Customer Reviews

The Player (Blaze Romance)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

US Army Ranger Jamie Flanagan and two buddies left the military after their last assignment turned ugly. All 3 of them live with some form of guilt over the outcome of the assignment where they lost one of their closest friends, but as Jamie was his "buddy" for this assignment none seem to be bottling it up more than he is. Jamie seems to be trying to see how many women he can bed and drop in less than 3 dates, as a means of not forming attachments. Due to a bar fight that got out of hand Commander Garrett extracts a promise from each of them to do any favor he asks of him to keep their discharge on tract.

Garrett calls in his favor when he figures out that his granddaughter Aubrey may be setting out to marry a man who is not worthy of him. Garrett tells Aubrey that Jamie is coming to her "de-stressing" camp in Maine, as a result of the outcome of that last assignment. Garrett tells Jamie that he needs him to protect Aubrey from a threat and that he needs to go in undercover. But, it doesn't take Jamie long to figure out that he has been set up. Especially when the forms that Garrett filled out for him were all about needing coaching on erectile dysfunction as well as water color painting. Aubrey who had a heart attack from stress when she was 24 initially thinks her grandfather has gone too far. But, when Jamie takes it all in stride and starts to make things to send to him, such as a painting of 2 mountains and a very suggestive orchid painting she knows he has one wicked sense of humor.

The longer that they spend together Aubrey determines that she is drawn to Jamie in ways she has never been drawn to others. She is also determined to crack into Jamie's wall he has put up and make him not only let her in but to start dealing with his feelings.

I thoroughly enjoyed this first segment of the Ranger Security Men. I happened to listen to this on an audio version and found that I wanted to see what Jamie was going to make for old man Garrett next. I am glad I didn't have the book or I would have spent a bunch of time skimming. I enjoyed the author's style of writing and found that I was looking for the next installments even before I was done. As with all Blaze romances there is a short section where a lot of conflict comes to a head but in the end the guy gets the girl, or is it the girl gets the guy.

US Army Ranger Jamie Flanagan and two buddies (Guy and Payne) left the military after their last assignment turned ugly. However, as he says goodbye to his Commander Garrett, he and the others promise to be there to do any favor their superior asks of them.

Garrett calls in his favor owed by now Atlanta based security specialist Flanagan asking him to protect his granddaughter Aubrey Kincaid, who runs a de-stressing camp in Maine for executives over the edge. She was one of them until a heart attack warned her to slow down when she in her twenties. Garrett informs his granddaughter that a stressed out former soldier needs her special help and as a favor to him she should take care of Jamie. Neither knows that Garrett using his military experience has planned the perfect strategy to get two people he cares about to meet and he believes fall in love.

The lead duet is a terrific pairing as known by her Machiavellian grandfather and affirmed by pleased readers. The humorous story line is fun to follow as both believe they are doing a favor for Garrett by taking care of the other. Amused fans will appreciate Ronda Nelson's fine contemporary and look forward to the tales of the remaining two players.

Harriet Klausner

Rhonda Nelson's The Player -- ironically enough -- is the first book of her series about a group of Army Ranger men who, following the death of their fellow Ranger, Danny, all leave the service in exchange for a "favor" owed to their Colonel, Carl Garrett... and the last book of the series that I read.

Hardest hit by Danny's death, Jamie Flanagan agrees to ship out to a de-stressing camp run by Garrett's granddaughter, Audrey, to... shall we say "dissaude" her from marrying a man the Colonel feels is completely wrong for her. Of course Audrey has already reached that conclusion on her own, but nobody's bothered to ask her. LOL.

Audrey is immediately attracted to Jamie, and vice versa, and Nelson does another masterful job of pairing up the right hero with the right heroine, making you really understand why these two people are right for each other. Of course the attraction sizzles, the sex is hot, and the two of them fall head over heels in lust. But they both admire the traits of the other above all else, and that's where Ms. Nelson excels in all her storytelling. When you close this book, you know these two have found the person they'll spend Forever with and aren't just another "good enough for now" pairing that so many other books by other authors seem turn out.

The big thing with The Player Jamie is he has 3 steadfast rules - never have more than three dates with any woman, never let her eat off his plate, never spend the night in her bed. He's held hard and fast to the rules, and guess which woman knocks each and every one of them down?

But Audrey also has one other trick up her sleeve -- an ability to see and read people, and when she looks at Jamie, she knows there are demons haunting him and uses the time at the retreat to try and get Jamie to open up to her about it. As with all the books in this series, the culmination of that confrontation tests the couple and presents Jamie (just like all the other men in their books) with the most important choice: honor the memory of a fallen friend and embrace the future with the woman he coudl have and hold forever, or let guilt and the past haunt him and cost him everything.

Mention has been made in other reviews about the "harping on" of the Danny/Guilt issue, but it's compelling motivation for all the Ranger men to reassess their lives. Given that these men are the toughest, strongest, smartest, most elite Rangers, finding something to give them a chink in the armor, something to scar them so deeply and on such an intimate level would be a challenge, but Nelson pulls it off expertly. It made these men characters you felt for, hurt for and - at the same time - cheered on for their loyalty, friendship and honor.

