The Only Game in Town was a good book! 3.5 stars from me.

I listened to the audio version and the audio was great and had a full cast!
The story follows Jess, Carter, Nikki, and Ross. It was fun to listen to on audio because of the full cast element. It is third person pov which was kind of a bummer, but that's ok.
Basically the story is about Jasper, the town rich guy (Carter's granddad) who passes away and leaves a frick ton of money to a duo in the town. The only catch is they have to play this crazy high stakes game in order to win the money. You learn that the duos are already chosen by Jasper and they must stick with their partner or they are disqualified. This is where it gets interesting because Jess and Nikki who are enemies (!! gasp !!) are teamed up together. Honestly their feuding was really funny.
There are elements to the story that are really heart felt and tug at you that I feel like made the story.

-4 povs
-3rd person pov
-high stakes game
-small town
-funny/witty
-insta love/connection
-strong father/daughter connection
-wholesome <3

Thanks NetGalley and Putnam for an e-arc!!!

A Massive Thank You to the Author, the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this book prior to its release date.

If you're looking for a light-hearted feel-good read set in a small town with a bit of adventure then this is the book for you. It had me laughing from the first chapter and kept me engaged and entertained throughout. The town of Redford, GA gave me a little bit of Sweet Home Alabama vibes which I just loved. I fell in love with the main characters and couldn't help but root for them. I would have liked just a little more romance. To me, it read a little more like women's fiction. Overall though it was a great read and loved that little plot twist at the end.

This was such a cute small town romance. When the wealthiest man in town days he creates a game to decide who will win his money. But it becomes complicated when someone from town starts to develop feelings for the man's grandson. Can they compete against each other and remain in love?

While this wasn't my jam, it was definitely cute. The characters hit it off from the start and have a sweet relationship. The main character's conflict with her highschool bully was a bit...highschool for an adult, but maybe small towns are like that sometimes. While this is a romance, it focuses heavily on the quirky characters of a small town. I would recommend it to fans of Stars Hollow!

Such a good summer read! Loved the small town aspect and loved it was set in Georgia! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review! 4 stars!

I loved how unique this book felt.
I was so engrossed in this little town and all the quirky characters.
I cared about everyone’s situation and all the fun adventurous they went through.
Though not huge on the romance , I still felt like I was watching a sitcom and just everyone was so important.

Strongly strongly recommend d !!

I had really high hopes for this one. The premise seemed so fun. Overall, though, it kind of fell flat. The whole game w/ no points or rules really threw me for a loop and it was hard to get on board w/ the whole premise after that.

Lacie Waldon always fills her books with adventures and I enjoyed this one! The story felt a little rushed at times, and I would have loved seeing more of the characters rather than details of each event, but it was a heartwarming story and one I really enjoyed!

46. The Only Game in Town (Lacie Waldon)🎧

When Carter arrives in Redford, GA for his grandfather Jasper’s funeral, he meets hometown girl Jess. It’s revealed that Jasper has devised a “game” for the townspeople of Redford with winners winning his fortune. The game draw Carter and Jess closer, but can they continue what they’ve started when the game is over?

This was just a little all over the place…and I didn’t love it. It wasn’t super heavy on the romance - it was told in multiple POVs and not just Carter and Jess. Also, the romance did feel very insta-love, and those are never my favorites.

I loved this book. I wasn’t sure at first about the multiple POVs but all the characters really grew on me and I liked them all in their own ways. This was a fun, easy read, and just what I needed when I picked it up. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my digital ARC

Thank you #Netgalley

This was a cute read about a small town who are surprised to learn that when an elderly long time resident passes away, he left his inheritance to the town; but in the form of a game. Jasper, before he died, designed a game for the town to come together and play. Of course there were twists and turns, for instance the pairing of teams united people who were in conflict in hopes to bring peace.

I thought this book had a lot of heart!! I appreciated the interesting plot twists and thought the way that the relationships between the characters was described was really strong. I liked the game aspect and especially thought that Nikki was a surprising stand out character!

The Only Game in Town
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Author: Lacie Waldon
GR: 3.59

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Penguin Group and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Nothing ever changes in Redford, Georgia. That's what freelance editor Jess Reid loves about her hometown—and part of what keeps her from leaving. Content taking care of her father, a car mechanic who singlehandedly raised her after her mom skipped out, Jess is resigned to a safe, unremarkable existence...until Jasper Wilhelm, the town’s eccentric benefactor, dies suddenly and leaves behind the opportunity of a lifetime. Financial advisor Carter Barclay has been too busy to visit his grandfather in Redford, but he’s heard countless stories about the town and its zany residents from Jasper. A small, insular town in Georgia is the last place Carter expects to be spending his summer—but it seems his grandfather had one final trick up his sleeve. At the funeral, it’s revealed that Jasper has devised a massive, high-stakes game for the people of Redford, with the winning duo taking home his entire fortune. The catch? He’s already taken the liberty of pairing them up. As tensions of all kinds rise between Jess and Carter, and the life-changing prize looms closer, the two must decide what they’re willing to risk to change their lives. A love story full of spirit and hijinks, The Only Game in Town is a funny, quirky homage to the people we get to call home.

My Thoughts: This was a cute twist on a romance story. Jasper, the town’s most supportive member passes away and a good chunk of his fortune will be won in a game. He picked the teams ahead of time and with good reason behind each pair. This really is a unique twist on a romance story and I loved the premise. The focus is on the game with relationships and romance happening in the background.

The story is told from multiple POVs, which makes it more interesting. Once you get the characters down, then it is relatively easy to follow. The characters were well developed, had intertwining relationships, witty banter, chemistry among the MCs, and creatively spun. I strongly disliked mean girl Nikki in the beginning, but by the end she really grew on me. We have the two main characters but the supporting characters also play big roles in the storyline. The author’s writing style was complex, humorous, flowed well, and the pacing was spot on.

I received the arc for the digital book but ended up listening to the audiobook when it came out. Brittany Presley is one of my favorite narrators, she and the other narrators do an amazing job with voice variation and really immersing you into the story. I would highly recommend picking up this book.

I struggled to get into this at first, but halfway through I really started to enjoy it. It felt a little ridiculous at times, but it was so fun to go along with. The premise of the competition for the $10 mil and how it was written reminded me of some of my favorite reality tv shows and was easy to immerse in.

What a cute romance! This one has all the makings of the perfect romance! Great characters, a great small town, such great side characters, laugh out loud moments, heart-felt moments, and a big hug at the end!

This was so much fun!!! I enjoyed every second of this quick read. It had everything I love: insta-like, small town gossip, an amazing dad, scavenger hunts, Barbie jeeps, not a ton of drama you name it!

I couldn’t stop laughing at Carter and Jess’s banter and Nikki’s golden comebacks. I adored every townsperson and their relationships. There was just so much to adore here.

Would definitely recommend if you’re looking for something fun and easy!

While this book started off strong and I normally love enemies to lovers romances, it didn’t stay strong for me. It almost felt too long and it could have benefited from using less POVs. I just wasn’t interested in hearing from anyone else except for Jess and Carter.

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam Group for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a good contemporary romance, with a unique premise! I really enjoyed reading it. Overall, I would recommend to those who think it sounds interesting!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Ugh what a cute story. It was charming and exactly what to expect from LaCie Waldon. I loved her other books and loved this one too. The characters are charming and full of the that small town charm even Nikki with all her gruffness had a soft side.

I love easy sweet romances like this one full of heart and love.