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Villalargos University #1
Play Dirty
โWeโre the face of the university.
The polish on its rot.โ
๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฌ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ค๐ณ๐ฆ๐ต๐ด, ๐ด๐ค๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ด, ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ด๐ช๐ฏ๐ด?
๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐. ๐บ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐. ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐.
Their worlds were never meant to collide. But obsession doesnโt follow rules. And some games were never meant to be played clean. In this elite university, power is currency and silence is survival. Playing dirty might be the only way to win.
๐ฃ๐ ๐ฑ๐ช ๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ญ๐ข๐ค ๐ค๐ญ๐ค๐ฌ๐จ๐ค๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฎ ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ต๐ค๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ค๐ข๐ฑ๐ค๐ณ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ข๐จ๐ค๐ณ๐จ๐ค๐ฒ ๐ซ๐ ๐ณ๐จ๐ญ๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข
๐ฌ๐ด๐ฑ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฑ ๐ฌ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ค๐ฑ๐ธ
The polish on its rot.โ
๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฌ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ค๐ณ๐ฆ๐ต๐ด, ๐ด๐ค๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ด, ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ด๐ช๐ฏ๐ด?
๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐. ๐บ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐. ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐.
Their worlds were never meant to collide. But obsession doesnโt follow rules. And some games were never meant to be played clean. In this elite university, power is currency and silence is survival. Playing dirty might be the only way to win.
๐ฃ๐ ๐ฑ๐ช ๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ญ๐ข๐ค ๐ค๐ญ๐ค๐ฌ๐จ๐ค๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฎ ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ต๐ค๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ค๐ข๐ฑ๐ค๐ณ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ข๐จ๐ค๐ณ๐จ๐ค๐ฒ ๐ซ๐ ๐ณ๐จ๐ญ๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข
๐ฌ๐ด๐ฑ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฑ ๐ฌ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ค๐ฑ๐ธ
361 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 9, 2025
95 people are currently reading
1040 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
September 9, 2025
Play Dirty was so good i was hooked on it. i didn't even stop reading this at all . nico, my poor nico ๐ข he didn't deserve all that I wanted to fight so many people .
he has my heart, my tears. I just wanted to comfort him so badly.
the way the entitlement of those rich students and the parents I hated them even more cause all they care about is protecting themselves.
Thiago he cracked me up and understood nico when he had panic attacks he knew .
I honestly didn't trust tati through it all she is a snobby rich girl . I did like her at all .
shiloh man, I was fighting for my life trying to defend her in the beginning, like girl be for real . but she grew on me, and she been through some shit . nico has been worse the way he was treated omg I cried .
Asher can kick rocks. I didn't like him. I definitely didn't like Brad he gave me the creeps .
the epilogue had me wilding!!!!!
he has my heart, my tears. I just wanted to comfort him so badly.
the way the entitlement of those rich students and the parents I hated them even more cause all they care about is protecting themselves.
Thiago he cracked me up and understood nico when he had panic attacks he knew .
I honestly didn't trust tati through it all she is a snobby rich girl . I did like her at all .
shiloh man, I was fighting for my life trying to defend her in the beginning, like girl be for real . but she grew on me, and she been through some shit . nico has been worse the way he was treated omg I cried .
Asher can kick rocks. I didn't like him. I definitely didn't like Brad he gave me the creeps .
the epilogue had me wilding!!!!!
August 30, 2025
Only Luna could make me love a soccer romance of all things. All my favorite tropes secret society, dark college romance, slow burn, hate to love, murder mystery, but add in a little soccer!
Shiloh, oh I have some fighting words for her, spoiled, elitest, and self absorbed. She did my baby Nico so dirty, while Iโd still punch her on sightโฆshe did redeem herself at the very end there. When Shiloh accidentally bumps into Nico heโs hoping to make the elite Sirens soccer team on a scholarship, while she has ulterior motives for calling her dad to make sure he gets it, asking her dad to sponsor him, he is also there for other reasons as well. Only Shiloh might as well have dug Nico a grave, because nothing comes for free at Villalargos.
Nico grew up on the wrong side of town, after losing his parents his grandmother raised him and his siblings. After another tragedy, Nico not only wants to better his families future, but also get answers as to what happened. Only he definitely bit off more than he could chew, and he may find himself the center of a murder investigation. The one girl he canโt stop thinking about, is also the same girl he canโt even stand to look in the eyes.
This was dark romantic suspense at its finest! This will keep you guessing until the very last page, but even then you still wonโt have all the answers, because everyone at Villalargos is a liar.
Thank you so much to Luna K Wicked for allowing me to read this pre-release in exchange for my honest review.
Shiloh, oh I have some fighting words for her, spoiled, elitest, and self absorbed. She did my baby Nico so dirty, while Iโd still punch her on sightโฆshe did redeem herself at the very end there. When Shiloh accidentally bumps into Nico heโs hoping to make the elite Sirens soccer team on a scholarship, while she has ulterior motives for calling her dad to make sure he gets it, asking her dad to sponsor him, he is also there for other reasons as well. Only Shiloh might as well have dug Nico a grave, because nothing comes for free at Villalargos.
Nico grew up on the wrong side of town, after losing his parents his grandmother raised him and his siblings. After another tragedy, Nico not only wants to better his families future, but also get answers as to what happened. Only he definitely bit off more than he could chew, and he may find himself the center of a murder investigation. The one girl he canโt stop thinking about, is also the same girl he canโt even stand to look in the eyes.
This was dark romantic suspense at its finest! This will keep you guessing until the very last page, but even then you still wonโt have all the answers, because everyone at Villalargos is a liar.
Thank you so much to Luna K Wicked for allowing me to read this pre-release in exchange for my honest review.
November 15, 2025
Unfortunately this just wasnโt for me. I couldnโt follow along. My brain just couldnโt get into it untill part lll
Before that it just didnโt keep my attention.
I usually love Lunaโs stories but I didnโt love this one.
But it probably a me thing so if you love sports/dark romance/secrete socially reads, this might just be for you.
Before that it just didnโt keep my attention.
I usually love Lunaโs stories but I didnโt love this one.
But it probably a me thing so if you love sports/dark romance/secrete socially reads, this might just be for you.
August 17, 2025
โขbeta reviewโข
Damn, I donโt know even know where to start with Play Dirty. Being able to have the opportunity to beta read this was a dream. Luna you are fucking AMAZING. I loved being able to watch your mind work. Thank you for every opportunity to read one of your stories and be apart of your team ๐ค๐ฆ
This book is EVERYTHING. If youโre looking for Gossip Girl meets Elite then this is the one to read. Play Dirty is a dark romance and the themes are DARK. Luna is known for her erotic horror and darker romances which makes Play Dirty a little different from what sheโs usually written. Play Dirty shows just how much range Luna has as an author. A literal 5 star read.
