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The MacGregors #1
Playing the Odds
Hyacinth: Sport, Game, Play
Serena MacGregor's father knew she'd never settle down and produce a grandchild while working as a blackjack dealer on a luxury cruise ship. But he knew he could stack the odds in his favor by sending unsuspecting Justin Blade—part Comanche and all gambler—to see that his daughter was lucky in love...
Serena MacGregor's father knew she'd never settle down and produce a grandchild while working as a blackjack dealer on a luxury cruise ship. But he knew he could stack the odds in his favor by sending unsuspecting Justin Blade—part Comanche and all gambler—to see that his daughter was lucky in love...
218 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 1985
1668 people are currently reading
4447 people want to read
About the author
Nora Roberts
1,866 books58.4k followersNora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 -- The Becoming -- the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 368 reviews
May 17, 2022
MY FIRST NORA ROBERTS! And omg it was incredible.
September 3, 2020
Serena MacGregor is a blackjack dealer on a cruise ship sailing the Caribbean and she's very good at what she does. What no one knows is that she’s from a well known, wealthy family and decided to go down a different path after graduating from college, wanting to experience the world outside of the bubble of her family. Then Justin Blade sits at her table and she knows he someone different. He experiences the same connection and makes it his mission to have this woman.
Justin is more than he first presents himself to be and there’s a secret he’s keeping that involves Serena. I won’t divulge that as it makes the story more interesting and I liked getting that as a surprise. I really liked both of them, especially Serena as she was strong, self assured and talented. But the romance was problematic for me, which was the only thing that made this book feel dated. Justin never respected Serena saying “no” and was continually grabbing her, not letting go. Even she was uncomfortable and it definitely threw me out of the romance and story each time. Otherwise, everything else worked but this was a big issue for me.
There were a lot of other things that I enjoyed, specifically Serena’s family and their relationship with each other. Justin also has a complex history and there was a lot to like about him despite his sexual aggression (it was the nature of romance writing in that era). And, it was clear he was the foundation for Roarke, one of my beloved characters in the In Death series. There’s a bit of suspense, too, just enough to add an interesting angle to an already good story. I definitely plan to continue the series despite my issue with the romance.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
Justin is more than he first presents himself to be and there’s a secret he’s keeping that involves Serena. I won’t divulge that as it makes the story more interesting and I liked getting that as a surprise. I really liked both of them, especially Serena as she was strong, self assured and talented. But the romance was problematic for me, which was the only thing that made this book feel dated. Justin never respected Serena saying “no” and was continually grabbing her, not letting go. Even she was uncomfortable and it definitely threw me out of the romance and story each time. Otherwise, everything else worked but this was a big issue for me.
There were a lot of other things that I enjoyed, specifically Serena’s family and their relationship with each other. Justin also has a complex history and there was a lot to like about him despite his sexual aggression (it was the nature of romance writing in that era). And, it was clear he was the foundation for Roarke, one of my beloved characters in the In Death series. There’s a bit of suspense, too, just enough to add an interesting angle to an already good story. I definitely plan to continue the series despite my issue with the romance.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
August 20, 2016
Hotel owner and gambler Justin Blade takes a Caribbean cruise after his friend Daniel MacGregor persuades him to take a vacation. Unknown to Justin, Daniel's lovely daughter Serena (whom Justin has never met) is working in the gambling casino on the ship and Daniel hopes the two will meet on board. They do and sparks fly!
I loved the scenic locations in this book--a Caribbean cruise, Justin's hotel and casino in Atlantic City. This book also had a little bit of suspense thrown in towards the end. This was a great older Nora Roberts Silhouette Special Edition!
I loved the scenic locations in this book--a Caribbean cruise, Justin's hotel and casino in Atlantic City. This book also had a little bit of suspense thrown in towards the end. This was a great older Nora Roberts Silhouette Special Edition!
July 5, 2017
" Întrucât cărțile și oamenii se schimbau, Serena nu se plictisea niciodată. Alesese slujba ca să întâlnească oameni - nu oamenii croiți din aceeași stofă pe care îi întâlnise în facultate, ci oameni diverși. În privința asta, își atinsese scopul."
" Și era neputincios. Cum putea el să explice că hotelul însemna mai mult decât doar beton și piatră pentru el? Fusese primul lucru pe care îl obținuse, prima lui casă după ce îi muriseră părinții. Simboliza independența lui, succesul, moștenirea. Acum nu putea decât să stea deoparte și să aștepte să fie aruncat în aer."
" Și era neputincios. Cum putea el să explice că hotelul însemna mai mult decât doar beton și piatră pentru el? Fusese primul lucru pe care îl obținuse, prima lui casă după ce îi muriseră părinții. Simboliza independența lui, succesul, moștenirea. Acum nu putea decât să stea deoparte și să aștepte să fie aruncat în aer."
April 29, 2019
3 to 3 1/2 stars
Be warned:
This romance was written in 1985 and, in so many ways, is of its time.
So, keeping that in mind, certain aspects of the relationship between Justin Blade and Serena MacGregor were definitely problematic. Certain scenes, especially at the outset, left me feeling uncomfortable and, at times, unimpressed.
I just wasn't keen on the dynamics between the leads for the first half of the book. I often found the hero overbearing with his 'won't take no for an answer' boundary pushing.
And the heroine (though strong and independent in many ways) would sometimes do that oh no, stop, I don't want this, but oh yes, I really do, and more please thing, designed to somehow justify and excuse how ruthless and controlling he was behaving at various points.
*sigh*
Blade really did start off this journey in alphahole mode. I only started to warm up to him a bit when Rena made it clear that she accepted (and was excited by) his possessive, dominant nature, and that the two of them butting heads and challenging each other in this way was part of the attraction and one element of what she loved about him.
