The Player

The Game Maker, Book 3

By: Kresley Cole

Narrated by: Kimberly Alexis

Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Number-one New York Times best-selling author Kresley Cole brings listeners the third book of the erotic Game Maker series, a searing tale of a man racked with dark desires and the beautiful young woman who could sate him at last. 

A madman with a shadowed past....

In Las Vegas, Sin City, Dmitri Sevastyan finds her, Victoria Valentine - sexy, vulnerable, and in need of a protector. Obsession takes root deep inside him. Despite a history tainted with violation and betrayal, he will stop at nothing to possess her. 

A grifter with nothing to lose....

Descended from a long line of con artists, 24-year-old Victoria, a.k.a. Vice, needs the score of a lifetime to keep her loved ones safe. She sets her sights on gorgeous and rich Dmitri Sevastyan. Even as the irresistible Russian toys with her body and mind, he tempts her heart. 

Love is the ultimate wild card.

When Vice and her associates maneuver Dmitri into a hasty Vegas wedding, he refuses to protect himself with a prenup, trusting her with all that he has. But can she trust him? As secrets unfold, the newlyweds share days of doubts and nights of the wickedest pleasures. Yet once Vice discovers her husband's past, will she stay to fight for her marriage or cut her losses and run?

©2016 Kresley Cole (P)2016 Kresley Cole

THIS STORY, AUTHOR & NARRATOR DESERVE A GOLD STAR

I really don't know how Kresley Cole does it.... time after time she delivers, to her eager waiting fans, stories that captivate you, stories that enthral you, stories that take you on emotional roller coaster journeys, stories that tempt and tease you and contain within them love stories that are hot and hauntingly beautiful. But nothing could have prepared me for this final story in her Game Maker series.... and, IMO, it blew all others out of the water.

Vice and her family were life long con artists but they were in trouble - of the deadly kind and they had various scams going but they still needed a rich 'mark' to keep the big bad wolf from their door. Dmitri was handsome, sexy, damaged and haunted by his past. He'd resisted all women... until he sees Vice and Cupid's arrow instantly hits its mark - and Vice has found the Billionaire mark that will get her family out of trouble. Dimitri became possessive, jealous, tender, vulnerable, sweet and loyal to Vice and even shared his deepest darkest secrets. However, Vice wasn't prepared for the intense feelings that the emotionally wounded Dmitri evoked in her as he tried hard to please her - giving her everything and anything she, and her family members, desired. Vice planned on a fairly simple sting operation where Dmitri would lose her and a portion of his money... however, it was she that ended up with everything on the line, everything to lose and absolutely no way out.... because all roads led to heartbreak.

Absolutely flawless writing skills, clever, hot, great characters and a drool-worthy loveable sexy Alpha Russian Hero who has a few secrets of his own that left me utterly euphoric with its oh so delicious twists. A book that snared me the moment I started listening to it and I was helpless (and unwilling) to hit the 'pause' button until the very end.... and what an end it was. The narrator was perfect for this book - I actually thought, at points, that there were more than one narrator and her epic abilities at emotions, genders, accents and voices brought the book and its characters to life and took this listen to outstanding heights. Told entirely from Vice's POV.

Worth a credit? 100% YES - and for Kresley Cole fans there's never any need to read reviews and no deliberation or hesitation over the purchase... instead the only question that burns at you is "when oh when is her next book coming out?"

ANOTHER WINNER. WE NEED 12 MORE BROTHERS

Listen all authors this is how a great story is told and NARRATED!!!!! Some of you all pick horrible narrators. Please Please Please don't let this be the end. I'm about to listen again from the beginning because I loved it so much. MY FOLLOWERS GET IT NOW

The Long Con!

Kresley Cole manages to take lust-at-first-sight and turn it into love with her couples in The Game Maker series. Much like the other two Sevastyan brothers, Dmitri knows he has met his soul mate in Victoria when he sees her for the first time. If you can suspend your disbelief that people can fall so hard for each other within a few days you can fully enjoy The Player. If you can’t then this series may not be for you, but I ask if you can’t suspend your disbelief why are you reading fiction anyway?!

Sure with romances like this the guy can come off as a creeper when he is obsessed so fast with the woman and Dmitri straddled that line but then there were also moments where he was just plain swoon worthy.


“I want to protect you. I want to spoil you. I want to have children with you and spoil them too. I want to grow old with you. And at the end of our lives, you will have no doubt you were loved and adored by me for every second.”


Victoria thinks she is conning Dmitri but she’s really conning herself if she thinks she can spend time with the sweet and sexy Russian and not fall for him. As a grifter, Victoria is great at reading people but Dmitri is very adept at reading Victoria and knowing things about her that she never knew about herself. Like the fact that she’s an exhibitionist.

I think that Dmitri is my favorite brother because he has shows vulnerable and uncertainty that makes him endearing.


“How can you be so sure about me?” He leveled his spellbinding gaze on my face. “When you’ve been in the dark as long as I have, moy angel, there is no mistaking the light.”


I am not sure if The Player is the last book in the series but since Dmitri is the last of the Sevastyan brothers it could be. Although Cole has introduced some interesting characters with Victoria’s family that more stories could happen. And let’s not forget Jess, she’s been around since The Professional, book 1. She needs her own story.

Dear Kresley Cole,

Please. Please. Please. Give Jess a story even if it’s only a novella.

My only complaint about The Player is the overuse of the grifter terminology. I understand that some are needed to set up Victoria’s world but I found that it was overkill in some parts. But once you get to the ending, I think the overkill was hitting to the ending. I predicted much of want was going to happen but then there was a WOW factor that’s classic Cole. I loved that I wasn’t able to guess all of the details of the ending.

Kimberly Alexis continues to deliver a great performance for the Game Maker series. I love her Russian accents for the Sevastyan brothers. Kimberly’s performance for The Player was spot on! When she performs the sex scenes that Cole wrote between Victoria and Dmitri I feel like a voyeur. The passion and robust performance makes my ear buds melt and has me reaching for . . . well, that’s TMI.

While there are cameos from previous characters in the series. The Player works well as a stand-alone but I recommend listening to the whole series. If you’re a fan of HOT sex, vulnerable billionaires with a sexy Russian accent then you’ll enjoy The Player along with the previous books in Kresley Cole’s The Game Maker series.

My favorite in the series!

This is my go to series when I have read all the "must reads" on my list.This will not find its way into the "classic" genre, but I do enjoy a fairy tale romance sometimes! I find these stories to be entertaining despite the "he man" persona of the male characters. This is my favorite of the series however. This has a twist that you do NOT see coming! I used a credit for this story and I do not regret the purchase. The book description gives you the basic premise, but you will want to listen for yourself!

TWO TEARS IN A BUCKET MOTHER F*IT

OK, here we go.... Book 2 is one of my most favorite books in my library so Book 3 has a big-book-jacket to fill. After the first listen I let the story settle in for a few days then listened a second time.

I'm not going to tell you anything about Dmitir's background since it's covered in Book 2. I will say Dmitri is a 6' 6" adonis and self-made technology billionaire. In a lot of ways Dmitri has the same tendencies as his brother Maks.

Victoria aka Vice is a Grifter, someone who steals by deception. In fact, Vice's whole family, grandparents, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins are all Grifters.

The Sevastyan family is having a celebration in Las Vegas. Vice's cousin is part of the hotel's management so he has Vice and her sister attending the party. Several women including Vice's sister try approaching Dmitri but he runs off all of them. So then Vice decides to try and sneak up on Dmitri to observe him. As she approaches Dmitri's back he says "How many times do I f*ing have to say this...I am not god damned inter.... As he turns and looks at her he says 'YOU'.... and their story of lies, deception, and sex, begins.

