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Playing for Keeps: Opposites Attract / Partners
#1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts brings us two classic stories about the risks we will take when love is on the line…Opposites Attract
They were like night and day. Ty Starbuck was a man known for his devastating good looks and volatile passions. Asher Wolfe was infamous for both her beauty and icy control. Together they had set the tennis world ablaze. Now, even after years apart, Asher realizes that she still loves Ty—deeply. But she knows if she reveals her secret, she could lose it all again…including Ty.
Partners
Matthew Bates has wanted Laurel Armand for years, but she is his professional nemesis, and the sultry Southern belle has always kept him at arm's length. Yet when the rival reporters are assigned to work together on a case of murder in steamy New Orleans, the sparks fly. Matt and Laurel soon find themselves in the path of a deranged killer, putting love and life on the line!
They were like night and day. Ty Starbuck was a man known for his devastating good looks and volatile passions. Asher Wolfe was infamous for both her beauty and icy control. Together they had set the tennis world ablaze. Now, even after years apart, Asher realizes that she still loves Ty—deeply. But she knows if she reveals her secret, she could lose it all again…including Ty.
Partners
Matthew Bates has wanted Laurel Armand for years, but she is his professional nemesis, and the sultry Southern belle has always kept him at arm's length. Yet when the rival reporters are assigned to work together on a case of murder in steamy New Orleans, the sparks fly. Matt and Laurel soon find themselves in the path of a deranged killer, putting love and life on the line!
480 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
7 people are currently reading
684 people want to read
About the author
Nora Roberts
1,179 books59.1k followersNora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 -- The Becoming -- the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 22, 2015
Two shorter romances re-released between two covers with unequal levels of enjoyment for me. The second one, Partners", was alright; features a rich virgin and a dishy cynic, both chasing a murder story for their paper - the murder plot added some interest as background and the setting was suitably atmospheric. It was quite entertaining. The first one (Opposites Attract) was a struggle, though - unless you love country club yuppies and tennis pros, avoid. In all fairness, the second one almost succeeded in making descriptions of tennis readable, except that they went on forever and were repeated a bit too often for my tastes. I read the second one first, and then took two more days to finish the first, since it didn't really grab me.
(Dates read are approximate, since I'm catching up on my GR updates in hindsight.)
(Dates read are approximate, since I'm catching up on my GR updates in hindsight.)
November 18, 2016
Did not like all the details about playing tennis. But Partners (part 2) kept me interested.
July 14, 2018
Two short stories, both with a good dose of passion and interesting plot lines.
January 2, 2015
Opposites Attract - 4/5 - This is typical Harlequin angst with an atypical setting - the world of tennis. Asher left Ty 3 years ago, quite suddenly and married someone else. After she divorces the other guy, she heads back to the game of tennis and back to Ty as well. The characters were great, the angst was nearly painful before the end and I was highly entertained. I have to complain about unrealistic behavior on the part of the Hero. He abandons his plans for revenge and anger quite early, but he allows the heroine to escape explanations for way too long. He tells himself he's giving her time, but when the woman he loves walks in to his life after having left him suddenly and married another without an explanation it seems completely unreal to me that he doesn't demand and do everything he can for a explanation. And he forgives her far too quickly without having had that explanation. Very unrealistic in that respect.
Partners - 4/5 - This must have been around the time that Nora Roberts started getting good - because this is a pretty great story. It's obviously dated (it's from 1992!) with people using typewriters and smoking indoors and whatnot. But it's easy enough to look past that to the pretty decent suspense-romance that we get here. Laurel Armand is a journalist working at her father's paper and sort of a Southern Belle who starts out iffy for me, as she's kind of vain and has a touch of self-centeredness, but it doesn't stick with her and it doesn't get on my nerves. She has a moment or two of utter stupidity, but she's not TSTL. Matt works at the same paper as she does, but he had much rougher beginnings. And he's been attracted to her pretty much forever, but is taking his sweet time about acting on it. When they're partnered together to do a story about the death of the wife of a family friend, things get a bit spicier. And the suspense and mystery part of the story definitely keep you reading. Some of this was rather unrealistic in that, how did the cops close this case and not uncover any of the information that these two reporters did? Did they not question anybody or ever go looking for clues?
Interestingly enough (and this is very telling about the story quality) I read this about 10-15 years ago and almost as soon as I started reading it again, the story and things that happen in it started coming back to me. I actually remembered this story. I tend to forget whole books and everything that happens in them years after reading them, so this was definitely good enough to remember.
Partners - 4/5 - This must have been around the time that Nora Roberts started getting good - because this is a pretty great story. It's obviously dated (it's from 1992!) with people using typewriters and smoking indoors and whatnot. But it's easy enough to look past that to the pretty decent suspense-romance that we get here. Laurel Armand is a journalist working at her father's paper and sort of a Southern Belle who starts out iffy for me, as she's kind of vain and has a touch of self-centeredness, but it doesn't stick with her and it doesn't get on my nerves. She has a moment or two of utter stupidity, but she's not TSTL. Matt works at the same paper as she does, but he had much rougher beginnings. And he's been attracted to her pretty much forever, but is taking his sweet time about acting on it. When they're partnered together to do a story about the death of the wife of a family friend, things get a bit spicier. And the suspense and mystery part of the story definitely keep you reading. Some of this was rather unrealistic in that, how did the cops close this case and not uncover any of the information that these two reporters did? Did they not question anybody or ever go looking for clues?
Interestingly enough (and this is very telling about the story quality) I read this about 10-15 years ago and almost as soon as I started reading it again, the story and things that happen in it started coming back to me. I actually remembered this story. I tend to forget whole books and everything that happens in them years after reading them, so this was definitely good enough to remember.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2014
This book, is the kind of book that wouldn't let me put it down. I would always be eager-ed to keep on reading and reading. The love on this book is amazing, its the kind of love that you always want to happen to you, and the kind that gives you hope that maybe one day you will experience love that way, just as the books you read.
June 12, 2016
Ik kwam niet door Gemengd dubbel (zelfs beststellerauteurs schrijven niet altijd even geweldig), Nevels in de nacht was OK. Wel grappig dat de schuldige hetzelfde type was als in het boek dat ik daarvoor las: Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, Real Murders. En nee, in beide boeken had ik het niet zien aankomen. Hoewel, wel een beetje in dit boek.
March 25, 2013
I'm kind of embarrassed to say that this was my first Nora Roberts book. I know - I'm so late to the party! I really enjoyed this and I look forward to reading more from her. I only picked this up because I thought the cover was so stunning but I’m glad I did.
October 11, 2014
I liked the idea of having two separate stories in one book. The first story I thought it was kind of weak with no strong twist or events it was just the struggle between the two lovers. The second story was perfect it had all the elements of suspense and love. It kept me on my toes.
February 8, 2013
This is a reprint of 2 of her older books. Those of you who have not read either of the books - do get the book. You will enjoy both stories.
May 13, 2013
two books in one and i read the 2nd one but couldn't remember it till the end and the first couple of chapters. oh well. i'm sure it will happen again. a good read if you like Nora.
May 5, 2015
REALLY enjoyed these short stories! I only wished there was more to read about Ty and Asher!
July 31, 2013
Partners earned 4 stars. Opposites Attract earns 3 stars.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews