Review: Hotter than hot
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 27, 2013
Ever since I first read J. Lynn's Tempting the Best Man, I have been hooked on Entangled's Brazen series. I've read all nineteen (yes, I counted) of the colorfully-covered books, although Jackie Barbosa's Skin in the Game (Play Action) is the first ARC I've received from the collection. Continuing in the tradition of the Brazen series, Barbosa has provided readers with a feisty heroine, a swoon-worthy hero, several steamy love scenes, and the promise of a Happily Ever After.The story alternates between the perspectives of the male and female protagonists, first introducing us to Cade Reynolds, professional football player and pride of Harper Falls, Minnesota. When a shoulder injury abruptly ends his season with the Texans, Cade accepts a temporary position coaching his high school football team, ending his years-long absence from his home town.On his first day back in town, Cade encounters a gorgeous blond with an interest in sports, not realizing that he is already acquainted with his "dream woman".  Teased in high school for being the quintessential nerd with an unrequited crush on the school's popular quarterback, Angie Peterson is surprised by Cade's obvious interest in her.Since her romantic prospects as a small-town high school math teacher have been few and far between, Angie is more than willing to pursue their mutual attraction, even if it's just for one night. Throwing a wrench on Angie's resolve to place a time limit on their affair is her job as the football team's assistant coach, making Cade her new boss - a development that is as unexpected as it is unwelcome.Cade and Angie are one of those couples who would greatly benefit from a bit of communication. It seems they are constantly trading off on keeping each other in the dark about one thing or another. Rather than being frustrated by their harmless deceptions, I was amused by their stubborn attempts to handle certain situations in whatever way they saw fit.As the two main characters, Angie and Cade are immensely likeable. Angie is my favorite type of heroine: intelligent, beautiful, and unapologetically nerdy, with tomboyish tendencies. Cade, in turn, is the All-American jock, whose occasional bouts of pig-headedness are forgiven by his charming nature and shockingly dirty mouth.I devoured Skin in the Game in a matter of hours, eager to follow along with the drama that unfolds between Cade and Angie, who are nothing if not entertaining. I found Angie to be a relatable heroine and I genuinely enjoyed getting to know her character as she navigated her complicated relationship with Cade. I especially enjoyed the book's epilogue, which simultaneously closed one story and introduced two promising new characters that will appear in the next installment of the Play Action series.