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The Player's Club #1
The Player's Club: Scott
The Pledge: Scott Farrell, recovering Boring Guy.
The Goal: Membership in an ultrasecret consortium of urban adventurers.
The Conditions: Select three insane challenges. Tell no one. Survive.
The Complication: Amanda Wheeler, sexy girl next door.
Scott never mentioned The Player's Club, but Amanda's onto him. She'll keep quiet and help him get in…if he'll nominate her for membership. It's a dirty little deal that launches the normally nice neighbors into a world of skydiving, burlesque—and adrenaline-soaked sex that gets better every single time.
Not everyone's happy about the new recruits, however. And initiation may be a lot tougher than either of them expected...
The Goal: Membership in an ultrasecret consortium of urban adventurers.
The Conditions: Select three insane challenges. Tell no one. Survive.
The Complication: Amanda Wheeler, sexy girl next door.
Scott never mentioned The Player's Club, but Amanda's onto him. She'll keep quiet and help him get in…if he'll nominate her for membership. It's a dirty little deal that launches the normally nice neighbors into a world of skydiving, burlesque—and adrenaline-soaked sex that gets better every single time.
Not everyone's happy about the new recruits, however. And initiation may be a lot tougher than either of them expected...
221 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 20, 2011
1 person is currently reading
151 people want to read
About the author
Cathy Yardley
78 books1,412 followersCathy Yardley is an award-winning author of romance, chick lit, and urban fantasy, who has sold over 1.2 million copies of books for publishers like St. Martin's, Avon, and Harlequin. She writes fun, geeky, and diverse characters who believe that underdogs can make good and that sometimes being a little wrong is just right.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 3, 2016
"My life has gotten a little complicated recently."
"Ohh-kay," she said slowly. What the heck does that mean?
"So my schedule sort of got filled up," he completed, looking miserable. "For... er, the foreseeable future."
"Oh." She stiffened. "Okay."
"But I really do like you."
"Sure." Can I just slink away now?
He ran a hand through his hair. "You don't believe me, do you?"
She shrugged. "I..."
He leaned down and kissed her.
I just love Blaze. Blaze and Historical are my two absolute favorite Harlequin lines. That's not to say every book in that line is perfect, or even something I like, but chances go way up compared with Harlequin's other lines.
This book won the Romantic Times Book Review Harlequin Blaze Reader's Choice Award 2012.
I loved this book. Any book that can get me concerned about the characters and what is going to happen to them is alright with me. The second thing I need is hot sex. If a book can unite these two things, it's gold and gets five romance-stars from me. Check out my shelf, "five romance stars" for examples. Besides A Private Gentleman, all those books have that stellar combination.
Let's break this down.
...
Scott is unhappy. His girlfriend just broke up with him, saying:
Scott, I can't possibly be in a relationship with you. You're too nice. You're too sweet. You're boring.
Unfortunately, Scott agrees with her assessment. He is an analyst (not the most exciting job, he thinks) and he's by no means a daredevil.
One night, Scott sees some men laughing and sneaking around the Chinese supermarket across the street. He climbs out on the fire escape to get a better view.
That's when he meets Amanda, wielding a golf club. After they get that misunderstanding cleared up, they sit down to a cup of hot cocoa. Both are attracted to each other, but they don't do a thing about it.
Which is understandable. Amanda got divorced two years ago. Her husband fell in love with someone else and asked for a divorce. And after running her chocolate shop, Candy Love, for two years, she's just sold it to her ex. Now she's unemployed, single, and at odds with herself.
Her best friend, Jackie, is determined to plunge Amanda back into the dating pool.
Meanwhile, every night Scott has been keeping his eye on the supermarket across the street, hoping to figure out what was going on over there. When he sees the men congregating again, he sneaks over there to infiltrate a secret meeting.
It turns out the men are in the Player's Club, which is a club of men who challenge themselves to do exciting and daring things in order to feel more alive. Scott wants to join, but first he must prove himself...
...
THE GOOD:
Wow, there's so much good in here. Let's see if I can round it up.
- Amanda has female friends and their conversations are actually realistic.
- Amanda has ovaries! She stands up not only to a friend who is being very pushy towards her (I was wondering the whole book if she was going to do something about this)
"All right, that's enough!" Amanda barked, slamming her mug down.
but also to the man she loves, who is also the man who is fucking her into next Saturday. It's really hard to stand up to a man like that, so mad props.
She turned the light back on, then spun on him. "Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Do the 'don't worry, sunshine, let Sugar Daddy take care of business' thing," she shot back, crossing her arms. "It drives me absolutely NUTS. My ex-husband used to do that all the time."
- Actually, all the relationship dynamics between Scott and Amanda were working for me. I was just getting really worked up by their inner thoughts and feelings.
For instance,
I liked that my emotions were getting ramped up.
- Another thing that's included in this romance novel is something that I wish was included in more romance novels: comeuppance. It makes me very excited to see people face down their ex - and we've got both Amanda and Scott facing off against their ex at different points in the book. As I mentioned before, Amanda stands up to her friends. Scott stands up to his coworkers, eventually. This makes me happy.
- The drama. Is Scott being an asshole? Why? I mean, we know why, because we can read his thoughts, but Amanda doesn't know, and when she's hurt - we, the readers are hurt. But at the same time, Scott doesn't come off as too unlikable or as a dirtbag. We know he's not acting right, but we can only lecture him and cross our fingers that he starts shaping up! This is nicely done.
- The scenes between Scott and Amanda are cute. Genuinely cute. Like when Amanda shows up to Scott's apartment, nervous, intent on seducing him.
She waited, her whole body alight. This could work. She'd lay a trap with chocolate, and once she got him in her apartment... What was she supposed to do then?
Or the scene where he comes over unexpectedly and she's made meatball subs and settled in to watch Twilight Zone. It's cute, it's a cute scene.
- I like that it wasn't just Scott running around, doing exciting things. Amanda got to do plenty of exciting things herself. I'd thought she'd be left out, but no. She goes undercover as a stripper at one point - and trust me, that could have been skeevy - but actually it was really fun and almost endearing. I liked that she wasn't just left to rot while Scott has all the fun. Amanda strips, goes on a vision quest, and runs with the bulls in Spain.
