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Playing to Win
When dating is a lottery, you have to play to win.
Best friends since Freshman year at Midwestern State University, Sully and Kate have been playing, and losing, the dating game for four long years, comparing notes along the way. Kate is sure that personality trumps all, and Sully refuses to settle for anything less than perfect chemistry, but they’re both determined to find The One. Finally, after graduation, it looks like they might have landed their winning tickets—there’s just one problem: it turns out, after years living as strictly platonic roommates, sparks have begun to fly at home.
But Kate needs her best friend—Sully is the only safety net she has left. Add in the stress of figuring out her life plan post-college, a hot mess of a family situation threatening to suck her back in, and the fear of not living up to Sully’s super high bar for sexual chemistry, and feelings or not, kissing that frog might be too big of a risk.
Either way, the rules of the game they’ve been playing have changed. And Kate and Sully are rapidly approaching a crisis their friendship might not survive. Not unless they’re willing to go all in.
Playing to Win is the first book in an all new, scorchingly hot romantic comedy series from the author of Daughter of a Thousand Years and From Asgard, With Love.
Best friends since Freshman year at Midwestern State University, Sully and Kate have been playing, and losing, the dating game for four long years, comparing notes along the way. Kate is sure that personality trumps all, and Sully refuses to settle for anything less than perfect chemistry, but they’re both determined to find The One. Finally, after graduation, it looks like they might have landed their winning tickets—there’s just one problem: it turns out, after years living as strictly platonic roommates, sparks have begun to fly at home.
But Kate needs her best friend—Sully is the only safety net she has left. Add in the stress of figuring out her life plan post-college, a hot mess of a family situation threatening to suck her back in, and the fear of not living up to Sully’s super high bar for sexual chemistry, and feelings or not, kissing that frog might be too big of a risk.
Either way, the rules of the game they’ve been playing have changed. And Kate and Sully are rapidly approaching a crisis their friendship might not survive. Not unless they’re willing to go all in.
Playing to Win is the first book in an all new, scorchingly hot romantic comedy series from the author of Daughter of a Thousand Years and From Asgard, With Love.
401 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 20, 2020
56 people are currently reading
284 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 17, 2022
This had some really cute moments but I also spent a lot of the book frustrated and annoyed at characters
September 4, 2020
A Must Read!
This book is engaging with witty dialog and steam! The relationship between Sully and Kate is believable and could be anyone’s college buddies. This book is a must read for those romance lovers!
This book is engaging with witty dialog and steam! The relationship between Sully and Kate is believable and could be anyone’s college buddies. This book is a must read for those romance lovers!
July 31, 2020
This book took me forever to finish. I started it right before the pandemic shut everything down in the US and then gave up about 2 months later because it just wasn't clicking for me. At that time nothing contemporary was working for me because it was too hard to read about normal every day situations in the current crisis.
Fast forward to July and I've been out to restaurants, social distanced my kid's baseball games, and watched my girls dance in their recital and it feels almost normal in the world despite wearing a mask everywhere. I picked up this book again and started over from the beginning.
Kate and Sully are best friends, roommates, joined at the hip and figuring out life after college has ended. We see the beginning of their friendship through flashbacks and watch them come to terms with their current feelings for each other. While the reader know that these two are idiots to lovers, it takes them fooooooorreeeevvvvvveeeeeeerrrrr to figure it out. The majority of the conflict in this book is more internal than external. The only thing initially keeping these two fools apart is themselves. We watch them both attempt other relationships with other people (I liked Nicole, Jake was a douche) which can be rather disconcerting in a romance novel, but this time it works.
The book really picks up in the last 80 or so pages and the conflict adds Kate's messy family life to the picture. Kate's brother is a drug addict and Kate is torn between her family loyalties and her need to make her own life. The conflict is resolved with enough resolution to make it believable but leaves it open ended to revisit as an aside in future books.
Overall despite the rocky start (thanks COVID-19), I enjoyed the book. It is a departure from the author's other types of works and frankly if it hadn't been her writing it, I'm not sure if I would have picked it up. But I'm glad I did and I look forward to visiting this world again in the next book.
Fast forward to July and I've been out to restaurants, social distanced my kid's baseball games, and watched my girls dance in their recital and it feels almost normal in the world despite wearing a mask everywhere. I picked up this book again and started over from the beginning.
Kate and Sully are best friends, roommates, joined at the hip and figuring out life after college has ended. We see the beginning of their friendship through flashbacks and watch them come to terms with their current feelings for each other. While the reader know that these two are idiots to lovers, it takes them fooooooorreeeevvvvvveeeeeeerrrrr to figure it out. The majority of the conflict in this book is more internal than external. The only thing initially keeping these two fools apart is themselves. We watch them both attempt other relationships with other people (I liked Nicole, Jake was a douche) which can be rather disconcerting in a romance novel, but this time it works.
The book really picks up in the last 80 or so pages and the conflict adds Kate's messy family life to the picture. Kate's brother is a drug addict and Kate is torn between her family loyalties and her need to make her own life. The conflict is resolved with enough resolution to make it believable but leaves it open ended to revisit as an aside in future books.
