I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Playing the Odds
by
Nora Roberts
contemporary romance in Paperback edition that was published by Silhouette on June 1, 1992 and has 218 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Irish Hearts, Montana Sky, Carnal Innocence, Second Nature, One Summer, Nora Robert, Serena * Caine, Daniel * Ian, Rebellion, Alan * Grant, The Witness, The Search, Time and Again, Shadow Spell, Blood Magick, The Next Always, The Last Boyfriend, The Perfect Hope, Irish Rebel, Year One, Of Blood and Bone, Legacy
Publications-wise, it’s first in the McGregor family romance series, and third chronologically. The couple focus is on Serena MacGregor and Justin Blade.
This series is a mess chronologically and has a number of stories combined into single books, so you may want to explore my list of the MacGregor family saga.
My Take
What can I say? I like a woman who knows what she wants and is prepared to go after it. And then there’s all those alpha males…yummy!
It’s a fluffy read; not one of Roberts’ best.
The Story
Having achieved three degrees, Serena takes a job as a croupier on a cruise ship. As she explains it to her very wealthy father, she wants to meet a wide variety of people from all over the world. She wants to be accepted for who she is and not who her family is. A year has now passed and Serena is quitting her job. She knows what she wants now she just has to convince her dad that it’s a good idea.
Justin Blade has been gifted into taking a cruise by a friend who feels that Justin needs to take some time to relax. It’s inevitable that he should meet Serena as Justin is an inveterate gambler. Despite the no-fraternization rule, Justin overwhelms all of Serena’s objections until she finds out who sent him the tickets.
The Characters
I liked the characters in this story. Serena MacGregor is strong and honest. Serena’s brothers, Alan and Caine, are strong, powerful men with a realistic and equal view of their baby sister while their father, Daniel, is a no-nonsense kind of guy who cares very much for his children and wife. Their mother, Anna, is a surgeon who does needlepoint with a realistic view of the husband she loves as well as her children.
Justin Blade is ruthless, demanding, and considerate (in his way).
The Cover
The cover is odd. Two white hyacinths against a dark background. Now in the language of flowers, hyacinth can refer to games and sports and that is the closest reason I can arrive at as to why they grace the cover. Subtle. Too subtle for me.
