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Wilkersons in Love #1
Playing for Love
Kenneth Wilkerson, baseball’s MVP of breaking hearts isn’t in town looking for complications. Focused on saving his career, he can’t afford any distractions.
Enter his distraction.
Paige Scott, a former party girl, has a murky past and even murkier relationship with Kenneth’s teammate and their mutual best friend, Carlos.
Meet the complication.
Carlos Ortiz watched Paige go from it girl to broken. When she finally healed, Carlos made it clear he would never step aside to let another man in to hurt her again.
But Kenneth feels something for her that’s not easy to dismiss and there’s one thing a Wilkerson won’t do is let anything stand between them and what they love.
For Kenneth, it’s the love for the game, his family… and her.
Enter his distraction.
Paige Scott, a former party girl, has a murky past and even murkier relationship with Kenneth’s teammate and their mutual best friend, Carlos.
Meet the complication.
Carlos Ortiz watched Paige go from it girl to broken. When she finally healed, Carlos made it clear he would never step aside to let another man in to hurt her again.
But Kenneth feels something for her that’s not easy to dismiss and there’s one thing a Wilkerson won’t do is let anything stand between them and what they love.
For Kenneth, it’s the love for the game, his family… and her.
- GenresRomance
180 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 25, 2013
6 people are currently reading
61 people want to read
About the author
Tia Kelly
23 books110 followersTia Kelly is the author of contemporary romance and women's fiction. She is known for her candid way of capturing life's moments, one character at a time.
www.tiawithapen.com
www.tiawithapen.com
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 30, 2013
Playing for Love immediately grabbed my attention and did not let go. From the very first page, I was asking, 'who, what, where, why?' And as the story developed, even more questions arose in my mind. Paige is a woman who is hard to figure out, and harder still to understand is her relationship with Carlos. He is attached to her, fiercely loyal to her, and she to him, and yet, their connection is something just, short of romantic, just short of dysfunctional, and very, very hard to understand. Enter Kenneth, a fairly uncomplicated guy. He's young, rich, famous and enjoying being single. Paige is a puzzle and he wants to figure her out. But standing in the way of that is her relationship with Carlos, his best friend.
I was torn almost throughout the entire book, trying to decide who I wanted Paige to end up with. And later, I experienced a shift and began to think of who Paige should end up with. And that is the central conflict in the book for the reader and for the characters themselves. Is Carlos what's best for Paige? Is she what's best for him? Are they bound to each other out of a deep love, or because of a shared difficult past? As I read Playing for Love I could feel Tia Kelly's own conflict over this question.
She spent a long time in the initial parts of the book developing and helping us see the connection between Carlos and Paige, and also between Carlos and Paige's young daughter. They have a rhythm between them, but there is no balance -- Carlos is a caretaker for Paige, a protector for her daughter, but is he more? Paige is reluctantly dependent on Carlos and somewhat intimidated by him at times. And Kenneth is a respite from the intensity of Paige and Carlos' relationship, but is he more?
I went back and forth several times on that question.
At the end of the book, I was somewhat resolved and understood the conclusion and believed it was the one that made the most sense for the characters and who they were. But I wasn't sure I could feel the author's commitment to that conclusion in the same way I felt her commitment to other parts of the story -- she was ambivalent and in places, it showed. That alone is what made me give this book four stars instead of five. I want to be thoroughly convinced of the outcome and I felt as though the author was not herself thoroughly convinced.
Still, Tia Kelly is a wonderful new voice and I look forward to reading more of her work in this series. I have a feeling that like The Love Sessions and the novellas that preceded it, she is still working on these characters and we will see them again, growing and changing and going through the developmental pains that all real people go through.
That, above all is what makes me recommend Playing for Love and this author -- she writes real people, going through real stuff. And sometimes the real stuff leaves us without the resolutions we seek. In Playing for Love, as in all her work, I want to get to know these people, and I want them to be okay. And that is what's going to keep me reading. I hope you join me, and do the same.
I was torn almost throughout the entire book, trying to decide who I wanted Paige to end up with. And later, I experienced a shift and began to think of who Paige should end up with. And that is the central conflict in the book for the reader and for the characters themselves. Is Carlos what's best for Paige? Is she what's best for him? Are they bound to each other out of a deep love, or because of a shared difficult past? As I read Playing for Love I could feel Tia Kelly's own conflict over this question.
She spent a long time in the initial parts of the book developing and helping us see the connection between Carlos and Paige, and also between Carlos and Paige's young daughter. They have a rhythm between them, but there is no balance -- Carlos is a caretaker for Paige, a protector for her daughter, but is he more? Paige is reluctantly dependent on Carlos and somewhat intimidated by him at times. And Kenneth is a respite from the intensity of Paige and Carlos' relationship, but is he more?
