The daughter of one of the Senate's most powerful figures, Blair Reynolds was ready to become the ultimate political wife—until she caught her fiancé cheating on her wedding day. Law school is a fresh start, her shot at putting the pieces of her life back together. That’s the plan, at least. Until trouble comes in the form of her Torts professor, the man whose arrogance infuriates her in class but haunts her private fantasies.
Graydon Canter had a fortune and a place on all the hottest "Thirty under Thirty” lists, until a series of personal missteps nearly destroyed his career. A year teaching at a D.C. law school is just the break he needs to get his life back in order, as long as nothing—and no one—trips him up.
When Blair and Gray are forced to work together, their explosive attraction becomes impossible to resist. But Gray’s demons have drawn him dangerously close to the edge, and Blair has spent her life playing by the rules. Will she break them for a shot at love?
Fans of Chanel Clayton's Flirting With Scandal will love this return to the Jackie's world, this time with her sister Blair at the helm.
Blair is a different kind of protagonist than I usually read - she is struggling to rebuild her life by doing something that makes her (and everyone around her) miserable. She is incredibly stubborn and has to continually prove that she isn't the fragile, docile woman everyone believes her to be. I liked seeing Blair's growth, though I wish that she had changed outwardly - to her friends, to her family, especially to her mother - slightly earlier in the story.
Gray is also a compelling character, if not a little predictable. The successful lawyer with a dark past being forced to work at a college to pay his dues. I liked how much Blair got under his skin and his reactions to her and his attraction to her. Their romance seemed genuine and romantic. Their characters really worked off one another; both are trying to rebuild their lives but Gray still knows his passion, his focus, while Blair has to struggle with law school, her family, and figuring out what (and who) it is she really loves.
The beginning was a little slow for me, it being a lot of both characters just reminiscing on how sucky the last few years have been and how sexy they each find one another. However, when Blair and Gray begin to really interact with one another, the pace picks up and I couldn't wait to see where their relationship led. I felt there was a little too much of prolonged drama and wanton lust - again, when Blair and Gray really begin to communicate and play off one another (and kiss), it was a break from the (understandably but yet ever present) angst. While there are moments that lull and the blog posts are used more to hint at the third book (and Blair's sister, Kate) than to really move the plot, the issue of social media continues to plague these sisters.
A fun, sexy, political read about rebuilding yourself when you don't even know where to start and you've already picked up the wrong kind of screwdriver, Playing With Trouble is a romantic, sexy book with two hot, stubborn characters not afraid to take on the courtroom, classroom, and bedroom to get what they want.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Find out more about Chanel and her books here: http://www.chanelcleeton.com
Originally a Florida girl, CHANEL CLEETON moved to London where she received a bachelor’s degree from Richmond, The American International University in London and a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Chanel fell in love with London and planned to stay there forever, until fate intervened on a Caribbean cruise and a fighter pilot with smooth dance moves swept her off her feet. Now, a happily ever after later, Chanel is living her next adventure.
Law school made Chanel realize she’d rather spend her days writing sexy stories than in a courtroom, and she hasn’t looked back since. An avid reader and hopeless romantic, she’s happiest curled up with a book. She has a weakness for handbags, her three pups, and her husband.
Chanel writes contemporary romances and women's fiction. She is published by Harlequin HQN, Penguin/InterMix, and Penguin/Berkley and is the author of the International School, Capital Confessions, and Wild Aces series.
Happy Reading!
Jasmine
No comments:
Post a Comment