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Publisher's Summary

Hands down, my favorite thing in the world is to score. Touchdowns. Don't let the fact that I'm the leading pick in the Most Valuable Playboy charity auction fool you. These days, I'm only a player on the field. I've kept my pants zipped all season long - and it is long - because nothing's more important than leading my team to victory every week. Except maybe escaping from the team owner's recently widowed and handsy-as-hell sister, who's dead set on winning more than a date with me. Enter Violet and a well-placed Hail Mary. She's my best friend's sister with a smile as sweet as cherry pie, and a mind that runs quicker than the 40-yard-dash.

After Violet saves the day with the highest bid, I don't even give her a two-minute warning before I kiss her in front of the whole crowd, and then announce that she's my girlfriend. Which would be fine, except my agent tells me we've got to keep up the act while he's negotiating my contract. Violet takes one for the team and pretends to be mine, but our boyfriend-girlfriend scrimmage quickly turns into a full contact sport, and I want it to go into overtime. The problem is - I've been riding the bench for years. How can a guy like me, who finally has a chance to prove his worth on the field, convince the girl she's most valuable to his heart?

©2017 Lauren Blakely (P)2017 Lauren Blakely Books
Contemporary Romantic Comedy Sports
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What listeners say about Most Valuable Playboy

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Profile Image for Readers Together

Another Touchdown for Lauren Blakely!

Just when I think Lauren Blakely can’t write anything more entertaining than the book before, she comes out with another amazing book. Her writing is so easy to get lost in, she builds a world for you to dive into and that you never want to leave. I wanted to go hang out with Cooper and Violet. Lauren’s writing always hits me with all the feels, I laughed, man, so many laughs in this book. I also shed a few tears… I couldn’t help it. It had sweet moments too. I just can’t believe it took me so long to finally get my ears on this one. Note to self: Don’t make LB’s characters wait.


This book is fantastic! It’s a fake romance but it’s also a sports romance. The combination of the two is genius. It works so well. As a football (yes, I do mean American Football) fan I loved the sports aspect of the story, I really enjoyed the fact that the sport wasn’t an afterthought, it played a part in the story, it’s not just a sports romance because the character happens to be a football player. I love that it's all told from Cooper's POV.

I loved these characters. All of them. I’m looking forward to stories from a few of Cooper’s teammates in the future… I hope. Pretty please!
Violet was awesome! I just loved her so much. She was smart and funny. Independent and feisty. She was also sweet and able to hold her own in a room full of football players. Vi had such a big heart. I wanna be her friend.
Cooper… swoon! Ok, so I am completely in love with Cooper. He was a sweetheart. His heart was nearly always in the right place and he had so much love to give, whether it be to Vi, or his time at the hospital, he was such a good guy. He was also funny and charming, and a damn fine football player. Sure, I wanted to slap him upside the head a time or two, but mainly I just wanted to hug him… among other erm, fun activities lol.

I just adored the progression of Cooper and Violet’s relationship. Watching them go from friends that may have had an inappropriate thought or two, to realising they were in love. It was beautiful. The sexual tension between the characters was palpable and gave the story an edge. I really enjoy that Lauren never fills her books with unnecessary sex scenes, they always make sense to the story and the same happens with this book, it’s about half-way, maybe more before anything sexual happens and then the way it was done was utter perfection and I loved it, and of course, once the sexy times start your earphones are at risk of melting.

This book is performed superbly by Zachary Webber. He’s always so entertaining and this book was no different. Zachary’s performance was wonderful, he hits the comedic moments so perfectly, I can’t help but laugh out loud and his delivery of the emotional parts of the story are so heartfelt, I even got a little emotional myself. I really don’t think there is an emotion he cannot deliver on. Let’s not forget the sexy times, sheesh, talk about panty-melting. The production was smooth, with no issues at all, I really enjoyed the cheering sound effects at the beginning and end of the book.

Side-note: The audiobook also contains a sample chapter from Joy Ride, narrated by Sebastian York. If you haven’t met Max Summers yet (WTF? Where have you been?) this is the perfect opportunity to hear SebYo’s awesomeness and get a taste of the story.

16 people found this helpful

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Profile Image for Mandymay💄👠👛

Friends to lovers story 💏

Cooper is ready to be auctioned off to help raise money for charity until the woman placing the highest bid is the owner of his team's sister, Maxine. As Cooper tries to figure out how to escape this situation because Maxine could affect whether he is traded... Cooper's best friends little sister Violet, starts bidding to save him.
And just to keep Maxine at bay, Cooper announces that Violet is his girlfriend. Afterwards Cooper wants Violet to keep "pretending" to help his football contract re-negotiations.Violet also wants to keep up the charade to benefit her salon.

With both of them thinking the other has no real feelings or attraction to the other, they're sure to pull this charade off 😄
Plus Cooper has a superstition about abstaining​ from sex to win the Supper Bowl.That should be enough to keep things platonic right? These two fight the inevitable until a heated kiss sends sparks flying and puts Cooper's vow of chastity in jeopardy.

This fake romance gets really hot and sexy as the two play along. Lauren Blakely really knows how to do steamy with a happy ending 😍
And when it comes to narration.. Only the best will do on a Blakely book!! Zachary Webber's performance is seductive music to my ears. So if you're wondering if this 5 star💫 romance was worth the credit?? Ohh yeah, it was..

11 people found this helpful

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Profile Image for J and M

Fun listen

This book had such funny and fun parts to it. I think the auction scene might have been my favorite. Zachery really pulled the funny out of that scene. The characters were likable. It was just a really easy and entertaining listen. I found Cooper to be adorably clueless when it came to his own feelings about Violet. I mean, how could he have such feelings for her and be so clueless about it!? Men! But, he was so super sweet and down to earth. And I really like Violet's character as well. Full of some laugh out loud moments, this is a quick and easy fun listen.

While I am also a Sebastian York fan, I also like variety. I thought Zachery Webber did great! And, I hope we can continue to enjoy both of their wonderful narrations. There's room in my earbuds for both.

7 people found this helpful

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Profile Image for CAROLYN 🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

FRIENDS TO LOVERS HAS NEVER BEEN SWEETER

You can guarantee a Lauren Blakely book will entertain you, lift your spirits up and leave a big smile on your face because there's something about her characters and her stories that are endearing, heartwarming and compelling.. and she's done it again. Well, her and Zachary Webber whose narration brought life to the likeable characters, a humorous tone when needed and passion when it was finally time for the sexy times.

The Quarterback and the Hometown girl was a spur of the moment ruse meant to deter an overly eager admirer.. but that innocent ruse between life-long friends opened up a pathway where hidden truths and true feelings could travel. Eventually the Quarterback realized what had been in front of him the whole time.. true love, happiness and someomeone that meant even more to him than the game.

Lauren Blakely has a way of writing her stories that are humorous, fun, light, heartwarming, delicious and sweet - usually with loveable commitment-shy single playboy heroes who happily stumble through their lives until 'the one' appears.. and then chemistry and Cupid make them changed contented taken men. In this story, told from Cooper's POV, he and Violet already know everything about each other.. except their true feelings for one another.. feelings that have never been aired - until they blissfully and eventually are. Through planned 'Kodak moment' kisses that initially lit the romance fuse to a heartfelt declaration of love in front of the cameras which finally won the girl.. and all of this particular player's play deliciously played with my senses.

Worth a credit? Yes definitely.. another entertaining listen from Ms. Blakely and I one-click her books as soon as they're released because I know the narration is going to be good and the storyline isn't going to be something heavy, something complicated, something choc full of drama or something sad.. just an easy low angst glide that ends in a HEA.. and a 4/5 star rating.

7 people found this helpful

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Profile Image for ❤️Cyndi Marie❤️🎧Audiobook Addicts🎧

A love story that left my heart happy!

Another fun romantic book by Lauren Blakely! This story made my heart smile and my insides a little mushy! It was a very sweet friends to lovers story with NO drama!!! I love how Lauren Blakley can give us a beautiful romance without the need for the unnecessary drama added just for excitement.

Cooper is a great character for me because he is rich and well known but he doesn't act it! He didn't use his money to impress her and the money didn't change who he was. He still hung out with his friends, focused on his love for football and was a complete momma's boy in the best way!
Violet might be my favorite character! She is strong and confident. She stuck to her feelings, never trying to hide behind them or had insecurities! With her business, her family and her love life she always seemed to do what felt right and didn't really play "games". She knew who she was, what she felt and she didn't try to fight it! These too had great chemistry and I think that stems from the years they have known each other. I love friends to lovers because the love is not instantaneous and it is so easy to feel the love between the characters because you know it's not just physical attraction after all those years! Although I will say this book was light on sex but the few scenes it had were very hot!

The narration was spot on as always! You can sure tell the author is an audiobook listener, it shows in her casting choices! Zachary Webber has a great voice and perfect tone for a laid back good guy!

12 people found this helpful

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Profile Image for Amazon Customer

Yummy Zachary Webber!

I love this book. Sweet and sexy! Can't wait for the next one. Zachary Webber could read me the phonebook and I would orgasm just from his voice alone! Keep reading Zachary! Love listening!!!!

5 people found this helpful

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Profile Image for Sharon Worsham

Great book !

Another great story from Lauren. And she made the right choice in choosing Zachary Weber to narrate ! He did an amazing job with this great story !