I went back and forth several times on that question.
At the end of the book, I was somewhat resolved and understood the conclusion and believed it was the one that made the most sense for the characters and who they were. But I wasn't sure I could feel the author's commitment to that conclusion in the same way I felt her commitment to other parts of the story -- she was ambivalent and in places, it showed. That alone is what made me give this book four stars instead of five. I want to be thoroughly convinced of the outcome and I felt as though the author was not herself thoroughly convinced.
Still, Tia Kelly is a wonderful new voice and I look forward to reading more of her work in this series. I have a feeling that like The Love Sessions and the novellas that preceded it, she is still working on these characters and we will see them again, growing and changing and going through the developmental pains that all real people go through.
That, above all is what makes me recommend Playing for Love and this author -- she writes real people, going through real stuff. And sometimes the real stuff leaves us without the resolutions we seek. In Playing for Love, as in all her work, I want to get to know these people, and I want them to be okay. And that is what's going to keep me reading. I hope you join me, and do the same.
December 31, 2013
This book was quite confusing at times. I kept thinking to myself isn't this a Wilkerson novel? Carlos Ortiz and his family just had way too much screen time, so the development of the relationship between Paige and Kenneth was lacking. I also didn't see the need for all the secrecy with Melody's paternity. I think the reader should have been clued in early on. It became exhausting trying to figure it out. I liked the writing style, but the storyline needed some refining.
January 23, 2016
After reading (and loving) Love Is, and participating in a great discussion about the book, I had to the Wilkersons in Love series, so I can see how things turn out for a grown-up Paige. I had hoped that things had improved Diane and Paige, but sadly, I see that that wasn't the case.
Life hasn't been easy for Paige. And Warren, her sperm donor, never stopped being a despicable human being. She's lucky, though, because she has a wonderful friend and protector in Carlos Ortiz. And herein lies the issue for me with this book: I loved Carlos. I really loved him.I loved his family, too, and the way that they embraced Paige and became the family that she so desperately wanted and needed. For these reasons, I could never really connect with Kenneth Wilkerson, or cheer for him and Paige to get together. He was a nice guy, he just...wasn't Carlos.
I was glad when the back and forth between Paige and Carlos was settled, and she decided that Kenneth was the one for her. I'm also glad that Carlos was good with that decision, and that he too realized that a romantic relationship between he and Paige just wasn't in the cards. I didn't want my man to be hurt too bad, lol.
Moving on to the next book in the series.
Life hasn't been easy for Paige. And Warren, her sperm donor, never stopped being a despicable human being. She's lucky, though, because she has a wonderful friend and protector in Carlos Ortiz. And herein lies the issue for me with this book: I loved Carlos. I really loved him.I loved his family, too, and the way that they embraced Paige and became the family that she so desperately wanted and needed. For these reasons, I could never really connect with Kenneth Wilkerson, or cheer for him and Paige to get together. He was a nice guy, he just...wasn't Carlos.
I was glad when the back and forth between Paige and Carlos was settled, and she decided that Kenneth was the one for her. I'm also glad that Carlos was good with that decision, and that he too realized that a romantic relationship between he and Paige just wasn't in the cards. I didn't want my man to be hurt too bad, lol.
Moving on to the next book in the series.
February 13, 2016
Let me just say this first: This writer has REALLY grown. I've only read her most recent book (Love Is...) and I went back and read this one because "Love Is" is about Paige's mother the development of her relationship with her father, Warren Scott. It's hard for me to reconcile that writer with this one. Love is" is an emotional and enthralling journey and this one is a cute story with characters I didn't always connect with. Even though I'm disappointed about this book, I think it just means books she writes from here on out will only get better and better. I'm glad I read the other one first, though. Otherwise, I might not have revisited this writer.
Having said that, it was fascinating reading about Paige after going so deep into her past with "Love Is." They are both standalone books, but once you read one, you're going to want to read the other.
Having said that, it was fascinating reading about Paige after going so deep into her past with "Love Is." They are both standalone books, but once you read one, you're going to want to read the other.
August 26, 2016
I like this authors style of writing, but like a couple of other books I've read by her, some of the transitions are abrupt...and sometimes they will have you going back a page or two to see if you missed anything. My biggest problem with this story were all of the flashbacks. Though I think some back story was needed, the flashbacks interrupted the flow of the story and some were a bit jarring. I would have like to have preferred to see the backstory worked into the story (little by little). With all of that said though - I fell in LOVE with Carlos! I'm looking forward to his story.