We have a soccer team,the golden girl and a murdered girl,secrets and lies, betrayals, AND everything is not what it seems at Villalargos University.
Play Dirty is definitely a slower burn but itโs so worth it for Shi and Nico. Once you get to the spice, fuck yea itโs spicy. Masquerade masks anyone? ๐ And my god the fucking tension, the yearning, itโs all so fucking delicious.
Youโre getting dark academia, secret societies and a best friendโs boyfriend forbidden romance.
Play Dirty is one of those books that make you feel something and draw you into a forbidden world that you donโt want to leave. Even though this is only a 263 page book there is so much depth and background to each character that appears on page. Every character has a story and each story is crucial to the very end.
10/10 - 5 โญ๏ธ read and you will not regret it!
Damn, I donโt know even know where to start with Play Dirty. Being able to have the opportunity to beta read this was a dream. Luna you are fucking AMAZING. I loved being able to watch your mind work. Thank you for every opportunity to read one of your stories and be apart of your team ๐ค๐ฆ
This book is EVERYTHING. If youโre looking for Gossip Girl meets Elite then this is the one to read. Play Dirty is a dark romance and the themes are DARK. Luna is known for her erotic horror and darker romances which makes Play Dirty a little different from what sheโs usually written. Play Dirty shows just how much range Luna has as an author. A literal 5 star read.
We have a soccer team,the golden girl and a murdered girl,secrets and lies, betrayals, AND everything is not what it seems at Villalargos University.
Play Dirty is definitely a slower burn but itโs so worth it for Shi and Nico. Once you get to the spice, fuck yea itโs spicy. Masquerade masks anyone? ๐ And my god the fucking tension, the yearning, itโs all so fucking delicious.
Youโre getting dark academia, secret societies and a best friendโs boyfriend forbidden romance.
Play Dirty is one of those books that make you feel something and draw you into a forbidden world that you donโt want to leave. Even though this is only a 263 page book there is so much depth and background to each character that appears on page. Every character has a story and each story is crucial to the very end.
10/10 - 5 โญ๏ธ read and you will not regret it!
August 30, 2025
OH MY GOSH!!!!!
I freakin loved this book!!!! This book shows that not only women can go through some sexual trauma at the hands of others. Most dark romances have the girl being broken down and this was such a mix of trauma, trauma bonding and pure need pouring through these characters. It was written so amazingly well that it emphasized all the tropes pretty damn equally!!! Another amazing book for Luna! Seriously Add This Book To Your Cart Now!!!
Shiloh and Nico met Freshman year and tension between them and the secrets built for years before we find out all the secrets they have both been hiding. This fโd up University seriously makes the students understand the meaning of โnothing comes for freeโ even for the rich students. These parents and donors are all corrupt posโs.
This is like Tell Me Lies meets Gossip Girl and throw in some soccer and a depraved secret society who run it all. She is the rich IT girl and Nico is the poor soccer player on scholarship. They had so much tension between them but their reasons hidden deep why they stayed apart. What an explosive come together when they started finding out these secret though. The way they were finding things out? Just WOW!!! You wonโt know who you can really trust in this one. You will be mad at them at them all at times but grateful at others. The perfect mix of it all
I cannot recommend this book enough or push for everyone to read it enough!!! Itโs so damn good!!!
Enemies to Lovers
Dark Academia
Secret Society
Sports Romance
It Girl / Poor Boy
Forbidden Romance
Murder Mystery
Best Friends BF
I freakin loved this book!!!! This book shows that not only women can go through some sexual trauma at the hands of others. Most dark romances have the girl being broken down and this was such a mix of trauma, trauma bonding and pure need pouring through these characters. It was written so amazingly well that it emphasized all the tropes pretty damn equally!!! Another amazing book for Luna! Seriously Add This Book To Your Cart Now!!!
Shiloh and Nico met Freshman year and tension between them and the secrets built for years before we find out all the secrets they have both been hiding. This fโd up University seriously makes the students understand the meaning of โnothing comes for freeโ even for the rich students. These parents and donors are all corrupt posโs.
This is like Tell Me Lies meets Gossip Girl and throw in some soccer and a depraved secret society who run it all. She is the rich IT girl and Nico is the poor soccer player on scholarship. They had so much tension between them but their reasons hidden deep why they stayed apart. What an explosive come together when they started finding out these secret though. The way they were finding things out? Just WOW!!! You wonโt know who you can really trust in this one. You will be mad at them at them all at times but grateful at others. The perfect mix of it all
I cannot recommend this book enough or push for everyone to read it enough!!! Itโs so damn good!!!
Enemies to Lovers
Dark Academia
Secret Society
Sports Romance
It Girl / Poor Boy
Forbidden Romance
Murder Mystery
Best Friends BF
August 29, 2025
I could NOT put this book down! Iโm going to start off by saying this: if you like dark romance, add this to your TBR, especially if you enjoyed the LORDS series. Dark academic, secret society, enemies to lovers, and a lot of sexual tension and spice.
I loved the main characters and how their relationship changed throughout the story. There was SO much angst and tension (if you love a good enemies to lovers, this is for you). This is also dual POV, which was a major bonus, and the spicy scenes were 10/10.
There was SO much going on in this book and SO many secrets. There was definitely a good balance of spice and plot. The suspense was killing me, which was the main reason I couldnโt put this down (thatโs all Iโm going to say about that so I donโt spoil anything).
Overall, another amazing book by Luna K. Wicked! All dark romance fans needs to add this to their TBR! ๐ซถ๐ป
I loved the main characters and how their relationship changed throughout the story. There was SO much angst and tension (if you love a good enemies to lovers, this is for you). This is also dual POV, which was a major bonus, and the spicy scenes were 10/10.
There was SO much going on in this book and SO many secrets. There was definitely a good balance of spice and plot. The suspense was killing me, which was the main reason I couldnโt put this down (thatโs all Iโm going to say about that so I donโt spoil anything).
Overall, another amazing book by Luna K. Wicked! All dark romance fans needs to add this to their TBR! ๐ซถ๐ป
October 18, 2025
Buckle up for this one buttercup. This is definitely one the darker romance books Iโve read, so be prepared if you go in blind. I donโt really know what to say about this one without giving some spoilers so Iโll just say Iโll definitely be anxiously waiting for the next book to see what happens though.