- Amanda reads The Dresden Files.
THE BAD:
- This is common in romance novels. But honestly, if Scott and Amanda just sat down and had a "Defining the Relationship" talk (yes, I know, everyone hates to have The Talk) things would have gone much better, simpler, and easier. But for some reason (to advance the plot) they make assumptions about each other instead of asking each other, "How do you feel about this?" and "Is this going to be casual sex and nothing else?" "Are we going to be exclusive?" And other important things you need to talk about.
Seriously, these kinds of chats save SO MUCH HEARTACHE sometimes I can't understand why my real-life friends avoid them like the plague. Just sit him down and tell him you don't do casual sex, and that you want a relationship. Same goes for you, men. Jeez Louise. People make things so complicated when they don't have to be. Just state your purpose and intent.
"I guess I could stay for one more night," she said slowly.
He smiled. He'd never been good at hit-it-and-quit-it; he wasn't a screw-around guy. But if she was, then he'd take what he could get.
He'd just have to deal with it one day - and more important, one NIGHT - at a time.
...
How's the sex, Carmen?
The sex is good! Not amazing, but good. Now, keep in mind that I just got off reading about 12 Forever, Texas books in a row, and we all know that Forever, Texas books have vague, undescribed sex... so reading a Blaze after that was kind of like giving a parched woman water in the desert. I could be giving Yardley too much credit here, but I'm over the moon about reading described sex again. I can even forgive her for her little idiosyncrasies, like calling a clitoris a "nubbin" at one point. Or
She arched her back, tilting her pelvis toward him like a flower reaching towards the sun.
That's not really too bad, just a bit baffling of an analogy. But okay.
What bothered me more was that I think he could've been a bit better.
ANYWAY. Usually what pushes a book from teetering on the precipice of five stars is if the sex blows me away or not, and I don't think this cuts it. I mean, am I going to re-read this a lot because it packs a one-two punch of story and sex, just like I re-read The Forbidden Vikings duology by Michelle Willingham or Jo Leigh's Seduce Me? Or Never Seduce a Scot? No, probably not.
- This couple uses condoms every single time they have sex. Extra points!
...
Tl;dr - This book was so wonderful to read after the rather dry Forever, Texas series. This book had actual characters and plots that I could work up feelings about. I really know a romance book is good if I start to feel anxious or concerned about the characters. It's ridiculous because you know a Happily Ever After is guaranteed, which is why it's so wonderful if even an author in this limited romance format (and it's even more limited by Harlequin guidelines) can make you feel things.
I can see why this won the award. I'm definitely checking out the next two books in the trilogy.
THREE REAL STARS, FOUR ROMANCE STARS
Not available in Spanish.
"Ohh-kay," she said slowly. What the heck does that mean?
"So my schedule sort of got filled up," he completed, looking miserable. "For... er, the foreseeable future."
"Oh." She stiffened. "Okay."
"But I really do like you."
"Sure." Can I just slink away now?
He ran a hand through his hair. "You don't believe me, do you?"
She shrugged. "I..."
He leaned down and kissed her.
I just love Blaze. Blaze and Historical are my two absolute favorite Harlequin lines. That's not to say every book in that line is perfect, or even something I like, but chances go way up compared with Harlequin's other lines.
This book won the Romantic Times Book Review Harlequin Blaze Reader's Choice Award 2012.
I loved this book. Any book that can get me concerned about the characters and what is going to happen to them is alright with me. The second thing I need is hot sex. If a book can unite these two things, it's gold and gets five romance-stars from me. Check out my shelf, "five romance stars" for examples. Besides A Private Gentleman, all those books have that stellar combination.
Let's break this down.
...
Scott is unhappy. His girlfriend just broke up with him, saying:
Scott, I can't possibly be in a relationship with you. You're too nice. You're too sweet. You're boring.
Unfortunately, Scott agrees with her assessment. He is an analyst (not the most exciting job, he thinks) and he's by no means a daredevil.
One night, Scott sees some men laughing and sneaking around the Chinese supermarket across the street. He climbs out on the fire escape to get a better view.
That's when he meets Amanda, wielding a golf club. After they get that misunderstanding cleared up, they sit down to a cup of hot cocoa. Both are attracted to each other, but they don't do a thing about it.
Which is understandable. Amanda got divorced two years ago. Her husband fell in love with someone else and asked for a divorce. And after running her chocolate shop, Candy Love, for two years, she's just sold it to her ex. Now she's unemployed, single, and at odds with herself.
Her best friend, Jackie, is determined to plunge Amanda back into the dating pool.
Meanwhile, every night Scott has been keeping his eye on the supermarket across the street, hoping to figure out what was going on over there. When he sees the men congregating again, he sneaks over there to infiltrate a secret meeting.
It turns out the men are in the Player's Club, which is a club of men who challenge themselves to do exciting and daring things in order to feel more alive. Scott wants to join, but first he must prove himself...
...
THE GOOD:
Wow, there's so much good in here. Let's see if I can round it up.
- Amanda has female friends and their conversations are actually realistic.
- Amanda has ovaries! She stands up not only to a friend who is being very pushy towards her (I was wondering the whole book if she was going to do something about this)
"All right, that's enough!" Amanda barked, slamming her mug down.
but also to the man she loves, who is also the man who is fucking her into next Saturday. It's really hard to stand up to a man like that, so mad props.
She turned the light back on, then spun on him. "Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Do the 'don't worry, sunshine, let Sugar Daddy take care of business' thing," she shot back, crossing her arms. "It drives me absolutely NUTS. My ex-husband used to do that all the time."
- Actually, all the relationship dynamics between Scott and Amanda were working for me. I was just getting really worked up by their inner thoughts and feelings.
For instance,
I liked that my emotions were getting ramped up.
