Remember, 3 stars means I *liked* the book. I thought the characters were interesting and the plot was solid. There are a lot of side characters, so it helps to have read book #1. It was nice that the authors had an older FMC (25) with a younger MMC (20?I think). There's a LOT of spice, but also quite a lot of romance.

The banter in a Max Monroe book is priceless. They really know how to bring the humor and the heat. I love the MMC golden retriever energy and I absolutely love a neurospicy FMC.
this was great on its own, even if you haven’t read the first!

I'm really enjoying this series. The way Max Monroe has blended these storylines with the families and their kids along with the sports aspect and so on. This book focuses on the college QB, Blake Boden and his undying love for Lexi Winslow. Lexi is the older woman (by four years) and the extremely gifted brain child who has written programs that will probably make her millions once she graduates from her graduate program. They are the most unlikely couple but don't tell Blake that because he is determined to win her over and Lexi is equally determined that their relationship can't work. But opposites definitely do attract in this fun romantic story and it makes for an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy of this ebook.

Flirty, fast-paced, and laugh-out-loud funny, Playing Games is a rom-com touchdown that blends reality TV drama with off-the-charts chemistry. When sexy, confident River gets thrown into the wild world of The Love Game dating show, he’s all ego and one-liners—until he meets a no-nonsense producer who’s so not falling for his charms... or is she?

This book serves up hilarious hijinks, sharp banter, and swoon-worthy moments with a side of emotional depth that sneaks up on you. Max Monroe knows how to balance steamy tension with sweet moments, making this more than just a game—it’s a feel-good love story that hits all the right notes.

Reality dating may be scripted, but this romance? 100% the real deal.

This was just as cute as the first book in the series. A solid romance. I would recommend, loved the chemistry between the mains.

My first read from the author - thank you for this ARC! It was great to have a main neurodivergent character! New age college romance! Who knew I'd like this genre?! A real good read!

I was captivated by this book even before the first chapter—right from the dedication! As an overthinking, spreadsheet-loving, introverted engineer, I felt a strong connection to the characters.

The star quarterback of Dickson University, known as the campus golden boy, is accustomed to winning both on and off the field—until he meets the one woman who changes everything.

I absolutely loved Lexi and Blake! They were complete opposites, yet their chemistry and witty banter were fantastic. I found myself laughing out loud and smiling throughout the book. I truly appreciated the themes of acceptance woven into the story.

Lexi's perspective was portrayed in a way that felt honest and authentic. She was smart and snarky, and I admired her confidence. Blake was fully invested in Lexi—he fell for her hard, and I cherished every moment of their relationship. He was sweet, supportive, and accepting of her.

I was thrilled by the cameos from friends and family, and I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

I wish i had a better review of this e-arc but unfortunately i simply did not like this book.
firstly, why on God’s green earth does an epilogue have 3 separate parts? at that point just weave it into the actual story.
next, why were there so many damn characters??

“My grandma and Howard. My other uncles Flynn and Ty and their wives. My mum and stepdad Wes and brother Wes Jr. My dad Nick and my stepmom Charlotte. My parents’ best friends, Thatch and Cassie and Kline and Georgia. All of my cousins—Hawk, Meadow, Emily, Izzy, Carmen, Roman, and Ryder. Even Ace and Julia—and their respective brother and sister—and Finn and Scottie are here, along with Finn’s mum Helen and his siblings Reece, Travis, Jack, and Willow.”

i’m so sorry but who the hell is reading this and actually registering these people? and this wasn’t the only paragraph like this as well, i understand that the character’s big family is a major characteristic but this is just far too much unnecessary detail.

The book was also very dialogue based and frankly that is a bit of a turn off for me.

It’s not a one star as at some points when i wasn’t physically reading the book, i would miss the characters and their relationships- even reading as soon as i woke up. i enjoyed it sometimes but the ending was far too drawn out for me to qualify as a 3 star read.

also blake was such an unrealistic character, i actually wish he didn’t forgive her and actually moved on or at least made lexi grovel a bit after all she put him through. i don’t know how the writers expect me to believe that sort of apathy towards a romantic partner is acceptable and worth being pined over

Such a fun read . Always love reading Max Monroe. Banter , humor, enemies to lovers with a reality show angle. This was a perfect read for my mood!

