Blog Tour + Excerpt + Review: "Play Smart" by Aly Stiles

I'm excited to take part in the blog tour celebrating the release of "Play Smart" by Aly Stiles, book #5 of the multi-author Work For It series published by Smartypants Romance. It works well as a standalone, though characters from the first book of the series make cameo appearances in this one.

 

Paige Andrews wants to be the CEO of a multi-million dollar company someday, and the first step on that path is beating out her fellow intern, Nash Ellis, for a permanent position with Reedweather Media. The truth is that Nash couldn't be less interested in the job, but he does need the cash. His apparent lack of motivation drives Paige crazy, but she can't help but think there's more to him than meets the eye. Her suspicions are confirmed when they're forced into working together on a project that utilizes Nash's talents as a musician. After that, it won't be long until Nash starts to drive Paige crazy in an entirely different way...

There was plenty of chemistry between Paige and Nash, and I knew that it was only a matter of time before it was going to ignite. That said, the shift from enemies to lovers happened a bit too fast for my tastes. All it seemed to take was Nash being nice to Paige's brother Val (and showing off his tattoo along with his sexy back and abs) for her to suddenly decide that she was in love with him. Aside from that, there was a lot to like about this story. The scenes with wacky Chad and his Mer-Nuts (mermaid peanuts) were consistently hilarious, and I enjoyed the continuation of the corporate espionage plot from the previous book (though IMO some of their antics seemed a bit far-fetched and juvenile). There was also a fair amount of angst related to Nash's past, but I thought it was handled well. He was a nice guy even if he didn't realize it, and the way he took Paige's brother Val under his wing was very sweet.

Despite a few (relatively minor) frustrations, I'd recommend "Play Smart" for all contemporary romance and romantic comedy fans. I look forward to whatever Aly Stiles writes next. 

*Review copy provided by Smartypants Romance. All opinions expressed are my own.  

 

About "Play Smart"

Nash Ellis knows music. Producing, performing, writing—if it involves the creative process he’s there for it. He knows nothing about copy machines. Or financial reports. Or anything related to the stuck-up business world his best friends have been chasing since they were kids. But Nash also needs money, so when his roommate gets him a paid internship at Reedweather Media, he reluctantly agrees. At least his know-it-all intern competitor is kind of cute in a nerdy-librarian sort of way—especially when she’s being tormented by an angsty rocker she can’t stand.

The only thing Paige Andrews hates more than failure? Nash Ellis. She has little patience for incompetence and zero tolerance for indifference. He clearly doesn’t belong in their corporate world, so why does he insist on ruining her dream job? And the worst part—he’s not what he seems. In fact, it’s all the things he’s hiding behind those electric blue eyes that make him straight-up captivating in an ironic-slacker sort of way.

But their smoldering friction bursts into open flames when the feuding interns are forced into a high-stakes mission that requires intimate knowledge of the music industry. Yep, what could go wrong when the least-qualified candidate to ever walk the halls of a major corporation becomes their only hope of success?

'Play Smart' is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #5 in the Work For It series, Educated Romance World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

 

 

Read an Excerpt from "Play Smart"

Turning around, he stops in his tracks when he sees me. His face falls, and I don’t know how to read the mix of emotions that filters over him. He clearly doesn’t know what to do next, so I close the gap and grab his wrist.

“Let’s dance,” I say.

“What?”

“Dancing.” I wave behind me at the sea of bodies demonstrating this ancient ritual.

“You… wait. You want to dance with me? You’ve been turning me down all night.”

I nod. “Yes. Because I don’t dance.”

“But you do now?”

“No.”

“I don’t understand. What’s changed?”

“My internal—and a few external—organs.”

“Huh?”

His brow scrunches, and I notice for the first time how much I like the image of his silver piercing when he does that. I reach up and brush my finger near it, then let my touch drift down the side of his face. My gaze settles on his lips and a sharp wave of desire surges through me.

“I turned you down because you’re extremely attractive tonight,” I explain. “Dangerously so.”

“Wait, you’ve been turning me down because you wanted me too much?”

I nod again, forcing my attention back to his entrancing gaze. “Yes, and since we agreed we can’t have what we want, it felt like a terrible idea to indulge in a sample of the forbidden fruit.”

His confusion morphs into amusement. “Do you always have to say stuff in the weirdest way possible?”

I narrow my eyes at him. “Do you always have to be a jerk when I’m trying to be nice?”

“This is you being nice?”