[Blog Tour - Book Review] Well Played

Well Played
Author: Katrina Ramos Atienza
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: August 3, 2013

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About the Book:
Patrice Reyes is starting her junior year at the University and she's convinced it's going to be the best semester ever. For starters, it looks like this is the year her team will win the regional football (soccer, for you Yanks) championships. Her subjects are looking good, and there's even a chance she might finally get somewhere with her rock star crush. But a new classmate—arrogant, cold Math nerd ( 'nuff said)—is seriously throwing off her groove. Will she ever get rid of him and have the awesome semester she deserves? Or is there truth to never judging (Math) books by their cover?

3 Swag Bag (from Author Katrina Ramos Atienza) containing 1 medium, gray Well Played shirt + 1 Pride & Prejudice Bookmark + Think Free Bag Tag!
3 Swag Bag (From Author Chrissie Peria) containing 1 paperback copy of All's Fair in Blog & War, 1 unique trinket, 1 pocket journal, ebook voucher, postcard and bookmarks!

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Rating:

★★★★★

Review:
The Philippine College Setting was perfectly put into words in this little goody of a book with an enigmatic math nerd for a male lead, and a not-so-typical female as the heroine!

I may not have graduated from the reputed University of the Philippines, but I did graduate from a state university, so it was such a delight for me to actually read the familiar Philippine College Setting in Katrina Ramos Atienza's Well Played!

I could easily imagine the things narrated in the book! For instance, the way the boarders held each other's backs like an extended family, the campus party, and even the late night walk from the boarding house to a small convenience store for food! (Aaahhh... I feel nostalgic all of a sudden. Haha!)

Story-wise, the main reason why I didn't give this book 5 stars out of 5 was because when I was reading the book, I noticed that I've already reached half-way but the romance aspect between Patrice and Paul was still not moving forward. This really got me frustrated. While I appreciated the details that were painstakingly put into this book to describe the college setting in the Philippines, its downside was that less time was put into constructing "coincidences" between the two lead characters.

I felt a kindred spirit in Patrice when I was reading. I was am boyish, and was an all around player in College to the point that I was often mistaken to be a lesbian. (I was a varsity in basketball and later Taekwondo, and I also played football and softball.) To add, I loved reading about the scenes which depicted Patrice playing football because the author was really effective in highlighting Patrice's passion for the sport.

And then there's Paul. To me, he's like this uber-adorable mass of awkwardness that just couldn't seem to figure out how to make a move in a typical social environment, which makes him all the more adorable! (I'm being redundant, ignore me.)

I also love the side characters that were included in the book. They made me remember the life-long friends I've made in College. I can even relate to the cosplayers (because I used to cosplay), the frat boys , the sorority girls, and the different cliques that end up joining together whenever there's a school activity or party. I also related to Patrice as regards having that one friend in College who ended up enjoying too much of the freedom it granted him/her, and ended up forgetting what College was all about (which is education).

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this little goody of a book because it portrays the authentic college setting in the Philippines, and it reminded me of my fond memories of college! If you're curious how College is like in the Philippines, I suggest you grab a copy of Well Played!

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Katrina Ramos Atienza, born and bred in Manila, Philippines, has been writing all her life. She's worked in the fields of PR and corporate communications while blogging, freelancing and writing fiction. Four chick lit novels (Pink Shoes, 2006; The Hagette, 2006; If the Shoe Fits, 2008 and Shoes Off, 2010) are available in paperback in the Philippines, while her earlier short fiction works have been published in Philippine publications and collected in the Growing Up Filipino II anthology. Well Played (2013) is her first independently published novel. She graduated from the University of the Philippines at Los Baños and is married with two kids.