It helped when I could see for myself that he was falling for her and wanted to protect her. (Mind you, this heroine, for the most part, could take care of herself...) I also appreciated his willingness to . So, to some degree, between these developments and some added suspense in the plot, I was finally able to buy into the idea that he was actually in love with the heroine, accepted her for who she was, and adored both her strength and the fact that he'd never really control her.
Some of my favorite parts of the journey were with the MacGregor family, especially Daniel MacGregor, Serena's father. He takes it upon himself in this book (and throughout the rest of the series) to play matchmaker for his children (and others along the way). He orchestrates meetings between them and the partners he thinks will be best suited to them. He's a hilarious, lovable, meddling, old rascal, and watching him scheme and plan in the final two books of the series (which, for some reason, I ended up reading first) was one of the reasons I decided to read book number one...
It was hard for me to rate this tale because what I liked, I really liked, and found myself laughing about, appreciating, and/or intrigued by. What I didn't like, I really didn't like, to the point where I found myself questioning certain 'outdated' (read unacceptable) mindsets and turned off by heavy-handed behaviour.
Still, there was just enough of the good in here (and definitely in the final two books which I rated higher) that I intend to continue on with the rest of the MacGregors' series.
In closing, it's not a favorite and only books that I'd actually consider rereading get four stars or higher. Still, it contains some of the joy, wisdom, and aspects of humor that make me appreciate NR's work so much. For example, the In Death series (that she writes as J.D. Robb) is one of my absolute favorites.
Be warned:
This romance was written in 1985 and, in so many ways, is of its time.
So, keeping that in mind, certain aspects of the relationship between Justin Blade and Serena MacGregor were definitely problematic. Certain scenes, especially at the outset, left me feeling uncomfortable and, at times, unimpressed.
I just wasn't keen on the dynamics between the leads for the first half of the book. I often found the hero overbearing with his 'won't take no for an answer' boundary pushing.
And the heroine (though strong and independent in many ways) would sometimes do that oh no, stop, I don't want this, but oh yes, I really do, and more please thing, designed to somehow justify and excuse how ruthless and controlling he was behaving at various points.
*sigh*
Blade really did start off this journey in alphahole mode. I only started to warm up to him a bit when Rena made it clear that she accepted (and was excited by) his possessive, dominant nature, and that the two of them butting heads and challenging each other in this way was part of the attraction and one element of what she loved about him.
It helped when I could see for myself that he was falling for her and wanted to protect her. (Mind you, this heroine, for the most part, could take care of herself...) I also appreciated his willingness to . So, to some degree, between these developments and some added suspense in the plot, I was finally able to buy into the idea that he was actually in love with the heroine, accepted her for who she was, and adored both her strength and the fact that he'd never really control her.
Some of my favorite parts of the journey were with the MacGregor family, especially Daniel MacGregor, Serena's father. He takes it upon himself in this book (and throughout the rest of the series) to play matchmaker for his children (and others along the way). He orchestrates meetings between them and the partners he thinks will be best suited to them. He's a hilarious, lovable, meddling, old rascal, and watching him scheme and plan in the final two books of the series (which, for some reason, I ended up reading first) was one of the reasons I decided to read book number one...
It was hard for me to rate this tale because what I liked, I really liked, and found myself laughing about, appreciating, and/or intrigued by. What I didn't like, I really didn't like, to the point where I found myself questioning certain 'outdated' (read unacceptable) mindsets and turned off by heavy-handed behaviour.
Still, there was just enough of the good in here (and definitely in the final two books which I rated higher) that I intend to continue on with the rest of the MacGregors' series.
In closing, it's not a favorite and only books that I'd actually consider rereading get four stars or higher. Still, it contains some of the joy, wisdom, and aspects of humor that make me appreciate NR's work so much. For example, the In Death series (that she writes as J.D. Robb) is one of my absolute favorites.
August 21, 2020
Wanting to experience life and not be a pampered rich girl, Serena MacGregor works as a dealer in a casino aboard a cruise ship. There she meets handsome Justin Blade, a gambler who shows his interest in her. Justin takes her on a beach picnic and seems to be everywhere that Serena is on the ship. Serena is attracted to Justin, but he is not the kind of adventure she had in mind.
This story is a typical category romance from the 1980's. Hero sees a woman he wants, pursues her throughout the book, and doesn't take "no" for an answer. Thankfully, when Serena and Justin get off the cruise ship in the second half of the book, the story improve immensely. I thought Serena was a strong independent heroine. Justin grew on me in the second half of the book. My rating: 3 Stars.
This story is a typical category romance from the 1980's. Hero sees a woman he wants, pursues her throughout the book, and doesn't take "no" for an answer. Thankfully, when Serena and Justin get off the cruise ship in the second half of the book, the story improve immensely. I thought Serena was a strong independent heroine. Justin grew on me in the second half of the book. My rating: 3 Stars.
October 4, 2015
*I gave this audiobook an A- for Angela Dawe's Narration and B for the story at AudioGals*
Lovers of Nora Roberts’ traditional contemporary romances will not want to miss the opportunity to listen to Playing the Odds, Book 1 in Ms. Robert’s long running series, The MacGregors, which was originally published in print in the 1980s. Narrated by Angela Dawe, this tale centers around the theme of “Betting on Love” and is a great representation of why publishers should consider bringing favorite backlist titles to life through the creation of an audiobook with a good narrator. Ms. Dawe definitely tilts the odds in favor of reliving this classic tale in audio format.
Please see the full review at AudioGals.
Lovers of Nora Roberts’ traditional contemporary romances will not want to miss the opportunity to listen to Playing the Odds, Book 1 in Ms. Robert’s long running series, The MacGregors, which was originally published in print in the 1980s. Narrated by Angela Dawe, this tale centers around the theme of “Betting on Love” and is a great representation of why publishers should consider bringing favorite backlist titles to life through the creation of an audiobook with a good narrator. Ms. Dawe definitely tilts the odds in favor of reliving this classic tale in audio format.