August 1, 2025
a soccer team. a murder mystery and a whole lotta feelings.
okay so when i say dark. dark yes. by luna standards? nope she's actually lowkey beautiful & i can't quite believe how much has unfolded in such a short story. from the bottom of my heart i am obssesed like no other with everything about this story. written to perfection. character development is immense but particularly on nico (our main MMC) is wow. some of the best development i have seen. the story has a murder mystery feel but also contemporary elements and let me tell you a lot of conversation starters. please talk to me about all of the beautiful things in here. wether it is rep for male victims,greif rep.. luna truly has it covered in a sensetive yet very authentic way and i can't quite believe i would ever love a sports romance but this isn't a typical sports romance i would say.
not only will you be questioning the main characters intentions but also the side characters. angsty but also highly emotional. i don't honestly know how you can do both at the same time but here we are. i do honestly think this story is one that will keep you on your toes. from beginning to end it has you feeling like you are IN THE STORY not just reading it? think like an immersive game? the story although a slow burn picks up pace so fast towards the end,sheeshhh i love!
my fave scenes were defintely the studio scenes, the locker room too.. SPOILER FREE FROM ME. something about it just really was so immersive and so visual for me,feels super contemporary to me and has a great undertone to be considered as such,like murder mystery is the forward facing plot,but it defintely has a contemporary feel underpinning the story.. shit man i'm speechless and that doesn't happen often,i also didn't think nico would be so loveable to me,i usually don't vibe with mmc's that well but this one really struck me,nico's story is super personal and similar to my own and i feel like he is going to be VERY relatable to men who read this story,so defintely highly suggest men to read this too. it's approached in such a beautiful way & a very considerate way of victims,specifically male victims๐ญ
anyways.. ratings? whilst i stop crying
plot first this time? 5โญ๏ธ the plot is one of the best plot lines i have read.. AND also my first sports romance - the plot is HEAVILY focused in this and it is not a spicy story by nature. think gossip girl. it has a murder mystery forward facing plot but a contemporary sub plot with darker elements. it's a very heartfelt plot i feel. it feels very sensetive to a lot of the darker underbelly of the secret society world and it's actually really eye opening.. it's not secret society like mafia,it's like life of higher society,rich & poor kinda thing? the pacing is my favourite though,a slow burn novella? sign me up. it's gripping but yet slow enough to really understand the world building needed. as this is the first in a series,we have a LOT of world building but honestly i've cried a 1000x and got twists for DAYS! the plot is also very digestible,it feels like you don't have the pull from gossip girl to understand the meanings,
loving the poetry esk elements - very very well written - feels very full on but also luna be giving us IMMERSIVE like the description of the setting,the description of the clothing,the lighting. SO IMMERSIVE something luna does best!
characters? 5โญ๏ธ literally don't know how to describe the characters without giving too much away but ill try hehe. very very loveable characters but also characters that evoke very strong emotions,like me i hate one of the female characters lol,the main characters.. shiloh and nico. my heart can't take any of it,nico is the most loveable mc i have ever read about. ever. he comes from hard hard times and holy shit does luna put him through it. real fucking bad. imo he is the most loveable character of the whole story,shiloh is a love or hate,she's an ice queen and she does some questionable things throughout but she is pretty loveable if you're like
down bad and understand why she does what she does. side characters don't usually strike me but a lot of these characters.. brad,wyatt,tati all evoked such strong hatred for me,which i mean is a good thing because you will become invested in this. i'm so sure of it. and you'll love the characters too.
spice?? ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ the spice is beautifully written but she is NOT a smutty spicy story. this is a slow burn and the spice is actually quite sad for a lot of it. it shines a light heavily on SA and more specifically male victims and this has been written in such a way,i feel like it is approached very sensitively and considerately (check your tw's obvuously) but as somebody who has read a lot of MC's with SA & have direct irl expierence,this is written very authentically and a lot of the spice in this does blur the line between non-consensual and dubious consent but when you get to the spice between the main mc's it all makes sense,and the scenes,the locker room and the studio (no spoilers here) they are beautiful. so fucking beautiful it brought tears to my eyes. the spice is built on lust,hatred and turmoil for most of this but shit, it's a very eye opening read and i feel like male victims will find some healing in this story,and will find they can get their power back๐ฉถ
overall?? โพ๏ธโญ๏ธ luna will forever blow me out of the water with how incredibly talented she is with multi faceted writing of different genres, this is not dark by luna standards but yet underpinning it all is some dark dark elements and you feel it. you feel everything with the characters. not only do you feel how the characters feel you feel truly in shock and awe most way through this. a sports romance yes. but something more. a healing story of victims of SA,power and money and how two different worlds collide. the most beautiful story i've ever read all year,every single tear was worth it. everything. i will love this story till the dawn of time๐ญ
and i will forever be shi-co's #1 fan๐ญ๐ฉถ
okay so when i say dark. dark yes. by luna standards? nope she's actually lowkey beautiful & i can't quite believe how much has unfolded in such a short story. from the bottom of my heart i am obssesed like no other with everything about this story. written to perfection. character development is immense but particularly on nico (our main MMC) is wow. some of the best development i have seen. the story has a murder mystery feel but also contemporary elements and let me tell you a lot of conversation starters. please talk to me about all of the beautiful things in here. wether it is rep for male victims,greif rep.. luna truly has it covered in a sensetive yet very authentic way and i can't quite believe i would ever love a sports romance but this isn't a typical sports romance i would say.
not only will you be questioning the main characters intentions but also the side characters. angsty but also highly emotional. i don't honestly know how you can do both at the same time but here we are. i do honestly think this story is one that will keep you on your toes. from beginning to end it has you feeling like you are IN THE STORY not just reading it? think like an immersive game? the story although a slow burn picks up pace so fast towards the end,sheeshhh i love!
my fave scenes were defintely the studio scenes, the locker room too.. SPOILER FREE FROM ME. something about it just really was so immersive and so visual for me,feels super contemporary to me and has a great undertone to be considered as such,like murder mystery is the forward facing plot,but it defintely has a contemporary feel underpinning the story.. shit man i'm speechless and that doesn't happen often,i also didn't think nico would be so loveable to me,i usually don't vibe with mmc's that well but this one really struck me,nico's story is super personal and similar to my own and i feel like he is going to be VERY relatable to men who read this story,so defintely highly suggest men to read this too. it's approached in such a beautiful way & a very considerate way of victims,specifically male victims๐ญ
anyways.. ratings? whilst i stop crying
plot first this time? 5โญ๏ธ the plot is one of the best plot lines i have read.. AND also my first sports romance - the plot is HEAVILY focused in this and it is not a spicy story by nature. think gossip girl. it has a murder mystery forward facing plot but a contemporary sub plot with darker elements. it's a very heartfelt plot i feel. it feels very sensetive to a lot of the darker underbelly of the secret society world and it's actually really eye opening.. it's not secret society like mafia,it's like life of higher society,rich & poor kinda thing? the pacing is my favourite though,a slow burn novella? sign me up. it's gripping but yet slow enough to really understand the world building needed. as this is the first in a series,we have a LOT of world building but honestly i've cried a 1000x and got twists for DAYS! the plot is also very digestible,it feels like you don't have the pull from gossip girl to understand the meanings,
loving the poetry esk elements - very very well written - feels very full on but also luna be giving us IMMERSIVE like the description of the setting,the description of the clothing,the lighting. SO IMMERSIVE something luna does best!
