Book Review: Just for the Cameras by Meghan Quinn
Just for the Cameras by Meghan Quinn
Publisher: Bloom Books
Publication Date: February 3, 2026
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Publisher’s Description:
They’re faking it for the cameras. But what if the sparks are real?
Graydon St. John doesn’t do drama or public appearances. The brooding defensive end for the San Francisco Foghorns prefers silence, solitude, and avoiding headlines. But when a league-wide PR scandal forces him into a media stunt at the city zoo, he’s suddenly face-to-face with squawking birds, nosy fans, and the zookeeper who seems to hate his guts on sight.
Maple Baker loves her flamingos. Loud, pink, messy? Sure. But they’re hers. And the last thing she needs is a grumpy football player stomping into her sanctuary with a bad attitude and a bigger ego. Unfortunately, they’ve been paired for the zoo’s new public outreach program, and the cameras are already rolling.
The banter is sharp. The tension is electric. And the more they pretend to play nice for the press, the more their fake flirtation starts to feel like something dangerously real.
But when family secrets, viral fame, and a PR romance gone off-script threaten everything Maple’s worked for, Graydon must decide if he’s willing to fight for love or let it slip away to protect her.
Just for the Cameras is the first book in Meghan Quinn’s new Bay Area Players series. Graden St. John plays football for the San Franisco Foghorns. The team has not been playing well as of late. Neither have San Fransico’s professional hockey and baseball teams. The three teams jointly hire a PR firm to help with the teams’ public images. The plan is to have the players volunteer at the San Fransico Zoo. The zoo is in need of donations and having the sports stars work there will raise their public profile. It’s a win-win. Everyone is happy with the arrangement with the exception of Graydon. He’s closed off and grumpy. He doesn’t like interacting with people in general and has no interest in getting to know Maple, the cheery flamingo zookeeper that he’s been assigned to.
The public loves the two of them together though, and they find themselves roped into a PR relationship. You can guess what happens next.
I liked Just for the Cameras, but I didn’t love it. The banter between Maple and Graydon was kind of mean on Graydon’s part. I was cringing at some of the things he said to Maple. He made her cry several times, which to me is going too far.
One of the tropes in this book is that he’s overly protective, i.e. jealous. I thought his protectiveness was over the top. However, I know a lot of people love this trope.
My last criticism is that it was almost 600 pages long. That’s too long for a romance book. There was a subplot with the hockey player, OC, that I think could have been left out. I’m guessing he will have his own book in the series so maybe it was necessary to set up his book.
The banter in this book was between the three sports stars. They form a group chat similar to the Diamond Dogs of Ted Lasso, which Graydon reluctantly agrees to be a part of. Needless to say, he’s not a touchy-feely man; However, OC, who started the group chat, is an overly sensitive and sentimental guy. This drives Graydon crazy and they have some pretty funny exchanges.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, it just wasn’t my favorite Meghan Quinn that I’ve read to date. It is a must if you’re a fan of hers. I’m assuming that OC and Bennett, the baseball player, will have their own books. I think OC’s book in particular will be really funny. Of course, I will read them all!