5 people found this helpful

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Profile Image for Shelley Haase

This is one player I would love to meet

As football season kicks off, I have to say I loved Cooper and Violet's story. Lauren Blakely has an incredible ability to get into the inner-workings of a male's mind. She completely has perfected this in her story Most Valuable Playboy. It is a fantastic read that is filled with humor and combustible chemistry, with just the perfect amount of angst. I could not get enough of this story. When I did have to put it down, it never was far from my mind, as I had to know how it would end.

There are several tropes throughout this story line: best friend's little sister, fake-fiance, and friends to lovers. All of which make for an incredible read. Lauren's ability to create sizzling scenes is like none other. There were many times I laughed out loud as well as felt the exact emotion each character experienced.

Zachary Webber does a fantastic job with the narration of this book. He only enhances Lauren's work as an incredibly talented author. Zachary brings the story to life and kept me completely engaged. I can't wait to hear more from both of these artists in the future!

5 people found this helpful

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Profile Image for Jonella A. Moore

Another winner!

I just adore Lauren Blakely’s books! This audiobook was about a NFL football quarterback following a superstition with his fellow players. He vowed “no sex” until they secured a spot in the playoffs. Attending a charity event for the local children’s hospital he’s to be one of the players auctioned in a bachelor auction. Unfortunately, the team owners daughter (a barracuda!) is going to be bidding on him and will be expecting more than just a date, which would jinx their season. So he makes a deal with the sister of his best friend to bid on him and win (he will supply the money). After she wins the auction, the newswoman covering the auction makes the assumption that they were already a couple, so they just kiss and smile. This sets off a lot of lying and dating they hadn’t planned on and before you know it he starts to see her as more than a fake girlfriend. Narration was excellent.

4 people found this helpful

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Profile Image for Tami 📚

Touchdown! All the way!

Lauren Blakely does romantic swoon-worthy books so well! This book was just as amazing. Most Valuable Playboy was a great maze of pretending within the act of pretending. Violet was Cooper’s friend of 20 + years and his BEST friend’s little sister. The book starts with a football charity auction to raise money for the hospital. While in the middle of the auction someone unwanted and unexpected bids on Cooper. Violet sees him floundering and saves the day by bidding on him (with his own money). When she comes to the stage to save the day…they are forced to kiss in front of room full of people (including Violet’s brother and a TV cable crew airing for millions). They make up a fake story about taking their hidden relationship public and the unwanted attention goes away for Cooper. The next day – Cooper and Violet find that their fake romance must continue for mutually beneficial business reasons. Only problem is – while in the mist of being fake – Cooper starts to see Violet in a whole new light. Not only as a friend and his BFF’s little sister but as someone that he can be with all the time. It is fun to watch him put on this act for the world all the while – we (the readers) know he’s not acting at all. Throughout the book we get the falling in love feeling that Lauren portrays so well. All the romantic gesture, swoon-worthy gifts, words and pop-up visits. I smiled like a loon throughout most of the book.
Of course there were some “stuff hits the fan” scenes but it just makes riding this roller coaster all the better. It’s a MUST MUST read.

4 people found this helpful

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Profile Image for Helen Williams (All Booked Out)
  • Helen Williams (All Booked Out)
  • 09-16-17

Zachary & Lauren are a winning team!

I wasn't expecting Cooper to be as great a guy as he was, maybe because of the reputation / or the title he had been given, but I fell in love with him ( I should never have doubted).
More importantly, and with all of Lauren's books, I also fall in love with the female lead-in this case Violet. She was the supporting lead who shone, got her character and personality across even though the story is told through Cooper's voice.

Sports romances are not my go to reads, I do tend to shy away from them, especially when I know little or nothing about the sport as in this case, but it isn't all about the game, and what is about the game and the team is enough for anyone to follow along.

Great chemistry, characters and having read the book and listened on audible, I can say Zachary Webber is an absolute dream as Cooper! The perfect laid back attitude, I expected, as always, he really brought the characters to life and was the perfect fit for this particular character.

1 person found this helpful

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Profile Image for LilleyLoohLah
  • LilleyLoohLah
  • 09-12-17

A completely feel good friends to lovers

An honest to goodness, feel good, happy go lucky romance told from the hot sexy NFL quarterback’s viewpoint, and guess what? Cooper Armstrong might be a player on the football field but he's definitely not a player when it comes to girls, in fact he's quite the opposite, he's agreed to keep his snake in his pants for the whole season. Violet Pierson is not only his best friend, she's also his best friend’s sister, totally off limits. When they agree to have a fake relationship guaranteed to benefit both of them, they get more than they bargained for. A completely enjoyable feel good friends to lovers romance with wonderful characters, some sexy moments and a good few laughs. Zachery Webber nailed it as Cooper.


