Serious Play [Kindle Edition]

Summer Devon (Author), Bonnie Dee (Author)

Book Description

Luke Bailey has dreams of building homes and putting down roots. But for a man with a rough past, finding any job isn't easy. When Mary Scott offers him a job—and a place to stay—mixing drinks and tapping beer at her theme bar, My Parents' Basement, Luke accepts. Customers flock to the cozy pub, designed to evoke memories of lost childhood, to meet and mingle and play games.

For Mary, her gorgeous new employee should be off-limits. She's his boss. And they're very different—something her interfering family constantly points out. But Mary's done playing the good girl. And Luke isn't the bad boy everyone thinks he is. Their attraction simmers until Mary seduces Luke into playing some deliciously adult games. Then a shocking betrayal threatens everything...

68,000 words

Product Details

• File Size: 385 KB
• Print Length: 208 pages
• Publisher: Carina Press (April 30, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0070Y3MAY
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #325,316 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Perfect blend of sweet romance and sultry sex April 30, 2012

By K. Branfield

Format:Kindle Edition

4.5 stars.

Serious Play by Bonnie Dee and Summer Devon is a fabulous novella that is a perfect blend of sweet romance and sultry sex. It is also a beautiful story about redemption, second chances and overcoming obstacles.

Luke Bailey has a troubled past but he is determined to turn his life around. A job at Mary Scott's bar is more than an opportunity to begin his life over; it offers him a glimpse of the social rituals and innocent fun his rough childhood lacked. He remains on the fringes, an introvert who quietly takes in all that is happening around him.

Although Mary Scott is from a privileged and wealthy family her life has had its share of challenges. Her parents' disapproval of her career choice comes between them as she struggles to make a success of her bar. She is outgoing and friendly and absolutely thrives on the party atmosphere of her up and coming pub.

There is an instant attraction between Mary and Luke. Mary must overcome her preconceived prejudices of Luke and accept that he is worthy of her trust and love. Luke continually fights his feelings of inadequacy as the social disparities between them become more and more apparent. Interference from an unexpected source causes friction between them and forces them to re-evaluate their relationship.

Their relationship builds slowly over time and stems from their unexpected friendship. There are inevitable mistakes and missteps that happen along the way but nothing so insurmountable that time, communication and a little bit of common sense cannot solve.

Serious Play by Bonnie Dee and Summer Devon is a delightful novella that teaches a valuable lesson about what is important in life. The plot is realistic and quite engaging. Luke and Mary are imperfect yet very appealing protagonists. Their love scenes are deliciously steamy and fairly graphic.

Serious Play is a must read for anyone who enjoys a heartwarming yet sexy love story.

Review copy obtained from publisher through NetGalley.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Beach Read May 8, 2012

By Frances A. Miller

Format:Kindle Edition

SERIOUS PLAY is a contemporary romance by Summer Devon & Bonnie Dee that was given to me by Carina Press for an honest review.

Bad boy, Luke Bailey, recently spent 5 years in prison for being involved in an armed robbery in which a store owner was shot. Mary Scott, themed bar owner, needs a bartender and agrees to do her Parole Officer friend a favor by interviewing Luke for the position. Although Mary is leery of hiring an ex-con, she trusts her friends judgement and her own gut feeling that Luke is the man for the job. Luke knows that by hiring him, Mary is putting her bar and perhaps her own job at risk if he should fail; therefore, he puts his best foot forward to start the new life he's been given a second chance to live. So Luke won't have to live in a half-way-house, Mary offers Luke a small room as part of his payment for working for her. Mary and Luke spend quite a lot of time together and get to know each other as more than boss and ex-con. Their attraction grows, but their new found relationship is threatened by an unexpected betrayal.

SERIOUS PLAY drew me in pretty quickly and made me want to stay up all night reading. I had to go to bed because work is supposed to be a priority and without my job, I could not buy new books. I was intrigued by the idea of an ex-con. The idea was a turn off originally, but the writers were able to develop Luke into a loveable character. I was charmed by the "My Parents Basement" idea and thought it would be a fruitful venture in real life.

SERIOUS PLAY is nice beach read. It was quick and effortless. I did not have to concentrate on reading and was able to imagine the interaction s of the characters as they were described.

4.0 out of 5 stars Games people play December 2, 2012

By D. Smith

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

The lead female was well drawn out and she jumped off the page. I did not feel connected to the male lead until there was little more info given into his background and still he was not as fleshed out. The premise was cute and I did enjoy the building of the relationship between these two and wanted to see them together to prove everyone wrong who didn't think they could work. The sexual tension between them was great at first and when they finally got together it was well written and sexy, but after that initial intimacy, i felt the electricity between them stilted a little and the other sex scenes were boring and could have been left out without affecting the over all story. All and All a pretty good read.