I’ve really enjoyed Ki Stephen’s books in the past. Her attention to detail when it comes to mental health representation has always been a strong selling point for me, and has been used to progress her plots beautifully. That said, what I found most compelling in her other books was somewhat lacking here. While I enjoyed Game On, I didn’t find myself chomping at the bit to pick it back up, as I have with her others.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Just finished reading Game On by Ki Stephens, and wow, I loved it SO MUCH!

— My rating: 5/5 ⭐️

I just finished reading Game On by Ki Stephens, and I absolutely loved it! This book was such an enjoyable ride from start to finish, and I couldn’t put it down. Huge thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the early copy!

The story centers around Ella, an ambitious English cheerleader, and Hudson, the irresistible quarterback who’s sworn off distractions. The chemistry between these two was crazy and intense—I mean, the tension between them practically leapt off the page! Their "just one night" pact is anything but simple, and I loved how their relationship slowly built, leading to some incredibly steamy and hot moments.

Reading Game On felt like I was re-reading Icebreaker, but with a football player and cheerleader twist! The dynamic between Ella and Hudson reminded me of the Icebreaker trope where the girl’s partner gets injured before a major competition, and she has to rely on him for support. In this case, Hudson, who was an ex-cheerleader before switching to football, steps in to help Ella train and face a big cheerleading competition. The moments of them practicing together were so cute and added so much depth to their connection!

This book was such an easy read, with just the right mix of cheesy romance and fiery passion. The spicy scenes? 🔥 Absolutely on point. But what really kept me hooked was how the emotional depth between Ella and Hudson unfolded. Both characters had their own personal struggles and growth, which made their connection feel so much more real and powerful.

I’m so glad I got the chance to read this early—Game On has everything I want in a romance: drama, heart, and heat. If you’re in the mood for a fun, steamy, and heartfelt read, you won’t want to miss this one when it releases on September 9th, 2025!

ok, I'm going to say that I liked it and it was a good book.

Plot:
╰┈➤ Let me preface this by saying that this was a good book and I liked it as I stated above. However, I had just read a book where the couple has a one-night stand and he was also a sportsperson, so it just felt like I was reading a similar book when I started. If I had read it at the different time, then I would have probably enjoyed this so much more. That being said, it was 100% a me thing.
╰┈➤ They had some pretty hot scenes. Overall, I felt like their chemistry and relationship was a little too fast-paced for me, but it did work. Their first meeting was kind of wild the way it happened. The scenes with their friends and some of those secondary characters have me low-key intrigued because there's stuff I need to know about them.

Final verdict:
╰┈➤ I read this in one sitting. It just took me a while to actually get to reading this book, but it kept my attention enough to finish it, so it's a good thing. If you like books that have a friends with benefits situation, then I think you might like this book!

Thank you to Ki Stephens, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this arc! 💕

K.I. Stephens’ Game On offers a fun, uplifting take on the world of college football, relationships, and personal growth. From the very first chapter, the story’s blend of sports and romance quickly drew me in.

The protagonist, Charlie, is a likable quarterback who’s grappling with both the pressures of the game and the complexities of growing into her own identity. The author does a great job capturing the spirit of competitive sports and balancing it with the emotional tension that comes from life off the field. The camaraderie and conflicts between teammates feel authentic, reflecting the excitement—and occasional frustrations—of a close-knit team.

The romance element is engaging without overshadowing the broader narrative. Sparks fly between Charlie and her love interest in a way that feels both believable and heartfelt, and it’s enjoyable watching them navigate their personal challenges while figuring out if they can make things work together. The supporting cast, particularly Charlie’s friends and mentors, adds warmth and depth to the story, providing memorable moments that further shape her journey.

Stephens’ writing style is easy to follow yet detailed enough to paint a vivid picture of each setting, from practice drills to heartfelt one-on-one conversations. The pace moves briskly, though there are a few sections where the plot feels slightly rushed, leaving me wishing for more time to explore certain characters’ backstories. However, this minor shortcoming doesn’t detract significantly from the overall enjoyment.

If you’re looking for a sports romance that mixes humor, heartfelt moments, and strong female empowerment, Game On is a great pick. It will leave you cheering for Charlie—both on and off the field. This entertaining read easily earns a solid four stars.

5 stars !!!!!

imagine meeting the love of your life at a bar in nashville. that’s how hudson and ella met ! right place and right time but it was about to happen either way because he’s the quaterback at whitland’s team and she’s the new cheerleader who just moved from oxford !

so what happens when they have a one night stand even though there’s a no fraternization rule between football players and the cheer squad? will they play it safe or let the cards fall? read game on this summer and find out !!

ella “darling” davies and hudson “wild card” fox had every single reason to not want to be in a relationship especially because of their parents and past relationships but they committed to each other and made it work !!!

she made sure to show that his ocd wasn’t a burden just by realizing how uneasy he gets around fire and doing something so simple as doing his night routine, an effort that no one has ever done before for him which shows how well the ocd representations was portrayed :,)

ellahudson have their moments and the letter moment wasn’t their best lol but the love confession???? i think about it daily !!!! okay can we also add “that’s my girl” and “darlin” to the equation? i’m obsessed !