Please see the full review at AudioGals.
June 13, 2008
Hate the male protagonist, don't you know "no" means "no"? But the girl is slightly better. O well. This is a classic story denoting when a girl says no, she prolly means maybe. Ack.
January 22, 2015
This was reread and boy, was it fun to revisit these characters. A Nora Roberts classic.
February 23, 2017
Such a lovely book!
When Justin is sent to a cruise for a vacation by his partner Daniel- he never knew he would meet the gorgeous blackjack dealer Serena aboard- and lose his heart to her.
Serena, namesake of her great grandmother is from a family of high achievers and finds solace in the sea- until she meets Justin.
It's insta attraction- kiss at first sight- mild stalking- sweet courtship- a small hitch and a HFN (because I'm sure wel see this couple in the next books)
The Macgregor clan was LOVELY and I'd like to read all their books.
A bit tame in the sex scenes, but no angst and loads of love
Safe
3.5/5
When Justin is sent to a cruise for a vacation by his partner Daniel- he never knew he would meet the gorgeous blackjack dealer Serena aboard- and lose his heart to her.
Serena, namesake of her great grandmother is from a family of high achievers and finds solace in the sea- until she meets Justin.
It's insta attraction- kiss at first sight- mild stalking- sweet courtship- a small hitch and a HFN (because I'm sure wel see this couple in the next books)
The Macgregor clan was LOVELY and I'd like to read all their books.
A bit tame in the sex scenes, but no angst and loads of love
Safe
3.5/5
August 16, 2020
This is certainly a great start to The MacGregors Series. Hot romance and a seat of your pants suspense for a great early Nora Roberts Romance. I like to say some of these oldies are a hit or a miss and this one is definitely a hit. If Nora could only remember how to write a romance like this one her current romantic-suspense offerings would spend more than one week on the bestseller lists. I loved the set up, the take down and the whole thing.
Serena MacGregor is smart, crazy smart and with the degrees to prove it. And, she's rich. Her father is a financial wizard. When she takes a job dealing black jack on a cruise ship, her goal was to meet people and gain experience. Now, she is looking forward to going home and starting her own hotel-casino after this last cruise. She didn't plan on her father trying to set her up with a man. A man who turned out to be the man of her dreams. Doesn't that just figure, Daddy really does know best.
When his old friend suggested a cruise as a way to unwind, Justin Blade was just a little intrigued, especially when Daniel MacGregor booked and paid for the trip. He soon found out why when he laid eyes on the beautiful Serena and found out she was Daniel's daughter. Ah, well, the road to true love just never runs smoothly and Serena was is in full Scottish temper when she found out. That wasn't their only problem. Someone wants revenge against Justin and it could be deadly.
Serena MacGregor is smart, crazy smart and with the degrees to prove it. And, she's rich. Her father is a financial wizard. When she takes a job dealing black jack on a cruise ship, her goal was to meet people and gain experience. Now, she is looking forward to going home and starting her own hotel-casino after this last cruise. She didn't plan on her father trying to set her up with a man. A man who turned out to be the man of her dreams. Doesn't that just figure, Daddy really does know best.
When his old friend suggested a cruise as a way to unwind, Justin Blade was just a little intrigued, especially when Daniel MacGregor booked and paid for the trip. He soon found out why when he laid eyes on the beautiful Serena and found out she was Daniel's daughter. Ah, well, the road to true love just never runs smoothly and Serena was is in full Scottish temper when she found out. That wasn't their only problem. Someone wants revenge against Justin and it could be deadly.
May 8, 2020
Él es el típico hombre que no acepta un no por respuesta (mal vamos) y que toma todo lo que desea. Claro que sí, campeón. Que viva el consentimiento y esas cosas.
Ella se supone que es una mujer de armas tomar, decidida, que sabe lo que quiere. Ha!
En múltiples (y lo digo en serio, ni las he contado pero ahí están) ocasiones ella le dice que no. De forma reiterada. Verbal. Lenguaje corporal. Pero al hombre le da igual. Y a ella en verdad también.
Lo he visto en obras anteriores de Roberts. Parece que las mujeres con un beso y una caricia nos derretimos y no podemos pensar de forma coherente y se nos evapora la voluntad. Si, si. Fantástico.
De hecho en una escena le dice que no mientras le rodea el cuello con los brazos. Yo lo siento mucho pero no entiendo este tipo de relaciones. Y para mí, ha sido un punto muy negativo y constante.
El ambiente de la novela me ha aburrido soberanamente. Ya de entrada no me va el tema de casinos, apuestas, etc. Pero tal y como lo llevan, pues menos.
Todo pasa en una semana y supuestamente tengo que creerme que ahí hay algo de sentimiento entre ellos. A lo último igual sí, pero cuando ni llevan una semana (y dos días sin verse). Mira, no.
El estilo de Roberts sigue sin gustarme. De vez en cuando te cola frases que, se supone, están curradas pero que las ha metido con calzador. Y cuando llega a las escenas de cama hay tantos eufemismos que casi me pierdo y de repente pam! están dormidos. Hay mil maneras mejores de hacerlo.
Me da que no voy a leer mucho más de Roberts. Esta visto que no nos llevamos bien.
Ella se supone que es una mujer de armas tomar, decidida, que sabe lo que quiere. Ha!
En múltiples (y lo digo en serio, ni las he contado pero ahí están) ocasiones ella le dice que no. De forma reiterada. Verbal. Lenguaje corporal. Pero al hombre le da igual. Y a ella en verdad también.
Lo he visto en obras anteriores de Roberts. Parece que las mujeres con un beso y una caricia nos derretimos y no podemos pensar de forma coherente y se nos evapora la voluntad. Si, si. Fantástico.
