Played by Dana Davidson

Looking for a love story? This is a really good one with a twist. Ian is attractive and popular, and he considers himself a real player with the ladies. When he is challenged by the leader of the coolest crew in school (the very crew he is proud to be a member of) to get a very uncool girl to sleep with him and fall in love with him, he knows he has to play the game if he wants to keep the respect of his friends. As cruel as this premise sounds, at heart, Ian is not a terrible person, and he feels the guilt of his motions every step of the way as he puts the moves on unsuspecting, plain and brainy Kylie. As their “relationship” develops, Ian begins to see that Kylie is more than she appears and readers will root for him to do the right thing as he struggles to continue with his friends’ dare while his feelings become real. This is an uplifting story for anyone who has ever been played and a good lesson for the players.

Davidson, Dana. Played. New York: Hyperion, 2005.