Play with Me is the second book in Becka Mack’s Playing for Keeps series, which utilizes a popular structure in contemporary romance known as the interconnected standalone. In this format, each novel focuses on a different couple’s love story but is set within the same shared universe, often a close-knit group of friends or family. This allows characters who were protagonists in previous books to appear as secondary figures, enriching the world and rewarding series fans with updates on their lives. 

The events of Play with Me directly follow those of the first book, Consider Me (2022), which chronicles the romance between Vipers captain Carter Beckett and Olivia. That first book ends at their wedding, just as Carter accidentally announces Olivia’s pregnancy to their guests. The opening chapter of Play With Me picks up immediately where the first book left off, as the hockey players at the wedding are discussing the bets they made about whether he would do so. This scene serves a dual purpose: It provides a satisfying conclusion to Carter and Olivia’s primary storyline for returning readers while simultaneously introducing the core cast and central conflicts for newcomers. Adam Lockwood, whose own story is told in the third book, Unravel Me (2023), is also present, establishing the deep friendship between him, Carter, and Garrett. This novel also introduces the young, arrogant addition to the team, Jaxon Riley, whose love story is the central focus of the fourth book in the series, Fall With Me (2024). The fifth and final book in the series, Breathe With Me (2025), focuses on Cara and Emmett Brodie’s marriage and journey to have a child. This narrative technique creates a sense of a living, breathing community. For readers familiar with the series, seeing established characters interact provides a richer emotional context; for new readers, it immediately establishes the high-stakes social dynamics that Garrett and Jennie must navigate in their own burgeoning relationship.