Review Tour: Slow Play by Monica Murphy

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Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for Slow Play by Monica Murphy!

Slow Play by Monica Murphy

Slow Play by Monica Murphy
Series: The Rules #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: October 13th 2015
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Newly broke girl Alexandria Asher just wants to live a normal life. After her parents are sent to prison on embezzlement charges, she enrolls in college under her mother’s maiden name and tries her best to pretend she’s someone else.

Tristan Prescott is everything Alex is trying to avoid. A seemingly egotistical, lazy, rich jerk, she dumps her beer on his head when he comes on to her one night at a party. This only spurs Tristan into action. He loves nothing more than a challenge. And the beautiful Alex is exactly the type of challenge that intrigues him.

Despite her reluctance, Alex finds herself quickly involved with Tristan. Underneath that playboy exterior is a good guy, a sweet and sexy guy who she is undoubtedly falling for. What they both don’t realize is the actions of Alex’s parents are the reason for so much tragedy in Tristan’s family. And when Tristan discovers who Alex and her family really is, can he forgive and forget?

Buy Links:
Amazon • Amazon UK • Barnes & Noble • iTunes • Kobo

Slow Play is the third and final book in Monica Murphy’s The Rules series (which I have really enjoyed), and it is Tristan’s story! I had high hopes for Tristan’s book because I love a good manwhore redemption story. And while I liked this book well enough, it’s not my favorite of the series. Slow Play is mostly okay – I adored the heroine, but Tristan was pretty hard to like. It’s a slow, sexy read that fans of the series might want to try, but I have mixed feelings about it.

Ever since his two best friends have fallen for their girls, Tristan Prescott is making up for Shep and Gabe’s losses by hooking up with one girl after another. Tristan firmly believes that he will NEVER fall in love – it’s just not for him. But when he meets Alexandria Asher, she’s the first girl to ever hold his intrigue for more than a night. And yes, he’s pretty much an asshole the first time he meets her… and for a majority of the book. But he’s relentless in his determination to have Alex – first just in his bed, but eventually, as he gets to know her more, he wants her in his life.

From the moment I’ve met Alexandria, nothing’s been normal. It’s like I’m in a different realm, especially tonight.

Alex has enrolled at college under a different last name to distance herself from the mess that was her past life. All she wants is to be normal, but the second she meets Tristan Prescott, her life is anything but normal. Despite the crazy intense chemistry between them, she manages to dodge nearly all of his moves. But it’s when Tristan shows his vulnerable, sincere side that Alex can’t help but gravitate toward him. I LOVED Alex. I loved how headstrong she was, how she was able to deflect and stand up against Tristan so well. The two of them are definitely well-matched, and I really enjoyed getting to know both the steamy parts of their relationship, and the more heartfelt parts of it.

“You feel it,” he whispers. “I touch you and it’s like electricity sparks between us. I look into your eyes and I feel like I’m fucking drowning. And when I kiss you, I never want to stop.”

Slow Play is… well, slow. Incredibly slow. Alex wants to truly know if Tristan’s intentions are, maybe not honorable, but real. She wants more than just one night with him, and Tristan sets out to prove that he wants both Alex and her heart. And it takes a long while for their relationship to progress. Alex lets Tristan in, but not by much. She still keeps parts of her life a secret from him. And sadly, the plot with Alex’s family being involved with Tristan’s wasn’t as fleshed-out as I expected. It’s not until nearly the end that secrets are finally revealed.

I wish I could say I loved it, but Tristan just didn’t click for me, and that brought the book down a bit. I didn’t feel like he was truly redeemed from his asshole reputation, but I did appreciate that he was completely faithful to Alex since the moment he meets her. Still, I wholeheartedly loved Alex, and Monica Murphy’s writing is so easy and fun to read, so maybe fans of the series will love this book more than I did. It’s a good book, but again, just not my favorite of the series.

3 hearts
lacey

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: The Rules series

Fair Game by Monica Murphy In the Dark by Monica Murphy Slow Play by Monica Murphy

#1 ~ Fair Game: My Review • Ebook • PaperbackAudible • Goodreads
#2 ~ In the Dark: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Slow Play: Ebook • Goodreads (Oct. 13, 2015)

about the author button

Karen EricksonNew York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author Monica Murphy is a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite with her husband and three children. She’s a workaholic who loves her job. When she’s not busy writing, she also loves to read and travel with her family. She writes new adult and contemporary romance and is published with Bantam and Avon. She also writes romance as USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson.