February 12, 2016
After reading (and loving) Love Is, and participating in a great discussion about the book, I had to the Wilkersons in Love series, so I can see how things turn out for a grown-up Paige. I had hoped that things had improved Diane and Paige, but sadly, I see that that wasn't the case.
Life hasn't been easy for Paige. And Warren, her sperm donor, never stopped being a despicable human being. She's lucky, though, because she has a wonderful friend and protector in Carlos Ortiz. And herein lies the issue for me with this book: I loved Carlos. I really loved him.I loved his family, too, and the way that they embraced Paige and became the family that she so desperately wanted and needed. For these reasons, I could never really connect with Kenneth Wilkerson, or cheer for him and Paige to get together. He was a nice guy, he just...wasn't Carlos.
I was glad when the back and forth between Paige and Carlos was settled, and she decided that Kenneth was the one for her. I'm also glad that Carlos was good with that decision, and that he too realized that a romantic relationship between he and Paige just wasn't in the cards. I didn't want my man to be hurt too bad, lol.
Moving on to the next book in the series.
Life hasn't been easy for Paige. And Warren, her sperm donor, never stopped being a despicable human being. She's lucky, though, because she has a wonderful friend and protector in Carlos Ortiz. And herein lies the issue for me with this book: I loved Carlos. I really loved him.I loved his family, too, and the way that they embraced Paige and became the family that she so desperately wanted and needed. For these reasons, I could never really connect with Kenneth Wilkerson, or cheer for him and Paige to get together. He was a nice guy, he just...wasn't Carlos.
I was glad when the back and forth between Paige and Carlos was settled, and she decided that Kenneth was the one for her. I'm also glad that Carlos was good with that decision, and that he too realized that a romantic relationship between he and Paige just wasn't in the cards. I didn't want my man to be hurt too bad, lol.
Moving on to the next book in the series.
December 4, 2013
Playing for Love...hmm hmm hmm... You know that feeling you have at the end of a satisfying meal? That's how I felt when I finished this story. It had ALL the right ingredients to make it a satisfying love story and just as promoted--it's more than a romance. Tia layered this story with the complexities of relationships between family and friends. Life is not simple and she writes true to life when mapping out the story of Paige, Carlos, Kenneth and we can't forget Paige's daughter Melody. Tia examines the difference between what's safe and what's right when one considers matters of the heart. I love stories about second chances and if anyone deserves another chance, after all that Paige has been through, it's her. Now will that next chance at love be with the loving and protective Carlos? Or will it be with the new man on the scene, Kenneth? This story is beautifully written. If I were you, I'd grab it up and settle down for a good read!
November 28, 2013
I gave this book 3.5 stars. I enjoyed the story. I liked the characters and the plot was quite good but it seemed a little incomplete at times. There were a few points in the book when I had to wonder what happened to the rest of the scene and it just needed a little more fine tuning with the editing. Having said that, I have read all of this author's published work and will certainly purchase the other books in this series because I like her stories.
November 30, 2013
I really enjoyed Kenneth and Paige's love story. I was a little on the fence at first over who she should end up with. Carlos had a few problems I didn't like but he was an all around great guy. I'm sure the Wilkersons are going to be a great family to get to know and the excerpt from the next book sounds wonderful!
August 6, 2016
Tears by Denise Anderson
Very emotional novel! Paige was looking for her father to love and accept her just so could feel that her life was worthy of being love . Her one true protector was Carlos her friend that loved her and and helped her get away from her crazy abusive husband. When I tell you it was moments that I wanted to kick her father and husband ass and I was angry
Very emotional novel! Paige was looking for her father to love and accept her just so could feel that her life was worthy of being love . Her one true protector was Carlos her friend that loved her and and helped her get away from her crazy abusive husband. When I tell you it was moments that I wanted to kick her father and husband ass and I was angry
April 18, 2014
Finished reading Playing For Love by Tia Kelly in two days. Carlos was a stand up guy for protecting Paige and her daughter, but Kenneth was truly the one I was hoping she would end up with. Really loving the Wilkersons series. A great read.
January 3, 2015
I truly enjoyed this story. Kenneth was a good man with a good hurt and he was very patient. Paige was a woman with many issues. They came together as one because their love turned out to be real. Can't wait to continue this series.
November 28, 2013
I was hooked from page one. I had only wanted to read the prologue and come back to it but I was hooked from jump.
December 6, 2013
Another winner Tia! I am definitely #TeamKenneth
June 5, 2017
My first book by Tia Kelly but it won't be my last.
January 24, 2017
This book was a recommendation from a co-worker. The idea and description of the was good. I really wanted it to be a great story, but the writing was terrible and I didn't like the main characters.
February 20, 2014
Okay this book ended being good, but Paige and Carlos worked my nerves. I was so glad when they moved on with their own life.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews