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52nd out of 383 books
—
775 voters
Playing Dirty (Sisterhood Diaries #3)
by
Susan Andersen (Goodreads Author)
When old enemies are thrown together, all bets are off
Way back in high school, golden boy Cade Gallari publicly revealed he'd slept with "fat girl" Ava Spencer to win a bet. Now a decade older and a head turner with her own concierge business, Ava isn't the gullible dreamer she once was— and she plans to prove it when Cade, hotter than ever, breezes back into town with an...more
Paperback, 330 pages
Published
July 26th 2011
by HQN Books
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Susan Andersen consistently delivers excellent contemporaries with good characters, friends and a little bad-man thrown in and Playing Dirty is no different. It is the third in the Sisterhood Diaries about three friends Poppy, Jane and Ava who are bequeathed the Wolcott estate by Agnes Bell Wolcott. Agnes was there for the girls since the age of 12 when they started having tea at her home. She helped them through heart-breaks, self-involved parents and even gave them direction in life.
Ava Spence...more
Ava Spence...more
A cute story. My favorite quote "We have uteruses-they give us magic color sense."
But I didn't like the ending much. It was too rushed and what's with the labor room thing? They let everybody go inside during child birth now? Even your friends and their husbands too? I didn't even want my hubby near me when I was in labor some years ago. But then, that was just me.
Love the cover though. Fully clothed yet very suggestive.
But I didn't like the ending much. It was too rushed and what's with the labor room thing? They let everybody go inside during child birth now? Even your friends and their husbands too? I didn't even want my hubby near me when I was in labor some years ago. But then, that was just me.
Love the cover though. Fully clothed yet very suggestive.
Thirteen years ago Ava Spencer, the fat girl and Cade Gallari, the hot guy had a one-nighter where Ava lost her virginity. But unknown to Ava she was bedded by Cade for a bet. A bet to bed the fat girl. Now Cade is a successful documentary maker and he wants to feature the old mansion that Ava owns with her two best friends and a mystery involving lost diamonds and a murder.
I like a story where the heroine is not particularly attractive or talented or rich or whatever. I like to root for the un...more
I like a story where the heroine is not particularly attractive or talented or rich or whatever. I like to root for the un...more
The third and last book in the Sisterhood Diaries trilogy.
After meeting Ava in the first book Cutting Loose I couldn't wait to get to her story and know what happened with her and Cade. Especially after the little teaser with him in the second book Bending the Rules.
After Cade humiliated her in High School by sleeping with the "fat" girl for a bet, Ava hates him on sight, even more so when she still feels lust for him.
Cade feels badly about what he did, and has tried to apologise for years abou...more
After meeting Ava in the first book Cutting Loose I couldn't wait to get to her story and know what happened with her and Cade. Especially after the little teaser with him in the second book Bending the Rules.
After Cade humiliated her in High School by sleeping with the "fat" girl for a bet, Ava hates him on sight, even more so when she still feels lust for him.
Cade feels badly about what he did, and has tried to apologise for years abou...more
Bending the Rules was published in 2009, so there are approximately 2 years between book 2 of the Sisterhood Diaries series and Playing Dirty. The wait was worth it!
I've been curious about Ava and Cade's story since reading Bending the Rules , which already hinted at a rather problematic past between the two. Well, it turns out that Cade greatly humiliated and hurt Ava in high school and she isn't in a forgiving mood.
Being a hot-shot producer, Cade is back in town to shoot a documentary about t...more
I've been curious about Ava and Cade's story since reading Bending the Rules , which already hinted at a rather problematic past between the two. Well, it turns out that Cade greatly humiliated and hurt Ava in high school and she isn't in a forgiving mood.
Being a hot-shot producer, Cade is back in town to shoot a documentary about t...more
I love this book, love, love, love it! Did I mention that I really love this book yet? I have to admit that I am not quite finished yet (8 pages left to go), but I am trying to extend my joy of reading this book a bit by 'saving' these last few pages while I can. I feel like I've been reunited with some close and wonderful friends, and I really don't want to say goodbye to them yet.
