makes her blood race and he just so happens to be Robbie’s enemy on the team. What’s a girl to do? Staunchly protect her fake role in Robbie’s life or pursue a once in a lifetime chance at love?
Koko Brown’s Player’s Ultimatum rocks! I love everything about this story. The fun engaging characters and the very cool plot line make Player’s Ultimatum a hit. Yvonne’s relationship with her friend Robbie is exciting and enjoyable. Her relationship with Paolo is scorching and titillating. I like Paolo’s journey throughout the story. He really must evaluate his thinking and his actions. His interactions with Yvonne are perfect and the sauna scene—one of my favorites—sizzles with untapped sexual tension. You don’t want to miss this treat; Player’s Ultimatum is spicy and overflowing with drama!
Reviewed by Miranda for Joyfully Reviewed
Koko Brown’s Player’s Ultimatum rocks! I love everything about this story. The fun engaging characters and the very cool plot line make Player’s Ultimatum a hit. Yvonne’s relationship with her friend Robbie is exciting and enjoyable. Her relationship with Paolo is scorching and titillating. I like Paolo’s journey throughout the story. He really must evaluate his thinking and his actions. His interactions with Yvonne are perfect and the sauna scene—one of my favorites—sizzles with untapped sexual tension. You don’t want to miss this treat; Player’s Ultimatum is spicy and overflowing with drama!
Reviewed by Miranda for Joyfully Reviewed
August 26, 2012
I did not like Yvonne. She called herself a whore, was accused of being a slut by the Italian media and I couldn't agree more. This story had promise but I was turned off by Yvonne's stupidity. She accepted the job of pretending to be her gay bff's fiance in order for him to secure a million dollar football contract. And yet, by her actions, she puts this in jeopardy. Why oh why would you mess around with another player on the same team? Then to fight that attraction you sleep with a stranger (in her mind) to get over attraction to said player?
The author mentions that Yvonne and Paolo always used condoms except the last time in the bathroom but that's not true. They did not use a condom in the shower scene or when he had her on the table at his house. And I think saying that the players were all tested because they have to disclose their results for some kids' charity whatever was pretty lame. What if one of the players tested positive. Would they then not disclose or have to leave the team?
The best thing about this story was reading the lines written in Portuguese.
The author mentions that Yvonne and Paolo always used condoms except the last time in the bathroom but that's not true. They did not use a condom in the shower scene or when he had her on the table at his house. And I think saying that the players were all tested because they have to disclose their results for some kids' charity whatever was pretty lame. What if one of the players tested positive. Would they then not disclose or have to leave the team?
The best thing about this story was reading the lines written in Portuguese.
January 24, 2012
This book was a first for me on many levels. Player's Ultimatum is my first interracial romance, first romance involving sports, first romance by Koko Brown I have read and first romance I have read with a "beard". It was amazing!
The story is controversial. The characters are complex and loveable. And now, the book itself is quite the "talk of the town". I'm very happy to be one of the lucky ones to own a copy.
Koko Brown has really invested herself into Player's Ultimatum. There is a constant showing of REAL emotion, action and heat.This book shows the true passion with which it was written. With every page, I felt as if it was unfolding in front of my very eyes. There is no way to walk away from this book and not be affected.
It is a masterfully crafted story and has officially hooked me to buy the rest of Koko's books.
To find out what all of the fuss is about, I urge you to get your own copy!!!
The story is controversial. The characters are complex and loveable. And now, the book itself is quite the "talk of the town". I'm very happy to be one of the lucky ones to own a copy.
Koko Brown has really invested herself into Player's Ultimatum. There is a constant showing of REAL emotion, action and heat.This book shows the true passion with which it was written. With every page, I felt as if it was unfolding in front of my very eyes. There is no way to walk away from this book and not be affected.
It is a masterfully crafted story and has officially hooked me to buy the rest of Koko's books.
To find out what all of the fuss is about, I urge you to get your own copy!!!
