I really shouldn’t be too picky about romances but this one was a little too hot and heavy out of the gate for me. Best part about reading romance is the tension and there is zero tension when the characters have sex 2 chapters in. I do the characters were fun and interesting and liked their dilemmas and drama and the sports aspect but I wish they’re love story was crafted in a different way.

3.75 ⭐️

This is the first book I read from Ki Stephens and it didn’t disappoint.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Ella and Hudson’s story. I did like how it deviated from the typical football college story, where Ella was also an athlete with cheerleading and Hudson also had history with it too.
I liked the world Stephens has drawn up and did a nice job of bringing the side characters in pretty seamlessly where I hope Levi’s story is next.
My only negative is I kind of got whiplash a few times with Ella and her feelings on her relationship with Hudson. Constant back and forth, that no wonder he was confused sometimes because I was too.
But otherwise, nice solid read and I’d recommend.


Thank you St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley and Ki Stephens for the ARC.
Game On releases 9/9/2025

A cheerleader, a quarterback, and a one night stand bring two strangers together for a wild adventure.

When Ella Davies arrived to the states she never imagined experiencing her year abroad alone. It's time to prove that she's got what it takes to survive and thrive before the year is up. Will she overcome her family expectations, defy the odds and her path before time runs out?

A strangers to lovers college sports romance with plenty of spice, heart, and lots of school spirit.

Will the star quarterback win the heart of the cheerleader?

It's game on for these two as they find a way to work together...but will they be able to keep their hands off each other long enough to win it all?

Ki Stephens’ Game On is a sparkling, feel-good romance that perfectly blends heart, heat, and ambition. The story follows Ella, a confident cheerleader from Oxford taking on a new challenge in Nashville, and Hudson, a star quarterback who’s all about focus and avoiding distractions. Their plan for a no-strings fling quickly unravels as real feelings surface, forcing them to confront what they want from each other and from themselves. The chemistry is undeniable, the banter is sharp, and the emotional beats hit just right.

What makes this book stand out is how balanced it is. It’s light and fast-paced, but still gives space for real character development. Ella isn’t just “the girl” she has goals, fire, and drive. Hudson, too, breaks the mold with surprising depth. Their romance feels organic, never forced, and the college sports setting gives it a fun, high-energy backdrop. If you're into swoony reads with smart, independent leads and a relationship you can root for, Game On is a must-read.


Thank you so much NetGalley for the ARC!!

Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for this arc. I enjoyed this read! A quick, sweet, college romance. Characters start off as a one night stand, and the first half of the book is them saying they cannot be together while they develop a friendship. They overcome obstacles around them including distance, friends, and exes. There’s a little bit of sports with football and cheerleading, some spice, and some found family! A great read!

What a fun, quick read! I’m a sucker for a sports romance so I knew I would enjoy! This was a new to me author and I'll probably check out more of her work in the future.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was unique from other sports romances but still a very good plot and amazing characters. I appreciated that there was no third act breakup and that the main characters were mature enough to work through their issues. I appreciated the OCD representation in this as well. Hudson is a swoony southern charmer. I loved his character so much! And Ella, she is a very strong FMC and I had so much respect for her. I will be recommending this book to my friends and instagram followers. I really enjoyed the writing of this book. MY review is posted on my instagram -@paigetopagereads

This was an enjoyable and quick read with a lot of potential. The premise was fun, and the chemistry between the main characters was strong, which made for some entertaining moments. I found myself smiling at their banter and rooting for their relationship to develop.
However, the story did feel a bit predictable and didn’t quite offer the depth I was hoping for. Some of the character motivations and decisions seemed rushed or lacked explanation, making it harder to fully connect with them at times. The pacing was also a little uneven, with parts of the story feeling slower than others.
Overall, it’s a light, easy read that’s great if you’re in the mood for something fun and lighthearted. It didn’t quite leave a lasting impression, but it was still a solid read for fans of the genre.

Reading a book for the first time that has been released as an advance reader copy (ARC) can be so good. This was my first time reading an advance reader's copy (ARC). That was super fun! When I read this book, it felt like I was getting a sneak peek into something that I would be excited to share with other readers. I think I can be sincere and say that I loved it.

The MMC is one of my new favorite book boyfriends, I will have to buy a trophy for this book once it is published.

Enjoyed! Not too much plot and while I appreciate a no-third-act-breakup, there could have been a little more conflict toward the end.

I’ve read and enjoyed many of sports romance. However, Game On just wasn’t for me.

Now don’t get me wrong the book started out pretty strong. But then after those first initial chapters the book just fell completely flat. It got so bad that there were several times I considered DNFing but I pushed through because mutuals expressed so much love for this book. And they kept telling me this book gives Becka Mack vibes. I regretfully inform you that was not the case for me.

Pros:
- I loved the cheerleading element. It’s not often we get a sports romance where the MFC is a cheerleader. I loved that element and how it was incorporated into the story.
- Hudson, Our MMC, was literally the only character I enjoyed from start to finish. His past trauma leading to his cautious nature towards relationships was relatable. Honestly the man deserves better than Ella. But what can we do.
- Sourdough the cat, enough said.

Cons:
- Speaking of Ella, our MFC, I could not stand her. She was a rash, immature and whiny. The whole time I kept thinking she’s supposed to be a college student yet she’s acting like a toddler. Plush the lack of respect and empathy she showed towards Hudson pissed me off to know end. Like come on girly give the man a chance to speak and explain.
- The romance. Ella and Hudson’s whole dynamic never clicked for me. They had a couple of nice spicy scenes but nothing truly memorable.
- The plot, you know it’s bad when a book constantly has you scratching your head going, “what’s the point of this again”. Multiple times throughout the story I lost what the point of the book actually was.

Overall, sadly this book wasn’t for me. Even though it wasn’t for me I’d still recommend it to sports romance genre fans. Lastly Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was definitely a fun cute read. There wasn’t a third act breakup, a slight altercation if you will but not a break up and I liked that. I loved the slight nod to OCD and her accepting and not trying to change him or offer solutions.

I want to thank the author and NetGalley for the ARC.

It was a cute story but definitely a little too YA for my liking. Feel like the fire part would’ve been a bit bigger given his anxieties. Also the cheer stunt parts were just a little too technical and confusing to follow. All in all a cute book but not necessarily a re-read.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

One night stand + forced proximity= mutual pining 😍

Ella, originally from Englad, travels to Nashville to study abroad and participate in Whitland's cheer program. On her first night, she meets Hudson at a bar. Hudson plays football, and I loved that he wasn't your "normal" college football MMC.

This was the perfect mix of funny and serious, and the chemistry between these two was so well-done!

Tropes:
Forced proximity
Cheer x football
Strangers to lovers
MMC with OCD
Southern boy x English girl

I liked the concept for this book, but the characters felt flat to me. I didn’t ever care if they ended up together, and felt like the frequent time jumps did not help in the character development.

I did enjoy the end of the story, but it felt slow to get there.

I really liked the characters and their relationship dynamic. I do think the book will find an audience with those wanting a fun college romance. HOWEVER, the plot devices were crazy and took me out of it. A British cheerleader with a scholarship to cheer in the US? She barely sees her ex Jamie on campus but he is a huge part of her life story? Oh and MMC has a secret cheer past? Just was hard to settle in because a lot of things felt inorganic

Was it a semi predictable college romance? Yes. Did I love it? Yes. Give me a series, please! I'll devour an interconnected friends sports romance series every single time.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC of Game On!

This is a fun, fast paced, and really enjoyable sports romance. With duel POV, a whole cast of characters with really great chemistry, and some spice thrown in, this book was hard to put down. I also loved that we get such a good look at cheerleading and the hard work that goes into the sport.

The negatives for me were that the MCs were both frustrating at times and the third act conflict just felt like childish, unnecessary drama. This is pretty typical of college sports romances though.

Overall, I enjoyed Game On and look forward to reading more from Ki Stephens in the future.

DNF @ 38%

I’m not the biggest fan of college romance in general so going in I knew there would be a chance I didn’t enjoy this book but I figured I’d give it a try. Unfortunately I just could not bring myself to finish it. I dreaded picking it up and I was struggling every time I read it because I was so bored. At almost 40% pretty much nothing had happened. There was no plot to keep me interested, leaving only rhetoric relationship which also fell flat for me.
The book starts out with the two main characters (whose names I can’t really even be bothered to remember) having a one night stand. FMC learns that MMC has a playboy reputation and gets mad at him. At the same time, he learns that she’s on the cheerleading team and they can’t date because of no fraternization rules (or something. Idk).
Despite blowing him off, FMC gets irrationally angry at MMC when he says they can’t date. Even though she literally said she didn’t want to. Also he could’ve just said it’s because of the rules. Despite this they decide to become friends but there’s some lingering tension and animosity between them. This is where I gave up. I just felt like they were being so irrational and immature (yes, even for college students). There was also the thing where MMC is considering studying abroad at FMC’s school next year which seemed a little impulsive considering they literally just met.
If you like college sports romance maybe you’ll like this one? It felt a little too ya but with spice which is not my fave. It always makes me a little uncomfy when I have to read about the characters acting very young and then having explicit on page sex. Just not my vibe

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Griffin for the ARC!

Game On was such a cute college sports romance story that I thought really delivered on the fun vibes. It’s the kind of book you can fly through in a day and it keeps your attention. Ella and Hudson are both incredibly likable leads with great banter, and their dynamic had me smiling as I read. I loved how their “no strings” plan very predictably spirals into something real. If you like this trope, you're sure to like this story. The spice level is definitely there, but it’s balanced with emotional moments too which I appreciated.

If I had one critique, it’s that I wish there had been just a little more drama or emotional stakes to push the characters further. Everything wrapped up a bit neatly which was great, but I wouldn’t have minded a few more bumps in the road. But that being said, I never felt like the story dragged..
Overall, this was a really solid, feel-good romance. Perfect if you’re in the mood for something fun, steamy, and all-around entertaining.