Playing to Win

Playing to Win

by Alix Nichols

3 hunky French athletes.
3 passionate women who fall under their spell.
3 hot and tender love stories.

BOOK 1: PLAYING WITH FIRE
Embroiderer Uma is all kinds of wrong for single dad Zach.
She’s his son’s nanny, still chaste at 23... and falling for him, hard and fast.
In short, she’s completely off-limits.
And just as completely irresistible.

BOOK 2: PLAYING FOR KEEPS
Ex-player Isabelle takes a job as a publicist for a Paris water-polo team.
That means she must face amnesiac coach Lucas, the jerk who broke her heart six years ago.
But Lucas is a brand-new man after his head trauma.
He has no idea why Isabelle is avoiding him — or why he is so drawn to her.

BOOK 3: PLAYING DIRTY
In his pimply teens, Julien was led on, played and publicly humiliated by Noemi.
Now a heartthrob and a sports star, he craves revenge.
Even as he still craves Noemi.

If you like single dad romances, revenge plots filled with angst and passion, and heartwarming second chance novels, you’ll love the PLAYING TO WIN series!

Genres: Romance

342 pages, ebook

Published February 19, 2018

About the author

Alix Nichols is a caffeine addict, a fan of Mr. Darcy and an award-winning author on Book Riot's list of 100 must-read international romances.
She pens sexy romantic comedies and romantic fantasy. Her books have been described as "pure pleasure" (Kirkus Reviews) that “keep fans of romance hanging off the edge of your seat” (RT Book Reviews).
At the age of six, she released her first book. It featured highly creative spelling on a dozen pages stitched together and bound in velvet paper. Decades later, she still writes. Her spelling has improved (somewhat), and her books have topped bestseller charts around the world.
She lives in France with her family and their almost-human dog.

**To read a rom-com FREE, visit: alixnichols.com/freebies (just copy and paste into your browser).**

Series and Books:

ROMANTIC COMEDIES

It’s Raining Royals (newest series)

1. The Boss Prince
2. The Bastard Prince
3. The Beast Prince

La Bohème (complete series)

1. 
Winter’s Gift

2. What If It’s Love?

3. Falling for Emma

4. Under My Skin
You’re the One (companion novella, free to newsletter subscribers)

The Darcy Brothers (complete series)

1. Find You in Paris
2. Raphael’s Fling
3. The Perfect Catch
Clarissa and the Cowboy (companion novella)

Playing to Win (complete series)

1. Playing with Fire
2. Playing for Keeps
3. Playing Dirty

Coffee Shop Romances (standalones)


The Devil’s Own Chloe
Amanda’s Guide to Love
An Autumn in Paris

ROMANTIC FANTASY

Keepers of Xereill (complete series within a broader saga)

The Enforcer’s Lady (prequel novella)
1. The Traitor’s Bride
2. The Commander’s Captive
3. The Dragon’s Woman
4. The Samurai’s Lover

5. The Vestal’s Steward

Reviews

[Isha Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The single dad. The broken soul. The man with out a past. Playing to Win deliveries meaningful tales of love, courage and maturity. Although I enjoyed Zach and Uma's whirlwind into love, it was Lucas and Isabelle and Julien and Noemi that spoke to my heart. Lucas and Noemi were given the most precious of gifts, but pride and youth nearly destroyed their happily ever after. Isabelle and Julien have a tough road ahead of them as learn how to forgive the people that hurt them. Told from the viewpoint of the characters, each story makes good on the drama. However it's the moments of vulnerability that bring hope and emotion to these stories of redemption and healing.

[Charity Chimni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this series! Great characters and unique story lines. Pulls at the heart strings and full of laughter!

