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    Changing the Game
    Changing the Game
    Changing the Game
    Audiobook8 hours

    Changing the Game

    Written by Jaci Burton

    Narrated by Lucy Malone

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Win at any cost. That's always been the mantra of sports agent Liz Darnell. When she carries things too far and risks losing her number-one client, baseball pro Gavin Riley, Liz realizes that she'll have to work extra innings to win him back. It might not be too much of a stretch. She's had a thing for this player's moves since she first laid eyes on him, and by the looks of it, he wants her just as bad.

    Gavin's more than ready-especially when Liz is offering herself as part of the bargain. And as much of her as Gavin wants. For added thrills, he decides to throw a little curve ball Liz's way to see just how far she's truly willing to go to keep him as a client. But when love unexpectedly enters the playing field, neither Liz nor Gavin is ready for the biggest game changer of them all.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateApr 22, 2013
    ISBN9781452681580
    Changing the Game

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    Reviews for Changing the Game

    4/5

    170 ratings19 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this story. I even made a point of not comparing it to the first book since that was just a phenomenal story!! As much as I wanted to love it, I just had too many issues to get to that point. Mick, one of my favorite characters, was such a total jerk so many times that I wished he wouldn't have even been in the story. I really liked Liz but thought she had more of an edge in the first book. In this story, she's just a sweetheart. Gavin was a bit too dull and immature for my tastes. I just couldn't get my arms around why Liz loved him so much. There was a lot of sex in this story, and I found myself skimming parts so I could get back to the story. Having said that, I still found myself glued to the story. It was an easy read with interesting events taking place to make it fun. I really liked the new girlfriends Liz made and thought they had a lot of fun together.
    • 3/5
      I'm all over the place with my feelings about this book. (well from 2.5 to 3.5)

      It was my second Jaci Burton, and I enjoyed the first. I do feel like these have a better level of maturity than most sports romances, and I've grown to enjoy the family dynamic quite a bit.

      Also, the sex in this book was very very delicious. I added one star because of that.

      That Gavin saw through Elizabeth's tough exterior I loved. He was clearly interested in her, his straight dirty talk was yummy, but what I didn't quite buy was his reluctance to admit he was in love. Or even in like. He seemed to clearly understand that he had deep affection from the get go.

      While his issues were different from Mick's, they aren't as compelling (in ways), and I cannot say that I can distinguish the heroes in the two books. Her heroines are unique, however. In the same turn, Tara's and Elizabeth's reluctance are very similar and manifests for two different reasons in the same way.

      I'll continue to read this series. I mean I really enjoyed the hot scenes enough to see if the characters start to seem more developed and unique in the future books. If it continues to feel like setting and sports get swapped out along with hero/heroines names, I'll begin passing on Jaci Burton books.

      And that star I added for great sexy times...I take away for goatees. You've been warned, authors.
    • 3/5
      Changing the Game
      3.5 Stars

      Quickie Review
      Better that book #1.
      Gavin and Liz have the emotional connection that was missing in Mick and Tara's book. There are some cheesy moments interwoven but overall their romance is sweet and engaging without too much angst.

      One small nitpick is that Mick is a complete jerk and the book is missing a scene where Gavin puts him in his place perhaps with a well aimed punch in the kisser.

      Jenna and Ty's book is next.
    • 4/5
      4.5 stars. Still liked the Perfect Play better.
    • 5/5
      Fun! I liked this even better than the first in the series. This romance was believable because they'd known each other for awhile and it morphed into a grown up romance. They both had misgivings. Things holding them back, but you really buy into the fact that while they are individually great on their own, they are so much better together. And that's a hard formula to come by in the romance genre.