characters? 5โญ๏ธ literally don't know how to describe the characters without giving too much away but ill try hehe. very very loveable characters but also characters that evoke very strong emotions,like me i hate one of the female characters lol,the main characters.. shiloh and nico. my heart can't take any of it,nico is the most loveable mc i have ever read about. ever. he comes from hard hard times and holy shit does luna put him through it. real fucking bad. imo he is the most loveable character of the whole story,shiloh is a love or hate,she's an ice queen and she does some questionable things throughout but she is pretty loveable if you're like
down bad and understand why she does what she does. side characters don't usually strike me but a lot of these characters.. brad,wyatt,tati all evoked such strong hatred for me,which i mean is a good thing because you will become invested in this. i'm so sure of it. and you'll love the characters too.
spice?? ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ the spice is beautifully written but she is NOT a smutty spicy story. this is a slow burn and the spice is actually quite sad for a lot of it. it shines a light heavily on SA and more specifically male victims and this has been written in such a way,i feel like it is approached very sensitively and considerately (check your tw's obvuously) but as somebody who has read a lot of MC's with SA & have direct irl expierence,this is written very authentically and a lot of the spice in this does blur the line between non-consensual and dubious consent but when you get to the spice between the main mc's it all makes sense,and the scenes,the locker room and the studio (no spoilers here) they are beautiful. so fucking beautiful it brought tears to my eyes. the spice is built on lust,hatred and turmoil for most of this but shit, it's a very eye opening read and i feel like male victims will find some healing in this story,and will find they can get their power back๐ฉถ
overall?? โพ๏ธโญ๏ธ luna will forever blow me out of the water with how incredibly talented she is with multi faceted writing of different genres, this is not dark by luna standards but yet underpinning it all is some dark dark elements and you feel it. you feel everything with the characters. not only do you feel how the characters feel you feel truly in shock and awe most way through this. a sports romance yes. but something more. a healing story of victims of SA,power and money and how two different worlds collide. the most beautiful story i've ever read all year,every single tear was worth it. everything. i will love this story till the dawn of time๐ญ
and i will forever be shi-co's #1 fan๐ญ๐ฉถ
September 1, 2025
3.5 stars
This was my first book by this author, check your trigger warnings for sure. This story is dark, but I can definitely see why she says itโs not the darkest. You get some dark themes, but they are never described in graphic detail. And yes, there are some spicy moments, but the majority of the story focuses on the mystery behind the school and what happened.
I was surprised with the premise and did get sucked in to the beginning of the story. You get thrown in quick with heavy moments. What these characters go through to be in this college. The messed up logistics of how they run things. I always love a secret society and my gosh the secrets were there.
I just felt like there was a lot going on in such a short time. It definitely kept my mind reeling. The pages turning. But it also felt like I needed so much more context. And then the ending happened and everything was just fine so quick. Almost like it was rushed. We did get a little cliffhanger if the reader continues to the short epilogue. It makes you want to continue the series.
Thank you to the author for the ebook arc in exchange for my review!
This was my first book by this author, check your trigger warnings for sure. This story is dark, but I can definitely see why she says itโs not the darkest. You get some dark themes, but they are never described in graphic detail. And yes, there are some spicy moments, but the majority of the story focuses on the mystery behind the school and what happened.
I was surprised with the premise and did get sucked in to the beginning of the story. You get thrown in quick with heavy moments. What these characters go through to be in this college. The messed up logistics of how they run things. I always love a secret society and my gosh the secrets were there.
I just felt like there was a lot going on in such a short time. It definitely kept my mind reeling. The pages turning. But it also felt like I needed so much more context. And then the ending happened and everything was just fine so quick. Almost like it was rushed. We did get a little cliffhanger if the reader continues to the short epilogue. It makes you want to continue the series.
Thank you to the author for the ebook arc in exchange for my review!
September 3, 2025
โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ
๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ
๐Dark academia
โฝ๏ธEnemies to lovers
๐Morally grey love interest
โฝ๏ธForbidden romance
๐Forced proximity
โฝ๏ธRich girl/ Poor boy dynamics
Omg Luna you did it again!! Iโm obsessed with this book!!! Itโs like a mix of pretty little liars and gossip girl but darker and add secret society with arranged marriage I loved every minute of it!! Shiloh and Nico were definitely put through the wringer they get suck a dark twisted world. It broke my heart to read what Nico was put through. They definitely have a it always been you relationship going. The tension between Shiloh and Nico was everything!! Luna always delivers with the perfect balance of spice and plot!!
Whenever I review Lunaโs book always trying to keep it vague and not spoil anything I would recommend going in blind if you donโt have any TW it makes it so much better!! โผ๏ธIF YOU DO PLEASE CHECK TWโผ๏ธ
๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ
๐Dark academia
โฝ๏ธEnemies to lovers
๐Morally grey love interest
โฝ๏ธForbidden romance
๐Forced proximity
โฝ๏ธRich girl/ Poor boy dynamics
Omg Luna you did it again!! Iโm obsessed with this book!!! Itโs like a mix of pretty little liars and gossip girl but darker and add secret society with arranged marriage I loved every minute of it!! Shiloh and Nico were definitely put through the wringer they get suck a dark twisted world. It broke my heart to read what Nico was put through. They definitely have a it always been you relationship going. The tension between Shiloh and Nico was everything!! Luna always delivers with the perfect balance of spice and plot!!
Whenever I review Lunaโs book always trying to keep it vague and not spoil anything I would recommend going in blind if you donโt have any TW it makes it so much better!! โผ๏ธIF YOU DO PLEASE CHECK TWโผ๏ธ
March 17, 2026
4.5!
Omg I couldnโt put this down!
Itโs so dark! And the mystery had me turning the page!
Definitely check triggers. This academia secret society dark romance was soo good! Think nightshade and Lola kings silver falls series! But darker!
My only โoofโ about this book, would be we didnโt get enough of the characters together intimately. They had this strong hate towards each other. And then once truths started to come out they became obsessed. Nothing wrong with it, there just wasnโt any down time of them being together to โfall in loveโ. I just wish we had more of that. Thatโs why itโs a 4.5 for me.
Other than that, LOVED IT! The vibes! All the characters, the mysteries! I was here for it!
Canโt wait for the next books!
Omg I couldnโt put this down!
Itโs so dark! And the mystery had me turning the page!
Definitely check triggers. This academia secret society dark romance was soo good! Think nightshade and Lola kings silver falls series! But darker!
My only โoofโ about this book, would be we didnโt get enough of the characters together intimately. They had this strong hate towards each other. And then once truths started to come out they became obsessed. Nothing wrong with it, there just wasnโt any down time of them being together to โfall in loveโ. I just wish we had more of that. Thatโs why itโs a 4.5 for me.
Other than that, LOVED IT! The vibes! All the characters, the mysteries! I was here for it!
Canโt wait for the next books!
