Play Dirty (Tempting SEALS: Triton 1) by Lora Leigh-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 6, 2024

She saved his life when they were kids and then he saved hers. When she became a young woman, Poppy knew she would never love anyone the way she loved Jack Lee Bridger.

But after a near tragedy, Jack left home to become a Navy SEAL and Poppy knew there wouldn’t be another like him. Not for her.

She remembered the way it felt when he looked at her with those smoldering eyes.

The way he kissed her.

Touched her…

Now it’s years later and danger is dogging her footsteps and Jack is back.

And Poppy knows that he will do anything–absolutely anything–to keep her safe. She trusts him to protect her body, but can she trust him with heart?

••••

REVIEW:PLAY DIRTY is the first instalment in Lora Leigh’s contemporary, adult Tempting SEALs: Triton erotic romance series. This is thirty-two year old, undercover US Navy SEAL Jack Bridger, and twenty-six year old Poppy Porter’s story line. There is a slight sci-fi plot line involving sentient artificial intelligence, and cybernetic organisms.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from several omniscient third person perspectives (Jack and Poppy) using present day and memories from the past, PLAY DIRTY follows the childhood friends to lovers relationship between our story line couple. At seven years of age, Poppy Porter ‘saved’ the life of her best friend Jack Bridger, and several years later Jack would save Poppy’s life in return. Fast forward to present day wherein Jack Bridger has returned to his home town, a town that believes Jack is a traitor to the American people.Along with his team of former US Navy SEALs Jack goes undercover to ferret out a criminal organization with possible connections to the woman he loves.

The world building focuses on the events of the past, the abuse and betrayal of our story line hero, and the fall-out for a man who has battled all of his life. Poppy Porter has always loved the boy who had stolen her heart but Jack has returned a changed man, a man with a deadly and questionable reputation.

The relationship between Jack and Poppy is a best friends to lovers but a relationship that is currently based on secrets and lies. Jack’s return home comes with a darkness and secrets he is unable to reveal, and Poppy struggles to trust as death and destruction follow Jack in his wake. The $ex scenes are erotic and provocative.

We are introduced to Jack’s US Navy SEAL team: Lucas Royce, Hayes Granger and Hank Brady: Poppy’s over protective brothers Mac-Cole, John David and Evan; Poppy’s bosses Caine Crossfield and mention of River Dawson, as well as Poppy’s friends and co-workers Sasha and Saige. The requisite evil has many faces.

PLAY DIRTY is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, family and friendships, relationships and love. The premise is intriguing, captivating and engaging; the romance is seductive and fated; the characters are desperate, dynamic and charismatic. PLAY DIRTY ends on a bit of a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy