From the author of the Internationally Bestselling Satire Word Play comes this collection of laugh-out-loud novellas, all guaranteed to curl your toes and challenge your morals.
Book – Four Play – Fair Play Author – Amalie Silver Publication Date – July 14, 2015 Genre –Romance Type – Prequel to Word Play Cliffhanger – No Rating – 5 out of 5 Stars
Complimentary copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
My Thoughts - Story This review is based on Fair Play since I’ve already read and reviewed the other books. Yes, I’m an Amalie Silver whore who can’t get enough of her books!!
Well…ahem…getting back to the review, you all know how much I ABSOLUTELY LOVED “Word Play” and my lady bits went into overdrive when I found out that we would get more of Michael.
And again, Ms. Silver doesn’t disappoint with her dry humor and slap stick comedy…God, how I love her humor and if you happen to be her friend on Facebook, you will see her daily dose of it in the form of her children and the funny things they come up with. This just spills over into her books.
We get a deeper insight into Michael and Lauren’s first meeting and meet a few others who make this book worth reading. OMG, don’t even get me started on the references to vampire books and Kindles…and OMG...don't even get me started on the whole dominant thing....See, I’m chuckling just remembering these conversations.
Re-Cap This is the story of how Michael and Lauren first met --- both attending a conference for the first time.
After a bit of drinking, Michael’s friend, Jack makes a bet that Michael can’t get Monica into bed. But does Michael really want Monica or her sweet (kinda nerdy) friend, Lauren flip his switch?
If you’ve read “Word Play” and want more of Michael…then this is definitely a book for you to pick up.
If you haven’t read it yet…these are two books you just have to pick up!
Reason for Reading –Author Request Story –5 out of 5 Stars Steam – 5 out of 5 Stars Angst –5 out of 5 Stars Writing –5 out of 5 Stars Content Flow –5 out of 5 Stars HEA (Spoiler) – Would Read More from Author?You couldn’t stop me from reading everything Ms. Silver writes Recommend To –Anyone who enjoys a humorous love story
***This review is for the fourth novella, Fair Play only***
I started Fair Play with a smile on my face knowing that if it was half as good as Word Play I would be busting a gut laughing. This novella, while not as good as Word Play still had me cracking up laughing. We meet a young Michael who has just finished his studies, ready and eager to become a writer and hopefully produce a classic. He and a few of his writing mates are at a writers convention where they hope to learn and do a bit of networking. The banter between the mates is a little juvenile and annoying. Unfortunately, one of Michael’s mates is a douchewaffle of epic proportions. Jack has been signed with a publisher which has given him an over-inflated ego. The parts Jack was featured in had me subtracting stars left, right, and centre. I was not feeling the love for Jack and couldn’t understand Michael’s friendship with him.
Luckily, we meet Lauren and her friend Monica and things start looking up again. Michael is supposed to be working on getting to “know” Monica but can’t stay away from Lauren. Michael and Lauren spend time together which provides us a glimpse into their connection and had some funny scenes that had me cracking up.
Another great read by Amalie Silver that had me laughing one minute, cranky another, but still left me with a smile on my face. There was one steamy scene which considering the length of the story was satisfying enough to see the connection between Michael and Lauren. This is a prequel, so we know that there’s not a HEA for this novella, but one way or another, whether you’ve read Word Play or not you will be content with the ending.
ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review
Four Play is a collection of four novellas by Amalie Silver. The first three novellas I have read and reviewed before but I have included my old reviews below. The only one I haven't read is Fair Play, which happens to be a prequel novella to Word Play. So if you ready to laugh and be charmed with Amalie's witty, quirky, fun, charming, and sexy stories then Four Play is a great introduction to get mesmerized with her writing and storytelling.
Big Balls: ☆☆☆☆☆5 Grand Slam Stars☆☆☆☆☆
Big Balls was a homerun! This novella had it all from sweet romance and sexy book boyfriend material. The storyline flowed at such a great pace that it didn’t felt rushed. So when a softball star falls in love with her umpire boyfriend, will this be a strike or a grand slam romance?
Debating Number 10: ☆☆☆☆☆5 Debating Stars☆☆☆☆☆
Debating Number was a fun, sexy and sweet read!!! In this novella, we get to know Simon, who is 18 years old and has already slept with 9 women and so he is ready to cross off his mythical 10. And this time he has set his eyes on Miss Shields, his debate teacher to be his number 10. The plan was simple seduce and conquer but all that changes when he meets Arleen Carson, a new student on the debate team. After meeting Arleen, sparks will fly and chemistry begins to sizzle. So will Simon make Arleen his number 10?
