Playing for Keeps

De: Bella North

Narrado por: CJ Bloom, Sean Crisden

A completely swoon-worthy, sweet and spicy friends-to-lovers sports romance

It’s all fun and games until fake starts to feel like forever…

My life revolves around two things: football, and family. Romance? Not so much. But my fans have other ideas. And they’ve turned my easy-going life into a nightmare with their campaign to find me a wife…

My childhood best friend Serena thinks it’s hilarious. She’s always wanted the big, swoony love story, but instead, she has a controlling ex she can’t shake breathing down her neck. And then the solution to both our problems hits me: a fake romance. ‘Settling down’ with Serena will get the fans off my back, and having a muscly football player on her arm should be enough to warn off her ex. Plus, we’re best friends, so what could go wrong?

Our first date is set for the city’s annual charity ball. I’m smug as I imagine how easy my life will be after tonight. Except, when my lips touch Serena’s in front of the flashing cameras, when I hear her soft sigh as I dip her lower, something like panic creeps through my chest. I’m not meant for love—letting people down runs in my genes. I can’t do that to Serena. I won’t.

As the story we’re spinning gets bigger, so do the feelings I’ve worked so hard to chase away. We want completely different things. But I can’t stop wondering: do we both want the one thing that counts—each other?

Playing for Keeps is a fun, steamy, friends-to-lovers sports romance, perfect for fans of Liz Tomforde, Stephanie Archer and Elsie Silver. The third in the Oakwood Ranch series, it can also be listened to as a standalone.

©2026 Bella North (P)2026 Bookouture, an imprint of Storyfire Ltd.

Serena and Chase's Story

Serena and Chase have been best friends since childhood. Chase is focused on football and family while the internet is focused on his relationship status. Serena, the team’s cheer coach, wants to have a great love story. She’s trying to shake a controlling ex. Chase realizes there’s a way to solve their problems: pretending to be together. As they date, they realize that their relationship could be more than pretend.

I enjoyed reading their chemistry and how strong their friendship was in creating the foundation for their relationship. We see how close they are as friends and how natural their chemistry was in a relationship. Chase is supportive and protective of Serena. Serena shows her stalwart support for Chase as he navigates his past and learns about his family history.

While a standalone book of the Oakwood Ranch Series, I enjoyed also how much the characters from the previous books were featured in the story. It connects to a pivotal theme of the novel: found family.