- Another thing that's included in this romance novel is something that I wish was included in more romance novels: comeuppance. It makes me very excited to see people face down their ex - and we've got both Amanda and Scott facing off against their ex at different points in the book. As I mentioned before, Amanda stands up to her friends. Scott stands up to his coworkers, eventually. This makes me happy.
- The drama. Is Scott being an asshole? Why? I mean, we know why, because we can read his thoughts, but Amanda doesn't know, and when she's hurt - we, the readers are hurt. But at the same time, Scott doesn't come off as too unlikable or as a dirtbag. We know he's not acting right, but we can only lecture him and cross our fingers that he starts shaping up! This is nicely done.
- The scenes between Scott and Amanda are cute. Genuinely cute. Like when Amanda shows up to Scott's apartment, nervous, intent on seducing him.
She waited, her whole body alight. This could work. She'd lay a trap with chocolate, and once she got him in her apartment... What was she supposed to do then?
Or the scene where he comes over unexpectedly and she's made meatball subs and settled in to watch Twilight Zone. It's cute, it's a cute scene.
- I like that it wasn't just Scott running around, doing exciting things. Amanda got to do plenty of exciting things herself. I'd thought she'd be left out, but no. She goes undercover as a stripper at one point - and trust me, that could have been skeevy - but actually it was really fun and almost endearing. I liked that she wasn't just left to rot while Scott has all the fun. Amanda strips, goes on a vision quest, and runs with the bulls in Spain.
- Amanda reads The Dresden Files.
THE BAD:
- This is common in romance novels. But honestly, if Scott and Amanda just sat down and had a "Defining the Relationship" talk (yes, I know, everyone hates to have The Talk) things would have gone much better, simpler, and easier. But for some reason (to advance the plot) they make assumptions about each other instead of asking each other, "How do you feel about this?" and "Is this going to be casual sex and nothing else?" "Are we going to be exclusive?" And other important things you need to talk about.
Seriously, these kinds of chats save SO MUCH HEARTACHE sometimes I can't understand why my real-life friends avoid them like the plague. Just sit him down and tell him you don't do casual sex, and that you want a relationship. Same goes for you, men. Jeez Louise. People make things so complicated when they don't have to be. Just state your purpose and intent.
"I guess I could stay for one more night," she said slowly.
He smiled. He'd never been good at hit-it-and-quit-it; he wasn't a screw-around guy. But if she was, then he'd take what he could get.
He'd just have to deal with it one day - and more important, one NIGHT - at a time.
...
How's the sex, Carmen?
The sex is good! Not amazing, but good. Now, keep in mind that I just got off reading about 12 Forever, Texas books in a row, and we all know that Forever, Texas books have vague, undescribed sex... so reading a Blaze after that was kind of like giving a parched woman water in the desert. I could be giving Yardley too much credit here, but I'm over the moon about reading described sex again. I can even forgive her for her little idiosyncrasies, like calling a clitoris a "nubbin" at one point. Or
She arched her back, tilting her pelvis toward him like a flower reaching towards the sun.
That's not really too bad, just a bit baffling of an analogy. But okay.
What bothered me more was that I think he could've been a bit better.
ANYWAY. Usually what pushes a book from teetering on the precipice of five stars is if the sex blows me away or not, and I don't think this cuts it. I mean, am I going to re-read this a lot because it packs a one-two punch of story and sex, just like I re-read The Forbidden Vikings duology by Michelle Willingham or Jo Leigh's Seduce Me? Or Never Seduce a Scot? No, probably not.
- This couple uses condoms every single time they have sex. Extra points!
...
Tl;dr - This book was so wonderful to read after the rather dry Forever, Texas series. This book had actual characters and plots that I could work up feelings about. I really know a romance book is good if I start to feel anxious or concerned about the characters. It's ridiculous because you know a Happily Ever After is guaranteed, which is why it's so wonderful if even an author in this limited romance format (and it's even more limited by Harlequin guidelines) can make you feel things.
I can see why this won the award. I'm definitely checking out the next two books in the trilogy.
THREE REAL STARS, FOUR ROMANCE STARS
Not available in Spanish.
January 22, 2016
*** 3.25 ***
I l0ove my Harlequin Romances! The reason I love them is very simple - you know exactly what to expect going in and usually, they deliver. This was the case here. I was overwhelmed by books that take themselves too seriously and I needed a nice, light and sexy read. This is exactly what I got, and I am once again reassured that things are right in the world:-)
This is a story about two nice neighbors - The nice and stable guy and the serious, hard-working, recently divorced girl next door. Literally - they share a fire escape stairs. They are each in a place in their lives where they question their choices and wonder if there is more out there than the daily grunt of 9 to 5 and paying bills. They are both single, unsure of themselves, and yearning for something different.
Luckily for both, their paths collide and sparks fly, while at the same time adventure beckons in the form of The Player's Club. They embark full force both in the adventure and a relationship, but past experiences hold them back from truly committing to each-other and this pulls them apart... Eventually, they realize that more than just the sizzle draws them to each-other and they work on first fixing themselves, thus being able to fix what is between them...
The writing was very nice, not forced or pretentious, but not below par in any shape or form. It was understated and easy to read. Overall, this was just what the doctor ordered for a relaxing afternoon by the fireplace. Happy reading, everyone! :-)
I l0ove my Harlequin Romances! The reason I love them is very simple - you know exactly what to expect going in and usually, they deliver. This was the case here. I was overwhelmed by books that take themselves too seriously and I needed a nice, light and sexy read. This is exactly what I got, and I am once again reassured that things are right in the world:-)
This is a story about two nice neighbors - The nice and stable guy and the serious, hard-working, recently divorced girl next door. Literally - they share a fire escape stairs. They are each in a place in their lives where they question their choices and wonder if there is more out there than the daily grunt of 9 to 5 and paying bills. They are both single, unsure of themselves, and yearning for something different.
Luckily for both, their paths collide and sparks fly, while at the same time adventure beckons in the form of The Player's Club. They embark full force both in the adventure and a relationship, but past experiences hold them back from truly committing to each-other and this pulls them apart... Eventually, they realize that more than just the sizzle draws them to each-other and they work on first fixing themselves, thus being able to fix what is between them...
