Rivalry at Play (Texas Cattleman’s Club: Ranchers and Rivals #4) by Nadine González: 
Alexandra “Alexa” Lattimore comes back to Royal, Texas to help her family and the Grandins as their lawyer in their fight with the Thurstons, who are claiming the oil rights that affects both families properties. While in town, she attended the TCC’s charity pool party, where she sees Jackson Strom for the first time in ten years.
Jackson and Alexa know each other from school. No, they weren’t a power couple. In fact, they were school rivals! Years later, both are now very successful people, but still competitive. And the attraction that was hidden between chess matches and school rivalry, explodes as they know each other as adults in all the senses of the word.
Alexa always felt odd in her own family. An outsider, actually. As the Lattimores are a very respected and powerful family in Royal, she has to live up to the expectations: always a dutiful girl, being the best in everything she does… Those things makes her anxieties and insecurities to show up, making her interactions with her parents and siblings kinda hard. Her best way to manage it is to be on her own, working on a Law firm in Miami, only returning to Royal for a limited time. That’s the way she’s been constructed: an Ice Queen, unaccessible, untouchable. PERFECT. But not everything is as perfect in her life as “Alexandra the First” tries to show. She’s struggling in Miami, with her career at jeopardy, and Jackson’s arrival to her life puts everything on a different perspective.
Something I loved about Jackson is the fact that he’s a very transparent man, a very quite odd quality in HD books. We didn’t get to know a lot about Jackson’s family, yes. In fact, they don’t have any rol in the story except for a few mentions but that tells us everything we need to know about our hero: he’s a very competitive guy who worked really hard for his loved ones while being successful as the owner of his PR company. He’s been in love with Alexa since his teen years. However, like a boy who likes a girl and teases her to get her attention, he was always trying to beat her in any school competition. Now, he finally understands that he wasted a lot of time doing that and he has to make a strategic move if he wants Alexa back in Royal—and his life—for good.
As their romance develops, the chemistry between them is the real winner. Their road to happily ever after is organic, simple and very credible. Of course, there are a few obstacles they have to overcome, but each and everyone are dealt with grace. Not to mention their HOT sex scenes that elevates the temperature.
The fourth installment of the Texas Cattleman’s Club: Ranchers and Rivals continues the big topic of the series, as we get to know more details about the oil claims. Also, since al the plot is more centered about Alexa than Jackson, the Lattimores are very present in the story. Alexa the outsider finds a new level of interaction with her family as her siblings bring some funny scenes that changes the family dynamics. Also, that gives us hints about the next book of the series. Of course, Alexa’s Miami struggles touches masterfully a very sensitive issue that, unfortunately, women have to face nowadays.
This “enemies to lovers” story is a masterpiece. Kudos to Ms. González for successfully twisting such a very used topic, creating a wonderful book which I enjoyed a lot. All the books of this series, written by multiple authors, are fantastic, but this one raises the bar for the next installments. Can’t wait to read book 5!
Book Info:
Publication: July 26, 2022 | Harlequin Desire | Texas Cattleman’s Club: Ranchers and Rivals #4
He was once the competition, but now that they’re all grown up, who will come out on top? Don’t miss this sizzling Texas Cattleman’s Club: Ranchers and Rivals novel by Nadine Gonzalez.
“It’s your move. Go ahead and finish me.”
Attorney Alexandra Lattimore doesn’t play games, but entrepreneur Jackson Strom brings out her competitive side. Her former high school rival is all grown up—oozing class, challenging her and tempting her in equal measure. But she’s back home to deal with family business, not to revisit the past or get tangled up in messy emotions. Is a casual fling the best strategy? Maybe… Succumbing to Jackson’s physical appeal is one thing; revealing her secrets is another. But she knows he won’t be satisfied until he’s made her his queen…
From Harlequin Desire: A luxurious world of bold encounters and sizzling chemistry.
You’ll be swept away by this bold, sizzling romance, part of the Texas Cattleman’s Club: Ranchers and Rivals series:
Book 1: Staking a Claim by Janice Maynard
Book 2: Boyfriend Lessons by Sophia Singh Sasson
Book 3: On Opposite Sides by Cat Schield
Book 4: Rivalry at Play by Nadine Gonzalez
Book 5: Vacation Crush by Yahrah St. John
Book 6: An Ex to Remember by Jessica Lemmon
Book 7: Cinderella Masquerade by LaQuette
