Book Review: Changing the Game by Jaci Burton

Changing the Game

By Jaci Burton

Release Date: August 2, 2011

Source: Own Copy

Summary: Most people play by the rules. Gavin and Liz aren't most people....

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 are ready for the biggest game-changer of them all.

Review: This book has been sitting on my Nook for so long and I've just been dying to read it. I'm a huge fan of sports romances and by the looks of this cover, I knew I was in for one steamy read. 

Liz takes no prisoners when it comes to her job. As a female sports agent, Liz has to be a hard-headed, determined woman in order to be successful. But one day she takes it too far and loses a client who happens to be the brother of another client of hers, baseball player Gavin Riley. But to Liz, Gavin is much more than a client. She's had a thing for him ever since she met him, and now she doesn't know if everything is ruined. When Liz finally has to confront Gavin about the issue, Gavin starts to see past her hard exterior to the soft, very feminine woman underneath. But when things start to heat up, their relationship starts to get serious for Liz while it all seems to be a game to Gavin. Can Gavin leave his games for the ball field and really start to fall for Liz too? 

This story was so promising. While the romance and relationship was definitely there, the characters just lacked depth and personality. It seems like all Gavin and Liz did was sleep together and work. And that's it. What did they like to do in their spare time? How did they act around their friends? I don't know! And it seemed like all they ever did was sleep together. In romances, I'd like to have an actual story line that balanced out the physical side of the relationship instead of the storyline being a side note. 

Other than the lack of balance between the physical relationship and the plot, I actually really enjoyed this one. The characters were great and I loved Gavin. I haven't read the first book in this series where Liz royally messes up with Gavin's brother, so I had not seen her hard, cold personality. Because of that, I didn't really get how she was seen as such a unemotional person because she was definitely emotional and vulnerable in this one. Either way, I understood how her opening up with Gavin was way out of her character and comfort zone. 

Overall, Changing the Game was a juicy sports romance with an even jucier man. Now that I've read yet another Jaci Burton novel that definitely did not disappoint  I'm excited to read even more of her romances. I can't wait to pick up the other books in this series and see what other athletes can steal my heart.