[Zena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently read these three very enjoyable (free advance copies) books and the following are my unbiased reviews for each. They are stand-alones with interwoven stories and I am happy to recommend this series as great reading entertainment.
1. Playing with Fire
This is Zack and Uma's story. She is a virgin and moves in to au pair for him and look after his son who is an epileptic. Zack is the captain of a pro Polo Water Team.
Of course there is a very cute kid in this story - Zack's son and Uma grows to love him dearly.
Zack and Uma have an affair and its almost too late when he finally plucks up the courage to tell her he loves her and this story does have a happily ever after in it. Thank goodness!
It is written in the usual Alix Nichols style and is a short story but fast paced.
There are some heart wrenching scenes in it, some very romantic as well as some very funny ones and all in all I am quite happy to recommend it.
2. Playing for Keeps
This is Lucas and Isabelle's story and tells of the uncertainties and blanks in Lucas' memories due to amnesia caused by a blow to the head.
Have the two of them really only always just been 'friends'? This is what he is trying desperately to find out because he just can't remember anything from before and now finds that he has such a strong attraction to her.
Family and friends try to fill in the blanks for him but this second-hand knowledge doesn't satisfy him and he tries to jog his memories by asking questions of everyone.
This story has heart, it has feeling, it has emotions and it has love in abundance and is well written and very easy to read and follow.
I am very happy to recommend it.
3. Playing Dirty
The story idea is good and the telling of it is also ok.
It is about revenge and payback and had me laughing at times and sad at others because of the very absurd and strange thoughts that were going through Julien's head about Noemi. It is a second chance romance that shows just how cruel teenagers can sometimes be. It is also lusty and romantic and I found it a very enjoyable read.

[Becky Claxon · Rating 4 out of 5]

PLAYING WITH FIRE
In this book we get to see how Uma and Zach fell in love as we met them in The a Perfect Catch. You don't have to have rad The Perfect Catch to read this book. Zach is best friends with Noah and is led to believe Noah and Uma were going to be married one day. Zach hires Uma part time to watch his young son in the afternoons. Zach is attracted to Uma and feels guilty about his feelings.

There is an ex-wife involved that didn't want anything to with her son because he was sick when he was born. Now that Zach's son is doing better physically and Zach's business is doing well, his ex wife wants to be part of their life. Uma loves Zach's son and is falling in love with Zach. She is suppose to return back to India and have an arranged marriage. This was a good love story that I encourage you to read. I voluntarily read an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book.

PLAYING FOR KEEPS
Lucas Delaunay is the coach of the French water polo team. Six years ago Lucas was attacked and left for dead. Luckily someone found him and they rushed him to the hospital. Unfortunately he has amnesia and had to learn many of his motor skills all over again. Lucas, his assistant coach, and the woman's head coach is trying to get Isabelle to be the publicist for the teams. Lucas knows he was friends with Isabelle before, but doesn't remember her. He was a real jerk to her before his accident and they had a big fight. Isabelle was in love with him and she found out he was dating some beautiful model. So Isabelle is Leary about working for him know. You will need to read the book to see what happens.

Reading the previous books I had always liked Lucas, but once I found out what he was like before the accident, I didn't think much of him. I am so glad he has changed for the better. Isabelle was such a nice and loyal person. She visited Lucas while he was in a coma where his old girlfriend only came by once. I really liked this book and encourage you to read it. I voluntarily read an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book.

PLAYING DIRTY
This book was sad and made me cry in places, but the story was so good. The story reminds us of how cruel we can be in our teenage years, and how hard it is for some people to let go of those hurts.

This is the story of Julien and Noemi in their late twenties with us getting flashbacks of what happened when they were in high school. I am so glad to see that love and maturity can change people for the good. This is a heartfelt book that I really enjoyed. I encourage you to read the book. I voluntarily read an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book.

[Margaret Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Playing With Fire: An enjoyable sports romance, Zach is attracted to a much younger Uma who is his son's au pair. She is off limits for all sorts of reasons, not least of which she works for him. However, the appeal is undeniable and when the unlikely pair reach a point of no return, they find that the connection between goes much deeper than they first thought. Apart from the difference in age and cultures, Zach and Uma have a number of obstacles to overcome. I loved both Zach and Uma's characters and I felt the sizzle all the way through the book.