The writing was very nice, not forced or pretentious, but not below par in any shape or form. It was understated and easy to read. Overall, this was just what the doctor ordered for a relaxing afternoon by the fireplace. Happy reading, everyone! :-)
March 23, 2012
Rating 3.5
I enjoyed the book, the hero tired of being a boring guy saw some guys going into an alley & found the notorious Players Club, a bunch of guys who are adventurous. The heroine his neighbour is tired of being an achiever and has sold her business to her ex-husband, wanting to do something different.
Somehow, the heroine finds out about the Players Club since she and the hero become hot & heavy, being sexually adventurous, she also decides to help him get in so that he can recommend her.
They don't talk about feelings & what they have and the Players Club comes between them, until things become straight.
I enjoyed the book, the hero tired of being a boring guy saw some guys going into an alley & found the notorious Players Club, a bunch of guys who are adventurous. The heroine his neighbour is tired of being an achiever and has sold her business to her ex-husband, wanting to do something different.
Somehow, the heroine finds out about the Players Club since she and the hero become hot & heavy, being sexually adventurous, she also decides to help him get in so that he can recommend her.
They don't talk about feelings & what they have and the Players Club comes between them, until things become straight.
January 9, 2012
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" Scott is the first book in Cathy Yardley's new trilogy, The Player's Club. Due to the shorter length, Harlequin novels in general and the Blaze line in particular can be rather hit and miss with me, but I'm happy to say that Scott was the best Blaze novel I've read to date. I read Scott for review, and in all honesty it probably isn't a book I would have picked up on my own. Based on the cover blurb, I had the mistaken impression that the members of The Player's Club were just a bunch of crazed adrenaline junkies, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Yes, they do some “crazy” things like skydiving and running with the bulls, but there is much more depth to the main characters than mere thrill-seekers. I actually found them to be quite relatable. The premise ended up being really fun too, and even though I couldn't truly imagine myself throwing caution to the wind like The Players do, it was still a thoroughly enjoyable fantasy to think about. Bottom line: I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.
Scott is the truly nice guy next-door. It was really sweet how he was looking out for Amanda's welfare when she found him on her fire escape in the opening chapter. Although he doesn't really act like a true geek, I enjoyed the fact that he has the geeky profession of a data analyst. He views himself as boring, because his ex-girlfriend broke up with him for being “too nice.” Of course, in my book there's no such thing as too nice, but Scott is still stinging a little from her reason for the break-up and feels like he needs to do something to make himself more exciting. When he stumbles upon the legendary Player's Club, he can't resist their offer to join even though he initially has a few reservations which I thought just made him more genuine. I like how he defended the rights of a woman (Amanda) to join the club, and how he stood up to obnoxious Player, George. I loved that Scott hates to get drunk and that he's more of a relationship kind of guy, rather then the type to sleep around. If he hadn't made the huge faux pas of essentially choosing The Player's Club over Amanda, he would have been a perfect hero. As is, he at least had the decency to feel badly about it right from the get-go, so in the end, he was still a pretty good hero anyway.
Amanda is the nice girl next-door who only seems to have two speeds, going like the Energizer bunny or crashing out. She's recently divorced and just sold her business, so she's looking for a change of pace and something to spice up her life. Her best friend, Jackie, thinks Amanda needs to have a fling. The only problem is Amanda is more of a relationship kind of girl and not really the fling type. She is really attracted to her neighbor, Scott, so she decides to invite him over, let him know she's available, and see where things go. When she accidentally figures out he's in The Player's Club, Amanda thinks that may be just the thing to cure her boredom. She offers to help him with his challenges if he'll nominate her for membership once he's in.
As a couple, Scott and Amanda have sizzling hot chemistry. Their love scenes are frequent and very steamy, really burning up the pages. What makes them a great couple though, is that underneath it all, they have a lot in common besides great sex (I loved that they both had rather nerdy pastimes). Each time they get together, I could feel the passion and love building between them which made the little glitch in their relationship just a bit disappointing. It separated them rather abruptly, and then they got back together almost equally as quickly. Their communication could have been better too. Even though both of them prefer relationships to flings, each one spends most of the book thinking the other is just wanting a fling and/or might be using them. As a consequence neither wants to talk about it for fear of loosing a good thing, and ultimately, it was a misunderstanding that messed things up between them. Overall though, Scott and Amanda were just two average everyday people who wanted to spice up their lives with a little adventure. I think they both got that, and more, once they came to the realization that the other loved them for who they were and the adventures they shared were just the icing on the cake.
Scott introduced some interesting secondary characters, including the heroes of the next two books. Lincoln, the leader and one of the founders of the club, is a suave and mysterious man. I loved his vision and philosophy for The Player's Club, and how it was almost more like a gentleman's club. They may do wild things, but it's really more about facing their fears and living a life without regrets than about a cheap thrill. I also liked that they were pretty respectful of women. They may have brought in dancers for entertainment, but Lincoln didn't allow the guys to paw them. I was a little disappointed in Lincoln for being so quick to believe that Scott betrayed the club when there was an obvious dissenter right in their ranks, but overall he was a really cool guy and an intriguing character that I look forward to getting to know better in his own book which is the next in the series. The final hero of the series, Finn, is Lincoln's best friend and fellow founding member. I didn't get as much of a feel for him, but he seems like a more laid-back, outgoing kind of guy. Finn's cousin, George, is pretty much the villain of the story. He's an obnoxious jerk who thinks The Player's Club should be a big frat party, and tries to challenge Lincoln's authority.