I think Susan Andersen has done such an amazing job in creating a wonderful friendship between Ava, Jane and Poppy...more
I think Susan Andersen has done such an amazing job in creating a wonderful friendship between Ava, Jane and Poppy...more
Playing Dirty by Susan Andersen
Ava Spencer and Cabe were set together for a science project and it led to kisses in his car after classes.
Cade Valara had sex with her, yes her the overweight girl that didn't fit in but with just two of her girl friends.
Ava during lunch finds out he got $200 from a bet to having sex with the fat girl, her.
She put him down when she spoke in lunch...
13 years later she owns a mansion and has warmed up the house a bit, keeping the art and wine in their proper tempera...more
Ava Spencer and Cabe were set together for a science project and it led to kisses in his car after classes.
Cade Valara had sex with her, yes her the overweight girl that didn't fit in but with just two of her girl friends.
Ava during lunch finds out he got $200 from a bet to having sex with the fat girl, her.
She put him down when she spoke in lunch...
13 years later she owns a mansion and has warmed up the house a bit, keeping the art and wine in their proper tempera...more
Book 3
Ava Spencer has her own concierge business. She likes her job and helping people. When Cade Gallari comes back into her life the last thing she thought was that she was going to work for him. But, he makes her an offer she can't refuse.
Back in high school, she was considered the fat girl and Cade was a popular boy. She couldn't believe the attention he was giving her, and she decided that Cade will be her first. Little did she know that it all had been a bet. When she learns the truth duri...more
Ava Spencer has her own concierge business. She likes her job and helping people. When Cade Gallari comes back into her life the last thing she thought was that she was going to work for him. But, he makes her an offer she can't refuse.
Back in high school, she was considered the fat girl and Cade was a popular boy. She couldn't believe the attention he was giving her, and she decided that Cade will be her first. Little did she know that it all had been a bet. When she learns the truth duri...more
I haven’t read the first two installments of this series, but I found that it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the story at all. The three main female characters have been friends since high school and were there for Ava when her world shattered after losing her virginity to heart throb, Cade. Fast forward and they are working with Cade to piece together a local mystery near and dear to all their hearts. The three women loved their benefactor and the house they inherited from her. Since they could...more
At the end of senior year it finally happened. Ava Spencer finally lost her virginity, and to none other than handsome, bad boy Cade Gallari. She was so happy, until she heard it was all a bet; he was offered two hundred bucks to sleep with, "the fat girl." The bastard jerk didn't like her at all.
Years later, Cade is back from LA and he wants to film a documentary in Miss Agnes, and the girls really need the money. They reluctantly agree and Ava is asked to play concierge for the film crew. For...more
Years later, Cade is back from LA and he wants to film a documentary in Miss Agnes, and the girls really need the money. They reluctantly agree and Ava is asked to play concierge for the film crew. For...more
Requested from NetGalley by Me
Overall Rating 3.50
Character Rating 3.75
Romance Rating 3.50
Story Rating 3.25
NOTE: This is part of a trilogy but can be read as a stand alone. I haven't read the first two books (I am going to pick them up though) and didn't feel like I was missing key information at all.
What I Loved: I loved that Ava was a size 12/14, smart, sexy, accomplished, and still vulnerable. I even loved how she handled her insecurities by acknowledging them, giving them a few minutes, and t...more
Overall Rating 3.50
Character Rating 3.75
Romance Rating 3.50
Story Rating 3.25
NOTE: This is part of a trilogy but can be read as a stand alone. I haven't read the first two books (I am going to pick them up though) and didn't feel like I was missing key information at all.
What I Loved: I loved that Ava was a size 12/14, smart, sexy, accomplished, and still vulnerable. I even loved how she handled her insecurities by acknowledging them, giving them a few minutes, and t...more
To be fair 2.5 stars - 3 at a push
The premise was interesting: Cade Gallari and Ava Spencer have a long history from childhood. Cade used to pick on Ava and when they were 18 yes old conned her into sleeping with him for a bet with his school chums who dared him to sleep with the fat chick.