Surrending to Innocence:☆☆☆☆ 4.5 Surrending Stars ☆☆☆☆
Ummm..Surrending to Innocence is wickedly hot!!! After reading of her previous romantic comedy novellas, Ms. Silver turns up the notch when she delivers a sexy read with an added touch of humor. So what trouble awaits when a divorced mom and her son's friend?
Fair Play:☆☆☆☆☆5 Fair Play Stars! ☆☆☆☆☆
Fair Play is a prequel novella to Word Play. And if you haven't read Word Play, don't worry because after reading Fair Play you will be for sure one-clicking Word Play. As for this prequel novella, I found Fair Play witty, fun, charming and quirky reminding readers why I fell in loved with the Michael and Lauren. All I got to say, be prepared to laugh out loud and fall in love with the adorable geeky Mike.
FAIR PLAY (Word Play Prequel Novella) – FOUR PLAY ANTHOLOGY by AMALIE SILVER
‘We were both contradictions. Complete anti-clichés.’
Last year we fell in love with a book called Word Play. It was a tongue in cheek, unique and a very – very swoony story that hilariously portrayed the crazy ups and the peculiar downs of our Book-world. It was a warts and all satirical look at our community which had us constantly nodding in agreement and relating to some of the funny and strange moments we all encounter now and again.
“I’ll be over here with a smile on my face reading what I want to read, and not worry if The New Yorker, USA Today, or The New York Times think they’re worthy enough for me. Let me worry about that.”
In that story we met Michael Rourke, a mystery writer who relished the anonymity of writing under a pseudonym after selling his soul to write smut. We can’t tell you that much about what unfolded in Word Play because you need to find that out for yourselves after this book so you’ll appreciate the relationship and how it develops.
What we will say is that in Word Play we learnt that Michael had previously met a woman at a conference some years earlier that was shrouded in mystery. Well, it’s a mystery no more because in Fair Play we get an inside peek at what occurred during that time.
Firstly, if you haven’t read Word Play we guarantee you’ll be breaking your 1Click finger record to grab it once you’ve been tempted and teased by the glimpses you receive in Fair Play!
‘When a woman so fair touches any part of you, the devastation you feel when she pulls herself away is agony…’
This book was adorable, sweet, acerbic, sexy and giggle worthy and we loved it. We both had permanent smiles on our faces as Amalie Silver returned with the same sarcastic humour and quick wit we loved in Word Play, as well as an endearing banter between Michael and Lauren, plus a few cringe worthy moments. We were once again reminded why we love this author’s work so much.
‘We were fiction writers. If we always got caught up in the thesaurus, our characters’ voices wouldn’t be real.’
This is a fabulous companion novella to a book we adored from an author who really does ‘get’ our Community and doesn’t take herself to seriously…much to the benefit of us readers. The memories and glimpses of ‘book life‘ back then….’could a book about a vampire and a human really sell?’ had us in fits, not to mention….the discussion about the item that would become our lifeline of the future….
“This, my friends, is what they call a Kindle. It’s an e-reader and is in beta testing right now. This puppy is going to be sold for four-hundred bucks on Amazonia’s website in a few months. People can keep an entire library on this thing. It’s s going to revolutionize the business as we know it. Duncan
“I doubt. It’s another electronic hung of junk that will be obsolete in less than a year. You can quote me on that.” Jack
And Jack….we guess you had to eat your words there buddy! It all went to make this a fun, swoony and entertaining read!
**Reviewed from an ARC copy provided by the author, with thanks**
FAIR PLAY (Word Play Prequel Novella) – FOUR PLAY ANTHOLOGY by AMALIE SILVER
‘We were both contradictions. Complete anti-clichés.’
Last year we fell in love with a book called Word Play. It was a tongue in cheek, unique and a very – very swoony story that hilariously portrayed the crazy ups and the peculiar downs of our Book-world. It was a warts and all satirical look at our community which had us constantly nodding in agreement and relating to some of the funny and strange moments we all encounter now and again.
“I’ll be over here with a smile on my face reading what I want to read, and not worry if The New Yorker, USA Today, or The New York Times think they’re worthy enough for me. Let me worry about that.”
In that story we met Michael Rourke, a mystery writer who relished the anonymity of writing under a pseudonym after selling his soul to write smut. We can’t tell you that much about what unfolded in Word Play because you need to find that out for yourselves after this book so you’ll appreciate the relationship and how it develops.
What we will say is that in Word Play we learnt that Michael had previously met a woman at a conference some years earlier that was shrouded in mystery. Well, it’s a mystery no more because in Fair Play we get an inside peek at what occurred during that time.
Firstly, if you haven’t read Word Play we guarantee you’ll be breaking your 1Click finger record to grab it once you’ve been tempted and teased by the glimpses you receive in Fair Play!
