Fraternize

Players Game, Book 1

By: Rachel Van Dyken

Narrated by: Summer Morton, Jeremy York, Aiden Snow

Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's Summary

New York Times best-selling author Rachel Van Dyken kicks off a brand-new series in which romance is a game and love is a touchdown.

Emerson just made her dream come true as a professional cheerleader for her favorite pro football team. But even though the plus-size athlete is breaking down boundaries, she still has to contend with the massive rulebook. Carbs? Nope. Chocolate? Definitely not. Still, Emerson loves her curves, and she'll rock the hell out of this job even if it kills her. Except for one mandate that is easier read than done...

No fraternizing with the players.

Problem one is Miller Quinton: Emerson's first love, first sex, and the guy who still ignites her daydreams and R-rated fantasies. Thrown back together, Miller and Emerson feel the undeniable pull of passion again, even if the conflict that tore them apart seems insurmountable. Then there's way-too-sexy Grant Sanchez. He has a serious reputation with the ladies, and when it comes to winning someone he wants, he doesn't let anyone stand in his way.

Now Emerson is breaking every rule in the manual. But what she doesn't know is that she's part of a wicked little game - one that could steal both her dream and her heart.

©2017 Rachel Van Dyken (P)2017 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved

Hello Football Players

I don’t know what I was expecting when I started this book I knew I wanted something fun and light-hearted and that is exactly what I got. It does touch on some more serious issues but in a way that doesn’t feel so heavy if that makes sense.

Emerson is a character I immediately loved, her spirit and zest for life shows through even if life has kicked her down but good. She just picks herself up and rolls with the punches.

When we meet the men of this book you’re not sure who to like and why you want to like them both and want them both to be who Emerson needs but that isn’t this kind of book. I loved how it unfolds and why. It really made me see these characters in a different light I loved the story. I couldn’t stop listening!

The narration is FABULOUS! I loved how each POV has their own voice. It really brought this story to life. I love, love, loved it!

Fun and Entertaining Sports Romance

This is the first book that I've read by Rachel Van Dyken and I really enjoyed it! I was able to pick this one up via KU and switched back and forth between the ebook and audiobook. Summer Morton, Jeremy York, and Aiden Snow were perfect as Emerson, Miller, and Sanchez. Summer Morton especially shined as Emerson, but I really enjoyed her male voices as well. Listeners should be aware though that Aiden Snow doesn't appear until pretty late in the book, so keep that in mind if you're listening mainly for him.

The characters in Fraternize were hilarious and relatable and I loved unraveling the tangled history between Miller and Emerson. Of course, it was Sanchez who really stole the show though. He was both exactly who you thought he would be and completely unexpected. The addition of his POV made a huge difference for me and I really wish that it had been included earlier in the book. The secondary characters were equally awesome and I especially loved Kinsey and Jax. The bickering between them and the over-protective brother antics were a highlight and I'm hoping we will get a Jax book in the future too!

I loved Van Dyken's take on the love triangle trope and felt that it was honest and true for our characters. The ending was almost too sweet and perfect, but it did make my heart happy and the epilogue set the stage for the next book perfectly! Can't wait for Kinsey's story next!

Nothing like I expected, so much better!

This was my first book written by Rachel Van Dyken, but it won’t be my last. I loved the writing style and how the story was presented. It grabbed my attention, I actually only started listening to it because I had a spare 30 minutes… and I got lost in it for 3 hours, I was so engrossed. I wanted to know what was going to happen next, who was going to get the happy ever after.


So, I bought this book without reading the synopsis, something I rarely do, because, well, I’m picky. Then I read the synopsis and kinda deflated, I don’t like humiliation at the best of times, but especially if centered around weight. I just can’t. Of course, I had already started listening to it, so I figured I’d give it a chance. HOLY CRAP!!!!! This book was NOTHING like I expected. I can’t say that a love triangle is the type of trope I’ve ever sought out, but in this instance, it was done so well that I couldn’t help but love it. Both guys had something about them that was charming and lovable. Clearly, I’m not going to be able to say too much about the book and events because that would be a huge spoiler and you really don’t want this spoiling. You want to have this play out for you and stay on the edge, not knowing who Emerson is going to end up with.

These characters are fantastic. I love them all so much, they each bring something fun and compelling to the story. The banter between them is so fun.

Emerson is my spirit animal, I don’t know how she chose. I couldn’t even decide for her. I was so torn. She’s strong, stronger than I think she even gives herself credit for. She had a dream and even though she could have given it up, she didn’t. She kept fighting.
Sanchez was everything you thought he’d be and nothing you thought he’d be, I wanted to dislike him, I mean, come on, he’s a cocky football player who makes a bet every season on getting a cheerleader into bed and he’s set his sights on the ‘bigger’ girl. He’s an ass, and he turns that around so quick I think we get whiplash. You watch the change in him and it’s really quite beautiful. You can’t help but sit there and hope he doesn’t get his heart broken. I was rooting for him to get the girl.
Miller, sigh, I loved him, I got mad at him and I fell for him all over again. He’s so sweet, to begin with, every girl needs a friend like Miller, but then he’s so angry when he first encounters Emerson again and you really don’t know why, but as time goes on that attraction is undeniable and you’re sure they’re going to kiss and make up. And, yeah, I was also rooting for him to get the girl too. I wanted the second chance romance.

