Lainey Davis

I love this series. Every book brings a smile to my face, makes me swoon, worry if things will work out and just have a great time losing myself in the story. Playing for Payback is the fifth book in author Lainey Davis’s Forging Series and the second book in the Playing portion of the series, preceded by Playing for Keeps. It’s Alder Stag’s story. I love the Stag family. They’re loud, rowdy, boisterous, exuberant and best of all, loving, welcoming, protective, caring and sincere. show more Once you are brought into the fold by them there is no leaving – and why would you ever want to?

Alder is a member of the Pittsburg Fury hockey team. He’s young, he’s talented, his family has a great presence in sports but he still needs to keep proving himself. He needs to stay focused. Focus has been a little hard lately, though, because Alder is wondering and worrying about his boyfriend Alex. His bisexuality is not the issue; his team and family are accepting and supportive. It’s Adam’s attitude that is the issue. He doesn’t seem to be as dedicated to the relationship as Alder is, and much to everyone’s obvious concern, Alder tries and tries and tries to make Adam like him more, to come to family events, to be seen in public. Adam is even more upset when usual now; he finally agreed to attend a Stag family event and while there Alder let slip some information he didn’t realize was confidential. He was trying to praise and brag about Adam but instead it cost Adam the deal. So even though his family is always there for him, Alder’s self-confidence is low and he can’t make himself break away.

Lena has just landed the job as the Fury team dentist. She needs the money. Working at an emergency dental facility doesn’t pay nearly well enough to cover her loans and living expenses, which include all those for her boyfriend Brad, who “can’t” work because he’s working on his dissertation, or something. Lots of excuses – wait, reasons. Doesn’t she understand how important his work is? Then he answers his own question with a resounding no, because even though she is an accredited dentist she’s not bright enough to understand his world. She should just keep providing what he needs and be grateful, because with her size and looks, her overall appearance, who else would put up with her if not him? She doesn’t even have the comfort of family like Alder does; her mother and endless round of her mother’s boyfriends criticize her looks, her choices, her dreams and tell her not to be hasty. Who would want her if not Brad?

Alder and Lena are kindred spirits even if they don’t know it – yet. But they learn quickly – and publicly, humiliatingly – enough when the Kiss Cam at the hockey game shows Brad and Adam in a heated embrace. Wait, how do they even know each other? What is going on? The game turns into a disaster for Alder and Lena is embarrassed beyond belief at her new job.

The season now over and Lena homeless after moving out of the apartment she shared with Brad ( the one she is still paying for), Lena and Alder join forces to console each other and try to figure out what happened. Alder offers the spare room in his apartment until Lena gets resettled. They’re comfortable together, somebody to lean on, somebody who understands being made to feel less than. And then they come up with a brilliant plan, or one that seems brilliant at first: they will plot revenge on Adam and Brad. Nothing too serious, nothing harmful, just enough to shake them up and cause them some of the humiliation they gave Alder and Lena. The plan works just fine until it doesn’t. Yep, it’s funny getting payback, but neither realizes the depth of Adam’s anger and the levels he will stoop to in order to do actual harm, nor Brad’s willingness to go along with everything Adam wants and his cluelessness about why Lena doesn’t think she owes him anything. He gave her all those years together, after all. Where’s the gratitude? And now all the publicity Alder is getting is of the wrong kind and Lena’s job is at stake.

We know where this story is going of course, but it’s so much fun going there with it. What starts out as two lonely people commiserating about how it feels to be unappreciated, unwanted, unloved slowly begins to feel like it could be more. Lena and Alder fit in so many ways, in almost every way. They talk and talk and talk, but silence is comfortable, too. His family welcomes her and she loves them, basking in something she’s never had before. And their physical attraction is pretty much off the charts.

I received an advance copy of Playing for Payback from author Lainey Davis and enjoyed every minute of it, the ups and downs, the tender moments, the arguments, the sexy times, all of it entertaining and totally satisfying. I recommend Playing for Payback without hesitation and can’t wait for Tucker’s story next. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own. show less

Stag-thusiasm!!! I say it with every new book, but I’ll say it again: I love the Stags. I really do. All of them. Extended family, friends, teammates (well, maybe not all of them . . . .). The next generation is growing up, making names for themselves in hockey or whatever they excel at, finding their one and only, settling down, starting families, and making mistakes just like those before them did. But they’ve got good genes, or good upbringing, or good role models, because even if show more they have a few wild oats to sow and at time do regrettable things, they are all loyal, dedicated, keep their word and their promises, help whenever, wherever and however they can, and always – without fail – put family first. They are a joy to read about. And it’s always fun to catch up with them again in a new book.

Playing with Fire is Tucker and Sloane’s story. Tucker is the Baby Stag, talented hockey player, but a playboy, privileged. Loves his big life and is always testing the boundaries. Takes things for granted.

Until that casual hook-up at a party that didn’t feel so casual. What’s up with that? He’s the one-night only guy. Tall, big, strong, handsome – why would he need to tie himself down to one woman? He falls fast and he falls hard for Sloane but he’s too young for this, his career is too important, he’s not ready.