Ava struggles to get over this and combined with a cold and snippy mother, she is left with serious self confidence issues even once she manages to get her weight under control.
More than 10 years later Cade...more
The premise was interesting: Cade Gallari and Ava Spencer have a long history from childhood. Cade used to pick on Ava and when they were 18 yes old conned her into sleeping with him for a bet with his school chums who dared him to sleep with the fat chick.
Ava struggles to get over this and combined with a cold and snippy mother, she is left with serious self confidence issues even once she manages to get her weight under control.
More than 10 years later Cade...more
Well-connected Seattle concierge agrees to work for documentary filmmaker Hero while filming at the estate she & her 2 best friends inherited from their late elderly friend. She's appalled that she's still very much drawn to Hero given how he used & publicly humiliated her 13 years ago in high school. She tires to stay professional & act nonchalant with him when he keeps apologizing for what he did to her back then. Hero still wants her but doesn't know how to make her trust that he'...more
I was waiting for Ava's story to round out the "sisterhood" books. Overall I enjoyed it very much but I did have two major gripes.
The first one being all the brand name dropping, I felt like I was reading one long commercial at times. Do you get paid for product placement in books now?
Then there was Ava's weight. It has played a large roll in all the books and especially in this one. I have no problem with that angle. With all the descriptions of her boobs and booty I was picturing her looking l...more
The first one being all the brand name dropping, I felt like I was reading one long commercial at times. Do you get paid for product placement in books now?
Then there was Ava's weight. It has played a large roll in all the books and especially in this one. I have no problem with that angle. With all the descriptions of her boobs and booty I was picturing her looking l...more
Yummy Bite of Brain Candy
Thirteen years ago Ava Spencer was a senior in high school, overweight, and despite her two best friends, not one of the popular girls in school. Dating the wildly popular and sinfully gorgeous Cade Gallari was like a dream. She gave him her heart and her virginity. Then at lunch the day after that momentous event, in front of a jeering crowd, Ava watched in growing horror as Cade's best friend stood up, peeled off two hundred dollars from his wallet, and loudly proclaim...more
Thirteen years ago Ava Spencer was a senior in high school, overweight, and despite her two best friends, not one of the popular girls in school. Dating the wildly popular and sinfully gorgeous Cade Gallari was like a dream. She gave him her heart and her virginity. Then at lunch the day after that momentous event, in front of a jeering crowd, Ava watched in growing horror as Cade's best friend stood up, peeled off two hundred dollars from his wallet, and loudly proclaim...more
Susan Anderson sure knows how to draw you in. This is the third book in a trilogy about best friends. You get to know Ava is the past two books and learn about her insecurities but this book brings all of that to teh forefront and allows you to see her personal struggles with her weight and how she must work through that in order to find her true love.
In the beginning you are lead to hate the hero, Cade, by the end you are rooting for him to succeed in his business as well as with Ava. So many r...more
In the beginning you are lead to hate the hero, Cade, by the end you are rooting for him to succeed in his business as well as with Ava. So many r...more
Aug 01, 2011
Splage
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2011-read,
bicker-bicker-bicker,
boss-employee-work-together,
competition-with-eachother,
contemporary,
fight-their-connection,
h-humiliates-h-or-vice-versa,
funny,
had-earlier-relationship-broke-up,
hero-heroine-famous-person,
hero-heroine-virgin-innocent,
in-love-with-hero-since-young,
makeover-hero-heroine,
sex-medium-to-very-sexy
The prologue starts out with big promise- the heart of the story. Ava is a chubby beauty, a senior in high school, a confident and witty girl. She has had a HATE relationship with Cade since she was 8 years old. Even though he would put spiders on her, pour drinks down the front of her pretty dresses, or step on her feet while dancing, she never let him get the better of her. She always put him in his place quickly and never would back down. Well things changed later senior year when she worked...more
2 likes · like · see review
Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner
Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.