The relationship between the three main characters is compelling and you really don’t know which way it’s going to go until close to the end, and then a twist is thrown in to try and throw you off course. Here is a little spoiler, this book does not contain a lot of sex, if you’re hoping for the ‘players’ to be getting it on every chapter, I’m sorry, but this isn’t that book. Sexual tension, yes, heaps and heaps of sexual tension. This is a book that is very much character driven, my favourite, it’s about how each of them deals with, accept and move on from the past. It’s a story about friendship. Another thing I love about this book is that the guy that doesn’t get the girl doesn’t settle, he doesn’t get a runners-up prize so to speak.


This is the first performance I’ve heard by Summer Morton, but it will not be the last. I thought she was a fantastic choice for Emerson and handled both Miller and Sanchez really well too. I’m always nervous when I’m introduced to a female narrator, I’m so picky about what I like and male voices performed by a female are always a toughy, but I was pleasantly surprised and will definitely be keeping an eye out for more.

Jeremy York was as wonderful as ever. I could listen to him for hours, oh wait, I did. He really brings the emotions of the characters to the forefront. Although I did like all of the different voices, he was just so perfect as Miller it’s hard to comment on the others. Miller’s character experiences so many different emotions throughout this book and Jeremy brings each and every one of them to live and gives them a sense of realism that is hard to match.

So, as mentioned above I was super excited that Aiden Snow was narrating this book. In fact, he was the main reason I ran to audible. There I was listening away, tapping my fingers and doing the whole ‘Aiden, Aiden, where is Aiden’ speech in my head. Aiden Snow turns up in chapter 34, yes, you read that right, chapter THIRTY-FOUR!!!! I want to be mad about this, I want to curse the author and audible for not warning me about this. However, listen to chapter 34 and tell me that was not one of the best chapters in this book, not just the performance, but the emotion, that chapter alone sums up this book and why I’m not so mad. Aiden Snow is the perfect choice for Grant Sanchez, he has that deep, gruff sexiness going on that just fits the character. The way he conveyed the emotion the characters were experiencing was wonderful and effective. Did I mention sexy-time also ensued? And dammmmmmn, yep, the perfect voice for that. Trust me, even though Aiden narrates 4 chapters it actually enhances the story hearing those chapters from Sanchez’ POV and in a different voice.

A wonderful story

I waa looking for a light story and find an amazing book with great characters and banters...I loved

Touchdown!

Touchdown for Rachel Van Dyken!! What a great book, not exactly how I saw it going at first which makes it even better! I can't wait to read more of the Players Game Series!

Great listen!

I loved experiences this story in audio version! The narrators brought Grant, Emerson and Miller to life!

Rachel Van Dyken has an amzing new series!

Rachel Van Dyken has once again written a story that completely held me captive. I could not put this book down, when I was forced to, I thought about it until I could find out what happens next. There were so many twists and turns I didn't see coming. I laughed, I cried and I felt every emotion as each character experienced them. Rachel developed such believable characters I was so excited to realize I would learn more about them in future books to come. I love the world she created in this story and never wanted to leave it.

Emerson has finally made her dream come true. She is a professional cheerleader, despite the odds stacked against her for being a plus sized person. Her hard work and dedication has paid off. In recent years, her life had begun to fall apart, but now her future has hope, until her ex-best friend shows up. When the past, present and future collide for Emerson, there was no way of knowing how it would turn out.

PS - Summer Morton, Jeremy York and Aiden Snow do a phenomenal job of narrating this incredible story. They completely bring the world Rachel created to life. I feel further in love with these memorable characters, due to their performances. Based upon this performance alone, I will gladly listen to other books any of them work on as well.

cute

cute love triangle football romance if that's your thing your thing you'll love it! I enjoyed it

loved it

I really enjoyed reading this author.  I look forward to reading more books by this author in the near future.

very good

Loved it !! this story. the narrator is so fantastic it's like your really there!! good overall

sweet, funny, sexy and emotional

I loved this book. I've read/listened to a few of Rachel Van Dykens books before and they all just flow so well. The audio for Fraternize was told from three pov's, Emerson, Miller and Sanchez. All three narrators were excellent, expressive and brought the characters to life.

I went into this thinking it would be a light, easy read, a bit of romcom and sports romance. I got all that, the sweet, the sexy and the funny, but I also got so much more. The story drew an unexpected amount of emotion from me, I felt both Emerson and Millers pain from all the past hurt and the insecurities it had given them both. The more we learnt about what happened, the more I cried for them, they had such a bond.  Sanchez had so many layers, he was a loveable rogue,  sometime a-hole but so caring, loyal and protective.  I knew I would be gutted for the man who didn't get the girl and I was.

"Because no matter how damaged your heart may be, it never loses its ability to choose again, to try again, to want love even after loss."

The reigniting of a first love from the past, or a fresh start with a new potential love? Both strong connections and two wonderful but different men. Who would Emerson choose? I highly recommend you read it to find out.