To Sloane, that night was just supposed to be one final poke in the eye to the bad luck in her life, to hockey, to her ex-husband. Her first impression of Tucker as the perfect guy to have a no-strings, no-repeats fling with is quickly changed, though. He’s not like anyone she’s ever met, he makes her feel better than she’s ever felt, more seen than she’s felt in a long, long time. But she’s rebuilding her life, she has goals and things to accomplish, she’s been lost for so long she can’t trust that this could be real.

Well, too young, too busy, still too damaged from past hurts . . . all that has to go to the back burner when Sloane discovers she’s pregnant. Having a baby? Absolutely wonderful. Co-parenting, trusting someone, giving up more of herself again? Not so wonderful. Tucker is all in immediately; it’s like a switch flips in his head and heart and this baby and this woman become the most important thing in his world. But it’s not that simple. Sloane needs to be independent, need to prove to herself she can be independent after losing so much of herself in her marriage, after so many betrayals.

Sloane’s ex-husband, Josh Grentley, is a hockey player, too. On Tucker’s team. He’s a jerk, a moody, critical teammate, jealous and resentful of the Stags, still carrying a grudge against Sloane for daring to leave him and he doesn’t care who knows it. He’s physically aggressive with Tucker, tries to bully Sloane and creates a PR nightmare. Tucker is steadfast throughout, making his new little family a priority. But can they be a family? Sloane wants to do everything on her own. The concept of a large, loving family like the Stags is foreign to her, and terrifying.

Playing with Fire is another wonderful entry in the Stag Saga. They are loud and boisterous but so big-hearted, open, welcoming, always there for those they love and and the love extends to whoever they love. Tucker and Sloane have much more than a physical attraction, but it will take work, effort, patience and understanding from both of them to move forward. Their feelings are so strong and it’s a joy to watch their relationship, even the misunderstandings and the fights. The family is ecstatic over this baby and helpful almost to the point of overbearing. And through it all author Lainey Davis deals with a wide variety of social and personal issues: harassment, bullying, discrimination, equality, disability. As always, she seamlessly integrates all of this into the story, never beating you over the head with anything, never being stringent or harsh but getting you fully on board just a few pages in.

I received an advance copy of Playing with Fire from the author. I loved it and recommend it without hesitation. I don’t know if there will be more Stag stories but I am looking forward to whatever Davis writes next. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own. show less

Lainey Davis writes one heck of a sexy love story, but she also never hesitates to tackle the tough subjects. The Stag family is tough, too, and we’ll see just how much so in
Forging Glory, the first book in the Stag Brothers Forging series. Forging Glory picks up right where Forging Passion, the series prequel, left off. Wes has just seen Cara in what looks like a mutually cozy position with a high-powered executive and he makes the logical conclusion: the shared closeness they experience show more the night before was in his mind only; she’s really just a fickle party girl and he harshly rejects her overtures at friendship from that point on. Well, that conclusion might have seemed logical in the moment, but it was small-minded and unfair.

Lou Rubeo gives off pervy vibes the first and every subsequent time we see him. He’s a powerful man, the president of Soccer USA, who uses his power and position to intimidate, threaten and assault young female players. He’s a predator, plain and simple, but his title and the authority it carries wrap a thick layer of protection around him. Cara wasn’t even sure who he was when he first approached her, wrapping his arm around her, touching her face, all without invitation or consent. Wes’s aunt Lucy is Cara’s coach, and when Cara finally finds the courage to share her story with Lucy and when Lucy raises the issue higher, Lucy is demoted and then fired.

It's at this point Wes finds out just how wrong his “logical” conclusion was. He is appalled, at those in power pulling the strings but mostly at himself. He’s ashamed, saddened at how he misjudged and hurt Lucy and vows to make things right, even if she will never trust him again and the promise of what might be never comes true.

Author Davis masterfully takes this thread of abuse of power, deceit, and actions that until now have had no consequences and surrounds it with her usual riveting dialogue, funny scenes, intriguing characters and steamy romance. When Cara and the women’s team decide to fight back Wes stands at her side, but will he be able to continue standing there if it comes down to a choice between his career and the woman he loves?

Forging Glory is a wonderful read. It has it all: more time with the loyal, supportive, strong, welcoming Stag family, a couple who must absolutely end up together, a lot of humor, a lot of heat. This is a series you do not want to miss. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own. show less

Updated for audio: As I noted below, out of all the fantastic stories written by author Lainey Davis, her Forging Series, and anything about the Pittsburg Fury hockey team and those fabulous Stags and their extended family are the best. And the best is the absolute best when it’s performed for you by talented narrators like Zoe Black and James Cassidy. Cassidy’s portrayal of Gunnar will have you laughing in the Prologue. He’s happy to “discover” Emerson first thing in the morning, show more and then he skillfully cycles through Gunnar’s wonder, bafflement, uncertainty, sometimes in a whispering voice that will just grab you. He’s the cocky hockey player, the devoted son and brother, and the fierce husband. And – he does accents!! Zoe Black’s performance of Emerson is spot on. Emerson is a complicated person and Black reveals all of it: the insecurity and resignation from constantly being devalued by her family, the uncertainty about her ability to forge her own future but also the strength as she proceeds to do so comes clearly through in Black’s performance, as does her growing affection for Gunnar, her yearning for the life she could have with him, and her sadness when she fears she’s going to ruin his life. A moving, entertaining story made even better through these two voice actors. I received an advance listening copy of Playing for Keeps from Home Cooked Books. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

