Playing for Pleasure Books in Order
Part ofJackie Ashenden Books in OrderBrowse Jackie Ashenden's Playing for Pleasure books in order, with quick summaries, series background, and where to start with this steamy duet.
Last updated: July 6, 2026
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Playing for Pleasure books in publication order
2 books
In the Dark
by Jackie Ashenden
2021
Scarred billionaire Elias Hart wants one anonymous night in the dark, not an emotional entanglement. Then the blindfolded stranger turns out to be his best friend's grown-up little sister, and the rules stop working.
With the Lights On
by Jackie Ashenden
2021
A powerful man who hides his failing vision meets a woman who makes secrecy feel impossible. Their affair is intensely physical, but what really threatens him is being fully seen.
Playing for Pleasure books in chronological order
In the Dark
by Jackie Ashenden
2021Playing for Pleasure, Book 1
With the Lights On
by Jackie Ashenden
2021Playing for Pleasure, Book 2
Series background & context
Playing for Pleasure is a short Jackie Ashenden duet, but it has a strong, focused identity. These books are about desire as both escape and exposure. The heroes think they can control the terms of pleasure, and the heroines are the ones who show them how flimsy that control really is.
In the Dark opens with a setup that tells you a lot about the series mood: a scarred billionaire who prefers blindfolded encounters ends up with the one woman who makes emotional distance impossible. With the Lights On keeps that same balance of sensuality and vulnerability while bringing in a hero who hides his fading vision and the fear that comes with it.
So even though these are very sexy books, the series is not just about heat. It is about bodies, trust, shame, and the way intimacy changes once a character can no longer keep part of themselves hidden.
If you like short, intense romances where physical chemistry is tied closely to emotional exposure, this duet is one of Ashenden's clearest examples.
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