August 19, 2025
~ Beta Review ~
Play Dirty by Luna K Wicked is a Dark Academia packed full of secrets, lies, trauma, a little bit of murder mystery, and lots of emotion that you can literally feel coming from the characters. I donโt know how Luna was able to pack SO MUCH into the pages of this book, but she did and boy was it a lot to unpack!
I loved this book! I love Lunaโs writing style in all of her books. But she did really great with this one. The characters and their personalities were put together very well. You can literally feel their emotions come straight off of the pages. You can tell when an author puts a lot of effort into their characters and their stories, and with this one you can tell Luna worked really hard to give these characters life.
The plot in this book is so thick! There were so many twists and secrets that kept coming into the light that I was stuck in the book so I could figure out who did what, or who did who, or what happened! All of the questions were asked. Whether or not those questions were answered, well youโre just going to have to read and find out! Because that is a journey I am not going to spoil for anyone!
I am definitely excited for the rest of this series to come out. This one is going to be one heck of a series that I think anyone should get their grubby little hands on and read! I 10/10 recommend it! 5 Stars from me.
Play Dirty by Luna K Wicked is a Dark Academia packed full of secrets, lies, trauma, a little bit of murder mystery, and lots of emotion that you can literally feel coming from the characters. I donโt know how Luna was able to pack SO MUCH into the pages of this book, but she did and boy was it a lot to unpack!
I loved this book! I love Lunaโs writing style in all of her books. But she did really great with this one. The characters and their personalities were put together very well. You can literally feel their emotions come straight off of the pages. You can tell when an author puts a lot of effort into their characters and their stories, and with this one you can tell Luna worked really hard to give these characters life.
The plot in this book is so thick! There were so many twists and secrets that kept coming into the light that I was stuck in the book so I could figure out who did what, or who did who, or what happened! All of the questions were asked. Whether or not those questions were answered, well youโre just going to have to read and find out! Because that is a journey I am not going to spoil for anyone!
I am definitely excited for the rest of this series to come out. This one is going to be one heck of a series that I think anyone should get their grubby little hands on and read! I 10/10 recommend it! 5 Stars from me.
August 30, 2025
If you love dark romance, this is a great book! I read this as an arc and you are instantly hooked from the first page. Luna does an amazing job with engaging you as the reader and following the story. This is dark so please check the triggers as there moments and parts that are emotional. The way both the FMC and MMC come together in the end was satisfying and meeting other characters too added to added to the experience of reading this. I recommend reading if youโre into dark romance, secret society vibes, enemies to lovers, a slow burn thatโs so worth it!
September 9, 2025
This book ๐๐ While it wasnโt quite as dark as Lunaโs offerings that doesnโt mean you shouldnโt check the trigger warnings because it has its moments!
Tha pain and trauma both Nico and Shiloh both carried around with them was heartbreaking. There are secrets between the two. I will admit it took me a while to warm up to Shiloh but I got there and Iโm glad I did. This isnโt an easy read. You canโt just skim it otherwise you will miss important things that really matter! As usual from Luna the spice was really spicing and I loved it. Every page is important and has something meaningful on the page and kept you hooked right from the beginning. I had to put the book down and remind myself to sleep/eat and hydrate.
I will always buy anything Luna writes
Tha pain and trauma both Nico and Shiloh both carried around with them was heartbreaking. There are secrets between the two. I will admit it took me a while to warm up to Shiloh but I got there and Iโm glad I did. This isnโt an easy read. You canโt just skim it otherwise you will miss important things that really matter! As usual from Luna the spice was really spicing and I loved it. Every page is important and has something meaningful on the page and kept you hooked right from the beginning. I had to put the book down and remind myself to sleep/eat and hydrate.
I will always buy anything Luna writes
September 19, 2025
Genuinely concerned about these characters! So many questions and im so invested in june. The mmc is going through so much abuse and i liked the fmc i just need her to ask more questions because we are left here wondering who is behind the blogs, who is the murder? Hello? But its only book 1 so๐ญ
October 2, 2025
ARC Review
This was so different than Luna's other books and it had me hooked! Full of secrets, corruption, mystery, and twists! If dark academia, secret society, best friends boyfriend, forced proximity, sports, angst, and spice check your boxes then check out Play Dirty!
This was so different than Luna's other books and it had me hooked! Full of secrets, corruption, mystery, and twists! If dark academia, secret society, best friends boyfriend, forced proximity, sports, angst, and spice check your boxes then check out Play Dirty!
September 26, 2025
"๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐? ๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐? ๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐ด ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐? ๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐ด ๐๐๐๐๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐//๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐?"
LUNA!!!! This is hands down my FAVORITE Luna K. Wicked book! I don't even know where to begin with this review, there is SO MUCH to unpack!! The first thing I will say is, this book is dark and HEAVY! So please, please, PLEASE...read your trigger warnings!! Luna has given them all to you, there is no excuse...as always, your mental health comes first...so please take that into account before diving in.
This review is going to be pretty vague, because as with most of Luna's books, its better to dive in with as little information as possible and buckle up for the ride. This is a DARK sports romance...and while the soccer is there, it definitely takes a back seat to the other tropes that are here. We have romantic suspense, shmurder, betrayal, SECRET SOCIETIES!!! You know how I feel about the secret society men ๐๐๐. Forbidden love and so many secrets that you will be questioning YOURSELF while reading this book...no one can be trusted.
This book gave me a lot of gossip girl vibes, but on a deadlier and more elite level. Nico is our MMC and Shiloh is our FMC...and while the story absolutely centers around them, the side characters aren't so side...they are absolutely just as prominent, and at times I almost forgot who the MC's actually were ๐ but I loved it!!
Classic tale of rich girl meets poor boy...but much darker. I will admit....Shiloh was not my favorite...In fact I hated her for the majority of the book...but as you get to the halfway point and learn more about whats ACTUALLY going on, she does redeem herself. Now...NICO!?!?!?! ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ I wanted to reach through my kindle and hug him so bad. The things he had to go through and endure were so painful to read. I could feel his pain through Lunas writing...I found myself shedding a tear on more than one occassion.
The burn for these two is slow...they start off as sort of enemies who eventually find their way to love...it was definitely touch and go for them and my heart stopped multiple times while reading trying to figure out what would happen and if they would allow themselves to give in to the feelings brewing between them...but when they did??๐ฎโ๐จ๐ฎโ๐จ๐ฎโ๐จ The spice was SPICING in a way that is VERY LUNA...and I loved every minute of it!