‘When a woman so fair touches any part of you, the devastation you feel when she pulls herself away is agony…’
This book was adorable, sweet, acerbic, sexy and giggle worthy and we loved it. We both had permanent smiles on our faces as Amalie Silver returned with the same sarcastic humour and quick wit we loved in Word Play, as well as an endearing banter between Michael and Lauren, plus a few cringe worthy moments. We were once again reminded why we love this author’s work so much.
‘We were fiction writers. If we always got caught up in the thesaurus, our characters’ voices wouldn’t be real.’
This is a fabulous companion novella to a book we adored from an author who really does ‘get’ our Community and doesn’t take herself to seriously…much to the benefit of us readers. The memories and glimpses of ‘book life‘ back then….’could a book about a vampire and a human really sell?’ had us in fits, not to mention….the discussion about the item that would become our lifeline of the future….
“This, my friends, is what they call a Kindle. It’s an e-reader and is in beta testing right now. This puppy is going to be sold for four-hundred bucks on Amazonia’s website in a few months. People can keep an entire library on this thing. It’s s going to revolutionize the business as we know it. Duncan
“I doubt. It’s another electronic hung of junk that will be obsolete in less than a year. You can quote me on that.” Jack
And Jack….we guess you had to eat your words there buddy! It all went to make this a fun, swoony and entertaining read!
**Reviewed from an ARC copy provided by the author, with thanks**
**I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review for Wicked Women Book Blog.** ***This review is for Fair Play only.*** Fair Play is s prequel novella to Word Play. This is my first Silver read. Since I had not yet read Word Play I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly entertained with this novella! In Fair Play, Silver introduces us to a very interesting and diverse cast of characters. They all have their own unique quirks and idiosyncrasies, which make them all the more inviting. The main focus of FP is on Michael Rourke, a recent grad school graduate and aspiring writer. When Mike meets Lauren at a National Convention for writers, sparks fly and clichés are broken. Fair Play is a witty, fun, novella that basically just leaves you wanting more of the story. Yes, it ends on a cliffhanger (that’s kind of the point- you’ll get it when you read the story. Trust me, it works.), and yes you will want to immediately run out and get Word Play. I am absolutely dying to find out what happens with our beloved Mike and Lauren. Now if you’ll excuse me, I am ending this review so I can one-click Word Play. 5 stars!!!
Absolutely loved it! Amalie has some of the best writing skills out there.
Four Play by Amalie Silver is a dream come true! #Smeep! We get a fantastic sampling of the author’s writing style and I promise you will not be disappointed.
Remember Word Play was our Top #LOL Book for 2014 so when I found out that Amalie was putting all of her novellas AND a new prequel to Word Play together in one place I was ecstatic!
Fair Play was a surprise that I had not expected because Word Play was meant as a standalone. So you can just imagine how excited I was to find out that we would get more from these fantastic characters. And Fair Play did not disappoint. There are some awesome surprises that you will just love and have you laughing out loud.
I highly recommend reading Word Play right after you read Fair Play. Trust me when I say you will beg for more at the end!
Balls of 10 converge on innocence to finally reach Fair Play 4.5 gold stars
Four Play is an assortment of stories which consists of choosing what you love most, falling in love for the first time despite thinking you know what you want, being lost in one’s life for too long taking care of everyone but yourself and finally stumbling onto the girl of your dreams. The stories made me laugh, sigh, sad and weepy and get hot under the collar.
*ARC received for honest review for Wicked Women Book Blog*
Big Balls We don’t play softball here, I have a basic idea about the game and the author made me enjoy the game and the passion it takes to contribute to it. Jack is extremely passionate about softball, she helps her team members focus on their games, she doesn’t date, is a complete tomboy and she has only one goal WIN THE GAME. She meets Nolan quite by accident, and I do mean that literally, you’ll see when you read. For the first time she feels the rush of something new and special, she wants Nolan. But there’s pitfalls to their relationship, is Nolan really interested in her, if she did trust him will she lose everything she’s thought of as important to her existence. I laughed, I got hot under the collar, and I simply loved Jack and her inner struggle to fit into her new life.
Debating Number Ten Simon has only on goal in life at this point, to win over Katie who happens to be out of his league. He is very detailed, doesn’t miss any pointers to make his quest that much easier. Simon will not let anything stand in his way. Or so it seemed. His life is pretty lonely at best and whenever he’s conflicted he goes to this abandoned church which holds fond memories for him. On one such evening, he meets A. Carson and the way he thought his world was supposed to be gets blown to smithereen. He’s never felt so lost or so hopeful in his entire life. Thus starts Simon’s journey of waking up from a lame dream and starting to live again.
