While this story is marketed as a romance, it is so much more than that. It focuses on small town life, camaraderie, and I would argue the true story is about Jess and Nikki, two bitter enemies and rivals who are forced to work together over the course of the game that is being played.
Side characters like Ross (Jess's dad) have their own pov at various points and some heavy things are mentioned: parental abandonment, infidelity, trauma, abuse, alcoholism and addiction.

This story really encapsulates so much more than just a romance between Jess and Carter and I truly enjoyed this novel.

A huge thank you to Lacie Waldon, Penguin Group Putnam, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Set in the small town of Redford, Georgia, The Only Game in Town has a distinctive plot. Longtime resident, Jasper Wilhelm, recently passed away. He was well known in town for being fun and was always ready for a party. Jasper also happened to love the town. So as a condition of his will the town residents are paired into pre- selected teams to compete for his 10 million dollars. While this plot is a little far-fetched, the author has created a fun game scenario, which is entertaining. One of our main characters, Jess has been paired with her high school bully, Nikki. Jasper's grandson, Carter, is paired with the town bartender, Bryce. The chapter POV alternates between the four main characters, Jess, Carter, Nikki, and Ross (Jess's Dad).

I liked the light way the competition was treated. Everyone in the town was pleasant which fit the tone of the story and the silly games. Having the narrative told from four different points of view allowed me to become more invested in the characters. I really appreciated understanding all the different point of views. Romance is on the back burner between Jess and Carter which felt authentic to me since they both needed to work on personal issues. The connection was evident though through the entire story.

The ending was satisfying for me and I enjoyed reading The Only Game in Town.

Thank you NetGalley, and Penguin Group Putnam for the arc.

When beloved resident of Redford, Georgia Jasper Wilhelm dies the entire town gathers at his memorial to say their goodbyes. Here they find out that Jasper intended to leave some of his fortune to 2 his fellow residents. But to get it, the town must compete in a series of games while being paired up with another town member. The twist? Your partner is someone you have a leas than ideal relationship with and you’re competing together is the only chance to have to win the 10 million prize.

This book was different. The story is told in several POVs, which adds some depth and interesting perspectives. It has (some) romance, adventure, rivalries, friendship and more. I think the most entertaining part, for me, was grown adults taking part in some of the ridiculous games (large men riding Barbie jeeps down mountains!) the character banter was comical and learning about everyone’s drama was entertaining, but it did drag a little in some parts. Overall, a cute read.

3.5 rounded up to 4.

The Only Game in Town is Lacie Waldon's third book. I really enjoyed her debut, The Layover, and had mixed feelings about the follow up book, From the Jump.

When I cracked open (or rather swiped open on my e-reader) The Only Game in Town, I felt a warmth settle in as I immediately connected with our Heroine and Hero, Jessica and Carter respectfully. This is a multi-POV book with Jessica, Carter, Jess's arch-enemy Nikki, and Jess's dad Ross.

This is a book set in the small town of Redford in Georgia. The town's millionaire has died, and has left a $10 million inheritance to two lucky townspeople. The catch is the money goes to the team who wins a very detailed, complicated game which includes Barbie Truck rides, pie eating contests, and more hi-jinx. The catch-the teams have been predetermined by the millionaire.

I won't say any more about this book. It was fun. I loved the small town feel. I do think there was maybe one to many parts of the game. I love that all of the author's books have a distinctly unique feel to them and I look forward to reading what she has coming in the future.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and Netgalley for the ARC for my honest review.

Lacie Waldon's third novel, The Only Game in Town is an adventure rom com with an interesting spin. In this book, a wealthy donor dies and creates through his will a game that the townspeople will play in pairs, and the winners get ten million dollars. For Jess, this is life-changing money that will allow her to finally follow her dreams. For Carter, her partner and the estranged grandson of the donor, this money is life-changing in a different way, Their surprise partnership leads to another unexpected consequence: romance. This premise was super unique and fun so I will give this a 5/5 for plot but a 2/5 for writing. I really did not enjoy the third person narration in this book. Normally it does not bother me but the narration was so far removed from the characters here it was borderline omniscient. I think Waldon's writing stye may unfortunately just not be for me. If that would appeal to you though be sure to pick this one up! 2.5/5

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Putnam Books for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

When Jasper Wilhelm dies after a life of being the the town of Redford’s secret benefactor, the town is in for one more surprise. Before he died, Jasper designed a game and willed 10 million dollars to the team who wins. The catch? He’s paired together many enemies and you can’t compete unless you compete with the partner he’s chosen.