Author Lainey Davis writes a wide variety of terrific stories, but one of my favorite series of hers is the Forging Series, all about Pittsburg Fury hockey and that fabulous Stag family. Playing for Keeps is the fourth book in the series, and I think it just may be my favorite to date.

Gunnar Stag is the rookie goalie for the Fury. Strong, cut, Stag handsome with the manners and sweetness all those brothers have under their sometimes cocky and crude behavior. But Gunnar? There’s just an extra layer of sweetness about him. He’s young and vibrant and as eager and excitable as a puppy. He’s just trying to stay healthy, play well and learn all he can to earn a permanent position on the Fury and have some no-strings fun during his downtime. His family name and connections have certainly helped get him where he is, but it’s up to him to keep that place. He saw how fleeting it could be when he witnessed his brother’s career-ending injury and he’s determined to make the most of his opportunity.

Emerson Saltzer has been brought up wrapped so tight in expectations and conditions and non-stop criticism that she can barely breathe. Her family is well-known, well-to-do, well-placed and she hasn’t wanted for a thing. But wait, has anybody – anybody at all – ever asked her what she wanted? That would be a big no. Her father is Charles Saltzer, renowned Conductor of the New York Symphony. Emerson has been tutored and trained and taught to be a musician. She loves making music, but wants to play whatever instrument she chooses, compose, play for fun. There is no fun allowed in The Laws of Charles Saltzer and her parents just keep trying to push her farther and farther into that box (prison) they’ve created for her. When her father catches her busking, playing her cello in the New Jersey Transit lobby in Penn Station he loudly berates her in public, humiliating her. Something in her snaps and she gets up and takes the first train she can catch, which just so happens to be going to Las Vegas.

Being berated is nothing new for Emerson; it’s the story of her life. Everything about her is wrong: her body, appetite, hair, clothes, wishes, everything is wrong and her mother and father are beyond cruel in telling her so. They’ve done everything for her and she should be grateful, she should stop embarrassing them, she should stop being so common. It never lets up. Leaving as she does seems to be the only answer. She doesn’t know where she’ll go or what she’ll do, but she can’t take another minute living the life she has been, the life she’s expected to live for the rest of that life.

Gunnar is in Vegas for a pre-season game. When the game’s over he and his brothers go to a small bar to discuss endorsements with their agent. Emerson is in that same bar, playing her cello for dinner guests. And then it happens . . . their eyes meet. Cue the music playing, birds flying, stars shining, fireworks bursting. Over the top, right, but pretty much the reaction they have to each other. And what begins with him pushing his way through the crowd to introduce himself leads to a few, maybe quite a few, drinks, some discussion about her next steps and the possibility of her going to Pittsburg with him as a roommate to avoid her family until her plans are made ends with them waking up in a hotel room in the morning – married. Neither one of them exactly remembers what they did – or more likely didn’t – do. Gunnar’s agent insists they stay married for a while to avoid negative publicity for him, and the roommate idea seems plausible under the circumstances. There’s plenty of room; she can figure out what to do next, he can save his reputation and continue his career. They’ll pretend to be married but will just be roommates, nothing more. Easy peasy.

Except for that giant elephant in the room called attraction. It gets harder and harder to fake it, especially when his parents and other relatives welcome her to the family so genuinely. When they are so comfortable together and have so much in common. When what starts as a fake life begins to feel like a what-if real life. One thing leads to another, they get closer and closer, but neither wants to stand in the way of the other’s dreams. His protective husband vibe kicks in, though, when her father actively sets out to destroy her. And for the first time in her life she feels cherished and wanted and valued and beautiful.

Playing for Keeps is the perfect next step in the series. All the Stag boys are handsome and sexy, can be rowdy and exuberant and impulsive, but they’ve been raised to value family, to be kind and generous, and to love. The rest of the characters are multi-dimensional and interesting, the plot solid, the pacing smooth, and each story unique and satisfying. Emerson and Gunnar’s journey to their HEA is sweet and funny, heartbreaking, frustrating and just a great read. They’re young and in love, with a flaming hot desire and some not-so-insignificant problems to deal with. And Gunnar is the very definition of cinnamon roll golden retriever. He is so caring and considerate and protective and never wants Emerson to doubt for a second how strong and capable she is and how much she’s loved. Thanks to author Lainey Davis for providing an advance copy of Playing for Keeps. I thoroughly enjoyed it, recommend you read the entire series and then get in line to see whose story is next. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own. show less