Having read Hooked by Liz Fichera, in which a young pair of
golfers get to know each other across a cultural divide, I
was keen to read PLAYED. Set in Phoenix, Arizona, this tale
introduces us to Riley Berenger, sister of Ryan from the
previous book. Riley tries to be a good student and hopes to
make college, but sometimes she just wants to break loose.
Like with her pals from school, who convince her to let them
give her a Botox injection - I couldn't think this was
either safe or necessary.
This is a world away from Sam Tracy's life on the Rez. He
hangs out with the guys, drinking beer at night. Sam's
always been a loner, but he doesn't get bullied since he
grew over six foot. His parents work in the tribe's casino,
and his mother studies. He's pretty smart, but if he wants
to escape the bounds of the Gila River Indian Reservation,
he knows he's got to get something creditable on his resume.
Like a Maricopa County High School Leadership Conference.
That's where Sam and Riley really meet.
A camping, team-building weekend turns into fun. A scavenger
hunt in the woods gives Sam a chance to shine compared to
his pink-clad team-mate Riley, but the rough country takes
its toll on the unprepared girl. Sam has to choose between
helping her and leaving her, with no cell signal and nobody
else in the vicinity. He stays and helps them survive the
night, but the next day, the rumours start to fly. Sam is
the worst person Riley's friends think she should have been
with, even if he's got another girl in mind entirely.
While I enjoyed a lot of the viewpoints and escapades, parts
of PLAYED will appeal more to young adults still at school.
PLAYED is a departure from the golf-focused first book but
contains the same lively mix of young people growing up,
mixing, making mistakes, and learning how to be themselves.
Sam Tracy likes to stay under the radar and hang out with
his friends from the Rez. But when he saves rich suburban
princess Riley Berenger from falling off a mountain, she
decides to try to save him. Riley promises to help Sam win
the heart of the girl he can't get over, and suddenly Sam is
mad popular and on everyone's hot list. Except now Riley's
trying out some brand-new bad-girl moves and turning both of
their lives upside down.