Book Review: Playing With Her Heart, By Lauren Blakely

** spoiler alert **

Playing With Her Heart, by Lauren Blakely was a thrilling read. I was lucky enough to win this book after participating in a Twitter party for the release of Lauren Blakely’s new book Far Too Tempting.

Jill is an under study for the Broadway Show “Crash The Moon”. She has a self-deprecating sense of humor and is very gracious for the opportunity to be a part of the chorus and possibly play the star “Ava” for “Crash The Moon”. Jill carries a lot of baggage with her that she hides as best she can.

Davis is the director for “Crash The Moon.” He is broody, classy, sexy, and sophisticated. It should also be mentioned that he has a dirty mouth. Like Jill, he carries a lot of baggage. His one rule; do NOT date actresses.

For years Jill has been crushing on Patrick, an actor. He plays Paulo in the Broadway Show, and she has the chance to work alongside him. Her feelings for him, although she doesn’t realize it herself, aren’t real. Her crush on him is very shallow, and it keeps her from falling in love with someone more suited to her. -Which is just fine by her because even though she wants to, she is afraid to fall in love again.

Both Davis and Jill crave for a love that doesn’t hurt…

Jill bravely asks Patrick out on a date, and he replies that he just wishes to be friends. While this hurts to hear, it doesn’t hurt as much coming from him as it did when it came from Davis; who told her previous that he doesn’t date actresses.

Davis is hot and cold. Despite rejecting Jill, they share a wild cab ride home… While Jill enjoyed this thoroughly, afterwards she feels like a play thing, even feeling a bit guilty since it is Patrick who she is truly interested in. Jill plays it off, convincing herself that she was a “crazed animal, beseeched with need.” She still believes that she has a chance with Patrick, the “nice guy”, and feels that Davis is only interested in sex.

She couldn’t be anymore wrong.

Patrick and Jill go out for coffee and then to an indie bookstore. He asks her what her favorite kind of book to read is, and while she knows it is racy romances that she enjoys, she has a hard time admitting this to him. So instead she lies and discusses a book that her brother has talked about several times. She questions herself why she is so afraid to let him know this tiny detail about herself…

She is scared to let him in. Is it because she has been hurt before? Or because she isn’t comfortable with Patrick in general?

Davis and Jill have private rehearsal sessions. During the rehearsal, they have another wild sexual encounter on the stage in front of an empty theatre. Their sexual relationship is red hot, wild, and exciting. However, Jill knows that Davis isn’t interested in a romantic relationship. She is confused as to what his motives are, and imagines the worst.

Later, Patrick and Jill go bowling. She enjoys being around him because he is drama free. They enjoy each other’s company, but it is clear this isn’t a “date”. Later on, Davis learns they went out and becomes jealous. They go backstage and they have another sexual encounter. Davis asks Jill to forgive him for being a jealous jerk. She of course does forgive, after what he does to her…

Davis breaks his rules and asks Jill out on a date to a nice restaurant. He reserves a table in the furthest corner way in the back, but not because he doesn’t want to be seen… Rather he doesn’t want anyone to see what he asks her to do while they wait for their dinner.

*Fans myself with the book*

Davis asks Jill out to another date to a big Broadway event. He buys her a beautiful sapphire dress for her to wear. At the event, she sees him for what he is; a powerful presence in the world of the New York City performing arts! This turns her on, and makes her like him even more…

Patrick who??

Unfortunately, everyone has their claws hooked into Davis at the event. His ex-girlfriend Madeline is there, (the woman who destroyed him and broke his heart), and his sister Michele threatens Jill to back off her brother…

Michele tells Jill not to play with her brother’s heart.

At the event, Jill and Davis escape into the bathroom where they have another sexual encounter in front of the bathroom mirrors. After this, Davis tells Jill he loves her. Jill is completely blindsided by this, and she runs.

Davis doesn’t hear from her for days. He is heartbroken, and feels used and rejected.

Unable to take it any longer, Davis shows up at Jill’s apartment. He finds her in her bed, clutching a note. She hands it to him and he reads it and things become more clear. Years ago, Jill’s boyfriend committed suicide. Davis stays the night and holds her close to him all night, comforting her when she needs it the most.

The next day Jill and her brother burn the letter that has haunted her for years.

The main star, Alexis, who is supposed to play Ava, drunkenly trips and hurts her knee during rehearsal. Her doctor tells her she will be in crutches for 4-6 weeks… Jill is told that she will be playing Ava in “Crash The Moon.”

Jill does amazing during her first Broadway Show. The crowd goes crazy and Davis is proud of her. Her “high” crashes down fast when she finds out Davis will be going to London for two months to work on a new show, “Twelfth Night.” However, Davis tells her it is part of his contract to be able to come home one day every week so he won’t have to be apart from her the entire two months.

The next morning in his loft, Davis asks Jill if she will move in with him. She very happily accepts his offer, since her roommate is getting married and she needs to find somewhere to live anyways.

“Crash The Moon” is nominated for an award and Davis and Jill will be walking the red carpet at the 68th Annual Tony Awards, as an ENGAGED couple. Davis asks Jill to marry him and she says YES.

This book was very racy, erotic, thrilling, and sexy. I absolutely loved witnessing the romance that was building up between Davis and Jill. They both had the same suspicions about each other, even though they didn’t realize that the other was thinking what they were thinking. They were so perfect for each other, and in the end they both got a love that didn’t hurt.

5 stars. Lauren Blakely has a new reader and fan!

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