Once Upon a Player - My Review

There are many popular tropes within the romantic novel genre of books and one of my favorite has always been the bad boy who falls for the good girl. This is the premise of  Christina Phillips' book Once Upon a Player. This isn't a complicated book with sweeping drama or long complicated action pages. This is the simple story of how Lucas Carter, a man who appeared to have just about anything a guy could want, met and fell in love with Violet Henderson. Sometimes the best stories are actually the most simple ones.

Violet is filling in for her mother's housekeeping job at some rich jock's place. She goes in and finds the place a mess from a party the previous night. Thinking no one was home, she began picking the place up until Lucas waltzed out wearing nothing but his skivvies! This was the introduction to the main characters folks! Talk about a Hello and Good Morning! Next we find out that Lucas is  currently benched from his soccer career due to a knee injury and not sure if he will ever play again, while she is currently working towards her interior design degree.Violet was drawn to him from the moment their eyes met, but she resisted him. She had dated the bad boy jock type in the past and gotten burned badly, so she was very wary of Lucas. The whole time she was giving him a merry chase, Lucas realized how tired he was of women who fell at his feet and only looked at him as a gold mine, and he began to develop real feelings for Violet. These two played a delightful game of cat and mouse that saw it's fair share of triumphs and misfortunes, but in the end resulted in a happy ending (of course!) To whet your appetite for this book, here's an excerpt for you:

“D’you have a business card?”

“What?” The word blurts out before I can stop it, and his grin doesn’t help, since it’s now obvious he knows I thought he wasn’t serious.

He wasn’t serious about wanting my help. Was he?

“I need your number to contact you for when I need your expertise.”

“Does that line ever work?”

“It’s the first time I’ve used it. You tell me.”

Stop flirting, Vi. Except, even though it’s a bad idea on so many levels, I haven’t had so much fun in ages. Which says a lot about my self-imposed exile from the human race, but whatever. The truth is it’s a relief to discover I haven’t totally lost my touch when it comes to guys.

“Honestly? It’s a bit dodgy.”

“I’ve never been accused of being dodgy before.”

“First time for everything.”

“I’m not asking for any special favors. I’ll pay the going rate.”

I’m smiling at him like a smitten groupie, but it’s impossible not to. “You’re funny. I’m not even qualified yet. If I do agree to help you out, all I’d ask in return is a release to use photos, and a testimonial.”

If you don’t ask, you don’t get…

“Deal.” He sticks out his hand, and after a second’s hesitation, when every warning bell clangs in my head that touching Lucas Carter is the worst idea ever, I cave, and his fingers wrap around mine. They’re warm, strong, and slightly callused, and I forget how to breathe.

Yep. Worst idea ever. I need to break contact, but it’s like I’m totally paralyzed, and Lucas doesn’t appear inclined to reclaim his hand any time soon, either.

I clear my throat, which shatters the spell and our connection. I resist the urge to flex my fingers since there’s no way I’m letting him know just how much his touch affected me.

“You’re going to make me ask again, aren’t you?”

I’ve no idea what he’s talking about, but right now that’s a secondary concern because I’ve just agreed to help Lucas freaking Carter redesign his penthouse. Holy shit.

Stop hyperventilating.

Luckily my brain kicks back into gear before he jumps to the conclusion I’m completely flakey. “My number, right. Okay.”

Before I have the chance to rummage for pen and paper in my bag, he hands me his phone. “Here you go.”

It’s a surreal moment as I add my number to his contacts. And so he never looks at my name and thinks, Who the hell? I add “Interior Designer,” and pride surges through me. I might not be qualified yet, but I only have one more year until I am. Having a big name like Lucas in my portfolio sure won’t be a disadvantage.

And then reality hits me, and I can’t believe I’m so flipping gullible. “Are you serious about this? Or is it just some kind of ruse to get my number?”

That didn’t come out right. But I can’t explain what I mean without digging myself further into a hole, and as if I don’t feel bad enough, my face starts to burn.

Well, fuck.

             “It’s totally a ruse to get your number.” He’s laughing, and I’m not sure whether it’s because he’s trying to take his phone and I have a death grip on the bloody thing, or because he finds the fact I needed to ask the question in the first place hilarious. Did I really think he was nice? “And I’m deadly serious about needing your help."

This novel was filled with moments that made me laugh out loud and others where I just wanted to throw my kindle at the main characters and scream "Why!!!!!" Overall, it was a joy to read and I will be reading more of her books, so go pick up your own copy of Christina Phillips' Once Upon a Player today.

Slainte,

M