At first I thought Dmitri was a way too-easy-going push over but he was sexually dominant so that couldn't be right. I then realized that Dmitri is just more calm and introspective, than Maks, when it comes to getting what he wants. Vice isn't the only one playing a game.

Kimberly Alexis gave an outstanding performance. I love her Russian accents.

I gave the story 4 stars because, IMO it did'nt quite fill Book 2's jacket.

Absolutely worth the credit or $$.

Fantastic Story

Just as I thought each prior book in this series was the best after listening to it; I was enamored with Victoria and Dmitri's story. It caught hold of me from the first minute and still hasn't let me go even as I hastily write this review. I loved everything about this book. I loved the twists and turns as well as the emotional upheaval. It all came together to form one fascinating listen. Kimberly Alexis' performance was excellent. At one point I thought it was a dual narration, she was so clever with her voices. This was an all around great experience!

Very well done

This is the third book in the series but could easily stand alone, but why would you miss the other two wonderful books?

Dimitri, the third and youngest brother who arguably had the toughest childhood has found HIS woman. He will risk everything and anything for her if she would only let him.

Vice is a Vegas Grifter, hey, you got to play to pay! There is a sucker born every minute and she would like to take their money. Her family is in desperate need of money to cover a con that went bad. Every female on the strip seems to have struck out with him but even though Lady Luck hasn't shined on her in awhile she will give it a try.

When they meet its like lightening, when they kiss it's the end of both of their lives as they knew it. Can the grifter believe in love? Can the damaged boy get over his past? Can they get past what each one thinks they want?

LOVE THIS WHOLE SERIES!!!

Another amazing book!

Kresley is hands down my favorite author. I first fell in love with Immortals After Dark and didn't think I could enjoy books that didn't have a vampire or other mythical creature in it. This series was the exception. Of course Kresley knows how to captive a reader very early in the book and it's difficult to put the book down (or stop listening). I absolutely love this series. I love the Russian brothers! My favorite was the 2nd book in the series - but this one was great too. I'm saddened that I listened to it so quickly and now I have to wait for Kresley's next book. I enjoyed the narrator too!

Perfect

This book had me cheering and clapping. I love this book!! Steamy with an amazing plot. Non-stop fun!😍

This is my favorite, nothing has topped it yet

Where does The Player rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

See review title. It's been about 6 months since I bought this audio book and it's STILL my favorite--maybe even amongst my non-audiobooks as well.

What other book might you compare The Player to and why?

This book was pretty on par for what I expect from a Kresley Cole book--very fulfilling! I don't have any books like this and would actually compare it to like... a (sexier??) Ocean's Eleven rather than a book.

What does Kimberly Alexis bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Sexy voice! Oh my god, her sexy-times voice is awesome and sounded natural which made the scenes less awkward to listen to (which is great cause there are some pretty steamy scenes).

As far as I know she does all the Russian boys in the Game Master series but also Lucia who is Latina in some fashion (her ethnicity escapes me ATM). I'm not sure how accurate the accent is but they're distinctive, understandable and I'm sold on these characters speaking English as a second language.

I've actively looked for anything else she's narrated. I really enjoyed her performance.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Uhhh yes. Several. I can't say which without spoiling anything.

Any additional comments?

I really and truly enjoyed this series and I feel this book was a great ending with it's emotional stakes being the highest of them (IMO). I have listened to this book several times over and I still get riled up emotionally and physically.

Full-on obsessive romance

This was an interesting and surprising story, intensely romantic and pretty steamy. Though frankly I’m not really into the fifty shades thing, it wasn’t overdone. I liked the heroine who had an interesting and edgy backstory - so many ‘heroines’ in romance novels don’t seem to have a life outside of their emotional neediness for the hero. The hero here was also an interesting chap, though his obsessive love and attraction for the heroine was a bit far fetched it was easy to forgive/suspend disbelief as it was pretty swoon worthy. And extra stars for avoiding moronic contraception fails and a predictable pregnancy at the end of the book. Good narration too.