Overall, Scott was a very enjoyable read populated with likable characters. I really appreciated that through all their big adventures, Scott and Amanda never lost their innate likability. Underneath their thirst for adventure, they were still the same people, just with an added dimension. Most of their exploits were great fun, but sometimes, like with the desert vision quest, they found it wasn't quite all it was cracked up to be. I think moments like this just gave the story a more realistic feel. There were a couple of minor things that threw me off momentarily. I found a few continuity errors, and the virtually non-existent explanation of how the reporter was able to track George down, didn't quite work, but these things weren't a big enough deal to really diminish my overall enjoyment of the novel. Scott was a great start to the series and a surprise winner all the way around that really has me looking forward to reading Lincoln soon.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
"4.5 stars" Scott is the first book in Cathy Yardley's new trilogy, The Player's Club. Due to the shorter length, Harlequin novels in general and the Blaze line in particular can be rather hit and miss with me, but I'm happy to say that Scott was the best Blaze novel I've read to date. I read Scott for review, and in all honesty it probably isn't a book I would have picked up on my own. Based on the cover blurb, I had the mistaken impression that the members of The Player's Club were just a bunch of crazed adrenaline junkies, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Yes, they do some “crazy” things like skydiving and running with the bulls, but there is much more depth to the main characters than mere thrill-seekers. I actually found them to be quite relatable. The premise ended up being really fun too, and even though I couldn't truly imagine myself throwing caution to the wind like The Players do, it was still a thoroughly enjoyable fantasy to think about. Bottom line: I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.
Scott is the truly nice guy next-door. It was really sweet how he was looking out for Amanda's welfare when she found him on her fire escape in the opening chapter. Although he doesn't really act like a true geek, I enjoyed the fact that he has the geeky profession of a data analyst. He views himself as boring, because his ex-girlfriend broke up with him for being “too nice.” Of course, in my book there's no such thing as too nice, but Scott is still stinging a little from her reason for the break-up and feels like he needs to do something to make himself more exciting. When he stumbles upon the legendary Player's Club, he can't resist their offer to join even though he initially has a few reservations which I thought just made him more genuine. I like how he defended the rights of a woman (Amanda) to join the club, and how he stood up to obnoxious Player, George. I loved that Scott hates to get drunk and that he's more of a relationship kind of guy, rather then the type to sleep around. If he hadn't made the huge faux pas of essentially choosing The Player's Club over Amanda, he would have been a perfect hero. As is, he at least had the decency to feel badly about it right from the get-go, so in the end, he was still a pretty good hero anyway.
Amanda is the nice girl next-door who only seems to have two speeds, going like the Energizer bunny or crashing out. She's recently divorced and just sold her business, so she's looking for a change of pace and something to spice up her life. Her best friend, Jackie, thinks Amanda needs to have a fling. The only problem is Amanda is more of a relationship kind of girl and not really the fling type. She is really attracted to her neighbor, Scott, so she decides to invite him over, let him know she's available, and see where things go. When she accidentally figures out he's in The Player's Club, Amanda thinks that may be just the thing to cure her boredom. She offers to help him with his challenges if he'll nominate her for membership once he's in.
As a couple, Scott and Amanda have sizzling hot chemistry. Their love scenes are frequent and very steamy, really burning up the pages. What makes them a great couple though, is that underneath it all, they have a lot in common besides great sex (I loved that they both had rather nerdy pastimes). Each time they get together, I could feel the passion and love building between them which made the little glitch in their relationship just a bit disappointing. It separated them rather abruptly, and then they got back together almost equally as quickly. Their communication could have been better too. Even though both of them prefer relationships to flings, each one spends most of the book thinking the other is just wanting a fling and/or might be using them. As a consequence neither wants to talk about it for fear of loosing a good thing, and ultimately, it was a misunderstanding that messed things up between them. Overall though, Scott and Amanda were just two average everyday people who wanted to spice up their lives with a little adventure. I think they both got that, and more, once they came to the realization that the other loved them for who they were and the adventures they shared were just the icing on the cake.
Scott introduced some interesting secondary characters, including the heroes of the next two books. Lincoln, the leader and one of the founders of the club, is a suave and mysterious man. I loved his vision and philosophy for The Player's Club, and how it was almost more like a gentleman's club. They may do wild things, but it's really more about facing their fears and living a life without regrets than about a cheap thrill. I also liked that they were pretty respectful of women. They may have brought in dancers for entertainment, but Lincoln didn't allow the guys to paw them. I was a little disappointed in Lincoln for being so quick to believe that Scott betrayed the club when there was an obvious dissenter right in their ranks, but overall he was a really cool guy and an intriguing character that I look forward to getting to know better in his own book which is the next in the series. The final hero of the series, Finn, is Lincoln's best friend and fellow founding member. I didn't get as much of a feel for him, but he seems like a more laid-back, outgoing kind of guy. Finn's cousin, George, is pretty much the villain of the story. He's an obnoxious jerk who thinks The Player's Club should be a big frat party, and tries to challenge Lincoln's authority.
Overall, Scott was a very enjoyable read populated with likable characters. I really appreciated that through all their big adventures, Scott and Amanda never lost their innate likability. Underneath their thirst for adventure, they were still the same people, just with an added dimension. Most of their exploits were great fun, but sometimes, like with the desert vision quest, they found it wasn't quite all it was cracked up to be. I think moments like this just gave the story a more realistic feel. There were a couple of minor things that threw me off momentarily. I found a few continuity errors, and the virtually non-existent explanation of how the reporter was able to track George down, didn't quite work, but these things weren't a big enough deal to really diminish my overall enjoyment of the novel. Scott was a great start to the series and a surprise winner all the way around that really has me looking forward to reading Lincoln soon.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
January 3, 2012
Joint review with Lou originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2011/12/28/...
Publisher: Harlequin Blaze
Publish Date: January 1st
How we got this book: eARC from author
Lou: When Minn emailed me this request, the blurb intrigued me and because it was a contemporary romance, I didn’t want to pass it up — despite the up and down relationship I have with Harlequin’s categories. This is the first book in the series about an infamous club called the Players Club, where rich males are members and every month they go and take part in stunts that annoy some people, and are the envy of others. Scott, our ordinary hero, is spying on the comings and goings of these suspicious men in his next door’s neighbours fire-escape. He starts to think they are members of the mob, and his spying is interrupted by his next door neighbour, Amanda, the heroine of the story. Scott and Amanda hit it off, and he shares with her his curiosity of what’s happening below. What Scott soon finds out — when his curiosity takes shape into going down into the alleyway where these men are gathering — is that these men are members of the Players Club. And when he’s spotted, he’s asked to join and from there Scott, the once boring data analyst, is knee deep in the Player Club, and soon enough, Amanda is also caught in the action. So despite my like of the premise, and what I thought of the cute romance between Scott and Amanda, I really really disliked this book and some of the aspects that made me think are these characters supposed to be adults.
