FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book from Grey's Promotions. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Plays We Fake
by Brooke O'BrienSeries: Braysen U #2
Published by Self-Published on March 29, 2024
SubGenres: New Adult and College Romance
Format: eArc
Pages: 284
Source: Grey's Promotions
Audience: 18+/Adult
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I've heard the rumors about the football players in our small town. Trouble always has a way of finding them, and the girls can't get enough of their wild ways.
Hayes Carver has the bad-boy reputation down to go with his scoring records and good looks.
Everything changes after the game that destroyed his image and painted him as a dirty player. From the press and social media to his coach and teammates, the pressure is building, and he can't seem to escape the constant scrutiny.
When his limits are tested, Hayes turns to me for a way out.
He proposes that I play along as his fake girlfriend in hopes it changes the narrative and takes the pressure off him.
The rules are set in stone. Faking a relationship with him won't be easy, and falling for him is out of the question.
Yet the more time we spend together, the more the lines between what's real and fake begin to blur.
Hayes needs me to help save his reputation, but to do it, I'll have to risk my heart.
The Plays We Fake features the following tropes: fake dating, sports/football, opposites attract, a cinnamon roll hero with a bad reputation, and a virgin spicy romance reader/aspiring author heroine.
The second Brooke announced The Plays We Fake was Hayes Carver’s book, and it had the fake dating and opposite’s attract tropes; I knew I had to read it. It’s the second book in her interconnected standalone Braysen U series, which means you don’t have to read the books in order. However, you’ll miss out on Beckham (Hayes Twin) and Hallyn’s story if you don’t read The Rivals We Hate, which I definitely recommend also.
Hayes is a football player with a bad reputation that he’s trying to fix. What better way to fix it than by asking the girl who is not impressed by him and the opposite of him to fake date him? The issue is Everly sees Hayes as a typical jock, and she’s not up for fake dating him unless there are rules in place, one of them not to fall in love with one another. But rules are meant to be broken, especially after Everly and Hayes start to hang out together.
Yes, the fake dating trope may have a predictable plot, but I don’t care because I will always smile the moment the two characters realize they are in love. This was the case with Hayes and Everly, and I was here for it, especially reading how their relationship grew from an expected friendship to much more.
I felt for Hayes because he wasn’t a bad guy, and he definitely deserved the bad reputation. It was an accident, and he felt terrible for what happened. I’m glad he had Everly, who was actually there to help him with not only his reputation but also make him realize he was a good guy. He was really a cinnamon roll who was secretly a dirty talker, and I loved the nickname he gave Everly because she definitely was his Sunshine.
I friggin’ loved Everly and how she spoke her mind and didn’t care what people thought of her, especially with how she first met Hayes. She put him in his place, and I loved every second of it. It stunned Hayes and that was the moment he was intrigued by her.
This isn’t just a fake dating, opposite’s attract story, either. Hayes finds himself in a situation that he’s not sure how to handle, and he doesn’t want to risk telling others. I won’t go into it any further because I don’t want to spoil it.
This is the second book I’ve read from Brooke, and it definitely won’t be my last. I’m enjoying each book in this series, and I can’t wait to read Reed’s next.
Trope(s)/Element(s):
🏈College Romance
🏈Sports/Football Romance
🏈Small Town Romance
🏈Fake Dating
🏈Opposite’s Attract
🏈Cinnamon Roll Hero w/ Bad Rep
🏈Aspiring Romance Writer Heroine
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About Brooke O'Brien
USA Today Bestselling author Brooke O'Brien writes steamy and swoon-worthy new adult romances. She is best known for her sports and rock star romances.
Brooke believes a love worth having is worth fighting for, and she brings this into her stories where her characters risk it all for love.
When she isn't writing or falling in love with a new book boyfriend, you can find her spending time with her family, cheering on her favorite sports teams, listening to ASMR, or binge-watching the latest true crime documentary. She loves rockin' a comfy hoodie with leggings and believes the best days include a good nap.
Brooke loves connecting with readers and hopes you'll join her on her social pages or reader group to stay in touch.
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