De hecho en una escena le dice que no mientras le rodea el cuello con los brazos. Yo lo siento mucho pero no entiendo este tipo de relaciones. Y para mí, ha sido un punto muy negativo y constante.
El ambiente de la novela me ha aburrido soberanamente. Ya de entrada no me va el tema de casinos, apuestas, etc. Pero tal y como lo llevan, pues menos.
Todo pasa en una semana y supuestamente tengo que creerme que ahí hay algo de sentimiento entre ellos. A lo último igual sí, pero cuando ni llevan una semana (y dos días sin verse). Mira, no.
El estilo de Roberts sigue sin gustarme. De vez en cuando te cola frases que, se supone, están curradas pero que las ha metido con calzador. Y cuando llega a las escenas de cama hay tantos eufemismos que casi me pierdo y de repente pam! están dormidos. Hay mil maneras mejores de hacerlo.
Me da que no voy a leer mucho más de Roberts. Esta visto que no nos llevamos bien.
July 11, 2014
4.5 Stars..
I want to read the book that the Hero is the Politician for long time. I love Alan. He is intelligent and witty. Denial MacGregor, Alan's Father is the most Fantastic!! He is so clever and witty. Shelby, the Heroine, she is strong and intelligent, so perfect for being MacGregor's daughter-in-love. The Dialogue is Great!! It's Sharp, especially the Auguring between Denial and Shelby. It made me WOW wow WOW, then laugh out loud! lol! I LOVE the Playing Card scene, as well! this scene is My Bonus. Lol! :p
I recommend for everyone who love Contemporary Romance.
นิยายเรื่องแรกของนอร่าที่อ่านค่าา บทสนธนาของตัวละครคมมาก ของขวัญที่พระเอกส่งมาให้นางเอกก็น่ารักทั้งนั้น ชอบพ่อพระเอกที่สุดแล้ว อยากได้มาเป็นญาติผู้ใหญ่จัง 55 ได้ความรู้เรื่องของอาชีพทั้งปั้นหม้อและนักการเมือง แต่อยากให้มีฉากเกี่ยวกับการเมืองเยอะๆจัง อยากอ่านนิยายที่เกี่ยวข้องกับอะไรแบบนี้ xD บางทีเราหวังมากไป 555+ ตัวละครฉลาดทุกคนเลยง่ะ โดยเฉพาะตัวละครหลัก ชอบ อิอิ
I want to read the book that the Hero is the Politician for long time. I love Alan. He is intelligent and witty. Denial MacGregor, Alan's Father is the most Fantastic!! He is so clever and witty. Shelby, the Heroine, she is strong and intelligent, so perfect for being MacGregor's daughter-in-love. The Dialogue is Great!! It's Sharp, especially the Auguring between Denial and Shelby. It made me WOW wow WOW, then laugh out loud! lol! I LOVE the Playing Card scene, as well! this scene is My Bonus. Lol! :p
I recommend for everyone who love Contemporary Romance.
นิยายเรื่องแรกของนอร่าที่อ่านค่าา บทสนธนาของตัวละครคมมาก ของขวัญที่พระเอกส่งมาให้นางเอกก็น่ารักทั้งนั้น ชอบพ่อพระเอกที่สุดแล้ว อยากได้มาเป็นญาติผู้ใหญ่จัง 55 ได้ความรู้เรื่องของอาชีพทั้งปั้นหม้อและนักการเมือง แต่อยากให้มีฉากเกี่ยวกับการเมืองเยอะๆจัง อยากอ่านนิยายที่เกี่ยวข้องกับอะไรแบบนี้ xD บางทีเราหวังมากไป 555+ ตัวละครฉลาดทุกคนเลยง่ะ โดยเฉพาะตัวละครหลัก ชอบ อิอิ
December 30, 2016
As much as I love Nora Roberts books I prefer her longer ones and the later ones over the category romances. Those are generally too short and not enough developed.
That is why I generally liked Playing the Odds, it is good for category romance. The main characters Serena and Justin are likeable and the plot is interesting with a small suspense part. But I would rather read some longer book from Roberts.
I've got still some books in this series to read.
That is why I generally liked Playing the Odds, it is good for category romance. The main characters Serena and Justin are likeable and the plot is interesting with a small suspense part. But I would rather read some longer book from Roberts.
I've got still some books in this series to read.
May 18, 2020
super je; radujem se nastavku :)
May 7, 2019
The one that started off the whole Macgregor's saga ... worth reading ... brilliantly characterised and shows why Ms. Roberts is considered the best ...
June 8, 2016
Mi-a placut cartea, dar parca prea repede s-a sfarsit...
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May 7, 2020
Mi segundo primer libro de Nora Roberts (el primero lo abandoné) y sigo pensando que está autora no es para mí. Supongo que tendrá libros mejores que este pero su prosa no logra convencerme.
Sin duda lo mejor de este libro es su protagonista, Serena. Sin ella el libro no hubiera merecido la pena. Es una mujer fuerte, decidida, sin miedo y luchadora. Odia que le digan lo que tiene que hacer o cómo debe de vivir su vida.
Y después tenemos a Justin, el típico personaje que odio con toda mi alma. Mandón, egocéntrico, chulo, violento... El típico personaje que se llevó hace algunos años que yo odio con toda mi alma.
Al principio el tira y afloja que tenian era entretenido y divertido, ya que ella no se dejaba pisotear por Justin, pero cuando ella empieza a sentir algo más por él todo esto se va al garate. Pierde el culo por él, pierde toda su profesionalidad...Justin la cambio para mal.
Empiezan una relación demasiado intensa y sin sentido, con deciros que al segundo día ya se dicen te amo y se prometen en matrimonio... Por favor algo de tiempo, no os conocéis de nada!!! Es algo que siento que no le pegan nada al personaje de Serena.
¿Y lo de la bomba y el secuestro? Ridiculo e innecesario, no le pegaba nada a la trama...
No estoy segura de si leeré los siguientes libros. Los hermanos de ella me han gustado mucho y sobre ellos van a tratar los siguientes libros... Así que quizás les de una oportunidad.
Sin duda lo mejor de este libro es su protagonista, Serena. Sin ella el libro no hubiera merecido la pena. Es una mujer fuerte, decidida, sin miedo y luchadora. Odia que le digan lo que tiene que hacer o cómo debe de vivir su vida.
Y después tenemos a Justin, el típico personaje que odio con toda mi alma. Mandón, egocéntrico, chulo, violento... El típico personaje que se llevó hace algunos años que yo odio con toda mi alma.
Al principio el tira y afloja que tenian era entretenido y divertido, ya que ella no se dejaba pisotear por Justin, pero cuando ella empieza a sentir algo más por él todo esto se va al garate. Pierde el culo por él, pierde toda su profesionalidad...Justin la cambio para mal.
Empiezan una relación demasiado intensa y sin sentido, con deciros que al segundo día ya se dicen te amo y se prometen en matrimonio... Por favor algo de tiempo, no os conocéis de nada!!! Es algo que siento que no le pegan nada al personaje de Serena.
¿Y lo de la bomba y el secuestro? Ridiculo e innecesario, no le pegaba nada a la trama...
No estoy segura de si leeré los siguientes libros. Los hermanos de ella me han gustado mucho y sobre ellos van a tratar los siguientes libros... Así que quizás les de una oportunidad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2024
Oh, this was fine. This is a two star in the clinical sense. Like, "just below average". It's not a bad book, just a boring book. A very 80's book. It didn't feel dated in any concrete way, it just felt like the corny paperbacks I read when I was working as a grocery store clerk. I was really annoyed/amused with the random bombing plot. I read this in two sittings so I could be mistaken. But I do believe that the suspense part just... came out of nowhere.
I will say. I liked how Nora Roberts wrote Justin. I didn't care much about him as a character but I was impressed with how not-racist the story is towards him. Like, compared to Linda Howard? This was a pretty grounded depiction of a Native man. Bigotry towards him is an indirect part of the plot. He's not a "noble savage" and nor is he overly-fetishized because of his 'mystical' non-whiteness. (I'm riffing off Howard here, not Roberts.)
Well. A below-average, non-offensive read, this was. I have not much else to say.
I will say. I liked how Nora Roberts wrote Justin. I didn't care much about him as a character but I was impressed with how not-racist the story is towards him. Like, compared to Linda Howard? This was a pretty grounded depiction of a Native man. Bigotry towards him is an indirect part of the plot. He's not a "noble savage" and nor is he overly-fetishized because of his 'mystical' non-whiteness. (I'm riffing off Howard here, not Roberts.)
Well. A below-average, non-offensive read, this was. I have not much else to say.
March 14, 2022
Playing The Odds is a mild romantic suspense story. Serena MacGregor is just finishing a year working on a cruise ship in the casino. The experience has helped her decide that she would like to open her own business.
Justin Blade is a professional gambler; he agreed to join the cruise when Serena’s father, Daniel, paid for his ticket. Neither is at first aware of Daniel’s manipulation plans for them.
This is a romance with a bit of a twist. I enjoyed the first half of the book which took place during a cruise of the Caribbean. However, the second half of the book, fell flat for me, even the characters sounded different in my head as I read about them. I like Nora Robert’s writing style, generally, but this one’s plot was a bit weak for my liking.
Justin Blade is a professional gambler; he agreed to join the cruise when Serena’s father, Daniel, paid for his ticket. Neither is at first aware of Daniel’s manipulation plans for them.
This is a romance with a bit of a twist. I enjoyed the first half of the book which took place during a cruise of the Caribbean. However, the second half of the book, fell flat for me, even the characters sounded different in my head as I read about them. I like Nora Robert’s writing style, generally, but this one’s plot was a bit weak for my liking.
August 2, 2020
Playing the Odds (The MacGregors)
The love story o Serena and Justin. Daniel MacGregors, the Laird of the clan MacGregors, family matchmaking, and busybody. He has decided that Serena and Justin would make a great match so he send Justin on a cruise. On the cruise Justin mets Serena, who is a dealer in the Casino. Will Daniel 's scheme work? Great story.
The love story o Serena and Justin. Daniel MacGregors, the Laird of the clan MacGregors, family matchmaking, and busybody. He has decided that Serena and Justin would make a great match so he send Justin on a cruise. On the cruise Justin mets Serena, who is a dealer in the Casino. Will Daniel 's scheme work? Great story.
November 30, 2019
Shelby daha küçük bir kız çocuğu iken babasının suikastine şahit olmuş bu yüzden bir daha böylesi bir acı yaşamamak için sadece anı kendine göre yaşayan başarılı çömlek sanatçısı bir kadındır. Annesinin ricasıyla katıldığı davette ortama uymayan ama kendi üstüne çok iyi oturan tarzı ile Alan'ın dikkatini çeker. Tanıştıklarında aslında ailelerinin ta İskoçya'dan kalma bir düşmanlık taşıdığını fark ederler ama bu onları durdurmaz. Aslında Shelby'nin küçüklükten kalma kaybetme korkusu ile Alan'ın ataklarına karşı koymak ister ama bir kere işin içine kalp girmiştir.
Seri çok güzel gidiyor ve okuması çok zevkli özellikle de Daniel MacGregor sahneyi devralınca sahne daha güzelleşiyor. Ve 5.kitapta Daniel ve Anna varmış merakla bekliyorum sıranın gelmesini.
Seri çok güzel gidiyor ve okuması çok zevkli özellikle de Daniel MacGregor sahneyi devralınca sahne daha güzelleşiyor. Ve 5.kitapta Daniel ve Anna varmış merakla bekliyorum sıranın gelmesini.