Playing for Keeps: A second chance romance, only he doesn't know it! Lucas is battling to deal with his past life after suffering a debilitating attack that leaves him with amnesia. He knows that both Isabelle and Angela hold keys to his past, but neither of them are talking. Despite what he has been told, Angela no longer holds Lucas' attention, but Isabelle fascinates him and draws him in. However, Isabelle is avoiding him and he realises that he has done something to wound her, but with amnesia blocking his recall, he cannot make amends. Bit by bit the truth starts to emerge making Lucas angry both with the perpetrator of the crime against him, and at himself for his deplorable actions towards Isabelle. I loved the pull of attraction between Lucas and Isabelle and the way in which Lucas refused to give up on the possibility of a relationship with her. This is a well written romance that tugs at the heart strings.

Playing Dirty: Although this is second chances romance, I found the book to be terribly sad. Whilst I understand why Julien took revenge on Noemi, I was nevertheless uncomfortable with the form that it took. The story made me realise again that we judge the circumstances of our youth, both our own actions and those of others, through the eyes of an adult. However, as young adults people are still immature and unfortunately act irresponsibly. I was glad that both Julien and Noemi came to their senses, but the story left me feeling slightly depressed.

Although this box set is part of a series and there are a number of characters that also appear in other books, each story is a standalone and has a happy ending. I received a copy of this book as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Zelda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Playing with Fire: Wow! What an introduction to a new author! Uma, a 23 year old woman of Nepalese descent, is a nanny for Sam, who is 5 years old and is trialling new meds and diet change to control his epilepsy. Sam’s dad, Zach, is the hole-set for the French water polo team. Hole-set! One of the things I loved about this book was hearing about Nepalese culture, European locales, and high level water polo. Zach is drawn to Uma, and tries everything he can to prevent anything from happening, especially since she is close to his teammate Noah. Uma is a creative woman, learning couture beading and embroidery and nannying part time. There are a few unrequited loves here, and besides cheering for Zach and Uma to find each other, you are hoping the secondary characters will meet their matches too. This is a well-written story with likeable characters, subplots to keep things interesting (but not so complicated you have trouble following along), and the growing attraction between them builds so beautifully. Plus, the hole-set!

Playing for Keeps: This is the second chance story of Lucas, former water polo player turned coach, and Isabelle, his longstanding friend. Isabelle has loved Lucas for years. After learning some things about Lucas, she distances herself from him. Lucas is assaulted and cannot retrieve his memories. When he meets Isabelle years later, he begins to piece together some things. Is this new Lucas real? A touching story about love, trust, and forgiveness.

Playing Dirty: This was my favourite of the bunch because it was a short, powerful tale. Julien knew Noemi in high school and both struggled with being accepted. Lots has changed in the intervening years and being together seems strangely right, despite not acknowledging their past interactions. It's a story of revenge gone wrong, and learning to trust in each other for the first time.

I enjoy Ms Nichols' writing style, learning about competitive water polo, and her unwavering belief that people can change. Excellent trio, highly recommended.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

🏊🗼🔥💕Three French polo players in hot water; how can they keep their love afloat?!
February 23, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition
👍👍Lovely, quick and 🔥 steamy trio of well-written 💕 romances for three French water polo players the author introduced in Noah's story of the excellent Darcy Brothers trilogy. I am a pushover for stories set in France. Though the world of high level water polo competition takes center stage more than the sites of Paris, this set does include some picturesque visits to the lavender fields of southern France, family time fishing on the banks of the Seine and a Christmas market in central Paris.

The three couples covered in these stories have some major obstacles to overcome and several of the main characters have very flawed and despicable pasts. If not for love and lust, they would be well and truly tossed to the wayside by the partner they are after. Noemi, the heroine in the third story, never really overcame her mean girl actions, in my eyes at least. Lucas, the hero of the middle story, never really redeemed himself for past actions; he just forgot them! But their off-putting pasts bring a good storyline for each as their partners react to their transformations. Their partners dealt with past barbs and indignities suffered at their hands with more grace than I ever could have mustered!