As a long time fan of Max Monroe, I was so excited to read this book. I've been waiting for Lexi's story. She's such an interesting character. I thought the authors did a fantastic job of describing in a respectful manner her neurodivergence. And Blake? The way he navigated her and her emotional struggles was SO real. He came off so genuine.

Read it. Love it. If you love Max Monroe's stories, this is up to par with the rest.

He’s the star quarterback at Dickson University.
She’s the super intelligent lab nerd, finishing up her second doctorate in computer science.
I enjoyed reading about a neurodivergent FMC, who in trying to figure out her emotions by creating an app for her own self discovery about their secret relationship and attraction.

I was so happy that characters from book 1 were included in this story so that we had some major follow ups on Finn and Scottie.

This was super sweet with pinches of spice, against, drama, steam and overthinking.

Playing Games by Max Monroe is a fun opposites attract story where the charming, cocky star quarterback Blake Boden meets Lexi, a smart, no nonsense genius. Their chemistry is off the charts, and their dynamic is both hilarious and sweet. I really enjoyed the secret relationship angle and the twist on the grumpy sunshine trope, with Lexi being the more serious one and Blake bringing the charm. It’s just a super entertaining and feel good read!

Finally, we get Lexi’s story, and I loved every second of it. I’ve always been curious about how Max and Monroe would write her as an adult, and they absolutely delivered. Lex’s emotional intelligence struggles were written with care and authenticity, and her neurodivergence was thoughtfully represented throughout. It never felt like a plot device; it was just part of who she is, and it added real depth to her character.

Blake was the perfect MMC for her. He’s confident, grounded, and from the very beginning, it’s clear he knows what he wants – and what he wants is her. He’s patient, respectful, and works with Lex every step of the way to build something real. Their dynamic? Perfection. He is a real cinnamon roll, and we're here for it.

Just like in the previous book (Scottie & Finn), one of my favourite things about this series is the way Max Monroe has written the next generation. Each character feels like their own person, but you can still see the influence of their iconic parents (where relevant) from the Billionaire Bad Boys series. It’s such a satisfying world to be immersed in if you’ve followed the series from the start. That being said, I would have liked a bit more interaction from Lexi with her family, as I think to see how that had evolved over time would have been nice. There were a few moments with Winnie, but not as many as I would have liked.

If you were to read this as a standalone, it would still totally work – the romance is strong, and the emotional beats land. But without the nostalgic pull of the legacy characters and their history, it might fall closer to a three-star read for some.

For me though? With all the layers, banter, and the nostalgia… it just worked. 💜

Thank you, NetGalley and Publisher for this book. This was a new Author for me and I will definitely be reading more of her books! Lexi and Blake are amazing main characters that I was able to relate to quite easily. She is a super smart girl and he is the all-around golden boy quarterback of the high school. He is absolutely obsessed with her and it takes a while until she finally realizes her feelings for him as well. I loved the neurodivergent representation of Lexi being on the autism spectrum. I love to see how the character was able to overcome her struggles and make great successes in her life. It was also very enjoyable to see how Blake was aware of her issues but he was kind to her. He was understanding and very protective which I thought was very admirable, and I fell in love with his character!! I loved the tropes in the book such as opposites attract, and when she is grumpy and he is sunshine, and I also love the secret relationship. I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy a beautiful romance with a lot of depth and heart.!

Playing Games by Max Monroe brings us back to campus, this time, with our focus on the star football player and the quiet brainiac, Lexi. Blake has wanted Lexi from the first time he saw her, and she refused his advances. Lexi, being a woman who is working to complete her PhD has a hard time with emotions, hers, but also those around her. Blake, obsessed with Lexi, to the point he made the bold statement, "I'm going to marry that girl one day", can't seem to stay away from her and slowly works to break down her barriers. And boy, does he ever. What Lexi failed to realize is that Blake managed to weasel his way into her heart, and when she breaks it off, finds she can't stop thinking about him and dare I say, even misses him. Kudos to Max Monroe for another wonderful story. I can't wait for the next one already!!

**📖✨ An Unforgettable Read! ✨📖**

I fell in love with this book from the very first page. It’s an *amazing* read, and it completely won me over the moment I discovered that Lexi is on the autism spectrum—just like my daughter. That personal connection made the story even more meaningful, but beyond that, I have to say this book is **extremely well written** and filled with so much **passion**.

💙 **Lexi’s journey is beautifully portrayed**—her perspective, her struggles, and her triumphs feel so real, making her a character you can’t help but root for. And then there’s **Blake**—what an absolute sweetheart! His **patience, understanding, and protectiveness** toward Lexi touched my heart. He knows her world is different, and instead of trying to change her, he embraces her for who she is. That kind of love and support is something truly special.

Reading this book made me feel *hopeful*. It reassured me that my daughter, too, can have a beautiful and fulfilling life, just like Lexi. If you haven’t read this book yet, **you absolutely should**—it’s powerful, emotional, and simply unforgettable.

📚💙 **Go for it! You won’t regret it.**

I really liked this book. I loved the difference in the characters, and just fell in love with Blake and Lexi. Very easy read, as usual!

It's Blake's confidence for me. He was consistent and patient since the first book. I loved watching these two love birds story unfold, although Lexi was trying so hard to fight it. I never knew how much I would love a reversed Grumpy Sunshine story!

Thank you for theARC!

ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝔾𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕤 - 𝔻𝕚𝕩𝕠𝕟 𝕌𝕟𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕚𝕥𝕪 𝟚 - ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨

Author: Max Monroe

Couple: Lexi Winslow & Blake Boden

Tropes:
💖 Secret dating
🧠 Neurodivergent heroine
🏈 Sports (football star hero!)
✌🏼 Opposites attract
🦮 Golden retriever MMC 
💙 He falls first 
😏 Longtime crush + intense first love

Review: ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝔾𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕤 was everything I thought it would be! Blake Biden brought the sauce and the resilience in this book and oh man did he NEED IT! Max Monroe teased about this book for a minute and I cannot say how much I ADORED, DEVOURED, AND YELLED about this one while reading. Lexi Winslow finally…FINALLY got her HEA and it feels like an end to a very long, very loved ERA after hitting the words “The End” in ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝔾𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕤. I cannot express how much this book left me reeling (especially with this twists at the end!) and how satisfied I was with Blake and Lexi as they navigated their romance.

ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝔾𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕤 was a book that had it all for me. It had a tiny bit of mystery (enter mysterious secret society that Lexi was in charge of) and a ton of laugh out loud moments and banter. Blake was not just a cocky player but also the guy who pushed Lexi to become her best self while also refusing to let her stay in her head. Lexi was also someone who tempered Blake enough for his best strengths to shine through and what a beautiful match it was! These two could not have been more opposite but in true Max Monroe fashion - THEY MADE IT WORK.

While Blake and Lexi were the star of the show getting to see some old faces made this book 100% better. Winnie, Cassie, Thatcher, Nick, Finn - and everyone else who we had fallen in love with in older books had cameos and it was so amazing to see all of them back tighter and causing mischief again (especially Cassie!!). ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝔾𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕤 was a binge worthy book for me and it left me NEEDING Thatcher’s book ASAP!

Rating: 100+; ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝔾𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕤 is another knockout romcom by Max Monroe and finally brought us Lexi Winslow’s romance!

Thank you Max Monroe & Hambright PR for the eARC!

✨ Publication date: February 7, 2025✨

Playing Games is the second book in Max Munroe’s steamy new adult Dickson University series. I did not read the first one, so the books can be read standalone.

Blake Boden is the star quarterback of the Dickson University football team. He’s definitely going places and can have any girl on campus he wants….but he only has eyes for Lexi Winslow. Unfortunately, she doesn’t date football players and has no interest in Blake.

Lexi is the genius neurodivergent good girl next door. Of course she finds Blake attractive but she doesn’t date football players and he certainly doesn’t fit in her future plans. Blake doesn’t give up so easily though and slowly starts to work his way into Lexi’s life.

He’s the campus golden boy and she’s the nerdy genius but somehow, they work. They start to see each other in secret but when Blake is ready to tell the world about them, Lexi gets scared off.

Lexi needs to learn to navigate her emotions and get the courage to tell Blake how she really feels, before it’s too late.

I enjoyed this authors writing. I like Lexi and Blake and thought they had pretty good chemistry ( and steamy sex scenes), I also enjoyed reading about a neurodivergent FMC and her struggles with emotions, it was well represented. This is a 3.5 (rounded to 4) read for me.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #maxmunroe #playinggames