Overall despite the rocky start (thanks COVID-19), I enjoyed the book. It is a departure from the author's other types of works and frankly if it hadn't been her writing it, I'm not sure if I would have picked it up. But I'm glad I did and I look forward to visiting this world again in the next book.
April 29, 2020
After reading a handful of poorly selected books Playing to Win was a refreshing change. Character I actually liked and rooted for and a storyline I could at least partially relate too. Playing to Win was a easy read that still kept me wanting more. There were definitely a few chapters that made me blush but all in all I enjoyed the book and will look for the second one in May.
January 21, 2021
Rom-com normally isn't my thing, but I like Amalia's other works enough to give this series a shot, and I'm glad I did. Sully and Kate's complicated relationship was a fascinating mix of sad, hilarious, and sweet. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
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November 28, 2023PLAYING TO WIN is my first release writing as Amalia Theresa--and I hope you'll follow my author self on this adventure into writing sexy rom coms and contemporary romance!!
(I love Kate and Sully so much!!!)
(I love Kate and Sully so much!!!)
August 1, 2025
It took me more than 2 months to finish this, I was so exasperated that Kate were so blind about her brother's problems and she always started wiping and saying "you don't understand" ahhhhh so frustrating. Sully is a character that doesn't have a big change he is loyal to the end. What did bother me a lot was that both of them were "playing the game" but never caring what others felt, they just were sleeping around but if it didn't satisfied them they would finish the whole thing without contemplating what the people were feeling. And the fact that Kate was so offended when Sully's girl said the TRUTH about how many people she had slept with is bullshit. I mean, it's not about slut shaming, you are allowed to do whatever you want with your body, but this girl knew not discretion.
I'm gonna say it again she deserved everything that happened to her, except for the cool job.
Ps. They never tell you what happened with her family at the end. I mean the book is already huge just talking about how much they want to fuck each other you could've spared a few pages to tell what happened with the brother and the parents.
Ps2. Half the book is just smut, and not even good one. It wasn't necessary all of that and all of the drama about "our friendship will end" she was the most worried about it and ended up being the one who made it effective even when everything was her a fault.
I'm gonna say it again she deserved everything that happened to her, except for the cool job.
Ps. They never tell you what happened with her family at the end. I mean the book is already huge just talking about how much they want to fuck each other you could've spared a few pages to tell what happened with the brother and the parents.
Ps2. Half the book is just smut, and not even good one. It wasn't necessary all of that and all of the drama about "our friendship will end" she was the most worried about it and ended up being the one who made it effective even when everything was her a fault.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2022
This one was not for me. I never really warmed to the MC’s, especially Kate. There were A LOT of internal musings that kept going around in circles and exasperated me to no end. The constant reference to sex, the way it took them 4 years of dating other people to admit they had feelings for each other (with no discernible catalyst other than a random hookup) and even reading each other’s text messages from a 3rd party seemed a bit off. The ‘game’ they played was weak at best and I think used as a plot device to keep the friendship from evolving. I just didn’t buy it, 2 stars.
September 15, 2021
Good book
I enjoyed reading this book. Sometimes the story was exhilarating. My problem with it was the heroine, Kate. I just cannot believe in a character that so willfully chooses to ruin her life, and the toxic parents were also unbelievable. I would have supported an ending where Kate looked for a job near Sully, found one, and moved away from her home town.
I enjoyed reading this book. Sometimes the story was exhilarating. My problem with it was the heroine, Kate. I just cannot believe in a character that so willfully chooses to ruin her life, and the toxic parents were also unbelievable. I would have supported an ending where Kate looked for a job near Sully, found one, and moved away from her home town.
July 15, 2025
I liked the two protagonists, Kate and Sully, who both take turns narrating. Their friends-to-lovers journey kept me reading. If I have a complaint, I found it a bit long, and the plot with Kate's brother in the third act slowed down the story for me.
Goodreads review published 15/07/25
Goodreads review published 15/07/25
August 26, 2022
I can handle characters that I don't particularly like with no problem in most cases. But Kate was so obnoxious and wildly unbelievable. I awarded two stars because the writing itself was fine, the premise was good. Just no to Kate.
September 30, 2021
Dragged
The story dragged for me with a ‘heroine’ who seemed too childish. This might be a story fo a YA.
The story dragged for me with a ‘heroine’ who seemed too childish. This might be a story fo a YA.
October 26, 2021
Blech
Would have loved to have read it but every other page was missing. I have read from these authors before an enjoyed them though.
Would have loved to have read it but every other page was missing. I have read from these authors before an enjoyed them though.
Want to read
October 26, 2022🎁 FREE on Amazon today (10/26/2022)! 🎁
September 16, 2023
Pretty good read.
August 14, 2024
Aburridisimo, lento, repetitivo
August 31, 2024
predictable. but i needed to start reading again so thats fine
August 8, 2025
it’s cute..
It moves kinda slow but it is a cute story. A college couple, procrastinating girl with a manipulative brother and mother..
It moves kinda slow but it is a cute story. A college couple, procrastinating girl with a manipulative brother and mother..
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews