Thank you NetGalley & Montlake for allowing me access to Playing to Score: 2 (Playing the Field)by Sasha Lace, it'll be out on Nov 15 2024 and it follows Skylar & Reece, two new characters but once again the FMC is the one playing sport which is something that I thoroughly enjoyed reading! The MMC is pining and the FMC is a badass what more can you ask! I loved it!

I devoured this one so fast. I absolutely LOVED Reece so much, he gave me tortured soul vibes and all I wanted to do was make him feel better. Skylar is absolutely one of my favorite FMCs in a long time. She is incredibly strong, vulnerable and super relatable. I absolutely hated Sean more than anyone and I wish he would have gotten Regina George’d.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Reece is Miri’s brother and he needs a break from hospital life. When an opportunity comes up to work at the soccer club Miri’s husband owns, Reece snatches it up. Little did he know that he’d call for Skylar Marshall, the captain of the soccer team.

I loved Reece and Skylar’s story. I related to the anxiety and high stress of being the oldest child like Reece. I found myself not wanting to put this book down as their romance played out on the pages. Absolutely adored it!! Favorite book in the series so far.

I think I enjoyed this second instalment of the series more than the first! Having met Reece as Miri's brother in book 1, now he's front and centre as the MMC in Playing to Score, as the love interest of Calderdale Ladies captain Skylar. Skylar's relationship with her high school sweetheart Sean, the men's captain, has imploded. Low in confidence, and with three critical games to win so that her team can be promoted to the Women's Super League, Skylar needs to focus on bringing her A game on the pitch, no matter the state of her personal life. And Reece, who is quickly approaching burnout, leaves his stressful clinical psychologist job at the hospital when he's offered a job as a team psychologist to help with the ladies' mindset and focus. Skylar finds Reece easy to talk to, and is increasingly drawn to him; Reece has pined for Sylar since they were at school together (even if she didn't know he existed), but his attraction is kept in check by his compulsion to remain professional and detached and in control...

I really enjoyed how this played out. It was pretty angsty, and I loved that the idea of the 'professional barrier' was, in this instance, something that Reece was using as a shield, rather than a genuine obstacle; he casts Skylar as his 'client' despite there never being any formal agreement - she certainly doesn't see things that way, and while he does word for the team, it's not as a therapist. Reece struggles to keep Skylar at arms length emotionally, while also recognising how he can help her regain her self-confidence. As she rediscovers her agency and strength, she applies those attributes in her pursuit of a relationship with Reece, which is just *chef's kiss* in terms of drama!

Once more, the author does a great job of building out the supporting cast and the 'world' of Calderdale United, leaving me wanting to read more. Again, an enjoyable read, and one I'd be happy to recommend for those wanting a British-set sports romance!

Just an amazing read
Loved it has much as book 1
Another amazing book couple
I wanna doctor reece for myself too

Lace masterfully builds tension between Skylar and Reece, making every stolen glance and shared moment charged with palpable chemistry. The author’s writing is both engaging and emotionally resonant, capturing the complexities of professional relationships and the intensity of unspoken desires. It simply blew me away!