Play Smart

Work for It, Book 5

By: Smartypants Romance, Aly Stiles

Narrated by: Ryan Lee Dunlap, Stefanie Kay

Nash Ellis knows music. Producing, performing, writing—if it involves the creative process he’s there for it. He knows nothing about copy machines. Or financial reports. Or anything related to the stuck-up business world his best friends have been chasing since they were kids. But Nash also needs money, so when his roommate gets him a paid internship at Reedweather Media, he reluctantly agrees. At least his know-it-all intern competitor is kind of cute in a nerdy-librarian sort of way—especially when she’s being tormented by an angsty rocker she can’t stand.

The only thing Paige Andrews hates more than failure? Nash Ellis. She has little patience for incompetence and zero tolerance for indifference. He clearly doesn’t belong in their corporate world, so why does he insist on ruining her dream job? And the worst part—he’s not what he seems. In fact, it’s all the things he’s hiding behind those electric blue eyes that make him straight-up captivating in an ironic-slacker sort of way.

But their smoldering friction bursts into open flames when the feuding interns are forced into a high-stakes mission that requires intimate knowledge of the music industry. Yep, what could go wrong when the least-qualified candidate to ever walk the halls of a major corporation becomes their only hope of success?

Play Smart is a full-length contemporary romance and can be listened to as a standalone. Book 5 in the Work For It series, Educated Romance World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

©2022 Smartypants Romance (P)2022 Smartypants Romance

Great book

This book made me laugh out loud! I think Nashville is one of my favorite characters, Ryan Dunlap did an amazing job with him.

The FUNNIEST book I’ve read this year!

Ok first and foremost I need to make it clear that NASH is MINE! I call dibs.

The narration by Stefanie Kay & Ryan Lee Dunlap is PERFECTION! I couldn’t have imagined more perfect narrators for Paige & Nash. I’ve been a fan of Stefanie’s work for awhile & now I need to binge all of Ryan’s. He’s sooo good!

If you’ve read Aly Stiles before then you’re probably obsessed with her angsty gut-wrenching heart-mending romances. But if you haven’t, then you’re missing out on some of the most beautiful & emotionally authentic characters I’ve ever read.

Last year, Aly joined the SmartyPants Romance crew and showed us her comedic side with Street Smart. I had no idea she was so funny. She takes it to a whole other level with Play Smart! It’s absolutely brilliant. Aly has combined her angsty rocker style with the most ridiculously & ingeniously funny slap-stick RomCom! Paige & Nash bring the steam, the angsty banter, and all the laughs.

Play Smart has it all:
Enemies to Lovers
Office Romance
Hilarious Comedy
Smoldering Chemistry
Strong, Brilliant Heroine
Sexy Rocker
and Chad & his Mer-Nuts

I’m completely obsessed with every single book Aly’s written. Play Smart is now definitely one of my faves.

HILARIOUS!

That is all I have to say! Loved the dynamic between Nash and Paige. Read the one with Marcus too. He cracked me up so much!!! I love rom-coms with more comedy than romance!

Didn’t Finish

I’ve enjoyed all the books in this series except the first book (Street Smart - which was just ok). I forgot that it was my least favorite and Play Smart is a spin off of Street Smart. I stopped around chapter 7. It’s too slow, characters are not well developed and the story line is a little all over the place. There is conflict, but I’m not buying into it, nor why any of the main characters of this book would be invested in resolving it. There are several side stories too that hinder and distract from whatever main story line is taking place. I could go on. Then there’s the male narrator, he sounds like he’s reading and not performing. That wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me with a more engaging story, but coupled with slow confusing story line…it’s a no for me.