If you are a fan of contemporary romance then you must be familiar with Susan Andersen’s books. Because her latest books have been a bit of a hit and miss for me I wasn’t aware that this book was the last one of a trilogy but the synopsis was so interesting that I just wanted to read it. I’m glad I did.
After realizing that Playing Dirty was part of a series the first thing...more
Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.
If you are a fan of contemporary romance then you must be familiar with Susan Andersen’s books. Because her latest books have been a bit of a hit and miss for me I wasn’t aware that this book was the last one of a trilogy but the synopsis was so interesting that I just wanted to read it. I’m glad I did.
After realizing that Playing Dirty was part of a series the first thing...more
It wasn't until after I requested this book and then received it and started reading it that I realized this is the book that Holly blogged about last year. She blogged about the news the author broke about how it wasn't likely that she'd get to write this book. A few months later, Holly blogged again that things turned for the good and fans of the Sisterhood trilogy books were going to get Ava's book. Holly told me time and time again to read these books but like usual, I didn't.
It didn't stop...more
It didn't stop...more
4.25 out of 5. Such a good book!! Based on the kind of experience so many people remember having in high school, these main characters are caught in a love/hate kind of connection--she never being able to forget the awful hurt of those moments in the school cafeteria, and he wanting to apologize and move past his foolishness and stupid, self-absorbed remarks that had the power to deeply wound. Brought together later in life, when both had changed and matured in many ways, Ava and Cade had to fin...more
Reviewed at: Over A Cuppa Tea
Date reviewed: 4 June 2011
Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=5413
Susan Anderson is a genius. She made me laugh with this masterpiece of hers. ‘Playing Dirty’ is a rather witty romantic comedy with believable characters who are not above playing dirty to get things that they want. If they want something, they’d get it, by hook or by crook.
Frankly speaking, I think some fictions are not very far removed from reality. As far as I’m concern, alot of people are not abov...more
Date reviewed: 4 June 2011
Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=5413
Susan Anderson is a genius. She made me laugh with this masterpiece of hers. ‘Playing Dirty’ is a rather witty romantic comedy with believable characters who are not above playing dirty to get things that they want. If they want something, they’d get it, by hook or by crook.
Frankly speaking, I think some fictions are not very far removed from reality. As far as I’m concern, alot of people are not abov...more
This is possibly one of the sweetest and best contemporary romance novels that I’ve ever read. Ava was the “fat girl” in high school who fell in love with Big Man On Campus, Cade Gallari. While there has always been a strong tension in their relationship (beginning at the tender age of nine), over the years it has manifested into arguments and constant name calling, that is until senior year of high school. Long story short, Cade accepts a bet that turns Ava into the butt of a joke (partially ha...more
Ava was the "fat girl" in high school. She had her two best friends and she really didn't need anyone else. But when her long time nemesis Cade and she are partnered for a project sparks begin to fly between the two. Ava falls for him but he ultimately betrays her and humiliates her basically in front of the entire school. Fast forward thirteen years and Ava is now a gorgeous successful women who had inherited an old mansion with her two best friend from Miss Agnes. Cade is also a success in his...more
3 likes · like · see review
I can't tell you how excited I was to finally read this book. I've been waiting years for it to be released. Thankfully it lived up to my expectations.
What Cade did to Ava in high school was pretty unforgivable. High school is such an emotional, trying time anyway - and Ava constantly felt fat and out of step with everyone else. Her mother really fed into that. So his betrayal was even more devastating..because for the first time in her life, she actually felt beautiful. To know it was nothing...more
What Cade did to Ava in high school was pretty unforgivable. High school is such an emotional, trying time anyway - and Ava constantly felt fat and out of step with everyone else. Her mother really fed into that. So his betrayal was even more devastating..because for the first time in her life, she actually felt beautiful. To know it was nothing...more
3 likes · like · see review
I'm waffling and can't make up my mind - 4.5 or 5?
No two ways about it though, I've really enjoyed this book. THIS is a book worth every page. Considering the category it belongs to, it could have been pure drivel like most other material out there. I have to say though that this was well written, well thought out and a modern day ordinary fairytale I could get behind. Countless times I found myself thinking, "I want to be like Ava, strong and successful." And to have a man like grown-up Cade,...more
No two ways about it though, I've really enjoyed this book. THIS is a book worth every page. Considering the category it belongs to, it could have been pure drivel like most other material out there. I have to say though that this was well written, well thought out and a modern day ordinary fairytale I could get behind. Countless times I found myself thinking, "I want to be like Ava, strong and successful." And to have a man like grown-up Cade,...more
This is the first Andersen book I read. I know it's the third in the Sisterhood series, but when I read the synopsis, it really grabbed me because I LOVE romance novels centered around some variation of beauty and the geek, so I decided to start with this instead of going in order. Honestly, I was kind of disappointed, and you'll see why.
Characters
Protagonists: I really liked Cade's character. He owned up to his crass behavior as a teenager and became a truly driven, empathetic person. He's char...more
Characters
Protagonists: I really liked Cade's character. He owned up to his crass behavior as a teenager and became a truly driven, empathetic person. He's char...more
Cade and Ava have known each other all of their lives, and truth be told Cade has always had a serious crush on Ava, but a lousy way of showing it. He’d put spiders on her, and look up her skirt and then the ultimate betrayal; he slept with her, the ‘fat girl’ to win a $200 bet and humiliated her in front of the whole school. 13 years later after this life altering betrayal finds Cade and Ava working together. Cade is a Hollywood documentary producer and Ava a personal concierge. Cade offers her...more
Playing Dirty is a cute contemporary romance where boy and girl know each other forever, pick at each other, have a high school moment, and one of them jacks things up...royally. If what happened to the female main character, Ava, happened to me, I would have been beyond mortified!
I like Ava as a character. She can handle herself and is quick witted. She displays this quick wit early on with the comeback she makes after her public humiliation. It is so classic, I mentally high-fived her. Howeve...more
I like Ava as a character. She can handle herself and is quick witted. She displays this quick wit early on with the comeback she makes after her public humiliation. It is so classic, I mentally high-fived her. Howeve...more
I just loved this story. This is the first story I've ever read by Susan Andersen but I was so happy I tried her.
Ava and Cade are an awesome pair. They had sparks between them all their lives. Cade, as a boy had sensed the attraction and decided he should torment Ava and did through most of their childhood. In high school he took it too far. He got her to give him her virginity but then humiliated her in front of the whole school. He broke her heart very publicly as well as making her the subje...more
Ava and Cade are an awesome pair. They had sparks between them all their lives. Cade, as a boy had sensed the attraction and decided he should torment Ava and did through most of their childhood. In high school he took it too far. He got her to give him her virginity but then humiliated her in front of the whole school. He broke her heart very publicly as well as making her the subje...more
I've been a fan of Susan Andersen for a while and most recently I've been really enjoying the Sisterhood series. I've loved watching how one woman, Ms. A, was able to influence these girls growing up and how even though they came from such diverse and different backgrounds, they grew together into such strong women. The last in the series, Playing Dirty, tells the story of Ava who many would assume she had it all since she came from "money". Between absentee parenting and dealing with body image...more
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I grew up in a household with two brothers, a daddy, and my grandfather. Too many men, in other words. They diluted M'ma's influence by diverting my attention to things like the danger of answering nature's call in the dead of the night. I've got a hint for those of you raised in a less spit-and-scratch world: check before you sit, because chances are that seat is gonna be up. And they don't even...more
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“Sometimes it just doesn’t seem to matter that I know what I should be doing. I still do what I am gonna do.”
—
10 people liked it
“He stared at her. "How do chicks do that?" "We have uteruses- they give us magic color sense.”
—
1 person liked it
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May 16, 2011 07:01pm
May 17, 2011 05:10am