Review: Don't Hate the Player...Hate the Game

 Don't Hate the Player....Hate the Game by Katie Ashley

Description:
For Noah Sullivan being the best friend to a douchebag and player like Jake Nelson has never been easy. It's been a rocky road since kindergarten when Jake duct taped Noah to his chair before recess. With just six weeks to high school graduation, Jake accidentally blows his drunken ass up on his grandfather's tractor, and Noah finds himself immersed not only in a whirlwind of grief, but on a quest to find a mystery girl from Jake's past. 

While cleaning out Jake's room, Noah and Jake's dad make a startling discovery. Instead of the obligatory porn collection or pot stash, they find a ring, but not just any ring. Its half a carat of commitment in a platinum setting-proving even man whores have taste. After Jake's mom pleads with Noah to find the girl who meant so much to Jake, Noah begins a modern day Grail quest to track the girl down. 

Since Jake was a notorious player with a legendary collection of trophy panties, Noah finds himself in over his head. There are the usual suspects like Avery, the Ice Princess Jake dated for appearances, or Presley, the school mattress Jake dated for convenience. But the trail begins to point to the most unlikely of suspects: Maddie, the Valedictorian and choir girl who was trying to help the unmotivated jock graduate--the girl who also has surprisingly caught Noah's eye and meddled with his heart. 

Hanging out with Maddie shows Noah a different side of Jake--one that was deeply human and surprisingly douche-free. And the more he tries to solve the mystery of the ring and of Jake, the more Noah starts to discover about himself and of love.

My Thoughts:

This is the first book in awhile that I have read that was a stand alone. Lately I have been reading lots of series books and felt the need for a break and a somewhat quick read. I choose this one because I have ready several of Katie Ashley's other books and really enjoyed them so figured I would enjoy this one as well.  What I wasn't prepared for was all the emotions involved in this story. I was shedding tears and reaching for the Kleenex before I hit chapter 2.  I haven't had such an emotional involvement in a book in a long time.  I was really shedding tears from the beginning of the book until the final pages.

Noah Sullivan is what you would expect from a seventeen year old High School Senior. All about hanging with his friends, living life to the fullest, and not thinking about the future anymore than just graduation and getting to college.  Maddie Parker has been the invisible good girl of Noah's class. Working to achieve Valedictorian status, do all the good things she was supposed to do, and always obey the rules.  When a tragic event hurls these two together suddenly life takes on a whole new meaning.

This book kept me reading from page 1 to the end. I was never sure what was going to come of Maddie and Noah and in between crying about events I was laughing at the crazy stuff that was said by them.  Oh I must mention that Noah is definitely on my good list because he drives a Jeep. :)  LOL  

This book will make you remember your High School years, even if you weren't into the parties and such, just the whole how you waited your whole life to grow up and suddenly you are and now what?!  Sometimes life doesn't go as you plan and you have to regroup and adjust, just like the characters in this book had to.

I honestly loved this book, despite the fact that I cried over it! How she could write it without constantly crying is beyond me! The title makes sense after you read it, but at first glance it doesn't give the impression of the book it actually is.  

Please, go read this book! It will touch your heart, but make sure the Kleenex is close by because you will need it!!

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