finally got to finish this masterpiece and let me just say ki just knows how to write books that make me absolutely obsessed.


game on follows ella who is spending a year in nashville from England for cheerleading, and hudson who’s the star quarterback at the college. These two have a one night stand unbeknownst to one another their respective roles at the college. So when the penny finally drops they have to decide if they want to pretend that night never happened, acknowledge one another or just decide to try to stay as far from the other as possible.

But alas, in the cutesy world of romance one night is never just ONE NIGHT, and when these two spend more time with one another the connection they already formed grows. I don’t want to give too many spoilers as the book won’t be out still for a bit but just know this is some of ki’s best work. I absolutely adored both ella and hudson, the friendship they formed, I loved the way ki just showcased a relationship forming in its different stages, yes it started off with physical but you could tell how much ella and hudson truly cared for one another.


Game on gives you that college romance we all adore, reformed playboy, the tension, the should we shouldn’t we, found family, but also as always with a ki book it touches on real subjects and has the emotional vulnerability with the characters.


Super proud of bestie ki on her first traditionally published book, preorder it rn like RIGHT NOW. RIGHTTTTTTT NEOWWWWW.

Thank you netgalley and St Martins press for the arc!

After loving Ki’s Coastal University series I knew I wanted to try her other stuff and this one popped up on my radar. I was excited in premise based on a southern man and a British girl. And the immediate banter between these two characters upon the first interaction is something I thrive on but after the initial intimate moment I lost interest. There was a disconnect between them after and awkward communication issues unfolded. We did however overcome those issues. So Yayy!

Seeing Hudson in the cheer setting was super fun! And the way that he supported Ella wholeheartedly when she followed her dreams was how a couple should react! He opens up to Ella about his family and seeing him bring Ella into that dynamic.

Ella’s past relationship in some aspects felt close to home. But also we see her face challenges and her past head on and learn to be her true self.

3/5⭐️

2.5 ⭐

Ella moves from England to Nashville to join an elite school’s cheerleading team. Even though her boyfriend moves with her, he dumps her right away. Trying to distract herself, Ella agrees to a one-night stand with a stranger on her very first day in a new country. Later, the two keep running into each other, and both realize that one night wasn’t nearly enough.

I really enjoy the Coastal University series, so I had certain expectations going into this book—but unfortunately, they weren’t met. I didn’t like the FMC. First, she gets upset with Hudson because she’s not his first one-night stand. Then she’s angry that he’s ignoring her, and so on. Her behavior felt emotionally immature throughout. I liked Hudson more, but honestly, he lacked individuality. I didn’t feel any chemistry between the characters.

Even though this book wasn’t for me, I’ll still be looking forward to the author’s future releases!

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓one night stand
✓college sports romance
✓friends with benefits
✓ black cat MMC & FMC
✓MMC with OCD

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press (St. Martin's Griffin) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book! The characters connection was lovely and the premise was fun to read.
I definitely struggled with feeling like certain aspects were rushed and others drawn out too long. It felt as though there were so many loose ends from side characters that I didn’t feel closure. It was definitely a low stakes read and I’d suggest it if the premise interests you!

This was a quick and easy read! I think I might be a little old for a college book which is wild to say but it just wasn't my speed. Enjoyable and fun but it lacked substance in regard to the two main characters. I thought the cultural differences were a nice touch, as well as the mental health representation. I loved the sports aspect and the pacing of the story was done well. It had some very popular tropes in it such as, one night stand and then a no strings attached situationship. It also had sports, and animal loving mmc, and as previously mentioned mental health rep. I think overall it was a well written book!

fun, summery romance with some pretty fun writing styles and some very sizzling connections. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

This is a cute quarterback/cheerleader romance. They each have their longterm plans which don't involve each other & they try to keep their relationship as only friends. The plot was pretty predictable and some of the cheer aspects of the novel was too technical for my taste but overall I enjoyed the book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.

I was drawn to this book by the pretty cover and my love for sports romance, but unfortunately the book came up short. I did not like the style of writing and felt no connection to story line. I kept putting it down to do other things. I do think others will enjoy it but it was just not for me

I was so hoping for a great college romance book but I’m sorry, this was a dnf for me. There was absolutely no chemistry between Hudson and Ella. They didn’t even really seem to speak at all before jumping in bed together. I just didn’t believe that their connection was so strong that she slept with him on the same day that her five year relationship ended. I kept waiting for the chemistry to kick in, but I got tired of waiting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

This is the CUTEST sports romance I have read in a long time and I cannot stop thinking about it. I really enjoyed the premise of the book and the speed with which the relationship between Ella and Hudson forms. I am not someone who typically likes conflict in a romance (give me all happy fluff please, because I get SO anxious for the characters) but the conflict between our main characters made sense for them and was resolved quickly in most cases and didn't make me get the ick for either of the characters. I am extremely happy that I chose to read this one because it was just so precious and I have already recommended it to all of my sports romance friends.

Thank you to Ki Stephens, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

This book was EVERYTHING! I didn't know I could love a sports romance so much! Ella is spending a year in the US from England leaving her loser boyfriend behind and joining the cheer squad at Whitland. Hudson is the QB of the football team with a secret cheer history. They are not supposed to fraternize with each other and focus on their sport but the undeniable chemistry is there! When Ella's cheer partner gets injured, Hudson steps up. This is a HEA and I could not love this book more!

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for this early release copy!!

A very solid three star read. I struggled to get connected to the characters and their relationship. Plus the third act conflict was silly and forced. It might be in part that I’m kind of over college romances though I forgot these characters were in college other than their respective sports. I haven’t read a cheer romance before and while it was interesting I think this will be my one and only one.

🏫 college
😊 strangers to lovers
🏈 football
🤸‍♀️ cheerleading
😏 friends with benefits

dual POV
3/5 stars ⭐️
2/5 spice level 🌶️

Looking for a cute, fun, and quick instant-love read to add to your summer TBR? This one’s for you! After getting dumped right before what was supposed to be the perfect summer, Ella just wants a carefree one night stand to take her mind off things. What she doesn’t expect is to fall hard and fast for someone completely off-limits. As she tries to make the most of her summer in the U.S., Hudson keeps showing up, making it nearly impossible to stick to her plan. If you love sports romance with all the summer vibes, you’ll want to pick this one up!

A cheerleader and football player sports themed romance! A scrumptious romance, engaging, fun, and full of delightful dialogs. Utterly charming.

I skipped over quite a bit of this book because of the spice. Thats just my own personal convictions and I chose to not read those parts. I liked the story though aside from that open door scenes. I liked that the MMC wasn't just a jock whose sole focus was to make it to the big leagues, he had other passions and desires. Overall, this was a fun, quick read with surprising depth to the characters!

This novel was extremely cute and a memorable romance! This is a college sports romance that comes with spice. It made me feel lighthearted, hopeful and emotional. It also made me laugh! This is a medium paced read, where the female main character is a cheerleader and the male main character is a quarterback. This book is character driven, captivating and is easy to read. What I loved about this book is that I could feel the chemistry between the main characters! What starts off as just a fun time, with no strings attached, turns into something more! They start off as friends, then become lovers. This is a very slow burn romance, but it is a very fun read! I really loved how these two opposites came together, even with all the tension and banter between them!

“Game On” centers around the two main characters, Ella and Hudson. Ella moves from England and meets a good looking man named Hudson. She is not looking for a relationship, because she had a previous breakup. As she focuses on her cheering, Hudson just keeps showing up around her. Hudson is known for being in control and nothing will be stepping in his way, with him being a football player. However, things change and they start to become friends, then even more! As the story comes to an end, we learn more about the main characters and see if they end happily ever after or if their individual sports become more important. Overall, I give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars!

I think fans of reading college sports romance stories with some spice to it, would really enjoy this book! The content warnings include sexual content, alcoholism, fire injury, mental illness and abandonment.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Ki Stephens and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for this electronic arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is expected to be published on September 9, 2025!

3.5 stars for the UK cheerleader x American football player! Game On is a delicious, sizzling, romance between a cheerleader and the football player she has a one night stand with. Absolutely perfect for sports romance lovers!

The thing I loved most about Game On was the sizzling chemistry between our main characters. From the moment they meet it's exquisite! I couldn't tear my eyes from the page. I ate that shit upppp! This book is filled with just the right amount of spice- so don't let that cutie cover deceive you ;).

The one thing I didn't love about Game On was the insta love. I swear it's like one look and out characters are in love and it's just so..... you know the feeling. I just can't do it! I was hoping this book would be different in that aspect but I was wrong. Don't get me wrong it was still an adorable book I could just see it coming and it came and I rolled my eyes at it :(

All in all this book is super cute and extremely fast paced. I ate it up and I had no complaints about how fast I read it- perfect for a night in!

Thank you to St. Martins Press, Netgalley, and Ki Stephens for the e-arc!

Game On is about Ella Davies, who moves from England to Nashville with one goal—to prove herself on her new school’s elite cheer squad. She’s determined not to let anything, or anyone, throw her off track. But things get complicated when she meets a gorgeous stranger on her first night in America. Hudson Fox, the school’s star quarterback, has sworn off distractions this year—especially the new English cheerleader who’s hard to ignore. What begins as a “just one night” pact quickly unravels. Soon, falling from the cheer pyramid isn’t Ella’s biggest worry—falling for Hudson is.

Ella. A standout character—straightforward, determined, and undeniably deserving of everything good that comes her way. As a cheerleader, she’s not just participating in a school activity; cheer is hers. It’s something that belongs to her in a way that feels deeply personal. Even when fear creeps in, she goes after what she wants—with just a little push. Her confidence is quiet but fierce, and that makes her one of the most genuine parts of this story.

Hudson. A football player who—bro, why is he giving her mixed signals? That back-and-forth made me question his intentions, but then came the shift. I love how he went from being confusing and emotionally unavailable to openly admitting that he was developing feelings for Ella. That change felt real and meaningful, and it gave the relationship the emotional grounding it needed.

I admit that there were some parts that felt rushed. For example, the first few chapters of this book because of how they’re already feeling some sort of pull after meeting one time? It felt off because I believe that it would’ve been better if the tension was built from there instead of it being there already.

That said, the book does an excellent job showing that it’s okay not to be in control all the time—even if my brain tends to disagree. The dynamic between Ella and Hudson reflects this beautifully. Their connection is really good. They respect each other’s time and understand each other’s schedules—probably because they’re both athletes and they get how demanding it can be. That shared experience creates a solid foundation for their relationship.

The ending? I’m so happy with it. It shows just how important it is to let the cards fall where they may—because sometimes, everything really does fall into place exactly as it should.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for the ARC in exchange of my honest review.

I want to start off by saying this is the first book I have read by Ki Stephens and it exceeded every expectation.

Game On is the perfect college romance. I loved the fast plot line, I was sucked in by chapter 2. Many parts of the book I could not stop giggling from the banter between Hudson and Ella. I can't recommend this book enough and I can't wait to read more books from Ki.

This book had a unique twist on the cheerleader/football romance. It had an element of not really enemies to lovers but resistance to love that drove the plot well. The characters had wildly different backgrounds but had similar “baggage” that helped them bind and build a relationship (also what kept them apart at times. Overall, it was a good book.