Playing Pretend by Eden Summers -a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 16, 2023

One bed. Two best friends. Three nights playing pretend.

When I agreed to let Rome be my fake boyfriend on a work trip, I didn’t think acting like a couple would be that complicated.

He’d flash his killer smile at my colleagues.
Impress them with his charm.
While keeping my toxic ex at bay.

But that’s not the reality I’m currently drowning in.

From the moment we arrive at the resort Rome’s hands are all over me.
His whispered words in my ear more scandalously filthy than sweet.

He’s acting like a lust-drunk fool who’s dying for a taste and I can’t stop blushing… Or panicking… Because there’s only one bed in our hotel room and Rome Cavanaugh wouldn’t know how to sleep in anything other than his birthday suit.

••••••

REVIEW: PLAYING PRETEND by Eden Summers is a stand alone, contemporary, adult, erotic, romance story line focusing on real estate investor thirty-one year old Rome Cavanaugh, and real estate agent twenty-five year old Piper Sheffield.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Rome and Piper) PLAYING PRETEND follows the best friend to lovers relationship between thirty-one year old Rome Cavanaugh, and twenty-five year old Piper Sheffield. Piper and Rome, along with Piper’s brother Rett have been best friends all of their lives but business weekend for work finds Piper needing a plus one, and her brother volunteers Rome to be Piper’s significant other, a fake relationship to keep Piper’s ex-boyfriend at bay. Piper’s ex refuses to take no for an answer, and he is expected to be present for the three day event. As Piper and Rome prepare for their trip to Laguna Beach, Rome hopes for the possibility of something more than pretend, while Piper struggles with other people’s perceptions but all does not go according to plan as Piper battles between head and heart, eventually pushing her best friend out of her life. What ensues is the building but fractured romance and relationship between Piper and Rome, and the fall-out as Rome refuses to fight for a woman who doesn’t know what she wants.

Piper has always wanted to work with her brother and Rome at their co-owned Cavanaugh Sheffield Holdings, and to survive a weekend with Rome means she can survive working with the man that has stolen her heart but Piper has to prove she has got what is takes knowing there are other people hoping to tear her down.

The relationship between Rome and Piper is a best friends to lovers in the face of protecting our story line heroine. Piper’s ex has been hassling our heroine, quickly moving to stalker, and Rome is desperate to protect the woman he loves but Piper’s fear of losing Rome in the face of destroying their friendship works in reverse, destroying Rome’s heart in the process. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate and seductive without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to Piper’s brother Everett ‘Rett’ Sheffield, as well as her ex boyfriend Julian, and several co-workers including friend Cassidy. Rett’s story line is next.

PLAYING PRETEND is a story of family and friendships, relationships and love. A best friends to frenemies to lovers affair in which Piper struggles with the potential of permanently losing the closeness they once held. The fast paced premise is captivating and spirited; the romance is awkward and sensitive ; the characters are quirky, sassy and dynamic but I struggled a little bit with Piper’s attitude, leaving this reader a little anxious throughout most of the story.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Eden Summers is a bestselling author of contemporary romance with a side of sizzle and sarcasm.

She lives in Australia with a young family who are well aware she’s circling the drain of insanity. Eden can’t resist alpha dominance, dark features and sarcasm in her fictional heroes and loves a strong heroine who knows when to bite her tongue but also serves retribution with a feminine smile on her face

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