Minn: I too really enjoyed the premise of the book, and I too thought that the romance between Scott and Amanda would be full of action both in the bedroom and out of it. And while I didn’t think this was the best contemporary romance I’ve read this year, I didn’t hate it. I can see where Lou is coming from in thinking that some of the characters acted more like college kids than adults, and that was probably my least favorite aspect of the story. However, the overall theme of living life to the fullest, and pushing past any and all fears to go out and do the things we’ve only dreamed about really rang true to me. I loved that both Scott and Amanda were given the chance to do things they would have otherwise never done. For me, that made up for the ridiculousness that was George and his childish BS.
Lou: I think Amanda and Scott were cute together, and I loved their interactions and their sex scenes were smoking, but I hated that the Players Club was such an immature tree house club where the main tension was the jostling of who would be the leader. And I really wanted to kick George out of the story all together because it really got on my nerves. He was in essence a 12 year old boy who wanted to the leader. I also didn’t like that Amanda’s job which she worked hard at was made to be boring. I think that Amanda’s job wasn’t the problem, but Amanda herself made the choice of not doing anything outside of it. I also didn’t get why she suddenly wanted in on this all men club. The Players Club I felt was made out to be this super cool club that all the popular and non-popular kids wanted to be a part of. And some of what they did, where Amanda and Scott take part in animal abuse really had my blood pressure rising so fast that I found any liking of the characters went out of the window. Having the hero and heroine being exhilarated at the thought of running after terrified bulls, who after being chased through narrow streets by idiotic humans, are then killed in a bullfighter’s ring afterwards. I honestly wanted to put the book there and then down.
Minn: While I would never want to run with the bulls, I didn’t read that part as being animal abuse. I will admit that I’m glad Scott and Amanda didn’t go to the bullfight afterward, I don’t think I’d have wanted to read that. I also got the feeling that the Club was very fraternity-high-school-clickish, and like you, could have done without George being in the story at all. But at the same time, I also liked the side characters Flinn and Lincoln, and will be interested in looking at their stories. I have to wonder if those two will be paired up with Amanda’s two best friends. I think that now that George is out of the picture, the series will have a chance to focus more on the romance, the steamy smexy moments, and the dare-devilish adventures each couple goes on.
Lou: I did like Lincoln and Finn, though I wished Finn would have got rid of his cousin George sooner from the outset. But I think for me, whilst Amanda and Scott were strong characters, the external story of the Players Club in the end I disliked and having the characters act like kids, I couldn’t wait for the book to end. I doubt also that I would pick up the other books in the series. The Players Club rubs me up the wrong way because I feel that it’s importance is way too materialistic and the characters were sort of made to work around the club. I also disliked the ending where and this is a spoiler so look away: When Scott and Amanda do get together at last, it ended on a happy note of Amanda being ‘allowed’ in the club. I thought why would that be such a happy thing? I thought any female would want to run far away from the club. END spoiler. I also think that whilst Amanda and Scott let go of their inhibitions, I felt that it was done in a very immature way. When Amanda blackmailed Scott, just so she can be part of the club, it just felt way too immature. Overall, I give Player’s Club: Scott a D. Despite the cute romance at the beginning, the rest of the book and it’s characters and situations drove me crazy.
Minn: Call me crazy, but I think Amanda being allowed into their club is a good thing, whether or not her reasons for doing so were childish or not. I love seeing alpha men get shaken up by a woman in their midst, and I think the next couple books will have Amanda and her girlfriends doing just that. All in all there were some low points in this book, especially surrounding George and his childish behavior. At the same time I really enjoyed the overall message of the book, the steamy but slow emotional building relationship with Scott and Amanda. I’m looking forward to reading more about Finn and Lincoln. I give Player’s Club: Scott a C
Publisher: Harlequin Blaze
Publish Date: January 1st
How we got this book: eARC from author
Lou: When Minn emailed me this request, the blurb intrigued me and because it was a contemporary romance, I didn’t want to pass it up — despite the up and down relationship I have with Harlequin’s categories. This is the first book in the series about an infamous club called the Players Club, where rich males are members and every month they go and take part in stunts that annoy some people, and are the envy of others. Scott, our ordinary hero, is spying on the comings and goings of these suspicious men in his next door’s neighbours fire-escape. He starts to think they are members of the mob, and his spying is interrupted by his next door neighbour, Amanda, the heroine of the story. Scott and Amanda hit it off, and he shares with her his curiosity of what’s happening below. What Scott soon finds out — when his curiosity takes shape into going down into the alleyway where these men are gathering — is that these men are members of the Players Club. And when he’s spotted, he’s asked to join and from there Scott, the once boring data analyst, is knee deep in the Player Club, and soon enough, Amanda is also caught in the action. So despite my like of the premise, and what I thought of the cute romance between Scott and Amanda, I really really disliked this book and some of the aspects that made me think are these characters supposed to be adults.
Minn: I too really enjoyed the premise of the book, and I too thought that the romance between Scott and Amanda would be full of action both in the bedroom and out of it. And while I didn’t think this was the best contemporary romance I’ve read this year, I didn’t hate it. I can see where Lou is coming from in thinking that some of the characters acted more like college kids than adults, and that was probably my least favorite aspect of the story. However, the overall theme of living life to the fullest, and pushing past any and all fears to go out and do the things we’ve only dreamed about really rang true to me. I loved that both Scott and Amanda were given the chance to do things they would have otherwise never done. For me, that made up for the ridiculousness that was George and his childish BS.