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads • Amazon Page

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Review Tour + Giveaway: In the Dark by Monica Murphy

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Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for In the Dark by Monica Murphy!

In the Dark by Monica Murphy

In the Dark by Monica Murphy
Series: The Rules #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: August 25th 2015
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The girl next door isn’t what she seems…

Stuck spending the summer with his screwed up family, Gabriel Walker is bored out of his mind and looking for an adventure. And he seems to find it with the hot girl who lives next door. The attraction between them is instant. Electric. Soon they’re spending every stolen minute together. Talk about the perfect summer fling…

Lucy isn’t what she seems. She doesn’t live next door—she’s the girl who’s been hired to house sit for the summer while the family goes on a worldwide vacation. If Gabe wants to believe she’s a spoiled rich girl looking for some fun, she can go along with that. After the summer, she’ll never see him again.

They don’t count on running into each other at college. Now Lucy must keep up the pretense of being a rich girl—and it’s exhausting. She knows she’s falling in love with Gabe and she’s scared he feels the same. Will he still care about her when he discovers the truth?

Buy Links:
Amazon • Amazon UK • Amazon CA • iTunes

I am seriously enjoying Monica Murphy’s The Rules series! I really liked the first book, Fair Game, and I’m glad to say I had a fun time reading In the Dark as well. This is Gabe’s book – the rich, pretty-boy player of the trio of heroes this series is about. Seeing him fall hard for a girl was as sweet as it was sexy. Fans of the first book won’t want to miss this sequel!

Gabe is spending the summer with his family at their vacation house, and he’d rather be anywhere but there. Luckily, there’s a cute neighbor he can’t help but admire every time she comes into view. Gabe is the love-em-and-leave-em type of guy, but he’d give anything for a chance with the girl next door.

I’m not that girl. I’m cautious. Careful. I plot and plan and do what I’m supposed to. I don’t make waves and I don’t cause trouble. One look form Gabe and I want to cause all sorts of trouble.
But only with him.

Lucy has totally noticed the hot, rich boy next door, but she’s not the type of girl to be with any guy. Her mother had her when she was young and instilled the fear of god – aka teenage pregnancy – into Lucy. But when Gabe finally introduces himself, Lucy can’t ignore the serious chemistry between them. But he thinks she has money like him, when in fact she’s not so rich and only house-sitting for a rich couple. She can’t help but go along that ruse, especially since they both agree to have a summer-only fling. And things get seriously HOT between them once their fling begins. Monica Murphy knows how to heat up the pages and I loved how intensely she brought out the sexy and dirty in Gabe and Lucy.

“I get too caught up in you. Every single time we’re together.” He shifts away from me so he can stare down into my eyes. “It’s like you’re the only thing I focus on when I’m with you, Luce. Hell, even when I’m not with you, you consume my thoughts. It’s… wild.”

As Lucy and Gabe spend the rest of summer together, they form a connection. They don’t want to leave each other by the time summer ends but they have no choice. Except, they never expected to see each other again when school starts up. Gabe now wants more between them, but Lucy is still keeping secrets from him. What happens when she wants him but her secrets come out?

I loved seeing Gabe change his manwhoring ways. Lucy was a great heroine who I thought matched well with his character. They’re both charming and relatable characters, so it was easy to enjoy their story. Plus, it’s a hot read – Monica Murphy can’t not write a sexy book! The only complaint I have is that the story sometimes felt too slow. I wanted the book to pick up the pace sometimes, to get to when Gabe finally finds out the truth about Lucy. Other than that, this is another fantastic read from an author I adore! I’m incredibly excited for Tristan’s story now!

4 hearts
lacey

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: The Rules series

Fair Game by Monica Murphy In the Dark by Monica Murphy Slow Play by Monica Murphy

#1 ~ Fair Game: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ In the Dark: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Slow Play: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

about the author button

Karen EricksonNew York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author Monica Murphy is a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite with her husband and three children. She’s a workaholic who loves her job. When she’s not busy writing, she also loves to read and travel with her family. She writes new adult and contemporary romance and is published with Bantam and Avon. She also writes romance as USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson.

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads • Amazon Page

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Print copy of Fair Game and In the Dark

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Blog Tour + Early Review & Giveaway: Fair Game by Monica Murphy

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Fair Game by Monica Murphy

Fair Game by Monica Murphy
Series: The Rules #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: May 12th 2015
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When your boyfriend bets YOU in a poker game, you better know when to run…

Bad enough Jade Frost’s boyfriend drags her to a boring poker game. Even worse that he actually threw her into the betting pot during an intense round…and lost. Talk about the perfect excuse for Jade to make him her ex-boyfriend.

