Just for the Plot by Meghan Quinn

Full Cast Narration by Teddy Hamilton and Samantha Brentmoor with Emma Wilder, Connor Crais, L.F. Harding, Jason Clarke, and Stella Hunter

Book Two in the Bay Area Players series. Can be read as a standalone, but it’s much better in order. Romantic comedy.

I received an early copy for review. This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Just for the Plot by Meghan Quinn is the second book in the Bay Area Players series. While the romance itself stands alone, you’ll appreciate the group dynamic of the “Gladdy Daddies” much more if you read the first book, Just for the Cameras. There’s also a crossover with The Path to Loving Him (Almond Bay #3), which is probably my favorite Meghan Quinn book ever, and that’s saying a lot. You don’t have to read it first, but I think it makes Just for the Plot even better.

Why? The Path to Loving Him follows Gabby as she raises her younger brother, Bennett. In Just for the Plot, Gabby’s best friend, Bower, falls for an all-grown-up Bennett. That gives us a reverse age-gap, best friend’s little brother, forbidden sports romance. Meghan does a great job connecting her books without making previous reads feel required.

“Because I’ve had the biggest fucking crush on her ever since I’ve met her and no woman compares to her. Ever. I’ve tried to shake her from my thoughts, from the way she’s branded herself in my fucking soul, but it hasn’t worked. She’s perfect, everything about her. If she gets a place here, it means I can finally make a move, a move that I’ve been waiting to make for so goddamn long that it actually hurts.”

When Bower moves to San Francisco, she calls the only person she knows to help her find a place and show her around, her best friend’s little brother, Bennett, who plays professional baseball in San Francisco. What she doesn’t know is that he’s had a crush on her since he was sixteen, and no one else has ever come close. Now twenty-four, Bennett is big, built, confident, and knows exactly what he wants. Bower, thirty-two, promised Gabby she’d always look out for him, so acting on their attraction feels impossible… until she moves into his building.

The Gladdy Daddies absolutely stole the show in Just for the Plot. Three professional athletes doing PR appearances at the zoo couldn’t be more different, and their group text conversations were some of the funniest parts of the book. Between the texts and OC’s ridiculous antics, I laughed out loud multiple times. I can’t wait for OC’s book, though I definitely wouldn’t trust any of their relationship advice for Bennett.

Bower and Bennett start a romance book club together, and I loved every one of those scenes. Reading spicy scenes together? I need myself a Bennett. I loved that he had zero toxic masculinity, was completely secure in himself, and wasn’t afraid to go after what he wanted. Even with the age gap, Bennett was actually the more mature one in the relationship, and the chemistry between them was incredible. And let me tell you, the spice was done right.

Likes:

The Gladdy Daddies are so much fun!
The tension of wondering when Gabby will finally find out.
The chemistry between Bower and Bennett, plus the top-tier edging in every sense of the word.
Getting so much time with the other characters. I can’t wait for OC’s book. Is it with Gretchen? I can’t wait to find out.
Bower’s book truck concept.
The spicy scenes were hot as hell and perfectly paced.
Even though this was a long book, it never felt padded or dragged.
Romance books playing a role in the story are always a win for me.

Dislikes:

I would have liked to see them spend a little more time together outside the bedroom. It felt like whenever they were together, they usually ended up in bed.

The Narration:

If you listen to audiobooks at all, do yourself a favor and pick this one up. Teddy Hamilton and Samantha Brentmoor are one of my favorite audiobook pairings, and they shine here. Add a full cast of supporting actors voicing the rest of the characters, and you have audiobook perfection. I wouldn’t change a thing. Even if you’ve never listened to an audiobook before, I’d encourage you to experience this one as an immersive read by listening while you read along.

The Down & Dirty:

Once again, Meghan Quinn hit it out of the park (see what I did there?) with Just for the Plot. After reading around fifty of her books since 2015, she still manages to surprise me, and her storytelling never gets old. Her signature blend of feel-good romance, immature humor, unforgettable friendships, lovable characters, and perfectly delivered spice never fails to entertain me. While I do think Just for the Plot is even better if you’ve read Just for the Cameras first, don’t let that stop you from picking this one up. You don’t want to miss this ridiculously fun, sexy, and swoony Meghan Quinn romance.