Sarah Beth's Reviews > Two Can Play

Viola works within the world of video game design and is thrilled when her company has the chance to design a game based on her all-time favorite book series. The only problem is that she will have to work with Jesse Andrews, who works for a rival company and who has made it very clear to Viola that he wants nothing to do with her. When the two teams go on a retreat to spend time working together, Viola dreads the awkward proximity to Jesse. But as they spend more time together, Viola realizes that she may have misjudged Jesse and his perceived dislike for her.

I really enjoyed this novella! The author built plenty of opportunities for the two main characters to bump into each other between their shared line of work and the fact that her cousin is marrying his college roommate, bringing them together at social functions. The scene where they are suddenly under the mistletoe together at an engagement party! The tension! Viola has such a huge crush on Jesse and his apparently indifference or even dislike for her was very compelling.

I found it an interesting choice that this book is only available in audio format. I enjoyed the narration but wondered if I would have enjoyed it more if there had been some chapters from Jesse's point of view that were narrated by a man. My only real complaint with this book is that I was sad it ended so soon! This is novella length and while the story felt fairly fleshed out and, it would have been even better if I could have savored it more and also gotten to learn more about what happened after they returned home from their work retreat.

This was a fun, spicy enemies-to-lovers romance. I know nothing about video game design or that world, but Hazelwood made it interesting and fun.