Played was a good and steamy romance story and although it was good I wanted to love it more. The beginning of the story started off a bit slow and there were parts in the story that seemed to drag. Adina is a firefighter a job in itself that comes with its own challenges even more so with her being both a female and black. She finds something private and meaningful that belongs to Solomon and is determined to return it to the rightful owner. She never expected their first meeting to go south and Solomon to be such a jerk. However, he intends to apologize and that turns out way differently than they both expected and leads to so much more. Their interactions are full of back-and-forth banter, anticipation, push and pulls, laugh out loud moments, steamy scenes, great family and friends, and so much more. Their story is one where they can relate to each other on a deeper level and deals with in-laws, grief, doubt, letting someone in and moving on. This story had a sweet ending, but I wish there was an epilogue. An epilogue that not only gives us more of Solmon, Adina and Khalil, but it also explained how they handled things when it came to Minnie and what she did to Adina and Solmon. Noni mentioned to Adina, but Adina never discussed with Solmon even though she said she would. I would have liked to know how he would have wanted to handle that situation. Even though this wasn't a 5-star read for me I would recommend this book to romance readers because it is an enjoyable and sweet romance story. I will be reading more books from this author because I do enjoy her stories.

Two characters with vastly different lifestyles, both overwhelmed with grief. After Adina returns the journal of the renowned Pirates Hockey team’s Solomon Young, their story kicks off together.
I loved how fleshed out the FMC and MMC were, you get a peek into their minds from dual POVs, adding depth to both characters. With both being funny, independent, strong, lovable characters - you can’t help but root for them to end up together.
With grief being a strong theme, I think Simone did a beautiful job of portraying this. It allowed the reader to have insight into what it is like to lose a loved one, as well as the effect it has on family, friends, colleagues, and relationships.
I wanted a little more fallout from both the main and side character’s choices. It could have expanded both my love for the main duo and my dislike for a couple of the side characters.
Some of the plot twists, as well as the ending, felt quite predictable, but the overall storytelling and love for the main characters outshone my feelings at the end.
Based on my enjoyment of the book alone, and how it had me hooked, I would give it 4 out of 5 stars. Unfortunately, the loose ends being tied so quickly had me rating the book 3 out of 5.

I read this in one sitting, it had an effortless flow to it, the characters fleshed out with vulnerability and honesty that really gave it an edge over your typical romance. It tackles grief so beautifully, with rawness and compassion. This book could be a hard read for anyone who’s lost someone but it’s beautifully done. It’s real, it shows the layers and emotions that come with losing someone so important to you. I don’t tend to read books that make me cry but this was worth it.

The MMC Solomon, had it going on but he also had layers, he wasn’t just your average hot hockey player, he’s carrying true pain, all while being a single father. The FMC, Dina is a firefighter which is a huge green flag for me. I love a strong female protagonist, she too shoulders the burden of grief and the way the two characters bond over loss establishes a far more deeper connection. I have to mention Khalil, Solomon’s son because he was the cutest thing ever, man did he make me smile with his innocence and joy. I love a single dad trope and this was heartwarming and funny.

Now we have to talk about the spice because Solomon Young that mouth, ooooh I was smirking like a teenager reading it. He was hot! Good old fashioned filth which was well written and delicious a hard thing to do in my opinion! It’s hard to not make a book just spice, it’s hard to slowly turn up that heat till you find yourself rooting for them to just rip each other’s clothes off but Naima Simone did it with finesse!

Adina is a black woman firefighter. The first time she was in the hockey arena, it was to put out a fire. As she was leaving, she spied a journal and took it to give to the person who lost it. Adina was engaged to a firefighter who was killed while on duty. She morns his loss and as she begins reading the journal to find out who it belongs to, she finds that it helps her through her own loss. The journal belongs to Solomon and his therapist suggested he share his feelings. Solomon lost his wife in a car accident and is left with a little boy, Khalil. Solomon’s thoughts are painful to read but he shares thoughts she has not been able to write in her own online journal. When she goes back to the arena and gives the journal to Solomon, he is livid that she invaded his privacy. The two of them find reasons to be together and for the first time in years the hurt is less for Solomon. I thought this book was very good. Solomon is the lead scorer for his team but being Black still has comments made about his race. The topics of being Black in a world of hockey players and firefighters, women having to prove themselves in a man’s world, getting over the loss of a loved one, thinking about dating again, and dealing with grandparents that want to co-parent their grandchild were handled so well with insight and empathy. The banter Adina and Solomon put up with from Adina’s brothers is fun. Five-year-old Khalil is a delight and integral to the issues facing Adina and Solomon. Great book and passionate love story.

The novel delves into themes of resilience, love, and healing as these two characters navigate their respective traumas while also finding themselves drawn to each other. Despite initial tensions and guilt over the invasion of privacy, chemistry begins to develop between them, adding layers of complexity to their journey.

Has:
- Romance
- Hockey
- Firefighter
- Tension

The author skillfully intertwines the challenges faced by firefighters and professional athletes, shedding light on the pressures and emotional tolls of their respective professions.

This book features a strong Black woman firefighter FMC and a Black, hockey playing, single father MMC, and it was everything! This was the exact book I needed to read right now, and I read the whole thing in one sitting! I would love it if the author wrote more romance books in this world with these characters, maybe an enemies to lovers/best friend’s brother romance between Noni and Malcom? I would love that!

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but I was pleasantly surprised.
I loved the angst and drama. It kept the story exciting and fast paced. The romance was very spicy too!