Surrendering to Innocence Christine is a single mom, she exists for her kid. She had forgotten who she was and how to have fun. At one of her PTA meetings she meets an old high school girlfriend who reminds her of who she used to be. So this was her story about finding herself again, trying to find her happy. Not just existing for the sake of existing. The way it started I was against it. But then she made so many crazy mistakes that at the end I was okay with it but still a bit weirded out. The hot quotient was off the charts.
Fair Play I’ve been dying to learn about Michael and his past encounter with the girl of his dreams. If you haven’t read Word Play, read this one and then Word Play. If you have read it, then read Fair Play and feel your sides hurt and your heart ache with the sweetness. The story starts off in Seattle where Mike and his friends get together for a final trip before fate decides where they were headed. Jack one of his classmates and total douche decides to challenge Mike to a bet, which entails Mike doing something ungentlemanly, just so proud peacock Jack can prove he’s better. That’s when Monica and Lauren makes their appearance. Monica is vivacious and beautiful whereas Lauren is quiet with her own beauty to ensnare any guy’s interest. Mike debates about the bet with two of his friends Duncan and Marty and against his better judgment decides to go for it. That starts off the journey of Mike finding the girl of his dreams while trying to not woo her with romantic quests and finding out what truly lies in his heart. It was funny, it was sweet and it out a smile on my face but I did get teary-eyed at the end because I obviously know how the story goes.
I have read the first three stories individually prior to this collection and they were so much fun to read. But all three together PLUS the addition of Fair Play...gimme!
I enjoyed Word Play so much when I read it last year. Sure, there was room for a sequel, but what would it be about? Then Silver goes and creates a PREQUEL instead and it was pure genius!
In Word Play, we got Michael Rourke, the writer who is trying to imitate his books just to make it in the industry. And then we have Monica Singer, the blogger/sleuth trying to uncover his true identity. This combination led to funny, sweet, and sexy moments between the two of them and made me care for what happened to them.
But Fair Play shows us how they got there....and it's just too cute and perfect for words. In true Silver fashion, she makes you laugh, grin, and fan yourself over the short story that is spot on for Michael and Monica.
I think if you are looking for something entertaining and fun to read, this entire collection is for you. And if you haven't read Word Play yet....follow it up with that. Have fun!
" Very Fun and enjoyable read " I Loved it.. 4.5 stars for Four Play.
I really liked Amelia Silver's writing style. I have never read anything quite like it. This Novellas Collection was a perfect read. I will definitely be jumping into reading "Word Play" ASAP. I love Michael and Lauren and can't wait to see what it has in store for me.. In Four Play you get four witty short stories. That will have you laughing out loud...
I had previously read three of the books in this laugh-out-loud quartet and I'll say that they were all highly entertaining and enjoyable.
Big Balls had me shamelessly snorting from the very first page and it continued throughout! Amalie certainly has a fascinating way of drawing the reader right in to her perfectly woven web of words and I loved it in this novella! Big Balls had the perfect mix of humor and romance.
Debating Number 10 is the story of a self-confessed douchebag. This novella is about Simon who is sleeping his way through the girls in his debate team and his plan is to seduce his debate teacher after he bags number ten who he hopes will be Arleen. This was a very sweet and funny story - funny in that who, but Simon, tracks their conquests on a spreadsheet and sweet because watching the relationship between Simon and Arleen grow was really lovely. I really loved that Amalie had me in fits of laughter and serious eye-rolling amidst some feelings of genuine compassion for Simon and his lack of relationship with his parents. Great read.
Surrendering To Innocence This is yet another deliciously hilarious novella. I won't rehash the story but I will say that the characters are definitely likable and the plot, interesting. I adore the witty dialogue that Amalie comes up with and found myself laughing out loud more than once.
Fair Play And finally we have Fair Play. The novella I've been waiting a whole year for! In truth, I was expecting a sequel to Michael and Lauren's story, but Amalie has cleverly nixed that idea and given us a prequel instead and I'm so happy about it! In this story, we find out what really happened all those years ago when Michael and Lauren first met, where things went wrong and why. This has Amalie's signature satirical style and I enjoyed it thoroughly.
I absolutely recommend this collection of stories from Amalie Silver. They're all fantastic short reads that will not disappoint.
**book gifted by author in exchange for honest review.
“Oh God. I’d imagined those lips. Those forbidden, beautiful lips on mine for far too long. And no matter how far my imagination could’ve gone with it, I would’ve never been able to dream how perfectly they fit together.”
4 stars. Definitely cute stories. It’s four stories in one book and each one was better than the next!