And did I mention the steam?! The author provides intimate scenes that are just the right length and intensity for me. I dislike such scenes when they are too long and Nichols provides her passion in satisfying bursts that don't go overboard.

All in all, highly enjoyable with a satisfying end for each couple and a major wrap up in the last story's epilogue.:-)

I received a complimentary advance copy of this book; this is my voluntary and honest review

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Playing with Fire
I found this to be a light, quick read. We'd already seen a little of the chemistry between Uma and Zach in Noah's book (The Perfect Catch) and here we finally get to see the blaze that comes from that spark. I really liked how respectful they are of one another. Even during the steamiest scenes, they're still kind of sweet and adorable together. It drove me batty how little they communicated with each other. There was a fair amount of dialogue, but they didn't always talk about the important things. I also liked having this peek into Kathmandu and a culture I may never get to see up close. I'm excited to see what's next for Zach's teammates.
Playing for Keeps
Oh my… Lucas is not the man I thought he was. Turns out that before he nearly died, he was an ‘A’ number one, prime jerk. Reading his behavior in the prologue made me cringe and second-guess reading this book. I understand that the human body and mind have lots of self-defence mechanism built in, so it isn’t far-fetched, to me, to see such a personality change after an event as traumatic as what Lucas survived. And I can easily see why Isabelle behaves the way she does. Love makes us behave in ways that defy logic; that other people just don’t comprehend. This was a subtly different kind of second-chance romance. I enjoyed watching it play out.
Playing Dirty
I'm not really sure what to think about this book. The connection between Julien and Noemi is so clear from the very first pages, but the cruelty that both characters inflict on each other in the name of revenge felt excessive. I loved the way they came together in the end, and the support they received from his team was a delight to see.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book.

[Nancy D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Playing with Fire
Alix Nichols touches upon a few delicate topics, virginity, arranged marriages, and cultural and religious differences in a beautiful way with this touching story about Zach and Uma. Zach, an entrepreneur and water polo player, needs a nanny so his best friend suggests he use his friend, Uma, who is coming to France to study embroidery. Zach and Uma have chemistry from the start but Zach holds back on his feelings for UMA because, he thinks Uma is engaged to his best friend, Uma is a virgin, and Uma works for him taking care of his son. The story is well written and will draw you in from the first page to the last.

Playing for Keeps
Alix Nichols has a well written story about Lucas and Isabelle, friends who had one amazing night together. Izz thought Lucas had feelings for her like she had for him but that was not the case. Lucas had a girlfriend, a beautiful model. Then Lucas was attacked and can remember nothing about the arrogant life he lived. Can Izz forget the hurtful things Lucas said to her and realize Lucas had changed and he may actually have true feelings for her?

Playing Dirty
Alix Nichols pulls you into the story with real life situations you can imagine happening around you. It will make you stop and think, what would I do if facing the same situation. Is Playing dirty worth the hurt, to others and to yourself? This is a well written, thought provoking story you will not want to put down.
I volunteered to read an advanced copy of these books in exchange for an honest review.

[J. A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Playing with Fire
This is a sweet sports romance, where the hero and heroine question their feelings for each other and try really hard not to act on them. But as life shows us that's not always as easy as you think. Zack and Uma have great chemistry and come to realize what they think is holding them back from each other, may just be smoke screens. Nichols scores a goal with her storyline and character development, definitely worth reading.

Playing for Keeps
I like the idea of being able to change, maybe Lucas's accident was a higher power giving him a do-over. Izzy and Lucas's story is swoon worthy, and will keep you hanging on. This is a quick read about change, trusting in love, and moving on. I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book.

Playing Dirty
Oh my Gosh!! This has been a great series, but this book will blow you away. Julien and Noemi have a raw chemistry that isn't always a good thing. This books takes you on a journey of humiliation, betrayal, lust, passion, forgiveness and finally love. It will grab your heart and keep squeezing until the very end. This is one match you don't want to miss. I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book.