There's so much I want to say about this book, that I want to share and scream about but I DO NOT WANT TO SPOIL IT! I want you guys to be stuck to your kindle and diving into this dark and chaotic world just like I was...so go...read...enjoy...fall in love...in anger...in frustration...and buckle up because this series is only getting crazier!! ๐ค๐ค
Thank you SO MUCH to Luna K. Wicked for the INCREDIBLE opportunity to ARC read this phenomenal book!๐ค๐ค๐ค
โฝ๏ธDark Sports Romance
๐คSecret Society
โฝ๏ธDark Academia
๐คCollege Setting
โฝ๏ธForbidden
๐คForced Proximity
โฝ๏ธRich Girl x Poor Boy
๐คBetrayal
โฝ๏ธGossip Girl Vibes
๐คSECRETS
โฝ๏ธSlow Burn
๐คTrust NO ONE
โฝ๏ธEnemies to Lovers
๐คPrimal Play
โฝ๏ธTrauma (Both MCโs)
๐คSA
โฝ๏ธBlackmail
๐คAbuse of Power
โฝ๏ธMorally Grey MCโs
๐คStrong Side Characters
โฝ๏ธRomantic Suspense
๐คShmurder Mystery
โฝ๏ธANGST
๐คBest Friends Boyfriend
โฝ๏ธTouch Aversion
๐คSecret Past
โฝ๏ธDual POV
๐คHEA
LUNA!!!! This is hands down my FAVORITE Luna K. Wicked book! I don't even know where to begin with this review, there is SO MUCH to unpack!! The first thing I will say is, this book is dark and HEAVY! So please, please, PLEASE...read your trigger warnings!! Luna has given them all to you, there is no excuse...as always, your mental health comes first...so please take that into account before diving in.
This review is going to be pretty vague, because as with most of Luna's books, its better to dive in with as little information as possible and buckle up for the ride. This is a DARK sports romance...and while the soccer is there, it definitely takes a back seat to the other tropes that are here. We have romantic suspense, shmurder, betrayal, SECRET SOCIETIES!!! You know how I feel about the secret society men ๐๐๐. Forbidden love and so many secrets that you will be questioning YOURSELF while reading this book...no one can be trusted.
This book gave me a lot of gossip girl vibes, but on a deadlier and more elite level. Nico is our MMC and Shiloh is our FMC...and while the story absolutely centers around them, the side characters aren't so side...they are absolutely just as prominent, and at times I almost forgot who the MC's actually were ๐ but I loved it!!
Classic tale of rich girl meets poor boy...but much darker. I will admit....Shiloh was not my favorite...In fact I hated her for the majority of the book...but as you get to the halfway point and learn more about whats ACTUALLY going on, she does redeem herself. Now...NICO!?!?!?! ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ I wanted to reach through my kindle and hug him so bad. The things he had to go through and endure were so painful to read. I could feel his pain through Lunas writing...I found myself shedding a tear on more than one occassion.
The burn for these two is slow...they start off as sort of enemies who eventually find their way to love...it was definitely touch and go for them and my heart stopped multiple times while reading trying to figure out what would happen and if they would allow themselves to give in to the feelings brewing between them...but when they did??๐ฎโ๐จ๐ฎโ๐จ๐ฎโ๐จ The spice was SPICING in a way that is VERY LUNA...and I loved every minute of it!
There's so much I want to say about this book, that I want to share and scream about but I DO NOT WANT TO SPOIL IT! I want you guys to be stuck to your kindle and diving into this dark and chaotic world just like I was...so go...read...enjoy...fall in love...in anger...in frustration...and buckle up because this series is only getting crazier!! ๐ค๐ค
Thank you SO MUCH to Luna K. Wicked for the INCREDIBLE opportunity to ARC read this phenomenal book!๐ค๐ค๐ค
โฝ๏ธDark Sports Romance
๐คSecret Society
โฝ๏ธDark Academia
๐คCollege Setting
โฝ๏ธForbidden
๐คForced Proximity
โฝ๏ธRich Girl x Poor Boy
๐คBetrayal
โฝ๏ธGossip Girl Vibes
๐คSECRETS
โฝ๏ธSlow Burn
๐คTrust NO ONE
โฝ๏ธEnemies to Lovers
๐คPrimal Play
โฝ๏ธTrauma (Both MCโs)
๐คSA
โฝ๏ธBlackmail
๐คAbuse of Power
โฝ๏ธMorally Grey MCโs
๐คStrong Side Characters
โฝ๏ธRomantic Suspense
๐คShmurder Mystery
โฝ๏ธANGST
๐คBest Friends Boyfriend
โฝ๏ธTouch Aversion
๐คSecret Past
โฝ๏ธDual POV
๐คHEA
September 15, 2025
2.5 Iโd say. (Wish Goodreads allowed half stars)
A 3 is usually a book I liked but it fell flat in areas. I donโt know if I enjoyed this one at all, so it has to be less than that, but 2 is too low. This was supposed to be a quick read, but it took me a short while just because I couldnโt connect to it.
I wanted to love it, but unfortunately a lot of it just felt repetitive in scenes and I found it hard to like most of the characters. FMC was just awful, almost from start to finish. Nico (MMC) was probably my favourite, but I wish the story of his sister was expanded on as it seemed to be leading to a big plot point and then dropped off.
Iโm no newbie to dark romance, but this just didnโt really click with me, and thatโs not because of the themes or triggers, I think itโs more to do with the confusing story with little resolve. There was a small epilogue that seemed to promise more, but this hasnโt intrigued me enough to want to continue reading if more is written in the series.
It wonโt put me off reading more Luna K Wickedโs work. Iโve heard some great things. This was my first, but this just wasnโt for me. Some work, some donโt. ๐
A 3 is usually a book I liked but it fell flat in areas. I donโt know if I enjoyed this one at all, so it has to be less than that, but 2 is too low. This was supposed to be a quick read, but it took me a short while just because I couldnโt connect to it.
I wanted to love it, but unfortunately a lot of it just felt repetitive in scenes and I found it hard to like most of the characters. FMC was just awful, almost from start to finish. Nico (MMC) was probably my favourite, but I wish the story of his sister was expanded on as it seemed to be leading to a big plot point and then dropped off.
Iโm no newbie to dark romance, but this just didnโt really click with me, and thatโs not because of the themes or triggers, I think itโs more to do with the confusing story with little resolve. There was a small epilogue that seemed to promise more, but this hasnโt intrigued me enough to want to continue reading if more is written in the series.
It wonโt put me off reading more Luna K Wickedโs work. Iโve heard some great things. This was my first, but this just wasnโt for me. Some work, some donโt. ๐
December 15, 2025
This was a pretty quick read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We had some mystery and a lot of emotions! For this being my first Luna K wicked book Iโm not mad at it at all! Iโd recommend
August 24, 2025
This book was incredible. Itโs a thrilling murder mystery with so many twists, it was truly unpredictable. If you like dark academia, secret societies, sports teams, best friends boyfriend, classism, and angsty tense romance that turns into really well written thigh clenching spice, this is the book for you. Shiloh is a freshman from an affluent family who goes to college to be exactly who her parents groomed her to be. Her path is chosenโฆ. Her future husband, her sorority, all of it. Nico is a boy from the hood who has busted his ass (and sculpted his body) to become an elite soccer player and earn himself a scholarship at a university he could otherwise never attend. Heโs got secrets. A murder occurs on campus and things arenโt what they seem. The skeletons in all of the castโs closets are getting exposed, unexpected alliances are formed, promises are broken, and thereโs betrayal after betrayal. Who can they trust? Whoโs behind it all? You have to read to find out!
I will say Nico is a top tier book boyfriend. Heโs an โพ๏ธ/10. I could feel his emotions seeping out of my kindle during the chapters written in his POV. Iโm obsessed. Itโs a slow burn. Thereโs so much tension that I wish yโall couldโve heard the scream I scrum when the spice hit.
This book makes me want to dive into the deep end of sports romance, which isnโt really my thing. But Iโm concerned Iโd be disappointed because this is so much more than a sports romance. Itโs a mystery, a character study. Itโs triggering and dark and suspenseful. Itโs beautiful. Huge huge fan. Only allowed to give five stars, so Iโve settled for that. But Iโd give it more if I could.
I will say Nico is a top tier book boyfriend. Heโs an โพ๏ธ/10. I could feel his emotions seeping out of my kindle during the chapters written in his POV. Iโm obsessed. Itโs a slow burn. Thereโs so much tension that I wish yโall couldโve heard the scream I scrum when the spice hit.
This book makes me want to dive into the deep end of sports romance, which isnโt really my thing. But Iโm concerned Iโd be disappointed because this is so much more than a sports romance. Itโs a mystery, a character study. Itโs triggering and dark and suspenseful. Itโs beautiful. Huge huge fan. Only allowed to give five stars, so Iโve settled for that. But Iโd give it more if I could.
September 9, 2025
Lunaaaaaaaa!!!!! Omgggggg, I have always loved her work, this was something a little different than the norm, but omggggg, AMAZING. It was dark, it was delicious, it was spicy, it had some murder mystery, it had secret society vibes and I ATE IT UP!
Villalargos University is full of secrets and darkness. This book had twists at every turn that I did not see coming. Shiloh helps her Daddy scout new recruits for the soccer team and literally bumps into the newest recruit for him, Nico. And while Nico thinks he is getting a scholarship of a lifetime, nothing comes for free at Villalargos, but he has no idea just what they will take from him.
When Shilohโs best friend and Nicoโs girlfriend turns up dead everyone is now playing, who did it? And now itโs time for all the secrets to start to unfold and let me tell you, there are A LOT! They are dark and some of them are downright sickening! And while everyone is looking for answers, someone is also watching everything! The suspense in this book has me on edge.
Nicoโฆoh my poor Nico, he was just born on the wrong side of town and this school did him wrong. And of course he had to go and fall in love with Shiloh. The longing between them was intense and the chemistry was explosive and spicy.
This story was an emotionally roller coaster, full of pain, betrayal, secrets, and darkness.
Villalargos University is full of secrets and darkness. This book had twists at every turn that I did not see coming. Shiloh helps her Daddy scout new recruits for the soccer team and literally bumps into the newest recruit for him, Nico. And while Nico thinks he is getting a scholarship of a lifetime, nothing comes for free at Villalargos, but he has no idea just what they will take from him.
When Shilohโs best friend and Nicoโs girlfriend turns up dead everyone is now playing, who did it? And now itโs time for all the secrets to start to unfold and let me tell you, there are A LOT! They are dark and some of them are downright sickening! And while everyone is looking for answers, someone is also watching everything! The suspense in this book has me on edge.
Nicoโฆoh my poor Nico, he was just born on the wrong side of town and this school did him wrong. And of course he had to go and fall in love with Shiloh. The longing between them was intense and the chemistry was explosive and spicy.
This story was an emotionally roller coaster, full of pain, betrayal, secrets, and darkness.
September 17, 2025
What can I say about this book in this series? Luna certainly knows how to write a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat. This dark academia romance is next level. Itโs full of mystery, lies, secrets, murder and betrayal and starts off with a bang right from the beginning. Chapter two has a trigger warning, setting the dark stage for the remainder of the book. As you go through the book, each chapter captures your attention more, dragging you into the suspense and making you question yourself. Every character you meet is one youโll be asking yourself about and taking notes on. Just when you think you have something figured out, Luna hits you with something else to throw you off. Another detail in the story gets revealed, and youโre truly saying, โWhat the heck?!? I didnโt see that coming!โ Like all of Lunaโs books, itโs dark, and nothing is ever what it seems. So, youโll constantly be on the edge of your seat, wondering whatโs next. Nico and Shilohโs story is beautifully illustrated with twisted chaos.
I canโt wait for the next book. Would I recommend this book? Definitely, if you are into dark twisted college romances.
Please check your trigger warnings as your mental health matters.
I canโt wait for the next book. Would I recommend this book? Definitely, if you are into dark twisted college romances.
Please check your trigger warnings as your mental health matters.
September 1, 2025
Oh, where to begin? Iโll start by saying Play Dirty is a quick, easy read, and I think readers who enjoy sports romance may find it right up their alley. Watch your triggers! That being said, I truly wanted to love this story, but for my personal taste, much of it fell a bit short. What stood out most to me was part threeโthis section really brought the book to life. While the first two parts felt a little repetitive and didnโt allow the characters to grow much, the third part finally gave them the depth and dimension Iโd been hoping for. Characters make or break even the best stories.
Shiloh, in particular, felt one-dimensional at first. But in part three, I finally began to see the layers of her character. She stepped beyond being โa crowned oneโ and grew into a strength that wasnโt about power over others, but power within herselfโto stand up for what she believed in and for the people she cared about. This shift made her more likable, and I appreciated witnessing that transformation. Similarly, Nicoโs character felt stagnant early onโso much of his portrayal seemed rooted in miseryโbut by the third part, his arc began to develop in meaningful ways.
One area I wish had been explored more was Fernanda. For Nico, this seemed like a pressing storyline, but as a reader, I didnโt feel it was given enough weight. We were offered bits and pieces, but never a full exploration, which left me with lingering questions. I also found the blog element distractingโit felt too reminiscent of Gossip Girl, and every time I saw โkiss, kiss,โ I couldnโt help but think of the โxoxo.โ
Overall, the final portion of Play Dirty really redeemed the story for me, which is why I landed on a three-star rating. The book has the framework of a very engaging story, but for me, the ball didnโt quite make it into the goal.
Shiloh, in particular, felt one-dimensional at first. But in part three, I finally began to see the layers of her character. She stepped beyond being โa crowned oneโ and grew into a strength that wasnโt about power over others, but power within herselfโto stand up for what she believed in and for the people she cared about. This shift made her more likable, and I appreciated witnessing that transformation. Similarly, Nicoโs character felt stagnant early onโso much of his portrayal seemed rooted in miseryโbut by the third part, his arc began to develop in meaningful ways.