From the author of the Internationally Bestselling Satire Word Play comes this collection of laugh-out-loud novellas, all guaranteed to curl your toes and challenge your morals.
Titles include:
Surrendering to Innocence (Previously published in Forbidden Fruit, Volume II)
Big Balls (Previously published in Nighttides)
Debating Number Ten (Previously published in Hot for Teacher)
Fair Play (The brand new prequel novella to Word Play)
This book contains 4 different stories and loved each one. They are short little quick reads, and while they are super cute the are a lot of fun. The sex is scorching hot and the storylines are exciting and keep your attention.
Wow I have read the first three books individually before I knew four play was going to be a sequel and just the first three books are amazing and show a great depth to Amalie work but now add in four play and the whole world of Michael rouke come alive once again I loved the way we saw into micheals career before the whole smut sells.
Loved it and getting to re read the first three books has made me realise how amazing these books were first time around a full 5* and well recommended
This is a cute little compilation of stories...perfect for a quick read (one at a time) or an all day binge (the whole book). I enjoyed some more than others but the writing is wonderful and Silver does a great job of making your emotions bounce from one extreme to the other.
If you enjoy short sexy stories, this one is worth checking out!
Five fantastic stars... Amalie Silver has delivered a winning package of short stories and novellas with Four Play. Ever since reading Word Play (Silver's full length novel) last year, I've been craving more from Amalie and picking up this collection, even though I had previously read a couple of the stories, was a no brainer. Especially since I have been hungry for more Michael Rourke. But wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. Amalie writes stories that hold your interest, gets you vested into her characters, and always knows how to include the right amount of wit, humor, and smoking hot goodness.
Note: I was very lucky to be gifted an ARC, in exchange for an honest review.
Big Balls
A very cute, funny, and hot story about a softball playing tomboy who meets her match in a sexy, innuendo-spewing hottie who she keeps running into in a variety of places. This story had fun, playful banter between the two MCs, sarcastic humor, wit, and sexy times (OMG the dugout scene!), and of course the main backdrop, ladies softball. If you aren't already crushing on Amalie's sassy writing style, Big Balls will definitely make you a fan.
Debating Number Ten
The story of a high school boy with a mad crush on his teacher. He keeps a list of his sexual conquests thus far, and is conspiring how he will get his debate teacher into bed with him to make her Number Ten on his list. It's written in his point of view and shows a funny look at how the teenaged high school boy thinks about the opposite sex. It's pretty hot and steamy, and also really sweet. If you think you know how this ones gonna end, think again. Grade A.
Surrendering to Innocence
A super hot and hilarious story of a divorced single mom to a high school senior, who is in much need of the peen. She begins to see her sons best friend in a new light and some not so innocent banter is exchanged. Will she end up surrendering to her most carnal desires? You've got to read to find out!
Fair Play
The prequel novella to Word Play gives us a peek into the life of Michael Rourke when he is first starting out in the world and finding his career following graduate school. The story focuses on Michael's weekend spent at a literary convention, where we see him firsthand in all his geeky yet cute and sexy glory as he meets a woman that he cannot deny is his perfect match. It's a great companion to Word Play, since we get to read in detail here what was briefly touched upon in the novel which takes place years later. I enjoyed that Amalie maintained Michael's voice and character in both books, so Fair Play truly felt like an extension of the first story. Just to note, I feel like in order to enjoy this novella you definitely need to read Word Play first.
Big Balls - College, women, man, fast pitch softball, and a hospital trip. Umpires, the game, the thrill of the sport. What is Jack to do with her life? What is she to the team and do other parts in life matter to her or for her? You need to read this and find out. Lots of thrills with this one, watching the book play out from beginning to end. Wasn't what I had anticipated it to be, but it was so much more. If you've ever participated on a team in sports, you will appreciate this book.
Debating Number Ten - The start of this book makes you feel like you're in a "Hot for Teacher" porn movie. Wow, one hell of a fast shift to reality, or is it? What about car comparisons? Do men truly do things like that? Interesting thought. Talk about High School and wild hormones in this book and you will know what part of this story is about. The ending of the story does however make you smile with a soft sigh of contentment.
Surrendering to Innocence - What is it about the things that are forbidden that makes people want them more? This story covers that, forbidden love/romance, and clubs for alternative lifestyles. A very erotic book for those 18 and over. Not over the top on things, just the right amount of erotic and forbidden to make the story interesting.
Fair Play - The first chapter of this book is rife with literary and television references about different books and shows. It is funny to watch, and talking about e-readers and all the things that have been fads like that dealing with the literary side of life. This book is written with four male aspiring writers as the main characters. Mike being the most main of them all. The four have just graduated from University and a trip to a literary conference is the courtesy of their Professor. Jack makes a bet with Mike about how he cannot get a girl. Jack wants Mike to go after Monica, so that he can go after Lauren. You have to read to find out the fun that happens in this story.
RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M.Brennan.
This book contains 4 different short stories. They are quick reads that true to Amalie’s style, will have you laughing and cringing at some of the embarrassing moments the characters find themselves in. Sweet and fun, they have exciting storylines that will hold your attention until the very end. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0107176BC
***Surrendering to Innocence*** Witty dialogue will have you entertained while reading this story touching on a taboo subject. Raising her teenage son as a single mother, Christine is now a middle aged housewife so far removed from the dating scene. Trying to get back into the swing of things, she finds herself in failed date after failed date. When she realizes that her son’s best friend is in love with her, she has a hard time fighting the temptation he presents, especially when she finds out he’s a virgin and wants her to “pop his cherry”. Hilarious and brilliant situations will show Amalie’s amazing writing style, turning this story of forbidden love into something actually sweet.
***Big Balls*** Big Balls is the story of Jack (Jacqueline) and Nolan. Jack is a softball player and the game is her life. The transformation she goes through after meeting Nolan is great to see. The banter between her and Nolan is just as fantastic as the intimate scenes are HOT!
***Debating Number Ten*** Simon has wanted to seduce his Debate teacher for some time now… fearing he’s not worthy of her yet, he decides to add ten notches to his bedpost before going for the prize. When the possible Number 10 shows up, his world is turned upside down and he no longer sees things clearly. What he thought he wanted starts falling between the cracks and he wonders if that was really his goal.
***Fair Play*** This prequel to the comedic satire Word Play has four male aspiring writers in a Literary Convention as the main characters. Attending courtesy of their Professor, Mike, Jack, Martin, and Duncan find themselves in funny and embarrassing situations as they try to find women to “bed” while attempting to get the chance at securing a job. When Jack makes a bet with Mike to get him a job at the Publishing House he wants, things turn sour between the friends and the girls in their sights. Jack wants Mike to pursue Monica so he can go after Lauren, Monica’s friend. But Mike actually wants Lauren and the relationship he forms with her make the friendship between him and Jack explode. Will Monica and Lauren discover the bet and what will happen if they do?
Four Play I really enjoyed Amalie's Word Play and looked forward to the prequel novella at the end of Four Play. It gives a really nice insight into Michael and Lauren's first meeting. If you haven't read Word Play yet, then it's probably a good idea to read Four Play first. It's not imperative, but introduces you to the characters you'll come across. I loved how Mike tries to prove that romance novels are all cliches. Without giving too much away, I can't say much more. The humour is great, the mishaps are great and if i hadn't read Word Play first, I would've been shitty at the ending! I laughed hard, and not just at these little gems here where he takes her horseriding as an example of the stereotyped cliche: "I, on the other hand, was given a smaller black and white horse that looked like it was nearing retirement and had a bad binge with vodka and two hookers the night before." The end of this had me snorting, but you need the lead up first: "Riding a horse was definitely something one had to get used to. I'd never read a Western, but the guys in the movies made that shit look easy. Maybe I was doing it wrong. Or perhaps I should've worn a tighter pair of underwear, because my boys slapped against the saddle with every trot." And perhaps I have a warped sense of humour, but that made my night! Enjoy!
Big Balls This is the first in the collection. Softball player falls for a guy, despite promising herself to never do that. Especially during the game season. Oops! I have some quotes that made me laugh. "Whatever his intentions, I was two minutes away from dry-humping my cup holder." Jack (Jacqueline) prides herself on being not girly, so when Amalie threw this one in--"It was official: I'd turned into a chick."--I couldn't help but laugh aloud. These weren't the only chuckle-worthy lines, but rather the ones I remembered to highlight!
I'm looking forward to reading the other two in the collection and will add my thoughts on those when I've read them!
4.5 stars overall. This review will be brief because the collection consists of four novellas, and I don't want to spoil any of the stories. Also, I generally like novellas for a quick read, but they're often quite difficult to review.
Fair Play: This is the prequel to Word Play. I really enjoyed this backstory. I would highly recommend reading Word Play first; for one thing, it's very well-written and for another, it will make this story much more satisfying and complete. The story is about four aspiring young male authors attending a conference and ...you'll have to read the rest to see what happens. There are the guys, some women of course, and a bunch of clichés. Fun stuff!
Surrendering to Innocence: I actually read this one last year, but never rated it due to the length and the fact that I didn't read anything else in the anthology. There's a forbidden/erotic theme running through it, with some funny and embarrassing events for the main character, a divorced mother of a teenage son.
