Review Time #68 & #69

Winning the Player by Leesa Bow
Hey everyone, today I am reviewing the two Lessa Bow books I've gotten ARC's of & they are both short so I've added them together!

When injury destroyed her dream of playing college basketball, Aubree Taylor fled overseas. Now she's finally home again and ready to move on with her life. Until she runs into Hunter Stone on her first night out, the only guy who's ever meant anything to her – and the last person she wants to see.

Since she ran out on him two years ago, Hunter hasn't been able to get Aubree off his mind. The sexy football star has had girls all over him for years, but Aubree is the only one to have ever seen behind the cocky persona he puts on for the crowd.

Despite her attempts to keep her distance, Aubree is unable to resist the strong attraction between them and it isn't long before they fall into a passionate relationship. She has never been afraid of a challenge, but Hunter's arrogance and inablity to trust are testing her to her limits. Aubree must decide whether to follow her heart and lower her guard…or risk losing the best thing that's ever happened to her.

After injuring her knee in year 12 Aubree's scholarship chance to play college basketball in the US is shattered. Taking off for two years to travel the world, Aubree has returned home. However, all she wants to do is to stay away from Maddy's cousin Hunter who is part of the reason why she decided to run off to travel in the first place.

Hunter plays AFL (Australian Football League for those non-aussies!) and the guy who Aubree has a crush on. Hunter is a player and keeps everyone out of his life by not letting anyone in. Aubree is lost and has no idea what she wants to do with her life now that she can no longer play professional basketball.

Once they start to work through their problems and try to be friends they realise that that is never going to happen knowing they have feelings for each other. Although Aubree does try and stay away from Hunter because of his past but Hunter can be the good guy on occasion.

Winning the Player was a book about finding yourself again after your dreams have been shattered and learning to let others in even though you don't want them to know our weakness. 

Rating: 4/5

Charming the Outback by Leesa Bow

When jaded city girl Maddy McIntyre packs up and leaves Adelaide for a new job in the country, it's not only a chance at a fresh start. Six months ago, the first guy she'd ever loved shattered her heart before moving home to Broken Hill. Deep down inside, Maddy is hoping that living in the same town will give her an opportunity to prove to Luke that she's one temptation he can't resist.

But when she arrives in Broken Hill, Luke White is not the same guy she knew in the city. And it soon seems very clear that he doesn't want her there. Although Maddy settles in quickly, excelling at work and partying with her new friends, she can't understand why Luke is remaining so distant. Particularly when all her instincts are telling her that they're meant to be together – and that he feels the same burning attraction.

As Maddy learns more about Luke's family and background, she begins to understand that his mixed messages are caused by balancing what's expected of him with what he really wants. Maddy gave Luke her heart long ago and, despite their differences, she knows she'll only ever be happy with her hot country boy. But how can she convince him that she's the risk he needs to take?

Charming the Outback is the companion to Winning the Player involving Hunter's cousin & Aubree's best friend Maddy.

Maddy leaves Adelaide for a full-time teaching job in Broken Hill. Which may or may not be where her ex-boyfriend has moved back home to to work in the mines and on his family's station. Luke had to return home to Broken Hill to run his family's station after his uncle had a stroke, but still working as a geologist during the weekdays. Luke not wanting to force Maddy into his way of life broke up with her to return to home. 

It is pretty obvious that both Maddy and Luke still have feelings for each other but they have a lot of problems before they even think of getting back together. Maddy doesn't know the real reason why Luke broke up with her and wants to make him regret it.

Throughout the book you find out why Luke broke up with Maddy and the process that they take to get back together again. They really needed to talk more which did start to annoy me (Maddy let the man talk!). I love the friendships that Maddy makes in Broken Hill and her wanting to learn more about station life.

Also loved how Maddy and Aubree on the way to Broken Hill counted the road kill because I do that driving to Armidale for uni (2 Wombats, 4 Kangaroos & 6 unidentifiable animals in one trip)!

Charming the Outback is a story about not giving up love when you know that it is something more. Also nothing better than a NA book set in outback Australia!

Thankyou Penguin Teen Australia for letting me read these ARC's off netgalley!

Rating: 4/5

Keely xx