🚨ARC Review Drop!🚨
I’ve read my fair share of sports romance novels over the years, but this one? It completely surprised me—in the best way possible! 🙌
This book takes a bold twist on the genre with a footballer-turned-cheerleader storyline (yes, you read that right!) and somehow manages to be both totally unique and satisfyingly classic. I didn’t know how I’d feel going in, but WOW—I was hooked from the very first meet-cute.
It all kicks off with a one-night stand that sparks off-the-charts chemistry between Ella and Hudson 🔥 From there, you’re taken on a journey not just of romance, but of ambition, growth, and chasing dreams.
And okay, can we PLEASE talk about the side characters? cough Levi cough—I’m gonna need his story next 👀
If you’re into sports romance and looking for something fresh that still hits all the feels, do yourself a favor and pick this one up. You won’t regret it 💯💋

Tropes
One night stand
no strings attached
college romance
competitive sports
cat daddy
southern boy and English girl
OCD representation

Spice - 2 chili peppers

Game On is a flirty, fast-paced college romance full of swoony tension, fierce ambition, and just the right amount of emotional depth. Ella and Hudson are total opposites on paper—she’s a British cheerleader trying to make her mark in a new country, and he’s the all-American quarterback with strict focus and zero time for distractions. Naturally, they’re completely drawn to each other.

The “no-strings-attached” setup feels familiar in the best way, but what really worked here was the layered character development underneath all the heat. Ella’s drive to prove herself on the cheer squad gives her a refreshing sense of independence, and Hudson’s struggle with pressure, expectations, and control added depth beyond the typical sports-romance hero.

Their chemistry is undeniable, but it’s the way they challenge and support each other that makes this story feel more than surface-level. Plus, the college setting—complete with team drama, late-night study sessions, and those “one bed” vibes—makes it the perfect escapist read.

Perfect for fans of Elle Kennedy, sports romance, or anyone who loves the “falling for the one person you swore you wouldn’t” trope.

2 stars out of 5.

I thought this book started off pretty good with the first chapter but then it fell flat. It was hard for me to pick this back up and I almost DNF. I did love all the cheerleading parts since I was a college cheerleader but I felt the book didn't really have anything going on. After the ending I still have many unanswered questions like what was going on between Levi and Sammy? Maybe I missed it. This also read like a YA to me so maybe this wasn't geared towards my age group (30s). Overall, this was a miss for me.

In Game On, we meet Ella who is spending a year in Nashville and joining the Whitland University cheer squad. Ella was dumped by her long time boyfriend right before she left England so she is trying to have a stress free time in the states. But then a hookup with the star quarterback Hudson changes things for her. She tried to stick to no strings attached with him but it got complicated. You can guess where this is going next.

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

This was a cute, low stakes college romance. I think this had the potential to be a really great book but fell a bit flat for me. I kept wondering when something was going to happen. Give me more drama! lol

We have Ella Davies who transfers from Oxford to a college in Nashville for the year. This opens up a new opportunity for her to cheer on a more competitive team and expand on her skills.

A fresh breakup leads to a one night stand with our MMC, Hudson. There is instant chemistry and pretty good spice. But, I really needed more from these characters. I felt like Ella was a bit rash and bratty at times. Maybe I’m too old, but the final time she got all worked up towards Hudson just seemed very immature, especially when he was trying to explain and talk about things. Back off the man, Ella! He’s doing his best, lol.

We also find that Hudson has some past trauma that has caused him to develop a cautious personality with a need for control over his environment. I think this would have been really great to expand on some more. He was my favorite character and I have a soft spot for him, but he was just missing that constancy and oomph to make me really fall for him.

The dreaded ex, Jamie, kept coming back begging for another chance and this had the potential to create some nice drama and tension! I really thought more was going to happen with him or that maybe he was hiking up with another cheerleader on the team. But, alas, nothing happened with him either. *sigh*

Sourdough, the cat was my favorite character I think. Because of the name of course. And the nickname “sour” was so cute!

As a former cheerleader, I have to say I appreciated all the technical details of the cheer routines, stunts and skills. I think with a general audience, it could be confusing though. I found myself skimming over a lot of these types of details after the first 25% of the book. My opinion is that a lot of the cheer (and football) details could be removed without taking away from the story at all!

I’m a bit confused about Levi and Sammy. I don’t know what was happening with them, though the book alluded to something? But, it was never really concluded in the end and I was left wondering what is going on or if there will be another book to explain what is going on between them, maybe? Things ended very abruptly and I wish there was more of a conclusion for the side characters.

Overall, I think this was a cute read, it just wasn’t for me!