Lou: I think Amanda and Scott were cute together, and I loved their interactions and their sex scenes were smoking, but I hated that the Players Club was such an immature tree house club where the main tension was the jostling of who would be the leader. And I really wanted to kick George out of the story all together because it really got on my nerves. He was in essence a 12 year old boy who wanted to the leader. I also didn’t like that Amanda’s job which she worked hard at was made to be boring. I think that Amanda’s job wasn’t the problem, but Amanda herself made the choice of not doing anything outside of it. I also didn’t get why she suddenly wanted in on this all men club. The Players Club I felt was made out to be this super cool club that all the popular and non-popular kids wanted to be a part of. And some of what they did, where Amanda and Scott take part in animal abuse really had my blood pressure rising so fast that I found any liking of the characters went out of the window. Having the hero and heroine being exhilarated at the thought of running after terrified bulls, who after being chased through narrow streets by idiotic humans, are then killed in a bullfighter’s ring afterwards. I honestly wanted to put the book there and then down.
Minn: While I would never want to run with the bulls, I didn’t read that part as being animal abuse. I will admit that I’m glad Scott and Amanda didn’t go to the bullfight afterward, I don’t think I’d have wanted to read that. I also got the feeling that the Club was very fraternity-high-school-clickish, and like you, could have done without George being in the story at all. But at the same time, I also liked the side characters Flinn and Lincoln, and will be interested in looking at their stories. I have to wonder if those two will be paired up with Amanda’s two best friends. I think that now that George is out of the picture, the series will have a chance to focus more on the romance, the steamy smexy moments, and the dare-devilish adventures each couple goes on.
Lou: I did like Lincoln and Finn, though I wished Finn would have got rid of his cousin George sooner from the outset. But I think for me, whilst Amanda and Scott were strong characters, the external story of the Players Club in the end I disliked and having the characters act like kids, I couldn’t wait for the book to end. I doubt also that I would pick up the other books in the series. The Players Club rubs me up the wrong way because I feel that it’s importance is way too materialistic and the characters were sort of made to work around the club. I also disliked the ending where and this is a spoiler so look away: When Scott and Amanda do get together at last, it ended on a happy note of Amanda being ‘allowed’ in the club. I thought why would that be such a happy thing? I thought any female would want to run far away from the club. END spoiler. I also think that whilst Amanda and Scott let go of their inhibitions, I felt that it was done in a very immature way. When Amanda blackmailed Scott, just so she can be part of the club, it just felt way too immature. Overall, I give Player’s Club: Scott a D. Despite the cute romance at the beginning, the rest of the book and it’s characters and situations drove me crazy.
Minn: Call me crazy, but I think Amanda being allowed into their club is a good thing, whether or not her reasons for doing so were childish or not. I love seeing alpha men get shaken up by a woman in their midst, and I think the next couple books will have Amanda and her girlfriends doing just that. All in all there were some low points in this book, especially surrounding George and his childish behavior. At the same time I really enjoyed the overall message of the book, the steamy but slow emotional building relationship with Scott and Amanda. I’m looking forward to reading more about Finn and Lincoln. I give Player’s Club: Scott a C
January 25, 2012
This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.
Expected Release Date: December 20, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Harlequin Blaze
Author’s Website: http://cathyyardley.com/
My Source for This Book: Gift from the author
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1, Player’s Club
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Hot
What happens when a boring accountant accidentally ends up smack in the middle of an exclusive, super-secret club of urban adventurers? What happens when his shy but sexy next door neighbor figures out his secret? Does Scott Farrell, uninteresting office chump, have what it takes to complete three outrageous challenges, while keeping the club’s existence a secret? Does quiet Amanda Wheeler have what it takes to not only be the first woman ever to gain membership to this exclusive bad-boy club, but to convince Scott that she wants him for more than just a ticket into the club?
When two very ordinary people suddenly find themselves participating in extreme stunts while realizing a strong attraction between themselves, the results are explosive.
Overall, this was a fast-paced, sexy read, full of crazy challenges and hot lovin’. I absolutely adore the idea behind the Player’s Club, and watching both Scott and Amanda come out of their shells and actually start living their lives was absolutely delightful. With just enough angst to keep things interesting without falling into a distracting heaviness, there’s plenty of plot to go along with the action, and I can’t wait to read more.
Recommended for fans of high-octane adventures, steamy love scenes, and secret societies.
4.5/5 Stars
Expected Release Date: December 20, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Harlequin Blaze
Author’s Website: http://cathyyardley.com/
My Source for This Book: Gift from the author
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1, Player’s Club
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Hot
What happens when a boring accountant accidentally ends up smack in the middle of an exclusive, super-secret club of urban adventurers? What happens when his shy but sexy next door neighbor figures out his secret? Does Scott Farrell, uninteresting office chump, have what it takes to complete three outrageous challenges, while keeping the club’s existence a secret? Does quiet Amanda Wheeler have what it takes to not only be the first woman ever to gain membership to this exclusive bad-boy club, but to convince Scott that she wants him for more than just a ticket into the club?
When two very ordinary people suddenly find themselves participating in extreme stunts while realizing a strong attraction between themselves, the results are explosive.
Overall, this was a fast-paced, sexy read, full of crazy challenges and hot lovin’. I absolutely adore the idea behind the Player’s Club, and watching both Scott and Amanda come out of their shells and actually start living their lives was absolutely delightful. With just enough angst to keep things interesting without falling into a distracting heaviness, there’s plenty of plot to go along with the action, and I can’t wait to read more.
Recommended for fans of high-octane adventures, steamy love scenes, and secret societies.
4.5/5 Stars
August 26, 2022
Un Harlequin Blaze escrito por Yardley es ideal para esas veces en que el cuerpo te pide algo rápido, sencillo y a ser posible con una buena dosis de sexo explícito y humor. Scott Farrell y Amanda Wheeler son vecinos, gente maja, aunque un poquito tirando a aburridos. Así que deciden unirse al Player’s Club, un grupo de jóvenes que, hastiados, buscan aventuras como correr los sanfermines, por ejemplo. Me gustó, fue entretenido y con sus intensos momentos sexis.
