Changing the Game – Jaci Burton

An erotic new game from the New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Play.

Sports agent Liz Darnell will do anything to win back her number-one client, baseball pro Gavin Riley. And Gavin’s more than ready- especially when Liz is offering herself as part of the bargain. But when love unexpectedly enters the playing field, neither Liz nor Gavin are ready for the biggest game-changer of all.

WHEW!  This was a HOT one!!!!

Did everyone read The Perfect Play?  No?  Run out and get it!  You’ll want to meet the Riley clan before you get to this one!  While Gavin and Liz will make complete sense….the underlying tension between Liz and certain members of the Riley family will not.

Liz Darnell is still, months later, paying for the colossal mistake she made with Mick Riley.  So gun shy about losing her most important client, Mick’s brother Gavin, she’s shied away from him.  Not that he’s noticed.  She’s been in love with the man for five years and he’s never noticed, so why should this time be any different. 

Gavin knew that Liz was still reeling from the loss of his brother as a client, but he couldn’t figure out why she was avoiding him.  He decides he’s had enough and decides to confront her.  Under the guise of “needing to talk”, Gavin drags Liz back to his place in Florida after a banquet.  What was meant to clear the air turned into something much different.  One spark of a challenge from Liz and Gavin was all over her and she him.  He wasn’t sure where any of this was coming from, but he wasn’t going to argue with hot sex.

And so with the understanding that they were just “seeing where this goes” during Spring Training, Gavin and Liz embark on a relationship, but neither of them expected anything to come from the sex they were having.  Liz continued to keep her true feelings to herself and Gavin continued on his oblivious way.   But somewhere along the way, Liz started to matter to Gavin and she felt herself losing more and more of her heart to him.

Of course, the Riley clan figures heavily in the story.    Liz reconnects with the family that’s she’s loved for the past five years.  We have a health crisis for Jimmy Riley, where the family must rally around him. And then we have Mick.  

Mick is pissed that Gavin and Liz are in a relationship and takes every chance he can get in to tell Gavin he’s making a huge mistake.  While Gavin gets pissed and ignores Mick, he never defends Liz…even when the remarks are made directly to her while he stood there watching. 

Neither Liz nor Gavin stepped up in their relationship.  They either turn a blind eye to what’s going on, think the worse of each other or refuse to listen when someone is trying to be honest with them.  Both of them realized, almost too late, that they both needed to communicate and listen.

While I’m not a baseball fan (I love, love, love football and hockey), I could learn to appreciate the sport if there was someone like Gavin lurking in the wings.  Of course, he’d have to play baseball in worn out jeans and no shirt, but I’d be right there cheering him along!

Can’t wait for Taking a Shot (Jenna and Ty’s book.  He’s a hockey player 😉 ).