Romance book editor Jess is paired with her high school bully, Nikki. Jasper’s grandson, Carter is paired with the young barkeep, Bryce. As they all compete in a series of challenges, the whole town may grow closer as a result.

I really enjoyed this book! It was such a refreshing, small town, kind of book… While this is probably classified as a romance, there were so many other relationships that we got a lot of depth out of the characters who weren’t primary.

This book alternated points of view between several main characters, so that we could get more background and perspective, which read like a really well-rounded book. I would recommend if a book full of games and Hijinx sounds like fun to you.

This is very much a Hallmark read with a far-fetched plot. However, I liked how the side characters got their own POV. I didn't enjoy this as much as The Layover but it was a fine read for a wintery day. No steam.

Thank you for the advanced copy. I enjoyed The Layover but did not care for this title. I did not connect with any of the characters and I thought the overall plot was silly. Goodreads link below.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4878723221

Imagine the town of Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls participating in an event straight out of The Westing Game. This is exactly the vibe I felt reading The Only Game in Town. Jess is a freelance book editor who lives in her hometown of Redford, a small town not too far from Atlanta. When Jasper, a local resident passes away, he leaves a fortune of $10 million to the lucky team that completes a series of challenges. The catch? Jasper outlined who would be partners- and Jess is partnered with her high school bully, Nikki. Carter, Jasper's grandson, has come to town for the funeral and ends up participating as well. This book was so much fun! This is Waldon's third book and she has become an auto-read for me. I loved the town of Redford and how every character has a charm all their own. This is one I'll be rereading for sure!

Jess Reid is a small town girl with big dreams. She tried making that dream come true by going to New York and become a book editor for a big company. Well Jess found out you can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl. Jess missed home, her dad who raised her when her mom left them. He is also her best friend and she would do anything for him. Enter Jasper Wilhelm a rich when upon his death has the whole town entered in a contest and the winning couple will win his vast fortune. The only trick is he will pair up the various people . Before the contest Jasper's grandson Carter Barclay returns to attend his grandfathers funeral. The town of Redford is the last place Carter wants to be in let alone being thrust into a competition to compete for his grandfathers fortune. Carter has not seen is grandfather in many many years because he has been way to busy working on his high profile career. Hearing the townspeople of Redford tell such wonderful stories of his grandfather and seeing how everyone comes together to help one another has Carter wishing for the kind of small town family life he never had. Family including a grandfather who was loved by all.
Then enter Jess Reid a zany, fun loving girl who grew up in Redford and is feeling the pangs of being paired up with her worst enemy. She and Carter are drawn together even though they have been trying to distance themselves from each other because of the competition. Will they be able to to avoid that attraction? Jess can really use the money to help her dad. She would endure her partner Nikki's hatred of her and really try to win the millions. Then there is Carter who is finding it hard to resist Jess and the whole small town vibe. Does he really want the family life he never had? Can Jess and Carter resist each other for the sake of the millions?
What I really liked about this book is that each chapter was told from one of the characters. You really got to know the each and everyone of them. The sense of community, love and commitment to one another. The real reason Jasper made this competition.
This is the kind of book you read after you read a real heavy themed book. It was fun, and easy read and very enjoyable. I really did not dislike any of the characters. They each brought something to the story. So thank you Lacie Waldon whom I will look forward to reading more of your books, Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC. Would recommend it to my reading buddies.

I didn't know what to expect when I first started reading it. It was a charming small-town romance and I'm so happy I read it. I finished the second half of the book in one day so I was pretty obsessed with how it would end. This was my first book by the author and I really enjoyed the writing.

Jess is a lot! She reminded me of Jess from New Girl. The same type of energy and loved her way of life. She was unapologetically herself and didn't care what anyone said. Carter is the polar opposite of Jess but he was still an enjoyable character. Nikki was my favorite character. I loved the growth that she goes throughout the story. I'm so glad that she and Jess ended up being friends.

There are multiple POVs so we get how the main characters feel throughout the story. I enjoyed understanding each character and their thought process. The plot was sooo good! I mean a game and setting up each town member with their worst enemy. I loved the banter between the characters and I laughed so many times. The idea of the book was fantastic and I think it was greatly executed.

My rating: 3.5/5 stars
(In my rating system, 3.5 stars means ‘this was a good book,’ and that I would recommend it.)

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Only Game In Town takes place in Redford, a small town in Georgia that any Gilmore Girls lover might compare to Stars Hollow. Residents are eccentric and have their own dramas with each other, but always say that they’re like family. At the center of Redford is Jasper, the wealthy and delightful man who uses his fortune to help and bring joy to his neighbors, even in death.

When he dies, he leaves ten million dollars to Redford, stipulating that only two townspeople will split the fortune, and only after winning a game that he has devised. He pairs up unlikely residents (two rival bakers, for example), and tasks the executor of his will to oversee a series of challenges that encompass the competition.

Over the course of the novel, we meet a quirky cast of characters: Jess, the main character, an optimistic editor of romance novels whose style is likened to Phoebe Buffay’s; Carter, Jasper’s outsider grandson who works a hot-shot job in the city; Nikki, who tormented Jess in high school and now is an influencer; and so many more.

The competition may seem to be all about the money, but at its heart, it’s a celebration of the town of Redford and its residents. Old wounds will heal, new friendships will form, and some might even fall in love— not to mention, walk away with 5 million dollars.

I enjoyed this book! I don’t know if it’s classified as a rom-com, but I liked that the romance was more of a side-plot than the whole focus of the novel. It’s definitely not a serious book for super ‘serious’ readers, as there are many cliches, but anyone accustomed to the unrealistic nature of rom-coms will enjoy it. I thought that every character experienced good character development, and I appreciated that the plot didn’t always go exactly where I expected it to. I really liked the ending as well, and of course I always love a good epilogue.

My only real complaints with the novel were that the cast of characters were sometimes hard to keep straight in my head— I constantly confused Bobby and Bo and Bryce, as well as Liz and Lexi (since their names are similar), and there were many characters to keep track of. My other complaint is just about the cliches— in a rom-com I expect cliches, so it’s not that big of a critique, but I figure they’re important to mention in a review.

Overall, this book is a total feel-good, and I’d definitely recommend it. I’ve only read one other of Lacie Waldon’s books (so far), and while this one didn’t elicit the same type of reaction from me— I adored The Layover— it was still pretty good!

The book held much more than I originally thought, lots of deeper themes as well as a fun quirky romance. It was a very good read.

This is an absolutely charming little novel about the town of Redford and all its characters—and they are just that—characters. I loved how the story is set up by a competition and how it brings people (often those who never should've been paired together) together. Jess and Carter are absolutely fantastic, and Waldon did a great job writing the book from a variety of perspectives.

Ok, I absolutely adored this book. Small town vibes were immaculate and the crazy game was so much fun to watch.

I really loved getting to know everyone in the town. I liked seeing how the pairings of people who were once enemies moved into being friends after being in the competition. It was fun to see Jess and Nikki progress and become reluctant friends.

Onto Jess and Carter. It was nice to see their relationship grow. They tried to avoid it but just gave in.

I definitely teared up at a few moments when the town supported one another. And it just gave me such a warm and fuzzy feeling.

This is a super enjoyable read & I will definitely be recommending it to everyone. (4.5)

Y'all know me and my love for Lacie Waldon's books. They scratch weirdly specific literary itches for me - a rom-com that involves an in-depth look at the lives of flight attendants (The Layover), a semi more serious rom-com about a tight-knit friends group + an uptight perfectionist finally letting her hair loose (From the Jump), and a competition-based romance that's wholly original and endearing (The Only Game in Town).

The Only Game in Town is one of those romances where the focus isn't exclusively about the romance but the actual story. After a small town's benefactor passes, the town is split into pairs to compete for his ten million dollar fortune per his will. The catch? Everyone is paired with their "mortal enemy", the rules aren't strictly black and white, and among the contestants is the benefactor's rich grandson who is not a resident of the small town and whom everyone is convinced will win regardless.

Per Waldon's usual standards, this book is completely original. She has a gift for putting a refreshing spin on typical romance tropes by telling a story that's been done to death in a totally different and refreshing way. It's always a pleasure to read a new release from her. But unfortunately, *whispers* this wasn't the A+ Waldon book I was expecting and I didn't love this one.

Like I mentioned before, the romance takes a backseat in this romance novel, which is completely understandable considering how naturally complicated the A story is. But the romance itself... well... I didn't buy it. I didn't really feel the chemistry between the FMC and MMC, it felt a little forced. Normally the "MC's from different social classes/opposites attract" trope works well, but here it was a tad flat.

Also, this is quite a long book, which normally I'd rejoice over but in this case, it really dragged on. Four competitions and several side stories will do that, though. But perhaps it's because I wasn't really engaged with the book. I love any competition-based storylines, but this one was tough to get through because there was so much to explain and set up and it felt like too much for me.

It honestly pains me to harshly critique one of her books so I'll do it fast: most of the conflict is organic but it's all resolved quite abruptly or dragged on for too long and could've been solved with a conversation. A lot of it felt repetitive or unnecessary. Four (!!!) alternating POVs that were very distracting or disorienting at times.

But what I did love about it: the writing style. The quirky FMC and the grumpy, stoic MMC. The small town vibes ala Gilmore Girls. The attention to detail about town lore and personality quirks. A feel-good story with heartfelt backstories and memorable scenes. (I am craving all the sandwiches Jess and Nikki made during the first game!)

With that said, it's unfortunately a 3.5 star read for me. Plenty of people will love this, but sadly it wasn't for me.

Thank you to Putnam / Penguin Group and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: March 21, 2023

The Only Game in Town by Lacie Waldon was heartwarming. I love reading books about love and this romance novel was about more than just boy meets girl love. This story was about the love of a town and its residents who were all quirky and fun to get to know. It was about the love of a parent and a child, the love of friendship and the love of community. Lacie Waldon did a great job of bringing the town of Redford to life in this novel. If you have ever loved the TV series 'Heart of Dixie' this book gives me all those same small town, big love type of vibes. I was left in suspense of how the "challenge" would play out and who would come away the big winner but my favorite part of the this novel was of course Jess and Carter's love story. The opposites attract chemistry and witty banter was a delight and I found myself smiling throughout the book. Butch and Bonnie were a great team and I thoroughly enjoyed watching their romance unfold. I would have preferred a few more pages dedicated solely to Jess and Carters relationship development this novel was always meant to be more than the telling of one couples story. I have read all of Lacie Waldon's novels and she is quickly coming an "auto-buy" author for me. "From the Jump" was one of my favorite reads of 2022. If 'The Only Game in Town' is the first book your have read by the talented Ms. Waldon I would encourage you to read the others. Thank you so much NetGalley and Putnam Publishing for allowing me to read an ARC of 'The Only Game in Town' in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. Romance readers, you don't want to miss this one!

3.5 stars- for those whom love the small town atmosphere (think Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls), this one is for you. the only caveat is that at 416 pages, this is no quick read. at times, it felt a bit long. thanks Netgalley & the publisher for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Lacie Waldon does it again! While definitely a different focus than her previous two books (I.e. not focused on the romance), it was still a refreshing and fun read! I was getting major Stars Hollow vibes with the small town (Gilmore Girls, anyone?) and I loved getting to read about all the different townspeople. As long as you know it's less romance-focused going into it, this is a great book to pick up when you need a little break from the real world!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Cute. That’s all this is: cute. Well, maybe cute and sappy in a very Hallmark movie style. If those movies are your vibe, you’ll probably adore it. Unfortunately, for me, it was just too caper-esque. The plot with the whole town competing for millions of dollars paired up with a partner they hate was too contrived and unrealistic. I also felt like the character development was pretty shallow and the writing was pretty simplistic. Just not my cup of tea but I’m sure there are other readers who will enjoy this feel good story.