Behind the Rating - Two Sapphic Reads
Comparing these two similar books I read in January
Playing for Keeps by Alexandria Bellafleur
Playing for Keeps is about two PR reps and their clients. Poppy works for an NFL quarterback and Rosaline for a popular singer. Yes, it does sort of read like Taylor and Kelce, but parallels are minimal.
They’re strangers who have to work together when their clients start dating. Who falls first, their clients or them?
Love at First Set by JL Dugan
Love at First Set follows a gym employee / aspiring gym owner (Lizzie) and the daughter of the company’s owners (Cara), who was (accidentally) talked out of marrying her long-term boyfriend by Lizzie.
Can they find common ground despite being from such different backgrounds?
What do I think?
I couldn’t help but find myself comparing these two books.
While Love at First Set was certainly amusing (and spicy) enough, I didn’t really believe that Lizzie and Cara had more than some sexual chemistry. One of those cases where you’re told they’re in love but there’s not much evidence of it.
On the other side, Playing for Keeps has the same heat but adds in the emotional aspects and real conflict that comes with an often long-distance relationship in the spotlight. I rated the later 4.25 stars as the third-act breakup was pretty absurd.