DNF'd at 41%. Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC!

I tried. I really wanted to get into this book, but I couldn't.

The good: I love the OCD representation in a way that's not "ha ha I like everything neat and tidy". I love Sourdough the cat, and I appreciate that the secondary characters had more depth. Almost too much depth actually: I found I cared more about the love story between Levi and Sammy (?) than I did Hudson and Ella.

The bad: The author did waaaay too much telling and not showing. Why did Hudson psychoanalyze himself to the reader in chapter 15? Why not just show us that Hudson is reluctant to start a relationship due to his familial history via uncertainty, hesitation, etc. No need to force feed us info, trust that your readers can get to your point without handholding.

This is an instalove-instalust book for sure. Chapter 1 was wild; we had a breakup, a setting change, and a one night stand in one chapter. Let us get to know the characters before putting them through the gambit!

A minor thing that was actually huge: The chapter that included the first football game was from Hudson's POV. Why is this important? Because apparently Hudson doesn't know that the quarterback is not on the field for kickoff. So man should've caused a flag and 15 yard penalty for excess players on the field or something. But what do I know.

Honestly, this book felt very surface level and like it was trying to just take advantage of the current sports romance craze. Just wasn't for me!

A fun and spicy fast paced sports romance!

Ella Davies, is all set and ready to leave Oxford to go on her study abroad year in Nashville with her boyfriend, when out of the blue he breaks up with her. Ella is determined to make the most of her time in America and refuses to let her broken heart get her down. Quickly making friends on her new cheer squad, things are already looking up for her when she meets Whitland University's star quarterback, Hudson Fox. When their one night of passion quickly turns into a morning disaster, the two decide to keep their distance, but can the two fight their pull towards one another or will they tumble?

Thoughts and Spoilers:

This book was fun and an easy read! I usually love a college sports romance and this fell a little flat for me? I enjoyed it but it wouldn't be on the top of a reread list for me. Ella was resilient and strong willed. Being dumped hours before a flight to a new country in which her and her ex had PLANNED to study abroad together?! She handled it really well honestly! Sometime her choices confused me. Being judgmental and storming out of Hudson's place after their one night, but then getting in his face a few days later when he's ignoring her in a small group setting? Seemed a little bit immature maybe? Her family dynamic was super interesting but brushed over a bit and I wish we could have dove deeper into some of that! Similar with Hudson, he had a really interesting back story with some trauma responses that were mentioned but not flushed out as much as i wish they could have been. The two together?! Talk about TENSION! The chemistry between the two was *chefs kiss* and I love when a "no strings attached" is setup, but from the very beginning there were always strings! The romance was a bit spicy, but I wouldn't go giving it tons of chilis, as the scenes were always pretty short or not super detailed or explicit.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

This book didn’t end up being for me, the premise seemed good but it just wasn’t delivering for me. For this being college characters in their early twenties, there seemed to be a lot of immaturity that I feel you’d see more in high school aged characters. I didn’t feel any chemistry between the characters, and the pacing of the book seemed off. Also a personal preference, but I don’t like pop culture references in books, and it seemed to happen every couple of pages.

3.5

So this book seemed right up my alley but fell a little short for my expectations. The middle was great but I didn't love the beginning or end...they just didn't feel as cohesive as the rest of the book. Some of the dialogue felt a little forced but the overall concept was interesting.

I liked the vulnerability in the MMC and the lack of toxic masculinity with cheerleading involved. I just wish some of the themes and characters themselves were a bit more developed.

Overall, it was an easy quick read but one I also was happy to finish as I was ready to move onto the next.

3.5⭐ (Rounded Up To 4)

"Game On" was a pretty cute and fast-paced read, I binged it in an evening.

I'm usually a sucker for a Sports Romance, the author did included some tropes that I don't particularly love but overall I thought this story was enjoyable. Ella and Hudson were very likeable main characters and I really enjoyed their story towards the second half of this book.

This was a new to me author and I'll probably check out more of her work in the future.

Thank you Ki Stephens , Net Galley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin Griffin for proving me with an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

Ella is headed for a year abroad in Whitland college in the United States to be on their cheer team when her long-time boyfriend Jamie dumps her. On her first night in Nashville, she has a one-night stand with Hudson Fox, Whitland’s star quarterback. She sees it as a one-time thing, but he might want more. This was the whole book. It plodded along as they tried to figure out whether they were a thing or not. There wasn’t much drama, and you could see the ending coming. I did like some of the behind the scenes into the world of competitive cheer.

this was a fun and cute sports college romance!

if you loved fast paced and instant attraction then this book will be for you. ella and hudson’s chemistry felt very organic and they fit together like puzzle pieces. they completed one another!! no third act breakup for those who want to know and the ocd representation was done so well 🥹

thank you netgalley for the arc 💌

3.75 out of 5
This was my first ever Ki Stephens book, and it definitely won't be my last. Game On is cute, flirty, and angsty enough to keep me hooked! It's giving all the classic college sports romance vibes. Ella and Hudson's chemistry is so good, it had me kicking my feet and smiling like a fool. Don't even get me started on their banter/tension! Delicious, I ATE it up! When Hudson let his guard down, I lived for those soft moments. He's for SURE a contender for my top 10 book boyfriends!
All this being said I loved the plot, but I was craving more from the side characters...maybe we will see them again in another book? I flew through this book and had so much fun while reading it. If you're into slow-burn, sports romance, and emotionally unavailable guys who eventually fall HARD -- this one is for you!

I want to say a huge thank you to Ki Stephens, NetGalley and St. Martin's press for allowing me the honor to read the eARC! I cannot wait for the release date!

Flawless. Ki Stephens is the queen of soft romance for a reason. There’s the perfect amount of angst along with two characters who are genuinely amazing people.

This was such a light, easy read, and it was so refreshing to read a sports romance book that focused on competitive cheerleading (with football on the side). It focused on personal growth, trust (in each other, in their teammates, and in themselves), and navigating life/letting go of control.

I absolutely loved reading about all the technical terms for all the cheer/tumbling stunts (the little girl in me who watched all the Bring It On movies was having a blast).

Both MCs were ambitious, passionate, independent, and slightly stubborn. I loved how their relationship started with banter and then evolved to them opening up and learning to let someone in by being vulnerable with each other.

Hudson was Ella's biggest cheerleader/always treated her gently with so much care, and he the cutest cat dad to Sourdough. I was so happy of how Ella was supportive and understanding of his OCD tendencies instead of brushing it off and treating it as a burden. They were a straightforward couple who fought for each other and I loved it.

4.25

This was a fun and fast paced read. I love the concept of an exchange student from Britain and an all American boy. This cute one might stand to lovers was so great. I do feel that there wasn’t enough depth into both characters. At times I wish there was a bit deeper connection between them too. But I liked the sports plot and how the moments together did end up being very good. A small dose of angst in this book keep me interested as well. This is definitely something I’d recommend as a cute sports romance to fill the time.

Took me a while to get into it, but overall it was a cute sports romance. Ella was annoying at times, but Hudson was very sweet. A quick read, but forgettable. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an e-arc!

Firstly, I absolutely adore Ki and love her books. Unfortunately, this particular book did not really work out for me.

Thank you SMP for the opportunity to read this early.

I love a good college Sports romance and I enjoyed this one!! I loved the romance of it and definitely craved more. It was easy to follow and definitely a good and simplistic read. However, it was a bit insta-lovey, and that just isn’t always my thing. I was craving a bit more of a slow-burn. But, I enjoyed the banter and thought that Hudson and Ella were good for each other.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book I've read by Ki Stephens, and it was so cute! Game On is a college sports romance featuring a sexy star football player and a beautiful cheerleader. It's funny, sexy, swoony, and emotional, and it'll have you rooting for the characters right from the start.

I love Ella! Hailing from England, she's spending the year at Whitland University in Tennessee and performing with their elite cheer squad. She's spunky, driven, and genuine. She meets Hudson at a bar and is instantly drawn to him. Whitland's football team's star quarterback is gorgeous, broody, sexy, and completely unexpected. He's multilayered and not your typical football player! When they start spending time together, they realize just how good of a match they are. I won't ruin it and tell you why they begin spending so much time together, but I will say that Stephens takes the story in a direction that I didn't see coming, and I loved it! Somehow, it just works, and I was eager to see how it would all play out. Ella and Hudson have tons of chemistry, and I enjoyed watching their relationship blossom as they found their happily ever after.

Game On will make you laugh, and it'll make you swoon. It's emotional in some ways and lighthearted in others. Stephens struck the perfect balance between the two, delivering a delightful story. I'm so glad I took a chance on this new-to-me author! 4 stars

I love me a good sports romance; this in a strange-ish way reminded me of the cheerleading aspect of Dodgeball. Not entirely sure why. Maybe it was that when her partner got hurt; he stepped in to be that for her. I'll always love a good football romance. I was expecting WAY more drama with the cheer captain and the ex. boyfriend. Honestly I was kinda craving more conflict. I do love a fun romance sometimes and this was definitely that.