Book Review: Playing for Love at Deep Haven

Playing for Love at Deep Haven
by Katy Regnery
Enchanted Places #1
January 10, 2014
278 pages
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance 18+
(contains: strong language, sex)
Source: eARC from NetGalley for Honest review

Book Blurb:

Violet Smith and Zach Aubrey have history…
…the kind of history he regrets and she wishes she could forget.

She was the girl. The only girl. Ever.

Nine years have passed since heavy-metal songwriter, Zach, slept with, then walked away from, his best friend, Violet. But that doesn’t change the fact that he’s never gotten over her.

He shattered her heart.

Despite the years that have passed, chick-lit novelist, Violet, vividly recalls the pain of Zach's rejection, and hates that she's never been able to completely let go of the brooding boy who turned his back on her.

When the rocker and the writer find themselves thrown back together in a strange twist of fate, their chemistry is just as scorching as ever, but old wounds don’t just disappear. Even if Zach can explain why he walked away from Violet, can she find the courage to trust him again? Together they will discover if a love that broke them both is worth a second chance at forever.

Playing songs, playing for keeps…
…Playing for Love at Deep Haven

My Review:
 
I really loved Playing for Love at Deep Haven. What started as a seemingly straight-forward second chance love story turned into so much more than I expected. In the first few chapters I thought I'd figured it out and wondered why what I felt was a short story was going to be a full-length novel. But I was pleasantly surprised and thrilled with the direction Katy Regnery took Zach and Violet's love story, and loved it.
 
Here are just a few things that made this book so special:
 
1. ZACH! Zach is a rocker, but he is not the typical lead singer millionaire of a band so many books are about these days. He is a music prodigy, but also a working musician looking to take his career in a different direction. He is financially comfortable, but not rich. He is special, yet relatable. He is attractive and tattooed, but not perfect. I loved  Zach and the way Regnery created him. He is such an endearing character, and I loved getting to know him. (Oh, of course I loved Violet, too.)
 
2. Depth. I loved that Regnery really looked at all levels and perspectives of what a real second chance would take. There was no stone unturned as far as Zach and Violet attempting a new relationship. And there were no quick fixes. They had to hash-out the past, turn-over the present, and break-through a possible future. They had to honestly look at their differences. She did such a thorough job and I really appreciated the depth of which we got to see Zach and Violet deal with everything.

3. Friends and Romance. I loved the looks into Zach and Violet, present and past. The sweetness of the initial friendship of this odd duo, the sadness of their miscommunicated feelings and ultimate departure from each other's lives, and then the beauty of their rekindled feelings. I loved the way they fought, the way they talked,  the way they made-up, the way they opened-up. They had beautiful chemistry and it felt so tender and passionate, and then they were so supportive of each other and it was so genuine and compassionate. And, of course, they were hot and steamy together as well. They were just lovely together.  
 
4. Music & Poetry. The use of music and/or poetry in a novel can really be hit or miss for me. The lyrics can be cheesy, the bands and songs referred to can feel forced, the types of music associated with the characters can feel inauthentic. Fortunately, this was not the case here. I loved the intermingling of musical genres, the intertwining of poetry and emotion into song lyrics, the beauty of musical expression. It really rang true for me.

I loved this book and was completely engrossed in it. It is a sweet romance with a lot of depth and heart. It is a sexy romance with a lot of friendship and feelings. It has a beautiful blend of emotions with characters that captured my heart, and I look forward to the rest of this series.

 

5 STARS

 

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