Book 951: Playing for Keeps (Sporting Secrets #3) – Jax Calder

It was a no-brainer I would say yes when this one finally arrived in my inbox.* I enjoyed Playing Offside and Playing at Home so much and was getting antsy this one was taking so long (a whole 6 months). It was definitely worth the wait and I’ll gladly wait this long again because Calder does a good job not only in writing the stories but also in making sure they’re reviewer ready. I’m still shuddering after a couple of recent ones I read that needed to start over.

This is the story of Ethan and Luke, childhood best friends who were inseparable until Char, Luke’s twin sister, ended up pregnant with Ethan’s kid, Theo. Needless to say shit hit the fan and they went their separate ways (including Luke fleeing to Japan to play professional rugby), but Luke is back to achieve his dream of playing for the New Zealand national team and he happened to sign with Ethan’s professional team, not because of Ethan but because of the out players on the team.

Calder did a great job of writing Ethan and Luke and the strained relationship, the thawing of the stand-off-ish-ness, the simmering and ultimately boiling of their relationship, the drama it causes, and the constantly shifting family dynamics! There were almost too many dynamics happening, but Calder managed to balance them and not let any overshadow the others except at the right moments.

I thought pretty earlier there was going to be something wrong with Char, but it didn’t go quite the way I thought it would. Thankfully, Calder took a less intense/dramatic route that gave a lot more happily-ever-afters than what I thought was going to happen. If there was one relationship that Calder could’ve put a little more focus on it was that between Luke and Char, just to give it more depth with it being such a pivotal part of the story.

There were so many emotions and emotional scenes, but the one that really got me was the “Say Anything”/”Love Actually” moment when Luke shows up ad Ethan’s door and finally says I’m in this for as long as you are and the then have to figure it out.

‘I’m not running away this time. I’m standing here, my heart is broken and bleeding, and I’m telling you that I love you and I want you. No, I don’t want just you. I want the me I am when I’m around you. I want us.’
My heart thudded.
‘And I’m not going to Auckland. Because rugby is only going to be for a few years of my life. But I’m hoping you’re going to be forever.’ He clawed his hand through his hair. ‘And I know it’s complicated with Char and Theo and everything but I want you to know that I’m not leaving. IM here in whatever capacity you’ll have me. Always.’ (Chapter 35)

It HURT to get to this point because Ethan was putting Theo and his relationship with his mother, Char, first at the expense of his happiness, and Luke was making sure Ethan was doing what was best for him and his son was just painfully sad to read. There were other dynamics with the family that hopefully thaw out in the future, but there was enough drama because of Luke that I was so glad everyone got a HFN or HEA.

Calder, as readers have come to expect, did an excellent job with the sex scenes and even caught me out on some assumptions I made so good on them! As in the previous novels the characters were verse and we got to see/experience it all.

Recommendation: I really need to seek out some more of Calder’s works! This series has been phenomenal and I’ve very much enjoyed each book more than the last. Ethan and Luke were great characters and they brought so much history to this snapshot of their lives. Calder did a great job with the flashbacks and the many minor characters and, as usual, I was happy to see the other characters from the series make brief appearances. I can’t wait to read Jonathan’s story and I’m so glad Calder didn’t just leave him hanging out to dry, especially with that not-so-subtle hint at the engagement party 😀

*I received a copy of Playing for Keeps via Gay Romance Reviews in return for my honest opinion. No goods or money were exchanged.

Opening Line: “I walked into the bar and the sight of Ethan’s blond head had my heart doing its usual happy dance.”

Closing Line: “I gave him a salute in return, and watched my future husband’s face split into one of his sunshine grins.” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)