Replay Review

by Amy Daws

From the Back

Not all players deserve a second chance… no matter how hot their first chance was.

Football club lawyer, Santino Rossi is known in the locker room as the two-month chump. For years he’s been on a mission to find someone he can share his basil plant with and cure him of his former playboy ways.

Tilly Logan is a fiery, Scottish lass who didn’t bat an eye five years ago when a smoldering Italian pulled her into a nightclub bathroom. He was dark, dangerous, and exactly the good time Tilly was looking for—even if he worked for her over-protective brother’s team.

But a lot has changed and when Tilly returns to London five years later only to find herself trapped in an elevator with the smoldering Italian, it isn’t a happy reunion. Especially because her brother blames Santino for her high tailing it back to Scotland in the first place.

Tilly doesn’t want a replay of past mistakes and reconnecting with Santino is playing with fire.

But if they keep their relationship a secret, it could be worth the burn.

Themes

• Second-Chance Romance: The main storyline revolves around Tilly and Santino reconnecting five years after a passionate, one-night encounter, compelling them to face their unresolved emotions.

• Forbidden Love & Secrecy: Since Santino is employed by the football club of Tilly's overly protective brother—who holds Santino responsible for their past issues—their current relationship must remain a well-kept secret. [1]

• Family Loyalty vs. Personal Happiness: Tilly is torn between her allegiance to her brother and her own desires, dealing with the guilt of loving a man her family distrusts.

• Trust & Growth: Both characters grapple with vulnerabilities and the wounds from past choices. The narrative emphasizes learning to trust once more and extending grace to each other.

Review

This book totally holds its own, but you'll probably enjoy it even more if you've checked out other books in the series. I'm not all caught up myself, and there were times I wished I knew more about the backstory, but this novel really works as a standalone. The plot kept me on my toes, and I loved how complex it was. Figuring out Santino and Tilly's history took a bit, but it was super interesting. Santino's gone from a playboy to someone trying to find the right girl, while Tilly has cleaned up her act and is focusing on herself. Watching them realize they're a good match was my favorite part. They have a past with a steamy hook-up until Tilly hit a big challenge. Her fight with sobriety showed incredible strength and made her character feel so real. All in all, it was a great read, and I've loved other books by this author too.