What happens when a bisexual NFL quarterback, a pop superstar, and two fiercely protective publicists collide? You get two romances for the price of one. Alexandria Bellefleur’s Playing for Keeps delivers a romance that is equal parts steamy, heartwarming, funny, and surprisingly emotional.
⸻
💜I received this book as an Advanced Listener Copy (ALC) in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
I also read an e-book (Kindle) to compare it to the audio.
⸻
💜 The Premise
Playing for Keeps centers around Penelope (“Poppy”) Peterson, publicist for NFL 🏈 quarterback Cash Curran. When Cash starts dating popstar and music legend 🎤 Lyric Adair, in comes Lyric’s publicist, Rosaline Sinclair. Sparks fly while the two couples try to balance their relationships given the public eye being on them.
Having met Alexandria Bellefleur at Love Lit Con earlier this year, I was especially excited to dive into one of her books and read Playing for Keeps.
One of my favorite aspects of this story was that it felt like two love stories for the price of one. While the primary romance follows Poppy and Rosaline, I found myself equally invested in Cash and Lyric’s relationship. Both couples brought something unique to the story, and I was rooting for everyone to find their happily-ever-after.
I also appreciated the bisexual representation in the novel, specially the references to Cash being out publicly as a bisexual NFL football player. The story treats bisexuality as a natural part of the characters’ identities while allowing them to have fully developed relationships, careers, and personal journeys beyond their sexuality.
⸻
💥 The Dynamic
The chemistry between Poppy and Rosaline was undeniable. The heat between the two started off as attraction and tension and quickly became palpable as their relationship developed. What surprised me most was the subtle power-exchange dynamic woven throughout their relationship (and even Cash and Lyric’s relationship). While this is not a BDSM romance, readers familiar with those dynamics may recognize playful dominance and submission undertones, that added tension, trust, and emotional intimacy to the romance.
The grand gesture at the end made me shed a happy tear. I really was rooting for the happy endings.
⸻
⏱️ Pacing & Progression
The pacing worked well, especially as the relationships began to shift. I found myself getting more invested in the character dynamics the deeper I got into the story.
I read both the ALC and the Kindle e-book, so that I could properly and honestly review both versions. The narrator, Lauren Sweet (who also narrated Hook, Line, and Sinker By Tessa Bailey), does a fantastic job of keeping the voices distinct, including news articles and online commentary by fans. However, I found that the ALC loses some of the effect of the news articles and the fan posts that reading the e-book emphasizes. This is no fault of Lauren Sweet. I really enjoyed her narration. But there is something to be said for experiencing the social media posts, headlines, texts and emojis in their visual format.
⸻
✨ Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a spicy sapphic romance (plus queer representation), celebrity drama, and two love stories for the price of one, I highly recommend Playing for Keeps.
⸻
🔥 Rating & Spice Level
🌶️ Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
⭐️ Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⸻
📚 Where to Read
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
POP GLAM LIFE 