November 17, 2014
synopsis:
yvonne's best friend needs a beard, because there are rumours floating around that he is gay. he figures if he admits that he's gay, he won't get a contract extension from the soccer team that he's playing on. yvonne is immediately attracted to paolo, one of robbie's teammates, and someone who really doesn't like robbie. they hook up, and then paolo blackmails her into continuing to see him.
what i liked: not much. i think robbie was probably the most sympathetic character, even though he gets his best friend to live a lie for him.
what i didn't like: the writing seemed to be very junvenile. i couldn't really relate to the characters; they both seemed like un-likeable people. the sex. for a book that is supposedly supposed to be hot, the sex was fairly bland, maybe because i didn't feel the connection between the two of them. the book is touted as being a "h is older than H" book, but you don't discover that until the last page, so it doesn't really play a part.
yvonne's best friend needs a beard, because there are rumours floating around that he is gay. he figures if he admits that he's gay, he won't get a contract extension from the soccer team that he's playing on. yvonne is immediately attracted to paolo, one of robbie's teammates, and someone who really doesn't like robbie. they hook up, and then paolo blackmails her into continuing to see him.
what i liked: not much. i think robbie was probably the most sympathetic character, even though he gets his best friend to live a lie for him.
what i didn't like: the writing seemed to be very junvenile. i couldn't really relate to the characters; they both seemed like un-likeable people. the sex. for a book that is supposedly supposed to be hot, the sex was fairly bland, maybe because i didn't feel the connection between the two of them. the book is touted as being a "h is older than H" book, but you don't discover that until the last page, so it doesn't really play a part.
January 19, 2012
I love IR, but for some reason this is the first I read with an Asian hero, which was a really, really nice surprise. I hate to say it, but the hero in this book practically dominated it for me and lept from the pages he was just so arrogant and cocky. I lurved it.
This author's books come off as more romantic comedy/chicklit to me rather than straight erotica and I really liked that because you rarely see that in these kinds of books. I'm so tired of the seriousness, I want an escape from reality.
I also liked how this book was fast paced and scenes weren't overdone. You know how you read and the scenes seem to go on and on and you're skipping pages. Not this,its a roller coaster ride of mishaps and close calls.
I hope there's a sequeal with Robbie. I would like to see him find love with some hot dude.
This author's books come off as more romantic comedy/chicklit to me rather than straight erotica and I really liked that because you rarely see that in these kinds of books. I'm so tired of the seriousness, I want an escape from reality.
I also liked how this book was fast paced and scenes weren't overdone. You know how you read and the scenes seem to go on and on and you're skipping pages. Not this,its a roller coaster ride of mishaps and close calls.
I hope there's a sequeal with Robbie. I would like to see him find love with some hot dude.
August 3, 2013
Yvonne Floyd has taken a leave of absence from her MBA , sublet her apartment and flown to Rome to be her best freind Robbie's beard.
Robbie is a new soccer player for Roma international and the paparazzi have started questioning his his sexual preference and though he loves his boyfriend he has yet to sign his new contract and being based n Rome, s closet the Vatican coming out could jeopardize everything he has worked for , s he called in his bst buddy Yvonne,he kiss going t pay her to be his Fiancé.
As a beard Yvonne gets away with it , but somehow screwing Paolo one of the other soccer players intent on getting rid of Robbie I would say makes her a terrible beard, well at least a bad fiancé .
Allin all the story moved quickly, the sex scenes were great and we wind up with a happy ending!
Robbie is a new soccer player for Roma international and the paparazzi have started questioning his his sexual preference and though he loves his boyfriend he has yet to sign his new contract and being based n Rome, s closet the Vatican coming out could jeopardize everything he has worked for , s he called in his bst buddy Yvonne,he kiss going t pay her to be his Fiancé.
As a beard Yvonne gets away with it , but somehow screwing Paolo one of the other soccer players intent on getting rid of Robbie I would say makes her a terrible beard, well at least a bad fiancé .
Allin all the story moved quickly, the sex scenes were great and we wind up with a happy ending!
June 10, 2013
I am not sure if it's because I rarely read MF romances these days, but I just could not get into this story…..