and i need to get something out of my chest… i hated claire at the beginning, i get that she wanted to get her spot secured but she was so mean to ella. i gasped when i realized that things were changing but i’m glad they did because she’s such a misunderstood character, i’d love to see her redemption arc !!!

since we’re talking about claire, can i talk about her and levi? WHAT’S GOING ON?????? WHAT HAPPENED?????

please i need a sequel, i’ll beg on my knees. i need to understand what levi has with sammy and what went down between him and claire ! PLEASE. gotta see more of sourdough with his parents as well so please we want a sequel !

thank you netgalley, st martin and ki stephens for the arc in exchange for an honest review !

Thank you so much to st.martins press and NetGalley for this arc!

If you’ve been in a sports romance mood or you’ve read one too many thrillers and need something lighthearted like myself, this will do the trick. Ella and Hudson are adorable and I love the mention of mental health.

Loved this book. It is a very light read and great for relaxation. I thought the characters were well developed and each had their own distinct personality. I would highly recommend.

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was really excited to read this book! It was really cute and the last 30% were really good!

As someone that doesn’t really love the friends with benefits trope I unfortunately didn’t love this. I wish that we had less of them in this sort of relationship and more or them figuring out what they want for themselves, and for their friendship and relationship.

The characters were really nice and I really liked them! I loved how they had their goals and were going after them with everything they got. As someone who is also in college and trying to reach my goals, sometimes with a lot of struggle, it was really nice to see them going through the same.

Lastly, their chemistry was really good, even though I don’t love the firsts with benefits relationship I am still able to appreciate their chemistry. Ki Stephens was able to successfully show how much those Ella and Hudson yearned for each other!

I really enjoyed Game On. Ella and Hudson were both well developed in their own passions and goals. This wasn't just a story about them getting together; it was about them growing, coping with their pasts, and truly learning to let someone else in, even for a moment.

Hudson experiences some obsessive compulsive tendencies and I feel this representation was done well. The author has shared that she has personal experience with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and she wanted to show someone who experience OCD but is not defined by it, which I think really came through. Often when we represent Mental Health Disorders, it becomes the main point of that character's story. This isn't the case for Hudson. He is coping with his disorder and continues to achieve excellence.

I also really enjoyed the way the spicy scenes in this book were done. They were definitely there and spicy, but were also very focused on the connection and emotions between the characters. They also weren’t overly plentiful. There were fade to black moments and it didn't feel like we had to view every one of their sexual encounters on page. I also really enjoyed how consent was done; it was on page, active, but not awkward. Consent is sexy and I love to see it included explicitly and frequently.

I do wish we got to see more development for our side characters and got to know them a bit more. There was certainly a cast of them and while some had story elements about them, many felt like window dressing.

I went into Game On with high expectations after hearing so many great things about Ki Stephens, and wow, this book did NOT disappoint! I was hooked from the very first page and completely swept up in the world of competitive cheerleading. I loved that this story wasn’t just another football romance but instead shined a well deserved spotlight on cheer, reminding me so much of the Netflix show Cheer! It was intense, emotional, and so incredibly well written.

Ki Stephens has such a talent for making her characters feel real. Hudson and Ella’s connection was everything; so raw, so vulnerable, and so beautifully developed. I loved how they truly saw each other, supported each other without pressure, and gave each other space to grow. Their love story felt effortless in the best way, with a natural progression that made every moment between them feel meaningful. And the OCD representation? So well done! It added another layer of depth to the story and made it even more relatable.

Beyond the romance, the side characters also stole my heart, and the way Ki weaves real life struggles into her stories makes everything feel even more genuine. The writing had the perfect balance of fun, spice, and sweet moments, and I never wanted it to end.

If you love sports romance but want something fresh and different, Game On is perfect. It’s emotional, exhilarating, and full of heart. Everyone needs to grab this book as soon as it releases. Ki Stephens has outdone herself, and I’ll definitely be diving into more of her books!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ki Stephens, and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC of this book.

Liked it, didn’t love it. In theory, it had everything I could have asked for: sports romance, forced proximity, forbidden love. I just didn’t quite connect with it.

The best part of the book to me was the FMC’s quiet acceptance of the MMC’s OCD. Attention wasn’t constantly on the fact that the MMC was struggling, but FMC found ways to make him feel safe and comfortable without drawing attention. As someone with OCD, I loved this take.

Game On by Ki Stephens was such a fun read for spring. I found myself smiling at lines from certain chapters and the dynamics between the football team and Hunter were so good. The banter was on point. I like how the female main character had an English accent, it made her stand out a little more than other books with the same idea. Hunter and Ella were so cute together. The way they transitioned from friends to enemies to friends again was so fun to read about. If you want a fun read for spring Game On by Ki Stephens is for you.

ARC review - 4.5 stars

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the advance copy.

First, I ran to get this ARC because Ki Stephens is a must read author for me. Her writing is so comforting and she handles mental health issues with such care and Game On is no exception.

