So this book was not bad by any means, however, it was really just not for me. I didn’t enjoy the romance at all, and I found the mmc repulsive for 90% of the book. I’m not a fan of instalust and prefer more tension and yearning and it’s hard to be interested in a romance where you don’t like the couple.

Outside of the romance I did enjoy the sport elements of the story. This is the only sports romance I’ve read but I felt like there was a good emphasis each characters sport and capturing the intensity of competitive sports.

There are obvious loose ends that I would like to see tied up, good set up for a series of interconnected stand alones which I would be interested in because although I really didn’t enjoy the romance in this book I did think the writing style was good and I would continue the series

Overall I did not like this specific book however I might pick up another series by this author and I do see potential for this to continue as a series and the stories of some of the other characters do interest me.

2.5 ⭐️
2.5🌶️

This was a cute, funny, and spicy sports romance! I enjoyed the banter between these two, a lot, and liked the way the author was a little descriptive when she described the sports playing. I was here for the fast-burn vibes and the plot and story was good enough that it kept me actively engaged. This is definitely for the sports romance girlies. It was a fun and easy read that is a great read for football season.

What do you get when a Southern football player meets a sharp-tongued English cheerleader? Game On by KI Stephens is a sweet, slightly spicy college sports romance that delivers just that—with a unique twist.

Ella, a fiery Brit, comes to the U.S. for a year and joins whitland university cheer squad. There, she meets Hudson, the charming football player with a soft spot and strong arms—literally. After a one-night stand, their chemistry refuses to burn out, quickly evolving into a friends-with-benefits situation that naturally slides into something deeper and more heartfelt.

One of the standout elements for me was the dynamic between cheerleading and football. It’s the first sports romance I’ve read where the football player actually helps the cheerleader with her lifts and stunts. It added a fresh, fun layer to the story and highlighted the physicality and teamwork behind both sports.

Overall, Game On is a cute and easy read. It leans a bit on the younger side with a touch of spice, making it perfect for fans of lighthearted college romance with some sport action thrown in.

Thank you Netgalley, St.Martins Press & Ki Stephens for the arc !

This was a lot of fun! I’ve been slowly getting more and more into soccer and books like this have been so much more fun! I really loved this couple and their dynamic.

This was so much fun!!!! It reminded me a lot of Grace Reilly's Beyond the Play series. I'll be recommending this book a lot when it comes out in the fall!

Ki Stephens, I love you dearly, you gave me Kaia Karras and for that I’ll always be grateful. Unfortunately this book missed the mark for me personally but I know others will love it as it is up the alley for the average sports romance readers. Not to say I’m not an average reader but me and Ki Stephen’s books go way back so I can tell the difference, no matter how subtle.

If you want a friends with benefits sports romance book then this is for you. It is an easy read with spice, predictability and great chemistry.

Ella is an exchange student from the UK on the cheer team and Hudson is on the football team. They aren't allowed to date and she's headed back to Oxford at the end of the year so friends with benefits it is.

It's very low stakes and low conflict. Just an easy romance read which every so often I need. I was more interested in the side characters. Definitely major hints of a sequel with Claire and Levi? Please? I need to know what was up with them.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was genuinely surprised how different this romance was. American football player and cheerleader with an English twist! I liked it! Honestly it kept the desire to continue to read going!

This wasn’t my first time reading Ki Stephens, and while I thought Game On had its strengths, it ultimately wasn’t for me. I struggled to connect with the main characters until about 70% into the book, and I found the romance too understated for my taste. The relationship developed too slowly at first, only to suddenly speed up near the end. I'll admit that I prefer my romance to be more unrealistic, so if you are the opposite, then you probably won't have the same issues!

That said, the writing was still solid, and the side characters definitely piqued my interest!

I know there are readers who will enjoy this more than I did - I'd especially recommend it for Gen Z readers or fans of Elle Kennedy’s college romances! Game On could be a fun and quick addition to your TBR!

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy! This is an honest review, all opinions are my own.

This was a very cute, easy read!

I loved all of the characters, especially the friend group! Everyone was so kind and supportive :’) I was especially intrigued by the whole Sammy, Levi, Claire love triangle.

Ella and Hudson’s chemistry wasn’t the most believable at the beginning, but I really grew to like them together at the end. I wish we saw a bit more of their relationship development towards the end, but it ended up being a little rushed :(

I wouldn’t say this book stood out to me, but it was definitely very enjoyable and a fun little escape from reality! It did what it needed to do and ticked the boxes I knew it would.

