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My Review:Title: Dirty Tactics
Author: Emma Salah
Published by: Carina Press
Release Date: July 20, 2020
Format: eARC
Pages: 228
Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Sports Romance
Source: NetGalley
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2020 Diversity Reading Challenge, Lenoreo's 2020 Netgalley and Edelweiss Challenge, Lenoreo's 2020 New Release Challenge, Lenoreo's COYER Quarantine Edition
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ iBooks
My rating:
Blurb:His best friend’s little sister never looked so good…
Two weeks.A trial period, in which hockey superstar Zac Quinn will prove to Reagan Thomas—his best friend’s younger sister and the one woman he can’t seem to keep his hands off of—that they can’t possibly date for real.
After all, the Thomas family is the only family he’s ever had. He can’t risk losing them, no matter how much he wants Reagan. She’s too important to him; he can’t let things get weird.
But Reagan has known they’re meant to be since forever. She’s not about to back down now.
If she has to play dirty to bring him around?
No problem.
I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
3.5 stars — This book was up and down for me. There were elements that worked very very well, and there were elements that just didn’t for me. Basically, it was the ultimate mixed bag.
The prologue sucked me in immediately and I felt a lot for both Reagan and Zac. The problem is that when we got to chapter 1, I felt like I had missed a whole bunch in between and we were thrust almost immediately into a steamy scene. I hadn’t had a chance to get to know either of our characters that well, and I definitely hadn’t had a chance to see their dynamic at play. It felt more erotica than romance. I enjoy hella steamy scenes, don’t get me wrong, but I need to have emotional and character investment as well. This problem plagued a lot of the rest of the book — balancing between an actual romance with erotica. I needed a bit more connection outside the physical, especially earlier on. I suppose if this wasn’t a brother’s best friend kinda dealio, it might have been different…you know, a one night stand becomes more trope fits with lust/sex first, feelings later. But that just isn’t what I want from this trope.
So yeah, the steamy scenes were definitely solid. If that’s mostly what you’re in for, I think you’ll enjoy it…there was definitely physical chemistry between Ree and Zac. It was the other chemistry that felt a bit lacking. Every time I thought we would get more heart, we got another steamy scene instead.
That’s not to say I didn’t eventually get more, it just wasn’t enough at that point. And frankly, it was hard to love Zac when he pushed her away constantly, hurting her…his past gave him some leeway, but I don’t know…not that much for me?
I appreciated Reagan’s storyline with her father (though, I wasn’t completely satisfied with that resolution, I needed more), and her struggle at her firm (I LOVED the way that one played out). She had to ride such a balance as a woman in a male-dominated field, and the author really showed how tricky that is for women (much less black women).
On the other hand, I was less impressed with how Zac’s dealings with his past went. I mean, I was hella happy about one aspect (therapy — yay! End the shame stigma!), but the way he felt about his mom, and the way he spoke to her rubbed me the wrong way…something about the way it played out just…I don’t know.
There were also lots of guy-guy moments with Zac’s hockey team and Reagan’s brothers…it felt cliche and shallow at times. I’m just not as down with that anymore.
This ARC wasn’t great editing wise (inconsistencies, timelines, etc), so I sincerely hope it got a good final pass.
Seeing as this was the author’s debut novel, I might consider reading another of hers. Aidan and Letty could definitely be fun, but the one I’m most interested in is definitely Callum.
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