1 person found this helpful

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Profile Image for Sarah
  • Sarah
  • 01-31-22

Fantastic

Fantastic start to series by Lauren Blakely
Cooper is new player in team but needs to prove his bit to become permanent.
Violet is his bff sister and totally off limits, so when he has a crisis and they become fake boyfriend and girlfriend to protect their jobs. Things get very heated very quickly and the relationship gets serious.
Absolutely loved this story and how it plays out.
The narrators are amazing and do absolute justice to this book and others they do

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for joyly55
  • joyly55
  • 01-25-21

❤❤ Heartwarming romcom

The fake romance between Violet and Cooper eventually reveals their true feelings for each other. A lovely story well narrated by Zachary Webber who brought all the characters to life. Highly recommended ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

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Profile Image for Sarah Marshall
  • Sarah Marshall
  • 10-19-19

Really good read

Normally avoid sports romances but I listened to the novella that precedes this story, that came free with come as you are. it's worth reading that first as its told from violets POV.
It was interesting to have a book completely from males POV too. That's a first for me and I enjoyed it. Yes its predictable but really enjoyed it. Loved this narrator too

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Anonymous User
  • Anonymous User
  • 02-25-19

love the story, dislike the narrator

Sorry Zachary, no offence, but to me he sounds too childish. Loooooved the story, but the voice of the narrator did nothing for me...

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Book addict
  • Book addict
  • 07-23-18

It was ok/good

Didn’t sweep me away or anything, but it was a nice story. I don’t find the ‘oh I didn’t realise how much I always wanted her’ type of story very works that well for me because it makes me think the hero couldn’t be that into her. At least have it so he is consciously staying away and can’t keep it up anymore, and that’s why they finally get together.

Wayyyyyy too much detail about American Football. As someone who doesn’t live in America, it all flies completely over my head and I have no idea what they’re talking about so I found myself drifting when the games were being described. Americans do realise that no one else really plays the game, right? All the terminology means nothing to the rest of us!

Zachary Webber sounded lovely, as always, though he does sound a bit bored at times. He does have a lovely timbre that’s a pleasure to listen to.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Dolores
  • Dolores
  • 02-25-18

FROM FRIENDS TO FAKE COUPLE

Here there's the quarter back Cooper who decides to go celebrate top help his game. But then things change when he gets put up for auction for a children's charity. this Friend & Sister of his best mate Violet decides to step up but then all of a sudden, they become a 'FAKE COUPLE'
These 2 you can see how they not just care fire each other, but won't admit their TRUE Feelings for each other.
it's an easy read, a sweet love story between 2 friends.
Zachary Webber's narration was alright, not too bad

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Ariadna B.
  • Ariadna B.
  • 12-13-17

SO SO GOOD! 🔥

Any additional comments?

I love a good friends to lovers story and Lauren Blakely knocks it out of the park with Gus audio. And OMG Zachary Webber is so freaking amazing bringing this book to life. A must listen.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Heavenly Good Books
  • Heavenly Good Books
  • 10-04-17

OMG! Another amazing story!

I loved this story. I think it's my favourite so far that I had the pleasure to listen to. Zachary Webber killed it with this narration. It was just perfect. And the best part is that the story is told from Male POV which I am fan off lately.

I love friends to lovers books but they can be a bit cliche, but here Lauren avoided it perfectly. Love love love it!

Can I get my own Cooper please?

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  • Anne Blyth
  • 10-18-21

Fake it till you make it

A delightful romp set in the world of pro sport. A star football player gets his good friend to bid on him in an auction to avoid a cougar. little did he know the repercussions would be so delightful.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Anonymous User
  • 03-12-21

A Great Love Story

Loved this book! Such a sweet story, with all the feels. Definitely worth the read!

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Living Life
  • Living Life
  • 02-11-21

Great story... not so great narration

I really enjoyed this story. While I come from a country where we don't have American football so therefore didn't understand what was going on(!) I still really enjoyed it. While the narrator sounded sexy he really did not do this story justice. Most of the time he was monotone and you could not tell what was or was not dialogue. That being said I do recommend this book.

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Profile Image for Barbra Lazzarini
  • Barbra Lazzarini
  • 08-08-19

Brilliant ❤️

These two are always meant to be with each other. It’s a shame it took them so long to figure it out . You will love this story . Especially narrator by Zachary Webber.perfet . Definitely worth the read ❤️❤️❤️

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Lara
  • Lara
  • 10-31-17

Not for me

I keep trying Lauren Blakely blooks and 1/5 times I like one. This one just wasn’t for me. I found myself uninterested in the storyline quite early on.

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Profile Image for Cas
  • Cas
  • 09-20-17

Wow

This author manages to keep you reading from the first till the last word. Loved these characters. She whom has loved him for a very long time. He whom has loved her without being aware. Till they are thrown together to help each other out. It's then that he realises he has loved her all along. A great story.
Narration was awesome too.