Lexi Ryan has quickly become one of my "Must Read" authors. Her newest release Playing with Fire was released last week and another great story from the town of New Hope.
Title: Playing with Fire
Author: Lexi Ryan
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: July 7th 2015
Dr. Phoenix Reid isn't who she seems...
Everyone knows a phoenix rises from the ashes. What they don't talk about are the people she drags with her into the fire.
I thought one hot night with Max Hallowell was harmless. I never expected it would force me to face my past or bring back the man who swore he'd never let me go. Now Max wants to help me. Wants to save me. But if I let him, he'll be destroyed. I can already smell the flames.
A woman with a secret past. A man determined to protect her. A dangerous passion that could cost them both everything.
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Playing with Fire is the first in a new series of standalone novels featuring the New Hope characters Lexi Ryan fans have come to love. 
I have read the previous two series by Lexi Ryan (Here & Now and Reckless & Real), and knew I wanted to read more of her work… ESPECIALLY Max’s story, because I love him! I was so excited to see him hook up with the good doctor, Nix, but I don’t think I realised how difficult her story was going to be!
Max, well I met him in Here & Now and loved him in that series. He was sweet and kind, and really did everything he could to win the girl. In Playing with Fire, he still has those traits, but he is also a father too, and although I didn’t see him with Claire that often, I could see that she was his world and he’s willing to do anything for her. He’s a determined man too, and I could see him pursuing Nix, despite how hesitant she was.
Nix, well she has a dark history, and details were revealed throughout the story. Her past was really heartbreaking and I could see why she had grown into the woman she is now. Nix found it hard to let people in, afraid that they would abandon her, because that has happened before. But slowly she did reveal her secrets because of the danger she was in.
I really liked Max and Nix’s story. They are good together and showed that they are stronger together than apart. Max has always been a guy a girl can rely on, and he showed that trait time and time again. I enjoyed how the fire element tied into Nix’s past and the significance of her name. Playing with Fire was a sizzling, but suspense filled read and I was left happy for them in the end. I love how Lexi continues to pull me into her world and how much I fall for each of the characters. The epilogue and glimpse into the next book kept me wanting more! I want more Cade NOW!
Complimentary copy provided by the Author in exchange for an honest review.
“I mean on a guy’s hierarchy of needs, sex comes first. Always. Then pizza.”
Kindle Arc Loc 291
“You are not your past. You are bigger than your past and you are better than your past. Let it be part of who you’ve become, but don’t you dare let it define you.”
Kindle Arc Loc 2312
Hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm
New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author Lexi Ryan’s novels have been described as intense, emotional, and wickedly sexy. A former college professor, she now writes full-time from her home in Indiana, where she lives with her husband, two children, and a neurotic dog. Find her on Facebook or Twitter to chat about books, TV, and her children’s latest antics.
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Other reviews featuring Lexi Ryan
Here and Now series
Here and Now series
Lost in Me #1
Fall to You #2
All for This #3
Reckless & Real