Mention has also been made of the language content of the books, but I've certainly read more explicit in the contemporary field, and where Blaze books are concerned, the sensuality level is always turned on on High. Something Ms. nelson delivers (again) expertly delivers.

This is a great series from start to finish and I'm looking forward to her next book.

Any book with a hot man on the cover with a title like The Player has a lot of live up to. It does and he does. I love a book when you just KNOW that two people were meant to be together and you definitely feel it between Jamie and Audrey. Loved the blend of "real" man, hot sex, and tender romance.

I thought it this book was adorable. It made me laugh and cry... Rhonda Nelson is a great writer.. I have read many of her books. This series is Awesome. I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes a good read with humor and heart.

The Player by Rhonda Nelson
Harlequin Blaze # 255 - June 2006
Men Out of Uniform trilogy - Book 1

Ex-Ranger Jamie Flanagan carries a deep private burden. And to help him cope with that burden, Jamie has been living up to his reputation as a player with the ladies. Three months into his new civilian life, General Garrett calls in his favour. It seems his granddaughter Audrey has taken up with a most unsuitable match, and there's been a marriage proposal. So the General has ordered Jamie to some R&R at Audrey's destressing camp for executives called Unwind. And while there, Jamie is to put on the charm and show Audrey that there other fish in the sea than her cold-fish of a boyfriend. Audrey loves her grandfather dearly, but she knows there's something more to his request that she personally look after his former Ranger. One look at Jamie and Audrey's libido kicks up a notch, and she senses that Jamie feels that heat too. Audrey's uncanny empathic abilities, tell her that Jamie has a pain so deep and sharp that it's slowly killing him inside.

What a great read! Jamie knows from the get go, that he's so screwed when it comes to keeping his hands off Audrey. She's the General's granddaughter, and Jamie's been told in crystal clear terms that he is not to reach any base with her. This leads to some very comical scenes and internal dialogue, as Audrey too fights her attraction to Jamie. Ms. Nelson is the queen of the internal dialogue debate! They make a great couple, both flawed and filling needs in the other. This is a fun, sexy read with some serious elements as well. I'm looking forward to reading more about these wonderful strong, hunky heroes! :D

Men Out of Uniform trilogy
The Player - Harlequin Blaze # 255 - June 2006
The Specialist - Harlequin Blaze # 277 - September 2006
The Maverick - Harlequin Blaze # 283 - October 2006

Rhonda Nelson never ceases to amaze me with her quick wit and the sizzling chemistry between her characters! A definite keeper!

The background of the story is good, but the actual story - so boring I skimmed through a lot of it. The meddling by the friend and grandfather in the female lead character's life was completely overdone. As the reader you get the background of their lives toward the beginning and then get to read it a second time around when they tell each other later in the book. You pick either paragraphs of description or dialogue to dispel information to the reader, not both. Otherwise we're just re-reading the same boring story twice. Overall, both the male and female lead characters came off flat and even the sex scenes, the very few that were in there, didn't spice it up.

SPOILER ALERT ***

What was the deal with spraying the repellent on the guy's crotch to keep the dog away? That was just plain wierd. He's an alpha guy, couldn't he just have made the dog behave with a tone of voice and command? And, the activities, are we serious? I just read a book where painting and basket weaving were the prime points of action. She's as boring as they come and he didn't live up to the alpha male status.

Save your time and money.

i have read the 3 books that went with this collection and i really wanted this one.well, it held my attention like i figured it would,i couldn't put it down the book is that good.i will recommend this book to anyone that likes true romance.

I enjoyed the basic story but all of the "dick this and dick that" language ruined a perfectly good plot.

Former Ranger, Major Jamie Flanagan takes out and tries to lose his grief by bedding as many broads as possible. Three dates and he is gone.

Colonel Carl Garrett is concerned about his men. These three men are holding their grief in and bottling it up. Major Daniel Levinson had been a good man, a better soldier and an original member of this college crew. Major Jamie Flannigan, known as a "player", had the brawn and genius-level IQ that made him the brain of the unit.
"The Specialist", a nickname for Major Brian Payne could be counted on to get the job done and get it done right.
"The Maverick", Lt. Col. Guy McCann, could bend a rule just shy of the breaking point and still land on his feet.

His men would follow orders. <g> Yeah! right! Jamie was chosen to protect his granddaughter from marrying the wrong man. So he thinks!
She appears to have been around the block a few times herself. The goose trying to keep up with the gander?
Audrey Kincaid runs a de-stressing camp for over-worked exec.'s Sometimes she can feel their pain. With her and Jamie it is almost instant attraction even though......... then begins the "forward" or specific language that killed all the romance -- but that must be in the genre of Blaze --- not my cup of tea.

Would have enjoyed adding this series to my collection but no can do - language you know.

Plot is excellent - story moves well - characters excellent - language does not support romance.