Recent Reads: Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood

Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood 

Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: February 10, 2026

 

Format: Paperback
Source: Bought/ Own

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

An enemies-to-lovers spicy novella set in the world of video gaming from the New York Times bestselling author of Problematic Summer Romance—now in print and ebook!

Viola Bowen has the chance of a lifetime: to design a video game based on her all-time favorite book series. The only problem? Her co-lead is Jesse F-ing Andrews, aka her archnemesis. Jesse has made it abundantly clear over the years that he wants nothing to do with her—and Viola has no idea why.

When their bosses insist a wintery retreat is the perfect team-building exercise, Viola can’t think of anything worse. Being freezing cold in a remote mountain lodge knowing Jesse is right next door? No, thank you.

But as the snow piles on, Viola discovers there’s more to Jesse than she knew, and heat builds in more ways than one.

Review: 

I really enjoy Ali Hazelwood's books and this one delivers exactly the kind of romance that I was looking to read. As someone who can never resist enemies-to-lovers, STEM romances, forced proximity, and communication breakdown tropes, this story felt like such a good fit. 

Despite its shorter length, the novella never felt rushed. The banter between Viola and Jesse was fantastic, and their dynamic kept me engaged. I enjoyed watching Viola gradually learn more about Jesse and uncover the reasons behind their complicated relationship. Their time together from reluctant co-leads to partners who genuinely support one another was so good. 

One of my favorite aspects of the story was that Viola and Jesse began coming together as teammates before their relationship turned romantic. Their shared passion for the project and commitment to their teams added depth to their relationship.

Viola was a good FMC. She is stubborn, emotionally honest, and unafraid to express how she feels, which made her easy to read and be frustrated alongside.  I appreciated that she was willing to confront difficult situations rather than avoid them.

I also loved how the novella added in some glimpses of Viola and Jesse's past interactions. Those moments added context to their connections and helped the story feel much larger than its page count. In many ways, it had the emotional depth and character development of a full-length novel packed into a novella.

Overall, this was such a great read, with perfectly balanced humor, romance, and heart. If you're a fan of Ali Hazelwood's STEM romances, enemies-to-lovers tension, and forced proximity stories with excellent banter, this novella is absolutely worth picking up.