Playing For The Win – review (AD)
I received an advanced electronic copy of Playing For The Win by Ellie White in exchange for an honest review.*
Playing For The Win book blurb
Bailey Airey has everything to prove.
Wearside FC’s newly appointed captain has the whole world watching and plenty of people waiting for him to fail.
So when the chance comes to step off the pitch and show everyone the man behind the headlines, he takes it.
What he doesn’t count on is Courtney Sanderson.
Heartbroken and done with the tabloids, the pop superstar wants nothing more than to disappear and remember who she is.
But when a reality survival show throws her and Bailey together, the chemistry is instant and impossible to ignore.
There’s just one problem. Courtney is the ex of Bailey’s fiercest rival, and every second of their growing connection is caught on camera.
Off camera, what they have feels real. On camera, it could cost them both everything.
An addictive, steamy, open-door romance about second chances, self-worth, and falling for exactly the wrong person.
Perfect for readers who love forbidden attraction, forced proximity, and a hero worth the risk.
My overall thoughts on Playing For The Win
A reality TV show, a pop star, a football captain and a whole lot of chemistry… what could possibly go wrong?
Playing for the Win is the third book in Ellie White’s series, and I couldn’t wait to dive back into the world she’s created.
I’m always a little bit nervous when starting the next book in a series I’ve loved because you’re hoping it lives up to the previous ones, but thankfully Ellie has done it again!
This time around we get to know Bailey, the new Wearside captain, who decides to take a bit of a risk and sign up for a reality TV show set in the rainforest.
What he definitely doesn’t expect is to leave the jungle having fallen head over heels for a pop star.
And honestly, I was here for it!
The reality TV show gave me serious I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! vibes, which was a definite bonus because I LOVE I’m A Celeb.
Add in Courtney, who is basically the Mackem version of Taylor Swift, and you’ve got a pretty entertaining setup from the start.
But it was the chemistry between Bailey and Courtney that really did it for me.
Being thrown together in the rainforest, away from the outside world, gives them the chance to get to know each other without all the usual distractions.
And you can absolutely feel the sparks flying between them.
I loved watching their relationship develop and seeing what happened when the reality of their lives outside the show started to creep back in.
There’s plenty of tension, plenty of romance and, of course, plenty of steam.
One of my favourite things about this series is getting to catch up with familiar characters while also being introduced to new ones, and Playing for the Win did not disappoint.
It feels familiar enough that you get that lovely feeling of returning to a world you already know, but with a completely new story to get stuck into.
Ellie White has once again delivered an easy-to-read, addictive and seriously steamy romance that had me happily turning the pages.
And now I have one very important question…
Can Mila PLEASE be the focus of the next book?! I’m already invested!
If you love sports romance, reality TV, celebrity romances, plenty of banter and a healthy dose of spice, Playing for the Win is definitely one to add to your TBR.
With thanks to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Playing for the Win by Ellie White
Release date: 14th August 2026
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/256552473-playing-for-the-win
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Playing-Win-Wearside-Story-Book-ebook/dp/B0HDCKQ7H4
Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/playing-for-the-win/ellie-white/9781915307279
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*Disclaimer
This review has been written with 100% honesty.
I was not financially compensated for this post. I was given an advance copy of this book for review purposes. The opinions expressed in this post are completely my own based on my own experience.
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