I wasn't sure what I was expecting with this story, just from the cover I thought we were gonna get a football focused book but was pleasantly surprised to find it focused more on the cheerleading. Specifically, competitive cheerleading.

I know nothing about cheering so at times I did find it hard to visualize what moves they were doing, but that didn't really take away from my feelings or enjoyment of the book. So don't let a lack of knowledge about cheering discourage you from reading because you will be missing out.

I thought this book was perfectly paced until the ending where I felt Ella's anger towards Hudson was sort of out of the blue. I felt maybe I was missing something, because I could understand in theory why she would be upset but it just felt like there a scene or two that could have been added to connect the dots so it didn't seem so out of place.

Overall this was a fun, cute read with emotional depth and I hope we get to see more of this world, especially Levi, Sammy and Claire.

When Ki Stephens posted on insta that this book was on NetGalley (Thank you NetGalley for the ARC), I jumped on it. I will read anything she writes.

I loved this book!
It was a quick, cute, fun and sweet read.
I loved Ella and Hudson and felt their chemistry immediately, two lost souls finding each other. Ella unplugging everything when he came over for the first time was such a small thing for her to do to make him comfortable. It was such a small moment and not acknowledged again, but probably one of my fav parts.

I really adored all the side characters (hope this is a series, need to know Claire and Levi’s history) and found family is always a favorite of mine.
One thing I truly enjoy about Ki’s book is there is always a focus on mental health, and it’s always handled with such thoughtfulness and grace.

If you love the Cheer and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader shows on Netflix, then you MUST READ this book! Game On is such a fun and unique story of an Oxford cheerleader who spends the year studying abroad in the U.S. I went in thinking I would be getting a football sports romance and while the MMC is a football player, the real focus of the book was the cheerleading! The sport of cheerleading and the competition were described well and really had me on the edge of my seat just like any sports romance.

Ella, a British cheerleader, starts her year abroad with a breakup and a steamy night with Hudson, the star quarterback. Their chemistry is off the charts, and I loved how their relationship grew from casual to something deeper. Ella’s strength and independence were so refreshing, and Hudson really owned up to his mistakes.

The side characters—Levi, Sammy, and Claire—also had me hooked, and I’m hoping we get more of them in future books. I just have to know more about what all went down with them!

Definitely pick this one up for a fresh take on a college romance!

First and foremost Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the arc! I am truly grateful and it is oh so appreciated.

OH MY LANTA! Ki has truly outdone herself with Game On. I honestly had such a blast reading this and it was such a ride from start to finish and I was sad when I finished it. I don't know how Ki is able to do it, but every book she writes, she has me falling in love her characters, side characters and all. She has a way of connecting and making real life struggles/problems into her stories that makes everything seem so relatable and just more loveable.

The connection and vulnerability between Hudson and Ella is oh so wonderful and they are literally perfection. The way they didn't pressure each other, always had each other's backs in figuring out themselves and what they wanted as individuals as well as a couple. It was all so genuine and REAL and seeing them show up for each other without being asked to was simply amazing. The pace of their relationship was just everything, it all flowed so well and I could have read another 500 pgs and it wouldn't have been enough.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I'll read anything and everything by Ki. It could be her grocery list and it would get 5 stars. Her writing and her stories are out of this world and just so amazing and Game On just solidifies this. I don't know what else to say other than this book was fun, sweet, spicy, swoony, all of the emotions and written so well. Everyone needs to read this when it releases and I swear y'all won't be disappointed.

Sports romances have quickly become my new obsession and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

This story was fun, sexy and had our main characters trying to focus on the now despite some past and future roadblocks.

Ella and Hudson were a joy to experience. Despite being goal oriented, they provide meaningful support and fun distractions for each other. They fell into an unexpected deeper attraction.

I very much enjoyed them and their group. I would not mind more. I am officially a Ki Stephens fan.

Thank you to Ki Stephens, the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book.

this was so cute !! I’ve been meaning to read Stephen’s work for the longest time so I decided to start here, I will be immediately going through her back list. These characters felt real and solid without being too cliche which is always good. Romance genre is hard to find books that don’t seem extremely formulaic and this one wasn’t! Refreshing, simple, and cute read

An interesting take on a sports romance, I was wondering if there would be interesting cultural differences in this year abroad story but at the end of the day it just read like a generic college sports romance.

"I'm trying to figure out how someone so infuriatingly stubborn could also be so goddamn perfect. How when she laughs, I want to join in, and when she cries, I want to do everything in my power to make her smile again. How's she managed to weave her way into every part of my life, making it impossible to remember what it was like before I knew her."

Overall, this was an ok read. I think I personally struggle reading college romance because it's been a bit since I've been in college myself so it can feel..immature?? I did love the aspect of him needing to become a cheerleader to support her; that wasn't something I was expecting when I first started reading. It also reminded me of Cheer on Netflix which was nice (obviously other than all of horrible situations associated with the show), but it was cool to have a visual to compare it to.

Major thanks to NetGalley for the early copy!