La idea de fondo me sonó algo tontorrona, muy «problema del primer mundo». Me aburro con mi vida, así que me voy a tirar en paracaídas o acampar en el Mojave... Sí, chico, ya siento que no encuentres desafíos de verdad. En mi blog cité algunos problemas de gente auténtica de otros países. Hoy añadiría alguno más.
Entiendo que todos tenemos que encontrarle sentido a la vida. Solo que, a mi modo de ver, eso no pasa por gestos grandilocuentes, sino por llevar una vida plena día a día.
La idea de fondo me sonó algo tontorrona, muy «problema del primer mundo». Me aburro con mi vida, así que me voy a tirar en paracaídas o acampar en el Mojave... Sí, chico, ya siento que no encuentres desafíos de verdad. En mi blog cité algunos problemas de gente auténtica de otros países. Hoy añadiría alguno más.
Entiendo que todos tenemos que encontrarle sentido a la vida. Solo que, a mi modo de ver, eso no pasa por gestos grandilocuentes, sino por llevar una vida plena día a día.
February 7, 2012
Hot and romantic! That combination always makes the best Blaze book.
The romance between Scott and Amanda begins hot and heavy and keeps pace throughout the story without becoming boring or redundant or overdone.
The plot also keeps moving along and Scott's quests, his interactions with the Players and later to Amanda all make The Players Club: Scott an entertaining read.
It also makes you want to knock a few things off your bucket list, too, before it's too late. In theory, in my case, because I prefer to read about it and not actually leave the house, lol.
The romance between Scott and Amanda begins hot and heavy and keeps pace throughout the story without becoming boring or redundant or overdone.
The plot also keeps moving along and Scott's quests, his interactions with the Players and later to Amanda all make The Players Club: Scott an entertaining read.
It also makes you want to knock a few things off your bucket list, too, before it's too late. In theory, in my case, because I prefer to read about it and not actually leave the house, lol.
February 26, 2019
This book, first of a three series, delivers what you expect from a Blaze title - feisty heroine, hero who realises he's wrong, misunderstanding, bad guy usurped, reconciliation with happy ending! The writing flowed well, the story was quite good - though Scott did seem like a little kid wanting to play with the spoilt big kids.
October 3, 2013
this was a cute story. it was a bit predictable, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I will continue on the other books. The narrator was ok. She got tripped up on some pronunciations and had some trouble with the male voices, but I thought she did a good job of keeping me interested in the story.
January 10, 2012
Unique story line but the hero and heroine were not the strongest characters in the book. The next two featured characters were Lincoln and Finn.
October 28, 2012
Narrator was putting me to sleep...
July 30, 2024
Borrowed this book from the library, based on having read one other in the series in addition to other offerings by Yardley. Not my favorite as it took me about 2 weeks to plow through it , and I went off to read several others in between.
Scott and Amanda both strike me as needy. As is typical in this type of book, both of them make assumptions about what the other is wanting or expecting out of their relationship, and neither talks to the other about it. Additionally, Scott seems to take a lot from Amanda, and give very little in return. They never seem to have get togethers at his place, he never takes her out on a date, he comes to her apartment for sex, company and getting fed. ??? Why is she okay with this until more than 3/4 of the way through the book?
Some may like this for the sex scenes in the book. If you need it, and like it they are okay, but they had me wondering. Sometimes they practiced safe sex using a condom and sometimes not, this while never discussing exclusivity, whether or not she uses some other method of birth control, or verifying any test result for STD's. I don't know how you can use it sometimes and not others.
Scott displays remarkable immaturity and selfishness when the moment comes for him to make a choice, and the choice he makes is apparently bros before H...s. Whatever, at least she has the good since to terminate the relationship at this final reveal. Still, he wants to use her for solace when his player's club membership is wrongfully terminated, so for the sake of a happy ending they manage to get back together, and he has a self realization moment where he acknowledges to himself what an asshat he had been.
Scott and Amanda both strike me as needy. As is typical in this type of book, both of them make assumptions about what the other is wanting or expecting out of their relationship, and neither talks to the other about it. Additionally, Scott seems to take a lot from Amanda, and give very little in return. They never seem to have get togethers at his place, he never takes her out on a date, he comes to her apartment for sex, company and getting fed. ??? Why is she okay with this until more than 3/4 of the way through the book?
Some may like this for the sex scenes in the book. If you need it, and like it they are okay, but they had me wondering. Sometimes they practiced safe sex using a condom and sometimes not, this while never discussing exclusivity, whether or not she uses some other method of birth control, or verifying any test result for STD's. I don't know how you can use it sometimes and not others.
Scott displays remarkable immaturity and selfishness when the moment comes for him to make a choice, and the choice he makes is apparently bros before H...s. Whatever, at least she has the good since to terminate the relationship at this final reveal. Still, he wants to use her for solace when his player's club membership is wrongfully terminated, so for the sake of a happy ending they manage to get back together, and he has a self realization moment where he acknowledges to himself what an asshat he had been.
January 29, 2016
I liked Boring Guy Scott, the data analyst. I liked next-door-neighbor Amanda, who meets Scott at 3 am on her fire escape with a baseball bat. Both Scott and Amanda are closet nerds, but want to rid themselves of this stigma by joining the secretive Players Club. However, I did not like The Players Club, a group of adrenaline-junkie rich guys and wannabe's. I felt like I was back in junior high, jockeying for position on the who's-the-coolest-in-the-hallway competition.
Amanda's got cool-nerd status in my book: she reads the Dresden Files and watches the old black-n-white Twilight Zone episodes. I loved Amanda and Scott together, and liked their adventure-quests together. I wish they just realized, in the end, that they didn't need a Player's Club to enjoy life-they could do it on their own!
Amanda's got cool-nerd status in my book: she reads the Dresden Files and watches the old black-n-white Twilight Zone episodes. I loved Amanda and Scott together, and liked their adventure-quests together. I wish they just realized, in the end, that they didn't need a Player's Club to enjoy life-they could do it on their own!
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August 14, 2017Miniseries: The Player's Club
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