      I also love how the author has shaped these characters enough so that you get to see the prior characters' from the first book with the lens of flaws these characters seem them through. Really well done characterizations. Great writing. Steamy bits are great.
    • 4/5
      I knew going into this I'd have a problem forgiving Elizabeth for her actions in the first book and I can't say I ever really warmed up to her. I did enjoy the book however and am looking forward to the next installment.
    • 4/5
      WAY better than the first one. Elizabeth and Gavin had so much sexual tension between them and their chemistry was crazy good. And I totally think Mick AND Gavin were such jerks, but now that's totally forgiven. Can't wait to read Jenna's story now. :)
    • 4/5
      ok in the end after having her ass handed to her a few times I can say I no longer hate Liz hahahahhaaha and I am glad they ended up the way they did after all that crap
    • 3/5
      Okay - so I am a victim of a hot cover and the need for an audiobook to listen to during a 12-hour (one-way) trip. Those two things kept me from my routine of checking reviews on Amazon before committing to a book. Had I checked, I probably would have thought twice about listening to this title.So it was a bit of a shock that by page 16 the first of 38 uses of the word "p_ssy" occurred. Not to be outdone was the word "cl_t", used 31 times.I'm not a prude but reading those words versus listening to someone else saying the words, is somewhat different. I wanted (and did) laugh aloud during several of these 'conversations.' If one ignored all the unnecessary use of blatant sex words, the book would be considerably shorter, not as funny, and still an interesting story of two people unused to caring about anyone they date for longer than a minute.
    • 4/5
      I found this book to be steamier then the other books that I have read in this series so far (book 1 and book 3 of the play by play series) from Ms. Burton and I loved it.

      The story is about a woman (Elizabeth) who is afraid to love and has loved the same man (Gavin) for so long. Elizabeth has never told Gavin that she loves him. Gavin is actually Elizabeth's employer.

      Gavin is like many men, he has no idea that Elizabeth loves him. At the beginning of the book Gavin expresses his attraction to Elizabeth thus having them partake in a friends/employee with benefits relationship.

      In the beginning of their sexual relationship Gavin shows his sensitive side and wants to keep Elizabeth close (near him) but how close can you keep someone that's afraid to love.

      Elizabeth and Gavin have many barriers in their relationship, some of them are their own, and some of them are from outside people. But if two people who can't express themselves, their needs and wants outside of the bedroom, how strong will they be when the outside wants in. Will they survive as employee and employer, or will this be the demise of one of the most epic relationships in Ms. Burton's series.
    • 5/5
      This seems to be the 2nd book in this series. I have yet to read the first one but you don't really need to read them in order- I never do much of anything in the order it was intended to be ;)

      A hot hot baseball player hooks up with his agent who has loved him from afar for a long time now. Their hook up blooms into more for him but it gets complicated since neither one of them has ever been in love. It starts out with hot steamy sex and continues throughout the book..........read more on my blog iloveladyporn.com
    • 4/5
      Since I read the first book in the series I decided to give the rest of them a chance.Again, is HOT HOT HOT, with an alpha male full of sex appeal and all the other good stuff, with a sexy, smart and independent woman ready to be swept off her feet.Well, I kind of disliked Elizabeth in the first book, her being a bitch and all, but I was wrong. This is her story so, of course Jaci Burton needed to make her lovable, Elizabeth is a complex woman and Gavin the jerk.I liked the way they came together, finding each other, trying to really know each other and working hard to pass all the bad things. The sex scenes, I'm afraid that I have to be bad in here, seemed like a repetition of the ones in the first book and after a while it was a little boring. All in all, wow, sexy and hot :)
    • 4/5
      This was a pretty good read. Full of sex and drama :D. What killed me was the proposal at the end. 'I want to marry you, I don't care if you're older than me.' Well that left much to be desired.
    • 4/5
      I went into this book with some trepidation. Although I didn't hate Liz as much as many other people in the last book, I wasn't sure I was going to love her either.

      I really thought it would be Liz I'd be angry at in this book. So I was surprised when it was Gavin who turned out to need a swift kick in the ass. He made silly, dumbass man mistakes from day one. Liz wasn't perfect, and it did take some time for me to let go of my anger at her from her actions in the previous book, but it was obvious she felt true remorse for what she'd done and she learned from her mistakes. Plus, she paid a high price in the end.

      I liked that the focus was on the couple, without a lot of external conflict. Although Gavin and Liz were both flawed characters, they shared amazing chemistry and an obvious emotional connection.