[Mary Lou Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good representation of the genre

I'll admit, straight romance isn't my cup of tea. I prefer thrillers and mysteries, which can have an element of romance, but also have strong plots and characters. There's something formulaic about romance and nothing else. There's truth to those old sayings. Boy meets girl. Boy and girl mess up their relationship and split. Boy wins girl back.

All that being said, it's an excellent representation of the genre, well-written and well-edited. The characters contain the foibles that make them more realistic. If you are into romance, you'll more than likely enjoy reading these stories.

[Stephanie Corbett · Rating 5 out of 5]

3 fabulous books, whether individually or as a box set!

Alix Nichols seems to effortlessly produce funny, romantic and heart wrenching stories, and this box set is no exception. Each story gets better and better, just when you like you can’t like a main character more, I started the next book in the set. So no surprise that my favourite book and characters were from the third book of this set. Plenty of intrigue and twists and turns, but a funny and satisfying read!!

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

arc review Playing for keeps For honest review. Lucas was a water poloist till his amnesia and Isabelle is a publicist they had a past . Now he wants her to come work for him but she doesn't know since they did have the past and she was hurt by him .this was a cute story playing with fire ARC review For honest review. Uma is a nanny for Zack . This is a beautiful story of two characters finding love and bringing to cultures together. I've not read yet playing dirty.

[Debbie Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for an ARC review. All three stories are good but I did enjoy the last two more. The first one does a nice job on setting the scene and location where all three books are set. It was nice learning about water polo which I was unfamiliar with before. The author did a good job with the interplay between the three couples and tying all three stories together. I would recommend reading this book.

[Gladys · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great collection of three sports romances. Each book features engaging characters and an involving storyline. Includes: Playing With Fire - A single dad and the nanny romance, Playing For Keeps - A second chance/enemies to lovers story, and Playing Dirty - A emotional, revenge romance. A wonderful way to get three great books for one low price. I am posting an honest review after reading an advance copy of this book.

[Pam Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great!

I chose this rating because this was a really good series. I really enjoyed all of the characters. This said a book consisted of men that were go-getters. They got the women of their dreams and even the ones that they loved and lost. And then got again. This was a book of compassion, kindness, and believing in yourself. This was a great read. I really enjoyed the series. I recommend this book to all romance readers because there was a lot of romance going on as well.

[The Mysterious Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, this is just a a “quickie” review. Unfortunately, I’m in in a hospital and asked my husband to post this since I don’t have the time to do better - even though the book definitely deserves it.

Bottom line: five stars. This was one wonderfully fun novel and definitely recommended. It had just what I wanted and was well written and with a great plot and great cast of characters.

[Leanne Bryson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love KU and these are 3 great, fast, fun reads, complete with each couple’s HEA. Each of the 3 books have interesting characters, some slight twists, and each couple have great chemistry. Zack & Uma, Lucas & Isabelle, and Julian & Noemi were all worth getting to know. This series is a great way to spend a snowy or rainy weekend!!

[Kim F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three amazing books. Extremely entertaining, captivating, and interesting read. I could not put it down. Wonderfully written with strong characters. I want to read more from this author. I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of these books.

[Jacqueline Ellison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful sport romance box set. Quick easy fun reads with great characters and storylines. I though the books were well written and kept me interested. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of these books.

[Jeanne Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another winner!

Once again, Alix Nichols brings us a wonderful group of love stories with just enough angst to keep it lively and hold our attentions. I really enjoyed this set a much as the last one, and I'm looking forward to the next!

[Sandra Singleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://www.amazon.com/review/R2TZ0A2...

[Jack Holtzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this

I loved his series. Alix Nichols is becoming one of my favorite authors. I cannot wait to read more books.

[Melba Hard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light reading.

Light read, I like the fact that each boo is different but includes reference to characters we have met in previous books.I also earnt a lot about water polo!

[Christine Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome

Enjoyed reading your ebook series of Playing to win!! Plan on telling all my girlfriends who love these type of stories.

[Darlene Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Defiantly worth the read. Everything seems 3D and the people are written so real. This is a really roller coaster ride I’ll have to read more from this author.