One area I wish had been explored more was Fernanda. For Nico, this seemed like a pressing storyline, but as a reader, I didnโt feel it was given enough weight. We were offered bits and pieces, but never a full exploration, which left me with lingering questions. I also found the blog element distractingโit felt too reminiscent of Gossip Girl, and every time I saw โkiss, kiss,โ I couldnโt help but think of the โxoxo.โ
Overall, the final portion of Play Dirty really redeemed the story for me, which is why I landed on a three-star rating. The book has the framework of a very engaging story, but for me, the ball didnโt quite make it into the goal.
September 7, 2025
3.75 โญ๏ธ
Okay here is a book thatโs going to have you ask yourself, who can I trust?! And whatโs happening?!!
Though I personally didnโt feel a huge connection to the main characters as others might, I still enjoyed other parts of this book. I love a good murder mystery mixed with a secret society and I have to thank Luna for thinking of me and getting the arc!
I was drawn to getting answers as soon as I seen where the storyline was going, and then when I thought I knew what was going on- here enters The Pulse (anonymous gossip girl vlog) thatโs spilling all the secrets! There may have been parts my wee brain was confused on but I feel pretty confident with how this ended Luna has lots of those answers coming in the next book!
This comes with lots of tropes the girlies eat up- dark sports romance, secret society, academia, hate to love, murder mystery, rich girl/poor boy, forced proximity and more.
I do have to say, check your triggers because this one comes with some dark ones!
Okay here is a book thatโs going to have you ask yourself, who can I trust?! And whatโs happening?!!
Though I personally didnโt feel a huge connection to the main characters as others might, I still enjoyed other parts of this book. I love a good murder mystery mixed with a secret society and I have to thank Luna for thinking of me and getting the arc!
I was drawn to getting answers as soon as I seen where the storyline was going, and then when I thought I knew what was going on- here enters The Pulse (anonymous gossip girl vlog) thatโs spilling all the secrets! There may have been parts my wee brain was confused on but I feel pretty confident with how this ended Luna has lots of those answers coming in the next book!
This comes with lots of tropes the girlies eat up- dark sports romance, secret society, academia, hate to love, murder mystery, rich girl/poor boy, forced proximity and more.
I do have to say, check your triggers because this one comes with some dark ones!
March 29, 2026
Play Dirty by Luna K. Wicked is the first book in the Villalargos University series and this book is everything!
Shiloh a rich daddyโs girl sees Nico playing football and convinces her dad to sponsor him not realising that the sponsorship comes with a heavy price. Shiloh and Nico are drawn to each other but Shiloh is already with the captain of a rival football team and Nico soon settles down with Shilohโs best friend, June. When June is murdered this book soon becomes a murder mystery and at Villalargos, everybody has secrets, some darker than others. With a blog that spills dark secrets this book gave me total Gossip girl vibes and also some Ghost vibes, a steamy, dark read. You need to add this to your TBR, I canโt wait for book 2.
What to expect:
- Dark sports romance
- Slowburn
- Enemies to lovers
- Rich for X Poor boy
- Secret societies
- Best friends boyfriend (no cheating)
- Latina MMC X Ice Queen
Shiloh a rich daddyโs girl sees Nico playing football and convinces her dad to sponsor him not realising that the sponsorship comes with a heavy price. Shiloh and Nico are drawn to each other but Shiloh is already with the captain of a rival football team and Nico soon settles down with Shilohโs best friend, June. When June is murdered this book soon becomes a murder mystery and at Villalargos, everybody has secrets, some darker than others. With a blog that spills dark secrets this book gave me total Gossip girl vibes and also some Ghost vibes, a steamy, dark read. You need to add this to your TBR, I canโt wait for book 2.
What to expect:
- Dark sports romance
- Slowburn
- Enemies to lovers
- Rich for X Poor boy
- Secret societies
- Best friends boyfriend (no cheating)
- Latina MMC X Ice Queen
September 14, 2025
Tropes: Dark academia/college, soccer team, Secret Society, Sheโs rich/heโs poor, SLOW BURN, Enemies/hate to love, Stalker, both obsessed, forbidden love, best friends boyfriend, dark secrets, trauma and healing, revenge
๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ.5
If gossip girl and dark romance had a baby with a sports romance, this would be it. Sprinkle it with a bit of murder and youโve got yourself a classic thriller romance. Honestly, I tried. I tried SO SO hard to outsmart this plot and I just couldnโt. It was a true murder mystery wrapped in complete and utter darkness.
I canโt say much in this review otherwise I will give away the plot, but please be aware that this shit is DARK. We are talking severe trauma all round along with classism to top it all off.
If youโre looking for a dark romance with more tropes and triggers than you can count, and will have you guessing the ENTIRE time, Play Dirty is for you.
๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ๏ธ.5
If gossip girl and dark romance had a baby with a sports romance, this would be it. Sprinkle it with a bit of murder and youโve got yourself a classic thriller romance. Honestly, I tried. I tried SO SO hard to outsmart this plot and I just couldnโt. It was a true murder mystery wrapped in complete and utter darkness.
I canโt say much in this review otherwise I will give away the plot, but please be aware that this shit is DARK. We are talking severe trauma all round along with classism to top it all off.
If youโre looking for a dark romance with more tropes and triggers than you can count, and will have you guessing the ENTIRE time, Play Dirty is for you.
September 19, 2025
I am never disappointed in a Luna K. Wicked book and this was no exception. I loved the mystery and the chemistry between Shiloh and Nico. Lunaโs character work is always incredible and I felt so much for Nico, he truly did not deserve everything he went through. I cannot wait for the next book in this series because the mysteries just keep coming.
March 22, 2026
This was like if Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars had a baby, add in a rich girl x underprivileged boy and spice it up with a little soccer romance.
I was hooked from beginning to end! There were so many twists and turns and you never quite know who to believe. I had a great time with this one!
I was hooked from beginning to end! There were so many twists and turns and you never quite know who to believe. I had a great time with this one!
August 29, 2025
Play Dirty was a new direction for a Luna K. Wicked book and it did not disappoint. The suspense, the emotional trauma and twists were perfectly balanced. I find myself thrilled of the idea of a series like this and I continue to be impressed by the stories Luna can deliver.
September 2, 2025
4.5 Stars//2 Spice
Yes! Stunning - I love soccer and secret societies, but it was a perfect mash up of both! I also loved the almost gossip girl vibe of it. The gossip news, who done it murder mystery, sports dark romance, secret society/elites, the ice queen and the scholarship boy, best friends' boyfriend.
This is very dark romance with dark themes though so for sure check your trigger warnings!!
ARC
Yes! Stunning - I love soccer and secret societies, but it was a perfect mash up of both! I also loved the almost gossip girl vibe of it. The gossip news, who done it murder mystery, sports dark romance, secret society/elites, the ice queen and the scholarship boy, best friends' boyfriend.
This is very dark romance with dark themes though so for sure check your trigger warnings!!
ARC
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