The Book I Love: Book review: Bitter Play, by Alison Rhymes

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

Book review: Bitter Play, by Alison Rhymes

False Start #3

Reed & Leighton

I was initially confused by this book because it didn’t read like the author who delighted us with Broken Play and Bitter Play. It didn’t have the emotional punch or the thoughtful prose that I had previously enjoyed, it felt somehow flat. I was about to stop reading but decided to trust the author and continued. Someway along the book, the feeling in the writing changed, and I recognized the author again, strongly emotional and angsty. I have no idea what happened here, but I can only say, the second part of the story is worth the reading.

We already knew that Reed has always loved Leighton, but in this book we learn that he had decided to keep away from her. His intention was to let her soar as she lived her life and reached her career goals. He thought he could get her when the timing was right. And then she started dating Connor, Noah’s younger brother. The joke’s on Reed, he thought he had it all planned when he moved to New Orleans to be near her, but a new event threw a monkey wrench into the works and now they all had to deal. And Leighton has some decisions to make!

I loved getting to know Reed, since we don’t get a good reading on him in the previous books, only the immense love he has for his sister and that he loves Drew as a brother. I found him a bossy but very caring lover, very kinky but that was great with Leighton. He observed a lot and took care of Leighton in ways that were unobtrusive but full of love. I loved that he made her feel safe, the way no other man had made her feel, and loved that he gave her space when she was confused and needed to sort her feelings. From a jerk, he blossomed in this book into this very caring and emphatic guy, still bossy but now totally dear.

We also get to know Leighton, apart from the wild child and June’s bestie. She’s talented, driven, generous, and kind. She has abandonment issues, which make her insecure on love and marriage. Even so, the devotion she shows to June and her father, leave no doubt that when she finally settles, she’s going to be an awesome partner, just a little crazy!

Apart from the love story, which was very steamy and angsty, I loved all the other characters and the strong family love that surround Leighton and Reed. New characters, Ivy and Olive Broussard, the exotic and artsy neighbors, are a hoot and provide a lot of caring moments for Reed when he needed them. I’ve been several times to New Orleans and enjoyed the descriptions of the vibe and the culture. It really is all that! And I loved how the book ends, in perfect sync with who Leighton is, with the strong bonds that this family forms, the fun and the weird.

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About the author

Alison lives somewhere in the shadow of a Pacific Northwest Mountain, bordered by the Puget Sound, and not too far from the country roads she grew up on.

When she’s not writing, she can be found avidly reading, traveling with youthful wanderlust, or slowly turning the inside of her home into her own personal houseplant jungle.

Author links