I became a fan of Claire Contreras when I first read her Hearts series so when I heard she was writing The Player, I knew it was going to be fabulous. Reasons why? A) Contreras is a brilliant storyteller and B) It's a sports romance which is one of my favorite genres. Well let me just say that this book completely blew me away....I absolutely LOVED it! While many sports romances start off with the characters (sort of) trying to stay away from each other but instead find themselves quickly jumping into bed together, The Player is a slow-burn that really allowed the story to build, giving us a more vested interest as the main characters fell for each other. It's a beautiful story of not only finding love but also learning to forgive, accepting differences, and doing what truly makes your heart happy. There are so many positive messages in this book that it truly made my heart happy to read it! So really, while this book is about a soccer player, it's not your typical sports romance as the focus is on what happens off the field rather than on. So don't be put off thinking that this will be all about soccer if you are not a fan (of which I am not) because it totally isn't and if you don't read this book you will be missing out on
So let's get to the characters. We must start with Warren----he is the epitome of a star athlete: extremely wealthy and flashy, extremely confident and cocky and, of course, sexy as hell. Add in his accent and he truly is a dream. He's American but has lived in Barcelona and then Manchester since he was 14 so one can only imagine how sexy he truly sounds! What I loved from the start is that when he looked at or spoke to Camilla, he always exhibited a softness that was unexpected. You could truly feel everything he was feeling at every moment. Camilla is the best kind of heroine---she is as real as real can get. She's a Latina girl living in NY and has a huge vested interest in her community and culture. She is strong and independent and fighting for what she feels is right. She tries so hard to be "just friends" with Warren but when she finally allows her walls to come down, she finds the love of her life waiting on the other side.
Contreras keeps the reader completely engaged throughout the entire story. Just when you think you know what's going to happen, she drops a bombshell that completely blows everything sky high. It's something the reader won't see coming and it was done brilliantly. Readers beware---you may just shed a few tears! The story is emotional throughout but in the end, you will be left feeling satisfied and filled with hope. And be sure to read to the very end, even after the epilogue for the sweet 2nd epilogue hidden at the end. Thank you Claire Contreras for giving your readers another 5 star story. I don't think you could've made it more perfect if you tried!
The Player
4.4
| 3,980 ratingsPrice: 17.46
Last update: 10-09-2024