Playmaker: A Breakaway Novel

L.P. Dover

Feb 2018 · Loveswept

About this ebook

He knows every play in the book. But she’s calling the shots.

“An epic story of the one that got away—Maddox will totally surprise readers in a lovely, lovely way.”—Sawyer Bennett

I’m Maddox Ledger, all-star winger and the reason the Charlotte Strikers killed it in the playoffs. Yeah, the tabloids like to call me arrogant. A real hothead. All I see is a guy who plays to win. Wreaking havoc on the ice, breaking a few hearts—that’s all just part of the game. And I’m sure as hell not sitting on the bench.

When my teammate asks me to be in his wedding party, I can’t refuse. Lucky for me, the bridesmaid I’m paired with is the definition of eye candy, but she’s so much more than that. Lacey Easton is totally irresistible and she makes me want to be a better man. A glimpse of bare shoulder takes me back to a steamy, two-week Vegas tryst I can’t forget. One I’m eager to repeat.

Suddenly our one-night stand is turning into the sequel. Still, Lacey’s keeping secrets. She doesn’t trust me. And maybe I deserve it. But I know more than she thinks I do and there’s no chance I’m letting her get away—or letting another guy take what is mine. This time, I’m playing for keeps.

Praise for Playmaker

“This is a second-chance romance mixed with sexiness and sweetness. The characters are genuine and the story endearing.”—Cocktails and Books

“Playmaker is entertaining, sexy, and fun. L.P. Dover brought together a really good plot, strong characters, heat, humor, conflict, family, and friendships. Ms. Dover continues to build on a great cast of characters in the players, their families, and their friends.”—Harlequin Junkie

“I love when I get completely lost in a book, and I definitely got lost in Maddox and Lacey’s story.”—Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews (five stars)

“Nonstop action, plenty of romance, lots of drama, and a hint of intrigue to sweep you off your feet.”—Kristen’s Book Jungle

“[Playmaker] fit well into the Breakaway series, but can be read as a standalone.”—OMG Reads

Don’t miss any of New York Times bestselling author L. P. Dover’s red-hot Breakaway novels:
HARD STICK | BLOCKED | PLAYMAKER

Or these heartwarming Second Chances romances:
CATCHING SUMMER | DEFENDING HAYDEN | INTENDED FOR BRISTOL

This ebook includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.

Ratings and reviews

**Advanced copy provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review** Playmaker is the third book in L.P. Dover's Breakaway series and this was my favorite of the series thus far. What we learned in this book is what happens in Vegas, doesn't always stay there! Maddox Ledger plays hockey for the Charlotte Strikers and while he's an all-star on the ice, he's not known for being low-key off the ice. He's known for his temper and for being hot-headed. When he's asked to be in his teammates wedding, he's not thrilled about it because of his own current views on marriage, but he's going to do it anyway. When he is matched up with the bridesmaid he'll be walking with, not only is she beautiful, but she's also familiar. Lacey Easton is doing her residency in New York and has come down to North Carolina for her brother's wedding. While she's excited about it, she also is trying to avoid seeing the one person she both wants to and doesn't want to. Sounds like quite the issue, right? Well, there is no way around seeing Maddox when she is paired up with him to walk down the aisle. Knowing that their history, which began years before in Vegas, still looms heavily between them, the two have to figure out how to navigate this relationship due to lies, omissions, silence and distance. Will these two people who clearly love each other be able to make it work or will outside forces be too much for them? While Maddox is made out to be the "bad boy" he really has a heart of gold and that is one of the things I loved about this book. It's clear early on how he feels about Lacey and he's being genuine with her. I also liked Lacey because she was real. She too knew her feelings, but she was questioning whether she could trust them and I think that is very human and normal. I really enjoyed the way this book flowed and how it all unfolded. I was engaged from the very beginning and enjoyed the ride!

I finished this second chance, sports romance with mixed feelings. On the surface, the story is a bit different than most of the genre in that Maddox and Lacey are married when they get their second chance, and there are some interesting characters throughout the book. So, while the bones of the story are good, what started as a promising story line came up a bit lacking. I loved Maddox. He's a little broken but knows what he wants and is willing to do the work to get there. However, Lacey is an irksome combination of hot and cold. Throughout most of the book, she bounces back and forth between wanting to make the relationship work and having no faith in Maddox whatsoever. Several times, she would say that it wasn't going to work while her actions would completely negate those words. While Maddox has some self-worth issues, most of the angst for this pair comes from Lacey's continuous back and forth along with a couple of outside sources that were more distraction than anything else. About fifty percent of this romance is Lacey pulling away while Maddox chases and jumps through hoops to show her how he feels. We do eventually see some character growth with Lacey and things start coming together, but in the end, it just didn't have that stand out something to make me want to root for this couple, making it just an okay read for me.

Two years ago, after a quickie Vegas wedding, Lacey disappeared on Maddox. He is determined to win her back. There is one big obstacle in his way...her sister is married to one of his hockey teammates. That should make things easier, but not when this teammate is his former rival. This book is a stand-alone in a series of standalone books. It is my favorite so far in the series.

About the author

L. P. Dover is the New York Times bestselling author of the Second Chances series, the Breakaway series, the Forever Fae series, the Gloves Off series, the Armed and Dangerous series, and a standalone novel, Love, Lies, and Deception. She loves not only to write, but also to play tennis, hike in the mountains, go white-water rafting, and sing. A Southern belle with a former life in periodontics, L. P. Dover lives in North Carolina with her husband and two beautiful girls.