Firstly, the characters seemed unable to react normally (which I found irritating), and secondly, the plot was just ridiculous to me…..
The sex was pretty hawt though!
Firstly, the characters seemed unable to react normally (which I found irritating), and secondly, the plot was just ridiculous to me…..
The sex was pretty hawt though!
January 19, 2020
I liked it but some parts were glossed over when they deserved a much longer and in depth description. This made said certain sections rather mechanical and rushed when it had the potential to really move hearts (in both good and bad ways). Overall enjoyed the plot, though the characters did not have much to them, making me feel neutral towards both h & h. There was not much of a show of why Paolo fell for Yvonne (and vice versa)- the sex was explosive, but love goes beyond lust and by the end every time Paolo confessed/stated his love, I was left asking 'but why?'. What do you adore/admire/find heartwarming about Yvonne and her personality?
This seems like a rather negative comment, but honestly it was a fun, light read and I would still recommend.
This seems like a rather negative comment, but honestly it was a fun, light read and I would still recommend.
October 4, 2015
Lovely- BRAB ONLINE BOOK CLUB
I really enjoyed this book. When Yvonne agreed to pretend to be engaged to her childhood friend Robb, she had no idea what to expect. Robbie, who happens to be gay wanted to disguise it so he could be offered a lucrative contract.
She was all for it until she met Paolo, a Brazilian soccer player. The chemistry between the two was explosive from the start.
I really enjoyed this book. When Yvonne agreed to pretend to be engaged to her childhood friend Robb, she had no idea what to expect. Robbie, who happens to be gay wanted to disguise it so he could be offered a lucrative contract.
She was all for it until she met Paolo, a Brazilian soccer player. The chemistry between the two was explosive from the start.
June 26, 2016
This was good :-)
Nice chemistry! I like Paolo, mmm. And the twist in the end was funny.
Improvements: this author, a former English teacher, needs to work on her homonyms. There were several errors throughout. Steal/steel, peak/peek, pour/pore, wondering/wandering (those this one isn't strictly a homonym) et al.
Also, there could have been some more development at the point of discovery.
Notwithstanding, overall it was nice.
Nice chemistry! I like Paolo, mmm. And the twist in the end was funny.
Improvements: this author, a former English teacher, needs to work on her homonyms. There were several errors throughout. Steal/steel, peak/peek, pour/pore, wondering/wandering (those this one isn't strictly a homonym) et al.
Also, there could have been some more development at the point of discovery.
Notwithstanding, overall it was nice.
January 5, 2013
This story is about the hi-jinks that ensue when Yvonne flies to Italy to be a beard for her gay friend international soccer star Robbie. Unfortunately she can not fight her attraction for his nemesis on the team Paolo. The story is light and fun yet the love scenes are hot and steamy. If you enjoy Interracial Romance, this a definite do.
January 26, 2012
This book was really fast paced and the ending was creative. I was actually surprised by the ending so that's why I gave it more stars. In the beginning, I really didn't care for Paolo since he had ulterior motives, but he began to rub off on me and I ended up really liking him in the end.
February 19, 2012
I loved this story. It was funny, refreshing, exciting and had all the elements to make it a true romance story.
Want to read
April 15, 2013Amazon freebie 4/15/2013
May 13, 2021
I enjoyed the world Brown created for her characters. It was well-described and believable. I could see it, and I was at ease there most of the time. I don't know much about footballers or soccer, so I can't say how accurate she was, but I believed it all.
I enjoyed the premise that Yvonne, the herione, decided to be her BFF's beard, and I enjoyed Paolo's decision to blackmail her into sex. What I didn't get was how hedonistic and animalistic he became over her when he was one to prefer gardening to partying. I also didn't really understand his reasons for hating Robbie so until almost the end of the book. I wish I could have known Paolo's motivations sooner.
Maybe if he would have understood them himself, he would have completed his goal much quicker. Of course that makes for a short book, right?