It's a decent New Adult book. The first half felt a little slow paced. The second half was better. he side characters could’ve been more engaging and had more interactions with the main characters—this would’ve helped liven up the slower moments in the first half and offered more chances to connect deeply with everyone.

Sourdough was the star, though. :)

I just finished a great book. Game On by Ki Stphens is out this summer. Pick it up! This is one you won’t want to miss! It’s a great sports romance.

This was so good. I loved the plot and characters. It was paced perfectly. I didn't wanna put it down and was on the edge of my seat

✨️eARC Review✨️

4/5 ⭐️
2.5/5 🌶

After Ella Davies suffers a breakup right before moving cross country, she vows to be serious about nothing except her 1 year study abroad at Whitland University's prestigious cheer program. She starts off her trip with a one night stand with Whitland's star quarterback, Hudson Fox who is also only serious about football and his future studies. When they can't get each other off their mind, they agree to keep things in secret with no strings attached but can they both follow through?

Even though things start off with a bang for Ella and Hudson, the tension resumes for a while. Both characters are very driven and Hudson hides a piece of himself you dont see until much later in the book. It was nice to see Hudson trust Ella with his secrets and for Ella to open up to Hudson as well once they know feelings are involved, even if it takes them a while to admit.

Tropes:
✔️ College Sports Romance
✔️ Southern MMC X English FMC
✔️ Football MMC X Cheer FMC
✔️ One Night Stand
✔️ Black Cat MMC & FMC
✔️ MMC with OCD

Slow burn romance between the out of town cheerleader and the quarterback of the college football team. Fairly quick read and pretty enjoyable, although there is a secondary story line that could use a little more fleshing out between the main character and her fellow cheerleaders. Pleasant little beach or vacation read.

Quick, easy, sexy, cute sports romance! He’s the star quarterback and she’s the new cheerleader 📣 I read this in one sitting. It’s a great read for football season 🫶🏻💓

🏈 “Ella Davies is driving me up the goddamn wall. It’s not often I meet someone who can throw me off balance, and Ella does exactly that, effortlessly.”
🏈 “Ella kisses me like I’m oxygen and she’s in desperate need of air.”
🏈 “I want you, too. More than anything. Loving you, needing you this much? It’s uncontrollable, but it’s also the only thing that feels right.”

Ella meets Hudson on the heels of a break up, when she studies abroad. Ella and Hudson put all kinds of stipulations on their relationship, but none of them stick when they pair up for a big national cheer competition.
I enjoy the bickering between the two of them, but the story fell flat about halfway through the book. I was ready to be done and I felt like the byline with Jamie, Claire, and Sammy would teeter between amped up and then dead.
It was an easy read, but not the most enjoyable book.

2.75⭐️’s: A light sports romance that didn’t quite stick the landing for me🤸🏽

British cheerleader Ella heads to the U.S. for a year abroad and ends up spending a steamy night with Hudson, the school’s star quarterback, only to find out that cheerleaders and football players aren’t allowed to mix. What starts as a one-night stand turns into a “no-strings” arrangement, but of course, feelings get in the way.

This was a cute, quick sports romance with some fun moments (Hudson’s cat, Sourdough, was a highlight!), and I appreciated the focus on cheerleading. But overall, the story lost my interest about halfway through. It felt a bit too long, and I found myself skimming much of the cheer and football content since it was hard to visualize, maybe a glossary of terms would have helped. The dialogue didn’t feel particularly natural, and I struggled to connect with the characters emotionally. Ella, in particular, came off a bit entitled at times, which made it harder to root for the romance.

Overall, it’s a light and flirty sports romance that some readers will really enjoy, but it just didn’t fully click for me. I’d still recommend it to fans of college romances and cheer/football dynamics who are looking for a fun HEA.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!💕🫶🏼

Game On is a fun read. This is my first book by Ki Stephens and I can say will not be the last. I loved this so much. It is such a cute fun read I could not put down. Ella is a cheerleader doing her year abroad in the United States. She is coming off a break up and never imagined connecting with anyone. Hudson has a reputation and doesn't do relationships. He has a routine and rules he doesn't break until Ella. I love their banter and the pull between them. It's one of those cheerleader and quarterback romances that will have you glued to the pages. They are perfect together and I just love how Hudson steps up and shows off his own skills. There is so much heat and sweetness in this one that you are going to fall hard for Hudson and Ella. I love how two people not looking for anything but find their one. I could not put this down. You need to read this today.

This is a cute college romance with plenty of spice. Ella is from England and studying abroad for a year and doing college cheer. Hudson plays college football. This was a fun college sports novel with great chemistry and without a lot of angst. I enjoyed learning more about cheer and the other characters were great.