I liked the concept but this was boring.

4.5 stars
"Don't ever give your love to a man who won't give you everything he has to his name in exchange, heart soul in hand."

This book is brilliant! This story is a song that touches your heart and each note vibrates though the author's words along the chapters. It's a song about learning to love and trust yourself, to follow your dreams and that your true happiness only comes from deep inside yourself.

"Sweet Val with her doe eyes and bright smile. The realness of her struck a chord in my chest as honestly as my hands on the guitar."

Without doubt, Staci Hart has a talent. Her stories are always wonderful, full of love and telling you something between the lines. Player is by far - up to now - my favorite book of hers. It's inspiring and a book I highly recommend reading!

"Sam, I'd discovered, was a doorway to a world I'd only dreamed of. A world of kisses and touches and music. A world of dancing and flipping and laughter."

Sam, the golden boy with the good looks and a charisma that makes every woman swoon. With his love and talent for music he could easily reach for the stars and could collect all of them. But he's so afraid of loosing that he doesn't realize how much more he could win if he only tried.

Val, the self-conscious Spanish girl, with a smile that could brighten a dark room and a heart of pure gold. She's a friend every girl wishes for: she's honest, loyal, funny and full of energy. Yet she has to learn that we only see a fraction of ourselves while looking in a mirror. We'll never be able to see ourselves like others see us. We tend to only see our flaws and cursing our bodies for not being according to the assumed standards of our society.

""Why me Sam?" she asked quietly. "Why not you?" I asked her back."

In "Player" we not only get the story of Sam and Val, how not to play other people no matter how good the intentions. In the end someone gets hurt and that's never worth a game. But we get so much more. Val and Sam are wonderfully flawed characters who learn through each other how to be a better version of themselves without sacrifices. How to reach for your inner happiness and bring it to life. True happiness makes you beautiful inside out.

I also adore Red Lipstick Coalition. Those girls are beyond fantastic. I wish I could be part of their friendship. I love the way they care for each other, listen to each other and encourage each other to be brave and bold.

""Love is music. You are music, and I want to learn every song, every note." "Then kiss me and make me sing.""

3.75

Smiles

I will write a full review by the weekend. However, I grinned all the way through this book with several LOL moments.

How do you know a book will capture your everything (heart, mind, imagination) and not release you, even after the final word? How do you combat the heartache? The insecurities? The emotional response?

No, I'm asking you. I'm asking because once again Staci Hart has managed to manipulate me into believing...I am a trumpet player who has a new affinity for Swing dancing. (P.S. I played clarinet for 6 months and then flute for 5 years. I'm pretty sure I'd be terrible at the trumpet...Plus it's way more spit than a flute. Yuck! P.P.S. I would totally try Swing but my hubs is allergic to dancing. Or so he says...)

I felt every insecure moment. I empathize with Val on a genetic level. I personally would love my own Sam. (I'm waiting Staci.) I cried at the worst and best times. I mean who wouldn't. I felt this story in very part of my self. Every one needs a Sam. Not a hero. Not an as$hole. Just a Sam.

A Sam, a swing club, and the best friends you could ever ask for. To the RLC!

4.5 stars
Reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood

dnf @ 57%
i’ve skipped so many lines and scenes so i’m just not counting towards goal
this book is utterly terrible and once i have the time i will hate on it a bit more

“Love is music. It’s learning when to be loud and when to be soft. It’s riding the scales up and down. Learning the curves and strings to play the song of your heart. You have to know when to lead and when to follow. When you’re wrong and when you’re right. Love is music, hijo mío. It is the greatest music there is.”

Follow the song of your heart and fall in love with Val and Sam! The characters and stories in Staci Hart’s Red Lipstick Coalition series are everything. Player is imbued with heart, humor, and passion. I love the characters strengths and vulnerabilities and their realness; you can see yourself in aspects of all of them.

Swoony love and genuine laughter, indelible friendships, unconditional family love, and the perfect amount of heartfelt tension will have your heart soaring in this wonderful romance that hits all the right notes.

3.5 stars. If we can look past the very late 90’s/early 2000’s trope of “dating as a bet” (which let’s be honest, was way better pulled off in 10 Things I Hate About You) this book is cute! I never see the “lying before even dating someone” to be something that leads to success but alas, you do you boo.
Sam had … issues. Never really understood his familial issues because they weren’t really fully formed but in a loose sense I get his aimlessness and his profound privilege. He was also kind and with a misled sense of loyalty and protectiveness for someone he’s never met.
Val confused me. I think that if I read it as a stand alone then I would be fine, but she was SO CONFIDENT in Piece of Work and then in Player she was really not. I truly hate that she was a product of “I am ugly and unattractive” and found herself attractive because some hot guy thinks she is. If that had been done in a way where she found that in herself then it would have been a lot better. I hate it when women (and men) have all this negative self talk and doubt. Especially when a guy is like “oh you’re beautiful” and then the inner thought is “he’s lying” FOR WHAT REASON WOULD HE LIE? It’s dumb. It’s dumb dumb dumb and I don’t like it. I found that the antagonist in this story had the weirdest and out of the blue motivation. It came out of left field and was not at all believable and like it was slapped together at the final hour for ✨the drama✨
However, the banter between Val and Sam was impressive as hell as well as the banter between her siblings. The chemistry between Val and Sam was so real and believable.
Excited to read Amelia’s book because what a sweet little anxious book worm, my kingdom for her book to not be fraught with “oh I’m so ugly why would the hot man like me” the way the first two books in the series have been.

The characters in Player might be highly skilled musicians, but Staci Hart is the ultimate conductor. Weaving light-hearted humor, deep feels, slow-burning tension, and scorching heat together like music notes, she managed to compose my favorite rom-com of 2018. Five stars AND a standing ovation!