Playing For Fun (A Small Town Friends to Lovers Romance): Stewart Island Book 6

Tracey Alvarez

Dec 2015 · Icon Publishing Limited

About this ebook

Is Ford Komeke New Zealand’s most reluctant bachelor?

Wanted: A woman for Ford.

Ford Komeke can’t deny he could use an up-skill in the dating arena. It’s a local in-joke that his game, as far as women go, sucks. Thanks to the meddling of New Zealand’s worst octogenarian matchmaker, he’s got an online dating profile, a new wardrobe, and a haircut from Stewart Island’s sexy hairdresser, Holly Parker. But since he’s well and truly mired in the friendzone with Holly, what’s the harm in exploring his options? A little jealousy could work wonders.

Offered: Dream job with a catch.

What do you say when you’re offered an un-turn-downable career opportunity? You say, hell-to-the-yeah! Only there’s a problem. To get the dream job Holly must leave Stewart Island and her two best friends, Shaye and Ford. But if Holly can distract Shaye with wedding planning and set Ford up with a nice girl so she can stop imagining him naked, neither will notice if she exits stage right. Neither will notice if her feelings for Ford stop being strictly platonic.

Warning: One kiss is never enough.

As addictive as the chocolate stash Holly hides in her fridge, one kiss forces them out of the friendzone—way out of the friendzone. Heat and hunger explode, but the ugliness in Ford’s past hold his heart hostage. Playing for fun or playing for keeps? Holly and Ford must decide because the consequences of falling in love means that someone’s heart or someone’s dream will ultimately end up shattered.

PLAYING FOR FUN is the sixth story in Tracey Alvarez’s best-selling Stewart Island books set against the stunning backdrop of Aotearoa, New Zealand. If you like heart-warming, sexy & seductive small-town romances with a touch of humor, you’ll love sharing the journey with these authentic men and women struggling to find their special someone.

Download your copy of Playing For Fun and dive into the sensual Stewart Island world! 
Intended for mature 18+ aged readers who enjoy their romance on the steamier side. 


Praise for the Stewart Island series!

"It’s official…I’m hooked on this series! I want to jump on a plane and fly to this island, because apparently they grow them big and HOT in New Zealand…men that is!!!" ~ Swept Away By Romance 

"Perfection comes in many shapes and forms, and Ms Alvarez delivers in her contemporary voice and quirky character traits that make a distinctive difference between average and stellar storytelling." ~ InD’Tale Magazine

"Just as the must-read series of Donna Kauffman (The Bachelors of Blueberry Cove), Jill Shalvis (Lucky Harbor), Terri Osburn (Anchor Island), Marie Force (The McCarthys of Gansett Island), Sherryl Woods (Chesapeake Shores) have entranced me with their seaside settings and caring communities - so has Tracey Alvarez - and I'm adding her series to my must-read shelf too."~ Fab Fantasy Fiction


Don’t miss any of the Stewart Island books!
Book 1: In Too Deep. Featuring Piper and West.
Book 2: Melting Into You. Featuring Kezia and Ben. 
Book 3: Ready To Burn. Featuring Shaye and Del. 
Book 4: Christmas With You. Featuring Carly and Kip. 
Book 5: My Forever Valentine. Due South Short Stories. 
Book 6: Playing For Fun. Featuring Holly and Ford. 
Book 7: Drawing Me In. Featuring Bree and Harley.  
Book 7.5: Kissing The Bride. A Due South short story. 
Book 8: Saying I Do. Featuring MacKenna and Joe.
Book 9: Home For Christmas. 
Book 10: Bending The Rules. Featuring Tilly and Noah.

Keywords: small town romance, romance series, New Zealand romance, contemporary romance, sexy romance, matchmaker, beach romance, coastal romance, island romance, family saga, boy next door, friends to lovers, mechanic, hair stylist, The Bachelor, heart-warming, sensual, rural romance, friends with benefits, escape down under, interracial romance, Maori culture, series romance, heartwarming romance, island romance series, family relationships, sweet and sexy romance, first loves, exotic foreign romance, vacation romance, beach reads, summer reads

Ratings and reviews

In all honesty, I struggled with this book at the beginning. It moved way too slowly for a long time at the beginning. Almost to the point that I considered putting the book down. It took a lot longer than I thought it should have to get to the meat of the story. There was just too much back and forth between Ford and Holly with "Ford this" and Holly that" But once it finally did, I enjoyed the book. One thing I really enjoyed was Maori and New Zealand language and traditions. They were well placed in the story and really added to the depth of the story. I also really enjoyed the interaction with previous residents of Oban that we've met in former "Due South" books. It's great to check in and see how their lives how progressed, and what's happening in their lives affects the hero and heroine of the current story. I also loved the octogenarian input into their lives. Adding a comic component like that in a book always adds to the richness of it. The love story between Ford and Holly, once it finally got started, was sweet and wonderful and I was happy to see they finally worked through what were easy communication issues to dig to the root of what they needed to do to make themselves happy. Together. Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 STARS! This was my first book by Tracey Alvarez. I have been meaning to start this series for some time. After reading Playing For Fun, I am upset at myself for not starting sooner. This was such a sweet, fun and moving book. I was in love with Ford from the start. He was the perfect combination of strong and sensitive. Holly complimented his personality with a strength and sass all her own. The friendships that surrounded this couple complete this books package. I'm excited to get to know them in their own stories as I read this series back list. What moved me most in this story was Ford's back story and his challenging childhood. Ford is also Maori, which gave this story the type of diversity not plentifully seen in many of today's romances. There is such a rich history with the Maori and it was woven so well within this story. I'm impressed with the author's knowledge as well as the way Ford's ethnicity was not THE story, but just part of who he was. I have to give thanks to Rosalind James for drawing my attention to Tracey's work. I am a new one-click convert. Thank you to the author for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have been in love with the people of the Due South series since I read my first one months ago. To finally get to read more about Holly made my day as she seems deserving of her own story. To follow Ford’s foray into online dating made me laugh. The ruling matriarch in the small island town feels Ford needs to get online to find someone from off the island as that may be his only chance to find a woman. Ford doesn’t trust the 80+ year old and her band of merry women so he says that his best friend Holly has to be in charge of his online dating. Holly thinks finding Ford a woman will end her thoughts about her best friend that are anything but friendly. The dating that takes place in this book highlights the beautiful setting of Stewart Island. There is heartbreak at a death in Ford’s life and there are some interesting women who come to the island. Definitely pick this up and read it, even if you have never read any of the other Due South books. It is great as a stand alone but is the perfect book six in the series. Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

About the author

Tracey Alvarez is a USA Today Bestselling Author living in the Coolest Little Capital in the World (a.k.a Wellington, New Zealand). Married to a wonderfully supportive IT guy, she has two teens who would love to be surgically linked to their electronic devices.

Fuelled by copious amounts of coffee, she’s the author of contemporary romantic fiction set predominantly in New Zealand. Small-towns, close communities, and families are a big part of the heart-warming stories she writes. Oh, and hot, down-to-earth heroes—Kiwi men, in other words.

When she’s not writing, thinking about writing, or procrastinating about writing, Tracey can be found with her nose in her e-reader, nibbling on smuggled chocolate bars, or bribing her kids to take over the housework.

Follow Tracey on Twitter as @TraceyAlvrezNZ or Facebook as http://www.facebook.com/TraceyAlvarezAuthor 

Her website is http://www.traceyalvarez.com and don't forget to sign up to her newsletter here: http://bit.ly/JR3Asu