      If you're looking for an emotional, sweet contemporary romance this is for you.
    • 2/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: This baseball romance has lots of sexual scenes with characters who don’t know what to do with their emotions. Opening Sentence: Gavin Riley knew Elizabeth Darnell had been avoiding him for the past several months. The Review: Changing the Game, the second installment from the Play by Play series, centers on baseball star Gavin Riley and his agent Elizabeth Darnell. Like the title suggests, this is a love story with lots of baseball metaphors, steamy sex, and a happily ever after that is sure to be a home run. Gavin Riley is a bad boy that cuts through women like a knife. Following the events of the last book, Gavin begins to notice that his agent is not just a cold and heartless shark, but a beautiful and alluring woman. Taking the initiative, he gives Elizabeth a proposition; stay with him in his beach house and have guilt and commitment-free sexual escapades. Duh, no brainer right? The problem is that he has no idea that Elizabeth has been in love with him for years. Can these two find a way for everyone to win this game? Gavin’s character is shallow and clueless. He is constantly thinking with just his little head and not worrying about the consequences of his words or his actions. By failing to consider anyone but himself, he tends to hurt those around him unintentionally. It basically takes a concentrated effort on behalf of his family and friends to get him to pull his head out of his rear end and see how much Elizabeth really means to him. In effect, Gavin is a stereo typical guy. I didn’t like the fact that, for someone portrayed as smart, he acts so stupid. It doesn’t allow me to connect with him and made the ending seem a little out of character. Elizabeth Darnell seems shallow and clueless. She wears her attitude like armor to hide the fact that she is a scared little girl inside. Neither of these character traits endears her to me. A reader doesn’t know, at any one time, whether or not she is going to be a hard ass or be vulnerable. In a sense, Elizabeth is a stereo typical woman. The only thing that I liked about her character is her drive to be the best agent she could be, regardless of her personal feelings for her clients. The fact is that I find these characters lacking something true. Yes, during the sex scenes they all but light the pages on fire; but that is hardly a reason to read this book. I suppose that might be enough for some readers. I believe that there can be a harmony reached between smut scenes and decent prose. I am still interested in this series as a whole, but I don’t think that I will read this particular book again. I would recommend this as a good library find for those looking for something sporty with their romance novels. Notable Scene: “Go to the bathroom and take off your panties.” “Excuse me?” “You heard me.” “No.” “You want me to take them off you out here?” “You wouldn’t.” “Wouldn’t I?” He finished his whiskey and slid his hand under the table, lifting her sundress. She slapped his hand away, then the realization hit. He’d asked her to change clothes. “You planned this.” His lips curled. “Maybe.” She looked around the fairly crowded restaurant. Granted, no one was looking at them. They had a semicircular booth, which meant they could scoot together and… No. She wouldn’t dare. “Do it, Elizabeth. You’re already wet thinking about it, aren’t you?” Her gaze shifted to Gavin, her thoughts gravitating to how he would do it. What if they got caught? How could she stay quiet?FTC Advisory: Penguin / Berkley Heat graciously provided me with a copy of Changing the Game. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payments I receive are hugs and kisses from my little boys.
    • 4/5
      This book sat on my TBR stack for quite a while. I wasn't sure I wanted to read it because the heroine of this book was the villain of the first book of the series -- The Perfect Play. It is a tribute to the power of Ms. Burton's writing that I really, really disliked Elizabeth Darnell. But enough time has passed and I came to this romance with on open mind. I found that I really did like Liz with her hidden vulnerabilities and her tough exterior. And Gavin is a hero to die for - handsome, buff, professional baseball player, devoted son and good friend. Did I mention hot?Liz has been avoiding Gavin since his older brother Mick fired her as his agent. She is afraid that Gavin will fire her too which would really hurt her agency. She is also afraid that Gavin will realize that she has loved him for years. Naturally, Gavin is clueless! He is however interested enough to take her home with him to talk and doesn't mind at all that the talking leads to sex. There are tons of rather graphic love scenes that don't go over the line for me because they are clearly love scenes and not just sex scenes. Sex is the one area where they don't have disagreements or any confusion. But outside of bed (or wherever else they decide to make love) there is less compatibility. Liz has to balance her role as her agent with her role as her lover. And Gavin is getting constant pressure from his brother to drop Liz. This was a great romance featuring people I came to like very much. I recommend it and encourage readers to look for the first book in this series - The Perfect Play - to find out why Mick dislikes her so much. I am also eager to read Taking a Shot to see Mick and Gavin's sister Jenna find a romance of her own.
    • 5/5
      Jaci Burton hit this one out of the park!!! GOOOOOD GAWD Gavin is one of the sexiest men I have read about. He goes up there with Cord McKay from Lorelei James' Rough Rider series, and from me that is saying alot.Because of her actions in The Perfect Play, I didn't think I could like Liz, but JB pulled it off and made me understand her actions and totally like Liz.The smexing was uber hot and some of the best I've read =)Changing The Game is up there with Chasin' Eight as one of my favorite reads of the summer.
    • 5/5
      And she has done it again. Jaci Burton, I mean. Don't ask me how but at the end of the first book Elizabeth Darnell was top of my list "Despicable and horrible people" and believe me, she had earned that place. How was Jaci Burton going to transform her into the heroine of her second book?!?!?! I couldn't believe she was going to be able to... But she did it, oh boy she did it.The last thing we knew about Elizabeth Darnell was that she was fired by Mick Riley (main character of the first book) after she used her girlfriend's son, Nathan, to promote him in a really cruel way. So yes, I was happy when he fired her.But she didn't lose a client, she lost one of her best friends and his family that had been like a family for her during years... especially Gavin, Mick's little brother and her secret crush for at least 4 years.And what did she do when Mick fired her? The only thing her mind could think of: give Gavin a kiss before he fired her following his brother's steps. And this is were everything begins because after that kiss Gavin's POV about Liz changed completely. During years she was nothing but his manager, tossing beautiful women to his arms and promoting him like no one else could but after she kissed him he saw her as a woman for the first time.Even Gavin had to admit, despite the fact that Liz was bossy, stubborn, impertinent and... well, herself, she was also a gorgeous and sexy woman. And that woman was hiding from him afraid of losing another client. What could he do is she was avoiding him at all cost and not returning his calls?!Obviously he had to catch her with her guard down and seduce her until she would scream for him to take her.But it wasn't going to be that easy since what began like a "not strings attached" thing developed into something they didn't understand: a relationship. And with a family tragedy coming their way they had to take the decision really soon...In a personal note: if you are looking for a sexy, funny, amazing and HOT read this is your book. Well, the first book in the series is amazing too so, why don't you buy both of them? Seriously guys, you are going to love them. The covers are to die for, the characters are well developed and you will want to read the third book (coming out next year). Why? Because is about Jenna, Mick and Gavin's little sister, and Tyler Anderson, one heck of a sexy and hot hockey player... *already daydreaming about him*Don't forget to prepare the fan, ladies, because just like the first one this book is going to make you sweat, trust me ;)
    • 4/5
      Bought for Myself
      Overall Rating 4.5
      Character Rating 4.5
      Story Rating 4.5
      Hot/Sizzle Rating: Off the Charts

      NOTE: I read both Play by Play books this past week and have to say I am slightly disappointed I have to wait on the next one! They were that good!

      What I Loved: Liz, which after what she pulled in The Perfect Play I was slightly surprised. She grabbed my heart though and at one point I seriously wanted kick Mick in the shins for how he was treating her. Gavin was an awesome match for Liz. He was strong and stood toe-to-toe with her when she was getting scared. Again, I love the Riley clan (except for Mick who slid to just likable status) and think they really make these books stand out. The smexiness was steaming hot!

      What I Liked: There were times I outright disliked Mick during this book but by the end he made it back into my "like" category. I understood the mad because of what happened to him. However because of his personal history, I thought he took the grudge to far and was to unforgiving. In a way, I hope he learned a valuable lesson from how things came to a head in the end.

      Complaints: None! I really wish the new book, Taking a Shot, was coming out sooner!

      Why I Gave it a 4.5: I liked this one just a smidge more that The Perfect Play! Both are excellent reads :)