Debating Number Ten: I started this one and immediately thought "Seriously? No, just ..no." But it's a good story that quickly redeems itself and has some nice character growth. It's told by a teenage boy, so of course you can only imagine. And the car comparisons? Just read it!
Big Balls: This is the one I connected least with--probably because there's some sports references in it (duh), but it's still a complete story with likeable characters and some cute sexual innuendos.
ARC provided by tour coordinator and author for honest review.
Big Balls: Fun change up with Jacqueline as catcher for college softball. Nolan is the quiet unassuming tattooed hottie she just noticed. The banter is playful and it seems she has more alpha tendencies than the average female.
Debating Number Ten: Told in the voice of Simon, rich lonely horn dog. He's trying desperately to be a man by having sex with ten girls before the woman of his dreams. Until he meets Arleen and learns to be a man. Quite funny and seemingly true of your typical high school senior boy.
Surrendering to Innocence: Fun and exciting tale of forbidden love. A divorcee is seduced by her teenage son's friend, the kid is far older than his years and more mature than expected. Her adventures are rather funny and embarrassing, kept me laughing.
Fair Play: The prequel to the famously funny novel Word Play. If you read Word Play you will understand who these guys are and some of the inside jokes. If you are new to the story, no worries just enjoy it and then immediately start reading Word Play. It's all about the weekend Michael and Lauren met years ago, a one night stand than changed them forever.
The whole set was given to me by the author so I could leave my honest review. I loved the entire thing, each story was unique and original. Three of the stories are part of other anthologies and one is new. Great romances with a hint of the erotic but yet strangely normal take on different romances.
This is a collection of four fairly short romance 'novellas', which is really great if you just want a quick book to read and each book seems to step up the heat a little.
I really enjoyed this collection and will definitely look out for more from this author.
First there's 'Big Balls' where Jack breaks her no dating rule during soft ball season, but can she make a choice between the hot and sexy Nolan or the game ?
Second up is 'Debating Number Ten' where do I start with this one ? College boy, working his way through the girls, keeping spreadsheets !! oh and his final destination in sight is the teacher, but will the new girl Arleen distract him enough ?
Thirdly we have 'Surrendering to Innocence', this is the story of a young mum who after a dry spell is lusting after her sons best friend, will she act on their attraction ?
And lastly 'Fair Play'....The new novella to Word Play. This book is by far my favourite, I found myself quite often literally laughing out loud, it's hilarious, cringeworthy and fun all rolled into one. I haven't yet read 'Word Play' but this has left me desperately wanting to read more !
This is a collection of four fairly short romance 'novellas', which is really great if you just want a quick book to read and each book seems to step up the heat a little.
I really enjoyed this collection and will definitely look out for more from this author.
First there's 'Big Balls' where Jack breaks her no dating rule during soft ball season, but can she make a choice between the hot and sexy Nolan or the game ?
Second up is 'Debating Number Ten' where do I start with this one ? College boy, working his way through the girls, keeping spreadsheets !! oh and his final destination in sight is the teacher, but will the new girl Arleen distract him enough ?
Thirdly we have 'Surrendering to Innocence', this is the story of a young mum who after a dry spell is lusting after her sons best friend, will she act on their attraction ?
And lastly 'Fair Play'....The new novella to Word Play. This book is by far my favourite, I found myself quite often literally laughing out loud, it's hilarious, cringeworthy and fun all rolled into one. I haven't yet read 'Word Play' but this has left me desperately wanting to read more !
This is the first of Amalie Silver's books I have read. I enjoyed reading this collection of four short stories, about coming of age and first loves. While reading this collection there were parts that made me laugh. These stories at times were funny, bittersweet and full of hotness. Wow!
Some of these stories I enjoyed more than others. After reading Fair Play, the prequel to Word Play, I am very eager to read the next book to see what has become of Mike and Lauren! I find Mike to be a loveable geek and sweetheart. Lauren is a shy bookworm who decides to throw caution to the wind. I love them and their story!
In this book we have a young woman who is set on her goals and doesn't think she has time for anything or anyone else. A high school guy who has a plan set in motion. An older woman who is divorced, raised her son on her own and now is wondering what is next. Lastly we have a man freshly out of college ready for the next step.
I absolutely love Amalie Silver’s writing style. It’s so fun and fresh.
There are four unique stories included in Four Play and I loved each and every one of them.
Debating Number Ten – This one was definitely my favorite. I love Simon! An such an awesome ending.
Surrendering to Innocence – This story is a very close second favorite. Very hot! Sexy and forbidden! I loved it. Major bonus, I giggled snorted a few times.
Fair Play – The prequel to her book Word Play. Enjoyable, especially if you’ve already read Word Play. This story would certainly peak your interest to read it if you haven’t already.
