SYNOPSIS

His best friend’s little sister is all grown up … and ready to play in a whole new way.

Smith Hamilton has it all—he’s smart, good-looking and loaded. But he remembers a time when he had nothing and no one, so he’s not about to mess up, especially with his best friend’s little sister. That means keeping Evie at arm’s length … even though the once pesky little girl is now a buxom bombshell. A sexy blonde who pushes his self-control to the limit the night she crawls into bed with him.

Evie Reed knows she’s blessed—with an exclusive education, a family who loves her, and a new job managing social media for her family’s lingerie company. But she wants more, like a reason to wear the sexy lingerie herself. She has just the man in mind to help with that. She’s crushed on Smith forever. Surely tricking her way into his bed will force him to see her in a new, adult way.

Except that when Evie’s plan leads to disaster, she and Smith must decide—ignore the attraction sizzling between them, or become play mates and risk it all.

Don’t miss this sexy friends-to-lovers romp—get your copy of The Play Mate today!

*****Patty’s Review*****
*****4.5 STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}

I was falling, and I was falling hard. I could only hope Evie felt the same and that, soon enough, we’d come up with a way to tell her brother. A way that wouldn’t drive us all apart and ruin everything.

The Roommates series is turning out to be one of my favorites by Kendall Ryan. THE PLAY MATE is sure to become a HIT! This second installment focuses on the ”romance with the older brother’s best friend” trope, and boy did it have a healthy dose of steam and almost painful build up to the schmexy!!

Evie Reed has a plan. Her one and only sexual encounter with a college boyfriend had been a huge disappointment. She wants a “do over”, and Evie wants it to be with her secret crush, Smith Hamilton. He’s been a permanent fixture in her life since her early childhood years. Smith was like a second older brother when she was growing up until she reached her teenage years, and then he became the star of her naughty fantasies. While in Paris, she meets up with her brother and Smith to go over a business proposition. Evie’s family owns a lingerie company and it’s in need of a financial backer, which ends up being Smith. Evie plans to seduce Smith after the meeting, are ruined when he turns in for the night earlier than expected. Little does she know that he’s been having the same feelings for her and his desire for her that night was driving him insane. To avoid doing something he would regret, he chose to sequester himself in his hotel room.

Evie is not willing to give up on her plans of seduction. She ends up fooling the concierge into believing that she is Smith’s wife and is given the key to his room. While he’ sleeping she crawls into bed with him and let’s just say, she wakes him up in a way that sets him on fire. It’s pitch black in his room and he just assumed she was the woman who gave him her number at the bar that night. They are having the most erotic night of their lives until Smith realizes that it’s Evie that is laying beneath him on his bed. The brakes are put on almost instantly. Smith is stunned and a bit angry with Evie, while she is left feeling painfully embarrassed. They promise to keep that night a secret and go back to being “friends”. The only problem with that plan is now they will be working together, Monday through Friday, and how are they going to keep things platonic when they’re both so strongly attracted to each other? How will they be able to hide their feelings from Evie’s brother?

No matter how hard Smith tries to fight his feelings for Evie, it’s of no use. That night in Paris plays on repeat through his mind and being close to her every day is wearing his defenses down. So he suggests that they start spending time together to see what it is that is between them. The deal is that they are to get to know each other but SEX is not an option! This, as you can only imagine, will become a pain point for both Smith and Evie, and I’m not going to lie, it drove me crazy as well. I thought I was going to die from waiting for it to finally happen between them!! A part of the reason Smith took his time with Evie was because of his friendship with her and her brother. But mostly he has huge abandonment issues, having grown up in the foster care system and being adopted during his later childhood years.

Whether you’re a fan of Kendall Ryan or have yet to read one of her books, you are in for quite a treat! I mean who doesn’t love this trope?! The slow build up to the steam is definitely agonizing but so worth the wait once it finally happens!

THE PLAY MATE releases on March 13th!

Kindle ➜ http://amzn.to/2iDgTyx
iBooks ➜ goo.gl/h8TYTW
Nook ➜ goo.gl/NxEp9y
Kobo ➜ goo.gl/Y2fxX1
Amazon UK ➜ https://goo.gl/NP0zyk
Amazon AU ➜ https://goo.gl/dvoMel
Amazon CA ➜ https://goo.gl/Xo7aNg

*****Mel’s Review*****

5 Stars!

Everleigh Reed aka Evie is a 22 yr. old woman who grew up in Chicago with a great family. She recently graduated college and toured Europe. Now ready to head back home she’s spending her last days in Paris where she will be joined by her brother Cullen & his best friend Smith. Smith Hamilton is Evie’s older brother’s hot, off limits best friend. She’s wanted him for as long as she can remember. Growing up he was always so kind to her. Now they are both adults & he’s smart, sinfully gorgeous, educated and wealthy. He’s always had this sexy, wounded alpha male thing going on, & Evie’s still crushing hard on him. She wants him to see her as the adult she is. She’s never had a man rock her world in bed, & she wants a hot tryst. She has just the man in mind. The one she’s always desired. She knows what she wants, has a plan, & is going for it. She’ll seduce Smith & he won’t know what hit him. She’s in the city of romance and figures it’s her perfect chance.

Smith Hamilton lives in Chicago & runs part of his family’s business. He’s just arrived in Paris to talk business with his best friend Cullen Reed. Cullen has been like a brother to him since they were six. Cullen owns his family’s lingerie company called Sophia’s & has asked Smith to come on temporarily to help with numbers. Smith would never let Cullen down. Smith & Cullen meet up with Evie. Smith hasn’t seen Cullen’s little sister in about a year, & she’s no longer the little girl he remembered, but a beautiful, blonde bombshell. She’s absolutely stunning & tests his self-control every time she gets close to him. His body wants her desperately, but he’d never act on it. She is the one woman he can never have.

Evie is all grown up & wants to play. She wanted to have Smith just once. She comes up with a plan & breaks into his hotel room and crawls into his bed with him. Things turn intimate & then don’t go exactly as Evie planned. She returns to Chicago feeling like her attempt with Smith was an utter failure. Smith returns home trying to forget what happened in Paris. He keeps fantasizing about Evie & can’t quit thinking about her. He hoped with some time & space he’d get past it, but when she shows up at the office it’s pure torture being around her & not being able to have her. He tries to keep her at arm’s length & control his attraction to her, but things have changed.

-“I feel different about you than I’ve ever felt before.”

-This might have been about sex when I started, but it had grown into something more. I didn’t want just sex like I’d initially thought. No, I wanted a man. And the man I wanted was Smith.

Smith hasn’t ever been a relationship guy. He’s never let a woman get too close. If he was with Evie things couldn’t be casual. He could never hurt her. Too much is at stake. He was in foster care as a child & met the Reed’s after being adopted. He still remembers what it was like to have no one & doesn’t want to mess up the relationships he has with the family that means everything to him. The Reed’s had always accepted him.

Smith & Evie can’t fight the chemistry & connection they feel, & begin spending time together as friends. He pulls back so they can figure out what’s between them. Evie makes him feel like a teenager again & he’s falling fast for her. They laugh, make each other happy & can be themselves. What they share is special, but with Smith risk, it all to have her? Can he explain things to her brother without tearing them apart?