Review: Playing It Close by Kat Latham

This is the second book in the London Legends series by Kat Latham. When I saw this on NetGalley, I knew that I wanted to read it since I so enjoyed the first one, Knowing the Score (4 stars).  It's funny, I'm not usually into sports books, but maybe because I have absolutely no idea how to play Rugby, that it seems quite fascinating. Plus the writing is very good, with sharp and witty dialogue.

We are introduced to Tess as she tries to work up the courage to go for a midnight skinny dip in the ocean, while on her vacation in Venezuela.  Tess is on a much needed break from a huge public scandal involving her testimony on the sexual harassment practices on London's version of Wall Street. She can't quite talk herself into it and ends up swimming in her t-shirt and bikini bottoms. Once she is done and heading in the for night, she realizes that since she didn't manage to work up her nerve and she forgot her towel, she now half naked in a translucent white t-shirt. She does her best to get sneak back up to her room unnoticed, when someone joins her in the elevator ride up to her room. Luck continues to be against her when the elevator gets stuck between floors on the way up.

Liam Callaghan, Captain of the London Legends, the England squad and all time leading points scorer, is just trying to get some piece, quiet and a little perspective since his mother's death a few weeks ago. He gives an alias to Tess when they meet and since she knows all about wishing to be anonymous right now, she plays along and gives him an alias as well. It doesn't take long before they are spending all their free-time together, exploring the area and each other.  Neither thinks that they will see each other again, until fate puts them face to face as promoter and star athlete. But due to the alias', there is confusion and misunderstanding that will have to be worked through before they can once again trust each other.

British books are hits or misses with me. This one was a hit.  I still have absolutely no clue about rugby, and thankfully it wasn't necessary, to enjoy this book. However, I will say that what little bit I have checked out on Youtube seems very interesting. Both of the characters had issues to work through, but I remained interested and involved the whole story through.  I consumed this book in one sitting, it was so engrossing. I did read the first book in the series, but I don't think it would be necessary to follow the story line of this one. Though we did get a bit of a peek at how they are doing in this book.  This is another 4 star read.

Where do you go to escape everything when you're one of the most famous rugby players in the world? For Liam Callaghan, that place is a remote lodge on Venezuela's Caribbean coast. Perfect, except he doesn't exactly want to be alone with his thoughts. Enter Tess Chambers, the ultimate distraction.

Still reeling from a professional disaster that's made her all but unemployable, Tess understands the desire to move through life as somebody else. So when instantly recognizable Liam uses a fake name, she runs with it and creates a temporary new identity of her own.

Their time spent together in paradise is idyllic but brief—after one passionate night, Liam wakes up to find Tess gone. Returning to London, he's shocked to learn she's taken a job with his team's new sponsor. As the Legends' captain, he'll have to not only figure out how to work with the one woman who ever left him wanting more, but also convince her that their feelings in the present mean more than any lies they've told in the past.

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