I think Ali Hazelwood will always be on my auto-read/auto-listen list, and the nemesis-to-lovers definitely kept me hooked in this audiobook. I could easily read a full-length novel featuring the relationship between Viola and Jesse, and I was more than a little sad when this audiobook came to the end.

Working for rival video game developers, Viola and Jesse have a long history of running into each other at industry events. So being sent to a mountain lodge where both companies have to try and work together or potentially lose out on the next big game? Not ideal. But just when things start falling apart on their fragile peace, Jesse and Viola discover that their history is based on misconceptions and misunderstandings, leading readers to the Hazelwood spice that I love so much. I did enjoy the way Jesse and Viola discovered their mutual attraction to each other; it wasn’t too convoluted or drawn out, or too overdone with miscommunication. I love that Hazelwood kept the main characters on the nerdier side, while putting them in a field I could relate to a little more. While I love all the FMCs in Hazelwood’s STEMinist books, a scientist I will never be. At least with video games, I could understand and appreciate the love and respect Viola and Jesse had for the game.

I did enjoy Kelsey Navarro Foster as the narrator. I thought she did a wonderful job bringing both Viola and Jesse to life. Foster was easy to understand, and had a great tone and cadence throughout the story. My only gripe? The way she pronounced Viola’s name. It just wasn’t the same way that I’ve ever heard someone say the name, and it did take a bit for me to get used to. But a different name pronunciation isn’t bad, just different. It didn’t take me out of the narration at all, but it did stick with me.

Two Can Play was another Hazelwood hit in my books. I fell in love with these characters, even with such a short time with them, and I loved how they interacted throughout the story. There was a great cast of coworkers for both Jesse and Viola, and I could easily dive into a romance between any number of of these support characters. Two Can Play was entertaining from beginning to end, and I highly recommend this novella.