Big Balls – Cute story, but probably my least favorite of the bunch.
* This book was received from the author in exchange for an honest review. *
I think this was just what sort of a read I needed today, 4 different stories in one book! Needless to say I was very happy when I realised this. It was very easy to read and I enjoyed them all and I liked how 2 of the stories were from a female pov and the other 2 were from a male pov. The last story "Word Play" was probably my favourite if I had to choose. I was quite pleased to see that Michael and Lauren's story continues as I felt that I needed to read more about these two as there's unfinished business between them! So with that said I'm just going to one click Word Play! I would give this 4.5 stars and I will say its definitely worth reading I thoroughly enjoyed it!
I loved Word Play and couldn't wait to read more from this author. Four Play is 4 separate novellas that were awesome. They were just as great as Word Play, I love Ms. Silver's writing style, she can pull me into the story. I love the banter between the characters in these stories, it makes me feel like the story is real. There are strong woman and hot men, what more could you want? Out of the four novellas Fair Play has to be my favorite, and that's because you get more of Word Play, which is one of my favorite books! All in all I think all four of these are great reads that you won't want to miss! Amalie Silver knows what she's doing. One click this now!!
Four Play is a great collection of novellas. They're sexy, funny and enjoyable reads. Amalie Silver did a great job getting you emotionally connected with the characters, which can be hard to do in novellas. Big Balls is an absolute favorite of mine!
If you've read Word Play, the prequel Fair Play is just perfect. Fair Play gives you a perfect glimpse to how Lauren and Michael meet. Its a lot of fun to visit these characters again and see where their connection came from! I adore them. I'm sad to say goodbye to them and look forward to other work from Amalie Silver!
** ARC provided by the author via Give Me Books for an honest review. **
This is a collection of four laughing out loud, steamy and smoking hot stories, writen by Amalie Silver’s witty, perky, funny signature. All I can say that these stories completely caught my attention, it was cute, swoony, fun with some memorable spicy moments.
Big Balls
« We live the game. We breathe the game. We own it. »
For the first story, it was very enjoyable and sweet. A softball player (Jacqueline « Jack ») falls in love with her umpire (Nolan). It was a perfect blend of humor, sexiness and romance. Jack was the sport girl, focused on her game. Her rule: no dating during the season. But can she break her rule and make a choice between the sexy and sweet Nolan and the game? Endearing characters, some cute sexual innuendos, a great banter, home run for that one! I have a spot for sports romance, and it was just the perfect story to begin with. Just to let you know : BOOK BOYFRIEND material alert!
My rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Debating Number Ten « And why did my skin tingle from the feel of her cold fingers? It’s the strangest thing I’ve experienced in my life - and that’s saying something .»
Second story, college player guy (Simon), with a fascination with his teacher, and a habit to keep spreadsheets about the girls he slept with. His calculating, predictable ways were shattered when he met the new girl,Arleen. When I started this one, I was really surprised. Just the read about the cars comparison is worth the read and completely insane and hilarious! This was a very good story, so refreshing, with a guy who had to work a lot to get his girl, and having this guy thoughts about the opposite sex was priceless!Hot, sexy, steamy and sweet. My rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Surrendering to Innocence
« The nervousness. The need. The clumsiness. The heat.Oh god. The fucking heat. »
Forbidden romance alert! This one was one of most hilarious and so smoking hot novella I have to read. Wow, the author knows how to keep the heat and sexual tension thoughout the story. When a divorced mom (Christine) is chased by one her son’s friend (Watson). Middle aged woman, out of the dating scene, Christine tried to get back into the game, and let just say that it was failure after failure. When Watson make sure of this not noble attentions. she saw him in a new light, and fighting her attraction was more than difficult! Watson for his young age, was definitely more than unexperienced! Is she going to surrender? My rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐
Fair Play
« The anti-clich�� became the cliché, because no one would’ve ever been able to say it better that I could at that minute. »
I was really expecting this one, because after reading Word Play, I wanted to read about their first encounter. In a short time, these two get attached more than they should, between a bet, some mishaps, misunderstandings, it was a hell of a weekend! It was hilarious, sweet, with a quirky and sarcastic tone, so familiar to this author. Michael was such an endearing character, the good guy, a little bit clumsy with girls, bookworm and not believing to romance, until he met Lauren, the sexy and cute geek who captured his heart. It was interesting to have this quick perk in Michael’s life before this career as a famous writer, with his adorable craziness. Lauren was the mix of super cute, so oblivious to her sexiness. Not so innocent as she seemed to be, she was the breath of fresh air, totally unexpected in Michael’s life. What’s next? Go read Word Play to see how their story is gonna end!