Now she supposedly belongs to the ultra rich, extremely gorgeous Shep Prescott. He could have anything he wants yet he seems to be in hot pursuit of her. No matter how rude, how snarky, how impossible she acts, it doesn’t stop him. More like her horrible behavior seems to make him want her more.

When she finds herself starting to fall for him, Jade’s confused. There’s more to Shep than the carefree rich charmer he portrays. No way could he want a serious relationship with her…or could he?

Buy Links:
Amazon • Amazon UK • Amazon CA • iTunes • Kobo • B&N

Monica Murphy knows how to write sexy books, but Fair Game is adorably sweet AND sexy! I really enjoyed Shep and Jade’s story – it’s a charming new adult book with endearing characters, some hot chemistry, the occasional humor sprinkled in, and the perfect amount of angst to hit you right in the heart. I highly recommend this for Monica Murphy fans!

When Jade goes with her boyfriend to an illegal poker game hosted by Shepard Prescott and his rich friends, Jade is not a happy camper. She doesn’t want to be a part of some illegal gambling and she definitely doesn’t want to have to look at Shep, who’s playing against her boyfriend… no matter how good the rich, pompous playboy looks.

“Even his name makes him sound like an asshole. And his nickname is stupid too. Shep.” I grimace. All rich dudes have stupid nicknames. I swear. “Sounds like a dog’s name. ‘Here boy. Here Shep. Mommy’s got a treat for you’,” I sing song then roll my eyes. “Ridiculous.”
“I’ll just bet Mommy’s god a treat for him,” Kelli says, her droll voice dripping with sarcasm.

Even worse, Jade is infuriated when her boyfriend (soon to be ex) throws her into the betting pot without her permission. One thing leads to another, Jade’s (ex)boyfriend ends up losing, and Jade ends up owing a date to Shep Prescott himself.

“I hate to break it to you, Jade. But you’re my prize. And I plan on collecting.” I lean in close to her, so close I can feel her warm breath waft across my face, see the way her eyes widen the slightest bit. Her lips part, her tongue appears, touching the very center of her upper lip and my skin tightens. “How about a victory kiss for starters?”

Jade is an awesome character who takes no shit from anyone, least of all Shep. I totally admired this girl and her sassiness. At the start of the book, Jade REALLY doesn’t like Shep – he’s that rich manwhore on campus who gets anything and everything he wants, and he and his arrogance do not amuse her. I actually really loved that Jade very nearly despises Shep, because I was so looking forward to seeing how Shep would change her mind about him. And he really does. We get both Jade and Shep’s perspectives in this book, and through Shep’s POV we learn how throughout his whole life, everyone only sees him for his looks and money. And Jade is the only one who sees through to the real him. Slowly, Shep breaks down Jade’s defenses around her heart and before they both know it, they want to spend more time together, and not because of the stupid bet.

It was so much fun getting to know Jade and Shep and their story. They’re so perfect for one another and they match each other so well, despite not having much in common. Jade is not easily swayed by Shep and his natural charm, so he has to actually make an effort for her to give him the time of day. Shep has never had to lift a finger to get a girl to notice him and he’s never wanted to, but something about Jade is different from any other girl he’s met. This book is definitely not an insta-love story, though both are insanely attracted to one another from the start. I could see and feel their relationship grow, and I loved that they took the time to get to know each other better. They’re just so, so sweet together!

“You own every piece of me, baby. Just like I own every piece of you.”

I can’t forget that this book is seriously HOT! Shep has one dirty mouth on him. But as much as I loved the sexiness in Fair Game, the best part of this book was definitely the relationship development between Jade and Shep. I was able to feel them falling for one another in a real, believable way. Fair Game is a refreshing take on the typical new adult college story, and I’m so glad to have experienced Shep and Jade’s.

4 hearts
lacey

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: The Rules series

Fair Game by Monica Murphy In the Dark by Monica Murphy Slow Play by Monica Murphy

#1 ~ Fair Game: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ In the Dark: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Slow Play: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

about the author button

Karen EricksonNew York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author Monica Murphy is a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite with her husband and three children. She’s a workaholic who loves her job. When she’s not busy writing, she also loves to read and travel with her family. She writes new adult and contemporary romance and is published with Bantam and Avon. She also writes romance as USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson.

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads • Amazon Page

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