May 15, 2018
DNF
Re-read
I am really questioning myself on how I gave this book a 3 star rating. But I guess I am reading it after a long time and now times have changed.
As soon as I read
In some sane portion of her brain she realized he would always take without regard for willingness.
It turned me off from the book. Hated the hero. He did not understand the meaning of "no" and the author justified that my showing that heroine's "no" was actually an indirect yes.
In today's time the hero would have been labelled a stalker and would have been languishing in prison.
Re-read
I am really questioning myself on how I gave this book a 3 star rating. But I guess I am reading it after a long time and now times have changed.
As soon as I read
In some sane portion of her brain she realized he would always take without regard for willingness.
It turned me off from the book. Hated the hero. He did not understand the meaning of "no" and the author justified that my showing that heroine's "no" was actually an indirect yes.
In today's time the hero would have been labelled a stalker and would have been languishing in prison.
October 17, 2015
Probably somewhere around 3.5 stars.
Definitely a little dated and I had some minor pursuit issues that can mostly be attributed to the fact that this was written in 1985, but it was overall a pretty fun read once I got into it. I started this in August but didn't really get into it past the first 30 pages until this week.
Definitely a little dated and I had some minor pursuit issues that can mostly be attributed to the fact that this was written in 1985, but it was overall a pretty fun read once I got into it. I started this in August but didn't really get into it past the first 30 pages until this week.
January 16, 2019
This one really holds up for me. Serena and Justin feel very equally matched and I love that they become business partners and that it takes place both on a cruise ship and in Atlantic City!
September 17, 2024
1.5 stars. Nora Roberts is the first author in our Romance History Project that I’ve read previously and actually enjoyed. I read a few standalones, the Wedding Quartet, and the Inn BoonsBoro trilogy but nothing since the last BoonsBoro book was released. I’ve also read a few of her JD Robb books. At the time, I thought of them as fluff reads (complimentary)—I hadn’t come back to reading romance then and I’m not even sure I realized they were romances—I was just looking for the occasional palate cleanser and these fit the bill. The people who love Nora Roberts really love Nora Roberts and I’m glad for them. But she doesn’t work the same magic on me. Her books are easy reads that are generally hard to put down but on the predictable side, not very memorable, and containing logistical errors. I’m glad I read her back in the day but I’ve been perfectly fine leaving her behind.
However, it was quite illuminating to read something from earlier in her career. There’s no denying her success; she’s written over 250 books, most of which have been bestsellers. Nora Roberts looms large over the genre and has for a very long time. Playing the Odds was a Silhouette category romance published in 1985. It’s the first book in the MacGregor series and her first bestseller. She’s attributed with starting the trend of series with a different family member or friend getting their own romance. She also wrote the male POV where, head-hopping aside, previously romances had only been from the female POV.
So how did Playing the Odds fare? Dubiously. I loved the cruise ship casino setting. It read very fast and not just because it’s a category. Roberts knows how to keep the pages moving. But at the same time, this story was dated and problematic.
When Justin and Serena meet while she’s dealing blackjack on the high seas, they have no idea it’s due to her father playing matchmaker. Justin immediately comes on strong and Serena is understandably not interested. That doesn’t prevent his relentless pursuit of her, which turns into sexual harassment and assault. What Justin wants, Justin gets. Serena’s wishes in the matter are of no consequence.
Justin is a toxic alpha male, some of which stems from his stereotypical and fetishizing representation as someone who is part Comanche. He’s repeatedly described as a warrior and nomad. Much is made of his dark skin vs her white skin and his green eyes. He doesn’t have a relationship with his family, wasn’t raised on the reservation, and has no connection to his tribe. I don’t think there any other characters of color in the whole book. At one point, Justin and Serena “joke" about how his relatives would have scalped hers. He also shares how his Comanche ancestor abducted and raped a blond white woman after her people had attempted to seize his land. “When he saw her, he wanted her…So he took her.” The woman tried to escape a few days later and stabbed him but then felt bad for him and stayed and had his babies. This has been turned into “heartwarming” advice passed down to each generation: whenever one of his people sees a woman with blond hair who he wants, he takes. YIKES. Roberts says she wouldn’t write the “conquesting male stereotype” today but that that was the market back then (source). But that does nothing to address the anti-Indigenous representation.
There were three main issues. First and most importantly, I never believed the romance. I liked that Serena would stand up for herself but I never understood why or how she supposedly fell for Justin. He did not care about her needs or wishes, only his own. They’ve only known each other a month and most of that was him sexually harassing her. Second, this took a very weird romantic suspense turn in the second half that made absolutely no sense and centered racial violence. Third, Serena’s dad and brothers are patriarchal Neanderthals who were the absolute WORST. There’s also a lot of head hopping and an over-reliance on gambling symbolism. “Odds” is used 15 times! We get it, Nora.
I appreciated that Serena was feisty and tried to chart her own course in life despite what men told her. I’m glad she ultimately saved herself. But she deserved way better than Justin.
Further Reading:
All About Romance: Nora Roberts on her MacGregor Series by Laurie Likes Books with Linda Mowery (September 22, 1997)
The New York Times: The Critics Scoffed. Nora Roberts Just Kept Writing. by Lulu Garcia-Navarro (November 18, 2023)
The New Yorker: Real Romance by Lauren Collins (June 15, 2009)
Publishers Weekly: Nora Roberts: A Celebration of Emotions by Judy Quinn (February 23, 1998)
Characters: Justin is a 35 year old part-Comanche casino hotel owner. Serena is a 26 year old white cruise ship blackjack dealer with violet eyes. This is set in the Bahamas, Hyannis Port, MA, and Atlantic City, NJ.