Paolo was trying to out Robbie as gay, or so it seemed, but from what I could tell, Paolo already had all the evidence he needed for that before the lover even left town and the book had even started. I didn't get how Paolo knew about the lover, Chris, but acted shocked that Robbie was kissing him later on in the book. It was like -- Dauh, don't you remember having that photographer follow Robbie and Chris?
Which reminds me. Why did the photographer even have a POV? Why did he have to tell Paolo that Yvonne didn't have clothes in Robbie's bedroom? I thought Paolo ALREADY suspected and knew Robbie was gay? I thought that was why he was all mad at himself for how he treated his gay friend who died? So if Paolo knows this, the clueless way he acts about Robbie's sexuality and Yvonne's relationship with Robbie makes no sense to me.
Is Paolo that dumb or been hit in the head too many times by a soccer ball to remember that he already knows Robbie is gay?
What would have made sense would have been if Paolo set out to sex Yvonne to prove Robbie was gay and then he could blackmail her with sex to keept that secret -- which was what I thought he was doing, but I don't know what happened to that part of the plot.
I don't get why Yvonne never knows who is touching her. She can't figure it out on the dance floor, she can't figure it out at the mask party -- even though Robbie has done all kinds of things to her by then. I found it really hard to believe she didn't know her man's touch or body even if he was wearing a wolf mask. It reminded me of Brooke Logan and Oliver on Bold and the Beautiful.
There were a lot of weird scenes in the book. For one, she orders Paolo to chop off his offending hand, and he actually, seriously thinks about doing it. What kind of Alpha Male is that?
Next, she doesn't know Paolo is this Wolf character when she should know him by touch. I was humored though, by how she tore up the bookcase, trying to find the secret book to follow Wolf into the passage; however, it made no sense to sex a stranger at a mask party when her job -- and she was being paid for it -- was to pose as Robbie's fiancee. That masked Wolf could have been anybody at all -- including a member of the press who could have busted her. It was just real sloppy.
And no one noticed when she fell from the swing above the party? Robbie didn't see her? The party hosts didn't see her? And that passage behind the bookshelf really led straight to Wolf's room, and she didn't wonder about who he might be if he knew how to go in a secret passage that led directly to a bedroom? Maybe he owned the house? Or was a friend of the owner, someone she was trying to land a contract for Robbie with. Seems like she would have been more discreet.
Another weird scene was when Paolo had her on the table in a position like a turkey, but she felt that was the right time to talk about hobbies?
Paolo is like a lovesick kid, and I guess it's no wonder since he's 24. I like My Alpha's more behavorially mature. He acted like he didn't have any control of his manhood whatsoever, and it came off as juvenille to me.
How does Robbie not know Yvonne was carrying on with Paolo? How busy was Robbie that he didn't have time to figure out where she could be for hours at a time? His lover had left the country, so he should have had plenty of time to wonder where Yvonne was. I had expected this book to head toward a betrayal of Robbie but in a twist, it was the other way around. I was unclear how the ending made things work out for all parties involved, but okay...
I'm still amazed that the press dogs these people, but no reporters find out about Paolo and Yvonne. I thought at first that Yvonne spent too much time with Robbie, but when she started being more with Paolo, the hero, I wanted her to just go back to Robbie because at least he could have conversations like a modern human, not a sex-crazed neanderthal.
I didn't know this was supposed to be erotica when I read it, but even if so, I should have been able to get through it without feeling oversexed. I felt that the book was just gratuitious sex for the sake of it. Even in the epilogue. They were screwing until the last page.
The book needs an editor. There are typos, missing words, wrong tenses, missing scene breaks, etc. that need to be fixed.
I enjoyed the premise that Yvonne, the herione, decided to be her BFF's beard, and I enjoyed Paolo's decision to blackmail her into sex. What I didn't get was how hedonistic and animalistic he became over her when he was one to prefer gardening to partying. I also didn't really understand his reasons for hating Robbie so until almost the end of the book. I wish I could have known Paolo's motivations sooner.
Maybe if he would have understood them himself, he would have completed his goal much quicker. Of course that makes for a short book, right?
Paolo was trying to out Robbie as gay, or so it seemed, but from what I could tell, Paolo already had all the evidence he needed for that before the lover even left town and the book had even started. I didn't get how Paolo knew about the lover, Chris, but acted shocked that Robbie was kissing him later on in the book. It was like -- Dauh, don't you remember having that photographer follow Robbie and Chris?
Which reminds me. Why did the photographer even have a POV? Why did he have to tell Paolo that Yvonne didn't have clothes in Robbie's bedroom? I thought Paolo ALREADY suspected and knew Robbie was gay? I thought that was why he was all mad at himself for how he treated his gay friend who died? So if Paolo knows this, the clueless way he acts about Robbie's sexuality and Yvonne's relationship with Robbie makes no sense to me.
Is Paolo that dumb or been hit in the head too many times by a soccer ball to remember that he already knows Robbie is gay?
What would have made sense would have been if Paolo set out to sex Yvonne to prove Robbie was gay and then he could blackmail her with sex to keept that secret -- which was what I thought he was doing, but I don't know what happened to that part of the plot.
I don't get why Yvonne never knows who is touching her. She can't figure it out on the dance floor, she can't figure it out at the mask party -- even though Robbie has done all kinds of things to her by then. I found it really hard to believe she didn't know her man's touch or body even if he was wearing a wolf mask. It reminded me of Brooke Logan and Oliver on Bold and the Beautiful.
There were a lot of weird scenes in the book. For one, she orders Paolo to chop off his offending hand, and he actually, seriously thinks about doing it. What kind of Alpha Male is that?
Next, she doesn't know Paolo is this Wolf character when she should know him by touch. I was humored though, by how she tore up the bookcase, trying to find the secret book to follow Wolf into the passage; however, it made no sense to sex a stranger at a mask party when her job -- and she was being paid for it -- was to pose as Robbie's fiancee. That masked Wolf could have been anybody at all -- including a member of the press who could have busted her. It was just real sloppy.
And no one noticed when she fell from the swing above the party? Robbie didn't see her? The party hosts didn't see her? And that passage behind the bookshelf really led straight to Wolf's room, and she didn't wonder about who he might be if he knew how to go in a secret passage that led directly to a bedroom? Maybe he owned the house? Or was a friend of the owner, someone she was trying to land a contract for Robbie with. Seems like she would have been more discreet.
Another weird scene was when Paolo had her on the table in a position like a turkey, but she felt that was the right time to talk about hobbies?
Paolo is like a lovesick kid, and I guess it's no wonder since he's 24. I like My Alpha's more behavorially mature. He acted like he didn't have any control of his manhood whatsoever, and it came off as juvenille to me.
How does Robbie not know Yvonne was carrying on with Paolo? How busy was Robbie that he didn't have time to figure out where she could be for hours at a time? His lover had left the country, so he should have had plenty of time to wonder where Yvonne was. I had expected this book to head toward a betrayal of Robbie but in a twist, it was the other way around. I was unclear how the ending made things work out for all parties involved, but okay...
I'm still amazed that the press dogs these people, but no reporters find out about Paolo and Yvonne. I thought at first that Yvonne spent too much time with Robbie, but when she started being more with Paolo, the hero, I wanted her to just go back to Robbie because at least he could have conversations like a modern human, not a sex-crazed neanderthal.
I didn't know this was supposed to be erotica when I read it, but even if so, I should have been able to get through it without feeling oversexed. I felt that the book was just gratuitious sex for the sake of it. Even in the epilogue. They were screwing until the last page.
The book needs an editor. There are typos, missing words, wrong tenses, missing scene breaks, etc. that need to be fixed.
May 27, 2019
Yvonne flew to Rome to help her best friend Robbie out of a bind with posing as his fiance. It was an easy decision as it opened her life up to new possibilities and adventures that wouldn't normally be a part of her living in Tampa Florida. She loved Robbie so it wasn't a hard decision until she ran into Paolo Saito the hottest futbol player on the international circuit. I liked the fact that it was a soccer star whom I forget would be the biggest sport played world wide besides the US. :) Robbie is up and coming while Paolo is so good, he is known as Il Duke. He is from Brazil and of Japanese descent, so he had exotically good looks that attracts the best of the best models who are slim and trim but he remembers the dark beauties who were part of his homeland and when he sees Yvonne, he notices her beauty but in an effort of revenge, wants to use her to avenge his best friend's suicide as he thinks Robbie is responsible for it. What he didn't account for actually falling or Yvonne, liking more and more of what he saw in her character.
I liked this story because first off, the sexual encounters were pretty hot. Paolo and Yvonne had a chemistry that couldn't be denied. The only thing that I questioned was that if Yvonne was supposed to have a fiancee, how could she keep that explosive chemistry out of the spotlight with one of Europe's most eligible bachelors. :) Paolo was a known playboy and was always photographed with a beauty on his arm. It would have been doubly hard, as Robbie was an up and coming star and as his sexuality was questioned, how wouldn't he and Yvonne be dogged by the rag magazines as well since she basically came out of nowhere. Once I suspended those in depth thoughts and focused on their connection, it was a good story. It was engaging though Robbie seemed a little oblivious to his friend's trysts with his archenemy though they were supposed to be teammates. Paolo and Yvonnie were meant to be together, that is for sure, but the author could have beefed up Robbie's presence in Yvonne's life in the story, but like I said, the sex was hot, so it still made it a good read. :)
I liked this story because first off, the sexual encounters were pretty hot. Paolo and Yvonne had a chemistry that couldn't be denied. The only thing that I questioned was that if Yvonne was supposed to have a fiancee, how could she keep that explosive chemistry out of the spotlight with one of Europe's most eligible bachelors. :) Paolo was a known playboy and was always photographed with a beauty on his arm. It would have been doubly hard, as Robbie was an up and coming star and as his sexuality was questioned, how wouldn't he and Yvonne be dogged by the rag magazines as well since she basically came out of nowhere. Once I suspended those in depth thoughts and focused on their connection, it was a good story. It was engaging though Robbie seemed a little oblivious to his friend's trysts with his archenemy though they were supposed to be teammates. Paolo and Yvonnie were meant to be together, that is for sure, but the author could have beefed up Robbie's presence in Yvonne's life in the story, but like I said, the sex was hot, so it still made it a good read. :)
October 20, 2019
This was definitely one hot read! Yvonne has agreed to help out her best friend Robbie who is an up and coming star for the Rome soccer team by pretending to be his fiancé, as Robbie is gay and does not want to come out before he signs his major contract with the team and the fake engagement is to help squash the rumors swirling about him. However it is major lust at first sight for Yvonne and Paolo, the team’s top star and someone who has it in for Robbie, and the story spins off from there. And let me tell you, the chemistry between Paolo and Yvonne was simply electric. Yvonne struggles with having an affair when she knows it can expose things for Robbie, but just can’t help herself with Paolo, and I also enjoyed how crazy jealous Paolo is of her relationship with Robbie because he was obsessed with Yvonne and wanted her for himself. I do think some communication could have cleared up some of the confusion at the end, but overall this was a fun, sexy read and I’ll be looking for more books by this author.
May 5, 2017
I loved it
I really enjoyed every minute of this book and I loved Yvonne and Paolo...great couple and their chemistry was out of this world. I loved the story and I wanted more. I recommend it
I really enjoyed every minute of this book and I loved Yvonne and Paolo...great couple and their chemistry was out of this world. I loved the story and I wanted more. I recommend it
August 3, 2018
Fantastic
I brought this book a few years ago it was just in my library. The main character had great chemistry. I know how it's to be a beard for a gay friends. So I understand Robbie situation. I would recommend this book to anyone
I brought this book a few years ago it was just in my library. The main character had great chemistry. I know how it's to be a beard for a gay friends. So I understand Robbie situation. I would recommend this book to anyone
November 10, 2018
It was okay. I little implausible and I didn't really care for the hero
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