The Redhead Plays Her Hand, By Alice Clayton

The third sexy novel in USA TODAY bestselling author Alice Clayton’s playful and erotic Redhead series continues the sizzling romance between actress Grace Sheridan and Hollywood’s hottest leading man Jack Hamilton.

Grace has landed the lead in a new TV series—but when the director asks her to lose fifteen pounds, she goes public with her weight struggles and suddenly develops a huge fan club who support her right to have curves. But between that and the public’s continuing fascination with her “are they or aren’t they” relationship with Jack, Grace begins to wonder if anyone’s really interested in her because of her upcoming TV series, or if it’s all speculation about the size of her ass and her bedroom partner.

Meanwhile, Jack is voted the Sexiest Man Alive and becomes a little too enamored with the party-hard lifestyle. Grace vows to give him the space he needs to find himself, but then he begins to spiral down from lovable Brit to Hollywood brat. People are talking, but are Jack and Grace? Her career is on the rise, and his continues into the stratosphere, but will she be able to catch him if he falls? Will they ever be able to just be a couple who can hold hands when they walk down the street?

I am a fan of Alice Clayton as well as this series, and I found that this was the perfect ending to such a great story.

Grace and Jack are finally making it.  Their careers have really taken off, though their relationship is still not out.  Jack is now Hollywood’s “it” boy and it’s taking its toll not only on him, but on his relationship with Grace.  And Grace is sick of living in Jack’s shadow.  Can their relationship survive the new dynamic of super-stardom and success?

What I really liked about this book as a final installment is that Grace and Jack really had to work for their relationship.  So many things come to a head in this book, and while I think Grace let Jack off the hook a bit too easy at times for his sophomoric behavior, I can see why she’d do it.  When you love someone, you love them, even when they’re being an idiot.  What I do love about Jack is that he loves Grace just as she is…which leads to some pretty dynamic and interesting sex scenes, and I’m a sucker for the sex!  Not to mention the whole older woman/younger man dynamic, which as a woman of 36 I quite appreciate and enjoy!

I found myself completely absorbed in this book.  I just could not put it down.  There’s angst and a few tense moments where I wasn’t sure if they were going to make it or not, which was TRAGIC!  I love Alice Clayton’s writing style.  It’s so unique and full of humor.  I can’t tell you how many times I laughed out loud during the course of the story.  I will say, though, that I found the tone of this book to be quite different than the first two.  It’s definitely more serious, but I think it needed to be because Jack and Grace’s relationship is hanging in the balance here…that’s serious stuff!

I find myself really sad now that the story of Grace and Jack is over.  Don’t get me wrong, I loved their story, but the thought that there will be no new Jack and Grace makes me really sad.  If you haven’t read this series yet, pick it up!  It’s absolutely one of my favorites!  4.5 stars!