Content notes: past racial violence (stabbed by racist at a bar who MMC then killed in self-defense), anti-Indigenous stereotypes, racial slurs, sexual harassment by MMC and secondary characters, past stalking by passenger, sexual assault by MMC , MMC throws a glass across the room in anger, drug assault, physical assault, abduction, bomb threats, gambling, past death of MMC’s parents when he was 16, MMC’s Comanche ancestor raped a white woman who stabbed him while trying to escape but then felt bad and stayed with him, secondary character’s husband lost his arm while deployed in Vietnam, parental pressure for relationship and grandchildren, unsafe sex practices (no condom for penetrative sex without discussion of STI or pregnancy prevention), dubious consent, on page sex, alcohol, cigar, inebriation (secondary character), cigarettes (secondary character), casual ableism, gendered pejoratives, gender essentialist language, ableist language
*Buddy read with Charlotte, Hannah, and Vicky.
RHP ranking, so far:
Whitney, My Love (4 stars)
Maurice (4 stars)
Loyal in All (3.5 stars)
The Moon-Spinners (3 stars)
Gaywyck (2.5 stars)
Loving Her (2 stars)
Playing the Odds (1.5 stars)
The Black Lyon (1 star)
No Quarter Asked (1 star)
Regency Buck (1 star)
The Sheik (1 star)
The Flame and the Flower (1 star)
The Lord Won’t Mind (1 star)
However, it was quite illuminating to read something from earlier in her career. There’s no denying her success; she’s written over 250 books, most of which have been bestsellers. Nora Roberts looms large over the genre and has for a very long time. Playing the Odds was a Silhouette category romance published in 1985. It’s the first book in the MacGregor series and her first bestseller. She’s attributed with starting the trend of series with a different family member or friend getting their own romance. She also wrote the male POV where, head-hopping aside, previously romances had only been from the female POV.
So how did Playing the Odds fare? Dubiously. I loved the cruise ship casino setting. It read very fast and not just because it’s a category. Roberts knows how to keep the pages moving. But at the same time, this story was dated and problematic.
When Justin and Serena meet while she’s dealing blackjack on the high seas, they have no idea it’s due to her father playing matchmaker. Justin immediately comes on strong and Serena is understandably not interested. That doesn’t prevent his relentless pursuit of her, which turns into sexual harassment and assault. What Justin wants, Justin gets. Serena’s wishes in the matter are of no consequence.
Justin is a toxic alpha male, some of which stems from his stereotypical and fetishizing representation as someone who is part Comanche. He’s repeatedly described as a warrior and nomad. Much is made of his dark skin vs her white skin and his green eyes. He doesn’t have a relationship with his family, wasn’t raised on the reservation, and has no connection to his tribe. I don’t think there any other characters of color in the whole book. At one point, Justin and Serena “joke" about how his relatives would have scalped hers. He also shares how his Comanche ancestor abducted and raped a blond white woman after her people had attempted to seize his land. “When he saw her, he wanted her…So he took her.” The woman tried to escape a few days later and stabbed him but then felt bad for him and stayed and had his babies. This has been turned into “heartwarming” advice passed down to each generation: whenever one of his people sees a woman with blond hair who he wants, he takes. YIKES. Roberts says she wouldn’t write the “conquesting male stereotype” today but that that was the market back then (source). But that does nothing to address the anti-Indigenous representation.
There were three main issues. First and most importantly, I never believed the romance. I liked that Serena would stand up for herself but I never understood why or how she supposedly fell for Justin. He did not care about her needs or wishes, only his own. They’ve only known each other a month and most of that was him sexually harassing her. Second, this took a very weird romantic suspense turn in the second half that made absolutely no sense and centered racial violence. Third, Serena’s dad and brothers are patriarchal Neanderthals who were the absolute WORST. There’s also a lot of head hopping and an over-reliance on gambling symbolism. “Odds” is used 15 times! We get it, Nora.
I appreciated that Serena was feisty and tried to chart her own course in life despite what men told her. I’m glad she ultimately saved herself. But she deserved way better than Justin.
Further Reading:
All About Romance: Nora Roberts on her MacGregor Series by Laurie Likes Books with Linda Mowery (September 22, 1997)
The New York Times: The Critics Scoffed. Nora Roberts Just Kept Writing. by Lulu Garcia-Navarro (November 18, 2023)
The New Yorker: Real Romance by Lauren Collins (June 15, 2009)
Publishers Weekly: Nora Roberts: A Celebration of Emotions by Judy Quinn (February 23, 1998)
Characters: Justin is a 35 year old part-Comanche casino hotel owner. Serena is a 26 year old white cruise ship blackjack dealer with violet eyes. This is set in the Bahamas, Hyannis Port, MA, and Atlantic City, NJ.
Content notes: past racial violence (stabbed by racist at a bar who MMC then killed in self-defense), anti-Indigenous stereotypes, racial slurs, sexual harassment by MMC and secondary characters, past stalking by passenger, sexual assault by MMC , MMC throws a glass across the room in anger, drug assault, physical assault, abduction, bomb threats, gambling, past death of MMC’s parents when he was 16, MMC’s Comanche ancestor raped a white woman who stabbed him while trying to escape but then felt bad and stayed with him, secondary character’s husband lost his arm while deployed in Vietnam, parental pressure for relationship and grandchildren, unsafe sex practices (no condom for penetrative sex without discussion of STI or pregnancy prevention), dubious consent, on page sex, alcohol, cigar, inebriation (secondary character), cigarettes (secondary character), casual ableism, gendered pejoratives, gender essentialist language, ableist language
*Buddy read with Charlotte, Hannah, and Vicky.
RHP ranking, so far:
Whitney, My Love (4 stars)
Maurice (4 stars)
Loyal in All (3.5 stars)
The Moon-Spinners (3 stars)
Gaywyck (2.5 stars)
Loving Her (2 stars)
Playing the Odds (1.5 stars)
The Black Lyon (1 star)
No Quarter Asked (1 star)
Regency Buck (1 star)
The Sheik (1 star)
The Flame and the Flower (1 star)
The Lord Won’t Mind (1 star)
May 8, 2021
This holds up surprisingly well for a romance written in the 1980s. People smoking and no cell phones stand out a bit, but the biggest problem is with Justin's blatant disregard for Serena's wishes. The Alpha male is a fixture of romances of this period, and since the theme is taming one, that still works, but some of the comments he makes (and some of his thoughts) are going to grate on modern sensibilities.
April 26, 2018
Zabavna i interesantna, jedna od boljih knjiga Nore Roberts. Iskrena preporuka. 💗 💗
September 14, 2024
I honestly didn't expect this round of "I read it for science" to be this...bad? Yes, I'm going with bad. Sorry to blaspheme the queen.
My previous and limited experience with Nora Roberts has been entirely forgettable. I know I've read a book or two she's written but I remember nothing about them. I don't remember them being bad, though, and this one being her first bestseller makes this a real head scratcher. Our MMC, Justin Blade (that name, oi), is identified as Comanche and the Indigenous rep is as bad as you'd expect it to be. The FMC, is a violet-eyed daughter of a Scottish billionaire who refers to the women in his life as "his females," gag. We are told she is super sharp and headstrong, but in actuality she is about as flat as paper. Put these two in the same room on the same ship and a whirlwind romance to rival a Disney movie courtship ensues.
So the characters aren't great, but what made it hard to read is the lack of cohesiveness in atmosphere, plot, and pacing. There were moments I thought I might actually be reading a regency romance because so many of the trappings are there: sassy spinster daughter, self-made rake, a patriarch obsessed with the family legacy, even a gambling hell. But it's a contemporary! At least until the 2/3-ish mark, when it decides to become a romantic suspense. So the first half of the book spends a lot of time telling us about how much the MCs want to bang but that they shouldn't, the next little bit is them deciding to be partners after knowing each other for thirty seconds, and the last little bit is damsel-in-distress-due-to-revenge. In between it's bogged down with overly long scenes in which nothing happens. Even the sex scenes! They're six pages longer than they need to be considering there's nothing sexy about them and everything is vague euphemism.
I don't know, y'all. Nora is a better writer than this, right? Forget about the -isms, she has got to have a better grasp of craft in other books to be the tour de force she is, right?
Overall rating: 2
Hannah Angst Scale rating: doesn't deserve one
Content notes: racism, sexism, classism, gender essentialism, dubious consent in multiple scenes, sexual violence, violence, murder, terroristic threats and action, kidnapping, sex without discussion of protection/contraception, gambling, alcohol use
My previous and limited experience with Nora Roberts has been entirely forgettable. I know I've read a book or two she's written but I remember nothing about them. I don't remember them being bad, though, and this one being her first bestseller makes this a real head scratcher. Our MMC, Justin Blade (that name, oi), is identified as Comanche and the Indigenous rep is as bad as you'd expect it to be. The FMC, is a violet-eyed daughter of a Scottish billionaire who refers to the women in his life as "his females," gag. We are told she is super sharp and headstrong, but in actuality she is about as flat as paper. Put these two in the same room on the same ship and a whirlwind romance to rival a Disney movie courtship ensues.
So the characters aren't great, but what made it hard to read is the lack of cohesiveness in atmosphere, plot, and pacing. There were moments I thought I might actually be reading a regency romance because so many of the trappings are there: sassy spinster daughter, self-made rake, a patriarch obsessed with the family legacy, even a gambling hell. But it's a contemporary! At least until the 2/3-ish mark, when it decides to become a romantic suspense. So the first half of the book spends a lot of time telling us about how much the MCs want to bang but that they shouldn't, the next little bit is them deciding to be partners after knowing each other for thirty seconds, and the last little bit is damsel-in-distress-due-to-revenge. In between it's bogged down with overly long scenes in which nothing happens. Even the sex scenes! They're six pages longer than they need to be considering there's nothing sexy about them and everything is vague euphemism.
I don't know, y'all. Nora is a better writer than this, right? Forget about the -isms, she has got to have a better grasp of craft in other books to be the tour de force she is, right?
Overall rating: 2
Hannah Angst Scale rating: doesn't deserve one
Content notes: racism, sexism, classism, gender essentialism, dubious consent in multiple scenes, sexual violence, violence, murder, terroristic threats and action, kidnapping, sex without discussion of protection/contraception, gambling, alcohol use
November 27, 2019
Serena MacGregor ailesinin maddi zenginliğine ve aldığı onca eğitime rağmen daha fazla insan tanımak ve davranışlarını incelemek için bir gemide basit bir krupiyer olarak çalışmayı seçmiştir. Senenin son turu olan bu geziden sonra eve dönüp kendi işini kurmaya karar vermiştir ancak geziye katılan Justin Blade'nin kendi masasında oynadığı oyundan sonra ikisi arasında gözle görülür bir çekim oluşmuştur. Ancak bilmiyorlardır ki ikisinin gemide karşılaşmaları Daniel MacGregor yani Serena'nın babasının işidir. Justin Serena'nın tam adını öğrenince olanları anlar ve bir süre sonra bunları Serena'ya anlatırken bir de iş teklifinde bulunur Serena'ya.
Bayağıdır uzun ve çetrefilli kurgular okuduğum için böylesi bir olayların hemen olup bittiği kısa bir mola-mola dediğim 11 kitaplık bir seri- bana iyi geldi ve gelecek çünkü Nora Roberts kalemine sahip bir seri ve kadını da ayrı seviyorum.
Bayağıdır uzun ve çetrefilli kurgular okuduğum için böylesi bir olayların hemen olup bittiği kısa bir mola-mola dediğim 11 kitaplık bir seri- bana iyi geldi ve gelecek çünkü Nora Roberts kalemine sahip bir seri ve kadını da ayrı seviyorum.
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